Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity studies on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in vegetable crop plants of Goa, India

This study was conducted to assess the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity associated with different vegetable crop plants cultivated in Goa. Fifty one AM fungal species were recovered from rhizosphere soil samples of 27 vegetable crop plants belonging to 10 families from 10 different agricultural sites of Goa during 2008-2009. Glomus (26) was the dominant genus followed by Acaulospora (16), Gigaspora (4) and Scutellospora (5) with species number given in parentheses. The maximum spore density was recorded in Cansaulim (1015.01 spores 100g -1 soil) and minimum was reported in Pernem (394.01spores 100g -1 soil). The highest number of arbuscular mycorrhizal spores was found in Zea mays (95.33 spores100g -1 soil) in Taleigao and least was recovered in A. virdis (12.33 spores 100g -1 soil) in Taleigao. Acaulospora scrobiculata was recorded in all ten sites in 24 vegetables and was the dominant species in six sites. Species richness was maximum in Netravali (28species -site ). Simpsons and Shanon-Wiener Diversity Indices of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were highest in Netravali respectively.
Regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase by arabinoxylans with molecular characterisation from wheat flour in cultured human monocytes

The immunomodulatory activity of the arabinoxylans (AXs) extracts from cereal sources has beenreported to impart health beneﬁts in terms of immune enhancement. This study investigated the eﬀect ofenzymatic extraction on extraction yield and structure of AXs from wheat ﬂour pentosan fraction. Underthe optimised conditions, the extraction yield of AXs reached up to 81.25%. Furthermore, the studydetermined whether water-extracted AXs (WEAXs) and enzyme-extracted AXs (E-WEAXs) from wheatﬂour were able to diﬀerentially stimulate nitric oxide (NO) secretion through increased levels of induciblenitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human U937 monocytes. The results indicated that AXs concomitantlyinduced (P < 0.05) both NO and iNOS productions in U937 monocytes compared to untreated cells.Compared with WEAXs, E-WEAXs resulted in a higher proportion of low Mw (1– 10 KDa) AXs(49.51% vs. 19.11% in WEAXs), a higher A/X ratio (0.83 vs. 0.48 in WEAXs) and a higher yield(12.83  0.35% vs. 7.54  0.47% in WEAXs). Moreover, E-WEAXs induced signiﬁcantly (P < 0.05)greater NO and iNOS production per million viable cells (61.8  2.7 lM and 42.41  3.83 ng respec-tively) than WEAXs (51.6  2.6 lM and 33.46  1.48 ng, respectively). The ﬁndings suggest AXs mayheighten innate immune activity in the absence of infection or disease through an iNOS-mediated stimula-tion of NO production. The immunomodulatory activity of the wheat-derived AXs was enhanced byenzyme treatment, with low Mw and high A/X ratio associated with elevated NO/iNOS levels in humanmonocytes compared to water extraction.
Environmental risks posed by heavy metal contamination from mine waste: Case study from northwest Iran

ABSTRACT Mining activities produce waste tailings that can be a significant source of pollution in the surrounding ecosystem. This study was designed to estimate the magnitude of Fe, As, Pb, Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Cr in soil impacted by activities in the Moeil iron ore mine area of northwestern Iran and initially assess the potential risk to nearby residents and ecological habitats. For this, concentrations of elements in 24 samples from 8 locations were analyzed by inductivity coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Concentrations of heavy metals reported for samples collected from the area ranged from 50,247–466,200 mg/kg for Fe, 40–10,827 mg/kg for As, 9–84 mg/kg for Pb, 0.2–58.4 mg/kg for Cd, 32–424 mg/kg for Mn, 4–32 mg/kg for Ni, 37–60 mg/kg for Zn, and 32–337 mg/kg for Cr. Reported levels of Fe and As in particular are indicative of severe contamination and imply a high risk to ecological receptors. Reported levels of arsenic also imply elevated cancer and non-cancer health risks to residents who work in or pass through the area. Reported levels of Cd and Cr in soil samples also indicate an elevated cancer risk posed by these metals. The result of this study indicates it is important to estimate potential contamination of soils and drinking water wills in the vicinity of Moeil village to arsenic and heavy metals.
Investigation of the role of the toxins perfringolysin O (PFO) and sialidase in Clostridium perfringens gas gangrene infections

Clostridium perfringens is the causative agent of gas gangrene. A lethal infection in mice requires a large inoculum suggesting that the immune system is involved in inhibiting disease. Human monocytic cells and neutrophils killed C. perfringens in vitro when complement was present. Macrophages and neutrophils co-localized with C. perfringens in vivo when bacterial numbers were low. Depletion of neutrophils and monocytes in mice revealed that monocytic cells play a role in inhibiting C. perfringens gas gangrene in mice infected with an intermediate dose. C. perfringens can persist in the tissues and this could be mediated by persistence within macrophages. To examine if the toxin perfringolysin O (PFO) could mediate this, less active variants of PFO were used to examine what occurs between phagosomal escape and cell lysis. The mutant forms of PFO did mediate phagosomal escape in macrophages and were found within macrophages at higher numbers than wild-type C. perfringens. Our data were preliminary but may indicate that less active PFO mediates intracellular persistence. To investigate the role of sialidase in C. perfringens gas gangrene we made nanI-, nanJ-, and nanI-/nanJmutants. We observed that NanI is responsible for the majority of sialidase activity of C. perfringens strain 13, that NanJ is an extracellular sialidase, and that these genes are transcriptionally regulated by sialic acid. Murine infection trials revealed that these sialidases may be protective for mice during infection. In conclusion, murine monocytes inhibit disease onset and C. perfringens sialidase enhances mouse survival. However, the toxin PFO if less active promotes the survival of C. perfringens with macrophages.
Niche segregation between Sciurus aureogaster and S. oculatus in a disturbed forest in central Mexico

Niche segregation has been proposed as the driving factor facilitating species coexistence by reducing interspecific competition. Nonetheless, although niche segregation has been widely studied, few studies have examined it in disturbed environments. Because of their dependence on mature forests, arboreal squirrels are model organisms for studying how sympatric species coexist in disturbed habitats. We examined niche segregation between Sciurus aureogaster and S. oculatus in an oak-pine forest of Pinal de Amoles, Querétaro, Mexico, disturbed by insect infestation and deforestation. We were interested in the degree of niche overlap in activity patterns, space and tree use, and feeding behavior. Because S. aureogaster has a greater geographic distribution and occurs in a wider range of habitats, we predicted that it would show wider niche values, and would be more tolerant to disturbance compared to S. oculatus. We also predicted that nests would be situated in areas with low deforestation pressure. We searched for squirrels, nests, and tree stumps while walking along dirt roads and trails, and through the dense part of the forest. Levin's measure of niche breadth and Pianka's measure of niche overlap were used to evaluate how both species segregate across resource dimensions. Number of stumps was used to evaluate deforestation pressure around nests and squirrels within 30-m-radius circles. S. aureogaster showed slightly narrower niche breath values in 5 out of 7 dimensions compared to S. oculatus. We found high niche overlap values in all dimensions examined. Both squirrel species strongly relied on pine (Pinus) trees for feeding, traveling, and nesting. S. aureogaster and S. oculatus were observed in areas with similar disturbance, and nests were situated in areas with medium deforestation pressure. Pine trees were mostly logged illegally and for forest sanitation, posing a serious threat to the persistence of arboreal squirrels within the study area.
Synchronous, metachronous and metastatic tumors of the upper female genital tract

The occasional finding of simultaneous or metachronous multiple primary cancers in the upper genital tract may represent metastasis from one location to another or independent primary tumors. The overall survival of patients with simultaneous primary cancers of the ovary and uterus suggests multifocal rather than metastatic disease. Diagnosis relies upon conventional clinicopathological criteria. The distinction is important because the prognosis and treatment are different. Metastases to the female genital tract occur frequently in the ovary, sometimes the ovarian tumor being primarly manifested although the extragenital tumor remains occult. In perspective, global genetic profiling should determine the potential prognostic relevance of specific molecular alterations, by correlation of profiling data with patient outcome.
NESTING AND SOCIAL ROOSTING OF THE OCHRE-COLLARED PICULET (PICUMNUS TEMMINCKII) AND WHITE-BARRED PICULET (PICUMNUS CIRRATUS), AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EVOLUTION OF WOODPECKER (PICIDAE) BREEDING BIOLOGY

To understand the evolution of reproductive strategies and social behavior in woodpeckers (Picidae), it is useful to compare breeding biology between the two largest subfamilies: Picinae (true woodpeckers) and Picumninae (piculets). The piculets include four species in the Old World (Sasia, Verreauxia, and Picumnus spp.) and a recent radiation of 25 Picumnus spp. in the Neotropics; however, information about their breeding biology is limited. We studied four nests and one roost of the Ochre-collared Piculet (Picumnus temminckii) in the Atlantic Forest of Misiones and eight nests of the White-barred Piculet (Picumnus cirratus) in the Chaco region, of Argentina, and reviewed the published literature on other species of Picumnus. Cavities were excavated in dead branches and tree trunks. Entrance diameters were 2.2 ± 0.2 cm (mean ± SE) for the Ochre-collared Piculet and 2.5 ± 0.1 cm for the White-barred Piculet. In both species, both parents excavated cavities, incubated eggs, fed nestlings, and maintained the cavity clean of feces. In the Ochre-collared Piculet, incubation lasted 13 days, on-bouts were 42 ± 4 (± SE) min for females and 48 ± 7 min for males, and nest attentiveness was nearly 100% during incubation and the first 10 days after hatching. Nestling Ochre-collared Piculets hatched without feathers, their eyes and pin feathers opened on day 13, and they fledged on days 26 and 27. Nestlings of both species were fed ant larvae and other small prey. In Ochre-collared Piculets, the rate of food delivery (especially by the female) increased with nestling age. Females removed 71% and males 29% of fecal sacs. Fledgling Picumnus have dark crowns and look like adult females, which is different from Sasia, Verreauxia, and most Picinae. Unlike Picinae, Picumnus parents roost together in their nest cavity before laying, throughout nesting, and (accompanied by their offspring) after fledging. They also roost in pairs or groups when not breeding. If Old World piculets also roost socially, this trait may reflect an ancestral condition of the woodpeckers.
Transcriptional regulation of the mouse interleukin-5 gene in T-Lymphocytes

A detailed analysis of the elements controlling the transcription of the mouse IL-5 (mlL5) gene have been carried out using D10W, a derivative of the mouse Th2 T-cell clone D10.G4. 1. The analysis involved the use of a stable transfection assay where the reporter genes being studied were incorporated into the chromatin environment. Using this assay, 300-fold induction of a CAT reporter gene carrying 1170 bp of upstream sequence was achieved using a combined stimulus of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP). This expression was strongly repressed by dexamethasone. Mutagenesis of the -1170mIL-5CAT construct suggested that the mIL-5 gene consisted of two major regions of importance: A proximal promoter region (up to -88) which required only dbcAMP for maximal induction in D10W cells and was not repressed by dexamethasone and a distal upstream enhancer (beyond -920) which appeared to confer high level synergistic stimulation by PMA/dbcAMP and strong repressibility (average repression of 87%) by dexamethasone. Activation of the mIL-5 promoter by PMA and dbcAMP was shown to require the obligatory involvement of AP-l-like, Ets-like and GAT A elements in the proximal mIL-5 promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) indicated GATA-3 and Jun binding at the GATA and AP-1 sites respectively. The upstream enhancer encompassed a CTF/NF-1 site, and a transcription factor binding to this site of molecular weight around 55 kD similar to that of CTF-2 or CTF-3 was shown to be constitutively present in D10W nuclear extracts. Mutagenesis of this site suggests that CTF/NF-1 acts as a constitutive repressor of the mIL-5 gene in D10W cells and that it must bind to the CTF/NF-1 site of the gene for maximal repression by dexamethasone to occur. Measurement of CTF activation suggests that dexamethasone may interfere with the process whereby CTF/NF-1 repression is relieved upon induction by PMA/dbcAMP. The inhibitor trichostatin A was used to study the effect of hyperacetylation of histones on mIL-5 transcription. The effects depended on the pathway of stimulation: inhibition of dbcAMP-induced transcription compared with stimulation of PMA-induced transcription. The strong repressive effect of two different antioxidants, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), on mIL-5 gene induction in D10W cells indicate that IL-5 gene expression is also redox-sensitive. The region of the promoter to -88 was able to direct inducible expression in Th2 but not T hl cells in vitro. Preliminary studies in transgenic mice suggested that 1170 bp of upstream sequence may be sufficient to give inducible expression in Th2 subset-enriched T-lymphocytes in vivo.
Perspectives for biological control

The recent invasion by common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, has, like no other plant, raised the awareness of invasive plants in Europe. Recently, chemical and mechanical control methods have been developed and partially implemented in Europe, but sustainable control strategies to mitigate its spread into extensively managed land and to reduce its abundance in badly infested areas are lacking. One management tool not yet implemented in Europe but successfully applied in Australia is biological control. With the notable exception of the recently detected leaf beetle Ophraella communa, almost all natural enemies that have colonized A. artemisiifolia in Europe are polyphagous and impose only little damage, rendering them unsuitable for a system management approach. Two fungal pathogens have been reported to adversely impact A. artemisiifolia in the introduced range, but their biology makes them difficult for mass production and application as a mycoherbicide. In the native range of A. artemisiifolia, on the other hand, a number of herbivores and pathogens associated with this plant have a very narrow host-range and reduce pollen and seed production, the stage most sensitive for long-term population management of this winter annual. We discuss and propose a prioritisation of these biological control candidates for a classical or inundative biological control approach against common ragweed in Europe by considering past experiences from North America, Asia and Australia. We argue that the biological control approach should be considered as an integral part of an integrated management approach against common ragweed in Europe. Along these lines, the COST action ‘SMARTER’ (launched in 2012) aims at promoting biological control against common ragweed, integrating it with available chemical and physical control options, and developing habitatand region-specific recommendations for a integrated management of common ragweed across Europe.
A New Species of Leposternon (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from Brazilian Cerrado with a Key to Pored Species

Abstract A new species of Leposternon is described from the Brazilian Cerrado, with records from the municipalities of Buritizeiro and João Pinheiro, state of Minas Gerais, central Brasil. The new species has precloacal pores and pectorals scales mostly diamond shaped, and these characteristics distinguish it from all congeners except Leposternon cerradensis, Leposternon kisteumacheri, Leposternon maximus, and Leposternon polystegum. It differs from the pored Leposternon species by a combination of external morphology and dental features. The morphology of the new species is similar to other species of the genus Leposternon with precloacal pores. Resumo Uma nova espécie de Leposternon é descrita do Cerrado brasileiro, com registros em Buritizeiro e João Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A nova espécie pode ser distinguida dos demais congêneres, exceto de Leposternon cerradensis, Leposternon kisteumacheri, Leposternon maximus e Leposternon polystegum, por ter poros pré-cloacais e a maioria das escamas peitorais com formato de diamante. A espécie nova difere das espécies do gênero Leposternon com poros pré-cloacais por uma combinação de atributos da morfologia externa e características dentárias. A morfologia da nova espécie é similar à de outras espécies do gênero Leposternon com poros pré-cloacais.
When mutualisms matter: Rhizobia effects on plant communities depend on host plant population and soil nitrogen availability

Mutualistic interactions, such as the relationship between legumes and rhizobia, can affect community properties, yet there needs to be greater understanding of when these interactions may be most important to communities. Resource mutualism theory provides predictions based on variation in abiotic and biotic factors. First, there is substantial intraspecific genetic variation in how legumes interact with rhizobia, including variation in legume growth response to rhizobia, number of rhizobia‐housing nodules and nitrogen fixation. Rhizobia likely have greater community impacts when associating with hosts that benefit greatly from rhizobia, produce many nodules and fix a lot of nitrogen. Second, increased soil nutrient availability typically reduces the partner benefits of legume–rhizobium interactions. As a result, the legume–rhizobium resource mutualism may have greater effects on communities in low‐nitrogen environments. We first conducted a common garden study of the annual legume Chamaecrista fasciculata to explore intraspecific variation in focal traits related to competition and mutualistic interactions with rhizobia. Then, we manipulated the presence of rhizobia, nitrogen fertilization and population identity of C. fasciculata in mesocosms simulating native plant communities. We measured plant diversity, assessed changes in community composition and measured soil nutrient availability. We detected significant genetically based intraspecific variation in growth and mutualism‐related traits across C. fasciculata populations. From the experimental mesocosms, we found that although rhizobia consistently reduced diversity, rhizobia most strongly reduced diversity when associating with C. fasciculata populations that were highly dependent on rhizobia and when nitrogen was most limiting. We also detected greater variation among populations in their effects on communities in the absence of rhizobia; the presence of rhizobia dramatically minimized effects of population identity on the surrounding community. Synthesis. These findings show that abiotic environmental factors and intraspecific variation in a dominant host plant can influence the magnitude of mutualism effects on communities and, reciprocally, how the presence of key mutualists can influence the importance of genetically based variation among populations to community outcomes. While prior studies have detected both strong and weak effects of mutualism on plant communities, our study illustrates that mutualism theory may predict when strong mutualism effects are most likely to occur and also shows how theories developed for particular species interactions may make studies investigating the ecological impacts of genetic variation a more predictive science.
Seed mass and elevation explain variation in seed longevity of Australian alpine species

Abstract Conserving alpine ecosystems and the plant communities they contain using ex situ conservation requires an understanding of seed longevity. Knowledge of seed longevity may determine the effectiveness of ex situ seed banking for alpine plant conservation, and may provide insight into plant recruitment in situ. We sought to determine the influence of elevation and climatic variables, as well as plant and seed traits, on the seed longevity of 57 species inhabiting a unique biome, (sub-)alpine regions of mainland Australia. Seed longevity was estimated using controlled accelerated ageing tests to determine the time taken for seed viability to fall by 50%. We found that, across the study species, like alpine seeds elsewhere in the world, Australian alpine seeds are relatively short-lived and overall shorter-lived than Australian plants in general. Seed mass and elevation explained most of the variation in seed longevity among the Australian alpine species considered. Species with larger seed mass, and collections made at higher elevations, were found to have relatively short-lived seeds. Phylogeny, however, explained very little of the variation in longevity. Our results suggest that viability testing for Australian alpine seeds in ex situ seed banks should be conducted with shorter intervals than for the non-alpine flora. This study highlights how seed longevity in the Australian Alps is not dictated primarily by evolutionary lineage but rather by a complex combination of environmental variables and intrinsic seed characteristics. Potential implications for conservation ex situ and in situ in the context of climate change are discussed.
Historical niche partitioning and long‐term trophic shifts in Laurentian Great Lakes deepwater coregonines

Over the last 100 yr, anthropogenic stressors have decimated the assemblage of deepwater coregonines that once underpinned the food webs of the Laurentian Great Lakes. As a part of ongoing restoration efforts, fisheries managers are interested in reintroducing deepwater coregonines from remnant populations to reestablish historical food web connections. However, little is known about historical trophic position and niche partitioning among deepwater coregonines in the Great Lakes. We used nitrogen stable isotope analysis of amino acids to compare trophic position of museum-preserved (1920s) and present-day forage fishes in Lakes Michigan and Superior. In the 1920s, deepwater coregonines exhibited clear trophic niche partitioning, with trophic positions spanning a full trophic level. Additionally, species trophic positions were tightly conserved between lakes. In Lake Superior, trophic niche partitioning has been maintained over the last 100 yr, but trophic position has shifted downward by ~0.5 trophic level. The more dramatic species loss in Lake Michigan corresponds with a sharp reduction in trophic niche breadth over time. Our study reveals remarkable trophic niche breadth among deepwater coregonines prior to the major anthropogenic impacts on the Laurentian Great Lakes and provides a food web benchmark for restoring the historical trophic diversity of this iconic species flock.