Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of edible mussels (Mytilus edulis) growing naturally in an estuary during a water bloom of the blue-green alga Nodularia spumigena

Possible accumulation of toxicity by edible mussels growing in a water bloom of Nodularia was investigated during the annual eutrophication of a brackish/marine water estuary in Western Australia. At a cell density of 100,000 cells/mL water, during the growth phase of the bloom, the gut and gut contents of mussels showed the highest toxicity of about 90 mg dry weight of tissue lethal to 1 kg mice by sterile (boiled) i.p. injection. Death was due to hepatotoxicity. It was concluded that edible mussels should not be collected for human consumption during a toxic blue-green algal bloom.
INDEPENDENCE OF SAVANNA GRASSES FROM SOIL ORGANIC MATTER FOR THEIR NITROGEN SUPPLY

In Lamto savanna (Cote d'Ivoire), grass δ15N (≈-1.3%) is much lower (has a smaller absolute value) than soil organic matter δ15N (≈-1.3%). In order to understand such a discrepancy, we have analyzed 15N natural concentrations in the four major sources of mineral nitrogen that can meet the annual requirements of plants: bulk precipitation, mineralization of humified soil organic matter, atmospheric dinitrogren fixation, and decomposition of plant litter. The first source (negative δ15N) only contributes ≈7% of nitrogen requirements, as does the second (δ15N≈+7%) due to a very low humus mineralization rate. The third source (δ15N = 0) contributes up to 17%, due to nonsymbiotic N2 fixation by microorganisms associated with grasses, legumes being almost absent from the savanna. All these processes cannot account for the low δ15N of grasses, suggesting that most of the assimilated nitrogen originates from the decay of root material (δ15N≈-1.1%).
Propagação in vitro de Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v25i2.2034

Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil), of the family Lamiaceae, is rich in aromatic essential oils and valuable for its pharmaceutical, aromatic and culinary properties. The present study describes the procedure for micropropagation of O. basilicum using cotiledonary leafs from in vitro geminated plants. Cotyledons from in vitro germinated seeds were used as initial explants, put in MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium with 0.2mg.L -1 NAA (1-Naphthalene acetic acid) in combination with 0–5mg.L -1 BAP(6-Benzyl aminopurine) and kept at 28 ± 1oC, 16-h light photoperiod and 48µmol. m -2 . s -1 luminous density flow, for 45 days. The highest efficiency of shoot formation after 45 days occurred in the medium containing 5mg.L -1 BAP and 0,2mg.L -1 NAA. The presence of NAA inhibited root formation, when combined with different concentrations of cytokinin (BAP, 1 to 5mg.L -1 ). Higher BAP concentrations induced an increase in the number of explants with shoots and a higher number of shoots/cotyledon
Scaling, why is animal size so important?

Preface 1. The size of living things 2. Problems of size and scale 3. The use of allometry 4. How to scale eggs 5. The strength of bones and skeletons 6. Metabolic rate and body size 7. Warm-blooded vertebrates: what do metabolic regression equations mean? 8. Organ size and tissue metabolism 9. How the lungs supply enough oxygen 10. Blood and gas transport 11. Heart and circulation 12. The meaning of time 13. Animal activity and metabolic scope 14. Moving on land: running and jumping 15. Swimmng and flying 16. Body temperature and temperature regulation 17. Some important concepts Appendixes References Index.
Effect of substitution of bovine rumen epithelial tissue scrapings for fishmeal on the growth performance, nutrient utilization and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens.

Abstract . An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance, nutrient utilization and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed varied levels of bovine rumen epithelial tissue scrapings (BRETS) in replacement for fish meal at 0, 50 and 100% levels of substitution. Fifty four birds were used for the study and the birds were randomly distributed into three (3) dietary treatments which were randomly assigned to the rations. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum and data were collected on the feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and nutrient utilization. Data were also collected on the carcass characteristics after some birds had been slaughtered at the end of the experiment. Data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and significant differences were indicated using Duncan multiple range test to separate the means. Results indicated that there was significant difference (P 0.05) in the weight gain, heart and lung weights. It was concluded that up to 50% BRETS inclusion as substitute for fish meal protein could be employed without any adverse effect, to maintain the quality of the broiler chicken while minimizing the high cost of whole fishmeal since BRETS is an abattoir by-product that is readily available locally. Keywords : Broiler chicken, epithelial tissue scrapings, fish meal, bovine rumen. Abstrak . Sebuah percobaan pakan selama delapan minggu dilakukan untuk mengevaluasi kinerja, pemanfaatan nutrisi dan karakteristik karkas ayam broiler yang diberi berbagai tingkat kerokan jaringan epitel (BRETS) rumen sapi sebagai pengganti tepung ikan pada 0 , 50 dan 100% tingkat substitusi. Lima puluh empat ayam broiler yang digunakan untuk penelitian dibagi secara acak ke dalam tiga (3) perlakuan pakan. Pakan dan air minum diberikan secara tak terbatas dan dicatat data konsumsi pakan, pertambahan bobot badan, rasio konversi pakan dan pemanfaatan nutrisi. Data lainnya yang diamati adalah karakteristik karkas setelah ayam dipotong pada akhir percobaan. Data yang dikumpulkan dianalisis dengan analisis ragam satu arah dan perbedaan nyata ditunjukkan dengan uji jarak berganda Duncan untuk memisahkan nilai tengah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada perbedaan yang signifikan (P 0,05) pada bobot badan, jantung dan bobot paru-paru. Disimpulkan bahwa pemberian BRETS hingga 50 % sebagai pengganti protein tepung ikan dapat digunakan tanpa efek samping, untuk menjaga kualitas ayam broiler sambil menekan biaya tepung ikan yang mahal karena BRETS adalah hasil samping rumah pemotongan hewan yang tersedia secara lokal. Kata kunci : Ayam broiler, kerokan jaringan epitel rumen sapi, tepung ikan, SA Salami et al./Animal Production 15(1):15-23, January 2013
TLR7 Ligands Induce Higher IFN-α Production in Females1

IFN-α exercises multiple immune modulatory and antiviral activities and has been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) release IFN-α upon TLR7 and TLR9 ligation. With respect to the nine times higher incidence of SLE in women and the clinical use of synthetic TLR ligands as novel immune adjuvants, we analyzed IFN-α and TNF-α production in healthy human individuals. Blood samples were incubated with synthetic TLR7 and TLR9 ligands. In three independent groups (n1 = 120, n2 = 101, and n3 = 123), analysis revealed a capacity of female PBLs to produce significantly higher IFN-α levels after TLR7 stimulation (p1 < 0.0000001, p2 < 0.0000001, and p3 < 0.0001) compared with male PBLs. In contrast, no sex differences were evident after TLR9 stimulation. TNF-α production after TLR7 stimulation and also total pDC numbers were not different between females and males. X-inactivation escape of the TLR7 gene was investigated in monoclonal B cell lines and, independently, in pDCs after cell sorting and single-cell picking, indicating regular silencing of one TLR7 allele in females. Additionally, exogenous 17β-estrogen and estrogen receptor antagonism did not indicate a significant role on TLR7-induced IFN-α production. Our data reveal for the first time a profound sex-dependent pathway of TLR7-induced IFN-α with higher production in females. These findings may explain the higher prevalence of SLE in females and the reported decreased therapeutic efficacy of synthetic TLR7 ligands in male individuals.
Evolutionary Trends and Possible Origin of the Weberian Apparatus

A synthesis of anatomical, paleontological and ontogenetic knowledge of the Weberian apparatus is presented. The primitive state of the Weberian apparatus of the extant otophysan orders is deduced and evolutionary trends are discussed in a functional perspective. Main trends are shortening, reduction of weight, loss of intermediate structures, and ankylosis of anterior vertebral centra. Paleontological and developmental data help to develop a tentative reconstruction of a primitive Weberian apparatus, without a manubrium of the intercalarium. Sagemehl's hypothesis on the origin of the Weberian apparatus, which considers the interossicular ligament as the first structure appearing, provides a basis for a more detailed scenario in which each step leads to a more efficient sound transmitter.
Orientations of Terminal Cladodes of Platyopuntias

The orientations of terminal unshaded cladodes of 23 species of platyopuntias were observed in North America, South America, Australia, and Israel. When the seasonality of rainfall favored cladode development in the winter and the site was located above 27⚬N, the cladodes tended to face north-south (five cases, P < .001 for each). In all other cases without topographical blockage of incoming radiation, the tendency was to face east-west. For example, terminal cladodes of Opuntia phaeacantha var. discata and O. stricta tended to face north-south in Israel but east-west in the United States (P < .001). Such dissimilar orientation patterns also occurred for cladodes of O. chlorotica at two sites in the Sonoran Desert and for O. basilaris var basilaris developing at different seasons at a single site. Contrary to previously published observations, cladodes of O. ficus-indica and O. compressa had a significant tendency to orient (P < .001). When topographical features affected the direction of prevailing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the preferred orientation of terminal cladodes was changed accordingly. The preferred direction always maximized the interception of PAR, which is often a limiting factor in the productivity of cacti, even in a putatively high radiation environment.
Effect of entomopathogenic nematode species on the corn stalk borer (Sesamia cretica Led. Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) at different temperatures

Three Turkish strains of the entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae (Adapazari), S. feltiae (Canakkale) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Kirklareli), were tested in the laboratory for their virulence on the last instar larvae of the corn stalk borer, Sesamia cretica. Mortality rates of last instar S. cretica larvae were determined for each nematode species under four different temperature treatments. Accordingly, at 15 oC, mortalities of S. cretica exposed to S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora were 48, 56 and 14%, respectively. These mortalities at 20 oC were 62, 76 and 50%; at 25 oC, 82, 90 and 90%; and at 30 oC (the highest application temperature), mortality was 82, 92 and 94%, respectively. These results show that S. carpocapsae and S. feltiae caused similar mortalities at all applied temperatures and their effectiveness increased as the temperature increased. Although H. bacteriophora caused low mortality at low temperatures, it infected and caused very high levels of mortality at relatively high temperatures.
Habitat complexity and species diversity in rivers

1. Rivers are highly structured ecosystems in which habitat complexity and heterogeneity are postulated to affect species diversity and abundance. However, the exact links between habitat structure and organisms such as macro-invertebrates remain poorly understood. 2. Field surveys at the patch and reach scale were combined with a field experiment in the Rivers Wye and Usk, Wales, to: i) quantify variations in habitat complexity and heterogeneity among habitats and river sections, ii) assess their influence on macro-invertebrates, iii) separate the ecological effects of confounding physical factors and iv) determine whether habitat type and heterogeneity promote nestedness of assemblages. 3. At the patch scale, surface complexity but not habitat heterogeneity increased macro-invertebrate diversity, richness and abundance independently of surface area, but only when habitat type was ignored. Surface complexity and heterogeneity were minor determinants of variations in macro-invertebrates among habitat types. 4. A field experiment involving baskets containing cobbles, pebbles, gravel or 50:50 mixtures revealed that flow type explained significant variations in macro-invertebrate richness, abundance and composition, and appeared to filter organisms based on their body size. Surface complexity and interstitial volume had no ecological effect, implying that differences in assemblages among mineral habitats may result from flow-related effects. 5. Macro-invertebrate assemblages occurring in some mineral habitats, typically with lower macro-invertebrate diversity, richness, abundance and trait diversity, appeared to be nested sub-sets of those occurring in some organic habitats. Nested assemblages had reduced trait diversity and altered trait representation. River sections containing fewer habitats supported assemblages of lower abundance, which appeared to be weakly nested sub-sets of those in heterogeneous sections. 6. Habitat complexity and heterogeneity are concluded to have consistently weak effects on macro-invertebrates at the scales studied. In contrast, habitat type and flow type affected macro-invertebrate assemblage composition, structure, and traits, with important implications for river management and conservation.
Patterns of inbreeding depression in a population of Brassica cretica (Brassicaceae): evidence from family‐level analyses

In this investigation, we have collected family-structured data from a partly self-compatible, outcrossing population of Brassica cretica to estimate and compare the effects of one-generation selfing on different types of characters. Inbreeding not only depressed characters that should be positively correlated with fitness irrespective of habitat, e.g. germinability, leaf number and inflorescence size, but also resulted in later flowering, smaller and more asymmetric flowers, and an increased production of basal branches. Population-level estimates of inbreeding depression were similar in magnitude to estimates reported in other wild plant species. There was a tendency for direct components of fitness to exhibit a stronger response to inbreeding than other characters, but only when the differences between selfed and outbred offspring were measured in standard deviation units. Family-level estimates of inbreeding depression were weakly correlated across characters. Given these and other observations, we hypothesize that the genetic basis of inbreeding depression varies across the life cycle and that changes in local inbreeding will lead to shifts in the mean phenotypes of B. cretica populations. However, judging from data on current levels of population divergence, quite large changes in inbreeding will be required to influence large-scale patterns of variation in this species. (C) 2002 The Linnean Society of London. (Less)
Effects of growth and fatness on sexual development of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) parr

The independent effects of size and fatness, 1 year prior to maturity, on male sexual development of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) were tested. Beginning in March 1995, ration size and dietary lipid were independently manipulated to produce four groups of spring chinook salmon differing in size and fatness. Size, growth rate, adiposity, liver triacylglycerol and glycogen contents, and plasma insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels were monitored to follow the metabolic states of fish in the different treatment groups and to observe whether plasma levels of these growth mediators predict sexual development. Differences in size and fatness were well established by the first autumn (September 1995), 1 year prior to sexual maturity, and common ration size groups were pooled for further rearing. Subsequently in winter-spring (February-March), 6 months prior to sexual maturity, there were no within-tank differences in size or fatness. Nevertheless, the effects of size and fatness, from 1 year earlier, on incidence of sexual maturity were significant. Overall, size appeared to have the primary effect, but for smaller fish, an effect of fat content was indicated. Plasma insulin levels, and in limited cases, IGF-I levels, were correlated with growth rate and size, but were not accurate indicators of sexual development.
DETECTION OF PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN ANALOG IN FOUR SPECIES OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON 1

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is an auxiliary protein for polymerase‐δ and therefore is essential for cellular DNA synthesis. The synthesis and abundance of PCNA in the cell are cell‐cycle‐dependent, both increasing markedly during the S phase. Such a protein could be a useful cell cycle marker, which is required for estimating algal species‐specific growth rates via the cell cycle approach. By using commercially available monoclonal anti‐rat‐PCNA antibody and an enhanced chemiluminescence technique, PCNA‐like proteins were detected in four species of marine phytoplankton. The strong single band detected on western blots of Isochrysis galbana Parke, Thalassiosira weissflogii Cleve, and Dunaliella tertiolecta Butcher had an apparent molecular weight of 33–36 kDa. This molecular weight is within the range as observed for PCNA in a wide phylogenetic array of organisms (33–36 kDa). In the diatom Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve, the PCNA antibody detected a major band of about 19 kDa as well as a minor band of 38 kDa. The detected proteins were specifically recognized by the monoclonal anti‐rat‐PCNA antibody. The PCNA‐like proteins in I. galbana, T. weissflogii, and D. tertiolecta were more abundant in the exponential growth stage and then decreased and became undetectable in the late stationary stage. Our results show that the detected antigens appear to be algal analogs of PCNA.
BHT blocks NF-κB activation and ethanol-induced brain damage

Background: Binge ethanol administration causes corticolimbic brain damage that models alcoholic neurodegeneration. The mechanism of binge ethanol-induced degeneration is unknown, but is not simple glutamate–N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) excitotoxicity. To test the hypothesis that oxidative stress and inflammation are mechanisms of binge ethanol-induced brain damage, we administered 4 antioxidants, e.g., butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ebselen (Eb), vitamin E (VE), and blueberry (BB) extract, during binge ethanol treatment and assessed various measures of neurodegeneration. Methods: Adult Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with intragastric ethanol 3 times per day (8–12 g/kg/d) alone or in combination with antioxidants or isocaloric diet for 4 days. Animals were killed, and brains were perfused and extracted for histochemical silver stain determination of brain damage, markers of neurogenesis, or other immunohistochemistry. Some animals were used for determination of nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB)–DNA binding by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) or for reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). Results: Binge ethanol induced corticolimbic brain damage and reduced neurogenesis. Treatment with BHT reversed binge induced brain damage and blocked ethanol inhibition of neurogenesis in all regions studied. Interestingly, the other antioxidants studied, e.g., Eb, VE, and BB, did not protect against binge-induced brain damage. Binge ethanol treatment also caused microglia activation, increased NF-κB–DNA binding and COX2 expression. Butylated hydroxytoluene reduced binge-induced NF-κB–DNA binding and COX2 expression. Conclusions: Binge-induced brain damage and activation of NF-κB–DNA binding are blocked by BHT. These studies support a neuroinflammatory mechanism of binge ethanol-induced brain damage.
The Pour-through Nutrient Extraction Procedure

Nutrient absorption and subsequent plant growth is related to an adequate supply of the nutrient in the soil solution. Thus, fertilizer practices in a nursery and greenhouse should attempt to maintain nutrient levels in the soil solution that promote optimal growth (2, 3). Maintenance of nutrients for greenhouse and nursery crops is usually via slow-release fertilizer or frequent additions through the irrigation water, where mass flow rather than diffusion is probably the predominant process by which nutrients move to plant root surfaces. In effect, the container medium serves primarily as mechanical support for the plant, and, in contrast to mineral soil systems, nutrients adsorbed to the medium are insignificant in relation to the rate of nutrient uptake and subsequent plant growth. This is particularly true for macronutrients, although the extent that it applies to micronutrients is still not clear.
Inhibition of Mold Growth by Sourdough Bread Cultures

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, lbullerman1@unl.eduCopyright c 2007 by the authors. All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or byany means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without theprior written permission of the publisher, bepress, which has been given certain ex-clusive rights by the author. RURALS: Review of Undergraduate Research in Agri-cultural and Life Sciences is produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press (bepress). http://digitalcommons.unl. edu/rurals
Notes on banana taxonomy.

It is now over ten years since the new Banana Research Scheme was started and E. E. Cheesman summarized his researches into the taxonomy of the bananas in this journal (Kew Bull. 2: I947, et. seq.). Since that time a general treatment of the genus Ensete in Africa has appeared (Kew Bull. 8, 405-16: 1953, 574: 1954) and several new species and combinations have been made in Musa, mostly as a result of a banana-collecting expedition made in 1954-5 (Kew Bull. 11, 463-89: i957). As a result, our knowledge of the genus Musa is now somewhat wider than it was ten years ago and it is possible also to give a general, though still incomplete, account of Ensete in Asia. The purpose of this paper is to describe two new species and to present brief assessments of our present knowledge of the composition of the two genera in the form of check lists.
Polyphenolics and Antioxidant Capacity of White and Blue Corns Processed into Tortillas and Chips

ABSTRACT White and blue corns of Mexican and American origins were lime-cooked to obtain nixtamals with optimal moisture (48–50%) for tortillas and chips. Blue kernels had less bulk density, softer endosperm and, consequently, required less cooking time than the white kernels. The optimum cooking regime for the white kernels was 100°C for 20 min, while the optimum for both pigmented genotypes was 90°C for 0 min (until the lime-cooking solution reached 90°C). Doughs, tortillas, and chips were characterized by total soluble phenolics (TSP), anthocyanins (ACN), and antioxidant capacity (AOX). A dough acidification procedure using fumaric acid (pH 5.2) was assessed as a means to improve TSP, ACN, and AOX retention. The Mexican blue corn had higher AOX (16%) than the American blue genotype, although the latter had a threefold higher TSP content (12.1 g/kg, dwb). Mexican and American blue corns had higher AOX capacity (29.6 and 25.6 μM trolox equivalents [TE]/g dwb), respectively, than the white corn (17.4 μM T.