Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Response of different environments and dates of patch budding on success in walnut

An experiment was conducted for standardization of budding techniques in walnut with the aim to determine the different budding time and environment to get maximum success. Five budding dates, i.e. 15 and 30 June, 15 and 30th July, and 15th August were tried through patch under the polyhouse and open field conditions. The overall bud-take and budding success of 48.26 and 22.99%, respectively were obtained under controlled polyhouse condition (temperature 27 ± 4°C and 80–90 percent relative humidity maintained), whereas open field registered only 37.66% bud-take and 20.33% budding success. With regard to date of budding, 30 July was found to be the best both for bud-take and budding success. However, the maximum bud-take and budding success were observed when budding was done under polyhouse on 30 July. The scion length was maximum in polyhouse conditions.
Freezing Stresses and Survival

Protecting biological materials from deleterious effects of freezing is im­ portant and involves widely diverse sciences. Contributions are found in the literature of food sciences, enzymology, microbiology, pathology, and med­ icine. The literature of the physical sciences contributes theories of water structure and provides a basis for evaluating energy relationships. Perhaps man's most ancient interest involves winter survival, particularly survival of food-producing plants (75, 136, 155). The world literature concerning winter hardiness of plants is estimated to be about 5000 references (136). Winter hardiness is a complex property of a plant involving many inter­ acting factors. Even resistance to direct effects of freezing is complex. Many types of stress occur, depending on the type of plant, the tissue under consid­ eration, and the conditions under which the plant is tested (2, 57, 59, 71, 108, 130, 147, 150). No single unifying theory can be expected to explain resis­ tance to freezing injury. By definition, freezing involves redistribution of water with respect to state. Water molecules associate through extended hydrogen bonding and thus introduce a new phase which also causes redistribution of the remaining liquid. The pattern of redistribution, with respect to both location and state, determines the type and extent of freezing stress. Many patterns of redistri­ bution occur. Some of the macro redistribution patterns can be followed rather easily. Micro redistribution patterns involve exact knowledge of inter­ molecular associations, are mainly theoretical, and usually are based on con­ siderations of statistical mechanics. Because of the many possible combina­ tions of freezing processes and their interrelationships with a great variety of histological, cytological, and macromolecular features, it is necessary to think of resistance to injury from freezing in terms of specific situations. In each situation, the initial limiting injury or effect that occurs at the highest temperature must be defined. Subsequent injuries which occur in an organism already mortally injured are meaningless.
DISTRIBUTION, ADULT MORPHOLOGY, AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF SACCULINA SINENSIS (CIRRIPEDIA: RHIZOCEPHALA: KENTROGONIDA) IN HONG KONG COASTAL WATERS

Abstract Sacculina sinensis (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala) is a parasitic barnacle first reported in Hong Kong by Boschma (1933) to infect the intertidal crab, Leptodius exaratus. Since then, no studies have been conducted to investigate its distribution and morphology, which are important in providing background information for further taxonomic and ecological studies. In the present study, S. sinensis has shown to have a limited distribution in Hong Kong, being confined to only four out of the nine sheltered boulder shores sampled and with a mean infestation rate of 11.3 percent. The localized distribution of S. sinensis in Hong Kong is probably due to its short larval development times (four naupliar stages and one cypris stage, completed in about six days) and hence limited larval dispersal distance. The externa of S. sinensis is ovoid in shape with two distinct shoulders, and the outer cuticle surface is spinous. From histological studies, the male receptacles are located posteriorly in the visceral mass, and each male receptacle is globular in shape. The receptacle duct is folded and connected to the receptacle via a small tube with a thick cuticle lining. The larval morphology of S. sinensis was investigated using a scanning electron microscope. The appendages bear setulate setae in all naupliar stages. In the cyprid, segment III of the antennule consists of the attachment disc in both sexes, and the male has a large posterior aesthetasc which is absent in females. On segment IV, male cyprids have a large terminal aesthetasc, a subterminal aesthetasc, and three terminal setae. Segment IV of female cyprids has a subterminal aesthetasc which is smaller than that on the male cyprids. The larval sex ratio showed seasonal variation with 100 percent males in summer and 80 percent females in winter. Such seasonal variation in sex ratio would allow the female cyprids to infest the host crabs in winter, producing virgin externae by summer for the male cyprids to settle, and allow the externae to mature.
Lipopolysaccharide‐activated SHP‐1‐deficient motheaten microglia release increased nitric oxide, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β

Accumulating evidence suggests a deleterious role for activated microglia in facilitating neuronal death by producing neurocytotoxic substances during injury, infection, or neurodegenerative diseases. After cochlear ablation, abnormal microglial activation accompanied by increased neuronal loss within the auditory brainstem occurs in motheaten (me/me) mice deficient in the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP‐1. To determine whether abnormally activated microglia contribute to neuronal death in me/me mice, primary microglial cultures from me/me and wild‐type mouse cortices were stimulated by the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the secretion of the neurotoxic mediators nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β). Me/me microglia release significantly greater amounts of all three mediators compared with wild‐type microglia. However, the increased release of these compounds in microglia lacking SHP‐1 does not appear to occur through activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), p38 kinase subgroups of mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinases, or increases in NF‐κB‐inducing kinase (NIK). These results suggest that abnormal microglial activation and release of neurotoxic compounds may potentiate neuronal death in deafferented cells and can thus potentiate neurodegeneration in the me/me brainstem. Our data also indicate that SHP‐1 is engaged in signaling pathways in LPS‐activated microglia, but not through regulation of the ERK and p38 MAP kinases. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Investigation of two species complexes in Batrachospermum section Batrachospermum (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta)

S.A. Stewart and M.L. Vis. 2007. Investigation of two species complexes in Batrachospermum section Batrachospermum (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta). Phycologia 46:380–385. DOI: 10.2216/06-86.1 Within Batrachospermum section Batrachospermum, there are two putative species complexes with members that only differ by breeding system alone or this trait with a single vegetative character. New sequence data for the rbcL gene were generated from specimens of B. anatinum, B. arcuatum, B. boryanum, B. confusum and B. heterocorticum in order to assess the phylogenetic value of heterocortication on the main axis of the thallus and further explore the taxonomic utility of breeding system. The presence of heterocortication in B. involutum was confirmed, and this character served as a synapomorphy for a clade containing this taxon and B. anatinum, B. boryanum, B. confusum and B. heterocorticum. The rbcL sequences were identical for the two monoecious species: B. anatinum with spermatangia confined to the tips of vegetative branches and B. confusum with spermatangia on involucral filaments of the carpogonial branches as well as the vegetative ones. It is argued that knowledge of spermatangia placement is of ecological importance, and B. anatinum f. confusum is proposed rather than simply placing the two entities in synonymy. There was no clear support for or against the use of breeding system as a taxonomic character, with pairs of morphologically similar species differing primarily by breeding system grouped together. Batrachospermum gelatinosum and B. gelatinosum f. spermatoinvolucrum from North America were not part of the clade formed by the other taxa studied. In fact, they were nested distantly in a clade containing other genera in the Batrachospermaceae. Among the taxa with heterocortication, B. anatinum, B. boryanum, B. heterocorticum and B. involutum, each was at least 1.4% different in its rbcL sequence from its closest neighbor. The present research provides more evidence that section Batrachospermum will need to be split with the potential of resurrecting section Helminthoidea and that the generic classification needs revision.
High temperature effects on flavones accumulation and antioxidant system in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi cells

Scutellaria baicalensis is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that has long been grown in Hubei Province. However, increasing average annual temperatures in the region have made plants unsuitable for medicinal use. Two flavones, baicalin and baicalein, are the major active ingredients of S. baicalensis . We demonstrated that protracted heat treatment inhibited the accumulation of baicalin and baicalein as well as the activity of phenylalanine ammonla-lyase (PAL). PAL is involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway, which produces baicalin in the plant. Heat treatment also affected the activities of the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dimutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). However, superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide content of the cells were not significantly impacted by heat treatment. Cells continued growing during the protracted heat stress. Hence, the increasing temperatures in Hubei Province will very likely make S. baicalensis unsuitable for medical use by decreasing the flavonoid content. Key words: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, heat, antioxidant system, flavonoid.
A clarification of the type of Nilssoniopteris Nathorst (fossil Gymnospermophyta, Bennettitales)

1 Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, U.K. chris.cleal@nmgw.ac. uk (author of corespondence) 2 Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, U.S.A. 3 Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Utrecht University branch, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands. 4 Department of Palaeobotany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, Stockholm 104 05 Sweden.
A New Species of Lepraria (Lichenized Ascomycetes) from Europe

Abstract Lepraria toensbergiana Bayerová & Kukwa, a new lichen species from Europe is described. It is similar in morphology and ITS sequence to the widespread L. jackii Tønsberg, but different in chemistry. It contains atranorin and toensbergianic acid as major secondary metabolites. The distribution of the taxon is rather well defined, being found especially in mountain areas. A key to Lepraria species in Europe containing only fatty acids and atranorin is provided.
Light Activation of Contractile Roots of Easter Lily

Contractile roots provide for a type of movement in plants that occurs in many plant species but has been given little attention. In the case of Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb. cv. Nelly White), root contraction serves to pull a bulb down into the soil where environmental conditions are more constant. The contraction is evidenced by a formation of epidermal wrinkles, starting at the base of the root and advancing toward the root tip. The movement function occurs in shallowly planted materials, is lessened at deeper locations, and ceases at a vermiculite depth of '15 cm. Examination of the cell shapes and volumes in the contracting sector indicates that movement of the bulb in the soil is achieved by a hydraulic shift in cortical cells. Root contraction is stimulated by light. Perception of the light stimulus does not occur in the root but occurs in the bulblet or possibly in the subtending leaf. Responsiveness to light fades with aging of the root, and experiments with light of different wavelengths indicate that the contraction response is preferentially triggered by blue light. The autonomous movement of plant stems or bulbs down into the soil occurs through the contraction of roots. This type of movement was first noted by Theophrastus (� 300 BCE) and was described more recently by Tittmann (1819) in roots of Daucus carota L. Contractile roots (CR) were first seriously studied by De Vries (1880) and Rimbach (1898, 1926) and reviewed by Galil (1980). They have been reported to occur in >400 species of both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous supertending organs, such as bulbs, corms, hypocotyls, (e.g., De Vries, 1880; Galil, 1980; Rimbach, 1902, 1926). Contractile roots pull these organs down through the substratum until they reach a location that is presumed to be advantageous in terms of insulation from hostile surface environments. Contractile roots also may pull bulblets away from the bulb scale, providing the benefit of dispersal.
Amiloride-sensitive trypsinization of apical sodium channels. Analysis of hormonal regulation of sodium transport in toad bladder

Incubation of the mucosal surface of the toad urinary bladder with trypsin (1 mg/ml) irreversibly decreased the short-circuit current to 50% of the initial value. This decrease was accompanied by a proportionate decrease in apical Na permeability, estimated from the change in amiloride-sensitive resistance in depolarized preparations. In contrast, the paracellular resistance was unaffected by trypsinization. Amiloride, a specific blocker of the apical Na channels, prevented inactivation by trypsin. Inhibition of Na transport by substitution of mucosal Na, however, had no effect on the response to trypsin. Trypsinization of the apical membrane was also used to study regulation of Na transport by anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone. Prior exposure of the apical surface to trypsin did not reduce the response to ADH, which indicates that the ADH-induced Na channels were inaccessible to trypsin before addition of the hormone. On the other hand, stimulation of short-circuit current by aldosterone or pyruvate (added to substrate-depleted, aldosterone-repleted bladders) was substantially reduced by prior trypsinization of the apical surface. Thus, the increase in apical Na permeability elicited by aldosterone or substrate involves activation of Na channels that are continuously present in the apical membrane in nonconductive but trypsin-sensitive forms.
The Effects of Depth and Duration of Seed Burial on Viability, Dormancy, Germination, and Emergence of Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia)1

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of depth and duration of burial on seasonal germination, primary and secondary dormancy, viability, and seedling emergence of ivyleaf speedwell (Veronica hederifolia L.) seeds. The seeds were buried at 0, 5, 10, or 20 cm and retrieved from the field at monthly intervals. The exhumed seeds were germinated at 5 C. In the second experiment, seeds were stored in the laboratory after harvest and tested for germination at monthly intervals. In each experiment, nongerminated seeds were treated with triphenyltetrazolium chloride at monthly intervals to test their viability. The effects of stratification and burial depth on seedling emergence were observed for 1 yr. The seeds exhumed from the soil were dormant at the beginning of the experiment and exhibited dormancy/nondormancy/conditional dormancy cycling throughout the experiment. Depth of burial and time affected seed germination. Seeds retrieved from the soil surface germinated well initially, but germination decreased as depth of burial increased. In the dry storage experiment, seeds had a high level of primary dormancy, and viability decreased over time. Seedling emergence decreased when depth of burial increased. Seedlings emerged nonuniformly throughout the year and demonstrated typical winter annual characteristics. Nomenclature: Veronica hederifolia, Ivyleaf speedwell, #3 VERHE Additional index words: Primary/secondary dormancy, weed management, wheat, germination ecology. Abbreviations: TTC, triphenyltetrazolium chloride.
Seasonality of strandings and bycatch of harbour porpoises in the Sea of Azov: the effects of fisheries, weather conditions, and life history

In this study, we analyse seasonal aspects of harbour porpoise strandings in the Sea of Azov and discuss factors affecting the stranding rate. Data on 633 strandingswereobtained frommonitoringof a 35-km long areaof the south coast of the SeaofAzov in 1999–2013.Adistinct peakof strandings fell in July and August: it depended on the bycatch peak and calving season. Stranding rates depended neither on weather conditions nor on the seasonal fishing activities (including IUU fisheries). Moreover, stranding peaks in the neighbouring Black Sea were also tied to the calving season rather than to the fishing activities. We suggest that the seasonal mortality patterns are indirectly determined by nutritional stress: in Atlantic, winter-stranding oceanic populations and summer-stranding inner-sea populations occur that also possibly differ in the seasonal dynamics of body mass, weaning time or duration of mother–calf association, and dentine structure. In a typical summer-stranding population, summer is the season of nutritional stress, parturition, independent foraging of yearlings and lactation of nursing females, which leads to the risky foraging behaviour near gillnets. Another possible factor of increased bycatch is the seasonal habitat preference, corresponding to the gillnet preferences. Therefore, stranding and bycatch seasonality of porpoises can largely be explained by the aspects of their life history and foraging behaviour rather thanbyweather conditions andfisheries. This supports the time–areaclosure strategyas anadequate conservationmeasure,whichwould consider minimizing the conflict of interest with fisheries.
Sagebrush steppe recovery on 30–90-year-old abandoned oil and gas wells

Oil and natural gas extraction is rapidly expanding in semiarid intermountain big sagebrush ecosystems of the western USA. Formerly covering over 60 million ha, this ecosystem has lost almost half its area due to land use changes. In this study, we measured the natural recovery of the big sagebrush plant community across a chronosequence of 29 oil and gas well sites that were abandoned without reclamation between 1923 and 1980. We measured big sagebrush cover and density with strip transects inside and outside of the well sites, and we estimated big sagebrush biomass using both canopy measurements and allometric equations. Cover of other shrubs, grasses, and forbs was estimated with line transects inside and outside of well sites. We estimated that it takes at least 87 years for Wyoming big sagebrush cover to recover naturally, although big sagebrush density recovered in fewer than 70 years. Grasses and non-sagebrush shrubs recovered rapidly, shown by the high cover of those groups in the youngest sites.
Genetic diversity in selected stud and commercial herds of the Afrikaner cattle breed

The Afrikaner is one of three indigenous cattle breeds found in South Africa. Afrikaner cattle were originally extensively used for crossbreeding purposes and breed development. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of selected stud and commercial herds from the whole South African Afrikaner population, as well as to determine the genetic structure among these herds. Assignment methods (based on STRUCTURE software) revealed a real structure consisting of four genetic populations (K = 4). Estimates of genetic diversity did not support the hypothesis of significant loss of genetic diversity in any individual Afrikaner herd. Heterozygosity estimates ranged from 0.456 - 0.737 within individual populations, with an overall heterozygosity estimate of 0.568 for the Afrikaner breed. The average number of alleles per locus was regarded as being 2.67 - 7.78, with an average of 5.18 alleles per locus. It could be concluded that a moderate to high degree of variation is still present within the Afrikaner cattle breed, despite the recent decline in numbers of this indigenous breed.
Green energy from agriculture and Romanian firms' competitive advantage.

The concept of green energy from agriculture has been widely discussed in recent times, but the questions of how a company can implement a green energy project using renewable resources from agriculture and diversify into other business operations and of whether choosing such an approach will translate into an competitive advantage for the company have yet to be in-depth examined. This study approaches the topic of green energy produced using renewable resources from agriculture, and in particular the biomass while considering two important issues related to the implementation of these types of projects, namely, pollution prevention and product stewardship. Against this background, we consider the outcomes of a case study (respectively a survey conducted between January 2013 and March 2013 with interviewees from 430 Romanian companies) and provide the resulting conclusion and recommendation for future studies. The tendencies in Romania, as well as, all over the world are of intensifying the efforts for promoting the energy based on regenerating resources from agriculture. The structure of this paper is as follows: first, we discuss the environmental aspects of the Natural Resource-Based View theory and the literature related to green energy from agriculture, the Romanian companies competitive advantages that may be generated by the implementation of green energy projects and formulate our propositions. Secondly, we evaluate the implications for research and practice. Finally, we close the paper by providing the conclusions and recommendations for future studies.
Mechanisms underlying fat-induced hepatic insulin resistance

Free fatty acids (FFAs), which are often elevated in obesity, cause insulin resistance. While the effects of FFAs on muscle glucose metabolism are well known, the mechanisms by which FFAs cause hepatic insulin resistance are incompletely understood. Recent evidence points to an accumulation of fat metabolites that activates various serine/threonine kinases, such as protein kinase C, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1 and IκBα kinase, as a key event in the pathway of fat-induced hepatic insulin resistance. In this review, we present recent progress regarding the potential causal mediators of fat-induced hepatic insulin resistance and discuss the possible pathways by which they interact to induce impairment of hepatic insulin signaling.
Effects of soil fertility on leaching losses of N, P and C in hill country

I welcome the study and publication of this article by Parfitt et al. (2009, pp. 69-80). We know relatively little about nutrient losses under contrasting management practices within New Zealand hill country. However, I have a number of concerns about aspects of the P loss study that was reported. My primary concern is with the methodology used to determine annual P losses. From my understanding, the reported annual P losses were based upon a rudimentary sampling of surface runoff and calculated volumes of surface runoff via a water balance. I believe this experimental approach is inappropriate for the stated experimental objectives, which included to ". provide data for calibrating OVERSEER® nutrient budgets model (Overseer) at both very low and very high soil fertility under sheep grazing. " My specific concerns are: