Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of technological parameters of ultrasonic treatment on the protein extraction yield from defatted peanut meal

In the present work, mixture of defatted peanut meal and water was treated with ultrasound for protein extraction. The effects of technological parameters of the ultrasonic treatment including defatted peanut meal/water ratio, ultrasonic power, pH, temperature and time on the protein yield were investigated. The obtained results showed that the ultrasonic treatment reduced the material particle size as well as increased the protein yield by 19% in comparison with the conventional extraction. At the defatted peanut meal/water ratio of 1:20 (w/v), ultrasonic power of 30 W/g, pH of 6.8, temperature of 50°C and sonication time of 15 min, the protein yield achieved maximum of 87.7 ± 0.7%. The use of ultrasound in peanut protein extraction could therefore be a potential technique for improvement in protein yield.
Acquisition and Exclusion of Pathogenicity Island 1 (PAPI-1) in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows rapid exchanges of large genetic elements and is known to play an important role in bacterial evolution and adaptation. Conjugative transfer of genomic islands (GIs) has recently been reported in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PAPI-1, one of the largest pathogenicity islands of P. aeruginosa, encodes several putative virulence genes and a major regulator of biofilm formation and antibiotic-resistant traits and was found to be horizontally transferable into strains lacking it. The conjugation of PAPI-1 island transfer is mediated by type IV pilus, which is encoded by ten genes located in PAPI-1. Nevertheless, the acquisition mechanism of PAPI-1 is currently not well understood. The first part of this thesis was aimed at identifying the receptor for conjugative transfer on the bacterial cell surface. Based on previous knowledge on bacterial conjugation, we designed and performed a series of mating experiments and analyzed transfer efficiency between PAPI-1 donor and recipient strains. Our data showed that A-band lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is required to initiate PAPI-1 transfer, supporting the idea that this structure acts as a receptor for conjugative type IV pilus in recipient strains. These results were verified by PAPI-1 transfer inhibition experiments with outer membrane (OM) or LPS preparations. The addition of a low amount of OM or LPS derived from strains producing A-band decreased PAPI-1 transfer efficiency by 80% compared to controls. In the second part, we demonstrated that P. aeruginosa strains which already acquired a copy of PAPI-1 almost completely lost the ability to receive additional copies of the island. Combination of strains with or without PAPI-1 were mated in-pair to investigate the redundancy in PAPI-1 transfer. The surface exclusion of PAPI-1 was characterized by investigating the effects of the addition of OM and LPS derived from strains with or without PAPI-1. In addition, LPS of the different strains were analyzed by western blot using antibodies directed against different parts of the molecule and by testing the in-vitro binding capacity of LPS to pilin protein. All experiments indicated that the strains carrying PAPI-1 produced much less A-band LPS compared to those lacking the island and lost the ability to bind to conjugative pilin. Finally, the screening of a series of mutants highlighted a role for two PAPI-1 genes in an entry exclusion activity, possibly through PAPI-1 island destabilization. This study contributes with a step forward in the understanding of the acquisition of genomic islands in P. aeruginosa, which may be generalized to other gram-negative bacteria and may lead to the future development of new strategies to limit the spread of virulence or resistance functions in populations of pathogenic bacteria.
Mute swan (Cygnus olor Gmelin 1789) in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland: history of dispersion, distribution of breeding birds and features of biology

The description of the main events of a Mute swan reproduction in the eastern part of Gulf of Finland is given: terms of arrival, spatial and biotopical distribution on nesting, terms and success of reproduction, features of bird behavior. A comparison with data from other parts of an area is carried out. Success of nesting in open biotopes of sea islands is caused by behavioural plasticity of Mute swan. Features of ecology of local birds are most similar to those of swans from Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Large delay of dates of reproduction start and marked reduction of average size of laying from southern populations to northern populations are noted in the eastern part of Baltic region that speaks about an inaccuracy of the conclusions of a some authors about uniformity of reproductive indicators of Mute swan of the Caspian and Baltic populations. Refs 76. Figs 13. Tables 10.
Consequence of long-term balance nutrient management on soil nitrogen dynamics under groundnut-wheat cropping sequence in a calcareous clay Soils

The application of FYM maintained or increased nitrogen status of LTFE soils. In treatments of FYM (T8, T9), the status of nitrogen fractions increased. In case of all the fractions of nitrogen found significantly maximum in T9. At initial stage of experiment (1st year) available nitrogen status of LTFE soils falls under lower range (
Role of Gibberellic Acid and Calcium Chloride in Ripening Related Biochemical Changes in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Fruit

Title of Thesis : Role of Gibberellic Acid and Calcium Chloride in Ripening Related Biochemical Changes in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Fruit Full Name of the Degree Holder : REENA DEVI Admission Number : 2011BS01D Title of the Degree Name of Discipline : : Doctor of Philosophy Biochemistry Name and Address of Major Advisor : Dr. Veena Jain Professor & Head Deptt. of Chemistry and Biochemistry CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 Degree Awarding University : CCS HAU, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India Year of Award of Degree : 2015 Major Subject : Biochemistry Total Number of Pages in Thesis : 104 + xx + V Number of Words in Abstract
Assessment of drought tolerant and high yielding groundnut varieties in Dindigul district

Three varieties of groundnut were used to assess the drought tolerance and high yielding potential. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil seed crop mainly grown under rainfed situation. Due to erratic rainfall and frequent drought during the crop growth period, groundnut yields are generally low and unstable under rainfed conditions. Drought during critical crop growth stages is crucial for yield in groundnut varieties. But tolerant genotypes may give better yield due tomaintenance of physiological responses that were triggered during drought. On Farm Trials was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dindigul to assess suitable drought tolerant and high yielding groundnut variety in terms of yield, acceptability and adoption potential during Kharif 2017-18 in Dindigul district. The study revealed that CO 7 recorded higher pod yield (1990 kg/ ha), higher number of pods/plant (23) and optimum plant population (26.5 plants/m) as compared to farmers practice. Gross and net returns were Rs.89,550/and Rs.49,550/-ha, respectively by cultivating CO 7 as against Rs.59,850/and Rs.16,250/-ha in the check variety. CO 7, kadiri 9 and KCG 6 would be a better option for rainfed cultivation in Dindigul district.
Physical mapping of Bph3, a brown planthopper resistance locus in rice

Abstract: Resistance to brown planthopper (BPH), a destructive phloem feeding insect pest, is an important objective in rice breeding programs in Thailand. The broad-spectrum resistance gene Bph3 is one of the major BPH resistance genes identified so far in cultivated rice and has been widely used in rice improvement programs. This resistance gene has been identified and mapped on the short arm of chromosome 6. In this study, physical mapping of Bph3 was performed using a BC 3 F 3 population derived from a cross between Rathu Heenati and KDML105. Recombinant BC 3 F 3 individuals with the Bph3 genotype were determined by phenotypic evaluation using modified mass tiller screening at the vegetative stage of rice plants. The recombination events surrounding the Bph3 locus were used to identify the co-segregate markers. According to the genome sequence of Nipponbare, the Bph3 locus was finally localized approximately in a 190 kb interval flanked by markers RM19291 and RM8072, which contain twenty-two putative genes. Additional phenotypic experiment revealed that the resistance in Rathu Heenati was decreased by increasing nitrogen content in rice plants through remobilization of nitrogen. This phenomenon should be helpful for identifying the
Prediction of Protein-Protein Interactions from Protein Sequences by Combining MatPCA Feature Extraction Algorithms and Weighted Sparse Representation Models

Identifying protein-protein interactions (PPIs) plays a vital role in a number of biological activities such as signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, and apoptosis. Although advances in high-throughput technologies have generated large amounts of PPI data for different species, they only cover a small part of the entire PPI network. Furthermore, traditional experimental methods are generally expensive, time-consuming, tedious, and prone to high false-positive rates. Therefore, to overcome this problem, it is necessary to develop a novel computational method for predicting PPIs. In this article, we propose an efficient computational method to detect protein-protein interactions using only protein sequence information, which integrates the MatPCA feature extraction algorithm and the weighted sparse representation classifier. As a result, when predicting PPIs on yeast, human, and H. pylori datasets, the proposed method achieves superior prediction performance with an average accuracy of 94.55%, 97.48%, and 83.64%, respectively. These experimental results further illustrate that the proposed method is reliable and robust in predicting PPIs, which can be regarded as a useful complement to the experimental method.
Half-highbush blueberry ‘Northblue’ plant growth in the juvenile stage: dependence on fertilizers in organic conditions

The aim of this research was to find out how different naturally-manufactured fertilizers influence the vegetative growth of young blueberry plants in abandoned peat field conditions. The study was carried out during the years 2006-2009 in southern Estonia. The plantation was established with one-year-old half-highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum × Vaccinium angustifolium) ‘Northblue’ plants on an abandoned peat-extraction field in the spring of 2006. Six fertilizers were used in the experiment, including the synthetic mineral fertilizer, Cropcare (6-6-19), and five natural (containing organic and mineral components) fertilizers: Algomin (2.5-0.20.2), Viva (5-1.7-6.2), Biolan (2.0-1.2-2.0), Kemira Bio (4-2-3) and chicken manure compost. Fertilization was carried out once a year (at the beginning of May). In 20062007, the fertilization rate was 0.24 g N plant-1; in 2008, it was 1.0 g N plant-1; and in 2009, it was 2.4 g N plant-1. The most vigorous growth was obtained with the mineral fertilizer, Cropcare, where the plant height was 62 cm in 2009. Kemira Bio and Biolan led to the highest growth compared to the other natural fertilizers, 55.3 and 49.2 cm, respectively. The P and K contents in the leaves were the highest with Biolan. The SPAD chlorophyll meter value was also the highest in this treatment compared to other natural fertilizers. There was a pronounced effect of the fertilizers on soil acidity. The soil pHKCI before plantation was 3.5, decreasing to 3.1 with Cropcare and increasing to 4.0 with Viva and to 5.2 with Algomin in a four-year-old plantation. The fertilizer, Algomin, considerably increased soil pH, leading to suppressed plant growth, and the plant height was only 15.8 cm in 2009. It was concluded that Algomin is not suitable for cultivating calcifuge plants such as blueberry. Biolan (2.0-1.2-2.0) and Kemira Bio (4-2-3) fulfill plant growth requirements and can be recommended for organic blueberry production.
A comparison of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of a lowland lake, Oak Mere, in 1980 and 1994

Data are given on the morphometry, substrata of the littoral zone, water quality, vegetation and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in 1980 and 1994. Species richness decreased by 78 % and numbers of individuals by 92 %. Species diversity and equitability both increased. The main refuge for macroinvertebrates changed from emergent and submerged vegetation to the undersides of stones. The marked change in the macroinvertebrate community is attributed to a fall in water level which, owing to the particular lake morphometry, left vegetation stranded and a large area of the former littoral zone exposed.
PARTICLE VELOCITY FLUCTUATION IN A SEDIMENTING AGGREGATE OF UN- EQUAL SPHERES

This work concerns with a numerical investigation of particle velocity fluctuations in a blob undergoing gravity induced sedimentation at low Reynolds number. The simulations were performed by direct computation of the hydrodynamic interactions between a large collection of spherical particles. We focus our attention on both monodisperse and slightly polydisperse spherical aggregates comprised of inertialess particles whose radii have a Gaussian distribution about the mean. At vanishing particle Stokes number the dispersed particles undergo stochastic displacements arising from the random ambient field of the fluid velocity and not from direct solid-body collisions. As the sedimentation proceeds, a monodisperse blob persists as a cohesive entity with sporadic outward particle crossings of the blob boundary. A scaling argument for the rate at which the particles leak away from the aggregate was developed. When a sufficiently high degree of polydispersity is introduced the aggregate will behave differently from a monodisperse blob depending on the solid volume fraction. The observed fluctuating motion of the particles leads to the definition of a particle pressure associated with the particulate phase of the blob if it is regarded as an effective continuum. For polydisperse blobs, the tendency to a particle spreading induced by velocity fluctuations makes clear the effect of the particle pressure on resisting the formation of solid volume fraction inhomogeneities in suspension flows.
Integrated nutrient management in chilli (Capsicum annum L.) in lateritic soil of Konkan region of Maharashtra

A field experiment was conducted at Vegetable Improvement Scheme, Pangari Block, Wakawali, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (Maharashtra) during Rabi season 2014-2015. The field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design comprising of thirteen treatments replicated thrice. It was observed that the substitution of N through poultry manure to the extent of 50 percent (and remaining 50 percent through urea) was observed to be the best treatment amongst different combinations of organic manures with urea. It produced highest yield (Green, dry matter of green chilli pod and stover) of chilli and weight of fruit per plant. The NPK uptake by pod and stover was also recorded maximum in combined application of poultry manure with urea. Maximum uptake of N (36.08 kg ha) and P (3.40 kg ha) was recorded with treatment T8 i.e. application of 50% N through poultry manure and 50% N through urea while the maximum uptake of K (74.58 kg ha) was recorded with treatment T9 i.e. application of 75% N through poultry manure and 25% N through urea. The data regarding micronutrients uptake was found to be non-significant except total Mn and Zn uptake. The maximum total uptake (chilli pod + stover) of Fe (637.95 g ha), Zn (1041.31 g ha), and Cu (1259.12 g ha) was recorded in the treatment T9 receiving 75% N through poultry manure and 25% N through urea while the maximum Mn uptake (2434.36 g ha) was observed in treatment T8. The combined use of organics (farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure and groundnut cake) along with the inorganic fertilizers increased nutrient use efficiency of crop. Integrated use of organic manures along with chemical fertilizers not only produced highest and sustainable crop yields but also enhanced the efficiency of added fertilizers.
Spatial and temporal coupling of nutrient inputs to estuarine primary production: the role of particulate transport and decomposition

Spatial and temporal aspects of the coupling of nutrient inputs to estuarine primary production are discussed in terms of formation, transport and decomposition of particulate material in the Patuxent River estuary. Mixing diagrams of dissolved and particulate nitrogen and phosphorus (DIN, PN, DIP, PP) versus salinity indicate rapid removal of DIN and DIP with parallel formation of PN and PP in the slightly brackish (0-5%0) region. However, plankton production (per m2) tends to be inversely related to salinity between 0 and 10%0. While most of the annual nutrient inputs to the Patuxent occur between December and April, peak plankton production occurs in the summer. Deposition and resuspension of particulate substances in this system are dynamic processes which decrease in a seaward direction. Regeneration of DIN and DIP from particulate decomposition in the sediments similarly decreases toward the estuary's mouth; however, highest rates are in the 5-100/00 region. Temporal patterns of benthic regeneration and plankton production are congruent (being generally related to temperature), and rates of sediment NIL, + recycling represent about 60-80% of the plankton assimilative demand in the 5-100/00 region. On the basis of these observations we propose a conceptual model in which annual inputs of dissolved nutrients from runoff are converted into particulate forms which are gradually transported seaward through cycles of deposition and resuspension. As temperatures rise in the summer these particulates are decomposed, releasing dissolved nutrients to the euphotic zone where they support the major annual blooms of plankton. By comparing these patterns for the Patuxent with those reported for other estuaries, it is suggested that this model may be relatively general for many coastal
Climate change alters the quantity and phenology of habitat for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in small Boreal Shield lakes

We analyzed monitoring data (1970–2013) from small Boreal Shield lakes to understand how variations in air temperature and precipitation affect the phenology and amount of habitat for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Annual air temperatures increased by ∼2 °C (significant in fall and winter). In response, ice cover was reduced by ∼19 days. Despite earlier ice-offs, springs became longer, allowing lake trout longer access to littoral regions when water temperatures were cool. Although summer surface water temperatures increased, the summer did not lengthen. Instead, later spring-warming and fall-cooling of lakes caused summer to shift later in the year, potentially delaying fall spawning. Complete loss of optimal oxythermal habitat volume occurred in all lakes and became more prevalent over time, more so in the darkest lakes. Although air temperatures did not become more variable, several habitat measures did, including mean summer surface water temperatures, duration of ice cover, timing of ice-off, and.
Proliferation of adenohypophyseal cells into posterior lobe : their normal anatomical condition and possible neoplastic potentiality

Proliferation of pituitary basophil cells and occasional chromophobe and eosinophil cells into the posterior lobe was found in 61,8+- 6,9% (α=0,05) in routine necropsy series.The incidence and intensity of proliferation increased in accordance with increasing age.There were no sex differences.The cells were for the most part ACTH-prosuctive.
Is Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae a neglected respiratory pathogen.

Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae is a member of Viridans streptococci, associated with chronic obstructive lung disease and lower respiratory infection. It is non-capsulated, bile insoluble and optochin susceptible in ambient air but intermediate or resistant in 5%CO2. But, its role as a pathogen is yet to be established. The objective of the study was to detect the prevalence and to determine the clinical significance of S.pseudopneumoniae in sputum samples. The study period was 5 months. Good quality sputum samples (>25 neutrophils and <10 epithelial cells/LPF) of patients suspected of LRTIs, were inoculated onto chocolate agar. Alpha haemolytic colonies were identified by testing for capsule by India ink preparation, bile solubility and optochin susceptibility in ambient air and 5%CO2. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done by Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method. Out of 66 alpha haemolytic colonies, 4 were S.pseudopneumoniae, 17 were S.pneumoniae and 45 were other Viridans streptococci. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of S.pseudopneumoniae and S.pneumoniae were analyzed. S.pseudopneumoniae is misinterpreted as S.pneumoniae unless specifically looked for. As there is scant information available, studies have to be encouraged for better determination of clinical importance of S.pseudopneumoniae. This will help in right diagnosis and successful treatment.
Ecological interactions between ocelots and sympatric mesocarnivores in protected areas of the Atlantic Forest, southeastern Brazil

Fragmentation and habitat loss are top threats to tropical forest biodiversity and the Atlantic Forest is no exception. Over 80% of Atlantic Forest remnants in Brazil are < 50 ha and lack resident populations of large predators (jaguars, Panthera onca, and pumas, Puma concolor). Mesopredators with opportunistic life-history characteristics (e.g., ocelots, Leopardus pardalis) are now hypothesized to be the dominant competitor(s) in these systems and may negatively affect the spatial or temporal distribution of other sympatric mesocarnivores. We used camera-trap data, occupancy models, and temporal overlap indexes to explore whether ocelot occurrence influenced the habitat use or activity patterns of 6 mesocarnivores in reserves of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Ocelot occurrence did not influence the habitat use of these mesocarnivores. Moreover, the ability of some mesocarnivore species, especially the little spotted cat (L. guttulus), to adjust their activity patterns to avoid direct contact with ocelots may facilitate their coexistence in these Atlantic Forest remnants. Ocelot occurrence did not influence the activity pattern of 2 nocturnal species (the crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous, and the crab-eating raccoon, Procyon cancrivorus), suggesting that these species are more tolerant of ocelots than other mesocarnivores. The probability of occupancy varied among species, with tayra (Eira barbara) and South American coati (Nasua nasua) having the highest occupancy estimates; overall, occupancy by mesocarnivores correlated negatively with reserve size. Because mesocarnivores are important drivers of ecosystem function, structure, and dynamics and may occupy unique roles that cannot be filled by larger carnivores, future studies should assess environmental factors influencing the use of these small remnants of Atlantic Forest by each mesocarnivore species.