Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL SUGARS ON IN VITRO POTATO MICROTUBERIZATION

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of alcohol sugars induced via; mannitol, sorbitol on in vitro microtuber production of potato. The single-node explants of in vitro derived plantlets were cultured onto Microtuberization medium including MS basal medium supplemented with different concentrations (0.0, 0.05, 0.11, 0.17 and 0.23 mol/l) of either alcohol sugars (mannitol and sorbitol). After 5 weeks of incubation (at 18±2 o C in dark condition), the microtuber initiation and formation percentage and microtubers fresh weight, length and diameter were recorded. The resulted showed that mannitol was more effective on microtuber related traits than sorbitol. Microtubers length and diameter were minimum with different concentrations of sorbitol. In medium containing mannitol, microtuber fresh weight was significantly decreased with adding mannitol above than 0.11 mol/l. For mannitol, increasing concentration up to 0.11 mol/l had raising effect on eyes number per tuber but further increase in mannitol concentration negatively affected this trait. Eyes growth was decreased when nodal explants were cultured in higher concentrations of either mannitol or sorbitol and this trend shows that alcohol sugars had inductive effects on microtubers dormancy. In total, suitable amounts of sugar alcohols improved the microtuberization and its related traits and may be a feasible practical approach in microtuber production industry.
Differences Between the Spring and Autumn Migration of the Red-Backed Shrike Lanius collurio: Record from the Eilat Stopover (Israel)

Abstract. Migratory Red-backed Shrikes were mist-netted during the spring and autumn migrations (n = 1031 individuals) from 1984 to 2001 in Eilat (Israel). In a similar pattern of trapping, more than four times as many shrikes were caught during autumn than in spring. Males migrated significantly earlier than females in spring but not during the autumn migration, which suggests that in males there is a stronger drive to reach their breeding territories early. In both seasons and between both sexes we did not find any significant relations between the body measurements of individuals and the time of passage. The spring migration was much shorter time than the autumn migration. This was expressed by the minimum stopover duration, as well as by the time when Red-backed Shrike occurred in Eilat. There are significant differences between wing chord length, body mass and fat scores between seasons. In autumn males had longer wings, and both sexes were heavier and in better condition than in spring. The data suggest that the differences are an adaptation to their having to cross the Sahara Desert. The birds spend a statistically significantly shorter period of time at the Eilat stopover site in spring than in autumn (median 1 ± 1.5 days vs 5 ± 6.5 days). In autumn, recaptured birds were 6.3% heavier than during the first capture. The change in body mass was significantly correlated to the duration of the stopover period. The results suggest that migration over desert is energetically costly and that Eilat is a very important stopover site for migrating Red-backed Shrikes.
Root distribution functions of spring barley, winter rye and maize

Summary Root parameter distributions are needed for estimation of water uptake by plants in macroscale models. The main objective of the study was to assess and compare vertical distributions of dry mass, length and surface area of roots of spring barley, winter rye and maize grown under equivalent environmental conditions. Root samples were collected using soil monolith method at early crop growth stages. The relative vertical distributions of all studied parameters expressed as root distribution functions were approximately exponential, with no considerable differences between their shapes. Statistically highly significant relationships were established between the dry mass density, and the length and surface area densities of roots, which is essential for alternative expressions by the root sink term estimation.
Capacity for thermal acclimation differs between populations and phylogenetic lineages within a species

Within-individual plasticity (acclimation) counteracts potentially negative physiological effects resulting from environmental changes and thereby maintains fitness across a broad range of environments. The capacity for the acclimation of individuals may therefore determine the persistence of populations in variable environments. We determined phylogenetic relationships by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of six populations of mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) from coastal and mountain environments and compared their capacity for thermal acclimation to test the hypotheses that acclimation capacity is greater in more seasonal environments with less diurnal variability, that acclimation is genetically constrained and that demographic processes determine acclimation capacity. We show that populations are divided into distinct genetic lineages and that populations within lineages have distinct genetic identities. There were significant differences in the capacity for acclimation between traits (swimming performance, citrate synthase and lactate dehydrogenase activities), between lineages and between populations within lineages. We rejected the hypothesis that climatic conditions (coastal vs. mountain) determined the capacity for acclimation, but accepted the hypotheses that demographic processes and genetic constraint influenced thermal acclimation. The importance of our data lies in proof of concept that there can be substantial variation in thermal plasticity between populations within species. Similar responses are likely to be found in other species that comprise structured populations. Many predictions of the impact of climate change on biodiversity assume a species-specific response to changing environments. Based on our results, we argue that this resolution can be too coarse and that analysis of the impacts of climate change and other environmental variability should be resolved to a population level.
Molecular mechanisms of Sec61-mediated polytopic protein membrane integration

A major challenge of modern biology is elucidating the mechanisms used by polytopic membrane proteins to achieve native tertiary structure in living cells. This challenge is made more acute because of the increasingly recognized number of diseases caused by the inability of membrane proteins to fold correctly. Early events of polytopic protein folding occur in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum and are orchestrated by the ribosome-translocon complex, a >3MD multi-component machine that is responsible for correctly orienting lumenal and cytosolic domains and inserting transmembrane segments into the lipid bilayer. The core component of the translocon is the sec61af3y heterotrimer, hypothesized to serve as a passive conduit for translocation and integration via an axial translocation pore and a lateral integration passage. Polytopic proteins have been further hypothesized to independently insert individual TM segments, via the translocon, into the lipid bilayer prior to folding. Here we use a photocrosslinking approach where a photoactive probe is coupled to a modified aminoacyl tRNA engineered to read through a UAG (amber) stop codon. Amber codons are engineered via PCR into eDNA templates and serially truncated to represent progressive points during synthesis. Because these templates contain no termination stop codon, they remain attached to the ribosome, thereby generating a uniform cohort of integration intermediates. We first examine the biogenesis of a complete native polytopic protein, aquaporin (AQP) 4. A series of truncations of AQP4 with probes engineered in one of three consecutive residues in the center of each TM permit us to examine the interaction of each TM with sec61 alpha as it enters and traverses sec61a. This study reveals that each TM initially enters sec61 in a
Temporal and spatial trends in adult nuisance fly populations at Australian cattle feedlots

A comprehensive trapping program to determine the species composition, seasonality and distribution of adult nuisance fly populations at a southern Queensland feedlot was conducted from 2001 to 2003. Short-term information on nuisance fly populations was also collected from two feedlots located in other climatic regions. Twenty-five species of Diptera were identified. The more commonly trapped species were the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Muscidae) (38%), the hairy maggot blowfly, Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Calliphoridae) (27%) and the bush fly, Musca vetustissima Walker (Muscidae) (15%). Seasonal effects were the major determinant of fly populations. All commonly trapped fly species had low abundance during the coldest winter months, July and August. Musca domestica had one annual, broad peak in abundance starting in spring and extending over about 8 or 9 months. Musca vetustissima had a major abundance peak in October/November and a smaller peak around April. Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (stable fly) (Muscidae) showed two annual peaks in abundance, with the major peak in May. Chrysomya spp. were most abundant during spring, summer and autumn, whereas the highest numbers of Calliphora augur (F.) (blue-bodied blowfly) (Calliphoridae) were trapped in winter. The sites within the feedlot with the highest catches of M. domestica were the feed mill, cattle pens and the hospital area and of S. calcitrans the manure piles, silage pits and the feed mill. The lowest catches of M. domestica and S. calcitrans were obtained in the traps situated a few kilometres outside the feedlot. In contrast, M. vetustissima and blowfly catches were higher in outside traps and traps near the manure piles than any other feedlot site. There was a correlation between the animals' number of fly avoidance movements and M. domestica catches and between the number of leg stomps and stable fly catches, respectively.
Does Large-Scale Cropping of Herbicide-Resistant Cultivars Increase the Incidence of Polyphagous Soil-Borne Plant Pathogens?

Transgenic resistance to broad-spectrum herbicides is increasingly seen in various crops. With transgenic herbicie-resistant (THR) cultivars, application of broad-spectrum herbicides is no longer limited to the pre-emergence stage of the crop. Post-emergence application of these herbicides may be more effective in obtaining sufficient weed control compared with currently used herbicides, and herbicide treatment can be delayed compared with that in non-THR crops, thereby controlling weeds at a larger plant size. A well known side effect of glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium is the emergence of so-called ‘herbicide-synergists’, ie opportunistic root pathogens that accelerate the killing of roots that are herbicide-sensitive. These opportunistic plant pathogens, multiplying in the dying roots of weeds, may affect THR crops. In addition, suppressive effects of glyphosate and/or glufosinate ammonium on the saprophytic and antagonistic microflora have been reported and may enhance the activity of root pathogens. The authors hypothesize that delaying herbicide use in THR cultivars to optimize weed control results in increased infections by root pathogens. Controlled field experiments on the interactions between crops, pathogens and weeds are required to test this hypothesis.
Functional Properties of Fish Protein Hydrolysate from Herring (Clupea harengus)

Raw herring (Clupea harengus), a waste product from the roe industry, was hydrolyzed, using an endopeptidase preparation from Bacillus licheniformis. Aliquots were taken at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min hydrolysis to measure the degree of hydrolysis. The functional properties tested were emulsifying activity index (EAI), foamability, and foam stability of the hydrolysate. At 36% hydrolysis, the herring hydrolysate presented good emulsifying stability (> 120 minutes) and an adequate foam expansion (142%), as compared to the soluble fraction from the unhydrolyzed control herring. The lipid content decreased considerably to 0.77% for the fish protein hydrolysate, while its protein content increased to 77%. The amino acid composition remained similar to that of the control.
Utilization and Yolk Coloring Capability of Dietary Xanthophylls from Yellow Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Alfalfa, and Coastal Bermudagrass

Abstract A single corn gluten meal, three alfalfa products, and two Coastal bermudagrass products were evaluated for their effects on xanthophyll utilization and coloring capability in egg yolks. Test diets were formulated to contain 11 mg total xanthophyll/kg from yellow corn and an additional 13 mg/kg from the test products. Laying hens were fed control and test diets for a 21-day repletion period prior to egg collection for yolk xanthophyll and color analyses. Yolk xanthophyll content was determined by the same method used for feed xanthophyll analysis, and yolk color was determined using the Roche color fan and reflectance colorimetry. All of the products resulted in a significantly improved yolk color, compared with the control, but xanthophyll utilization decreased at the higher relative feed xanthophyll levels of the test diets. The corn gluten meal and alfalfa products resulted in similar xanthophyll utilizations and yolk colors significantly greater than those of the Coastal bermudagrass products. There were no differences within the respective groups of alfalfa or Coastal bermudagrass products for either xanthophyll utilization or yolk color.
Inter-annual variability of planktonic copepods in a tropical bay in southeastern Brazil

The aim of this work was to study the structure of the copepod community in relation to hydrographic conditions in Espirito Santo Bay, from 1993 to 1997. Zooplankton samples were obtained in the horizontal tows four times a year, using a 200 µm net. Temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen were determined in the water samples. The overall mean density of the copepods was 9,085 ind.m-3 with the peaks exceeding 15,000 ind.m-3 in the summer and autumn during the first three years (1993 - 1995). The PCA analysis was used to relate the environmental conditions with the distribution of the copepods. The increases in the abundant species, namely Acartia lilljeborgi, Oithona hebes, Oithona oculata, Paracalanus quasimodo, Parvocalanus crassirostris and Euterpina acutifrons, were related to the decreases in the diversity. The spatial and temporal variations of the temperature and salinity influenced the abundance of the species during the five years of the sampling and the dominant species alternated in abundance.
A review of the bee genus Augochlorella (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini)

Abstract. The New World halictid bee genus Augochlorella (Augochlorini) is revised. Sixteen species are recognized, with five described as new: Augochlorella acarinata sp. n. , A. una sp. n. , A. meridionalis sp. n. , A. stenothoracica sp. n. from South America, and A. karankawa sp. n. from U.S.A. The following new synonymies are proposed: Augochlorella michaelis (Vachal) with A. urania (Smith), A. edendata Michener with A. comis (Vachal); A. striata (Provancher) with Augochlorella aurata (Smith) and A. neglectula maritima Ordway with A. neglectula (Cockerell). The female of A. tredecim (Vachal) and the male of A. iopoecila Moure are described for the first time. Keys to the species are provided. Cladistic analysis of adult morphological characters corroborates Engel's hypotheses of monophyly of Augochlorella phylogenetic relationships with related genera as follow: (Augochlorella ((Ceratalictus, Pereirapis) Augochlora)). Vicariant events shown in the cladistic analyses are discussed, and an account of distribution is presented.
Study on Serumic Levels of Zn on Interm Holstein Cows and Their Calves During Colostrum Nutrition

Zinc is an essential trace element that has an important role in livestock metabolism. The aim of this study was the evaluation of zinc serumic levels in cows and their calves due to colostrum consumption after birth. In this study 40 interm cows and their calves were collected. Samples were taken from cows 24h and at calving time; and from calves at 0, 24, 48 and 72h of calving. Serumic levels of zinc in cows were 151.9±4.12 µg/dl and 129.6±2.33 µg/dl respectively. Serum levels of Zn in calves at birth was 137.7±1.42 µg/dl that has significant (P<o.o5) Increase in contrast with mothers. Zn levels at 24, 48 and 72h after birth were 144.8±4.51, 155.4±3.61 and 156.6±4.11 µg/dl respectively. The results show that serumic levels of Zn in cows at parturition time were lower than the calves and in calves due to colostrum nutrition increase more and more.
Palynological variation in primula L. subgenus Sphondylia (Duby) Rupr., and the relationship of this group to Dionysia Fenzl.

summary Primula subgenus Sphondylia is composed of eight localized and probably relictual taxa distributed from Ethiopia to the west Himalaya. It is considered to occupy an ancestral position in the genus, and to demonstrate stages in the evolution of dimorphic heterostyly. Previous authors have suggested that the heterostylous genus Dionysia evolved from forerunners of this group. It has previously been reported that, in five of the species, only prolate 3-colporoidate pollen is found, dimorphic in size for heterostylous species. However, the pollen of the heterostylous species P. edelbergii, P. gauheana and P. darisii is dimorphic for shape and colpus number, as well as for size. Thus, our study reports for the first time, a major morphological pollen dimorphism, and 1- and 2-colpor(oid)ate pollen in the Primulaceae. We found that three distinct trends in the development of pollen dimorphism can be traced in this group, two of which appear to have no major phyletic implication. However, it is possible that P. floribunda represents phyletic links between subgenus Sphondylia and later heterostylous developments in Primula. Pollen in Dionysia is said to be weakly dimorphic for shape and colpus number, and our findings agree with this. We suggest that Dionysia is not closely related to Primula subgenus Sphondylia and that strong superficial resemblances between certain taxa in these groups may have resulted from parallel evolution.
Re‐evolution of a morphological precursor of crypsis investment in the newly revised horned praying mantises (Insecta, Mantodea, Vatinae)

The Neotropical praying mantis tribe Vatini Stål is revised using total evidence phylogenetic analysis based on molecular and coded morphological data. The subfamily Vatinae is redefined to only include Neotropical taxa with the removal of distantly related African and Asian lineages. A new tribe is erected under Vatinae (Heterovatini trib.n.) for two unique genera with historically unstable taxonomic placement (Heterovates Saussure and Chopardiella Giglio‐Tos). Phylogenetic results and morphology support the synonymy of three genera (Lobovates Deeleman‐Reinhold, Phyllovates Kirby, and Hagiotata Saussure & Zehntner) and the validity of Chopardiella Giglio‐Tos, Heterovates Saussure, Callivates Roy, Pseudovates Saussure, Vates Burmeister, and Zoolea Audinet Serville. A new genus (Alangularis gen.n.) is created for a former species of Vates with unique morphology and separate phylogenetic placement. All genera are redescribed based on external morphology and the male genital complex. A key to genera for Vatinae is provided with dorsal habitus images of representatives for each genus. A distinct pattern of correlated evolution of morphological characters linked to crypsis was uncovered. Cuticular leg lobes within single leg segments are evolving as sets, and serially homologous lobes appear simultaneously or in close succession. The posteroventral lobes in the apical position on thoracic femora appear to be the precursors to multiple positive rate shifts in the evolutionary accumulation of cryptic features. One shift occurred early in the evolution of Vatinae while the second occurred much later, after the loss and re‐evolution of the posteroventral lobes in the apical position on thoracic femora, a violation of Dollo's law.
Vegetative Legacy of a Protected Deer Herd in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Abstract Overabundant deer populations pose significant challenges to the conservation of native plant communities. We examined the effects of a protected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimm.) population on forest plant communities in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cove deer herd reached 43 deer km−2 at its peak in the late 1970s. While current densities are somewhat lower, the diversity and coverage of many understory species remains greatly reduced. To elucidate the influence of contemporary deer browsing, an exclosure study was established in 1997. Ten 10-m × 10- m sample plots were randomly located at three sites, half of which per site were exclosed. Understory vegetation on all 30 plots was intensively sampled in August 2004. While the diversity and richness of herbaceous species was similar in exclosures and controls following eight years of deer exclusion, exclosures contained significantly more diverse sapling layers (tree species ≤2 m in height). Correspondingly, exclosures contained significantly greater sapling densities than control plots (P < 0.001). Herbaceous and sapling layer composition varied between exclosures and controls. Forbs, vines, and low woody shrubs were consistently more abundant within exclosures than control plots. Graminoids (both native and exotic) dominated both exclosures and controls, but typically had greater relative abundance on control plots. Given the modest recovery of the herbaceous layer and the persistence of non-preferred browse species following eight years of deer exclusion, plant community recovery would be slow and uncertain even if the density of deer within the Cove was reduced.
Mortalidad de vertebrados en la carretera Guanare-Guanarito, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela

Vertebrate mortality in the Guanare-Guanarito road, Portuguesa state, Venezuela. Roads directly or indirectly affect the structure, dynamics and function of ecosystems that they traverse. Most studies on the effect of roads on wildlife focus on the evaluation of mortality of vertebrates by vehicle collisions. Despite the extensive road network that exists in Venezuela, studies of wildlife mortality in them are scarce. In this paper, we analyzed the temporal and spatial pattern of vertebrate's collisions along the road Guanare-Guanarito, in Portuguesa state. We travelled 26 times between these towns (74km) to localize dead vertebrates, at a speed of 50-60km/h. of those trips were conducted from March 13 to October 26, 2010, and 10 additional trips from December 7, 2009 to December 14, 2010; these ones, with the aim to include months and seasons that were insufficiently sampled during the first period. The elapsed time between trips varied from 14 to 37 days. The total distance traveled was 1 924km. Dead animals found amounted 464 individuals, 66 of them were birds (25 identified species), 130 mammals (15 species) and 268 reptiles (18 species). The species with the highest number of individuals were the snake Leptodeira annulata (n=119), the oppossum Didelphis marsupialis (n=39) and the spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus (n=33). Excluding domestic animals, the rate of road-killed vertebrates was 0.2282indiv. /km, a figure 28.3% higher than previous studies in the same road. Changes in the relative number of collisions for some species, respect to the numbers reported 20 years ago, were linked to the increase in traffic flow and changes in land use. Road segments with collision rates higher than expected by chance were identified. Collition by cars may be the principal cause of mortality for species like the tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) and the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the last considered a vulnerable species. Some basic measures are proposed to reduce wildlife mortality on the road. Rev. Biol. Trop. 61 (4): 1619-1636. Epub 2013 December 01.