Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lipid and pigment composition of a chlorophyll b-deficient mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardii

Lipids and pigments of the chlorophyll b-deficient mutant pg-113 and the parent strain (ps) of Chlamydomonas were analysed and compared. Monogalactosyldiglyceride, digalactosyldiglyceride, diacylglyceryl(N, N, N-trimethyl)homoserine, sulfoquinovosyldiglyceride, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol were found as major lipid components. While the lipid patterns were qualitatively and quantitatively almost the same in the two strains, the C16/C18 fatty acid ratios were different, 0.85 in the mutant and 1.11 in the parent strain. Furthermore, the relative amounts of C16- and C18-monoene fatty acids were slightly enhanced and the C18-trienes slightly reduced in the mutant. In the parent strain, chlorophylls a and b, α- and β-carotene, lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin and loroxanthin were detected by HPLC. In the mutant, similar pigments were found, except that only traces of chlorophyll b and a reduced amount of neoxanthin were present. Since no chlorophyll-protein complex CP II could be detected in the mutant by electrophoresis, the possible interrelationships between pigment deficiency and alteration of chlorophyllprotein complexes are discussed.
Blowfly Trypocalliphora braueri (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae infestation in Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus breeding in a hybrid zone

We examined the occurrence of blowfly larvae Trypocalliphorabraueri in Swedish willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus nestlings at three nearby breeding sites in Central Sweden. The occurrence of parasites was examined in nestlings by visual inspection during ringing. Larvae were encapsulated in the wings, head, neck, or the sides of the body of the nestlings and caused large swellings. Some of the larvae had already left the site of burrowing by an opening in the skin that was visible as a dark crater surrounded by dry skin. Tissue near the encapsulated larvae was swollen and showed clear symptoms of inflammation, in some cases causing deformation of wings. We observed parasites at two of the three sites in 5 out of a total of 36 nests (14%) in two years, corresponding to 20 (9.6%) out of 208 nestlings inspected. In nests with parasites 74.1% of the chicks were infested, each containing one to five parasites. No nestlings were found dead in the nests at the date of inspection.
Breeding for growth improvement and resistance to multiple pests in Thuja plicata

Western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), a member of the Cupressaceae, is an important commercial species in British Columbia (BC) and the Pacific Northwest (PNW), which is prized for its heartwood and its performance as a naturally durable outdoor building material. Although a genetic improvement program has been ongoing for only 15 years in BC, substantial progress has been made owing in part to its unique genetic and biological properties. These include early precious flowering and short generations (Russell and Ferguson 2008), the ability to self with minimal inbreeding depression (Russell et al. 2003), and ease of vegetative propagation and clonal deployment… …As climates change and pests, known and unknown, become more abundant, breeding strategies need to adapt to better accommodate shifts in environmental stresses. Developing breeding populations that are resilient to multiple pests, as well as maintaining adaptability and growth, is imperative to ensure current and future forest health.
Scaling Vision Transformers to 22 Billion Parameters

The scaling of Transformers has driven breakthrough capabilities for language models. At present, the largest large language models (LLMs) contain upwards of 100B parameters. Vision Transformers (ViT) have introduced the same architecture to image and video modelling, but these have not yet been successfully scaled to nearly the same degree; the largest dense ViT contains 4B parameters (Chen et al., 2022). We present a recipe for highly efficient and stable training of a 22B-parameter ViT (ViT-22B) and perform a wide variety of experiments on the resulting model. When evaluated on downstream tasks (often with a lightweight linear model on frozen features), ViT-22B demonstrates increasing performance with scale. We further observe other interesting benefits of scale, including an improved tradeoff between fairness and performance, state-of-the-art alignment to human visual perception in terms of shape/texture bias, and improved robustness. ViT-22B demonstrates the potential for"LLM-like"scaling in vision, and provides key steps towards getting there.
Growth, light interception and disease in field bean (Vicia faba): the effect of late infection by Ascochyta fabae

SUMMARY Growth and light interception were measured in field beans (Vicia faba) infected by Ascochyta fabae under field conditions. Despite late infection, disease reduced the leaf area index and the dry matter production of the crop. The main effect was due to a decrease of leaf area duration, which resulted in shorter duration of growth and lower final dry weights. The reduction in seed yield was significant, representing a decrease of 15% compared with a prophylactic fungicide treatment. The data are consistent with a small reduction in light use efficiency, but the observed differences were not significant during the period of crop growth.
Antibacterial activity of different extracts from the aerial parts and roots of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl harvested at two stages of growth

Background & Aim: Nowadays, the application of traditional medicine and herbal medicinal plants instead of chemical and synthetic drugs has captured the attention of the researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of the aquatic, ethanolic and methanolic (80%) extracts of the aerial and root parts of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl which were taken from the countryside of Marand (Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran) in two generative and vegetative phases against standard strains of microorganisms. Experimental: Antimicrobial activity of the alcoholic and aquatic extracts from different parts of S. lavandulifolia was investigated against standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) through well-plate and micro-dilution methods. Ampicillin as antibacterial agent was used as positive control. Results & Discussion: Results of antimicrobial properties of S. lavandulifolia extracts revealed that the aquatic extract of the plant had no antibacterial effects. While the ethanolic and methanolic (80%) extracts showed the growth inhibition effect against standard strains of examined microorganisms. Their effect against Gram-positive bacteria was higher than Gram-negative bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract from the inflorescence of S. lavandulifolia was higher than the alcoholic extract of the roots. Recommended applications/industries: The overall results indicated the ethanolic extract of the inflorescence of Stachys lavandulifolia has the best antimicrobial effects and it can be employed in manufacturing desirable bactericidal agents.
The Developmental Basis of Worker Caste Polymorphism in Ants

Among social Hymenoptera, the evolution of the worker caste has reached its apex in the ants, in which some taxa have evolved complex physical worker caste systems. Diverse worker caste systems can be generated through regulation of three aspects of larval growth: critical size, growth parameters, and reprogramming of these factors. Even the most complex caste systems could have evolved simply by the addition of revised programs to the end of an ancestral developmental pathway for workers. Worker castes in ants provide a system in which to study the evolution of reaction norms and developmental switches. In ants, the simplest developmental switch, revision of critical size alone, does not lead to discontinuous phenotypes. Only when changes in growth rules are tied to the decision to revise critical size are distinct phenotypes produced from the alternative developmental programs. The addition of ever more physical castes may be limited by both developmental and ecological factors.
Comportamento vegetativo e produtivo da videira e composição da uva em São Joaquim, Santa Catarina

The objective of this work was to assess the vegetative and productive behavior of the grapevine varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, and the composition of grapes in Sao Joaquim, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Grapevines from a commercial vineyard, grown on vertical trellis, at 1,293-m altitude were evaluated during the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 phenological cycles. Meteorological variables, phenology, canopy development, and composition of grapes at harvest were compared between cycles. Milder temperatures influenced the phenological cycle of the grapevine varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, which is longer and starts later than in the other wine growing regions of Brazil. Rainfall significantly influenced grape maturity in the 2006/2007 cycle. Development indexes indicate the need to adjust vine canopy management for a greater balance between vegetative growth and production. The grapevine varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc show high quality of grapes at harvest, being suitable for cultivation in Sao Joaquim, Santa Catarina State, Brazil.
REVIEW: Ants as tools in sustainable agriculture

Summary With an expanding human population placing increasing pressure on the environment, agriculture needs sustainable production that can match conventional methods. Integrated pest management (IPM) is more sustainable, but not necessarily as efficient as conventional non-sustainable measures. Being predatory and organized as superorganisms, ants possess traits making them suitable agents in IPM. Recent works on weaver ants Oecophylla spp. showcase ants as highly efficient pest controllers. A synthesis shows that weaver ants can reduce pest numbers and their damage and increase yields in multiple crops. Their efficiency is comparable to chemical pesticides or higher, while at lower costs. They provide a rare example of documented efficient conservation biological control. Weaver ants share beneficial traits with almost 13 000 other ant species and are unlikely to be unique in their properties as control agents. A synthesis of applied work on other ant species illustrates potentials for control of arthropod pests, weeds and plant diseases in orchards, forestry and arable crops. Synthesis and applications. By showing that ant biocontrol can match synthetic pesticides in a wide setting of agricultural systems, this review emphasizes the potential of managing ants to achieve sustainable pest management solutions. The synthesis suggests future directions and may catalyse a research agenda on the utilization of ants, not only against arthropod pests, but also against weeds and plant diseases. Lastly, it may stimulate implementation of already proven ant-based integrated pest management techniques.
First record of Celleporaria brunnea (Bryozoa: Lepraliellidae) in Portugal and in the East Atlantic

Bryozoans are common fouling species present on ships and artificial substrates. A number of projects reporting the presence of bryozoans in Portugal have been carried out in recent years. As part of a field survey to examine and quantify the non-indigenous marine fouling species in several marinas in Portugal, we detected the bryozoan Celleporaria brunnea for the first time. The native range of C. brunnea seems to extend from British Columbia to the Galapagos, Ecuador. Our discovery indicates that this is the first record of C. brunnea across the East Atlantic and the first record of a species in this genus in the north-eastern Atlantic. The fouling nature of Celleporaria brunnea may have facilitated its spread to the western Pacific, the Mediterranean and now the eastern Atlantic from the Americas.
Salicylic Acid Can Induce Resistance to Plant Virus Movement

Salicylic acid (SA) treatment has recently been reported to inhibit replication of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in inoculated tissue. Furthermore, resistance is induced via a novel defensive signal transduction pathway sensitive to inhibition by salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM; S. Chivasa, A. M. Murphy, M. Naylor, and J. P. Carr, Plant Cell 9: 547–557, 1997). The goals of this study were to determine if replication of viruses other than TMV could be inhibited by SA and, if so, whether the resistance to other viruses could also be prevented by SHAM. Potato virus X (PVX) RNA accumulation in inoculated tobacco leaf tissue was reduced by SA treatment and resistance was dependent on the SHAM-sensitive signaling pathway. However, although symptoms of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection were delayed in SA-treated tobacco plants, this was not due to inhibition of replication but rather to inhibition of systemic movement of the virus. 14CO2-feeding experiments indicated that SA-induced interference with long-distance.
Evolutionary aspects of fish distribution: genetic variability and adaptation

Many species of freshwater and anadromous fish are fragmented into local populations, some of which display adaptive traits that enhance survival and reproduction in particular environments. This paper focuses on the genetic component of response to heterogeneous environments, with emphasis on how the levels and distribution of genetic diversity may influence the distribution of conspecific populations. It addresses three aspects of genetic variability and adaptation: (1) the significance of genetic variability in relation to adaptation; (2) the adaptive significance of population differentiation; (3) the effects of stocking on local adaptation. In addition to considering local adaptation in salmonids, especially in relation to the genetic consequences of stocking, examples are chosen across fish taxa, with emphasis on recent studies in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. The significance of within-population genotypic variance in fitness traits, genetic load and outbreeding depression is discussed in relation to adaptation. Evidence for local adaptation is drawn from molecular investigations, genotypic selection experiments, and integrated breeding and field studies. The fragility and uniqueness of locally adapted gene pools is emphasized. Threats arise from direct interactions between native and introduced fish through stocking and escapees of cultured fish. Conservation of genetic resources must not only include practices that maximize levels of genetic diversity, but also measures to preserve the associated genotypic variance in ecologically-significant traits. The integration of descriptive population genetic studies with empirical demonstrations of adaptive traits is encouraged.
Avaliação de cinco algoritmos de árvores de decisão e três tipos de modelos digitais de elevação para mapeamento digital de solos a nível semidetalhado na Bacia do Lageado Grande, RS, Brasil

O mapeamento digital de solos (MDS) tem como base a geracao de sistemas de informacoes que permitem estabelecer relacoes matematicas entre variaveis ambientais e solos e, dessa forma, predizer a distribuicao espacial das classes ou propriedades dos solos. Dentre as abordagens mais utilizadas, as arvores de decisao tem se destacado por apresentar bons resultados no MDS. Por outro lado, dada a disponibilidade de novas fontes de informacao sobre a elevacao, torna-se necessario o teste e avaliacao de modelos digitais de elevacao (MDE) quanto ao seu uso para o MDS. Este estudo testa cinco algoritmos de arvores de decisao (Simple Chart, Random Tree, REP Tree, BF Tree e J48) e tres MDE (Aster GDEM, SRTM e SRTM V3) para o MDS a nivel semidetalhado, em situacoes em que o principal fator diferenciador entre os tipos de solo e o relevo. O uso do MDE Aster GDEM e arvore de decisao com algoritmo J48, Simple Tree e BF Tree foram os que produziram modelos de arvore de decisao capazes de produzir mapas de solo com maior similaridade ao mapa de referencia.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism, with emphasis on applications for finfish aquaculture research

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a freshwater teleost of the family Cyprinidae that is established as a model organism in many research fields. Here, we define the characteristics that a fish species should have to serve as a model for finfish aquaculture research and argue that the zebrafish fulfils essentially most of them. We first describe several aspects of the biology of the zebrafish including phylogenetic relationships, development and growth and reproduction, both in the wild and under laboratory conditions. Next, we review the work already carried out in zebrafish that is related to different aspects of aquaculture research (reproduction, stress, pathology, toxicology nutrition and growth). We assess critically the areas in which zebrafish still offers further potential as a model organism for aquaculture, which include, but are not limited to, development, immunology, genomics and reproduction. In other areas, however, limitations must be borne in mind and caution must be taken when extrapolating results. This is, for example, the case of some growth studies. Finally, we provide information on resources for research with zebrafish. Current general limitations of work with zebrafish come from the fact that in contrast to other laboratory animal models such as rodents, strict breeding protocols are generally not adopted. Nevertheless, as there is no major obstacle to overcome these limitations and due to its intrinsic advantages, we conclude that the zebrafish is likely to play an increasing role as a model organism in many areas of research for finfish aquaculture.
Fine structure of triactinomyxon early stages and sporogony myxosporean and actinosporean features compared

The first ultrastructural study of the actinosporean genus Triactinomyxon was carried out on Triactinomyxon legeri from the intestinal epithelium of Tubifex tubifex. The developmental cycle starts with bi- and uninucleate cells. We propose that these cells may be an early proliferative phase of the cycle and may unite to give rise to the four-cell stage, initiating pansporoblast formation. Valvogenic cells transform in the long stylus and anchor-like projections of the spore. In the capsulogenic cells, the primordium of the polar capsules originates as a simple, dense, club-shaped structure not observed in other actinosporeans. In all other respects, actinosporean ultrastructure follows more or less similar patterns. Comparison of actinosporean and myxosporean species gives evidence of considerable structural similarity, exemplified in both classes by the occurrence of cell junctions in their multicellular spores, identical polar capsules and their morphogenesis, cell-in-cell condition, pansporoblast formation, and presence of dense bodies (sporoplasmosomes) primarily in the sporoplasm. This unity of patterns speaks in favor of the postulated actinosporean-myxosporean transformation, which warrants further study.
Production of fermentable media from vine-trimming wastes and bioconversion into lactic acid by Lactobacillus pentosus

Trimmings of vineshoots, an agricultural waste with little use, were hydrolysed with dilute sulphuric acid (1–5%) in order to obtain sugar solutions suitable as fermentation media. The operational conditions for hydrolysis were selected on the basis of both the generation of hemicellulosic sugars (mainly xylose) and glucose and the concentrations of reaction byproducts affecting fermentation (furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural and acetic acid). Hemicellulosic hydrolysates were supplemented with nutrients and fermented with Lactobacillus pentosus, without any previous detoxification stage, to produce lactic acid. Under the best operational conditions assayed (3% H2SO4 and 15 min), 21.8 g lactic acid l−1 was produced (QP = 0.844 g l−1 h−1, YP/S = 0.77 g g−1), which represents a theoretical yield of 99.6%. Acetic acid was the primary byproduct formed from xylose, at about 25% of the lactic acid level. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Multiple Environmental Controls on Cockroach Assemblage Structure in a Tropical Rain Forest

Arthropod abundance and diversity are remarkable in tropical forests, but are also spatially patchy. This has been attributed either to resources, predators, abiotic conditions or disturbances, but whether such factors may simultaneously shape arthropod assemblage structure is little known. We used cockroaches to test for multiple environmental controls on assemblage structure in 25 km2 of Amazonian forest. We performed nocturnal, direct searches for cockroaches in 30 plots (250 m × 2 m) during two seasons, and gathered data on biotic and abiotic factors from previous studies. Cockroach abundance increased with dry litter mass, a measure of resource amount, while species richness increased with litter phosphorus content, a measure of resource availability. Cockroach abundance and species richness decreased with ant relative abundance. Cockroach species composition changed along the gradient of: (1) soil clay content, which correlates with a broad differentiation between flood‐prone and non‐flooded forest; (2) soil relative moisture, consistent with known interspecific variation in desiccation tolerance; and (3) according to the abundance of ants, a potential predator. Turnover in species composition was correlated with abiotic conditions—sorting species according to physiological requirements and to disturbance‐related life history traits—and to ants' selective pressure. Cockroach abundance, diversity, and composition seem to be controlled by distinct sets of environmental factors, but predators which were represented by ants, emerged as a common factor underlying cockroach distribution. Such patterns of community structure may have been previously overlooked by undue focus on single or a few factors, and may be common to tropical forest arthropods.
Unidirectional electron-phonon coupling as a"fingerprint'' of the nematic state in a kagome superconductor

Electronic nematicity has been commonly observed in juxtaposition with unconventional superconductivity. Understanding the nature of the nematic state, as well as its consequence on the electronic band structure and superconductivity, has become a pivotal focus in condensed matter physics. Here we use spectroscopic imaging-scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize how the interacting quasiparticles organize themselves in the nematic state of kagome superconductor CsV$_{3-x}$Ti$_x$Sb$_5$, in which twofold symmetric (C$_2$) quasiparticle scattering interference of the vanadium kagome bands emerges below the bulk nematic transition temperature (T$_{nem}$). Surprisingly, we find that the coupling to collective modes, i.e., the phonon, dramatically alters the electrons self-energy and renormalizes the Fermi velocity of the in-plane vanadium d$_{xy/x^2-y^2}$ bands only along the C$_2$ direction, making the low-energy dispersion and electron dynamics highly nonequivalent along the three lattice directions. The anti-correlation between T$_{nem}$ and the superconducting transition temperature upon Ti substitution further suggests a possible competition between superconductivity and electron nematicity in this series, with a principal superconducting gap opening on the same V bands once the nematic state is totally suppressed. The organizing principle of these quasiparticles provides essential information for understanding the interplay between charge density wave and superconductivity in these kagome superconductors, and also reveals a previously unexplored form that expands the landscape for modelling electronic nematicity in systems where electron correlations and lattice degree of freedom act in concert.