Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Karyotype characterization of Andean Solanoideae (Solanaceae)

Abstract Solanaceae has a center of diversity in South America, with several genera endemic to the Andes. Molecular studies recognize the “x = 12” clade, including subfamily Solanoideae, Nicotiana, and Anthocercideae. Solanoideae is the largest group in the family having still many members cytologically unexplored. The mitotic chromosomes and karyotypes of 16 species and two varieties of Andean Solanoideae are here reported, from Brugmansia, Datura, Jaborosa, Latua, Leucophysalis, Lycianthes, Nolana, Salpichroa, Saracha, Solanum, and Witheringia. All species presented 2n = 24, being the numbers of ten taxa reported for the first time. In addition, the diploid number found for Latua pubiflora differed from the previous meiotic one. Average chromosome sizes varied from 1.64 to 4.92 μm. Karyotypes for the genera Saracha (the first for tribe Iochrominae), Leucophysalis, Nolana, and Salpichroa and the Regmandra clade of Solanum were heretofore unknown. In general, karyotypes showed low asymmetry, predominance of m and sm chromosomes, and one satellited pair. The exception was Salpichroa tristis, with no m chromosomes and four st pairs. Karyotype data were useful to single out the species and some of the genera examined. Data are discussed to dilucidate its value in the understanding of the phylogeny and the systematics of the group. The first karyotype for Nolana showed that it is typical of a Solanaceae and very close of Lycium and Grabowskia, as suggested by molecular phylogenies.
Genetic parameters of lamb carcass characteristics at three end-points: fat level, age and weight

Although breed substitution is a very common method of rapidly altering the characteristics of a livestock population, within-breed selection for lamb carcass characters is becoming more widely used in the terminal sire breeds in Britain. Such selection schemes require accurate and applicable genetic parameters for the carcass traits of interest. This paper reports a genetic analysis of 11 traits measured on 3592 lamb carcasses using a derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood technique. Because of the trial design it was possible to estimate the genetic parameters of the traits at comparable fat cover, carcass weight and age at slaughter, using appropriate within-subclass covariates. Heritability estimates for muscle depth (0·23, s.e. 0·04), muscle width (0·32, s.e. 0·05), fat depth (0·31, s.e. 0·05), caliper fat (0·23, s.e. 0·04) and conformation (0·29, s.e. 0·05) were similar in the weight and age-corrected results. Heritabilities for fat cover (0·35, s.e. 0·05), daily carcass weight gain (0·63, s.e. 0·07), and leg conformation (0·44, s.e. 0·05) were higher with slaughter at fixed weight than at fixed age. The heritabilities of traits at comparable fat cover were similar to those at comparable age at slaughter with the exception of daily carcass weight gain, fat depth, caliper fat and leg conformation. The different measures of fat were highly correlated with each other. Conformation was moderately correlated with external fat score, carcass length and muscle depth. Muscle depth was moderately correlated with carcass length. Differences were found between genetic correlations calculated at equal weight, a common point of comparison in breeding schemes, and equal fat cover, a common end-point for slaughter lambs.
Review and assessment of latent and sensible heat flux accuracy over the global oceans

For over a decade, several research groups have been developing air-sea heat flux information over the global ocean, including latent (LHF) and sensible (SHF) heat fluxes over the global ocean. This paper aims to provide new insight into the quality and error characteristics of turbulent heat flux estimates at various spatial and temporal scales (from daily upwards). The study is performed within the European Space Agency (ESA) Ocean Heat Flux (OHF) project. One of the main objectives of the OHF project is to meet the recommendations and requirements expressed by various international programs such as the World Research Climate Program (WCRP) and Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability, and Change (CLIVAR), recognizing the need for better characterization of existing flux errors with respect to the input bulk variables (e.g. surface wind, air and sea surface temperatures, air and surface specific humidities), and to the atmospheric and oceanic conditions (e.g. wind conditions and sea state). The analysis is based on the use of daily averaged LHF and SHF and the associated bulk variables derived from major satellite-based and atmospheric reanalysis products. Inter-comparisons of heat flux products indicate that all of them exhibit similar space and time patterns. However, they also reveal significant differences in magnitude in some specific regions such as the western ocean boundaries during the Northern Hemisphere winter season, and the high southern latitudes. The differences tend to be closely related to large differences in surface wind speed and/or specific air humidity (for LHF) and to air and sea temperature differences (for SHF). Further quality investigations are performed through comprehensive comparisons with daily-averaged LHF and SHF estimated from moorings. The resulting statistics are used to assess the error of each OHF product. Consideration of error correlation between products and observations (e.g., by their assimilation) is also given. This reveals generally high noise variance in all products and a weak signal in common with in situ observations, with some products only slightly better than others. The OHF LHF and SHF products, and their associated error characteristics, are used to compute daily OHF multiproduct-ensemble (OHF/MPE) estimates of LHF and SHF over the ice-free global ocean on a 0.25° × 0.25° grid. The accuracy of this heat multiproduct, determined from comparisons with mooring data, is greater than for any individual product. It is used as a reference for the anomaly characterization of each individual OHF product. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.rse. 2017.08. 016 Received 1 November 2016; Received in revised form 21 July 2017; Accepted 13 August 2017 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: Abderrahim.Bentamy@ifremer.fr (A. Bentamy). Remote Sensing of Environment 201 (2017) 196–218 Available online 22 September 2017 0034-4257/ © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. MARK
Assessment of injection of liquid rhizobial inoculum and traditional inoculation of soybean under furrow and drip irrigation

- Soybean is a naturally N 2 -fixing legume, but it needs artificial inoculation with appropriate strains of rhizobia when introduced to land not previously cultivated to the crop. As soybean is being introduced to Syria, inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum is essential to ensure effective biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by the crop. The question is: what is the most effective mean of inoculation? As Syria is a water-short country, we examined the possibility of applying the rhizobial inoculant in irrigation system (biofertigation) in contrast with the conventional seed pelleting application. In a 2 year experiment at a research station near Damascus, we compared seed pelleting of the inoculant under furrow and drip irrigation, with repeated inoculation by injection of a liquid culture rhizobial inoculum through the drip system. Drip irrigation enhanced N 2 -fixation by soybean regardless of inoculation technique and repeated inoculation. Injection of the liquid rhizobial inoculum through drip irrigation system was shown to enhances the acquisition of atmospheric N 2 and improve N 2 -fixation by soybean.
Micro propagation technique in Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

Study on standardization of micro propagation technique in Kinnow mandarin was carried out using nodal segments of nucelles seedling as explants. The MS medium supplemented with BAP, NAA and IAA for shoot regeneration and IBA and NAA for rooting were used in different concentration either alone or in combinations. The minimum time required to bud break (15.80 days) required was noticed on MS medium modified supplemented with BAP 1.0 mg/l + IAA 0.5 mg/l. The maximum number of shoot (4.90) on 1.0 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l NAA and length of shoot (2.62 cm) on BAP 1.0 mg/l + IAA 0.5 mg/l. The maximum per cent (90 %) of micro shoots responded to rooting was observed in medium containing 1.0 mg/l either IBA or NAA or in combination of NAA (0.5 mg/l) + IBA (0.1 mg/l). The minimum time required to root induction (18.40 days) was recorded with NAA (0.5 mg/l) + IBA (0.5 mg/l). The maximum number of roots (6.70) and length (4.40 cm) were observed on MS medium supplemented with NAA (0.5 mg/l) + IBA (0.5 mg/l). The rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized in a green house, in pots containing sterile soil, perlite and vermiculite in equal proportion. After 60 days of acclimatization under greenhouse conditions, 85.0 per cent success was noted.
Defining the role of Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

DEFINING THE ROLE OF INTERFERON REGULATORY FACTOR 4 IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA VIPUL SHUKLA Ph.D. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, 2016 SUPERVISOR: RUNQING LU, Ph.D. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) represents the most common adult leukemia in the Western hemisphere. Despite considerable progress in our current understanding of CLL, this disease remains incurable and the molecular events underlying the complex pathogenesis of CLL are not fully elucidated. Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 (IRF4) belongs to the IRF superfamily of transcription factors that has been shown to play critical roles at multiple stages of B cell development. Interestingly, a Genome Wide Association Study identified Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) mediated IRF4 down regulation, as a major predisposing genetic event during the development of CLL. However, whether low levels of IRF4 are causally related to CLL development was unclear. In our studies here, we demonstrated that IRF4 deficient mice expressing immunoglobulin heavy chain Vh11 (IRF4Vh11) developed spontaneous CLL with complete penetrance. Additionally, we also show that low levels of IRF4 dramatically accelerates CLL development in the New Zealand Black (NZB) mouse model of CLL. Together, these studies establish a causal role for IRF4 in the development of CLL. Furthermore, we used the IRF4Vh11 as a novel mouse model to CLL to define the molecular mechanism through which IRF4 suppresses CLL development. Our studies identified hyperactivation of Notch signaling pathway as a common feature of IRF4Vh11 CLL cells. Intriguingly, deregulation of Notch signaling pathway has been identified as one of the most recurrent molecular anomalies in the pathogenesis of CLL. Yet, the role of Notch signaling as well as its regulation during CLL development remained unclear. Our studies further reveal that Notch signaling promotes survival and expansion of CLL cells and their precursors and is indispensable for CLL development in the IRF4Vh11 mice. Moreover, we identify E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4, which target Notch for degradation, as a direct target of IRF4 in CLL cells and their precursors. Collectively, our studies here establish a causal role for low levels of IRF4 in the development of CLL. These studies provide the first in vivo evidence for an essential role of Notch signaling in the development of CLL and establish IRF4 as a critical regulator of Notch signaling during CLL development.
Reply:

The study of T-wave variability (TVAR) by Tasic and Zupan in the journal1 pertains to an alternative method of assessing repolarization in patients at rest, and thus in principle has advantages over what is currently prevalent, that is, measuring T-wave alternans (TWA) in patients during increase in heart rate engendered by exercise, pacing, or drugs. The authors studied TVAR in 57 patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less who were in sinus rhythm while resting supine, employing a 20-min highresolution electrocardiogram recording. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) had been implanted in 60% of the patients, who had been resuscitated from sudden cardiac death (SCD), while the remainder 40% had ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy (CMP) but no history of SCD. While the mean and median values of TVAR were similar in the patients with and without ICD measured, maximum (max) TVAR was lower in the former. The authors concluded that max TVAR is a predictor of SCD in patients with CMP. I will be grateful to the authors if they could provide me with a response to the following questions: (1) Why was mean max TVAR lower in the patients with an ICD, than the ones without ICD, considering that the former had previously suffered SCD, and thus they were probably more susceptible to SCD? (2) Couderc et al.,2 whose work the authors reference (Ref 11), detected higher TVAR in the subgroup of patients with appropriate ICD implantation than in the patients without arrhythmic events; how could one reconcile the difference in these two studies? (3) Why did the authors not study TVAR and TWA simultaneously as Couderc et al. did, so that they could comment on a possible differential of performance of these two methods in their cohort? (4) Was there any relationship between the TVAR values and the tallest T-wave among the set of T-waves used to calculate TVAR? This inquiry is in the spirit of a speculation previously expressed that the value of TWA may be T-wave amplitude dependent.3
Two New Species of Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from Zhongtiaoshan, Shanxi Province

In the present paper, two new species of Acridoidea from Shanxi are described. Type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University. 1. Hilethera brevipennis, sp. nov. (Figs.1～3) This new species is allied to Hilethera turanica Uvarov and H. maculata (Karny). It differs from the both in: 1) length of prozona equal to the length of metazona; 2) top of elytra just reaching the top of hind femur (♂) or reaching the middle of hind tibia (♀); 3) inner side of hind femur with three light band; 4) ♂, width of cubital area larger than the width of media area about 1.3 times. Length of body: ♂ 21 mm～22 mm, ♀ 24 mm; Length of pronotum: ♂ 4.5 mm～5.5 mm, ♀ 5 mm; Length of elytra: ♂ 17 mm～19 mm, ♀ 21.5 mm; Length of hind femur: ♂ 14 mm～15 mm, ♀ 13 mm. Holotype ♂, Shanxi: Qinshui (Xiachuan), 112°E, 35°4′N, 09-Ⅷ-2000; paratypes: 1♂, as the holotype; 1♀, Shanxi: Qinshui, 112°1′E, 35°6′N. 20-Ⅷ-2000,collected by Lu Rongsheng. 2. Euchorthippus zhongtiaoshanensis, sp. nov. (Figs.4～7) This new species is related to Euchorthippus flexucarinatus Bi et Xia, but differs in: 1) lateral keels of pronotum slightly curved; 2) length of foveola larger than its width about 3 times; 3) elytra longer, reaching the basal part of anal plate; 4) terminal tergite of abdomen with a pair furcula; 5) hind knee black. Length of body: ♂ 17 mm. Length of pronotum: ♂ 2.5 mm～3 mm. Length of elytra: ♂ 10 mm～10.5 mm. Length of hind femur: ♂ 9.5 mm～10 mm. Holotype ♂, paratype 1♂, Shanxi: Qinshui (Xiachuan), 112°E, 35°4′N. 09-Ⅷ-2000, collected by Lu Rongsheng.
Feeding Morphology, Diet, and Ecomorphological Relationships among Five Caribbean Labrids (Teleostei, Labridae)

The ecomorphological relationship between oral and pharyngeal jaw morphology and diet was investigated for five labrids: Lachnolaimus maximus, Halichoeres garnoti, H. bivittatus, H. maculipinna, and Thalassoma bifasciatum. The goals were to examine the following: (1) the relationship between diet and oral and pharyngeal jaw morphology; and (2) the influence of feeding behavior on diet. Twelve morphological measurements reflecting aspects of feeding ability were made. Interspecific differences in dentition were described. Principal components analysis (PCA) explained 96% of the variance among morphological variables with the first two PCs. Principal component 1 accounted for 92.2% of the variance, separating species by body size, whereas PC2 (3.8% of variance) separated species by oral jaw shape and degree of protrusibility. Twenty-six prey categories were identified. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that only 4.7% of the variation in diet was attributable to morphological variables, indicating a low correlation between oral and pharyngeal jaw characters and diet. However, variables that measured some aspect of performance were good predictors of diet. The proportion of hard prey consumed was correlated to the estimates of biting force for each species. Species with stronger pharyngeal jaw musculature consumed larger amounts of hard prey than those with lesser force generating ability. Feeding behaviors, classified as suction feeding, winnowing, or biting, corresponded to oral jaw morphology. Species with less protrusible jaws were found to bite their prey, and species with more protrusible jaws
Variation in the Songs of Breeding Gambel's White-Crowned Sparrows near Churchill, Manitoba

Song variation was studied in Gambel's White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), breeding in tundra and boreal forest habitats near Churchill, Manitoba. No significant differences were found among habitats in song characteristics of Z. 1. gambelii. Songs of Churchill birds had the same sequence of elements (i.e., whistle, warble, buzz, and trill) as Alaskan populations, with some variations in element form. The absence of dialects in migratory populations of White-crowned Sparrows supports predictions of the Ranging Hypothesis.
Differential Developmental Pattern of Tiller Bud in Rice Cultivars

The initiation of leaves and the width of tiller buds on rice plants were compared between japonica type cv. Musashikogane, Lemont and indica type cv. IR36, Takanari. The number of initiated leaves was defined by the growth pattern of the leaf primordium. In order to elucidate the relationship between the initiation of the leaves of tiller bud and those of the main stem, the index expressed by the difference in the number of initiated leaves of tiller buds against those of the main stem (DIL) were calculated based on Katayama's concept of the tillering system. The DILs of the N-th tiller bud increased while the number of emerged leaves of the main stem increased from (N+0.5) to (N+1.5), and then became constant. All through this period, the DILs were larger in the indica type than the japonica type at most tillering positions on the main stem. The width of the N-th tiller bud against the diameter of the stem to which the tiller bud was attached was larger in the indica type than the japonica type when the number of emerged leaves of the main stem was N. These results imply that the development of tiller buds in comparison with that of the main stem is faster in the indica type than the japonica type, and these varietal differences of the development of tiller buds occur in the early process of the development of tiller buds.
Screening of tryptophan synthase inhibitors as leads of herbicide candidates

除草活性リード化合物を見いだす目的でトリプトファン合成を阻害する化合物をスクリーニングした. そのために, E. coli の精製トリプトファン合成酵素を用いた. 本酵素はPLPを補酵素とし, インドールとL-セリンからトリプトファンを生成するだけでなく, メルカプタンとセリンの縮合をも触媒するので, ピリジン, インドール関連化合物およびメルカプタン類を中心にスクリーニングを行なった. その結果, 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMP) と 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) 等に強い阻害活性が見いだされた. これらはインドールに対して不拮抗的に作用するようである. DMPは植物 (イネ) 生長に影響を与えなかったが, MBIは生長阻害と枯死作用を示した.
New species of Restionaceae from Western Australia

649 Meney, K.A . I, Pate, J.S. 2, and Dixon, K. W. (lKings Park and Botanic Garden , West Perth, Western Australia 6005; 2Botany Department, University of Western Australia, Nedlands , Western Australia 6907) 1996. New species of Restionaceae from Western Australia. Telopea 6(4): 649-666. Nine new taxa of Restionaceae from south-western Australia are described for the first time. The paper outlines diagnostic characteristics, ecological features and conservation status of each of the following species: Desmoc1adus glomeratus KW. Dixon & KA. Meney, Harperia ferruginipes KA. Meney & J.S. Pate, Hypolaena robusta KA. Meney & J.S. Pate, Lepidobolus basiflorus JS. Pate & KA. Meney, Lepidobolus spiralis KA. Meney & KW. Dixon, Leptocarpus crassipes J.S. Pate & KA. Meney, Loxocarya albipes JS. Pate & KA. Meney, Loxocarya magna KA. Meney & KW. Dixon, Onychosepalum microcarpum KA. Meney & J.S. Pate. Illustrations accompany each description.
Does early growth cause a phenotypically plastic response in egg production of Atlantic Salmon

1. To evaluate how differences in juvenile and subadult growth influence egg size and fecundity, we investigated wild and hatchery reared Atlantic Salmon smolts originating from the River Imsa population. The smolts were individually tagged and released into a Norwegian river. Specific growth rate of hatchery reared juveniles in fresh water averaged 1.38 times higher than that of wild conspecifics. Specific growth rate at sea of the subadults, on the other hand, was 1.14 times higher for wild than hatchery reared fish. 2. Mean egg weight increased with adult body weight. On average, eggs of wild fish were 1.12 times heavier than those of hatchery reared fish of corresponding sea ages. 3. Somatic fish weight (total fish weight less egg weight) explained 27% of the variance in egg weight in wild, 40% in hatchery reared salmon and 30% for the combined sample. Moreover, juvenile growth rate in fresh water as a second independent variable, significantly improved the explanatory power (r 2 = 0.43 for wild, 0.46 for hatchery salmon and 0.48 for the combined sample). Neither growth rate at sea nor length increment as juveniles in fresh water (smolt length) added significantly to the explanatory power. 4. Fecundity increased with somatic weight in both wild (r 2 = 0.81) and hatchery reared fish (r 2 = 0.74), with hatchery fish having about 30% more eggs for a given body size than wild females. By adding specific growth rate in fresh water as a second independent variable, 76% of the variance in fecundity of hatchery fish was explained. In wild fish, the addition of egg weight as the second independent variable increased the coefficient of determination of the regression model to 0.88. Use of length increment at sea and smolt length as independent variables did not improve the explanatory power. 5. Total ovary weight increased with somatic weight (r 2 = 0.83) and the pattern was similar for wild and hatchery reared fish. Neither growth rate in fresh water nor at sea increased the explanatory power of the regression model.