Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Citrus Ringspot in Corsica

Ringspot was first described and named by Wallace and Drake (1968) in California. Symptoms similar to those observed in California (Desjardins et al., 1969) have been reported from Italy (Catara and Grasso, 1968). Spain (Planes and Marti, 1972). Australia (Broadbent, 1972), Texas (Timmer, 1974), Greece (Keramidas, 1973, and Florida (Garnsey, 1975; Garnsey et al., 1976). The disease has now been found in Cors ica o n greenhouse-grown Parsons Special mandarin budlings graft-inoculated from a symptomless Clementine mandarin field tree.
Ion transport and pH homeostasis in coccolithophores

Most metabolic processes are pH dependent. If we want to understand the influence of ocean pH and carbonate chemistry on coccolithophores, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of their physiological properties and metabolic processes. Here Emiliania huxleyi and Coccolithus pelagicus were chosen to characterise some mechanisms involved in pH homeostasis and ion transport. Effects of changes in seawater carbon chemistry on intracellular pH (pHi) were measured by 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF)fluorescence. Out of equilibrium (OOE) solutions were used to differentiate between membrane permeation pathways for H+, CO2 and HCO3-. The ionophore nigericin was used to calibrate the dimension of changes in pHi measured by BCECF. pHi acutely followed the pH of seawater (pHe) in a linear fashion between pHe 6.5 and 9. No pHi change could be detected when seawater [CO2], [CO2]e, was increased at constant pHe and extracellular [HCO3-], [HCO3-]e. An increase in [HCO3-]e resulted in a slight intracellular acidification. In the presence of 4,4′-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DIDS) pHi in E. huxleyi acidified and the effect was not reversible. In addition, DIDS reduced the effect of pHe on pHi slightly. The data for the first time show the occurrence of a direct proton permeation pathway in E. huxleyi plasma membrane, a direct acidifying impact of increased [HCO3-]e on pHi and no detectable influence of increased [CO2]e on pHi. pH homeostasis involves a DIDS sensitive mechanism. The data suggest the involvement of ion transport mechanisms which link ocean seawater pH and metabolic processes in E. huxleyi. To further characterise these mechanisms the impact of manipulated extracellular ion concentrations on pHi was investigated. The data on increased external [K+], [K+]e , and decreased external [Cl-], [Cl-]e, i. e. the effect of decreased gradients on pHi , showed more complex relationships. Both led to a first rapid but transient acidification of pHi and a second slower, also transient acidification upon return to control conditions. The two pH reactions showed different kinetics. The results indicate coupling of H+ transport to ion gradients. Different methods to isolate pure protoplasts and perform electrophysiological measurements on E. huxleyi were applied. E. huxleyi protoplasts showed a clean cell membrane by different methods; however the cells did not form gigaseals. In C. pelagicus protoplast isolation and sealing were achieved, however, only in limited numbers of cells. A revision of E. huxleyi membrane anatomy by confocal microscopy in collaboration with M. Gutowska and N. Fischer gave first evidence for a dual protoplast outer membrane, which might explain the difficulties in dye loading and patch sealing. In summary the collected data are a first step in characterising physiological properties of coccolithophores with respect to carbon transport pathways, and pH homeostasis on a cellular level.
A century of trends in adult human height

Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings. We reanalysed 1472 population-based studies, with measurement of height on more than 18.6 million participants to estimate mean height for people born between 1896 and 1996 in 200 countries. The largest gain in adult height over the past century has occurred in South Korean women and Iranian men, who became 20.2 cm (95% credible interval 17.5–22.7) and 16.5 cm (13.3–19.7) taller, respectively. In contrast, there was little change in adult height in some sub-Saharan African countries and in South Asia over the century of analysis. The tallest people over these 100 years are men born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of 20th century, whose average heights surpassed 182.5 cm, and the shortest were women born in Guatemala in 1896 (140.3 cm; 135.8–144.8). The height differential between the tallest and shortest populations was 19-20 cm a century ago, and has remained the same for women and increased for men a century later despite substantial changes in the ranking of countries. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.13410. 001
Heterosis as Evidence of Yield Alleles from Wild Soybean.

RUFF, LEAH ANNE. Heterosis as Evidence of Yield Alleles from Wild Soybean. (Under the direction of Dr. Thomas E. Carter, Jr.). To guarantee future global food security and sustainable crop production, there is strong need for broadening the relatively narrow genetic base of the soybean (Glycine max [L. Merr.]) germplasm and looking for new resources to develop soybean cultivars. Wild soybean (Glycine soja [Sieb. and Zucc.]) may be an excellent source of new agronomic alleles for this purpose. Heterosis for yield is proposed as a signal for detecting yield alleles in wild soybean. The objectives of this study were to 1) examine heterosis in F2 bulks derived from the cross of parental cultivar N7103 and 19 breeding lines, which were developed from a cross between G. max cultivar N7103 and G. soja accession PI 366122, 2) assess whether heterosis could detect the presence of yield alleles derived from wild soybean, and 3) ascertain the possibility of predicting heterosis using genetic markers and agronomic traits. The individual F2 bulked seed were yield tested in replicated bordered row plots at four locations in 2012. Two cross combinations showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) percent midparent heterosis for yield (+9% and +10%). One cross showed significant heterosis over a theoretical maximum that could be expected based on dominance effects coming from only the G. max parent. Thus, these results suggest that yield alleles reside in wild soybean. The percent of G. soja alleles present in each breeding line, based on 558 single nucleotide polymorphic markers, positively and significantly (P ≤ 0.05) associated (r = 0.60) with midparent heterosis. Genetic distance may be used as a guide for plant breeders when incorporating diverse germplasm into breeding programs and help predict future agronomic
Relationship among some seed characters, laboratory germination and field emergence in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes differing in testa colour

Field emergence (FE) of 22 genotypes of chickpea, all having laboratory germination (LG) of more than 89%, ranged between 39–87%, indicating seed vigour differences between genotypes. Seed of the genotypes having white or beige testa had poor emergence (39–69%) than with brownor black testa (64–87%). Significant correlation of FE with water uptake (−0.438*), electrical conductivity of seed leachate (−0.870**), 100-seed weight (−0.865**) and proportion of seed coat (0.904**) indicated that seeds of genotypes/cultivarwith low vigour and possibly poor FE could be identified prior to sowing. In general poor vigour seeds imbibed water rapidly (white/beige coloured seeds). Kabuli cultivars imbibed water to its maximumcapacity within 4–8 hours while desi cultivars reached its maximum water imbibing capacity only after 16 hour of imbibition. For the initial first hour of imbibition the percent increase in water uptake of coloured desi genotypes ranged between 1.56% to 38.25% while in kabuli genotypes it ranged from 40.17% to 71.84%. Electrical conductivity (EC) showed the similar trend as of water absorption in kabuli and desi genotypes. Significant negative association was found between EC and FE in kabuli genotypes but this relationship was not significant in desi genotypes suggesting usefulness of EC in predicting FE of kabuli genotypes.
Analysis of Munc18c and Syntaxin4 Function During Tumour Cell Invasion

ANALYSIS OF MUNC18C AND SYNTAXIN4 FUNCTION DURING TUMOUR CELL INVASION David Martynowicz Advisor: University of Guelph, 2015 Dr. M. G. Coppolino Tumour cell invasion through the ECM (extracellular matrix) involves the precise localization of proteins required for ECM proteolysis and cell migration. Membrane trafficking events, mediated by SNAREs (Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptors), have been implicated in these cellular processes. Previous studies on SNAREs indicate that Syntaxin4 is involved in the formation of invadopodia (specialized degradative structures formed during tumour cell invasion) in MDA-MB-231 cells; however, it remains unclear how Syntaxin4 function is regulated during tumour cell invasion. Munc18c is a known regulator of Syntaxin4 activity, and a potential role for Munc18c in invadopodium-based ECM degradation and cell migration has been identified. Here, biochemical and microscopic analyses revealed an association between Munc18c and Syntaxin4. Munc18c knockdown perturbed invadopodium formation and cell migration. Expression of a truncated form of Syntaxin4 designed to perturb Syntaxin4-Munc18c interactions had similar effects. These results suggest Munc18c facilitates Syntaxin4 function during tumour cell invasion.
BCL11AXL Protein: Its Distribution in Normal and Malignant Tissues and Use as a Marker for Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells.

The B-cell lymphoma/leukaemia 11A (BCL11A) gene was first identified in the rare t(2;14)(p16;q32.3) translocation involving the IGH locus in aggressive B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and, together with REL, is a candidate for the 2p16 chromosomal amplifications in B-cell malignancies. BCL11A encodes a Kruppel zinc finger transcription factor essential for pre-B-cell development and thymocyte maturation. Alternative RNA splicing generates at least three BCL11A transcripts encoding proteins that share a common N-terminus with the BCL11AXL transcript being the most abundant BCL11A transcript in normal tissues. We have produced a murine monoclonal antibody (BCL11A/123, isotype IgG1) specific for the BCL11AXL protein and, using this reagent, provide the first description of BCL11AXL protein distribution in normal and malignant human tissues. Initial studies using another antibody to the common N-terminus indicated the BCL11AXL protein to be the dominant isoform. In lymph node, tonsil and spleen, BCL11AXL expression was detected in B-cell nuclei in the mantle zone, germinal centers, interfollicular areas, splenic marginal zones and in tonsillar epithelium, but not in plasma cells or T cells. The differential expression of BCL11AXL in B-cell populations suggests its downregulation might be a requirement for plasma cell differentiation and is consistent with reports that BCL11A is transcriptionally repressed by Blimp-1. A subpopulation of cells, mostly B-cells, in the thymic medulla and scattered cells in the cortex were BCL11AXL+. Labeling of a very small number of CD3+ T-cells in the cortex and epithelial cells around the cortical periphery was also observed. Labeling of B-cell follicles in rat spleen demonstrated the BCL11A/123 epitope to be conserved across species. Another important finding was the high level expression of BCL11AXL in CD74+CD68+CD123+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Publicly available microarray expression data are consistent with these findings, showing BCL11A transcripts to be present at high levels in peripheral blood B cells, in tonsil, lymph node and fetal brain with the highest expression in pDCs. BCL11AXL therefore represents an additional marker for the identification of pDCs and may be important in the differentiation and/or functional activity of this cell type. BCL11AXL was commonly detected in B-cell lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a subgroup of Hodgkin’s lymphomas, with the exception of multiple myeloma. Tumor cells in a small number of T-cell lymphomas (3/29) also expressed BCL11AXL. In a tissue microarray, comprising 107 cases of de novo DLBCL at diagnosis, BCL11AXL expression correlated with that of its interaction partner BCL6 and showed a trend towards increased overall survival. The study of this molecule should provide additional invaluable information concerning the possible role of BCL11A in lymphomagenesis.
The interactive effects of fertiliser nitrogen with dung and urine on nitrous oxide emissions in grassland

Abstract Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important and potent greenhouse gas (GHG). Although application of nitrogen (N) fertiliser is a feature of many grazing systems, limited data is available on N2O emissions in grassland as a result of the interaction between urine, dung and fertiliser N. A small plot study was conducted to identify the individual and interactive effects of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertiliser, dung and urine. Application of CAN with dung and urine significantly increased the mass of N2O-N emission. Importantly, the sum of N2O-N emitted from dung and CAN applied individually approximated the emission from dung and CAN fertiliser applied together, that is, an additive effect. However, in the case of urine and CAN applied together, the emission was more than double the sum of the emission from urine and CAN fertiliser applied individually, that is, a multiplicative effect. Nitrous oxide emissions from dung, urine and fertiliser N are typically derived individually and these individual emission estimates are aggregated to produce estimates of N2O emission. The presented findings have important implications for how individual emission factors are aggregated; they suggest that the multiplicative effect of the addition of CAN fertiliser to urine patches needs to be taken into account to refine the estimation of N2O emissions from grazing grasslands.
Application of a two levels factorial design to the study of the antimicrobial activity of three terpenes

L'activite antimicrobienne de trois composants des huiles essentielles d'eucalyptus, a savoir: le 1,8-cineole, le linalool et l'eugenol, a ete testee sur Staphylococcus aureus. A l'aide d'un plan d'experiences 2 3 et avec un nombre reduit d'essais, les effets d'interactions entre ces composants ont ete quantifies. Le 1,8-cineole, qui est le composant majeur des huiles essentielles d'eucalyptus, n'a pas d'activite antimicrobienne significative; le linalool a une activite antimicrobienne assez elevee; quant a l'eugenol, il possede l'activite la plus prononcee. L'effet d'interaction linalool-eugenol montre que ces deux terpenes ont des effets antagonistes.
Effects of Moderate Food Deprivation on Plasma Corticosterone and Blood Metabolites in Common Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon)

Abstract Lack of food is one of the most common natural stressors that animals face, yet the physiological response to food restriction in most nonmammalian species is poorly understood. Food restriction can elicit an elevation of plasma glucocorticoid hormones and changes in blood metabolites in several vertebrates, but this has not been shown in snakes, despite their remarkable ability to tolerate food shortages. The purpose of this study was to determine the physiological response to moderate food deprivation in Common Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). When food was withheld for 15 d, snakes lost body mass, had elevated baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations, lower hematocrit, and depressed levels of triglycerides and uric acid. Food deprivation had no effect on blood glucose or lactate. Elevation of corticosterone levels could help snakes mobilize stored energy to allow them to survive periods of restricted feeding. Depressed triglycerides likely indicate increased utilization of lipid stores. Because uric acid is the main excretory product of protein breakdown in reptiles, the decreased uric acid we observed suggests that snakes were not utilizing their stored protein. Protein stores may be conserved during short-term food deprivation, but could be utilized during more severe food shortages. These results help illuminate the physiological and behavioral mechanisms watersnakes employ to survive food shortages and serve as useful reference values for future studies looking at longer periods of food deprivation.
Exploration of optimum operating conditions for enhanced laccase enzyme production by Pleurotus nebrodensis WC 850 through response surface methodology.

Laccase is a blue copper containing enzyme which is capable of catalyzing the oxidation of phenolic compounds to phenoxyl radicals. The purpose of recent study was to find optimum conditions for maximum laccase enzyme production by Pleurotus nebrodensis WC 850 by applying an important statistical technique response surface methodology (RSM) through solid state fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass. Firstly, screening experiments were conducted in order to select the best substrate for maximum laccase enzyme production among six different lignocellulosic substrates. Wheat straw was selected as best substrate with enzyme activity 145.10 U/mL after 6th day of fermentation. Different physical parameters including pH, temperature, inoculum size, incubation time and moisture were then optimized by response surface methodology under central composite design (CCD). RSM is an effective strategy which explores the optimum operating conditions for multivariable system as well as it also examines the simultaneous, systematic and effective variation of crucial components and determines the possible interaction among higher order effects which results in enhanced enzyme yield. The increase in laccase enzyme activity (171.63 U/mL) was observed at pH 5, temperature 30°C, inoculum size 4mL, incubation time 144mL and moisture 50% after optimization of different factors at different levels. This study reveal that optimization of different factors have significant effect on laccase enzyme production. Moreover, optimization of different parameters through RSM is time saving and good technique in biotechnology.
Nutritive value of undehulled sunflower meal as affected by multienzyme supplementation to broiler diets

Undehulled sunflower meal was evaluated in terms of amino acids profile, apparent and true amino acid availability, as well as AMEn and TMEn. A growth experiment was conducted in which SFM was included in iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets for broilers at 0.0%, 5.0%, 10.0% and 15.0%. Diets were fed during the starter (1-14 d of age), and/or grower (15-28) and finisher (29-42 d of age) period. Diets were fed without or with Optizyme p-5. Results indicate that SFM contained 0.48% Meth and 0.90% lysine, whereas true availability of these amino acids was 97, 83, and 87%, respectively. It was observed that AME n and TMEn values were 6.51 and 9.47 MJ\kg respectively. Optizyme addition had a small effect on energy values and no impact on amino acid availability. The results indicate that dietary SFM at 15.0% could be fed to broilers from d of hatch with no adverse effects on growth and feed utilization, since the correlations between sunflower meal intake and growth or feed utilization were not significant. Meanwhile, the lack of Optizyme effect on growth and feed utilization of broilers fed different levels of SFM confirmed the results of digestibility trial. Mortality rate was not affected by sunflower meal level. For practical application SFM may be included at 15% in broiler diets, meanwhile, a specific brand of commercial enzymes has to be developed to target NSP (S) of SFM.
Hydrogen Cyanamide Accelerates Vegetative Budbreak and Shortens Fruit Development Period of Blueberry

Experiments were conducted in north Florida and south Georgia to determine the effects of H2CN2 sprays on vegetative and reproductive growth of blueberry. In Florida, mature, field-grown 'Misty' southern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum L. hybrid) blueberry plants were sprayed to drip with 0, 10.2, or 20.4 g·L -1 of H2CN2 (hereafter referred to as 0%, 1.0%, and 2.0% (v/v) H2CN2) on 20 Dec. 1996 and 7 Jan. 1997. During the following winter, mature 'Misty' southern highbush and 'Climax' rabbiteye (V. ashei Reade) plants were sprayed to drip with 0, 7.6, or 15.3 g·L -1 of H2CN2 (hereafter referred to as 0%, 0.75%, and 1.5% (v/v) H2CN2) on 17 Dec. 1997 and 6 Jan. 1998. For all experiments, plants were dormant and leafless, with slightly swollen flower buds, at the time of spray applications. Generally, H2CN2 sprays increased the extent and earliness of vegetative budbreak and canopy establishment and advanced flowering slightly. The number of vegetative budbreaks usually increased linearly with increasing spray concen- trations. In Florida, H2CN2 (0.75% to 1.0% (v/v)) sprays increased mean fruit fresh weight and yield, and shortened the fruit development period (FDP) compared to controls. However, H2CN2 sprays ranging in concentration from 1.5% to 2.0% (v/v) resulted in significant flower bud injury and reduced total fruit yield compared to controls. In south Georgia, 27 of 37 field trials conducted between 1991 and 1998 on several rabbiteye and southern highbush cultivars indicated that leaf development was significantly enhanced by H2CN2. H2CN2 shows potential for increasing early fruit maturity, fruit size, and yield of southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberry cultivars with poor leaf development characteristics in low-chill production regions. Chemical name used: hydrogen cyanamide (H2CN2). -1 concentrations of H2CN2 (hereafter referred to as 0%, 1%, and 2% (v/v) H2CN2
Characterisation and susceptibility to lethal photosensitisation of in vitro-grown sub-gingival biofilms.

Oral biofilms are the aetiological agents of periodontal diseases. Biofilms are inherently resistant to traditional antimicrobials, hence novel treatment modalities, like photodynamic therapy (PDT), might be an efficacious alternative to traditional antimicrobials. Preliminary PDT studies involved the screening of a number of photosensitisers, Toluidine blue O (TBO) was chosen for further investigation. TBO in conjunction with a 35mW Helium Neon (HeNe) laser was then tested against a range of planktonic oral bacteria as well as both monospecies biofilms grown on membrane filters and multi- species biofilms grown on membrane filters from a salivary inoculum. TBO achieved appreciable kills against many of the planktonic organisms, whilst a 2 logio reduction was evident in both the monospecies biofilms and the saliva- derived biofilms following irradiation with 31.5 J of laser light in the presence of 81.7 pM TBO. In order to evaluate the likely efficacy of PDT in vivo it was necessary to develop a laboratory model that was capable of producing biofilms that would resemble (in terms of composition and structure) the subgingival plaques found in periodontitis patients in vivo. Consequently, biofilms were grown from subgingival plaques in a Constant Depth Film Fermentor (CDFF) under conditions mimicking those present within a periodontal pocket. The resultant biofilms were quantified using viable counts on selective agars and the microbiota was characterised using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The community structure was analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and community level physiological profiling. The structure of the biofilms was studied in real time using confocal scanning laser microscopy. The susceptibility to PDT (using toluidine blue and 632 nm light) of these subgingivally-derived biofilms was then determined. Reductions in viability of up to 1 logio were observed and when compared to chlorhexidine digluconate (an antimicrobial commonly used for the treatment of oral infections and often considered to be the "gold standard"), there was little difference in efficacy. In this study, a laboratory model able to produce biofilms with a composition and structure resembling those of subgingival dental plaques was developed. The biofilms produced were found to be susceptible to lethal photosensitisation using toluidine blue and light (632 nm).