Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ecological Genetics of Tetrahymena thermophila: Mating Types, i‐Antigens, Multiple Alleles and Epistasis

Until recently, Tetrahymena thermophila has rarely been isolated from nature. With improved sampling procedures, T. thermophila has been found in ponds in many northeastern states. The availability of resident populations makes possible both population and ecological genetic studies. All seven known mating types have been recovered; no eighth mating type has been found. Crosses among whole‐genome homozygotes derived from Pennsylvania isolates reveal a spectrum genotypes with mating type alleles resembling traditional A (IV‐ and VII‐) and B(I‐) categories. The genotypes differ significantly with respect to mating type frequency, both among themselves and from previously described genotypes. One A‐category genotype appears to lack mating type II, while one A‐category and all B‐category genotypes have low frequencies of mating type III, thus accounting for the low frequency of III in the pond. The low frequency of III in all five B‐category genotypes examined suggests that the founding allele in this region was low for III. These and other differences are discussed both in terms of mating type frequencies in the pond and in terms of the possible molecular structure of mat alleles. By contrast, numerous variants of the cell surface immobilization antigen are found in addition to the previously described i‐antigens. Variants of the known SerH alleles include those with restriction fragment length polymorphisms and temperature sensitivity as well as alleles with new antigenic specificity. Multiple alleles are present in single ponds. Genes exhibiting serially dominant epistasis over SerH genes also are found. In two instances (K and C), families of antigenically similar polypeptides are expressed in place of H i‐antigen. Molecular weight differences suggest that these paralogous i‐antigen genes evolve by gene duplication and unequal crossing over within central repeats. The existence of complex patterns of epistasis together with seasonal changes in i‐ag frequencies suggest that i‐ag play an important, but as yet unknown, ecological role related to the occurrence of frequent conjugation.
Effects of interactions between host plants and selective insecticides on larvae of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in the laboratory

The residual toxicity of two selective insecticides, teflubenzuron (acylurea) and Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner ssp. aizawai (microbial), to laboratory and field strains of Plutella xylostella L. was shown in the laboratory to be significantly affected by leaf nutritional status, other host-plant resistance factors, cultivation method and plant age. With plants offering some degree of host-plant resistance, the toxicity of the insecticides was either increased or decreased compared with highly susceptible plants, depending on the specific nature of the plant-herbivore interaction. Differences in residual toxicity of the insecticides varied up to nine-fold on different host plants (= host-plant- + insecticide-induced mortality) despite less than four-fold differences in P. xylostella mortality in controls (= host-plant-induced mortality alone). Host-plant nutritional status also had a substantial effect on the damage potential of larvae. Different response times by P. xylostella to the two insecticides tested on host plants of varying nutritional status were related to the contrasting modes of action of the respective active ingredients. The present studies suggest that insecticides applied to Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata with partial plant resistance may contribute to improved control of P. xylostella. A conceptual model is used to describe likely mortality responses by macrophagous larvae to insecticides applied to plants of varying resistance status. The implications of the findings in relation to the integrated management of P. xylostella are considered.
Derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence, a simple method to detect a key point mutation conferring acetyl CoA carboxylase inhibitor herbicide resistance in grass weeds

Summary Substitution of isoleucine by leucine at the equivalent of residue 1781 of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase) in Alopecurus myosuroides (I1781L) has been shown to be a key point mutation conferring resistance to most aryloxypropionate and cyclohexanedione herbicides in Lolium spp. , A. myosuroides, Avena fatua and Setaria viridis. This substitution results from changing an adenine residue to either thymine or cytosine at position 5341 in the ACCase coding sequence of A. myosuroides and at the homologous position in the other species. The I1781L mutation can be detected by allele-specific amplification assays. These are, however, very dependent on the conservation of the nucleotide sequences flanking the causative single nucleotide polymorphism. Moreover, such assays cannot distinguish between homozygous and heterozygous individuals in a single polymerase chain reaction reaction. Here we present an alternative derived Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (dCAPS) method to define I1781L status in the ACCase enzyme of four grass weeds. This dCAPS approach is simple, economical, highly transferable between species and can readily distinguish homozygous Leu/Leu 1781 and heterozygous Ile/Leu 1781 resistant individuals, providing the basis for accurate measures of the frequency of the dominant Leu allele in a given population.
Optimum Feeding Rate of the Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis on the Marine Alga Nannochloropsis sp.

The optimum feeding rate of the rotifer Bruchionus plicutilis was investigated to determine the best conditions for growth of the rotifer, and also in order to maintain good water quality of the culture. Fifty rotifers of a large size strain were cultured individually at five food density levels of Nannoehloropsis sp. (0.5 ± 106, 1.5 ± 106, 3 ± 106, 5 ± 106, and 8 ± 106 cells/ml). At each level, daily survival and offspring production were recorded until the death of the final individual. The data obtained were analyzed by the life table method. The maximum value of three growth indices (the net reproduction rate, mean life expectancy at age 0, and intrinsic rate of increase) was obtdned at the food density of 1.5 ± 106 cells/ml. The ration size was calculated to be 325% (dry weight)/ day, which is equivalent to about 70% of the saturated feeding rate. It was suggested that the feeding rate should be controlled to lower than the saturated value for an efficient mass culture.
An improved method for staining chromosomes of marine algae

Abstract An improved staining method using carbol fuchsin was successfully adopted for chromosomes of marine algae, including Porphyra, Undaria pinnatifida and Saccharina japonica. The haploid numbers of P. haitanensis and P. yezoensis (observed clearly in vegetative, spermatangial and conchosporangial cells) were five and three, respectively. The diploid numbers of P. haitanensis and P. yezoensis (in immature conchosporangial cells) were ten and six, respectively. Pit connections between cells of conchosporangia and cell mashes were clearly differentiated. Chromosomes in conchocelis cells in prophase were clearly stained with the improved carbol fuchsin method. The chromosome number of gametophytes of S. japonica was 31, and that of U. pinnatifida was 30. Hydrolysis with 1 M HCl at 60°C for 7–8 min to produce a very transparent cytoplasm was necessary for staining chromosomes in conchosporangial branches of Porphyra. Iron alum acetocarmine, aceto-iron-hematoxylin-chloral hydrate and carbol fuchsin were used to stain the chromosomes of the vegetative cells, spermatangial cells and conchosporangial cells of Porphyra and the gametophytes of U. pinnatifida and S. japonica. Among the three methods, the carbol fuchsin method was simple and rapid, yielding deep staining of chromosomes and good contrast between the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Use of plant-derived food resources by ants in the dry tropical lowlands of coastal Veracruz, Mexico

This research quantified the number of ant-plant associations mediated by liquid/energy food sources and the intensity of their use by ants. Thirty ant species and 102 plant species were related in 312 associations. The Leguminosae (23 species) was the family of plants most visited by ants. Camponotus planattus was the ant using the most plant species (72) as food source. Ant-plant specificity was very low. Food resources most used by ants were nectar from reproductive structures, homopteran honeydew, floral nectar, and extrafloral nectar. Extrafloral nectaries are associated with leaves and most species in tropical dry forests flush new leaves after the onset of the annual rainy season. Both ant-extrafloral nectar and ant-homopteran associations show a significant increase after the start of the rainy season, decreasing abruptly once the dry season begins. In contrast, associations between ants and both floral nectar and other reproductive structures reach their peak during the dry season. There is a significant negative ant-floral nectar and ant-homopteran relationship at any given season; this may reflect the use of alternative (dry season/wet season) resources (floral nectar/ honeydew) with similar nutritional value.
III. Biochemistry of S-layers

During evolution prokaryotes have developed different envelope structures exterior to the cell wall proper. Among these surface components are regularly arranged S-layers and capsules. The structural characterization and the detailed chemical analysis of these surface molecules is a prerequisite to understand their biosynthesis and functional role(s) at the molecular level. Of particular interest are the glycosylated S-layer proteins which belong to the first prokaryotic glycoproteins ever described. Their characterization was performed on strains belonging to the thermophilic Bacillaceae and included structural studies and experiments to learn about the pathways for the glycan biosynthesis of S-layer glycoproteins. As an example for non-glycosylated S-layer proteins those of Lactobacillus helveticus strains are described in detail. Recently, a novel type of bacterial glycoconjugate was observed in the cell envelope of the extremely halophilic archaeon Natronococcus occultus which consists of a glycosylated polyglutamyl polymer. Beside the conventional biochemical techniques for the analysis new sophisticated instrumental methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization or electrospray ionization mass spectrometry have been introduced for the analysis of the protein and glycan portions of these cell surface macromolecules.
Immobilization of Reducing Oligosaccharides to Matrices by a Glycosylamide Linkage

Abstract A novel method is described for coupling of reducing oligosaccharides to matrices. A one pot, two-step reaction is used, which forms a glycosyl amide bond to the matrix. Unreacted oligosaccharide could easily be recovered. The new matrices were useful in affinity chromatography, e.g., for purification of lectins and antibodies.
Improved Carbon Dioxide and Methane Retrieved from SCIAMACHY Onboard Envisat: Validation and Applications

Improved global data sets of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane column-averaged dry air mole fractions which are the quantities needed for inverse modelling to get information on the sources and sinks retrieved from SCIAMACHY nadir observations are presented upgrading pre-existing greenhouse gas information derived from European EO data. The multi-year data sets are validated with ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) measurements at Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) sites providing realistic error estimates of the satellite data, which is a prerequisite to assess the suitability to be used in inverse modelling. The validated greenhouse gas data sets are then analysed in terms of geophysical applications. The presented applications include an analysis of the atmospheric greenhouse gas variability on a spatial and temporal basis caused by biogenic and anthropogenic processes.
The development of symptoms, parasitic infection and immunity in human scabies

1. Scabies is usually transmitted by intimate personal contact. 2. The young, newly fertilized adult female Sarcoptes is the stage usually responsible for transmission. 3. Patients with a high parasite rate (over 100 adult female mites) are much more likely to spread scabies than those with few parasites. 4. The distribution of the parasites in clinical scabies gives no clue to the original sites of infection. 5. When a volunteer is infected for the first time he gives no reaction for about a month. During this period he may be quite unaware that the parasites are burrowing in his cuticle. 6. After a month the patient becomes sensitized, itching and other symptoms develop. 7. In a first infection the mites increase in numbers far less rapidly than is theoretically possible. A parasite rate of about 25 may be reached in 50 days and of up to 500 in 100 days; after this the number of mites decreases rapidly. 8. The second time an individual has scabies he itches at the sites of infection within 24 hr. His mite population seldom rises to a fraction of the height reached in his first infection. 9. Reinfection of cured cases is much more difficult than infection for the first time. 10. Sarcoptes causes antibody function in man. This causes a partial immunity. 11. The mechanism of immunity is due to three reactions: (a) scratching by the host which removes the parasites mechanically; (b) oedema renders the cuticle unsuitable for colonization and causes the mites to vacate their burrows; (c) scratching produces sepsis which is fatal to Sarcoptes. 12. The partial immunity obtained may account for fluctuations in the incidence of the disease.
Preference and performance of a gall‐inducing sawfly: plant vigor, sex, gall traits and phenology

We performed an experiment on preference and performance of the leaf galling sawfly, Phyllocolpa leavitti (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), to test predictions of the plant vigor hypothesis, the sex-biased herbivory hypothesis, and the enemy-free space hypothesis. We cut ramets on 8 male and 6 female genets of Salix discolor to induce large, vigorous shoots. Shoots on an undamaged ramet of the same genet served as a control. We measured shoot length, length of galled and ungalled leaves, gaps along the margin of the leaf fold, and node position of each leaf fold. We collected and determined the survival and stage of mortality of each leaf fold on 50 treatment and 100 control shoots per ramet. Cutting ramets induced longer shoots and leaves on treatment compared to control ramets. The density of P. leavitti was significantly greater on the treatment ramets, supporting the preference prediction of the plant vigor hypothesis. Density of P. leavitti did not differ between the sexes, which failed to support one prediction of sex-biased herbivory. Survival of P. leavitti did not differ between the treatments, contrary to the performance prediction of the plant vigor hypothesis. There was, however, a large effect of plant sex on sawfly survival - the probability of survival was more than twice as great on female plants than on male plants. This supports the prediction of sex-biased herbivory hypothesis that herbivore fitness should vary between plant sexes, but is opposite to the expected direction of higher survival on male plants. Gaps that form along the margin of the leaf fold explained a significant amount of variation in survival. An increase in gap number by 1 decreased sawfly survival by 50%. Since gap number is positively related to leaf length, this implies selection to oviposit on shorter leaves, which is also contrary to the performance prediction of the plant vigor hypothesis. Finally, leaf folds formed later in the oviposition period had a higher probability of survival, suggesting selection favoring later phenology of the sawfly. This study refuted the performance prediction of the plant vigor hypothesis, but it provided insights into the traits that should be under natural selection to provide enemy-free space in this insect-plant interaction.
Effect of high rates of nitrogen fertiliser on perennial ryegrass growth and morphology in grazed dairy pasture in northern New Zealand

Abstract Nitrogen (N) fertiliser was applied to dairy pastures at rates of 0,200, or 400 kg N/ha per year on farmlets stocked at 3.24 (LS) or 4.53 (HS) Friesian cows/ha from June 1993 to June 1995. Annual net herbage accumulation increased 22 and 23% on farmlets LS200 and HS200 respectively, and 37 and 24% on farmlets LS400 and HS400. Most of the extra herbage was perennial ryegrass. Ryegrass contents (% total dry matter (DM)) were 71 and 76% on farmlets LS200 and LS400 respectively compared with 61% on farmlet LS0. Ryegrass tiller densities were also higher on farmlets LS200 and LS400 (6295 and 6673 tillers/ m2 respectively) than on farmlet LS0 (4072 tillers/ m2). On all farmlets there was a post‐flowering (January‐February) increase in tiller density although this increase was enhanced by N. N application also increased tiller number/plant (3.37, 4.10, and 4.26 tillers/plant on farmlets LS0, LS200, and LS400 respectively). The greater leaf number and leaf dry weight (DW)/plant on farmlets LS200 and LS40.
Behaviour of southern elephant seal weanlings during the post-weaning fast in Patagonia

Cette etude precise la duree du jeune apres sevrage et decrit le comportement des jeunes elephants de mer sevres, dans la colonie de la peninsule Valdes (PV), en Argentine. Les observations ont ete faites a partir des dunes, a 15 m du rivage, et en marchant sur 11 km de cote. La duree moyenne du jeune a ete de 45,5 ± 7,9 jours, et la moyenne d'âge au debut pour les memes animaux etait de 67,5 ± 8,0 jours. Les elephants de mer nes tot au cours de la saison, dans les deux premieres semaines de septembre, restent a terre environ deux jours de plus que ceux qui sont nes pres de ou apres le pic saisonnier (1 er octobre) (48,7 ± 7,2 VS 40,4 ± 6,9 jours), respectivement. La distance de deplacement moyenne apres sevrage depuis le rivage de naissance a ete de 6,8 km (± 4,2 km), et s'est augmentee avec l'âge. Les jeunes sevres sont restes inactifs pendant 90 % des 257 heures de jour. Le temps passe a se reposer decroit avec les marees. Douze jours d'activite continue enregistree sur quatre animaux montre plus d'activite nocturne et plus de temps passe dans l'eau pendant les marees montantes. La duree du jeune apres le sevrage a ete plus longue pour cette colonie de la peninsule Valdes que pour d'autres.
Fast Alternatives to Taylor and Sachs Models for Rigid Perfectly Viscoplastic Polycrystals

We consider polycrystals consisting of rigid perfectly viscoplastic single crystals. Instead of tracking the evolution of (a) many individual crystallite orientations we determine the evolution of (b) the Fourier coefficients of the orientation distribution. Apart from the truncation order, the transition from single to polycrystal constitutive equations is unique, it does not involve additional parameters. While the reference model (a) requires the solution of numerous small systems of non-linear ODEs, our model (b) provides a system of linear ODEs the size of which depends on the truncation order. Upon establishing a data base for the matrix of system (b), the computing time is decreased significantly as compared to (a). This paper is meant to introduce the fundamentals of our model in terms of the underlying physical concepts and a compact and convenient notation. In addition, we introduce a class of alternative approaches that allow for a non-negative approximation of the orientation distribution and generalise the equations for the texture evolution to arbitrary sets of base functions.
Achene Morphology and Pericarp Anatomy of the Type Specimens of the Australian and New Zealand Species of Bolboschoenus (Cyperaceae)

Three species of Bolboschoenus (Ascherson) Palla are reported for Australia and New Zealand. Bolboschoenus caldwellii (V.J.Cook) Sojak and B. medianus (V.J.Cook) Sojak are based on types from New Zealand (under Scirpus L.). Bolboschoenus fluviatilis (Torrey) Sojak has been lectotypified by a specimen from North America. Scirpus perviridis V.J.Cook, the type of which is also from New Zealand has been considered conspecific with Bolboschoenus fluviatilis. Achene morphology and pericarp anatomy of achenes removed from isotypes of Cook’s three species, Scirpus perviridis, S. caldwellii and S. medianus, are described and illustrated by electron micrographs. These achenes are compared with a representative sample of achenes of each of the Bolboschoenus species named above, taken from herbarium specimens collected in Australia and New Zealand. Infraspecific taxa within Bolboschoenus fluviatilis are briefly outlined. Features of Bolboschoenus medianus suggest a possible hybrid origin.
Histochemical observations on the sporogenous tissue and tapetum in the anther of Euphorbia

The histochemical constitution and relationship between the sporogenous tissue and tapetum in the anther of Euphorbia pulcherrima Wilid. is studied. The substances localized are insoluble carbohydrates, RNA and proteins. The sporogenous tissue until it differentiates into PMCs, stores abundant PAS positive grains. This is a distinctive and a rare feature. RNA and proteins are also high in it. In PMCs all these substances reduce to low level in the cytoplasm. From microspore stage to mature pollen consistent increase in RNA and proteins is seen. But the PAS positive grains are noticed only for a short period in the freed spores and they are again accumulate when pollen matures. The differentiation and chemical nature of orbicular bodies based on azure B stain in the tapetum is given.Orbicules from the beginning to end exhibit green colour. Therefore, they are These chemically similar to pollen wall. Extensive deposition of PAS positive callose thickening around the PMCs and its persistence until meiosis is noticed. The probable implications of all these events are discussed in relation of male gametophyte development.
THE RANCHOLABREAN RECORD OF CARNIVORA: TAPHONOMIC EFFECT OF BODY SIZE, HABITAT BREADTH, AND THE PRESERVATION POTENTIAL OF CAVES

Abstract This paper explores the taphonomic effect that differences in body size and habitat breadth have on the end-Rancholabrean fossil record of carnivoran species. The preservation and recovery potential of carnivoran fossils in cave and noncave deposits are also compared. Identifying the nature and assessing the effect of taphonomic biases are among the preliminary steps in deciding the kind of evolutionary and paleoecological questions that can be addressed with the available fossil information. Few studies have examined taphonomic biases that affect the fossil record of mammals, and most of these have focused on herbivores. Results suggest that differences in habitat breadth of extant carnivorans are not associated with differences in frequencies of their fossil remains. There is a significant, positive relationship between body size and frequency of identified fossil specimens in noncave deposits. Outside of caves, the frequency of identified fossil specimens of extant, small carnivorans is significantly less than that of large ones. Results indicate also that the species richness of extant, small carnivorans is underrepresented relative to that of larger carnivorans, especially in the end-Rancholabrean fossil record derived from noncave localities. No significant differences in the frequency of fossil remains of species that differed in body size were found within caves.