Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gametic and somatic embryogenesis through in vitro anther culture of different Citrus genotypes

Abstract In vitro tissue culture represents a useful technique for advancing Citrus breeding and propagation. Among in vitro regeneration systems, anther culture is commonly used to produce haploids and doubled haploids for a fast-track producing homozygous lines, in comparison with the traditional self-pollination approach, which involves several generations of selfing. In addition, anthers culture can produce somatic embryos that can also be used for clonal propagation. In this study, two thermal shocks were applied to the anthers of six Citrus genotypes (two clementine and four sweet oranges), just after they were put in culture. The response obtained was different depending on the genotype: both clementines, namely Hernandina and Corsica, produced homozygous and triploid regenerants (microspore-derived embryos), whereas all of the analyzed regenerants from sweet oranges, three cultivars of Tarocco and Moro, produced heterozygous and diploid regenerants similar to the parental genotypes (somatic embryos).
Cefotaximases (CTX-M-ases), an expanding family of extended-spectrum β-lactamases

Among the extended-spectrum β-lactamases, the cefotaximases (CTX-M-ases) constitute a rapidly growing cluster of enzymes that have disseminated geographically. The CTX-M-ases, which hydrolyze cefotaxime efficiently, are mostly encoded by transferable plasmids, and the enzymes have been found predominantly in Enterobacteriaceae, most prevalently in Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis. Isolates of Vibrio cholerae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Aeromonas hydrophila encoding CTX-M-ases have also been reported. The CTX-M-ases belong to the molecular class A β-lactamases, and the enzymes are functionally characterized as extended-spectrum β-lactamases. This group of β-lactamases confers resistance to penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and monobactams, and the enzymes are inhibited by clavulanate, sulbactam, and tazobactam. Typically, the CTX-M-ases hydrolyze cefotaxime more efficiently than ceftazidime, which is reflected in substantially higher MICs.
Photosynthesis in Sphagnum at different water contents

AbstractThe net rate of photosynthesis at different water contents of three species of Sphagnum, found growing on ombrotrophic mires, was studied. No significant difference was found between S. balticum (hollow species) and S. fuscum (hummock species) in their response to low water content, but S. tenellum (hollow species) was slightly more sensitive than S. balticum in this respect. The water content response is, thus, not simply related to the natural habitat of the species. In dry weather, S. fuscum had a much higher water content in its capitula than had the other species which suggests that the occurrence of a species on hummocks is more related to its ability to transport water to living parts than to the response of the photosynthetic rate to water content.
Quality of Epididymal and Ejaculated Sperms of Spotted Buffalo in Dextrose Supplemented Extender

Andromed supplemented with 0.2% dextrose, and Andromed supplemented with 0.4% dextrose) was studied. The results showed that there was no significantly different (P > 0.05) quality of ejaculated and epididymal sperms. The motility percentage of post thawing epididymal and ejaculated sperms was 41-46% and 41-45%, respectively. And percentage of cytoplasmic membrane integrity of the post thawing epididymal and ejaculated sperms was 6667% and 47-54% respectively. There was also no significant different (P > 0.05) in the percentage of cytoplasmic membrane integrity between the extenders of both ejaculated and epididymal sperms. This result suggested that epididymal sperms were reliable for artificial insemination as good as ejaculated sperms.
Phylogenetic analysis of Nymphaeales using fast-evolving and noncoding chloroplast markers

The Nymphaeales (water-lilies and relatives) represent one of the earliest branching lineages of angiosperms and comprise about 70 aquatic species. Here, we present a comprehensive study of phylogenetic relationships within the Nymphaeales from a dataset containing 24 representatives of the order, including all currently recognized genera and all subgenera of the genus Nymphaea, plus 5 outgroup taxa. Nine different regions of the chloroplast genome − comprising spacers, group II introns, a group I intron, and a protein coding gene − were analysed. This resulted in a character matrix of 6597 positions and an additional 369 characters obtained from coded length mutations. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the complete dataset yielded congruent, fully resolved and well-supported trees. Our data confirm the monophyly of the Cabombaceae but do not provide convincing support for the monophyly of Nymphaeaceae with respect to Nuphar. Moreover, the genus Nymphaea is inferred to be paraphyletic with respect to Ondinea, Victoria and Euryale. In fact, the Australian endemic Ondinea forms a highly supported clade with members of the Australian Nymphaea subgenus Anecphya. In addition, Victoria and Euryale are inferred to be closely related to a clade comprising all night-blooming water-lilies (Nymphaea subgenera Hydrocallis and Lotos). An experimental approach showed taxon sampling to be of influence on the nodes reconstructed in core Nymphaeaceae. The results underscore that more diverse genera, if not clearly known to be monophyletic, should be represented by all major lineages. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 154, 141–163.
Reply to Smith and O'Meara: The utility of morphogenera

We do not disagree with Smith and O'Meara's points (1), which do not affect our results (2). P values must be viewed with caution when the x variable is a subset of the y variable, and we could have noted this point more prominently in our paper. From a purely pragmatic standpoint, however, most analyses employing morphogenera (e.g., analyzing fossil taxa) will lack prior knowledge of their phyletic status with respect to molecular cladograms. Therefore, the key consideration is the amount of variance explained by genera of unknown status compared to known monophyletic taxa. Furthermore, their analysis of mammalian body masses (1) suggests we should exclusively expect significant correlations, but when we re-create their analyses with the same body-mass data, varying the number of additional species required to create monophyletic groups across a realistic range, a substantial number of replicates yield insignificant P values (Table 1). Thus, significant correlations are not a foregone conclusion.
Influence of carbon and nitrogen sources on ochratoxin A production by two species of Penicillium isolated from poultry feeds

Mycotoxins are natural, secondary metabolites produced by fungi on agricultural commodities in the field and during storage under a wide range of climatic conditions. The ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. In this study, the influence of carbon and nitrogen sources on ochratoxigenic Penicillium species was assessed. The ochratoxigenic Penicillium species were isolated from poultry feed samples of Andhra Pradesh, India. The isolated ochratoxigenic Penicillium species were identified, screened and characterised as OTA producers by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This experiment was carried out using Czapak yeast Autolysate (CYA) medium with different carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) sources at pH 6.5 and incubated at 25 ± 2°C under dark condition. Maximum OTA production was recorded in the presence of D-glucose followed by D-galactose and D-lactose as carbon sources. Similarly, the maximum amount of OTA production was observed in thiourea followed by potassium nitrate as nitrogen source. However, OTA production, final pH of the medium, and mycelial yield and OTA production of both the species of Penicillium varied with C and N present in the medium. The kinetics of the both species of Penicillium was observed for 30 days at an interval of three days. The maximum amount of OTA was detected by 12 and 15 days incubation periods for Penicillium nordicum and Penicillium verrucosum, respectively.
Estudio de la resiliencia en función de la modalidad deportiva: fútbol, balonmano y esquí (Research on resilience depending on the type of sport: football, handball and ski)Research of resilience depending on the type of sport: football, handball and ski)

El estudio de la resiliencia como capacidad para superar situaciones de adversidad ha tomado protagonismo en la ultima decada, especialmente en la rama de la psicologia deportiva. El objetivo de esta investigacion consiste en estudiar sus niveles en diversas modalidades deportivas, con el fin de establecer patrones en funcion del deporte practicado. En este sentido, este estudio de caracter descriptivo y transversal conto con una muestra constituida por 39 deportistas de diversas modalidades (futbol, balonmano y esqui), permitiendo el estudio de factores asociados a la resiliencia, utilizandose como instrumento el cuestionario CD-RISC de Connor-Davidson (2003). Los resultados concretaron que los esquiadores poseian puntuaciones de resiliencia mas elevadas, siendo los futbolistas aquellos que presentaban una menor puntuacion. Asimismo, tanto los jugadores de balonmano como los esquiadores obtuvieron la mayor valoracion en el item R7, asociandose los futbolistas al R24 (ambos referidos a la tenacidad y autosuficiencia); el item R3, referido a creencias religiosas, concreto la menor porcentualidad. Como conclusion, se demuestra la variabilidad de la resiliencia y sus dimensiones en funcion del deporte practicado, mostrandose los factores resilientes mas debiles y que deberian ser desarrollados para mejorar el rendimiento deportivo en situaciones adversas. Abstract. The study of resilience as a quality-ability to overcome adverse situations has taken center stage in the last decade, especially in the field of sport psychology. The objective of this research is to study the levels of resilience in different sports in order to establish patterns depending on the sport practiced. In this regard, this descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out using 39 sportsmen from different modalities (football, handball and skiing), allowing the study of factors associated with resilience, using the CD-RISC questionnaire of Connor-Davidson (2003). The results show that skiers had higher resilience scores, while football players were those who had a lower score. In addition, handball players and skiers obtained the highest score in the R7 item, while footballers were associated to the R4 item (both referred to the tenacity and self-sufficiency); the R3 item, based on religious beliefs, showed the lowest punctuation. In conclusion, the variability of resilience and its dimensions depending on the sport is demonstrated, highlighting the weakest resilient factors, which should be developed to enhance sport performance in adverse situations.
Production performance and egg quality of quails (Coturnix japonica) during several periods of the day

Three experiments were carried out to analyze the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails throughout the day when submitted to different lighting programs. In each experiment, birds were submitted to a period of 28 days for adaptation to the lighting program. During the following three days, each day – from 7 am to 7 pm or 9 pm – was divided into six or seven periods of two hours each, and the remaining hours corresponded to another single period. All birds were submitted to the same management practices, and received water and feed ad libitum. The experimental diet was formulated according to NRC (1994) standards. It was observed lower feed intake in the period of 9 pm to 7 am, and a higher incidence of lay from 3 pm to 7 pm, as opposite to hens, which peak of egg laying occurs during the morning. Some controversial results were found among experiments as to eggshell quality during the different periods of the day. Variation on the lighting program had little influence on the other performance and egg quality parameters.
Identification of species in the Cladia aggregata group using DNA barcoding (Ascomycota: Lecanorales)

The DNA barcode approach is using a short genetic marker for rapid identification of a particular species. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has been chosen as barcode marker for fungi. Here we tested the potential of ITS to identify distinct lineages in the Cladia aggregata complex, a group of lichenized fungi exhibiting remarkable morphological and chemical diversity. Our recent studies using multilocus DNA sequence data and coalescent-based species delimitation methods supported a 12 species delimitation scenario. In this study, we evaluated the ratio of the intra- and interspecific genetic distances of ITS in these 12 putative species. All 12 putative species showed a lower ratio of intraspecific variation than interspecific variation, supporting the hypothesis that these represent distinct lineages. Consequently, these lineages are here accepted at species level and three new species, viz. Cladia blanchonii Parnmen & Lumbsch, C. cryptica Parnmen & Lumbsch and C. tasmanica Parnmen & Lumbsch are described and the new combinations Cladia gorgonea (Eschw.) Parnmen & Lumbsch, C. neocaledonica (Ras.) Parnmen & Lumbsch, and C. terebrata (Laurer) Parnmen & Lumbsch proposed.
Effectiveness of sulphate-S fertilization at different growth stages for yield, seed quality and S uptake of canola

Canola ( Brassica napus L. and B. rapa L.) is an important cash crop in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. The majority of canola is grown in the Parkland zone where many soils are deficient or potentially deficient in plant-available S for optimum seed yield of canola. Because canola has high S requirements and S is immobile in plants, its deficiency can occur any time during the growing season and drastically reduce canola seed yield, particularly on soils fertilized well with N and P. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of sulphate-S fertilizer (potassium sulphate) applied using various application methods at seeding and during the growing season for yield, seed quality and S uptake of canola on S-deficient soils. Six field experiments (two sites per year from 1998 to 2000) were conducted on Grey Luvisol soils in north-eastern Saskatchewan. Fertilizer treatments were no fertilizer, N (120 kg N ha-1) alone at seeding, S (30 kg S ha-1) alone at seeding, and N (120 kg N ha-1) at seed.
Dobzhansky's genetics of natural populations I-XLIII

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. This statement is an apt motto for the lifework of Theodosius Dobzhansky, whom Stephen Jay Gould has called "the greatest evolutionary geneticist of our times. " Between 1937 and 1975, the year of his death, Dobzhansky and twenty-two of his collaborators published forty-three papers in a series called "The Genetics of Natural Populations. " Taken as a whole, the series is perhaps the most important single corpus in modern evolutionary genetics. Dobzhansky's Genetics of Natural Populations, I-XLIII reproduces these forty-three articles. Because three of the four editor's of this volume are former students and long-time collaborators of Dobzhansky, they are able to set these important papers in critical perspective. The editors briefly evaluate the totality of Dobzhansky's work and summarize the views expressed in the series-including the historic development of Dobzhansky's ideas on genetic variation. Critical comments illuminate the relationship of the papers to each other and to Dobzhansky's other work. In addition, the editors discuss the role of Dobzhansky's interaction with Alfred Sturtevant and Sewall Wright. In particular, the book features Dobzhansky's pioneering field studies of Drosophila pseudoobscura, which were critical in the formulation of some of his most important conclusions about the genetic structure of populations and, more broadly, about the way evolution works.
An Error Correction Modeling (ECM) of the Determinants of Deforestation in Nigeria

Abstract Persistent deforestation is one of the major constraints to sustainable economic development in Nigeria. This study used the Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) to determine the economic factors influencing deforestation. The data were national aggregates collected from several secondary sources for 1961-2000. Data analysis showed that there were at least 7 cointegrating vectors in the estimated model. Also, the dynamic unrestricted short-run parameters of cereal cropland growth rates (0.564), tuber cropland growth rates (-1.961), permanent cropland growth rate (22.136), tuber yield (0.126), livestock population (-2.156), human population (-9.214), other land areas (0.281), agricultural Gross Domestic Product (0.156), and roundwood production (0.684) had significant impact on deforestation (p < 0.05). The study recommends that efforts to address further deforestation should include enforcement of laws guiding the cutting of forest trees and research development to ensure development of crop hybrids that are resistant to environmental Stress, among others.
The Relative Importance of Fungal Infection, Conspecific Density and Environmental Heterogeneity for Seedling Survival in a Dominant Tropical Tree

A gap remains in our understanding of how host‐specific fungal pathogens impact negative density dependence (NDD). Here, we investigated survival of Cinnamomum subavenium Miq. seedlings, the dominant canopy species in a seasonal tropical evergreen forest, Thailand. It is infected by a host‐specific fungus that is easily identifiable in the field. We quantified the effects of conspecific seedling and adult density on fungal infection and seedling survival over a wide range of environmental heterogeneity in elevation, understory vegetation and presence of forest gaps. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) for seedling survival revealed that fungal infection significantly reduced survival and had the strongest effect on seedling survival as compared with conspecific density and environmental heterogeneity. Adult conspecific density was not, however, significantly correlated with the probability of infection, and conspecific seedling density was positively associated with increased infection only at high elevations. In contrast to infection, we found a significant positive correlation between conspecific seedling density and the probability of seedling survival. Consequently, our results demonstrate that fungal infection can have major impacts on seedling survival, but not in a manner consistent with local NDD effects on seedlings, as assumed in the Janzen–Connell hypothesis. Our study provides an example of how quantifying the interaction between environmental heterogeneity and a host‐specific plant‐pathogen can yield unexpected insights into the dynamics of seedling populations. The combined effects of host‐specific pathogens and environmental heterogeneity on survival of dominant seedling species may ultimately provide a chance for rarer species to recruit.
Diallel Analysis and Biochemical Genetic Markers for Heterosis and Combining Ability under Two Sowing Dates of Maize Inbred Lines

The study was undertaken to estimate heterosis and combining ability of new maize inbred lines in F1 combinations for some agronomic traits under two sowing dates for developing superior hybrids. Also this investigation studied the possibility of predicting heterosis and combining ability in maize inbred lines via protein electrophoresis. A half diallel set of crosses involving eight maize inbred lines were evaluated under two different sowing dates and the inbred lines were used for protein electrophoresis study. The obtained data revealed highly significant differences between sowing dates for all studied traits except number of rows per ear. The mean squares due to General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) were significant for all studied traits under both planting dates except 100 kernel weight under late planting date for SCA. GCA/SCA ratios were less than unity for plant height, days to 50% silking, 100 kernel weight and grain yield per plant under normal sowing date and ear height, plant height, number of kernel per row, 100 kernel weight and grain yield per plant under late sowing date and the other traits were more than unity. The hybrids P1 × P2, P1 × P6, P1 × P8, P2 × P5, P2 × P6, P3 × P6, P5 × P6, P5 × P7 and P6 × P7 under normal sowing date and P2 × P4, P2 × P5, P4 × P6 and P5 × P6 under late sowing date out yielded the check hybrid. The parental lines P2, P5 and P6 seemed to be the best combiners for grain yield per plant and most of the studied traits under normal and late planting dates. Twenty one out of the twenty eight crosses showed desirable significant SCA effects under normal and late sowing dates for grain yield per plant and most of the other studied traits. The electrophoresis patterns could be useful tools for the identification and characterization of these inbred lines and could be used as biochemical genetic markers associated with hybrid vigor and SCA in maize
Effect of ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration on cell structure of sapotas

BACKGROUND: Drying is a traditional way of fruit preservation. Because of the high energy costs associated with air-drying, osmotic dehydration is often applied as a pretreatment to reduce air-drying time. Ultrasound is an emerging technology with several applications in food processing. The effect of ultrasound on fruit tissue depends on the tissue structure and composition, and ultrasound might be beneficial to improve air-drying efficiency, with consequent reduction in process costs. In this study the effect of ultrasound and ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration on sapota tissue structure was evaluated. RESULTS: Ultrasound induced cell disruption and breakdown of cells with high phenolic content (dense cells) and also induced elongation of parenchyma cells. Ultrasound application combined with high osmotic gradient enhanced water loss and solid gain because of the formation of microscopic channels. Ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration induced gradual distortion of the shape of cells, cell breakdown and formation of microscopic channels. Micrographs of the fruit tissue showed that ultrasound preferentially affected dense cells. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic pretreatment was able to preserve the tissue structure of the fruit when distilled water was used as liquid medium. The application of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration resulted in severe changes in the tissue structure of the fruit, with consequent increase in the effective water diffusivity, because of the formation of microscopic channels and cell rupture. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry