Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Twospotted Spider Mite Resistance in Nicotiana Species

Fifty-two species of Nicotiana and 17 tobacco cultivars were evaluated for resistance to Tetranychus urticae Koch. The plants were greenhouse grown, mass-infested with mites, and rated for injury. The Nicotiana spp. were tested further to characterize the nature of resistance by utilizing the technique that employs leaf disks with tanglefoot around the edge. Notably susceptible were N. glauca Graham, N. suaveolens Lehmann, N. debneyi Domin, and N. eastii Kostoff and the cultivar TI 1298. Resistance generally resulted from antibiosis and nonpreference. N. gossei Domin, N. noctiflora Hooker, N. Velutina Wheeler, and N. benthamiana Domin produced mite mortalities that ranged from 30–90% in 24 h. Nonpreference was manifested in many species, notably N. nesophila Johnst. , N. stocktonii Brandeg. , N. glutinosa L. , and N. trigonophylla Dun. Resistance associated with a viscid secretion from trichomes took 2 forms: actual toxicity, and entrapment resulting in mite death by dehydration. Available evidence points to alkaloids as the chemicals responsible for antibiosis.
Canine ataxia

The observations of Moore, Appel, and Plishker [3] indicate that calcium-dependent phosphatidic acid synthesis is not impaired in erythrocytes from patients with myotonic muscular dystrophy. These results conflict with earlier findings from our laboratory [2]. Communication with the authors prompted us to reevaluate the analytical techniques employed to measure phosphatidic acid production in red blood cells. In our original procedure, phosphatidic acid was determined after thin-layer chromatography by measuring the change in rhodamine G fluorescence of an extract of the phosphatidic acid zone. We now find that we are unable to measure phosphatidic acid quantitatively by this procedure even though our original data showed otherwise. Our current procedure for quantitating phosphatidic acid involves measurement of total phosphorus in the phosphatidic acid zone after digestion with perchloric acid. We
PROBLEMS OF INCUBATION PERIODS IN NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS

Considerable confusion exists in North America on the subject of incubation periods in birds. There is little agreement on definition of the period and many writers seem to have no appreciation of the biological processes involved in incubation. All too many people are content to copy a figure for the incubation period out of a book or article that gives no indication of how this figure was determined, even in cases where it is strikingly inconsistent with the periods established for close relatives of the species in question. Too short periods are usually attributed to hawks and owls, as well as to some shorebirds, rails, terns, hummingbirds, and cowbirds, and too long periods are often attributed to woodpeckers, cuckoos, and some passerines. Now that a handbook of North American birds is in preparation, it is time to make a thorough investigation of this fundamental subject and to trace the sources from which incubation periods in North America are quoted. Where these can be shown to have been based on guess, clearly they shou.ld be discarded. My searching on this subject has been carried out chiefly in the Chicago Natural History Museum and the John Crerar Library. I am much indebted to Louise de Kiriline Lawrence for suggestions on the manuscript.
The Expression Pattern of Xyloglucan Endotransglycosylase Gene in Fruit Ripening of Actinidia chinensis

To explore the role of xyoglucan endotransglycosytase (XET) in the softening of kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch. ) fruit during fruit ripening, the expression pattern of XET gene in relation to fruit softening was investigated. Northem analysis showed that XET mRNA was in very low level in the fruit at harvest time; treatment with 100 uL/L ethyene induced mRNA accumulation, the longer the ethylene treatment, the higher the mRNA level, thus promoted fruit softening. The mRNA level reached the highest at 24 h after ethylene treatment and had no significant change during ethytene climacteric as the ripening fruit stored at 20 ℃ . A trace of mRNA level was determined in the fruit stored at 0 ℃ while fruit firmnss did not chang significantly. There was no marked change of mRNA level in the fruit when it was transferred to 20 ℃ after storing for 168 h at 0 ℃, however, the fruit softened quickly. It is proposed that XET might be a kind of inductase leading to xyloglucan depolymerization in the fruit cell wall and not play a key role of softening of kiwi fruit after ripening.
Antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa Linn. seed oil against multi-drug resistant bacteria from clinical isolates

An alarming increase in bacterial strains resistant to existing antimicrobial agents demands a renewed effort to seek agents effective against pathogenic bacteria resistant to current antimicrobials. Nigella sativa Linn. (Black cumin) essential oil was studied for antibacterial activity against various clinical isolates of bacteria resistant to a number of antibiotics, in varying concentrations by Disc Agar diffusion technique using impregnated filter paper discs on inoculated Muellar Hinton agar plates. The oil showed pronounced dose dependant antibacterial activity which was more against Gram positive than Gram negative bacteria. Among Gram positive bacteria tested, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, other coagulase –ve Staphylococci and Streptococcus pyogenes were sensitive to the oil and Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae were resistant. Among Gram –ve bacteria tested, only Pseudomonas aeruginosa was sensitive to oil and rest (Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris and Vibrio cholerae) were insensitive. Out of 144 strains tested, most of which were resistant to a number of antibiotics, 97 were inhibited by the oil of black cumin. To the best of our knowledge, the activity of essential oil against coagulase negative Staphylococci (except S. epidermidis) and Streptococcus pyogenes is being reported for the first time.
Changes in cuticular lipids, water loss and desiccation resistance in a tropical drosophilid Analysis of within population variation

We investigated within as well as between population variability in desiccation resistance, cuticular lipid mass per fly and cuticular water loss in nine geographical populations of a tropical drosophilid, Zaprionus indianus. Interestingly, the amount of cuticular lipids and desiccation resistance in this non-melanic species are significantly higher as compared with melanic Drosophila melanogaster. On the basis of isofemale line analysis, within population trait variability in cuticular lipid mass per fly is positively correlated with desiccation resistance and negatively correlated with cuticular water loss but show lack of correlation with body size. We observed geographical variation in the amount of cuticular lipid mass per fly in Zaprionus indianus but no such divergence was found in D. melanogaster. In both the species, geographical variations in desiccation resistance are negatively correlated with cuticular water loss but the underlying mechanisms for changes in cuticular permeability are quite different. Thus, we may suggest that body melanisation and cuticular lipids may represent alternative strategies for coping with dehydration stress in melanic versus non-melanic drosophilids. For both the species, desiccation resistance and cuticular water loss are correlated with regular increase in aridity in the northern subtropical localities as compared with southern peninsular humid tropical localities. The role of climatic selection is evident from multiple regression analysis with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity (Tcv and RHcv) of the sites of origin of populations of Zaprionus indianus along latitude.
Data mining of simple sequence repeats in Codonopsis pilosula transcriptome

Objective To rapidly and largely identify the functional simple sequence repeat(SSR) in transcriptome dataset of Codonopsis pilosula based on bioinformatics analysis. Methods MicroSAtellite(MISA) sofeware was used to analyze the distributing frequency of high-flux transcriptome SSR and the basic characteristics of repeat motifs. Primers were designed using Primer3,and SSRFinder was used to check SSR and screen the SSR primers. Results SSR loci(7 327) were obtained from 45 511 unigenes,distributed in 6 017 unigenes(12.22%). There are 415 kinds of repeat motifs existing in C. pilosula transcriptome. On average,SSRs occurred every 4 520 bp in length. Dinucleotid repeats predominated with an occurrence frequency of 58.67%,and AG/CT was the most frequent one among all the repeat types. A total of 4 329 primer pairs were designed for marker development. Conclusion The large number of SSR genetic markers developed in the present study should contribute greatly to research into genetic diversity and germplasm characterization in C. pilosula.
Acute lung injury: Clinical data

Acute respiratory distress syndome (ARDS) is clinically characterized by a rapid onset of marked disturbances of gas exchange and lung mechanics after a variety of stimuli (1,2). Distributional morphological changes of alveolar compartments lead to a reduced lung surface area due to decreased resting lung. On the other hand, maldishibution of blood flow to lessventilated or nonventilated lung areas minimizes further pulmonary oxygen transfer; however, it will result in a mismatch between ventilation and perfusion (VA/QT), accounting mainly for arterial hypoxemia (3). The first discriptions of typical morphological alterations of the lungs (“diffuse alveolar infiltration”) were basically derived from X-ray findings. Newer studies, however, suggest that the manifestations of acute lung injury are not homogeneously distributed over the whole lungs. It has been shown that there is a stratification of different air-filling conditions within particular lung segments. Whereas gravitationally dependent areas tend to collapse, nondependent areas are shown to be better aerated (4). Thus, only a fraction of the lung remains functionally intact and accessible for unimpeded gas exchange. Therefore, observable lung stiffness is thought to be much more a matter of the less number of alveolar compartments with normal elasticity than of a generalized increase in elastic recoil. Consequently, if inspiratory gas is delivered to the lungs, the volume-decreased remaining functional compartment must work up the entire tidal volume. This, however must necessarily lead to alveolar distension up to regional structural damage (59). Additional stress to alveolar units is caused by sheering forces that take effect at border zones between differently gasfilled alveolar comparments. Derived from those basic considerations, reestablishment of functional lung compartments’ geometry and alveolar recruitment to the greatest possible extent is thus predominantly essential in the treatment of ARDS patients.
Wettability on plant leaf surfaces and its ecological significance

Leaf wettability,indicating the affinity for water on the leaf surface,is a common phenomenon for plants in a wide variety of habitats.The contact angle(θ) of water on leaves measured at the gas,solid and liquid interface is an index of surface wettability,θ110° for hydrophilic and θ130° for hydrophobic.The main factors affecting leaf wettability include the wax content and crystal forms,the number and distribution of trichomes,and the shape and size of stomata and epidermal cells.The chemical composition and structure of leaf surfaces are internal causes,but the external environment can also influence wettability by affecting the structure and composition of the surface.The main ecological functions affected by leaf wettability are photosynthetic rate,interception of precipitation,pathogen infection and environmental quality.Precipitation interception on foliage surfaces is affected by high wettabilty as water droplets form a layer of film on the surface that is relatively easy retained on leaves.For low wettability or water-repellent leaves,water on the surface produces droplets that are more easily removed by wind and gravity.The spreading water film on leaves with high wettability can decrease photosynthesis due to high CO2 diffusion resistance through water to stomata.Differences in leaf wettability can influence the amount of air pollutants that can be captured,absorbed,and filtrated by leaf surfaces;however,if air pollutants injure the leaf surface,a dramatic change in leaf surface wettability may result.For bacterial pathogens,a completely wettable leaf surface can make the leaf more susceptible to infection.Once the bacteria are disseminated,leaf wettability is changed,and may have some impacts on the retention of pesticide droplets used for disease control.Leaves with low wettability repel water and show some self-cleaning characteristics.Some new biomimetic functional materials are designed or manufactured on the basis of plant leaf surface properties with higher hydrophobic materials to enhance leaf self-cleaning.Wettability as a comprehensive response at the solid,gas and liquid phase interface of leaves and as such is important for understanding ecological functions of plants.
Allozyme Variation and Evolution in Solanum section Androceras

Four populations of two climax perennial species and 19 populations of eight colonizing annual species of section Androceras were surveyed for allozyme variation controlled by seven genes. Most populations of the annuals were mono- morphic at all seven loci. Populations of perennials were substantially more variable. It is postulated that genetic bottlenecks associated with colonization may explain the low levels of variability encountered in annual populations. Speciation in section Androceras seems to be universally accompanied by evolution of internal barriers to hybridization that cause hybrid seeds to abort. The strength of these barriers is correlated with interpopulation genetic distance, suggesting that they arise as inci- dental by-products of divergent evolution. Interspecific genetic distances in section Androceras do not indicate an unusually rapid rate of speciation, and taxonomic species diversity in Solanum may instead reflect great age of the genus. A biochemical similarity dendrogram based on genetic distance is in overall agreement with esti- mates of phylogeny in section Androceras based on other criteria, but several taxa seem to be misplaced. Effects on genetic distance of natural hybridization and vari- ance associated with the small sample of genes may be responsible for errors in phylogenetic interpretation. Section Androceras (Nutt.) Bitt. ex Marzell includes 12 of the ca. 2000 species in Solanum. The section has recently been a subject of intensive systematic investigation, leading off a projected series of studies on tax- onomy and evolution in sections of the prickly subgenus Leptostemonum
Taxonomic studies on the Emarginulinae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Fissurellidae) of southern Africa and Mozambique. Hemitoma, Clypidina, Tugali, Scutus, Zeidora and two species of Emarginula

Eight species of the genera Hemitonia, Clypidina, Tugali, Scutus and Zeidora are discussed; Hemitoma and Clypidina represent new records for the area. Details of protoconch morphology, radula structure and external anatomy are given where possible. Two species of Emarginula are discussed in an appendix. New records: Hemitoma scutellata (Deshayes, 1863), H. panhi (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834), Clypidina brevirimata (Deshayes, 1863), Zeidora (Nesta) nesta (Pilsbry, 1890), Emarginula costulata Deshayes, 1863, and E fenestrata Deshayes, 1863 [= E. fenestrella Deshayes, 1863 (non DuBois, 1831)]. Lectotypes designated and figured: Hemitoma scutellata (Deshayes, 1863), Emarginula costulata Deshayes, 1863, and Tugali carinata A. Adams, 1852. Holotypes figured: Hemitoma polygonalis (A. Adams, 1852) and Clypidina brevirimata (Deshayes, 1863). Incorrect record: specimens previously identified as Emarginula tenuicostata Adams & Sowerby, 1863, are here identified as E costulata Deshayes, 1863.
Gamma-ray bursts with extended emission: classifications, energy correlations and radiation properties

Thanks to more and more gamma-ray bursts with measured redshift and extended emission detected by the recent space telescopes, it is urgent and possible to check whether those previous energy correlations still satisfy the particular sample involving only the bursts accompanied by tail radiations. Using 20 long and 22 short bursts with extended emission, we find that the popular γ-ray energy correlations of the intrinsic peak energy versus the isotropic energy (Amati relation) and the intrinsic peak energy versus the peak luminosity (Yonetoku relation) do exist in both short and long bursts. However, it is much better if these gamma-ray bursts with extended emissions are reclassified into two subgroups of E-I and E-II that make the above energy correlations more tight. As proposed by Zhang et al., the energy correlations can be utilized to distinguish these kinds of gamma-ray bursts in the plane of bolometric fluence versus peak energy as well. Interestingly, the peculiar short GRB 170817A belongs to the E-I group in the fluence versus peak energy plane, but it is an outlier of both the Amati and Yonetoku relations even though the off-axis effect has been corrected. Furthermore, we compare the radiation features between the extended emissions and the prompt gamma-rays in order to search for their possible connections. Taking into account all these factors, we conclude that gamma-ray bursts with extended emission are still required to model with dichotomic groups, namely E-I and E-II classes, which hint that they might have different origins.
Meditteranean Ecosystems and Vegetation Types in California and Israel

A comparison of climate, soils, vegetation, and biotic history of mediterranean ecosystems revealed closest ecological equivalence between the blue oak grassland in California and the vallonea oak grassland in Israel, both mediterranean oak savannas in which overall environmental resemblance seems closest. Ecological amplitude and syndynamics in most other comparable types are similar, but the chamise chaparral on non-calcic brown upland and lithosols differs from its maqui counterpart by its one-layered structure and by its adverse influence on the ecosystem. Annual grasslands in California foothills are comparable to seral batha dwarfshrub and grassland in Israel as human-induced degradation stages of chaparral and maqui. For such ecological comparisons a holistic ecosystem approach seems more suit- able than any preconceived phytoclimatic and climax concepts.
Successful boll development after ovary damage during emasculation of Upland cotton flowers

Gossypium hirsutum flowers are easily emasculated by splitting the staminal column with the fingernail and removing the corolla and androecium. However, any damage to the ovary is considered detrimental to successful boll formation and damaged flowers are typically discarded. This study evaluated boll retention after different emasculation treatments. Removal of the membrane surrounding the ovary reduces boll retention compared to self-pollinated flowers, and showed a similar response across 18 genotypes. Damage to the ovary wall reduced boll retention compared to emasculate flowers without ovary damage. Damaged flowers could be cross-pollinated to produce additional bolls as compared to discarding the flowers.
Cross‐Linking Activity of Ethanolic Coconut Husk Extract Toward Sardine (Sardinella albella) Muscle Proteins

Effects of ethanolic coconut husk extract (ECHE) at various levels (0–0.03%, based on protein content) on the heat-induced aggregation of natural actomyosin (NAM), extracted from sardine (Sardinella albella) muscle, were studied. During heating from 20 to 90C, the NAM solution showed increased turbidity, surface hydrophobicity, and disulfide bond content. Aggregation was more pronounced as ECHE concentration increased (P < 0.05), while protein solubility and total sulfhydryl groups decreased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the Ca2+-ATPase activity of NAM decreased in the presence of ECHE, during heating up to 40C. Zeta potential analysis revealed that NAM became less negatively charged with the increasing amount of ECHE added (P < 0.05). Cross-linking of protein strands during heating was enhanced by the presence of ECHE, as evidenced by increased G′, and particle size, and denser aggregates. Thus, ECHE could serve as a cross-linking agent for fish muscle proteins. Practical Applications Coconut husk is an underutilized product from coconut processing, and generally contains several phenolic compounds including tannic acid, which acts as a protein cross-linker. Coconut husk extract could therefore increase the cross-linking of proteins, thereby enhancing the strength of surimi gel. Alternatively, coconut husk extract could be used as a new natural protein cross-linker to improve the properties of surimi as well as other muscle foods.
Reply

We appreciate the commentaries that several groups had toward our Point of View article. The central tenet of our hypothesis is that mutant or misfolded superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through genetic mutations or environmental insults. Brenner’s letter indeed offers a relevant expansion of our hypothesis. We agree that axonal abnormalities and transport defects are well documented for familial (FALS) and sporadic ALS (SALS), and that these represent early signs of ALS in animal models. It is conceivable that misfolded SOD1 might disrupt axonal transport by binding dynein or neurofilaments, or both, and be one of the early insults. Exhaustive exercise fits as an environmental factor that would intensify oxidative stress in motor neurons and increase the possibility that SOD1 becomes oxidized and misfolded. This could explain the observation that ALS appears more prevalent among elite athletes. This could be tested by determining the levels of misfolded SOD1 in individuals who exercised extensively. Matias-Guiu and coworkers raised interesting arguments against our hypothesis. However, there are inconsistencies that we would like to point out. In our mind, SALS is more related to FALS with SOD1 mutations than to ALS/Parkinson dementia complex of Guam. Many neurologists consider FALS and SALS clinically indistinguishable, whereas the parkinsonism dementia and neurofibrillary tangle features of Guam ALS reflect a separate pathoetiology and progression than classic motor neuron disorder. As Matias-Guiu and colleagues point out, minor differences can be distinguished on close neurological and pathological comparisons of SALS and FALS with SOD1 mutations cases; that is, certain proteins are detected only in SALS inclusion bodies. However, and crucial to our argument, even though SALS inclusion bodies were shown not to contain wild-type SOD1, they labeled robustly using antibodies specific to misfolded SOD1. ALS therapeutic avenues should not be based solely on studies of mutant SOD1 transgenic mice but undoubtedly should be influenced by information derived from SALS patients. Not only should antibodies specific to mutant and/or misfolded SOD1 be evaluated in clinical trials because they alter the disease onset and progression of mice expressing mutant SOD1, they should be used because they label inclusion bodies in spinal cord tissue of SALS patients with no SOD1 mutations. We agree that the connection between SALS and SOD1linked FALS has not been unequivocally established, but our original purpose was to provide conceptual frameworks around the possible connection between these two to offer a testable hypothesis. We hope this will lead to experiments aimed at furthering our understanding of this disease.