Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Great American Biotic Interchange revisited

The “Great American Biotic Interchange” (GABI) is regarded as a defining event in the biogeography of the Americas. It is hypothesized to have occurred when the Isthmus of Panama closed ca three million years ago (Ma), ending the isolation of South America and permitting the mixing of its biota with that of North America. This view of the GABI is based largely upon the animal fossil record, but recent molecular biogeographic studies of plants that show repeated instances of long-distance dispersal over major oceanic barriers suggest that perhaps the land bridge provided by the isthmus may have been less necessary for plant migration. Here we show that plants have significantly earlier divergence time estimates than animals for historical migration events across the Isthmus of Panama region. This difference in timing indicates that plants had a greater propensity for dispersal over the isthmus before its closure compared with animals. The GABI was therefore asynchronous for plants and animals, which has fundamental implications for the historical assembly of tropical biomes in the most species-rich forests on the planet.
Mangroves as maternity roosts for a colony of the rare east-coast free-tailed bat (Mormopterus norfolkensis) in south-eastern Australia

Abstract Context. Maternity roosts of insectivorous bats (where females raise young) are critical to the conservation of threatened species as roost quality can influence reproductive success. Additionally, threatened species may have specialised requirements or unusual behaviour, which may be overlooked without targeted investigation. Aims. To explore which factors influence the roost selection of Mormopterus norfolkensis, by comparing day roosts, identified via radio-tracking, with environmental variables collected at tree, patch and landscape scales. Methods. We collected a range of variables describing maternity roosts and surrounding patches, including internal measurements of hollows and microclimate. Additionally, we derived landscape-scale variables using a geographic information system. We then explored which variables best explained roost occurrence using logistic regression. Key results. Nineteen lactating females and two male M. norfolkensis were tracked to 40 roost trees, mostly grey mangrove, Avicennia marina subsp. australasica. Lactating females were found to be faithful to two patches of mangrove forest close to where they were captured, regularly switched roosts and roosted in hollows singularly or in small groups. The attributes of mangrove patches, especially a high proportion of hollows, better predicted roosting by lactating females than roost-tree or landscape characteristics. Additionally, although the microclimate of roost hollows was not significantly different from ambient mangrove conditions, the mangrove forest was slightly more stable and had higher humidity than did other nearby habitats. Conclusions. Contrary to predictions, maternity roosting group sizes were relatively small, indicating that bats were not deriving thermoregulatory benefits from communal living. However, we suggest that lactating females may benefit from the operation of a fission–fusion society among the colony as a whole. Additionally, the mature mangrove forest could offer unique roosting opportunities for bats because they support high densities of hollow-bearing trees, a stable microclimate and potentially low abundances of predators and competitors. Implications. This is one of few international bat–mangrove studies and it illustrates that threatened species can behave unexpectedly and may be overlooked in conservation strategies that are based largely on anecdotal observations. We encourage further research into the value of mangrove forests to terrestrial fauna globally.
Yellowtail Culture Development and Solutions for the Future

The mariculture of yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata) has developed by taking advantage of abundant supplies of wild juveniles such as seed and sardines as feed. Other indispensable elements of this development were the existence of many suitable sites, such as the geographically complex inlets along the Japanese archipelago. The Japan Fish Feed Association supported the development of economical moisture pellets, extruded pellets, and granulated feeds for yellowtail to lower production costs and improve the quality of the products. The 1998 annual production of yellowtail culture in Japan was about 147,000 tons. As the number of yellowtail farms began to increase, disease outbreaks became frequent. Trials to culture yellowtail offshore or in land-based closed systems resulted in the production of high-quality meat and low pollution, but these methods do not yet seem to be sufficiently economical. Two promising technologies for maintaining a clean environment that should be considered are an autofeeding system and an integrated approach to culture. The problem for yellowtail culture today is the declining consumption by young people. Therefore, the culture of amberjack (Seriola dumerili), goldstriped amberjack (S. lalandi), and striped jack (Pseudocaranx dentex), which enjoy great popularity among the Japanese, should be increased to substitute for 30% of yellowtail production.
Coeficiente de repetibilidade e parâmetros genéticos em capim-elefante

The objective of this work was to determine the coefficients of repeatability of morphophysiological traits in elephant grass (Pennisetum spp.) genotypes, from data obtained during six evaluation cycles. The minimum number of measurements and genetic parameters were estimated. The experiment design was a randomized complete block, in a split‑plot arrangement, with four N levels (control, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha‑1 per cut) and 16 Pennisetum genotypes (11 interspecific hybrids and five cultivars). The cycles consisted of evaluations in 2010 (4/21, 7/19, and 9/28) and 2011 (1/6, 4/7, and 8/3). The coefficients of repeatability were of medium‑high magnitude for all variables, indicating that there was regularity between repeated measures. For the variables forage mass, plant height, leaf length and width, stem diameter, leaf chlorosis and area index, three cycles of evaluation are enough to reach R2 of 90% by principal component analysis. For internode length, the minimal of seven evaluations is necessary to predict the true value of genotypes. The genetic parameters of the variables forage mass, leaf length and width, stem diameter and leaf chlorosis are of high magnitude, favoring the selection of superior Pennisetum genotypes.
Temporal changes in burrow structure of the thalassinidean ghost shrimps Trypaea australiensis and Biffarius arenosus

The thalassinidean ghost shrimps Trypaea australiensis and Biffarius arenosus are dominant burrowing macroinvertebrates of soft‐sediment habitats in Western Port, Victoria, Australia. Burrow structure has been described for both species but little is known about how the burrows change over time. This study used resin casting to investigate temporal variation by making burrow casts each month over a 12‐month period. It was found that the overall burrow morphology of both T. australiensis and B. arenosus was consistent over time, but in the warmer months (summer and spring), both species constructed burrows that were deeper and of greater volume than burrows constructed in winter and autumn. Possible reasons for this variation are discussed.
Relation of sand content, pH, and potassium and phosphorus nutrition to the development of sudden death syndrome in soybean

Development of sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), caused by Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. f. sp. glycines (Fsg), was studied in relation to sand content, pH, and potassium and phosphorus nutrition under controlled environments. Incidence and severity of SDS increased by approximately two- and four-fold, respectively, as the sand content in soil increased from 53 to 100%. Disease severity increased by an average of 21% at soil pH = 7.7 compared to pH = 5.5. Amending the soil with potassium chloride resulted into an average decrease of 36% in SDS severity compared to the control; conversely, disease severity was increased by an average of 21% with calcium phosphate, 32% with potassium phosphate, 43% with potassium sulfate and sodium phosphate, and 45% with potassium nitrate compared to the controls. In vitro conidial germination of Fsg was not significantly affected by potassium and phosphorus amendments. However, mycelial linear growth was enhanced by an average of 15, 22, and 25% with potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate, and sodium phosphate, respectively, but not with potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, or calcium phosphate. Colony area increased with increasing pH and was approximately 2.5-fold greater at pH = 8.2 than at pH = 5.7. Collectively, these results indicate that the physical and chemical environments of soil exert a significant effect on SDS in soybean and on Fsg.
Potential use of biocontrol agents for control of Pyrenochaeta lycopersici in tomato crops

Corky root is a severe disease caused by the fungus Pyrenochaeta lycopersici Schneider et Gerlach that affects tomato crops worldwide in both field and greenhouse (Punithalingam & Holliday, 1973; Ebben, 1985; Hasna et al., 2007, 2008). Visible symptoms of the disease are brown lesions in the roots and swelling of root epidermis with subsequent cracking into a corky texture. Yield reductions of up to 75% have been observed in European greenhouses (Hasna, 2007). Corky root disease has successfully been controlled by chemical treatments such as methyl bromide, chloropicrin, and metham sodium (Punithalingam & Holliday, 1973; Campbell et al., 1982; Malathrakis & Kambourakis-Tzagaroulakis, 1989). These treatments are unsustainable, destroy soil microorganisms, and cause environmental pollution; methyl bromide is, for instance, recognized as an ozone-depleting substance and will be phased of globally by 2015 according to the Montreal Protocol (Albritton & Watson, 1992; Ristaino & Thomas, 1997). In a search for alternatives, and since increased incidence of the disease is associated with monocropping, crop-rotation systems have been tried to control population levels of P. lycopersici (Last et al., 1969). However, this is not a definitive solution because the fungus can also infect crops which are alternated with tomato [(e.g., sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), honeydew melon (Cucumis melo inodorus L.), squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), cucumber (Cucumber sativus L.), and eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) (Grove & Campbell, 1987)]. Another alternative available is to use resistant cultivars. This was first reported by Ebben and Smith (1978) but without complete success. However, it has since become practise in organic tomato cultivation although no cultivar is known to have 100% immunity to corky root. Grafting is an advanced and time-consuming procedure; apprehensions are that changes in the tastiness of the tomatoes could occur. Owing to the limitations presented above, biocontrol may be an alternative means of reducing corky root incidence. Pyrenochaeta lycopersici has been shown to be susceptible to changes in the soil microbial community and comparatively lower levels of infection have been found on organically amended soils (Workneh et al., 1993). Addition of compost and associated alterations to the rhizosphere microbial populations has also been shown to confer protection against corky root in tomatoes (Workneh & van Bruggen, 1994a, 1994b; De Brito Alvarez et al., 1995). In particular, greenhouses with their
Combining models to examine the financial impact of infertility caused by bovine viral diarrhoea in Scottish beef suckler herds

SUMMARY In beef suckler herds, reproductive failure is a major cause of financial loss during a bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) outbreak due to reduction in the numbers of calves, increased calving spread and the financial implications of dealing with infertile cows. These losses may be hidden and/or not fully attributed to BVD. A model of herd dynamics was built and combined with an epidemiological model to encapsulate the disruptions to reproduction that BVD may cause in beef suckler herds and to estimate the associated financial consequences of such disruptions. Results from the model suggest that the average losses associated with BVD in Scottish beef suckler herds via impaired reproduction alone may vary between £43 and £22/cow/year during the course of a BVD epidemic. These results indicate that an outbreak can be costly and these losses may be hidden by the use of low risk management practices such as a long breeding season, not only in herds with no evidence of antibodies but also in herds where there are some antibody positive (immune) animals.
Between-watershed movements of two anadromous salmonids in the Arctic

A long-term study in the River Halselva in the Arctic region of Norway demonstrated that movements between watersheds were considerably higher in anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta) than anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Fourteen smolt year classes of both species were captured in a fish trap, individually tagged, and thereafter registered each time they passed the trap during their migration between the sea and fresh water every summer. Annual mean survival (i.e., recovery rate) after the first entry to sea as smolts was estimated as 31.4% in Arctic char and 26.6% in brown trout. Most surviving Arctic char returned to the River Halselva to overwinter after the same summer that they migrated to sea as smolts. However, several brown trout overwintered one to four times in other watersheds, mainly the considerably larger River Altaelva, before most eventually returned to the River Halselva upon maturation. The substantial difference in movement rate between watersheds between Arctic char (2.2%).
Special cutaneous receptor organs of fish: The tuberous organs of Eigenmannia

The special cutaneous receptor organs of the fresh water weakly electric fish have previously been proposed to be electroreceptors. In the gymnotid, E. virescens, two types of special cutaneous receptor organs, ampullary and tuberous, are distinguished from each other, as well as from the ordinary lateral line receptor organs, by their characteristic distribution and size. The tuberous organs usually contain 25 to 35 elongate nonciliated receptor cells within a cellular capsule. A single layer of supporting cells is present between the base of the receptor cells and the base of the capsule. A single thin myelinated nerve fiber innervates each group of organs and branches so that the base of each receptor cell is supplied with a single nerve ending. Synaptic contact is made at many points on each nerve ending. The synapses are characterized by fingers of receptor cell cytoplasm which contain dense presynaptic rods. The organ capsule is open toward the surface of the fish. A cellular plug partly obscures the opening, but continuity is maintained between the intracapsular fluid and the external water. Microvilli, projecting from the surfaces of the receptor cells, maintain an open gap between adjacent receptor cells. About 95% of the surface area of these cells is therefore in contact with the fluid. The functional implications of some of the ultrastructural observations are discussed.
Isolation of Penicillium strains producing ochratoxin A, citrinin, xanthomegnin, viomellein and vioxanthin from stored cereal grains

Ochratoxin A producing strains of Penicillium were isolated from two out of 18 cereal samples known to be positive for this mycotoxin. These isolates were identified as Penicillium verrucosum and all also produced citrinin. However, the storage fungi isolated most frequently in the study were those of the complex Penicillium aurantiogriseum group, most strains of which produced xanthomegnin, viomellein and vioxanthin in liquid and solid culture. Potential for the simultaneous occurrence of five nephrotoxic mycotoxins in poorly stored grain in the UK has therefore been shown. The less sensitive analytical method for xanthomegnin, viomellein and vioxanthin may result in under‐estimation of their occurrence in practice in comparison to that for ochratoxin A and critinin.
Nucleic acid electrochemical and electromechanical biosensors: a review of techniques and developments

Abstract This review comprises the last decade’s development on experimental techniques for electrochemical and electromechanical sensing of nucleic acids, which originate from pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and viruses commonly found in food, water, and medical context. The electrochemical devices that are of primary interest are those that use voltammetry for detecting DNA and RNA-associated electrochemically active molecules at the working electrode. Attograms of nucleic acids have been reported to be detectable with electrochemical sensors in a batch-mode measurement arrangement. The mass-sensing electromechanical devices sense nucleic acids at the femtogram levels in a flow format without a molecular technique for amplifying target strand using polymerase chain reaction. Both underlying physics and methods of various studies are summarized, with discussion on limitations and potentials. We call attention to the need for sensors that not only detect but also confirm detection, as false negatives are not acceptable when one measures pathogenic species.
Does the seed size/number trade‐off model determine plant community structure? An assessment of the model mechanisms and their generality

This paper examines four key mechanisms of the seed size/number trade-off (SSNT) models to assess their relevance to a general understanding of plant community structure. Mechanism 1 is that large seeds have a greater probability of winning in competition against smaller seeds. I provide interspecific experimental evidence that there is a competitive hierarchy among seedlings based on seed size. Mechanism 2 is that a trade-off exists between the number and size of seeds produced for a given reproductive allocation. Negative correlations between seed size and number were found consistently across a range of species from a range of habitats, from published literature. Mechanism 3, that seedling-seedling competition is an important influence on species composition, was found to exist potentially in a range of environments, including annual-dominated, post-fire and gap-dynamic communities. However, there is little quantitative evidence available and this is likely to be a restrictive mechanism. Mechanism 4, that small seeds are superior colonists due to their greater number, was tested in a field experiment in a calcareous grassland community. No supporting evidence was found, suggesting that the SSNT is not an important determinant of structure in this community. Thus two of the four mechanisms can be considered to hold true generally, while the third mechanism may be valid in particular environments. The fourth mechanism did not apply in the community tested, but could be tested in a wider range of communities.
High variation in frequency of infection by endophytes in cultivars of meadow fescue in Finland

Systemic and asymptomatic Neotyphodium fungal endophytes infect numerous species of the Poaceae. The frequencies of Neotyphodium endophyte infection in Finland were investigated among and within seven Nordic cultivars of meadow fescue, Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv. , which is a widely grown pasture and forage grass species in Scandinavia. The cultivars were Kasper, Salten, Antti, Fure, Ilmari, Inkeri and Kalevi. Frequencies of infection of cultivars varied from endophyte-free cultivar Fure to highly infected cultivar Inkeri [mean (standard deviation of mean) of 0·95 (0·023)]. Mean frequencies of infection of three cultivars remained lower than 0·10, and two of the cultivars, Kasper and Salten, were intermediately infected. In most of the cultivars, frequencies of infection varied only slightly among seed lots. In cultivar Kasper, however, the frequency of endophyte infection was highly variable (0–0·96) among the 45 seed lots examined. The relative importance of cultivar, seed lot and infection by Neotyphodium endophyte to the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L. was studied experimentally, using both endophyte-free and endophyte-infected plants of four seed lots of the two intermediately infected cultivars. Endophyte infection increased plant resistance to R. padi, overriding the influences of seed lot and cultivar. It is proposed that variation caused by endophyte infections in cultivars of meadow fescue should be taken into account in assessing plant breeding programmes in Europe.
Synthesis of Tetrasaccharide Repeating Unit of the O‐Antigen from Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 in the form of its 2‐(trimethylsilyl)ethyl Glycoside

Two α‐linked disaccharide derivatives, ethyl 3,4,6‐tri‐O‐acetyl‐2‐azido‐2‐deoxy‐α‐D‐galactopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐4‐azido‐3‐O‐benzyl‐4,6‐dideoxy‐1‐thio‐α‐D‐mannopyranoside (10) and 2‐(trimethylsilyl)ethyl 3‐O‐acetyl‐4‐O‐benzoyl‐2‐O‐benzyl‐α‐L‐fucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐2,3‐di‐O‐benzyl‐6‐O‐tert‐butyldiphenylsilyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (16), were prepared from appropriate monosaccharide synthons. The disaccharide 16 was deacetylated and debenzoylated to afford the acceptor 17, which was allowed to react with the donor 10 to afford a tetrasaccharide derivative 18. This tetrasaccharide was transformed in three steps into 21, the desired repeating unit of the antigen from enterohemorrhagic E. coli type O157.
Sexual size dimorphism in greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from a Mediterranean region

Lison, F. , Haz, A ´ . , Gonzalez-Revelles, C. and Calvo, J.F. 2012. Sexual size dimorphism in greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from a Mediterranean region. — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00: 000-000. Although sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is common among mammals, there is no clear explanation for its maintenance in nature. Bats are one of the few groups of mammals where reverse SSD appears. In this group, the size of individuals may have very important ecological consequences related with flight. In this study, we examine sexual dimorphism in the wing measurements of 195 adult individuals (141 males and 54 females) of the greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula. We also investigated size differ- ences between paired and single males in a swarming roost. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the wing measurements between sexes, females being bigger than males in this respect. While no significant differences in the wing measurements of paired and single males were observed, significant differences were found in their relative weight and fitness, single males being sig- nificantly heavier and having a better physical condition. We discuss the implica- tions of SSD for the female of M. myotis in terms of reproductive advantages, trophic niche segregation and a greater ability to move, which may favour gene flow between populations.
Acute regulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism by nutrients, exercise and hypoxia

Muscle mass adapts in response to changing functional and metabolic demands of the organism and its maintenance is important for movement, health and survival. However, many questions remain regarding the acute response of muscle to feeding, exercise and altered environmental conditions. Thus, the aim of the present thesis was to investigate how muscle responds acutely to changes in some of these stimuli in humans.