Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FORUM: Effective management of ecological resilience – are we there yet?

Summary 1. Ecological resilience is developing into a credible paradigm for policy development and environmental management for preserving natural capital in a rapidly changing world. However, resilience emerges from complex interactions, limiting the translation of theory into practice. 2. Main limitations include the following: (i) difficulty in quantification and detection of changes in ecological resilience, (ii) a lack of empirical evidence to support preventative or proactive management and (iii) difficulties in managing processes operating across socio-ecological systems that vary in space and time. 3. We highlight recent research with the potential to address these limitations including new and/or improved indicators of resilience and tools to assess scale as a driver of resilience. 4. Synthesis and applications. Effective resilience-based management must be adaptive in nature. To support this, we propose an operational model using resilience-based iterative management actions operating across scales.
Effects of Flutolanil Fungicide and Primer Wetting Agent on Water-repellent Soil

Localized dry spot (LDS) caused by water repellent soil is a common problem on golf course putting greens having a predominately sand root zone. Fairy ring often causes LDS by developing hydrophobic soil. Although the fungicide flutolanil is labeled for the control of fairy ring, golf course superintendents often apply flutolanil to all LDS caused by hydrophobic soil and other conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flutolanil on an existing hydrophobic soil. The study was conducted on a creeping bentgrass [Agrostis palustris (synonym A. stolonifera)] experimental golf green in which the top 4 inches (10 .2 cm) of the root zone was a moderately hydrophobic sand. Six treatments were used: uncored, cored, flutolanil (two applications.), flutolanil + Primer wett ing agent (two applications.), Primer ( two applications.) and Primer (three applications.). Plots receiving the fungicide and wetting agent treatments were cored before application. Each treatment containing the wetting agent significantly reduced soil water repellency. Flutolanil without wetting agent had no effect on soil hydrophobicity.
Possible Effects of Moringa oleifera versus Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) on Experimental Colitis in Mice

Aims: We evaluated effects of extracts of both Moringa oleifera (MOR) leaves and ginger (GIN) root on dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) induced colitis mice. Study Design: experimental study Place and Duration of Study: Clinical Pharmacology dep. , Mansoura Faculty of Medicine. To weeks study. Methodology: Forty BALB/c mice were used throughout this study. Mice were divided into 5 groups (n=8). Group (1) received plain filtered water. Group (2) received DSS. Group (3) received DSS and MOR. Group (4) received DSS and GIN. Group (5) received DSS plus MOR & GIN. All mice were sacrificed after 14 days of colitis induction and colon was removed. Length of the colon was detected and examined microscopically and immunohistochemistery for detection of NFKβ. Biochemical assessment of TNFα was done in serum, while, MDA and GSH were done in colonic tissue homogenate. Original Research Article Elmasry et al.; BJMMR, 16(2): 1-19, 2016; Article no.BJMMR. 26312 2 Results: Both MOR and/ or GIN showed significant reduction in DAI, microscopic lesion score, NFKβ expression as well as significant improvement in TNFα, MDA, and GSH levels as compared to group (2). Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of leaves of MOR and/ or extract of GIN root showed significant improvement of experimentally induced colitis, which may be attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Combination therapy of GIN and MOR showed non additive benefit than GIN alone. These natural plants could be used as additive to drug therapy of IBD.
Identification of Eurotium (Aspergillus) restrictus Group Species by Comparison of Conidiospores on Foxing Using Scanning Electron Microscope

fungi collectively known as Eurotium (Aspergillus) restrictus group form one of the predominant groups causing the biodeterioration of cultural assets. Six species of E. (A.) restrictus including 10 type strains and E. (A.) isolate No. 3 were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As surface ornamentation of the conidial spores from these 11 strains was found to differ each other, SEM observation of the spores serves as a simple and useful method to identify these species
Repeated batch production of vancomycin using synthetic cotton fibers

The production of vancomycin by free and immobilized cells of Amycolatopsis orientalis was investigated. The influence of immobilization through entrapment in Ca-alginate beads and adsorption on different materials including synthetic cotton fibers, glass wool, cotton cloth and absorbed cotton on the production was compared to free cells in shake flask cultures. Cells entrapped in Ca-alginate beads gave low antibiotic yield compared to free cells. Immobilization of A. orientalis on synthetic cotton fibers as well as on glass wool gave the highest vancomycin yield after 4 days of incubation and were the best support materials for cell immobilization and vancomycin yield was about two fold higher than that produced by freely suspended cells under the same cultivation conditions. The effect of medium volume with immobilized cells revealed that in case of 25 ml fermentation medium, the production of vancomycin was 50% higher than the use of 50 ml volume. The reuse of the immobilized cells on synthetic cotton fiber five times over a period of 20 days repeated batch fermentation was investigated. A slight decrease in vancomycin production was noticed in the three last cycles. In general, immobilization minimized the lag time for both cell growth and vancomycin production. These results suggest that immobilization by adsorption is promising for industrial application.
Replacement of the European wheat yellow rust population by new races from the centre of diversity in the near-Himalayan region

Isolates of recently spreading races of yellow rust from wheat and triticale in Europe were analysed using virulence phenotypic data of 2605 isolates sampled in 12 countries between 2000 and 2014. A subset of 239 isolates was investigated by microsatellite markers. At least three races of non-European origin, termed ‘Warrior’, ‘Kranich’ and ‘Triticale aggressive’, were identified in the post-2011 population. The Warrior race was already present in high frequencies in the first year of detection in most European countries and to a large extent it replaced the pre-2011 European population. In contrast, the two other exotic races were localized to certain regions and/or crop type. The presence already of at least six multilocus genotypes of the Warrior race and five genotypes of the Kranich race in the first year of detection and across large areas is consistent with a hypothesis of aerial spread from genetically diverse source populations. A comparison with reference isolates sampled from six continents suggested that the Warrior and Kranich races originated from sexually recombining populations in the centre of diversity of the yellow rust fungus in the near-Himalayan region of Asia. However, the Triticale aggressive race was most similar to populations in the Middle East/Central Asia. The study illustrated the potential role of sexual Puccinia striiformis populations as a reservoir for new races replacing distant clonal populations.
Amelioratory Effect of Dorema glabrum on Diazinon-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rat Liver

Introduction: A wide number of pesticides, including highly persistent organophosphorous compounds, such as diazinon (DZN) have deteriorating effect on fauna and flora by inducing oxidative stress. DZN induces cell damage by producing free radicals and reactive oxygen species. In addition to the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the liver tissue, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been employed in the toxicity of organophosphate insecticides (OPIs) and the level of lipid peroxidation was analyzed. The present study was designed to explore the ameliorative characteristics of D. glabrum against the subchronic impact of DZN on such oxidative damage markers as lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the antioxidant defense system (ADS) existing in the liver of male Wistar rats. Methods: Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats randomly divided into four groups including a control group, and three experimental groups. Two of three experimental groups received different doses of D. glabrum (40 and 80 mg/kg) as pre-treatment for 21 days along with DZN (100 mg/kg) that injected intraperitoneally in the last day of D. glabrum usage, and one group received only DZN (100 mg/kg). Results: Compared with the control group, we noticed significantly high levels of LPO and the low antioxidant defenses, like free radical scavenging enzymes viz., catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in DZN-treated group. Considering the hepatic toxicity of DZN, evident changes were also noticed in endogenous antioxidant enzyme along with high LPO levels. In rats supplemented with D. glabrum as well as treated with DZN, hepatic specific marker enzymes were restored to normalcy which otherwise was lowered in the DZN-treated rats. The obtained results revealed that the oxidative stress of DZN-treated rats is diminished when D. glabrum is co-treated with DZN. This co-treatment may also act as a putative protective agent against DZN-induced liver tissue injury.
Circadian rhythm in locomotor activity in the burrower crayfish Procambarus acanthophorus (Villalobos 1948)

Crayfish Procambarus acanthophorus is a burrower that spends long periods building deep tunnels to reach the water table during the dry season; thus, its survival entertains a close ecological relationship with the sediment. The aim of this work was to determine whether the properties of the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity could be modified by the sediment availability. Experiments were conducted in both aquaria filled with sediment or filled with water, under cycles of Bright and Dim Illumination (BI:DI, 12:12 h) or under continuous DI:DI. The rhythm of locomotor activity was entrained with the photoperiod in aquaria with sediment or water; however, statistical differences between conditions were obtained comparing the period and the level of activity under free-running. These data suggest that the substrate’s sensorial perception could be encoded as a significant ecological parameter that exerts influence in the physiological mechanisms that control the temporal order in P. acanthophorus.
Maintenance and control of the french BCG strain 1173-P2 (primary and secondary seed-lots)

Description de l'entretien de la souche francaise 1173-P 2 , de la preparation et du controle des lots de semence primaire et secondaire. Rappel d'etudes chez l'animal ainsi que chez l'homme. Conclusion en faveur de l'emploi, en haute securite, de cette souche pour la production de vaccins de haute valeur immunologique
Molecular phylogeny of Chinese Rubia (Rubiaceae: Rubieae) inferred from nuclear and plastid DNA sequences

Rubia L. is the type genus of the coffee family Rubiaceae and the third largest genus in the tribe Rubieae, comprising ca. 80 species restricted to the Old World. China is an important diversity center for Rubia, where approximately half of its species occur. However, its internal phylogenetic relationships are still poorly understood. The objective of the present study is to contribute to the phylogenetic relationships within Rubia, using the nuclear internal transcribed spacer and six plastid markers and focusing on species from China. Twenty‐seven species of Rubia were sampled to infer their phylogeny using Maximum parsimony, Maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses. The monophyly of Rubia is supported, provided that R. rezniczenkoana Litv. is excluded from Rubia and transferred to Galium as a new combination: G. rezniczenkoanum (Litv.) L. E Yang & Z. L. Nie. Within Rubia, two clades are clearly supported. They correspond to the traditional sect. Rubia s.l. (A) and sect. Oligoneura Pojark. (B), and are morphologically mainly separable by their pinnate (A) versus palmate (B) leaf venation. Plesiomorphic features are the pinnate leaf veining in sect. Rubia s.l. and the occurrence of some species with opposite leaves and true stipules in sect. Oligoneura. In sect. Oligoneura one can assume an evolution from species with opposite leaves and true stipules (as in the R. siamensis Craib group) to those with whorls of two leaves and two leaf‐like stipules (as in ser. Chinenses and the R. mandersii Collett & Hemsl. group) and finally with whorls of 6 or even more elements (as in ser. Cordifoliae). The correlation between clades recognized by DNA analyses and available differential morphological features is partly only loose, particularly in the group of R. cordifolia with 2×, 4×, and 6× cytotypes. This may be due to rapid evolutionary divergence and/or hybridization and allopolyploidy.
Nota técnica: Métodos de escarificación en semillas de cuatro leguminosas forrajeras tropicales

Se condujo este estudio con el objeto de evaluar el efecto de metodos de escarificacion sobre el porcentaje de germinacion de las leguminosas: Leucaena leucocephala, Centrosema pubescens, Clitoria ternatea y Centrosema macrocarpum, evaluando paralelamente el porcentaje de germinacion de la semilla y la efectividad de los metodos empleados. Asi mismo se determinaron algunas caracteristicas fisicas de las semillas; tales como: longitud, diametro, peso de 100 semillas, numero de semillas por gramos, pureza y valor cultural. El diseno de experimento utilizado fue un completamente aleatorizado con tres repeticiones. Los metodos: H2SO4 concentrado durante 10 min (T1), H2SO4, concentrado durante 5 min (T2), agua caliente a 60°C por 5 min (T3), agua caliente a 60°C por 10 min (T4), lija # 400 por 15 min (T5) y control (T6). Los resultados obtenidos indican que los mejores porcentajes de semillas germinadas (P ˂ .05) se lograron en la especie Centrosema macrocarpum (94.82%), con el T1 seguido por el Centrosema pubescens (88.26%), con el T6. El promedio mas alto de germinacion se aprecia en la Leucaena leucocephala (65.26%) no existiendo diferencias significativas con el resto de las especies evaluadas. Los metodos de escarificacion mas efectivos (P ˂.05) resultaron ser T1 y T2, con 70.45 y 70.79% de germinacion respectivamente.
Acoustic Analysis of Some Characteristics of Red Deer Roaring

Different strategies have been adopted to track and monitor red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations according to different habitats and ecosystems. The population census techniques usually carried out are time consuming and involve lot of manpower. A method that relies on individual animal signs like acoustic indices could be useful to support the wildlife management, since vocalisations can encode and transmit a variety of biologically significant information. The present study considered 460 roars recorded from 14 adult deers, from five to eight years old. Recordings were performed in five different locations of northern-central Italy. The acoustic spectrum of each roar was analysed in order to extract its main features, namely: the fundamental frequency (F0), the peak frequency (PF), the sound length (SL) and 24 frequency bins of 174.3 Hz, representing the sound distribution between 50 and 4233.2 Hz (F1 to F24). Statistical analyses showed that individuality and age of animals were significant on F0 (P<0.001), PF (P<0.001) and SL (P<0.001). Results also showed a correlation among the 24 F-variables of roars emitted by deer of similar age (r>0.90; P<0.001), indicating that age could influence the spectral features of roaring. The roaring frequency variables appear to be indicators of the individuality of male deer, even if the strong influence of age on the emitted sounds could compromise the reliability of the method over long periods of time.
Frying of potato chips in a blend of canola oil and palm olein: changes in levels of individual fatty acids and tocols

Summary The changes occurring in the levels of nutritionally relevant oil components were assessed during repeated frying of potato chips in a blend of palm olein and canola oil (1:1 w/w). The blend suffered minimal reductions in omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. There was no significant difference between the fatty acid composition of the oil extracted from the product and that of the frying medium, in all three cases. The blend also contained a significant amount of tocols which add a nutritional value to the oil. The concentration of the tocols was satisfactorily retained over the period of oil usage, in contrast to the significant loses observed in the case of the individual oils. The blend also performed well when assessed by changes in total polar compounds, free fatty acids, p-anisidine value. When fried in used oil, the product oil content increased progressively with oil usage time. This study shows that blended frying oils can combine good stability and nutritional quality.
Improper Twin Edge Coloring of Graphs.

Let $G$ be a graph whose each component has order at least 3. Let $s : E(G) \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}_k$ for some integer $k\geq 2$ be an improper edge coloring of $G$ (where adjacent edges may be assigned the same color). If the induced vertex coloring $c : V (G) \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}_k$ defined by $c(v) = \sum_{e\in E_v} s(e) \mbox{ in } \mathbb{Z}_k,$ (where the indicated sum is computed in $\mathbb{Z}_k$ and $E_v$ denotes the set of all edges incident to $v$) results in a proper vertex coloring of $G$, then we refer to such a coloring as an improper twin $k$-edge coloring. The minimum $k$ for which $G$ has an improper twin $k$-edge coloring is called the improper twin chromatic index of $G$ and is denoted by $\chi'_{it}(G)$. In this paper, we show that if $G$ is a graph with vertex chromatic number $\chi(G)$, then $\chi'_{it}(G)=\chi(G)$, unless $\chi(G)=2 \pmod 4$ and in this case $\chi'_{it}(G)\in \{\chi(G), \chi(G)+1\}$. Moreover, we show that it is NP-hard to decide whether $\chi'_{it}(G)=\chi(G)$ or $\chi'_{it}(G)=\chi(G)+1$ and give some examples of perfect graph classes for which the problem is polynomial.
Phenology shifts at start vs. end of growing season in temperate vegetation over the Northern Hemisphere for the period 1982–2008

Changes in vegetative growing seasons are dominant indicators of the dynamic response of ecosystems to climate change. Therefore, knowledge of growing seasons over the past decades is essential to predict ecosystem changes. In this study, the long‐term changes in the growing seasons of temperate vegetation over the Northern Hemisphere were examined by analyzing satellite‐measured normalized difference vegetation index and reanalysis temperature during 1982–2008. Results showed that the length of the growing season (LOS) increased over the analysis period; however, the role of changes at the start of the growing season (SOS) and at the end of the growing season (EOS) differed depending on the time period. On a hemispheric scale, SOS advanced by 5.2 days in the early period (1982–1999) but advanced by only 0.2 days in the later period (2000–2008). EOS was delayed by 4.3 days in the early period, and it was further delayed by another 2.3 days in the later period. The difference between SOS and EOS in the later period was due to less warming during the preseason (January–April) before SOS compared with the magnitude of warming in the preseason (June–September) before EOS. At a regional scale, delayed EOS in later periods was shown. In North America, EOS was delayed by 8.1 days in the early period and delayed by another 1.3 days in the later period. In Europe, the delayed EOS by 8.2 days was more significant than the advanced SOS by 3.2 days in the later period. However, in East Asia, the overall increase in LOS during the early period was weakened in the later period. Admitting regional heterogeneity, changes in hemispheric features suggest that the longer‐lasting vegetation growth in recent decades can be attributed to extended leaf senescence in autumn rather than earlier spring leaf‐out.
Micropropagation of Canavalia cathartica of coastal sand dunes.

Among the tender pods, cotyledons of ripened beans, germinated dry seeds and hypocotyls used for in vitro culturing, cotyledons and hypocotyls of germinated dry seeds responded positively. A maximum of 78% callus induction in large quantity was seen in cut ends of cotyledons fortified with 1 mg/l BAP within four weeks followed by formation of embryos in six weeks, but failed to develop roots in spite of supplementing IAA. At 0.5 mg/l each of BAP and 2iP induction of shoot buds in 30% cotyledon explants was seen. In 40% of hypocotyls, 1 mg/l each of BAP and 2iP induced large amount of friable calli within four weeks. In hypocotyls placed upright position in medium with 0.5 mg/l and 1 mg/l each of BAP and 2iP, leafy shoots were induced up to 50% and 42.5% respectively. A highest of 62.5% of hypocotyl explants exhibited rooting on culturing with 1 mg/l each of NAA and IAA, but higher concentrations failed to induce roots. Treatment of the stem cuttings with IBA at 1 mg/l for 30 min increased rooting response, while 0.25 mg/l NAA resulted in high rooting response. In vitro and ex vitro micropropagation techniques for C. cathartica could be employed to supplement the traditional propagation methods of plant breeding. Attempts are successful to initiate callus (cotyledon and hypocotyl), shoot bud induction (cotyledon), root formation (hypocotyl) and somatic embryogenesis (cotyledon). Induction of friable calli from cotyledon and hypocotyls will be useful to extract valuable phytochemicals such as con A, canavanine and canaline.
Pollination Biology of the Muscadine Grape

Fruit set in the muscadine grape ( Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) depended on insect cross-pollination, although flowers were well adapted for selfing. Pollinizer cultivars produced about half of their optimal fruit set when selfed, but cross-pollination was needed to reach an optimal fruit set of 33.7%. Eighty-one percent of the overall fruit set in pistillate vines was attributed to insect cross-pollination; wind played only a small role. Diminished fruit set and fewer seeds per berry occurred in cultivars receiving no effective cross-pollination. Components of fruit quality were not profoundly affected by the pollination treatments, although seed set and berry weight in pistillate cultivars was lower in the absence of cross-pollination. Parthenocarpy was rare, except in 'Fry Seedless'. Muscadine production throughout the southeastern United States depends on cross-pollination by indigenous insects, particularly bees. To ensure consistently high yields, bees must have safe access to flowers and their nesting sites must be preserved.
Lake Morphometry and Light in the Surface Layer

Mean irradiance in the surface layer was calculated as a percent of incident irradiance using Secchi depths and thermocline depths for two sets of lakes: (1) 20 nearly circular lakes in northwest Minnesota, USA, sampled at a similar season, and (2) 1140 lakes of heterogeneous shapes in Ontario, Canada, sampled throughout the ice-free season. For both, as lake area increased, the thickness of the surface layer increased. Consequently, lakes larger in area had lower mean irradiance in their surface layer. Lake depth had less influence, but in the Ontario lakes, as depth increased, attenuation decreased, and mean irradiance increased. Lake area (log transformed) explained ca. one-half of the variation in mean irradiance in the homogeneous sampling of Minnesota lakes, while area and depth together explained less of the variation in the heterogeneous sampling of Ontario lakes. Shape, i.e. shoreline development, was unimportant compared with the gross measures of size, area and depth. Mean irradiance is complex.