Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interspecific Associations between Two Woodcreeper Species (Dendrocolaptinae) and a Group of Black-Faced Lion Tamarins (Primates, Callitrichinae)

Summary. Woodcreepers are insectivorous birds that eventually form feeding associations with other species to complement their energy intake. Here we present quantitative data on a possible commensal association between two woodcreeper species, the Eastern Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus and the Pale-winged Woodcreeper Dendrocincla turdina, and a Neotropical monkey, the Black-faced Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus caissara, at Superagui National Park, Brazil. Our aim is to bring new information on bird/monkey associations in order to achieve a better understanding of the functional basis leading to the occurrence of these associations. We never observed the two woodcreeper species following monkeys at the same time and we found a significant difference between the mean height in which each bird species associated with monkeys. We did not observe interspecific aggressions between woodcreepers and monkeys. Birds benefited from flushed prey, and we did not find evidence that monkeys have benefits or incur costs due to their association with birds, suggesting that these associations may be characterised as a form of commensalism. —Moro-Rios, R.F. , Silva-Pereira, J.E. , Ludwig, G. & Gomes Barriento, F. (2018). Interspecific association between two Woodcreeper species (Dendrocolaptinae) and a group of Black-faced Lion Tamarins (Primates, Callitrichinae). Ardeola, 65: 299–304.
A first insight into the transatlantic population genetic structure of the beach flea, Platorchestia platensis (Krøyer, 1845)

Platorchestia platensis (Krøyer, 1845) is a cosmopolitan and cryptogenic semiterrestrial amphipod species inhabiting marine coasts all over the temperate and tropical regions of the world. Very little is known about its dispersal mechanisms, and there is little data on the genetic relatedness among local populations in various regions of the world. In this study, we provide first and preliminary molecular evidence that suggests conspecificity of P. platensis populations inhabiting European and North American marine coasts and potentially some genetic isolation of Mediterranean populations.
Differential temporal beta‐diversity patterns of native and non‐native arthropod species in a fragmented native forest landscape

An important factor that hinders the management of non-native species is a general lack of information regarding the biogeography of non-natives, and, in particular, their rates of turnover. Here, we address this research gap by analysing differences in temporal beta-diversity (using both pairwise and multiple-time dissimilarity metrics) between native and non-native species, using a novel time-series dataset of arthropods sampled in native forest fragments in the Azores. We use a null model approach to determine whether temporal beta-diversity was due to deterministic processes or stochastic colonisation and extinction events, and linear modelling selection to assess the factors driving variation in temporal beta-diversity between plots. In accordance with our predictions, we found that the temporal beta-diversity was much greater for non-native species than for native species, and the null model analyses indicated that the turnover of non-native species was due to stochastic events. No predictor variables were found to explain the turnover of native or non-native species. We attribute the greater turnover of non-native species to source-sink processes and the close proximity of anthropogenic habitats to the fragmented native forest plots sampled in our study. Thus, our findings point to ways in which the study of turnover can be adapted for future applications in habitat island systems. The implications of this for biodiversity conservation and management are significant. The high rate of stochastic turnover of non-native species indicates that attempts to simply reduce the populations of nonnative species in situ within native habitats may not be successful. A more efficient management strategy would be to interrupt source-sink dynamics by improving the harsh boundaries between native and adjacent anthropogenic habitats.
Effects of polysaccharides and polyphenolics fractions of Zijuan tea (Camellia sinensis var. kitamura) on &agr;‐glucosidase activity and blood glucose level and glucose tolerance of hyperglycaemic mice

The effects of polysaccharides, theaflavins, thearubigins and theabrownin fractions of Zijuan tea on a-glucosidase and blood glucose level and intolerance of hyperglycaemic mice were evaluated. The polysaccharides or theaflavins fraction exhibited greater inhibition rate of a-glucosidase than acarbose positive control, thearubigins fraction or theabrownin fraction. The four fractions were delivered to the treatment mice through oval gavage each day for 15 days. The mice in polysaccharides and theaflavins highand low-dose and theabrownin high-dose treatments significantly lowered their blood glucose levels while all the treatment mice gained body weight. The mice in polysaccharides, theaflavins and theabrownin highand low-dose treatments had greater glucose tolerance as well. Thus, the theaflavins and polysaccharides fractions of Zijuan tea effectively moderated the complications of hyperglycaemic mice. The lower effectiveness of thearubigins and theabrownin fractions may be caused by the highly polymerised polyphenolics which decreased their accessibility to a-glucosidase and digestibility in mice.
The solvent-excluded surfaces of water-soluble proteins

The solvent-excluded surface (SES) of a protein is determined by and in turn affects protein-solvent interaction and consequently plays important roles in its solvation, folding and function. However, accurate quantitative relationships between them remain largely unknown at present. To evaluate SES’s contribution to protein-solvent interaction we have applied our accurate and robust SES computation algorithm to various sets of proteins and ligand-protein interfaces. Our results show that each of the analyzed water-soluble proteins has a negative net charge on its SES. In addition we have identified a list of SES-defined physical and geometrical properties that likely pertain to protein solvation and folding based on their characteristic changes with protein size, their differences between folded and extended conformations, and their correlations with known hydrophobicity scales and with experimentally-determined protein solubility. The relevance of the list of SES-defined properties to protein structure and function is supported by their differences between water-soluble proteins and transmembrane proteins and between solvent-accessible regions and ligand-binding interfaces. Taken together our analyses reveal the importance of SES for protein solvation, folding and function. In particular the universal enrichment of negative charge and the larger than average SES area for a polar atom on the surface of a water-soluble protein suggest that from a protein-solvent interaction perspective to fold into a native state is to optimize the electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions between solvent molecules and the surface polar atoms of a protein rather than to only minimize its apolar surface area.
Impact of Seasons and Extenders on Quality and Freezability of Surti Buffalo Bull Semen under Middle Gujarat Climate

A study was conducted to evaluate the seasonal influence (peak winter and summer) and the efficacy of three extenders (egg yolk based TFYG extender and egg yolk free soya bean based commercial extenders Optixcell and Andromed) on quality and freezability of Surti buffalo bull semen in middle Gujarat. Semen ejaculates (6/bull/season, total 36) revealed mean ejaculate volume 3.23±0.18 ml, sperm concentration 963.06±64.74 million/ml, progressive motility 79.94±0.83 %, live sperm 83.67±0.62 %, abnormal sperm 7.69±0.41 %, and sperm with intact plasma membrane 83.19±0.75 % and intact acrosome 94.92±0.24 %. Only the progressive sperm motility (80.56±0.98 vs. 73.33±0.57 %) and HOST (85.33±0.81 vs 81.06±1.07 %) were significantly (p
The potential of alternative conifers to replace larch species in Ireland, in response to the threat of Phytophthora ramorum

Forest ecosystems are facing many challenges in the wake of recent pest and disease outbreaks, coupled with uncertain future climate conditions. A particular challenge emerges from the recent outbreak of Phytophthora ramorum identified in Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) in 2010. Its subsequent spread has caused widespread damage to Japanese larch stands and has resulted in the Japanese, European (Larix decidua) and hybrid (Larix × eurolepis) larches are no longer grant-aided in the Irish afforestation programme in Ireland. Over 20% of forest stands contain some quantity of larch; with a total area of 32,057 ha. Japanese larch is the predominant species with 27,859 ha, 86% occurring as mixed stands and 79% in mixture with Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis). The objective of the study was to examine the range of alternative conifer species that may be suitable to replace larch which potentially have similar or increased levels of productivity, acceptable timber properties, while affording reduced levels of from pest/disease outbreak. To assess productivity, yield class of a range of species in mixture with larch across a gradient of soil types was assessed. Analysis of this data indicated that Sitka spruce, western red cedar (Thuja plicata), grand fir (Abies grandis), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Norway spruce (Picea abies), European silver fir (Abies alba), noble fir (Abies procera) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) provide suitable alternatives, showing higher levels of productivity across a range of soil types. A strong positive correlation was found between the yield classes of (a) Japanese larch and western hemlock (r = 0.70), (b) hybrid larch and Douglas fir (r = 0.73) and (c) European larch and Sitka spruce (r = 0.61) growing on the same sites. Regression equations were developed between the site yields of Japanese, European and hybrid larches and those of alternative species, as a useful tool to predict growth performance of potential alternative species across a range of soil types where larch is currently growing. The predictive power varied for different species pairings (r2 of 0.24 to 0.87) with the strongest relationships between the yields of Japanese larch and Norway spruce on basin peat (r2 = 0.71) and Japanese larch and Douglas fir on podzol soils (r2 = 0.76; y = 1.2632x + 2.6316). Given the significance of Sitka spruce/Japanese larch mixtures in Irish forestry, future research should focus on the potential for mixtures combining Sitka spruce and alternative Pacific conifers (e.g. Douglas fir, grand fir, western hemlock and western red cedar) that may enhance the resilience of and maintain productivity.
Arsenic in vegetables poses a health risk in the vicinity of a mining area in the southern Hunan Province, China

ABSTRACT The main objectives of the present study were to investigate the levels of arsenic (As) in 23 vegetable species planted on As-polluted soil and assess the human health risks of contaminated vegetable consumption. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk (TR) methods were employed to evaluate the human health risks posed by exposure to As through vegetable consumption. Our results indicate substantial As contamination of the experimental soil. Significant differences were detected in the concentrations of total and inorganic As in the edible parts of the various vegetables grown on contaminated soil, which were generally in the following order: leafy vegetables > stem vegetables > root vegetables > melon and fruit vegetables. The total THQ value for As due to vegetable consumption for children (4.81) was higher than that for adults (3.66), the TR values for As due to vegetable ingestion for adults (1.65 × 10−3) and children (2.17 × 10−3) were significantly beyond the range of acceptable risk (10-6–10-4) recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the maximum acceptable risk value (5.0 × 10−5) recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection, which clearly poses a dangerous health risk for residents consuming vegetables in the long-term in the study area.
Effects of different aquaculture methods for introduced bivalves (Hyriopsis cumingii) on seston removal and phosphorus balance at the water–sediment interface

ABSTRACT A field simulation experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that altering bivalve aquaculture methods could promote the restoration of eutrophic waterbodies. We used three aquaculture methods – benthic aquaculture, suspended aquaculture, and macrophytes/bivalve combined aquaculture – to (1) investigate their effects on seston removal through monitoring water turbidity, pelagic and benthic algae, and (2) compare their impacts on the phosphorus (P) balance at the water–sediment interface by determining different forms of P contents in the water and sediments. The results showed that the seston removal effects did not differ significantly among these three aquaculture methods. Furthermore, the changes of all investigated P parameters in the water and sediments showed that P release occurred in the benthic and suspended aquaculture treatments. The suspended aquaculture strengthened the regeneration of P from sediments into the water compared with the benthic aquaculture. In addition, the results of a principal component and classification analysis showed that macrophytes/bivalve combined aquaculture promoted the maintenance of restoration effects and P balance at the water–sediment interface. In conclusion, benthic aquaculture coupled with replanting submerged macrophytes is a better choice for water managers when using biomanipulation of bivalves to remedy eutrophic waterbodies.
Field study on plasma haptoglobin concentrations and total milk somatic cell counts in cows with untreated and treated mastitis

The aim of the present study was to determine plasma haptoglobin concentrations in cows in field conditions. Experiments were carried out a total of 106 cows, divided in 5 groups. The 1 group comprised 25 cows with low milk somatic cell counts (SCC), without microbiological findings used as controls; the II group –23 cows with untreated subclinical mastitis with high milk SCC and without microbiological findings; the III group: 13 cows with untreated subclinical mastitis with high milk SCC and with microbiological findings. The IV group consisted of 17 cows with subclinical mastitis, high milk SCC, microbiological findings, treated with tetracycline HCL 200 mg, neomycin 250 mg, bacitracin 2000 IU, prednisolone 10 mg (Mastijet fort, MSD Animal Health), and the V group – 28 cows with clinical mastitis treated with Mastijet fort, MSD Animal Health. Our results showed that the mean plasma haptoglobin concentrations in the I (control) group was 0.054±0.003 g/L. In the II group (0.288±0.04 g/L) Hp was 5.2 times higher that the mean values of controls (P<0.001). Mean Hp concentration of group III was also statistically significantly different (P<0.001) than that of the control group. The value of Hp in group IV (0.215±0.04 g/L) was significantly lower (P<0.05) that mean values of II group but substantially higher (P<0.001) vs controls. The concentration of haptoglobin in cows of the V group was statistically significantly lower (P<0.001) compared both with control and II groups. In this study, total somatic cell count showed statistically significant differences (P<0.001) between the control and experimental groups.
Extreme drought alters frequency and reproductive success of floaters in Willow Flycatchers

ABSTRACT Changes in habitat quality, including those caused by extreme events like droughts and floods, could alter costs and benefits of territoriality and thereby the prevalence and reproductive consequences for individuals capable of breeding that do not do so (floaters). We studied floating behavior in a population of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) in central Arizona during one year of extreme drought, one year of lake inundation, and three years of near average precipitation. In all years, most floaters were second year (SY) males, and most subsequently settled outside of the patch where they were detected in the floating year, suggesting that floaters did not “queue” at high-quality territories in order to achieve higher reproductive success in subsequent years. Instead, cohorts that floated in non-drought years had lower apparent survival and lower reproductive success compared to territorial birds. In the extreme drought year, however, the number of floaters was 1.5 times greater than in all other years combined, more females floated, and apparent survival and mean annual productivity in subsequent years was higher for males that floated in that year than for those that were territorial. Inundation of habitat due to rising reservoir levels did not result in an increase in floaters because many birds nested in inundated areas where trees projected above the water so that the relative amount of available habitat was not reduced to the extent habitat models predicted. Overall, our results indicate that the prevalence and reproductive and demographic consequences of floating can change under extreme climatic events like severe drought.
Inoculação experimental de Salmonella entérica Sorovar Schwarzengrund em embriões e pintos de corte

O presente estudo foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de investigar a capacidade invasiva e a persistencia da Salmonella Schwarzengrund em embrioes e pintos de corte de um dia. Foram incubados, inteiramente ao acaso, 260 ovos ferteis de frangos de corte em tres incubadoras distintas. Com 19 dias de incubacao fez-se a ovoscopia e, 40 ovos foram eliminados. O restante dos ovos foram distribuidos da seguinte maneira: 50 ovos foram inoculados com 0,2 mL de solucao salina tamponada esterilizada 0,85% via câmara de ar, 50 ovos foram inoculados com 1,5 x 104 UFC/0,2mL de Salmonella Schwarzengrund na câmara de ar e 100 foram incubados sem nenhum inoculo, para posterior inoculacao nos pintos de um dia. Apos a eclosao, os pintos de um dia foram distribuidos igualmente em quatro tratamentos, assim discriminados: T1 - controle da racao - constituido de 30 pintos livres de Salmonella, e receberam racao inoculada com 0,1 mL solucao salina tamponada a 0, 85% por g de racao; T2 – inoculado racao - constituido de 30 pintos oriundos da incubadora 1, receberam racao com 5,3 x 10 4/0,1mL/g de Salmonella Schwarzengrund em solucao salina tamponada 0, 85% por grama de racao ate o setimo dia de vida; T3- pintos controle oriundos da inoculacao via câmara de ar ainda embrioes -30 pintos oriundos de embrioes inoculados com 0,2 mL de solucao salina 0,85% tamponada, esterilizada na câmara de ar; T4- pintos contaminados câmara de ar ainda embrioes- 30 pintos oriundos de embrioes inoculados com 1,5 x 104 UFC/0,2mL de Salmonella Schwarzengrund na câmara de ar. Salmonella Schwarzengrund foi capaz de causar a mortalidade embrionaria, colonizar o intestino, influenciar negativamente o ganho de peso, determinar quadro septicemico e enterico independente da via de inoculacao. As aves apresentaram sinais clinicos como fezes aderidas a cloaca, diarreia, prostracao, apetite diminuido, retardo no crescimento e sonolencia. A contaminacao determinou maior peso e comprimento do intestino e figado com 25 dias. Conclui-se que Salmonella Schwarzengrund possui a capacidade invasiva e de persistencia em aves oriundas da inoculacao da câmera de ar e em pintos de um dia por racao contaminada.
Data Analysis Methods in Physical Oceanography

Chapter and section headings: Preface. Acknowledgments. Data Acquisition and Recording. Introduction. Basic sampling requirements. Temperature. Salinity. Depth or pressure. Sea-level measurement. Eulerian currents. Lagrangian current measurements. Wind. Precipitation. Chemical tracers. Transient chemical tracers. Data Processing and Presentation. Introduction. Calibration. Interpolation. Data presentation. Statistical Methods and Error Handling. Introduction. Sample distributions. Probability. Moments and expected values. Common probability density functions. Central limit theorem. Estimation. Confidence intervals. Selecting the sample size. Confidence intervals for altimeter bias estimators. Estimation methods. Linear estimation (regression). Relationship between regression and correlation. Hypothesis testing. Effective degrees of freedom. Editing and despiking techniques: the nature of errors. Interpolation: filling the data gaps. Covariance and the covariance matrix. Bootstrap and jackknife methods. The Spatial Analyses of Data Fields. Traditional block and bulk averaging. Objective analysis. Empirical orthogonal functions. Normal mode analysis. Inverse methods. Time-series Analysis Methods. Basic concepts. Stochastic processes and stationarity. Correlation functions. Fourier analysis. Harmonic analysis. Spectral analysis. Spectral analysis (parametric methods). Cross-spectral analysis. Wavelet analysis. Digital filters. Fractals. Appendices. References. Index. 8 illus. , 135 line drawings.
Systematics, evolution and historical biogeography of the family Ochnaceae with emphasis on the genus Campylospermum

Abstract Ochnaceae s.l. is a family of trees, shrubs or rarely herbs widely distributed in tropical and subtropical forests and savannas of the Old and New World, and has about 500 species in 32 genera. The family is divided into three subfamilies: Medusagynoideae, Quiinoideae and Ochnoideae. We have provided, for the first time, a nearly complete molecular phylogenetic analysis of Ochnaceae s.l. resolving most of the phylogeny backbone of the family using five DNA regions. Based on this, dating analyses were performed using a secondary calibration, and relaxed molecular clock models. The historical biogeography of Ochnaceae s.l. was reconstructed using Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis and Bayesian Binary MCMC. The Neotropics were inferred as being the geographical origin of the family and the Old World was most likely colonized via the North Atlantic Land Bridge during a period when climatic conditions allowed establishment of a boreotropical flora. A full taxonomic revision of the continental African species of the genus Campylospermum has been prepared and additional historical biogeographic analyses were performed with a focus on the genus Campylospermum.
A review of β-glucans as a growth promoter and antibiotic alternative against enteric pathogens in poultry

The emergence of microbial challenges in commercial poultry farming causes significant economic losses. Vaccination is effective in preventing diseases of single aetiology while antibiotics have an advantage over vaccination in controlling diseases of multiple aetiologies. As the occurrence of antibiotic resistance is a serious problem, there is increased pressure on producers to reduce antibiotic use in poultry production. Therefore, it is essential to use alternative substances to cope with microbial challenges in commercial poultry farming. This review will focus on the role of β-glucans originating from yeast cell wall (YCW) as a growth promoter and antibiotic alternative. β-glucans have the ability to modulate the intestinal morphology by increasing the number of goblet cells, mucin expression and cells expressing secretory IgA (sIgA) with increased sIgA in the intestinal lumen and decreased bacterial translocation to different organs. β-glucans also increase the gene expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins which maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall in broiler chickens. However, further studies are required to optimise the dosage and source of β-glucans to determine effects on growth performance and mechanisms against enteric pathogens.