Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Yield Physiology of Dry Bean

ABSTRACT Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important food legume for the world population. However, its average yield is low worldwide. The main reasons for low yield are biotic and abiotic stresses. Maximum economic yield of a crop can be achieved with appropriate balance between plant and environmental factors during crop growth cycle. Adopting appropriate management practices in favor of high yields can modify some of these factors. Hence, knowledge of yield physiology of dry bean is important for understanding yield formation components during crop growth and development and consequently improving yield. Dry bean growth cycle is divided into vegetative and reproductive growth stages. During vegetative stage, development of roots, trifoliate, node, and branches take place. Main features of reproductive growth stage are flowering, pod and grain formation. Important plant traits associated with yield are root and shoot dry matter yield, pod number, 100 grain weight, leaf area index, grain harvest index, and nitrogen harvest index. These plant traits are genetically controlled and also influenced by soil and plant management practices. Higher yield is possible only when there is an adequate balance among various physiological processes or yield components. The objective of this review is to discuss growth and development of bean plant including yield formation process or traits during crop growth cycle and importance of these yield components in determining yield.
Phylogenetic relationships in tribe Cardueae (Asteraceae) based on ITS sequences

The Cardueae pose vexing systematic problems at several taxonomic levels. Tribal delimitation is controversial, with views ranging from a broadly defined Cardueae comprising subtribes Echinopsidinae, Carlininae, Carduinae, and Centaureinae to a more restrictive Cardueae (comprising only Carduinae and Centaureinae) with tribal rank also given to Echinopsideae (or Echinopeae) and Carlineae. Furthermore, the circumscription of groups within a broad Cardueae is also controversial, with divergent views emphasizing differences in floral or achene morphology; the distinction between Carduinae and Centaureinae is particularly weak. The generic limits of Centaurea, comprising 500-600 species and great diversity in both chromosome number and pollen morphology, are also unclear. Patterns of morphological, chromosomal, and pollen diversity in Centaurea do not completely support either the current taxonomy or any of the proposed modifications. Clearly, the Cardueae in general and Centaurea in particular require a phylogenetic approach to resolve problems of taxonomic circumscription and rank and to understand patterns of pollen and chromosomal evolution. We therefore analyzed DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) of 35 taxa to reconstruct the phylogeny of Cardueae and assess 1) the positions of Echinopsidinae and Carlininae, 2) the circumscription of the Carduinae-Centaureinae complex, and 3) the limits of Centaurea and related genera. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequence variation strongly supports the monophyly of Cardueae relative to outgroup taxa from Mutisieae and Cichorieae. Both Carlininae and Echinopsidinae occupy basal branches in Cardueae. Carduinae are paraphyletic, forming a basal grade in the tribe. The Centaureinae, however, form a well-supported clade. As typically circumscribed, Centaurea is paraphyletic, comprising species of several other genera in addition to those currently recognized as Centaurea. Proposed evolutionary trends in pollen morphology and, to a lesser extent, base chromosome numbers are largely supported by the ITS phylogeny for Cardueae.
The development of size structure in a young Fucus serratus population

Artificial discs were used to monitor the settlement and development of Fucus serratus propagules in five areas cleared of an adult canopy, in order to test the assumptions that sizes of recently settled propagules are normally distributed but that over time plant sizes become more variable and hierarchical. Settlement was spatially (3–20 m) variable only at the beginning and end of the settlement period, and at the time when most settlement took place (88% in a fortnight) no differences between areas were found. Increases in the skewness coefficient, Gini coefficient and coefficient of variation confirmed that there was not a size hierarchy in the recently settled population, but 8 months later sizes of plants were variable and a positive skew in plant sizes (many small and few big) developed. Mortality was high at first (70% in 1 month) but fell considerably later. F. serratus behaves like most higher plants with respect to changing population structure. The observed change in population structure provi.
Cleaning heavy metal contaminated soil with soluble humic substances instead of synthetic polycarboxylic acids

Abstract Soils contaminated with heavy metals constitute a serious and widespread ecological problem but to clean such soils requires strong chemicals such as polycarboxylates; frequently ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid are used. However, these compounds are synthetic and toxic and their replacement by natural products such as soluble humic substances as washing agents for cleaning heavy metal polluted soils would be environmentally very attractive. In fact, such a replacement seems possible at least on cadmium and copper contaminated soil inasmuch as humic substances, depending on the concentration, were found to extract up to 45% and 54% of total cadmium and copper from a highly contaminated calcareous soil. Even though higher amounts of the two metals were extracted by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid, the humic substances undoubtedly extracted the most reactive fractions. However, the humic substances extracted only 4% of total lead and 17% of total nickel, whereas the percentages for the synthetic polycarboxylates were about 30% for nickel and lead. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid may therefore be replaced by humic substances as washing agents for cadmium, copper and maybe nickel contaminated soils, whereas they seem unsuited for cleaning lead contaminated soils, at least if the soils are as calcareous as the soil tested.
The suprageneric groups ofthe Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): a cladistic re-evaluationand evolutionary biological study

The phylogenetic relationships of the suprageneric groupsof the ichneumonid subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera) are re-assessedusing 166 morphological and biological characters for 162 species,representing all of the available described genera and subgenera.The cladistic analysis was repeated using abstracted genera, re-codedfrom the ­initial set of species, as terminal taxa. Thetopology of the resulting cladograms was similar. In the first (primary) analysisseveral genera (including Neotheronia, Itoplectis, Dolichomitus, Dreisbachia, Polysphincta, Oxyrrhexis and Zonopimpla)were not retrieved as monophyletic groups; however, all except thelast were found to be monophyletic in the second analysis. Theseresults suggest that using abstracted taxa may force a ‘falsemonophyly’ on the preselected groups. Thus we reject theuse of such abstractions, preferring instead to use exemplar speciesthat together show much of the variation that occurs within a hypothesizedgenus. Within the Pimplinae three major groupings were recognized,the Delomeristini (including the Perithoini syn. nov.), thePimplini and the Ephialtini. Within the Pimplini, two generic groupswere recovered, the Xanthopimpla and Pimpla genus-groups,but a third postulated group, the Theronia genus-group, wasfound to be paraphyletic. Within the Ephialtini five groups wererecognized, the Pseudopimpla, Alophosternum, Camptotypus, Ephialtes and Sericopimpla genus-groups.The spider parasitizing complex of genera (the Polysphincta genus-complex)was found to nest within the Sericopimpla genus-group confirmingthe placement of Polysphinctini as a synonym of Ephialtini. Problemswith the status of some existing genera are highlighted, but formalnomenclatural changes are not proposed. The ancestral Pimplinaeare hypothesized to have been solitary ectoparasitic idiobiontson weakly concealed immature Hymenoptera. The major radiations withinthe Pimplinae are shown as: (1) a progressive exploitation of cocooned,then weakly cocooned, lepidopterous pupae in the Pimplini leadingto idiobiont endoparasitism; (2) increasing specialization to attackhosts deeply concealed in wood in the Ephialtes genus-group,and (3) specialization on a variety of cocooned hosts, includingspider egg sacs, leading to koinobiont ectoparasitism of spiders.A brief synopsis of the distribution of the group is given, and somebiogeographical inferences drawn. The group is presumed to haveoriginated and radiated on Laurasia; no evidence for trans-Antarcticrelationships can be found. © 2002 The LinneanSociety of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society,2002, 136, 421−485
Uptake and distribution of calcium, magnesium and potassium in cucumber of different age

Uptake and distribution of Ca+, Mg2+ and K2+ were investigated in plants of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. var. Cila) which had been cultivated for 12, 19, 32, or 53 days in complete nutrient solution with 1.0 mM Ca2+, 2.0 mM Mg2+ and 2.0 mM K+. The + concentration was about the same in roots and shoots, while the Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations were low in roots compared to shoots. The K+ concentration decreased with increasing leaf age, while the Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations increased, except in older plants with flowers and fruits, where an increased concentration was found in the youngest leaves. This is discussed in connection with increased indoleacetic acid (IAA) synthesis in the shoot. Excision of leaves at different levels from 21-day-old plants, followed by uptake for 24 h from the nutrient solution on days 22 and 23, resulted in no immediate reduction in Ca2+ (45Ca) uptake. Transport of Ca2+ increased to leaves above and below the excision point and total Ca2+ uptake remained at the same level as for the intact plant. It is suggested that regulation of Ca2+ uptake is primarily achieved in the root while the distribution in the shoot is regulated by the accessability of negative binding sites.
Effect of exogenous auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins on fruit development in Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia chinensis Planch.)

Abstract Correlations between seed number and fruit weight, and between seed distribution and fruit shape were established for Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia chinensis Planch.) fruit. Ovaries containing few seeds develop into small fruit, and various growth regulators, either alone or in combination, were applied to fruitlets containing few seeds in an attempt to increase fruit size. In general, auxins (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, β-naphthoxyacetie acid, indoleacetylaspartate), gibberellins (GA3, GA4–7), and cytokinins (6-benzylaminopurine, zeatin) when applied alone did not stimulate fruit development; nor did combinations of auxin + gibberellin, and gibberellin + cytokinin. However, auxin (2,4-D or 2,4,5-T) + 6-benzylaminopurine and auxin + cytokinin + gibberellin markedly stimulated fruit growth especially when treated fruit contained over 200 seeds. These results are discussed in terms of current theories on hormonal control of fruit growth.
Properties of Stickwater from Fish Processing Byproducts

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine selected chemical and nutritional properties of stickwater protein obtained from the processing of fish byproducts. Raw materials for three stickwater samples were pollock and cod fish processing byproducts and one was salmon processing byproducts. Stickwater samples were approximately 6% protein on a wet weight basis, and after freeze drying, samples contained 70.5% to 86.2% protein, 10.6% to 13.9% ash, with variable amounts of lipid. The pH of the stickwater samples ranged from 6.5 to 7.0. Samples had high levels of proline and hydroxyproline and the calculated connective tissue protein as a percent of total protein was 22.8% to 25.7%. On a dry matter basis, calcium content was below 0.1% and potassium content was 1.7% to 2.8%. Percent soluble protein ranged from 54 to 70% at 30°C. Major proteins bands observed using SDS gel electrophoresis had molecular weights of 198,000, 120,000 and 39,000. All samples had protein digestibility in excess of 95%, and calculated rat protein efficiency ratios from amino acid analysis data ranged from 1.6 to 1.8.
Oxidative stability of previously frozen ostrich Muscularis iliofibularis packaged under different modified atmospheric conditions

This study investigated the aptness of modified atmospheric packaging (70:30, O:CO (O-MAP); 70:30, N:CO (N-MAP)) and traditional overwrap (control) for previously frozen ostrich steaks, stored at 4±1°C for 10days. The N-MAP showed the least oxidation, O-MAP the highest and the control moderate. The redness (CIE a*) decreased to 3.67±0.83 by day 10 in the O-MAP, the N-MAP and control initially had lower values indicating slower oxidisation. The free carbonyl production was higher in the O-MAP than the N-MAP and control. TBARS remained relatively constant for the N-MAP and control, but increased to 9.70±3.26 (day 10) in the O-MAP. Drip loss (non-cumulative), was initially high (5-6%) for N-MAP and control, followed by a decrease on day 2 (2%) that increased to day 10 (4-6%). In conclusion, the traditional overwrap was not suited; N-MAP holds potential under a true anoxic atmosphere whilst O-MAP was limited by protein and lipid oxidation. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science and Technology
Secretory MicroRNAs by Exosomes as a Versatile Communication Tool

: In the past several years, the importance of microRNA (miRNA) in cancer cells has been recognized. Proper control of miRNA expression is essential for maintaining a steady state of the cellular machinery. Dysregulation of miRNAs leads to the cancer development, meaning that expression profile of miRNAs can be used as cancer biomarker, and recovery of down-regulated miRNAs or inhibition of up-regulated miRNAs will be a novel approach for cancer therapy. Recently, it was discovered that extracellular miRNAs circulate in the blood of both healthy and diseased patients. Most of the circulating miRNAs are included in protein, lipid or lipoprotein complexes, such as RNA-binding proteins, apoptotic bodies, microvesicles, or exosomes, and are, therefore, highly stable. The existence of circulating miRNAs in the blood of cancer patients has raised the possibility that miRNAs may serve as a novel diagnostic marker. However, the secretory mechanism and biological function, as well as the meaning of the existence of extracellular miRNAs, remain largely unclear. Our recent study revealed the secretory mechanism of miRNAs and showed their cell-to-cell transfer. Here we summarize current approaches to modulate the intercellular and interindividual network via silencing signals exported by secretory miRNAs and discuss about the usage of circulating miRNAs as a novel communication tool.
Competition on Marine Hard Substrata: The Adaptive Significance of Solitary and Colonial Strategies

Most solitary and colonial animals inhabiting marine hard substrata differ fundamentally in their ability to use space. Colonial animals are superior space competitors because (1) indeterminate growth allows continuous lateral substratum occupation without requiring intervening stages of sexual reproduction and recruitment, and (2) they are less susceptible to "fouling" and overgrowth. Solitary animals survive in the seas because (1) various morphological and behavioral attributes (escape in size, aggregative behavior) protect them in spatial competition with colonial animals or because (2) predation, physical disturbance, or competition with plants prevents monopolization of substrata by colonial animals. Focus on ecological strategies circumvents arguments regarding the solitary or colonial identity of problematical groups such as sponges. The evolution of specific competition mechanisms by colonial animals has provided the basis for competitive networks which have further favored the evolution of higher diversity within colonial rather than solitary groups. Recognition of the generalist-specialist and early-late "successional" roles of most solitary versus colonial animals leads to predictions that solitary animals should recruit more heavily and be more palatable to predators than are colonial animals. Preliminary evidence supports these predictions. Note Added in Proof. -Results of Osman's (1977) excellent experimental study of fouling organisms near Woods Hole, Massachusetts, unfortunately appeared too late for inclusion here. His observations on competitive interactions among solitary and colonial animals are in substantial agreement with the conclusions of this paper.
Genotypic Variation in Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Transpiration Efficiency in Wheat. Leaf Gas Exchange and Whole Plant Studies

The relationship between carbon isotope discrimination, Δ, measured in plant dry matter and the ratio of intercellular to atmospheric partial pressures of CO2, pi/pa, in leaves was examined in two glasshouse experiments using 14 wheat genotypes selected on the basis of variation in Δ of dry matter. Genotypic variation in Δ was similar in both experiments, with an average range of 1.8 x 10-3. Variation in pi/pa was significant but the range in pi/pa was relatively small, averaging 0.075. In both experiments, Δ measured in dry matter and pi/pa measured in flag leaves were positively correlated. Variation among genotypes in pi/pa was attributed, approximately equally, to variation in leaf conductance and in photosynthetic capacity. The relationship between plant transpiration efficiency, W* (the amount of above-ground dry matter produced per unit water transpired) and ? was also examined. There was a negative correlation between W * and Δ; under well watered conditions and under gradually increasing terminal water stress. The relationship between W* of stressed plants and Δ measured in well watered plants was also negative. These results indicate that genotypic variation in Δ measured in dry matter should provide a reasonable measure of genotypic variation in long-term mean leaf pi/pa in wheat. Further, selection for improved plant transpiration efficiency in wheat under both well watered and terminally water- stressed conditions should be possible based on Δ measured in well watered plants. The extent to which such selection will be effective in improving transpiration efficiency at the field canopy level may depend on the influence of boundary layer resistance on transpirationsal water loss. Under well watered conditions and at full canopy closure, the influence of boundary layer resistance on canopy water loss may be relatively large and stomatal control of water loss may be limited. Under water stress, stomatal control of canopy water loss will be greater.
Tissue-Specific Requirement for the GINS Complex During Zebrafish Development

Efficient and accurate DNA replication is particularly critical in stem and progenitor cells for successful proliferation and survival. The replisome, an amalgam of protein complexes, is responsible for binding potential origins of replication, unwinding the double helix, and then synthesizing complimentary strands of DNA. According to current models, the initial steps of DNA unwinding and opening are facilitated by the CMG complex, which is composed of a GINS heterotetramer that connects Cdc45 with the mini-chromosome maintenance (Mcm) helicase. In this work, we provide evidence that in the absence of GINS function DNA replication is cell autonomously impaired, and we also show that gins1 and gins2 mutants exhibit elevated levels of apoptosis restricted to actively proliferating regions of the central nervous system (CNS). Intriguingly, our results also suggest that the rapid cell cycles during early embryonic development in zebrafish may not require the function of the canonical GINS complex as neither zygotic Gins1 nor Gins2 isoforms seem to be present during these stages.
The peristomial membrane of regular sea‐urchins: Functional morphology of the epidermis and coelomic lining in Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck)

Abstract The functional organization of both the epidermis and the coelomic lining of the peristomial membrane in the regular sea‐urchin Paracentrotus lividus is described and correlated with the extreme deformability of the peristomial membrane and with the ≪mutability≫ of its related dermis. The epidermis consists of a monolayer of columnar supporting cells mixed with ciliated sensory cells, the wide interspaces between these epithelial cells being occupied apically by a variety of cell types and basally by a conspicuous basiepithelial nerve plexus. The coelomic lining is a peripharyngeal coelomic epithelium consisting of apical monociliated peritoneocytes and subapical myocytes, and has an associated basiepithelial nerve plexus. Although the basic morphology of these epithelia is similar to that of corresponding tissues in other echinoderms, they both have significant structural adaptations and display the histological pattern of typical transitional epithelia, which enables them to match the wide rang.
Piloting a New Model for Treating Music Performance Anxiety: Training a Singing Teacher to Use Acceptance and Commitment Coaching With a Student

Thus far, treatments for music performance anxiety (MPA) have focused primarily on interventions administered by psychologists and mental health clinicians with training and education in psychotherapy. While these interventions are promising or even efficacious, many musicians prefer not to work with a psychotherapist due to stigma and lack of time/access. Student musicians are particularly vulnerable to developing MPA, and while they may prefer consulting with their teachers about MPA over psychotherapists, many teachers feel unqualified to help. Here, we investigated an alternative intervention model, in which a clinical psychologist with MPA expertise trained a singing teacher with no training or education in psychotherapy to use an evidence-based coaching model, Acceptance and Commitment Coaching (ACC), with a student vocalist with problematic MPA, in a single-subject design format. ACC is a version of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that has been used under various names with non-clinical populations to help enhance psychological flexibility, e.g., with athletes, at the workplace, with undergraduates, and others. The teacher received approximately seven hours of ACC training via Skype. In turn, she provided six one-hour ACC sessions to a university student vocalist. Materials for the training and coaching sessions were taken from an ACC book and an ACT-based self-help book for musicians, and the teacher also adhered to a GROW model of coaching. The student made clinically significant improvements in two ACT-based processes believed to correlate with improved psychological flexibility in previous ACT for MPA psychotherapy research, i.e., acceptance of MPA-related discomfort and defusion from MPA-related thoughts. The student also reported a significant shift had occurred in his thinking: he became more willing to have his MPA, and so he volunteered to sing in classes early in the upcoming semester, and he auditioned for & won a lead role in a musical, both of which he previously avoided doing. ACC appears to be a promising MPA intervention that can be administered by a music teacher without training or education in psychotherapy, and it may help schools who do not employ psychologists and are therefore unable to follow best practice guidelines for treating MPA.