Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of European honeybees (Apis mellifera) on the pollination ecology of bird-and insect-adapted Australian plants

European honeybees were introduced to Australia in the 1820s and are now widespread as feral and domestic colonies in the temperate region, foraging for nectar and pollen from plants in at least two hundred genera. Many of the plant species visited by honeybees are among the nearly 1,000 species that have floral structures that facilitate pollination by birds or mammals. Numerous ecologists have expressed concerns that the pollination systems of such plants, which evolved in the absence of winged social insects, are at risk of disruption by honeybees, particularly because anthers, nectaries and/or stigmas are often separated by several centimetres. At the same time, honeybee industry advocates continue to argue for greater access to natural areas, citing a lack of evidence of negative impacts. To date, experimental studies of potential honeybee disruption of Australian pollination systems have produced a range of outcomes apparently demonstrating that honeybees can enhance, decrease or have little effect on the quantity of fruit or seed produced in different vertebrate-adapted species. Less apparently, honeybees m a y be altering plant fitness by reducing seed quality. Such an effect would be expected if short-distance honeybee movement facilitate geitonogamy and inbreeding in contrast to longer-distance movements by native pollinators. As a result, honeybees could be expected to be a significant evolutionary pressure for some plant species. A comparative approach is needed to determine what types of pollination systems are most at risk of negative honeybee effects such as severe reproductive decline or inbreeding depression. In this study, I compared the roles of honeybees and native animal visitors in the pollination ecology of bird- and insect-adapted plant species using confamilial pairs of plant species in three plant families: Callistemon citrinus and Baeckea imbricata (Myrtaceae); Styphelia tubiflora and Epacris microphylla (Epacridaceae); and Grevillea acanthifolia and G. sphacelata (Proteaceae). In all six species, I identified the suites of probable pollinators and observed their foraging behaviour at flowers and among plants. I compared the proportion of flowers that produced fruit among selective pollination exposure treatments - exclusion of birds, exclusion of all pollinators, and open pollination - to deduce the likely role of honeybees. In the Epacridaceae and Proteaceae, I determined if plants were self-compatible and compared fruit set of manually pollinated flowers with that of open flowers to determine if plants were pollinator limited. Finally, in order to determine whether honeybees may be reducing seed quality, I compared seed produced from selective pollinator exposures for viability and genriination rate (in Callistemon citrinus ) and outcrossing rate (in Grevillea acanthifolia ). Overall, the results of this study did not support the hypothesis that pollination of bird-adapted plants by honeybees…
Influence, or the lack thereof, of host phenology, architecture and climate on the occurrence of Udranomia spitzi (Hesperiidae: Lepidoptera)

The occurrence of herbivores in nature is limited by biotic and abiotic factors which affect their development and survival. Udranomia spitzi is an endemic butterfly in the Brazilian savanna (cerrado) that feeds on young leaves of two sympatric plants, Ouratea hexasperma and O. spectabilis. It is not known which factors affect the occurrence of larvae on their hosts. Therefore, in this study we: (i) evaluated the oviposition preference of U. spitzi; (ii) evaluated the larval performance in both Ouratea species; (iii) investigated plant phenology; (iv) investigated climate (temperature and rainfall); and (v) investigated plant architecture (measured as plant height) on the abundance of skippers. Results showed that U. spitzi immatures (eggs and larvae) were far more abundant (n = 41, 96.7%) on O. spectabilis, whereas on O. hexasperma, the number of larvae was negligible (n = 1). In the laboratory, U. spitzi performed better on O. spectabilis than on O. hexasperma. The occurrence of larvae was not related to host phenology or environmental variations, but rather to plant height, since 92.7% (n = 38) of larvae were found on small O. spectabilis trees. A previous study showed that U. spitzi was not influenced by biotic factors (aggressive ants) and this study showed that plant structure plays a major role in skipper choice. The preference of U. spitzi for O. spectabilis is discussed.
Panchagavya- an Organic Weapon Against Plant Pathogens

Panchagavya - an organic formulation, which is prepared out of unique combination of five products of cow viz., cow milk, curd, ghee, urine and fresh dung at appropriate quantities collected from a lactating desi cow. This was evaluated in vitro for its antifungal potential through inhibition of spore germination and mycelialgrowth of Curvularia lunata a pathogen of grain discolouration of rice in rice growing tracts of Tungabhadra Project Area 'and Upper Krishna Project Area of Karnataka state in India comprising Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga districts during 2007. Although many fungi have been isolated from discolored grains, Curvularia lunata wasfound dominant and located in all the parts of seed. Further, the panchagavya was also tested for its efficacy in strengthening defense mechanism in rice plants through seed treatment. Panchagavya resulted in 86.30 per cent inhibition of mycelial growth and 95.90 per cent inhibition of spore germination of Curvularia lunata in vitro. Seed treatment with Panchagavya further enhanced the seed germination with 90.70% and vigor index of 1036.36.
Two new species of the genus Panorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from Shaanxi, China with notes on their biology

Two new species of scorpionflies, Panorpa byersi Hua et Huang and Panorpa brevicornis Hua et Li, from Shaanxi Province, China, are described and illustrated. Their male genitalia were observed under scanning electron microscopy. Their biology is briefly noticed with larval stage obtained through rearing. The type specimens are preserved in the Entomological Museum, Northwest A & F University.
How Our Ancestors Broke through the Gray Ceiling

The “expensive brain” framework proposes that the costs of an increase in brain size can be met by any combination of increasing the total energy turnover or reducing energy allocation to other expensive functions, such as maintenance (digestion), locomotion, or production (growth and reproduction). Here, we explore its implications for human evolution. Using both comparative data on extant mammals and life-table simulations from wild extant apes, we show that primates with a hominoid lifestyle face a gray ceiling that limits their brain size, with larger values leading to demographic nonviability. We argue that cooperative care provides the most plausible exaptation for the increase in brain size in the Homo lineage.
Preliminary Studies on the Rooting Response of Schefflera arboricola through Juvenile Shoot Cuttings

The rooting of juvenile shoot cuttings of Schefflera arboricola was studied during summer months 2013. Only one rooting hormone that is IBA in two concentrations i.e.2000 and 4000 ppm were applied to see the effect of rooting hormone. Maximum 65% rooting was observed in IBA 4000 ppm followed by 40% in IBA 2000 ppm and minimum 20% rooting recorded in control (Untreated cuttings).
Comparative functional genomics of amino acid metabolism of lactic acid bacteria.

The amino acid metabolism of lactic acid bacteria used as starters in industrial fermentations has profound effects on the quality of the fermented foods. The work described in this PhD thesis was initiated to use genomics technologies and a comparative approach to link the gene content of some well-known lactic acid bacteria to flavor formation and to increase our general knowledge in the area of amino acid metabolism. The three well-known lactic acid bacteria that were used in these studies were Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum. The complete genomes of all these model bacteria have been sequenced and annotated in detail. Comparative experimental and in silico studies of Streptococcus thermophilus with the other two lactic acid bacteria, revealed the low degree of amino acid auxotrophies of this species; it only needs two amino acids for (minimal) growth and this strain is able to produce a varied amount of flavors. Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum require more amino acids and produce fewer flavors than S. thermophilus. Furthermore, S. thermophilus has a simple primary metabolism; homolactic growth is the only possible route under anaerobic conditions and, remarkably, it does not have a complete pentose phosphate pathway in contrast to the other two studied bacteria. This latter property has important consequences for the redox metabolism of S. thermophilus and particularly its ability to produce NADPH. A genome-scale metabolic model was developed and predicted that amino acid metabolism, and especially glutamate degradation, and citrate metabolism are the most obvious alternatives for NADPH generation. Several of these predictions were confirmed by constructing a glutamate dehydrogenase mutant of S. thermophilus. This mutant revealed theimportance of the citrate pathway (and other amino acid degradation pathways) in NADPH generation. A comparative and functional genomics study of the three lactic acid bacteria showed that amino acid depletion not only affects amino acid metabolism, but also flavor formation and overall growth. The comparative genomics approach presented in this thesis can be used to understand the amino acid metabolism of different lactic acid bacteria and their potential to produce flavors under different conditions. Finally, it can be applied for optimization of industrial fermentations
Pilot-scale development of a bioreactor for the treatment of dairy dirty water.

Dirty water arising on dairy farms may have a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) of 3000-5000 mg/l and an ammoniacal nitrogen content of 500 mg/l. It can be a significant cause of river pollution. An 'on-farm' treatment scheme is being developed by The University of Birmingham, integrating a bioreactor and reed beds, that aims to treat dairy dirty water so that it can be discharged to a water course. The paper describes pilot-scale trials of a submerged aerated filter bioreactor to assess its suitability for adoption in the treatment scheme. A submerged aerated filter employs a packed bed immersed in the wastewater undergoing treatment to provide a surface for microbial colonization. The process is well suited to performing nitrification in a farming context but is less appropriate if bulk BOD 5 removal is its principal function. Nitrification in the pilot plant has been remarkably resilient following process upset and nitrification rates in the region of 0.25 kg[N]/m 3 d at 15°C have been observed. Results relating to the plant's capacity for BOD 5 removal and nitrification are presented. The influences of temperature, organic loading and various chemical species on nitrification are discussed and the costs of a full-scale bioreactor are estimated.
Comparative analyses of rodent and human brain in ageing and disease using novel NMDAR-2B selective probes

The NMDA subtype of excitatory ionotropic glutamate receptors is a hetero-oligomeric ligand-gated ion channel. Molecular cloning techniques have identified three types of NMDA receptor subunits, the NR 1, NR2A-D, and NR3A-B. NR2B-containing receptors are the focus of this thesis and are believed to play an important role in learning and memory, as well as being involved in neuronal cell death accompanying cerebral ischeamia, seizures, and degenerative neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the comparative abundance and distribution of NR2B receptors in the rodent and human brain using an anti-NR2B selective antibody, and two NMDAR-2B subtype-selective antagonist radioligands, [(^3)H]Ro 25,6981 and [(^3)H] CP-101,606, with a variety of experimental techniques. This thesis provides new evidence that Ro 25,6981 and CP-101,606 label distinct NMDA NR2B subtype populations in both the rodent and human brain. Ligand autoradiographical and immunohistochemical studies of the mouse and rat brain brain revealed high NR2B receptor expression levels in the CAI and CA2 hippocampal formation stratum oriens and radiatorn, striatum, and outer layers of the frontal and entorhinal cortex in both species, with higher expression levels present in the 3-week compared to 3 month adult rat brain. Radioligand binding studies of native NMDA receptors with a range of NR2B-selective antagonists provided pharmacological evidence for heterogeneity in NR2B-containing receptor populations in the two age groups indicating a developmental switch in early adulthood. Ligand autoradiography of human control and disease state brain sections revealed an overall preservation of NR2B receptors in the 60-92 year age range. Control female cases showed a significantly lower level of NR2B containing receptors compared to age-matched control male cases, in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Interestingly, higher NR2B- containing receptor levels were observed in earlier age cases of AD compared to controls, and a weak correlation overall of increasing NR2B expression with decreasing scores in dementia and psychiatric tests. Overall, this study suggests that the NR2B subtype is not the major underlying receptor to explain memory deficits or psychotic symptoms in the common human dementias.
Resource allocation in the red ant Myrmica ruginodis– an interplay of genetics and ecology

Worker‐queen conflicts over reproductive allocation (colony maintenance vs. reproduction) and sex allocation (females vs. males) were examined in two populations of the facultatively polygynous ant Myrmica ruginodis. Plasticity of social organization in the form of two co‐existing social types (microgyna and macrogyna) has a profound effect on reproductive allocation. Workers control sex allocation by biasing sex ratios towards their own interest, but local resource competition (LRC) because of restricted dispersal of microgyna females resulted in male bias in one study population. Colony sex ratios were split and followed the predictions of the split sex ratio theory: single queen colonies with higher relatedness asymmetry (RA) produced more females than multiple queen colonies with lower RA. Single and multiple queen colonies showed similar patterns in most aspects of their reproduction, and reproductive allocation could not be explained by the hypothesis tested. This suggests that reproductive allocation conflict is of minor importance in M. ruginodis.
The Distribution and Decline of British Bumble Bees (Bombus Latr.)

SummaryThe suggested recent decrease in the distributional ranges of certain species of bumble bees was investigated in the data collected by the Bumblebee Distribution Maps Scheme, using a numerical classificatory approach. Three major biogeographic elements and four biogeographic regions are defined, and changes in their composition and distribution described. Large reductions in the distributional ranges recorded after 1960 were found for two of the biogeographic elements (especially for the Southern Local Species: Bombus subterraneus (L.), B. sylvarum (L.), B. ruderatus (F.) and B. humilis Ill. ), which have resulted in the emergence of a new Central Impoverished Region covering 23 vice-counties in Central England.
Endosperm and starch granule morphology in wild cereal relatives

Australia's native grass species contain a diverse array of wild cereal relatives which are adapted to a broader range of environmental conditions than current commercial cereals and may contain novel alleles which have utility in commercial production systems. Characterizing the available variation in endosperm morphology is one of the first steps towards in planta manipulation of endosperm by either the introgression of novel alleles or bioengineering cereal starch and protein. The endosperm of 19 crop wild relatives (CWR) was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mature caryopses were fixed, dehydrated, critical-point dried and then snap fractured transversely through the grain. Wild relatives exhibited similar types of starch granules to that of their respective cultivated species, though in general the wild species retained a greater proportion of the endosperm cell wall at maturity. The two species examined with no closely related cultivated species exhibited a rice-like endosperm. Wild sorghum relatives exhibited an abundance of endosperm variations described as variations in starch granule size, shape and surface morphology, and the distribution of protein bodies. This is particularly important because the grain of Sorghum bicolor has inherently low starch and protein digestibility. These variations within the wild relatives of commercial cereals may provide novel sources of genetic diversity for future grain improvement programmes.
Spatial and temporal variation in the control failure likelihood of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta

Insecticide resistance is frequently associated with field control failure, but such an assessment of its likelihood seldom occurs. This phenomenon is a potential cause of the control failure of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae); therefore we surveyed insecticide resistance as the control failure likelihood for a duration of 7 years in 20 field populations of this species. The insecticide label rate was used as the discriminating concentration, and the minimum efficacy threshold required for insecticides in Brazil (i.e. 80% efficacy) was the targeted efficacy. The spatial and temporal variations of the control failure likelihood were also assessed, as was the potential influence of land topography for the area-wide pattern observed. Most populations of T. absoluta were susceptible to abamectin, chlorfenapyr and spinosad and not to bifenthrin, triflumuron and teflubenzuron. The indoxacarb susceptibility varied in space and time. Spatial dependence was observed for abamectin and indoxacarb. The control failure likelihood of T. absoluta was higher for bifenthrin, triflumuron and teflubenzuron. A flat topography and the wind direction may favour the spread of the control failure likelihood and should be considered in designing pest management programs for T. absoluta.
Codon 249 mutation in exon 7 of p53 gene in plasma DNA： maybe a new early diagnostic marker of hepatocellular carcinoma in Qidong risk area, China

AIM: One of the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Qidong area is the selective mutation resulting in a serine substitution at codon 249 of the p53 gene (1,20),and it has been identified as a "hotspot" mutation in heptocellular carcinomas occurring in populations exposed to aflatoxin and with high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers (2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 24). We evaluated in this paper whether this "hotspot" mutation could be detected in cellfree DNA circulating in plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in Qidong, China, and tried to illustrate the significance of the detection of this molecular biomarker.METHODS: We collected blood samples from 25hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 20 cirrhotic patients and 30 healthy controls in Qidong area. DNA was extracted and purified from 200 μl of plasma from each sample. The 249ser p53 mutation was detected by restriction digestion analysis and direct sequencing of exon-7 PCR products.RESULTS: We found in exon 7 of p53 gene G→T transversion at the third base of codon 249 resulting 249Arg→249ser mutation in 10/25 (40%) hepatocellular carcinoma cases,4/20 (20%) cirrhotics, and 2/30 (7 %) healthy controls.The adjusted odds ratio for having the mutation was 22.1(95 % CI, 3.2～91.7) for HCC cases compared to controls.CONCLUSION: These data show that the 249ser p53mutation in plasma is strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in Qidong patients. We found this mutation was also detected, although it was at a much lower frequency,in plasma DNA of Qidong cirrhotics and healthy controls;We consider that these findings, together with the usual method of HCC diagnosis, will give more information in early diagnosis of HCC, and 249ser p53 mutation should be developed to a new early diagnostic marker for HCC.
A Taxonomic Revision of the Ant Subgenus Coptoformica Mueller, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Parmi 3800 specimens etudies de fourmis du sous-genre Coptoformica de la region palaearctique, 2800 ont ete etudies par des methodes morphometriques, produisant ainsi 22000 donnees primaires. Des commentaires sur les allometries et la signification taxonomique des caracteres sont proposes. Les cles et les tables morphometriques des caracteres concernent les ouvrieres, les femelles et les mâles. Parmi les 28 taxa decrits jusqu'a present dans cette region, 15 taxa sont synonymises et il est demontre par des donnees de stereomicroscopie de haute precision, de chorologie et de biologie comparative que 11 taxa sont des especes valides. Deux taxa restent incertae sedis. Les changements taxonomiques par rapport aux systemes utilises precedemment incluent la demonstration de la difference specifique de Formica foreli Emery, 1909 et F. pressilabris Nylander, 1846, la mise en synonymie de F. goesswaldi Kutter, 1967, F. naefi Kutter, 1957 et F. tamarae Dlussky, 1964 avec F. foreli, la mise en synonymie de F brunneonitida Dlussky, 1964 et de F. fossilabris Dlussky, 1964 avec F. forsslundi Lohmander, 1949, la mise en synonymie de F. dlusskyi Bolton, 1995 avec F. manchu Wheeler, 1929, la mise en synonymie de F. nemoralis Dlussky, 1964 avec F. exsecta Nylander, 1846 et la description de Formica fennica n. sp. du Sud de la Finlande et du Caucase. La proximite de l'espece d'Asie F. manchu Wheeler, 1929 indique une origine siberienne pour F. fennica. La mise en synonymie du taxon etrusca Emery, 1909 avec exsecta et le traitement du taxon mesasiatica Dlussky, 1964 comme une espece endemique de l'Asie centrale, separee de exsecta, sont des decisions incertaines qui devront etre verifiees par des reviseurs ulterieurs disposant d'approches plus generales et plus adequates.
Cytoskeletal Interactions with the Leukocyte Integrin β2 Cytoplasmic Tail

Circulating leukocytes are nonadherent but bind tightly to endothelial cells following activation. The increased avidity of leukocyte integrins for endothelial ligands following activation is regulated, in part, by interaction of the β2 subunit cytoplasmic tail with the actin cytoskeleton. We propose a mechanism to explain how tethering of the actin cytoskeleton to leukocyte integrins is regulated. In resting leukocytes, β2 integrins are constitutively linked to the actin cytoskeleton via the protein talin. Activation of cells induces proteolysis of talin and dissociation from the β2 tail. This phase is transient, however, and is followed by reattachment of actin filaments to integrins that is mediated by the protein α-actinin. The association of α-actinin with integrins may stabilize the cytoskeleton and promote firm adhesion to and migration across the endothelium. Glutathione S-transferase-β2 tail fusion protein/mutagenesis experiments suggest that the affinity of α-actinin binding to the β2 tail is regulated by a change in the conformation of the tail that unmasks a cryptic α-actinin binding domain. Positive and inhibitory domains within the β2 tail regulate α-actinin binding: a single 11-amino acid region (residues 736–746) is necessary and sufficient for α-actinin binding, and a regulatory domain between residues 748–762 inhibits constitutive association of the β2 tail with α-actinin.