Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ecology of a vector-borne zoonosis in a complex ecosystem : trypanosomiasis in Serengeti, Tanzania

XVIII CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. 1 1.1 Wildlife reservoirs of disease. 1 1.2 Identifying disease reservoirs . 2 1.3 Vector-borne diseases . 5 1.3. 1 Vector factors affecting disease transmission. 5 Vector competence . 5 Vector ecology. 6 1.3. 2 Host factors affecting disease transmission . 6 Reservoir competence. 6 1.4 Introduction to Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). 8 1.5 Animal reservoirs of HAT . 10 1.5. 1 Wildlife reservoirs of HAT.12 1.5. 2 Relative importance of wildlife species as reservoirs of HAT . 13 Host range and prevalence.13 Parasitaemia and pathogenicity . 18 1.5. 3 Animal reservoirs of T. b. gambiense.20 1.6 The tsetse vector . 21 1.6. 1 Prevalence of trypanosome infections in tsetse . 22 Dissection and microscopy . 22 Molecular techniques.23 1.6. 2 Factors affecting trypanosome transmission by tsetse.25 Vector competence . 25 Tsetse population dynamics.25 Feeding preferences . 26 1.7 Other routes of transmission . 26 CHAPTER 2: OVERVIEW OF THE SERENGETIMARA ECOSYSTEM . 28 2.1 Human African trypanosomiasis in Tanzania . 28 2.2 Animal trypanosomiasis in Tanzania . 31 2.3 The history of HAT in Tanzania . 31 2.4 Trypanosomiasis and Serengeti National Park.32 2.5 Introduction to the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem.37 2.5. 1 History and management . 37 2.5. 2 Ecology.39 2.5. 3 Interactions between people and the park.40 2.6 Spatial analysis and geographic information systems.41 2.7 Maps of predicted tsetse density . 42 CHAPTER 3: ASSESSMENT OF AN ITS PCR FOR IDENTIFYING TRYPANOSOME INFECTIONS IN WILDLIFE.48 3.
Population growth response of Tetranychus urticae to eggplant quality: application of female age-specific and age-stage, two-sex life tables

The life table parameters of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, were determined on seven eggplant cultivars (“Isfahan”, “Dezful”, “Shend-Abad”, “Neishabour”, “Bandar-Abbas”, “Jahrom” and “Borazjan”) at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. The age-stage, two-sex life table and the traditional female age-specific life table were constructed by using demographic data. There was a significant difference between the duration of different life stages of TSSM on different eggplant cultivars. Using the age-stage, two-sex life table, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) on the above-mentioned cultivars varied from 0.022 day−1 on “Neishabour” to 0.157 day−1 on “Isfahan”. The value of the net reproductive rate (R0) of TSSM on different eggplant cultivars varied from 1.425 offspring on “Neishabour” to 11.585 offspring on “Isfahan”. Furthermore, the values of the gross reproductive rate (GRR) were significantly different on the tested cultivars, and the lowest and highest values of this parameter were obtained on “Isfahan” (29.574 offspring) and “Neishabour” (2.867 offspring), respectively. The mean generation times (T) of TSSM on the above-mentioned cultivars were 15.415, 15.102, 14.191, 15.110, 16.117, 15.187 and 14.736 days, respectively. There was a little difference among the same life table parameters estimated by female-based and two-sex methods. These differences occurred because the traditional age-specific life table deals only with female populations. Comparison of TSSM life table parameters on different eggplant cultivars and cluster analysis of these parameters revealed that “Isfahan” and “Neishabour” were the most susceptible and resistant cultivars to this pest, respectively.
Nutritive Value and Heavy Metal Concentrations of Selected Wild and Domesticated Vegetables Consumed in South East, Nigeria

The vitamin composition, amino acid profile and heavy metal levels of Lasianthoreafricana (LA), Heinsia crinata (HC), Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Telfairiaoccidentalis (TO) were investigated using standard methods. Niacin was highest in Lasianthore Africana (3.61 mg/100 g) followed by Heinsia crinata (3.30 mg/100 g) and lowest in Vernonia amygdalina (1.24 mg/100 g) and Telfairiaoccidentalis (1.04 mg/100 g). Vitamin C content was highest (208 mg/100 g) in Telfairiaoccidentalis (TO) and lowest (29.3 mg/100 g) in Heinsia crinata (HC). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in vitamin A content of all vegetables. Vernonia amygdalina had the highest (2.99 mg/100 g) vitamin B 2 level while Telfairiaoccidentalis (TO) had the lowest value of 1.73 mg/100 g. Telfairiaoccidentalis had the highest value of vitamin E (42.3 mg/100 g) followed by Vernoniaamygdalina (32.6 mg/100 g) and lowest in Heinsia crinata (HC) (1.45 mg/100 g) while vitamin K was highest (2.26 mg/100 g) in Telfairiaoccidentalis (TO) and lowest (1.23 mg/100 g) in Lasianthore Africana (LA). Analysis conducted showed that the vegetables were comparatively rich in total essential amino acids. Telfairiaoccidentalis (TO) had the highest total amino acids (905 mg/100 g protein); Vernoniaamygdalina (VA) had the highest total essential amino acids (52.2 %), Lasianthore Africana (LA) followed with 51.4 %. Lasianthore africana had the highest total sulphur containing amino acids (6.3 %) while Vernoniaamygdalina (VA) had the highest amount of total aromatic amino acids (15.3 %). Zn, Fe and Cu were moderately in low concentrations but Cd and Pb were absent. Keywords: Nutritive value, Heavy metal concentrations, wild and domesticated, vegetables.
Fish Gonadogenesis. Part I: Genetic and Environmental Mechanisms of Sex Determination

Many species of fish produced in aquaculture or for the ornamental fish trade exhibit sexual dimorphism in growth, age at maturity, secondary sexual characters, or other traits of interest. This has led to a desire to produce populations of only one sex for commercial ongrowing. Although direct sex reversal via manipulation of sex differentiation is used commercially (e.g., in tilapia aquaculture), in most cases there is a need to understand the sex determination system to some extent and manipulate this to produce monosex fish. Sex determination is the genetic or environmental process that establishes the sex (gender) of an organism, whereas sex differentiation is the process by which an undifferentiated gonad is transformed into an ovary or a testis. Fish are the most diverse group of vertebrates in terms of sex determination, and the number of fish species of interest to aquaculture keeps increasing. Together, these aspects explain the growing interest to understand how sex determination and differentiation produce the sex ratio. This review concentrates on recent research using the tools of molecular biology to broaden our understanding of the different aspects related to fish sex determination, both in model fish species and in species of commercial importance.
Combined effects of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus substrates on D‐ribose production via transketolase deficient strain of Bacillus pumilus

BACKGROUND: D-ribose, a five carbon sugar, can be produced via mutant strains with impairment in the non-oxidative part of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). D-ribose is an important intermediate in the pharmaceutical industry. This work focuses on the effect of various substrates on D-ribose production with a transketolase deficient strain of Bacillus pumilus IFO13322. RESULT: D-ribose titer is found to increase with a concomitant decrease in the yield (on a g product g−1 substrate basis) with increasing glucose concentration. Likewise, higher concentration of ammonium sulfate led to lower product yield while glucose and corn steep liquor concentrations were kept unaltered. Among the complex nitrogen substrates, cas amino acids showed better product yield than corn steep liquor. When tested for supplements of defined amino acids, media supplemented with tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine gave better yields and higher biomass growth. This is possibly due to the fact that mutant strain is an aromatic amino acids auxotroph owing to impairment in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. Further, higher phosphate concentrations in the media led to greater biomass formation and lower D-ribose yield. CONCLUSIONS: At higher glucose or ammonium sulfate concentrations, a greater proportion of the carbon was channeled toward byproducts such as acetate, and acetoin and biomass formation. Thus, the relative rates of PPP and in turn the D-ribose yield were dependent on not only the carbon substrate concentration but also the nitrogen and phosphorus substrates. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Seedling dynamics after different intensities of human disturbance in a tropical dry limestone forest in Jamaica

The Hellshire Hills are an extensive area of tropical dry forest over limestone, located on the south coast of Jamaica. Despite being a protected area, they are subject to encroachment and clearance by charcoal burners, leaving a relatively pristine core within more disturbed areas of forest. Future management requires a consideration of the forest's resilience to such disturbance, and this study reports on seedling dynamics before and after different intensities of disturbance. The study was conducted within twelve 225-m2 plots comprising four blocks and three treatments. The treatments were removal of all trees (≥ 2 cm dbh), removal of 50% of stems (> 5 cm) and an uncut control plot. Seedling dynamics were monitored before and 3, 8, 13 and 20 mo after the application of treatments. The study indicates that regeneration by seed was not severely affected by this small-scale disturbance. However, the density of some species was affected by the environmental conditions created by partial and clear cutting, and seasonal effects were more pronounced after disturbance. Biomass recovery by seedlings was negligible in comparison with coppice regrowth which clearly offers considerable resilience to disturbance in this dry forest where successful regeneration by seed is highly susceptible to rainfall seasonality. This will likely affect long-term species diversity if the present rate of clearance continues.
Molecular genetic aspects and characterization of the extracellular matrix of myxoid tumours of soft tissue

Myxoid tumours of soft tissues are a heterogeneous group of mesenchymal origin characterized by their so-called myxoid extracellular matrix. although their histological overlap, their clinical behaviour ranges form benign to malignant. In this thesis we studied the exact nature and possible function of the components of the myxoid matrix using a broad range of techniques (including (immuno)histochemistry and (imaging) mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we studied the molecular (cyto)genetic aberrations in different myxoid soft tissue tumours, using direct sequence analysis and COBRA FISH.
Studies on Cassava, Manihot utilissima. II. Biosynthesis of Asparagine‐14C from 14C‐labelled Hydrogen Cyanide and its Relations with Cyanogenesis

Seeds and seedlings of Manihot utilissima were analysed for cyanogenic glycosides und free amino acids, with special reference to valine and isoleucine which serve as precursors of the aglycone moieties of linamarin and lotaustralin. Seeds contained traces of valine and isoleucine but no glycosides, whereas seedlings contained high concentrations of these amino acids and glycosides. Illumination of seedlings led to a steep increase in the concentration of glycosides followed by a decrease without excretion of detectable HCN. Seeds accumulated asparagine, while seedlings accumulated both asparagine and glutamine in the storage and transport of nitrogen. Seedlings incorporated 13.2 per cent of label from valine-14C(U) and 2.4 per cent of label from isoleucine-14C(U)into linamarin and lotaustralin, respectively. In both cases, appreciable amounts of label were also incorporated into asparagine. 49 per cent of label from H14CN was incorporated inio asparagine in which ca. 98 per cent of total radioactivity was located in the amide-carbon atom. The different patterns of labelling which occurred during the assimilation of H14CN and 14CO2 showed that cyanide metabolism did not proceed via CO2, and that M. utilissima contains an efficient enzyme-system which catalyses the conversion on high concentrations of HCN into asparagine, which subsequently enters different metabolic pools involved with respiration, protein and carbohydrate syntheses. Cyanogenesis in M. utilissima appears lo be directly influenced by available pools of valine and isoleucine, and the metabolism of HCN released from linamarin and lotaustralin by the action of linamarase may be directly related to respiratory and synthetic processes by way of the incorporation of HCN as a unit into asparagine.
Changes in attitudes toward wolves before and after an inaugural public hunting and trapping season: early evidence from Wisconsin's wolf range

SUMMARY In many areas, wildlife managers are turning to hunting programmes to increase public acceptance of predators. This study examines attitudes measured before and after a hunting and trapping season (wolf hunt) in Wisconsin (WI), USA, and casts some doubt on whether such programmes actually promote public acceptance. In Wisconsin, attitudes toward wolves (Canis lupus) were recorded before and after the inaugural regulated wolf hunt. Measuring longitudinal changes is particularly important in assessing management interventions. The attitudes of 736 previous respondents were resampled in 2013. Changes in individual responses to statements about emotions, behavioural intentions, beliefs, and attitudes toward wolves and wolf management between 2009 and 2013 were assessed using a nine-item scaled variable called ‘tolerance’. Although the majority (66%) of wolf range respondents approved of the decision to hold the hunt, the results indicate a negative trend in attitudes toward wolves among male respondents and hunters living in wolf range, both before and after the state's first legal hunt, suggesting that hunting was not associated with an increase in tolerance for the species after one year. Tolerance levels among female respondents remained stable throughout the study period.
Mutation and the evolution of virulence

The evolution of parasite virulence can be influenced by intra-host mutation of the parasite and competition among different parasite mutants in the same host. During the course of an infection, parasite variants may be generated that have some competitive advantage over the strains that initiated the infection. This intra-host competition may select for a short-term advantage. It can lead to variants without any transmission potential or variants with extremely high virulence. We develop a mathematical model which describes intra- and inter-host parasite evolution. The major conclusions are: (i) intra-host competition generates a virulence polymorphism in the parasite population; (ii) intra-host competition can shift the mean virulence beyond what would maximize the reproductive rate of the parasite in the host population; and (iii) the parasite population can evolve to intermediate levels of virulence even if there is no trade-off between transmission rate and virulence. Our model applies to highly mutating parasites with long infection periods, such as, for example, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
From lowlands to highlands: searching for elevational patterns of species richness and distribution of scarab beetles in Costa Rica

Aim Understanding the heterogeneous distribution of species on mountains is an important aim in ecology. Altitudinal gradients have enormous potential for improving our knowledge of trends in biodiversity and conservation. In this study, we investigated the variation in scarab beetle diversity (Dynastinae, Rutelinae and Melolonthinae) along an elevational tropical forest gradient.
Exploración psicológica de madres adolescentes con parejas mayores que ellas

This study aims to identify a profile of a group of teenage mothers (n=15) in Panama City, who are in a sentimental relationship with partners who are 5 or more years older than them. Participants were evaluated with the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (Melero & Cantero, 2008). In addition, semistructured interviews were conducted in order to define a socio psychological profile and to determine the perceptions about other’s opinions of their pregnancy and their relationship. Results show an insecure pattern of attachment in most participants. Teenagers perceive negative opinions from their families toward their pregnancy and their relationship. Most of these teenagers chose not to use contraceptive methods despite of knowing its benefits. Teenagers are not mature enough for decisionmaking, thus, they find themselves wrapped in social, emotional and economic risks.
Synaptonemal complex spreading in Allium cepa and A

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) were analysed, by surface spreading, in the F1 hybrid between Allium cepa and Allium fistulosum. These closely related species have a similar karyomorphology, but the A. cepa genome has 27% more DNA than A. fistulosum. At metaphase I, in the hybrid, heteromorphic bivalents were observed, and the pollen mother cell chiasma frequency in the F1 hybrid was reduced when compared with the parents. Synapsis was incomplete and disturbed to some extent in all the prophase I nuclei observed. The reduced level of synapsis at late zygotene – mid pachytene in the hybrid (mean percent homoeologous synapsis is 60%) corresponds to the percent reduction in chiasma frequency. It is suggested that failure of synapsis is the main cause of reduction of chiasma frequency in the F1 hybrid. The chiasma distribution in the hybrid is most similar to that of the A. cepa parent. Although some proximal chiasmata were observed (10% of total), none of the bivalents observed had only proximally localised chi.
In vitro grafting : a new tool to transmit pome fruit phytoplasmas to non-natural fruit tree hosts.

Long-term maintained, homogeneous in vitro shoot cultures of Pyrus communis infected with pear decline (PD) phytoplasmas and Malus pumila infected with apple proliferation (AP) phytoplasmas were used to inoculate by in vitro grafting the non-natural plant hosts Pyronia veitchii and Prunus marianna. Healthy intergeneric heterografts and autografts with phytoplasma-infected graft tips were performed as controls. The transmission rate, as revealed by PCR detection of the respective phytoplasma, was 35% for the transmission of PD phytoplasmas from Pyrus to Pyronia compared to 75% for the Pyrus/Pyrus-smtograft control, and 52% for the transmission of AP phytoplasmas from Malus to Pyronia compared to 90% for the Malus/Malus-autogratt control. Only one AP-inoculated Pyronia plantlet exhibited AP-typical symptoms. No transmission of PD or AP phytoplasmas to Prunus could be achieved.
Inbreeding Depression and Maternal Effects on Early Performance of Pacific Abalone

Abstract Effects of inbreeding and maternity on early performance were studied in the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai using two sets of 2 × 2 factorial crosses involving sister–brother mating. Parents from three full-sib families produced from two wild abalone populations (Japan and China) were used for the study. Metamorphic success and larval growth in four inbred (F = 0.25) and four outbred families were evaluated to 20 d postfertilization. In set I, inbreeding depression was 8.65% for metamorphic success, and−1.06, 3.25, and 4.98% for larval size at days 6, 10, and 20, respectively. In set II, inbreeding depression was 39.3% for metamorphic success, and 1.92, 4.99, and 3.37% for size at days 6, 10, and 20, respectively. Additionally, there were significant maternal effects on metamorphosis and larval size on day 6 (P < 0.01) in set I, which became insignificant at days 10 and 20. Maternal effects were absent in set II. The results of this study suggest that inbreeding at F = 0.25 significantly .
LIFE-HISTORY VARIATION, PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY, AND SUBPOPULATION STRUCTURE IN A FRESHWATER SNAIL

Earlier studies of habitat-specific subpopulations of mixed clonal and sexual freshwater snails of the species Potamopyrgus antipodarum have revealed clinal variation by depth in several life-history traits, risk of parasite infection, mixed population structure, and the genetic structure of the clonal population. Clinal variation is pronounced in life-history traits: snails are larger and start reproduction later in the deeper habitats. The proportion of clonal individuals increases with depth, and many clones are habitat-specific. While these patterns are well documented, it is not known which processes have led to the observed genetic divergence in the clonal population. In this study, we experimentally investigated the contribution of phenotypic plasticity to habitat-specific life-history trait variation using reciprocal transplant experiments with adult and juvenile snails. Assessment of phenotypic plasticity is important because canalized habitat-specific life-history trait variation is one of the alternative explanations for habitat-specific genetic divergence seen in the clonal population. However, if life-history trait variation is largely due to adaptive phenotypic plasticity, canalized optimization of life-history traits is unlikely to explain the divergence observed in the clonal structure. We found significant habitat-induced variation for growth rate, proportion of brooding females, brood size, number of surviving offspring, and juvenile survival, indicating that much of the life-history variation must be considered the result of phenotypic plasticity. Based on these results, it seems that life-history trait divergence is unlikely to explain habitat-specific clonal structure. In contrast, we found genetically based differences in resistance to parasite infections; snails of the deeper Isoetes habitat were more susceptible to infection than snails of the shallow shorebank habitat. To our surprise, we found only a few habitat-by-origin interactions that could directly contribute to the maintenance of the observed habitat-specific clonal structure. One potentially important interaction, however, was that in the deeper Isoetes habitat, reproductive output of snails transplanted from the shallow habitat was lower than that of resident snails. In addition, we also found that survival of clonal snails may be poorer in unfamiliar habitats than that of sexual P. antipodarum, potentially promoting the maintenance of habitat-specific clonal assemblages. Thus, higher parasite resistance of shallow-water snails in both habitats and lower reproductive output of shallow-water snails in the deep habitat are likely to contribute to the maintenance of the habitat-specific clonal structure in P. antipodarum populations, whereas most of the observed variation in life-history traits seems to be due to phenotypic plasticity, which is likely to be adaptive.
Study on bio-product made of M. anisopliae g09/22 local strain against harmful grasshopper (Eclipophleps bogdanovi sergtarb) in pastureland.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: byamba0730@yahoo.com Tel. : +976-99264062 The major aim of this study is to reduce the usage of chemical substances for plant protection in the Mongolian agricultural sector. There are many grasshopper species that are harmful to forest and pasture plants. Therefore isolating and of course determining local strains which can be used to specifically control harmful pests in Mongolia are the primary objectives of the study. Thus, this research work concentrated on isolating bioproducts from a local strain of an entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae in order to determine its biological activity. 3 variants of the bioproduct of Ma.Mn-G09/22 local strain were experimented with, compared with control and replicated in triplicates in Munh-Khairhan Sum of Tuv Aimag. Our study involved field trials which proved that the local strain, G0922 of M. anisopliae fungi can be effective against harmful grasshopper Eclipophleps bogdanovi sergtarb.