Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolution in the slow lane: molecular rates of evolution in sexual and asexual ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda)

Parthenogenetic lineages within non-marine ostracods can occur either in mixed (with sexual and asexual females) or exclusively asexual taxa. The former mode of reproduction is associated with a high intraspecific diversity at all levels (genetic, morphological, ecological) and, at least in the Cypridoidea, with geographical parthenogenesis. Obligate asexuality is restricted to the Darwinuloidea, the strongest candidate for an ancient asexual animal group after the bdelloid rotifers, and is characterized by low diversity. We have compared rates of molecular evolution for the nuclear ITS1 region and the mitochondrial COI gene amongst the three major lineages of non-marine ostracods with sexual, mixed and asexual reproduction. Absolute rates of molecular evolution are low for both regions in the darwinulids. The slow-down of evolution in ITS1 that has been observed for Darwinula stevensoni (Brady & Robertson) apparently does not occur in other darwinulid species. ITS1 evolves more slowly than COI within non-marine ostracod families, including the darwinulids, but not between superfamilies. The ancient asexuals might have a higher relative substitution rate in ITS1, as would be expected from hypotheses that predict the accumulation of mutations in asexuals. However, the speed-up of ITS could also be ancient, for example through the stochastic loss of most lineages within the superfamily after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. In this case, the difference in rate would have occurred independently from any effects of asexual reproduction.
Ecopath with Ecosim在水生生态系统研究中的应用

地球上的水体为人类提供着无法计量的生态系统服务和相应的生态价值。 然而，水生生态系统一直承受着巨大的捕捞和环境压力。 为更好地分析人类以及自然扰动对水生生态系统的影响，并建立科学合理的管理机制，许多研究种群结构和动态的模型软件以及建模方法被开发出来。 这些模型包括单种群模型、多物种虚拟种群分析模型（Multispecies virtual population analyses，MSVPA）以及基于食物网的生态系统模型等。 单种群模型难以全面地反映整个生态系统的结构和功能，也难以预测渔业和环境变迁在系统水平上的影响，从而无法实现宏观和科学的决策。 MSVPA的局限性则在于其所需参数过于复杂，
ZONEAMENTOS DA VULNERABILIDADE AMBIENTAL E EXPECTATIVA DE PERDA DE SOLO: É POSSÍVEL USAR A USLE NA DETERMINAÇÃO DE VULNERABILIDADE AMBIENTAL?

In order to ensure the sustaintability of land use practices, enviornomental vulnerability zoning (EVZ) methods are crucial in the occupation of sites in watersheds. Therefore, using as study area the Feijao River Watershed (FRW), Sao Carlos-SP (Brazil), the EVZ obtained by the Analysis of Natural and Anthropogenic Environmental Fragility (ANAEF) method, with support of the relief dissection index and slopes classes, were compared to the soil loss expectancy (SLE) obtained by the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). This comparison aimed to identify the possibility of using USLE as another method to determine EZV in watersheds. The data were processed in Geographic Information Systems and compared by correct classification rates measured by the confusion matrix for stability classes. The results indicated little coincidence between ANAEF and USLE models, however, the greater influence of the topography associated with anthropogenic activities allowed the USLE to determine fragilities sites not indicated by the ANAEF EVZ method, especially in the headwaters areas. The prediction of water erosion by USLE as a model for EZV could help territorial planning when integrated with ANAEF.
Contribution à la caractérisation des phases tardives de la maturation des graines de Medicago Truncatula : une étude physiologique et biochimique pour comprendre la longévité

La longevite correspond a la capacite des graines a tolerer la dessiccation et d’etre capable de germer sans perte de vigueur apres conservation. Elle est acquise au cours de la maturation, apres le remplissage des graines et l’acquisition de la tolerance a la dessiccation. Le but de cette these est d’analyser les caracteristiques physiologiques, biochimiques et moleculaires lors de la maturation des graines de Medicago truncatula, et d’identifier les mecanismes ou molecules qui correlent avec l’acquisition de la longevite. Pendant la maturation, la longevite augmente d’un facteur trente entre 28 et 44 jours apres pollinisation. Une analyse de l’acquisition de la longevite des graines sur plusieurs recoltes et des mesures biochimiques (teneur en sucres solubles, activite des systemes antioxydants) montre une tres forte correlation entre la longevite et la teneur en saccharose (R²=-0. 91) et stachyose (R²=0. 92). Une etude proteomique a permis de suivre l’abondance de 38 spots qui correspondent a 16 proteines de type ‘Late Embryogenesis Abundant’ (LEA). Seulement quatre polypeptides correlent avec la longevite (CapLEA, D113. II, D34. III et EM) et representent 45% de l’intensite totale des proteines LEA. L’abondance de la plupart des polypeptides LEA augmente pendant la derniere phase de sechage de graines. La caracterisation de mutants abi5, un facteur de transcription, connu pour sa regulation de genes LEA, montre que, contrairement a Arabidopsis, ABI5 chez M. Truncatulajoue un role cle dans la dormance et l’accumulation d’oligosaccharides. De surcroit, les graines de mutants Tnt1 d’abi5 ont une longevite deux fois moindre, et presentent une diminution des proteines d’EM et EM6 et ainsi que celle du groupe D34.
Vibrios in the environment: viable but nonculturable Vibrio cholerae

The anecdotal information that persisted for 100 years maintained that the only reservoir of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, the epidemic strain of cholera, was the human intestinal tract and that this strain was taxonomically separate from V. cholerae non-O1, also known as “nonagglutinable vibrios” and found in aquatic, predominantly estuarine environments. The autochthonous nature of V. cholerae Ol is an important factor in the epidemiology of cholera and is significantly so in endemic areas. The first extensive studies of salinity and temperature relationships using microcosms were reported by Singleton and coworkers who used V. cholerae O1 strain LA4808, isolated during the 1978 El Tor cholera outbreak in Louisiana, and nine other clinical or environmental strains, including both O1 and non-O1 V. cholerae. Anwarul Huq and coworkers demonstrated that V. cholerae associated with planktonic live copepods survived longer, i.e., remained culturable, in laboratory microcosms than V. cholerae exposed to dead copepods or to Pseudoisochrysis sp. , a blue-green alga used to feed live copepods. In this study, cells of V. cholerae were enumerated by plate count, and it was found that the organisms could be cultured on plates for up to 336 h. The study was carried out with divers in the Chesapeake Bay region of the United States and at the Black Sea off the coasts of Russia and Ukraine. V. cholerae O1 was isolated by culture and detected in seawater and from swabs of the ears, noses, and throats of divers by the fluorescent-antibody method when culture was unsuccessful.
Variations spatiotemporelles dans la dynamique, la diversité génétique et le potentiel toxique de populations de Microcystis aeruginosa (Cyanobacteria) dans plusieurs écosystèmes aquatiques du centre de la France

Les proliferations de cyanobacteries dans les milieux aquatiques continentaux representent un probleme environnemental, economique et sanitaire, notamment a cause de la capacite de certains genres a produire des toxines. En etudiant les variations spatio-temporelles de la diversite genetique et du potentiel toxique de populations de la cyanobacterie hepatotoxique Microcystis dans differents types d'ecosystemes aquatiques (retenues, etangs, fleuve) situes dans une meme aire geographique, nous avons montre une structuration genetique des populations ainsi que d'importantes differences du potentiel toxique de ces proliferations. L'etude des variations de la structure en taille des colonies de Microcystis et des quotas cellulaires en microcystines en lien avec la stabilite de la colonne d'eau ont suggere l'importance des colonies de petite taille dans le maintien des populations ainsi que dans la production de microcystines.
Obesity before birth : maternal and prenatal influences on the offspring

Preface. - Obesity: nature or nurture? - The contribution of heredity to clinical obesity. - Monogenetic disorders within the energy balance pathway. - Ciliary syndromes and obesity. - Genome-wide association studies and human population obesity. - Known clinical epigenetic disorders with an obesity phenotype: Prader-Willi Syndrome and the GNAS locus. - Evidence for epigenetic changes as a cause of clinical obesity. - Epigenetic changes associated with intrauterine growth retardation and adipogenesis. - Exposure to diabetes in utero, offspring growth, and risk for obesity. - Maternal weight gain during pregnancy and obesity in the offspring. - Intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational age, and experimental obesity. - Experimental models of maternal obesity and high-fat diet during pregnancy and programmed obesity in the offspring. - High carbohydrate intake only during the suckling period results in adult-onset obesity in mother as well as offspring. - Prenatal stress, glucocorticoids, and the metabolic syndrome. - Hypothalamic maldevelopment and developmental programming. - Adipocyte development and experimental obesity. - The obesogen hypothesis of obesity: overview and human evidence. - Perinatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals with estrogenic activity and the development of obesity. - The role of environmental obesogens in the obesity epidemic.
Evaluation of the influence of three different methods of transfection on survival of boar spermatozoa.

the use of spermatozoa as vectors for introduction of exogenous dna into the oocyte during fertilization is an alternative method for generation of transgenic animals. this procedure is based on spontaneous ability of spermatozoa to bind exogenous dna. for spermatozoa to serve as appropriate vectors for exogenous dna, they should exhibit good motility and viability, because only such cells are capable of binding exogenous dna and fertilization. boar semen was subjected to transfection involving direct incubation of spermatozoa with plasmid dna, incubation with plasmid dna in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso), and lipofectant-aided lipofection. sperm cell membrane motility and damage was evaluated before and after centrifugation and following transfection. spermatozoa motility varied according to the transfection method used. a statistically significant difference was observed between transfection methods using dmso and lipofection (p<0.05). the motility and percentage of live spermatozoa of the boar were found to decrease after centrifugation. the decrease in boar spermatozoa motility was the lowest after the direct incubation with plasmid dna and the highest after lipofection. there was no correlation between the decrease in boar spermatozoa motility and percentage of spermatozoa with damaged cell membrane. no significant effect of decreased spermatozoa motility after lipofection was found.
Biosystematics and ecology of hydrocarbon-degrading fungi from air biofilters

The identity of a collection of published isolates obtained from biofilters exposed to volatile aromatic hydrocarbons has been re-evaluated by ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. A number of misidentifications were revealed and hydrocarbon-degrading black yeasts commonly belonged to the closely related genera Exophiala and Cladophialophora, both anamorphs of Capronia in the Herpotrichiellaceae family (Chaetothyriales). Relatively little is known on the life cycle of these taxa, but based upon a survey on related strains deposited at the CBS collection (Utrecht, The Netherlands) it was evident that they can generally be characterized as micro-extremophiles. They occupy hostile micro-niches, such as the bark of trees, poisonous materials like oil spills or creosoted wood. These ecological features explain the exceptional biodegradation capacity and tolerance towards the growth-limiting conditions present in air biofilters. Some species in the group exhibit a remarkable pathogenic potential, their mycoses in healthy humans sometimes being fatal. Some of the strains examined appear to be closely related to this second group. Hence, additional studies on the potential biohazard of fungal biofiltration of aromatic hydrocarbons are strongly recommended prior to the full-scale implementation of this technique.
453. Notes on the vocalizations of Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Taxonomy has been discussed in the literature over the years, with a species-level split of modesta being recommended by some authorities (Kushlan & Hancock 2005, Christidis & Boles 2008, IOC 1.6– 2.7), but following a summary paper (Pratt 2011) most commentators have again elected in favour of caution and have treated the four taxa as a single species. Pratt in fact concluded that existing evidence could support only two reasonable options (either lump all four taxa or elevate egretta to species rank) but that future genetic studies might result in the acceptance of more biological species. While taxonomic discussion has focused mainly on morphology, courtship behaviour and genetic data, voice has apparently never been included in the discussion. This is hardly surprising, as vocabulary in large herons is rather limited and calls of most species sound superficially similar, thus are seemingly of little use for taxonomic analysis. Nevertheless, in any given locality, sympatric herons can often be distinguished by call. It seems worthwhile therefore to check for vocal differences among the allopatric taxa of Great Egret.
Effects of Environmental Factors on the Nitrogen Fixation Activity in Elaeagnus umbellata

The seasonal changes of symbiotic nitrogen-fixation activity and environmental factors of autumn olive plant (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.), which is an important constituent species of temperate vegetation and a non-leguminous root nodule plant interacting with Frankia sp. , were quantitatively analyzed inthe natural vegetations during hegrowing period. The acetylene redution April and showed two peaks of 133 and in early June and mid September. The nitrogenase activity decreased to 10~30% during hot dry summer frommid June to the end of August, and disappeared during the dormant period of winter. The optimum rhizoshere. diurnal change showed the maximum activity in the mid-day and the minimum in the mid-night. The average contents of total nitrogen in each organ changed in the ranges of 42.5~40.1, 40.2~36.3, 30.3~28.6 and 18.4~16.2mgN for nodule, leaf, root, and stem, respectively. The soil conditions of rhizosphere were weak acidic, ad seasonal variations of and water contents were in the ranges of 48.3~79.5ppm,5.1~13.9ppm, 4.4~ and 14.5~39.4%, respectively.
Ultrastructure of Initial Cytological Changes of Cowpea in Root Nodule Formation

Cytological changes of cowpea root at the early stage of root nodule formation (within 5 days after inoculation) were viewed by light and electron microscopy. The root region affected by the rhizobial infection, which was composed of a redial array of cortical cells, had prominent cell divisions, mostly anticlinal in the inner cortical cells and in addition oblique and periclinal in the outer cells. An infected root hair cell (or root hair-producing epidermal cell) had numerous infection threads and degenerated cytoplasm. Module meristem was formed adjacent to the infected root hair cell, and characterized by dense cytoplasm, prominent nucleus, numerous small vacuoles, and increased plastids, containing infection threads as well. Bacterial cells were dividing inside the infection thread, the wall materials of which appeared to be dissolved ad accumulated in small vacuoles. inner cortical cells contiguous to the nodule meristem appeared to be actively dividing and dedifferentiating; however, they were not infected by the rhizobia. These structural characteristics are similar to those in the Bradyrhizobium-soybean association previously reported, and may reflect the similar cytological process in cowpea in the early nodule formation.
The Effect of Awareness Factors as a Mediating On the Behavioral Intention to Use for E-Commerce Services of Jordanian Students

: This study aims to identify and understand factors that affect to acceptance E-commerce among Jordanian students. This study integrates technology acceptance model (TAM) Innovation Diffusion theory (IDT), Trust and Technology Factor with awareness factor as mediating. The primary data were collected from 384 valid questionnaires, which were distributed, to random Jordanian students in five universities. The analyses of the gathered data employed the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The validity of the final overall model was evaluated using the statistics and acceptable fit of the measurement model to the data has been demonstrated. Based on the outcomes, the factors with the highest direct effect on Intention to use E-commerce appeared to be Attitude toward using E-commerce, while the factor with the highest indirect effect on Intention to use E-commerce appeared to be Compatibility. The main findings of the study are: perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, compatibility, trust and technology factor with awareness factor as mediating has a positive and significant impact on behavioral intention.
Environmental physiology of livestock.

Contributors ix Foreword xi 1 From Heat Tolerance to Heat Stress Relief: An Evolution of Notions in Animal Farming 1 Amiel Berman 2 Physiological Basics of Temperature Regulation in Domestic Animals 17 Donald E. Spiers 3 Heat Stress and Evaporative Cooling 35 Kifle G. Gebremedhin 4 Regulation of Acclimation to Environmental Stress 49 Kajal Sankar Roy and Robert J. Collier 5 Environment and Animal Well-Being 65 S. D. Eicher 6 Effects of Environment on Metabolism 81 Lance Baumgard and Robert P. Rhoads 7 Impact of Hot Environment on Nutrient Requirements 101 Umberto Bernabucci 8 Effects of Environment on Animal Health: Mechanisms and Regulatory Inputs 129 Ted H. Elsasser, Cong-Jun Li, Jessica Shaffer, and Robert J. Collier 9 Effect of Environment on Immune Functions 165 Nicola Lacetera 10 Strategies for Improvement of Thermal and Reproductive Responses under Heat Stress 181 David Wolfenson and William W. Thatcher 11 Prospects for Improving Fertility during Heat Stress by Increasing Embryonic Resistance to Elevated Temperature 199 Peter J. Hansen 12 Environmental Heat Stress Impairs Placental Function, Fetal Growth and Development, and Postnatal Performance in Livestock 209 Dustin T. Yates, Xiaochuan Chen, and Sean W. Limesand 13 Effects of Photoperiod on Domestic Animals 229 Geoffrey E. Dahl and Izabella M. Thompson 14 Rethinking Heat Index Tools for Livestock 243 J. B. Gaughan, T. L. Mader, and K. G. Gebremedhin 15 Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Heat and Cold Stress in Dairy Cattle Facilities 267 John R. Smith and J. P. Harner, III 16 Genotype by Environment Interactions in Commercial Populations 289 Ignacy Misztal and Peter Lovendahl 17 Responses of Poultry to Environmental Challenges 309 J. Brake and S. Yahav Index 337
Ocorrência e caracterização molecular de Cryptosporidium spp. em cordeiros na Região de Araçatuba-SP-Brasil: avaliação da transferência da imunidade passiva

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis in fecal lambs samples from Aracatuba region Sao Paulo, in order to test the hypothesis of the correlation between Cryptosporidium and following factors: type of animal raising, level of environmental contamination, pluviometric index, feces consistence, animal age, and molecular characterization of species and genotypes involved in Cryptosporidium parasitism. A total of 460 fecal samples were collected from lambs during the first 30 days of life, from various screeds, of both sexes from 21 farms. All samples were analyzed using malachite green stain under microscopy. For identication molecular Cryptosporidium, using positive samples, were subjected to nested -PCR with amplification of fragments of the subunity 18S of RNA ribosome gene or actin gene. In this study, 6,73% from eight farms of animals were eliminating oocysts of Cryptosporidium in their feces, no statistical relation ship was found between the parameters evaluated. The species and genotype involved were: C. parvum and cervIde genotype, which present a zoonotic potential of disease, and Cryptosporidium parvum type B.
Morphological studies on Parasarcophaga albiceps, Parasarcophaga macroauriculata and Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Indian origin

The male genitalia of three species Parasarcophaga albiceps (Meigen), Parasarcophaga macroauriculata (Ho) and Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) have been studied in detail. The present work includes the descriptions and detailed illustrations of external male genitalic structures which have not been published so far these three species. A key to the studied species is also given.
The physiological actions and cellular signaling pathways mediating the acute non-genomic effects of DHT in isolated intact mammalian skeletal muscle fibre bundles

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs; testosterone (T) and its many synthetic derivatives) have body-building properties. Therefore, they are widely prescribed for the treatment of muscle wasting conditions such as sarcopenia and cachexia. Although, the chronic effects of these compounds in skeletal muscle have been the subject of many previous studies and some of their chronic effects are well documented, little is known about their acute/non-genomic effects. Furthermore, in most tissues T is not the active hormone; instead it is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Despite this, the acute effects of DHT have never been investigated. Most of the previous studies were performed using animals or humans and some of the findings were highly variable. Therefore, to minimise this variability, small muscle fibre bundles isolated from the extensor digitorum longus and soleus of adult female CD1 mice were used to investigate the acute/non-genomic effects of DHT and T on amino acid uptake. Pharmacological interventions were then used to determine the cellular signalling pathway(s) and receptor(s) mediating these actions. My results, which form the bulk of this thesis, show that treatment of the muscle fibre bundles with DHT (but not T) led to increase in the uptake into proteins of the essential amino acid, isoleucine. These effects were mediated through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and involved the activation of the extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 and the p90
Some observations on the reproductive biology of The sixgill shark Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788) from southern African waters

Observations are made of the maturation status of 81 male and 88 female sixgill sharks Hexanchus griseus from southern African waters. Males mature at about 310 cm total length (TL) with the calcification of the terminal cartilage elements of the claspers. Determination of maturity for females was problematic, but most were fully mature by at least 420 cm TL. Newborns were captured at the same location over three consecutive summer seasons, indicating the location of a possible pupping ground.
Differential Footload of Male and Female Fisher, Martes pennanti , in Quebec

We examined the mass, foot area and foot load (mass/surface area) of Fishers (Carnivora: Mustelidae: Martes pennanti ) captured during the 2006-2007 commercial fur season in southern Quebec, Canada. Body mass of males (mean = 4.7 kg ± 0.5, n = 37) was significantly larger than that of females (mean = 2.4 kg ± 0.2, n = 40). Similarly, the size of male feet (mean area = 130.5 cm 2 ± 10.9, n = 37) was significantly larger than that of females (mean = 95.2 cm 2 ± 7.6 SE, n = 40). The resulting footload of males (36.2 g/cm 2 ± 6.1, n = 37) was 43% larger than that of females (25.3 g/cm 2 ± 2.3, n = 40). These results may help explain the differential behaviour and niche partitioning in this mustelid carnivore.