Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro propagation of Caralluma sarkariae Lavranos & Frandsen – An endemic and endangered medicinal plant

An efficient protocol has been developed for in vitro propagation of Caralluma sarkariae Lavranos & Frandsen via mature internodal derived callus. Optimal callus was developed for regeneration from mature internodal explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of auxins. Maximum number of shoots were regenerated (65%) from the callus on MS medium supplemented with 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) 2.0 mg/L + kinetin (KN) 0.5 mg/L + naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) 0.5 mg/L. Individual elongated shoots were rooted on half strength MS medium containing NAA 0.1 mg/L. Regenerated plantlets with well developed shoots and roots were successfully transferred to soil.
FRUIT NUMBER IN RELATION TO POLLEN PRODUCTION AND VIABILITY IN GROUNDNUT EXPOSED TO SHORT EPISODES OF HEAT STRESS

Hot days and warm nights are important environmental factors limiting fruit yields of groundnuts in the semi-arid tropics. The objective of the present research was to quantify the eects of short episodes of heat stress on pollen production and viability, and fruit yield. Plants of cultivar ‘ICGV 86015’ were grown at a day}night temperature of 28}22 ∞C from sowing until 9 d after flowering. Cohorts of plants were then exposed to a factorial combination of four day (28, 34, 42 and 48 ∞C) and two night (22 and 28 ∞C) temperatures for 6 d. Thereafter, all plants were maintained at 28}22 ∞C until final harvest 9 d later. Number of flowers per plant (FN), the proportion of flowers setting pegs (fruit-set), the number of pegs and pods per plant (reproductive number, RN t ), pollen production per flower and pollen viability were determined during the 6 d stress period. There were strong negative linear relations between day temperature over the range of 28 to 48 ∞C and FN (slope, fi1‐1 ∞C’"), fruit-set (fi2‐8%∞C’"), RN t (fi0.90 ∞C’"), and pollen production (fi390 ∞C’") and viability (fi1‐9%∞C’"). Warmer night temperature (28 as .2 2∞C) had no eect on FN, but reduced fruit-set (31 to 19%), RN t (8 to 5), and pollen production (4389 to 2800) and viability (49 to 40%). There were no significant interactions between day and night temperature. Reduced fruit-set was a consequence of fewer pollen grains and reduced pollen viability. The threshold day temperature for pollen production and viability was 34 ∞C and there were strong negative linear relations between both pollen production and pollen viability and accumulated temperature " 34 ∞C. # 1999 Annals of Botany Company
Greenhouse and field resistance in cucumber to root-knot nematodes

Ten cultigens were evaluated for resistance to Meloidogyne arenaria races 1 and 2, and M. javanica under greenhouse and field conditions. Resistance to M. arenaria races 1 and 2, and M. javanica was verified in Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii line LJ 90430 and to M. arenaria race 2 in C. sativus var. sativus Southern Pickler and Mincu in a greenhouse test. Another cultigen of C. sativus var. hardwickii (PI 215589) was found to be resistant to M. arenaria race 2 but not to other root-knot nematode species tested. LJ 90430 is the cultigen of choice to develop root-knot nematode resistant cucumbers, since it has multiple root-knot nematode resistance and is cross-compatible with cucumber. Greenhouse and field data were positively correlated (r = 0.74) over both years. Experiment repeatabilities were calculated from the cultigens infected with root-knot nematodes under both greenhouse and field conditions. Four environments (greenhouse and field over 2 years) were used in the analysis. Repeatabilities were high in all instances (ranging from 0.83-0.99) and indicated that the environment (field or greenhouse) was not an important factor in assessing root-knot nematode resistance for the cultigens evaluated. Resistenz von Gurkengegen Wurzelgallennematoden im Gewachshaus undim Freiland - Unter Gewachshausund Freilandbedingungen wurden zehn Cultigene auf ihre Resistenz gegen Meloidogyne arenaria Rassen 1 und 2 und gegen M. javanica gepruft. Bei Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii Linie LJ 90430 wurde im Gewachshausversuch Resistenz gegen M. arenaria Rassen 1 und 2 sowie gegen M. javanica nachgewiesen, und in C. sativus var. sativus "Southern Pickler" und "Mincu" Resistenz gegen M. arenaria Rasse 2. Cultigen C. sativus var. hardwickii (PI 215589) war resistent gegen M. arenaria Rasse 2 aber nicht gegen die anderen gepruften Arten von Wurzelgallennematoden. LJ 90430 ist das Cultigen der Wahl bei der Entwicklung von Gurken, die gegen Wurzelgallennematoden resistent sind, da es multiple Resistenzen gegen Wurzelgallennematoden besitzt und kreuzungsvertraglich mit Gurke ist. Die Ergebnisse der Gewachshaus- und Feldversuche waren uber beide Versuchsjahre hin positiv korreliert (r = 0,74). Ausgehend von den Cultigenen, die im Gewachshaus und im Freiland mit Wurzelgallennematoden infiziert waren, wurden die Wiederholbarkeiten der Versuche berechnet. Dabei wurden vier verschiedene Umweltbedingungen (Gewachshaus und Freiland uber zwei Jahre) verwendet. Die Wiederholbarkeiten waren in allen Fallen hoch (0,83-0,99) und zeigten an, dass die Umwelt (Freiland oder Gewachshaus) kein wichtiger Faktor bei der Bestimmung der Resistenz gegen Wurzelgallennematoden bei den gepruften Cultigenen war.
Effects of Livestock Grazing on Stand Dynamics and Soils in Upland Forests of the Interior West

Many ponderosa pine and mixed‐conifer forests of the western, interior United States have undergone substantial structural and compositional changes since settlement of the West by Euro‐Americans. Historically, these forests consisted of widely spaced, fire‐tolerant trees underlain by dense grass swards. Over the last 100 years they have developed into dense stands consisting of more fire‐sensitive and disease‐susceptible species. These changes, sometimes referred to as a decline in “forest health,” have been attributed primarily to two factors: active suppression of low‐intensity fires (which formerly reduced tree recruitment, especially of fire‐sensitive, shade‐tolerant species), and selective logging of larger, more fire‐tolerant trees. A third factor, livestock grazing, is seldom discussed, although it may be as important as the other two factors. Livestock alter forest dynamics by (1) reducing the biomass and density of understory grasses and sedges, which otherwise outcompete conifer seedlings and prevent dense tree recruitment, and (2) reducing the abundance of fine fuels, which formerly carried low‐intensity fires through forests. Grazing by domestic livestock has thereby contributed to increasingly dense western forests and to changes in tree species composition. In addition, exclosure studies have shown that livestock alter ecosystem processes by reducing the cover of herbaceous plants and litter, disturbing and compacting soils, reducing water infiltration rates, and increasing soil erosion.
Moult of the giant petrels Macronectes halli and M. giganteus at South Georgia

Moult scores were collected from colour-ringed individuals of known reproductive status of the two species of giant petrel, Macronectes halli and M. giganteus, at Bird Island, South Georgia between 1978–81. Both species showed a substantial overlap between breeding and wing-moult, unlike most other Southern Ocean seabirds. Males started moult before females and both sexes of M. giganteus moulted at an earlier stage of the breeding cycle than M. halli, which breeds six weeks earlier than its congener. Changes in moult rate during the breeding season are documented for both species, with Id. halli showing a rapid increase as the chick nears fledging. Male M. giganteus show a notably different pattern to the other three species-sex groups, starting moult much earlier (at egg-laying), with greater individual synchrony and usually suspending primary moult throughout the main chick growth period, whereas only two male M. halli and no females of either species suspended moult. Differences in pattern, timing and rate of moult are interpreted in terms of availability of food resources and the competing energy demands of other activities, especially chick-rearing. Completion of primary moult could not be observed in the field but was estimated using data frcsm non-breeding birds and failed breeders; the latter started a rapid moult almost immediately they failed. In both sexes of both species moult is probably concluded at least by early winter. The general pattern of moult in giant petrels at Bird Island is contrasted with that of other populations and species of Southern Ocean seabirds. It is suggested that the unusually extensive overlap between breeding and moult in giant petrels is a consequence of the very abundant and easily available summer food supplies (especially carrion) and the much diminished winter resources, favouring a completion of moult by the beginning of the winter.
Two distinct evolutionary lineages of the Astacus leptodactylus species-complex (Decapoda : Astacidae) inferred by phylogenetic analyses

Abstract. Narrow-clawed crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823 species-complex) is one of five European freshwater crayfish species. Even though widely distributed, it hasn’t been frequently studied and its taxonomy and systematics are unresolved. The results of a recent comparative morphometric character study revealed that morphometry of Asian and European populations differ significantly. In this research, for the first time, mitochondrial molecular markers (16S rRNA and COI) were used with the aim of elucidating the phylogenetic relationship between European and Asian populations of the narrow-clawed crayfish. Analyses included crayfish from Croatia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Russia, Poland and Turkey, and three different optimality criteria were applied. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using the COI dataset, as well as the concatenated one (COI + 16S rRNA). For both datasets, congruent topologies were obtained and trees were characterised by the existence of two well supported phylogroups, one that included European populations, and the other Asian. Results indicate the presence of distinct evolutionary lineages within the A. leptodactylus species-complex, and corroborate previous results obtained using morphometric analyses.
VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE EVALUATION OF HOT PEPPERS UNDER DIFFERENT PLASTIC MULCHES IN POLY/PLASTIC TUNNEL

*Corresponding author: qumerhort@gmail.com Since the beginning of civilization, the man has developed technologies to increase the efficiency of food production. The use of plastic mulch in commercial vegetable production is one of these traditional techniques that have been used for centuries. Studies were conducted to assess the efficacy of plastic mulch on growth and yield of two hot pepper hybrids, viz. Sky Red and Maha in poly/plastic tunnel. The treatments were black plastic mulch, clear plastic mulch and bare soil as control. Both hot pepper hybrids mulched with black plastic showed significantly better vegetative growth (plant height, leaf area etc) and fruit yield. Clear plastic mulch significantly increased soil temperature and reduced the number of days to first flower than black plastic mulch and bare soil. However, fruit yield was higher by 39.56 and 36.49% respectively in both hybrids when they were grown on black and clear plastic mulch as compared to bare soil. Overall results indicated that the use of plastic mulch is an ideal option to maximize hot pepper productivity as well as to extend their production season in poly/plastic tunnels.
Mental Health and Work : Netherlands

Tackling mental ill-health of the working-age population is becoming a key issue for labour market and social policies in OECD countries. OECD governments increasingly recognise that policy has a major role to play in keeping people with mental ill-health in employment or bringing those outside of the labour market back to it, and in preventing mental illness. This report on the Netherlands is the seventh in a series of reports looking at how the broader education, health, social and labour market policy challenges identified in Sick on the Job? Myths and Realities about Mental Health and Work (OECD, 2012) are being tackled in a number of OECD countries.
Chemical and Pathological Evaluation of Jatropha Curcas Seed Meal Toxicity With or Without Heat and Chemical Treatment

This study aimed to identifythe suitable detoxification method used to reduce the anti nutritional factors in Egyptian Ja stropha curcas (J. curcas) seed meal. For this purpose, moist heat, 0.07% NaHCO3, 4% NaOH and 4% NaOH plus methanol extraction was used. Nutritive values of whole seed were 27% protein, 30% oil, 5% ash, 4% fiber and 28% carbohydrate. Anti nutritional factors were determined in the whole seed to be 11 mg/100g phytic acid, 19 mg/g trypsin inhibitors, 1.5 mg/100g total phenols and 3.5 g/100g total saponins and were also determined in the treated J.curcas meals. Diet was treated with 4% NaOH plus moist heat giving the best reduced percentage of anti nutritional factors especially phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and total phenols. Albino rats were used as an animal model to investigate the nutritional, biochemical and pathological alterations of the untreated and treated J. curcas meal. Wide nutritional, biochemical, cellular effects were developed in rats fed on untreated diet. Insignificant alterations were obtained in other tested groups fed on variable treated diets, especially with moist heat and 4% NaOH. This will confirm the efficiency of this detoxification method to decrease the deleterious effects induced by toxins present in untreated meals.
Dynamics of IgG in the blood serum of sheep with different selenium intake

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of supplementation of ewes with selenium in an inorganic and organic form on the level of IgG during infertility, pregnancy and lactation and in their offspring until two months of age. Control Group C ( n = 5) was without Se supplementation. Experimental groups: E1 (n = 5) was supplemented with 180 µg Na 2 SeO 3 per ewe/day, E2 (n = 5) received 180 µg Se per ewe/day organically bound in the biomass of an alga of the genus Chlorella. The average number of newborn lambs per lambing ewe was 1.0, 1.0 and 1.8 in Group C, E1 and E2, respectively. The supplementation did not influence either weight or growth of lambs. The content of IgG increased significantly in ewes in the last third of pregnancy regardless of Se supplementation while their postpartal decrease ( P < 0.01) followed only in Group C. Lambs in Group C had a significantly lower level of IgG on Day 30 ( P < 0.05) and 60 ( P < 0.01) after birth especially in comparison with Group E2. The results document a lower level of immunity in the postpartal period of lambing ewes without Se supplementation and enhancement of postnatal proteosynthesis in the offspring of lambing ewes supplemented with the organic form of Se.
Hyperhomocysteinemia as risk factor for depression: A review

Chronic nutritional deficiencies or lack of supplement such as folate, vitamin B-6, omega-3, minerals and vitamin B-12 may disturb normal one-carbon metabolism or methionine cycle, lead to hyperhomocysteinemia and associated with genetic abnormality and epigenetic alterations. It is also associated with DNA hypomethylation that can cause the cell damage and neuronal injury in the brain through the oxidative stress. Hyperhomocysteinemia is also associated with alterations of gene expression and structural change in the chromatin, involved in the pathogenesis of diseases related to homocysteine. MTHFR C677T polymorphism in these pathways can act synergistically with nutritional deficiencies increased the level of homocysteine and convert S-adenosylhomocysteine which is bulky in cell and potent product inhibition of DNA methyltransferases. However, several studies were observed hyperhomocysteinemia along with lower folate, vitamin B 12 and vitamin B6 levels in the depression when compared to controls and interventions to treat vitamin B 12 , vitamin B 6 and folate deficiencies in the depressed individuals studied here could help improve cognitive performance and decrease the level of total homocysteine. Further, studies on the biochemical status of other micronutrients in same population will help establish whether a more comprehensive intervention plan is defensible.
The Natural History Conundrum Revisited: Mammalogy Begins at Home

Abstract This commentary is the text of an oral presentation delivered at the 88th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists in Brookings, South Dakota, on 22 June 2008 to recognize receipt of the Joseph Grinnell Award for Excellence in Education in Mammalogy. Much has been written by previous recipients of the Joseph Grinnell Award about the declining interest in natural history and organismic biology in academia and in society in general. In the course of 40 years of university teaching and student advising, as well as field research with students on 5 continents, I too have witnessed this increasing abandonment of the natural world. This phenomenon seems to stem from changes in the early experiences of children and young people over the past 40 years and, thus, I would advance the premise that mammalogy and other branches of natural history begin at home. Three types of learning seem important to the developing mind. First is the time and opportunity for unstructured, unforced exploration of the local environment—time to develop from the inside out rather than merely as a shell coated with a number of intellectual veneers. Second is learning from the example and caring instruction of enthusiastic parents, teachers, and mentors. Third is the transfer of information—from personal experience, reading, teaching, and selectively from a vast array of electronic sources—once again with time for synthesis and contemplation. All 3 types of learning appear to be critical to an appreciation of the natural world. Unfortunately, these processes have been grossly distorted by the loss of outdoor experience, by parental fears and ambitions, and by a kind of electronic idolatry associated with constant entertainment, instant gratification, and virtual relationships. Such an upbringing may affect not only a child's physical and mental health, but his or her future commitment to preserving the natural world as an adult. Published studies of “nature deficit disorder” and “videophilia” now describe this phenomenon and challenge families, schools, and scientific organizations to respond in a timely way.
New Records of Kerivoula titania (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Hainan Island and Taiwan

The genus Kerivoula includes about 20 species, and 12 species have been recorded in the Indomalayan Region, including recently described species such as K. kachinensis from northern Myanmar, K. krauensis from Peninsular Malaysia, and K. titania from Southeast Asia (Corbet and Hill 1992; Bates et al. 2004, 2007; Simmons 2005; Thong et al. 2006; Francis et al. 2007). Among them, K. titania was recently described by Bates et al. (2007) from the Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area, Cambodia, and it is widely distributed in mainland Southeast Asia in 13 localities in five countries: Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam (Bates et al. 2007). Only two Kerivoula bats have been recorded from China, K. picta and K. hardwickii (Zhang 1997; Wang 2003). Recently, we collected eight specimens identified as K. titania for the first time from Hainan Island and Taiwan as reported below.
Consumo e digestibilidade aparente total dos nutrientes e ganho de peso de bovinos de corte alimentados com silagem de Brachiaria brizantha e concentrado em diferentes proporções

Avaliaram-se o consumo e as digestibilidades aparentes totais dos nutrientes e o ganho de peso de bovinos de corte recebendo dietas contendo concentrado e silagem de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu nas seguintes proporcoes: 20:80, 35:65, 50:50 e 65:35, com base na materia seca. Foram utilizados vinte e quatro animais castrados Holandes x Zebu, com peso vivo inicial medio de 364 kg, distribuidos em um delineamento em blocos casualizados. Por ocasiao da ensilagem, procedeu-se o tratamento do capim com o inoculante enzimo-bacteriano Nutroeste 50 t. Para o calculo da materia seca fecal, utilizou-se a fibra em detergente acido indigestivel (FDAI) como indicador. Os animais foram alojados em baias individuais e alimentados ad libitum. O ensaio teve duracao de 84 dias, divididos em tres periodos de 28 dias apos 15 dias de adaptacao. Os consumos medios de materia seca (MS), materia orgânica (MO), proteina bruta (PB), extrato etereo (EE) e carboidratos totais (CHO) e as digestibilidades aparentes totais de MS, MO, CHO e carboidratos nao-fibrosos (CNF) elevaram linearmente com o aumento dos niveis de concentrado nas dietas. Comportamento semelhante foi observado para o ganho de peso medio diario, estimando-se incrementos de 0,0184 kg/unidade de concentrado adicionado. Contudo, as digestibilidades aparentes de PB, EE e fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) nao foram influenciadas pelas dietas, registrando-se, respectivamente, valores medios de 77, 88 e 60%. Silagem de Brachiaria brizantha nao-emurchecida, constituindo 50% da dieta de bovinos H x Z, promoveu ganhos de peso em torno de 1,0 kg/dia.
Alternative matrices for cortisol measurement in fish.

Plasma cortisol is the most commonly used indicator of stress in fish but, as the blood sampling procedure itself can be a source of stress, it would be helpful to measure cortisol using less invasive matrices. It is also necessary to find alternative matrices as stress indicators in dead fish in which blood sampling is impossible. In the present study, we investigated transport stress in three aquaculture species, European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.), common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum), by cortisol determination (radioimmunoassay) in plasma and other matrices (skin mucus, gut content, lateral muscle and caudal fin). Cortisol significantly increased after transport in all species and matrices, except in the sea bass gut content, where it remained unchanged. The three species responded to transport stress by producing different cortisol levels. In conclusion, the significant correlation found between plasma cortisol and most of the other matrices opens up the possibility of using them to evaluate stress in fish: mucus sampling is a less invasive method than blood sampling, and in addition to muscle and fin sampling, it can be used in postmortem fish.