Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elevated CO2 may impair the beneficial effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the mineral and phytochemical quality of lettuce

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve growth and nutritional quality of greenhouse-grown lettuces cultivated at ambient CO2. Moreover, mycorrhizal symbiosis is predicted to be important in defining plant responses to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Our main objective was to assess the effects of elevated CO2 on growth and nutritional quality of greenhouse-grown lettuces inoculated or not with AMF. Results showed that the accumulation of mineral nutrients (e.g. P, Cu, Fe) and antioxidant compounds (carotenoids, phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbate) induced by AMF in leaves of lettuces cultivated at ambient CO2 may diminish or disappear under elevated CO2. It is hypothesized that a relevant quantity of photoassimilates could be used for improving shoot growth and spreading mycorrhizal colonization in detriment to the secondary metabolism. However, important differences can be found among different cultivars of lettuces.
Dynamics in a butterfly–plant–ant system: influence of habitat characteristics on turnover rates of the endangered lycaenid Maculinea alcon

Abstract 1. Maculinea alcon, a myrmecophilic, stenotopic lycaenid butterfly is restricted to wet heathlands, bogs, and nutrient‐poor hay meadows. Due to intensification of agriculture and decrease of extensively grazed meadows, many suitable habitats have disappeared and the remaining ones are highly fragmented and deteriorated.
The temperature dependence of shoot hydraulic resistance: implications for stomatal behaviour and hydraulic limitation

Recent soil pressurization experiments have shown that stomatal closure in response to high leaf–air humidity gradients can be explained by direct feedback from leaf water potential. The more complex temperature-by-humidity interactive effects on stomatal conductance have not yet been explained fully. Measurements of the change in shoot conductance with temperature were made on Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) to test whether temperature-induced changes in the liquid-phase transport capacity could explain these temperature- by-humidity effects. In addition, shoot hydraulic resistances were partitioned within the stem and leaves to determine whether or not leaves exhibit a greater resistance. Changes in hydraulic conductance were calculated based on an Ohm’s law analogy. Whole-plant gas exchange was used to determine steady- state transpiration rates. A combination of in situ psychrometer measurements, Scholander pressure chamber measurements and psychrometric measurements of leaf punches was used to determine water potential differences within the shoot. Hydraulic conductance for each portion of the pathway was estimated as the total flow divided by the water potential difference. Temperature-induced changes in stomatal conductance were correlated linearly with temperature-induced changes in hydraulic conductance. The magnitude of the temperature-induced changes in whole-plant hydraulic conductance was sufficient to account for the interactive effects of temperature and humidity on stomatal conductance.
Effect of vegetable oil seed treatment on seed mycoflora of pea, Pisum sativum L

Effect of seed treatment with six vegetable oils viz mustard, Neem, Karanj, cedar, apricot and olive was studied on the incidence of seed mycoflora of pea during the process of germination. Almost all the vegetable oils treatments resulted in significant reduction in the incidence of various fungi. The seeds treated with Neem oil had minimum incidence of Aspergillus sp (10.67%) followed by mustard (13.33%) irrespective of concentrations. Similar trend was observed in case of Alternaria sp where 2.67 per cent incidence was recorded on seeds treated with Neem oil though all the treatments were equally effective. Seeds treated with apricot oil had highest incidence of Alternaria sp (5.00%). No incidence of Mucor sp was observed in Neem and mustard treated seeds whereas 0.67, 1.00, 1.11 per cent incidence was recorded on seeds treated with Karanj, cedar and olive oils respectively. Apricot oil treatment proved least effective against Mucor sp. Mustard, Neem and Karanj provided almost complete protection against Fusarium sp whereas olive (0.22%), cedar (0.33%) and apricot (0.89%) were comparatively less effective. Hence pea seeds treated with Neem or Karanj oils provided maximum protection against fungal pathogens.
Can copepods be limited by the iron content of their food?

In laboratory experiments, we show that naupliar survival and egg production by the copepod Acartia tonsa was significantly lower when they were fed iron‐depleted algal cells than when they were fed a diet of Fe‐replete cells that had two orders of magnitude higher Fe levels. Naupliar survival after 1 week was reduced from 60% for copepods feeding on Fe‐replete diatoms (Thalassiosira oceanica) to 0% for those feeding on Fe‐depleted cells. The decline of egg production rate was greatest (83%) when T. oceanica was used as prey and smaller (20–30%) when the cryptophyte Rhodomonas salina and the prymnesiophyte Isochrysis galbana were used as food. The assimilation rates of Fe and C from Fe‐replete and Fe‐depleted algae were determined using radioisotopes. Egg production was hyperbolically dependent on the Fe assimilation rate (r2=0.71). The effect of Fe on copepod reproduction rates could not be explained by changes in ingestion rate and the rate of carbon assimilated, because there was no significant difference of ingestion rate and C assimilation between Fe‐replete and Fe‐depleted treatments. Iron might limit zooplankton productivity in high‐nutrient, low‐chlorophyll regions.
Gender Disparity And Women Leadership In Educational Institutions

Since the world has rapidly turned into the global village in very short span of time by entering into the 21st Century. The advanced communication has made everything available at the door steps. Huge developments in every sphere of life have been taken place despite human beings have still been accomplishing much-more out of which the inequity and gender disparity is one of those concerns being faced by the world. Now days mostly Pakistani women are active to take part in every field like health, politics even in labor and especially in education sector from lower to higher education. Pakistani women are also playing the important role in the field of education specifically in educational administrative positions from lower to higher education. This research study intended to measure the magnitude of gender disparity in educational institutions of District Shaheed Benazirabad (SBA) of Province Sindh, Pakistan. This research study was quantitative by method and descriptive in nature. The population of this research study was, those women leaders working in educational institutions of District Shaheed Benazirabad, and were performing leadership role in one or other way. The sample of this study was 48 women leaders having proportion of seventy percent of the total population. The data was analyzed through SPSS software, 22 version. This research study found that women leaders working in higher educational institutions have least career related opportunities, they are also put on distance to possess managerial and administrative opportunities and have least support from their high ups and stakeholders as compare to their counter gender in higher educational institutions of District Shaheed Benazirabad. This research study recommended that the women leaders might be given career, managerial and administrative related opportuinities and support and encouragement from their high ups and stakeholders for carrying out their leadership responsibilities.
Pollen-mediated gene flow between glyphosate-resistant Brassica napus canola and B. juncea and B. carinata mustard crops under large-scale field conditions in Saskatchewan

Seguin-Swartz, G. , Beckie, H. J., Warwick, S. I. , Roslinsky, V. , Nettleton, J. A. , Johnson, E. N. and Falk, K. C. 2013. Pollen-mediated gene flow between glyphosate-resistant Brassica napus canola and B. juncea and B. carinata mustard crops under large-scale field conditions in Saskatchewan. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1083–1087. A Saskatchewan study examined hybridization between two mustard (Brassica juncea and B. carinata) crops that were either adjacent to a glyphosate-resistant canola (B. napus) crop or separated by a 5-m strip. Overall, field hybridization levels, detected with glyphosate resistance and species-specific AFLP markers, were low: 0.024% and up to 400 m in the adjacent B. juncea field and 0.013% (up to 350 m) in the separated field, and 0.005% (up to 150 m) in the adjacent B. carinata field and 0.002% (up to 65 m) in the separated field. Based on fitness information under controlled conditions, the fertility of hybrid plants is expected to be low.
Induced metamorphosis in larvae of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa using chemical cues

Abstract The larval metamorphosis of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa was investigated by exposing competent larvae to the following seven chemical cues at different concentrations and exposure time: EPI (epinephrine), serotonin, L-DOPA (L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), acetylcholine chloride, KCl (potassium chloride), CaCl2 (calcium chloride). Larvae of R. venosa which lost their velum after the veliger stage, crawled on their foot and produced an adult shell were considered to have metamorphosed. Compared with the control treatments, there were significantly higher percentages of larval metamorphosis in the following groups: EPI (10−3 M) at 6 h, L-DOPA (10−3 M, 10−4 M) at 6 h, L-DOPA (10−5 M) at 24 h, GABA (10−5 M) at 24 h, acetylcholine chloride (10−4 M) at 6 h, acetylcholine chloride (10−4 M, 10−6 M, 10−7 M) at 24 h and 5 mM CaCl2 at 24 h. Acetylcholine chloride and CaCl2 were confirmed as active inducers of R. venosa larval metamorphosis with low toxicity. In contrast, EPI, L-DOPA and GABA were less active inducers, showing high mortality rates. Serotonin and KCl had no inductive effects on larval metamorphosis. In conclusion, acetylcholine chloride and CaCl2 are more suitable among the seven chemical cues to be applied to the artificial seeding of R. venosa.
STUDIES ON MARINE PLANKTON DIATOMS. II. RESTING SPORE MORPHOLOGY 1

A morphological study of resting spores in five marine planktonic diatom species using electron microscopy indicates that Bacteriastrum delicatulum Cleve and Leptocylindrus danicus Cleve spores bear little resemblance, to their vegetative cells. Detonula confervacea (Cleve) Gran and Stephanopyxis turris (Grev. & Arn.) Ralfs spores have several features in common with their vegetative cells, and Rhizosolenia setigera Brightwell lies between the two extremes. The function of resting spores in relation to diatom life cycles is briefly discussed. Spore formation may be a primitive characteristic in the life cycle and may no longer have significant survival value for the species.
Successional Patterns of Microfungi in Fallen Leaves of Ficus pleurocarpa (Moraceae) in an Australian Tropical Rain Forest 1

Successional patterns of microfungi on decaying leaves of Ficus pleurocarpa were assessed as part of a study to enumerate microfungi in tropical rain forest leaf litter. Leaves degraded into fragments over a period of 3 mo. Two methods were applied, a direct observational method and a particle filtration protocol. Using a direct method, 104 species were observed, while 53 sporulating taxa and 100 sterile morphotaxa were isolated by particle filtration. Overall patterns of succession were confirmed by both methods, but the relative abundance of species detected differed between the two methods. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling identified at least four successional stages and suggested that microfungal communities increased in similarity with advancing decay. Data collected by the direct method indicated a slow but steady decline of diversity with advancing decay, whereas an increase in diversity was detected by particle filtration. Synecological succession studies provide a useful tool to identify patterns and generate hypotheses. Understanding the underlying causes of successional patterns will require further autecological studies.
Water availability affects extracellular hydrolytic enzyme production by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.

The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of different water activities (a w ; 0.99, 0.96 and 0.94) and time (up to 120 h) on quantitative and specific enzyme production during germination and initial growth of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus strains at 25 °C. This is an important early indicator of potential for aflatoxin production under conducive conditions. Qualitative API ZYM generic enzyme strips were used to identify key hydrolytic enzymes produced. Subsequently, the temporal effects of a w on the total/specific activity of the key 4-5 hydrolytic enzymes were determined using 4-nitrophenyl substrates in a 96-well microtitre plate assay. The main enzymes produced by germinating conidia of A. flavus were esterase, lipase, acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase and N-acetyl-β-Dglucosaminidase, while for A. parasiticus these were alkaline phosphatase, lipase, acid phosphatase and β-fucosidase for both total (µmol 4-nitrophenol/min/g) and specific activity (nmol 4-nitrophenol/min/µg protein). There were significant increases in the specific activity of all these enzymes of germinating spores of A. flavus (0-120 h) except for β-glucosidase which was maximum at 72 h. The total/specific activities of the enzymes produced by A. flavus were maximum at 0.99 a w , with the exception of acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase at 0.94 a w . For A. parasiticus, maximum total activity occurred at 0.99 a w for fucosidase activity, while specific activity was found to be higher at lower a w levels. These enzymes are important in early colonisation of food matrices by these species and single factors (a w , time) and two-way interactions were all statistically significant for the enzymes assayed for both species. These enzymes could be used as an early and rapid indicator of the activity of Aspergillus section flavi species and suggests that rapid infection may occur over a wide range of a w conditions.
Aplicação de ácido fítico em produto cárneo tipo hambúrguer

Neste trabalho foram avaliados os efeitos da adição de ácido fítico sobre a cor e os indicadores de vida de prateleira em produto cárneo do tipo hambúrguer. Os produtos preparados por três tratamentos com ácido fítico (0,08; 0,10; e 0,20%) e um padrão com adição de eritorbato de sódio (0,10%) foram armazenados a -20 ºC por 90 dias com análises periódicas a cada 15 dias. O tratamento-padrão mostrou ser mais eficiente na manutenção de cor nos períodos iniciais, enquanto que o tratamento com 0,20% de ácido fítico apresentou menor variação na coloração e maior intensidade de cor no período final de armazenamento. Os valores de pH não variaram significativamente e mantiveram-se adequados ao produto. Os valores de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico apresentaram comportamento inicial anômalo, com estabilização após 30 dias na presença das diferentes concentrações de ácido fítico, e manutenção de valores significativamente inferiores ao produto-padrão. O presente estudo mostra o potencial efeito do ácido fítico em produto cárneo tipo hambúrguer.
Economic Impacts of Short-Rotation Woody Crops for Energy or Oriented Strand Board: A Minnesota Case Study

Short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) such as hybrid poplars are becoming increasingly competitive with agriculture on marginal land. The trees can be grown for energy and for traditional uses such as oriented strandboard. Using IMPLAN (Impact Analysis for Planning) software, we modeled the impacts of shifting land use from hay and pasture for cow-calf beef operations to hybrid poplars in northwest and west central Minnesota. Construction of a $175 million energy conversion facility capable of making 44 million gal of ethanol and 7.6 million gal of mixed alcohols by gasification/catalysis would create 2,412 jobs, with $158 million in value added. Facility operation, assuming establishment of 200,000 ac of hybrid poplar, did not substantially change the number of jobs relative to using the land for cow-calf operations. However, the SRWC-related jobs would likely be at higher average salary levels and business tax collections would be higher, resulting in a value-added increase of $80 million annually.
Desempenho e conversão alimentar de novilhos de corte em capim-tanzânia submetido a duas intensidades de pastejo sob lotação rotativa

O experimento foi realizado para avaliar o valor nutritivo da forragem, o desempenho e a conversao alimentar de novilhos em pastos de Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzânia submetidos a duas intensidades de pastejo rotativo (residuos de 25 e 50 cm), associadas a intervalo de pastejo correspondente ao tempo necessario para que o dossel forrageiro interceptasse 95% da luz incidente durante a rebrotacao. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos completos casualizados, com duas repeticoes. Foram avaliados a altura do dossel pre-pastejo, os intervalos de pastejo, o ganho de peso individual, a conversao alimentar, a taxa de lotacao e o ganho de peso por unidade de area. Pastos manejados com o residuo 50 cm apresentaram maior numero de ciclos de pastejo em relacao aqueles manejados com residuo de 25 cm. O maior ganho de peso medio diario foi registrado nos pastos manejados com 50 cm de residuo (801 g/dia) em relacao aqueles manejados com de 25 cm de residuo (664 g/dia). Em contrapartida, a taxa de lotacao foi mais alta nos pastos manejados com o residuo 25 cm, fazendo com que os ganhos de peso por unidade de area fossem 601 e 559 kg/ha para os residuos de 25 e 50 cm, respectivamente. O manejo do pasto visando altura de residuo de 25 cm proporciona maiores ganhos de peso por unidade de area e maior uniformidade de producao e o residuo de 50 cm promove maior ganho individual e maior numero de ciclos de pastejo.
The latitudinal gradient of species diversity among North American grasshoppers (Acrididae) within a single habitat: a test of the spatial heterogeneity hypothesis

Abstract. The spatial heterogeneity hypothesis predicts a positive relationship between habitat complexity and species diversity: the greater the heterogeneity of a habitat, the greater the number of species in that habitat. On a regional scale, this hypothesis has been proposed to explain the increases in species diversity from the poles to the tropics: the tropics are more diverse because they contain more habitats. On the local scale, the spatial heterogeneity hypothesis suggests that the tropics are more diverse because they contain more microhabitats. The positive relationship between habitat heterogeneity and species diversity, on the local scale, is well documented. In this paper, we test whether habitat heterogeneity on the local scale can explain the latitudinal gradient of species diversity on the regional scale. We determined the latitudinal gradient of species diversity of 305 species of North American grasshoppers using published distribution maps. We compared the slope of this multihabitat (regional‐scale) gradient with the slope of a within‐habitat (local‐scale) gradient in the prairie grasslands. Our results show no significant difference between the slopes at the two scales. We tested the generality of our results by comparing multi‐ and within‐habitat latitudinal gradients of species diversity for ants, scorpions and mammals using data from the literature. These results are in accordance with those from grasshoppers. We can therefore reject the local‐scale spatial heterogeneity hypothesis as a mechanism explaining the regional‐scale latitudinal gradient of species diversity. We discuss alternative mechanisms that produce this gradient.
Phylogenetic relationships in Leymus (Triticeae; Poaceae): Evidence from chloroplast trnH‐psbA and mitochondrial coxII intron sequences

Leymus Hochst. is a polyploid genus with a diverse array of morphology, cytology, ecology, and distribution in Triticeae. To investigate the phylogenetic relationships and maternal genome donor of polyploid Leymus, the chloroplast trnH‐psbA region and mitochondrial coxII intron sequences of 33 Leymus taxa were analyzed with those of 36 diploid perennial species representing 19 basic genomes in Triticeae. The results showed that reticulate evolution occurred in Leymus species, with the cytoplasmic lineage of Leymus contributed by different progenitors. Interspecific relationships of Leymus were also elucidated on the basis of orthologous comparison. Our data suggested that: (i) due to incomplete lineage sorting and/or difference in the pattern of chloroplast and mitochondrial inheritance, the genealogical conflict between the two genealogical patterns suggest the contribution of Psathyrostachys Nevski, Agropyron J. Gaertn, Eremopyrum (Ledeb.) Jaub. & Spach, Pseudoroegneria (Nevski) Á. Löve, Thinopyrum Á. Löve, and Lophopyrum (Host) Á. Löve to the cytoplasmic lineage of Leymus; (ii) there is a close relationship among Leymus species from the same area or neighboring geographic regions; (iii) L. coreanus (Honda) K. B. Jensen & R. R. ‐C. Wang, L. duthiei (Stapf) Y. H. Zhou & H. Q. Zhang ex C. Yen, J. L. Yang & B. R. Baum, L. duthiei var. longearistatus (Hack.) Y. H. Zhou & H. Q. Zhang ex C. Yen, J. L. Yang & B. R. Baum, and L. komarovii (Roshev.) C. Yen, J. L. Yang & B. R. Baum are closely related to other Leymus species, and it is reasonable to transfer these species from the genus Hystrix Moench to Leymus; (iv) Leymus species from North America are closely related to L. coreanus from the Russian Far East and L. komarovii from northeast China but are evolutionarily distinct from Leymus species from Central Asia and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The occurrence of multiple origin and introgression could account for the rich diversity and ecological adaptation of Leymus species.
GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION OF LIFE HISTORY TRAITS IN POPULATIONS OF MESOCYCLOPS EDAX (CRUSTACEA: COPEPODA)

Differences in maturation time, body size and clutch size among populations of the freshwater copepod Mesocyclops edax inhabiting lakes of different seasonalities (Lake Thonotosassa, Florida, and Douglas Lake, Michigan) were maintained through two generations under common laboratory conditions. In most cases, Florida individuals matured more rapidly and had larger body sizes and clutch sizes than Michigan individuals over a range of temperature from 15 to 30° C. The greatly reduced fecundity and longer maturation time of the Michigan population relative to the Florida population at 15° C may reflect adaptations to different temperature regimes encountered by these geographically distant populations. Genotype-environment interactions were observed for body size, but not for maturation time or clutch size. Some local variation was evident in both the Michigan and Florida locales, indicating that forces operating on a local scale may result in substantial variation that is superimposed upon any broad scale, .
Divergence of secondary metabolism in cell suspension cultures and differentiated plants of Piper cernuum and P. crassinervium

The secondary metabolism in the leaves of P. cernuum produces cinnamic and dihydrocinnamic acid derivatives and the lignan cubebin. In case of P. crassinervium flavonoids and prenylated hydroquinones were characterized as major compounds. The cell cultures showed the production of the phenylethylamines dopamine and tyramine in P. cernuum, while in case of P. crassinervium four alkamides were isolated as major compounds, including the new 2,3,4-trimethoxy-N-methyl-aristolactam and 3-hydroxy-2-methoxy-N-methyl-aristolactam.