Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Standing or downed dead trees — does it matter for saproxylic beetles in temperate oak-rich forest?

For conservation of forest biodiversity, dead wood in the form of logs, snags, or cut high stumps is sometimes left or created when forests are harvested. In Scandinavia, such dead wood usually comes from conifers. For forests in temperate regions, few studies have analysed composition and species richness of beetles using dead wood of oaks (Quercus spp). In this study in southern Sweden, I examined the occurrence of saproxylic beetles trapped at lying (logs) and standing (snags) dead wood of European oaks (Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. ) in 13 oak-rich mixed forests of relatively high conservation value. The assemblage of beetles differed strikingly between the lying and standing dead wood. Traps on lying dead wood, compared to traps on standing dead wood, had more fungivores and fewer primary and secondary wood boring species. Of 94 species tested for individual substrate preferences, 48 showed prevalence for different trap/substrate types. Absolute species richness was signifi.
The flavour of milk and dairy products: III. Cheese: taste

This is the third of a series of three papers on the flavour of milk and dairy products (see also Nursten1 and Urbach2). It deals with the taste of cheeses and so concentrates on the water soluble, non-volatile fraction. Bitterness is the paramount concern, hydrophobic peptides being the principal culprits, but saltiness, sweetness and astringency are also considered.
Effects of the level of dietary rice bran with or without phytase, on performance and egg parameters of laying Japanese quail

Cost of quail feed formulations can be reduced substantially by using cheap cereal by-products such as rice bran (RB) at higher levels. The objective of this study was to determine the maximum inclusion levels of dietary RB with or without exogenous phytase, for laying Japanese quail. In a completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, 108 quails in 36 cages received six experimental diets ad libitum from 8 to 15 week. Experimental factors were three dietary RB inclusion levels (20, 30 and 40%) and two phytase levels (0 and 1000 FTU/kg). The level of dietary RB, phytase supplementation and their interaction had no significant effects on live weight or feed intake. The total egg production of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly lower than that of quail fed 20 and 30% RB. Egg laying rate of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly lower than those of the quail fed 20 or 30% RB from 6th week onwards. By eighth week, 30% RB resulted in significantly lower egg laying rate compared to the quail fed 20% RB. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly higher than those of 20 or 30 % RB fed. Adverse effects of phytate in 30 or 40% RB on egg number, egg mass and FCR were not mitigated by the supplemental phytase. It is concluded that inclusion of more than 20% RB in the diets of laying Japanese quail reduces the production performances. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 26 (1): 39 – 47 (2014)
Dual-purpose canola—a new opportunity in mixed farming systems

The term dual-purpose canola describes the use of a canola crop for forage before seed production. It could potentially provide a profitable and flexible break-crop option for mixed farms, but there have been no studies to test the concept in Australia. We investigated the feasibility of using canola in this way in field experiments near Canberra, Australia, from 2004 to 2006, using European winter and mid–late maturing Australian spring canola varieties. Winter varieties sown from early March to mid-April produced 2.5–5.0 t/ha of biomass providing 0.3–3.5 t/ha of high-quality forage grazed by sheep in winter. The spring varieties produced similar amounts of vegetative biomass from April sowing but were unsuited to the earlier March sowing as they flowered in early winter and did not recover from grazing. The canola forage was readily eaten by sheep; alkane-based estimates of diet composition indicated that >85% of the organic matter intake consisted of canola. Canola forage was also highly digestible (86–88%) and Merino hoggets grew at 210 g/day from a dry matter intake of 1530 g DM/day. The canola generally recovered well when grazed in winter before bud elongation. Delays in flowering associated with heavy grazing ranged from 0 to 4 days when grazed before buds were visible, to 28 days if the crop had commenced flowering. Significant delays in flowering (>14 days) associated with winter grazing did not reduce seed yield or oil content when favourable spring conditions allowed compensatory growth. Yield loss was observed when winter and spring conditions were unfavourable for compensatory growth, or if grazing continued too late into spring (late September) irrespective of seasonal conditions. The yield loss was more than offset by the value of the grazed forage and the mean gross margin for dual-purpose canola over the four experiments was $240 to $500 higher than for grain-only canola depending on the value assumed for the forage. The study indicates there is considerable scope to capture value from grazing early-sown canola crops during winter without significant, uneconomic trade-offs with seed yield. Further investigations in other medium to high rainfall environments in southern Australia are warranted.
Assessing knowledge and attitudes toward fast foods among students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 1394

چکیده: سابقه وهدف:در سالهای اخیر مصرف فست فودبه طورچشمگیری دربین جوامع افزایش یافته است که ازدلایل آن می توان به تغییرسبک زندگی اشاره کرد. آگاهی ونگرش مصرف کنندگان بی تردیدازعواملی هستند که میتوانندبرچگونگی مصرف فست فودها توسط افرادتاثیربگذارند. لذا هدف این پژوهش بررسی آگاهی ونگرش دانشجویان نسبت به مصرف فست فودها می باشد. مواد و روش‌ها: این مطالعه از نوع مقطعی است وشامل دانشجویان شاغل به تحصیل دانشکده پزشکی دانشگاه شهید بهشتی می گردد. نمونه ها از کلاس های دانشکده پزشکی به صورت تصادفی انتخاب شدند. حجم نمونه معادل 228نفر برآورد گردید. اطلاعات لازم بـا اسـتفاده ازیـک پرسشنامه محقق ساخته که روایی وپایایی آن تعیین شد و درآبان ماه سال 1394جمع آوری گردید. اطلاعـات بدسـت آمـده بـا استفاده ازآمار توصیفی وآزمون های کای اسکوارو تی تست، مان ویتنی و کروسکال والیس موردتجزیه وتحلیل قرارگرفت . یافته‌ها: یافته های تحقیق نشان داد 50%افرادموردمطالعه زن و 50%مردبودند. درمطالعه انجام شده7/30% دانشجویان اصلا فست فودمصرف نمی کردندو6/52%افرادبین1-2وعده درهفته مصرف فست فودداشتند. میانگین نمره آگاهی دانشجویان22/2± 22/8 ومیانگین نمره نگرش دانشجویان64/3± 83/22برآورد شد. ارتباط معناداری بین محل سکونت (خوابگاه و غیرخوابگاه)باآگاهی نسبت به مصرف غذاهای آماده مشاهده شد (03/0 p =). میانگین نمره آگاهی درزنان95/1 ± 51/8 و درمردان44/2± 09/8برآورد شد. ارتباط معناداری بین جنسیت، با آگاهی نسبت به مصرف غذاهای آماده مشاهده نشد(138/0=p). میانگین نمره نگرش درمردان51/3± 10/23 و در زنان31/3 ±97/22بوده و ارتباط معناداری بین جنسیت با نگرش نسبت به مصرف غذاهای آماده مشاهده نشد(404/0=p). 2/48 % دانشجویان در سطح متوسط آگاهی نسبت به فست فود ها و7/19 % درسطح ضعیف و8/29 % در سطح خوب و2/2 %درسطح خیلی ضعیف آگاهی قرار داشتند. 4/68 %دانشجویان نسبت به مصرف فست فود ها نگرش مثبت و 8/1 % نگرش منفی و 8/29 % دانشجویان بی نظر بودند. نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به مصرف بالای فست فود در میان دانشجویان و گرایش بیشتر، بعلاوه باآگاهی کمتردانشجویان پسر نسبت به پیامدهای مصرف فست فودها ،نیاز به برنامه ریزی برای اطلاع رسانی دانشجویان بویژه پسران می باشد.
Check Formation on the Scales of Hatchery-Reared Lake Trout Prior to and Soon after Release into Lake Superior

Abstract We investigated two assumptions about scales of hatchery-reared lake trout Salvelinus namaycush stocked as yearlings into Lake Superior: (1) only one check is formed during hatchery life and (2) a “stocking check” forms when the fish are released. We examined four scales from each of 176 fish prior to release from five hatcheries and 55 fish soon after release. Prior to release, 91 % of the lake trout had only one check. This percentage was 81–100% for individual hatcheries. Evidence for a stocking check was observed only on fish whose scales had grown substantially between release and subsequent recapture. All measures of variability were less and check conspicuousness was greater for fish raised in hatcheries with seasonal cycles of temperature and photoperiod than for those reared with nearly constant water temperatures and darkness. We conclude that the assumption of only one check prior to stocking was not grossly violated when several scales from the same fish were interpreted and that ther.
Hydrolysis of fructan in grasses: a β‐(2‐6)‐linkage specific fructan‐β‐fructosidase from stubble of Lolium perenne

SUMMARY Several different fructan and sucrose hydrolysing enzyme activities were induced in roots and stubble (mainly leaf sheaths) of Lolium perenne L. plants after defoliation. Among those activities, a fructan-β-fructosidase (EC 3.2.1.80) that hydrolyses predominantly β-(2-6)-fructosyl-fructose linkages (6-FEH) was purified from the stubble. The use of the substrate 6,6-kestotetraose and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection allowed linkage-specific screening and sensitive analysis of enzyme activity. A 6-FEH was extensively purified to yield one protein band as revealed by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). The 6-FEH was separated from the contaminating β-(2-1)-linkage-specific fructan-β-fructosidase and invertase activities (EC 3.1.2.26) by ammonium sulphate precipitation, lectin-affinity, anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The purified 6-FEH was a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular mass of 65000, as determined by size-exclusion chromatography, and of 69000 by SDS–PAGE. The 6-FEH had an activity optimum in the range of pH 5.1 to 5.6. Temperatures above 30°C affected the stability of the enzyme activity; however, its temperature stability was increased in the presence of 6,6-kestotetraose. The purified 6-FEH activity hydrolysed the β-(2-6)-linkages in 6,6-kestotetraose and (1&6)-kestotetraose at rates five times faster than the β-(2-1)-linkages in 1,1-kestotetraose and (1&6)-kestotetraose. Fructose up to 50 mM did not affect 6-FEH activity; conversely, sucrose substantially inhibited the enzyme activity. Other disaccharides did not affect 6-FEH. It is suggested that sucrose might modulate 6-FEH activity in vivo.
Telomere dynamics in relation to early growth conditions in the wild in the lesser black-backed gull

There has recently been much interest in the long-term effects of early growth conditions. Telomeres, the repetitive DNA sequences that cap eukaryotic chromosomes, are potentially a useful tool for studying such effects. Telomeres shorten at each cell division and considerable evidence links the rate at which they do so with cellular and organismal senescence. Previous research has shown that telomere loss is greatest during early life, so conditions during this time could significantly affect telomere attrition, and in this way, possibly also senescence rates. However, relatively little is known about the pattern of telomere loss under natural conditions. We examined telomere dynamics during growth under natural conditions in the lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus. Although telomere length significantly decreased with age during the chick period, there was a considerable amount of inter-individual variation in both absolute telomere length and the rate of telomere shortening. While no one factor explained a significant amount of this variation, the trends in the data suggested that circumstances during embryonic growth were linked to hatching telomere length. There was a trend for larger hatchlings to have shorter telomere lengths [effect size=-0.18 +/- 0.11 kb, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.40, 0.05], suggesting that embryonic growth rate could have affected telomere attrition. Independent of this trend, males tended to have longer telomeres at hatching than females (effect size=0.77 +/- 0.40 kb, 95% CI: 1.55, -0.02). Egg volume and laying date had no relation to telomere length. There was a strong relationship between telomere length at hatching and at 10 days old (effect size=0.52 +/- 0.22, 95% CI: 0.94, 0.09), demonstrating that the variation in hatching telomere length caused by embryonic growth conditions remained consistent during the initial post-hatching period.
The Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches to Xylose

Empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm are the lignocellulosic waste from crude palm oil production. The current practice to deal with the waste is either to burn EFB for energy production or to spread them back on the field as a fertilizer. Both options offer a limited additional value to the industry compared to the use of EFB as a renewable resource for chemicals production. To be used as the raw materials for chemicals production, EFB needs to be hydrolysed first to its sugar-monomer content. This manuscript presents the study of enzymatic hydrolysis of EFB by xylanolytic enzyme. The study covers the evaluation of commercial xylanolytic enzyme in hydrolysing EFB, the effect of temperature, pH, substrate concentration and potential inhibitors in the EFB hydrolysis process, and the influences of thermal pretreatment for enhancing the yield of hydrolysis. The results of this study lead to an increase in the enzymatic hydrolysis process of EFB. The maximum hydrolysis yield was obtained at temperature of 60 ℃ and pH of 5. Both inhibitors, xylose and glucose, affected the hydrolysis process. The results showed that the thermal pretreatment of EFB enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis yield. Enzymatic hydrolysis was shown to follow Michaelis Menten kinetic model, and the kinetic parameters were obtained to be Km = 22.16 g/L and Vm = 0.17 g/L/min.
Factors Affecting the Body and Texture of Processed Cheese

Summary From the experimental work described in this paper, a number of conclusions may be drawn: 1.The body and texture of processed cheese are improved by the addition of the salts used as emulsifiers. 2.Sodium citrate gave the most desirable body and texture, Rochelle salt and di-sodium phosphate following in the order named. Defects noted with Rochelle salt were mealiness tending toward graininess and poor fusion of the warm cheese in the molds. Di-sodium phosphate gave a very soft, soapy product that also showed poor fusion. 3.Graininess is associated with lack of air cells in the cheese and is often accompanied by fat separation. 4.The use of one-half of one per cent of sodium chloride is sufficient. More than one per cent is noticeable to the taste and weakens the body of the cheese. The use of the emulsifying agents lessens the body defects caused by the use of sodium chloride. 5.Temperature control is necessary. 6.The reaction of the cheese is important, commercially it is modified by blending. The addition of one per cent of acid or its equivalent of alkali weakens the body of the cheese and produces decided changes in the texture. 7.Between reactions of pH 5.7 and 6.3 the differences in the body and texture are very slight. On either side of this range of reaction defects are noted that become more serious as the difference between the reaction of the sample and the limits set above increases. 8.When all other factors are kept constant the body of processed cheese varies in an inverse ratio with the amount of water that is incorporated in it. 9.The body of the cheese becomes weaker as the age of the cheese used increases. An average age of five to seven months in blending mixtures should give satisfactory results. 10.The casein-to-fat ratio in the milk used for the original cheese has a marked effect upon the body of the processed cheese, the greater the pro portion of fat the weaker the body. In conclusion the authors wish to express their thanks to Chas. Pfizer and Co., Inc., who have sponsored the fellowship under which this work has been done.
Molecular systematics of the South American rodent Calomys laucha (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae), a reservoir of the Laguna Negra hantavirus

The small vesper mouse (Calomys laucha (Fischer, 1814)) (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) ranges widely in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia. The species is the reservoir of the Laguna Negra hantavirus (LNV) in Paraguay but not in Argentina, where it is one of the most abundant rodents in agro-pastoral ecosystems. To answer the question if the nominal species C. laucha constitutes a single genetic unit or if it presents genetic discontinuities that may relate to hosting LNV, we sequenced the cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of specimens from throughout the range of the distribution of the species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two well-supported clades. Twenty-two sequences from Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia grouped in clade A, but three sequences from Uruguay and Brazil clustered in a quite divergent clade B. The genetic distance between the two groups is 5.75%. No significant differences between Argentinean, Paraguayan, and Bolivian specimens assigned to C. laucha were detected. The restricted di.
IL‐1α (− 889) promoter polymorphism is a risk factor for osteomyelitis

As osteomyelitis (OM) induces the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines and IL‐1 mediates bone resorption by osteoclasts we determined if there is an association between certain common polymorphisms of the genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1α and β, IL‐6, TNF‐α) and OM in adults. The IL‐1α (− 889) TT genotype was significantly more frequent among 52 OM patients than in 109 healthy controls (13/52, [25.0%] vs. 9/109, [8.3%], P = 0.0081, χ2 = 7.01, OR = 3.7, 95% CI, 1.35–10.34). Patients who were homozygous for the T allele were younger than the rest of the OM patients (mean age 35.7 ± 11.5 vs. 58.1 ± 18.6 years, P = 0.001). IL‐1β TT (+ 3953) polymorphism was also more frequent in OM patients (P = 0.014, χ2 = 5.12, OR = 5.1, 95% CI, 1.21–52.14), but IL‐1β is in linkage disequilibrium with the IL‐1α *T (P < 0.001). Route of infection, chronicity of the infection, type of microorganism isolated, and frequency of relapses were similar in patients with and without the IL‐1α TT genotype. There were no associations between OM and polymorphisms of other cytokines genes. IL‐1α serum levels were significantly increased in all the OM patients independently of their IL‐1 genotype compared to the controls (P = 0.021). Although IL‐1α serum levels were not significantly higher in patients with the IL‐1α (− 889) polymorphism, this does not exclude a difference in production of IL‐1α by osteoclasts or other inflammatory cells at the site of infection. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EWSR1 and FUS fusion genes in tumorigenesis

The present thesis concerns the involvement of EWSR1 and FUS fusion genes, and the chimeric proteins they encode, in tumorigenesis. In Article I, the EWSR1 promoter, which regulates the expression of EWSR1 fusion genes, was characterized and regions that were crucial for promoter activity could be identified. The sequence was found to have bidirectional activity and is likely to regulate also RHBDD3, another cancer-associated gene. In Article II, the EWSR1-POU5F1 fusion was found in hidradenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the first report of EWSR1 fusion genes in epithelial tumor types. The EWSR1-POU5F1 chimera was a stronger transcriptional activator than wild-type (wt) POU5F1, analogous to other EWSR1 chimeras, and was able to activate transcription through a binding site which is normally recognized by POU5F1. In Article III, FUS-CREB3L2 was found to be a stronger transcriptional activator than wt CREB3L2 and to activate transcription through binding sites normally recognized by CREB3L2. Also, the results suggest that the chimera is regulated by intramembrane proteolysis like wt CREB3L2. In Article IV, low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS), which is characterized by the FUS-CREB3L2 fusion, was found to have a specific gene expression profile, compared to histologically similar tumors types. Binding sites for FOXL1, the top upregulated gene in LGFMS, and other FOX factors were overrepresented in the promoters of LGFMS-upregulated genes, suggesting an important function of FOX factors in LGFMS.CD24 was upregulated in the tumors and FUS-CREB3L2 expressing cells, and FUS-CREB3L2 was able to activate transcription through a CD24 regulatory sequence. (Less)
Effects of dietary cation-anion concentrations on performance and acid-base balance in growing lambs

Twenty-four castrated lambs (32.4 ± 4.1 kg BW) were used to study the effect of varying dietary cation–anion concentration [C–A] on performance and acid–base balance. The diets contained approximately 100, 300, 500 and 700 mequiv Na + K − Cl kg−1 of feed. Each group of six lambs was fed one of the diets ad libitum during a 6-wk test. Increasing the [C–A] of the diets resulted in higher feed intake and higher daily gains (P < 0.01) without affecting feed efficiency. Apparent digestibility of nutrients was not affected by the dietary treatments but a negative relationship was found between intake and energy digestibility (P < 0.01). Blood pH was lower in lambs receiving the 100 [C–A] diet (P < 0.05). Blood bicarbonate and base excess increased as [C–A] in the diet increased from 300 to 700 mequiv (P < 0.05). Plasma Mg concentration decreased with increasing dietary [C–A] (P < 0.01). Urinary pH and urine volume increased as [C–A] in the diet increased (P < 0.01). The results indicate that diets containing be.
Seasonal changes in auxin effects on rooting of stem cuttings of Populus nigra and its relationship with mobilization of starch.

Stem cuttings of Populus nigra were treated with 10 and 100 mg/1 each of IAA. , IBA, 2,4-D and NAA at one month intervals and observations were recorded for the morphophysiological status of the branches, their starch content and their rooting response. — The first phase characterized by delayed, short and scarce roots and the high starch content of cuttings coincided with the onset of winter dormancy in November lasting through February. It was followed by a phase of vigorous rooting and low starch content of cuttings coinciding with the renovation of growth activity in February lasting through October, except in April and May when rooting was more or less completely nullified. — The poor rooting in winter was caused by low activity of hydrolyzing enzymes not mobilizing starch into soluble sugars; and profuse rooting during active growth period by high activity of hydrolyzing enzymes caused by endogenous auxin, resulting in mobilization of reserved food materials necessary for the initiation and development of roots. The low rooting in April and May is ascribed to the fact that bulk of the mobilized food was used up in the growth of sprouted branches leaving very little for rooting when these cuttings were planted. — The seasonal changes in the effectiveness of exogenously applied auxins also appear to be related with the level of endogenous auxin. In June endogenous auxin was high due to high meristematic activity, the exogenously applied auxins raising it to supra-optimal levels that were inhibitory. On the other hand, in October exogenously applied auxins enhanced rooting by raising it to an optimal level as the production of endogenous auxin had been decreasing gradually due to lowering temperatures. — The results demonstrate that auxin effect on differential rooting with season in this plant is determined by the physio-morphological status of the branches that govern the production of endogenous auxin and is mediated primarily through its effect on mobilization of reserve food materials caused by enhanced activity of hydrolytic enzymes.