Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parasitic worms and their histopathological effects in four sturgeon species from the southwest shores of the Caspian Sea

This study conducted to provide the status of parasite communities of four sturgeon species viz. Acipenser stellatus , A. gueldenstaedtii , A. nudiventris , and Huso huso in the southwest of the Caspian Sea and their histopathological effects on the examined fishes. For this purpose a total of 93 individuals of four sturgeon species were caught in two fisheries regions from the southwest of the Caspian Sea (Guilan Province, Iran) from March 2010 to May 2011. The histological slides of the infested tissues of the examined fishes were prepared for study of the histopathological effects of the parasites. Classical epidemiological variables, including mean intensity, prevalence, abundance and dominance were calculated for overall samples, grouped by season, geographical region, and sex. Five worm species, including two nematodes ( Cucullanus sphaerocephalus and Eustrongylides excisus larvae), one cestode ( Bothrimonus fallax ), one acanthocephalans ( Leptorhynchoide plagicephalus ) and one digenean trematode ( Skrjabinopsolus semiarmatus ) were found in examined sturgeons and their histopathological effects on the fish tissues were assessed. Based on the results, the diversity of the parasites (including freshwater ones) in the southern part of the Caspian Sea have decreased since the time of the first study in 1972. This may be related to unfavorable conditions in freshwater ecosystems.
Leaf Breakdown in Streams of an Alpine Glacial Floodplain: Dynamics of Fungi and Nutrients

Breakdown, fungal colonization, and nutrient dynamics of green alder (Alnus viridis) leaves were examined in 4 stream types of a glacial alpine floodplain in southeast Switzerland. Standardized leaf packs were enclosed in both fine- and coarse-mesh bags to differentiate between microbial and other processes contributing to leaf mass loss. Fungal biomass was quantified from ergosterol concentrations. Apart from 1 site where shredder consumption of leaves greatly accelerated leaf mass loss, exponential breakdown coefficients (k) ranged from -0.0029 to -0.0064 d-1, indicating that leaf breakdown proceeded at a relatively slow but significant rate. Fungal biomass in decomposing leaves attained levels (>500 μg ergosterol/g litter dry mass) as high as those found in temperate woodland streams. Sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes on leaves was detectable in all stream types (up to 700 conidia mg-1 litter dry mass d-1), although it was depressed at the 2 sites nearest the glacier (maximum of 200 conidia mg-1 d-1). Species composition and successional trajectories of aquatic hyphomycete assemblages during leaf breakdown showed broadly similar patterns as those reported for streams at lower elevations. Thus, where apparent, the divergence in patterns of leaf breakdown between glacial and temperate woodland streams was gradual rather than fundamental. This result suggests that streams above tree line are capable of processing leaf litter much like their forested counterparts at lower altitudes, and hence share basic functional attributes with streams in other biomes. Glacial alpine streams also provide suitable habitat for aquatic hyphomycetes, the abundance of these fungi probably being controlled primarily by the limited access to suitable resources rather than the physically harsh setting of the alpine environment.
THE USE OF PHEROMONE AND BARRIER TRAPS TO MONITOR SAN JOSE SCALE (HOMOPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE) PHENOLOGY IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract Comparisons of three isomers of the San Jose scale [Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock)] pheromone showed that SJS3 was slightly more attractive than SJS1 or SJS2. Pheromone-baited traps were compared with sticky barrier traps for the detection and monitoring of male emergence activity and each trap type produced a different activity pattern relative to both calendar days and accumulated degree-days (DD). San Jose scale phenology varied between geographic areas of the Okanagan Valley when compared by using DD accumulations above either 7.2 or 10.5°C and suggests a trend towards decreasing DD requirements as the insect’s distribution moves north. Résumé La comparaison de trois isomères de la phéromone de la cochenille de San José, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock) a révélé que le SJS3 est légèrement plus attractif que les SJS1 et SJS2. On a comparé des pièges appâtés à la phéromone à des barrières engluées pour détecter et suivre l’émergence des mâles; chaque type de piège révèle un patron d’activité particulier, à la fois selon le calendrier et selon l’accumulation thermique (degrés-jours). La phénologie de la cochenille de San José, telle que révélée par l’accumulation des degrés-jours au-dessus de 7,2 ou 10°C, a varié entre différentes régions de la vallée de l’Okanagan, indiquant une tendance à la décroissance des besoins thermiques de l’insecte vers le nord de sa distribution.
Behavior of Captive South American Cowbirds

THROUGH the courtesy of Dr. Herbert Friedmann and officials of the Washington Zoological Society, a number of South American icterids were consigned to me for study in November, 1962. Before being shipped to Austin, Texas, the birds had been held in aviaries or cages in Washington, D. C. , for an unspecified period, and some or all had been used in research conducted by Dr. Friedmann. Included in the shipment were a male Baywinged Cowbird (Molothrus badius), two males and a female of the Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), and three male Chestnut-fronted Troupials (Agelaius rujicapillus). In Austin the individuals of M. bonariensis were housed in a large cage with two female Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), and the male M. badius was placed in an adjacent cage with the three individuals of A. rujicapillus. Notes on behavior reported in this paper were made in the course of approximately 16 hours of observation in December, 1962, and January, 1963. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant 20873).
Comportamento do girassol e milho consorciados em série de substituição

Um ensaio de campo foi conduzido no periodo de 18 marco a 22 de julho de 2009, com o objetivo de estudar a resposta da girassol ( Helianthus annuus L.) consorciado com milho ( Zea mays ) em series de substituicao sob condicoes da agricultura de sequeiro. O delineamento utilizado no experimento foi blocos ao acaso com 5 tratamentos e 4 repeticoes. Os componentes da produtividade analisados para girassol foram altura da planta, altura de capitulo e o diâmetro do capitulo. Com dados de produtividade de graos do girassol e milho foi possivel determinar o uso eficiente da terra (UET), coeficiente de adensamento relativo (CAR), agressividade (A) e o indice de produtividade do sistema (IPS). O sistema de consorciacao casou reducoes na produtividade do girassol e feijao caupi em comparacao a seus monocultivos. O sistema de consorciacao nao modificou os componentes de produtividade do girassol estudados em series de substituicao com milho. Os indices de avaliacao do sistema de consorciacao o UET e CAR tornaram possivel eleger os tratamentos 75% Gi + 25% Fc e 50% Gi + 50% Fc, como sendo recomendados para emprego na agricultura de subsistencia. Os tratamentos consorciados apresentaram estabilidade de produtividade, a qual foi caracterizada pelo indice de produtividade do sistema (IPS).
Mandibular morphology as it relates to ingestive and digestive folivory inTrachypithecus andPygathrix

Summary Recent studies have identified differences in patterns of food selection, ingestive behavior, dental morphology, and gut physiology among the three major genera of leaf monkey found within Vietnam; Pygathrix , Rhinopithecus , and Trachypithecus . Building on this previous work, Wright et al. (2008) compared chewing rates between Trachypithecus and Pygathrix when masticating leaves of comparable toughness. Trachypithecus was found to chew leaves faster and to have significantly larger lower molars. These findings were argued to support the hypothesis that Trachypithecus species rely more on ingestive behaviors for the processing of leaves, whereas Pygathrix species, with slower chewing rates, smaller molars, and the presence of a “gastric mill” (i.e. presaccus of the stomach) rely more on their digestive tract for the processing of leaves. This study augments the findings of Wright et al. (2008) by comparing four mandibular variables (width and depth of the mandibular symphysis and the mandibular corpus) between Trachypithecus and Pygathrix . Thesevariablesareindicativeoftheabilityofthemandibletowithstandhighorrepetitive biting or chewing forces. Measurements were taken on skeletal specimens housed at the Endangered Primate Rescue Center, Cuc Phuong, Vietnam and at the National Museum of Natural History,Washington,D.C.,USA.Thetwogenerawerefoundtobecomparableinabsoluteandsize adjusted symphyseal depth, symphyseal width, and corpus width. ∏owever, Trachypithecus significantly exceeded Pygathrix in corpus depth. These findings, when placed in the context of ∏revious work, further support the hypothesis of ingestive folivory for Trachypithecus and digestive folivory for Pygathrix . Additional comparisons of molar occlusal morphology are proposed to supplement these findings as are studies of activity, food chemistry, and metabolism in these genera to assess the relative energetic efficiency of their respective ingestive and ∏igestive dietary strategies.
Characterization of Monomeric Protein Domains that Bind Specifically to a Highly-Conserved 100-Bp DNA Target within rRNA Genes

Proofs of concept have shown that chromosomal gene clusters encoding ribosomal RNA (rRNA) constitute gene delivery integration loci that are optimal for transgene expression. However, because homologous recombination is efficient to integrate DNA segments into these genes in animals, new molecular tools are required to construct systems able to target molecules in the immediate vicinity of the rRNA genes. We investigated the properties of several DNA binding domains (DBDs) able to recognize specifically a motif within a 100-bp region of the rRNA genes that is 99-100% conserved among eukaryotes. Our findings demonstrate that two Myb-like DBDs originating from the endonucleases encoded by R2 non-LTR retrotransposons are promising candidates since they i) specifically recognize, with high affinity, a 20-bp binding site located within the expected genomic rDNA target, ii) act as monomers, iii) contain a nuclear localization signal, iv) remain functional when fused to another domain and, v) do not alter the functionality of the protein to which they are fused. However, results obtained in vivo with several R2DBD fusions reveal that two properties remain to be engineered before these DBDs can be integrated into a molecular targeting system directed into rRNA genes. The first concerns the ability of R2DBD to locate within the nucleolus, the organelle in which the rRNA genes reside. The second is the tendency of R2DBD to accumulate in certain parts of the nuclei, which limits its diffusion within nuclei. Solutions are discussed to circumvent these current limitations.Our results supply important information concerning the R2DBD properties and the targeting of plasmid DNA within nuclei. They will need to be further analyzed from three aspects; the unexploited advantages of the R2DBDs, the possibilities and limitations of fusion peptides for targeting integrations of non-viral vector, and the alternatives to fusion peptides for targeting vectors.
A Review of Mikania and the Impact of M.micrantha(Asteraceae)in Yunnan

Exotic invasive species have long been known to bring about serious damages to ecosystem,which has imposed great threats to national eco-safety.Since the late 1990s,ecological impacts caused by Mikania micrantha H.B. K. ,an invasive plant species,have become the focus of different walks of society.No existing literature on M.micrantha,however,relates anything concerning its distribution in Yunnan Province.Based on field investigations and taxonomic study on the specimen collected in Kunming Institute of Botany,the authers identified two species of Mikania Wild in Yunnan,namely M.cordata and M.micrantha. The present research also depicts the impacts of M.micrantha in Dehong,a pefecture in Southwestern Yunnan.Considering the biological features of the species,the author predicts there are possibilities of spreading of the species in Dehong prefecture,and possibly diffusing over other areas with identical climate patterns as Dehong.In the wake of this,it is highly advised that government departments and relative research institutes pay great attention to the problem and take effective measures to deal with situation.
Influence of Temperature on Population Increase of Metaseiulus occidentalis (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)

Constant temperature studies on the biological development of the phytoseiid predator, Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt), provided the data necessary to construct life tables and to analyze developmental curves. Polynomial regression curves for the egg and larval life stages are quadratic in form, those for the protonymphal and deutonymphal stages are cubic, and the preoviposition period is quartic. From the life history and life table data, M. occidentalis populations were found to attain their optimum developmental and reproductive rates at 32°C. The intrinsic rate of natural increase was found to be 0.279 individuals/female/day and the population possessed the capacity to double every 2.48 days. A curvilinear regression model relating m to developmental period where developmental period is a function of temperature was derived. From this model, the temperature for optimum population development was 33.4°C with a maximum m of 0.305.
Not Simply Symmetry

W ant to understand bilateral symmetry? Stand naked in front of the mirror and imagine a line extending from your forehead down the center of your nose, through your navel, and between your legs. Right and left eyebrows, eyes, cheekbones, ears, shoulders, elbows, hips, thighs, knees, and feet match perfectly. Right? Well, sort of, says John T. Manning, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Liverpool in England. Despite nature's best efforts, right never exactly matches left. As researchers are finding out, the degree of mismatch can communicate potential shortcomings. New work suggests that some species, including humans, pay attention to these minor inconsistencies and may even pick sexual partners based on them and not just because we have embraced Madison Avenue standards of beauty (part 2, next week). Nature uses symmetry to signal the well-being of an individual, says Randy Thornhill, an evolutionary biologist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He and about a dozen other researchers have recently taken a hard look at small deviations in symmetry: Is one side of the head slightly wider than the other? One kneecap a little broader? An ear a wee bit smaller? With steel calipers and multiple measurements, they are documenting subtle differences between right and left features in many kinds of organisms. These differences add up to an individual's socalled fluctuating asymmetry fluctuating because there is no consistent trend for one side to be a particular way relative to the other, only for features to vary, Manning explains. These fluctuations represent one of three kinds of deviations from nature's original design. Rightor left-handedness in animals exemplifies another kind, called antisymmetry. The third, directional asymmetry, results when development occurs on one side of the body but not the other, as in the case of the mammalian heart. The aberrations involved in fluctuating asymmetry are more random than these other two and can arise both during development and over the course of an animal's lifetime. These mismatches seem to indicate well-being in a very broad sense. "It's really a measure of the developmental stability," Manning notes. Such stability reflects how well an individual's genes manifest themselves under various environmental conditions, especially stressful ones. If an organism's genetic makeup translates into a healthy, symmetrical individual even when confronted with disease, starvation, abnormal temperature, pollution, or parasites, then offspring should also prosper and that's appealing to any creature's survival instincts. "[Fluctuating asymmetry] potentially provides information about the interface between the environment and the genotype," agrees Therese A. Markow, a biologist at Arizona State University in Tempe. Nevertheless, she and others worry that some scientists are going too far too fast in promoting symmetry as a fitness indicator and, consequently, as a determinant of mate choice. "One shouldn't be blinded by the simplicity of symmetry," says Craig Packer of the University of Minnesota in C,. ch
Sediment characteristics, invertebrate densities and shorebird densities on the inner banks of the Wash

This paper tests the possibility that, primarily through their effect on invertebrate prey densities, sediment characteristics can be used to predict the densities of shorebirds (Charadrii), on the inner banks of the Wash, east England. 192 quadrats were established with, on most shores, a transect of nine quadrats from the marsh edge to the Low Water Mark (LWM). Shorebirds were counted in winter in each quadrat. The densities of the main invertebrate prey species were sampled in early winter/late autumn at the mid-point of each quadrat, together with the sediment particle size and organic content. The time for which each quadrat was inundated over high water spring tides was also measured
ORIGIN OF S6 STRAIN MYCOPLASMA

T HE origin of the S6 strain Mycoplasma was first reported at the 4th Annual Western Poultry Disease Conference, Davis, California, February, 1955. The proceedings were not published. This strain has become widely used in research work with Mycoplasma.1,2,3,4,5'6'7 With such widespread reference to the strain, it seems appropriate to clarify its origin. On June 1, 1954, a turkey grower in the central San Joaquin Valley of California reported a sinusitis outbreak in a group of eight-week-old turkeys of a Broad-Breasted White strain. The owner had two turkey-rearing houses, about 50 feet apart, with outside runs. Each house held about 2000 turkeys. At the time of the disease outbreak one house held Broad-Breasted Bronze poults from one breeder source, and the other house held the white strain, from another breeder source. Both groups were about 8 weeks old when the writer observed the condition. Poults of the Broad-Breasted Bronze strain showed no signs of the disease, whereas the poults of the white strain were severely affected, exhibiting swollen sinuses, lacrimation, and coughing. In addition, about 5% of the birds were showing signs of involvement of the central nervous system. In addition to uncoordinated movements many affected turkeys held their heads with one side turned slightly upward. Typically affected poults were selected by the writer and taken to the laboratory at Davis, where, in addition to isolations from the tracheas, air sacs, and sinuses of several turkeys, Mycoplasmas were isolated from the brain of one show-
Genetic variation in insect performance in a tritrophic interaction on wild and cultivated beans

Phytophagous insects are dependent of their host plant for their successful development. In the special case of bruchid beetles, the seed is the structure on which they will complete their larval development. Due to the development of agriculture, some plants species have been domesticated for their use as a food resource. In the case of domestication of the genus Phaseolus, it has been shown that seeds from cultivated varieties contain higher levels of proteins and minerals and provide a higher quality resource for insects that feed upon these plants (the phytophagous pests and their associated parasitoids). In this study, I investigated the effects of bean domestication on Zabrotes subfasciatus, one of the main pests of field crop and stored beans in Mexico and Central America. Through experimental manipulations and quantitative genetics experiments, I determined the importance of environmental and genetic variation in the performance of this bruchid. The results showed that the quality of the host plant mediated the performance and the oviposition behaviour of female beetles. Overall, performance of the bruchids was higher on cultivated seeds than on wild seeds. It was also found that whether a female originated from wild or from cultivated seeds affected her behaviour and the performance of her offspring. Females that originated from cultivated seeds were less willing to lay eggs on a novel host seed than females that originated from wild seeds. Thus, the performance and behaviour of Z. subfasciatus are not only affected by environmental factors such as, the quality of the seeds on which they develop, but also have a genetic basis.
Pathology of wild and cultured fish affected by a Karenia mikimotoi bloom in Ireland, 2005

An algal bloom of Karenia mikimotoi occurred during the summer of 2005 in Ireland. Mortalities of both wild and cultured fish and shellfish were recorded. Affected wild and farmed fish were sampled to assess the pathological impact of exposure to the bloom. Histopathological changes were observed in the gills, gastrointestinal tract and liver.
Caridina H. Milne Edwards, 1837 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyoidea:Atyidae) – freshwater shrimps from eastern and southern Africa

Since the study of Richard and Clark (2009), additional material of Caridina africana Kingsley, 1882 has been examined and as a consequence C. nilotica var. paucipara Weber, 1897 is considered to be a junior synonym of C. africana. Material of Caridina serratirostris De Man, 1892, C. angulata Bouvier, 1905, C. brachydactyla De Man, 1908 and C. moeri Woltereck, 1984 is reported, and redescribed. Caridina serratirostris and C. angulata are reported for the first time from the African mainland, both species being previously known from Madagascar. The first record of C. brachydactyla from the African continent is also noted. Furthermore, Caridina nilotica var. natalensis De Man, 1908 and Caridina nilotica var. brevidactyla J. Roux, 1920 are considered to be junior synonyms of C. brachydactyla. Part of the type series of C. brachydactyla was examined for the present study and this material together with the description and figures of the rostrum illustrated by De Man (1892) as Caridina wyckii appear to be three different species: C. brachydactyla s. str. and probably two new species. These are not described due to lack of additional material available for study. However, two new African species are described and an identification key is provided.
Gas penetration of pit membranes in the xylem of Rhododendron as the cause of acoustically detectable sap cavitation

The gas pressure required to force sap from Rhododendron stems was investigated. Sap was expressed from stems, and stem permeability to gas increased, at pressures of 1.3-3.5 MPa. We interpret the changing of permeability as a removal of water films in the pores of the pit membranes which normally limit the length of xylem conduits. Similar pressure differences exist across the pit membranes separating gas and sap-filled conduits when cavitation occurs in Rhododendron. It is suggested that cavitation in detached leaves and shoots of Rhododendron occurs when gas penetrates the pit membranes. The increase in the gas permeability of xylem subjected to high gas pressures was reversed by a soaking in water. It could not therefore have been a consequence of mechanical damage, caused when xylem conduits are subjected to high gas pressures, because such structural damage would be irreversible.