Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Filariasis Control in Coastal Nigeria: Predictive Significance of Baseline Entomological Indices of Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae)

This work aimed at collecting filariasis transmission data of Anopheles gambiae to be used in predicting future trends in filariasis transmission and control programme outcomes. Collection of the mosquitoes was made by human landing catch and light trap methods. In all, 5,813 females were caught from September 2005 to August 2006. Mosquito population started to expand at the onset of the rains. The highest density was found after peak temperature. The A. gambiae s.l. biting peaked around midnight; 39.7% were parous and 0.3% were infective. The highest percentage of parous females caught was near midnight, ranging between 42.0% and 47.5% from 22.00 to 03.00 hours. Biting rate in the rainy season was 2.6 times higher than it in the dry season. Transmission potential was 3.6 times higher during the rains than during the dry season. The percentage infectivity was relatively high (13.2%) in June, corresponding to 8.8 infective bites per person per month. All infective A. gambiae, were caught between 22.00 and 03.00 hours. The average load of L3 larvae per infective A. gambiae was 1.4 L3/mosquito. The monthly transmission potential calculated for each month indicated that transmission was ongoing for most of the months of the year, especially in the rainy season.
A role for sexual conflict in the evolution of reproductive traits in Nasonia wasps

Sexual conflict theory predicts that female and male reproductive traits coevolve resulting in disruption of reproductive behaviour upon mating of individuals from diverged populations. We used interfertile species of haplodiploid Nasonia wasps to compare re-mating frequency, longevity, oviposition rate and sperm use of conspecifically and heterospecifically mated females. Females that first mated with a heterospecific male re-mated more often a second time, indicating that conspecific mates reduce female receptivity more. Mating did not affect female lifespan. Lifetime production of sons and daughters was significantly reduced in heterospecifically mated females. Dissection of females confirmed that heterospecific sperm survives equally well as conspecific sperm during storage in the spermatheca. Differences in daily fecundity and age at which females become sperm depleted could in part be explained by species differences in ovariole numbers. We conclude that sexual conflict may play a role in the evolution of female mating rate, fecundity and sex allocation in Nasonia. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2009.
Size‐dependent insect flight energetics at different sugar supplies

Under most circumstances, large body size confers a higher fitness and is positively selected, whereas selection against large size is empirically poorly documented. Physiologically, according to the 3⁄4 power law, larger animals have lower relative but higher absolute energy demands, such that large body size may become disadvantageous, particularly under fast locomotion in food-limited environments. After a period of initial feeding on different sugar concentrations, we investigated size-dependent energy content (reserves) at baseline and of females unflown (i.e. resting) or flown for 18 h in two (replicate) insect species: the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria and the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Tethered adults of various sizes were tested in a flight mill. In both species, teneral glycogen, sugar, and lipid content increased with sugar availability, and isometrically or even hyper- allometrically (slope > 1) with body size. Activity treatment also revealed the expected consumption effects. Both species increased their flight distance with sugar supply, although only larger mosquitoes flew longer. Crucially, larger females of both species disproportionately exhausted more glycogen and sugars (but not lipid) during flight. The mosquitoes appeared to adjust their flight more finely to their size-dependent energy reserves at all sugar availabilities, whereas, in the dung flies, size-dependent energy demands were detectable only with a low but not with an overly high sugar supply. Although we found a greater absolute and relative locomotory energy demand for the larger flies, which is in agreement with interspecific patterns in insects, this was (more than) compensated by their greater baseline energy reserves, resulting in the greater net flying capacity of larger individuals. Consequently, we found no evidence for energetic mechanisms limiting the performance of large flying insects under food limitation. The differences between the two species presumably relate to mosquitoes inherently being long distance flyers and dung flies being short distance flyers.
Long-term Limnological Changes in Six Lakes with Differing Human Impacts from a Limestone Region in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

Abstract Diatom-based paleolimnological techniques have been used to track limnological changes over the last ~150 years in six oligomesotrophic, primarily shallow, hardwater lakes in southwestern Ontario. Three of the six lakes are located in national parks and consequently have had little-to-no direct human impacts in their watersheds, with the exception of logging following initial European settlement (A.D. ~1850–1910). The paleolimnological indicators suggest that these activities have led to subtle-to-moderate eutrophication and possibly a reduction of macrophyte abundances. Additional subtle limnological changes have been occurring over the last century even in the undisturbed control lakes. The marked increase of Cyclotella comensis suggests that alkalinity levels may have increased ~1950–1980. The remaining three lakes experienced additional disturbances following the 19th century logging. For example, a campsite has been located on the shore of Cyprus Lake since 1968, but study results indicate this minor disturbance did not significantly alter water quality. In contrast, the last two of the six study lakes have experienced significantly more intense human impact and showed markedly different trophic histories. For example, the catchment of Chesley Lake was heavily developed for agriculture, the shoreline was densely populated with cottages and macrophytes were deliberately removed from the littoral zone. The paleolimnological data recorded a reduction of the water quality following these disturbances. Cage aquaculture has been ongoing in Lake Wolsey since 1983. Diatom changes in the lake's recent sediment are consistent with increased nutrient concentrations. Collectively, these paleolimnological data provide lake managers with important historical data from which trajectories of past limnological changes can be inferred and realistic mitigation targets can be identified.
A review of reproductive biotechnologies and their application in goat

Tremendous developments have been achieved in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) both in human and animals in the last two decades. In livestock including goats, the modern ARTs are being used for the improvement and preservation of livestock genetics and the enhancement of reproductive efficiency. The ARTs together with embryo technologies have facilitated the development of methods to transfer desired single genes or the entire genome from desirable individuals or embryos. Rapid advances in ARTs to manipulate embryos in the laboratory have permitted screening of embryos for genetic defects or highly desirable quantitative traits using molecular markers. The ARTs include artificial insemination, embryo transfer, estrus synchronization and superovulation, multiple ovulation embryo transfer, laparoscopic ovum pick-up, in vitro production of embryos, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, cryopreservation of sperm, cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos, sexing of sperm and embryos, embryo splitting, cloning and gene transfer and marker-assisted selection. The goat is an excellent model for all these ARTs and has been used extensively in both basic and applied research. The applications of these ARTs in goat enable to increase the rate of genetic progress, reduce generation interval, enhance production, help utilizing genetically important but biologically inferior individual, improve the management of infertile/sub-fertile buck/doe and eliminate reproductive diseases. This review describes different ARTs and their application in goat production and research. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.
Prevalence of campylobacters and arcobacters in ducks at the abattoir

Ten duck carcasses, five from each of two different flocks, and four pairs of pooled duck caecal contents, each pair from a separate flock, were examined by a variety of techniques for arcobacters and campylobacters. Campylobacter coli, C. jejuni ssp. jejuni, C. upsaliensis, Arcobacter cryaerophilus and A. butzleri were isolated from duck caecal contents. Campylobacter coli, C. jejuni ssp. jejuni, A. cryaerophilus, A. butzleri and A. skirrowii were isolated from carcasses. The most effective methods for isolating these bacteria from carcasses involved selective enrichment in campylobacter enrichment broth, containing a cefoperazone, amphotericin, teicoplanin supplement, followed by plating onto modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA), or plating onto non‐selective blood agar after filtration through a 0·65 μm pore size cellulose acetate filter. In contrast, recovery from caecal contents was most effective by direct plating onto mCCDA. API test strips performed poorly, failing to identify A. skirrowii or A. butzleri (which are not included in the scheme), or even many common campylobacters. The Preston biochemical characterization scheme was more helpful, though it did not distinguish between Arcobacter species. The species of most isolates of campylobacter, identified using the Preston scheme, was confirmed by the use of SDS‐PAGE of whole cell proteins and this technique was also used successfully to speciate arcobacters.
Parasitismo natural de ovos de triatomíneos por Telenomus fariai lima, 1927 no laboratório

In november/89 in the insectary of Centro de Estudos "Emmanuel Dias"/Bambui-MG a high infestation by the microhymenoptera T. fariai was found. Among the 529 eggs examined from P. megistus and T. vitticeps, 375(70.9%) of them showed a total of1045parasites (91.4% females and 8.6% males). Later on it was found that T. infestans eggs were also parasitised by T. fariai but not those from R. neglectus. The observedparasitoid/egg average was 7.9 in P. megistus; 8.7 in T. vitticeps and 10 in T. infestans. The present report has special importance considering the real possibility ofT. fariai infestation due to the access of infested triatomine eggs from field captures inducing great damage to colonies maintainedfor research purposes. These eggs have to be carefully examined, isolated and eliminated. This procedure and the closing of triatomine containers with thin net (0.25 mm) is show to be efficient in T. fariai control.
β-Carotene and canthaxanthin alter the pro-oxidation and antioxidation balance in rats fed a high-cholesterol and high-fat diet

This study investigated the effects of β-carotene and canthaxanthin on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities in rats fed a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet. Wistar rats were divided into six groups. Negative control group (group NC) received a high-fat (150 g/kg) diet; cholesterol control group (group CC) received a high-cholesterol (10 g/kg), high-fat diet. The other four groups were fed a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet supplemented with crystal β-carotene (group BC), β-carotene beadlet (group BB), canthaxanthin beadlet (group CX) or α-tocopherol (group AT). Blood and livers were collected for analysis after 6 weeks of feeding. Group BB had significantly lower hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and conjugated diene concentrations, whereas group CX had a significantly lower plasma TBARS concentration than did group CC. In erythrocytes, glutathione peroxidase activities were significantly greater in groups BC, BB and CX than in group CC. Moreover, compared with group CC, catalase activities were significantly greater in groups BB and CX, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly greater in group BB. In livers, SOD activities were significantly greater in groups BC, BB and CX, and glutathione reductase activities were significantly greater in groups BB and CX than in group CC. Compared with group CC, hepatic retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations were significantly greater in groups BC, BB and CX, whereas plasma and hepatic cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in group BC. These findings suggest that β-carotene and canthaxanthin altered the pro-oxidation and antioxidation balance and suppressed cholesterol-induced oxidative stress via modulation of antioxidant system and cholesterol metabolism.
Patterns of turtle species’geographic range size and a test of Rapoport's rule

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in documenting and explaining patterns of species' range sizes with the goal of determining if general patterns exist. Much recent debate has centered on whether Rapoport's rule, the tendency for range size to increase with increasing latitude, is a general rule or a local effect. I calculated the sizes of turtle species ranges from distribution maps and used published natural history data to examine how range size varies with latitude, and to determine if differences in range size exist among continents, and if correlations with body size, available land area, habitat and diet breadth exist. The distribution of turtle range sizes extended over six orders of magnitude and formed a lognormal distribution with many species having moderate or small ranges and few species having large ranges. Range size was positively correlated with available land area, habitat breadth, diet breadth, and body size. Multiple regression accounted for only 39% of the variance in range size indicating that other important factors remain unknown. At both global and continental scales, range size is largest near the equator and decreases with increasing latitude, the apposite of Rapoport's rule. However, range size did increase latitudinally above 25-30°N in both the Neararctic and Palearctic suggesting that the pattern would be more accurately considered a local effect than a general rule. Larger range sizes at low latitudes may occur because more land area in the tropics provides much suitable habitat for ectotherms and there are few large scale physical barriers to dispersal. Rapoport patterns result from the occurrence of a small number of wide-ranging cold tolerant species that have reinvaded northern latitudes after Pleistocene glaciation. Patterns of the longitudinal and latitudinal extents of species ranges and their positions illustrate the importance of climate, mountain ranges, deserts, and coastlines, as barriers potentially affecting range size.
Avian foraging behaviour in relation to provision of ecosystem services in a highland East African agroecosystem

Capsule Most birds in a Kenyan highland agroecosystem foraged from the ground, potentially contributing to weed regulation, and invertebrate intake rates by aerial foraging insectivores were high, indicating that birds could contribute to pest regulation. Aims Bird foraging behaviour and its implications for provision of ecosystem services and crop damage was investigated. Methods Detailed observations of foraging birds in relation to substrates used and food items consumed were undertaken within cultivated areas during dry and wet seasons. Results Most birds foraged from the ground, often consuming seeds, fruits and flowers from weeds rather than crop plants. The relatively high rate of invertebrate intake by two aerial foraging species and the high number of insectivorous bird species recorded in the area suggest that invertebrate predation could also be high and potentially contribute to pest regulation. Species-specific differences in the habitats birds used and prey taken were also identified, providing an indication of species likely to contribute to invertebrate and weed pest control and those likely to cause crop damage. Conclusion The results describe species-specific avian foraging behaviour in African farmland that may be used in informing agricultural management practices to enhance beneficial species and reduce impacts of crop-damaging ones.
Stocking rate trials in Ankole, Uganda: II. Botanical analysis and oesophageal fistula sampling of pastures grazed at different stocking rates

SUMMARY Botanical analyses of trials grazed at 3·6, 2·4, 1·2, 0·8 and 0·6 ha/300 kg animal for 4 years are detailed. The two heaviest grazing pressures encouraged Brachiaria decumbens, a high quality grass, at the expense of Themeda triandra and Hyparrhenia filipendula. Rotational grazing allowed the weed grass Cymbopogon afronardus to regenerate after clearing more rapidly than did continuous grazing. Bullocks with oesophageal fistulas sampled pastures grazed at 2·4, 1·2 and 0·6 ha/animal at 4-weekly intervals for 12 months. The 0·6 ha/animal treatment was repeated on pasture cleared of the weed grass Cymbopogon afronardus. Cattle growth rates, both long term and at the time of sampling, were recorded. Cattle growth rates were greatest at 2·4 ha/animal but fistula sampling demonstrated that the diet was significantly lower in CP and higher in CF than the more heavily stocked treatments, which is contrary to the normal pattern. It is concluded that the differences in cattle growth rates at the different stocking rates were due to differences in dry-matter intake rather than the recorded differences in diet quality. The higher CP in the diet at the heavier stocking rates is ascribed to the increase of B. decumbens in the diet. An unexplained ceiling to cattle growth rates of ca. 0·5 kg/day, and a calculated drymatter intake of < 2·1% body weight/day, in the presence of unlimited forage of 10% CP and 55% apparent digestibility, makes it more economic to stock for maximum production per ha than per animal.
Shields of offence: signalling competitive ability in the dusky moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa

The 'status-signalling' hypothesis states that individuals might avoid unprofitable fights by signalling their competitive ability and assessing the signals of others. The frontal shields of rails (Aves : Rallidae) are fleshy structures that are displayed prominently during agonistic interactions. Shield maintenance probably requires elevated levels of testosterone and deposition of carotenoid pigments, which implies that shield size and colour could be honest signals of the ability or willingness to fight. We used field observations and a model experiment to study the signalling function of the red shield of the dusky moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa. Birds with relatively larger shields were more likely to win aggressive encounters, and the outcome was apparently unaffected, or less strongly affected, by body size, weight, condition and sex. Shield size increased with body size and weight, but neither explained more than 26% of the variation in shield size, even after controlling for age and date. Shield size was not affected by body condition, as estimated from residuals of a regression of weight on body size. Moorhens confronted with a model fitted with a large shield retreated more quickly than they did when presented with the same model bearing a small shield, supporting the results from natural interactions. We conclude that the frontal shield functions as a signal during agonistic interactions, and possibly signals the ability or willingness to fight.
Effects of Daylength On the Multiplication of Potato Cyst-Nematode (Globodera Spp.) Populations

The effects of different daylengths (12 and 16 hr) on hatching, invasion of the host, and reproduction of different populations of potato cyst-nematodes on European potato plants, Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum, were studied. Invasion and root weight were greater in plants grown in 16- than in 12-hr days. The ratio of male to female larvae of G. pallida hardly changed but the ratio of male to female G. rostochiensis larvae was greater in 16- than in 12-hr days. Populations of both species from Europe tended to produce more cysts on plants grown in 16-hr days, but G. rostochiensis from Peru produced more on plants grown in 12-hr days. Hatching from cysts produced in 16-hr days was also greater than from those produced in 12-hr days but no significant differences between activities of root diffusates produced in different daylengths were found.
Interference competition in the intertidal mud snail Hydrobia ulvae: egestion rates revisited

Egestion in the intertidal mud snail Hydrobia ulvae was investigated under conditions in which coprophagy did not occur, both in laboratory populations (comprising 11 experimental densities from 1000 to 120,000 ind m−2) and in a field population with an average density of 50,000 ind m−2 (24 test densities spanning the local range of <5000–>120,000 ind m−2). In contrast to an earlier study that suggested marked reduction in egestion rate in H. ventrosa as a consequence of interference competition, no such effect occurred in the natural population of H. ulvae, or in the experimental populations except at densities of at least 100,000 ind m−2. Neither did any significant increase in inactivity or movement off the experimental substrata occur with increasing density. These results are discussed in relation to resource limitation in natural densities of mud snails.
Superfícies de resposta espectro-temporal de imagens do sensor MODIS para classificação de área de soja no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul

This paper was aimed at evaluating the potential and the limitations of MODIS images for soybean classification and area estimation through a Spectral-Temporal Response Surface (STRS) method. A soybean thematic map from Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, derived from Landsat images was used as reference data to assist both sample training and results comparison. Six 16-day composite MODIS images were classified through a supervised maximum likelihood algorithm (MAXVER) adapted to the STRS method. The results were evaluated using the Kappa coefficient for the entire study area and for one region dominated by large farms and another by small ones. The STRS method underestimated the soybean area by 6.6%, for the entire study area, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.503. For regions with large and small farms the soybean area was overestimated by 8% (Kappa=0.424) and underestimated by 43.4% (Kappa=0.358), respectively. Eventually, MODIS images, through the STRS method, demonstrated good potential to classify and estimate soybean area, mainly in regions with large farms. For regions with small farms the correct identification and classification of soybean areas showed to be less efficient due to the low spatial resolution of MODIS images.