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Concentrations and profiles of 15 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) of six different edible oils consumed in Iran markets (oils of olive, sesame, coconut, sunflower, frying and blend oil) were studied. The evaluated edible oils in the present study have not previously been analyzed concerning their contents of PAH compounds. PAHs of 207 edible oil samples were determined and quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Spectrofluorometric Detector (HPLC/FLD). The results revealed that the highest content of total PAHs was in coconut oil group (46.8 µg kg-1), followed by blend oil (22.48 µg kg-1), frying oil (20.67 µg kg-1), sesame oil (19.92 µg kg-1), olive oil (18.4 µg kg-1) and sunflower oil (17.6 µg kg-1). The light PAHs (Naphthalene, Acenaphtene, Phenantherern, Antrathene, and Fluorene) had the highest portion of PAHs concentration. Benzo[a]pyrene and PAH4 contents (Benz[a]anthracene+Chrysene+Benzo[b]fluoranthene+Benzo[a]pyrene) were ND-1.32 µg kg-1 and 0.14-9.2 µg kg-1, respectively; coconut oil had the highest content. In general, the highest values of Benzo[a]pyrene and PAH4 were not higher than the maximum allowable values of 2 and 10 in any sample, respectively. However, due to the significant content of total PAHs in some vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, it is necessary to determine the limits and evaluate it in the national standard and regulations of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic compounds are commonly found in industrial effluents and can be hazardous to organisms even at low concentrations. Over the years, researchers have demonstrated that bioremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to physicochemical approaches used to remove phenol. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal of phenol from saline wastewaters by a halotolerant strain of the genus Janibacter. For this purpose, bacterial cells were immobilized on different supports, from which mica and zeolite were ultimately chosen due to their higher removal efficiency. The wet weight of immobilized cells per 1 g of mica and zeolite was 0.51 and 0.48 g, respectively. Free cells consumed 100 mg/L of phenol in 88 h, while immobilized cells used it in 40 h. Immobilized cells revealed a higher thermostability and could operate over a wider pH range and salinity. Unlike free cells, immobilized cells could remove 700 mg/L of phenol and could be reused for at least nine cycles. Interestingly the phenol removal efficiency of zeolite-immobilized cells remained unchanged after 4 months of storage at 4 and − 20 °C, which could be of great advantage for industrial applications. Complete destruction of phenol was observed through the meta pathway comprising phenol hydroxylase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase enzymes. Key points: • Mica- and zeolite-immobilized cells were able to consume high concentrations of phenol. • Cells immobilized on mica and zeolite had considerable operational and storage stability. • Immobilized cells could be a good candidate for phenol removal in saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Non‐forested open natural ecosystems (ONEs) support high biodiversity as well as livelihoods of millions of pastoralists, but are highly threatened due to land conversion. To improve the recognition of their value, we generated a high‐resolution (30 m) map of ONEs in the low elevation arid and semi‐arid regions of India. Location: Indian subcontinent. Taxon: Open natural ecosystems, consisting of a range of non‐forested habitats. Methods: We used public datasets in the Google Earth Engine catalogue to identify and mask out pixels with non‐ONE land‐cover types, and biophysical attributes outside the environmental envelopes of ONEs. We used 181,812 ONE and 116,447 non‐ONE training points along with the input composite image to train random forest classifiers to estimate the probability of a pixel being an ONE. We developed a series of local classifiers for each of eight regions of interest and created a mask of pixels with ≥50% probability of being an ONE. Results: The overall classification accuracy for this map was 85%, with a Kappa statistic of 0.70. We find that ONEs cover approximately 320,000 km2 (10%) of India's land surface, but <5% of ONEs are covered under the existing protected area network of India. ONE areas vary greatly by region, from 6 km2 in New Delhi (0.4% area) to 115,069 km2 in Rajasthan (33% area). Main Conclusions: A large proportion of India's geographical area represents an ecosystem that is un‐recognized and under‐protected. This open data source can be used by policy makers and planners to exclude these habitats when considering the location of renewable energy, tree planting for carbon sequestration and other development projects that negatively impact ONEs. We encourage further refinement of ONE maps in India, incorporating vegetation and floristic characteristics, as well as further consideration of these vulnerable neglected ecosystems in other regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Immanuel Kant, in the third minute of his critique of the power of judgement, discussed the beautiful thing as something whose face and form have an infinite finality, the way was opened for proposing several ideas in the realm of art. One of these theories is formalism, which emphasizes the doctrine of artistic form and the harmonic design of an artwork that does not refer to anything other than itself. The formalists, who proposed their opinions based on Kant's opinions in the field of composition and the Gestalt design of an artwork, soon presented their views on the shape and form of the artwork. The concept of denotative form, which was proposed by one of the most influential formalists, Clive Bell, has formed the basis of formalist analysis. In the upcoming article, while introducing and analyzing the formalist approach to art, the criticism and pathology of this approach to art will be discussed. Since in the contemporary world, even in countries with a strong cultural background like Iran, when dealing with art, a formalist point of view appears in some way, the necessity of recognizing and criticizing this method is essential in order to familiarize researchers in the field of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparison of single-event transient effect in both the proposed JLTFET and conventional JLTFET devices. • A simulation approach to optimize the DC parameters of JLTFET. • The impact of metal strip layers on top of source/channel and drain/channel junctions on the device performance are investigated. • The improved reliability is confirmed by both SRH generation rates and trap TAT in the presence of trap. This study represents a stacked gate oxide junctionless tunneling field effect transistor (JLTFET) which has metal strips in gate oxide layers. The metal strips make improvement in subthreshold slope and drain current as well as decreasing ambipolar current. Simulations show the following properties of the device: (1) Reduction in tunneling-distance easing electron tunneling from source to channel. Hence, drain current of 43 μA/μm and subthreshold swing of 32 mV/decade are obtained. (2) Thicker tunneling potential barrier at drain/channel junction, leading ambipolar current suppressing. Improvement in reliability is confirmed by the SRH generation rates and trap assisted tunneling (TAT). Furthermore, by simulating vertical radiation, the channel is confirmed as the most sensitive part of the device. The use of metal strips on top of the channel makes radiation-hardened device. In the proposed JLTFET, the peak value of transient current is decreased by 24 % at LETs = 10 MeV∙cm2/mg as compared to conventional JLTFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in numerous technological advancements in the medical profession and a radical transformation of the old medical model. Artificial intelligence in medicine consists mostly of machine learning, deep learning, expert systems, intelligent robotics, the internet of medical things, and other prevalent and new AI technology. The primary applications of AI in the medical industry are intelligent screening, intelligent diagnosis, risk prediction, and supplemental treatment. Presently, medical AI has achieved significant advances, and big data quality management, new technology empowerment innovation, multi-domain knowledge integration, and personalized medical decision-making will exhibit greater growth potential in the clinical arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old world fruit bats are important seed dispersers of forest plants as well as of commercial fruit crops. Bats scatter seeds across landscapes and also aggregate (clump) seeds under feeding and roosting trees. In agroforestry landscapes, bat frugivory and seed dispersal can result in simultaneous accrual of socio‐economic benefits and costs to humans, which may be further affected by human health risks from zoonotic spillover through human–bat interactions. In our study, we used an integrated approach to assess socio‐economic benefits (from seed dispersal) and costs (from frugivory) from bats, in relation to latent zoonotic risk. We carried out the study in five agroforestry landscapes along India's Western Ghats, for selected commercial fruit crops (cashew, areca, banana and other pulpy/fleshy fruits). Specifically, we hypothesized that people's perceptions of benefits from fruit bats would be correlated with measured extents of clumped seed dispersal in fruit plantations. We conducted ecological studies to investigate the effects of fruit crop type and plantation attributes on clump‐dispersal, and in turn, on perceived 'net benefits' assessed from interviews with plantation‐associated people. We then explored associations between perceived socio‐economic net benefits and spatial data on disease risk factors for fruit bat‐linked henipavirus transmission. We found that the extent of bat‐mediated clump‐dispersal was highest for cashew, especially in isolated plantations. People's perceptions of benefits from fruit bats matched the measured extents of clump‐dispersal of cashew and areca. These benefits came with some costs from scatter‐dispersal and damage to other fleshy fruits from frugivory by bats. Interestingly, we did not detect tradeoffs between perceived net benefits from bats and disease risk, which is of significance for bat conservation and its implications for human well‐being. Overall, our results highlight that bat‐mediated seed dispersal needs to be sustained as an important ecosystem service, despite some latent zoonotic risk, in the Anthropocene [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encroachment by woody invasive plants has been recognized as a major driver of structural change in grasslands ecosystems. The impact of invasive plant-mediated changes on mammalian species from higher trophic levels is relatively less understood. This study aims to understand the impact of woody encroachment on the ecology of a relatively understudied mesopredator, the Indian desert fox Vulpes v. pusilla in a semi-arid saline grassland ecosystem in Western India. We examined the site occupancy of the Indian desert fox at the landscape level, and den site selection at the micro-habitat scale. We also examined the diet of desert foxes during winter and summer season. We found that at the landscape level the desert fox selects more open Suaeda saline habitats over dense invasive Prosopis juliflora dominated habitats. At the scale of the den, proximity to water and vegetation cover were the main drivers of den site selection. Similar to other arid zone foxes, insects, plant materials and small mammals were the main components of the diet of Indian desert fox. Given its selection of open habitats, invasive shrub encroachment is likely to result in a loss of habitat as well as resources for this species, potentially impacting on the conservation status of this already range-restricted species in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the importance of bleaching earth with activated carbon for reducing the Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as an important chemical contaminant, this study was conducted to confirm the effects of the bleaching process on the reduction or elimination of the BaP index and 4 PAH (BaA, CHR, BßF, BaP) contents in soybean oil. The bleaching process was carried out with different amounts of bleaching earth (1% w/w) and activated carbon (0.1% up to 0.5% w/w). A HPLC/FLD device was employed to determine the PAHs in the oil samples after undergoing extraction and clean-up procedures. The results of linearity indicated that there was a linear response with high linear regression coefficients of determination for all the 4 PAHs analyzed. (R² > 0.9950). Furthermore, the recovery percentage was calculated from 83.8% to 106.2%; LOD and LOQ were 0.06-0.2 µgkg-1 and 0.2-0.61 µgkg-1, respectively. An analysis of the PAH contents indicated that the bleaching process, including a 0.27% to 0.5% w/w activated carbon application led to the elimination of the PAH content. Since vegetable oils have been shown to be the major sources of PAHs in the diet, the industrial use of activated carbon during the bleaching of vegetable oils is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of awareness about dog-bite related rabies in the rural population of developing countries, including India, is a major impediment to controlling the incidence of disease in humans. A survey of 127 rural residents was undertaken in Shirsuphal village in western India using a structured questionnaire to assess the influence of demographic and pet/livestock owning characteristics on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the respondents towards rabies and free roaming dogs (FRD). Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed and the knowledge of the rural residents of Shirsuphal village was found to be significantly influenced by family size (OR 2.1, 95%CI 1.0–4.6, p = 0.04) and poultry ownership (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1–4.9, p = 0.03), while their attitudes towards FRD was significantly influenced by age of the respondents (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2–5.8) and ownership of cattle/buffalo (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–5.5). Although the knowledge score about rabies was high, a comprehensive understanding of the disease was lacking. Concerted efforts to widen the knowledge about rabies and promote healthier practices towards FRD are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of awareness regarding rabies amongst rural primary care health staff and their adverse practices towards the management of dog-bite wounds is a major contributor to the high incidence of rabies infection and subsequent human mortality in India. A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices survey was carried out involving 54 nursing and non-nursing staff working in 18 rural Primary Health centres and sub-centres around Baramati town of Pune district in Western India. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess factors that influenced knowledge of rabies and practices towards management of dog-bite related wounds. The more experienced and better-educated workers were found to have a good awareness of rabies (OR 3.4, 95%CI 1.0–12.1) and good practices towards dog-bite wound management (OR 5.6, 95%CI 1.2–27.0). Surprisingly, non-nursing staff were significantly more knowledgeable about rabies (OR 3.5, 95%CI 1.0–12.3), but their practices towards dog-bite wound management were inadequate (OR 0.18, 95%CI 0.04–0.8) compared to the nursing staff. It is recommended that a mandatory training module for primary care health staff be developed and implemented to improve their knowledge regarding rabies and management of dog-bite wounds to reduce the incidence of human rabies in rural India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human demographic expansion has confined wildlife to fragmented habitats, often in proximity to human‐modified landscapes. Such interfaces facilitate increased interactions between feral or domesticated animals and wildlife, posing a high risk to wild species. This is especially relevant for free‐ranging dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and wild canids like gray wolves (Canis lupus) and golden jackals (Canis aureus). Wolf–dog hybridization may lead to a significant reduction of specific adaptations in wolves that could result in the decline of wolf populations. Detection and genetic discrimination of hybrids between dogs and wolves are challenging because of their complex demographic history and close ancestry. Citizen scientists identified two phenotypically different‐looking individuals and subsequently collected non‐invasive samples that were used by geneticists to test wolf‐dog hybridization. Genomic data from shed hair samples of suspected hybrid individuals using double‐digest restriction‐site‐associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing resulted in 698 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We investigated the genetic origin of these two individuals analyzed with genetically known dogs, wolves, and other canid species including jackals and dholes (Cuon alpinus). Our results provide the first genetic evidence of one F2 hybrid and the other individual could be a complex hybrid between dogs and wolves. Our results re‐iterate the power of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) for non‐invasive samples as an efficient tool for detecting hybrids. Our results suggest the need for more robust monitoring of wolf populations and highlight the tremendous potential for collaborative approaches between citizens and conservation scientists to detect and monitor threats to biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing concern that free-ranging domestic dog ( Canis familiaris) populations may serve as reservoirs of pathogens which may be transmitted to wildlife. We documented the prevalence of antibodies to three viral pathogens, canine parvovirus ( CPV), canine distemper virus ( CDV) and canine adenovirus ( CAV), in free-ranging dog and sympatric Indian fox ( Vulpes bengalensis) populations in and around the Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary, in Maharashtra, central India. A total of 219 dogs and 33 foxes were sampled during the study period. Ninety-three percentage of dogs and 87% of foxes were exposed to one or more of the three pathogens. Exposure rates in dogs were high: >88% for CPV, >72% for CDV and 71% for CAV. A large proportion of adult dogs had antibodies against these pathogens due to seroconversion following earlier natural infection. The high prevalence of exposure to these pathogens across the sampling sessions, significantly higher exposure rates of adults compared with juveniles, and seroconversion in some unvaccinated dogs documented during the study period suggests that these pathogens are enzootic. The prevalence of exposure to CPV, CDV and CAV in foxes was 48%, 18% and 52%, respectively. Further, a high rate of mortality was documented in foxes with serologic evidence of ongoing CDV infection. Dogs could be playing a role in the maintenance and transmission of these pathogens in the fox population, but our findings show that most dogs in the population are immune to these pathogens by virtue of earlier natural infection, and therefore, these individuals make little current or future contribution to viral maintenance. Vaccination of this cohort will neither greatly improve their collective immune status nor contribute to herd immunity. Our findings have potentially important implications for dog disease control programmes that propose using canine vaccination as a tool for conservation management of wild carnivore populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most ecosystems have multiple predator species that not only compete for shared prey, but also pose direct threats to each other. These intraguild interactions are key drivers of carnivore community structure, with ecosystem-wide cascading effects. Yet, behavioral mechanisms for coexistence of multiple carnivore species remain poorly understood. The challenges of studying large, free-ranging carnivores have resulted in mainly coarse-scale examination of behavioral strategies without information about all interacting competitors. We overcame some of these challenges by examining the concurrent fine-scale movement decisions of almost all individuals of four large mammalian carnivore species in a closed terrestrial system. We found that the intensity of intraguild interactions did not follow a simple hierarchical allometric pattern, because spatial and behavioral tactics of subordinate species changed with threat and resource levels across seasons. Lions (Panthera leo) were generally unrestricted and anchored themselves in areas rich in not only their principal prey, but also, during periods of resource limitation (dry season), rich in the main prey for other carnivores. Because of this, the greatest cost (potential intraguild predation) for subordinate carnivores was spatially coupled with the highest potential benefit of resource acquisition (prey-rich areas), especially in the dry season. Leopard (P. pardus) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) overlapped with the home range of lions but minimized their risk using fine-scaled avoidance behaviors and restricted resource acquisition tactics. The cost of intraguild competition was most apparent for cheetahs, especially during the wet season, as areas with energetically rewarding large prey (wildebeest) were avoided when they overlapped highly with the activity areas of lions. Contrary to expectation, the smallest species (African wild dog, Lycaon pictus) did not avoid only lions, but also used multiple tactics to minimize encountering all other competitors. Intraguild competition thus forced wild dogs into areas with the lowest resource availability year round. Coexistence of multiple carnivore species has typically been explained by dietary niche separation, but our multi-scaled movement results suggest that differences in resource acquisition may instead be a consequence of avoiding intraguild competition. We generate a more realistic representation of hierarchical behavioral interactions that may ultimately drive spatially explicit trophic structures of multi-predator communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We assess elephant home-range and movement against KNP’s historic management zones. [•] KNP’s principle of exclusive zoning at this management scale is irrelevant. [•] The consequential area of influence, as opposed to the zone of management, is key. [•] Management must be at relevant scales for ecological effects and elephant behavior. [•] Our results provide quantitative scale mismatch thresholds and inform the KNP Plan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Physicochemical properties of camelina oil obtained from Iranian cultivars. • Regions had significant effect on the physicochemical properties of the extracted oils. • Linolenic acid was the predominant fatty acid followed by linoleic and oleic acids. • β-sitosterol and campesterol were the predominant sterols. • Oxidative stability and quality parameters were acceptable for cold-pressed oils. Camelina oil, as an alternative to linseed oil, is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids with higher oxidative stability and valuable nutritional properties. Although Iran is a suitable location for the cultivation of the Camelina sativa plant, it is not well known. Therefore, in this study, the physicochemical properties of camelina oil obtained from the Soheil cultivars grown in different regions of Iran (Ilam, Kermanshah, Fars, and Hamedan) were determined to be used as an edible oil source. Results showed that regions had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the physicochemical properties of the extracted oils. Linolenic acid was the predominant fatty acid (30–33%) followed by linoleic and oleic acids. Among the tocopherols, γ-tocopherol was predominant. In sterol composition, β-sitosterol and campesterol were the predominant compounds. Oxidative stability and quality parameters of camelina oil were in the ranges of acceptable values for cold-pressed oils. In conclusion, this plant can be cultivated in the different regions of Iran to extract oil to be used as salad and cooking oils and also in food product formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport hunting is often proposed as a tool to support the conservation of large carnivores. However, it is challenging to provide tangible economic benefits from this activity as an incentive for local people to conserve carnivores. We assessed economic gains from sport hunting and poaching of leopards (Panthera pardus), costs of leopard depredation of livestock, and attitudes of people toward leopards in Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique. We sent questionnaires to hunting concessionaires (n = 8) to investigate the economic value of and the relative importance of leopards relative to other key trophy-hunted species. We asked villagers (n = 158) the number of and prices for leopards poached in the reserve and the number of goats depredated by leopard. Leopards were the mainstay of the hunting industry; a single animal was worth approximately U.S.$24,000. Most safari revenues are retained at national and international levels, but poached leopard are illegally traded locally for small amounts ($83). Leopards depredated 11 goats over 2 years in 2 of 4 surveyed villages resulting in losses of $440 to 6 households. People in these households had negative attitudes toward leopards. Although leopard sport hunting generates larger gross revenues than poaching, illegal hunting provides higher economic benefits for households involved in the activity. Sport-hunting revenues did not compensate for the economic losses of livestock at the household level. On the basis of our results, we propose that poaching be reduced by increasing the costs of apprehension and that the economic benefits from leopard sport hunting be used to improve community livelihoods and provide incentives not to poach. Costos y Beneficios de la Presencia de Leopardos para la Industria de la Caza Deportiva y las Comunidades Locales en Niassa, Reserva Nacional, Mozambique [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The identification of temporal thresholds or shifts in animal movement informs ecologists of changes in an animal's behaviour, which contributes to an understanding of species' responses in different environments. In African savannas, rainfall, temperature and primary productivity influence the movements of large herbivores and drive changes at different scales. Here, we developed a novel approach to define seasonal shifts in movement behaviour by examining the movements of a highly mobile herbivore (elephant; Loxodonta africana), in relation to local and regional rainfall patterns. Methodology/Principal Findings: We used speed to determine movement changes of between 8 and 14 GPS-collared elephant cows, grouped into five spatial clusters, in Kruger National Park, South Africa. To detect broad-scale patterns of movement, we ran a three-year daily time-series model for each individual (2007-2009). Piecewise regression models provided the best fit for elephant movement, which exhibited a segmented, waveform pattern over time. Major breakpoints in speed occurred at the end of the dry and wet seasons of each year. During the dry season, female elephant are constrained by limited forage and thus the distances they cover are shorter and less variable. Despite the inter-annual variability of rainfall, speed breakpoints were strongly correlated with both local and regional rainfall breakpoints across all three years. Thus, at a multi-year scale, rainfall patterns significantly affect the movements of elephant. The variability of both speed and rainfall breakpoints across different years highlights the need for an objective definition of seasonal boundaries. Conclusions/Significance: By using objective criteria to determine behavioural shifts, we identified a biologically meaningful indicator of major changes in animal behaviour in different years. We recommend the use of such criteria, from an animal's perspective, for delineating seasons or other extrinsic shifts in ecological studies, rather than arbitrarily fixed definitions based on convention or common practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vegetation dynamics of the savanna ecosystem are driven by complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors, and thus are expected to exhibit emergent properties of biocomplexity. We explore the relative importance of static and dynamic drivers in explaining the patterns of mortality of large trees in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Data on large trees were collected from 22 transects in April 2006, and these transects were re-sampled in November 2008. Of the 2546 individually-identified trees that were re-sampled, 290 (11.4%) died in the interim. We tested several competing hypotheses with varying levels of complexity, and found that mortality of large trees was affected mainly by both static (geophysical and landscape characteristics) and dynamic (elephant damage and fire) factors that were either additive or interactive in their effects. Elephant damage was the main predictor of tree mortality, but fire also played an important role depending on the landscape type. Other static variables such as position-on-slope, height below canopy, and altitude had weak effects in explaining tree mortality. These results indicate that keystone features such as large trees, show differential vulnerability to mortality that is landscape-specific. For conservation managers, this implies that the dynamic drivers (elephant and fire) of tree mortality have to be managed at the specific landscape-level. We suggest that this emergent biocomplexity in the spatial and temporal patterns of large tree mortality is not unique to the African savannas, but is likely widespread across heterogeneous landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies that focus on single predator-prey interactions can be inadequate for understanding antipredator responses in multi-predator systems. Yet there is still a general lack of information about the strategies of prey to minimize predation risk from multiple predators at the landscape level. Here we examined the distribution of seven African ungulate species in the fenced Karongwe Game Reserve (KGR), South Africa, as a function of predation risk from all large carnivore species (lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog, and spotted hyena). Using observed kill data, we generated ungulate-specific predictions of relative predation risk and of riskiness of habitats. To determine how ungulates minimize predation risk at the landscape level, we explicitly tested five hypotheses consisting of strategies that reduce the probability of encountering predators, and the probability of being killed. All ungulate species avoided risky habitats, and most selected safer habitats, thus reducing their probability of being killed. To reduce the probability of encountering predators, most of the smaller prey species (impala, warthog, waterbuck, kudu) avoided the space use of all predators, while the larger species (wildebeest, zebra, giraffe) only avoided areas where lion and leopard space use were high. The strength of avoidance for the space use of predators generally did not correspond to the relative predation threat from those predators. Instead, ungulates used a simpler behavioral rule of avoiding the activity areas of sit-and-pursue predators (lion and leopard), but not those of cursorial predators (cheetah and African wild dog). In general, selection and avoidance of habitats was stronger than avoidance of the predator activity areas. We expect similar decision rules to drive the distribution pattern of ungulates in other African savannas and in other multi-predator systems, especially where predators differ in their hunting modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-ranging domestic dogs are the world's most common carnivore and can negatively interact with native wildlife at multiple levels. Yet the intraguild competitive effects of dogs on the distribution and habitat use of native carnivores are poorly known, especially in areas of conservation concern. We examined the spatial distribution of sympatric populations of radiocollared Indian foxes and free-ranging dogs to determine if Indian foxes alter their habitat use in the presence of dogs. We tested the effects of landcover type, primary prey abundance (rodents) and the presence of dogs as predictors of Indian fox spatial distribution in a threatened grassland habitat in central India. By counting rodent burrows, we determined that the relative abundance of rodents was higher in fallow land and agricultural land compared to natural grasslands. From radiotelemetry data, we determined that the presence of dogs was closely linked to human-modified habitats, such as agricultural land and human settlements. Top ranked models, based on Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size, indicated that the negative effects of the presence of dogs and agricultural land, and the positive effects of the presence of grassland and fallow land habitats were the strongest predictors of Indian fox spatial distribution. Thus, the use of the landscape by Indian foxes was determined not only by habitat type, but also by the presence of a mid-sized carnivore, the dog. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that the presence of domestic dogs on the periphery of natural habitats can interfere with the spatial distribution of a sympatric carnivore. Vaccination and sterilization programmes, aimed at reducing population sizes and pathogen prevalence, do not restrict the free-ranging behaviour of dogs. Therefore, in areas of conservation value, control of free-ranging dogs would be required to fully mitigate the deleterious effects of dogs on native carnivores and other wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Physical barriers, such as rivers and roads, constrain the movement of animals, usually by preventing access to adjacent habitats and impeding dispersal. Fences are artificial barriers that are commonly used as a conservation tool to intentionally restrict movements of animals to within protected reserves. However, the potential edge-effect of fences on the behaviour of animals within reserves is poorly understood. We examined the effect of fences on the movement patterns of African elephant (Loxodonta africana), an ecosystem modifier, in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. We used linear and non-linear models to determine the relationship between minimum distance from fence and seasonal daily net displacement of six GPS-collared female elephant. Elephant movement patterns were best explained by a piecewise regression that showed a strong negative relationship between minimum distance from fence and daily net displacement up to a “breakpoint” distance of 2551m in the dry season and 3829m in the wet season. The effect of the fence dissipated beyond this distance in both seasons. The increased tortuosity in movement patterns of elephant in the central area of the reserve suggested that they used this area more intensively for foraging compared to the peripheral area, as confirmed by differences in habitat selection. This occurs despite there being no difference in habitat composition between these areas. The decreased use of areas near the fence and more intensive foraging in the central areas constitute an important edge-effect of fences. Since elephant are ecosystem engineers, such edge-effects could potentially cascade throughout the reserve, adversely altering ecologically processes, particularly in reserves with a high edge-to-area ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group dynamics of gregarious ungulates in the grasslands of the African savanna have been well studied, but the trade-offs that affect grouping of these ungulates in woodland habitats or dense vegetation are less well understood. We examined the landscape-level distribution of groups of blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus, and Burchell's zebra, Equus burchelli, in a predominantly woodland area (Karongwe Game Reserve, South Africa; KGR) to test the hypothesis that group dynamics are a function of minimizing predation risk from their primary predator, lion, Panthera leo. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using generalized linear models, we examined the relative importance of habitat type (differing in vegetation density), probability of encountering lion (based on utilization distribution of all individual lions in the reserve), and season in predicting group size and composition. We found that only in open scrub habitat, group size for both ungulate species increased with the probability of encountering lion. Group composition differed between the two species and was driven by habitat selection as well as predation risk. For both species, composition of groups was, however, dominated by males in open scrub habitats, irrespective of the probability of encountering lion. Conclusions/Significance: Distribution patterns of wildebeest and zebra groups at the landscape level directly support the theoretical and empirical evidence from a range of taxa predicting that grouping is favored in open habitats and when predation risk is high. Group composition reflected species-specific social, physiological and foraging constraints, as well as the importance of predation risk. Avoidance of high resource open scrub habitat by females can lead to loss of foraging opportunities, which can be particularly costly in areas such as KGR, where this resource is limited. Thus, landscape-level grouping dynamics are species specific and particular to the composition of the group, arising from a tradeoff between maximizing resource selection and minimizing predation risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource selection by animals is a scale-dependent hierarchical process of behavioural responses to environmental factors. Lack of information on such habitat selection dynamics can hamper the conservation management of species and habitats. For example, little is known about the space-use patterns of species in the semi-arid grasslands of peninsular India. The Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis, a poorly studied, yet reportedly widespread carnivore of the Indian subcontinent, represents an example of such lack of information. We determined the factors influencing habitat selection by Indian foxes at two levels in a multiple-use human-dominated landscape. Indian foxes are found in the highest densities in dry-grassland habitats, but are also reported to be opportunistic omnivores. Thus, we hypothesized that foxes select mainly for native grassland over human-modified habitats at a landscape level, but may not avoid human-modified habitats at the home-range level to take advantage of increased rodent availability in agricultural areas. We analysed radio-telemetry data from 32 Indian foxes using (1) a utilization distribution-weighted compositional analysis to determine the main components of home-range selection at the landscape level; (2) a discrete-choice analysis to determine the factors influencing the selection of habitat within the home ranges. At the landscape level, Indian foxes selected for native grasslands, forestry plantations and fallow land over human-dominated habitats such as agricultural land and human settlements. The presence of native grasslands was also the dominant predictor of habitat selection at the home-range scale across all seasons. Our results show that natural grasslands are the most important predictor of space use at multiple scales. This has important conservation implications as the threatened semi-arid short grasslands are poorly represented in India's protected area network. Although Indian foxes are not currently considered endangered, failure to conserve remaining native grassland habitats may threaten this species along with other grassland obligates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated plasma corticosterone during stressful events is linked to rapid changes in behavior in vertebrates and can mediate learning and memory consolidation. We tested the importance of acute corticosterone elevation in aversive learning of a novel stressor by wild male eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). We found that inhibiting corticosterone elevation (using metyrapone, a corticosterone synthesis blocker) during an encounter with a novel attacker impaired immediate escape responses and limited learning and recall during future encounters. In the wild and in outdoor enclosures, lizards whose acute corticosterone response was blocked by an earlier metyrapone injection did not alter their escape behavior during repeated encounters with the attacker. Control-injected (unblocked) lizards, however, progressively increased flight initiation distance and decreased hiding duration during subsequent encounters. Aversive responses were also initially higher for control lizards exposed to a higher intensity first attack. Further, we demonstrate a role of corticosterone elevation in recollection, since unblocked lizards had heightened antipredator responses 24-28 h later. Exogenously restoring corticosterone levels in metyrapone-injected lizards maintained aversive behaviors and learning at control (unblocked) levels. We suggest that the corticosterone mediation of antipredator behaviors and aversive learning is a critical and general mechanism for the behavioral flexibility of vertebrate prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competitive dynamics between domestic and native carnivores are poorly studied. We examined competition for food between sympatric populations of free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) and Indian foxes (Vulpes bengalensis) through dietary analysis in a protected, dry grassland habitat in central India. We expected significant dietary overlap between dogs and foxes because of clear evidence of interference competition between dogs and foxes in this area. However, dogs subsisted largely on human-derived foods (HDFs) from direct feeding, and scavenging on garbage, crop residue, and livestock carcasses (83% relative occurrence [RO]). Wild-caught foods constituted only 11% RO of the diet of dogs. The majority of the diet of Indian foxes consisted of invertebrates (33% RO), rodents (20% RO), and fruits of Zizyphus (18.5% RO). Indian foxes did not consume HDF, nor did they scavenge from large-mammal carcasses, and included only a small portion of agricultural produce in their diet. The low contribution of HDF and agricultural food sources to the diet of Indian foxes was surprising because this species is a generalist omnivore. Dogs may be preventing foxes from accessing agricultural lands and human-associated foods by interference competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Dogs Canis familiaris are the world's most common carnivore and are known to interact with wildlife as predators, prey, competitors, and disease reservoirs or vectors. 2. Despite these varied roles in the community, the interaction of dogs with sympatric wild carnivore species is poorly understood. We review how dogs have been classified in the literature, and illustrate how the location and ranging behaviour of dogs are important factors in predicting their interactions with wild prey and carnivores. 3. We detail evidence of dogs as intraguild competitors with sympatric carnivores in the context of exploitative, interference and apparent competition. 4. Dogs can have localized impacts on prey populations, but in general they are not exploitative competitors with carnivores. Rather, most dog populations are highly dependent on human-derived food and gain a relatively small proportion of their diet from wild prey. However, because of human-derived food subsidies, dogs can occur at high population densities and thus could potentially outcompete native carnivores, especially when prey is limited. 5. Dogs can be effective interference competitors, especially with medium-sized and small carnivores. Dogs may fill the role of an interactive medium-sized canid within the carnivore community, especially in areas where the native large carnivore community is depauperate. 6. Dogs can also be reservoirs of pathogens, because most populations around the world are free-ranging and unvaccinated. Diseases such as rabies and canine distemper have resulted in severe population declines in several endangered carnivores coexisting with high-density dog populations. Dogs can therefore be viewed as pathogen-mediated apparent competitors, capable of facilitating large-scale population declines in carnivores. 7. Based on this information, we propose conceptual models that use dog population size and ranging patterns to predict the potential for dogs to be intraguild competitors. We discuss how interactions between dogs and carnivores might influence native carnivore communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "A dog's day with humans - time activity budget of free-ranging dogs in India," by Majumder and colleagues in issue number 2014, 106, 874-878.

Free-ranging domestic dogs (FRD) are not only vectors of zoonoses of public health concern, but also pose direct threats to humans, livestock, and endangered wildlife. Many developing countries have struggled to control FRD, despite using both lethal and non-lethal methods. India has amongst the highest FRD populations globally and the highest incidences of dog-mediated human rabies, but only deploys Catch–Neuter–Vaccinate–Release (CNVR) for FRD control as a humane alternative to lethal methods, without evidence of it working successfully. Here, we use an agent-based dog population dynamics model to examine the time, effort, financial resources, and conditions needed to successfully control FRD in a typical urban setting. We simulate several scenarios, from an "ideal world" closed population with easily accessible dogs, to a more realistic open population with heterogeneity in catchability of dogs. In only one "best-case" scenario, CNVR resulted in a significant and lasting reduction in FRD, but with vaccination rates peaking only at 35%, which is half the WHO-recommended coverage. The customisable and portable modelling tool that we have developed allows managers to simulate real world processes and understand the expected effort needed to reduce regional dog populations, and assess methods for achieving effective anti-rabies vaccination coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the potential of UV-Vis spectroscopy and digital images and processing combined with chemometrics for classifying olive oil samples in terms of variety and harvest year and estimating pigment content. Different classification models were developed utilizing data from the RGB color space to classify olive oils. The classification of olive oil types was performed using Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), Principal Component Analysis-Support Vector Machine (PCA-SVM), and k-nearest neighbor (k-NN). PLS-DA was further employed for harvest-year classification. The PLS-DA model achieved 100% accuracy in most classes except one, while k-NN and PCA-SVM exhibited flawless 100% accuracy across all prediction dataset classes. PLS-DA also demonstrated perfect classification based on harvest year. Pigment estimation utilized PLSR, revealing RGB images as the most effective for carotenoid prediction ( R Pre 2 = 0.995 and RMSEP = 0.304), and UV-Vis spectroscopy excelled in chlorophyll prediction ( R Pre 2 = 0.998 and RMSEP = 0.047). These results suggest that imaging systems may accurately anticipate pigment concentrations and, in some situations, provide comparable precision to spectroscopic methods. The aformentioned findings highlight the efficacy of this approach, providing a potential alternative for swiftly identifying olive oil harvest years, freshness and estimating pigment concentrations. Moreover, the method is cost-effective, reagent-free, and accelerates sample analysis. [Display omitted] • Computer vision accurately classifies olive oils and estimates pigment content. • Imaging coupled with chemometrics enhances rapid olive oils discrimination. • Flawless classification by PLS-DA, PCA-SVM, and k-NN models for olive oil. • Sustainable, fast olive oil pigment estimation and harvest year identification. • Imaging accurately predicts pigment concentrations, potentially surpassing spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to animal conservation, particularly on people's relationship with the domestic dogs. Topics being presented include the duality of relationships between humans and dogs, which is reflected in many other mythological and historical writings, as well as the importance of policy measures to address the issue of domestic dogs as an invasive species based on some principle premises.

Co-extraction of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) with green tea leaves (GTL) (0 [control sample], 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% w/w) was conducted by cold-press to evaluate the extracted oil quality during storage. The extraction yield was similar to the control sample up to 5% w/w of GTL. Total phenol and chlorophyll content were increased in the extracted oils with increasing the level of GTL. The acid and peroxide values were increased during the storage and the lowest values were achieved for PSO with 5% GTL. Rancimat analysis also confirmed the PV results, therefore using 5% GTL led to providing the highest induction period (11.5 h). Consequently, using 5% of GTL during the extraction of PSO by cold-press could result in an appropriate extraction yield and also present higher oxidation stability. This method does not need any antioxidant extraction from herbs and is very cost-effective, time-efficient, and uses no chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiarid savanna grasslands (SG) in India deliver enormous benefits to people and nature but are currently undergoing large‐scale degradation. Soil carbon stocks in degraded SGs vary in response to land use and land management changes. Although there is increasing support for restoring grasslands by planting native grass species, its impact on soil carbon recovery is largely unknown. In this study, we undertake a plot‐level investigation of soil and aboveground biomass carbon stocks to provide robust estimates of carbon densities across sites which have undergone restoration over the last 3 years. We compare these restored sites with a no‐intervention control using a space‐for‐time substitution framework and two reference old‐growth grassland sites. We find that SGs store significant amounts of carbon (11.57–26.76 tC/ha across 1‐ to 3‐year restoration sites, respectively), with most of the carbon stored in soils (7.29–15.67 tC/ha across 1‐ to 3‐year restoration sites, respectively). These estimates still remain well below the soil carbon stocks of the reference sites (range of 22.91–39.49 tC/ha). We demonstrate that soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks progressively increase with the age of grass plantings. The 3‐year site shows an increase of 35% in SOC stocks compared to the no‐intervention control and an increase of 30 and 21% in comparison to the 1‐ and 2‐year sites, respectively. Our study demonstrates a robust approach to estimate soil carbon stocks in these ecosystems and highlights that effective conservation and restoration can enable SGs in India to act as natural carbon sinks at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response from the author is presented to the rejoinder by researcher A. Bhadra on the topic of dog bites and rabies in India reported in volume 107, 2014 issue.

The detection of animal fats such as tallow in butter using standard criteria is more difficult than vegetable fats. In order to perform a complete assessment, several methods are likely to be used together. In the experimental design of this research, compositional characteristics such as fatty acids, sterols and triacylglycerols, along with the conventional physicochemical characteristics of butter mixed with different percentages of tallow (0-15% w/w) were evaluated. An increase of less than 5% (w/w) in bovine tallow content in butter physicochemical tests, sterols and fatty acids could not indicate the adulteration level but the ratio of C6+8+10+12/C18 fatty acids, C52/C50 C52/C48, C52/C46 triacylglycerols, S1, S3, S5-value equation and C52 triacylglycerols could show this adulteration level in butter. Also, the successive use of fatty acids and triacylglycerols resulted in the capability to determine adulteration in butter including bovine tallow above 1% (w/w). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving coexistence between large carnivores and humans in human‐dominated landscapes (HDLs) is a key challenge for societies globally. This challenge cannot be adequately met with the current sectoral approaches to HDL governance and an academic community largely dominated by disciplinary sectors. Academia (universities and other research institutions and organizations) should take a more active role in embracing societal challenges around conservation of large carnivores in HDLs by facilitating cross‐sectoral cooperation to mainstream coexistence of humans and large carnivores. Drawing on lessons from populated regions of Europe, Asia, and South America with substantial densities of large carnivores, we suggest academia should better embrace the principles and methods of sustainability sciences and create institutional spaces for the implementation of transdisciplinary curricula and projects; reflect on research approaches (i.e., disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary) they apply and how their outcomes could aid leveraging institutional transformations for mainstreaming; and engage with various institutions and stakeholder groups to create novel institutional structures that can respond to multiple challenges of HDL management and human–large carnivore coexistence. Success in mainstreaming this coexistence in HDL will rest on the ability to think and act cooperatively. Such a conservation achievement, if realized, stands to have far‐reaching benefits for people and biodiversity. Article impact statement: Mainstreaming coexistence of humans and large carnivores in human‐dominated landscapes requires cross‐sectoral, institutional collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present a commentary on the article on the subsidization of predators and disarticulated carnivore communities. The fox-gerbil example is interesting because the foxes' influence is best seen in altered densities of gerbils. According to the authors, the differential activity rates and behaviours of gerbils at sites near and far from foxes are confounded by several concerns. They say that the probable management scenario to solve the problem of subsidized predators would be to target the predator species.

Abstract: Domestic dogs are increasingly being recognized as a conservation threat for native species. In many places, their impacts may be as severe as other invasive predators such as cats and rats. We conducted the first ever sub‐continent scale assessment of the impacts of dogs on native species in India using an online key informant survey and reports from national print media. Dogs reportedly attacked 80 species, of which 31 were IUCN Red list threatened species, including four Critically Endangered species. Larger bodied mammals such as ungulates and carnivores, were most commonly reported to be attacked, although this may be an observation bias. Approximately 68% of the attacks were carried out by dogs unaccompanied by humans. Most of the attacks were carried out by packs of dogs with 45% of these attacks leading to the death of the prey. Nearly 48% of the incidents were reported in and around wildlife protected areas, suggesting that dogs are an important large‐scale edge effect around protected areas in India. For Critically Endangered species that are already suffering from serious population declines due to other causes, the impact of dogs may seriously impede population recovery efforts. Mitigating the impacts of dogs on wildlife requires a multi‐pronged approach of responsible dog ownership, restriction in free‐ranging behaviour, and strong population control measures, especially around sensitive conservation areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial patterns of and competition for resources by territorial carnivores are typically explained by two hypotheses: 1) the territorial defence hypothesis and 2) the searching efficiency hypothesis.According to the territorial defence hypothesis, when food resources are abundant, carnivore densities will be high and home ranges small. In addition, carnivores can maximise their necessary energy intake with minimal territorial defence. At medium resource levels, larger ranges will be needed, and it will become more economically beneficial to defend resources against a lower density of competitors. At low resource levels, carnivore densities will be low and home ranges large, but resources will be too scarce to make it beneficial to defend such large territories. Thus, home range overlap will be minimal at intermediate carnivore densities.According to the searching efficiency hypothesis, there is a cost to knowing a home range. Larger areas are harder to learn and easier to forget, so carnivores constantly need to keep their cognitive map updated by regularly revisiting parts of their home ranges. Consequently, when resources are scarce, carnivores require larger home ranges to acquire sufficient food. These larger home ranges lead to more overlap among individuals' ranges, so that overlap in home ranges is largest when food availability is the lowest. Since conspecific density is low when food availability is low, this hypothesis predicts that overlap is largest when densities are the lowest.We measured home range overlap and used a novel method to compare intraspecific home range overlaps for lions Panthera leo (n = 149) and leopards Panthera pardus (n = 111) in Africa. We estimated home range sizes from telemetry location data and gathered carnivore density data from the literature.Our results did not support the territorial defence hypothesis for either species. Lion prides increased their home range overlap at conspecific lower densities whereas leopards did not. Lion pride changes in overlap were primarily due to increases in group size at lower densities. By contrast, the unique dispersal strategies of leopards led to reduced overlap at lower densities. However, when human‐caused mortality was higher, leopards increased their home range overlap. Although lions and leopards are territorial, their territorial behaviour was less important than the acquisition of food in determining their space use. Such information is crucial for the future conservation of these two iconic African carnivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For large herbivores living in highly dynamic environments, maintaining range fidelity has the potential to facilitate the exploitation of predictable resources while minimising energy expenditure. We evaluate this expectation by examining how the seasonal range fidelity of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Kruger National Park, South Africa is affected by spatiotemporal variation in environmental conditions (vegetation quality, temperature, rainfall, and fire). Eight-years of GPS collar data were used to analyse the similarity in seasonal utilisation distributions for thirteen family groups. Elephants exhibited remarkable consistency in their seasonal range fidelity across the study with rainfall emerging as a key driver of space-use. Within years, high range fidelity from summer to autumn and from autumn to winter was driven by increased rainfall and the retention of high-quality vegetation. Across years, sequential autumn seasons demonstrated the lowest levels of range fidelity due to inter-annual variability in the wet to dry season transition, resulting in unpredictable resource availability. Understanding seasonal space use is important for determining the effects of future variability in environmental conditions on elephant populations, particularly when it comes to management interventions. Indeed, over the coming decades climate change is predicted to drive greater variability in rainfall and elevated temperatures in African savanna ecosystems. The impacts of climate change also present particular challenges for elephants living in fragmented or human-transformed habitats where the opportunity for seasonal range shifts are greatly constrained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species that respond to ecosystem change in a timely, measurable, and interpretable way can be used as sentinels of global change. Contrary to a pervasive view, we suggest that, among Carnivora, small carnivores are more appropriate sentinels than large carnivores. This reasoning is built around six key points: that, compared to large carnivores, small carnivores 1) are more species‐rich and diverse, providing more potential sentinels in many systems; 2) occupy a wider range of ecological niches, exhibiting a greater variety of sensitivities to change; 3) hold an intermediate trophic position that is more directly affected by changes at the producer, primary consumer, and tertiary consumer levels; 4) have shorter life spans and higher reproductive rates, exhibiting more rapid responses to change; 5) have smaller home ranges and are more abundant, making it easier to investigate fine‐scale management interventions; 6) are easier to monitor, manage, and manipulate. Therefore, we advocate for incorporating a middle‐out approach, in addition to the established top‐down and bottom‐up approaches, to assessing the responses of ecosystems to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidation reactions in edible oils and fats are regarded as a cause of spoilage. Use of antioxidants can prevent oxidation. In this research, effects of adding three essential oils (cumin, savory and cardamom) at three different concentrations (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 %, v/v) on acid value, peroxide value, induction period and flavor of soybean oil were evaluated at different storage times and temperatures according to Taguchi's experimental design. Based on the results of this study, type of essential oil, its concentration, storage temperature and storage time indicated significant effects (probability (P) <0.05) on acid value, peroxide value and induction period. However, savory and cardamom showed the highest impact on the evaluated parameters having the most effect on the induction period. Also, based on the results obtained for acid value, all the essential oils from this study indicated significant effects on the acid value. Cumin and savory showed significant effects on the peroxide value. Soybean oil containing the essential oils from this study had good flavor and high desirability with no clear preference among the three essential oils on the flavor and desirability by the sensory panel (P>0.05). In addition, two concentrations of 0.4 and 0.6 (%, v/v) can be regarded as suitable concentrations for reducing free fatty acids as well as peroxide value and enhancing the induction period of soybean oil. Concentration of essential oil within the studied range did not show any significant effect on the flavor of soybean oil. Two temperatures of 20 and 30oC were found to be optimal temperatures for enhancing induction period and reducing the peroxide value of soybean oil. Effects of storage time and temperature on the acid value were also significant (P < 0.05). Storage times of 2 and 4 months were found to be appropriate storage times for optimum induction period of soybean oil, but storage times of 2 and 6 months were optimal times for minimum peroxide value. Increase in the storage time and temperature caused a decrease in the flavor and desirability of the oil. The results of this study showed that the essential oils can be suggested as natural antioxidants in oil industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to evaluate the chemical compositions (total phenol, fatty acid, sterolic compounds) of Iranian virgin olive oil (Zard, Rowghani, Mari) cultivated in the Gilvan (Zanjan Province) and Fadak (Qom Province) regions. Total phenols were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Fatty acid and sterol profiles were also analyzed using gas chromatography. In most cases, significant effects (P<0.05) of cultivars and locations were detected by the chemical composition of the oil samples. The fatty acid analysis indicated that the Mari variety from Gilvan had high oleic/low linoleic acid content; therefore it is a highly resistant olive oil against oxidation. Furthermore, the high mean values of total sterols were also obtained for the Mari variety. The oil of the Zard variety from Gilvan had the maximum amount of phenols as a positive quality index. Therefore, the Mari variety, especially from Gilvan has been suggested as a superior cultivar compared to the Zard and Rowghani varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-ranging domestic dogs Canis familiaris threaten wildlife species through predation, hybridization, competition for resources, and by contributing to the transmission of pathogens. The impacts of predation may be problematic, but in many regions the interactions of free-ranging dogs and wildlife are poorly studied. To determine the extent of the impacts of attacks by free-ranging dogs on Iranian mammals, we reviewed nearly 2 decades of social and traditional media reports and the scientific literature to gather data from across the country. We identified 160 free-ranging dog attacks (79 from academic articles, 14 from social media, and 67 from a variety of news websites) from 22 of the country's 31 provinces. Attacks by dogs were reported on 17 species, including nine Carnivora, six Artiodactyla, one Rodentia, and one Lagomorpha species. Most of the reported attacks on carnivores were on felids, including the Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus (n = 19), Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx (n = 18), caracal Caracal caracal (n = 10) and Pallas's cat Otocolobus manul (n = 8). Attacks on Artiodactyla were primarily reported for goitered gazelle Gazella subgutturosa (n = 47). Most of these attacks occurred within or adjacent to protected areas (n = 116, 73%), suggesting that free-ranging dogs are one of the most important human-associated threats to wildlife species even in protected landscapes. The impact of free-ranging dogs may be hampering conservation, and therefore we suggest some practical policy guidance for managing the impacts of free-ranging dogs on threatened species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Trophy hunting of African elephant is often implemented as an income generator for communities surrounding protected areas. However, the sustainability of hunting on elephant populations, especially with regards to international cross-border populations has not previously been evaluated. We assessed the effects of trophy hunting on the population dynamics and movements of elephant in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, which is spread across the junction of Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Currently, no common policy exits in quota setting for cross-border species, and each country determines their own quota based on limited data. Using VORTEX, we determined the sustainability of current quotas of elephant off-take under different ecological and hunting scenarios. We used distribution data from 6 aerial surveys and hunting data per region to determine the disturbance effect of hunting on bulls and breeding herds separately. Hunting of bulls had a direct effect in reducing bull numbers but also an indirect effect due to disturbance that resulted in movement of elephants out of the areas in which hunting occurred. The return interval was short for bulls but longer for females. Only a small number of bulls (<10/year) could be hunted sustainably. At current rates of hunting, under average ecological conditions, trophy bulls will disappear from the population in less than 10 years. We recommend a revision of the current quotas within each country for the Greater Mapungubwe elephant population, and the establishment of a single multi-jurisdictional (cross-border) management authority regulating the hunting of elephant and other cross-border species. © 2013 The Wildlife Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]