Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial patterns of benthic diversity: is there a latitudinal gradient along the Norwegian continental shelf?

Summary 1 We examined data on soft-sediment macrobenthos (organisms retained on a 1-mm sieve) from a transect of c. 1960 km along the Norwegian continental shelf (56–71°N), covering a range of water depths (65–434 m) and varying sediment properties. 2 A total of 809 species was recorded from 101 sites. Of these, 36% were restricted to one or two sites, and 29% were represented by one or two individuals. No species spanned the entire transect. Polychaetes were the dominant taxonomic group, followed by crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms. 3 Alpha diversity (sample species richness) was highly variable (35–148 species) but showed no evidence of a relationship to latitude or other environmental variables. 4 Beta diversity was measured as Whittaker’s βW, the number of shared species, complementarity (biotic distinctness) and Bray–Curtis similarity, and there was no evidence of a latitudinal trend on the shelf. Beta diversity increased with the level of environmental variability, and was highest in the southern-central area, followed by the most northern area. Change in environmental variables had a stronger effect on beta diversity than spatial distance between sites. 5 Gamma diversity was computed by pooling samples over large areas. There was no convincing evidence of a latitudinal cline in gamma diversity, but gamma diversity increased with the level of environmental heterogeneity. Mean alpha diversity and gamma diversity were not significantly correlated. Whereas mean complementarity and mean Bray–Curtis similarity were related to gamma diversity, βW was not.
Revision of the Genus BosminaBAIRD, 1845 (Crustacea, Cladocera)

The genus Bosmina can be differentiated into four subgenera: 1. Bosmina s. str. BAIRD, 1845, 2. EubosminaSELIGO, 1900, 3. NeobosminaLIEDER, 1957, and 4. SinobosminaLIEDER, 1957. Subgeneric discrimination is based upon several features of the females (postabdominal claw, serration of the mucro, patterns of the lateral head pores) and, mainly, upon certain differences in the morphology of the male (postabdomen and, according to LILLJEBORG 1900, BURCKHARDT 1924 and KOŘINEK 1971, the first leg). The distribution of the Bosmina subgenera throughout the world varies: Bosmina s. str. is distributed worldwide (except for Australia? ), Eubosmina is holarctic, Neobosmina has been found in Africa, the neotropical zone, Australia and Oceania, and Sinobosmina occurs in East and South-East Asia.
The Effect of Temperature on Growth, Development and Nitrogen in Shoots and Roots in Timothy (Phleum pratense L.), Tested in Growth Chambers

Abstract The effect of temperature on growth, development and crude protein content of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) was investigated. Plants were grown in pots outdoors and placed in four growth chambers at different mean temperatures (8, 12, 16 and 20°C) and at three different phenological stages in order to study the interaction between temperature, development and growth. They were then harvested at weekly intervals for up to six weeks. Pots left outdoors were harvested at the same time. The dry matter yield of shoots and roots, number of tillers per plant, plant height and crude protein content in shoots and roots were recorded.
Effect of pH on the adherence, surface hydrophobicity and the biofilm formation of Gardnerella vaginalis

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is a common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge in women of reproductive age. Although bacterial vaginosis is prevalent, not much progress has occurred in identifying the factors responsible and associated with bacterial vaginosis and its pathophysiology. Here we would like to evaluate the effect of the change in the pH of the vagina on the virulence factors of Gardnerella vaginalis the main organism indicated in this vaginal condition. Objective: The objective of the present study was to observe the effect of pH on the adherence, surface hydrophobicity and biofilm formation by 10 strains of Gardnerella vaginalis isolated from cases of bacterial vaginosis. Result: We found that adherence to vaginal epithelial cells and surface hydrophobicity was maximum at lower pH (pH 3,4,5) and minimum at higher pH (pH 6,7) but pH did not have significant effect on biofilm formation. Conclusion: Increase in pH of the vagina observed during bacterial vaginosis probably occurs much later during the disease. During the early part of the disease, the bacteria adhere to the vaginal epithelium, multiply in large numbers and form a thick biofilm which is not affected by the rise in pH which occurs probably due to the metabolic activities of this large bacterial population. This also explains the fact that all women with bacterial vaginosis do not have an elevated vaginal pH.
Activities of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes by bacterial soft rot of orchid

Soft rot by bacterial pathogens is one of the most widespread and destructive diseases on various plants including orchids throughout the world. The pathogenicity of the pathogens is reported to be mainly determined by massive production of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCDE). In the previous work, we have isolated 20 isolates of bacterial soft rot from orchids collected in Yogyakarta Special Region and West Java province, Indonesia. In this study, we further confirmed them as pathogens by hypersensitive reaction assay on tobacco leaves followed by pathogenicity test on Phalaenopsis sp. The production of four major PCDE by qualitative plate assays including pectate lyase, polygalacturonase, cellulase and protease was also evaluated. Even though all the isolates were able to initiate soft rot symptom, our results showed two distinct groups which clustered as producing and non-producing PCDE. The 16S rDNA analysis revealed that the isolates belonged to the genera Pectobacterium, Klebsiella, Serratia, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Providencia and Pseudomonas.
No Evidence of Extra-Pair Fertilization in Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula)

Abstract. Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula) belong to the Sulidae family and the order Pelicaniformes and are expected to present low rates of extra-pair paternity (EPP) due to several life history traits of seabirds. We found no evidence of EPP among 14 families of Red-footed Boobies nesting on Genovesa Island in the Galápagos archipelago using multilocus minisatellite DNA markers. The band-sharing values between parents and offspring ranged from 0.44 to 0.86 and those among unrelated individuals ranged from 0.07 to 0.4; all bands in offspring lanes were accounted for by those in the lanes of the putative parents.
Contribution of Nonvolatile Composition to Wine Flavor

This review is aimed at giving an overview of the current state of knowledge of nonvolatile molecules with sensory activity in wine. For this purpose, nonvolatile molecules with known sensory properties are reported and their ability to impact or alter the taste and tactile sensations has been discussed. Then, the importance of sensory interactions in wine is highlighted. Finally, the techniques developed with the aim of detecting nonvolatile sensory-active molecules involved in wine taste or tactile sensations are reviewed. More research should be carried out for determining the real sensory impact of nonvolatiles in global flavor properties; as such, more strategies in both analytical and sensory analyses should be developed. The subsequent steps in relating instrumental data to sensory perception would involve sensory analysis, threshold analysis, and the use of model systems or the addition of a suspected nonvolatile compound with sensory activity directly to the wine.
Habitat selection by the red fox Vulpes vulpes (L. 1758) in an Alpine area

Habitat selection and the influence of habitat variables on red fox ranges were assessed in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Western Alps, Italy, all year round. Nine hundred twenty-two scats were mapped as “signs of presence” by monthly surveys of fixed transects in the main habitat types and altitude belts. Forested habitats and lower altitudes (1000–1500 m a.s.l.) were selected, whereas upper altitudes were avoided, during the cold season. This pattern was attributed to the availability of ungulate carrion, widely used as food by foxes, at low altitude, while upper altitudes provided poor resources in the cold season. During the warm season, no clear pattern of habitat selection could be detected. The selection for forested habitats could therefore be explained by the availability of resources other than food, e.g. resting and denning sites. The strong seasonality of an Alpine altitudinal succession, where resource availability varies over short distances, may lead to home ranges containing a variety of habitat types along the altitudinal gradient, providing resources throughout the year. Foxes possibly hold “vertical” home ranges, where certain habitat types became strategic, especially under limiting climatic conditions.
Cytological Effect of the Herbicide Garlon-4 on Root Mitosis of Allium cepa

The effect of the herbicide (Garlon-4) has been studied on root mitosis of Allium cepa (v. Giza-6). It contains triclopyr as an active ingredient and its chemical formula is 3, 5, 6 trichloro-2-pyridinyloxy-acetic acid. Root tips of Allium cepa were treated with a series of concentrations, ranging from 28ppm to 38400ppm for 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours. Examination of the roots was done in permanent root tip squash preparations stained by the Feulgen technique. Garlon affects the relative duration of each mitotic stage as compared with the control. It also caused reduction in mitotic index, indicating mitotic inhibition, and increase in the frequency of abnormal mitoses, the precentages of which are highly significant, except the lowest concentration (28ppm) which had no significant effect after 6 hours and induced a statistically significant percentage of abnormal mitoses from the control after 12 hours of the treatment.The types of abnormalities induced included: chromosome stickiness, c-metaphase, canaphase, tetraploid and restitution nucleus, star metaphase, laggards, bridges, tripolar, and disturbed meta- and anaphases. Micro- and binucleate cells as well as multinucleated cells at the interphase stage were also observed.The effect of Garlon-4 on root mitosis simulates that of colchicine in the type of abnormal meta- and anaphases (c-metaphase and c-anaphase) and the induction of polyploid cells as well as accumulation of metaphases.
Effect of calcium on porcine ICSI embryos expressing EGFP is related to activation of ooplasmic DNase I

Several reliable methods to produce transgenic animals use the male genome. After penetration into oocytes, sperm DNA undergoes dramatic conformational changes that might represent an opportunity for exogenous DNA to integrate into the zygote genome. A nuclease, DNase I, with Ca 2+ /Mg 2+ dependent activity and Zn 2+ inhibition, is one of the enzymes responsible for sperm DNA remodeling. To date, the effect of different calcium concentrations in manipulation media on porcine intracy- toplasmic sperm injection has not been fully investigated. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of calcium in the surrounding media, and we found that the number of embryos expressing green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was increased in media containing Ca 2+ . How- ever, the number did not change over Ca 2+ concentrations from 2 to 8 mmol$L -1 (P>0.05). Moreover, free Ca 2+ concentrations in the media were found to affect the efficiency which is porcine intracytoplasmic sperm injec- tion (ICSI) embryos expressing EGFP protein, which was related to the activation of ooplasmic DNase I. These findings reveal a mechanism and pathway involving EGFP expression in ICSI embryos.
A Metric for Analyzing Taxonomic Patterns of Extinction Risk

Abstract: Spatial autocorrelation statistics can provide an efficient tool for exploring taxonomic patterns in extinction risk. Using Moran's I , we found that U.S. vertebrates exhibit little or no taxonomic clustering of extinction threat within orders, but much greater clustering within families and genera. Among amphibians, clustering was unusually high within families. Across classes, most groups had a similar degree of clustering at all taxonomic levels, despite their different evolutionary histories. Birds were the exception, with higher clustering at the genus and family level. Our results suggest that intrinsic traits play a large role in species endangerment. The taxonomic pattern produced can guide policymakers in their allocation of scarce conservation dollars and in their efforts to develop pre‐emptive conservation programs.
Growth and survival strategy of the Antarctic mite Alaskozetes antarcticus

Growth and mortality rates of three juvenile instars and adults of the oribatid mite Alaskozetes antarcticus were measured over a twelve month period using field enclosures m Its maritime Antarctic habitat A pattern was found of rapid growth during the short summer period (0 2-0 4 μg dry weight increment per day) followed by gradual weight loss overwinter Most individuals completed one instar per year, reaching a premoult resting phase by late summer, with the moult being delayed and relatively synchronised early the next summer A small proportion of proto- and deutonymphs completed two moults within one summer period After the final moult adults overwintered again before commencing oviposition, suggesting that the life cycle (egg-egg) will take at least five years Mortality was not biased towards any instar or time of year Highest individual growth rates were obtained at a constant temperature of 7°C in the laboratory However expenmentai increase of mean field temperature from 2 7 to 4 3°C by use of a plastic cloche led to decreased growth, although no change in moulting frequency or mortality rate Laboratory survival was greatest at 2°C and decreased with increasing temperature Alaskozetes antarcticus may be descnbed as ‘a’ (adversity) selected, showing an exceptionally long life cycle of five to six years and extensive physiological investment in survival adaptations Moult synchronisation in early summer, involving entering winter in the inactive premoult phase, will increase overwinter survival by reducing the chance of inoculative freezing from gut contents, and may be advantageous in maximising the time available for feeding during the subsequent summer, or ensuring proximity of the sexes after the final moult
The Extracellular Domain of the β1 Subunit Is Both Necessary and Sufficient for β1-like Modulation of Sodium Channel Gating*

The type IIA voltage-gated sodium Na+ channel from rat brain is composed of a large, pore-forming α subunit and the auxiliary subunits β1 and β2. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the β1 subunit modulates the gating properties of the type IIA α subunit, resulting in acceleration of both inactivation and recovery from inactivation and in a negative shift in the voltage dependence of fast inactivation. The β1 subunit is composed of an extracellular domain with a single immunoglobulin-like fold, a single transmembrane segment, and a small intracellular domain. A series of chimeras with exchanges of domains between the Na+ channel β1 and β2 subunits and between β1 and the structurally related protein myelin P0 were constructed and analyzed by two-microelectrode voltage clamp in Xenopusoocytes. Only chimeras containing the β1 extracellular domain were capable of β1-like modulation of Na+ channel gating. Neither the transmembrane segment nor the intracellular domain was required for modulation, although mutation of Glu158 within the transmembrane domain altered the voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation. A truncated β1 subunit was engineered in which the β1 extracellular domain was fused to a recognition sequence for attachment of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor. The β1ec-glycosylphosphatidylinositol protein fully reproduced modulation of Na+ channel inactivation and recovery from inactivation by wild-type β1. Our findings demonstrate that extracellular domain of the β1 subunit is both necessary and sufficient for the modulation of Na+ channel gating.
Rational development of a simple synthetic medium for the sustained growth of Lactococcus lactis

The growth of two strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis from vegetable (NCDO 2118) and dairy origin (IL 1403) were compared on various culture media. Both strains grew more rapidly on a complex organic medium than on a defined synthetic medium. The best growth was obtained under nitrogen gas phase. The single omission technique was applied to each component of a non-optimized synthetic medium in order to determine the true nutritional requirements. Requirements for macro-elements, oligo-elements, bases and vitamins were identical for the two strains. As expected, the dairy strain (IL 1403) was seen to be auxotrophic for some amino acids, whereas the vegetable strain (NCDO 2118) was seen to be prototrophic for all amino acids when using the single omission technique. Growth was then characterized on progressively simplified media and the composition of the absolute minimal media for the growth of both strains was defined. Sustained growth of the vegetable strain was only possible in minimal media supplemented with six amino acids (Glu, Met, Ile, Leu, Val, Ser), indicating that the definition of prototrophy/auxotrophy is partly dependent upon the medium composition. The dairy strain showed a requirement for Arg, His and Thr in addition to the six amino acids necessary for growth of the vegetable strain. The removal of ammonium salt from the medium did not affect the growth, illustrating that the amino acids may satisfy the totality of the nitrogen requirement for biomass synthesis.
MYCORRHIZAL INFLUENCE ON FRUIT YIELD AND MINERAL CONTENT OF TOMATO GROWN UNDER SALT STRESS

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) yields are known to decrease for plants grown in saline soils. This study was conducted to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on fruit yield and mineral content of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive tomato cultivars grown with varied levels of salt. NaCl and CaCl2were added to soil in the irrigation water in equal molar ratios to give ECe values of 1.4 (nonstressed) and 4.9 dS m−1 (salt stressed). Plants were grown in a greenhouse using unsterilized, low phosphorus (P) (silty clay) soil-sand mix. Mycorrhizal root colonization occurred whether cultivars were salt stressed or nonstressed, but the extent of AMF root colonization was higher in AMF inoculated than uninoculated plants. The salt tolerant cultivar ‘Pello’ generally had higher AMF root colonization than the salt sensitive cultivar ‘Marriha’. Shoot dry matter (DM) yield, fruit fresh yield, and AMF colonization were higher for plants grown under nonstressed than for plants grown under salt stressed conditions. Shoot DM and fruit fresh yields were higher in AMF inoculated than uninoculated plants grown with or without salt stress. Pello generally had higher fruit fresh yield per plant and fruit weight than Marriha, but these differences were only significant for fruit weight in unioculated plants grown under salt stressed conditions. The enhancement in fruit fresh yield due to AMF inoculation was 26 and 23% under nonstressed and 28 and 46% under salt stressed treatments for Pello and Marriha, respectively. For both cultivars, fruit contents of P, potassium (K), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) were higher in AMF inoculated compared with uninoculated plants grown under nonstressed and salt stressed conditions. Fruit Na concentrations were lower in AMF inoculated than uninoculated plants grown under salt stressed conditions. The enhancement in P, K, Zn, Cu, and Fe acquisition due to AMF inoculation was more pronounced in Marriha than in Pello cultivar under salt stressed conditions. The results of this study indicated that AMF inoculated plants had greater tolerance to salt stress than unioculated plants.
Population Dynamics of Hylodes uai Tadpoles (Anura, Hylodidae) in a Tropical Forest Stream, Southeastern Brazil

Abstract Currently there is limited information on the population dynamics of tadpoles, particularly in the Neotropical region. Because of this dearth of information, studies on the temporal distribution of different tadpole developmental stages are important for understanding the dynamics of these organisms in their aquatic environment. We studied the temporal distribution of the Torrent Frog Hylodes uai tadpoles, and their relationship with rainfall, in an Atlantic Rainforest–Cerrado ecotone in Southeastern Brazil. There is no previous information on population dynamics for this tadpole species. We sampled 42 m along a forest stream between April 2003 and March 2005. Tadpoles occurred during all months. Tadpoles in initial developmental stages (up to Gosner stage 25) represented 66.7% of sampled individuals and occurred throughout year, suggesting continuous and prolonged reproductive activity. Body length in tadpoles varied between seasons and among developmental stages. Overall tadpole density varied from 0.024 to 0.67 tadpoles/m of stream and was higher in the dry season, which may be an adaptation to target their metamorphosis to the rainy season. The main microhabitat used by tadpoles was under stones, and there was a tendency for tadpoles with smaller body size to occupy shallower stream portions. Our study contributes to the understanding of tadpole dynamics in tropical forest streams and adds information on the ecology of a stream-dwelling amphibian.
Evaluation of a Lake Whitefish Bioenergetics Model

Abstract We evaluated the Wisconsin bioenergetics model for lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in the laboratory and in the field. For the laboratory evaluation, lake whitefish were fed rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax in four laboratory tanks during a 133-d experiment. Based on a comparison of bioenergetics model predictions of lake whitefish food consumption and growth with observed consumption and growth, we concluded that the bioenergetics model furnished significantly biased estimates of both food consumption and growth. On average, the model overestimated consumption by 61% and underestimated growth by 16%. The source of the bias was probably an overestimation of the respiration rate. We therefore adjusted the respiration component of the bioenergetics model to obtain a good fit of the model to the observed consumption and growth in our laboratory tanks. Based on the adjusted model, predictions of food consumption over the 133-d period fell within 5% of observed consumption in three of the four tanks.
PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF TWO CUCUMBER CULTIVARS TO NITRATE STRESS

Effect of nitrate (NO3 −) on lipid peroxidation, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), soluble sugar, and proline accumulation were investigated in cucumber [Cucumis sativus L. cv. ‘Xintaimici’ (salt-tolerant) and ‘Shennongchunwu’ (salt-sensitive)] seedlings treated with 14 (control) and 140 mM NO3 − for seven days. The results showed that excess NO3 − increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage in cucumber roots of both cultivars, and the degree of increase was higher in ‘Shennongchunwu’. The activities of SOD, CAT, POD, and APX increased in the roots of ‘Xintaimici’, but decreased in roots of ‘Shennongchunwu’, with respect to the control plants. Compared to the control, the soluble sugar and proline content increased in the cucumber roots of both cultivars, especially in ‘Xintaimici’. These results suggested that ‘Xintaimici’ tolerance to NO3 − stress may partly be due to higher activities of antioxidant enzymes and accumulation of osmotic regulation substances.