Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study of the vascular organization of bamboos (Poaceae-Bambuseae) using a microcasting method

A reliable and simple microcasting method is applied to the study of the vascular structure in bamboo nodes; it provides new insights into their complexity, revealing the exact arrangement of branched vessels and clustered tracheary elements. Axial differentiation gradients in the metaxylem cell files, probable relics of the intercalary meristem, can also be found using this method. This anatomical finding can be linked to arecent hypothesis on the continuum in the tracheary element differentiation.
Transfer of zinc from xylem to phloem in the peduncle of wheat

Abstract Maturing wheat grains represent major sinks for solutes in the phloem, while the xylem sap entering the ear is mainly delivered to the glumes. Nutrients and assimilates transported in the phloem may either be exported from source organs or loaded into the sieve tubes by a xylem‐to‐phloem transfer in the stem. The transfer of zinc from xylem to phloem in the peduncle of wheat was investigated by feeding radiolabelled zinc into the cut xylem of detached shoots. The label accumulated in grains of shoots with an intact phloem but not in those steam‐girdled below the ear. These findings indicate that zinc fed in low concentrations (0.1 ‐ 10 μM) entered the ear mainly via the phloem. After feeding high zinc concentrations (100 ‐1000 μM), the label was mainly retained in the stem and steam‐girding below the ear was rather ineffective. These results led to the conclusion that at these high concentrations zinc was still eliminated from the xylem sap, but loaded only in a minor percentage into the phloem.
Canola response to high and moderately high temperature stresses during seed maturation

Canola is a valuable oilseed crop worldwide. Temperature during the post-anthesis period plays an important role in determining the final yield and seed composition. Experiments were conducted in climate-controlled growth cabinets to test the effect of two high temperature regimes following a 24-h acclimation period on three canola cultivars differing in their thermotolerance. A long, moderately high temperature treatment of 28°C/23°C (day/night) was applied for 10 d from 20 to 30 d after flowering (DAF) and a short, very high temperature regime of 28°C/23°C (day/night) including a peak of 38 °C reached for 5 h around midday for 5 d from 25 to 29 DAF. Very high temperature for 5 d reduced yield on the main stem by up to 52% for a sensitive cultivar by reducing seed weight. This treatment also decreased the oil/protein ratio, but had a lesser effect on fatty acid composition. The moderately high temperature treatment for 10 d had only affected yield of one cultivar and increased the oil/protein ratio of al.
Immunolabeling demonstrates the interdependence of mouse brain α4 and β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit expression

Immunolabeling of β2 and α4 subunits was quantitated in brain sections (14 μm) using [125I]mAb 270 and [125I]mAb 299, respectively. Specificity was demonstrated by signal loss in β2−/− and α4−/− brain sections, respectively. Even mild paraformaldehyde fixation severely affected immunolabeling, so this study used unfixed sections. Immunolabeling autoradiography was used to map and quantitate the effects of β2 and α4 subunit‐null mutations on their putative partner subunits' protein expression. [125I]mAb 299 labeling was nearly eliminated in β2−/− sections, although dorsal interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) retained a faint signal. Therefore, α4 subunit expression is almost universally β2‐dependent. In contrast, α4‐null mutation effects on [125I]mAb 270 immunolabeling varied widely among brain regions. In corticothalamic regions, [125I]mAb 270 labeling was eliminated. However, in habenulopeduncular regions, α4 genotype had no effect. Other (predominantly dopaminergic and optic tract) nuclei also retained reduced [125I]mAb 270 labeling in α4−/− sections. Thus, although most β2 subunit protein expression is α4‐dependent, this dependence is not universal. Presumably, residual β2 subunits are found in non‐α4* subtypes. Together, these results show that immunolabeling is applicable to reliable, quantitative investigations of neuronal nAChRs, and that subunit‐null mutants can be appropriate controls for such experiments. In situ mRNA hybridization was also performed to determine if altered mRNA transcription mediated the interdependence of α4 and β2 subunit expression. α4‐Null mutation did not affect β2 mRNA expression, nor did β2 genotype affect α4 mRNA expression. Consequently, it seems that the two subunits' effects on each other's expression are mediated at the protein, rather than gene expression level. J. Comp. Neurol. 499:1016–1038, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
DENGUE FEVER AND THROMBOCYTOPENIA – A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY AT TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Background: Dengue fever is one of the commonest diseases in tropical countries and carries significant morbidity and mortality. Thrombocytopenia (low platelets) is one of the very common manifestations in case of dengue infection. Platelet transfusion in dengue always remains controversial. Objective: Present study was conducted to study precise criteria and transfusion trigger for platelet transfusion in our set-up. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 112 serologically antibody positive confirmed dengue patients admitted in a Hospital, Powai, Mumbai, between 1st of August to 30th October 2017. The age groups of the included patients were within 20-50 years and did not have any co morbidity and were diagnosed at OPD. Indication for hospitalization includes high grade fever (>101° F) and platelet counts less than 100,000 along with other viral prodromal symptoms. Clinical data, reports of laboratory investigations, platelets requirements and data obtained from daily follow-up and record sheets were analyzed. Results: In the serologically positive confirmed cases, the prevalence of thrombocytopenia (count <100,000/mm3) was 97% on admission and there was no bleeding recorded in any patient. Out of 112 serologically confirmed dengue cases, only 1 (<1%) patient of dengue received platelet transfusion whose platelet counts were <7000/mm3 and he had petechiae all over the body. Total 9 patients had platelet count <10000/mm3 (8.03%), 28 (25%) patients had platelet count <20,000/mm3, 52 (46%) had a platelet counts <40,000/mm3 while total 79 (70.53%) patients had platelet counts <50,000/mm3. In the study population, 28 (25%) patients had platelet count <20,000/mm3 and 9 (8.03%) patients had platelets count <10000/mm3, only 1 patient had petechiae; hence platelet transfusion was given. For all other patients who had platelet counts <20,000/mm3, their clinical parameters were monitored strictly and frequent manual platelet counts were done. These patients were not given any transfusion. Conclusion: This study suggests that bleeding due to thrombocytopenia in case of dengue fever is not a common occurrence especially, in otherwise healthy adult or middle aged patients. Those with no or minimum co morbidities and strict monitoring of symptoms are required to preserve the resources and to avoid unwanted platelet transfusions. Platelet count should not be a bench mark for someone to transfuse the platelet. Signs of bleeding, other co-morbid factors and clinical parameters should be taken in to consideration before starting platelet transfusions.
Níveis de lisina digestível para frangos de corte machos na fase de 22 a 42 dias de idade

The objective of this experiment was to determine the digestible lysine requirement for male broilers in the period from 22 to 42 days. Four hundred and sixty male broilers Hubbard, with an initial average weight of 631 g, were allotted in a randomized block experimental design with five treatments, six replicates and 15 birds by experimental unit. The treatments corresponded to five L-lysine levels supplemented to a basal diet with 19,64% of crude protein and 3100 kcal of ME/Kg resulting in diets with . 80, . 86, . 91, . 97, and 1.02% digestible lysine. The true amino acid digestibility in the basal diet was determined by means of a digestibility trial with cecectomized Leghorn roosters. There was effect of digestible lysine levels in the diet on the weight gain (WG), diet intake, feed:gain ratio (F:G) and lysine intake, but there was no effect on the uric acid concentration in the blood serum, in the carcass chemical composition and carcass yield, including breast and hind quarter yield. Based on the WG and F:G results, the digestible lysine requirements was estimated in 1.02 and . 98%, respectively.
Nutritional value of floral nectar sources for flight in the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata

Abstract. This study investigates the feeding of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata on the floral nectar of Anethum graveolens and Origanum vulgare and evaluates the nutritional value of these food sources for increasing flight capacity. A significantly higher proportion of females are observed feeding on A. graveolens immediately after being released onto the floral nectar plants compared with those of the group released onto O. vulgare, although female wasps from both groups spent a similar period of time feeding on both nectar sources and there is no significant difference in their body weight increase. Laboratory tests on computer‐linked flight mills demonstrate that adult feeding significantly influences flight capacity, as defined by the number of flights, the longest single flight and the total distance flown during a given period of time, in female wasps but not in males, albeit the extent of influence varying with the type of food sources. After ad libitum feeding on the floral nectar of A. graveolens, female wasps perform flight activity as well as those feeding on honey, which is superior to those feeding on sucrose, in all the measured parameters. Feeding on the floral nectar of O. vulgare has a similar effect to feeding on the extrafloral nectar of Vicia faba and significantly increases the total distance flown but not the number of flights or the longest single flight. Feeding on sucrose does not increase flight capacity in the parasitoids beyond those having access to water only. The findings of this study suggest that judicious selection of floral nectar plants and habitat manipulation might play a key role in the biological control of pest insects.
Combining abilities and heterosis for adaptation in flint maize populations

Breeding of maize (Zea mays L.) in the Atlantic coast of Europe has focused on developing hybrids to exploit heterosis between flint and dent germplasm. Flint × flint hybrids could have some advantages because of their earliness and early vigor that are important in short growing season areas. The objective of this work was to study the adaptation of a set of 10 flint varieties crossed to flint and dent testers and in a diallel design to check the feasibility of a breeding program to obtain flint hybrids well adapted to European Atlantic conditions. In the testcrosses, general combining ability (GCA) of the flint tester EP42 for kernel moisture at harvest and days to silking was lower than those of dent testers. Improvement of flint varieties for combining ability with inbred line EP42 could be done to obtain earlier flint x flint hybrids with a better dry-down rate than flint x dent hybrids. Diallel entries were analyzed following Analysis II of Gardner and Eberhart. Variety and heterosis effects were significant for all traits. Varieties Gallego and Norteno, besides having large variety effects, also showed intermediate variety heterosis for adaptive traits and they would be the best adapted varieties to include in breeding programs. The cross 'Gallego × Basto/Enano levantino' combined the best yield and good specific heterosis for adaptive traits. Thus, flint hybrids to be grown in short season areas could be obtained following this heterotic pattern.
A PROFILE OF FATHER INVOLVEMENT AS PERCEIVED BY THE CHILD

The amount of research on fathers has been increasing in the past three decades, but most research is still focused on mother involvement in the family. In reality, fathers also have a huge impact on the development of their children. Therefore, there is a need for special research on father involvement in parenting. The aim of the study was to examine the profile of father involvement as perceived by the child. The study is conducted in the Indonesian province of Aceh, where Islamic values lead the social life of the residents as well as government policies. This study uses descriptive-quantitative methods, taking in respondents using the quota sampling technique (n=500). The results showed that among families in Aceh, there is father involvement within the instrumental dimension. In other words, fathers showed a high involvement in the range of ‘always involved,' in areas such as moral and career development, developing a sense of responsibility, independence, and discipline, and providing the child’s needs. This indicates that the role of the father in Aceh was consistent with the ‘father-breadwinner’ family model. The gender variable has a significant influence on father involvement variable. Keywords: Father Involvement, Fathering, Parenting
Regulation of c-erbA-α Messenger RNA Species in Tadpole Erythrocytes by Thyroid Hormone

Putative thyroid hormone (TH) nuclear receptors have been detected in several tissues of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles. T3 receptor number (sites per nucleus) in red blood cells (RBCs) and tail increases substantially just before metamorphic climax or in response to exogenous TH; in contrast, receptor number in liver remains relatively constant. TH receptors in mammals and birds are thought to be encoded by a c-erbA gene. In the present study, two c-erbA cDNAs, one prepared from Xenopus laevis oocytes (XenTRα1) and one prepared from Rana catesbeiana tail (RC12), were used to examine the c-erbA-related mRNA species in Rana catesbeiana tissues and determine their role in the TH induction of tadpole RBC receptor number. XenTRα1 encodes a protein with T3-binding properties typical of TH receptors. RC12 is almost 99% homologous with XenTRα1, at the amino acid level and contains all of the putative T3-binding region and most of the DNAbinding region. Using either cDNA as a probe, it was found that two major species.
The effects of habitat filtering on the phylogenetic structure of the urban flora of Brussels (Belgium)

Community ecologists have become increasingly interested in analyzing the phylogenetic diversity of species assemblages. Species that co-occur in the same habitats often share a common phylogenetic history such that at coarse spatial scales a species assemblage with a locally clustered phylogenetic structure is usually associated with the presence of habitat filtering mechanisms. However, more recently it has been hypothesized that environmental filters act primarily on the relative abundance of species rather than on their simple presences and absences, reducing the species’ probabilities to persist in given environmental conditions. This process may produce a non-random distribution of species abundances in the regional phylogeny even in the absence of a locally clustered phylogenetic structure. In this paper, using data from the urban flora of Brussels (Belgium) we tested for the presence of non-randomness in the distribution of abundances among the species phylogenetic structure. We argue that the observed pattern of low species phylogenetic distinctiveness at increasing species abundances is compatible with environmental filtering processes.
Electrophysiological Correlates Associated with Involuntary Processing of Single Letters in the Japanese Hiragana Script

Early processing of print stimuli is reflected by the left-lateralized N170 of event-related potentials (ERPs). However, most previous ERP studies have focused on letter strings, and only a few have investigated single letters in opaque alphabetic writing systems, despite the fact that they are the front-end of visual word recognition and reading development. We examined ERPs for single letters of the highly transparent Japanese Hiragana script, which demonstrated a direct correspondence between graphemes and phonemes. We presented single Hiragana letters along with control stimuli (alphanumeric symbols in Experiment 1; unfamiliar foreign letters in Experiment 2) in rapid succession. The participants were asked to judge the stimulus colors and linguistic properties of letters that were task-irrelevant. In both experiments, Hiragana letters elicited more negative enhancement than control stimuli in the left hemisphere only, which showed a different pattern from the bilateral enhancement associated with single alphabetic letters. These results suggest that the implicit sound activation of Hiragana is automatic, which extends the “phonological mapping hypothesis” on the left-lateralization of N170 onto single letters.
Carbon flow through oxygen and sulfate reduction pathways in salt marsh sediments1

Surface oxygen uptake, sulfate reduction and total sediment metabolism were measured in sediments (0-30 cm) supporting stands of short Spartina alterniflora in a New England salt marsh. Surface oxygen uptake varied seasonally and was highly correlated with total sediment metabolism. Rates of oxygen uptake ranged from about 75 to 121 mmol/sq m/day during winter to a maximum in August of 363. Total carbon dioxide production followed the same trend with a winter low of 65 mmol/sq m/day and a maximum in August of 415. The sulfate concentration in porewater from the 0-2 cm interval was about that expected from seawater at the salinity of the interstitial water. Below this depth sulfate decreased to values of about 21.6 mmol/liter. Time-course experiments using carbon dioxide production and sulfate reduction indicate that the aqua regia technique is not reliable for measuring sulfate reaction and that the rate of sulfate reduction is much less than previously reported for this marsh. Carbon mineralization is estimated to average about 180 mmol C/sq m/day, among the highest measured for marine sediments. Simultaneous measurements of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and sulfate reduction suggest that at least half of this decomposition occurs via sulfate reduction. 54 references, 7more » figures. « less
Efficiency of a prebiotic and a plant extract alone or in combination on broiler performance and intestinal physiology

A 36-d trial was conducted to evaluate two potential alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. The products tested were a prebiotic (PROFEED®) and a plant extract (XTRACT™). Ross male broiler performance and digestive tract function responses were studied. To evaluate the effect of these potential alternatives alone or in combination, seven diets were tested: positive control avilamycin 10 ppm (PC); negative control antibiotic-free (NC); NC + PROFEED® 600 ppm (P); NC + XTRACT™ 100 ppm (X); NC + PROFEED®/XTRACT™ 600/100 ppm (XPH); NC + PROFEED® /XTRACT™ 450/75 ppm (XPM); NC + PROFEED®/XTRACT™ 300/50 ppm (XPL). From 22 to 36 d of age, body weight gain (BWG) was improved by P, X, and XPM compared with NC (P < 0.05). Throughout the trial, broilers fed PC, P, X and XPL had a better feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed NC (P < 0.1). No relevant negative effect was observed for the parameters relative to the digestive tract function: ileal histomorphometry, anaerobic sulphite-reducing bacter.
MAGNETIC FIELD TREATED WATER EFFECTS ON GERMINATION, GROWTH AND PHYSIO-CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF SOME ECONOMIC PLANTS

Labour and greenhouse experiments were conducted to study the effect of magnetic field treated water on germination, growth and physiological and biochemical changes in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.). The results indicated that magnetic field treated water increased seed germination percentage, seed germination value and seedling vigour index. Magnetic field treated water increased also plant height, leaf area per plant, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf relative water content (LRWC), whereas the leaf water deficit (LWD) values were decreased. Biochemical analysis of the plant leaves irrigated by magnetic field treated water clarified changes in the photosynthetic pigments, UV-absorbing substances (UVAS), activities of peroxidase (POX) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes, carbohydrates, phenolics and mineral ion contents. The latter changes are associated with the modifications in the membrane integrity of the plant leaves and the concentrations of some endogenous hormones in the plant shoots.
Regularities in Primary Production, Secchi Depth and Fish Yield and a New System to Define Trophic and Humic State Indices for Lake Ecosystems

General relationships between phytoplankton production, chlorophyll, total, dissolved and particulate phosphorus, Secchi depth, humic level, trophic level, fish production and latitude are described by regression equations using an extensive “Soviet” data base covering a wide domain of lake characteristics and a European data base. New systems for defining lake trophic and humic status are presented. The results may be used for more precise estimates of fundamental lake properties and for many practical issues of lake management, e.g., predictions of fish catch. We have used strict chlorophyll-a concentrations for every trophic class and we have omitted Secchi depth from the trophic classes, since Secchi depth and other variables strongly related to water clarity (like suspended particulate matter and particulate organic carbon) depend on autochthonous production, allochthonous influences and resuspension. We have used the Secchi depth as a simple operational measure of the effective depth of the photic zone. It has also been shown that among these lakes there exist a very strong relationship between primary production and latitude. In fact, 74% of the variability among the lakes in mean summer primary production can be statistically related to variations in latitude. These data also show a strong relationship between primary production and fish yield, which can be used to address many fundamental issues in lake management, like “normal and abnormal fish production”.
Physioecologic and Metabolic Properties of a Ayntrophic Acetogenesis Coculture

In anaerobic digestion system, the functional niche of hydrogen-producing acetogens (HPAs) is between acidogenic fermentation bacteria and methanogens. HPAs are quite difficult to be isolated by pure and ampliative cultures due to the obligate anaerobic metabolism property in syntrophic association with methanogenic. In order to enhance the HPAs activities in anaerobic disgestion, the physioecologic and metabolic properties of HPAs under different medium conditions, such as carbon and nitrogen type, influent temperature and pH was investigated in batch cultivation experiments. The result illustrated that under the cultivation temperature of 45°C and pH of 8.0, the butyrate, propionate and benzoate could be utilized by the syntrophic acetogenesis coculture, of which the uptake rate of butyrate was highest. The glucose and sucrose were repulsed however. The metabolic activity of HPAs could be enormously simulated as the mixture of tryptone and yeast was taken as the nitrogen source.