Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microzooplankton grazing and nitrogen excretion across a surface estuarine-coastal interface

The role of the microzooplankton community in regulating phytoplankton biomass was examined across a gradient from a river-dominated estuary to an oceanic-influenced coastal zone. Three stations located along a salinity gradient from the central region of Mobile Bay to 10 km off the coast were sampled from May 1994 to August 1995. Microzooplankton herbivory rates on phytoplankton and microzooplankton excretion of nitrogen derived from phytoplankton were estimated using the dilution technique. Microzooplankton grazing rates (range of station means=0.57–1.10 d−1) and phytoplankton growth rates (0.70–1.62 d−1) both increased across the salinity gradient from the bay station to the offshore station. However, the percent of primary production grazed per day was highest at the bay station (mean=83%) and decreased to a low at the offshore station (mean=64%). Excretion of phytoplankton-derived nitrogen by the microzooplankton was greatest at the bay and bay mouth stations. Excreted nitrogen could potentially supply 39%, 29%, and 20% of phytoplankton nitrogen demand at the bay, bay mouth, and offshore stations, respectively. These results support the idea that herbivorous microzooplankton are important in mediating nitrogen flow to both lower and higher trophic levels. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY085 00012
Mesophyllum alternans (Foslie) comb. nov. (Corallinales, Rhodophyta), a mediterraneo-atlantic species, and new considerations on the Lithothamnion philippii Foslie complex

Abstract Mesophyllum alternans (Foslie) comb. nov. is a crustose, foliaceous coralline alga that makes up a large part of the calcareous bioconstructions of coralligene bottoms in the Mediterranean. A detailed study of recent samples, compared to specimens of the Foslie collection, clarifies the nature of this entity. Described by Foslie from the Atlantic as Lithothamnion philippii f. alternans, this form is, after examination of the type specimen, transferred to the genus Mesophyllum and elevated to the rank of species. Morphological and ecological characters of this mediterraneo-atlantic species are given. After examination of their type specimens, Lithothamnion philippii Foslie and Lithothamnion crispatum Hauck, remain as distinct species.
Effect of Water Supplementation with Herbal Extracts on Broiler Chicken Welfare / Wpływ Dodatku Do Wody Ekstraktów Ziołowych Na Dobrostan Kurcząt Brojlerów

Abstract This study investigated the effect of adding extracts from selected herbs to water on alleviation of broiler stress associated with intensive production, and thus on improvement of welfare. In experimental groups (II, III and IV), alcoholic extracts from chamomile inflorescence (Matricaria chamomilla L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) or from St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), respectively, were added to water drinkers (2 ml ∙ l-1 water) from 21 to 35 days of rearing for 5 h/day. Throughout the experiment, body weight, feed and water intake and number of dead birds were recorded once a week. At 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of rearing, blood was collected from 7 birds in each group to determine the levels of corticosterone, cholesterol, glucose, and the immunoglobulin complex. The response of birds to the herbal additives was positive. The herb extracts contributed to a decrease in cholesterol level and an increase in the level of the immunoglobulin complex in the blood. Supplementation of water with chamomile and St John’s wort extracts contributed to an increase in body weight, while the extracts from lemon balm and St John’s wort also had a positive effect on broiler survival. The results obtained indicate that out of the three herbs chosen for the experiment, St John’s wort extract proved the most efficient in relieving the body’s physiological response to stress, and thus in improving welfare. Streszczenie Badano wpływ dodatku ekstraktów z wybranych ziół do wody na złagodzenie stresu kurcząt brojlerów związanego z intensywnym chowem, a w konsekwencji na poprawę dobrostanu. W grupach doświadczalnych (II, III i IV) kurczęta brojlery otrzymywały do poideł z wodą od 21. do 35. dnia odchowu przez 5 h/dobę ekstrakt spirytusowy odpowiednio z: kwiatostanu rumianku pospolitego (Matricaria chamomilla L.), ziela melisy lekarskiej (Melisa offcinalis L.) lub ziela dziurawca zwyczajnego (Hypericum perforatum L.) w ilości 2 ml∙l-1 wody. W czasie doświadczenia co tydzień kontrolowano masę ciała kurcząt brojlerów, zużycie paszy i wody oraz liczbę kurcząt padłych. W 21. , 28. , 35. oraz 42. dniu odchowu pobrano krew od 7 ptaków z grupy w celu oznaczenia poziomu: kortykosteronu, cholesterolu, glukozy oraz kompleksu immunoglobulinowego. Obserwowano pozytywną reakcję organizmów ptaków na czynniki doświadczalne. Ekstrakty z ziół wpłynęły na obniżenie poziomu cholesterolu oraz wzrost poziomu kompleksu immunoglobulinowego we krwi ptaków. Dodatek ekstraktu z rumianku pospolitego i dziurawca zwyczajnego wpłynął na wzrost masy ciała ptaków, a ekstrakt z melisy lekarskiej i dziurawca zwyczajnego miał także pozytywny wpływ na przeżywalność kurcząt brojlerów. Wyniki z przeprowadzonych badań wskazują, że z trzech wybranych do doświadczenia ziół najbardziej skuteczny w łagodzeniu fizjologicznej reakcji organizmu kurcząt brojlerów na stres, a tym samym na poprawę dobrostanu, okazał się ekstrakt z dziurawca zwyczajnego
Determination relevant breeding criteria by the path and factor analysis in maize

In the process of plant breeding the application of relevant breeding criteria is very important. The Path analysis is broadly applied with the aim to define yield components that mostly determine the yield and that can be used as quality breeding criteria. However, the significance of revealed relationships between yield and yield components can be affected by various factors, such as diverse genetic material that is observed, traits included into analysis, environments in which the material is observed, as well as, the applied statistic approach to determine the nature of the relationships itself. The interrelationships of yield and yield components of 15 commercial maize hybrids were observed using the Path and factor analyses. According to results of Path analysis, plant height, ear diameter and grain moisture had highly significant genetic and phenotypic direct effects on grain yield. At the same time, factor analysis points out significant effects of two factors on grain yield. Factor 1 was mostly determined by ear length and number of kernels per row, while grain moisture content, ear and cob diameter mostly determined Factor 2. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31068]
The Up‐Regulation of Endosomal‐Lysosomal Components in Amyloid β‐Resistant Cells

Abstract : The abundance of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) and the selective loss of neurons are characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. However, subpopulations of brain cells survive, including neurons near Aβ‐rich plaques. The surviving neurons may have gene expression profiles that allow them to be resistant to Aβ toxicity. Here we use the differential display technique to compare the profiles of gene expression in an Aβ‐resistant cell line with its parental cells. Prominent among the changes are two components of the endosomal‐lysosomal system, insulin growth factor II receptor/mannose‐6‐phosphate receptor and arylsulfatase B. Both are more highly expressed in the Aβ‐resistant clone, and arylsulfatase is inducible by Aβ and hydrogen peroxide. Another lysosomal enzyme, βglucuronidase, is also up‐regulated in Aβ‐resistant cells. These results are consistent with the observation that the endosomal‐lysosomal system is highly activated in Alzheimer's disease brains, and they raise the possibility that the high expression of endosomal‐lysosomal components is important for neuronal survival in the presence of Aβ.
Potency and Residual Activity of Emamectin Benzoate and Spinetoram on Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval)

The insecticide market has been dominated by conventional classes of insecticides. Recently, a number of new insecticide classes such as spinosyns, avermectins, neonicotinoids and insect growth regulators have been discovered and commercialized. Emamectin benzoate (trade name Proclaim®) is a novel avermectin.
A Probabilistic Model for MOOC Discussion Forums

Students learning socially is a critical aspect of scaling up instruction in online education. In many cases, such as in massive open online courses (MOOCs), social learning is facilitated through discussion forums hosted by course providers. In this paper, we pro-pose a probabilistic model for the process of learners posting on such forums, using point processes. Different from existing works, our method integrates topic modeling of the post text, timescale modeling of the decay in post excitation over time, and learner topic interest modeling into a single model, and infers this information from user data. Our method also varies the excitation levels induced by posts according to the thread structure, to reflect typical notification settings in discussion forums. We experimentally validate the proposed model on three real-world MOOC datasets, with the largest one containing up to 6,000 learners making 40,000 posts in 5,000 threads. Results show that our model excels at thread recommendation, achieving significant improvement over a number of baselines, thus showing promise of being able to direct learners to threads that they are interested in more efficiently. Moreover, we demonstrate analytics that our model parameters can provide, such as the timescales of different topic categories in a course.
Sex pheromone traps for monitoring the codling moth: effect of dispenser type, field aging of dispenser, pheromone dose and type of trap on male captures

The effects of dispenser type, dispenser aging in the field, pheromone dose in the dispenser and trap type on trapping efficiency of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), males were investigated in Israel. An Israeli‐manufactured rubber septum was significantly better than the CM Pherocon cap in attracting males to a Pherocon 1C cap trap or an IPS trap. The effect of aging of the dispenser in the field on trapping efficiency was significant in CM Pherocon caps and the Israeli septa. Captures in traps were negatively correlated with aging of septa. The effect of aging of dispensers was more marked during summer than during spring. The fairly rapid loss of attractancy indicates that the lures should be replaced after 2 weeks at the most. The release rate of the pheromone from the dispensers was measured in a flow system. The emission from the Israeli septa and Pherocon caps decreased sharply after 2 weeks and then was almost constant, which explains the lower attractancy of aged septa. However, there was a marked difference in the release profiles of the pheromone from the two types of dispensers, which may explain the different performance of the two dispensers. Within the range of 0.1 to 100 μg pheromone per dispenser, male response increased positively with the pheromone dose. Pheromone loadings of 100 or 1000 μg per dispenser did not differ significantly in their attractiveness for males. A load of 5000 μg per dispenser was significantly less attractive to males than was 100 or 1000 μg per dispenser. The non‐sticky IPS trap was significantly better in capturing codling moth males than was the sticky, commonly used Pherocon 1C trap, provided it was baited with the Israeli dispenser. The two traps were equally effective when baited with the CM Pherocon caps. The possibility of using the non‐sticky, nonsaturating and easy‐to‐handle IPS traps for monitoring codling moth is of great importance.
Why do Plants Produce Surplus Flowers? A Reserve-Ovary Model

A low fruit: flower ratio has been observed in many plant species, and several functional advantages of nonfruiting flowers have been proposed. One hypothesis is that surplus flowers provide an ovary reserve in case of loss due to unpredictable external mortality at the flower level. In this article a quantitative model is proposed in which the optimal flower number is a function of two fitness costs. First, each flower represents a cost that reduces potential seed production. Second, those cases in which fruit production is ovary limited represent a cost. The model predicts that more flowers may be produced than there are resources necessary for them to develop to maturity, even if the only function of the surplus flowers is to serve as reserve ovaries. The number of surplus flowers increases with increasing fruit-cost: flower-cost ratio and increasing ovary mortality. The presented model suggests a method by which to formulate quantitative, testable predictions on optimal fruit: flower ratios and may thus serve as a null hypothesis for alternative functional explanations of the occurrence of surplus flowers. A scanning of available literature suggests that the proposed model may explain very low fruit: flower ratios in a few species with costly fruits, whereas in species with relatively cheaper fruits more modest numbers of surplus flowers are favored by the proposed mechanism.
Mechanism of Hydrolysis of the Treated Sago Starch Granules by Raw Starch Digesting Amylase from Penicillium brunneum

We have prepared raw starch digesting amylase from Penicillium brunneum, which is similar to other raw starch digesting enzymes, and is effective in hydrolyzing raw cereal starches, but not effective for raw sago starch and raw root starches. Treatment of sago starch granules before incubation with the enzyme by heating to below gelatinization temperature at low pH condition was effective in improving the hydrolysis. Observation by scanning electron microscope showed that structure of treated sago starch granules at 60°C pH 2.0 for 2h was not changed. Observation under polarized light showed the birefringence clearly was preserved. However, viscosity of treated sago starch granules decreased. After incubation with the enzyme, untreated starch granules corroded and several holes were seen on the surface of granule. Enzyme action on the treated starch granules resulted in much higher intensity of degradation and the holes deepened into the interior of granules. Analysis of the product of this process showed that mainly glucose was produced from the hydrolysis of treated or untreated sago starch granules by crude enzyme. But on gelatinized sago starch other types of sugars were formed during enzyme reaction. Mechanismus der Hydrolyse von mit Rohstarke abbauender Amylase aus Penicillium brunneum behandelten Sagostarkekornern. Wir haben eine Rohstarke abbauende Amylase aus Penicillium brunneum isoliert, die sich ahnlich anderen Rohstarken abbauenden Enzymen verhalt, wirksam bei der Hydrolyse von rohen Getreidestarken ist, jedoch nicht auf rohe Sagostarke und rohe Wurzelstarken einwirkt. Die Behandlung von Sagostarkekornern vor der Inkubation mit dem Enzym unter Erwarmer unterhalb der Verkleisterungstemperatur bei niedrigen pH-Bedingungen wirkte sich verbessernd auf die Hydrolyse aus. Die Beobachtung mit dem Raster-Elektronenmikroskop zeigte, das die Struktur der 2h lang bei 60sC und pH 2,0 behandelten Sagostarkekorner nicht verandert worden war. Die Beobachtung im polarisierten Licht zeigte, das die Doppelbrechung klar erhalten geblieben war. Die Viskositat der behandelten Sagostarkekorner war dagegen vermindert. Nach Inkubation mit dem Enzym waren unbehandelte Starkekorner korrodiert, und verschiedene Locher in der Kornoberflache waren sichtbar. Die Enzymwirkung auf die behandelten Starkekorner zeigte sich in viel starkerer Intensitat des Abbaues und in einer Vertiefung der Locher in das Innere der Korner hinein. Die Analyse des Produktes dieses Verfahrens zeigte, daa bei der Hydrolyse von behandelten und unbehandelten Sagostarkekornern mittels Rohenzym hauptsachlich Glucose freigemacht wird. Aus gelatinisierter Sagostarke werden jedoch andere Zucker im Rahmen der Enzymreaktion gebildet.
Variability in Grouping in the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus II. Dynamics of Group Formation

The effects of season, population density and habitat on aspects of group formation in the eastern grey kangaroo were examined. The rate at which groups join and split increased exponentially with population density, but did not vary with season or habitat. In general, large males and females with young-at-foot were seen alone more frequently than small males, females with pouch young or females with no young. The high frequency oflone large males may be due to a tendency to move alone from one group to another to check the oestrous condition of females, but females with young-at-foot appear to be relatively solitary. Association among population classes in groups of two or more was highly variable.
Inhibitory effects of furanone metabolites of a rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas jessenii, on phytopathogenic Aphanomyces cochlioides and Pythium aphanidermatum

An antagonistic rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas jessenii EC-S101, isolated from the rhizosphere of spinach, produces two related secondary metabolites, 3-[(1R)-hydroxyoctyl]-5-methylene-2(5H)-furanone (4,5-didehydroacaterin) (1) and 3-[(1R)-hydroxyhexyl]-5-methylene-2(5H)-furanone (2). This study demonstrated their in vitro inhibitory effects, in particular those of (1), against Aphanomyces cochlioides AC-5 and Pythium aphanidermatum PA-5. The compounds inhibited radial growth and induced morphological abnormalities characterized by hyperbranching and periodic swelling in AC-5 and PA-5 hyphae, respectively. Staining with rhodamine-phalloidin, which binds to plasma-membrane-associated filamentous-actin (F-actin), revealed that tip-specific actin filaments were remodelled into a plaque-like form at an early stage of encounter (up to 24 h) with (1) or (2), whereas at later stages of encounter (48 h), the plaques were eliminated, reflecting the disorganization of actin arrays in the morphologically abnormal AC-5 and PA-5 hyphae. A similar response of actin disorganization was observed in AC-5 and PA-5 hyphae upon treatment with latrunculin B (3), an actin-assembly inhibitor produced by a sea sponge. It is suggested that (1) and (2) caused actin disorganization and their inhibitory activities were comparable to that of (3). Further ultrastructural observations substantiated abnormal functioning and delocalization of F-actin-linked cell organelles.
The distribution of macroinvertebrates and fishes in Tasmanian estuaries

The distributions of 390 taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates collected in forty‐eight estuaries and 101 fish species collected in seventy‐five Tasmanian estuaries were related to geographical and environmental variables. Distribution patterns for the two taxonomic groups were largely congruent at both between and within‐estuary scales. Faunal composition and the number of species collected at a site were primarily related to site salinity, the biomass of seagrass and tidal range. At the broader estuary scale, the distributions of macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages were primarily correlated with the presence of an entrance bar.
Potential long-term benefits of no-tillage and organic cropping systems for grain production and soil improvement

There have been few comparisons of the performance of no-tillage cropping systems vs. organic farming systems, particularly on erodible, droughty soils where reduced-tillage systems are recommended. In particular, there is skepticism whether organic farming can improve soils as well as conventional no-tillage systems because of the requirement for tillage associated with many organic farming operations. A 9-yr comparison of selected minimum-tillage strategies for grain production of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was conducted on a sloping, droughty site in Beltsville, MD, from 1994 to 2002. Four systems were compared: (i) a standard mid-Atlantic no-tillage system (NT) with recommended herbicide and N inputs, (ii) a cover crop-based no-tillage system (CC) including hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) before corn, and rye (Secale cereale L.) before soybean, with reduced herbicide and N inputs, (iii) a no-tillage crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.) living mulch system (CV) with recommended herbicide and N inputs, and (iv) a chisel-plow based organic system (OR) with cover crops and manure for nutrients and postplanting cultivation for weed control. After 9 yr, competition with corn by weeds in OR and by the crownvetch living mulch in CV was unacceptable, particularly in dry years. On average, corn yields were 28 and 12% lower in OR and CV, respectively, than in the standard NT, whereas corn yields in CC and NT were similar. Despite the use of tillage, soil combustible C and N concentrations were higher at all depth intervals to 30 cm in OR compared with that in all other systems. A uniformity trial was conducted from 2003 to 2005 with corn grown according to the NT system on all plots. Yield of corn grown on plots with a 9-yr history of OR and CV were 18 and 19% higher, respectively, than those with a history of NT whereas there was no difference between corn yield of plots with a history of NT and CC. Three tests of N availability (corn yield loss in subplots with no N applied in 2003-2005, presidedress soil nitrate test, and corn ear leaf N) all confirmed that there was more N available to corn in OR and CV than in NT. These results suggest that OR can provide greater long-term soil benefits than conventional NT, despite the use of tillage in OR. However, these benefits may not be realized because of difficulty controlling weeds in OR.
Seasonal Differences in Space Use by Clark'S Nutcrackers in the Cascade Range

Abstract. Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) are important seed dispersers for at least ten species of conifer in western North America and are obligate mutualists for the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), a subalpine tree. Despite the important role they play in forest regeneration, space use by nutcrackers has not been formally studied. Several hypotheses exist to explain their year-round patterns of space use. We tested the hypothesis that one population in the Cascade Range, Washington, migrates altitudinally between summer and autumn. In 2006 and 2007, we compared seasonal differences in summer and autumn space use by 26 radio-tagged nutcrackers. Five nutcrackers remained as year-round residents on their home ranges; 21 emigrated from the study area in summer. Among residents we found summer and autumn ranges overlapped and summer ranges were contained within autumn ranges. Residents increased their use of low-elevation habitats as autumn progressed, but rather than migrating from summer ranges, they used low-elevation forests only for seed harvesting. High-elevation portions of the summer range were used for all other activities including seed storage even though this required residents to transport seeds from source trees up to 29 km in distance and 1007 m in elevation. We were unable to test hypotheses regarding space use by emigrants. However, our results suggest that emigrants in this study did not migrate altitudinally because they showed no seasonal trend in movements either upslope or downslope.