Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MALOLACTIC ENZYME AND MALIC ENZYME OF DIFFERENT LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

Malolactic enzyme of lactic acid bacteria catalyzes the decarboxylation of L-malate to L-lactate. The appropriate enzyme of Lactobacillus casei, Leuconostoc oenos, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, as well as the malic enzyme of Lactobacillus casei, were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by salmine sulphate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography, and gel filtration. The malolactic enzymes investigated were similar and showed only minor variations in the isoelectric point and the temperature optimum. The molecular weight of the subunit of all malolactic enzymes was about 65 000. Aggregates were formed, depending on the pH. The optimum activity of malolactic enzyme was observed at pH 5.8–6.0, and at this pH the dimer was stable. In addition to Mn2+ and NAD, the malolactic enzyme required K+, which was replaceable by NH4+, for maximum activity. The Km values for L-malate were 10.9 mM (Leuconostoc mesenteroides B116) and 3 mM (Leuconostoc oenos). The Km values for Mn2+ were .
Resistência de Biomphalaria peregrina de Santa Rita do Sapucaí, Minas Gerais, a infecção com três cepas de Schistosoma mansoni

The descendants of the planorbid snail Biomphalaria peregrina, collected in the region of Santa rita do Sapucai, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were exposed to miracidia of three strains of Schistosoma mansoni: "LE" strain from Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais; "SJ", strain from Sao Jose dos Campos, State of Sao Paulo and "AL" strain from State of Alagoas. Of 300 snails exposed to miracidia of the three strains, none was infected. On the other hand, 300 Biomphalaria glabrata of the control groups showed infection rates of 61.1 to 95.3% with three strains. The mortality rates of B. peregrina and B. glabrata were 20% and 28%, respectively.
Parent‐Offspring Regression Estimates of Heritability for Salt Tolerance during Germination in Tomato

Salinity impositions can markedly delay and decrease germination rates of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seed. Wide phenotypic variability in plant growth and germination responses to salinity stress has been reported, but scant documentation concerning genotypic variation for salt responsiveness has restricted breeding efforts. This study evaluated the heritability of germination performance under salinity stress by parent-offspring regression(.)
Discovery of a New Plagiotrochus Species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) Inducing Galls on the Evergreen Oak in Japan

ABSTRACT Plagiotrochus masudai Ide, Wachi & Abe sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), a gall inducer on Quercus (Cyclohalanopsis) glauca Thunberg in Japan, is described. This is the first description of an oak gall wasp species (tribe Cynipini) inducing galls on Cyclohalanopsis. The unique life cycle of P. masudai takes 3 yr to complete. The adult wasps of the sexual generation emerge from bud galls on Q. glauca in spring of the first year, and those of the asexual generation emerge from twig galls in spring of the third year.
Tympanal organs of geometrid moths: a review of their morphology, function, and systematic importance

Abstract. The basic components of the tympanal organs of Geometridae are described against the background of the relevant literature. The work is prefaced by a summary of the occurrence of hearing organs within adult Lepidoptera as a whole, and the systematic value of these structures is assessed. A Latin‐based nomenclature is proposed to standardize the terminology. An assessment of the morphological variation of these organs within the Geometridae was based on the study of over 230 species representing numerous examples from all the subfamilies. Morphological variation between and within the geometrid subfamilies is discussed.
Bio-optical properties of the subtropical North Atlantic. I. Vertical variability

Studies of the physiological and optical properties of phytoplankton of the subtropical open ocean are rare. Yet, assessing the spatial and temporal variation in the photo-physiological parameters and chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficients of marine phytoplankton is essential if we are to account for the relative importance of pelagic systems in the global carbon economy. As a contribution to this general goal, the photosynthetic and bio-optical properties of phytoplankton were measured at 5 stations across a broad swath of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Similar vertical patterns in pigment composition, chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficients and the photosynthesis-irradiance parameters were observed at all 5 stations. A considerable proportion of the vertical variation in the chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficients was caused by vertical changes in the proportion of the non-photosynthetic pigment (NPP) zeaxanthin relative to chlorophyll a. On the other hand, pigment packaging appeared to have a minor influence on the optical characteristics of the picoplankton-dominated region: chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficients observed at the red peak frequently exceeded 0.02 m 2 (mg chl a) -1 . Multiple, linear-regression analysis was used to examine the value of some commonly-measured environmental variables as potential predictors of the photosynthetic parameters α B and P B m . The results showed that indices of ambient irradiance, nutrient flux or nutrient concentration, separately or in combination, account for a significant fraction of the total variance in the photosynthetic parameters. The stability in the distribution patterns of both the photosynthetic parameters and absorptive characteristics of subtropical phytoplankton assemblages and in the principal factors governing the variability in these properties may facilitate the selection of appropriate input parameters for use in models of primary production for this hydrographic region.
Carbon losses due to soil warming: Do autotrophic and heterotrophic soil respiration respond equally?

Global warming has the potential to increase soil respiration (RS), one of the major fluxes in the global carbon (C) cycle. RS consists of an autotrophic (RA) and a heterotrophic (RH) component. We combined a soil warming experiment with a trenching experiment to assess how RS, RA, and RH are affected. The experiment was conducted in a mature forest dominated by Norway spruce. The site is located in the Austrian Alps on dolomitic bedrock. We warmed the soil of undisturbed and trenched plots by means of heating cables 4 °C above ambient during the snow‐free seasons of 2005 and 2006. Soil warming increased the CO2 efflux from control plots (RS) by ∼45% during 2005 and ∼47% during 2006. The CO2 efflux from trenched plots (RH) increased by ∼39% during 2005 and ∼45% during 2006. Similar responses of RS and RH indicated that the autotrophic and heterotrophic components of RS responded equally to the temperature increase. Thirty‐five to forty percent or 1 t C ha−1 yr−1 of the overall annual increase in RS (2.8 t C ha−1 yr−1) was autotrophic. The remaining, heterotrophic part of soil respiration (1.8 t C ha−1 yr−1), represented the warming‐induced C loss from the soil. The autotrophic component showed a distinct seasonal pattern. Contribution of RA to RS was highest during summer. Seasonally derived Q10 values reflected this pattern and were correspondingly high (5.3–9.3). The autotrophic CO2 efflux increase due to the 4 °C warming implied a Q10 of 2.9. Hence, seasonally derived Q10 of RA did not solely reflect the seasonal soil temperature development.
Soil treatment for grounding system purposes using sodium thiosulphate

There are many ways to increase the effectiveness and reliability of a grounding system meant for power system protection. One way is by lowering the ground resistance. Soil treatment with the usage of backfill materials to the grounding system is one of the most effective ways to improve the effectiveness of the grounding system. Backfill materials that applied to the grounding system can be classified into natural and chemical backfill materials. In this study, Sodium Thiosulphate and Bentonite are used as backfill materials for the purpose of soil treatment where the materials are installed in the vicinity of a grounding conductor. The purpose of conducting this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a combination and individual grounding system installations using Sodium Thiosulphate and Bentonite as backfill materials in reducing the ground resistance. Besides, this study is also conducted with a consideration of the condition of the soil for soil treatment. In the study, fall of potential method was used to obtain values of ground resistance where the results of three grounding systems are compared to the ground resistance of a reference grounding system where there is no backfill material installed in the vicinity of the conductor. The performance of the four grounding systems in ascending order is reference, Bentonite, Sodium Thiosulphate, and combination of Bentonite and Sodium Thiosulphate grounding systems. Combination of Bentonite and Sodium Thiosulphate is proposed as the best method to reduce the ground resistance because it has the lowest ground resistance and stable compared to the other grounding systems.
Extrato de orégano como aditivo em rações para frangos de corte

Os objetivos neste experimento foram avaliar os efeitos da inclusao de extrato de oregano (EO) como aditivo promotor de crescimento nas racoes sobre o desempenho, o sistema imune (peso e tamanho da bursa de Fabricius, peso do baco e do timo), as caracteristicas anatomo-fisiologicas do trato gastrointestinal (altura de vilosidade, profundidade de cripta e suas relacoes), a microbiologia do ceco e o pH do duodeno e do ceco de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 1.440 pintos de corte machos Cobb 500, em duas fases de criacao (1 a 21 e 1 a 42 dias de idade), distribuidos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com seis tratamentos e oito repeticoes de 30 aves. Utilizou-se racao basal (RB) para as tres fases de criacao (1 a 21, 22 a 35 e 36 a 42 dias de idade), constituindo os seguintes tratamentos: T1 - RB; T2 - RB com antibiotico (25 ppm de bacitracina de zinco); T3 - RB com 0,025% EO; T4 - RB com 0,050% EO; T5 - RB com 0,075% EO; e T6 -RB com 0,100% EO. Observou-se que os tratamentos nao influenciaram o desempenho e os pHs dos conteudos duodenal e cecal das aves nas duas fases de criacao. As variaveis de imunidade e avaliacao anatomo-fisiologica do trato gastrointestinal aos 21 dias nao apresentaram diferencas. Apenas o peso do baco e a altura de vilosidade aos 42 dias de idade foram influenciados pelos tratamentos. Houve reducao no numero de bacterias no ceco das aves a medida que se elevou o conteudo do extrato de oregano nas racoes, indicando que houve acao antimicrobiana dos componentes deste extrato. Na condicao em que foi realizado o experimento, o uso do extrato de oregano como aditivo promotor de crescimento nao ocasionou efeito diferente dos demais tratamentos (antibiotico e testemunha).
Ethephon Induced Changes in Vegetative Growth of ‘Tifton 85’ Bermudagrass

The establishment rate of warm-season turf and forage grasses propagated by sprigs or cuttings is of economic importance by determining not only how quickly an area may be utilized but also by influencing the extent of weed invasion. We monitored ‘Tifton 85’ bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. ] vegetative growth response to the application of ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid), an ethylene-producing compound, and how this treatment affected subsequent vegetative establishment. Responses of established Tifton 85 plants to ethephon treatment when compared with untreated plants included a 22% reduction in plant height, node swelling, bud swelling at the crown, terminal leaf necrosis, chlorotic striping of young developing leaves, and a 118% and 101% increase in leaf/stem fresh and dry weight ratios, respectively. Swelling of ethephon-induced buds appeared to be due to a transient arrest in sprouting. Swelled buds finally sprouted 9 d following ethephon treatment. In glasshouse experiments, vegetative cuttings taken from ethephon treated plants produced 112% more roots under a range of water stress conditions 8 d after cutting removal, and produced 10-fold higher number of tillers at 6 d after planting in soil than untreated cuttings. Tiller production in the soil establishment study was not statistically different between ethephon treated and untreated plants after 21 d. These glasshouse results indicated that it may be feasible to develop ethephon treatments that improve establishment rate and subsequent stand quality of Tifton 85 bermudagrass in field/commercial applications.
Effect of cold storage of pupae parasitoid wasp, Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on its efficiency

Cold storage is an appropriate way to extend the life of natural enemies such as insect parasitoids. Identification of risk factors for use in biological control and replacing it instead of chemical control is important, and therefore wasp species of genus Bracon have been used for controlling various pests in the past and present. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum temperature and time of storage of parasitoids pupae, Habrobracon hebetor (Say) in cold conditions. After in vitro rearing of the insect, the pupae of H. hebetor at the temperatures of 12, 9 and 4 °C for a period of six weeks in five replicates were stored. After these times, the effect of storage on the percentage of emerged adults and the longevity of male and female adults was evaluated on a weekly basis. The results of the survey conducted at 12 °C showed that the percentage of adults emerged from the first week has dropped by almost half. H. hebetor pupae could be stored for a week at 9 °C. At 4 °C, a significant reduction was caused in the efficacy of the stored pupae and is not recommended.
Modification of temperature behaviour through regulation of a British river system

The effects of flow regulation on temperature behaviour in the River Exe, Devon, U.K. have been studied, and attention is given to the local impact of impoundment and its downstream persistence. Temperature levels and seasonal thermal regime are considered as well as diel temperature fluctuations and temperatures during extreme weather conditions. Variations in temperature during individual reservoir releases have also been monitored. The impact of impoundment has been to make the stream environment immediately below the dam more homothermous so that temperatures rearely rise above 17·5°C or fall below 2·0°C, and monthyl average diel ranges are < 3 and < 1°C in summer and winter months respectively. In contrast to other reservoirs in Britain and abroad, this effect has been largely caused by increased groundwater flow downstream from the reservoir following impoundment. Regulation has also affected downstream temperature behaviour and has moderated the thermal regime of the Exe mainstream. This influence is generally restricted to a distance of up to 20 km from the dam, but in conditions of hot weather and low flows it may extend to almost 40 km from the impoundment.
Male pipefish prefer dominant over attractive females

Animals may obtain information guiding their choice between potential partners from observing competitive interactions and displays between them, or from displays directed at the choosing individual. In the sex-role reversed pipefish Syngnathus typhle females display a temporary ornament (a color pattern) to other females as well as to males. We have previously shown that display of female ornaments per se is attractive to males. Here we show that information from competitive displays can override such direct attraction displays as signals in the partner choice process. In a mate choice experiment, an enclosed male could choose between two females. On the first experimental day, females could interact freely, while on the second day they were isolated from each other. When female-female competition was allowed, the ornament display was directed more to the other female than to the male: Time competing, rather than time courting the male, correlated with ornament display duration. However, ornament display under competition and ornament display in the absence of competition did not correlate significantly. In fact, females competing more intensively on day one displayed the ornament less on day two. Furthermore, the ornament display during the first, but not the second, day predicted male mate choice on the second day. Thus, males remembered previous information from competitive displays and used it rather than immediate information from displays in the absence of female-female competition. We suggest that competitive displays more reliably signal female quality as compared to noncompetitive ones, and that males benefit from mating with dominant females.
Inactivation of RASSF1A, RARβ2 and DAP-kinase by promoter methylation correlates with lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Epigenetic modification is one of the mechanisms leading to gene silencing in neoplastic cells. By methylation-specific PCR, we analyzed the promoter methylation of three cancer-related genes: Ras Association domain Family 1A (RASSF1A), Death Associated Protein kinase (DAP-kinase) and Retinoic Acid Receptor β2 (RARβ2) in two NPC xenografts (C15 and C17), 68 primary NPC tumors, and nine normal nasopharyngeal epithelia. We showed that C15 and C17 displayed a complete promoter methylation of RASSF1A, RARβ2 and DAP-kinase genes. In primary NPC tumors, the incidence of promoter methylation was very high for all three tested genes: 91% for RASSF1A, 88% for both RARβ2 and DAP-kinase whereas all normal nasopharyngeal epithelia were unmethylated. Interestingly, our study revealed that aberrant promoter methylation of the three genes were statistically associated with the lymph node involvement (p < 0.0001). In addition, hypermethylation of RASSF1A was correlated with age at diagnosis (p = 0.047) and T stage (p = 0.037) while the RARβ2 hypermethylation was associated with histological type (p = 0.011). Taken together, our results demonstrate that silencing of RASSF1A and RARβ2 expression by promoter hypermethylation is associated with highly differentiated tumors, advanced tumor stage and the presence of lymph node metastasis. To assess the functional significance of the epigenetic silencing of RARβ2 and DAP-kinase in NPC, we analysed the expression of two downstream target genes COX-2 and p53 by reverse PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We revealed a significant association between expression of COX-2 and loss of RARβ2 through aberrant methylation (p = 0.003) in NPC biopsies. We concluded that the inactivation of RASSF1A, RARβ2 and DAP-Kinase by hypermethylation is a key step in NPC tumorigenesis and progression.
Application of photographic capture–recapture modelling to estimate demographic parameters for male Asian elephants

In addition to the threats of habitat loss and degradation, adult males of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus also face greater threats from ivory poaching and conflict with humans. To understand the impact of these threats, conservationists need robust estimates of abundance and vital rates specifically for the adult male segment of elephant populations. By integrating the identification of individual male elephants in a population from distinct morphology and natural markings, with modern capture–recapture (CR) sampling designs, it is possible to estimate various demographic parameters that are otherwise difficult to obtain from this long‐lived and wide‐ranging megaherbivore. In this study, we developed systematic individual identification protocols and integrated them into CR sampling designs to obtain capture histories and thereby estimate the abundance of adult bull elephants in a globally important population in southern India. We validated these estimates against those obtained from an independent method combining line‐transect density estimates with age–sex composition data for elephants. The sampled population was open to gains and losses between sampling occasions. The abundance of adult males in the 176 km2 study area was N̂(SÊN̂) = 134(14.20) and they comprised 14% (±1%) of the total elephant population. Time‐specific abundance estimates for each sampling occasion showed a distinct increase in adult male numbers over the sampling period, explained by seasonal patterns of local migration. CR‐based estimates for adult male abundance closely matched estimates from distance‐based methods. Thus, while providing abundance data of comparable rigour and precision, photographic CR methods permit estimation of demographic parameters for the Asian elephant that are both urgently needed and difficult to obtain.
The Fossil Strepsiptera (Insecta: Strepsiptera)

Three new species of Strepsiptera are described and six additional species are discussed. The oldest fossil records are of four species from several Eocene sites in Europe (Geiseltal, Messel, Baltic amber), one of Mengeidae and three of Myrmecolacidae. At least six species are from Dominican amber of various ages since the Oligocene, comprising four species of Myrmecolacidae, one of Elenchidae, and one of Bohartillidae, which are very close to or even identical with living species.
Relative Potencies of Individual Polychlorinated Naphthalenes and Halowax Mixtures To Induce Ah Receptor-Mediated Responses

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that are structurally similar to other polychlorinated diaromatic hydrocarbons (PCDHs), such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and biphenyls (PCBs). Despite being ubiquitous, much less is known about the fate, transport, and biological effects of individual PCN congeners than other PCDHs. The purpose of the current study was to utilize an in vitro assay (H4IIE-luc) to determine potencies relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) for 20 individual PCNs (from 75 possible congeners) and 6 Halowax mixtures. H4IIE rat hepatoma cells (H4IIE-Luc), which are stably transfected with an Ah receptor (AhR)-controlled luciferase reporter gene construct, respond specifically to AhR agonists and are thus a reasonable measure of AhR-mediated, or dioxin-like, activity. The most potent congeners were 1,2,3,4,6,7-hexa-CN (PCN 66), 1,2,3,5,6,7-hexa-CN (PCN 67), and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7-hepta-CN (PCN 73), with .
The effect of high pressure on Lactococcus bacteria count in Edam rennin cheese

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of high pressure in lactic fermentation streptococci. Cheese samples were pressurized for 5–120 min at 50–600 MPa. Single and cyclic pressure treatments were conducted at 200 and 400 MPa. After pressurization, the cheeses were determined for the number of lactic fermentation streptococci with the plate method on M17 medium. Pressurization of cheese at 50–200 MPa for 30–120 min decreased the count of lactic fermentation streptococci by 4–40%, respectively, i.e. by less than one order of magnitude. Pressurization at 400 and 600 MPa for 30–120 min was found to diminish the number of lactic fermentation streptococci by 99.9–99.9997%, i.e. to an extent similar to pasteurization. After pressurization at 400 and 600 MPa, it was found that the highest number of microorganisms was subject to inactivation in the first 5–10 min of the process. Cyclic pressurization, as compared with a single pressure treatment, exerted little effect on the extent of streptococci reduction in cheese.