Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A NEW TYPE OF APOGAMY IN FERNS

Summary Studies on apogamous members of the Asplenium aeihiopicum complex in Africa have shown a marked departure of cytological behaviour from that previously known in apogamous ferns. The sporangial development is characterized by all sporangia producing sixteen spore mother cells each showing complete asynapsis at diakinesis with either 288 or 330–357 chromosomes. The first meiotic division ends in a restitution nucleus which then divides regularly to produce diads of diplospores. This abbreviated meiosis is compared with the cytological phenomena accompanying apogamy in other ferns and with a similar division process known from apomictic Angiosperms. Evidence is presented from the literature which indicates that a similar abbreviated meiosis may accompany apogamy in the Hymenophyllaceae. Little new evidence on either the causal aspect of apogamy or the possible origin of the apogamous forms within the A. aethiopicum complex can be adduced at present.
Effect of vegetable and animal rennet on chemical, microbiological, rheological and sensory characteristics of La Serena cheese

Summary The characteristics of La Serena cheese produced using animal rennet in place of the traditional vegetable rennet were evaluated. Total solids, fat and total N were higher in whey from animal rennet than in whey from vegetable rennet. Cheese produced using animal rennet had a higher moisture content and a lower pH. Proteolysis was more rapid in the cheese produced with vegetable rennet than in the cheese produced with animal rennet, but there was less lipolysis. Enterobacteriaceae and coliform counts were respectively 1·7 and 1·4 log units higher in 60 d vegetable rennet cheese than in 60 d animal rennet cheese. Softening of cheese texture was considerably more pronounced in vegetable rennet cheese, which also showed significantly higher flavour quality and intensity.
Seasonal Reproduction Biology of Uroteuthis duvauceli (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) in Northern Red Sea, Egypt

ABSTRACT This study investigates for the first time the reproduction biology of Uroteuthis duvauceli in the northern Red Sea, Egypt, over 4 seasons. The sexual maturity was analyzed using the gonad condition in both sexes and by the color of the accessory nidamental glands in females. Spawning season was determined by calculating the gonadosomatic index (GSI) in both sexes as well as the nidamental gland—somatic index in females. Results showed that the spawning season is in winter and early spring. Lastly, the biochemical composition of the mantle in males and females was estimated in the 4 seasons. Lipids, protein, and carbohydrates had a significant difference between the 2 sexes (P < 0.05); however, only protein differed significantly between the 4 seasons (P < 0.05). The seasonal fluctuation of GSI showed a similar trend to the seasonal variation in various biochemical components. In addition to the total lipids and proteins, detailed profiles of each biochemical component are discussed in relation to the sexual maturity of the animal. Also, the morphometric characteristics of males and females of the squid U. duvauceli were investigated. Various body parts were found to have significant difference between the 2 sexes over the 4 seasons (P < 0.01). The analysis also showed that total length has a significant difference in relation to the mantle length between the 2 sexes (P = 0.016). The analysis of length frequency of male and female samples revealed the presence of 2 modes that are assumed to be 2 y classes.
Cold Stratification of Pacific Madrone Seeds

Cold moist stratification for 40 d resulted in excellent (≥ 87%) germination for 11 seed lots of Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii Pursh. [Ericaceae]) from California, Oregon, and Washington. Without stratification, germination was < 2%. Stratification periods longer than 40 d yielded little or no gain for most lots and resulted in premature germination and development of seed coat molds. Germination after 20 d of stratification varied markedly with seed lot (from 10% to 100% of the maximum); 20-d germination was negatively correlated with latitude but not with elevation or mean winter temperature. Growers would need to test individual seed lots to determine if stratification times < 40 d would be adequate; such testing is most likely to be warranted with lots from California or southern Oregon.
Regulation of tissue-specific glycolytic isozyme genes: coordinate response to oxygen availability in myogenic cells

The steady-state levels of glycolytic isozymes in higher eucaryotic cells result from the coordinated expression of multiple unlinked genes. The tissue-specific isozyme profiles that characterize the expression of these genes are the result of adaptive evolutionary selection and form the primary basis for physiological regulation of the pathway. This review addresses some of the molecular mechanisms that may contribute to the regulation of these genes, both during development and in response to physiological perturbations in mature tissues. The evidence favors mechanisms of programmed "gene activation" accompanied by the concurrent activation of tissue-specific coordinating trans-acting cellular factors that determine transcriptional efficiencies of both regulatory and nonregulatory glycolytic isozymes. Based upon data from higher and lower eucaryotes, it is predicted that tissue-specific glycolytic isozyme genes have common cis-acting regions in their promoters to bind the cellular transcription factors.
Brief Report Predominance of hepatitis B virus genotype C among Karens, the 'old settlers' of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Summary The Karens, or ‘old settlers’, migrated from Myanmar to Andaman and Nicobar islands 80 years ago. A high HBV exposure rate among them has been reported. A study of 34 HBsAg carriers was done to investigate the origin of HBV infection among the Karens. RFLP-based genotyping was confirmed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The predominance of HBV=C1=Cs suggests that they carried HBV during their migration, retained it, and in addition, acquired HBV=D2 from the people of mainland India. The reported association of HBV genotype C with disease severity thus warrants further epidemiological investigations among them and on possible spread among neighboring settlers.
Summer distribution and relative abundance of cetacean populations off north-west Scotland

A line transect survey was conducted in July/August 1998 to investigate the distribution and abundance of cetaceans off north-west Scotland. Over 2156.5 km of survey effort, 304 sightings were recorded of which 184 were identified to species. Nine species were identified: Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus, fin whale Balaenoptera physalus, sei whale Balaenoptera borealis, long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas, sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, common dolphin Delphinus delphis, harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena, white beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris and Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus. The Atlantic white-sided dolphin was the most relatively abundant species. The relative abundance of large whales and dolphins was greatest in the Faroe–Shetland Channel. The continental slopes of this area are undergoing development by oil industries and concerns have been raised about the potential impacts of these activities on cetaceans. These waters are used year-round by cetaceans and provide feeding and breeding grounds and are a migration route for large whales.
Effects of stem fraction on the optimization of biomass allocation and maximum photosynthetic capacity

Summary 1A model was developed to examine effects of the stem biomass fraction on the optimal responses of plants to soil nitrogen availability. 2Our model predicts that the optimal leaf : root ratio and optimal photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) increase with soil N availability. For a given N availability, the optimal leaf : root ratio decreases and the optimal Pmax increases with increasing stem fraction. As a result, the increase in optimal leaf : root ratio is smaller, and that in optimal Pmax is greater, in response to increasing N availability when stem fraction is large. 3To test these predictions we grew two herbs with different stem fractions: Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. and Chenopodium album L. Showing excellent agreement with the simulation results, the leaf N concentration and leaf : root ratio of the two herbs increased with increasing N availability, and leaf N concentration was larger for C. album with higher stem fraction than P. cuspidatum. 4The general tendency for plants with larger stem fractions also to have greater leaf N concentrations and Pmax was demonstrated for a wide range of temperate herbs. This suggests that stem fraction may be a source of variation in Pmax among plants in the same functional group.
Authentic leadership and job satisfaction among long-term care nurses

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effects of managers’ authentic leadership, person–job match in the six areas of worklife (AWLs) and emotional exhaustion on long-term care registered nurses’ job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA secondary analysis of baseline data from a national survey of 1,410 Canadian registered nurses from various work settings was used in this study, which yielded a subsample of 78 nurses working in direct care roles in long-term care settings. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for mediation analysis in SPSS was used to test the hypothesized model.FindingsFindings showed that authentic leadership significantly predicted job satisfaction directly and indirectly through AWLs and emotional exhaustion.Practical implicationsAuthentic leadership may provide guidance to long-term care managers about promoting nurses’ job satisfaction, which is essential to recruiting and retaining nurses to meet the care needs of an aging population.Originality/valueAs demand for care of the aged is increasing and creating challenges to ensuring a sufficient and sustainable nursing workforce, it is important to understand factors that promote long-term care nurses’ job satisfaction. Findings contribute to knowledge of long-term care nurses by suggesting that managers’ authentic leadership can positively affect nurses’ job satisfaction directly and indirectly through positive perceptions of AWLs and lower emotional exhaustion.
The performance of different breeds of beef cattle in Cuba

A method for performance testing beef bulls on a high-energy diet from 90 days of age to 400 kg is described. Test results for 81 bulls showed that both in weight-for-age at 400 kg and feed conversion on test there were significant differences between breeds in favour of the Charolais followed by Santa Gertrudis, Criollo and Zebu in that order. Results for 8 Holstein bulls reared artificially were similar to those for Santa Gertrudis. Comparative data on birth weights, weaning weights and pre-weaning mortality indicate that the Zebu was inferior to the other beef breeds in all these traits. Of 60 bulls slaughtered, liver abscesses were encountered in only 2 animals, both of which had been reared artificially from birth.
Difference Thresholds for the Perception of Sinusoidal Vertical Stimuli of Whole-Body Vibrations in Ranges of Amplitude and Frequency Relevant to Ride Comfort

Minor differences in the vibration characteristics of a vehicle may greatly influence the comfort experienced by the driver. Therefore, such characteristics are significant in the process of vehicle development. In this experimental study, just-noticeable differences were determined for sinusoidal vertical whole-body vibrations at the frequencies 1.3 Hz and 6.0 Hz, and for the vibration amplitudes 0.2 m/s², 0.5 m/s² and 1.2 m/s². The stimulation set up was realised using a test rig constituting a seating position similar to that in a real vehicle environment. A transformed one-up-three-down method, in conjunction with a two-interval forced choice procedure, was used to determine difference thresholds, in accordance with Weber’s Law, for 14 test subjects. Median relative difference thresholds in the range of 6.7% to 11.0% were observed, and were examined for statistical significance (α < 0.05) and practical importance on amplitude and frequency, with respect to this law. The results showed a frequency-dependence at the lowest vibration amplitude and an amplitude-dependence for both frequencies from a statistical point of view. However, the amplitude-dependence at 6.0 Hz was considered as negligible for practical use.
Ageing and sexing Marsh Tits Poecile palustris using wing length and moult

Ageing and sexing Marsh Tits Poecile palustris presents some difficulties for ringers. Wing length has previously been found to be useful for sexing English Marsh Tits, although the replacement of all juvenile rectrices and greater coverts by first‐year birds made ageing difficult. We examined Marsh Tits of known age and sex and found that 93.5% of birds could be sexed correctly using wing lengths of ≤ 62 mm for females and ≥ 63 mm for males. Wing length was also an indicator of age: many first‐years had shorter wings, but most also retained some juvenile rectrices and greater coverts after the post‐juvenile moult, and could be readily aged using these features. We found a primary moult period of 67 days for adult Marsh Tits, with a mean onset of 27 May.
Adaptive and evolutionary significance of a reproductive thermal threshold in Barbus barbus

From 1989 to 1996, barbel in the River Ourthe started spawning under variable environmental conditions, except for water temperature. Each year, spawning was initiated when water daily minimum temperature reached or exceeded 13·5° C. Any decrease of temperature below this value later in the spawning period caused spawning to be suspended. Analyses of offspring growth provided evidence that 13·5° C was the value below which 0+ barbel stop growing. It was hypothesized that barbel trade off the lower initial probability of survival against a larger size at the onset of winter. To test empirically for this hypothesis, the adequacy of alternative—theoretical—strategies associated with other thermal thresholds (12, 15·0, 17·1 and 20·2° C) was modelled with respect to: (1) the feasibility of spawning (inhibition of sexual maturation by a decreasing photoperiod); (2) the impact of the temperature on embryonic development; (3) the effect of water level variations on the integrity of spawning grounds until the emergence of larvae; (4) the size of the offspring at the onset of winter. On an 8-year (1989–1996) average, the present spawning strategy would have produced a higher recruitment than alternative strategies (relative adequacy of 33·23, 85·64, 93·17 and 17·62%, respectively). However, alternative strategies would have produced better annual scores on five of eight occasions in the River Ourthe environment, and a better overall score in environments 1·5 or 3·5° C warmer than now. The consistency of the thermal threshold over years, despite a low selection pressure by the environment, was interpreted as the expression of a phenotypic mechanism (thermal homing) promoting the selection of the lowest efficient thermal threshold, and enabling breeders to relay to the next generation some form of thermal stability in a variable environment.
The effect of host-plant and delayed mating on the fecundity and lifespan of the pine beauty moth, Panolis flammea (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): their influence on population dynamics and relevance to pest management

Adult females of Panolis flammea (Denis & Schiffermuller) in the laboratory laid more eggs on some provenances of lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ) than on others, even when offered no choice. Their preoviposition period was inversely related to the suitability of the host for larval growth and development. The shorter the preoviposition period the greater the number of eggs that were laid. Delayed mating resulted in reduced fecundity and reduced egg fertility. Female moths lived longest on those hosts on which they oviposited most. Oviposition preferences were correlated with the ratio of the two monoterpenes α- and β-pinene within the host-plants. The effects of provenance, delayed mating and adult mortality were demonstrated through a simulation model; the effect of delayed mating was particularly marked when adult survival was poor. Egg production in the field in Scotland varied from 30 to 123 eggs per female, but this variation could largely be explained by spring temperature. It was concluded that this relationship was due to the influence of temperature on mating and egg laying. The relationship between temperature and egg production forms a basis for predicting damaging levels of Panolis flammea from either pupal or adult numbers. The effects of provenance and delayed mating demonstrate that the frequency of P. flammea outbreaks in the UK may be reduced by the planting of less preferred lodgepole pine provenances and by mating-disruption methods.
Effector and Regulatory CD4 T Cells During Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to be a leading cause of death by an infectious agent world wide with approximately two million deaths attributable to it annually. Once infected, the host mounts a robust Th1 type immune response that contains, but does not eliminate the bacteria. A small percentage (5-10%) fail to contain the infection, develop active disease, and are contagious. Most remain asymptomatic and are considered latently infected. BCG, while the gold standard for vaccination, ultimately appears to limit disease, but not prevent infection. In addition, chemotherapeutic treatment is long, requires multiple agents, and compliance is difficult to maintain. With one third the world's population infected, inadequate vaccine efficacy, and difficult treatment regimen, it is imperative that a better understanding of which factors are responsible for containment of the infection be achieved. CD4 T cells are an essential component of the immune response that controls M. tuberculosis. CD4 T cells are able to both promote inflammation and dampen its effect. As a pro-inflammatory Th1 cell, these cells secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, participate in macrophage and dendritic cell activation and help prime CD8 T cells. As regulatory T cells, CD4 T cells prevent autoimmunity and may act to protect surrounding tissue from immunopathologic damage. One main function of pro-inflammatory CD4 T cells is IFNγ production, however other cells can and do produce IFNγ. In addition, the role of regulatory T cells during infection and how they relate to disease progression has yet to be elucidated. The work presented in this dissertation provides a new model for addressing the role of IFNγ from sources other than CD4 T cells, and addresses what pro-inflammatory functions they may have in addition to IFNγ production. In addition, these studies address regulatory T cells and the anti-inflammatory effects of long term IL-12 treatment as well as Treg's relationship to disease outcome in non-human primates.
Impact of Slash Pile Size and Burning on Soil Chemical Characteristics in Ponderosa Pine Forests

Abstract This study examines the impacts of slash pile size and burning on various soil chemical characteristics and nutrient concentrations. Changes in soil characteristics following slash pile burns associated with forest thinning treatments may affect native and non-native floral species establishment and have broad implications for ecosystem functions, processes, and management. We sampled soils from plots under various slash pile burning treatments at The Arboretum at Flagstaff, Arizona, to determine their chemical characteristics.The characteristics consist of concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B) and pH. We compared the amounts of nutrients in burned plots with those in unburned plots where slash was removed by chipping. The treatments were tested on large and small piles. Burned slash pile plots had higher soil nutrient levels overall. The levels of N, Ca, K, Zn, and Na best illustrate this fertilizing effect. Significantly different values of N and P existed between treatments; however, the results show no distinct patterns related to the burning of slash. Nevertheless, there is enough evidence for a forest management decision involving burning any part of the forest to consider the effect of fires on soil chemistry.
Equivalent model of a multiparticle damper considering the mass coupling coefficient

The application of the particle damping technology in civil engineering is limited owing to the complex nonlinear mechanical properties and lack of a reasonable mechanical model. The existing equivalent single‐particle model cannot include the interactions between particles. In addition, an appropriate determination of parameters is required. In this study, to consider the influence of the interactions between particles, a dual‐mass equivalent model (DMEM) is proposed based on a particle motion state analysis. A shaking table test on a single‐story frame under a harmonic excitation was carried out to verify the rationality of the model. The variations in connection stiffness k and damping coefficient c with the filling ratio were evaluated. Experiments under earthquake excitations were carried out to verify the adaptability of the model. The comparison between the DMEM and the existing equivalent model was also conducted to verify the simulation accuracy of the model. Then, the effect and mechanism of the multiparticle damper were analyzed based on the DMEM with the optimal stiffness k. The mass coupling coefficient had significant effects on the damping and mechanism of the multiparticle damper. Although it is different from the actual multiparticle damper, the proposed DMEM is of significance for the further development and applications of multiparticle dampers in civil engineering.
The study of acidophilic, moderately thermophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria

This study has divided the most frequently isolated types of moderate thermophiles into three groups: isolates of Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans (mol% G + C 47-50), an isolate referred to as strain NAL and other closely related species (mol% G+C 54-57), and the type previously referred to as strain TH3 (mol% G+C 68). An enrichment culture was obtained that could efficiently solubilise a range of mineral sulphides at 48oC under air. Characterisation of this culture indicated the presence of two organisms essential for efficient growth under air: a typical S. thermosulfidooxidans group organism (isolate ICH), and a strain TH3 group organism (isolate ICP). Strain ICP appeared to possess an inducible, high affinity transport system for carbon dioxide during growth under air (unlike any previously studied moderate thermophiles), but extensive oxidation of ferrous iron was not achieved even at enhanced carbon dioxide levels. This lack of oxidation appeared to be the result of autotrophically-growth strain ICP having an apparent higher affinity for the end-product of iron oxidation, ferric iron (Ki 0.4 mM), than the substrate, ferrous iron (Km 0.5 mM). Only when a mixed culture of strain ICP and strain ICH was grown did extensive oxidation occur. A comparative mineral leaching study, with a mesophilic, a moderately thermophilic, and an extremely thermophilic culture indicated that the moderately thermophilic culture was the most robust during the dissolution of a range of minerals. This culture gave consistently better mineral dissolution rates than the mesophilic culture, clearly indicating their immediate commercial potential. In comparison the extremely thermophilic culture often produced faster rates of mineral dissolution than the moderately thermophilic culture, but appeared sensitive to agitation at high mineral pulp densities (10% (w/v)), limiting any present commercial applications of these organisms.