Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adenylylsulphate Reductase in a Dissimilatory Sulphate-reducing Archaebacterium

Summary: The recently described extremely thermophilic sulphate-reducing archaebacterium “VC-16” has been shown to contain adenylylsulphate reductase (EC 1.8.99.2). The enzyme was purified 26-fold by ammonium sulphate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography and preparative isoelectric focusing. The enzyme preparation gave a single band on analysis by SDS-PAGE. The M r was 160000 and the enzyme contained 1 mol FAD, 8 mols non-haem iron and 6 mols labile sulphide per mol enzyme. Ferricyanide was used as electron acceptor. The optimal reaction temperature was 857°C under the assay conditions used and the pH optimum of the enzyme reaction was 8.0. The K m values for AMP and ferricyanide were 1 mM and 0.4 mM, respectively. The pI of the archaebacterial adenylylsulphate reductase was 4.8.
Biotechnology: student's knowledge and attitudes in the LJK and Taiwan

This study investigates the knowledge and attitudes of post-16 UK and Taiwanese students (aged 17–18) with regard to biotechnology. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to explore students’ knowledge and attitudes. The results indicated limited understanding of biotechnology: in both countries 50 per cent of pupils were able to give examples of biotechnology, and about 60 per cent were able to give examples of genetic engineering. In general students were in favour of genetic engineering applied to plants, but not to animals; they did not approve of animal gene transfers into plants. Attitudes towards manipulation of organisms depended upon the purpose; manipulation of organisms for disease resistance was judged more positively than for enhanced growth. The implications of these results, for the development of biotechnology teaching in secondary school science education, are discussed. A key finding is the positive influence of the UK science curriculum content on students’ attitudes to bi.
CALCIUM SOAPS OF FATTY ACIDS WITH VARYING UNSATURATION AS FAT SUPPLEMENTS FOR LACTATING COWS

Calcium salts of fatty acids with varying unsaturation were fed to lactating cows. Low rumen pH depressed milk fat percent; low linoleic acid in milk fat with dietary soya soap suggested rumen dissociation and biohydrogenation of the soap fatty acids. Calcium soaps may require maintenance of rumen pH above 6. Key words: Calcium soaps, unsaturated fatty acids, milk fat, biohydrogenation
Conservation at the individual level: successful rehabilitation and post-release monitoring of an Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) injured in a car accident

This case report describes the rescue of an eight-month-old male Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus), the victim of a car accident that caused it a pulmonary contusion, a fracture of the shaft of right femur, and a metaphyseal fracture of the left stifle. A lateral surgical approach was performed to treat the animal’s multiple contusions and fractures. Afterwards the wolf was transferred to a wild animal recovery center for its rehabilitation, where it fully recovered. After 35 days in captivity the wolf was thus released into the supposed home-range of its original pack, and its movements were monitored by a GPS satellite collar. The collar worked correctly for 479 days. During that period the collar acquired a total of 1202 locations, indicating that the wolf had traveled at least 1590 km, with an average monthly distance (± SD) of 102 ± 40 km, exploring an overall area of about 270 km2. During the first 10 days after its release, the wolf remained in the area of its supposed native pack, whereas at about the age of 10 months the wolf began to make wide extraterritorial movements. The wolf’s last localization was acquired on 13th May 2018, about 17 months after its release, at a linear distance of about 65 km from the release site. These preliminary data showed that the wolf was alive and travelled long distances after its release, and demonstrates how a multidisciplinary management approach can support the recovery and successful release into nature of a rescued wild animal belonging to a flagship species with a notable ecological role, such as the Italian wolf.
Male reproductive strategy in Trichogramma evanescens: sperm production and allocation to females

Abstract. The production and allocation of sperm among successive mates during a male's life largely determine its fitness. The sperm production pattern and sperm allocation to females is studied in Trichogramma evanescens, a short‐lived egg parasitoid of several lepidopteran species. At emergence, virgin males have an average of 1607 ± 249 sperm stored in the seminal vesicles and no further production occurs during adult life. These males are able to mate with at least 20 females in rapid succession. During the first 10 matings, the males transfer approximately 100 sperm each time and then transfer fewer and fewer sperm per mating. The number of sperm stored in spermathecae of successively mated females remains relatively constant for the first 10 females, and decreases slowly for the subsequent females. The relationship between male reproductive strategy and some life‐history traits are discussed.
Offspring Sex Ratio of a Cereal Aphid Parasitoid, Lysiphlebus delhiensis (Subba Rao & Sharma) in Response to Maternal Crowding

The effect of maternal crowding on the offspring sex ratio of a cereal aphid parasitoid Lysiphlebus delhiensis (Subba Rao & Sharma) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was examined. Increasing the number of mothers per host-patch always increased the proportion of males in the population (p). The extent of variations in p at different levels of maternal crowding was compared with the prediction of the Hamiltonian LMC model, i.e. p = (n-1)/2n, where n = number of mothers/host-patch. The perception of trace odours of conspecific females induced haploid oviposition. Differential mortality of the larvae by sex in superparasitised hosts, shifting the p towards sons has been discussed. The inversely parasitoid-density-dependent p indicates that for obtaining maximum number of female progeny, the ratio of female parasitoid to the host in mass breeding should not be less than 1:100 at a time. RésuméL’effet de la surpopulation maternelle sur le rapport des sexes dans la progéniture d’un parasitoüde du puceron des céréales Lysiphlebus delhiensis (Subba Rao & Sharma) a été examiné. L’augmentation du nombre de mères par hôte s’accompagnait toujours d’une augmentation de la proportion des mâles dans la population (p). Le degré des variations de p à différents niveaux de surpopulation maternelle a été comparé à la prédiction du modèle Hamiltonian LMC, à savoir p = (n-1)/2n, où n = le nombre de mères/hôte. La perception des traces d’odours de femelles conspécifiques induisait la production d’oeufs haploüdes. La mortalité larvaire differentielle par sexe chez les hôtes superparasites, faisant basculer les valeurs de p en faveur des mâles a été discutée. Les valeurs de p en rapport inverse de la densité du parasitoüde montre que pour obtenir un nombre maximal de femelles dans la progéniture, le rapport du parasitoüde femelle par hôte en élevage en masse ne devrait jamais être inférieur à 1:100.
Patterns of invasion of an urban remnant of a species-rich grassland in southeastern Australia by non-native plant species

The invasion by non-native plant species of an urban remnant of a species-rich Themeda triandra grassland in southeastern Australia was quantified and related to abiotic influences. Richness and cover of non-native species were highest at the edges of the remnant and declined to relatively uniform levels within the remnant. Native species richness and cover were lowest at the edge adjoining a roadside but then showed little relation to distance from edge. Roadside edge quadrats were floristically distinct from most other quadrats when ordinated by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Soil phosphorus was significantly higher at the roadside edge but did not vary within the remnant itself. All other abiotic factors measured (NH4, NO3, S, pH and % organic carbon) showed little variation across the remnant. Non-native species richness and cover were strongly correlated with soil phosphorus levels. Native species were negatively correlated with soil phosphorus levels. Canonical Correspondence Analysis identified the perennial non-native grasses of high biomass as species most dependent on high soil nutrient levels. Such species may be resource-limited in undisturbed soils. Three classes of non-native plants have invaded this species-rich grassland: (1) generalist species (> 50 % frequency), mostly therophytes with non-specialized habitat or germination requirements; (2) resource-limited species comprising perennial species of high biomass that are dependent on nutrient increases and/or soil disturbances before they can invade the community and; (3) species of intermediate frequency (1–30 %), of low to high biomass potential, that appear to have non-specialized habitat requirements but are currently limited by seed dispersal, seedling establishment or the current site management. Native species richness and cover are most negatively affected by increases in non-native cover. Declines are largely evident once the non-native cover exceeds 40 %. Widespread, generalist non-native species are numerous in intact sites and will have to be considered a permanent part of the flora of remnant grasslands. Management must aim to minimize increases in cover of any non-native species or the disturbances that favour the establishment of competitive non-native grasses if the native grassland flora is to be conserved in small, fragmented remnants.
Antibacterial Activity of Jordanian Medicinal Plants

The antibacterial activity of ethanol extracts of 15 plant species used in the traditional medicine in Jordan and other Middle East countries were tested. Extracts of certain parts of these plants were tested in vitro against 14 pathogenic bacterial species and strains using the agar diffusion method. Results evaluated as the diameter of inhibition zone of bacterial growth showed that 25 mg/well of 12 plant extracts have antibacterial activity on one or more of the tested bacteria. Three plants exhibited broad spectrum antibacterial activity: Punica granatum L. , Quercus infectoria Olive. , and Rhus coriaria L. The most susceptible bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 12351), and the most resistant species were Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922 and clinical isolates), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella dysentriae (ATCC 49345), and Yersinia enterocolitica (ATCC 9610). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of active extracts ranged from 4‐32 mg/ml while the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were exerted at higher doses 8‐62 mg/ml.
Investigations on copper deficiency in plants

A water-culture technique has been described which makes it possible to determine with precision the effects on plant growth resulting from the absence of traces of the various heavy metals. The essential nature of copper for plant growth has been confirmed, and the quantitative data presented show that the addition of traces of copper to a nutrient solution leads to increases of growth of the order of 200–1200%. The characteristic symptoms produced by growing oats, peas, wheat, Wimmera rye-grass, Phalaris, flax, tomato, subterranean clover, and lucerne in nutrient solutions devoid of copper are described. Copper becomes necessary for normal healthy growth at an early seedling stage and is required so long as active growth is proceeding. Optimum growth of oats was obtained throughout a wide range of copper concentration in the nutrient solution. Oats grown in a copper-free nutrient solution until the development of acute deficiency symptoms recovered and completed their normal life cycle on the addition of sufficient copper to the solution. The copper content of oats at various stages of growth has been determined. The proportion of copper in the dry matter of the plant was greatest in the young stages and rapidly decreased as growth proceeded. The copper content of mature oat plants showing symptoms of copper deficiency was less than 1·0 mg. per kg. whether grown in nutrient solution or obtained from copper-deficient soils. Oats which ceased growth from copper deficiency at an earlier stage of development contained a relatively greater amount of copper in their dry matter.
Insect‐eating by sympatric Lowland gorillas (Gorilla g. gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan t. troglodytes) in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon

Sympatric populations of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Lopé Reserve in central Gabon consumed insects at similar average frequencies over a 7‐year period (30% versus 31% feces contained insect remains). Data came mostly from fecal analysis supplemented by observation and trail evidence. The weaver ant (Oecophylla longinoda) was the species eaten most frequently by both gorillas and chimpanzees. Other species of insects wore eaten but there was virtually no overlap: Chimpanzees used tools to eat Apis bees (and their honey) and two large species of ants; gorillas ate three species of small ants. Thus, despite their shared habitat, the esources utilized were not identical as gorillas do not show the tool‐use “technology” of chimpanzees. The frequency of insect‐eating by both species of ape varied seasonally and between years but in different ways. This variation did not seem to be related to the ratio of fruit to foliage in their diets. Gorillas of all age‐classes ate insects at similar rates. Comparisons with insectivory by other populations of gorillas indicate differences exist. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla g. beringei) in the Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda, consume thousands of invertebrates daily, eating them inadvertently with handfuls of herbaceous foods but they deliberately ingest insect‐foods only rarely. Lowland gorillas at Lopé habitually ate social insects, and their selective processing of herbaceous foods probably minimizes inadvertent consumption of other invertebrates. Gorillas at Belinga in northeastern Gabon, 250 km from Lop6, ate social insects at similar rates but ignored weaver ants in favor of Cubitermes sulcifrons, a small species of termite that occurs at Lopé but was not eaten by gorillas. This indicates that local traditions similar to those reported for chimpanzees also exist amongst populations of gorillas. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biodegradable Mulches from Renewable Resources

ABSTRACT Kraft paper was impregnated with vegetable oil-based resins and then tested for wet strength, rate of biodegradation in soil and the ability to inhibit weed growth. Resins included oxidatively polymerized soybean and linseed oils and a polyester formed by the reaction of epoxidized soybean oil and citric acid. Wet strengths were significantly higher for resin coated papers (4–10 MPa) than uncoated paper (0.5 MPa). Rates of weight loss during soil burial for resin coated papers (40–90% oil added) were about 1/2 to 1/5 of those for uncoated papers or paper coated with unpolymerized oils. When tested as mulches on the top of soil, resin coated papers maintained their integrity for 8–12 weeks while uncoated paper largely disintegrated by 8 weeks. Coating with unpolymerized oils also inhibited disintegration and weed growth although not as much as coating with polymerized oils.
The effect of polysaccharide peptide and taxol on human solid tumor tissue in vitro

Taxol has anti-tumor properties, polysaccharide peptide (PSP), an active substance of Yunzhi, is an effective immunopotentiator, which is used to supplement the chemotherapy and radiotherapy of cancers patients. The antitumor activity of polysaccharopeptides has been documented. In this study, the in vitro effect of PSP upon the metabolic rate of breast solid tumors was observed and this effect was compared with taxol, which is a well-known chemotherapeutic drug. 117 patients’ tissues were treated with 4, 2 and 1 mg/ml of PSP and 4.27 µg/ml of taxol for 24 h. ATP bioluminescence assay was used to measure the in vitro metabolic rate of the breast cancer tissues and SPSS was used for statistical analysis. The estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2, tumor grading and the age of patients were all analysed in the study. Taxol was significantly effective on tumors in younger aged, low tumor grade; ER and PR negative group’s subjects. PSP demonstrated similar results and also suppresses the activity of breast solid tumor. ATP bioluminescence assay was successfully performed in determining tumor metabolic rate in a timely fashion such that chemotherapeutic treatment could be guided by the results.
Morphological and molecular examination of relationships and epitype establishment of Phacus pleuronectes, Phacus orbicularis, and Phacus hamelii 1

Verification of morphological diagnostic features and the establishment of three epitypes for three species of Phacus Dujardin—Phacus pleuronectes (O. F. Müll.) Dujardin, Phacus orbicularis Hübner, and Phacus hamelii Allorge et Lefèvre—was performed based on literature studies and analysis of morphological (cell shape, cell size, and periplast ornamentation) as well as molecular (18S rDNA) characters. Periplast ornamentation was recognized as a main diagnostic character, distinguishing P. orbicularis from P. pleuronectes and P. hamelii. Phacus orbicularis has struts running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strips, while P. pleuronectes and P. hamelii do not. On the SSU rDNA tree, obtained by the Bayesian method, P. orbicularis, P. pleuronectes, and P. hamelii belong to three distinct clades. Some of the phylogenetic relationships are not resolved, but there are at least three Phacus species (P. hamatus, P. platyaulax, P. longicauda; for taxonomic authors, see Introduction) that are more closely related to P. orbicularis than is P. pleuronectes. Phacus hamelii is more closely related to P. ranula and the assemblage of several species of Phacus, which have small cells, than to P. orbicularis or P. pleuronectes.
Prediction of forest soil nutrient status using vegetation

Abstract A large number of plots (306) were sampled for floristic data and variables of soil nutrient availability in a wide range of forest conditions in the Vosges mountains (NE France). Half of the data were used to model species presence/absence as a function of nutritional variables using two numerical methods: parametric logistic regression and non-parametric Kernel estimation. Species responses were established for calcium, aluminium, Ca : Al ratio, base saturation, pH and C : N measured in the upper soil horizon. The other half were used to predict these variables with vegetation with three approaches: maximum likelihood, indicator values and ecological groups. More than 80 % of the 122 studied species showed a significant response to one or more nutrition factors. Species often had optima for maxima or minima of the studied values. For each variable, species were more frequent in conditions with good nutrition and/or low toxicity: maximum values were most frequent for Ca, Ca : Al, base saturation, pH and minimum values were most frequent for Al and C : N. For all variables, optima estimated by logistic regression were well correlated with those estimated by kernel estimation: R2 > 0.9. Mean differences between measured values and predictions by vegetation were ca. 2.6 meq for Ca, 1.2 for log Ca, 3.1 meq for Al, 1.8 for log Al, 30 for Ca : Al, 2.1 for log Ca : Al, 0.21 for base saturation, 0.7 for pH and 5.7 for C : N. The quality of prediction as measured by R2 between predicted and measured values varied from 0.60 to 0.14. The quality of prediction decreases from soil base saturation to aluminium according to the next order: base saturation > log Ca : Al > log Ca > Ca > C : N > pH > log Al > Al > Ca : Al. Maximum likelihood and ecological groups methods of prediction were more efficient than the indicator values method. Abbreviations: BS = Base Saturation; EG = ecological group; IV = Indicator value; KE = Kernel estimation; LR = Logistic regression; ML = Maximum Likelihood; RMSE = Root mean square error. Nomenclature: Tutin et al. (1976, 1977).
Lecithin: Cholesterol acyltransferase, lipoprotein lipase and lipoproteins in adult Nigerians with sickle cell disease

Lecithin: Cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is a glycoprotein enzyme involves in the esterification of plasma cholesterol to form cholesteryl ester and is important in the maturation of high density lipoprotein. Lipid metabolism in sickle cell anaemia patients may be affected. The objective of this study was to determine the activities of serum lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase, lipoprotein lipase, lipids and lipoprotein levels in sickle cell anaemia patients in a steady state. The study population consisted of 144 confirmed sickle cell disease patients; 68 males aged 22.2 ± 3.8 years and 76 females aged 21.0 ± 3.0 years. Fifty age matched males; 25 sickle cell trait (HbAS), 25 normal haemoglobin (HbAA) and fifty females; 25 HbAS and 25 HbAA were used as controls. Statistically significant decrease in LCAT and LPL activities (p < 0.001) were observed in sickle cell anaemia patients compared with HbAS and HbAA controls in both sexes. Decrease levels of cholesterol (p < 0.001) and HDL cholesterol (p < 0.001) were also observed in sickle cell anaemia patients. The activities of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase and lipoprotein lipase were lower in subjects with sickle cell anaemia than sickle cell trait and normal haemoglobin. This may contribute to the changes observed in lipid metabolism in sickle cell anaemia. The exact cause is not known but appears to be multifactorial. Key words: Sickle cell disease, Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase, lipoprotein lipase, Lipoproteins.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEARSHORE ENVIRONMENT OFF THE SOUTH COAST OF RNVERS ISLAND, ANTARCTIC PENINSULA1

Sediment and water samples wcrc taltcn at 17 stations in a nearshore area off the southern coast of Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula. The scdimcnts arc diamictons and display great lateral variability. Their organic carbon content falls within the range of values for oceanic sediments; variations can perhaps be cxplainecl in tams of specific local cnvironmcnts of deposition. Silica concentrations in the interstitial water of thcsc sediments seems to bc controlled by biogenic processes of sedimentation. Bacteria. arc prcfcrcntially associated with scdimcnts rich in clay-sized materials and show little or no correlation with organic carbon in these samples; the surface properties of the fine scdimcnt may bc important. Bacterial nmnbcrs in the water column arc similar to those rcportcd for open-ocean arcas below 200 m in lower latitudes. Nutrient values arc high, but many nitrite values arc low rclativc to nitrate as in lower latitudes before the growth season and in the open ocean below the cuphotic zone. Thcsc similarities may indicate that primary proclnctivity at the time and place of investigation was low. A study was carried out in Arthur IIarbor and vicinity, An tactic Peninsula, in Fehruary and March 1967 (Fig. 1), to establish the characteristics of bottom scdimcnts and the overlying water column, to dctcrminc the bacterial numbers in water and scdimcnt samples, to rclatc thcsc qllantitics to scvcral environmental paramctcrs, and to dctcrminc which, if any, of them act as dctcrminnnts of bacterial distribution. In addition, the possibility of bactcrinl liberation of nutrients from the surrounding rock outcrops, and their addition to the ncarshorc nutrient budget, wcrc to bc invcstigatcd. The arca was chosen bccnusc WC felt that in the rclativc abscncc of disturbance by man and his animals, and in the absence of any pcrcnnial streams, the direct influcncc of the landmass on the ncarshore 1 This work was supported by National Scicncc Fonndation Grants GA-264, GA-657, and GA-1320. water mass could best bc evaluated. WC thank K. 0. Emcry and S. Z. El-Saycd for cons tructivc criticism.