Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Euphorbia milli and Euphorbia pulcherrima on aflatoxin producing fungi ( Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus )

Efficacy of seven different concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 mg/ml) of dry flower powder of Euphorbia milli and Euphorbia pulcherrima was tested on the growth of aflatoxin producing toxigenic strains of fungi’ Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar medium (SDA). Total (100%) inhibition of growth of both A. flavus and A. parasiticus was observed at 30 mg/ml concentration of E. milli dry flower powder. Total inhibition (100%) of growth of A. flavus was observed at 30 mg/ml concentration of E. pulcherrima and for A. parasiticus, it is 35 mg/ml. Bioassay with groundnut seeds soaked with different concentration (5 – 35 mg/ml) of flower extract proved that both fungi were incapable of infecting the seeds in the presence of 30 and 35 mg/ml of both E. milli and E. pulcherrima.
Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase- and γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Like Immunoreactivities in Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-Containing Parvocellular Neurons of the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus

The indirect immunofluorescence technique was used to study the relation between corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and GABAergic neurons in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). In colchicine-pretreated animals, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)- and GABA-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were observed within the medial part of the parvocellular division of the PVN as well as surrounding the nucleus itself. In general, the GAD antiserum, as compared to the GABA antiserum, revealed stronger IR cells and a higher number of cells in the PVN. CRF-IR cells were observed throughout the whole rostrocaudal extension of the PVN, but predominantly in its dorsal medial parvocellular part. Adjacent sections stained, respectively, with antisera against CRF, GAD or GABA, revealed overlapping distributional patterns within the parvocellular part of the PVN. Employing a direct double-staining technique with sheep GAD and rabbit CRF antisera, it was demonstrated that both GAD and CRF immunoreactivities occurred in the same neurons, particularly in the dorsomedial aspect of the parvocellular PVN. GAD-positive neurons located in the ventromedial parvocellular PVN, periventricular nucleus and surrounding the PVN lacked CRF immunoreactivity. In addition, with an elution-restaining technique it was possible to demonstrate that also GABA immunoreactivity was present in some CRF neurons in the dorsomedial parvocellular PVN. Intravenous injection of the retrograde tracer Fast Blue resulted in labelling of neurons in the periventricular area and in both the parvocellular and magnocellular division of the PVN. After processing the sections for GAD/CRF immunohistochemistry, it was possible to demonstrate the presence of retrogradely labelled GAD/CRF cells, pointing at a PVN median eminence projection for these neurons. The present findings demonstrate that a subpopulation of the CRF-containing neurons in the parvocellular division of the PVN in addition are GABAergic, thereby indicating a possible corelease of these compounds, presumably in the median eminence. Possible interactions of GABA within the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis are discussed.
Advantages of the KDS/BCA Assay over the Bradford Assay for Protein Quantification in White Wine and Grape Juice

The present study compared the performance of two colorimetric protein assays, the Bradford and the potassium dodecyl sulfate/bicinchoninic acid (KDS/BCA) assays, for use in wine and grape juice analysis. The Bradford assay was affected by protein type, whereas the KDS/BCA assay had lower protein-to-protein variation. Bovine serum albumin and lysozyme yielded an absorbance (562 nm) vs. protein concentration slope (dose–response curve) similar to that of wine proteins. In the Bradford assay, the presence of 12% ethanol and 200 mg/L of wine polyphenols decreased the protein absorbance by 28 and 16%, respectively, whereas in the KDS/BCA assay such interference was not significant. Among 64 white wines, the correlation between protein haze potential, determined by a heat test, and protein content was better for the KDS/BCA assay. This study confirmed the superiority of the KDS/BCA assay over the Bradford assay for quantifying protein in white grape juice and wine, and it yielded better predictive value with respect to the risk of white wine protein instability.
A review of marine protected areas in the northwestern Mediterranean region: siting, usage, zonation and management

1. We present in this review a general description of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the northwestern Mediterranean and some general principles for the establishment of protected areas, including their size, location, biotope composition, regulation, and management. 2. Many Mediterranean MPAs are located around or adjacent to islands, but the placement of a marine reserve close to a large urban area is not necessarily a handicap, as has been demonstrated by some examples. It is not, therefore, necessary to restrict future MPAs solely to regions of low human density. 3. The conceptual question of MPA size (single large or several small — SLOSS debate) has never been explicitly considered in the selection of Mediterranenan MPAs. However, studies of fish recruitment in MPAs, and the development of a network of small MPAs between Spain and France have highlighted the importance and value of small sized MPAs (200–2000 ha). 4. Whatever the location of a future MPA, its success as measured in terms of stock restoration will depend on whether (i) sufficient suitable habitat is available, (ii) the variety and abundance of prey species are adequate and (iii) the possibilities for recruitment of the biota are reasonable. 5. The initial choices of zonation and legislation regulating the management of any future MPA are of primary importance. The zonation plan should be as simple as possible (gradation of 2 or 3 levels) and it should be acknowledged that the significance of management conflicts within a MPA will be inversely proportional to the extent of preliminary consultations with all of the users, both professional and amateur. 6. The examples of semi-protected areas where professional fishing is still allowed demonstrate without ambiguity the negative impact of spear-fishing, and the limited impacts from regulated professional activities on fish assemblages. The means of regulating consist essentially of (i) a prohibition of certain type of fishing methods (trawling); and (ii) a limitation of the numbers of fishermen by a system of restriction or authorization. 7. In the MPAs examined, there is a great diversity of situations in relation to the size of and distribution of duties between staff assigned to their management. However, the single most important factor underlying whether or not a MPA will be successful and beneficial is the presence of a dedicated staff. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of hemlock woolly adelgid infestation on water relations of Carolina and eastern hemlock

In North America, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae) is an exotic insect pest from Asia that is causing rapid decline of native eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. ) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.) populations. The exact physiological mechanisms that cause tree decline and mortality are not known, despite substantial research efforts on ecological impacts and potential control measures of HWA. Eastern and Carolina hemlock may be reacting to infestation in a manner similar to the response of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh.) Poir. ) to infestation by balsam woolly adelgid (BWA; Adelges picea). It is known that Fraser fir produces abnormal xylem in response to BWA feeding. This abnormal xylem obstructs water movement within the trees, causing Fraser fir to die of water stress.
Behavioural and genetic analyses of mate choice and reproductive success in two Chinook salmon populations

Sexual selection is recognized as an important evolutionary force in salmon. However, relatively little is known about variation in sexual selection pressures across salmon populations or the potential role of natural selection as a driver of adaptive mating patterns. Here, we examine mating behaviour and correlates of reproductive success in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from the Quinsam and Little Qualicum rivers in British Columbia, Canada — two populations for which we have previously found evidence of natural selection operating on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. In both populations, males courted females and exhibited dominance behaviour towards other males, and the frequency of each behaviour was positively associated with reproductive success. Males were more aggressive towards females with whom they would produce offspring of low or high MHC class II diversity, and the offspring of males from the Quinsam River exhibited higher diversity at the MHC class I than expected.
Cladistic analysis of Echinodorus (Alismataceae): simultaneous analysis of molecular and morphological data

Echinodorus is the second largest genus in the aquatic plant family Alismataceae. The genus is naturally distributed in the New World, but many species are known world‐wide as popular aquarium plants. The views upon species delimitation and infrageneric classification of the genus have been controversial. Phenotypic plasticity of aquatic plants combined with reduced and presumably convergent morphological structures pose serious problems to classification, emphasizing the need for molecular‐level data. A simultaneous cladistic analysis of molecular and morphological data was conducted to resolve the phylogeny of the genus. The results showed Echinodorus (as it is currently circumscribed) to be polyphyletic. None of the currently proposed infrageneric classifications of the genus were supported in the light of phylogenetic evidence. Also, many species and subspecies level rankings were found to be unnatural. Monophyly of Echinodorus is ascertained by separating Helanthium and the monotypic genus Albidella from Echinodorus. As a result, two new combinations (Helanthium bolivianum and H. zombiense) are made, and a detailed description of the genus Helanthium is provided.
Virus‐induced changes in the response of faba bean to infection by Botrytis

Prior infection of faba bean with the viruses bean yellow mosaic and bean leaf roll increased host susceptibility to subsequent infection by Botrytis fabae and B. cinerea. Cell necrosis beneath inoculum droplets, rate and extent of lesion spread and sporulation of B. fabae were all increased on detached leaves from virus-infected compared with healthy plants. Changes were most marked in young leaves showing conspicuous symptoms of systemic virus infection and in plants virus-infected for at least 2-4 weeks. Localized lesions produced by B. cinerea or a low concentration of B. fabae conidia (103 spores/ ml) showed increased cell necrosis but were not transformed into aggressive, spreading lesions on virus-infected leaves.
Temporal Turnover of Species Maintains Ant Diversity but Transforms Species Assemblage Recovering from Fire Disturbance

The rupestrian complex is a montane transitional vegetation type between the Brazilian Savanna (‘Cerrado’) and the Atlantic Forest, frequently threatened by human activities. In this study, we evaluated the recovery to fire disturbance of ant fauna in an environment evolved under fire regime. We confirmed that the ant diversity recovers quickly after the fire. However, our results show that ant assemblage in burned areas presented greater ant’s foraging activity, here detected as higher abundance. The ant composition changed over time, being that species turnover lead to a strikingly different species composition comparing burned to unburned areas after 16 months of recovering. In fact, both areas changed their ant composition through species turnover, but we believe that the mechanisms that act in species turnover are different in each area. Along time, in burned areas the fauna maintained a constant species diversity but dramatically changed species assemblage due to appearance of several species not found in the unburned area.
The three‐dimensional structure of a T‐cell antigen receptor VαVβ heterodimer reveals a novel arrangement of the Vβ domain

The crystal structure of a mouse T‐cell antigen receptor (TCR) Fv fragment complexed to the Fab fragment of a specific anti‐clonotypic antibody has been determined to 2.6 Å resolution. The polypeptide backbone of the TCR Vα domain is very similar to those of other crystallographically determined Vαs, whereas the Vβ structure is so far unique among TCR Vβ domains in that it displays a switch of the c″ strand from the inner to the outer β‐sheet. The β chain variable region of this TCR antigen‐binding site is characterized by a rather elongated third complementarity‐determining region (CDR3β) that packs tightly against the CDR3 loop of the α chain, without leaving any intervening hydrophobic pocket. Thus, the conformation of the CDR loops with the highest potential diversity distinguishes the structure of this TCR antigen‐binding site from those for which crystallographic data are available. On the basis of all these results, we infer that a significant conformational change of the CDR3β loop found in our TCR is required for binding to its cognate peptide‐MHC ligand.
Can growth be used as a surrogate measure of walleye (Sander vitreus) abundance change

We examined several models to determine the relative contributions of density-dependent and density-independent factors on walleye (Sander vitreus) growth in the ceded territory of Wisconsin from 1990 to 1999. We then used independent data from 2000 to determine how well each model predicted walleye growth and examined several models to determine if growth could be used to predict density. Adult density best predicted the mean size of age-3 males ( 3m) and age-5 females ( 5f). Density-independent measures of pH, the morphoedaphic index, maximum depth, and conductance had a positive influence on growth, while adult density negatively affected growth. The solely density-dependent models predicted 3m and 5f poorly in 2000. The addition of density-independent factors improved model predictions of 3m and 5f. Walleye growth did not predict adult walleye densities. Regional patterns in walleye growth were correlated with surrogate measures of lake productivity and to a lesser extent adult density. Density depend.
Morphogenetic regulation of seed germination in Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers.

The seed of Orobanche aegyptiaca (Orobanchaceae) is very small and contains a subglobose embryo which has not differentiated into radicle, hypocotyl, cotyledons, and plumule. Seeds were aseptically cultured to study germination and the morphogenesis of the embryo. In response to the composition of the medium, the embryo displayed either a monopolar organization or a bipolar organization of the seedling. Medium supplemented either with coconut milk (20% v/v) or yeast extract (5000 ppm) resulted in a monopolar seedling development where the roots and shoot originated from the morphological radicular pole of the embryo. The bipolar pattern of seedling development occurred in response to auxin (0.1 ppm), cytokinin (0.5–10 ppm), gibberellin (1–30 ppm), and strigol (0.01 μg). In bipolar development, the shoot originated from the plumular pole and the roots from the radicular pole of the embryo.
Effect of irrigation levels and in situ moisture conservation on vegetative growth, flowering and fruiting characteristics of kiwifruit cv Allison

he effect of different irrigation levels and in situ moisture conservation on vegetative growth, flowering and fruiting characteristics was investigated in kiwifruit cultivar Allison. The seven treatments viz irrigation at 80 per cent (T1), 60 per cent (T2) and 40 per cent field capacity (T3), T2 plus grass mulch (T4) or black polythene (T5) and T3 plus grass mulch (T6) or black polythene (T7) were applied from March to October with three replications in randomized block design (RBD). The shoot growth, length of internodes, leaf area, bloom intensity, fruit set and fruit retention decreased with DI levels under T2 and T3 treatments. The treatment T4 and T5 maintained soil moisture level nearly to the level of T1 and mitigated these water stress induced responses. However T5 was better in this respect.
High Pressure Effects on Emulsifying Behavior of Whey Protein Concentrate

Oil-in-water emulsions (0.4 wt% protein, 20 vol% n-tetradecane, pH 7) prepared with solutions of pressure-treated (up to 800 MPa) whey protein concentrate (WPC) as emulsifier give a broader droplet-size distribution than emulsions made with native untreated protein. There was a decrease in emulsifying efficiency with increasing applied pressure and treatment time. In contrast, pressure treatment of corresponding WPC emulsions made with the native protein had little effect on emulsion stability. In the pressure-treated emulsion the protein is probably already conformationally modified so that pressure has little additional effect. However, in solution the native structure of the whey protein is modified by pressure resulting in loss of emulsifying efficiency.
Variability in some sorghum accessions assessed with SSR markers.

Variability in forty-nine accessions of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moech] assembled at Savannah Agricultural Research Institute of Ghana was assessed using ten microsatellite markers. DNA of plants from the various accessions was extracted and amplified using ten microsatellite primers. The amplified products were ran on 3% agarose gel at 45 volts for two hours, visualized under ultraviolet radiation and photographed. Alleles identified in the form of bands were scored ‘+’ for presence and ‘0’ for absence. Eight of the ten primers discriminated among the sorghum accessions with two to five alleles each. An average of 3.3 alleles was scored per primer pair. Allele information for each accession from the ten primers was recorded in a Microsoft excel sheet and analysed with NTSYSpc. A dendrogram was drawn using Sequential Agglomerative Hierarchical Nested method (SAHN). Similarity within the sorghum accessions ranged from 63 to 100%.
USE OF ALLOZYME MARKERS TO DETERMINE GENOTYPES OF PHYTOPHTHORA INFESTANS IN CANADA

A comparison of allozyme banding patterns at two loci, for glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (Gpi) and peptidase (Pep), with markers for mating type, metalaxyl sensitivity, and cultural morphology revealed eight distinct genotypes among 726 isolates of Phytophthora infestans collected in Canada between 1994 and 1996. Banding patterns for allozymes of the Gpi locus alone proved to be adequate for distinguishing seven of the genotypes. Five of these genotypes (US-l, US-6, US-7, US-8, and gll (or US-ll)) were comparable to genotypes described in the United States. The US-l genotype (Al mating type, metalaxyl-sensitive) was recovered commonly (41% frequency) throughout Canada (outside the province of British Columbia) during 1994. By 1996, the US-l genotype was no longer recovered from any samples of potato or tomato tissue taken from across Canada. The US-8 genotype (A2 mating type, metalaxyl-insensitive) dominated populations of the pathogen in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick during 1994 and by 1996, the US-.
Can functional classification of tropical trees predict population dynamics after disturbance?

Abstract Question: How far can we simplify the floristic complexity of a tropical rainforest into functional groups in order to predict tree population dynamics after logging–induced disturbance? Location: Paracou experimental site, French Guiana. Methods: We used data from over 15 years in control and disturbed plots from a silvicultural trial started in 1984. We selected 53 common tree species assigned to five functional groups based on potential size and light requirement. For each species, we quantified: the fate, i.e. variation in population size, and dynamic processes, i.e. mortality, recruitment and growth, driving this fate. We investigated the links between dynamic processes, fate and functional groups. Results: Disturbance stimulated growth and recruitment for most species, but had a heterogeneous impact on mortality. Species fate in disturbed plots depended on recruitment and was more favourable than in control plots. The functional classification was more predictive for most separate dynamic processes than for species fate: after disturbance, significant differences were found between all functional groups for growth. Pioneer+heliophilous species showed significantly higher recruitment rates. Mortality of shade–tolerant species slightly increased and of mid–tolerant and heliophilous species decreased. Conclusions: A combination of three species classifications separately built from the growth, recruitment and mortality processes is more informative than a global classification combining the processes. Identifying the pioneer+heliophilous species on the basis of their growth rate is crucial to predict species fate after disturbance. We showed that potential growth rate could be used as a reliable indicator to identify this group. Nomenclature: Hollowell et al. (2001) for Anthophyta families A–L; http://www.mnh. si.edu/biodiversity/bdg/planthtml/index.html for other families.
Population structure and systematics of Opsariichthys bidens (Osteichthyes: Cyprinidae) in south‐east China using a new nuclear marker: the introns (EPIC‐PCR)

Chinese fish farming is the oldest aquaculture in the word. The present pressure on the wild ichthyofauna and its diversity is threatening aquaculture because potential genitors are often caught in the wild. One of the possible responses to this threat is to provide new natural fish taxa for aquaculture. The objective of this study was to analyse the genetic structure of populations of Opsariichthys bidens and to describe its subdivisions, if any, using nuclear markers, to serve as a guideline for stock selection and management in the potential aquaculture of this species. In 2002 and 2003, two collecting trips were made, one in the middle Chang Jiang basin in Hunan Province, and another in the Xi Jiang basin in Guangxi Province, China. Length polymorphisms of the intron amplification (EPIC-PCR) were analysed on 24 systems, only five of which gave easily interpretable and polymorphic patterns, corresponding to 11 presumptive loci. According to the multidimensional statistics, the genetic analysis demonstrated the existence of four clearly independent geographical taxa included in O. bidens, characterized by unambiguous diagnostic intron loci. The distribution of these taxa confirms a similarity between both catchment populations: the middle Chang Jiang and the Xi Jiang samples of the Zhu Jiang basin. An additional output of the study was the choice of the population of each group to be first tested in Chinese fish farms. (c) 2006 The Linnean Society of London.