Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Fundamental and Functional Property Differences Between HPMC and PVP Co-Processed Herbal Particles Prepared by Fluid Bed Coating

Core-shell composite particles (CPs) are the most preferred choice for direct compaction (DC), but their application in herbal tablets is limited. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) are usually employed as the shell materials, but there are few, if any, researches exploring the different effects of HPMC and PVP on the properties of herbal CPs. In this study, the CPs containing HPMC (CP X-H) and CPs containing PVP (CP X-P) were prepared based on herbal powders (X). Their physical properties were characterized comprehensively. The differences in properties between CP X-H and CP X-P were explored, and their mechanism analysis was also performed profoundly. The results demonstrated that (i) CP X-H and CP X-P exhibited similar flowability; (ii) CP X-H generally exhibited better compactibility, larger particle size, and more uniform particle size distribution, and lower bulk density, tap density, and hygroscopicity than CP X-P; (iii) compared with the tablets produced with CP X-P, ones with CP X-H exhibited similar weight variation (%), lower friability, and longer disintegration time. The mechanism analysis manifested that the differences in physical properties between HPMC and PVP were the important and fundamental factors, which led to the differences in structure and surface morphology of particles, and in fundamental properties of CPs. These findings are beneficial to the development of herbal core-shell CPs for DC.
Do all aphids benefit from climate warming? An effect of temperature increase on a native species of temperate climatic zone Cinara juniperi

Global warming has the potential to affect many animal species, in particular temperature-dependent insects with their short generation times and high reproductive rates which facilitate adaptations to long-term climatic fluctuations. Aphids are the model species in studying the association of insect biology with large-scale climate fluctuations because they multiply only within a certain range of temperatures and their rate of development directly depends on temperature. Here, we investigate the effect of climate warming on phenology and voltinism of the juniper aphid (Cinara juniperi De Geer 1773), a native species of a temperate climate zone in Poland. We also experimentally test for the temperature optimum of the study species. Our study demonstrated that environmental conditions significantly affected phenology of juniper aphid. The timing of larval emergence depended on mean temperatures in March, and in warmer years larvae appeared earlier. The emergence of the sexual generation was related to mean temperatures in August, and higher temperatures resulted in later sexual reproduction. Despite the elongation of the entire life cycle, by almost 3 months, we observed only one additional generation in warmer years. A possible explanation for this pattern may be that the increase in temperature recorded in recent years went beyond the temperature optimum of the study species. Our chamber experiment supports this assumption – juniper aphids developed faster and reproduced more effectively at 20 °C than at 25 °C.
Temperature and Antarctic plankton community respiration

Antarctic plankton community respiration rates were determined from in vitro changes in dissolved oxygen. Oxygen consumption rates, measured at in situ temperatures between 0 and 6°C, were found to lie in the range 0.3-3.7 μmol O2 l-1 per 24 h. Water samples were collected between East Falkland Island and South Georgia, South Atlantic Ocean, and incubated shipboard in the dark at up to 36 temperatures between -2 and 14-C. A respiration rate at each temperature was then determined and used to calculate the temperature coefficient (Q10) of Antarctic planktonic community respiration from the Arrhenius equation. Fourteen Q0 values lay in the range 1-3, with four further values >5. This range of temperature coefficient values for community respiration is comparable to the published range of values for plankton photosynthesis. Frequency distributions of temperature coefficients for the two processes show similar modal Q105 of 2-3. Thus, this study does not lend support to the hypothesis of a differential response of photosynthesis and community respiration to low temperature.
The Antioxidant Properties of Thyme (Thymus zygis L.) Essential Oil: an Inhibitor of Lipid Peroxidation and a Free Radical Scavenger

Abstract Antioxidants minimize the oxidation of lipid components in cell membranes by scavenging free radicals. However, imbalance between free radical production and removal tends to increase with age causing progressive damage. For the food industry it is of considerable interest to delay the autoxidation of food lipids, which cause the reduction in food quality, affecting color, taste, nutritive value, and functionality. A general orientation toward the use of natural compounds has stimulated research into the potential use of aromatic and medicinal plants as possible antioxidant replacements. This study characterized the antioxidant and pro-oxidant properties of thyme oil and a number of its components. The major components identified in thyme oil were found to inhibit ferric-ion-stimulated lipid peroxidation of rat brain homogenates, although none was as effective as the whole oil The order of antioxidant activity was; thyme oil > thymol > carvacrol > γ-terpinene > myrcene > linalool > p-cymene > limonene > 1,8-cineole > α-pinene. Both thyme oil and thymol were also found to inhibit tert-butyl-hydroperoxide-stimulated peroxidation and INT reduction by superoxide radicals generated by the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system. Of these compounds tested only p-cymene, 1,8-cineole and myrcene were found to exhibit pro-oxidant activity, albeit to a very small extent. Overall, the data suggest that thyme oil possesses useful antioxidant properties that may be utilized in the food industry and as a dietary supplement.
Photoinactivation in vivo of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

The planktonic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa is particularly sensitive to photoinhibition by visible light, Photosystem II and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase activities being affected. Although the organism contains superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, these protective enzymes are also photoinactivated during the illumination of whole cells by visible light.
Couscous, a traditional Turkish food product: production method and some applications for enrichment of nutritional value

Summary Traditional Turkish couscous, a cereal-based product, is made by covering bulgur with milk and flour. Traditionally Turkish couscous was produced from different flours (soyflour and oat flour) and eggs. The nutrient composition of traditional couscous was 90.6% dry matter, 11.27% protein, 2.58% fat, 71.80% carbohydrate, 42.25 mg sodium, 365.62 mg potassium, 2.73 mg iron and 48.30 mg calcium. The calorie content of traditional couscous is about 1487.41 kJ 100 g−1. The addition of soy and oat flours increased protein content and Ca, K and Fe levels. Sensory properties were also affected. Panellists preferred traditional couscous and couscous with eggs or soyflour over couscous with oat flour.
Species patch size at seeding affects diversity and productivity responses in establishing grasslands

Species interactions in diverse plant communities affect community‐scale functions such as above‐ground biomass production, diversity and invasion resistance. While the strength of these formative interactions can be affected by the balance of inter‐ and intraspecific interactions among the resident species, it is unclear over what distances individuals typically interact in grasslands and whether or not species interactions at seeding can be effectively manipulated to improve these responses. In a three‐year study, we tested whether manipulating the size of seeded species patches affected above‐ground biomass, diversity and invasion resistance in experimentally restored grassland plots (16 m2). Plots were divided into patches that were 1, 0.5, 0.25 or 0.125 m on a side, and the equivalent of 1 m2 in each plot was seeded with one of 16 grassland species (1728 seeds m−2). A final treatment involved mixing and broadcasting all seeds into an undivided plot to mimic typical restoration approaches. Using successively smaller initial seed patches resulted in plots that were less diverse and initially more productive (˜25% difference in second‐year biomass production) than larger patch counterparts. Smaller patch plots also had a greater selection effect and experienced increases in resident species connectivity, suggesting that diversity declines and productivity gains resulted from the enhanced establishment and spread of more productive seeded species. Plots seeded with larger patches of the resident species were initially more invaded than those seeded with smaller patches, but this effect diminished over time. This likely reflects the ability of the non‐seeded species to more effectively colonize larger patches with poor seeded species establishment. Mixed seeding plots were most similar to the smallest patch plots in their metrics of resident species spatial pattern, diversity and invasion resistance. However, these plots were initially less productive and had a weaker selection effect, which reflects a different compositional outcome, than the structured seeding plots. Synthesis. Species interact over sub‐metre scales in establishing tallgrass prairie and, once established, their patterns may change over time. Given these dynamics, structured seeding approaches may be used over traditional mixed seeding approaches to control species dominance and preserve seeded species diversity within grassland systems.
Bio-activity of marine cyanobacteria in the animal-based systems: modulation of food intake, body weight and some haematological characters

Summary With a view to assess the bioactive potential of the unexploited marine cyanobacteria available in abundance in the marine habitat, water-soluble fraction of the ethanolic extract of 12 different strains of marine cyanobacteria were administered to male rats and their impact on food intake, body weight and certain haematological characters including RBC counts, WBC-TC and DC, platelet counts, haemoglobin content and mean corpuscular haemoglobin was studied. The results suggest prospective applications as feed/nutritional supplements; among them, Spirulina subsalsa BDU 30311, Oscillatoria salina BDU 10142 and Phormidium valderianum BDU 20571 appear highly promising in this regard. Lyngbya sp. BDU 30601 and Pseudanabaena schmidlei BDU 30313 appear to contain one or more toxins and deter food intake and cause decrease in body weight. With Synechococcus elongatus BDU 30312 food intake increased over the control which was not commensurate with the change in body weight. The results relating to the haematological characters indicate bioactivity of the cyanobacteria in the animal-based systems, some of which are positive, whereas a few strains like Lyngbya BDU 30601 are negative, implying their pharmaceutical application.
Potato glycoalkaloid impairment of fungal development

Of the two potato glycoalkaloids, α-chaconine and α-solanine, α-chaconine was the more inhibitory on spore germination in Alternaria brassicicola and Phoma medicaginis , and on growth in liquid culture of these species and also Ascobolus crenulatus and Rhizoctonia solani . At 50 μM or less, solanine caused little ( P. medicaginis revealed that both glycoalkaloids at 100 μM inhibited hyphal extension, but that chaconine particularly increased branch formation (three-fold) as well as hyphal thickness and ‘beading’. Glycoalkaloid-containing liquid medium from R. solani cultures did not contain glycoalkaloid hydrolysis products. There was a 17% reduction in the solanine content of the medium, but the chaconine level was not significantly different from that in uninoculated controls. Neither glycoalkaloids nor their hydrolysis products were detectable in the washed mycelium of such cultures.
Habitat preference, growth form, vegetative dispersal and population size of lichens along a wildfire severity gradient

Abstract Species' responses to disturbance depend in part on their life histories. In this study we examined the association between post-fire distribution and a few life history characteristics (growth form, presence of soredia, habitat preference and population size) for lichens in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota, U.S.A. We used sample plots set up two months after a wildfire in 1995, and defined fire-vulnerable and fire-favored species as those over- or under-represented in unburned versus burned plots eight years after the fire. Fire-vulnerable species (30% of species) were characterized by shade preference and crustose growth form. Fire-favored species (7% of species) were characterized by preference for dead wood. Rare species were over-represented in unburned plots. Species observed on charcoal, indicating post-fire colonization, were associated with high regional population size, estimated by sample plot frequency. These results suggest that habitat association and its mechanisms, along with population size, are presumably important predictors of species-specific response to disturbance, such as fire, for lichens in the boreal forest.
On the Role of Photosynthetic Responses in Constraining the Habitat Distribution of Rainforest Plants

Two rainforest species that differ in the range of light environments encountered by an individual provide a model system for illustrating implications of diurnal variation and spatial heterogeneity of the light environment within single canopies. The two species are similar in the acclimation of leaf-level photosynthetic characteristics to the leaf's past light environment, but are distinguished by the limited ability of the high-light species to decrease dark respiration in response to growth under shade. Over 24 h, total carbon gain from a leaf increases with increasing light, but may increase or decrease with increasing nitrogen. Intermediate nitrogen levels and photosynthetic capacities yield maximum daily carbon gain in only a narrow range of light environments. The ratio of daily photosynthesis to leaf nitrogen is a complex function of nitrogen, photosynthetic characteristics, and light availability in a microsite. Nitrogen levels in real leaves may be close to the optima, but leaf nitrogen levels are clumped relative to the optima. Daily carbon gain from a canopy of fixed total nitrogen tends to increase as the leaf area of the canopy decreases, a trend caused by two factors. First, photosynthetic capacity is a nearly linear function of leaf nitrogen up to the highest nitrogen levels observed in nature. Second, only leaves with nitrogen levels above a substantial threshold are competent to generate positive rates of net photosynthesis. Differences between the species in canopy architecture and leaf duration have counteracting effects on long-term nitrogen-use efficiency.
Effect of Pre‐ and Post‐Kinetin Treatments on Salt Tolerance of Different Potato Cultivars Growing on Saline Soils

Different potato cultivars were subjected to 10 −6M kinetin treatment prior to the transplantation in saline soils (pre-kinetin treatment) and to the plants already growing on the saline soils (post-kinetin treatment). The kinetine when applied before the exposure of plants to saline soils showed promotory effects on growth, tuberization and some biochemical parameters of potato at 0.5 % salinity. The degree of inhibition in number of tubers and yield was reduced at 1 % salinity due to pre-kinetin treatment. The level of proline, reducing sugars and sodium was increased in different plant parts to maintain the osmoregulation. However, kinetin did not play any specific role in reducing down the increase in proline content resulted due to salinity. The level of K+ was found to be higher at low salinity in all the cultivars of potato. Higher concentrations of proteins and enhanced activity of starch synthetase at low level of salinity suggest the salutary effect of Na+ in metabolic functions of plant cells. The nitrate reductase (NR) activity was appeared to be more sensitive than starch synthetase. This could possibly be due to the localization of the enzyme and the cellular concentration of toxic substances increased under stress. Total Glyoalkaloids (TGA) content was reduced at both the salinity levels irrespective of kinetin treatments. On the contrary Na+ content was increased in all the treatments of kinetin at both levels of salinity. During this study cvs. Red Lasoda, Patrones and Atom alue approved to be more tolerant as compare to rest of the cultivars tested. This could be a combined effect of genetic setup, amendments in saline soils and pre-kinetin treatments of plants exposed to various regimes of salinity. Furthermore it is argued that salt tolerance limit can be extended upto certain level of salinity by pre-kinetin treatment in potato plants.
A new timeframe for the diversification of Japan’s mammals

Aim The main Japanese islands are land‐bridge islands divided by the biogeographic division Blakiston’s Line and represent two natural laboratories for studying land‐bridge diversification. Colonization of the current mammal fauna has been dated to the middle to late Pleistocene using fossil evidence. The purpose of this paper is to apply a molecular clock to the genetic divergences between Japanese mammalian taxa and their sister mainland taxa to test the late Pleistocene land‐bridge colonization hypothesis.
Chemical and Biological Assessment of African Olive Leaf Extract

Since the leaves of the Mediterranean olive have been recommended in the literatures as a remedy for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension, as well as they also contain antioxidant agents, we decided to investigate the possible biological effects of chemically standardized African olive leaf extract (OLE) of Olea europaea subspecies africana growing wild in Saudi Arabia. Chemical standardization of oleuropein in African OLE using HPLC showed a high percentage reached up to 30%. Total phenols were 36 mg/g calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) while the total amount of flavonoids was 1.35 mg/g calculated as rutin equivalents (RE). The in vitro antioxidant activity of African OLE showed an IC50 of 60.2 µg/ml using diphenylpicrylhydrazine (DPPH) assay. The biological analysis of OLE included screening for potential antihypertensive and hypoglycemic activity. Daily treatment for six weeks with African OLE (200 mg/kg) resulted in partial mitigation of L-N-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertension relative to the untreated group. OLE was tested at three dose levels (100, 300, 500 mg/kg) for anti-hyperglycemic activity. OLE exhibited blood glucose-lowering activity against streptozotocin (STZ) induced hyperglycemia in rats. The highest dose of OLE (500 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in blood-glucose level by 69.6% at the 4 th week of treatment compared to the untreated diabetic group. Therefore, OLE showed protective effects against L-NAME-induced hypertension and STZ-induced diabetes. The mechanisms underlying the observed anti-hyperglycemic activity can be attributed, at least partly, to enhance skeletal muscle uptake of glucose, inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis, insulinomimetic effect and antioxidant activity.
Juraphididae, a new family of aphids and its significance in aphid evolution

A revision of the Jurassic aphid family Genaphididae revealed that the type genus Genaphis did not have the characteristics usually attributed to this family. This discovery led to a series of taxonomic decisions. The diagnosis of the family Genaphididae is emended. The genera Aphaorus, Juraphis and Pterotella are moved to the Juraphididae, fam.n. The new family is included in the superfamily Palaeoaphidoidea. Additionally, two new species, Juraphis karataviensis sp.n. and Pterotella shartegensis sp.n. , are described. Phylogenetic relationships among the taxa of Juraphididae, the position of the family, and the distribution and palaeoecology of the taxa are discussed.
Antifungal activity of 1,3-disubstituted symmetrical and unsymmetrical thioureas

1,3-disubstituted aliphatic and aromatic symmetrical and unsymmetrical thioureas were synthesised by novel routes and the antifungal activities of these compounds against two plant pathogens, Pyricularia oryzae and Drechslera oryzae were studied in Czapek-Dox medium at four different concentrations using acetone as the control and the structure-activity relationship among the substituted thioureas is reported.
VERTEBRATE AXIAL AND APPENDICULAR PATTERNING : THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF PAIRED APPENDAGES

SYNOPSIS. Determination of paired fin or limb number, identity and position are key issues in vertebrate development and evolution. Phytogenies including fossil data show that paired appendages are unique to jawed vertebrates and their immediate ancestry; that such fins evolved first as a single pair in an anterior location; that appendicular endoskeletons are primitively AP asymmetric; and that pectoral and pelvic fins primitively differ. It is conjectured that Hox gene expression patterns along the lateral plate mesoderm establish boundaries that contribute to localisation of AP levels at which signals initiate outgrowth from the body wall. Such regionalisation may be regulated independently of that in the paraxial mesoderm and axial skeleton. When combined with current hypotheses of Hox gene phylogenetic and functional diversity, these data suggest a new model of fin/limb developmental evolution. This coordinates body wall outgrowth regions with primitive boundaries established in the gut, and the fundamental non-equivalence of pectoral and pelvic structures.
Glucose and Proline Metabolism in Nautilus

The rates of incorporation of (U- 1 4C)proline and (U- 1 4C)glucose into CO2 and glycogen were assessed in Nautilus pompilius under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Both substrates exhibited tissue-specific rates of metabo­ lism. However, overall higher rates ofincorporation into CO 2 and glycogen were observed with glucose, both with tissue slices and in the intact, catheterized organism.
Ultrastructure and taxonomy of Paraphysomonas (Chrysophyceae) and related genera 2

This is the second of two accounts reporting on the occurrence and systematics of freshwater species of the colourless chrysophycean genus Paraphysomonas in the Cambridge area, using electron microscopy of whole mounts of both cells and scales and sections of scales. Twenty species are included here, eleven of which are new: P. cancellala, P. canistrum, P. homolepis, P. ignivoma, P. limbata, P. morchella, P. runcinifera, P. stelligera, P. stephanolepis, P. subquadrangularis and P. undulata. Five new subspecies are also established: P. circumvallata ssp. mediogranulata, P. poteriophora ssp. manubriata, P. punctata ssp. atrema, ssp. microlepis and ssp. simplicior. P. diademifera (Takahashi) comb. nov. [=Lepidochromonas diademifera (Takahashi) Kristiansen] has been included in Paraphysomonas since it has been found to be colourless and not pigmented as originally described and also to possess scales of a similar structure to those in other species of Paraphysomonas. One previously described species, P. inconspicua Takahashi, is here considered as a synonym of P. butcheri Pennick & Clarke. P. vacuolata Thomsen is removed from Paraphysomonas since it has been found to possess a chloroplast and will be included in a new genus in the third paper of this series. The 37 presently known species of Paraphysomonas have been arranged in 11 different groups according to similarities in scale structure. Consideration of the possible evolution of scale structure in Paraphysomonas and the possible interrelationships within the genus led to the conclusion that all species should be included in a single genus.