Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Iterative germination and innovative techniques for the production and inoculation of secondary conidia of sorghum ergot (Claviceps africana)

Abstract Five methods of harvesting pure secondary conidia were attempted, but only one was successful. The only successful method involved moving air across the surface of water agar plates or moist soil on which secondary sporulation was occurring at 0.2 – 3 m/s. Among the inoculation techniques, brushing the secondary conidia on to the wet stigma gave maximum ergot infection (80%) followed by brushing the secondary conidia on to the dry stigma (77%). Conidia of Claviceps africana produced up to seven generations of sibling conidia. The length and width of secondary conidia showed a reduction in size from 10.92 – 10.13 µm and 5.49 – 5.13 µm, respectively, across generations. However no definite trend in decline in size of secondary conidia was evident. The optimum temperature range for germination of secondary conidia of Australian isolates of C. africana is between 14.6 and 20°C.
Morphology and stomatogenesis of Pseudocohnilembus hargisi (Ciliophora: Scuticociliatida)

The morphology and stomatogenesis of the marine scuticociliate Pseudocohnilembus hargisi collected from a shrimp culturing pond in Qingdao, China, were studied using pyridinated silver carbonate and Chatton–Lwoff silver impregnation techniques. The result shows that the Qingdao population of this species possesses typical characteristics of the genus Pseudocohnilembus: the buccal apparatus consists of three highly specialized membranelles; membranelle 1 comprises a single row of kinetosomes, is parallel to membranelle 2, and lies anterior to the paroral membrane; membranelle 2 is longer than membranelle 1 and also comprises one row of kinetosomes; membranelle 3 is located near the middle of the paroral membrane and comprises three rows of kinetosomes. The silverline system is similar to that of P. persalinus. During stomatogenesis, the parental scutica proliferates and becomes the primordial field. This subsequently develops in two separate parts, the anterior part eventually disappears while the posterior part forms membranelle 3 of the opisthe. The secondary proliferated field, which derives from the zigzag configuration of parental paroral membrane, also develops in two parts, with the anterior becoming the paroral membrane and scutica of the opisthe and the posterior part developing into membranelles 1 and 2 of the opisthe. The remnants of the parental paroral membrane give rise to the paroral membrane and scutica of the proter.
Preliminary report on hepatic and cardiovascular risk assessment of automobile mechanics in Nigeria

Automechanics are among the job professionals in proximity to diesel and gasoline exhaust whose components are known to be toxic. This raises serious public health concern. This study is a population-based-cross-sectional survey, set up to investigate the risk of cardiovascular and hepatic injury incurred by people engaged in work as mechanics. For information on the year of experience, socio demography, nutrition and lifestyle, structured questionnaires were administered. Ninety-one out of 186 mechanics drawn from 671 mechanic workshops along with 91 control subjects were analyzed. Venous blood was taken for determination of concentrations of lipids, transaminases and alkaline phosphatase activity. The body mass index, coronary and artherogenic risk index and blood pressure were also determined. Student’s t-test for unpaired samples was used to analyze all data. As such, Pvalues of <0.05 were accepted as significant. The mechanics’ total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, were not different from that of the control subjects. The triglyceride level, artherogenic and coronary risk index of the mechanics was higher than that of the control subjects. However, the enzymes’ activity was not different for the mechanics and the control subjects, and the blood pressure of the mechanics was also not different from that of the control subjects. Our result does not suggest a greater risk of hepatic and cardiovascular diseases in the mechanics, but the observed increase in artherogenic and coronary risk index is, however, of interest. Key words : Occupational risk, mechanics, lipid profile, cardiovascular disease, liver dysfunction, benzene.
Safe and sustainable management of legume pests and diseases in Thailand and Vietnam: a situational analysis

Vegetable legumes are important crops in tropical agriculture, but they are susceptible to a substantial number of arthropod pests and diseases. Using farm-level survey data for 240 farm households growing yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) in Thailand and Vietnam, this study shows that the farmers’ main problem is the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata). Farmers rely exclusively on the use of synthetic pesticides to manage this pest, and no other control methods are generally applied. Small cultivated areas for growing yard-long bean (particularly in Vietnam), a high level of satisfaction with the use of pesticides and a lack of market demand for pesticide-free produce are formidable challenges to the introduction of integrated pest management (IPM). It is important to ensure that IPM methods, if adopted, do not reduce profits and that farmers are allowed to experiment with these methods while raising awareness in the general population about the risk resulting from pesticide exposure.
A taxonomic revision of the Pleistocene Hystrix (Hystricidae, Rodentia) from Eurasia with notes on the evolution of the family

Measurements of many hundreds of the high-crowned cheek teeth of Hystrix specimens from the Euro-Asiatic Pleistocene in the collections of European and Asiatic institutions have been compared with extant species for a revision of the genus. A review is given about the extant genera and species of the family. The number of recognisable Euro-Asiatic species in the fossil record is reduced from eight to five. The European H. (A.) vinogradovi Argyropulo, 1941 is here considered to be a synonym of H. (A.) brachyura Linnaeus, 1758, and the three Asiatic species H. (H.) crassidens Lydekker, 1886, H. (H.) gigantea Van Weers, 1985 and H. (H.) magna Pei, 1987 are synonymized with H. (H.) refossa Gervais, 1852. Most of the Chinese fossil specimens are properly allocated to H. (H.) kiangsenensis Wang, 1931 instead of ‘H. subcristata’, and a neotype is indicated for this species. The distribution of the Indonesian Hystrix species is the result of several migration waves into Sundaland, and is not considered to be the result of ‘in situ’ evolution. Comparison of the Miocene material from the Siwaliks in India, described as Sivacanthion complicatus Colbert 1933, with extant and Pleistocene Atherurus results in allocation of this species to Atherurus karnuliensis Lydekker, 1886.
USE OF CONCENTRATED MACRONUTRIENT SOLUTIONS TO SEPARATE OSMOTIC FROM NACL-SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON PLANT-GROWTH

The aim was to distinguish between osmotic and ion-specific effects of NaCl on plant growth and ion uptake by comparing plants grown in isosmotic solutions with and without NaCI. Preliminary experiments showed that polyethylene glycol 4000 and mannitol were unsuitable for even very-short-term studies because they caused immediate reductions in leaf elongation rate when plants were transferred from NaCl to isosmotic solutions of these compounds. However, concentrated solutions of macronutrients (modified Hoagland's nutrients) did not change the elongation rate. Barley, wheat, Egyptian clover and white clover were grown in NaCl and concentrated macronutrient solutions of matching osmotic pressures. After 14 days, plants grown in concentrated macronutrients were smaller than controls (plants in normal strength nutrient solution) but had similar root : shoot ratios. NaCl-grown plants were less than half the size of plants in concentrated macronutrients, and had higher root : shoot ratios. NaCl-induced phosphate uptake did not cause this additional reduction in shoot growth. For barley, net transport of K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and total nitrogen from the roots (per g root dry wt) was lower in NaCl-grown plants than in controls, but uptake by the shoot (per g shoot dry wt) of these minerals was similar. By contrast, both transport and uptake of these minerals in concentrated macronutrient-grown plants resembled control plants. NaCl-grown barley and wheat plants had higher osmotic pressures in both growing and mature tissue than did controls and macronutrient-grown plants, but a lower rate of uptake of solutes generating this osmotic pressure. We raise the possibility that growth in NaCl may be limited by a reduced rate of transport of an essential nutrient to the shoot.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation of Peanut in Low-Fertile Tropical Soil. II. Alleviation of Drought Stress

ABSTRACT The effect of drought stress and inoculation with an indigenous Mozambican and a commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculant on root colonization and plant growth and yield was studied in two peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars—a traditional, low-yielding Mozambican landrace (Local) and a modern, high-yielding cultivar (Falcon)—grown in a non-sterile Mozambican soil. In these cultivars, AM mycorrhizal colonization was not substantially reduced by drought stress. Growth and yield of inoculated plants subjected to drought stress were increased in comparison with non-inoculated ones. The indigenous Mozambique inoculant significantly increased leaf and root growth in both cultivars under drought stress by preventing an increase in root weight ratio (RWR) and maximum root-length to leaf-area ratio (MRLAR). The commercial Hannover inoculant had a positive effect on growth only under well-watered conditions, this result was due most likely to a lesser ability to adapt to drought conditions to which the AM fungal strains in Mozambique inoculant are frequently exposed. Such drought-stress effects on growth could be alleviated by inoculation with Mozambique inoculant, particularly because of its ability to decrease sensitivity of the host plant to reduction in leaf expansion. Therefore, an adequate management of the AM symbiosis may improve peanut productivity, particularly under drought stress and in small-scale farming systems.
A study of feral carp, Cyprinus carpio L., exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa at Lake Mokoan, Australia, and possible implications for fish health

Feral carp, Cyprinus carpio L. , were collected at bimonthly intervals for 12 months from Lake Wellington, where there was no evidence of significant growth of Microcystis aeruginosa. Various blood parameters of these carp were measured to ascertain the normal range values for feral carp in this region. A similar study was conducted at Lake Mokoan, where M. aeruginosa formed a visible scum that contained detectable levels of microcystins for 4 consecutive months. Carp were taken from Lake Mokoan each month, and the histology and blood biochemistry of the fish were examined for indications of microcystin toxicity. During February, March and April, 66% of the carp from Lake Mokoan had livers with widespread hepatocyte atrophy, and 37% of the fish had gills with pinpoint necrosis, epithelial ballooning, folded lamellar tips and exfoliation of the lamellar epithelium. Compared to carp from Lake Wellington, the serum aspartate aminotransferase activity and the serum bilirubin concentrations of carp from Lake Mokoan were elevated during January, February, March and April. The data were consistent with impaired hepatocyte function in some carp from Lake Mokoan. Serum sodium and chloride concentrations in carp from Lake Mokoan were lower than those for carp at Lake Wellington from December to April, indicating that most carp from Lake Mokoan had difficulty maintaining cation-anion homeostasis during this period. Nevertheless, carp at Lake Mokoan always appeared healthy, and no mortalities were reported.
Stability parameters in macaroni wheat

The stability parameters for six traits related to quality and productivity performed in a 11-parent diallel mating techniques of macaroni wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) are reported. The genotypes interacted significantly with environment for all the characters. Nonlinear components revealed highly significant difference for reproductive phase, seed hardness, protein content, and gluten content. The parent varieties Jori ‘c’ 69 and Raj 911 appeared to be more adapted as they exhibited nonsignificant deviation from regression, regression coefficient less than unity, and high grain yield. Jori ‘c’ 69 also showed adaptation for gluten content. Twenty cross combinations in F1 generation exhibited better stability for higher grain yield in comparison to their parental performances. The hybrids Meghdoot X WL1002 and NP 404 x DWL 5023 were stable for seed hardness, protein and gluten content.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAYFIELD NEST-SURVIVAL ESTIMATES AND SEASONAL FECUNDITY: A CAUTIONARY NOTE

Abstract Estimates of nest survival are commonly used as indices of reproductive productivity in a wide range of studies, including examinations of population dynamics, habitat fragmentation, and wildlife management. However, the strength of the relationship between estimates of nest survival and of seasonal fecundity has rarely been tested. To examine that relationship, we used 16 years of demographic data from an intensively studied population of individually marked Black-throated Blue Warblers (Dendroica caerulescens). We found a positive relationship between Mayfield nest-survival estimates and seasonal fecundity (i.e. number of fledglings produced per female). However, seasonal-fecundity predictions based on nestsurvival values underestimated observed seasonal fecundity by an average of 33% and population growth rate by 20%. Our results suggest that, though nest-survival estimates may be useful as indices of pressures on a population (e.g. nest predation), care is needed in using them as the basis of conservation or management strategies or to make inferences about population-level processes. Relación entre las Estimaciones de Supervivencia de Nidos de Mayfield y la Fecundidad Estacional: una Nota de Cautela
Composição centesimal e teor de nitrato em cinco cultivares de alface produzidas sob cultivo hidropônico

The nutrition quality of five different lettuce cultivars (Mimosa Verde, Mimosa Vermelha, Vera, Regina and Lucy Brown) produced under NFT (Laminar Flow of Solution) system was determined by their centesimal composition and nitrate content. To analyze the experimental treatments it was used a completely randomized design with four replications. The experiment was developed in a greenhouse belonging to the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, from May to July of 2004 (autumn-winter period). The lettuces were grown in a group of benches (3% declivity) with seven canals (6.0 m length and 1.50 m width) where the nutritional solution would circulate. The space used was 0.25 m between canals and 0.25 m between plants in the canal, thus in each canal 24 plants had been lodged, totalizing 168 per bench. The circulation of the nutritional solution was controlled by a timer, which set in motion the joint motion-bomb in intervals preset in a turn 24-hour. The harvest was effected 54 days after the sowing, having remained per 24 days in the production group of benches. The American type of lettuce 'Lucy Brown', also presented a greater water content in its shoot as well as nitrate content than the others. Mimosa Vermelha and Mimosa Verde cultivars had on average, greater dry mass content theirs of shoots, as well as lipids, protein and caloric value than the others. 'Mimosa Vermelha' presented greater carbohydrates content and 'Mimosa Verde' the greater mineral residue content, but not differing from Regina cultivar. The biggest fiber content was presented by 'Regina'.
Daily Activity Patterns of Female Black Bears in a Northern Mixed-Forest Environment

Activity patterns of 15 female black bears ( Ursus americanus ) were studied using motion-sensitive radiotransmitters during late summer and autumn of 1990 and 1991 in La Mauricie National Park, Quebec. Female black bears primarily were diurnal during this period, and no difference in activity patterns was detected between solitary females and females with young. Onset of activity followed sunrise by an average of 30 min, and cessation occurred on average 141 min after sunset. Activity and resting periods averaged 245 and 57 min, respectively. The proportion of active bears was highest during the ripening time of berries ( Rubus idaeus , Vaccinium myrtilloides , and Prunus virginiand ) in late August and of beechnuts ( Fagus grandifolid ) in early October. Bears denned earlier in 1991 than in 1990, probably because of the poor beechnut crop.
Isolation of Salmonella spp. from poultry (ostrich, pigeon, and chicken) and detection of their hilA gene by PCR method.

Salmonella serovars are one of the primary food-borne pathogens that cause infections in both animals and humans. The hyperinvasive locus A (hilA) gene has an important role in Salmonella pathogenicity. This gene encodes an ompR/ToxR transcriptional regulator that activates the expression of invasion gene and facilitates the entry of the bacteria into intestinal epithelial cells. Our goal of this research was to isolate Salmonella from poultry and detect their hilA gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. For this purpose 520 samples were obtained from ostrich, pigeon and chicken in poultry farms of East Azarbayjan province which is located in northwest of Iran. Samples were tested by bacteriological and serological tests. PCR was applied with one pair of primers targeting the Salmonella hilA gene. According to the results of bacteriological tests 45 Salmonella strains were found among 520 of total samples. The prevalence of Salmonella in ostrich, pigeon and chicken were determined as 6.66, 15.55, and 7.25%, respectively. Salmonella isolates represented four different serogroups (D1.B.C1, and C2) which Salmonella serogroup D1 was the most dominant serogroup. The PCR of the hilA gene produced a band of 854 bp with all the Salmonella isolates. This research indicated the relatively high prevalence of Salmonella spp in pigeon compare with ostrich and chicken and suggested that the hilA gene could be present in different Salmonella strains from different hosts in poultry.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Coactivator-1 Gene Locus Associations With Obesity Indices in Middle-Aged Women

Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 (PPARGC1) is a transcriptional coactivator that has been implicated in the regulation of genes involved in energy metabolism. We studied associations of two polymorphisms identified in PPARGC1 transcripts with obesity indices in 591 middle-aged men and 467 middle-aged women of a cross-sectional Austrian population. Because neither polymorphic site was likely to be a functional site, we analyzed sex-specific associations of two loci haplotype combinations with obesity indices. Significant associations with BMI ( P = 0.006), waist ( P = 0.01) and hip circumference ( P = 0.03), and total body fat ( P = 0.005) and borderline significant associations with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat were observed in women but not men. In women, plasma triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and glucose significantly differed by haplotype combinations, but these associations were not maintained after statistical consideration of BMI. The haplotype combination of the double-variant allele with the double–wild-type allele was associated with the lowest obesity indices, whereas homozygosity for the double-variant allele was not discriminatory among haplotype combinations. These studies suggest functional differences of PPARGC1 haplotypes in human energy metabolism and support a role of PPARGC1 in obesity.
HABITAT USE BY THE BICKNELL'S THRUSH IN THE ESTRIE REGION, QUEBEC

Abstract Concern has been raised that the viability of Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) populations is precarious due, in part, to threats to its breeding habitat. Qualitative descriptions of habitat use have suggested that the species breeds primarily in dense, high elevation forests of northeastern North America. However, there is little quantitative information on habitat use patterns, which impedes formulation of effective conservation plans. To address this knowledge gap, we characterized the habitat of 42 sites occupied by Bicknell's Thrushes and 19 unoccupied sites on two mountains in the Estrie region, Quebec. Occupied sites were dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea) growing at high density, whereas unoccupied sites had a larger component of hardwoods at lower density. We found significant differences in vegetation composition and habitat structure between occupied and unoccupied sites for each mountain separately, and the two combined, though the particular variables distinguishing the two site types varied between the two mountains likely because of differences in management history. Our results show that the structure of occupied habitats may differ among sites even within a single region. However, it was evident that dense balsam fir-dominated habitats were used selectively by Bicknell's Thrushes at both study sites, and that the maintenance of such habitats should be a conservation priority in the Estrie region.
Community structure of zooplankton in eastern Hudson Bay

Twenty-five zooplankton stations in eastern Hudson Bay were grouped into four geographical regions on the basis of salinity and temperature. One region, of high salinity and low temperature in deep water, showed a preponderance of arctic zooplankton. The second, with moderate salinity, low temperature, and shallow depths, supported mainly meroplanktonic larvae. The third, less saline and warmer in the upper levels, supported a euryhaline fauna, and the shallower fourth region sustained a fauna with still wider salinity tolerance. Strong pycnocline development supported a near-surface euryhaline fauna below which the arctic faunal element was concentrated in deeper water. Less stratified water, where pycnocline development was slight or absent, inhibited establishment of a euryhaline fauna and permitted a greater near-surface presence of the arctic zooplankton. The major zoogeographic element in eastern Hudson Bay, and probably in most of the bay, is arctic, reflecting the continuity of this area with the .
Potential roles for inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism in prevention and treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths between the ages of 40 and 50 years in industrialized nations. The essential fatty acid arachidonic acid is suggested to play an important role in the development of various cancers, including breast cancer. Arachidonic acid can be metabolized by COXs and lipoxygenases resulting in the production of bioactive lipids, known to play a role in tumor development. In this review, we aim to provide a brief summary of our understanding of the roles of these enzymes in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression and the use of COX and lipoxygenase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment and/or prevention.