Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping callosal morphology and cognitive correlates: Effects of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

BackgroundAbnormalities of the corpus callosum (CC) have been documented in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), ranging from subtle decrements in its size to partial and even complete agenesis. Prenatal exposure to alcohol is also known to result in neurocognitive deficits. ObjectiveTo 1) investigate abnormalities in size, shape, and location of the CC within the brain in individuals with FAS and in those exposed to high amounts of alcohol prenatally but without FAS (PEA group); and 2) determine if there is a relationship between callosal dysmorphology and cognitive test performance. MethodsMRI and novel surface-based image analytic methods were used. Twenty alcohol-exposed subjects (8 to 22 years) along with 21 normal controls (8 to 25 years) were studied with high-resolution MRI and measures of verbal learning and visuospatial abilities. ResultsIn addition to callosal area reductions, most severe in the splenium, the CC is significantly displaced in patients exposed to alcohol prenatally. In the alcohol-exposed group, this structure lies more anterior and inferior in posterior regions with relatively normal localization of anterior regions. These findings are significant in the FAS group, and a similar but less severe pattern is observed in the PEA patients. The authors show that the amount of CC displacement is correlated with impairment in verbal learning ability and that CC displacement is a better predictor of verbal learning than regional CC area. The brain–behavior relationship is only significant within the alcohol-exposed group, and the effect is not solely mediated by overall impaired verbal intellectual functioning. ConclusionsThese results further emphasize the vulnerability of midline brain structures to prenatal alcohol exposure.
WEED SCIENCE Glufosinate Antagonizes Postemergence Graminicides Applied to Annual Grasses and Johnsongrass

Glufosinate controls a broad spectrum of weeds in glufosinate-resistant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Control of grassy weeds, however, can sometimes be inadequate, especially when grasses are large or growing under dry conditions. In situations where less than adequate control of grasses by glufosinate alone is anticipated, growers may consider mixing a postemergence graminicide with glufosinate. Most herbicides mixed with graminicides antagonize grass control. Research was conducted in North Carolina to determine the potential for antagonism with mixtures of glufosinate and four postemergence graminicides and to determine if antagonism could be alleviated by increasing the rate of graminicide in mixtures, by adding ammonium sulfate to mixtures, or by applying glufosinate and graminicides sequentially. Antagonism was noted on johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. ] and on mixtures of annual grasses, broadleaf signalgrass [Brachiaria platyphylla (Griseb.) Nash], fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.), goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. ], and large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. ], when glufosinate was mixed with clethodim, fluazifop-P, quizalofop-P, or sethoxydim. Antago nism was not alleviated by increasing the graminicide rate in the mixture by 50% or by including ammonium sulfate in the mixture. Antagonism was not observed when graminicides were applied 3 or more days before glufosinate or 5 or more days after glufosinate.
Climatic effects and phenological mismatch in cuckoo–host interactions: a role for host phenotypic plasticity in laying date?

Climatic effects on breeding phenology vary across organisms and therefore might promote a phenological mismatch in ecologically interacting species, including those engaged in coevolutionary interactions such as brood parasites and their hosts. Recent studies suggest that climatic induced changes in migration phenology may have mismatched cuckoos and their hosts in Europe. However, it is currently unknown whether cuckoo–host phenological mismatch results from different degrees of phenotypic plasticity or to different speeds of microevolutionary processes affecting hosts and parasites. Here we performed 1) cross-sectional correlations between climate conditions and population level of phenological mismatch between the migratory brood parasite great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius and its main resident host in Europe, the magpie Pica pica; and 2) a longitudinal analysis to study within-individual variation in breeding phenology for individual hosts experiencing different climate conditions over a period of nine years (2005–2013). Cross-sectional analyses revealed independent and contrary effects of winter and spring temperature on magpie phenology: magpie hosts tend to breed earlier those years with lower February temperatures, however, high temperature in the first half of April spur individuals to lay eggs. Breeding phenology of cuckoos was tuned to that of their magpie host in time and duration. However, annual phenological mismatch between cuckoos and magpie hosts increased with NAO index and January temperature. Longitudinal analyses revealed high individual consistency in magpie host phenology, but a low influence of climate, suggesting that the climatic-driven phenological mismatch between cuckoos and magpies at the population-level cannot be explained by a host plastic response to climatic conditions.
Paired comparisons of carbon exchange between undisturbed and regenerating stands in four managed forests in Europe

The effects of harvest on European forest net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon and its photosynthetic and respiratory components (GPP (gross primary production) and TER (total ecosystem respiration)) were examined by comparing four pairs of mature/harvested sites in Europe via a combination of eddy covariance measurements and empirical modeling. Three of the comparisons represented high coniferous forestry (spruce in Britain, and pines in Finland and France), while a coppice‐with‐standard oak plantation was examined in Italy.
Culture in vitro des bourgeons axillaires de chêne-liège (Quercus suber L.). II: Influence des régulateurs de croissance sur la multiplication et l'enracinement

L'influence de cytokinines et du thidiazuron, compose a activite cytokinine, seuls ou combines a l'AG 3 ou a des auxines a ete etudiee sur la multiplication des bourgeons axillaires du Chene-liege.De meme, differentes auxines ont ete testees sur l'enracinement des pousses feuillees. Dans le milieu de culture WPM, additionne des microelements et du melange vitaminique MS, la BA a 2,2 μM combinee a 1,44 μM d'AG 3 favorise la multiplication. En revanche, la BA associee a d'autres regulateurs de croissance ne permet pas une amelioration du taux de multiplication. La rhizogenese est importante en presence d'AIB. Les plantes enracinees en tube sont acclimatees en pot sur substrat horticole a une humidite relative elevee.
Larviculture of two neotropical species with different distributions in the water column in light- and dark-colored tanks

The influence of tank color on the visual perception of fish larvae and the success of their cultivation depends on the characteristics of each species combined with environmental factors. In this study, we determined the effect of light and dark tank colors on the larviculture of pacama (Lophiosilurusalexandri), a species with a benthonic habit, and curimata-pioa (Prochilodus costatus), which swims actively in the water column. Larvae of pacama and curimata-pioa were cultivated for 10 days in 5-L tanks, at a density of 15 larvae L-1 and luminosity of 141.7 ± 8.95 lux, and fed Artemia nauplii. Four tank colors were used: green, light blue, brown, and black (with four replications). Survival, biomass and Fulton's condition factor for pacama larvae were similar in the different colored tanks. However, the larvae in the green tanks showed lower weight than those cultivated in black and brown tanks, as well as shorter total length than that of larvae in the brown-colored tanks. These results are probably due to the association between tank color and benthonic habitat of the pacama. For the curimata-pioa, survival and biomass were similar for the different colors. The weight and Fulton's condition factor were higher for the larvae cultivated in green and blue tanks. This result could be associated with the adaptation of curimata-pioa larvae to active swimming in the water column, searching for prey.
Quantitative and molecular genetic influences on properties of beef: a review

The scientific literature is reviewed to identify quantitative and molecular genetic influences on quantity and quality of beef. Genetic variation between breeds is of similar magnitude to genetic variation within breeds for many economically important traits. Differences between breeds are significant and large for most carcass and beef quality attributes, including beef tenderness, although differences for sensory juiciness and flavour are of little practical importance. For traits such as beef tenderness, between-breed differences may be more easily exploited than within-breed differences, because exceptional breeds are easier to identify than exceptional animals. Effects of heterosis on carcass and beef quality attributes are relatively small (3% or less), with most effects mediated through heterotic effects on weight. Carcass composition traits (e.g. carcass weight, fat thickness and marbling) are moderately to highly heritable. Most estimates of retail beef yield percentage are highly heritable, offering good potential for within-breed selection for the trait, although a moderate to strong antagonistic relationship exists between yield and marbling. This relationship needs to be considered in within-breed selection programs for yield percentage. Early estimates of heritability of objective measures of beef tenderness (Warner Bratzler shear force values) indicated tenderness was moderately to highly heritable. Recent estimates using larger numbers of carcasses and more discriminatory methods of analysis indicate that beef tenderness is lowly heritable in Bos taurus breeds and moderately heritable inBos indicus and Bos indicus-derived breeds. Within breeds, measures of 24-h calpastatin activity are genetically strongly correlated with shear force values but are more heritable. However, phenotypic correlations between shear force values and 24-h calpastatin activities are low. There are also inconsistencies in relationships between these measurements across breeds. Low correlations between tenderness in different muscles, low to moderate heritabilities and inconsistent variation within- and between-breeds for traits such as 24-h calpastatin activity suggest that genetic improvement in beef tenderness may be difficult. The possibility exists that significant mitochondrial genetic effects occur for some carcass and beef quality attributes. A major gene for muscular hypertrophy in cattle significantly affects carcass and beef quality characteristics. Genome-wide screening of DNA markers indicates a number of putative Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) associated with carcass and meat quality characteristics. Published data for these QTL are summarised. Strategies to combine quantitative and molecular genetic information to maximise genetic progress are discussed.
Do plant traits retrieved from a database accurately predict on‐site measurements?

Trait‐based approaches are increasingly used to obtain an insight into the functional aspects of plant communities. Since measuring traits can be time‐consuming, large international databases of plant traits are being compiled to share the effort. From these databases, average trait values are often extracted per species by averaging trait values of individuals over multiple populations and habitats. However, the accuracy of such aggregated information from regional databases as a surrogate for on‐site measurements has seldom been tested. For the local species pool (aggregated at the habitat‐level) and the plant communities on the plots (aggregated at the community‐level), we quantified how accurately trait values for each species measured at the plot (plot scale) and those averaged per species and site (site scale) can be estimated from those retrieved from a North‐west‐European trait database. We analysed three widely used plant traits, canopy height (CH), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA), of species occurring in a wet meadow and a salt marsh. Database values more accurately predicted traits aggregated at the habitat‐level than those aggregated at the community‐level. In addition, traits with lower plasticity, such as LDMC, were more accurately predicted by database values. The performance of database values also depended upon the habitat studied, for example, habitat‐level SLA values were accurately predicted by database values in the wet meadow but inaccurately predicted in the salt marsh. Synthesis. This study reveals that the accuracy of traits retrieved from a database depends on the level of aggregation (lower at community‐level), the trait (lower in plastic traits) and the habitat type (lower in extreme habitats). For studies focussing on processes mainly acting at the site scale (e.g. trait–environment relationships), traits retrieved from a regional database and filtered according to habitat will probably lead to good results. Whereas studying processes acting at the plot scale (e.g. niche partitioning), requires the additional effort of measuring traits on‐site.
Upregulated Transcription of Plasmid and Chromosomal Ribulose Monophosphate Pathway Genes Is Critical for Methanol Assimilation Rate and Methanol Tolerance in the Methylotrophic Bacterium Bacillus methanolicus

ABSTRACT The natural plasmid pBM19 carries the key mdh gene needed for the oxidation of methanol into formaldehyde by Bacillus methanolicus. Five more genes, glpX, fba, tkt, pfk, and rpe, with deduced roles in the cell primary metabolism, are also located on this plasmid. By using real-time PCR, we show that they are transcriptionally upregulated (6- to 40-fold) in cells utilizing methanol; a similar induction was shown for two chromosomal genes, hps and phi. These seven genes are involved in the fructose bisphosphate aldolase/sedoheptulose bisphosphatase variant of the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) pathway for formaldehyde assimilation. Curing of pBM19 causes higher methanol tolerance and reduced formaldehyde tolerance, and the methanol tolerance is reversed to wild-type levels by reintroducing mdh. Thus, the RuMP pathway is needed to detoxify the formaldehyde produced by the methanol dehydrogenase-mediated conversion of methanol, and the in vivo transcription levels of mdh and the RuMP pathway genes reflect the methanol tolerance level of the cells. The transcriptional inducer of hps and phi genes is formaldehyde, and not methanol, and introduction of multiple copies of these two genes into B. methanolicus made the cells more tolerant of growth on high methanol concentrations. The recombinant strain also had a significantly higher specific growth rate on methanol than the wild type. While pBM19 is critical for growth on methanol and important for formaldehyde detoxification, the maintenance of this plasmid represents a burden for B. methanolicus when growing on mannitol. Our data contribute to a new and fundamental understanding of the regulation of B. methanolicus methylotrophy.
Worth a second look: gill structure in Hemipecten forbesianus (Adams & Reeve, 1849) and taxonomic implications for the Pectinidae

The gill of the reef-dwelling Hemipecten forbesianus was examined using histology and scanning electron microscopy, in order to verify its reported homorhabdic state, and to provide the first detailed information on tropical pectinid gill structure. Due to the difficulty of obtaining live individuals, museum reference specimens were used for this study. The gill is heterorhabdic, and presents several notable differences compared to the larger, temperate species studied to date: (1) the small number of ordinary filaments per plica (probably associated with the very small size of these specimens), (2) the outer demibranch is approximately 15% shorter than the inner demibranch, (3) several characteristics which confer gill cohesion in other pectinid gills are absent and (4) the principal filaments are devoid of mucocytes, such that particle transport of positively-selected particles must be entirely effected in water. The apparent universality of the heterorhabdic condition within the Pectinidae leads us to recommend its use as a reliable soft-body taxonomic character at the family level. The anatomical differences between the gill of H. forbesianus and that of the larger, temperate species call for further comparison with both large and small, temperate and tropical species, in order to elucidate the effects of size and habitat on gill structure in this family.
Studies of fungal growth and intermediary carbon metabolism under steady and non‐steady state conditions

The physiology of Aspergillus nidulans strain 224 has been studied under conditions of batch‐ and glucose‐limited chemostat‐culture and the effect of different steady state growth rates and dissolved oxygen tensions (DOT) examined. Measurements of the specific activities of selected glucose enzymes, the extent of oxygen uptake inhibition by glycolytic inhibitors, and radiorespirometric analyses were made in order to follow the variations in glucose catabolism, which occurred under these conditions. Greatly increased activity of the hexosemonophosphate (HMP) pathway was found during: (i) exponential growth of batch cultures; (ii) at near maximum specific growth rates (μ = 0.072 hr−1) (DOT = 156 mm Hg); and (iii) at low DOT levels (<30 mm Hg) (μ = 0.050 hr−1) in chemostat cultures. These changes in glucose eatabolism have been discussed in terms of the biosynthetic demands of the fungus under the influence of changing growth pressures. Preliminary studies also have been made of transition state behavior following stepwise alteration of the DOT. A new steady state was established after 4–5 culture doublings during which period an “overshoot” in HMP pathway activity occurred; these kinetics are indicative of a derepression of certain glucose enzymes. Low molecular weight phenols are synthesized during the exponential phase in batch cultures and these are further metabliized to a major secondary metabolite, melanin, at the onset of stationary phase conditions. The kinetics of tyrosinase production in steady state chemostats differs from those that might be predicted for an enzyme associated solely with secondary metabolism. A primary physiological role for this oxidase in Aspergillus nidulans has been postulated.
Species identification in deep water using multiple acoustic frequencies

Multifrequency 12, 38, and 120 kHz acoustics were used to identify the dominant fish groups around a deepwater (>600 m) seamount (a known spawning site for orange roughy, Hoplostethus atlanticus) by amplitude mixing of the frequencies. This method showed three distinct acoustic groupings that corresponded to three groups of fishes based on size and swimbladder type: myctophids of total length less than 10 cm, morids and macrourids with lengths >30 cm, and orange roughy with a mean standard length of 36 cm. These three groups were the dominant groups caught in the demersal and pelagic trawls in the study area. A simple model of swimbladder resonance at depth of large and small gas-filled bladder fish groups is in agreement with our experimental observations. Traditionally, demersal and pelagic trawling is used to identify fish species in acoustic records. However, orange roughy are rarely caught in mid-water owing to net avoidance. Using three frequencies, these groups could be distinguished directly over .
The impact of selection on milk production on the lactoferrin content of milk in Irish Holstein-Friesians

0.07(0.246) -0.16(0.046)*** Fat (kg) 0.24(0.277) -0.11(0.045)* Protein (kg) 0.30(0.247) -0.06(0.046) Lactose (kg) 0.00(0.260) -0.20(0.044)*** Fat Percent 0.21(0.305) 0.01(0.045) Protein Percent 0.43(0.191)* 0.26(0.043)*** Lactose Percent -0.37(0.237) -0.30(0.042)*** Urea (kg) -0.31(0.308) -0.09(0.044) Casein (kg) 0.38(0.196)* 0.21(0.045)*** SCS -0.36(0.326) 0.29(0.043)*** ‡ *P<0.05, ***p<0.001 Conclusion The existence of a moderate heritability estimate coupled with significant genetic variation clearly indicate that genetic selection for lactoferrin content is possible. These results indicate that genetic selection for milk yield will not have a correlated response on the lactoferrin content of milk. However, more data and a larger number of animals are required to obtain more precise estimates of the genetic correlations.
Estimates of genetic parameters for yield and yield attributes in elite lines and popular cultivars of India's pearl millet.

Estimation of genetic parameters would be useful in developing appropriate selection strategies. Heritability is a measure of possible genetic advancement under selection. The research work pertaining to the study of genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance for yield and yield contributing characters in twenty one diverse elite lines and cultivars of pearl millet was conducted during 2007 at the Millet Breeding Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Analysis of variance manifested highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits except number of productive tillers and days to maturity. Variability for genetic potential of twenty one genotypes for different traits was recorded and the highest variability were recorded for plant height (two folds), number of productive tillers (two fold) and for grain yield (four fold). The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). Low, medium and high estimates of broad sense heritability were found in different plant characters under the study. High estimates of broad sense heritability were recorded for grain yield per plant followed by panicle girth. Greater magnitude of broad sense heritability coupled with higher genetic advance in grain yield per plant and panicle length revealed that the simple selection should lead to a fast genetic improvement of the genotypes used in this study.