Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Dietary Oil Sources on Performance, Serum Corticosterone Level, Antibody Titers and IFN-γ Gene Expression in Broiler Chickens

The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of addition of fish oil, soybean oil and olive oil to diet on performance and immune response in broiler chickens. In a completely randomized design, 320 broiler chickens (Ross 308, 7 days old) were allocated to four dietary treatments (control and three vegetable oils), four replicates with 20 chicks per each. The results showed that body weight gain of chicks fed soybean oil was higher and feed conversion ratio was better than the other treatments in the total period (P 0.05). Chicks fed fish oil had higher relative weights of bursa of Fabricius and there were no significant differences in relative weights of spleen among treatments. It was concluded that the source of oils in the diet may be affect the performance and immune response, the addition of fish oil and soybean oil to the diet resulted in significant improvement of performance and immune response in broiler chickens, respectively.
Counting Pumas by Categorizing Physical Evidence

Abstract The occurrence of Puma concolor (Cougar) can be confirmed by detecting physical evidence (i.e., tracks, urine markers). However, determining the number of pumas responsible for creating this sign is problematic. We addressed this difficulty by categorizing physical evidence (sign) and applied this method during the Puma concolor coryi (Florida Panther) project. Three rules were used to distinguish individuals. (1) Gender was determined by track size or stride length; (2) time (freshness) was determined by known events within the past 24 hours, such as wind or rain; and (3) distance between individual track sets was used as an exclusionary tool to avoid over-counting. We evaluated accuracy by capture and by comparison to 3 other indices. This method can be adapted to count other large felines.
In vivo effector function of influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones is highly specific

Cloned lines of murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) directed to type A influenza virus confer complete protection upon adoptive transfer to syngeneic mice lethally infected by influenza virus. The exquisite specificity exhibited by a subtype-specific cloned CTL in culture is reflected in its capacity to eliminate pulmonary virus and mediate recovery only in those mice infected by the virus subtype recognized by this cloned line in vitro. A cross-reactive CTL cloned line protects mice infected by either of two influenza virus subtypes. In mice dually infected with two virus subtypes, the subtype-specific CTL clone only reduces lung virus levels of the recognized virus subtype and cannot prevent these mice from dying. In contrast, adoptive transfer of the cross-reactive CTL clone into mice simultaneously infected with two virus subtypes results in reduction of pulmonary titers of both subtypes and promotes complete recovery. These results directly implicate CTL as an important antiviral defense mechanism in experimental influenza infection. In addition, these results indicate that both the induction and expression of antiviral effector activity by CTL in vivo is highly specific and therefore favor the concept that CTL express their antiviral effect in vivo by direct cytolysis of infected cells.
Behavioural correlates of predation by tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus) and dhole (Cuon alpinus) in Nagarahole, India

Behavioural factors that are likely to contribute to the coexistence of tiger Panthera tigris , leopard P. pardus and dhole Cuon alpinus , were investigated in the tropical forests of Nagarahole, southern India, during 1986–1992. Examination of predator scats and kills were combined with radiotracking of four tigers, three leopards, and visual observations of a pack of dhole. The three predators selectively killed different prey types in terms of species, size and age-sex classes, facilitating their coexistence through ecological separation. There was no temporal separation of predatory activities between tigers and leopards. Hunting activities of dholes were temporally separated from those of the two felids to some extent. Rate of movement per unit time was higher for leopards compared to tigers during day and night. In general, the activity patterns of predators appeared to be largely related to the activities of their principal prey, rather than to mutual avoidance. The three predator species used the same areas and hunted in similar habitats, although tigers attacked their prey in slightly denser cover than leopards. Both cats attacked their prey close to habitat features that attracted ungulates. There was no evidence for inter-specific spatial exclusion among predators, resulting either from habitat specificity or social dominance behaviours. Our results suggest that ecological factors, such as adequate availability of appropriate-sized prey, dense cover and high tree densities may be the primary factors in structuring the predator communities of tropical forests. Behavioural factors such as differential habitat selection or inter-specific social dominance, which are of crucial importance in savanna habitats, might play a relatively minor role in shaping the predator communities of tropical forests.
Effects of dietary levels and ratio of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol on the growth, survival and deformity levels of Atlantic cod larvae and early juveniles

Effects of two weaning diets that differed in phospholipid (PL) classes on growth, survival and deformities of cod larvae and early juveniles were evaluated. Cod larvae were fed rotifers until 21 days post hatch (dph) and then weaning onto dry diet started. One group of larvae were fed a control diet with low levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC), PE and phosphatidylinositol (PI) and the other group of larvae were fed with an experimental diet containing higher levels of PC, PE and PI. Larvae fed with the control diet were significantly smaller than larvae fed with the experimental diet at the end of the experiment. Swim bladder abnormalities were significantly higher in larvae fed with control diet at 35 dph than the larvae fed with experimental diet; however, no significant difference was evident at 42 dph. Vertebral deformities were significantly higher in larvae fed with control diet and scoliosis was significantly different between the treatments. Survival was also significantly higher in the experimental group. Our results indicate that dietary levels of PL, PC and PI may affect the cod larval growth, survival and deformities. More detail studies are needed to find out the optimal levels of these important PL classes in larval cod diets.
Compensating white‐tailed eagle mortality at the Smøla wind‐power plant using electrocution prevention measures

Environmental impact assessment allows for compensation of environmental injuries in the form of resource-based restoration projects. Given that compensation is a desired policy at a given site, this study suggests an interdisciplinary scaling method (Resource Equivalency Analysis) that relies on a non-monetary bird-year metric to quantify and value the impact on human welfare from ecosystem service loss. The lost value associated with white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) turbine collisions at the Smola wind-power plant (debit) in central Norway is compensated through white-tailed eagle electrocution-prevention measures at nearby power lines (credit), scaled using the same bird-year metric. We found that 172 actual and projected white-tailed eagle turbine collisions (2005–2027) led to a debit of 3,454 discounted bird-years, which captures lost life expectancy discounted to present value. Field searches indicated that annual white-tailed eagle electrocution mortality per electric distribution pole (or pylon) at Smola ranges from 0.002 to 0.014 (2009–2011). We suggest that retrofitting between 348 and 2,209 pylons at a present-value cost of US$1.2–7.9 million (2011 at 3%) will provide equivalent value and thus compensate the public for their welfare losses. Improved electrocution probability models will improve cost-effectiveness of retrofitting as a compensatory measure. Although Resource Equivalency Analysis may provide an approach for scaling a biodiversity offset, it cannot address the inevitable environmental trade-offs required in assessing the social profitability of choosing to compensate at a particular site. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Developmental changes in spider spinning fields: a comparison between Mimetus and Araneus (Araneae: Mimetidae, Araneidae)

As part of an effort to understand the changes that piriform (Pi) and aciniform (Ac) silk glands undergo throughout the molt–intermolt cycle, spinnerets from all instars of two Mimetus Hentz, 1832 and one Araneus Clerck, 1757 species were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Especially informative were scans of spinning fields from the same individual over two or more consecutive stadia. These allowed us to determine that, in both genera, the Pi and Ac glands in use during a given stadium could be divided into two categories: (1) those with ducts accommodated by tartipores during proecdysis and (2) those not so accommodated and thereby apparently not functional during proecdysis. A silk gland in the former category, once developed, could presumably be used, at most, in every other stadium, whereas one of the latter category could potentially be used in every stadium. Unexpectedly, Pi glands of the latter category were constant in number [two per anterior lateral spinneret (ALS); four in total] throughout the ontogenies of both genera, and their spigots occupied the same location in the Pi spinning field in both genera. By contrast, tartipore-accommodated Pi glands increased in number from one stadium to the next in both genera. Of the Ac glands that had their spigots located on the posterior median spinnerets, none were tartipore-accommodated in either genera but, of the Ac glands with spigots on the posterior lateral spinnerets (PLS), some were tartipore-accommodated and some were not. All of them increased in number during the ontogenies of both genera. Adult males of three Mimetus species had two unusual spigots of unknown function on each ALS, which we interpret as modified Pi (MoPi) spigots. Their number and position raise the possibility that they serve (presumably modified) versions of the Pi glands that were not accommodated by tartipores during proecdysis. No spigots fully matching the description of Mimetus MoPi spigots were observed in adult males of four Australomimetus Heimer, 1986 or five Ero C. L. Koch, 1836 species. However, two of the Ero species did show a pair of Pi spigots on each ALS that, although not as conspicuous as Mimetus MoPi spigots, had wider openings than other Pi spigots. A minority of juvenile Mimetus specimens, and no adults, had a protuberance on one or both of their PLS, in a position similar to that of the aggregate (Ag)-flagelliform (Fl) spigot triad of araneoids, which may represent a phylogenetic vestige of a Fl or Ag spigot or one of their homologues. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 343–383.
Plant indicators of available soil water in the perennial herbaceous crop Miscanthus $\times$ giganteus Greef et Deu

Indicateurs physiologiques de l'eau disponible du sol dans une culture herbacee vivace Miscanthus x giganteus Greef et Deu. Miscanthus x giganteus est une espece a haut potentiel de production de biomasse. Dans le but d'evaluer la tolerance de l'espece a la disponibilite d'eau reduite dans le sol qui se produit au cours de l'ete sec et chaud en climat mediterraneen, une experimentation de deux ans a ete conduite dans un site de la cote orientale de la Sicile (Sud de l'Italie) ou la reponse physiologique de la culture a trois niveaux de restitution de l'ETM (25 %, 50 % et 100 %) a ete etudiee. Tous les indicateurs physiologiques etudies (le potentiel hydrique foliaire mesure au lever du jour et a midi, la transpiration, la conductance stomatique) ont ete influences par le deficit hydrique du sol selon une relation decrite par une fonction asymptotique. Toutefois, le potentiel hydrique mesure au lever du jour montre une relation etroite avec la teneur en eau du sol, parmi les indicateurs testes, a cause de sa relative independance par rapport aux conditions climatiques et il pourrait donc etre un indicateur valable de l'etat hydrique des plants et un outil pour la programmation de l'irrigation. Par contre, la variabilite du potentiel hydrique foliaire, de la transpiration et de la conductance stomatique, mesurees dans les heures les plus chaudes de la journee, etait liee au deficit de pression de vapeur de l'air dans le traitement bien irrigue (restitution du 100 % de l'ETM).
DO BALSAM TWIG APHIDS (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE) LOWER TREE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SPRUCE BUDWORM?

Abstract The balsam twig aphid, Mindarus abietinus Koch, infested nearly all trees in a range-wide provenance plantation of balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. , in Michigan. Infestation levels were highest on eastern and lowest on western seed sources of fir. Large populations of the aphid were correlated with low survival and reduced developmental rates of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens). We propose that chronic, high susceptibility of trees to aphids could reduce concomitant susceptibility to budworm through direct (competition) and indirect (host and community-level) effects. Résumé Le puceron Mindarus abietinus Koch infestait presque tous les arbres dans une plantation du sapin baumier, Abies balsamea (L.) Mills. , au Michigan; les arbres étaient de provenance largement répartie dans l’aire de distribution du sapin. Les niveaux d’infestation étaient maximum sur les provenances de l’est, et minimum sur celles de l’ouest. Les populations denses du puceron étaient correlées avec la baisse de survie et ralentissement du développement de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens). Nous proposons que la susceptibilité chronique des arbres au puceron peut réduire la susceptibilité à la tordeuse par des mécanismes directs (compétition) et indirects (au niveau de la communauté).
Post-Communist Systemic Change: Lessons for East Asia

This lecture was delivered at a conference organized by the Institute of Korean Studies (IKS) and the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies (IPUS) entitled, “Conflict and Integration as Conditions and Processes in Transitioning Societies of Eastern Europe and East Asia,” and held at the Freie Universitat Berlin on November 9, 2017.
Geographic Differentiation of Tree Ferns (Cyatheales) in Tropical America

Abstract The patterns of geographic differentiation in fern species have been linked to climatic differences across regions and the distribution of available habitat. In this paper, the association between some climatic features and patterns of geographic differentiation in American tree ferns was evaluated. For this, the occurrence ranges of 190 species were plotted and then analysed using track analysis. Here we identify six generalised tracks that span the main highland regions of tropical America: the Andes, the Guyana Highlands, the Brazilian Atlantic coast, lower Central America, the Greater Antilles, and upper Central America-Mexico. We did not find an association between cloud forest habitat and the differentiation pattern revealed by generalised tracks in Central America. Instead, these patterns are congruent with well-documented geological boundaries in the region. Climatic variables associated with cloud forest habitat were extracted from each generalised track and subjected to ANOVA, showing that most tracks have equivalent climates. The Andean track showed significant climatic differences with the Brazilian and Guyanan tracks, which were associated with main habitat discontinuities. From these results, we propose that historical isolation has been important in promoting geographical differentiation in tree ferns and that differentiation by dispersal cannot fully explain the large-scale geographical patterns observed in tree ferns.
Assessing the source of nitrate pollution in water using stable N and O isotopes

We used the isotopic composition of nitrogen (δ 15 N) and oxygen (δ 18 O) in water nitrate (NO - 3 ) to assess water pollution. δ 15 N and δ 18 O values in drainage water nitrate of a conventionally managed field and the adjacent surface waters were measured for 6 weeks during the main discharge period of the hydrological year 2003/2004. We hypothesized that this approach could provide more information about the impact of drainage water containing high nitrate loads on the following surface water bodies than common measurements of concentrations. The nitrate concentrations ranged between 686 and 2040 μM in the tile drain outlets and were positively correlated to the tile drain discharge. The low δ 18 O-NO - 3 values, from 1.8 to 4.3%c, indicated that most of the nitrate derived from the nitrification process in the agricultural soils. The high δ 15 N-NO - 3 values, from 8.5 to 15.0%c, reflected the long-term fertilizing practice which was carried out for several years with inorganic as well as organic fertilizers. In the adjacent ditch and the brook nitrate concentrations were lower but showed a similar development to the tile drain outlet. The δ 15 N-NO - 3 values (7.2-12.1 %o) and δ 18 O-NO - 3 values (2.4-9.1‰) in the ditch and the brook indicated that the nitrate from tile drain discharge is the major N source for the adjacent surface water bodies.
SPREAD OF PLANT DISEASE ON A CONTINENTAL SCALE: ROLE OF AERIAL DISPERSAL OF PATHOGENS

Successful transmission of plant diseases over long distances through the atmosphere depends on the reproductive rate of the pathogens, on the carrying capacity of the source locality, on atmospheric turbulence, stability, and wind speed, and on the survival of spores during exposure to inhospitable temperature and humidity and to UVB radiation from the sun. These interacting factors were incorporated into a model to estimate the rate and extent of seasonal incursions of disease from southern into northern areas of the United States. The model indicates a practical limit for long-distance dispersal (LDD) of a plant pathogen, which depends strongly on its fecundity and on its ability to survive in the atmosphere. Two classic plant diseases, stem rust of wheat and tobacco blue mold, are used to illustrate the model. Both diseases appear to spread northward on average at about the same rate as the seasonal advance of the “green wave” of available susceptible host tissue. The near concordance of the disease w.
Some Marine Ciliates Living in the Laboratory Tanks at Plymouth, with a description of a New Species, Holophrya coronata.

The Ciliates described in this paper were mostly found living in the tanks at the Plymouth Laboratory, which are supplied with a constant circulation of sea-water from two large storage reservoirs. Most of them came from a large shallow tank standing in front of a south window, which is referred to in the paper as “Drake's Island Tank. ”
Regulatory aspects of bakers' yeast metabolism in aerobic fed‐batch cultures

A highly instrumented computer‐coupled bioreactor is used to investigate metabolic changes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in aerobic fed‐batch systems which are generally applied in bankers' yeast manufacture. The four types of metabolism (oxidation of glucose, aerobic fermentation, oxidation of glucose and ethanol, and oxidation of ethanol) appearing in such systems are characterized by four significant fermentation parameters: Respiratory quotient (RQ), glucose uptake rate (Qg), ethanol turnover rate (QEtOH), and growth yield on glucose (Yg). Below the critical glucose concentration glucose and ethanol are utilized simultaneously. The shift from aerobic fermentation to nondiauxic growth on glucose and ethanol is not only dependent on glucose concentration. but also on the precultivation on cells. The uptake of ethanol is controlled by the glucose supply except in the case when ethanol is limiting; the oxygen uptake rate (Qo2), however, is unaffected by the ratio of Qg and QEtOH. Critical glucose concentration is not a constant value for a particular strain, but varies corresponding to the nutritional state of the cells.
Species abundance dynamics under neutral assumptions: a Bayesian approach to the controversy

1. Hubbell's 'Unified Neutral Theory of Biodiversity and Biogeography' (UNTB) has generated much controversy about both the realism of its assumptions and how well it describes the species abundance dynamics in real communities. 2. We fit a discrete-time version of Hubbell's neutral model to long-term macro-moth (Lepidoptera) community data from the Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) light-traps network in the United Kingdom. 3. We relax the assumption of constant community size and use a hierarchical Bayesian approach to show that the model does not fit the data well as it would need parameter values that are impossible. 4. This is because the ecological communities fluctuate more than expected under neutrality. 5. The model, as presented here, can be extended to include environmental stochasticity, density-dependence, or changes in population sizes that are correlated between different species.
Microbial loads and incidence of food-borne indicator bacteria in most popular indigenous fermented food condiments from middle-belt and southwestern Nigeria

The food indicator bacteriological quality of 1 501 samples of most-consumed Nigerian fermented food condiments (iru n = 1 125, ogiri n = 148, okpehe n = 113 and ugba n = 115), randomly obtained from various markets in eleven major cities of Nigeria, was determined. A total of 472 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 3 556 Gram-negative indicator bacterial strains, Escherichia coli (863 [24.3%]), Klebsiella pneumoniae (671 [18.8%]), Proteus mirabilis (591 [16.6%]) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (374 [10.5%]) were isolated. The other isolated bacterial species were Klebsiella aerogenes (299 [8.4%]); Citrobacter aerogenes (264 [7.4%]); Enterobacter aerogenes (227 [6.4%]); Shigella dysenteriae (168 [4.7%]), Shigella flexneri (60 [1.7%]) and Shigella sonnei (39 [1.1%]). The most frequently recovered bacterial species from iru were E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis and P. aeruginosa, while E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis were the most recovered from ogiri. Similarly, E. coli and K. pneumoniae were the most recovered species from okpehe and ugba samples, indicating lack of process efficiency of the cottage-produced fermented food products.
Changes in some Biochemical Blood Parameters of Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with Increasing Stocking Density

Effects of population density on the biochemical blood parameters of Japanese quails were investigated according to sex. Female and male quails were separated into three groups in 360 cm2 cages and groups I, II and III consisted of 2,3 and 4 quails respectively. In male quails, with increasing stocking density, serum glucose, inorganic phosphate and calcium levels increased (P
Egg Components in the Fayomi Fowl During the First Laying Year

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE weight of the egg and its components are highly influenced by domestication, environmental (season, nutrition and management) and genetical factors. The egg components are also controlled by other factors such as the weight of pullet, egg weight, the sequence of laying and the laying cycle. High environmental temperature and sudden changes in temperature decrease egg size while low temperature has no effect on egg size. Seasonal variation in albumen and shell percentage is higher than in yolk. REVIEW OF LITERATURE In wild birds, the egg’s weight ranges from 0.5 gm. in the hummingbird to 1.4 kgms. in the ostrich. In domesticated birds, the egg weight ranges from 17 gm. in the pigeon to 200 gm. in the goose (Tarchanoff, 1884; Groebles and Mobert, 1927; Asmundson, Baker and Emlen, 1943). Large birds lay relatively small eggs in relation to their body size, whilst small birds lay relatively large eggs… .