Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Got Hybridization? A Multidisciplinary Approach for Informing Science Policy

Hybridization in the wild between closely related species is not unusual. In some cases, hybridization may prove beneficial for a rare taxon. Under certain conditions, however, a rare taxon can be driven rapidly to extinction by hybridizing with a more common taxon. This problem is urgent because human activities are increasingly bringing together cross-compatible species that were previously geographically isolated. US conservation policy has yet to address how to deal with hybrid-derived individuals whose ancestry includes an endangered species. Developing sound science-based conservation policy that addresses hybridization requires cross-disciplinary social-science and life-science research to address the following two questions: (1) How do human decisions with regard to species protection, trade, transportation, land use, and other factors affect the opportunities for, and rates of hybridization between, rare species and more common relatives? and (2) How do the positive or negative perceived values regarding hybrids and hybrid-derived individuals compare with values regarding their nonhybridized counterparts from social, cultural, economic, and environmental perspectives? In this article we explore the ways to inform such policy using a multidisciplinary approach.
A NEW GENUS OF CONIFEROPHAGOUS TORTRICIDAE, AND TWO NEW SPECIES (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE)

Abstract The new genus Archepandemis, with type-species Parapandemis borealis Freeman, 1965, is described. Two new species, A. coniferana from British Columbia and Alberta and A. morrisana from New Brunswick, are distinguished from A. borealis by characters of maculation and especially of male and female genitalia.
Reductive dechlorination in the energy metabolism of anaerobic bacteria

Within the last few decades, several anaerobic bacteria have been isolated which are able to reductively dechlorinate chlorinated aliphatic and aromatic compounds at catabolic rates. For some of these bacteria, it has been shown that the reductive dechlorination is coupled to energy conservation, a process designated as ‘dehalorespiration’. Somewhat simple respiratory chains seem to be involved that utilize the free energy that could be gained from the exergonic dechlorination reaction quite inefficiently. With one exception, all reductive dehalogenases isolated to date contain a corrinoid and iron–sulfur clusters as cofactors. During the course of the catalytic reaction cycle, the cobalt of the corrinoid is subjected to a change in its redox state. Hence, reductive dechlorination represents a new type of biochemical reaction.
Effects of flour extraction rate, added water, and salt on color and texture of Chinese white noodles

ABSTRACT Both cultivar and noodle composition and preparation have important effects on noodle quality. In this study, the effects of flour extraction rate (50, 60, and 70%), added water (33, 35, and 37%), and salt concentration (0, 1, and 2%, w/w) on color and texture of Chinese white noodle (CWN) were investigated using flour samples from five leading Chinese wheat cultivars. The five samples showed large variations in protein content, ash content, flour color, farinograph, and extensigraph parameters, and starch pasting properties. Analyses of variance indicated that cultivar, flour extraction rate, level of water addition, salt concentration, and the interactions had significant effects on color of raw noodle sheets and color and textural properties of CWN. Cultivar and water addition were more important sources of variation than flour extraction rate and salt concentration. The brightness (L*) and redness (a*) values of raw noodle sheets were significantly reduced and increased, respectively, as flou.
Extinction risks in metapopulations of a beetle inhabiting hollow trees predicted from time series

Ancient and dead trees are declining habitats harbouring many threatened species. These habitats are naturally patchy, and inhabiting species might exhibit metapopulation dynamics at a small spatial scale. In this study, the demography and metapopulation dynamics was analysed for Osmoderma eremita, which is an endangered beetle species associated with tree hollows in Europe. Extinction risks of O. eremita populations were predicted using Monte Carlo simulations based on time series of population assessments. Predicted occurrence patterns were consistent with field observations from an area with many small stands in which the populations are believed to have been more or less isolated from each other during the last 150-200 yr. Population growth was found to be density dependent. Carrying capacity was proportional to the volume of wood mould (i.e. loose material of dead wood in the tree hollows), which varied widely between hollow trees. This generates large differences in local extinction risks between hollow trees. The predicted metapopulation extinction risk was much higher if the habitat dynamics (formation, gradual increase and deterioration of tree hollows) were taken into consideration than in predictions yielded by models in which the amount of wood mould was assumed to be constant over time. Thus, this system has features from both mainland-island metapopulations and habitat-tracking metapopulations, and is rather far from a classic metapopulation. For the long-term persistence of the species in hollow trees, the habitat dynamics seem to be more important than demographic processes. Since the formation and deterioration of suitable tree are partly stochastic processes, there is a considerable extinction risk for many O. eremita populations, because they mainly rely on only one or a few trees with large amounts of wood mould.
Patterns of Selection in Plant Genomes

Plants show a wide range of variation in mating system, ploidy level, and demographic history, allowing for unique opportunities to investigate the evolutionary and genetic factors affecting genome-wide patterns of positive and negative selection. In this review, we highlight recent progress in our understanding of the extent and nature of selection on plant genomes. We discuss differences in selection as they relate to variation in demography, recombination, mating system, and ploidy. We focus on the population genetic consequences of these factors and argue that, although variation in the magnitude of purifying selection is well documented, quantifying rates of positive selection and disentangling the relative importance of recombination, demography, and ploidy are ongoing challenges. Large-scale comparative studies that examine the relative and joint importance of these processes, combined with explicit models of population history and selection, are key and feasible goals for future work.
Behaviour of some external characteristics in Essex pigs

1. The colour pattern in the Essex breed shows continuous variation in width and in shape of the belt, in size and number of the distal white points, in pigmentation of the skin and in the occurrence of all-black colour. 2. The variation in ear shape extends from long, hanging ears to small, erect (prick) ears. 3. ‘Rose back’ was observed in a small percentage of pure-bred Essex pigs. 4. Observed results of crossing Wessex with Essex pigs, and the similarity in variation of colour of the two breeds, indicate that the factors upon which the colour depends are the same in Essex and in Wessex, and that there is no genetical difference in colour in these two breeds.
Compounded disturbances in sub‐alpine forests in western Colorado favour future dominance by quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Question As the extent, magnitude and/or frequency of various forest disturbances are increasing due to climate change, it is becoming increasingly likely that forests may be affected by more than one type of disturbance in short succession. We studied how compounded disturbances and pre-fire composition influence post-fire tree regeneration. Specifically, do compounded disturbances reduce overall regeneration and favour initial dominance of species that regenerate vegetatively? Location Sub-alpine forests in northwestern Colorado. Methods The study region was affected by a severe outbreak of Dendroctonus rufipennis in the 1940s, a severe wind storm in 1997 and severe fires in 2002. Permanent plots to monitor regeneration were established in 2003 and were re-measured in 2004, 2005 and 2010. Plots were located in stands that varied in long-term disturbance history (stands that originated following fires in 1879 or 1880 vs older stands), recent disturbance history (fire only; outbreak then fire; blowdown then fire) and pre-fire forest dominance (Populus tremuloides, Pinus contorta, or Picea engelmannii–Abies lasiocarpa). Results Combined density of regeneration of all tree species was highest in stands dominated by P. tremuloides prior to the 2002 fires. In P. contorta stands that were affected only by the 2002 fires, regeneration density was higher in stands that were younger prior to the fire (those that originated in the 1880s), in which cone serotiny is more prevalent, than in older stands (those that originated >200 yr ago). However, the advantage of relatively young P. contorta stands to regenerate following fire was inhibited by compounded disturbances of wind and then fire. Similarly, following compounded disturbances the combined density of conifer seedlings of all species was lower than following only fire. In contrast, the density of P. tremuloides was not lower following compounded disturbances than following fire only, and was higher than that of other species. Conclusions Pre-fire forest composition and disturbance history influence the abundance and composition of post-fire regeneration. Compounded disturbances generally reduce the regeneration of conifers, which regenerate exclusively from seed, and appear to favour initial stand dominance by P. tremuloides, which regenerates both sexually and asexually. Such differential effects may thereby alter trajectories of post-fire regeneration. As P. tremuloides are less susceptible than conifers to fires, bark beetle outbreaks and wind disturbances, increased dominance by P. tremuloides may contribute to a negative feedback that may diminish the probability and/or severity of future disturbances and thus increase overall forest ecosystem resiliency.
Is there always an influence of shoal size on predator hunting success

Theoretical and empirical studies predict that there should be a decrease in hunting success of predators with increasing prey group size. Most of these studies investigated situations in which predator and prey were in full view of each other before, during and after an attack. In this study, single rock bass Ambloplites rupestris were given an opportunity to launch surprise attacks at shoals of creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus that ranged in size from two to 13 fish. There was no significant influence of either shoal size or attack distance on predator success rate and no significant relationship between attack distance and shoal size. Furthermore, it was found that the leading fish of a shoal was attacked significantly more often than fish in other shoal positions, indicating that predation risk was not shared equally among shoal members. Also, leading fish in larger shoals (eight to 13 fish) were not more likely to survive a predator attack than ones in small shoals (two to seven fish). The consequences of these results are discussed in the general context of antipredator benefits of grouping. 1998 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Climate‐related spatial and temporal variation in bill morphology over the past century in Australian parrots

Allen's rule posits that the appendages of endothermic organisms will be larger in warmer climates to allow for dumping of heat loads. Given a link between appendage size and climate, we tested the prediction that climate change has driven the evolution of larger bills in birds, resulting in measurable changes over the recent past.
Evaluation of canola meal as a protein supplement for dairy cows: A review and a meta-analysis

Huhtanen, P., Hetta, M. and Swensson, C. 2011. Evaluation of canola meal as a protein supplement for dairy cows: A review and a meta-analysis. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 529-543. A review and a meta-analysis were conducted to compare the feeding value of soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) in dairy cows and to evaluate the effects of heat-treatment of CM (TCM) on the performance of dairy cows. The dataset included in total 292 treatment means from 122 studies, in which dietary crude protein (CP) concentration was increased by replacing energy supplements with protein supplements. A mixed model regression analysis with random study effect was used to estimate the marginal production responses to different protein sources. The differences between the slopes were compared by t-test. All protein sources increased dry matter intake, but the responses were greater (P<0.01) for CM and TCM compared with SBM. Feeding CM or TCM produced greater (P<0.01) daily milk yield responses than SBM (3.4±0.19 and 3.7±0.25 vs. 2.1±0.25) kg kg-1 increase in CP intake. Marginal milk protein yield responses (g kg-1 increase in CP intake) were greater (P<0.01) for CM (136±5.4) and TCM (133±8.5) compared with SBM (98±8.0). Smaller response to incremental CP intake can partly be related to the higher average dietary CP concentration in SBM studies. Literature data on rumen ammonia N concentration and omasal protein flow did not support the higher ruminal tabulated ruminal CP degradability of CM compared with SBM. It is concluded that CM can successfully be substituted for SBM on isonitrogenous basis and that most feed evaluation systems overestimate metabolizable protein concentration of SBM relative to CM.
Potential Uses of Molecular Markers in Crop Improvement

Genetic engineering and biotechnology through the use of molecular markers like isoenzymes, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and sequence-tagged sites (STSs) are providing new tools for breeding of plant crops. Advantages such as rapidity, non-interference by the environment and accuracy during selection have made the marker-assisted selection as the most reliable tool for identifying agronomically important traits. This review outlines the general characteristics of some important DNA markers
The effect of water stress on callus and somatic embryos formation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Jasmine cultured in vitro.

Summary Water availability is one of the major limitations of crop production in Iraq. The use of in vitro cultures to study stress responses is based on the fact that those cultured cells behave similarly to those cells of intact plants subjected to water deficit and salinity conditions. For that reason the response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Jasmine to water stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG3000) was studied in vitro. Seeds of jasmine rice were used as explants and cultured on MS nutrient medium supplemented with PEG 3000 at 0, 3, 6 and% 9. Results revealed that PEG at high concentrations (6 & 9%) caused a significant decrease in callus fresh weight, somatic embryos development and a significant increase in proline accumulation in callus compared with control. Results also showed that PEG at 3% either had no significant effect or it encouraged callus fresh growth and somatic embryos development, and such concentration is suitable for enhancing drought tolerance in rice cell lines cultured in vitro.
Effects of dietary inclusion of several biological feed additives on growth response of broiler chickens

The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of the probiotic Primalac, prebiotic Biolex-MB, a combination of the two supplements (probiotic plus prebiotic) and one growth promoter antibiotic (Flavomycin) on performance results of broiler chickens. Three hundred day old Ross 308 broilers were equally distributed into 30 floor pens and reared for 42 day. A basal diet was also supplemented with Flavomycin (650 g/ton -1 ), Primalac (900 g/ton -1 ), Biolex-MB (2000 g/ton -1 ) and mixture of Primalac plus Biolex-MB (synbiotic) for starter (1 to 21 days) and grower (22 to 42 days) periods, resulting 5 dietary treatments were prepared including control group. Each dietary treatment was fed ad-libitum to six replicate group of 10 birds at the beginning of rearing period. Birds and feed were weighed weekly. The daily body weight gain and feed efficiency were significantly (P<0.05) more improved by the synbiotic treatments compared with the control broilers. The birds under antibiotic treatment had higher breast and thigh percent as compared to control birds (p<0.05). Also, supplementation of broiler's diet with prebiotic significantly (p<0.05) increased gizzard percent. The results of present study showed that probiotic and prebiotic can be used as non-antibiotic growth promoter feed additives to improve broiler chickens growth indices.
Providencia heimbachae, a New Species of Enterobacteriaceae Isolated from Animals

The name Providencia heimbachae sp. nov. is proposed for a group of organisms that were isolated from the feces of penguins in the Federal Republic of Germany and from a cow in the United States. P. heimbachae strains are gram-negative, oxidase-negative, fermentative, rod-shaped organisms that grow on MacConkey agar, as well as other media that are selective for members of the Enterobacteriaceae. The 13 P. heimbachae isolates which we studied gave negative results for the following tests: indole production, Voges-Proskauer, Simmons citrate, H2S production on triple sugar iron and Kligler agars, urease, lysine decarboxylase, arginine dihydrolase, gelatinase, growth in the presence of KCN, malonate, acid production from L-arabinose, cellobiose, dulcitol, erythritol, lactose, melezitose, melibiose, a-methylglucoside, raffinose, salicin, D-sorbitol, L-sorbose, starch, D-tagatose, trehalose, D-turanose, and D-xylose (15% positive after 7 days), esculin hydrolysis, acetate, lipase, deoxyribonuclease, and o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside. The strains were positive for the following tests: catalase, nitrate reductase, methy1 red, phenylalanine deaminase, acid production from D-glucose, adonitol, D-arabitol, D-fructose, D-galactose, D-mannose, and L-rhamnose, and tyrosine clearing. Acid production from glycerol, myo-inositol, maltose, and D-mannitol was delayed; gas was produced from D-glucose, D-galactose, and D-mannose in small amounts or not at all (54% positive after 7 days). Motility at 36°C was variable (46% positive after 2 days; 85% positive after 7 days). Deoxyribonucleic acids from 12 other strains of P. heimbachae were highly related (91 to 100% related in reactions assayed on hydroxyapatite at 60 and 75°C) to 32P-labeled deoxyribonucleic acid from the proposed type strain (strain ATCC 35613). Labeled deoxyribonucleic acid from this type strain was 22 to 45% related at 60°C and 4 to 31% related at 75°C to deoxyribonucleic acids from four other Providencia species. The levels of relatedness of P. heimbachae to Proteus species ranged from 10 to 13% in 60°C reactions. P. heimbachae could be differentiated from the other Providencia species by the following characteristics: negative tests for Simmons citrate, urease, indole production, and acid production from trehalose and positive tests for acid production from adonitol, D-arabitol, D-galactose, and L-rhamnose. All of the P. heimbachae strains which we studied were resistant to tetracycline, and most strains were resistant to cephalothin.
How a multidisciplinary approach involving ethnoecology, biology and fisheries can help explain the spatio-temporal changes in marine fish abundance resulting from climate change

This study was financed by the Abertis Foundation (http://www.fundacioabertis.org/). In addition, J.L. benefited from a Ramon y Cajal Research contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. A.S. was partially supported by the project MAR-CTM2010-18874
Native and alien invasive plants: more of the same?

We compare the ecological and habitat characteristics of alien and native vascular plants which have recently expanded in range m England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands In the great majority of respects, expanding aliens and natives are functionally indistinguishable However, there are a few consistent differences aliens are more likely than natives to be clonal, polycarpic perennials with erect, leafy stems, and to have transient seed banks We discuss these trends m the context of the difficulties faced by aliens in invading mostly closed plant communities in relatively cool, damp climates Our results are consistent with some predictions of the attributes of‘ideal’invaders, but contradict others We argue that the ecological attributes of successful alien invaders are strongly habitat-dependent
An assessment and impact of three invasive species in the Shivalik hills of Himachal Pradesh, India

The Shivalik hills in Northwestern Himalayan range of India have a rich floral diversity. Unfortunately during the last two decades there has been drastic reduction in the diversity of the natural vegetation. The available niches have been occupied by invasive exotic species that were either introduced or have entered accidently. It has resulted from a numbers of factors including increased inter and intra-continental links, import-export and climate change. These exotic species possess certain traits that provide them competitive advantage over the natives and thus aid in their fast spread in the alien environment. Even some of the plants introduced for beneficial purposes have acquired weedy habit. It has greatly altered the structure of the natural ecosystems and caused a dramatic shift in the diversity and dynamics of native flora. The situation has further aggravated due to lack of awareness, insufficient information on the species and its dimensions of the spread besides wide ecological amplitude. It was observed that the diversity, evenness and richness of the native species were drastically reduced in the forest invaded by the exotics. Key words: Northwestern Himalayan, Shivalik hills, invasive, diversity.
Khin Zaw

After qualifying, Khin Zaw undertook hospital posts in medicine and neurology in Rangoon before moving to the UK in 1995 to further his career. He worked in the north of England and Scotland before moving to Swansea, where he became a staff grade doctor in haematology. He then joined the south Wales training scheme in geriatric medicine, which eventually led to his appointment as an intermediate care consultant at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend in August 2010. Khin lived and worked according to his Buddhist principles and was renowned for this thoughtful and calm demeanour. His main loves, apart from his family, were the practice of medicine and his garden, which he kept immaculate until his death. A lifelong non-smoker he was philosophical about his final diagnosis and bore it with courage, thinking only of the impact on his family. Quietly spoken, he said little of his time in Myanmar, where he had had numerous interesting postings. One of these was as the emergency doctor for senior politicians, both in cabinet meetings and on the golf course. The latter meant following them around the course in a golf buggy laden with resuscitation equipment. Khin settled well in south Wales, and patients and staff alike will remember his humility, gentleness, and generosity. He never accepted any cremation fees, donating them to ward funds, and, while a consultant, he provided clothing for needy patients on his ward. Khin leaves his wife, Hoa; his stepson, Michael; and his parents and brother in Myanmar.