Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIA ISOLATES FROM SOIL FEEDING TERMITES AND SOIL FROM JUJA AND KAKAMEGA FOREST IN KENYA

In the last several years information on the gut ecosystem of termites has continued to be gathered. Most studies have been focused on wood feeding termites but studies on soil feeders remain sparse owing to their difficulty of establishing permanent laboratory cultures. The aim of this study was to isolate, characterize and identify bacteria resident in the soil feeding termite gut, mound and parent soil of Cubitermes species with the potential to produce antibiotics and enzymes for industrialization. The samples were collected from kakamega forest from two sites Kalunya Glade and Lirhanda Hill. The study was also extended to the soils found in Juja. Hundred and thirty seven (137) isolates were cultivated and isolated using dilute nutrient agar media and screened for their antagonistic effects on various test organisms. Fifty one percent of the isolates were antagonist to Escherichia coli. Fifty seven percent of the isolates were antagonists to Bacillus subtilis while 55% of the isolates were antagonist to Candida albicans. Enzymatic activities of the isolates showed that 65% of the total isolates were starch degraders, 54% were casein degraders and 68% of the isolates were able to liquefy gelatin. Eleven percent of the isolates were cellulose degraders the majority of which were obtained from termite gut and mound. Isolates from Juja soil had the highest number of non degraders as compared to Kakamega Forest soils. The isolates were characterized using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. Phylogenetic analysis of amplified 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed majority of the isolates were closely related to Bacillus and Brachybacterium species and had showed invitro antagonistic effects. Gram negative bacterial isolates obtained were closely related to Pseudomonas species. In conclusion, the isolates were potential antibiotic producers with varying ability to degrade gelatin, casein, and cellulose an indication of the role they play in their habitat.
Does maintaining green leaf area in sorghum improve yield under drought? I. Leaf growth and senescence

Production of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], an important cereal crop in semiarid regions of the world, is often limited by drought. When water is limiting during the grain-filling period, hybrids possessing the stay-green trait maintain more photosynthetically active leaves than hybrids not possessing this trait. To improve yield under drought, knowledge of the extent of genetic variation in green leaf area retention is required. Field studies were undertaken in north-eastern Australia on a cracking and self-mulching gray clay to determine the effects of water regime and hybrid on the components of green leaf area at maturity (GLAM). Nine hybrids varying in stay-green were grown under a fully irrigated control, postflowering water deficit, and terminal (pre- and postflowering) water deficit. Water deficit reduced GLAM by 67% in the terminal drought treatment compared with the fully irrigated control. Under terminal water deficit, hybrids possessing the B35 and KS19 sources of stay-green retained more GLAM (1260 cm(2) plant(-1)) compared with intermediate (780 cm(2) plant(-1)) and senescent (670 cm(2) plant(-1)) hybrids. RQL12 hybrids (KS19 source of stay-green) displayed delayed onset and reduced rate of senescence; A35 hybrids displayed only delayed onset. Visual rating of green leaf retention was highly correlated with measured GLAM, although this procedure is constrained by an inability to distinguish among the functional mechanisms determining the phenotype. Linking functional rather than phenotypic differences to molecular markers may improve the efficiency of selecting for traits such as stay-green.
EFFECT OF SOWING DATE AND SEEDING RATE ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF IRRIGATED CANOLA (BRASSICA NAPUS L.) GROWN ON A RED-BROWN EARTH IN SOUTH-EASTERN AUSTRALIA

Response of canola (Brassica napus) to factorial combinations of five sowing dates and seeding rates was investigated from 1987 to 1989. The experiments were conducted on red-brown earths in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation Region of south-eastern Australia. Crops were sown at monthly intervals beginning in April each year. In 1987, seeding rates were 4.6, 7.0 and 14 kg ha-1, but in 1988 and 1989 the lowest rate was eliminated. The cultivar Marnoo was used each year and Eureka was included in 1989. There was no difference between yields of seed and oil for crops sown in April and May, but yields of seed and oil declined when sowing date was delayed beyond May. Oil contents were greater than 45% for the April, May and June sowings in 1988 and 1989. In contrast, seeding rates had no effect on yields of seed and oil. Marnoo produced a maximum seed yield of 398 g m-2 from the May sowing in 1987, and a minimum seed yield of 172 g m-2 from the September sowing in 1988. In 1989, Eureka out-yielded Marnoo in all but the August sowing. Eureka produced a maximum seed yield of 483 g m-2 from the April sowing and its lowest seed yield of 315 g m-2 from the August sowing. The number of pods per m2 was the major factor responsible for the significant changes in yield in all experiments. Seed yield was also strongly correlated (P < 0.01) with biomass, and to a lesser degree, with individual seed weight in all comparisons with the exception of Marnoo in 1989.
Response of vegetable clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonaloba (L.) Taub] to fertigation of P and K

A field experiment conducted in randomized block design with three replications during summer seasons of the years 2010 and 2011 revealed higher yield attributes and green pod yield (15.03 t ha-1) and straw yield (17.28 t ha-1) of clusterbean with irrigation at 100 % CPE along with fertigation of 60 kg phosphorus and 60 kg potash ha-1. It also recorded higher net return (`102314 ha-1) and BCR (2.99) while, recommended 20-40 kg NP ha-1 through surface irrigation produced 9.33 t ha-1 pod and 10.73 t ha-1 straw yields and ` 56105 ha-1 net returns.
Variance components for body weight in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica)

The objective of this study was to estimate the variance components for body weight in Japanese quails by Bayesian procedures. The body weight at hatch (BWH) and at 7 (BW07), 14 (BW14), 21 (BW21) and 28 days of age (BW28) of 3,520 quails was recorded from August 2001 to June 2002. A multiple-trait animal model with additive genetic, maternal environment and residual effects was implemented by Gibbs sampling methodology. A single Gibbs sampling with 80,000 rounds was generated by the program MTGSAM (Multiple Trait Gibbs Sampling in Animal Model). Normal and inverted Wishart distributions were used as prior distributions for the random effects and the variance components, respectively. Variance components were estimated based on the 500 samples that were left after elimination of 30,000 rounds in the burn-in period and 100 rounds of each thinning interval. The posterior means of additive genetic variance components were 0.15; 4.18; 14.62; 27.18 and 32.68; the posterior means of maternal environment variance components were 0.23; 1.29; 2.76; 4.12 and 5.16; and the posterior means of residual variance components were 0.084; 6.43; 22.66; 31.21 and 30.85, at hatch, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days old, respectively. The posterior means of heritability were 0.33; 0.35; 0.36; 0.43 and 0.47 at hatch, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days old, respectively. These results indicate that heritability increased with age. On the other hand, after hatch there was a marked reduction in the maternal environment variance proportion of the phenotypic variance, whose estimates were 0.50; 0.11; 0.07; 0.07 and 0.08 for BWH, BW07, BW14, BW21 and BW28, respectively. The genetic correlation between weights at different ages was high, except for those estimates between BWH and weight at other ages. Changes in body weight of quails can be efficiently achieved by selection.
Genome-wide study to investigate the organisation of global genome nucleotide excision repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae efficient global genome nucleotide excision repair (GGR) requires a heterotrimeric protein complex of Abfl, Rad7 and Radl6 termed the GGR complex. Abfl is a site specific DNA binding protein with known roles in DNA replication, transcription and repair. Radl6 has a DNA translocase activity and is a functional component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Radl6 has recently been shown to regulate the occupancy of Gcn5 and histone H3 K9K14 acetylation in response to UV damage. The current study investigates how GGR is organised throughout the genome using chromatin-immunoprecipitation coupled to microarrays. Abfl is observed to bind the genome at a high frequency and is preferentially localised to promoters. By analysing other genome-wide datascts in relation to Abfl binding, Radl6 dependent histone H3 K.9K14 acctylation and efficient GGR are observed to colocalise with Abfl binding sites at promoters. Radl6 binding is also mapped and is found to colocalise with Abfl binding sites at many promoters. Peaks of Radl6 binding are lost in a UV dependent manner and based on previous studies, this is suggested to occur by DNA translocation of Radl6. The differences in Radl6 binding levels are found to correlate with Radl6 dependent acetylation and efficient GGR. In addition to studying the occupancy of Abfl, novel tools are built for the genome-wide analysis of Abfl DNA binding kinetics. A recombinant protein termed a competitor is designed for this purpose. The competitor consists of an Abfl DNA binding domain fused to a hormone dependent regulatory cassette. Following activation, the rate at which the competitor replaces Abfl at a DNA binding site is monitored by chromatin immunoprecipitation to qualitatively measure Abfl DNA binding kinetics. Preliminary results are shown that might suggest changes in Abfl DNA binding kinetics following UV are mechanistically linked to GGR.
An ecological study of a massive bloom of toxigenic Pseudo‐nitzschia cuspidata off the Washington State coast

In September 2004 a large, nearly monospecific diatom bloom of Pseudo‐nitzschia cuspidata off the coast of the state of Washington reached cell concentrations of 6.1 × 106 cells L−1 and produced maximum particulate domoic acid (pDA), dissolved domoic acid (dDA), and cellular domoic acid concentrations of 43 nmol L−11, 4 nmol L−1, and 63 pg cell−1, respectively. This bloom co‐dominated the phytoplankton assemblage with the euglenoid Eutreptiella sp. in the Juan de Fuca eddy region, a known initiation site for toxigenic Pseudo‐nitzschia blooms. Two isolates of P. cuspidata collected during separate cruises produced domoic acid (DA) in culture. During the September 2004 survey, 84% of the stations (n = 98) had detectable Pseudo‐nitzschia and 78% had detectable pDA. There were no significant correlations between either pDA or cellular DA and ambient concentrations of macronutrients; however, when considering only those stations where Pseudo‐nitzschia was present, pDA was positively correlated with chlorophyll a and negatively correlated with temperature (p ≪ 0.01) at both 1‐ and 5‐m depths. Correlations between cellular DA concentrations and total bacteria or cyanobacteria abundances were not significant. Variable ratios of pDA:dDA in the eddy region suggest that DA release was under cellular regulation by Pseudo‐nitzschia. Stations where dissolved Fe concentrations were limiting (,0.5 nmol L−1) had the highest Pseudo‐nitzschia abundances and pDA and cellular DA values. These results provide enticing field evidence of the role of Fe limitation in controlling cellular DA levels.
Production and characterization of a single chain variable fragment (scFv) against the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by certain fungi that infest cereal grains. A hybridoma cell line producing a monoclonal antibody (Mab) was used as the starting point in the development of a recombinant single chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) recognising DON. The scFv and Mab were characterised using two immunoassay formats: competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CD-ELISA) and biolayer interferometry (BLI). Using CD-ELISA the IC50s for DON were 36.1 and 13.8 ng/ml for assays based on the scFv and Mab, respectively. The cross-reactivity to DON analogs was very similar for the scFv and the Mab. The real-time binding of the antibodies to an immobilised DON-protein conjugate was also monitored. In competitive BLI assays the IC50s using the scFv and Mab were 68.3 and 15.8 ng/ml, respectively. The results suggest that sensitivity of assays, but not selectivity, was affected by removal of the constant regions of the Mab.
Intraspecific range dynamics and niche evolution in Candidula land snail species

The range dynamics of a species can either be governed by the spatial tracing of the fundamental environmental niche or by adaptation that allows to occupy new niches. Therefore, the investigation of spatial variation in the realized environmental niche is central to the understanding of species range limit dynamics. However, the study of intraspecific niche variation has been neglected in most phylogeographical studies. We studied the spatial distribution of the realized environmental niche in three land snail species of the genus Candidula, integrating phylogeographical methods, morphometrics, and spatial biodiversity informatics. The phylogeographical analyses showed significant range expansions in all species. These expansions were accompanied in Candidula gigaxii by a shift in the realized environmental niche, the species Candidula unifasciata followed its ancestral niche during expansion while the climate changed in the area of origin and Candidula rugosiuscula tracked the ancestral environmental conditions. The significant niche shifts were associated with potentially adaptive changes of shell morphology. We propose our presented approach as a practicable framework to test hypotheses on intraspecific niche evolution. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 90, 303–317.
Checklist of indigenous and adventive bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae and Platypodinae) of New Zealand and interceptions of exotic species (1952-2000)

A review of the New Zealand Scolytinae and Platypodinae has been carried out, revealing a relatively small fauna of at least 19 indigenous Scolytinae, of which 9 species are currently undescribed, and four Platypodinae. Despite the frequent interception of exotic species in imported timber and wooden items, there are only 11 introduced Scolytinae, primarily of Australian and European origin.We provide numerous corrections of incorrect synonyms and records of occurrence in New Zealand, and a new combination, Hypocryphalus longipennis (Browne), transferred from Cryphalus, is proposed. For each species we provide its known distribution and host plants in New Zealand. None of the indigenous species are economically important in New Zealand. Of the introduced species, only Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius) and Hylastes ater (Paykull), which breed primarily in woody debris available in pine plantations, are abundant, but their economic impact is limited. As a vector of Dutch elm disease, Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham) could potentially have a large economic impact, although the results of a disease eradication campaign are promising. Ninety Scolytinae species and eight Platypodinae have been intercepted in shipments to New Zealand from 1952-2000, with imports of timber and other wood products being the primary pathway. Many interceptions included live specimens but, despite this, the large majority of species have not become established.
Effect of physical disturbance on reproductive performance in the spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii

Abstract A study was conducted to examine the effects of physical disturbance on Jasus edwardsii spiny lobster broodstock during ovarian recrudescence through to larval hatch. Undisturbed brood‐stock were held in relative isolation and subjected to minimal human disturbance, which contrasted with weekly air exposure and handling of the disturbed animals. Broodstock behavioural response, phyllosoma number, competency, and survival in culture were examined. A higher proportion of broodstock from the undisturbed treatment were active during daylight hours compared with those in the disturbed treatment. All ovigerous females in the undisturbed group produced phyllosoma larvae compared with 72.7% of animals in the disturbed treatment. Individual undisturbed females produced greater numbers of phyllosoma larvae, which in turn performed better in larval competency tests, were larger at hatch, and survived better in culture than those from disturbed females. This study demonstrated that physical disturbance altered reproductive performance and larval competency of J. edwardsii. Protocols are suggested to minimise disturbance associated with handling in crustacean broodstock.
Circumarctic dispersal and long‐distance colonization of South America: the moss genus Cinclidium

Arctic plant phylogeography has largely focused on seed plants, and studies on other plant groups are necessary for comparison. Bryophytes have a unique life cycle and can be resistant to extreme conditions, suggesting that their phylogeographic patterns may differ from those of vascular plants. We address the history of the bryophyte genus Cinclidium in order to assess: (1) interspecific relationships, (2) whether its current broad circumarctic distribution results from recent dispersal or has been maintained by long‐term local survival under severe glacial conditions, and (3) the origin of its bipolar disjunction.
Vaired Effects of Clear-cut Logging on Predators and Their Habitat in Small Streams of the Cascade Mountains, Oregon

Assemblages of aquatic vertebrate and insect predators were inventoried in streams in old-growth and logged coniferous forests in the western Cascades of Oregon to assess effects of clear-cut logging on stream communities. Effects associated with logging depended on stream size, gradient, and time after harvest. Clear-cut sections where the stream was still exposed to sunlight (5–17 yr after logging) generally had greater biomass, density, and species richness of predators than old-growth (> 450-yr-old) forested sections. Increases were greatest in small (first-order), high gradient (10–16%) streams, where clear-cut sites had both greater periphyton production and coarser streambed sediment than old-growth sites of similar size and gradient. Effects on predators were mixed in larger, lower gradient streams, where clear-cut sites showed accumulation of sediment and relatively small increases in periphyton production. Second-growth logged sections (12–35 yr after logging), reshaded by deciduous forest canop.
Longevity and Heredity in Humans

Several arguments support the idea of a link between longevity and heredity, both in experimental animals and in the human species. In mice, genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are associated with a significant effect on life span. Results of analogous studies in man are confusing and contradictory. We have therefore investigated the question of an association of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and longevity in a large and ethnically homogeneous population. Our study population consisted of all 964 available inhabitants aged 85 years and over in the Dutch community of Leiden (pop. 104,000). Our control group comprised 2444 young inhabitants, aged 20-35 years, with an identical ethnic and demographic background. In addition, control groups of different age-brackets from the same region were used. Two antigens differed in frequency: HLA-B40 was lower and HLA-DR5 was higher in the group of 85 years and over, as compared to the control group, aged 20-35 years. Both differences were more evident in females. No major disease associations with HLA-B40 or HLA-DR5 have been reported. It is unlikely that these results are a chance observation: the overall similarity of the HLA pattern of the old and young age groups is a confirmation of their identical ethnic and demographic background and the changes as observed in the different age-groups were gradual. The biological meaning of these results is still unclear.
POWSIM: a computer program for assessing statistical power when testing for genetic differentiation

Knowledge of statistical power is essential for sampling design and data evaluation when testing for genetic differentiation. Yet, such information is typically missing in studies of conservation and evolutionary genetics, most likely because of complex interactions between the many factors that affect power. powsim is a 32-bit Windows/DOS simulation-based computer program that estimates power (and α error) for chi-square and Fisher's exact tests when evaluating the hypothesis of genetic homogeneity. Optional combinations include the number of samples, sample sizes, number of loci and alleles, allele frequencies, and degree of differentiation (quantified as FST). powsim is available at http://www.zoologi. su.se/~ryman.
Models of Facultative Mutualism: Density Effects

Six population models of facultative mutualism are formulated in terms of per capita births and deaths. Each explicitly considers the per capita impact of mutualism with respect to recipient density. The models include one with per capita benefits of mutualism independent of recipient density, three models of density-dependent mutualism with effects most pronounced at high recipient density, and two models with mutualistic benefits most pronounced at low recipient density. The dynamic behavior of systems of species pairs with like density responses is analyzed. The model incorporating density-independent mutualism results in a system that, depending on parameter values, is either unstable or has stability equal to that of systems of noninteracting species. The three models with high density mutualism each result in systems that are either unstable or that are stable, but less so than comparable systems with noninteracting species. The two models with low density mutualism each result in systems that are always stable, and always more stable than comparable systems with noninteracting species. All of these mutualistic systems, whether stable or unstable, exhibit species persistence.
Assessing the Carbon Budgets of Large Leaf Mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla King ) and Dipterocarp Plantations in the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve, Philippines

This study determined the potential of tree plantations to sequester atmospheric carbon by measuring the amount of carbon stored in its biomass. The study involved a Dipterocarp and large leaf Mahogany stands located in Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR), Philippines. The carbon pools investigated included: above-ground biomass (trees, understorey/ herbaceous vegetation), ground-biomass (litter and coarse woody debris), and below-ground biomass (roots and soil). Results showed that Mahogany stand has a total biomass of 605.25 t ha-1 while the Dipterocarp stand has 563.93 t ha-1. However, in terms of carbon content in its biomass, Mahogany has a lower value of 542.05 t C ha-1 than the value of 639.81 t C ha-1 for Dipterocarp stand. Estimation of biomass density to carbon accumulation per sink for both Mahogany and Dipterocarp stand showed the following results: above-ground (246.63 t C ha-1 and 248.08 t C ha-1); ground biomass (20.02 t C ha-1 and 20.46 t C ha-1); and below-ground biomass (275.40 t C ha-1 and 371.27 t C ha-1). Ranking the carbon deposits per sink, below-ground biomass has the highest carbon accumulation primarily due to its soil component.