Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of skeletochronology to determine age of freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni)

Age was estimated for wild Australian freshwater crocodiles from skeletochronology of growth marks in postoccipital osteoderms. Growth marks were distinct and counted reliably in unstained calcified thin sections (60-80 μm) viewed by Nomarski interference microscopy. The periodicity of growth marks was validated directly from crocodiles of known age (up to 19 years) and from individuals sampled sequentially in different seasons. Growth marks comprised annuli deposited in winter and zones deposited in summer. Errors in age estimation for small crocodiles resulted from difficulty in assigning the growing edge as either a zone or an annulus. No osseous remodelling was noted for immature animals. Age estimates for adult females became unreliable as previous annuli were obscured by osseous remodelling, presumably resulting from calcium mobilization by egg-laying females. Old adult males continued to deposit annuli, but these were more difficult to distinguish, being more closely spaced than in young crocodiles. Skeletochronology permitted reliable (coefficient of variation, 3.4%) and accurate (± 1 year) age estimation up to about 20 years. Osteoderm dimensions were strongly correlated with average snout-vent length, mass and age and have acceptable potential as an indirect means of age and size estimation for Crocodylus johnstoni.
Pancreatic and intestinal amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) in the rat fed lima bean haemagglutinin extract. II. Evidence of impaired dietary starch utilization

Zusammenfassung Pankreas- und intestinale Amylase (EC 3.2.1.1.) bei der Ratte nach Haemagglutinin-Zusatz aus Limabohnen. II. Der Einflus auf die Starkeverwertung Phytohaemagglutinin wurde aus reifen Limabohnen (Phaseolus lunatus) extrahiert und gereinigt in folgenden Konzentrationen an 54 Ratten verfuttert: 0,00 (Kontrolle), 15,72 31,44, 47,16, 62,88, 78,60, 94,32, 110,04 und 125,76 mg/100 g Futter. Damit wurde teilweise ein mehr-facher Gehalt von rohen Limabohnen erreicht. Die Aktivitat der Pankreas-Amylase zeigt keine signifikanten (p > 0,05) Veranderungen. Die Aktivitat der intestinalen Amylase war im gesamten intestinalen Bereich signifikant (p < 0,01) niedriger. Im caecalen Bereich konnte kein Effekt nachgewiesen werden. Die Starkeausscheidung uber den Kot war bei den Ratten mit Haemagglutinin-Zusatz erhoht. Die intestinale Amylase-Aktivitat war signifikant (p < 0,01) negativ mit dem Haemagglutiningehalt korreliert (R = -0,96). Die Starkeausscheidung im Kot korrelierte positiv (R = 0,92) mit dem Haemagglutiningehalt in der Diat. Daraus last sich schliesen, das sich Wachstumsdepressionen bei Ratten nach Futterung von rohen oder unzureichend behandelten Limabohnen auf eine niedrigere Aktivitat der intestinalen Amylase und damit auf eine mangelhafte Starkeverwertung zuruckfuhren lassen.
Light Responsibility of Juvenile Seedlings of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai Makino Evaluated from Chlorophyll a Fluorescence Analyses

Seedlings of the three coniferous species including Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai Makino were raised under weak shade in a nursery in order to examine the photochemical and nonphotochemical dissipations of excited energy at PSII. The dry matter growth 20 weeks after germination was smallest in T. dolabrata var. hondai. This was due to the low photosynthetic capacity in addition to the small leaf weight ratio of the seedlings and the large leaf specific weight. The specific ranking of rETRmax (the maximum relative electron transport rate) was different from that of NPQmax (the maximum of non-photochemical quenching) ; T. dolabrata var. hondai was characterized by the high NPQmax relative to the low rETRmax. A slight depression in Fv/Fm, (light stress parameter) was recognized only for Cryptomeria japonica in the cotyledon period. A large depression in Fv/Fm was observed for C. japonica and T. dolabrata var. hondai in the post-cotyledon period. These depressions in Fv/Fm seemed to be closely associated with the low levels of rETRmax but may have also been related to the effects of NPQmax and foliage morphology and architecture. The light responsibility of T. dolabrata var. hondai seedlings differed greatly from that of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. and differed significantly from that of C. japonica.
INTESTINAL BACTERIAL CHANGES IN CHLAMYDIA‐INDUCED PRIMARY ENTERITIS OF NEWBORN CALVES *

The intestinal tract is one of the most important natural habitats for the perpetuation of many infectious agents. The newborn encounters many infectious agents during the postnatal period when the intestinal microbial flora is being established. Escherichia coli ( E . coli) organisms populate the intestinal tract of newborn calves during the first 24 hours after birth.l Intestinal infections of calves with obligate intracellular parasites, such as viruses and chlamydial agents, are also known to occur during the neonatal period. The intestinal tract of cattle is an important site of replication for enteroviruses,2.3 parvoviruses,4 adenovir~ses,~* reovi r~ses ,~ the virus of bovine diarrhea,* and chlamydial agents.9 isolated chlamydial agents from the intestinal tract of young calves, and we recovered these infectious agents frequently from fecal samples of newborn calves affected with diarrhea and polyarthritis.1° Christov and coworkers 11 associated bovine enteroviruses with gastroenteritis in calves. In our own investigations bovine enteroviruses were isolated from newborn calves and were also found in multiple infections with chlamydial agents.12 Aldasy and coworkers l3 identified bovine adenoviruses as a cause of pneumoenteritis of young calves. Reoviruses were isolated by Moscovici l4 from fecal samples of newborn calves. The virus of bovine diarrhea was implicated as a cause of enteritis in calves by several investigators who isolated this viral agent from intestinal specimens of young calves with diarrhea.15-17 The effect of the virus of bovine diarrhea on newborn calves following experimental inoculation was studied by Mills and Luginbuhl,l8 as well as by Lambert and associates.l9 These studies indicated that newborn calves develop diarrhea after exposure to the virus of bovine diarrhea. In addition, the viruses of parainfluenza 3 (PI3) ,20 and of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) were isolated from the intestinal tract of neonatal calves affected with diarrhea 21 after Baker and coworkers 22 had emphasized the pathogenic potential of the IBR virus for young calves. With the identification of bovine parvoviruses z 3 it became clear that earlier workers induced diarrhea in calves with these viral agentsz4 In 1956 Brandly and McClurkin 25 implicated an unidentified viral agent as a cause of diarrhea in newborn calves. York and Baker
Phenolic Contents of Knema attenuata Fruits and their Bioactive Potentials

The present article reports the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of different extracts of Knema attenuata fruits. Chloroform extract of aril and hexane extract of seed exhibited highest antimicrobial activity against Staphylococus aureus (MIC (in μg.mL−1)—12563 ± 55.08; 12541 ± 55.1)—and moderate antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Chloroform extract of aril exhibited highest DPPH and H2O2 scavenging activity of 15.03 ± 0.24 and 12.49 ± 0.11 μmoles. 100 mg−1 extracts, respectively, and the reducing power of -94.68 ± 2.3 100 mg−1. Chloroform extract exhibited highest concentrations of phenolics (96.12 ± 5.7 mg.g−1) and flavonoids (64.23 ± 2.03 mg.g−1). Quercetin was the major phenolic compound among the high-performance liquid chromatography-quantified phenolics.
Deep genealogies and the mid‐peninsular seaway of Baja California

Geological forces and long‐term climate changes can have profound effects on species. Such effects may be manifested in the pattern and magnitude of genealogical diversity, as revealed by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages. The relative importance of the different forces on a regional biota must be evaluated along with a good understanding of geological and climatological history. The peninsula of Baja California of north‐western Mexico is one area where both geology and climate have affected the historical biogeography of the regional biota. Molecular studies based on the genealogical relationships among mtDNA lineages have contributed greatly towards elucidating the historical biogeography of Baja California. Perhaps most noticeably, numerous concordant breaks in mtDNA genealogies half‐way along the peninsula suggest a vicariant history in which the mid‐peninsula was temporarily submerged. This vicariant explanation has recently been criticized, as no conclusive geological evidence exists for a continuous submergence of the mid‐peninsula. As an alternative, a scenario based on climatological factors has been suggested. Here we discuss the validity of the hypothesized mid‐peninsular vicariance event and the climate‐based alternative in explaining the concordant genealogical breaks. We argue that, despite the significant changes in climate brought about by the glacial cycles throughout the Quaternary, a vicariant history involving a mid‐peninsular seaway remains the most parsimonious explanation of the observed patterns in mtDNA genealogies.
Effects of endogenous flour lipids on the quality of short‐dough biscuits

Fractionation and reconstitution techniques were used to study the contribution of endogenous flour lipids to the quality of short-dough (shortcake type) biscuits. Biscuit flour was defatted with chloroform and baked with bakery fat, but without endogenous lipid. Short-dough biscuits baked from defatted flour had smaller diameters, and were flatter, denser and harder than control biscuits. Defatted flour shortcake doughs exhibited different rheological behaviour from the control samples, showing higher storage and loss moduli (G′ and G″ values), ie higher viscoelasticity. Functionality was restored when total non-starch flour lipids were added back to defatted flour. The polar lipid fraction had a positive effect in restoring flour quality whereas the non-polar lipid fraction had no effect. Both fractions were needed for complete restoration of both biscuit quality and dough rheological characteristics. A study of the microstructure of defatted biscuits revealed that their gluten protein was more hydrated and developed than the gluten of the control biscuits. This conclusion was supported by the higher water absorption of the defatted gluten. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Sensillar types of the ovipositor of Dasineura brassicae: structure and relation to oviposition behaviour

ABSTRACT. The distal part of the ovipositor of Dasineura brassicae Winn. (Diptera; Cecidomyiidae) possesses forty to forty‐five sensilla of three morphological types. Most are provided with a cuticular bristle, which projects from the surface of the ovipositor; fifteen have a taste/tactile function based on fine structural characteristics; about twenty‐five are innervated by a single sensory cell, specialized for mechanoreception. Scolopidial sensory receptors are anchored to the cuticle inside the distal part of the ovipositor, they probably respond to changes in length of the ovipositor. Different sensory systems are involved in the choice of oviposition site; compound eyes and antennae are probably active in the earlier stages, whereas the receptors of the ovipositor appear well suited to govern the last steps in this behaviour.
Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopic assessment of the contribution of quercetin and other flavonols to the antioxidant capacity of red wines

Health benefits of red wine have been ascribed in part to the antioxidant properties of quercetin and other flavonols. Red wines, however, contain many other polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant potential. The present study has assessed the antioxidant capacity of seven red wines using electron spin resonance spectrometry to measure their ability to donate hydrogen atoms to a stable Fremy's radical. Antioxidant capacity of the wines was strongly related to the total phenol content (r = 0.872, P < 0.01) but less so to total flavonol content (r = 0.651, P < 0.10). The only flavonols detected in the wines by HPLC with post-column derivatisation were the aglycones and conjugated forms of quercetin and myricetin. These accounted for less than 2% of total phenolic content when expressed as gallic acid equivalents. Although these flavonols showed marked ability to quench Fremy's radical, they contributed less than 1.5% to the total antioxidant capacity of the wines. Consequently, quercetin is not a major antioxidant in red wine. The antioxidant activity of other polyphenols may be of greater importance in contributing to the reputed health benefits of moderate wine consumption. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Sex Ratio Evolution in Social Hymenoptera Under Worker Control with Behavioral Dominance

If the workers control the sex ratio in a eusocial hymenopteran colony, they should invest three times more of their resources in rearing female than in rearing male reproductives. This prediction rests on the assumption that all the eggs are laid by a single queen who has been inseminated by a single male, so that the female workers are rearing their full sibs. It depends on the fact that females are related three times more closely to their sisters than to their brothers in haplodiploids (Trivers and Hare 1976). Charnov (1978) has confirmed this result using an explicit genetic model, but he observes that it also depends on an assumption of "behavioral additivity" in colonies with two or more worker genotypes. Suppose that the colony sex ratio is determined by a single locus with two alleles, Al and A2, acting in the workers. If the queen is homozygous all the workers will have the same genotype, but if she is heterozygous two worker genotypes will occur in equal numbers. In the former case, suppose that the colony sex ratio is r, s, or t depending on whether the workers are A1A1, A1A2, or A2A2. Behavioral additivity means that in a colony with equal numbers of A1A, and A1A2 workers, for example, the sex ratio will be 2(r + s). (Here the sex ratio refers to the proportion of males among reproductives; for simplicity it is assumed that male and female reproductives cost the same to produce so that the investment ratio and the sex ratio are the same.) Departures from behavioral additivity in mixed colonies can be described as behavioral dominance by one or the other type of worker. Charnov (1978) considered a model in which the sex ratio in a colony with A1Al and A1A2 workers is mr + (1 m)s and found the evolutionarily stable sex ratio to be
Interproximal tooth wear: A new observation

Microscopic observations were made of wear on the proximal surfaces of tooth crowns of Australian Aboriginals and whites. Typical wear facets displayed well-defined borders within which verticle or near vertical furrows, ranging from about 0.1 to 0.5 mm in width, were noted. Furrows on the interproximal surface of one tooth seemed to “interdigitate” with those on the proximal surface of the adjacent tooth. These observations are not consistent with the commonly-held view that interproximal tooth wear results from a buccolingual movement of adjacent teeth that maintain contact through mesial migration. Vertical or near vertical movement of teeth, possibly including a tipping action, must be an important factor, although the precise nature of the movement requires further investigation. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Algae as an important environment for bacteria – phylogenetic relationships among new bacterial species isolated from algae

Goecke F. , Thiel V. , Wiese J., Labes A. and Imhoff J.F. 2013. Algae as an important environment for bacteria – phylogenetic relationships among new bacterial species isolated from algae. Phycologia 52: 14–24. DOI: 10.2216/12-24.1. s1. Bacteria are an inherent part of the biotic environment of algae. Recent investigations revealed that bacterial communities associated with algae were generally highly host specific. Several new bacterial species and genera were isolated from algae, which suggested that algae were an interesting environment for discovery of new bacterial taxa; however, the distribution of the different phylogenetic groups among those isolates remained unclear, and this information could help to explain specific associations. We conducted a phylogenetic study based on 16S rRNA gene sequences available in GenBank, including 101 validly described bacterial species that were isolated from eukaryotic macro- and micro-algae from marine and freshwater environments. These species were distributed among six bacterial phyla, including: Bacteroidetes (42 species), Proteobacteria (36 species), and Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Planctomycetes (23 species). Bacterial species and strains that carried out similar metabolic functions were found to colonize similar algal taxa or algal groups. This assumption was supported by information available from bacterial species descriptions: (1) Most of the bacteria described from microalgae grouped into the Roseobacter clade (Alphaproteobacteria), which indicated that members of this group were well adapted for life in close association with phytoplankton; and (2) 32% of the bacterial species, mainly isolates from macroalgae, were able to decompose macroalgal polysaccharides. Because algal-bacterial association are still under-studied in various algal groups, we expect a great number of new bacterial taxa to be discovered in the future.
Molecular detection and isolation of Mycoplasma spp. in psittacines in Pernambuco state, Brazil.

Objetivou-se com este estudo investigar a ocorrencia de Mycoplasma spp. , Mycoplasma galissepticum (MG) e Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) em psitacideos de cativeiro localizado no estado de Pernambuco, Brasil. Foram estudadas 85 aves provenientes do Parque Estadual Dois Irmaos, localizado no estado do Pernambuco, Brasil. De cada psitacideo analisado foram obtidas tres amostras por meio de swabs da cloaca, palato e conjuntiva totalizando 255 amostras. As amostras coletadas foram submetidas a extracao de DNA e a reacao em cadeia da polimerase (PCR), sendo as positivas submetidas ao isolamento em agar Frey. O DNA de Mycoplasma spp. foi detectado em 16,47% (14/85) dos psitacideos estudados. Das 255 amostras analisadas, 6,66% (17/255) foram positivas para a presenca de Mycoplasma spp. , sendo 41,18% (7/17) provenientes da conjuntiva, 35,29% (6/17) do palato e 23,53% (4/17) da cloaca. Nenhuma amostra foi positiva para MG ou MS na PCR. Os resultados obtidos permitem confirmar a presenca do DNA de Mycoplasma spp. em conjuntiva, palato e cloaca nas aves estudadas. Foram detectadas colonias semelhantes a membros da classe Mollicutes em 17,64% das amostras (3/17). Esse e o primeiro relato da presenca de Mycoplasma spp. em psitacideos de cativeiro no Nordeste do Brasil.
Benzodioxole‐1,3‐benzodioxole derivatives and their effects on the reproductive physiology of insects

Alkyl ethers of methylenedioxy analogs of obtusastyrene or benzyl-1,3-benzodioxole derivatives (BBDs) and related benzylphenols have been shown to interfere with various phases of reproduction in insects. BBDs have also been shown to interfere with sex attractancy, to induce precocious development, and to antagonize juvenile hormone (JH) functions in insects. Because representative BBDs were reported to show low toxicity to mammals and to be negative in assays testing for potential mutagens, these compounds held much promise to be environmentally safe insect chemosterilants. The mode of action of BBDs does not involve blocking or competition for putative JH receptor sites on follicular cells or hemolymph JH binding proteins. However, BBDs were shown to interfere with (1) in vitro biosynthesis and release of JH from corpora allata of Mediterranean fruit fly females, and (2) microtubule assembly in insects. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1
Capturing information technology use by senior secondary school students in New Zealand

The Ultrafast broadband rollout in New Zealand places a priority on delivering broadband to schools. The expectation that “Ultrafast broadband is transforming education” is moving schools to embed ICT in the classroom, placing pressure on limited budgets to further leverage already substantial investments. School principals are asking, what are the benefits of this investment? This research in progress explores how students use digital technology, using critical realism and activity theory over multiple case studies, and finds that the technology available is diverse, multiple and malleable. A three-dimensional conceptualisation of these devices is proposed: as a tool for cognition, metacognition and distributed cognition. An example of collaborative work is used to elaborate how classes use multiple technologies along each of these dimensions, and how fast broadband supports these experiences. This study contributes by providing a guide to assess the potential use and usefulness of information technology in the classroom.
Seasonal Changes in Habitat Use by Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Oregon Coastal Streams

Habitat use by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) during spring, summer, and winter was examined in Oregon coastal streams. Coho salmon fry were most abundant in backwater pools during spring. During summer, juvenile coho salmon were more abundant in pools of all types than they were in glides or riffles. During winter, juvenile coho salmon were most abundant in alcoves and beaver ponds. Because of the apparent strong preference for alcove and beaver pond habitat during winter and the rarity of that habitat in coastal streams, we concluded that if spawning escapement is adequate, the production of wild coho salmon smolts in most coho salmon spawning streams on the Oregon Coast is probably limited by the availability of adequate winter habitat.
The effect of size on the kinematics and performance of angelfish (Pterophyllum eimekei) escape responses

Angelfish (Pterophyllum eimekei) employ two types of fast-starts, single bend (SB) and double bend (DB). Higher performance (distance travelled, velocity, acceleration) and smaller angles of turn are found in DB responses than in SB responses. The percentage of DB responses is inversely related to body size. Small fish employ DB responses for all escape angles, whereas larger fish commonly show SB responses. This is due to a decrease in maximum DB escape angles for larger fish. Escape angles for pooled SB and DB responses are size-independent. Distance covered within a given time, maximum velocity, and maximum acceleration for pooled SB and DB responses are size-independent. With the exception of the smallest fish, angelfish show submaximal performance when making large turns. We suggest that angelfish employ a particular type of response depending on their predators' strike angle. Extremely small and large fish use principally DB and SB responses, respectively. The employment of SB and DB responses in sm.
Thinning and Clearing of Prey by Predators

Field experiments have shown that predators can either increase or decrease the patchiness of prey populations inhabiting hard substrates. In theory, removal that is correlated with initial density (thinning) reduces spatial variance; removal that is correlated with itself (clearing) increases spatial variance. Simulations showed that the relative importance of thinning and clearing depends on the pattern of removal and on the number of unoccupied sites. The observed change in spatial variance of the tubiculous polychaete (Clymenella torquata) matched the change calculated from the foraging dispersion of an avian predator, the short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), at the spatial scale of 0.2-3 km2 flats but not at the scale of 1-ha plots within flats.