Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A biochemical model for the initiation and maintenance of the quiescent center: implications for organization of root meristems

A new hypothesis for the formation of the quiescent center is presented. Reported data support a mechanism for the establishment and maintenance of the quiescent center. The quiescent center is located at the most distal part of the root proper, the most terminal location in the root proper on the path of polar transport from the shoot. Of the many substances polarly transported in the root, auxin is one of the best studied and has been shown to affect root meristem organization. In our mechanism, polar auxin is directly linked to quiescence through the action of ascorbate oxidase and ascorbic acid. Immunolocalization of auxin in the root tip of Zea mays showed that auxin levels in the quiescent center were high compared to the levels in the immediately surrounding meristematic cells. Isolated quiescent centers were shown to have high levels of ascorbate oxidase mRNA and ascorbate oxidase activity relative to proximal meristem tissue. Exogenous auxin caused an increase in ascorbate oxidase mRNA levels and ascorbate oxidase enzyme activity in cultured root tissue. Immunolocalization of ascorbate oxidase in Zea root tips showed high levels of the protein in the quiescent center relative to surrounding cells. This is the first report of a positive marker and activity for the quiescent center. Histochemical detection of ascorbic acid in Zea root tips showed that quiescent center cells have low or undetectable levels of ascorbic acid, presumably due to the high levels of ascorbate oxidase in the quiescent center. As ascorbic acid is a compound known to be necessary for the transition from G1 to S in the cell cycle, its low levels in the quiescent center may be directly responsible for holding these rarely dividing cells in the extended G1 state in which they are mainly found. We propose that our mechanism complements published mathematical modeling of the anatomical structure of root apices, and further propose that the control of relative growth rates in this focal region of the root apex by this mechanism is a determining aspect in generating anatomical patterning in the root apex.
Assessment of genetic variability of 36 populations of sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa) based on RAPD markers.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers have been used to characterize the genetic diversity of 36 Iranian populations of sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa Scop.). Five out of 20 tested RAPD primers produced 79 polymorphic bands and the average band produced for each primer was 15.8 polymorphic bands. The highest and lowest percentage of polymorphic loci was obtained for the population Divandara (80%) and the population Aligodarz3 (49%), respectively, with average 66%. Dendrograms were prepared using cluster analysis based on Nei’s distance coefficients. Clustering pattern, made on the basis of RAPD data, grouped the accessions differently and gave no clear indication of origin/source. Further examination of the different components of genetic variation by analysis of molecular variance indicated that larger proportions of variability existed within populations (78%). The results also showed that comprehensive germplasm collection in major geographic regions and exploitation of the existing variation are required to widen the genetic base and sample the full extent of the available variation in breeding strategies for sainfoin.
Measures of Space use and Association of Two Unrelated Male Red Wolves in a Shared Area

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) listed the red wolf (Canis rufus) as an endangered species in 1967 and began a recovery program in 1973 (USFWS 1989). By that time, however, the red wolf had already been extirpated from most of its range (McCarley and Carley 1979). Only 1 wild population of red wolves currently exists, reintroduced in 1987 to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (ARNWR) in northeastern North Carolina, U.S.A. (USFWS 1989). Most research on the red wolf has addressed its status as a species (e.g., Wayne and Jenks 1991; Wilson et al. 2000; Kyle et al. 2006; Murray and Waits 2007). Ecological studies have been limited by small sample sizes or duration (Mauney 2005; Hinton 2006; Chadwick et al. 2010; Hinton and Chamberlain 2010) or by VHF telemetry data collection that is infrequent and limited to daytime observations (Phillips et al. 2003). Although GPS and VHF radio collars are used to monitor the population, intra-group spatial relationships are largely undocumented. Red wolves form groups consisting of the breeding pair and their sexually immature offspring (Phillips et al. 2003) and offspring from previous years have been observed as helpers at the den (Sparkman et al. 2010). Unrelated wolves of the same gender have not been previously reported in the same group. In this study, 2 unrelated male red wolves using a shared area were monitored 5 times per day for 12 months using GPS collars. The purpose was to determine if the non-breeding male was a member of the group composed of the breeding male and his mate, an uncollared female. We hypothesized that association between the males would be high if the non-breeder was a member of the group, whereas there would be no significant association if the nonbreeder was simply using the same area. If the unrelated non-breeder was a group member, this represents a unique pack composition that has not been studied in this species. Methods
Lipid-free NisI: interaction with nisin and contribution to nisin immunity via secretion

Nisin-producing Lactococcus lactis cells protect their own cytoplasmic membrane by specific immunity proteins, NisF/E/G and NisI, a transporter complex and a lipoprotein, respectively. A portion of NisI is secreted to the medium in a lipid-free form (LFNisI). Here, kinetics of the interaction between nisin and LF-NisI was examined by surface plasmon resonance analysis. The affinity constant KD for the interaction was calculated to be in the micromolar range. Contribution of the secreted LF-NisI to nisin immunity was studied by replacing the lipoprotein specific nisI signal sequence with a secretion signal of non-lipoprotein origin. Secretion of LF-NisI in NisF/E/G-expressing L. lactis strain NZ9840 increased significantly its nisin tolerance suggesting that the lipid-free form of NisI could have a supportive role in nisin immunity. � 2004 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Saline water can be reused to irrigate sugarbeets, but sugar may be low

Salt is currently being transported into the San Joaquin Valley via rivers and irrigation water at about three times the rate that it is being removed, endangering the productivity of agricultural land. As a possible salt-management solution, the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Implementation Program seeks to reuse saline water, such as tile drainage water or shallow well water, in crop production. Sugarbeet is a deep-rooted, salt-tolerant crop that can be used as part of a cyclic reuse program to reduce drainage-water volume and conserve high-quality water. Although sugarbeets grown with saline water produced adequate yields on test plots, sugar percentages declined because nitrogen also was present in the irrigation water source. For this reason, irrigating sugarbeets with alternative water sources is more complex, requiring accounting of nitrogen in reused water together with soil nitrogen to assure adequate crop quality.
Do miners (Manorina spp.) affect bird assemblages in continuous savanna woodlands in north‐eastern Australia?

Overabundant native species can have a significant cascading effect on other components of wildlife, and those that deplete other species, often promoted by anthropogenic change to vegetation cover and habitat, are called reverse keystone species. Birds in the genus Manorina are widely reported as being such species, and in highly disturbed or fragmented environments, and some intact environments, noisy miners Manorina melanocephala can have a strong negative effect on small passerine species via hyper-aggressive mobbing. The tropical savannas of northern Australia consist of largely unmodified woodlands, and two species of Manorina occur naturally in this region: the noisy miner and the yellow-throated miner Manorina flavigula. Therefore, what effect do these species have on bird assemblage in predominantly continuous habitats, relative to other typical determinants of avifauna assemblage such as vegetation structure? We used data collected from bird surveys at 511 sites across northern Queensland (179 noisy miner M. melanocephala sites, 332 yellow-throated miner M. flavigula sites) between 1998 and 2010. We examined the variation in bird composition at each site due to increasing abundance of Manorina spp. using uni- and multivariate techniques. We found total bird richness was significantly lower in sites where noisy and yellow-throated miner abundances were highest, and passerine species seemed most affected. For species, 45 species varied significantly in abundance with increasing miner numbers, and the overall effect of yellow-throated miners on other birds seemed more pronounced. However, vegetation structure was generally an equal or more important predictor of avifauna richness and abundance. We conclude that despite the superficially intact nature of northern Australian woodlands, pastoral intensification or poor land management might create disturbances that facilitate increases in the abundance of Manorina, causing localized overabundance and a compounding negative effect on other native bird species.
Genetic variability in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

Estimates of genetic parameters for 14 characters in 108 collections of turmeric (C. langa L.) revealed significant variability for all the traits. Moderate to high heritability coupled with good genetic gain was observed for weight of mother finger and secondary rhizomes and number of secondary rhizome. Yield per bed had moderate heritability and genetic gain. pev estimates were higher than the Gev estimates for all the traits studied. The estimates of genetic parameters revealed scope for further improvement of rhizome yield by selection.
The response to fertilizer nitrogen of cereals grown on sandy soils

The responses to fertilizer N of winter wheat and winter barley grown on sandy soils were measured in 74 experiments in England from 1991 to 1994. A series of curves was fitted to the data from each of the experiments to determine which best described the yield response to fertilizer N. The linear plus exponential model, adopted for data from a range of other soil types, with the rate parameter (r) determined for each experiment, proved to be the most satisfactory for these data. The median value of r at 0·987 was less than has usually been determined for other soil types, and was reduced by increasing moisture stress in June, suggesting that the reduced efficiency with which recovered N produces assimilate is partly a result of moisture stress. The model produced a mean Nopt of 143 kg/ha following cereals. Soil N supply in spring (SNSs) was small at c. 45 kg/ha and commensurate with a large requirement for fertilizer N. Apparent fertilizer recovery (AFR) at 0·70 was greater than that previously measured on clay or chalk soils, suggesting that AFR was not restricted by lack of soil moisture. The larger AFR is considered to be a consequence of more rapid remobilization of fertilizer N in these sandy soils. The greater recovery of fertilizer N reduced the optimum requirement for fertilizer N. Nitrogen harvest index (NHI) was decreased from 0·76 to 0·70 as fertilizer N increased from 0 to 300 kg/ha, whereas dry matter harvest index (HI) decreased from 0·53 to 0·50. The economic optimum requirement for fertilizer N, at 143 kg/ha, was less than reported for other soil types. The increase in grain yield from applied fertilizer N was less in these experiments than in those reported on other soil types in the UK. However, this overall observation masks two counterbalancing differences. Fertilizer N was recovered more efficiently on these soils; the recovered fertilizer N was used with similar efficiency to produce grain dry matter. The explanation proposed is that on these soils a large proportion of soil water is readily available to crops, and this was taken up rapidly in May accompanied by fertilizer N. However, shortage of water in June restricted the ability of the crop to produce assimilate from fertilizer N applications >c. 150 kg/ha.
Original Contribution THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CYTOKENINS IN PROPAGATION OF CAPSICUM ANNUUM L. BY IN VITRO NODAL CUTTING

The application of modern biotechnology for improvement of pepper productivity requires an efficient in vitro plant regeneration protocol. In this study an experiment was carried out to examine the effects of different combinations of plant growth regulators on the in vitro micro propagation of Capsicum annuum L. thus optimizing the protocol for in vitro micro propagation involving culturing of nodal segments in MS media. Among the different concentrations of cytokinins BAP, KIN, Zea and TDZ tested. The best response was observed on medium containing 2 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l IBA, especially for number of buds per explant and percentage of rooting. The elongated shoots were rooted on medium containing IBA (0.5 mg/l). Plantlets were transplanted to soil and acclimatized in the greenhouse showing normal development and growing to maturity bearing normal fruits with seeds.
Geographic and seasonal distribution of the infectious stage of Ceratomyxa shasta Noble, 1950, a myxozoan salmonid pathogen in the Fraser River system

The infective stage of C. shasta was demonstrated to be present at two lower Fraser River sites. However, it was absent in the McGregor River, a tributary of the upper Fraser, and rarely present in the upper Fraser River near Prince George, B.C. Seasonally, the infective stage occurred in the lower Fraser River from late April to mid-November. In April 1983, 12% of 25 fish became infected with C. shasta, indicating a low onset of activity. In experiments in 1981, 10- and 20-day exposures of 216 juvenile chinook salmon resulted in increased infections of C. shasta, from 72 to 75% in May to 96 and 98% in July. Time to death decreased from a mean of 54 to 30 days from first exposure. In 1982, 5- and 10-day exposures resulted in deaths of 98% of 181 fish from August to November. Mean time to death increased from 27 to 48 days and was probably due to decreasing river temperatures. In November, 90% of the fish became infected at water temperatures of 4 – 6 °C.
Impacts of New Highways and Subsequent Landscape Urbanization on Stream Habitat and Biota

New highways are pervasive, pernicious threats to stream ecosystems because of their short- and long-term physical, chemical, and biological impacts. Unfortunately, standard environmental impact statements (EISs) and environmental assessments (EAs) focus narrowly on the initial direct impacts of construction and ignore other long-term indirect impacts. More thorough consideration of highway impacts, and, ultimately, better land use decisions may be facilitated by conceptualizing highway development in three stages: initial highway construction, highway presence, and eventual landscape urbanization. Highway construction is characterized by localized physical disturbances, which generally subside through time. In contrast, highway presence and landscape urbanization are characterized by physical and chemical impacts that are temporally persistent. Although the impacts of highway presence and landscape urbanization are of similar natures, the impacts are of a greater magnitude and more widespread in the urbanization phase. Our review reveals that the landscape urbanization stage is clearly the greatest threat to stream habitat and biota, as stream ecosystems are sensitive to even low levels (< 10%) of watershed urban development. Although highway construction is ongoing, pervasive, and has severe biological consequences, we found few published investigations of its impacts on streams. Researchers know little about the occurrence, loading rates, and biotic responses to specific contaminants in highway runoff. Also needed is a detailed understanding of how highway crossings, especially culverts, affect fish populations via constraints on movement and how highway networks alter natural regimes (e.g., streamflow, temperature). Urbanization research topics that may yield especially useful results include a) the relative importance and biological effects of specific components of urban development—e.g., commercial or residential; b) the scenarios under which impacts are reversible; and c) the efficacy of mitigation measures—e.g., stormwater retention or treatment and forested buffers.
The influence of chitin-urea amendments applied to an organic soil on a Meloidogyne hapla population and on the growth of greenhouse tomato

Cette experience a ete realisee en serre dans le but d'evaluer l'efficacite d'un amendement a base de chitine-uree applique a un sol organique dans le but de reprimer une population du nematode des nodosites (Meloidogyne hapla) provenant du Quebec et de determiner le pouvoir pathogene de ce nematode sur une culture de tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum). Les amendements de chitine-uree, aux doses de 0,2 et 0,4 % (vol:vol), n'ont pas reduit les populations du nematode presentes avant la plantation. Les populations finales d'œufs de M. hapla ont ete significativement augmentees dans les sols amendes avec la chitine-uree et un effet significatif positif de la dose a ete enregistre. Le feuillage de tomate a ete significativement reduit en presence de M. hapla, et accru par l'amendement de chitine-uree. A la recolte, le poids des fruits n'a pas ete affecte par la presence du M. hapla ni par la chitine-uree. Les populations finales d'oeufs de M. hapla etaient associees avec des teneurs reduites en N et P, mais accrues en Ca dans les tissus foliaires.
A risk-based model of climate change threat: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability in the ecology of lichen epiphytes

This review positions the biodiversity response to climate change within a social-sciences risk-based framework, integrating the parameters of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. It uses lichen epiphytes as a case study. In treating human-induced climate change as a hazard, the exposure of lichen epiphytes is considered as their sensitivity to spatial climatic variation, while also seeking congruence between bioclimatic models and observational data supporting distributional change. Improved understanding of exposure could be generated through functional response models, and climate sensitivity should be carefully interpreted against co-occurring hazards (pollution, habitat degradation). Where negative impacts result from exposure to climate change, species vulnerability may be reduced through adaptive forest management. This opportunity is based on a cross-scale interaction between microhabitat specificity and macroclimatic setting. Certain stand types (e.g., old-growth stands) offer greater opportunity.
Immobilisation of soybean seed coat peroxidase on its natural support for phenol removal from wastewater

Soybean seed coat peroxidase (SBP; EC 1.11.1.7) was immobilised on its natural support, soybean seed coats, anticipating its use in phenol removal. Periodate and glutaraldehyde chemistries were assayed. Periodate failed to immobilise any SBP, whereas glutaraldehyde was effective. The optimum concentration of glutaraldehyde was found to be 1%. Immobilisation shifted the optimum pH for phenol removal from 4.0 to 6.0. Treated seed coat retained its activity over a 4-week period, and reusability assays showed that treated seed coats could be reused once for phenol removal. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) increased the stability of phenol degradation activity. In addition, the phenolic polymer was adsorbed on to seed coats, thus making removal of the polymeric product easier.
Effect of two microbial phytase preparations on phosphorus utilisation in broilers fed maize-soybean meal based diets

Sulavuus- ja tasekokeessa selvitettiin kahden erilaisen fytaasientsyymilisayksen vaikutuksiamaissi-soijarouherehuseosta saaneiden broilereiden fosforin hyvaksikayttoon ja eritykseen. Tutkittavat fytaasientsyymivalmisteet, FINASEâ FP-500 ja FINASEâ P, oli tuotettu kahdella erilaisella mikrobikannalla, Aspergillus nigerilla tai Trichoderma reeseilla. Kokeessa oli 96 broilerpoikasta, joiden ika kokeen alussa oli 21 ja lopussa 37 vuorokautta. Broilereita pidettiin kolmikerroksisessa hakkipatterissa neljan elaimen hakeissa. Rakeistetun koerehun paaasiallisina raaka-aineina olivat maissi ja soijarouhe. Koekasittelyja oli nelja: positiivinen vertailu, jossa dikalsiumfosfaattitaydennys, negatiivinen vertailu ilman epaorgaanista fosforitaydennysta seka kaksi rehua ilman epaorgaanista fosforia, joihin oli lisatty joko Aspergillus tai Trichoderma pohjaista fytaasientsyymia. Molemmat fytaasientsyymilisaykset paransivat selvasti maissi-soijarouhe-rehun fosforin kayttokelpoisuutta ja vahensivat ulosteissa erittyvan fosforin maaraa. Kasvifosforin hyvaksikaytto parani 38,5 %:sta 51,1%:iin verrattuna rehuun, joka ei sisaltanyt epaorgaanista fosforia tai fytaasientsyymia. Myos fosforin ohutsuolisulavuus parantui fytaasientsyymin vaikutuksesta. Seka Aspergillus etta Trichoderma fytaasin vaikutukset fosforin hyvaksikayttoon olivat samanlaiset. Fytaasientsyymi paransi myos rehun kalsiumin hyvaksikayttoa, mutta vaikutukset muiden ravintoaineiden hyvaksikayttoon tai sulavuuteen olivat vahaisia.
Conjunctival bacterial and fungal isolates in clinically healthy working horses in Iran.

This study was conducted to identify bacterial and fungal isolates of the normal eyes in working horses in Iran. Ninety swabs were taken from the conjunctival sac of 45 clinically healthy horses. Aerobic bacterial and fungal cultures were plated. A total of 9 different bacterial species (3 Gram-positive, 6 Gram-negative) and 7 different fungal species (6 molds, 1 yeast) were recovered. Bacillus spp. , Staphylococcus spp. and Klebsiella spp. were the most frequently isolated bacteria. Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. were the most frequently recovered fungi. The microbial species isolated are comparable with studies performed on horses in other areas.