Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structural Impact of Osmotically Pretreated Freeze-Dried Strawberries 0n Their Mechanical Properties

The paper investigates the impact of osmotic dehydration on the mechanical properties (i.e., structural changes and shrinkage) of freeze-dried strawberries. In the research, Senga Sengana strawberries were osmotically dehydrated in sucrose, glucose solution, and starch syrup and subjected to freeze-drying. The osmotic dehydration process strengthened the fruit structure by increasing their cell wall thickness. Osmotic pre-treatment limited the shrinkage of the strawberries by about 50%, while the compression force required for 25% deformation of the dried material was almost 2–963 times greater in comparison to the fruit not subjected to osmotic dehydration, dependent on the type of osmotic solution used.
Effects of starvation on the melano-macrophage centres of fish

Starvation resulted in considerably increased deposition of melano-macrophages within the spleen and kidney of Pleuronectes plalessa, Salmo gairdneri, Xiphophorus helleri, and Tilapia zillii also within the liver and spleen of Scyliorhinus canicula. These results suggest that catabolic tissue breakdown is a major factor contributing to the formation of the pigments within melano-macrophages.
Changes of Bound Lipids and Composition of Fatty Acids in Germination of Quinoa Seeds

Free (FL) and bound lipids (BL) of germinated quinoa seeds were extracted sequentially with n-hexane and hot water-saturated butanol (WSB), respectively. The total lipid contents containing these free and bound lipids were 8.4% (6.0 and 2.4%) for 0 hr (control), 8.1% (6.0 and 2.1%) for 24 hr, 7.2% (4.3 and 2.9%) for 48 hr and 8.8% (4.0 and 4.8%) in 72 hr of germination. The nonpolar lipids (NL), glycolipids (GL) and phospholipids (PL) in the bound lipids changed to: 50.0-61.0%, 23.4-30.4% and 26.5-8.7%, respectively. The ratio of NL to POL (GL + PL) was 1.04, 1.13, 1.56 and 1.56 for control, 24, 48 and 72 hr of germination, respectively. Linolenic acid (18:3) was the major fatty acid of GL for the control quinoa, but linoleic (18:2), and oleic (18:1) and palmitic (16:0) acids were the major fatty acid of NL, GL and PL during the germination. During germination, oleic acid increased, but linoleic acid decreased in NL, GL and PL. The ratio of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids of NL, and PL approached 3:4:3. After 72 hr germination, the ratio of ω3/ω6 became 0.25 in GL.
Effects of NaCl on growth and activity of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism in leaves of tobacco ( Nicotiana rustica )

The adverse effects of salt should not be the same in tobacco plants exposed to a permanent and transient high concentration of NaCl in its environment. Experiments were conducted in order to verify the hypothesis of reversibility of NaCl effects. The study of this reversibility is checked by monitoring a number of parameters in pre-stressed plants and then, replaced in normal conditions. Plants previously grown for 30 days on basic medium were treated for 7 days with 200 mM NaCl and then placed back on the basic culture without NaCl for 10 days. The results show that NaCl suppression leads to a resumption of growth with a decrease in the concentration of sodium (Na + ) and chloride ions (Cl - ). Hence, potassium content (K + ) increases gradually in the leaves to reach the level obtained with unstressed plants. At the same time, there is a stimulation of the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), malate dehydrogenase isoenzymes (NAD, NADP, NADH and NADPH-MDH) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) after NaCl had been removed. Along with the boosting of the activity of these enzymes involved in the process of carbon assimilation, there is a gradual decrease in soluble sugars content, suggesting a resumption of the normal activity of photosynthetic assimilation process. All these results verify our hypothesis and can be explained by the ability of the plant to dilute the effects of Na + and Cl - during the recovering period. An important result of this study is that a transient salinity is not necessarily followed by a significant depreciation in product yield or quality. Keywords: Tobacco, NaCl, reversibility, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH)
Analysis of biofuels production from sugar based on three criteria: Thermodynamics, bioenergetics, and product separation

We compare the production of four biofuels – ethanol, butanol, fatty acid ethyl ester (palmitate ethyl ester, PEE), and hydrogen from renewable carbohydrate (glucose) based on the energy-retaining efficiency that is greatly influenced by thermodyanimcs, bioenergetics, and product separation. Ethanol and butanol are produced in anaerobic fermentations; PEE is produced in semi-aerobic fermentation; hydrogen is produced by cell-free synthetic enzymatic pathway biotransformation (SyPaB), where enzymes are produced from carbohydrate by microbial fermentations. A decreasing order in theoretical energy efficiency determined by thermodynamics is hydrogen, ethanol, butanol, and PEE. Bioenergetics analysis suggests that a small fraction of carbohydrate (e.g., 5–15%) is allocated to the synthesis of cell mass in anaerobic fermentations (e.g., ethanol and butanol), a significant fraction (e.g., 20–30% or higher) has to be allocated to the synthesis of cell mass for semi-aerobic fermentations (e.g., PEE production), and a very small fraction (e.g., less than 1%) is used to produce the enzyme mixtures. A decreasing order in product separation energy is hydrogen, secreted PEE, ethanol, butanol, and intracellular PEE. Hydrogen production by SyPaB would be most appealing because its energy-retaining efficiency is � 49% higher than ethanol, � 55% higher than butanol, and � 87% higher than PEE, even without considering higher hydrogen-fuel cell efficiency than those of biofuel-internal combustion engines. Our analysis suggests that it may be difficult to produce some advanced biofuels economically through aerobic fermentations due to low energy efficiency, as compared to ethanol, butanol, and hydrogen.
Composition and Radical Scavenging Capacity of Phenolic Compounds in Wheat-Chickpea Dough

The content, composition, and radical scavenging capacity of phenolic compounds in wheat-chickpea (60:40, w/w) flour and dough were studied in this research. The content of phenolic compounds in wheat-chickpea dough was almost twice as high as in the flour from which the dough was made. The addition of chickpea flour to wheat flour contributed to the improved scavenging capacity of dough. The wheat-chickpea dough had a lower maximal achieved scavenging capacity than wheat-chickpea flour, but higher than that of the wheat dough. The quercetin, genkwanin, and apigenin glucosides could be considered as stable components during the mixing of the wheat-chickpea dough. The wheat-chickpea bread retained the radical scavenging capacity which the dough had.
Estudo Dinâmico da População de Mosquitos Aedes Aegypti

O ciclo de vida do mosquito Aedes Aegypti, transmissor da dengue, e composto de qutro fases: ovo, larva, pupa e mosquito adulto. Com o intuito de quantificar cada uma dessas fases e medir o impacto das diferentes formas de controle utilizadas pela SUCEN, desenvolveu-se um modelo deterministico compartimental que descreve a dinâmica desta populacao e considera a dependencia temporal de seus parâmetros.
Binding mode analysis between membrane dipeptidase and its substrates

Membrane dipeptidase (MDP) is a membrane-bound glycoprotein involved in the hydrolysis of dipeptides, showing specific activity for dipeptides. Recent study showed that membrane dipeptidase was the receptor for a lung-targeting peptide identified by in vivo phage display and the crystal structure of the cilastatin-liganded human renal dipeptidase was determined. We performed a pharmacophore-based virtual screening and molecular docking in order to characterize MDP binding interactions with its substrates. A ligand-based pharmacophore model represented only a slight enrichment because of a lacked variety and centralization of ligand features. Molecular docking study was used to incorporate ligand conformational changes in the binding sites and the performance was much better than pharmacophore model; only 10% of compound library needed to be screened in order to detect all included active compounds. In addition, we found that one of the crystallographically observed water molecules plays an important role in the binding modes between MDP and its substrate.
Natural Ecosystem-Units in Israel and the Palestinian Authority - Representativeness in Protected Areas and Suggested Solutions for Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract The geographic location of Israel and the Palestinian Authorityon the border between Mediterranean and desert climate, and the strong topographic and geomorphological variation resulting from its position on the Great African Rift Valley, combine to sustain a great diversity of landscapes in a very small country. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the protected areas in Israel and the Palestinian Authority adequately represent the range of landscapes and ecosystems in the region. Altogether, we defined 23 natural ecosystem-units in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, of which 17 are terrestrial landscapes and 6 are aquatic systems. In considering the adequacy of coverage in protected areas, we mapped Israel and the Palestinian Authority landscapes according to a set of environmental factors (climatic, geomorphological, geological and botanical) that we believe most effectively distinguish landscape types in this region. When the separation between adjacent units relies on sharp topographic or edaphic change in the landscape, the mapped units can be separated by a clear and sharp line. When adjacent units are actually a gradient of continuous environmental conditions the separation lines relied mostly on botanic characteristics. The main land use categories in this analysis were urban areas, agricultural areas, nature reserves, national parks and forest reserves. For the first time in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, we quantified the different landscape types under the different categories of land use. This process, known as systematic conservation planning, allowed us to detect natural landscapes that are underrepresented in protected areas, and can guide decision makers to establish or improve management for the better representation of biodiversity.
Seasonal variability of δ13C and δ15N of fish and squid in the Cabo Frio upwelling system of the southwestern Atlantic

Author Posting. © Inter-Research, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of Inter-Research for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series 512 (2014): 9-21, doi:10.3354/meps10948.
Effects of diet and slaughter endpoint on carcass composition and beef quality in Charolais cross steers

One hundred and eight Charolais cross steers were used to compare forage versus grain feeding as affected by slaughter endpoint on carcass composition and palatability attributes of beef. Diets included a 97% alfalfa silage ration or 68% high moisture corn, 25% alfalfa silage ration from start of test to finish or a ration of 97% alfalfa silage from start of test to day 42 of the trial followed by the 68% high moisture corn ration until slaughter. Cattle were slaughtered at either 4, 7, or 10 mm ultrasound backfat. Grain feeding increased (P = 0.01) average daily gain and decreased (P = 0.01) days to finish, while carcass weight and grade fat were similar (P > 0.10) between diets. Palatability attributes were generally unaffected by diet with the exception of slightly less (P = 0.09) beef flavour and more (P = 0.01) off flavour in forage-fed beef versus grain-fed beef. Higher (P = 0.01) concentrations of linolenic acid and lower (P = 0.09) concentrations of oleic acid in forage-fed beef may be partially r.
New insights into the taxonomy of Macaca pagensis of the Mentawai Islands, Sumatra

Bien que Macaca pagensis soit connu des Iles Mentawai depuis le debut du XX e siecle, on ne savait rien d'une de ces iles, Pulau Siberu, jusqu'en 1970. C'est par hasard que Fuentes et Olson (1995) ont nomme le macaque de Siberut M. p. siberu. Deux specimens seulement de ce macaque sont connus: un mâle decrit comme un hybride de Padang, Sumatra, qui a vecu au Zoo de Londres jusqu'en 1933, et un mâle qui a vecu au Zoo de Bristol jusqu'en 1997. Dans cet article, nous decrivons en detail pour la premiere fois le macaque de Siberut, d'apres ces deux specimens. Nous l'avons compare avec d'autres especes du groupe M. nemestrina dont il est morphologiquement bien distinct. Sur la base de ces caracteres, nous concluons qu'il represente bien une espece distincte, M. siberu.
THE MODE OF BINDING OF β-GLUCANS AND PENTOSANS IN BARLEY ENDOSPERM CELL WALLS

β-Glucans in barley endosperm cell walls exist as polymers of very high molecular weight (about 4 × 107 daltons) containing firmly linked peptide sequences. This peptidic material is an essential part of the structure of the β-glucan complex as it exists in the cell wall. Rupture of peptide bonds by hydrazinolysis or with the proteolytic enzyme thermolysin gives β-glucans similar in size to those from short-grown green malts (about 106 daltons). This suggests that proteolysis is the first step in β-glucan degradation. Large β-glucans are not all precipitated in 30% (w/v) ammonium sulphate; only 34% of the β-glucan in a hot aqueous extract of cell walls is precipitated. The amount is increased to 63% if the cell walls have been previously dehydrated. Prolonged incubation of cell wall β-glucan at 40°C, mechanical stress, chromatography lasting 8–10 h at or above 65°C, or chromatography in M sodium chloride causes some disassociation of high molecular weight β-glucan to a size of about 107 daltons. Heating a solution for 1 h at 100°C does not disassociate the β-glucan. Pentosans isolated from cell walls are not covalently linked to the β-glucans and can be separated from them by molecular sieve chromatography. They have a higher xylose/arabinose ratio than previously reported for barley pentosans. The pentosan molecules extracted by water are smaller (106 daltons) than those extracted by alkali (5 × 106 daltons). Little difference was observed in the chemical or physical properties of cell wall materials of barley cultivars of different malting qualities.
Consequences of low levels of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in schizophrenia for drug development

The incidence of smoking in the mentally ill is much higher than in the general population and is inordinately high in schizophrenia. It has been suggested that this might be an attempt to self‐medicate an underlying biological deficit. The receptors that mediate nicotinic responses are decreased in many regions of postmortem brain in schizophrenic smokers, compared to control smokers. Patients exhibit differential responses to nicotine in a number of behavioral, cognitive, and metabolic measures. As nicotine regulates the release of a large number of neurotransmitters, it is likely that differences in down‐stream neuroadaptation of other transmitter/receptor systems would result from the reduced level of nicotinic receptors in these patients. The disparate responses to nicotine have consequences for the development of cholinergic drug therapies in schizophrenia. Drug Dev. Res. 60:127–136, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gas Bubble Trauma Incidence in Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia and Snake Rivers

Abstract Gas bubble trauma (GBT) remains a controversial issue in the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. Despite improvements in the design of spillways at each hydroelectric project, spill continues to create total dissolved gas supersaturation (TDGS) greater than the 110% standard in these rivers. Waivers of the gas standard, 115% TDGS in the forebay and 120% TDGS in the tailrace, are granted from mid-April through August to allow for increased spill to aid juvenile salmonid migration. Because few studies are based on field-collected data, we chose to monitor uncertainty regarding the actual incidence of GBT symptoms on juvenile salmonids under various TDGS concentrations within the Columbia and Snake rivers. From 1996 through 1999, we collected smolts from above and below dams and compared their incidence of GBT symptoms with that of smolts collected by the Smolt Monitoring Program in dam bypasses. We found that fewer than 2% of salmonids displayed external symptoms of GBT, and most of those had less tha.
Modeling Fecal Indicator Bacteria Concentrations in Natural Surface Waters: A Review

Microbiological quality of waters must be assessed to ensure that no health risk due to pathogenic microorganisms is associated with its use. As it is impossible to measure the abundance of all possible pathogens, it is general practice to quantify the abundance only of one or a few fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), organisms which are selected to be indicative of fecal pollution and can therefore serve as general indicators of microbiological water quality. Yet, even by focusing on this limited number of indicator organisms, it is still unfeasible to experimentally monitor their levels at the high spatiotemporal resolution often needed in real applications. Therefore, direct FIB measurements are increasingly combined with the use of models. The aim of this review is to present and evaluate the wide variety of models used so far in the scientific literature to simulate and predict FIB concentrations in natural surface waters. First, the distinction is made between regression-based and mechanistic models. While the first are particularly useful in operational contexts and indeed can produce reliable short-term predictions, they do not allow an in-depth understanding of the processes. Because the sources and processes are not modeled explicitly, they cannot be used to test the effect of changes in these internal and external forcings, e.g., to evaluate the impact of different management options. These questions can only be addressed by the use of mechanistic models, which are often based on rather complex computational methods. These models explicitly consider the effect on FIB concentrations due to horizontal transport, external sources, decay, and/or sediment-related processes. It is not possible to make statements about “best” practices, given the broad range of study domains and questions. Instead, we attempted to compile the modeling approaches published so far in a comprehensive and transparent way, hoping that the resulting overview would help to better understand current models and more efficiently set up future ones.
Diversity and structure of soil bacterial communities associated with vultures in an African savanna

Bird guano has been shown to alter the structure and function of ecological communities. Here we characterize the effects of vulture guano on the phylogenetic structure, taxa richness, and abundance in soil bacterial communities within an African savanna. By altering soil chemistry and nutrient status, vulture guano appears to play a role in influencing the structure of soil bacterial communities. DNA was extracted from soil collected under twenty trees: five African white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus, WBV) nesting sites, five lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos, LFV) nesting sites and ten control sites where no sign of vulture activity was detected. Using a high-density phylogenetic microarray (PhyloChip G2), we identified 1,803 bacterial Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in the twenty samples. Analysis of beta-diversity using the Unifrac distance metric demonstrated that WBV nesting sites were phylogenetically distinct from both control trees and LFV nesting sites. We detected a higher degree of phylogenetic clustering in soil bacterial communities associated with both WBV and LFV nesting sites compared to control sites, suggesting that the deposition of guano increases the strength of habitat filtering in these communities. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that variation in OTU intensity (a measure of relative abundance) could be related to variations in pH, electrical conductivity and total nitrogen content. WBV sites explained 10% to 22% of the variation in OTU intensity. The elevated total nitrogen and lower pH characteristic of soils associated with vultures may favor Proteobacteria and suppress Firmicutes, particularly Clostridia and Bacilli. Acidic aggregations of vulture guano may be unlikely to support long-term survival of spore-forming Firmicute pathogens and thus may limit the role that vultures play as potential disease vectors.
Identification of predominant environmental factors structuring stream macroinvertebrate communities within a large agricultural catchment

SUMMARY 1 Patterns of macroinvertebrate community composition were examined in streams within a 40000-km2 catchment in central Michigan, U.S.A. , to identify the major environmental gradients influencing community variation. Agriculture and associated clay and sandy soils predominated in much of the region. 2 Eighty macroinvertebrate taxa were collected from stream surveys conducted during May and August 1990. Community composition varied primarily by the proportions of Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera. Benthic communities from the heaviest agricultural zones were most different from those at other sites. 3 Chemical composition among the sites varied most in relation to nutrients (NH3, NO3, PO4). Other parameters were relatively similar. Physical characteristics of the sites were scored in six habitat categories: (i) substrate characteristics, (ii) instream cover, (iii) channel morphology, (iv) riparian zone and stream-bank conditions, (v) riffle/run quality, (vi) pool quality. Most physical habitat scores were lowest in the intense agriculture zones. 4 The relative importance of physical and chemical variables in explaining variation in macroinvertebrate communities was quantified using canonical correspondence analysis. Substrate characteristics were most important in both surveys. Significant correlations (P<0.05 and P<0.10) were observed between substrate quality and total numbers of Ephemeropteran, Plecopteran, and Trichopteran taxa. These relationships reflected correlations from sites in the clay soil-type region (P<0.01 and P<0.10) which contrasted with non-significant results from the less impacted, sandy soil-type region. 5 Effective stream restoration efforts in this region will require the alteration of local land-use activities that influence the physical habitat. Further development of empirical relationships between catchment activities and substrate and channel characteristics within natural geomorphic regions is essential for the evaluation of restoration projects.