Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Microbial Phytase Supplementation and Soaking of Barley-Soybean Meal on Availability of Plant Phosphorus for Growing Pigs

Abstract The efficacy of phytase supplement, 1200 U/kg, produced by Aspergillus niger on phytin phosphorus (P) availability was assayed in a 6 × 6 Latin square designed digestibility and balance trial with growing pigs at live weight 35–88 kg. The pigs were fed on barley-soybean meal diets without inorganic P either soaked for 3 h or without soaking. The P content of the control diet with added inorganic P was 6.5 g and that of unsupplemented diets 3.7 g/kg. The calcium content was 8.0 g/kg in all diets, and in the composition of other nutrients, the diets were equal. Soaking of the meal had no effect on digestibility of any nutrient. The digestibility of ash in a diet supplemented with phytase was improved (P<0.001). There were no differences in any organic constituent digestibility between the treatments. No effect on nitrogen utilization was found as a result of phytase addition or soaking. The addition of microbial phytase improved (P<0.001) the apparent absorption of P to 0.64 as compared to the unsu.
Extracellular vesicles as mediators of intercellular communication in human breast cancer progression

The establishment of a permissive tumor microenvironment is a key step for tumor progression and metastasis formation. Tumor cells are known for their ability to create such a favorable tumor niche by influencing the surrounding benign stroma cells through the secretion of cytokines or growth factors. Recently, there is increasing evidence that also extracellular vesicles (EV) released by the tumor cells are important means of intercellular communication. Therefore, we aimed to investigate their role in tumor-tumor and tumor-stroma crosstalk in human breast cancer. Human breast cancer cells were found to release tumor microvesicles (T-MV) as well as tumor exosomes (T-Exo). Both significantly enhanced invasiveness of the tumor cells in an auto- and heterologous feedback loop, whereas benign MV or the particle-free supernatant had no such effect. In case of T-MV, their pro-invasive function was dependent on a dynamin-dependent uptake into their recipient cells. Moreover, all pro-invasive T-MV carried a highly-glycosylated isoform of the Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN) with N-glycosylation at N160 and N268. Anti-EMMPRIN strategies such as knockdown or deglycosylation antagonized the pro-invasive function of T-MV on tumor invasion. Interestingly, EMMPRIN-carrying T-MV increased tumor invasiveness in a matrix metalloproteinase-independent mechanism by activating p38/MAPK signaling. EMMPRIN is not only involved in MV-mediated pro-invasive tumor-tumor crosstalk in vitro, but can also be used as a novel marker to detect T-MV which are circulating at high numbers in peripheral blood of breast cancer patients in vivo. Apart from their autologous influence on tumor invasion, we identified tumor-EV (T-EV) as mediators of a reciprocal tumor-macrophage communication loop. They were able to reprogram macrophages by inducing Wnt5a expression which was not observed for benign MV. Wnt5a induction was mediated by p38/MAPK signaling which could be antagonized by the Wnt-inhibitor DKK-1. Macrophage-Wnt5a was then exported on macrophage-derived EV and transported back to the tumor cells where it increased their invasive potential. Wnt5a expression on EV was shown to depend on the seven-pass transmembrane protein Evenness interrupted (Evi) which had been demonstrated so far only for exosomes and not for non-canonical Wnt ligands like Wnt5a. In conclusion, breast cancer cells were demonstrated to release T-EV into the local environment as well as the bloodstream, where they interact with surrounding tumor as well as stroma cells and support the establishment of a favorable tumor niche.
Potluck or Chef de Cuisine? Knowledge Diversity in Teams and Breakthrough Invention

Is the trend towards specialization by knowledge workers detrimental to the creation of frontier-pushing inventions? The answer to this question is ‘yes’ under two conditions. First, diverse knowledge is a source of frontier-pushing inventions. Second, teams having a ‘chef de cuisine’ – an individual with high knowledge diversity – are more effective for frontier-pushing inventions as compared to teams obtaining diversity through a combination of specialized team members – a ‘potluck’ structure. Using the ‘R&D100 Awards’ as a measure for frontier-pushing performance, this study shows the importance of knowledge diversity for the creation of frontier-pushing inventions. Moreover, 90% of the variance in team knowledge diversity is accounted for by the most diverse team member, indicating a potluck-structure is rare. Diversity of the most diverse member drives the likelihood of pushing the technological frontier, while the diversity added by the team does not significantly contribute to the effect. These results indicate individual-level diversity cannot be substituted by diversity generated through a combination of specialists. Given a trend towards specialization, these findings raise concerns for policy makers and managers targeting frontier-pushing inventions.
Identification of Estrogenic Chemicals in STW Effluent. 2. In Vivo Responses in Trout and Roach

The occurrence of certain natural and synthetic steroidal estrogens in the final effluent from STW has been demonstrated. 17β-Estradiol and estrone were present at concentrations in the tens of nanograms per liter range, and the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol was also identified, albeit in the low nanogram per liter range. The findings from subsequent in vivo tank trial experiments, in which adult male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and adult roach (Rutilus rutilus) were exposed for 21 days via the water to environmentally relevant concentrations of 17β-estradiol and estrone are presented. In addition, the response of adult male and female roach following exposure to 17β-estradiol (1, 10, and 100 ng/L) was compared to the response to the alkylphenolic xenoestrogen, 4-tert-octylphenol (1, 10 and 100 μg/L). Plasma levels of vitellogenin were determined using previously validated radioimmunoassays in order to measure the estrogenic response of the fish to the varying concentrations of the compo.
Analyse du gène Lacaune d'hyperprolificité dans la population Lacaune Viande Ovi-Test

Le gene majeur d'hyperprolificite FecL (aussi appele gene Lacaune) a ete decouvert dans la population Lacaune viande Ovi-Test au debut des annees 2000. La cooperative Ovi-Test a fait le choix de gerer ce gene a l'etat heterozygote dans son noyau de selection et, depuis 2010, toutes les femelles de renouvellement sont genotypees. Le nombre de donnees accumulees a permis d'etablir precisement les frequences genotypiques des differentes cohortes et de mieux estimer l'effet du gene, ainsi que de tester un eventuel effet sur d'autres caracteres. Les brebis heterozygotes (L+) ont une prolificite superieure de 0.5 agneaux et une distribution des tailles de portee plus etalee que les homozygotes sauvages (++). Leur taux de reussite a l'IA est aussi plus important pour certaines categories d'animaux. En revanche, les agneaux de brebis ++ ont un poids a 30 jours plus important (+300 g) que les agneaux de brebis L+ et une mortalite plus faible parmi les agneaux nes doubles. De tels effets n'avaient encore jamais ete observes pour un gene majeur de prolificite. Un biais du au gene majeur a egalement pu etre mis en evidence dans le calcul actuel de l'index de prolificite, ce qui peut gener le processus de selection. Une analyse des accouplements realises sur IA a par ailleurs debouche sur l'identification d'un probleme logiciel dans l'attribution des semences. Tous ces resultats permettent de mieux connaitre les effets du gene FecL, meme si beaucoup restent encore inexpliques, et pourraient avoir des consequences sur le fonctionnement et les strategies de la cooperative.
Competition and habitat selection in a forest-floor small mammal fauna

In a study of habitat exploitation in a forest-floor small mammal community, we have collected habitat and population data for Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse), Ochrotomys nuttalli (golden mouse) and Tamias striatus (eastern chipmunk). Using multiple regression analysis, we estimate the effects of habitat selection and competition on the local distributions of these species during three seasons. Each of the partial regression coefficients relating the density of an "independent" species to the density of the "dependent" species is negative. This result indicates that competition (i.e., mutual inhibition) is pervasive among these species. Competitive ability and habitat selectivity both increase in the order PeromyscusTamiasOchrotomys. Peromyscus is a poorly competitive habitat generalist, Ochrotomys is a strongly competitive habitat specialist, and Tamias is intermediate in both respects. The competitive hierarchy is stable between seasons. These results both confirm the conclusions reached in previous studies of this small mammal community and suggest the design of experiments to further clarify the mode and consequences of interaction between these species.
Characterizing and Comparing Bioassessment Methods and Their Results: A Perspective

Most of the many bioassessment methods currently in use in the United States produce data of unknown quality. The results are: 1) uncertainty as to which methods yield accurate information for a given type of site, and 2) missed opportunities to share data among different programs or organizations having potentially comparable methods and data quality. Using a performance-based methods system (PBMS) and benthic macroinvertebrate assessment methods as examples, we offer a framework for characterizing the data quality achieved by a collection-and-analysis method and for determining the comparability of different methods. This framework incorporates 3 steps that: 1) quantify method precision and bias for a single site, using different field personnel and different site classes; 2) quantify method precision, bias, and performance range using multiple reference sites within at least 2 different site classes; and 3) quantify method sensitivity, bias, performance range, and--indirectly--accuracy, using test sites (with different levels or types of probable impairment) as well as reference sites. Comparability of methods is judged by the degree of similarity in their performance characteristics rather than in their respective scores or metric values. The PBMS framework could yield several benefits including: documentation of personnel training in the field; realistic requirements for data quality in bioassessment methods so that information gathered is likely to meet program or project needs; greater flexibility in choice of method used; refinement of methods by agencies responsible for long-term monitoring without the loss of historical data; and more sharing of bioassessment information across political boundaries, thus reducing duplication of efforts.
Effects of irrigation deficit and application of some growth regulators on defense mechanisms of canola.

A split-plot experiment arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications was carried out in Safiabad Agricultural Research Center of Dezful in order to investigate the effects of foliar applications of ascorbic acid (AsA), salicylic acid (SA) and methanol (Me), under deficit irrigation conditions, in canola; there were 3 levels of irrigation as the main factor (irrigation after 70 mm evaporation from the pan as control, cessation of irrigation at the flowering stage and cessation of irrigation at the appearance of siliques) and 10 levels of foliar applications as sub-factor (100, 200 and 300 mg.l -1 AsA; 100, 200 and 300 ÂµM SA; 10, 20 and 30% (w/v) methanol; and foliar application of distilled water as control). Foliar applications were made during both budding and initiation of flowering stages. Results indicated that antioxidant enzymes showed different responses to deficit irrigation and foliar application treatments. Maximum catalase (CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were observed under cessation of irrigation at flowering stage and foliar application of 300 ÂµM SA, while ascorbate peroxidase (APX) reached its maximum activity under the same irrigation conditions and foliar application of 300 mg.l -1 AsA. SA had more influence to increase in CAT and PPO activity under cessation of irrigation at flowering stage. The relative water content (RWC) was also decreased due to the drought stress caused by the cessation of irrigation. Foliar application of SA (100 μM) and Me (10% w/v) had more influence to maintain RWC compared to ascorbic acid under irrigation cessation at flowering stage.
Population Dynamics of the Porbeagle in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Abstract A virgin population of porbeagles Lamna nasus in the northwest Atlantic Ocean supported annual catches of up to 9,000 metric tons (mt) in the early 1960s before the fishery collapsed in 1967. Low and apparently sustainable catches of about 350 mt in the 1970s and 1980s allowed the stock to partially rebuild before a new fishery arose in the early 1990s. The response of the population to this renewed fishing pressure has been unclear until now. However, a new population dynamics analysis suggests that population abundance has once again declined. On the basis of more than 140,000 length measurements, an extensive catch rate index, a confirmed growth model, and a catch-at-age matrix, it appears that at least 90% of the sexually mature population has been lost as fishing mortality has increased. Independent measures of fishing mortality (F) based on Petersen analysis of tag-recaptures, Paloheimo Zs, and a population model all suggest that fishing mortality was about 0.20 in 2000. Biological referenc.
Paraquat-Resistant Horseweed Identified in the Mid-Atlantic States

In 2003, a small percentage of horseweed () plants survived sequential paraquat applications in a research trial conducted in a commercial field. This research project focused on determining if this horseweed population was resistant to paraquat. The susceptible biotype required a paraquat application of 0.03 lb ai/acre to reduce biomass by 50%, while the suspected-resistant biotype required 0.7 lb ai/acre. This consists of a 22-fold difference in response between the two biotypes. This is the first documented case of paraquat-resistant horseweed in the Mid-Atlantic states and the second reported case in the United States for this species.
Protective effect of sodium alginates against bacterial infection in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

A hot-water extract of Undaria pinnatifida was found to contain polysaccharide(s) which showed immunostimulating activity in fish. In order to identify the effective component(s), the hot-water extract was fractionated and acid-soluble (Fraction I) and acid-insoluble (Fraction II) polysaccharides were evaluated for their potential to enhance protection against Edwardsiella tarda infection in common carp. Intraperitoneal injection of Fraction II in carp 6 and 3 days prior to challenge with E. tarda resulted in a significantly greater survival rate than that of control fish at doses of 10–30mgkg-1. On the other hand, Fraction I was not effective at any dose. Chemical and physicochemical analyses revealed that Fraction II was sodium alginate with a high degree of purity, with a molecular weight of 45000 and an M/G ratio of 0.8. Some commercial alginates were similarly evaluated for their efficacy. Alginates from Macrocystis pyrifera (MW, 146000-264000; M/G ratio, 0.9–1.0) significantly increased survival rate, but alginates from Lessonia nigrescens (MW, 177000–290000; M/G ratio, 1.3) had little effect. There are indications that the efficacy (protective effect) of alginates has some relationship to their M/G ratios.
Microscale alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation method for high-throughput determination of lignin aromatic components

The nitrobenzene oxidation method is widely used for structural analysis of lignin. However, the conventional nitrobenzene oxidation method has several drawbacks including the requirement of a sizeable amount of sample material and the rather slow completion of the reaction process. In this paper, we describe a microscale nitrobenzene oxidation method using deuterium-labeled vanillin and syringaldehyde as internal standards. Using this method, we show that the microscale nitrobenzene oxidation method realized high-throughput determination of lignin components using a small amount of sample, i.e. 10 mg per reaction, and high reproducibility. Due to the small sample sizes, the oxidation reaction and extraction steps of a number of samples can be completed in parallel, thus enabling us to process more than 40 samples per day.
Response of deep‐sea biodiversity to abrupt deglacial and Holocene climate changes in the North Atlantic Ocean

Aim Little is known about how marine biodiversity responds to oceanographic and climatic changes over the decadal to centennial time-scales which are most relevant for predicted climate changes due to greenhouse gas forcing. This paper aims to reveal decadal–centennial scale deep-sea biodiversity dynamics for the last 20,000 years and then explore potential environmental drivers. Location The North Atlantic Ocean. Methods We investigated deep-sea benthic microfossil records to reveal biodiversity dynamics and subsequently applied comprehensive ecological modelling to test possible environmental factors (i.e. surface productivity, seasonality of productivity or deepwater circulation related to bottom-water temperature) that may have influenced deep-sea biodiversity over these time-scales. Results Deep-sea biodiversity changed synchronously with stadial–interstadial climate changes over the last 20,000 years across a large area of the North Atlantic in both ostracod crustaceans and foraminiferan protozoa (in spite of their different dispersal abilities). Species diversity rapidly increased during abrupt stadial events during the last deglacial and the Holocene interglacial periods. These include the well-known Heinrich 1, the Younger Dryas and the 8.2 ka events when the strength of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) decreased. There is also evidence for quasi-cyclic changes in biodiversity at a c. 1500-year periodicity, consistent with the well-known ‘1500-year climatic cycle’. Statistical analyses revealed that AMOC variability (probably specifically the variability in AMOC-driven bottom-water temperature) is correlated with deep-sea biodiversity. Main conclusions Our finding of a significant AMOC–diversity relationship may indicate pervasive control of the diversity of deep-sea benthic species by rapidly changing climate, specifically bottom-water temperature, over decadal to centennial time-scales. Our results, based on highly resolved fossil records, may portend pervasive, synchronous and sudden ecosystem responses to human-induced changes to climate and ocean circulation in this century.
Primary and Secondary Responses of Juveniles of a Teleostean, Pikeperch Sander lucioperca, and a Chondrostean, Persian Sturgeon Acipenser persicus, to Handling during Transport

Abstract The dynamics of stress responses in small, juvenile pikeperch Sander lucioperca (as a representative teleostean) and small, juvenile Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus (as a chondrostean) were determined during capture and transportation for release into rivers. Blood samples were obtained from juveniles from a pond, channel, and loading basin and at 1.5 and 24 h after loading. Samples were analyzed for cortisol, glucose, and lactate concentrations, and mortality was recorded. Plasma cortisol concentrations increased, reaching a maximum in Persian sturgeon from the channel and pikeperch from the loading basin. Significant increases in plasma glucose concentrations were observed in samples from the channel and at 1.5 h after loading for Persian sturgeon and pikeperch, respectively. Similarly, significant decreases in lactate concentrations were observed 1.5 h after loading in both species. The results of this study show the sensitivity of these species to stress during transportation. They sugges.
Tracking continental habitat shifts of eels using otolith Sr/Ca ratios: validation and application to the coastal, estuarine and riverine eels of the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne watershed

To enable a relevant interpretation of otolith strontium : calcium (Sr/Ca) variations in terms of habitat shifts of eels, the Sr/Ca-salinity relationship in eel otoliths was validated. Downstream and upstream migrations of young eels were reproduced in the laboratory by transferring groups of fish every 2 months between aquaria filled with water coming from the Dordogne river (salinity = 0), the upper Gironde estuary (salinity = 5), the lower Gironde estuary (salinity = 25) and the coast (salinity = 30), which represented the salinity gradient observed in the Gironde–Garonne–Dordogne watershed. Ontogenetic changes in otolith Sr/Ca were assessed in two groups of control fish that were kept in one of either two constant salinities (fresh water or seawater). X-ray electron microprobe (wavelength dispersive spectrometry, WDS) analyses of Sr/Ca ratios in the otoliths showed that the change of aquarium was recorded as a Sr/Ca increase (downstream migration) or a Sr/Ca decrease (upstream migration). No ontogenetic effect was detected in otoliths of control fish outside glass eel marks in either group of fish. The electron microprobe (WDS) analysis of the Sr/Ca life (transected in several otoliths of eels caught in the Gironde–Garonne–Dordogne watershed) showed that some of them were migrant eels that had experienced one major habitat shift during their continental life.
The social organization of giraffes in Niger

The social organization of the last population of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in West Africa was studied between October 1996 and December 1997. Population size increased from 51 to 63 individuals during the study period. Groups were larger during the rainy season (mean group size 9.4) than during the dry season (mean group size 6; U = 4131; P < 0.01). Giraffes did not show strong preferential associations. Group types observed were similar to those expected on the assumption that associations are independent of sex and age. Inter-individual associations were low (mean simple ratio value = 0.1), with an individual associating with only half of its partners of the previous day. Young males interacted more frequently than other classes did. Agonistic interactions occurred mostly among males. Contact interactions (i.e. non-agonistic or sexual) occurred between both sexes and most age classes. Links between local communities, domestic animals, fauna and the environment suggest that environment and development cannot be dissociated in the sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
Suggestive evidence for a functional association between mast cells and symphathetic nerves in meningeal membranes

The functional relationships between sympathetic nerve fibres and meningeal mast cells were studied in whole mounts of rat dura mater and pia-arachnoid membrane using formaldehyde histofluorescence technique. Mast cells displaying a yellow fluorescence indicative of their 5-hydroxytryptamine content were found in the dura mater, primarily perivascularly and in lesser amounts in the meningeal tissues proper without any apparent relationship with blood vessels. Bilateral removal of the superior cervical ganglion produced the degranulation of part of dura mater mast cells as well as a remarkable reduction of the intensity of their 5-hydroxytryptamine cytoplasmic fluorescence. On the contrary, the electrical stimulation of the superior cervical ganglion increased the intensity of cytoplasmic fluorescence of this kind of cells.Taken together the above data seem to be strongly suggestive of a functional link between meningeal mast cells and sympathetic nerve fibres originating from superior cervical ganglion.