Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of leaf tissue structure on host feeding selection by pea leafminer Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae).

Host feeding selection by the female pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis, on 47 species of plants was studied. The leaves were sectioned by microtome, and 15 characteristics of the leaf tissue structure were measured under a microscope. Correlation analysis between host feeding selection and leaf tissue structure indicated that the preference of host feeding selection was positively correlated with the percentage of moisture content of leaves and negatively with thickness of the epidermis wall, and densities of the palisade and spongy tissues of leaves. Leaf tissue structure was influential in feeding and probing behavior of female L. huidobrensis. So, thickness of epidermis wall, densities of the palisade and spongy tissues can act as a physical barrier to female oviposition. Furthermore, higher densities of palisade and spongy tissues can be considered a resistant trait which affects mining of leaf miner larvae as well. As a result, plants with lower leaf moisture content may not be suitable for the development of L. huidobrensis.
Fertilizer Rate and Type Impacts Magnolia and Oak Growth in Sandy Landscape Soil

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) planted as 3-L (1-gal) liners into sandy soil did not respond to nitrogen applications above 20 g N/m2 (4.2 lb N/ 1,000 ft2) per year the first 2 years after planting. The 40 g N/m2 (8.3 lb N/1,000 ft2) per year rate resulted in greater height than the 20-g (4.2-lb) rate in the third year and greater height and trunk diameter the fourth year after planting. Nitrogen rates greater than 40 g N/m2 did not result in more growth. Seedling magnolia and 10- to 13- cm (4- to 5-in.) caliper field-grown live oak (Quercus virginiana) trees receiving nitrogen soon after transplanting responded the first year of application by growing faster than those that received no nitrogen. Nitrogen source had little impact on growth or tissue nitrogen concentration (1.4%) of 10- to 13-cm-caliper live oak in the first 3 years after field transplanting, and there was no N source effect on root extension from the trunk. All fertilizers containing nitrogen promoted growth. Nitrogen applications increased trunk growth on 23-cm (9-in.) caliper live oak beginning about 16 months after transplanting with a tree spade. Potassium and/or phosphorus, when applied in conjunction with nitrogen, had no effect on growth.
Antibiogram of isolated bacteria from Omisanjana hand-dug well water and flowing stream

Water samples were obtained from ten (10) wells around Omisanjana stream, Ado-Ekiti to determine the microbiological and physicochemical quality. The samples were analyzed for the total bacterial and coliform count and the isolated organisms were identified using standard techniques which were further screened for susceptibility to various antibiotics commonly used in the community. The total bacterial count ranged from 2.6 x 10 3 to 10.9 x 10 4 CFU/ml and the total coliform counts ranging from 3.0 x 10 2 to 9.3 x10 4 CFU/ml; which exceeded the WHO standard for drinking water. The organisms isolated belonged to eleven genera, among which Staphylococcus aureus showed highest frequency (24.6%) while Acinetobacter spp . with least frequency (4.3%). The physicochemical properties of the water accord with the WHO standard with pH range of (6.2-71), temperature (26.9-29.2), turbidity (-0.8 - 6.5) NTU, conductivity (0.04-0.23)µS/cm, total hardness (14-80) mgL -1 , TDS (34 to166) mgL -1 and TSS of (29 to 122) mgL -1 . Higher level of resistance to the antibiotics tested was more prominent in the E.coli than in Staphylococcus aureus . Although some strains were susceptible to some commonly used antibiotics, but the resistant bacteria encountered pose a serious public health risk especially with the increasing rate of transfer of resistant genes from one bacterium to another. There is therefore need to treat water obtained from wells in the community to make it safe for domestic use.
Responses of cows to abomasal infusion of lysine and methionine at two levels of dietary protein

The response in dairy cows fed high-concentrate diets to abomasal infusion of lysine (Lys) and methionine (Met) at two levels of dietary CP was examined. Four multiparous Israeli Holstein cows (day in milk = 180±30, means ± SE) were utilized in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment that included a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with 18-d periods. Cows were surgically prepared with abomasal cannulae and catheters implanted in the costoabdominal artery. Two diets were composed to contain high and low crude protein (CP) content (152 vs 132 g/kg dry matter). Abomasal infusion of either water or Lys (38 g/d) plus Met (14 g/d) was performed with each diet. On the last day of the experimental period the metabolism of amino acids (AA) across the mammary gland was monitored. Dry matter intakes and milk and protein yields were not affected by either dietary CP level or postruminal infusion of Lys plus Met and averaged 15.9, 21.4, and 0.694 kg/d, respectively. Milk fat content and yield were not affected by dietary CP concentration, but did increase with abomasal infusion of Lys plus Met (33.3 vs 37.2 g/kg; P<0.04, and 0.703 vs 0.762 kg/d; P<0.05, respectively). Arterial plasma concentration of Lys and Met increased by 2.4and 3.5-fold, respectively, when these AA were infused abomasally. Net mammary gland uptake of both AA increased during the abomasal infusion in the low CP diets but not in the high CP diets. The ratio of uptake across the udder of these AA to their corresponding output value in milk, suggested that there was no shortage of supplying Lys and Met from dietary intake. It was also apparent that increased uptake of Met across the udder was accompanied with higher fat secretion in milk.
Comprehensive Bioinformatic Analysis of Glycoside Hydrolase Family 10 Proteins

Glycoside Hydrolase Family 10 (GH10) contains endo-1, 4-β-xylanase which catalyzes the hydrolysis of xylan, the most abundant hemicellulose in lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, different bioinformatic approaches were used to comprehensively analyze the distribution, the phylogeny, the function and the evolutionary origin of a large GH10 protein dataset. The goal was to explore the correlation between sequence similarity and function of GH10 proteins to better understand xylan utilization pattern within the family. Predicted glycoside hydrolase family 10 sequences from fungal, bacterial, archaeal, and non-fungal eukaryotic genomes as well as biochemically characterized proteins were used to perform a phylogenetic analysis. Based on the tree topology, 626 GH10 sequences were classified into 50 well-supported subfamilies. Among the analyzed sequences, 42 remained unclustered. The complex topology of the family tree suggests multiple duplication events followed by lineage specific gene loss during evolution. In addition, the Maximum Likelihood phylogeny of GH10 proteins does not mirror the previously established species taxonomic tree, suggesting that the divergence of the GH10 family ancestral gene preceded the appearance of the eukaryotic lineages. A set of non-fungal GH10 proteins were manually curated employing criteria used in mycoCLAP, a database for biochemically characterized fungal lignocellulose active enzymes. Experimental data of biochemically characterized GH10 proteins were mapped onto the phylogenetic tree to establish relationships, if any, between biochemical properties and sequence similarity. Only 24 subfamilies contain members with characterization, demonstrating that 26 phylogenetically diverse subfamilies remain uncharacterized. Among the subfamilies with experimental data, a distantly related subfamily with tomatinase activity was identified. By comparing the tertiary structures of well-characterized subfamilies, I have identified subfamilies that display different xylan substrate preferences and hydrolysis patterns. Correlations were also observed between sequence similarity and the pH and/or temperature optimum in the GH10 family. The accumulation of mutations within subfamilies reflects how they have diverged over time. Subfamily discriminating residue analyses were performed to identify subfamily-specific polymorphisms. Detailed lists of subfamily discriminating residues are provided. The majority of these residues are involved in secondary structure formation based on alignment to 3D structures, suggesting they might be functionally and structurally important.
Análisis cariotípico de siete especies de tiránidos (Tyrannidae)

Se presenta el número y morfología cromosómica de siete integrantes de la familia Tyrannidae del NE de Argentina: Myiarchus ferox (2n=76), Tyrannus savana (2n=78), Elaenia parvirostris (2n=78), Pitangus sulphuratus (2n=78), Tyrannus melancholicus (2n=78), Platyrinchus mystaceus (2n=60) y Cnemotriccus fuscatus (2n=84). En el presente trabajo se describen por primera vez los cariotipos de las tres primeras especies. El muestreo de los ejemplares adultos se realizó con redes de niebla y las preparaciones cromosómicas se obtuvieron a partir de células embrionarias y de médula ósea. P. mystaceus presenta un número cromosómico relativamente bajo para la clase, con predominio de cromosomas bibraquiales. El cromosoma W observado en M. ferox es proporcionalmente mayor al encontrado generalmente en Passeriformes. Cariotípicamente, T. savana y T. melancholicus se diferencian en la morfología del 2° par y el cromosoma sexual Z y para P. sulphuratus se determinó un número diploide significativamente diferente al encontrado en trabajos previos (2n=68).
Mechanisms to Detoxify Selected Organic Contaminants in Higher Plants and Microbes, and Their Potential Use in Landscape Management

Abstract : In this report biochemical and physiological processes important for the phytoremediation of organic contaminants are discussed. Literature data on the uptake and potential of plants and microorganisms to detoxify organic contaminants are analyzed. Mechanisms of penetration and translocation of organic contaminants in plant leaves and roots are described. The principal transformation phases of organic contaminants once entered into a plant are: functionalization, conjugation and compartmentation. The following mechanisms to detoxify organic contaminants are discussed and the chemical reactions involved described: excretion, hydroxylation, reduction, hydrolysis, conjugate formation (glycosylation, peptide conjugation). The most important enzymes that participate in these processes, i.e., cytochrome P450-containing monooxygenase, peroxidase, phenoloxidase, nitroreductase, esterase, transferase, are characterized and known mechanisms of their actions discussed. Recently generated, so far unpublished, data on the uptake and transformation of TNT in plants and microorganisms are presented. Several effects on the plant cell ultrastructure are illustrated of organic contaminants with different chemical characteristics, as well as the changes cells undergo during the detoxification process. Two lists are presented of plant and microbial strains potentially utilizable for the remediation of organic contaminants. Further study of plants and microorganisms with a high potential for remediation of organic contaminants is recommended, and the subsequent application of the generated results is suggested.
Heterologous Expression of Rat Testis GABAA Receptor β3t Splicing Variant in CHO Cells

Objective To characterize a possible retention function of unique sequence in the 5'end of rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variantMethods Rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant cDNA was cloned and two eukaryotic expression recombinant plasmids of pEGFP-N1 and pEGFP-C1 were constructed respectively by fusing green fluorescent protein to the N or C-terminus of β3t isoform. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into CHO cells by calcium phosphate co-precipitation method. Fluorescence microscope and laser confocal microscope were used to analyze localization of β3t in the transfected cells. ConA-Texas-Red was used to label cell ER and the localization of rat testis β3t splicing variant in CHO cells was determined.Results When rat testis β3t splicing variant was expressed in CHO cells, two expression patterns were delineated, the distributions of uniform and mainly discrete intracellular compartments respectively. The chimera product failed to be translocated into the cell surface when expressed in CHO cells; whereas the β3 subunit of rat brain was incorporated into the plasma membrane.Conclusion The inability of β3t to target into the ER may be a consequence of the unique 25 specific amino acid segments in the N terminus.
Group formation in a social wasp

Group formation is a fundamental step in the evolution of cooperation, yet there are few models of this process in social animals, and even fewer empirical tests. The prolonged nest initiation phase in temperate paper wasps provides a valuable opportunity to study group formation. Data were obtained for 180 groups of females collected from a large population of Polistes dominulus in two sites in south-western Spain. Foundresses on early nests were more closely related then females in winter aggregations or in stable groups (just before workers emerged). Most stable groups (£ 85 %) had one or more females that were unrelated (or distantly related) to the remaining members of the group. Mean wasp size did not markedly change during the different stages of the nesting cycle. Only 15 % of all foundresses had one or more clypeal marks. Wasps with marks were more common at the end of the nest foundation period than at early nests suggesting that these wasps may be adopting a "sit and wait" strategy. Foundresses that hibernated in the same aggregation were more likely to start a nest together. Changes in group composition were likely to be caused by the disappearance of foundresses (death) and the frequent arrival of joiners to established groups. Within-group relatedness was not affected by the arrival of late joiners, but was negatively correlated with the date that nests were initiated. Only 16 % of all successfully marked wasps visited more than one nest. These wasps tended to move to nests with higher within-group relatedeness and less clypeal marks variability than their original group, but not necessarily a higher number of their own relatives. Dominance hierarchies were experimentally inferred for 53 nests. Rank was negatively correlated with the number of full-sisters foundresses an individual had in its group. Highly-ranked wasps (rank 1 and 2) were less likely to share a nest with their full-sisters than wasps of lower rank, but an individual's rank was not affected by whether its full-sisters had a higher or lower position than it in the dominance hierarchy. Rank was also correlated with the size of clypeal marks, but only one foundress had a mark on 15 nests out of the 20 nests where wasp with marks were present (out of 53).
Atrazine Dissipation as Affected by Surface pH and Tillage

Field studies and laboratory analyses were conducted to examine factors affecting degradation of 14C-atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamine)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] under field conditions. The effects of these factors on weed control under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems were also examined. The amount of radioactivity which was unextractable in 90% methanol increased with time following treatment with 14C-atrazine. The rate of formation of unextractable 14C compounds was greater under no-tillage and increased with decreasing pH. After 14 to 18 days, a greater amount of extractable atrazine was present in areas receiving lime. The degradation of atrazine occurred more rapidly when surface pH was less than 5.0 compared with a pH greater than 6.5. The effect of lime on the amount of parent atrazine present in the soil was directly correlated to its effect on soil pH. Extractable atrazine in the soil 45 days after treatment was significantly correlated with weed control with the greatest effect under no-tillage.
Performance and Economic of Production of Broiler Chickens fed Maize and Yam Peels based Diets supplemented with Xylanase, Amylase and Protease Multi-enzymes at starter phase Target audience: Nutritionist, researchers, feed millers and poultry farmers

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of maize and yam peels meal based diets with and without enzyme supplementation on the growth performance and economic of production of broiler chickens at starter phase. One hundred and eighty (180) day old broiler chicks were fed six diets in two groups. The first group of diets contained: maize replaced with yam- peel (YPM) at 0%, 15% and 30 % levels without enzyme supplementation designated as T1, T2 T3 respectively. The second group of diets contained maize replaced with YPM at 0%, 15% and 30% with enzyme supplementation of 50g/kg designated as T4, T5 T6 respectively. Birds were allotted to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated 3 times consisting of10 chicks per replicate. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. The results of growth performance showed significant differences (P 0.05) in feed conversion ratio. However, operation cost and cost of DOC interaction of yam peel meal and enzyme showed significant difference (P < 0.05) in determining for economic production. The economic analysis revealed that cost in N/kg of diet decreased linearly with increased of level of yam peel meal with and without enzyme supplementation in the diet. Birds fed control diet (T1) and diet contained 0g yam peel meal with enzyme (T4) had higher values for cost of feed consumed per bird, cost of production, feed cost percentage and total cost. The profit margin ranged from N154.80 - N 178.40 for birds fed diet contained 30% yam peel meal with enzyme (T6) having the highest gross margin. Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that yam peel meal can replace maize up to 30% in broiler starter ration with or without enzyme for improved performance with some reduction in the cost of production. From economic point of view in term of profit margin, 30% yam peel meal with enzyme supplementation is recommended. Key words : Yam peel meal, enzyme, performance, economic production, broiler chicks
Caractérisation de nouveaux régulateurs de la sénescence induite par un stress oncogénique dans les cellules épithéliales humaines

La senescence est un arret stable de proliferation mis en place en reponse a differents stress cellulaires, comme le raccourcissement des telomeres (senescence replicative) ou le stress oncogenique (senescence induite par un oncogene, OIS) et constitue un processus s'opposant a la proliferation des cellules tumorales. La plupart des etudes menees dans des fibroblastes ont permis d'identifier p53 et pRb comme acteurs majeurs de la senescence. Toutefois, l'etude de l'OIS dans les melanocytes ou les cellules epitheliales a revele de nouveaux mecanismes, n'impliquant pas obligatoirement ces deux voies canoniques. L'objectif de ma these est de caracteriser de nouveaux regulateurs de l'OIS dans les cellules epitheliales. Pour cela deux approches differentes ont ete utilisees. Dans une premiere partie, je me suis interessee aux effets de l'activite portee par les lysyl oxydases (LOX), famille d'enzyme connue pour favoriser le processus metastatique, sur l'echappement a l'OIS. L'inhibition de LOX et LOXL2 stabilise l'OIS dans les cellules epitheliales mammaires humaines et dans un modele murin d'adenocarcinomes du pancreas. Ce travail a permis de montrer que l'activite Lox est impliquee dans l'initiation tumorale. Dans un deuxieme temps, en utilisant un criblage perte de fonction nous avons isole plusieurs genes dont l'inhibition stable d'expression permet un echappement a l'OIS dans les cellules epitheliales mammaire humaines. Parmi eux, j'ai caracterise l'implication de deux canaux calciques, ITPR2 et MCU, dans l'echappement a la senescence. ITPR2, qui permet la sortie de calcium du reticulum endoplasmique, et MCU, qui permet l'entree de calcium dans la matrice de la mitochondrie, s'averent etre deux acteurs necessaires a la signalisation calcique lors de l'OIS. De maniere importante, les mouvements calciques sont associes a une chute du potentiel de membrane mitochondrial, et a la generation d'especes reactives de l'oxygene. Ce travail montre que les mouvements calciques semblent egalement etre impliques dans le processus de senescence replicative
Diversity and vertical distribution of epiphytic liverworts in lowland rain forest and lowland cloud forest of French Guiana

Abstract Recent evidence is emerging that tropical cloud forests are not restricted to mountains, but may also be found in tropical lowland areas, the so-called ‘tropical lowland cloud forest’ (LCF). LCF occurs in river valleys with high air humidity and morning fog, and is rich in epiphytes. We explored the diversity of bark-inhabiting liverworts in LCF, a group of organisms known to be sensitive indicators of humidity. To test the hypothesis that LCF differs in species richness and species composition from lowland rain forest without fog (LRF), we sampled liverwort diversity in LCF and LRF on 48 whole trees in two sites in French Guiana. Sampling efficiency ( = no. of species found as percentage of estimated total number of species) was about 90% in both forest types. Species richness in LCF was significantly higher than in LRF and species composition differed in all height zones; moreover, LCF had three times more indicator species. Indicators of LCF included shade epiphytes and generalists that occurred also in montane forests, those of LRF were sun epiphytes characteristic of rather dry, open sites. The detected differences in liverwort diversity of LCF and LRF are explained by the more humid conditions in LCF as compared with LRF. A comparison of liverwort richness along elevational gradients in the Neotropics showed that species richness differs more strongly among forest type (rain forest, cloud forest) than among elevation and that lowland cloud forests may be richer in species than montane rain forests. The data indicate that elevational comparisons of bryophyte species diversity in the Tropics should make a distinction between rain forests and cloud forests.
Molecular Properties of Post-Mortem Muscle.

SUMMARY— Post-mortem changes in nucleoside triphosphatase activity of bovine myosin B have been studied by using several different modifiers with either 5 mM ATP or 5 mM ITP as substrate at ionic strengths (r/2) of 0.09, 0.19, or 0.52. Enzymic activity was determined by measuring the release of inorganic phosphate. There was very little difference in enzymic activity between myosin B isolated from prerigor, rigor (24 hr post-mortem) or post-rigor (312 hr post-mortem) muscle stored at either 2° or 16°C except that the specific activity of myosin B prepared from muscle stored for 12–24, hr post-mortem was higher than activity of myosin B prepared immediately after death. This increase cannot be explained in terms of rigor shortening, but suggests that a change in myosin conformation or in the nature of the actin-myosin interaction occurs in post-mortem muscle. If an actin-myosin interaction occurs during rigor mortis and if this association remains unchanged during extraction of myosin B, then the very low Mg++-modified myosin B enzymic activities obtained at Γ/2 = 0.19 and 0.52 indicate that this interaction is not irreversible. Extraction in the absence of ATP produced a myosin B whose ATPase activity was markedly inhibited by trace amounts of Mg++. This may be due to the absence of a-actinin in these myosin B preparations. No consistent differences in activation energies were found either at Γ/2 = 0.19 or 0.52 among the NTPase reactions of myosin B samples prepared from muscle after various times of post-mortem storage.