Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do sawfish Pristis spp. represent South Africa's first local extirpation of marine elasmobranchs in the modern era?§

Largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis and green sawfish P. zijsron were not uncommon in catches made in KwaZulu‑ Natal (KZN) on the east coast of South Africa in the mid part of the last century but apparently have disappeared from this area. This paper traces the decline in sawfish catches from 1951 and assesses the current population status and local extinction risk, based on historical and current records up to 2012. Records were collected from research surveys, literature, media and museum specimens, and through contacting researchers and conservation managers who have worked in KZN coastal and estuarine areas. A total of 150 green sawfish, 7 largetooth sawfish and 89 unidentified sawfish records were located. Most sawfish (115) were caught during a four‑year (1967–1970) gillnetting survey conducted by the Oceanographic Research Institute in the St Lucia estuarine system while 91 were caught in the bather protection nets installed and maintained along the KZN coast by the KwaZulu‑Natal Sharks Board. Sawfish ranged from 63 to 533 cm total length (TL). Sawfish caught in the estuarine environments (mean TL 162 cm [SD 72], n = 95) were significantly smaller than those caught in the inshore marine environments (mean TL 310 cm [SD 109], n = 83), confirming the importance of estuaries as pupping and nursery areas. The St Lucia estuarine system, given the high abundance of sawfish, was determined to be the most important nursery area in KZN. The last sawfish encountered in KZN, which was not identified to species level, was caught in the bather protection nets in 1999 and released alive. Extinction probability analysis indicates that sawfish no longer occur in KZN waters. Anthropogenic changes to the St Lucia estuarine system, as well as to other KZN estuaries, gillnetting for bather protection, and illegal fish harvesting, coupled with a non‑adaptive life‑history style, may have precipitated the disappearance of sawfish from KZN waters.
Adoption, Parent‐Chick Recognition and Maladaptation in the Herring Gull Larus argentatus

and Summary 1. Tinbergen (1953) concluded that herring gulls can recognize their own young by the time they are 5 days old. 2. Berens von Rautenfeld (1978) demonstrated that cliff nesting herring gulls would accept alien chicks older than 5 days old but supported Tinbergen's findings concerning ground nesting herring gulls. 3. In three separate recent studies involving 119 pairs nesting on diverse flat terrains there was a total of 16 naturally arising adoptions by pairs whose own young varied between 6 and 35 days of age. 4. All adoptions were by both members of the pair and all adoptees were of comparable age to the adopters' brood. 5. Some of the adoptions were by argentatus of fuscus. 6. It is concluded that herring gulls are unable to recognize their own young until they are about 35 days old and that at present nesting densities on flat terrain this inability is maladaptive. Zusammenfassung 1 Tinbergen (1953) schlos, das Silbermowen ihre eigenen Kuken erkennen, nachdem sie 5 Tage alt sind. 2 Berens von Rautenfeld (1978) hat bewiesen, das Silbermowen in Hangkolonien fremde Kuken akzeptieren, die alter als 5 Tage sind; er unter-stutzte aber Tinbergens Folgerung hinsichtlich der Silbermowen in Bodenkolonien. 3 In drei verschiedenen, neu durchgefuhrten Untersuchungen mit 119 brutenden Paaren in verschiedenen flachen Kolonien gab es insgesamt 16 naturliche Adoptionen bei Paaren, deren eigene Kuken zwischen 6 und 35 Tage alt waren. 4 Stets adoptierten beide Elternvogel, und alle Adoptierten waren im Alter den eigenen Kuken vergleichbar. 5 In einigen Fallen wurde fuscus von argentatus adoptiert. 6 Es ist zu schliesen, das die Silbermowen ihre eigenen Kuken erst erkennen konnen, wenn sie etwa 35 Tage alt sind, und bei den gegenwartigen Nestdichten auf flachem Gelande ist dies nicht sehr angepast.
Effect of water level on desiccation of Sphagnum in relation to surrounding Sphagna

Desiccation of Sphagnum during periods of dry weather and low water table in a mire was followed by measuring the capitulum water content. The lower the water content, the greater the desiccation. For four investigated species desiccation increased in the order S. fuscum < S. rubellum < S. balticum < S. tenellum. The same ranking was found in a laboratory experiment in which the species were exposed to a gradually lowered water table. This ranking is related to the uppermost levels reached by the species on the hummocks of the mire. It is argued that the frequency and degree of desiccation, being more severe in the hollow species, will prevent these from growing on the hummocks. The specific identity of the Sphagnum surrounding the investigated capitulum has a profound effect on the course of its desiccation. Capitula of a species that normally dries out quickly (S. balticum, S. tenellum) benefit from being surrounded by shoots of superior species (S. fuscum, S. rubellum). This may explain the observation that individual shoots of S. balticum can be found at a higher level above the water table in a S. fuscum-hummock than in single-species carpets of S. balticum. This may be interpreted as a case of commensalism, acting in combination with competition.
Maltose Transport by Brewer's Yeasts in Brewer's Wort

The kinetics of maltose transport by two industrial yeasts were studied. The ale and lager strain each showed both high and low affinity transport. For the lager strain, maltose transport was only weakly inhibited by maltotriose, sucrose and trehalose, suggesting that its dominant maltose transporter is the maltose-specific type coded by MALx1 genes. For the ale strain, maltose transport was strongly inhibited by maltotriose, sucrose and trehalose, suggesting that its dominant maltose transporter may be the AGT1-encoded type that also carries these sugars. Also glucose inhibited transport by the ale strain more than that by the lager strain. Instantaneous inhibition by ethanol at concentrations met in brewery fermentations was moderate (about 25% at 50 g ethanol . L -1 ). The apparent Vmax for high affinity transport increased about 100-fold between 0 and 30°C, whereas the Km (3 ± 1 mM) was constant. Standard activities of maltose transport and maltase were followed through pilot fermentations of 11-24°P worts. Rapid (20 s) measurements of the zero-trans-rate of maltose uptake were also made with each day's yeast (rapidly harvested and washed) in reaction mixtures containing the same day's wort labelled with tracer 14 C-maltose. Results suggested that maltose uptake is the dominant factor controlling the rate of maltose utilization in these wort fermentations.
Feeding ecology of Rivulus luelingi (Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae) in a Coastal Atlantic Rainforest stream, southern Brazil

collected in a black water stream of the Coastal Atlantic Rainforest in southern Brazilwere investigated. Eight samplings were made between April 2003 and January 2004. The diet, assessed through a similarity matri xwith the estimated contribution values of food items, included microcrustaceans, aquatic immature insects (larvae and pupae),aquatic adult insects, terrestrial insects, insect fragments, spiders, and plant fragments. Differences in the diet according totemporal variations (months) were registered, but changes related with size classes evaluated and high/low precipitation periodwere not observed. The species presented an insectivorous feeding habit, and its diet in the studied stream was composed ofautochthonous (mainly aquatic immature insects) and allochthonous (mainly insect fragments) material.Neste estudo foram investigados os habitos alimentares do peixe anual
Padrão de infecção intramamária em rebanhos leiteiros: exame de todos os quartos mamários das vacas em lactação

Microbiological examination was carried out in 6,315 milk samples collected from all mammary quarters of 1,609 lactating cows from 48 herds, located in the regions of Zona da Mata and Campo das Vertentes, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. At sampling time, the udders were clinically examined and milk from all mammary quarters were evaluated by California Mastitis Test (CMT). A total of 3,919 agents were isolated, being 3,637 from quarters with single infection and 283 from mixed infection with two types of microorganisms. The mastitis agents found and the percentages of isolations were: Staphylococcus aureus, 19.2%, coagulase negative Staphylococcus sp. (SCN), 12.4%, Streptococcus agalactiae, 6.9%, esculin-positive Streptococcus sp. (ESCPOS), 4.0%, esculin-negative Streptococcus sp. (ESCNEG), 2.1%, Corynebacterium sp. , 55.2%, yeast, 0.1% e Pseudomonas sp. , 0.1%. Negative cultures were found in 2,463 (39%) samples and 216 samples were contaminated. Corynebacterium sp. was present in all 48 herds, with mammary quarters infection levels between 1.5% and 58.6%. S. aureus was isolated from 47 herds; in 37 of these there were up to 20% of infected mammary quarters. S. agalactiae was recovered from 29 herds (60%) and in 24 out of these the average of infected quarters was 2.7%. S. aureus, S. agalactiae, SCN, ESCPOS, ESCNEG and Corynebacterium sp. were isolated from mammary quarters with and without signs of inflammatory reaction (positive and negative scores on CMT, respectively). Comparing with minor pathogens (SCN and Corynebacterium sp.), the isolation frequency of major pathogens was significantly higher from quarters with positive scores on CMT (P<0.001). The results indicated that mammary quarters negative on CMT should also be considered when selecting samples for microbiological examination and that negative cows, infected with major pathogens, can be a source of infection for the others animals in the herd. The high prevalence of S. aureus, S. agalactiae and Corynebacterium sp. suggests that current control measures for contagious mastitis were not correctly practised in most of the herds.
Effect of grain supplementation and the provision of chemical or physical fibre on marginal milk production responses of cows grazing perennial ryegrass pastures

An experiment was undertaken to establish the marginal milk production response from cereal grain supplementation by dairy cows grazing irrigated perennial pastures in spring and whether the addition of a hay supplement would improve that response. Cows were offered perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)–white clover (Trifolium repensL.) pasture at allowances (measured to ground level) of 20 or 40 kg dry matter (DM)/cow.day. Additional cows offered the low allowance were also offered supplements of pasture hay as a cube or pellet (2.5 kg DM/day), cereal grain as a pellet (5.0 kg DM/day) or cereal grain plus pasture hay (7.5 kg DM/day) as a pellet (1.75:1 DM basis) or cube (1.97:1 DM basis). The 7 treatments were replicated 3 times, and 63 cows were used (3 cows/treatment). The in vitro DM digestibility, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentration of the barley and perennial pasture hay were 863 and 563 g/kg DM, 131 and 92 g/kg DM, and 182 and 666 g/kg DM, respectively. Cows from all treatments consumed herbage with an in vitro DM digestibility of 833 g/kg DM, crude protein content of 214 g/kg DM and NDF concentration of 457 g/kg DM compared with the pregrazed herbage on offer of 771, 174 and 527 g/kg DM, respectively. The mean pregrazing herbage mass of 4.13 t DM/ha consisted of perennial ryegrass (507 g/kg DM), white clover (188 g/kg DM), weeds (194 g/kg DM) and dead material (111 g/kg DM). Without supplements, cows consumed 11.2 kg DM/day at the low pasture allowance and 15.6 kg DM/day at the high allowance. Herbage intake did not decline to a large degree when barley was included in the diet, where a substitution rate of 0.2 kg reduction in pasture DM/kg DM cereal grain supplement was measured. The NDF concentration of the diet consumed was lowest (P 0.05) on milk fat, protein or lactose concentrations. The cows offered the high allowance spent more (P<0.05) time grazing than those offered the low allowance, but there were no significant differences in rumination time. Cows spent more time ruminating when consuming the grain p fibre cube compared with the other supplement treatments, which were lower (P<0.05) and similar. Cows offered pasture at the low allowance ruminated the least. The rumen pH was not different between treatments and averaged 5.9. The ratio of acetate plus butyrate: propionate was not different between treatments and averaged 4.3. This study has shown that feeding cereal grain to cows grazing pastures high in perennial ryegrass resulted in acceptable marginal milk responses of 1 kg milk/kg DM of cereal grain in spring because of sufficient NDF in the diet. As there was adequate NDF in the diet, further supplements with pasture hay as cubes or pellets had no effect on marginal milk responses .
Effect of cattle breed on finishing performance, carcass characteristics and economic benefits under typical beef production system in China

This study compared the finishing performance carcass characteristics and economic benefits of two imported (Limousin and Simmental) and three local (Luxi, Jinnan and Qinchuan) cattle breeds slaughtered at 18.5 months of age under thetypical Chinese beef production system. All cattle (n=71) were reared under the same production system and fed the same finishing diet for 105 days. Eight bulls from each breed were randomly selected for slaughtering. Compared with the three local breeds, the two imported breeds had higher average daily gain, dry matter intake and gain efficiency. Regarding carcass characteristics, the two imported breeds had higher carcass weight, bone weight, net meat weight, and ribeye area (P<0.001). However, the local breeds had higher (P<0.01) marbling scores than the imported breeds. The imported breeds showed higher economic benefits (P<0.001) than the local breeds. In conclusion, the imported cattle breeds had better growth performance, carcass traits and economic benefits compared with the local cattle breeds at 18.5 months old under the typical Chinese feeding conditions whereas, in this study, the local breeds may have some advantage in terms of meat quality.
Relevance of Pedigree, Historical Data, Dominance, and Data Unbalance for Selection Efficiency

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of pedigree, historical data, dominance, and data unbalance on the estimation and precision of genetic variances and breeding values and on the selection efficiency in annual crop breeding. Expansion volume and grain yield from 12 trials of inbred progeny and four tests of non-inbred families were used in the analyses. The S₁ to S₅ progeny trials were designed as incomplete blocks, the S₆ progeny trials were designed as complete blocks, and the half- and full-sib family trials were designed as lattices. The half-sib, full-sib, and inbred family models were fitted in across-generation analyses. One complete and four reduced models were used to assess the relevance of pedigree, historical data, and dominance. Simulated plot losses of 30% in the half- and full-sib progeny trials were used to study the influence of data unbalance. All analyses were performed using ASReml. Ignoring pedigree information or ancestor data and simulating plot losses determined relevant biases in estimating the additive and dominance variances, marked reduction in the precision of the predicted breeding values, significant changes in the classification of the breeding values, and errors in identifying superior individuals, i.e., a significant reduction in the selection efficiency. In contrast, excluding dominance had no significant effect on either the ranking of breeding values or selection efficiency. Our results revealed that best linear unbiased prediction including pedigree and historical data, based on a model with dominance, is the ideal method for genetic evaluation by plant breeders even when lost records are considered.
Floodplain rehabilitation in Far North Cameroon: expected impact on bird life

Scholte, P., de Kort, S. & van Weerd, M. 2000. Floodplain rehabilitation in Far North Cameroon: expected impact on bird life. Ostrich 7 (1): 112–117. The Logone floodplain in the sahelo-Sudanian zone of Cameroon used to be a highly productive ecosystem. Perennial pastures and fish played a crucial role for fishermen, pastoralists and wildlife. The construction of an upstream dam reduced inundation causing widespread degradation Nonetheless, approximately 350 bird species have still been observed. They include eleven waterfowl species which surpass the IWRB/Ramsar criterion one % of West African population). The few available surveys suggest that prior to the dam construction, the area harbored an even more abundant birdlife. Presently possibilities exist to release excess water for floodplain rehabilitation. In 1994, a pilot release has been executed to verify predicted advantages for men and wildlife. Larger scale rehabilitation of the Logone floodplain is formulated, based on the pilot release results. Annual total waterfowl, as well as heron colony counts have been executed showing an increase in bird numbers. Data variability questions somewhat the conclusion that this has been exclusively due to increased flooding. Additionally, bird populations of degraded annual grasslands and well flooded perennial grasslands have been assessed by line transacts. Results showed the much higher numbers of waterfowl and passerines in perennial grassland. Hydrological and vegetation monitoring showed a change of annual into perennial grassland due to the re-flooding, which might lead to increased bird populations. Questions remain how to extrapolate these findings to the entire area to be re-flooded, justifying continuous counting and studying factors limiting bird populations. Such a study started for the Black Crowned Crane, a resident flagship species. For migratory species, surveys are recommended to assess the role of other wetlands in the Lake Chad basin.
Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Protective Ability of Methanolic Extract from Duchesnea indica Against Protein Oxidation and DNA Damage

The antioxidant potency of methanolic extract of Duchesnea indica (MDI; Indian strawberry) was investigated by employing various established in vitro systems, such as total phenolic content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, reducing power assay, metal chelating assay, superoxide radical scavenging activity and protective ability of DNA damage and protein oxidation. MDI inhibited metal chelating by 75.57% at 2 ㎎/mL, scavenged 50% DPPH free radical at 29.13 ㎍/mL, and eliminated approximately 46.21% superoxide radical at the concentration of 1 ㎎/mL. In addition, MDI showed strong ability on reducing power, DNA damage protection and protein oxidation protection. Overall, results suggested that MDI might be beneficial as a potent antioxidant and effectively employed as an ingredient in food applications.
Drastic changes in host preference in a gall‐parasitic flea weevil, Orchestes hustachei, during the last decade

1. Factors affecting host preference in herbivorous insects are actively discussed. Larval performance, competition and predation on each host, and host abundance are reportedly factors affecting the host preference of ovipositing females. In the present study, chronological changes in female host preference were examined by employing a flea weevil species that uses the original host and a newly introduced host simultaneously.
Bug damage in New Zealand wheat grain: The role of various heteropterous insects

Abstract Certain heteropterousinsects (true bugs) in New Zealand deposit salivary enzymes into immature wheat grain while feeding. These enzymes survive in harvested wheat, destroy gluten structure in dough, and cause poor quality bread. This study investigates what insect is responsible for bug-damaged wheat The following field-collected insect species were caged on wheat at the watery ripe growth stage: Nysius huttoni, Rhypodes sp. , Stenotus binotatus, Calocoris norvegicus, Sidnia kinbergi, and Dictyotus caenosus. All the insects produced visible signs of damage on kernels and reduced kernel weight, but only wheat damaged by N. huttoni and S. binotatus had sufficiently high levels of pH 9 active, gluten-degrading enzyme to cause poor quality bread. However, the electrophoretic patterns of protein subunits from degraded glutenand the characteristics of bug damage in bread were different for these two insects. Also, the appearances of the damaged kernels and levels of α-amylase were clearly different in t.
Combined molecular and morphological evidence on the phylogeny of the earliest lepidopteran lineages

Agreement among recent morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses has strengthened estimates of the relationships among the earliest lineages of the holometabolan order Lepidoptera. For a few major groups, evidence for monophyly and basal relationships remains relatively weak or contradictory — chiefly within the clades of basal Glossata and Heteroneura. Here we assess the support for these controversial areas of lepidopteran classification through molecular systematic investigation of 18S rDNA sequence variation. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses are presented for 1379 alignable sites of 18S. These data are then combined with 61 morphological features scored for major lineages of basal Glossata and Heteroneura. Our 18S rDNA data support recent hypotheses for the placement of Micropterigidae and Agathiphagidae as the basal‐most lineages of Lepidoptera, and support the monophyly of the groups Neolepidoptera and Exoporia. 18S data alone are shown to be insufficient for resolving the monophyly and relationships of the Glossata, and for specifying relationships above the Neolepidoptera. Combination of the 18S data with published morphological ground‐plan scorings improves overall support for the morphology‐based hypothesis for basal glossatans, but phylogenetic resolution among published alternatives for the basal Heteroneura remains a major question for lepidopteran systematics.
Misclassification in genetic variants and its impact on genetic association studies

scenarios including three types: (a) A two-locus scenario varying the frequency f1 of haplotype h1=00, while two other frequencies f3 and f4 are set at 0.1 and 0.05. (b) Another two-locus scenario varying the MAFs of locus 1 and locus 2, MAF1 and MAF2, and the correlation r. With ) 1 ( ) 1 ( 2 2 1 1 MAF MAF MAF MAF r DLD − ⋅ ⋅ − ⋅ = [Devlin and Risch, 1995], the haplotype frequencies were derived as 2 1 1 MAF MAF D f LD ⋅ − = , 3. Haplotype Reconstruction Error 55 2 1 2 ) 1 ( MAF MAF D f LD ⋅ − + − = , ) 1 ( 2 1 3 MAF MAF D f LD − ⋅ + − = , and ) 1 ( ) 1 ( 2 1 4 MAF MAF D f LD − ⋅ − − = . (c) Various multi-locus scenarios assuming equal MAFs for 3-6 loci under the assumption of r=0. Real data scenarios using the sets of haplotype frequencies as they were observed in the KORA data described above (section 3.1.4). 3.1. 6. Analytical approach to quantify haplotype reconstruction error Several haplotype error measures were also computed analytically.
Phase change and flowering in Pachycladon exile and isolation of LEAFY and TERMINAL FLOWER1 homologues

Abstract The New Zealand endemic Pachycladon exile is a weakly perennial analogue of the intensively studied Arabidopsis thaliana. Imbibed seeds of P. exile that had been subjected to different durations of chilling at 5 °C (30, 20, 10 and 0 days) were germinated and grown for 10 weeks under controlled conditions of photoperiod (long or short days) in order to determine the effect of environment on vegetative phase change and flowering. In addition, meristem identity gene equivalents of A. thaliana LEAFY and TERMINAL FLOWER1 were isolated from P. exile and characterized as a first step towards gene expression studies in this perennial species. Germination in P. exile was enhanced by moderate chilling (10–20 days), and flowering was facultative to both long days and chilling. As in A. thaliana, the appearance of abaxial trichomes might serve as a phase change marker in P. exile.