Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Starch synthesis in amyloplasts purified from developing potato tubers

Amyloplasts have been purified from potato tubers by mechanical homogenization and gravity sedimentation through Nycodenz. Based on the recovery and latency of organelle-specific marker enzymes, the recovery of amyloplasts is approximately 13%, exhibiting 65% intactness, with less than 1% contamination by other subcellular fractions. These preparations were able to synthesize starch from glucose-1-phosphate plus ATP, or ADP-glucose but not from glucose-6-phosphate. Rates of starch synthesis from glucose-1-phosphate plus ATP were linear for up to 1 h and sensitive to the inhibitor 4,4-diisothiocyanato-stilbene 2,2-disulphonic acid (DIDS). Starch synthesis was optimal at pH 7.0 and was saturated by 5–10 mM glucose-1-phosphate and by 1 mM ADP-glucose. The results are discussed in the context of the pathway of starch synthesis and the transport of metabolites across the amyloplast envelope.
Ants as Indicators of Restoration Success at a Uranium Mine in Tropical Australia

The composition and structure of ant communities were used to assess the success of the preliminary restoration program at Ranger uranium mine in the seasonal tropics of northern Australia. Ants were surveyed at eight sites, including two relatively undisturbed control sits, within the Ranger lease. The revegetated sites represented a range of variables likely to influence restoration success: revegetation age (two, four, and eight years), proximity to undisturbed sites (which act as potential sources of recolonization), and burning treatment. Revegetation at most sites was dominated by fast-growing species of Acacia. There was a clear succession of ant species across revegetated sites. Initial colonization was by species of Iridomyrmex, but as plant cover and litter development increased these were replaced by broadly adapted, opportunist species, especially the introduced Paratrechina longicornis. Ant recolonization was very slow at isolated sites, with only 12 species present after eight years (the oldest site available). This compares with 21 species after only four years at a site located close to potential sources of recolonization. The ant community at this site, however, was very similar to that at another site located close to colonization sources, but eight years old. Ant succession therefore appeared to have stalled at this point, with species richness and composition bearing little resemblance to that at control sites. The heavy shade and litter produced by acacias were considered to be the major impediment to further change. Results from a site that had undergone a prescribed burn after two years, thereby breaking dominance by acacias and allowing for the establishment of a wide variety of plant taxa, suggest that such management practices may promote further colonization by ant species.
Flight performance, echolocation and foraging behaviour in noctule bats Nyctalus noctula

The noctule Nyctulus noctula (Schreber, 1774) is a relatively large (c. 25 g) insectivorous bat which catches insects on the wing (by aerial hawking). Emergence at a maternity roost was earliest relative to sunset when females were lactating, and bats may then have risked predation by flying at higher light levels during a period of high energy demand. Flight performance was quantified by using stereophotogrammetry. At feeding sites bats flew at 6.0 ± 2.1 m/s. This was faster than predicted minimum power speed (V mp), and either between V mp and maximum range speed (V mr), or close to their predicted V mr, depending on which aerodynamic model of flight power requirements was used. The echolocation behaviour of noctules is flexible. Long duration, low frequency calls (c. 20 kHz) with little frequency modulation were emitted while cruising, but at foraging sites the calls became more frequency-modulated. As the noctule is traditionally thought of as using low frequency echolocation, it was expected to receive weak echoes from small targets and therefore to specialize in eating large insect prey. Although the bats ate mainly beetles, large numbers of small dipterans were also eaten. The noctule is probably able to detect such small items because, when foraging, its calls become broadband and sweep from high frequencies. Higher harmonics are also present, and these may assist in the detection of small prey. In noctules, as in many bats, there appears to be a 1:1 link between wingbeat and call production during the search phase of foraging.
Clonal diversity in a Rhododendron ferrugineum L. (Ericaceae) population inferred from AFLP markers

In the European Alps, Rhododendron ferrugineum can constitute dense populations with almost 100% of cover. The developmental pattern by layering and the resulting complexity of population structure make it difficult to identify distinct clones even by excavation. Therefore genotypic structure of a R. ferrugineum population, in the French Alps, was inferred from AFLP markers. In a first step, we analysed 400 samples using AFLP profiles generated by one selective primer pair. Seventeen bands out of 25 were polymorphic (68%). We identified a total of 32 multilocus genotypes. In a second step, the 32 genotypes were verified by applying two additional primer pairs to the two most distant samples from each genotype. The mean similarity (proportion of band sharing) between pairs of clones was 0.85 (range from 0.52 to 0.94). The spatial distribution of clones showed that vegetative spreading mainly occurred down a slope. Based on an annual shoot mean growth of 2.6 cm/year and the size of the widest clone, we estimated the age of the oldest individual to be at least 300 years. A single genotype can occupy a large surface and sometimes form a dense patch, suggesting that this species adopts a phalanx growth form with limited intermingling of some genets.
Chromosome numbers in the genus Mentha L.

One hundred and fifty-seven chromosome numbers of a range of taxa from both hemispheres are reported in the genus Mentha. Plants of both wild and cultivated origin have been sampled, including hybrids, some of which have been synthesized from known parents. Some of the causes of the great taxonomic complexity of the group are discussed and the need for accurate and unambiguous identification of the plant material is stressed. There is a critical review of the chromosome numbers in relation to their taxonomy, with a discussion on probable basic numbers. The most useful areas of future research are indicated.
Pathogenic and phylogenetic analysis of Fusarium oxysporum from sugarbeet in Michigan and Minnesota.

Fusarium yellows of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae, can lead to a significant reduction in root yield, sucrose percentage, and juice purity. Fusarium yellows has become increasingly common in both Michigan and Minnesota sugarbeet production areas, and although genetic resistance provides some control, growers have reported failures when resistant varieties are grown in different parts of the country, potentially due to the variability of local F. oxysporum populations. Previous research has demonstrated that F. oxysporum collected from symptomatic sugarbeet can be highly variable in pathogenicity but that this is not solely due to the wide geographic distribution of sugarbeet production. F. oxysporum isolates were collected from symptomatic sugarbeet throughout the production region of Michigan and Minnesota and were characterized utilizing pathogenicity and phylogenetic analysis. The F. oxysporum population from Michigan and Minnesota was found to be variable in pathogenicity to sugarbeet and was polyphyletic. Therefore, the population from Michigan and Minnesota could not be classified into distinct races, but rather was adequately described by three previously reported phylogenetic clades. Additional
Establishing the optimal essential amino acid ratios in juveniles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by the deletion method

One of the strategies used to improve fish production is lowering the feed costs and the environmental impact by reducing dietary protein content. Using the deletion method, we determined the optimal amino acid (AA) ratio for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (body weight 20 g). Eleven experimental diets and four replications, taken two at a time, distributed in a randomized block design were used. For this trial, a balanced diet (BD) was formulated. Ten other diets were formulated by the deletion method, in which the BD diet was adjusted to result in a reduction of 45% of the test amino acid. Fish were fed three times a day for 57 days. Groups of fish at the beginning and at the end of the experiment were euthanized for further determination of the carcass nitrogen (N) composition. The optimal ratio of each AA was derived by dividing the requirement for each AA by the requirements for lysine. The essential AA ratios, expressed relative to lysine (=100), were methionine 64, threonine 93, tryptophan 24, arginine 125, histidine 34, isoleucine 57, leucine 96, valine 76 and phenylalanine 101. Our findings might be used to design strategies aimed at reducing the production costs of Oreochromis niloticus.
Preservation of DNA

The preservation of DNA is of wide interest to scientists in disparate fields from biorepository management to pharmaceutical sciences. Although the term “preservation” is used by all these fields and refers to the maintenance of chemical and physical integrity of the DNA molecule, it should not be surprising that the perspectives of scientists from these distinct fields differ significantly. Most notably, the time frame for stability of a pharmaceutical product is approximately 2 years, whereas meaningful stability for an evolutionary biologist is measured in the hundreds of millions of years. Such divergent viewpoints not only have a significant effect on the time span of preservation, but also on what criteria are used to assess “stability. ” This review discusses the literature addressing the maintenance of DNA integrity from the perspective of developing methods that offer improved preservation. Specifically, studies on the stability of DNA in solution, frozen, and dried are discussed. The findings fr.
Use of Radiotelemetry and Direct Observations to Evaluate Sea Lion Predation on Adult Pacific Salmonids at Bonneville Dam

Abstract Management of protected species becomes increasingly complex when one protected population negatively affects another. This occurs along coastlines and in rivers and estuaries of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, where protected marine mammals prey on threatened and endangered Pacific salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. Over 9 years, we observed a growing aggregation of California sea lions Zalophus californianus and Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus preying upon adult Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha and steelhead O. mykiss at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Both before and concurrent with the observation study, we monitored radio-tagged salmon at Bonneville Dam and during their upriver spawning migrations. Springtime sea lion abundance steadily increased from 2002 to 2010 and the aggregation formed earlier each winter. The principal prey species in winter were resident white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus and migratory steelhead and then shifted to predominantly Chinook salmon when the spring run arr.
Gametes with the somatic chromosome number: mechanisms of their formation and role in the evolution of autopolyploid plants.

The production of 2n gametes in plants, i.e. gametes with a somatic chromosome number, is considered to be the dominant process involved in the origin of polyploid plants. In this review, we provide a synthesis of current knowledge concerning the production of 2n gametes. Firstly, we describe the different methods used to detect and quantify the production of 2n gametes in plants, which include morphological and flow cytometry screening of the occurrence of 2n pollen, the analysis of crosses among diploid and tetraploid parents and the instigation of micro-and mega-sporogenesis. Secondly, the high level of inter- and infra-specific variation in 2n gametes production is described. Thirdly, the various cytological anomalies responsible for the production of 2n gametes are reviewed, with particular reference to the relative genetic consequences of the first and second restitution divisions that give rise to 2n gametes. Fourthly, the significance of 2n gametes in crop plant improvement is discussed, in relation to somatic chromosome doubling to obtain new polyploid varieties. In particular, we compare the genetic and yield consequences of methods based on unilateral and bilateral sexual polyploidization. Finally, we outline how knowledge of the variety of mechanisms involved in 2n gamete production have increased our understanding of the evolutionary significance of polyploidy and the population biology of polyploid plants. Contents Summary 1 I. Introduction 2 II. Methods used to detect the presence and frequency of 2n gametes 3 III. Frequency of 2n gamete production 5 IV. Mechanisms of formation and the influence of external factors 6 V. The genetic consequences of First Division Restitution (FDR) and Second Division Restitution (SDR) 12 VI. 2n gametes and the unilateral and bilateral sexual polyploidization of crop plants 13 VII. The evolutionary significance of 2n gamete production 15 Acknowledgements 18 References 18.
The impact of agricultural management on the parasitization of aphidophagous hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae)

In 2007, a 3-year survey was started in northeastern Italy to assess the influence of agricultural management on parasitoid composition and parasitism rates of parasitoids attacking larvae and pupae of Syrphidae (Diptera). Two types of management were considered – intensive (including wheat and maize monoculture with very low or null vegetation diversity) and extensive (with different types of habitats, characterized by a higher vegetation complexity). In habitats simplified by intensive agriculture, and particularly in maize fields, parasitism rates of syrphid larvae were higher than recorded in more diversified habitats. A substantial difference in the composition of the parasitoid complex was also found. In extensive and wheat sites, Diplazontinae (Braconidae), highly specialized to Syrphidae, were the dominant parasitoids, whereas in maize fields Pachyneuron (Pteromalidae) species, known as generalists, accounted for more than 80% of total parasitoids. In the habitats where Pachyneuron spp. were dominant, parasitism rates were very high. Conversely, in habitats where Diplazontinae were more abundant, the parasitism rates were very low. The higher rate of parasitism of syrphid larvae and pupae recorded in intensive monocultures could have a large impact on the development and control of aphid populations in such crops.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Induction of Persistent NF-κB Nuclear Translocation Increases the Efficiency of Virus Replication

Abstract The latent form of the dimeric transcription factor NF-κB is sequestered in the cytoplasm by proteins containing ankyrin repeats, such as IκBα and β, or by the p105 precursor form of the NF-κB p50 subunit. Tumor necrosis factor α or virus infection can cause targeted destruction of IκB and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Following translocation, NF-κB mediates immune, inflammatory, or anti-apoptotic responses. Here we present evidence that beginning at around 6 h postinfection, herpes simplex virus (HSV) induces a persistent translocation of NF-κB into the nucleus of C33 cells, coincident with loss of both IκBα and IκBβ. Translocation failed to occur when infecting virus was preincubated with neutralizing antibody to viral envelope glycoproteins gD or gH, thus preventing entry, or when cells were infected with viruses expressing mutated forms of immediate-early regulatory proteins ICP4 or ICP27. Surprisingly, no increase in thetrans-activation function of NF-κB, as assayed by transient expression of CAT, was detected following HSV infection. The significance of NF-κB nuclear translocation for virus replication was demonstrated by an 80–90% reduction in virus yield following infection of C33 cells expressing a constitutive repressor form of IκBα. Models that reconcile nuclear translocation of NF-κB with the inability to detect NF-κB-dependent gene expression are discussed.
Observations on the Biology of Rumex Rust Uromyces rumicis (Schum.) Wint.

Additional information on Uromyces rumicis, the rust of curly dock (Rumex crispus L.), is presented. The alternate host, Ranunculus ficaria L. , evidently plays only a minor role in the life cycle of the pathogen in the area of Rome, Italy. The rust overwinters in this area as urediospores or vegetative mycelia on the primary host. Observations on etiology and symptomatology are described. Evidence for the existence of physiologic races is presented, as well as for variation in disease reaction mediated by host individuals.
Competition and growth of six cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) genotypes, sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and common purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Abstract Varietal growth habit could play a key role in the competitiveness of crop plants with weeds. The relative competitiveness of two erect, two semierect, and two prostrate cowpea genotypes with a tall-growing (common sunflower) or a low-growing (common purslane) species was evaluated in 12 replacement-series experiments conducted in 2003 and 2004. Growth analysis of the six cowpea genotypes and two weed species were also conducted to investigate the relationship of competitiveness and growth. Cowpea genotype and competitor biomass were used to calculate relative yield total (RYT) and aggressivity indices (AI). RYT and AI means of six cowpea genotypes were compared using ANOVA, and an isotonic regression was used to confirm the relative competitive superiority of the cowpea growth types. All cowpea genotypes had similar RYTs when grown with sunflower or common purslane, indicating that cowpea used the same resources as sunflower or purslane. When grown with sunflower, erect and semierect genotypes had higher AI than prostrate genotypes. When grown with purslane, erect and prostrate genotypes had higher AI than semierect genotypes. The results were confirmed by isotonic regression tests on the respective AI order. Correlation and regression between AI and growth parameters showed that the relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area ratio (LAR), and height growth rate (HGR) explained 92% of the variation of AI when cowpeas were grown with sunflower and that leaf weight ratio (LWR) and biomass explained 82% of the variation of AI when cowpeas were grown with purslane. These experiments indicate that cowpea genotypes differ in their ability to compete with purslane or sunflower. Erect genotypes were the most competitive, suggesting that an erect growth habit may be more effective in suppressing weeds than a semierect or prostrate growth habit. These results are consistent with field experiments on the competitiveness of erect, semierect, and prostrate cowpea genotypes. Nomenclature: Common purslane, Portulaca oleracea L. POROL; common sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. HELAN; cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ‘California Blackeye 5’, ‘Iron-Clay’, ‘Speckle Purple Hull’, ‘IT89KD-288’, ‘UCR 730’, and ‘UCR 779’ VIGSI.
Extracellular matrix regulates endothelial functions through interaction of VEGFR‐3 and integrin α5β1

Endothelium extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions can provide distinct spatial and molecular signals which control cellular proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Here, we investigated the role of fibronectin (FN), a major ECM protein, on the functions of lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC). We observed that FN, the ligand for integrin α5β1, selectively promoted the growth of LEC as compared with vitronectin (VN) in the presence of the ligand for vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 [VEGFR‐3 (VEGF‐C156S)]. Upon investigating the mechanisms whereby ECM components regulate VEGFR‐3 signaling, we found that FN transactivated VEGFR‐3 and significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of VEGFR‐3 induced by VEGF‐C156S as compared to VN. An enhanced association of the integrin subunit α5 or β1 with VEGFR‐3, after stimulation with VEGF‐C156S, was observed by co‐immunoprecipitation. While blockade of integrin α5β1 inhibited the VEGF‐C156S‐induced phosphorylation of VEGFR‐3, no similar effect was obtained by blocking integrin αvβ3. FN also protected the endothelial cells from serum deprivation‐induced apoptosis. Moreover, while the specific PI3 kinase inhibitor, LY294002, abolished this FN‐mediated cell survival, the MAPK kinase inhibitor, PD98059, had no significant effect. Furthermore, a dominant‐negative mutant of VEGFR‐3 (G857R) reduced VEGF‐C156S or FN‐mediated cell survival, as well as the activities of PI3 kinase/Akt. Our results indicate that integrin α5β1 participates in the activation of both VEGFR‐3 and its downstream PI3 kinase/Akt signaling pathway, which is essential for FN‐mediated lymphatic endothelial cell survival and proliferation. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EFECTO DE LA DENSIDAD DE PLANTACIÓN SOBRE EL RENDIMIENTO DE CEBOLLA cv. COBRIZA INTA CON RIEGO POR GOTEO

Se estudio el efecto de diferentes densidades de plantacion en el rendimiento de cebolla (Allium cepa L.) de dia largo cv. Cobriza INTA. Para ello se realizo un ensayo en el Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta, Mendoza, Argentina, en un suelo franco arenoso profundo (Typic Torrifluvent). El ensayo fue manejado con riego por goteo usando cinta T-Tape 510-30 enterrada a 2 cm en el centro de la cama de plantacion. El diseno fue de bloques al azar con 4 repeticiones. Los tratamientos fueron cuatro densidades de plantacion: 30 (D30), 40 (D40), 50 (D50) y 60 (D60) plantas m-2 en tresbolillo, dispuestas en 4 hileras en D30, D40 y D50 y 6 hileras para D60. La poblacion inicial de plantas se redujo a la cosecha 3,1; 3,9; 1,5 y 7,9 % para los tratamientos D30, D40, D50 y D60, respectivamente. El rendimiento total aumento en forma lineal hasta la densidad de 50 plantas m-2, obteniendose un rendimiento maximo de 60 t ha-1. El porcentaje de bulbos sanos comerciales sobre el total de bulbos cosechados para las densidades D30, D40, D50 y D60 fue de 72; 57; 64 y 65%, respectivamente. No se encontraron diferencias significativas con respecto al rendimiento obtenido entre hileras externas o internas.