Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alleviating Social Isolation and Loneliness among Older People

Social isolation and loneliness are often perceived as problems of old age. Although a wide range of services have evolved to combat such ‘negative’ experiences, little is known about the effectiveness, acceptability and accessibility of these interventions. We explored the inter-relationship between older people's and practitioners' perceptions of social isolation and loneliness, and their suggestions for effective interventions. Interviews demonstrated a disparity between definitions of loneliness and social isolation, and perceptions of acceptable interventions. Findings suggest that older people employ a range of coping strategies that are not taken into account when services are planned. Many services treat older people as a homogenous group, giving little consideration to the specific needs of those who are isolated and lonely, or to ways to reach them. Activities often evolve to meet the needs of current participants, rather than of the intended target group, excluding those who are truly isolated and lonely. We conclude that there is inequity between the ‘active lonely’ and those most in need in accessing and using services intended for isolated and lonely older people, because of the lack of need sand evidence-based practice.
New information on the morphology of yunnanolepid antiarchs (Placoderm fishes) from the Early Devonian of South China

ABSTRACT Skull morphology is described from acid-prepared articulated specimens of the antiarch Phymolepis cuifenshanensis from the Early Devonian of Yunnan Province, South China. The nasal and circum-orbital bones have a similar structure to the advanced antiarch Bothriolepis, but with the nasal openings bounded laterally by the sclerotic ring. Yunnanolepis parvus is reinterpreted to have the same structure, assumed primitive for antiarchs. The suborbital plates of Phymolepis meet in the midline, are crossed by a single sensory groove, and also carry possible cutaneous sensory pits as in arthrodires. Three bones (submarginal, prelateral, and infraprelateral) are identified in the cheek complex, and comparisons with Yunnanolepis suggest that they were also present in other primitive antiarchs. Traces of an opercular cartilage are described for the first time in an antiarch. The sensory canal pattern of Phymolepis differs from that of Yunnanolepis, with the supraorbital canal entering the preorbital depres.
Impact of water provision on herbaceous vegetation in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract Herbaceous vegetation was sampled in transects starting at drinking troughs in four land systems in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. The step point method was used to measure the botanical composition and basal cover, and a disc pasture meter was used to measure standing crop. Botanical composition was converted to herbaceous forage and fine fuel production potential. All of these parameters were then used to test for and describe the impact of large herbivores on the herbaceous vegetation near drinking troughs. It was found that provision of water for large herbivores in troughs has a negative impact on herbaceous forage and fine fuel production potential, basal cover and standing crop. The logistic equation adequately describes this impact and the radii of impact extend to between 25 and 250 m from water. Habitat and herbivore species diversity are likely to be adversely affected by the lack of areas farther than 10 km from permanent water. Accelerated soil loss may occur within the sacrifice areas of watering points because of the lack of a protective herbaceous sward.
Postdispersal survivorship of north Queensland rainforest seeds and fruits: effects of forest, habitat and species

Diaspore (seed and/or fruit) survivorship of 12 species of North Queensland rainforest trees was monitored over a 4 week period in two rainforests on the Atherton Tableland, north Queensland, Australia, with replicated sites in forest interiors, canopy gaps, forest edges and adjacent pastures. General linear modelling was used to estimate the relative importance of forest site, habitat, species and diaspore type on survival. The probability of survival varied significantly among species, between habitat, forest and diaspore types. Survival averaged 41.2% at day 28, was greater in one forest (Curtain Fig, 56.1%) than the other (Lamins Hill, 25.3%) and was apparently inversely related to the abundance of rodents. In both forests, survival declined in the order: pasture ≥ forest edge ≥ forest interior = canopy gap. A lack of significant difference between the forest interior and canopy gap is consistent with findings in other rainforest sites within Australia, but contrasts with most results from other continents. The study also indicated that diaspore weight was an important intrinsic variable affecting survival, the predators (mostly rodents) taking small to moderately large diaspores rather than the very large ones.
Effects of pre-slaughter fasting on broiler welfare, meat quality, and intestinal integrity

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) regulations establish 12 hours as the maximum pre-slaughter fasting period for broilers; however, many processing plants have considered this time is not sufficient, and consequently return the birds to the farms, with consequent economic losses and welfare problems. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the possible effects of longer pre-slaughter fasting times. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pre-slaughter fasting times longer than those established by MAPA on broiler welfare, breast meat quality, and intestinal integrity. Forty 42-d-old broilers were submitted to different pre-slaughter fasting times: group I: 6 hours, group II 9h, group III 12h, and group IV 15h. Bird welfare was assessed before slaughter. After sacrifice, intestinal samples were collected to assess their morphology and morphometrics, and the Pectoralis major muscle was analyzed for pH and color. There was no influence (p>0.05) of treatments on breast muscle pH or color.There were no significant changes in intestinal morphometrics (p<0.05). Bird behavior was affected (p<0.05), suggesting that welfare was impaired as fasting time increased, but no differences in the analyzed parameters were detected between broilers fasted for 12 or 15 hours. It was concluded that the behavioral differences between birds fasted for 12 and 15 hours are not sufficient to assert that those fasted for 15 hours were in worse welfare conditions.
Inheritance of body size in the Barnacle Goose under different environmental conditions

Heritabilities, genetic variances and covariances for body size traits, i.e. tarsus length, head length and body mass, were estimated under different environmental conditions in a Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) population. Under poor growth conditions, that is, when average body size of fully grown offspring in a given cohort was small, the offspring‐parent regressions and full‐sib analyses yielded heritability estimates not significantly different from zero. By contrast, when growth conditions were normal or good the heritability estimates were generally significantly positive. Comparisons of genetic covariance estimates indicated that they also differed across the analysed environmental conditions. This result, together with similar results obtained in studies of passerine birds, suggests that genotype‐environment interactions might be frequent within the range of environments normally encountered by birds in natural populations. If general, such results might question the validity of assuming approximate constancy of additive genetic variances and covariances over time and environments in evolutionary models.
Plum pox virus in Canada: progress in research and future prospects for disease control

Plum pox virus (PPV), one of the potyviruses originally from Europe and recently found in Canada, is the causative agent of sharka in Prunoideae. The virus infects many types of ornamental as well as stone-fruit Prunus spp. , such as peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, and apricot, resulting in extensive economic losses. Immediately after it was found in Canada, a PPV eradication, grower compensation, and research program funded by the Canadian federal and provincial governments was implemented. This review summarizes general information about PPV, including the physical and molecular features of the viral pathogen, symptoms of the disease, geographical distribution, and current control strategy, and highlights research progress and future prospects for control of the disease in Canada.
Effect of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin on cellular defence response and oxygen uptake of the wax moth Galleria mellonella L. (Lep., Pyralidae)

Remarkable changes in the cellular response and oxygen uptake in the wax moth Galleria mellonella were observed when larvae were infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. The number of haemocytes increased 48, 72 and 96 h after infection with fungal conidiospores. Extensive blebbing of the cell membrane in the haemocytes and large numbers of vacuoles were noticed as a result of fungal infection. The study showed a significant difference in oxygen uptake between healthy and infected larvae and the greatest uptake was recorded 72 h after fungal infection. The results suggested that the rate of cellular reaction and oxygen uptake were associated with the development of fungal infection.
Relationships among distribution of fine roots, soil DOC concentration and Collembola

The higher abundance of microarthropods around plant roots has been considered to result from the release of labile carbon by roots (e.g., root exudation), but the concentration of labile carbon itself has not been measured. We investigated whether fine root distribution affects distribution of Collembola (Folsomia candida) by changing the soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, which is supposed to represent rhizodeposits, under both lowand high-light conditions using a sandy soil system with Chamaecyparis obtusa. Fine root biomass and total DOC content were greater under the high-light condition than under the low-light condition, but no significant difference was detected in collembolan abundance. In addition, soil DOC concentration was correlated with fine root biomass, but collembolan distribution was not affected by root or DOC distribution under either light condition. Although it remains unsolved why collembolan distribution did not correspond to the fine-root or DOC distribution, our results indicate that there is the case of no significant correlation between roots and Collembola.
Cryptic diversity in the euryhaline red alga Caloglossa ogasawaraensis (Delesseriaceae, Ceramiales)

Abstract: Caloglossa ogasawaraensis is one of the most widespread species of its genus, having been reported from marine to freshwater habitats in tropical to temperate regions of both hemispheres. Because little phenotypic variation has been reported for this species, we investigated genetic, physiological, and/or morphological variations in 18 strains of C. ogasawaraensis isolated from 14 countries. The combined data of plastid-encoded ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) gene and its spacer, nuclear-encoded large subunit (LSU) rDNA, and mitochondrion-encoded cox spacer region suggested that this species is divided into three groups; Group I contains Australian, Melanesian, and Micronesian strains; Group II includes strains from western Pacific coasts, Micronesia, and Madagascar; and Group III consists eastern Pacific–Atlantic and Malaysian strains. Considering wide distribution range and close genetic similarity within the groups, a long-distance dispersal event does not seem to be rare in this species. Growth of the strains was compared between brackish (salinity = 8) and seawater (salinity = 32) media; most Group I strains grew well in both brackish and seawater media; whereas, all the Group II strains showed better growth in the brackish medium. Morphological analyses of the strains incubated under the same conditions revealed that the Group III strains had wider rhizoids than the other strains. However, this feature was highly variable and easily affected by environmental and algal conditions. Although such morphological and physiological variations suggest speciation of the three phylogenetic groups, more clear-cut features are required to describe them as distinct morpho-species.
Food Limitation and Habitat Preference of Glaucomys sabrinus and Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Food limitation and habitat preference of northern flying squirrels ( Glaucomys sabrinus ) and red squirrels ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) were examined in British Columbia, Canada. Using mark-recapture techniques to estimate population demographics, we tested the hypotheses that populations of G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus were limited by availability of food and that old-growth stands provided higher-quality habitat than second-growth stands. Populations were monitored on six study areas; two second-growth lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ) stands (controls), two second-growth pine stands with food supplementation (treatments), and two old-growth lodgepole pine stands. Sunflower seeds were applied (20 kg ha−1 month−1) to treatment stands by helicopter in a uniform distribution for 3 summers, and mark-recapture of G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus was initiated in the second summer of food supplementation. There were significantly more G. sabrinus and T hudsonicus in treatment stands than in control stands. The mean density of G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus in treatment stands was ca. 1.8 times greater than that in control stands. Estimates of population sizes for G. sabrinus in control stands were significantly lower than those in old-growth stands. Estimates of population sizes for T. hudsonicus in control and old-growth stands were not significantly different. Adult male G. sabrinus in control and treatment stands were significantly heavier than those in old-growth stands. Body mass for T. hudsonicus and the proportion of adults breeding, recruitment, and survival rates for G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus did not vary among control, treatment, and old-growth stands. Consequently, populations of G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus appeared to be limited by availability of food, but individuals did not appear to benefit from food supplementation. Second-growth stands were not suboptimal habitat for G. sabrinus and T. hudsonicus .
FACTORS CONTROLLING PRIMARY PRODUCTION IN LAKES AND RESERVOIRS: A PERSPECTIVE

ABSTRACT Phytoplankton productivity and biomass fluctuations are controlled by the same energy and nutrient inputs and the same balance of gain and loss factors in natural and manmade lakes. However, some significant physical and hydrodynamic differences between lakes and reservoirs do exist which influence (1) the relative contributions of various primary producers to their food-webs, (2) the relative importance of certain limiting factors to primary production (e.g., turbidity, nutrient availability, flushing rate), (3) the spatial variability of primary production within reservoirs, and (4) the applicability of lake-based classifications and empirical relationships to reservoirs. An important distinction between most natural and manmade lakes is that reservoirs are semi-fluvial environments that fall between rivers and lakes on a continuum of aquatic ecosystems. A wider recognition of the riverine influences on reservoir ecosystems will enhance our understanding of the spatial and temporal heterogeneit.
Susceptibility of Six Bacterial Pathogens of Channel Catfish to Six Antibiotics

Abstract Two hundred eight bacterial isolates from diseased channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were screened for susceptibility to apramycin, enrofloxacin, cephalothin, oxytetracycline, sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim, and tilmicosin by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Bacteria evaluated were Edwardsiella ictaluri, E. tarda, Aeromonas sp. , A. hydrophila, A. sobria, and Pseudomonas sp. All bacteria were most susceptible to enrofloxacin (99.0%) and apramycin (97.6%), but only 86.5% were susceptible to sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim, 84.1%o to oxytetracycline, and 75.5% to cephalothin. Edwardsiella ictaluri, E. tarda, A. hydrophila, and A. sobria were 100% susceptible to enrofloxacin. Aeromonas sp. , E. ictaluri and E. tarda were 100% susceptible to apramycin. Resistance was detected in all bacterial species to cephalothin, oxytetracycline, sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim, and tilmicosin. Testing E. ictaluri against sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim gave larger zones of inhibition on Mueller-Hinton medium than on brain.
Variation in population dynamics and movement patterns between two geographically isolated populations of the dusky hopping mouse (Notomys fuscus)

The ecology of the dusky hopping mouse (Notomys fuscus) was studied at Pelican Waterhole in south-west Queensland and Montecollina Bore in north-east South Australia over an eight-year period. Population parameters of N. fuscus differed markedly between the two study sites. Whilst the population at Montecollina Bore exhibited large fluctuations in size, captures at Pelican Waterhole were lower but more consistent. Recaptures between sessions at Montecollina Bore peaked at 60% but no individuals were recaptured at Pelican Waterhole. No evidence of seasonal breeding was recorded at either site. Male N. fuscus captured at Montecollina Bore were significantly heavier (average 31.4 g) than Pelican Waterhole animals (average 26.6 g). Over a 1–4-night period, the maximum linear distance moved by radio-collared individuals was 1.5 km (average 481 m) at Pelican Waterhole and 400 m (average 199 m) at Montecollina Bore. Differences in population dynamics between the two sites are ascribed to food availability and habitat quality. Whilst Pelican Waterhole may constitute a more stable, less degraded environment, Montecollina Bore appears to be defined by periods of either very high or very low resource availability depending on rainfall. The abundance of dingoes and low cat and fox activity may contribute to the persistence of N. fuscus at the two study sites.
Stream continuum and metabolic rate in the larvae of five species of Hydropsyche (Trichoptera)

The effects of temperature on the metabolic rate of five species of Hydropsyche larvae belonging either to the rhithron (Hydropsyche dinarica, H. pellucidula and H. siltalai) or to the potamon (H. contubernalis and H. modesta) have been studied. The total amplitude of the metabolic rate between 5 and 250C is higher in the larvae inhabiting the potamon than those of rhithron (particularly in H. siltalai and H. dinarica). The shapes of the metabolism temperature curves (M/T curves) of H. contubernalis and H. modesta differ from each other, although they live in the same habitat and are closely related. A comparison with some species of Gammarus suggests a relationship between metabolic rate and the variability of environmental conditions.
Resistance to Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica Mitra) in synthetic hexaploid wheats derived from Triticum turgidum × T. tauschii

Synthetic hexaploids (SH) developed at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), involving four Triticum turgidum and nine T. tauschii parents, were evaluated for resistance to Karnal bunt (KB) (Tilletia indica Mitra) during three crop seasons over three years at Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. Ten tillers of each SH at boot stage, taken at random, were injected with a suspension of sporidia in water (10,000 spores/ml of water). At maturity the inoculated spikes were threshed individually and evaluated for the percentage KB-infected grains. Based on the mean KB score of each entry for three seasons, 49 % of the SH were immune (0 % infection) to KB. Highly resistant expressions characterized the SH which appeared to be influenced by the resistance of their T. turgidum and/or T. tauschii parents. The overall mean infection of the SH wheats was 0.24 % compared to 56.14 % in the susceptible bread wheat check cultivat ‘WL711’. Transfer of KB resistance genes from SH wheats into bread wheat is currently underway at CIMMYT.
Dietary selection in Mastomys natalensis (Rodentia: Muridae) in the maize agro-ecosystems of central and southwestern Tanzania

Abstract We studied the feeding habits of Mastomys natalensis by analysing a total of 2934 stomachs from individuals snap trapped from maize fields and the surrounding fallow land of central and southwestern Tanzania between February 2001 and October 2002. Mastomys natalensis had a wide range of food items in their diet; however, there was a clear seasonal effect on the consumption of the different food categories. They fed more on seeds, arthropods and grasses during the wet season and on the other plant materials during the dry season. Maize seed was the most preferred diet category, when available. The shifts towards greater consumption of maize, when available, coupled by the high densities attained by this species render it the greatest potential rodent pest in the study areas.
Studies on the Breeding of Pangasius sutchi Using Different Inducing Agents

A breeding experiment on Pangasius sutchi was conducted from July 2008 to September 2008 in a hatchery in West Bengal, India, using three different inducing agents, each injected at two different dosages: carp pituitary extract (CPE) and two synthetic hormones, Ovaprim and Ovatide. The fertilization rate was 82% to 91%. Hatching took place within 34 to 36 hours from the time of fertilization, with a hatching rate 73% to 79%. The response to spawning with CPE was best with Ovatide and Ovaprim in terms of percentage of fertilization, high hatching rate, and ease of stripping.
Modelling ice cover, timing of spring stratification, and end-of-season mixing depth in small Precambrian Shield lakes

From a 3-year study of 21 northern Ontario lakes, models were developed to determine the duration of ice cover, predict the timing of spring stratification, and predict the end-of-season mixing depth. The model to determine lake freeze and thaw dates was based on the daily variability of water temperature measured with a data logger suspended 1 and 2 m below the surface. The model to predict the duration of time (days) from lake thaw to lake stratification was developed using the mean May air temperature (degrees Celsius), dissolved organic carbon, and lake surface area (r2 = 0.79). The end-of-season mixing depth was best predicted using days to stratification and dissolved organic carbon concentration (r2 = 0.72). By applying a simple climate change scenario model, we were able to show that increased air temperature, rather than increased water clarity, was the most important factor affecting the timing of stratification. In contrast, lake clarity was the most important factor affecting end-of-season mix.
Parties, regime and cleavages: explaining party system institutionalisation in East Central Europe

Party system institutionalisation has traditionally been viewed as a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the healthy functioning of democracy; yet the question of why some of these competitive party systems managed to institutionalise at the end of the second decade of party politics while others have not has not received the necessary attention. In order to begin to fill this gap, this article tackles the above-cited issue by trying to discover what have been the ‘causal mechanisms’ explaining the different levels of institutionalisation observed in East Central European party systems. In order to do so, and contrary to the predominant literature, it constitutes a serious attempt to bring together both institutional and sociological approaches.