Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ENTEROTOXIN‐PRODUCING STAPHYLOCOCCUS STRAINS ASSOCIATED WITH SOUTH AFRICAN BILTONG AT POINT OF SALE

This study assessed the presence of Staphylococcus strains associated with the ready-to-eat meat product, biltong, (n = 26), at point of sale. Traditional beef, spiced/flavored beef, chicken and venison biltong varieties were purchased from local retailers, butcheries and street vendors. Samples were prepared for aerobic counts, yeast counts and presumptive Staphylococcus counts using standard spread plating techniques. Presumptive Staphylococcus aureus strains were selected using Pake's disk and characterized using a dichotomous key. Eleven of these strains were selected and further identified using 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Five of these, representing different species of Staphylococcus, were tested for enterotoxin production using the Set-RPLA toxin detection kit. Of the three biltong varieties, the chicken and venison consistently showed the highest counts across all types of media used (ca. 7 log colony forming units (cfu)/g), while the spiced biltong varieties generally showed lowest counts (ca. 5.5 log cfu/g). All 11 strains were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis as members of the Staphylococcus genus. Of these, five clustered with other Staphylococcus equorum strains, two with the Staphylococcus saprophyticus/Staphylococcus xylosus group, two with Staphylococcus succinus isolates and one each with Staphylococcus piscifermentans or S. aureus clusters. Enterotoxins staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and staphylococcal enterotoxin D (SED) were produced by two of the isolates indicating foodborne illness implications. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Biltong is a South African dried meat commodity which is a national favorite. However, very few studies have been conducted on the microbiological safety of biltong, as it has traditionally been seen as “safe” due to a low water activity (0.77) and pH (5.5). This preliminary study identified the presence of various strains of Staphylococcus associated with biltong product at point of sale in South Africa, and showed that some of these isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus equorum strains, held foodborne illness implications as they produced staphylococcal enterotoxins. This is the first such report on the presence of enterotoxin-producing Staphylococcus in biltong and contributes new knowledge to food processors in South Africa relating to production of safe dried meat products.
Physiological responses to drought and shade in two contrasting Picea asperata populations

The responses of photosynthetic gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, activities of antioxidant enzymes and lipid membrane peroxidation of two contrasting Picea asperata Mast. populations to 30% of full sunlight (shade) and full sunlight (sun) were investigated under well-watered and drought conditions. Two contrasting populations were from the wet and dry climate regions in China, respectively. For both populations tested, drought resulted in lower needle relative water content (RWC), CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs) and effective PSII quantum yield (Y), and higher non-photochemical quenching (qN), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and electrolyte leakage in sun plants, whereas these changes were not significant in shade plants. For the wet climate population, shade plants showed higher chlorophyll contents (Chla, Chlb and Chla + b) than sun plants under both well-watered and drought conditions. Our study results implied that shade, applied together with drought, ameliorated the detrimental effects of drought. On the other hand, compared with the wet climate population, the dry climate population was more tolerant to drought in the sun treatment, as indicated by less decreases in A and mass-based leaf nitrogen content (N-mass), more responsive stomata, greater capacity for non-radiative dissipation of excitation energy as heat (analysed by qN), and higher level of antioxidant enzyme activities as well as lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage. These results demonstrated that the different physiological strategies were employed by the P. asperata populations from contrasting climate regions when the plants were exposed to drought and shade.
Effects of shade use on grazing, drinking, ruminating and postural patterns of Merino sheep

Eight animals in a flock of 20 Merino sheep were observed during four 24-h periods in summer (Tamax 31-37±C) to see whether their voluntary use of shade was related to patterns of foraging and posture. Observations were made at 15-min intervals on the 4 animals that used shade most (31% of the day) and the 4 animals that used shade least (12%). A related experiment revealed no significant differences in body core or skin temperatures or in respiratory rates between the groups. Feeding times, ruminating times and drinks per day were no different in groups making most and least use of shade; day-night patterns of these variables were also indistinguishable. Sheep in the shade stood for 2 h longer per day than sheep in the sun, though they behaved similarly at night. Thus shade use by sheep was not apparently related to patterns of feeding or watering, but was associated with postural modifications that probably have thermoregulatory consequences.
Use of food and spatial resources by two frogs of the genus Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae) from La Selva, Costa Rica.

Use of food and spatial resources by two frogs of the genus Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae) from La Selva, Costa Rica. Differences in the use of resources by similar species have been related to a reduction in the interspecific competition that allows coexistence. Also, other factors, such as high availability of resources in the environment, vegetation structure, environmental heterogeneity, reproductive modes, and predation, can influence the use of resources and favor coexistence. We studied the use of space and food resources by males of two species of hylid frogs, Dendropsophus ebraccatus and D. phlebodes, in two swamps in the Neotropical lowland forest at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We determined space and food use by characterizing calling sites and the diet of the frogs by stomach flushing. Males call from different substrates, and use different sizes of leaves and perch heights. Both species seem to be feeding generalists. Their diets are similar and indicate a moderate trophic niche overlap based on the type of prey consumed. Many males of both species had empty stomachs, suggesting that food resources are not an important factor affecting the coexistence of these species. Our study also indicates a lack of competitive interactions for space and food resources, and suggests that the abundant and structurally diverse vegetation provides many different vocalization sites for the male frogs and fosters coexistence of these species during the breeding season at La Selva.
MOLECULAR EVOLUTION OF EUGLENOZOAN PARAXONEMAL ROD GENES par1 AND par2 COINCIDES WITH PHYLOGENETIC RECONSTRUCTION BASED ON SMALL SUBUNIT rDNA DATA 1

Emergent flagella of Euglenozoa consist of two prominent structural elements: the axoneme built by microtubules with motor proteins to enable the movement of the flagellum and a highly organized protein structure of unknown function, called the paraxonemal rod (PAR), which consists of two major proteins paralleling the axoneme of euglenid and kinetoplastid emergent flagella. These flagellar structures are considered apomorphic characters of Euglenozoa. We examined the evolution of the genes par1 and par2 encoding the two major proteins, where we could show that these proteins are encoded by two very similar genes found in kinetoplastids and euglenids. The branching pattern indicated a gene duplication before the diversification into euglenids and kinetoplastids. In the clades of the genes, subtrees of euglenid and kinetoplastid monophyla arose. Both genes showed strong genetic diversity with biased GC content at taxon rather than at gene level. We also examined phylogenies inferred from PAR genes that are well in agreement with established small subunit rDNA analyses. Both showed further separation of the euglenid subtree into primary osmotrophs and a phototrophic clade, including secondarily derived osmotrophs.
USE OF MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS OF THE BENTHOS IN ST. MARGARET'S BAY, NOVA SCOTIA1

Trends in the frequencies of occurrence of polychaetes and echinoderms in St, Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia, were isolated by principal components analysis and cluster analysis. Five principal components accounted for 70% of the total variance, three of them (46% of the variance) associated with sediment type, and one ( 16% of the variance) with distance from the head of the bay, probably with tidal water movements. The largest component of variance ( 23% ) was due to the difference between fauna from clay (characterized by Pectinaria hyperboreu and Synaptu sp. ) and fauna from more heterogeneous, coarser sediments. It was concluded that the large, contiguous area of soft mud in the deep part of the bay supports a reasonably well-defined, integrated community.
Teaching collocations effectively with the aid of L1

The acquisition of collocations is an es- sential part of native-like competency in English usage yet is not so easy for learners. The use of collocations by non-native English speakers tends to be negatively influenced by their l1. Interference from the learners’ l1 could be mitigated by showing them the differences between the colloca- tions in the target language and the equivalents in their own language. This article discusses concrete methods of teaching collocations effectively with the aid of learners’ l1 after briefly reviewing literature on collocations, collocations and language acquisition, and the use of learners’ l1 in language teaching.
The influence of antibiotic-induced filament formation on the release of endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria

during the treatment of human septicemia, while McCartney et al.9 also described some patients with a rise in endotoxin levels during the treatment of septic shock, perhaps in response to antibiotic therapy. Mustafa et al.10 demonstrated increased endotoxin and IL-J3 levels in cerebrospinal fluid of infants with meningitis caused by Gram-negative enteric bacilli associated with intraventricular gentamicin therapy. These patients had a poor out-
Quantity and safety vs. quality and performance: conflicting interests during mass rearing and transport affect the efficiency of sterile insect technique programs

The sterile insect technique (SIT) requires production of large quantities of sterile males able to successfully compete with wild males for wild females. During eradication of a pest population, the release of fertile insects or capture of non‐marked released flies can have deleterious effects and trigger costly control measures. These perceived risks encourage program managers to apply high radiation doses and high doses of marking dye. In addition, mass rearing factories are strategically located away from release areas to prevent escape of fertile individuals within eradicated areas, raising the need for lengthy transport. Such is the case for Anastrepha obliqua Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae) released in mango producing areas of Mexico under an SIT‐based eradication campaign. Here, we examined several standard quality‐control parameters for mass‐reared A. obliqua subjected to various time periods under hypoxia during transport, marked with different doses of fluorescent dye, and subjected to different radiation doses. Such factors were evaluated in isolation and in conjunction. Overall, long periods of hypoxia, high marking doses, and high radiation doses reduced the number of flying adults and increased the number of non‐emerged pupae. Some quality‐control parameters such as number of deformed adults, part‐emerged pupae, and non‐flying adults provided less informative guidance or redundant information of fly performance. Some tests such as mortality under stress and mating propensity in small cages were useless in detecting differences in quality among treatments for parameters evaluated during experiments. We discuss the quantity/safety‐quality/performance conflict during eradication using SIT, propose different strategies according to different stages during eradication (management, suppression, eradication, outbreaks in free areas), where males irradiated at low doses and marked with low doses of dye can be released during early suppression, and examine the pertinence of carrying out different quality‐control tests.
How does HIV cause AIDS

Many questions have been posed about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pathogenesis. Is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) both necessary and sufficient to cause AIDS? Is AIDS essentially an autoimmune disease, triggering apoptosis, or is virus infection the cause of T helper lymphocyte depletion? What is the significance of HIV tropism and the role of macrophages and dendritic cells in AIDS? Is there viral latency and why is there usually a long period between infection and AIDS? Is HIV variation a crucial aspect of its pathogenesis and, if so, do virulent strains emerge? Although this article provides few definitive answers, it aims to focus commentary on salient points. Overall, it is increasingly evident that both the tropism and burden of HIV infection correlate closely with the manifestations of disease.
Laboratory Study of the Intracapsular Development and Juvenile Growth of the Banded Murex, Hexaplex trunculus

Spawning, intracapsular development, and juvenile growth of Hexaplex trunculus were investigated in the laboratory. Each female deposited nightly an average of 138.83 ± 58.70 yellowish egg capsules per spawn. Each capsule contained 358.57 ± 102.45 eggs with an average diameter of 207.23 ± 18.18 µm. Observations on the intracapsular development showed that H. trunculus is a spiralian unequal-cleaving gastropod, with polar lobes being extruded at early segmentation. Embryos develop within the egg capsule through the provision of nurse eggs as an extraembryonic source of nutrition. Hatching occurred after 52 d of incubation. However, the hatchlings were not completely metamorphosed because velum was still present. At this moment, the average of shell length was 1.04 ± 0.13 mm (n = 107). The average number of hatchlings per capsule was 14.73 ± 4.40 including 3.4% malformed individuals. During the first 5 mo of life, juveniles rapidly grew in shell length (growth rate = 3.56 mm/mo). However, in the remaining period (26 mo), growth rhythm decreased considerably (growth rate = 0.64 mm/mo). The weight growth rhythm was irregular with alternation between fast and slow increases observed over the rearing experiment. This kind of data could be useful for assessing the potential of this species for future molluscan aquaculture programs.
Effect of High Peroxide Value Fats on Performance of Broilers in a Normal Immune State

A floor pen trial was conducted to determine the effect of high peroxide value fats on performance of broilers in a normal immune state. Ross 708 Broilers were randomly assigned to 48 floor pens with each pen contained 30 birds. Dietary treatments were developed in a 3 x 2 factorial using three levels of fa t rancidity, Peroxide Value (PV) of 0, 75 and 150. One half of each peroxide value diet also received an antioxidant at 125 ppm. Six dietary treatments with eight replicates were fed to broilers from hatch to day 49. Diets were formulated based on standard industry diets with the exception of fat being forced into the diet at 3% for the starter ration (0-3 wks), 6% in the grower ration (3-5 wks) and 6% in the finisher ration (5-7 wks). The trial measured the performance of the broilers based on the parameters of Feed Intake (FI), Weight Gain (WG) and feed conversion (F:G). An initial pen weight was taken on day 0 for each of the 48 pens and birds were weighed at 3, 5 and 7 weeks of age to calculate FE. At week 7, four birds per pen (32 birds/treatment) were sacrificed and processed in order to obtain a fat pad weight, carcass weight and percent meat yield. The results indicated that diets with a peroxide value of 75 or greater result in poorer feed conversion than the treatment with a peroxide value of 0. Furthermore, the addition of an antioxidant to the diets with a peroxide value of 75 or greater yielded a numerically improved feed conversion over the diets with the same peroxide value but no antioxidant.
SURVEY OF PHALARIS MINOR IN THE INDIAN RICE-WHEAT SYSTEM

A combination of agro-ecological and socioeconomic factors gave rise to the current weed epidemic of Phalaris minor, threatening the sustainability of wheat (Triticum aestivum) production and rural livelihoods across a large area of the Indo-Gangetic plains in northern India. This paper presents the results of a system audit describing the current status of the P. minor epidemic in Haryana State, India, in a broad agronomic and socioeconomic context. The audit showed that the P. minor epidemic is a major production constraint for many farmers, and seriously affects farm profitability. It suggests that the epidemic is closely entangled with geographic factors, as well as farm management systems and farmers' socioeconomic positions. Since the farmer community is not a homogeneous group with respect to P. minor management, nor in ability to change farm management practices, farmers are not equally receptive to technical innovations aimed at improving sustainability of wheat production.
Genetics of mine invasions by Deschampsia cespitosa (Poaceae)

Deschampsia cespitosa is a self-incompatible, tussock-forming, perennial grass with a scattered distribution in Ontario, primarily along the shores of the Great Lakes. In recent decades, D. cespitosa has colonized metal-contaminated sites in the mining regions of Sudbury and Cobalt. Isozyme variation in populations from contaminated and uncontaminated sites were compared to investigate the genetic consequences of mine invasion. Central Ontario populations are diploid (2n = 26); however, the complexity of electrophoretic patterns suggested that D. cespitosa is a diploidized tetraploid with considerable gene duplication. Innovative approaches were therefore required for quantitative assessment of isozyme variability within and among populations. Eighteen populations of D. cespitosa were assayed for variation at nine enzyme systems, representing 19 putative isozyme loci. Populations included eight from various uncontaminated habitats, five from mine sites around Sudbury, and five from Cobalt. Lower levels of.
Desulfitobacterium hafniense sp. nov., an anaerobic, reductively dechlorinating bacterium

Strain DCB-2T (T = type strain) (T. Madsen and D. Licht, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:2874–2878, 1992) is an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that is capable of reductive dechlorination of chlorophenols. The cells of this strain are rod shaped and 3.3 to 6 μm long by 0.6 to 0.7 μm wide and occur singly and in pairs. Short chains are formed. Spores are terminal. This bacterium is motile, and each cell has one or two terminal flagella. Cells in the exponential and stationary phases are gram negative. This organism does not hydrolyze gelatin and is indole positive and catalase negative, and the guanine-plus-cytosine content of its cellular DNA is 47 mol%. The optimum temperature for growth is 37°C. Only pyruvate and tryptophan are used as substrates. Pyruvate and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol are converted to acetate, CO2, and 4-chlorophenol by strain DCB-2T. When grown on pyruvate, this bacterium produces sulfide if thiosulfate or sulfite is added as an electron acceptor. Fe(III) is reduced to Fe(II), but Mn(IV) is not reduced. Sulfate is not reduced to sulfide in the presence of pyruvate or other carbon sources typically used by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Cytochrome c is present, but desulfoviridin is not. DCB-2T reductively dechlorinates 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate to 4-hydroxyphenylacetate and conserves energy from the reaction. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that strain DCB-2T clusters with the Clostridium-Bacillus subphylum and groups with Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans and Desulfotomaculum orientis. Desulfotomaculum orientis does not dechlorinate 2,4,6-trichlorophenol. On the basis of the phylogenetic and physiological differences and similarities of strain DCB-2T, Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans, and Desulfotomaculum orientis, we concluded that DCB-2T belongs to the genus Desulfitobacterium. We propose that strain DCB-2 is the type strain of Desulfitobacterium hafniense sp. nov.
Soluble N compounds in trees exposed to high loads of N: a comparison between the roots of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees grown under field conditions

SUMMARY During the growing session of 1995, the total soluble non-protein nitrogen (TSNN) composition and contents of mycorrhizal fine roots, xylem sap and phloem exudates of roots from a coniferous (Picea abies L.(Karst)) and a deciduous (Fagus sylvatica L.) tree species were analysed at a field site ('Hoglwald', Germany) exposed to high loads of N. In April, TSNN in fine roots of spruce and beech trees amounted to 16 jtmol N g-' f. wt and 23 3 ,umol N g-' f. wt, respectively. It decreased to 9 2 ,umol N g-' f. wt and 18 1 ,umol N g-' f. wt, respectively, after bud break in June. The seasonal maximum of TSNN in fine roots of spruce was observed in July (32 7 ,tmol N g-' f. wt) followed by a decline of c. 30 % until the end of the growing season in September. TSNN in fine roots of beech trees showed a further decline between June and July, when its seasonal minimum was determined (1 56 ,umol N g-1 f. wt), and increased to c. 29 ,umol N g-1 f. wt until September. In spruce roots Gln and Arg were the most abundant TSNN compounds during the entire growing season. In roots of beech Asn played an important role alongside Gln and Arg, especially in April, when it was the most abundant TSNN compound. Other proteinogenic and non-proteinogenic N compounds comprised c. 20-30 % of TSNN. Nitrate made up < 1 %, and ammonium < 7 % of TSNN in the fine roots of both species. In April, TSNN in the xylem sap of roots of spruce and beech trees amounted to 3 4 and 8 6 /tmol N ml-', respectively. In roots of spruce trees xylem sap TSNN increased after bud break up to 12 7 ,umol N ml-' in July. At the end of the growing season TSNN had declined again to 3 9 ,tmol N ml-'. TSNN in the root xylem sap of beech trees decreased after bud break until July (2 4 ,umol N ml-' in July) followed by a slight increase until September (2 9 ,tmol N ml-'). Arg, Gln and Asp were the most abundant TSNN compounds in the xylem sap of spruce trees contributing together c. 90 % to TSNN. The same TSNN compounds prevailed in the root xylem sap of beech trees in April and July, whereas in June and September Asp was replaced by Asn comprising 57 % of TSNN in June. In addition to the N compounds mentioned above, a number of other proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic amino compounds were found in root xylem sap of both species. In either species, nitrate and ammonium were present in small amounts, contributing < 1 % and < 4 % to TSNN, respectively. Apparently, inorganic N taken up by the mycorrhizal roots is mainly assimilated in root tissues or by the mycorrhiza and N