Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Control of Apospory in Apomictic Paspalum Species

The genetic control of aposporous apomixis in Paspalum was investigated by determination of the reproductive mode of the progeny from a cross of the sexual, self-incompatible tetraploid, P. ionanthum by the facultative apomict, P. cromyorrhizon. One hundred and sixty-nine progeny were assessed using embryological analysis, of these, 127 were shown to produce aposporous embryo sacs whilst 42 were completely free giving a ratio of 3.02/1. Fourteen plants of the aposporous group showed a high level of female sterility and may be considered as being members of the non-aposporous group which would alter the ratio to 2.02/1. Selfing of the female parent produced 120 caryopses of which only 25 gave rise to flowering plants. Six of the latter showed occasional aposporous embryo sac formation. Cytological analyses of meiosis indicates that any interpretation of the genetic ratios must take into account disomic or tetrasomic inheritance in P. ionanthum and tetrasomic with random chromatid assortment in P. cromyorrhizon. On this basis the observed phenotypic ratios can be accommodated within a genetic model of the sexual female parent being of the genotype AAAa if tetrasomy applies or Aa if disomy, whilst the apomitic male is Aaaa. In this situation apospory requires the presence of at least two doses of the recessive allele together with a single copy of the wild type allele, homozygous recessive genotypes will be non-viable. Alternatively, a model of one dominant gene controlling apospory together with lethality of gametes carrying two copies of the gene may account for the results.
Pollen morphology and structure of Zingiber (Zingiberaceae)

Abstract The aim of the present study is to describe the morphology and internal wall structure of Zingiber pollen. The pollen of 18 species of Zingiber was examined by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In the sections Zingiber and Dymczewiczia (Horan.) Benth. the pollen grains are spherical with cerebroid sculpturing while in the section Cryptanthium Horan. the pollen is ellipsoid with spira-striate sculpturing. All species have a thin coherent exine and an intine consisting of a thick, radially channeled outer layer and a thin, finely granular inner layer. On the basis of pollen morphology it is proposed that the section Dymczeniczia is included in the section Zingiber. The structure of the pollen wall in Zingiber resembles that of Canna and Strelitzia in having a pollen wall offering an infinite number of germination sites.
Endogenous salicylic acid levels correlate with accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins and virus resistance in tobacco

Salicylic acid (SA) is hypothesized to be an endogenous regulator of local and systemic disease resistance and an inducer of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins among plants. High levels of PR proteins have been observed in an uninoculated amphidiploid hybrid of Nicotiana glutinosa [times] N. debneyi, which is highly resistant to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Fluoresence, UV, and mass spectral analysis established that the levels of SA in healthy N. glutinosa [times] N. debneyi leaves were 30 times greater than in N. tabacum [open quotes]Xanthi-nc[close quotes] tobacco, which does not constitutively express PR proteins and is less resistant to TMV. Upon TMV-inoculation SA levels increased at least 70-fold leaves of Xanthi-nc but role only slightly in the hybrid. Phloem exudates of N. glutinosa [times] N. debneyi contained at least 500 times more SA than those of Xanthi-nc. SA treatment caused the appearance of PR-1 protein in Xanthi-nc but did not affect constitutively high levels of PR-1 protein in N. glutinosa [times] N. debneyi. In contrast to Xanthi-nc tobacco, TMV-inoculated N. glutinosa [times] N. debneyi kept at 32 C accumulated more than 0.5 [mu]g SA/g fresh weight, maintained high levels of PR proteins, and developed a hypersensitive response to TMV. PR proteins havemore » previously been shown to accumulate in the lower leaves of healthy, flowering Xanthi-nc tobacco, which exhibited increased resistance to TMV. These developmentally induced increases in resistance and PR-1 proteins positively correlated with tissue levels of SA. These results affirm the regulatory role of SA in disease resistance and PR protein production. 31 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab. « less
Effect of stimulus height on cockroach optomotor response

ABSTRACT Using tethered American cockroaches walking on a trackball in a spherical virtual reality environment, we tested optomotor responses to horizontally moving black-and-white gratings of different vertical extent under six different light intensities. We found that shortening the vertical extent of the wide-field stimulus grating within a light level weakened response strength, reduced average velocity and decreased angular walking distance. Optomotor responses with the vertically shortened stimuli persisted down to light intensity levels of 0.05 lx. Response latency seems to be independent of both the height of the stimulus and light intensity. The optomotor response started saturating at a light intensity of 5 lx, where the shortest behaviourally significant stimulus was 1 deg. This indicates that the number of vertical ommatidial rows needed to elicit an optomotor response at 5 lx and above is in the single digits, maybe even just one. Our behavioural results encourage further inquiry into the interplay of light intensity and stimulus size in insect dim-light vision. Summary: The vertically shortest wide-field stimulus that causes an optomotor response in the cockroach is about 1 deg high, corresponding to one or just a few rows of ommatidia.
Effect of α-tocopherol and dietary fat source on some blood and immunological variables in lactating sows

Thirty-six 7-month-old gilts were used to study the effects of different levels of a-tocopherol (13, 48, 136 mg/kg food) and different source of fat (50 g/kg sunflower oil or animal fat) in gestation and lactation diets on α-tocopherol concentration in serum, colostrum and milk and on cell-mediated and humoral immune response of lactating sows. Blood samples were taken from six sows per treatment after farrowing and at weaning (28 days of lactation) and were analysed for α-tocopherol concentration, total number of leucocytes and T- and B-lymphocyte counts. In blood lymphocyte stimulation with concanavaline, lysozyme activity and immunoglobulin concentration were also measured. In milk samples α-tocopherol and immunoglobulin concentration were determined at farrowing and at weaning. It was concluded that a high α-tocopherol level in the sow's diet including either sunflower oil or animal fat increased as expected the serum α-tocopherol concentration ( P P
Giemsa C-banded karyotypes of Hordeum secalinum, H. capense and their interspecific hybrids with H. vulgare

The European H. secalinum (2n=4x=28) and the South African H. capense (2n=4x=28) had similar karyotypes with ten pairs of metacentrics, three of submetacentrics, and one of SAT-chromosomes. The C-banded karyotypes of H. secalinum from northern Europe were characterized by banding patterns with few bands, those of H. secalinum from Spain and H. capense by banding patterns with more bands. The bands were mostly small or very small and had no preferential disposition. Intraplant banding pattern polymorphism was observed in North European H. secalinum, in agreement with an outbreeding reproductive system. No banding pattern polymorphism was present within plants of H. secalinum from Spain and H. capense, suggesting self-pollination. In both species banding pattern polymorphism was prevalent among plants. Together with other evidence the fairly similar basic C-banded karyotypes of the two species indicate a rather close relationship.
Role of μ-Agonist Efficacy and Noxious Stimulus Intensity

Pain is associated with the stimulation of some behaviors and the depression of others. The present study used parallel assays of pain-stimulated and pain-depressed behaviors in rats to compare antinociception profiles for six m-agonists that varied in efficacy (from highest to lowest: methadone, fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone, buprenorphine, nalbuphine). Intraperitoneal injection of diluted lactic acid was a noxious stimulus to either induce stretching or depress operant respondingmaintained by electrical stimulation in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). All m-agonists blocked both stimulation of stretching and depression of ICSS produced by 1.8% lactic acid. The high-efficacy agonists were more potent at blocking acid-induced depression of ICSS than acid-stimulated stretching, whereas lower-efficacy agonists displayed similar potency across assays. These results reveal distinctions between opioids based on efficacy at them-receptor, as well as support the use of parallel assays of pain-stimulated and pain-depressed behaviors to evaluate analgesic efficacy.
Agronomic Practices in Addition to Herbicides for Improving Weed Control in Dry-Seeded Flooded Rice

ABSTRACT Registered herbicides, when used within label specifications, are cost-effective and safe for both the rice and crop and non-target species. Situations arise, however, in which there are limited herbicide options to rice weed problems. These include (1) contrary environmental conditions (too hot, too cold, too wet); (2) close proximity of farm to homes or susceptible species, which prohibit application of a needed herbicide; (3) weed resistance; and (4) advanced growth stage of weeds. We sought to increase rice competitiveness by (1) reducing the interval between planting and flooding and (2) identifying specific traits which make rice varieties more competitive to weeds without compromising rice yield. We tested two techniques to reduce the period between planting and flooding: seed soaking and early flooding. Imbibed seed did not create problems in drill seeding. In three separate tests of early flooding, results ranged from small but significant yield reductions for flooding 2 days after emergence versus 16 days after emergence in 1995 to significant yield increases for slightly later flooding in 1996. In general, no early flood responses, relative to later flooding were disastrous to yield and some were beneficial. ‘Carolina’ gold was very competitive, but had low yield potential. ‘Cypress’ was very competitive and had high yield potential. Using highly competitive, high yielding rice cultivars will further reduce the impact of weed competition on rice yield. We conclude that the period between planting and flooding can be shortened by several days. This can be done by allowing seeds to imbibe water and initiate germination prior to drill-planting. In some cases, flooding rice two weeks prior to standard flooding schedule may result in minimal yield reduction. Early flooding reduces the window for germination of weed seeds, resulting in reduced weed infestation. Proper choice of cultivar, hastening rice emergence by seed soaking, and adjusting water management practices can tip the balance in favor of the rice crop over weeds.
Conservation risks of exotic chukars (Alectoris chukar) and their associated management: implications for a widely introduced phasianid

Chukars (Alectoris chukar) have been widely introduced throughout the world. Their introductions and associated management for sport hunting have the potential to affect native ecosystems in a variety of ways. Our specific objectives were: (1) to document species using water developments designed to benefit chukar populations to determine whether, and at what prevalence, exotic species appear to use, and presumably benefit from, additional watering points; (2) to describe chukar diet with specific reference to cheatgrass and other exotic plant seeds; and (3) to determine whether chukars are a likely vector for dispersal of cheatgrass and/or other plant seeds via passage through the gut. In total, 27 different wildlife species were photographed across all 36 sampled water developments. Three exotic species were photographed to include chukars, rock dove (Columba livia), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes), with the latter two species photographed at only two and one site respectively. Mean number of species photographed (5.69 ± 1.09) ranged from 1 to 13, but was estimated near 10 after accounting for sampling time. Cheatgrass seed was found in 76.3% of crops and constituted 45.2% of dry weight. Thirteen plants germinated from 503 chukar faecal droppings. We found no evidence of widespread use of water points designed for chukars by other exotic species or dispersal of cheatgrass seed via passage through the gut. Chukars appear (at least initially) benign and they are not likely to be major vectors in plant seed dispersal. Furthermore, chukars could foster localised plant diversity in that they consume large quantities of primarily exotic plant seed and do not show a propensity for dispersal of seeds through faecal droppings.
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There has lately been a growth in the level of study of continental margins. Apart from increased scientific interest, studies of continental margins have now taken on a much higher commercial profile, largely because of the oil industry’s move off the shelf into increasingly deeper waters world-wide. The variation and disturbance of sediments on slopes make them ideal areas for the generation, migration and entrapment of hydrocarbons. The three topics considered in this volume are of particular significance to continental margin development. The 19 papers provide a sample of recent and current work with an emphasis on processes active beyond the shelf break. Individual researchers have unsurprisingly tended to concentrate on specific types of process, having chosen study areas well suited to the investigation of specific phenomena. The key distinction of processes is that between downslope, alongslope and hemipelagic processes. There is, however, increasing recognition that all these need to be integrated to produce a model of continental margin development. The processes will differ in importance in space and time, but their interrelationship needs to be understood, and background processes must be appreciated. A notable contribution of this volume is an increased awareness of the importance of alongslope processes within this model. It is thought that in ten years’ time as much as 25% of oil will be extracted from deep-water fields. An understanding of continental margin processes is therefore becoming crucial to the safe development of deep-water oilfields. The papers in this volume thus have considerable actual or potential commercial value.
Identification of a Novel Core Type in SalmonellaLipopolysaccharide

For the first time, the complete structure of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core region fromSalmonella enterica has been identified that is different from the Ra core type generally thought to be present in allSalmonella LPS. The LPSs from two rough mutants and the smooth form of S. enterica sv. Arizonae IIIa O62, which all failed to react with an Ra core type-specific monoclonal antibody and were resistant to phage FO1, were analyzed after chemical modification using monosaccharide analysis, mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy. In the novel core type, the terminal d-GlcNAc residue present in the Ra core type, is replaced by a d-Glc residue. The O-specific polysaccharide is α1→4-linked to the second distal Glc residue of the core. Furthermore, phosphoryl substituents attached to O-4 ofl-glycero-d-manno-heptose (Hep) I and II were identified as 2-aminoethyl diphosphate (on Hep I) and phosphate (Hep II). R α 1 → 4 Glc 2 ↑ Glc p α 1 p α 1 → Gal p α 1 → 3 Glc 6 ↑ Gal p α 1 p α 1 P ↓ 4 → 3 Hep 7 ↑ Hep p α 1 p α 1 → 3 Hep PPE ↓ 4 p α 1 A → 5 Kd 4 ↑ Kdo α 2 o STRUCTURE I Abbreviations in Structure I are as follows: Hepp,l-glycero-d-manno-heptopyranose; Kdo, 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulopyranosonic acid; PPEA, 2-aminoethyl diphosphate; R, O-specific polysaccharide. The presence of this novel core type in LPS of S. entericashould be taken into account in the development of a general antibody-based diagnostic system forSalmonella.
Heritabilities and Correlations for Reproductive Traits in a Randombred Population of Turkeys

Abstract THE inheritance of reproductive traits has received relatively little attention in the turkey in comparison to the chicken. Although the reports of Asmundson (1938 Asmundson (1941), Knox and Marsden (1944), Whitson et al. (1944) and Walter and Hoffman (1947) suggest that most of these characters are inherited similarly to those in the chicken, there is only limited information concerning their heritability in the turkey. Also, there are no reports in the literature regarding the genetic correlations among the various reproductive traits in the turkey. Heritability estimates ranging from −. 652 to . 293 have been reported for egg production in turkeys by Wilson and Johnson (1946), Shaklee et al. (1952), Blow and Glazener (1954), McCartney (1955), Kondra and Shoffner (1955) and Blow et al. (1958). For fertility, Blow et al. (1951) estimated a heritability value of . 807, using twice the phenotypic correlation between full sisters. However, this value was reduced to . 30 when …
Time of emergence of Rumex crispus L. as affected by dispersal time, soil cover, and mechanical disturbance

Abstract Emergence pattern of the perennial weed species Rumex crispus L. was studied under semi-field conditions. Seeds from three populations were harvested from the mother plants and sown in pots buried in an experimental field, either in late autumn or after winter storage at outdoor temperatures. Seeds were sown on the soil surface or covered by a 2-cm soil layer. In addition, some of the seeds sown in autumn were also subjected to mechanical disturbance in autumn or in spring. Population and soil cover both had a strong effect on total emergence. The light requirement of the species for germination was indicated by a higher rate of emergence from seeds sown on the soil surface than from covered seeds. Sowing date influenced the timing of emergence but not the total emergence. Autumn sowing led to earlier and more concentrated emergence, while seedlings from spring-sown seeds showed a more intermittent emergence pattern. Stirring after sowing had a positive effect on emergence compared with emergence from undisturbed, covered seeds. In all populations and treatments, emergence continued throughout the growing season, contradicting earlier findings that R. crispus seeds germinate mainly in early spring and autumn, and enter secondary dormancy during summer. The delay of emergence in seeds that had remained on the mother plant over winter indicates a certain level of dormancy, which was gradually broken in early summer.
Effects of lime on the chemical composition of ryegrass and white clover grown on a yellow-brown loam

The effects of lime (7.25 tlha) both on the chemical composition of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens), and on changes in soil chemistry, were measured in a 2-year field study on a Stratford coarse sandy loam. The major effects of liming were increases in plant Ca and Mo, and decreases in plant Mg and Mn concentrations. Liming increased soil exchangeable Mg, Na, and (to a lesser extent) K, because of an increase in effective cation exchange capacity. The decrease in plant Mg despite increases in soil Mg was attributed to the antagonistic effect of Ca on plant Mg uptake. This was believed to be a factor in the increased incidence of hypomagnesaemia caused by liming on this soil. It was estimated that 0.65 t Calha were lost through leaching, removal of animal products, and transfer to unproductive areas every year.
Effect of water potential on mycelial growth and on production and germination of sclerotia of Macrophomina phaseolina.

The influence of osmotic water potential (Ψs) on growth parameters of Macrophomina phaseolina was determined at 30°C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and potato dextrose broth (PDB) adjusted to different water potentials with KCI, NaCI, or sucrose. Radial growth of M. phaseolina on PDA was maximum at Ψs values between -1,220 and -1,880 J/Kg, but growth was reduced at lower Ψs values. Biomass of M. phaseolina grown on PDB was maximum at Ψs values between -2,030 and -3340 J/Kg. Production of sclerotia of M. phaseolina on PDB was not affected by Ψs of -670 to -3,920 J/Kg, but was completely inhibited at Ψs between -8,270 and - 12,020 J/Kg. After 2 days of incubation, the germination of sclerotia of M. phaseolina on PDA was not significantly affected at Ψs of -320 to -4,760 J/Kg, but germination was drastically reduced with further reductions in Ψs. After 10 days of incubation, the percentage of germinating sclerotia was higher than at earlier sample times, particularly at Ψs between -7,250 and -10,220 J/kg. The growth of colonies formed by germinating sclerotia at Ψs greater than -3,060 J/Kg was reduced. The influence of Ψs adjusted by KCI, NaCI, or sucrose on M. phaseolina followed a similar pattern, but growth of M. phaseolina was much greater in media adjusted with sucrose. Results of this study showed that M. phaseolina can grow and produce large quantities of sclerotia under relatively low water potentials. These findings may partially explain why diseases caused by M. phaseolina have been recognized previously as being favored by drought.
Measurement of Swanson’s Theory of Caring Using Primiparous Mothers

The transition to motherhood is associated with increased anxiety, depression, and stress, which threaten the mother’s confidence and impact mother–infant bonding. This study quantitatively tested Swanson’s theory of caring by measuring the relationship between nurse caring behaviors and mother’s confidence in a convenience sample (n¼104) of primiparous mothers. Descriptive statistics and correlations were analyzed. Significant relationships were found between Swanson’s concepts (maintaining belief, knowing, being with, enabling) and maternal confidence, and between nurse caring behaviors and maternal confidence. No significant relationship was found between Swanson’s concept of doing for and maternal confidence.
Benefits and costs of floral visitors to Chilopsis linearis: pollen deposition and stigma closure

In pollination mutualisms, nectar-robbers are usually considered antagonists; visitors that enter flowers (legitimate visitors) are usually considered mutualists. However, nectar-robbers may provide some benefits to plants, whereas legitimate visitors may inflict some costs. The costs and benefits of floral visitors to Chilopsis linearis (desert willow) were compared by number of pollen grains deposited and their effect on stigmas. Because these plants are self-incompatible and pollen-limited, they depend on visitors for services by pollinators to reproduce. On a per-visit basis, only one legitimate visitor, Bombus sonorus (bumblebees) generally benefited plants in terms of pollen deposition. However, no species of visitor was consistently beneficial; every one was at least sometimes ineffective in terms of pollen deposition. Chilopsis had sensitive stigmas that closed immediately upon touch and sometimes reopened later. Whether stigmas remained permanently closed or reopened depended on number of pollen grains deposited and tended also to be affected by source either, outcross or self. Legitimate visitors sometimes cost plants by causing stigma closure without depositing enough pollen to set a fruit. When abundant, a visitor such as Apis mellifera (honeybees) that was only occasionally beneficial on a per-visit basis may have provided a greater benefit to plants as a population than a more effective, but rare visitor. In contrast, nectar-robbers did not benefit plants by depositing pollen grains, but they also did not inflict costs on plants by causing stigmas to close without adequate pollen. There are two general implications of these results. First, individuals of species that appear to be mutualists can vary greatly in the benefits that they give to their partners. Second, apparent mutualists can inflict costs on plants that apparent exploiters (nectar-robbers) do not.