Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autecology of the Adult Horn Fly, Haematobia Irritans (L.), (Diptera: Muscidae)

During the horn fly seasons of 1959 and 1960, experiments were conducted to determine the relationship of weather conditions to horn fly populations on three breeds of dairy heifers, to correlate the effect of the macroenvironment on the microenvironment within the 1/2 in. mantle of a heifer, and also to correlate the locations of horn flies within this mantle with various factors of the microenvironment. Usually there was a significant difference between the number of horn flies on Holstein and that on Guernsey and Jersey heifers. The flies generally preferred the dark—colored areas of biocolored cattle during daylight hours, and the black of the Holstein to the tan of the Guernsey. When the macrotemperature was above 85°C, many of the flies were found on the white skin of the belly and udder area of heifers. During inclement weather the flies were observed on both the white and dark—colored areas of all heifers. Macrotemperature and relative humidity influenced the horn fly populations within the biocenose. The apparently preferred macroclimate for macroclimate for horn flies was: temperature 73 to 80°F, relative humidity 65 to 90%, scattered light showers, and no wind. The flies apparently sought certain microenvironmental conditions most commonly observed on Holsetin heifers. Within the mantle of microenvironment, horn flies appeared to prefer an air temperature of about 85°F, a skin temperature of about 97°F, and a relative humidity of about 65%. When such conditions were not available to the flies on the sides and backs of Holstein heifers, the flies were usually found in near—optimum conditions along the belly midline for each of the three breeds of heifers.
Emydid Shell Kinesis: Biomechanics and Evolution

Mechanisms of shell closure in box turtles of the family Emydidae have been analyzed with respect to functional anatomy, evolution and phylogenetic significance. Structural requirements essential to the box turtle morphotype are: 1) plastral kinesis; 2) mechanisms for displacement (accommodation) of the limb girdles as the shell is closed; 3) additional space in the shell for displacement of the forelimbs; 4) musculature to effect shell closure. Girdle accommodation is structurally and evolutionarily the most "difficult" requirement; plastral kinesis is the least.
Size-Number Trade-Offs and the Variation of Seed Size with Plant Resource Status

I develop a general treatment of the effects of parental resource status on optimal offspring size. The model shows that even when there is a resource trade-off between size and number of offspring within individuals, positive correlations between size and number may occur among individuals due to individual variation in resources. Such positive correlations imply that parental resource status affects the fitness-maximizing offspring size, in contrast to the predictions of the standard Smith-Fretwell model. I show that parental resource status affects the fitness-maximizing offspring size whenever the size-number fitness function is nonhomogeneous in offspring number. This condition implies some sort of density-dependent interactions among offspring, although it is possible to have either positive or negative sib interactions in fitness functions that are homogeneous in offspring number. In the latter case offspring size should be insensitive to parental resource status. I explore several cases including linear (Smith-Fretwell), nonlinear but homogeneous, and nonhomogeneous seed-number functions with independent size and number effects, as well as models with interacting offspring size-number effects. I briefly review the plant literature on offspring density dependence and seed-size variation with parental resource status. Some suggestions for testing the ideas with plants and some alternative explanations of positive seed-size/plant-size and seed-size/seed-number correlations are discussed.
Resistance to sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) in wild East African Ipomoea

Summary. Sweet potato virus disease (SPVD), the most harmful disease of sweet potatoes in East Africa, is caused by mixed infection with sweet potato feathery mottle potyvirus (SPFMV) and sweet potato chlorotic stunt crinivirus (SPCSV). Wild Ipomoea spp. native to East Africa (J cairica, I. hildebrandtii, I. involucra and J wightii) were graft-inoculated with SPVD-affected sweet potato scions. Inoculated plants were monitored for symptom development and tested for SPFMV and SPCSV by grafting to the indicator plant J setosa, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Virus-free scions of sweet potato cv. Jersey were grafted onto these wild Ipomoea spp. in the field, and scions collected 3 wk later were rooted in the greenhouse and tested for viruses using serological tests and bioassays. In all virus tests, J cairica and J involucra were not infected with either SPFMV or SPCSV. J wightii was infected with SPFMV, but not SPCSV, in the field and following experimental inoculation; J hildebrandtii was infected with SPCSV, but not SPFMV, following experimental inoculation. These data provide the first evidence of East African wild Ipomoea germplasm resistant to the viruses causing SPVD.
Towards Legislative Institutionalisation? Emerging Patterns of Routinisation in Myanmar’s Parliament

This article investigates the patterns of parliamentary change observed in Myanmar since a constitutionally sanctioned, partially elected legislature was revived in January 2011. In particular, it poses the question as to whether processes of legislative institutionalisation have taken place in the course of the 2010s. Grounded on ethnographic work carried out between 2013 and 2018 in Myanmar’s Union parliament, established in Naypyitaw, the article explores how in the two post-junta legislatures elected in 2010 and 2015 a number of institutional legacies and parliamentary procedures and functions have been both reintroduced and also reappropriated. The findings point to emerging patterns of routinisation of some legislative tasks and duties performed by neophyte lawmakers and parliamentary staff alike. It is argued that, despite persistent capacity and efficiency problems, and a continuing dominance of the executive and the armed forces in the post-junta context, a parliamentary culture has re-emerged in Myanmar. The article concludes by drawing attention to how a process of legislative institutionalisation has been developed, albeit cursorily.
The interpretation of results: an element of meaning for statistical inference

In a hypothesis test and analysis of variance open–ended problem, we analyzed the answers given by (N = 224) psychology students from the University of Huelva, Spain in relation to the meaning reached by the students in the interpretation for both results. After solving the problems, they were asked to interpret the results in terms of the problem. We use the ontosemiotic approach to mathematical cognition as a theoretical framework. As part of this framework, we consider the mathematical objects, the processes involved and the results, with the aim of discovering semiotic conflicts that lead to institutionally inadequate responses. We present a detailed classification of the semiotic conflicts that emerge from the analysis of these tasks carried out by the students.
Prediction and Annotation of ABC Transporter Genes from Magnaporthe oryzae Genome Sequence

Magnaporthe oryzae is destructive plant-pathogenic fungus and causes rice blast. The pathogen uses several mechanisms to circumvent the inhibitory actions of fungicides. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are known to provide protection against toxic compounds in the environment. PC facilitated bioinformatic analysis, particularly with respect to accessing and extracting database information and domain identification. We predicted ABC transporter genes from the M. oryzae genome sequence with computation and bioinformatics tools. A total of thirty three genes were predicted to encode ABC transporters. Three of thirty three putative genes corresponded to three known ABC transporter genes (ABC1, ABC2 and ABC3). Copy numbers of the ABC transporter genes were proven by Southern blot analysis, which revealed that twenty genes tested exist as a single copy. We amplified the DNA complementary to RNA corresponding to eleven of these by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
Survival of Alytes cisternasii tadpoles in stream pools: a capture-recapture study using photo-identification

For amphibians with complex life cycles, the regulation of populations may occur in each life history stage and although available data stress the importance of studying amphibian population dynamics during the larval stage, most studies so far still focus only on the adult phase, due to the difficulty to estimate larval survival under field conditions. Through a two-months capture-recapture study of 646 photo-identified tadpoles of Alytes cisternasii we aimed to estimate tadpole survival in isolated temporary stream pools – their main habitat – as well as to evaluate how pool characteristics and intraspecific competition (tadpole density) affect this parameter. Photo-identification was performed with the help of the software I3S. We used the POPAN formulation of the Jolly-Seber model to estimate survival rates and population size in 9 stream pools. Tadpole density varied from ∼1 to 40 tadpoles · m–2. Tadpole weekly survival was relatively high, varying from 75 to 99% · week–1. Among-pool differences in survival were best explained by pool depth, and not by tadpole density or other pool characteristics. The lower survival estimates were obtained for the deep pools. The very high survival estimates for some pools are an indication that this type of discrete habitat may play an important role for this species. To our knowledge, this is the first time that photo-identification is used to obtain estimates for survival and density of tadpoles.
Ectomycorrhizal sporocarp succession and production during early primary succession on Mount Fuji

This article was printed in an uncorrected form in error and a corrected version is now available Summary • The species composition, succession and biomass production of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) sporocarps were studied during early primary succession on Mount Fuji, Japan, with special reference to developmental stages and the growth of associated hosts. • Weekly sporocarp surveys were conducted over 2 yr on a volcanic desert, where the total vegetation coverage was about 5%. We also quantified the growth of associated hosts in terms of size, photosynthesis, and leaf N and P concentration. • A total of 11 450 sporocarps of 23 species were recorded. They were associated almost exclusively with an alpine dwarf willow, Salix reinii. Two Laccaria and one Inocybe species were the first colonizers; subsequent fungal species were added as the host grew. There was no evidence of any fungus disappearing and being replaced in the sere of ECM fungal succession. • The biomass production of ECM sporocarps was exceptionally large, in general, and amounted to 19% of leaf biomass in the most productive associations. Annual ECM sporocarp production in individual ECM associations was strongly correlated with the growth of the associated host, especially with the photosynthetic rate, which appeared to be determined by leaf N and P concentration.
Morphological variation within an individual Pleistocene Diprotodon optatum Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontinae; Marsupialia): implications for taxonomy within diprotodontoids

A comprehensive understanding of morphological and morphometrical variation for systematically important characters is a prerequisite for reliable taxonomic analyses of extinct morphospecies. However, perception of such variation is commonly limited due to a paucity of fossil material that forms the basis of such analyses. Here we report a new record of Pleistocene Diprotodon optatum Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontoidea) represented by near-complete upper tooth rows that exhibit a high degree of individual variation within systematically important upper premolars. The individual possesses features (e.g. development of parastyle, anterocristae and anterior longitudinal groove) that are considered to be close to the polar extremes of premolar variation within the morphospecies, but occurring on either side of the palate. Although such morphologies were previously recognized on the basis of isolated specimens, they have never been observed as having occurred on either side of the tooth row within a single indvidual. The observation of such extreme variation in premolar form within a single individual means that although the diprotodontoid P3 may serve some systematic importance in distinguishing certain taxa, the weight placed upon perceived differences within any single character of the premolar must be gauged by an understanding of broader variation within the group.
Coordination of nuclear and cytoplasmic oocyte maturation in eutherian mammals

As oocytes near the end of their growth phase, they become competent to undergo two aspects of maturation, cytoplasmic and nuclear. Both are essential for the formation of an egg having the capacity for fertilization and development to live offspring. Nuclear maturation encompasses the processes reversing meiotic arrest at prophase I and driving the progression of meiosis to metaphase II. Cytoplasmic maturation refers to the processes that prepare the egg for activation and preimplantation development. This review focuses on the developmental programmes whereby oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage acquire competence to undergo nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation, the coordination of programmes regulating the acquisition of these competencies in GV-stage oocytes, and the coordination of the maturational processes themselves. Although the developmental programme of the GV-stage oocyte for acquiring competence to complete preimplantation development does not appear to be tightly linked to the acquisition of competence to complete nuclear maturation, GV breakdown (GVB) is probably essential for activating some critical aspects of cytoplasmic maturation, particularly those related to fertilization and activation. Nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation are normally coordinated by this mechanism requiring the mixing of the GV contents with the cytoplasm at the time of GVB, but some processes of cytoplasmic maturation related to successful preimplantation development probably still occur without coordination with nuclear maturation. Thus, continued differentiation of GV-stage oocytes is necessary after the acquisition of competence to undergo nuclear maturation, to allow for the deposition of the maternal factors required for the development of preimplantation embryos beyond the 2-cell stage.
Global Change and the Carbon Balance of Arctic EcosystemsCarbon/nutrient interactions should act as major constraints on changes in global terrestrial carbon cycling

n the cold, arctic climate, global warming due to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere might be expected to increase both primary production and heterotrophic (mainly soil) respiration. Which of these processes will increase more or more rapidly? The answer to this question is critical in understanding the effects of warming on the net carbon balance of arctic ecosystems and of the earth itself. If primary production increases faster than heterotrophic respiration, carbon will be removed from the atmosphere and will accumulate on land. If the reverse happens, carbon will be lost to the atmosphere. Eventually, a new equilibrium may be reached, but this equilibration could take decades or even centuries. Meanwhile, dramatic losses or gains of carbon may occur over the entire arctic region (5.7 x 106 km2; Oechel 1989), with potentially important feedbacks on the global atmospheric concentration of
Abundance, depth distribution, diet composition and growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and burbot (Lota lota) larvae and juveniles in the pelagic zone of Lake Constance

— Surveys of larval and juvenile fish in the pelagic zone were made in Lake Constance between April and July 1994 with a plankton net. Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and burbot (Lota lota) were caught persistently, while other species were found only occasionally. Perch and burbot coexisted in the pelagic zone; both species were found first in mid-May, reached peak density in June, and disappeared from the pelagic zone in late July. However, the abundance of perch was much higher than that of burbot. Perch were distributed mainly near the surface, whereas burbot were more abundant at the deeper strata of 5 and 10 m, exhibiting habitat segregation. Perch fed mainly on copepods and positively selected them during their first month of life, and afterwards, they consumed principally on Daphnia, while burbot fed mainly on copepods and positively selected them throughout the study period. Perch grew significantly faster than burbot, and the mean lengths of perch were about 3 times greater than that of burbot in July. The results demonstrate that perch and burbot were the main species of pelagic larvae in Lake Constance between May and July, and that the two species differed somewhat in depth distribution, diet composition and growth.
Sequence of Returns Risk Reconsidered

In the process of evaluating various retirement income strategies, it appears that, for investors not endowed with substantial wealth relative to consumption demands, sequence of returns risk is operative throughout retirement. We explore, in an asset-liability modeling context, the reasons why sequence risk exists throughout the planning horizon and why it can be particularly acute at the end of an investor’s life span. Given the nature of this risk, prudent asset management benefits from developing appropriate risk metrics, and from implementing credible monitoring, evaluation, and communication procedures. Two case studies focus on sequence of returns risk. They present risk metrics designed to answer the following questions: (1) is the investor’s retirement income strategy feasible; (2) if yes, is it sustainable; and (3) does it allow sufficient flexibility to provide security in the face of financial shocks? The risk metrics employ information derived from both investment simulation models and actuarial calculations.
The Spelling of Pasture in Cattle Tick Control.

When two comparable herds of cattle were kept continuously in adjoining paddocks, frequent acaricidal treatment was necessary to control ticks (Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) ). Thereafter, one of the two herds was grazed alternately in its own and an adjacent paddock, the intervals between each transfer being sufficient to ensure that most of the ticks in the unoccupied paddock had died. Tick infestations on this herd were greatly reduced, and less frequent use of acaricides was necessary. The herd remaining in the continuously stocked pasture continued to need acaricidal treatment for recurring tick infestation. In a field trial with 350–400 cattle moved a t intervals to each of three formerly heavily infested paddocks, tick infestations remained very light, although the herd was dipped only In January, September, and the following January. A control herd on continuously stocked pasture, treated at the owner's discretion, required eight dippings in this period. This procedure of "pasture spelling" seems likely to be widely applicable in central Queensland.
CARBON DYNAMICS OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN DOUGLAS-FIR: INFLUENCE OF WATER AND NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY'

Changes in biomass distribution, canopy dynamics, and above- and be- lowground net primary production were examined in a Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseu- dotsuga menziesii var. glauca forest in New Mexico. Nutrient and water availability were experimentally altered by: fertilization (F), irrigation (I), carbon in the form of wood chips (WC), carbon + irrigation (WC/I), and control (C). Prior to treatment, aboveground tree biomass ranged from 238 to 369 000 kg/ha, projected leaf area index (LAI) ranged from 5.4 to 8.7 m2/m2 and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) ranged from 9200 to 11 900 kg* ha-I yr-i. Aboveground NPP was correlated positively (R2 = 0.85) with LAI before the treatments. Canopy dynamics were strongly influenced by water and nutrient availability. For trees of similar diameter, irrigated and fertilized trees supported a signif- icantly greater biomass of new twig and new foliage than control trees. During the 2-yr study leaf area index (LAI) increased by 5, 12, 18, and 24% in the C, I, WC/I, and F plots, respectively, and decreased by 3% in the WC plots. Stand level biomass distribution and production patterns were also affected by the availability of nutrients and water. Two years after the treatments were initiated, new foliage masses were 2400 (F), 2300 (WC/I), 2000 (I), 1900 (C), and 1800 (WC) kg/ha. In 1986, aboveground NPP was 33% greater in the F than WC treatment. Irrigation also increased ANPP. Fine root net primary production ranged from 1540 to 4200 kg ha-i yr-i and was significantly greater (P < .1) in the control than in the four treatments. BNPP comprised 46 (C), 32 (WC), 31 (I), 23 (WC/I), and 23 (F) % of total NPP. Total NPP was correlated positively with LAI (R2 = 0.66) and ranged from 15 360 kg ha- Iyr-I in the WC treatment to 21 140 kg ha-l yr-I in the F treatment. Many of the physiological relations between water or nutrient availability and production and carbon allocation reported in this study are consistent with results from studies on lowland Douglas-fir and other conifer forests in the Pacific Northwest. Collectively, these studies provide a mechanistic understanding of how water and nutrient availability govern production and carbon allocation of conifer forests in the western United States.
Isolation and characterization of 18 microsatellites in the Peking duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and their application in other waterfowl species

We have isolated and characterized 18 microsatellite loci in the Peking duck (Anas platyrhynchos). The average number of alleles per locus was 3.5, ranging from one to six in domestic Peking ducks (n = 40). All of the markers were polymorphic in a sample of five mallards (A. platyrhynchos; two to eight alleles). Seventeen of the 18 markers amplified in Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata) with 11 being polymorphic in our sample (n = 14). Amplification of the markers in different species comprising the subfamilies Anatinae and Anserinae indicates their potential value for population genetic applications in a wide range of waterfowl species.
Histopathological effects of cadmium on the gills of the freshwater fish, Macropsobrycon uruguayanae Eigenmann (Pisces, Atherinidae)

Evaluations of histopathological lesions in gill tissue were carried out in the freshwater fish Macropsobrycon uruguayanae following 30 and 60 days of exposure to 1.5 mg 1-1 of cadmium. The study was conducted on both fed and starved animals in order to determine the influence of feeding condition on cadmium toxicity. The main lesions observed and quantified were: (1) hyperplasia of primary lamellar epithelium; (2) hyperplasia of secondary lamellar epithelium; (3) separation of respiratory epithelium; (4) shortening of secondary lamellae; (5) epithelial necrosis; (6) fusion of adjacent secondary lamellae; (7) hypertrophy of respiratory epithelium; (8) lamellar telangiectasis; (9) hyperplasia of chloride cells; (10) mucinous metaplasia; and (11) inflammatory infiltration. Lesions 6, 8, 9 and 11 were only induced by exposure to cadmium, while lesion 4 could be produced only by starvation. Starved fish also showed a reduction in total body weight and length. Lesion 2 was shown to be non-specific, and produced by either cadmium, starvation or even exposure time. The possible mode of action of the experimental factors are discussed in relation to the observed pathologies.