Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physiological and reproductive differences between hermaphrodites and males in the androdioecious plant Fraxinus ornus

Androdioecy, the co-occurrence of males and hermaphrodites in a breeding population, is a rare reproductive system in the nature. This rarity may be the result of the large fitness gain required for male plants to be maintained by selection. Physiological, vegetative and reproductive characters of males and hermaphrodites of the androdioecious species Fraxinus ornus (Oleaceae) were compared, supporting the hypothesis that males compensate the fitness advantage of hermaphrodites with greater reproductive -but not vegetative- output, with concomitant differences in physiological capacities between the genders. Photosynthetic rate was similar between both genders, but hermaphrodites had lower water potential and carbon isotope discrimination than males. Photosynthesis rates decreased with decreasing water potentials more steeply in males than in hermaphrodites, indicating that hermaphrodites were more drought tolerant than males. Vegetative characters such as current year shoot growth or tree size did not differ between genders. Males produced 1.6 times more inflorescences than hermaphrodites. This difference was consistent across years and populations.
Spatial Patterns of the Genetic Differentiation in European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) at Allozyme Loci in the Carpathians and the Adjacent Regions

Summary Genetic differentiation and spatial patterns of the genetic diversity distribution in European beech were investigated in the Carpathian mountain range and surrounding regions using 12 isozyme loci. In total, 139 populations were included. No interpertable trends of the genetic differentiation based on genetic distances were identified. However, genetic distogram indicates the existence of a stationary pattern: a significant similarity of populations separated by approx. 40 km and a significant dissimilarity in the 500 km distance class. Geostatistical analysis (kriging) revealed a clear geographical trend of the mean number of alleles per locus, with the highest levels observed in the southeastern edge of Carpathians and the lowest levels in the marginal regions. The trend of the genetic diversity was almost opposite, the highest levels were found in northern Poland.
Principles of age-related changes in the canine and feline brain

Abstract In the aged dog and cat, especially dog, a cognitive decline develops naturally in many different domains, but at the same time it also exhibits human-like individual variability in the aging process. In the aging dog and cat brain lesions develop spontaneously. Dogs share some morphological characteristics with those of Alzheimer’s disease in man. The canine brain with its plaques and tangles which show oxidative changes, forms a spontaneous model for understanding the early changes and their interrelationships in Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, the aged dog represents a useful model for the development of preventive or therapeutic interventions to improve aged brain function. These interventions can then be translated into human clinical trials.
Aspects of the life histories of the kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus, and barred sand bass, R nebulifer; from the southern California Bight

Kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus, and barred sand bass, P. nebulifer. are major components of the nearshore marine environment in the southern California Bight. Both species are also very important parts of the marinerecreational fishery. Surveys at King Harbor, Redondo Beach, Califor­ nia, have shown that kelp bass prima­ rily recruit betweenAugust and Decem­ ber. In general, both kelp bass and barred sand bass numbers increased in King Harbor beginning in the late 1970's and continuing into the 1980's. Male and female kelp bass and barred sand bass grow at the same rates. and growth rates of both species are simi­ lar. The oldest kelp bass in our sample was 33 yr old, the oldest barred sand hliRR Will;! 24 yr old. For kelp bass, 50% ofmales matured at 22.0 cm: for barred sand bass, 50% of males matured at 21.9 cm. For kelp bass, 50% offemales matured at 22.6 cm; for barred sand bass, 50% of females matured at 23.9 cm. In both species. males matured be­ tween ages 2 and 4 years and females matured between ages 2 and 5 years.
In vitro cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of Agaricus subrufescens extracts

Agaricus blazei Murill, most recently referred as Agaricus subrufescens is a fungus that belongs to the Brazilian diversity and, considered as an important producer of bioactive compounds beneficial to human health. Studies have demonstrated that these compounds present immunomodulatory, antioxidant and antitumor properties. However, there is little information about the appropriate methodology for obtaining extracts with biological activities and their possible citotoxicity. The mushroom extracts were evaluated by cytotoxicity assays using primary cultures of granulocytes and macrophages colony forming cells (CFU-GM) and established V79 cell line. Lipoperoxidation analysis using fibroblast V79 cells were also conducted. The extract fraction that produced a crystalline product was obtained from the alcoholic extraction at 60°C. This fraction exhibited an antioxidant activity on mitochondrial membranes and did not present cytotoxic activity on concentrations lower than 2.5 mg/mL in both cells systems evaluated CFU-GM and V79. Moreover, no significant alterations on the fibroblast V79 adhesion or proliferation capacity was observed. We suggest that the alcoholic fraction obtained from A. subrufescens at 60°C has a great potential for biotechnological application since it is easily obtained and presented low cytotoxicity potential.
Identification of rice hybrids for aerobic condition based on physiological traits.

An experiment was undertaken to identify rice hybrids for aerobic condition based on physiological and root characters associated with water stress tolerance in rice. Water deficit under aerobic condition decreased the releative water content of rice hybrids and increased the catalase activity for the maintenance of membrance structure and function. None of the hybrids showed desirable performance for all the traits. However, five hybrids viz., IR 68885A / IR 73718-3-1-3-3, IR 67684A / CT-6510-24-1-2, IR 70369A / IR 73718-3-1-3-3, IR 70372A / PSBRC 80 and IR 70372A / IR 73718-3-1-3-3 recorded desirable mean values for maximum characters and exhibited better adaptability to aerobic conditions.
Effects of source‐sink relations on photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO2

Abstract. While photosynthesis of C3 plants is stimulated by an increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration, photosynthetic capacity is often reduced after long-term exposure to elevated CO2. This reduction appears to be brought about by end product inhibition, resulting from an imbalance in the supply and demand of carbohydrates. A review of the literature revealed that the reduction of photosynthetic capacity in elevated CO2 was most pronounced when the increased supply of carbohydrates was combined with small sink size. The volume of pots in which plants were grown affected the sink size by restricting root growth. While plants grown in small pots had a reduced photosynthetic capacity, plants grown in the field showed no reduction or an increase in this capacity. Pot volume also determined the effect of elevated CO2 on the root/shoot ratio: the root/shoot ratio increased when root growth was not restricted and decreased in plants grown in small pots. The data presented in this paper suggest that plants growing in the field will maintain a high photosynthetic capacity as the atmospheric CO2 level continues to rise.
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) feeding for ecosystem-based management and sustainability in Newfoundland and Labrador marine ecosystems

The purpose of this study is to challenge long-standing assumptions on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) feeding around Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and provide information that will be useful for the next generation of ecosystem-based models. Using stomach content analysis and published cod stomach data I address two primary questions: Do cod cease feeding during spawning? Does the cod diet reflect changes in prey assemblages in the ecosystem? Spatial and temporal diet variation was additionally analyzed. Regional variation was paramount such that diet diversity, mirroring ecosystem diversity, increased with decreasing latitude. Contrary to current assumptions, feeding continued through spawning. The stomach content contribution of shrimp reflect environmental trends in these prey assemblages over the past 65 years, while crab, a minor part of the cod diet, does not reflect abundance changes. Capelin appeared preferably consumed when encountered. Cod are not complete generalist feeders but select for certain energy rich prey.
THE HIERARCHY OF TIME

At one time, phylogeny was almost the exclusive province of paleontology (e.g., Simpson, 1961; Scagel et al., 1966). The stratigraphic positions of fossil taxa, coupled with the intermediate morphologies represented by the same taxa, guided interpretations of the evolutionary transformations of lineages. No repeatable methodologies, however, guided the construction of phylogenetic hypotheses; rather, evolutionary trees were devised on the basis of suites of characters considered important on the basis of the accumulated knowledge of qualified experts. The advent of a cladistic framework (Hennig, 1950, 1966) and computational methodologies (e.g., Farris, 1970; Fitch, 1971; Felsenstein, 1981) allowed the construction of phylogenetic hypotheses that were explicit. In contrast to earlier approaches, characters were enumerated, the weight given to each was stated, and trees were constructed using specific algorithms. Although phylogenetic systematics still faces some philosophical and methodological challenges, the superiority of these methods for constructing explicit hypotheses of relationships among taxa has led to their widespread adoption by biologists and, to a lesser extent, paleontologists. A consequence of the adoption of phylogenetic systematics, however, was the subsequently diminished role of paleontology in studies of phylogeny. Today, many phylogenies are constructed using molecular sequence data, usually DNA sequences, extracted from extant organisms alone, with morphological evolution, if considered at all, often considered after the fact. Although the weaknesses of such an approach have been highlighted (e.g., Axsmith et al., 1998), at the present time it seems unlikely that paleontology will again play the central role in phylogeny reconstruction that it once did. Despite this, paleontological data are experiencing something of a renaissance among biologists because of increased recognition of and renewed interest in the two unique attributes that fossils can bring to phylogenetic studies: a record of extinct morphologies and a temporal framework. The latter attribute is the focus …
Application of alkyl sulfates and heat treated erythrocytes in hypertonic cryohemolysis

The research aim was to study the application efficiency of alkyl sulfates and heat treatment of erythrocytes of mammals (human, horse, bull and rabbit) in order to increase their resistance to hypertonic cryohemolysis. The hemolysis rate for erythrocytes was recorded by spectrophotometry; the efficiency of alkyl sulfates was assessed on the values of maximum antihemolytic activity and the ones of effective concentrations; mammalian erythrocytes were morphologically analyzed by light microscopy. It has been found that anionic amphiphiles (sodium decyl and dodecyl sulfates) exhibit an antihemolytic activity in hypertonic cryohemolysis of erythrocytes. There was shown the transformation of erythrocytes on the “discocyte-echinocyte” type in the presence of alkyl sulfates, indicating to the distribution of amphiphilic molecules in an outer monolayer of erythrocyte membrane bilayer. It has been revealed that pre-incubation of the cells at 49 C increases the resistance to hypertonic cryohemolysis effect for human and equine erythrocytes and as well as it reduces the one for bovine and rabbit cells. Sodium decyl and sodium dodecyl sulfates exhibit an antihemolytic activity under hypertonic cryohemolysis of heat treated mammalian erythrocytes, but it is lower if compared with the control cells. The findings about distribution of alkyl sulfates in membranes and their antihemolytic activity under conditions of hypertonic cryohemolysis of heat treated erythrocytes testify to the perspective of using these substances as the tool for assessing the state of erythrocyte membranes when changing the temperatureosmotic environment.
THE VISUAL SYSTEM OF THE GIANT CLAM TRIDACNA: BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS

Giant clams in the genus Tridacna exhibit a number of visual behaviors adaptated to the hypertrophied siphonal lobes and the symbiotic zooxanthellae. The visual system consists of many eyes located along the margin of the siphon. Shadows without abrupt changes in intensity or movement elicit slow retractions of corresponding siphon regions. A similar response also occurs in isolated tissues and appears to rely on peripheral synaptic interactions. Otherwise, a shadow response, or a sight reaction to distant movements, triggers a synchronous rapid retraction of the entire siphon along with adduction of the valves. These abrupt responses are centrally coordinated and have a startling effect on would-be predators due to the water jetted from the exhalent aperture and the visual effect of movement by the large, brightly colored siphon. Animals become habituated to repetitive shadows but remain sensitive to stimuli of different spatial or temporal characteristics, thus illustrating the existence of complex cent.
ANTIBACTERIAL AND PROBIOTIC PROPERTIES OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM CHICKEN INTESTINE, ENTRAILS OF SWINE, AND SOIL AGAINST GASTROINTESTINAL AND UROGENITAL PATHOGENS

The present work explores the isolation and selection of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with probiotic potential, and antagonism against important gastrointestinal and urogenital pathogenic bacteria. Two hundreds and one isolates of LAB were isolated from 51 samples including chicken intestines, pig intestines, and fermented fish egg. These 201 isolates were selected for detecting antimicrobial activity against 20 of important gastrointestinal and urogenital pathogenic bacteria, Seventeen isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity. We observed that Enterobacter agglomerans and Citrobacter freundii were the most inhibited pathogen. The strains which revealed the best inhibitory power were CI 5/3 and CI 5/6, showed an opposing effect against almost tested pathogenic bacteria. Probiotic characteristic of the isolated microorganism were tested by observing acid, bile salt and salt tolerant, growth in wide temperature ranges (25 - 45°C), hemolysis pattern on blood agar, resistance to antibiotics and hydrophobicity. Isolates CI 5/3 and CI 5/6 showed probiotic properties. Both isolates were identified by API50CH to be Lactobacillus brevis. Our results demonstrate that some of the LAB strains may be good candidates for potential application as probiotics in
Great Lakes Scientists' Perspectives on K-12 Education Collaboration

ABSTRACT This study reports the results of a baseline study for COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) Great Lakes' attempts to facilitate collaboration between scientists and educators. To characterize Great Lakes scientists' involvement in K-12 education and identify factors related to scientists' potential for the role of education partner, marine and aquatic scientists were recruited to complete a survey at a conference on the Great Lakes in 2006. Three research questions guided the study: 1) how are Great Lakes scientists involved in K-12 education, 2) what barriers may deter their participation in educational outreach, and 3) which factors are related to scientists' potential for the role of education partner. Through 94 survey responses, scientists reported their familiarity with terms in education, attitudes toward involvement, experiences, barriers and motivating factors in educational outreach. Regression analysis shows that four predictor variables account for a majority of the variance in explaining scientists' experience in collaboration with teachers (a combined predictive ability of 42%): familiarity with terms in education, professional training (educational competencies and collaborative cultures), and age. Results imply that professional training programs for research scientists may be needed to improve scientists' educational outreach capacity. Such information will be of particular value to programs such as COSEE Great Lakes whose focus is on facilitating scientist-educator interactions and improving scientists' educational outreach capacity for ocean and Great Lakes science literacy.
MafA Regulates Expression of Genes Important to Islet β-Cell Function

Insulin transcription factor MafA is unique in being exclusively expressed at the secondary and principal phase of insulin-expressing cell production during pancreas organogenesis and is the only transcriptional activator present exclusively in islet β-cells. Here we show that ectopic expression of MafA is sufficient to induce a small amount of endogenous insulin expression in a variety of non-β-cell lines. Insulin mRNA and protein expression was induced to a much higher level when MafA was provided with two other key insulin activators, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox (PDX-1) and BETA2. Potentiation by PDX-1 and BETA2 was entirely dependent upon MafA, and MafA binding to the insulin enhancer region was increased by PDX-1 and BETA2. Treatment with activin A and hepatocyte growth factor induced even larger amounts of insulin in AR42J pancreatic acinar cells, compared with other non-β endodermal cells. The combination of PDX-1, BETA2, and MafA also induced the expression of other important regulators of is.
Potato Virus Y Coat Protein Gene Induced Resistance in Valuable Potato Cultivars

The coat protein (CP) gene from a necrotic strain of potato virus Y (PVY) has been engineered into two-old Hungarian cultivars, namely cv. Mindenes and Somogyi kifli. The integration of the coat protein gene was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using genomic DNA preparations. The transcription and the expression of the integrated CP gene was followed by Northern and Western blot. The pathogene derived resistance was demonstrated by mechanical inoculation of the trans­formant plants after the transfer of the regenerants into soil. The efficiency of the virus protection varied between different potatoes ranging to complete protection to no protection. All plants were tested in field conditions under the special licence, given the competent authority instructed by the Hungarian gene technology act. In two consecutive years three Mindenes independent transformants proved to be highly resistant against two different strains of PVY in provocative experiment.
ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY IN ROOT OF NOTHAPODYTES NIMMONIANA IN DIFFERENT EXTRACTS

Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J.Graham) belonging to family Icacinaceae is commonly known as Amruta and found in Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tamilnadu in India. It is important medicinal plants used in various types of cancer, for HIV, in malaria, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti fungal activity have been reported. According to the local healers, the root of plant has anthelmintic activity. There have less information available regarding N.nimmoniana tree, phytochimical screening were performed &based on this, and an attempt has been made to evaluate the anthelmintic potency of N.nimmoniana. Anthelmintic activity was carried out by successive extraction using different solvent according to polarity of root coarse powder. The extractive values of pet.ether, chloroform, methanol and water were found to be 0.55, 1.32, 13.6, 33.25 % w/w respectively. All the extracts of root of N.nimmoniana have nearly potent anthelmintic activity when compare to standard Albendazole anthelmintic activity except pet. ether extract.
Reproductive Biology of Gerres Oyena (Pisces: Gerreidae) Along the Bagamoyo Coast, Tanzania

The reproductive biology of Gerres oyena (Forskal, 1775) (Gerreidae) along the Bagamoyo coast was studied from January to December 1999 using samples from monthly commercial catches. Size at first maturity was 12.8 and 13.9 cm TL for males and females respectively. The sex ratio was found to be 0.98:1 (m:f) and was not significantly different from 1:1. G. oyena spawns throughout the year with two peaks: one in March and the other between October and December, which coincide with the northeast monsoon. Ova-diameter frequency distributions indicated that G. oyena is a multiple spawner. They may spawn in three successive batches within the same prolonged spawning season. On an average, the numbers of mature ova produced were 148,138 per fish. For management purposes, a focus should be on the size of maturation relative to length-body depth or capture size. This would reduce harvesting of pre-reproductive individuals.
Development of a range of polyploid lines in Petunia hybrida and the relationship of ploidy with the single-/double-flower trait.

A set of Petunia hybrida plants encompassing a range of ploidy levels was developed through colchicine-mediated induction of chromosome doubling. The result- ing double-flower tetraploid plants were cross-hybridized with inbred single-flower diploid lines to generate F1 populations with segregation for ploidy level and flower type. The initial in vivo application of colchicine to seedling apical tips produced mixoploid plants of petunia at a high rate of efficiency. Thus, 95% of the shoot tips treated with colchicine for 48h resulted in polyploid mutant plants, and no difference in thisefficiency was observed using concentrations of colchicine between 0.2 and 2.0 mgmL -1 . Of the polyploid plants, 10% were found to be tetraploid and 85% were mixoploid (chimeric). Compared with their diploid counterparts, polyploid plants underwent reduced elonga- tion growth during the first 2 weeks and had thicker stems and shorter internodes resulting in dwarfing of the whole plant. In extreme cases, very slow growth rates produced stunted plantlets. Polyploid plants also had larger, thicker leaves and, in some cases, the leaves that developed after 1 month of growth appeared seriously malformed. Octoploid plants were also obtained and these tended to have more extreme phenotypes. Pure tetraploid plants of double-flower petunia were isolated by the in vitro culture of explants from the initial chimeric tetraploid mutants. These were crossed with three inbred single-flower diploid lines (S1, S2, and S3) thereby generating F1 populations that showed segregation for flower type and ploidy level and included the generation of triploid plants. In the tetraploid plants, flower diameter and the number of flower petals were not changed significantly (P > 0.05) compared with the original diploid double- flower plants, but observation of the pollen grains revealed segregation for size consistent with the increased ploidy level. Analysis of the F1 progeny plants also indicated that chromosome number is not necessary but sufficient to cause the production of semi- double-flowered plants. Flower color and flower diameter were also analyzed in the F1 progeny and complex patterns of inheritance were inferred. In addition to single and double flowers, semidouble-flowered plants were also suggested to be generated by the hybridization of 2n or 3n pollen from the double-flower tetraploid plants with the single- flower diploid lines.