Tail Width Research Articles

Multivariate analysis of morphological variability of the initial stock intrabreed type of Sarboyan carp (Cyprinus Carpio L.)

The analysis of morphological variability of the initial stock within the breed type Sarboyan carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) by the principal component method is presented. The research was conducted in 2022, 2023 in the Novosibirsk region. The Sarboyan carp stock (males and females) from the fish breeding farm was studied according to eight valuation measurements: body weight, absolute body length, body length without tail fin, maximum height, width and girth. A comparative analysis of the body features of the Sarboyan carp belonging to four haplotypes (H1, H15, H16, H17) was carried out. The morphometric features of the Sarboyan carp were processed using principal component method. It was found that sexual dimorphism was noted on the basis of total size: females have larger sizes than males. In the fish stock under study, a trend towards the difference between H1 and H16 haplotypes was established. The individuals in the H1 haplotype are relatively thicker and shorter compared to H16. There is a group of fish with unknown haplotypes in the data structure, all of which show a shift towards the third component relative to H1, i.e. they have a higher back and smaller body thickness. No haplotypic differences were found in the component showing an apparent inverse relationship between head length trait, body length and absolute fish length. Multivariate analysis of morphological variability also showed that distribution of the individuals in the three-dimensional space PC2-PC3-PC4, free from size-age variability, allows pre-selection of fish with the required proportions of morphological features for further reproduction.

Stochastic dynamics of phycocyanin in years of contrasting phosphorus load

AbstractResilience, measured by the distribution of passage times between alternate states, indicates persistence of a state in stochastic dynamic systems such as blooms of cyanobacteria in lakes. We used high‐frequency datasets to compare the resilience of low and high states of phycocyanin, a pigment indicator of cyanobacteria, in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, USA, for three growing seasons that ranged sevenfold in external phosphorus (P) load. Each year we observed 139–265 passage times across the unstable threshold that separated the low‐ from high‐phycocyanin states. Each sample of passage times is highly skewed with low median, larger mean, much larger SD, and wide tails extending to long lifetimes of a state. About 25% of events, whether low or high phycocyanin, lasted a day or more. Among these 3 years of contrasting external P load, there were no discernible differences in the resilience of either ecosystem state. We attribute this lack of contrast to the sustained recycling of P from sediments and the high stochasticity of phycocyanin in this lake.

Prediction of Live Weight and Carcass Characteristics from Linear Body Measurements of Yearling Male Local Sheep

Measurements of the body structure in sheep are worthy of judging the quantitative features of meat and useful in developing appropriate selection requirements. The current study was aimed to predict live weight and hot carcass weight from linear body measurements of yearling male local sheep. 84 days feeding period fortnightly taken data on 24 local sheep for body weight, body length, heart girth, wither height, sub-sternal height, tail length, tail width, scrotal circumference, and scrotal length were analyzed to study the relationship between linear body measurements and body weight. At the end of the trial all sheep were slaughtered to measure the relationship between body measurements, and hot carcass weight. Microsoft Excel 2010 was used for data analysis. The relationships between the various body measurements were calculated using pearson's correlation coefficient. The backward stepwise multiple regression procedure was used for the determination of the most suitable model for the prediction of the live weight and hot carcass weight. Hot carcass weight was highly correlated (P<0.01) with body weight and scrotal circumference. Besides, it was significantly (P<0.05) correlated with tail width. Body weight was significantly (P<0.05) correlated with all body measurements except tail length and scrotal length. It is concluded that the body weight of the local sheep can be predicted with heart girth, sub-sternal height and tail width; the equation is LW= -97.2 + 0.36HG + 2.1SBSH + 0.57TW with a better coefficient of determination; R2 = 0.55 and the hot carcass weight can be predicted with sub-sternal height and tail width; the equation is HCW= -75.66 + 1.75SBSH + 0.85TW with a coefficient of determination; R2 = 0.33. But, hot carcass can be predicted with body weight, the equation is HCW= -9.39+0.85BWT when weighing scales are affordable with a better coefficient of determination; R2= 0.557.

Use of machine learning approaches for body weight prediction in Peruvian Corriedale Sheep

The goal of this study was to predict the body weight of Corriedale ewes using machine learning (ML) algorithms. Fourteen body measurements (BM) and six different machine learning models were used. Body weight (BW) and BM: wither height (WH), rump height (RH), thoracic perimeter (TP), abdominal perimeter (AP), foreshank length (FSL), fore-shank width (FSW), fore-shank perimeter (FSP), tail width (TW), tail perimeter (TPe), hip width (HW), loin width (LWi), shoulder width (SW), forelimb length (FL), and body length (BL), were collected from 100 Corriedale ewes between 1.5 and 2 years old from the Illpa Experimental Centre of the National University of Altiplano in Peru. The machine learning algorithms used to estimate body weight were Support Vector Machines for Regression (SVMR), Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Random Forest (RF), Model Average Neural Networks (MANN), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). The performance of the models was evaluated by the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). Highly correlated predictors (r ≥ 075) were removed from the dataset. The remaining predictors were then subjected to variable selection procedures using the Boruta algorithm. Boruta results confirmed the importance of TP, LWi, BL, FSL, SW and HW as predictors of ewe weight. The ML models were then trained on those selected predictors. RF had the highest R2 values and lowest values of MAE, RMSE, and MAPE. In conclusion, the RF algorithm can be recommended for accurately estimating BW from body measurements of Corriedale sheep.

Theory of Burstein–Moss effect in semiconductors with anisotropic energy bands

Abstract We study the peculiarities of the Burstein–Moss shift employing two-band model with an anisotropic valence band. There is a long wave tail which has a convex or concave shape depending on the ratio between the longitudinal and transverse hole masses. The width of this anisotropy-induced tail is temperature-independent and increases with increasing electron concentration and difference between the hole masses. This width also does not depend upon the value of the energy gap. Having experimentally evaluated the tail width and the position of the break in the optical absorption curve, one can deduce the values of the reduced hole masses.

Correlation analysis between polymorphism of leptin and IGFI genes and body measurements in Barki and Farafra sheep

BackgroundGrowth performance, which can be evaluated using various body measurements, is crucial for providing red meat for human consumption. This study aims to improve the growth performance of sheep by identifying the different genotypes of leptin and IGFI genes associated with higher body measurements.MethodsIn this study, we collected blood samples from Barki (n = 30) and Farafra (n = 30) sheep, and measured their body height, width, length, and weight, and tail width and length to assess their growth performance. We used single strand conformation polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (SSCP-PCR) and sequencing analysis to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and different genotypes of the leptin and insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFI) genes associated with sheep body measurements.ResultsThe leptin gene (209 bp) and IGFR gene (345 bp) were found to have three (TT, TG, and GG) and (TT, TC, and CC) genotypes, respectively, by SSCP-PCR. Sequence analysis revealed a SNP in the leptin gene (200G > T) with two alleles (G allele: OR058867 and T allele: OR058868). This SNP resulted in the substitution of the amino acid valine with leucine, which increased the width, length, and weight of the body and tail width in the heterozygous form (TG). The IGFI gene had three SNPs: 305 G > T in TT genotype (OR260670), 184C > T, 265T > C, and 305G > T in TC genotype (OR260669), and 265T > C in CC genotype (OR260671). The TC genotype of the IGFR gene was correlated with higher values of body measurements. Barki sheep were found to have the highest values for body weight, width, length, and tail width compared to Farafra sheep.ConclusionWe recommend the use of entire Barki sheep in inbreeding programs to improve growth performance in Egyptian sheep.

Do the determinants of dominance index and social rank in adult rams vary by breed?

The aim of the present study was to determine factors influencing the establishment of dominance hierarchy in Hemsin, Chios and Karakul rams. Rams aged 6–7 years old from Hemsin (n = 13), Chios (n = 12) and Karakul (n = 14) sheep breeds were used. The feed competition test was applied to determine the dominance status of rams within their own breeds. After testing all possible pairs, dominance index and social ranks for each ram was calculated. Body weight, numerous body measurements, horn length and testosterone concentration were evaluated as predictor variables in stepwise regression analysis. Improved linearity index value was 0.522, 0.6224 and 0.7033 for Hemsin, Chios and Karakul rams (Pr<0.001), respectively. In Hemsin rams, the regression model including body weight and tail width explained 75.3% of the variation in dominance index (P = 0.001). The model, which included body weight and testosterone concentration, explained 68% of the variance and was the best model for prediction of the dominance index in Chios rams (P < 0.01). The model including rump width, tail width and linear horn length explained 79.5% of the variation in dominance index in Karakul rams (P = 0.001). When the principal component scores determined by principal component analysis were utilised as predictors in stepwise regression analysis, no variables were incorporated into the model for Karakul rams. Moreover, worse predictions were obtained with principal component scores compared to the analysis conducted with raw data in Hemşin and Chios rams. When the results of the current study are evaluated observationally, factors determining the dominance hierarchy vary by breed of rams.

Adaptive tails? Parallel evolution of expanded tails in monsoonal tropics lineages of an Australian gecko radiation (Oedura)

Abstract Ecological drivers of variation in the morphology of the lizard tail are understudied despite its important and varied functions in defence, locomotion, balance, climbing, and resource storage. We quantified variation in original tail shape and surface area-to-volume ratio (SA : V) in an Australian gecko clade (Oedura) and tested whether environmental variables are predictors of this variation. To use museum specimens, we developed an approach to straighten deformed preserved tails for accurate shape analysis. Tail shape varied from a relatively ‘typical lizard’ tail—long, tapered, and circular in cross-section—to a distinctive expanded, wide, and flat shape. Extreme versions of the latter shape seem to have evolved in parallel in two distantly related lineages. Wide tails and low SA : V ratio values occur in the Australian Monsoonal Tropics, while arid zone species all had a narrow, tapered tail with high SA : V. These data suggest expanded or bulbous tails may be analogous to succulence in plants and an adaptation for resource storage in environments with predictable peaks (wet season) and dearths (dry season) of resource availability. However, limited replicated evolution of bulbous tails precludes statistical significance in this case, and more analyses of tail anatomy in Oedura and other lizard clades are required to test this hypothesis further.

Multiple Linear Regression Equations to Estimate the Body Weight of Waringin Sheep Based on Morphometric Characteristics in Various Age Groups.

Waringin sheep is a new breed of sheep resulting from a cross between local sheep, Barbados sheep and St.Croix sheep. This study aims to determine the morphometric characteristics of ewes and rams Waringin sheep at different ages in Stabat District, Langkat Regency. This study used a descriptive method by collecting data in the field, the data collected were 99 ewes Waringin sheep and 66 rams Waringin sheep and observed their morphometric characteristics starting from body weight, body length, skull length, skull width, body height, and chest circumference, chest width, chest depth, front leg length, hind leg length, hip width, hip height, tail length, tail width, crotch length, crotch width, and canon circumference. Data were analyzed using the SPSS application with multiple linear regression methods used to determine the relationship between the morphometric relationship between Waringin sheep and their body weight. The results showed that almost 90% of the morphometrics of Waringin sheep affected the body weight of the sheep using linear regression analysis.

Study of multi-pebble oxidation process in high-temperature gas-cooled reactor

The oxidation of the matrix graphite due to air-ingress accidents creates a risk of the exposure of TRISO fuel particles and local re-criticality for high temperature gas-cooled reactors. In this paper, a reaction kinetics model of graphite pebble oxidation is established, and then oxidation of the graphite pebbles is simulated based on computational fluid dynamics with a dynamic mesh method to study graphite shape evolution during the air-ingress process. As the flow rate increases during air-ingress accidents, the instability of the flow among the pebble bed is enhanced and changes the geometric shape of graphite significantly. Since oxidation is weak in the recirculation region of the pebble bed and strong in the impact region, the graphite pebbles tend to form a structure with a narrow front and wide tail. Most of the nonuniform oxidation factors of the graphite pebbles ranges from 2.3 to 5.1, and the nonuniformity decreases with increasing flow velocity and becomes greater with increasing temperature.

Electrical, morphological, optical and mathematical simulations equations studies in CAZO, CZO, AZO and ZNO films

Purpose In this paper, it can be seen from AFM images of the as-deposited ZnO and CZO films, and the particle size and shape are not clear, while by increasing annealing temperature, they become distinguishable. By increasing temperature to 600°C, ZnO and CZO, CAZO and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films particles became almost spherical. Due to high content of Cu in CZO target, and of Al in AZO target which was 5% weight ratio, doping plays a great role in the subject. Therefore, the annealing processing strongly affect the size and the shape of nanoparticles. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors tried to study, in detail, nobel optical characterizations of ZnO films doped by transition metals in different annealing temperature. The authors found that the values of skin depth, optical density, electron–phonon interaction, steepness parameter, band tail width, direct and indirect carriers transitions and the dissipation factor, free carriers density and roughness of films affect the optical properties, especially the optical absorptions of ZnO films doped by transition metals. Also these properties were affected by annealing temperatures. The authors also found that topography characterizations strongly were affected by these parameters. Findings The CZO films have maximum value of coordination number ß, with considering NC = 4, Za = 2, Ne = 8. The CZO films annealed at 500 °C have maximum value of optical density. The as-deposited CAZO films have maximum value of steepness parameters in about of 0.13 eV. The as-deposited AZO films have maximum value of dispersion energy Ed in about of 5.75 eV. Optical gap and disordering energy plots of films can be fitted by linear relationships Eg = 0.49 + 0.2 EU and Eg = 0.52 + 0.5 EU, respectively. Originality/value With considering Nc = 4, Za = 2, Ne = 8 for ZnO films, coordination number ß has maximum value of 0.198. CZO nanocomposites films annealed at 500°C have maximum value of optical density. Different linear fitting of ln (α) for films were obtained as y = Ax + B where 5&lt;A &lt; 17 and 5&lt;B &lt; 12. As-deposited CAZO nanocomposites films have minimum value of electron phonon interaction in about of 4.91 eV. Optical gap and disordering energy plots can be fitted by linear relationships Eg = 0.49 + 0.2 EU and Eg = 0.52 + 0.5 EU for as-deposited films and films annealed at 500°C, respectively. Steepness parameters of as-deposited CAZO nanocomposites films have maximum value of 0.13 eV. Dispersion energy Ed for as-deposited AZO nanocomposites films has maximum value of 5.75 eV.

Effects of Process Parameters on Bond Properties of Ag-2.35Au-0.7Pd-0.2Pt-0.1Cu Alloy Wire.

Bond properties were performed on Ag-2.35Au-0.7Pd-0.2Pt-0.1Cu alloy wire with a diameter of 25 µm under different process parameters. The effects of electrical flaming off (EFO) current and EFO time on the deformability of the free air ball (FAB) were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as the effects of ultrasonic power and bonding force on the bond characteristic. The experimental results show that FAB grows from a preheated tip to a small ball, a regular ball, and finally to a golf ball with increasing either the EFO current or the EFO time, and the FAB presents an optimal shape at 25 mA and 650 μs. Moreover, a nonlinear relationship between FAB diameter and EFO time is obtained at an EFO current of 25 mA, which could be expressed by a cubic equation. Further, at a constant bonding force, as the ultrasonic power increased, the mashed ball diameter grew larger and larger, the capillary hole imprint became more and more obvious, and the tail width also increased, and vice versa. The optimal ultrasonic power and bonding force are 70 mW and 45 gf for ball bonding and 90 mW and 75 gf for wedge bonding, respectively. Finally, for all the bonded wire samples prepared under optimal process parameters, no ball and wedge bond lifts happened after the destructive pull test, and full intermetallic compound coverage with perfect morphology occurred on the bond pad after the ball shear test, which meant that the bonded wire samples had high bond strength and hence improved the reliability of microelectronic products. It provided technical support for the reliability research of Pt-containing Ag-based bonding alloy wires.

Difference analysis in terahertz wave propagation in thermochemical nonequilibrium plasma sheath under different hypersonic vehicle shapes

Research on terahertz communication under different vehicles has important guiding significance for the design of future hypersonic vehicle and Radio Frequency (RF) blackout. In this paper, a joint simulation model of plasma flow under thermochemical nonequilibrium state and terahertz transmission is developed to investigate the differences in terahertz wave transmission characteristics under different vehicle shapes and the related mechanisms. By comparing the plasma sheath characteristics and terahertz transmission among HIFIRE-5b (Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation-5b), RAM C(Radio Attenuation Measurement C) and ARD (Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator) vehicles, it is found that the sheath thickness and electron density of ARD vehicles is significantly larger than that of HIFIRE-5b and RAM C vehicles, resulting in greater terahertz wave attenuation. Collision absorption plays a major role in the terahertz attenuation of vehicles, and the contribution of reflection effects is only observed in the ARD vehicle due to its larger plasma sheath thickness and spatial structure variation. Based on the above comparison results, a shape design scheme of reducing the vehicle head and tail for mitigating RF blackout is proposed, and the scheme is proved by further analyzing the effects of different vehicle heads and tails on the terahertz communication. With the decrease of the head radius and tail width of hypersonic vehicle, the wave attenuation at the same terahertz frequency decreases, and the contribution of reflection effect to wave attenuation gradually disappears. Therefore, the shape design scheme of reducing the vehicle head and tail can effectively alleviate the RF blackout problem, which provides an important reference value for future hypersonic vehicle design.

Investigating the optical and electrical characteristics of As60Cu40-xSex thin films

In this work, As60Cu40-xSex thin films were synthesized, and the pulsed laser deposition method was used to study the effected partial replacement of copper with selenium. The electrical characteristics and optical characteristics, as indicated by the absorbance and transmittance as a function of wavelength were calculated. Additionally, the energy gap was computed. The electrical conductivity of the DC in the various conduction zones was calculated by measuring the current and voltage as a function of temperature. Additionally, the mathematical equations are used to compute the energy constants, electron hopping distance, tail width, pre-exponential factor, and density of the energy states in variation zones (densities of the energetic extended states N(Eext), localize N(Eloc) and at the Fermi states N(Ef)). The acquired data also demonstrated that the selenium concentration obviously had an impact on the electrical conduction mechanics, energy states, and the level of randomization.

Microstructural and nonlinear optical properties of quaternary gallium-titanium-zinc-oxide transparent conductive semiconductor thin films

Transparent and conductive quaternary gallium-titanium-zinc-oxide films were grown on glass substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The effects of growth temperature on structure, morphology, electrical, and nonlinear optical properties of the films were investigated systematically. All the deposited films possess hexagonal wurtzite structure with (002) preferred crystallographic orientation. The obtained optical bandgaps of the deposited films are larger than that of pure zinc oxide, which is ascribed to the reduction in band tail width. The film deposited at growth temperature of [Formula: see text]C exhibits the optimum crystalline quality with the lowest dislocation density of [Formula: see text] nm[Formula: see text], the highest visible light transparency of 82.06%, the minimum sheet resistance of 11.2 [Formula: see text]/sq, and the maximum figure-of-merit of [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. The present findings indicate that the gallium-titanium-zinc-oxide films are promisingly utilized as transparent conductive layer. The refractive index and extinction coefficient of the deposited films were estimated by using spectrum fitting approach. A normal optical dispersion behavior was observed in visible region, while an anomalous dispersion behavior appeared in ultraviolet region. In addition, the nonlinear optical parameters were obtained. This first-hand information is useful for future rational design of multicomponent zinc oxide semiconductor materials for optoelectronic applications.

Accurate determination of band tail properties in amorphous semiconductor thin film with Kelvin probe force microscopy

The disordered microscopic structure of amorphous semiconductors causes the formation of band tails in the density of states (DOS) that strongly affect charge transport properties. Such band tail properties are crucial for understanding and optimizing thin-film device performance with immense relevance for large area electronics. Among the available techniques to measure the DOS, Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) is exceptional as it enables precise local electronic investigations combined with microscopic imaging. However, a model to interpret KPFM spectroscopy data on amorphous semiconductors of finite thickness is lacking. To address this issue, we provide an analytical solution to the Poisson equation for a metal–insulator–semiconductor junction interacting with the atomic force microscope tip. The solution enables us to fit experimental data for semiconductors with finite thickness and to obtain DOS parameters, such as band tail width, doping density, and flat band potential. To demonstrate our method, we perform KPFM experiments on Indium–Gallium–Zinc Oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors (IGZO-TFTs). DOS parameters compare well with values obtained with photocurrent spectroscopy. We demonstrate the relevance of the developed method by investigating the impact of ionizing radiation on DOS parameters and TFT performance. Our results provide clear evidence that the observed shift in threshold voltage is caused by static charge in the gate dielectric, leading to a shift in flat band potential. Band-tails and doping density are not affected by the radiation. The developed methodology can be easily translated to different semiconductor materials and paves the way for quantitative microscopic mapping of local DOS parameters in thin-film devices.

Quality and Agronomic Trait Analyses of Pyramids Composed of Wheat Genes NGli-D2, Sec-1s and 1Dx5+1Dy10.

Due to rising living standards, it is important to improve wheat's quality traits by adjusting its storage protein genes. The introduction or locus deletion of high molecular weight subunits could provide new options for improving wheat quality and food safety. In this study, digenic and trigenic wheat lines were identified, in which the 1Dx5+1Dy10 subunit, and NGli-D2 and Sec-1s genes were successfully polymerized to determine the role of gene pyramiding in wheat quality. In addition, the effects of ω-rye alkaloids during 1BL/1RS translocation on quality were eliminated by introducing and utilizing 1Dx5+1Dy10 subunits through gene pyramiding. Additionally, the content of alcohol-soluble proteins was reduced, the Glu/Gli ratio was increased and high-quality wheat lines were obtained. The sedimentation values and mixograph parameters of the gene pyramids under different genetic backgrounds were significantly increased. Among all the pyramids, the trigenic lines in Zhengmai 7698, which was the genetic background, had the highest sedimentation value. The mixograph parameters of the midline peak time (MPT), midline peak value (MPV), midline peak width (MPW), curve tail value (CTV), curve tail width (CTW), midline value at 8 min (MTxV), midline width at 8 min (MTxW) and midline integral at 8 min (MTxI) of the gene pyramids were markedly enhanced, especially in the trigenic lines. Therefore, the pyramiding processes of the 1Dx5+1Dy10, Sec-1S and NGli-D2 genes improved dough elasticity. The overall protein composition of the modified gene pyramids was better than that of the wild type. The Glu/Gli ratios of the type I digenic line and trigenic lines containing the NGli-D2 locus were higher than that of the type II digenic line without the NGli-D2 locus. The trigenic lines with Hengguan 35 as the genetic background had the highest Glu/Gli ratio among the specimens. The unextractable polymeric protein (UPP%) and Glu/Gli ratios of the type II digenic line and trigenic lines were significantly higher than those of the wild type. The UPP% of the type II digenic line was higher than that of the trigenic lines, while the Glu/Gli ratio was slightly lower than that of the trigenic lines. In addition, the celiac disease (CD) epitopes' level of the gene pyramids significantly decreased. The strategy and information reported in this study could be very useful for improving wheat processing quality and reducing wheat CD epitopes.

Phenotype and genotype of Boerka goats raised in Bali.

Boerka goats are the new breed in Bali targeted at meeting the increasing demand for lamb. They are meat-type goats created by crossing male Boer and female Kacang breeds. This new breed is expected to have good adaptation in a poor environment, such as Kacang goats and produce good quality lamb as Boer goats. Therefore, this study aimed to examine phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Boerka goats raised in Bali. A total of 16 female Boerka goats at 2 years old collected from a group of livestock farmers in Sanda Village were used as samples. This observational study began with observations of qualitative characteristics and morphometric measurements of goats, followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the growth hormone (GH) gene using GH5F and GH5R primers. Polymerase chain reaction products were then sequenced and analyzed with the MEGA 11 program. The results showed that all Boerka goats had stuck-down ears, the heads were predominantly brown in color (62.5%), the body color pattern tends to be white (87.50%), and the tail color pattern was also dominated by white (62.5%). In morphometric terms, the samples were close to Kacang goats based on the body weight, head length, head width, chest width, depth, and circumference, left front leg circumference, ear length, ear width, tail length, tail width, and flank height except for head height, body length, horn length, and shoulder height. Analysis of the GH gene showed that Boerka goats had a nucleotide composition dominated by the purine base guanine (26.5%) and pyrimidine cytosine (31.8%). Furthermore, they formed a separate cluster with a genetic distance of 14.1% to the Anhui White breed from China, the Tibetan breed, and the Swiss Saanen breed. Boerka goats raised in Bali have phenotypes, including qualitative characteristics and morphometric measurements close to Kacang goats. As meat-type goats, they also form a separate cluster distinct from similar types worldwide.

Effectiveness of Sn-addition on optical properties and physicochemical parameters of SnxSb2-xSe3 thin films

This research work is allocated to prepare the novel thin SnxSb2-xSe3 films, TSSe by thermal evaporation procedure at various Sn-content, where 0≤x≤2 at.%. The field-emission scanning electron microscope has been used to investigate the surface nature of these SnxSb2-xSe3 films. X-ray diffraction revealed that all TSSe films disclosed that the films have the polycrystalline nature with the orthorhombic structure without regard to the Sn-content. The optical characteristics of these layers were studied via transmission and reflection spectrophotometric measurements. The Archimedes' principle has been used to measure the density of samples, which was found that its values increase from 5.766 gm/cm3 to 6.136 gm/cm3. Along with, the molar volume decreases from 83.316 cm3/mol to 77.291 cm3/mol. The optical energy gap investigation of thin SnxSb2-xSe3 layers indicated that these layers exposed a direct allowed electronic transition. The optical band-gap energy reduces from 1.191 eV to 1.050 eV, while the band tail width increases from 0.093 eV to 0.155 eV by boosting the Sn-content. Impact of Sn-content on the linear optical parameters also refers to increasing the absorption coefficient, refractive index (from 3.2086 to 3.3317), molar refraction (from 0.756 to 0.771), the interaction strength between the electrons and photons (from 2.439 to 4.065). On the contrary, the steepness parameter, reflection factor, and electronic polarizability decrease as Sn-percentages increase from 0.0 to 2.0 at%. In addition, many other parameters have been discussed, like the optical conductivity, the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric indices, some nonlinear optical parameters, and the semiconductor-type of these films, which detect that they are p-type semiconductors. The investigated parameters and properties showed that these films can be used in many optical applications, like solar cells, photodetectors, batteries, memory devices, and others.

Sexual dimorphism in Louisiana pine snakes (Pituophis ruthveni).

The Louisiana pine snake, Pituophis ruthveni, is a cryptic, federally threatened snake species with several fragmented populations in Louisiana and Texas, USA. There are currently four captive breeding populations in zoos in the USA; however, little scientific data exists on their life history and anatomy. Accurate sex determination and identification of normal reproductive anatomy are an essential part of a veterinary exam and conservation programs. The authors had encountered various cases of sex misidentification in this species that were attributed to lack of lubrication of the sexing probes and enlarged musk glands. Anecdotal observation led to a hypothesis of sexual dimorphism based on body and tail shape. To test this hypothesis, we measured body length, tail length and width, and body to tail taper angle in 15 P. ruthveni (9 males and 6 females). We also obtained tail radiographs of all animals to document the presence of mineralized hemipenes. Significant dimorphism was identified in relative tail length, width, and taper angle; females consistently exhibited a more acute taper angle. Contrary to previous studies in other Pituophis species, a male-biased sexual size dimorphism was not identified. Mineralized hemipenes were confirmed in all males (a newly described trait in this species), and we found that the lateral view was consistently more reliable for identification of hemipenes compared to the ventrodorsal view. This information contributes to the scientific community's understanding of this species and is of use to biologists and veterinarians working towardconservation of this threatened species.