Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Grazer diversity, competition and the response of the periphyton community

Enclosure of known densities of three species of benthic grazers demonstrated 1) that grazer species had qualitatively different effects on periphyton, and 2) that competitive interactions decreased growth and development of grazers at natural densities. Grazers (chironomid midge larvae, snails, chydorid Cladocera) did not significantly decrease biomass of periphyton attached to artificial substrates. Midge larvae and snails strongly increased the amount of deposited organic matter (feces) in enclosures. Interaction between midges and snails significantly decreased the amount of deposit present at high grazer densities. Snails increased biomass-specific chlorophyll content of attached algae. Grazers did not significantly alter the taxonomic composition of intact algae on substrates. However, midge density increased up to 70% the proportion of total algal biovolume on substrates which occured in fecal pellets. Total organic matter in enclosures was significantly increased at high midge density. Although periphyton food resources were not depleted, negative density dependent effects existed among grazers. High snail density decreased development of midge larvae by 50%, and reproduction of chydorids by 84%. Snails and midges also suffered from intraspecific competition. In the laboratory, activity of midge larvae decreased 29% in the presence of snails. Interference appears to be the predominant form of competition among these littoral grazers. Competitive interactions among benthic grazers may provide a negative feedback to perturbations at the top or bottom of littoral foodwebs.
THE BIOLOGY OF NUDIBRANCH LARVAE

General interest in the problems of the larval biology of marine animals has increased greatly in the last few years. The importance of factors affecting the size of larval populations has now been recognized in its proper relationship to the size of adult populations. THORSON'S 1946 monograph on the larvae of Danish benthic invertebrates first brought into focus the size of the problem in accurately assessing the "biology" of planktonic larvae. Since then, numerous papers have appeared describing larval phenomena in various restricted groups. In the present study, the author has attempted to investigate, on a specific level, some of the factors involved in determining length of larval life (excepting predation), metamorphosis, feeding and growth in the nudibranchiate gastropods. The larvae of nudibranchs have not until recently received much attention. Thorson considered them only briefly and only two later authors have studied nudibranch larvae. Thorson's conclusions, based mainly on considerations of larval anatomy and relative seasonal abundance in the plankton, were that nudibranch veligers were, in general, non-feeding, non-growing, short term plankters. More recently THOMPSON (1958) found that the larvae of Adalaria proxima were indeed capable of feeding, but could metamorphose without feeding. In another paper, THOMPSON (1959) examined the feeding mechanisms of nudibranch larvae and found that in most animals investigated ingestion and assimilation of food did occur. RASMUSSEN (1952) had already noted apparent growth in the larvae of Favorinus branchialis taken from the plankton near Copenhagen. This study attempts to clarify some of these relationships, particularly the feeding-growth-length of larval life interaction. The author was fortunate to be able to work at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Helsing0r, with essentially the same fauna as that of Thorson.
Vegetation dynamics on the floodplain of the lower Chippewa River in Wisconsin

BARNES, W. J. (Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, WI 54702). Vegetation dynamics on the floodplain of the lower Chippewa River. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 124:189-197. 1997.Changes in the composition and species diversity of trees in the floodplain forests of the lower Chippewa River since the time of settlement (ca. 1850) were studied. General Land Office survey records were used to compare tree diameters and species composition of presettlement riverbank trees with those presently occurring. The developmental sequence of tree species in floodplain forests was examined using a series of islands of different ages. Eight dams have been constructed on the upper Chippewa River, and they have had an effect on seasonal flow and meandering in the lower reaches. The present riverbanks are more stable than prior to dam construction, and changes have occurred in the composition of their forests. Contemporary floodplain forests have larger trees than at the time of settlement in ca. 1850 and are less diverse. They are dominated by silver maple, which is three times as abundant as it was prior to settlement. Silver maple has replaced cottonwood and black willow as major colonizing species and presently occurs in all size classes in these forests.
A Mechanism for Bitter Taste Sensibility in Peptides

To estimate the steric distance between the bitter taste determinant sites in peptides, some cyclic dipeptides, amino acid anilides, amino acid cyclohexylamides, and benzoyl amino acids were synthesized and their tastes were evaluated. The diketopiperazine ring of cyclic dipeptides acted as a bitter taste determinant site due to its hydrophobicity. The steric distance between 2 sites was estimated as 4.1 A from the molecule models of cyclic dipeptides composed of typical amino acids in the bitter peptides. Due to the hypothesis of two bitter taste determinant sites, which bind with the bitter taste receptor via a “binding unit” and a “stimulating unit,” a mechanism for the bitterness in peptides was postulated.
Interseeding a Cover Crop as a Weed Management Tool is More Compatible with Soybean than with Maize in Organic Farming Systems

Abstract Weeds are the most serious threat to crop production in organic farming systems. Information on the spatial distribution of weeds is important for effective weed management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the ground cover of the main crops (soybean and maize) and cover crop on the spatial distribution of weeds for two row sections, ‘within the row (IR)’ and ‘between the rows (BR)’. The cover crop was interseeded in BR 3 – 4 weeks after sowing the main crops in two years, and weed density and vegetation cover ratio (VCR, an index of ground cover) of the main crops and cover crop were measured. There was a significant difference in the spatial distribution of weeds between the two main crops. In IR, weed density was higher in maize than in soybean, while in BR, it was higher in soybean. This means that weed suppression in IR was more important for maize, while the suppression in BR was more important for soybean. The negative relationship between VCR of the main crop plus cover crop and weed density in each row section suggests that the difference in ground cover was one of the reasons for the difference in weed density between the two main crops. The cover crop markedly increased the VCR in BR, but only slightly increased VCR in IR in both main crops. These results suggest that the cover crop was more compatible with soybean than with maize, because the high weed density in IR of maize could not be decreased sufficiently by the slight increase of VCR in BR by the cover crop.
The severity of NAFLD is associated with gut dysbiosis and shift in the metabolic function of the gut microbiota.

Abstract Several animal studies have emphasized the role of gut microbiota in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, data about gut dysbiosis in human NAFLD remains scarce in the literature, especially studies including the whole spectrum of NAFLD lesions. We aimed to evaluate the association between gut dysbiosis and severe NAFLD lesions, i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis, in a well-characterized population of adult NAFLD. 57 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD were enrolled. The taxonomic composition of gut microbiota was determined using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of stool samples. 30 patients had F0/1 fibrosis stage at liver biopsy (10 with NASH), and 27 patients had significant F≥2 fibrosis (25 with NASH). Bacteroides abundance was significantly increased in NASH and F≥2 patients, whereas Prevotella abundance was decreased. Ruminococcus abundance was significantly higher in F≥2 patients. By multivariate analysis, Bacteroides abundance was independently associated with NASH and Ruminococcus with F≥2 fibrosis. Stratification according to the abundance of these 2 bacteria generated 3 patient subgroups with increasing severity of NAFLD lesions. Based on imputed metagenomic profiles, KEGG pathways significantly related to NASH and fibrosis F≥2 were mostly related to carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. NAFLD severity associates with gut dysbiosis and a shift in metabolic function of the gut microbiota. We identified Bacteroides as independently associated with NASH and Ruminococcus with significant fibrosis. Thus, gut microbiota analysis adds information to classical predictors of NAFLD severity and suggests novel metabolic targets for pre/probiotics therapies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effect of Successive Backcrossing on Eliminating Somaclonal Variation Caused by Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation in Rice

Somaclonal variation caused by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation influences some agronomic traits of transgenic plants.As a result,a large number of T0 regenerated plants are required in the development of transgenic crop.Here,we successively backcrossed transgenic rice(Oryza sativa L.)to progenitor variety and evaluated agronomic performance of progeny,with the objective of eliminating somaclonal variation and recovering agronomic traits of transgenic parent.Three transgenic lines possessing different insect-resistance genes from Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)were used as donor parents.They were backcrossed successively to the progenitor variety,and the individuals of each BCnF1 generation were then selfed twice,with selection for insect-resistance.BCnF3 homozygous lines,which were selected by a germination assay,caused an insect mortality of 100% in laboratory bioassay.In the field evaluation,these lines showed obviously higher yield than the donor parents and no significant differences from the progenitor variety in most agronomic traits.These results indicate that successive backcrossing can to a large extent recover agronomic traits of transgenic rice and reduce the workload required in transgenic breeding program.
Characterisation of globally diverse blast-resistant upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasms based on morpho-physiological and yield attributes

ABSTRACT Upland rice is a valuable base population for protecting against genetic erosion and broadening the gene pool of rice germplasms, and rice is also the staple food of more than 100 million people across the world. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to elucidate the performances of 27 globally diverse blast-resistant upland rice genotypes in terms of morphological, physiological and yield trait characteristics and to determine the correlations between and assess the diversity among these characteristics. All of the genotypes were evaluated in a randomised complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed 18 traits with significant to highly significant variations among themselves. The BRRI dhan42, BRRI dhan43, Ja Loy, C, Choke Tang and Chirikata 2 genotypes matured early, and the Chirikata 2, C, Choke Tang, BRRI dhan43 and Padi Beleong genotypes were best in terms of yield. The greatest heritability was recorded for the numbers of filled grains/panicle and the yield/plant, which demonstrated that these traits can be successfully transferred to the offspring if selection for these characteristics is performed in a hybridisation programme. The 27 genotypes were grouped into six clusters based on the contributing morphological, physiological and yield characteristics. The first four principal components accounted for 40, 59, 70 and 79% of the total variation, respectively, which indicated abundant genetic differences between these genotypes. The Chirikata 2, C, Choke Tang and BRRI dhan43 were selected as the best genotypes and could be used as valuable resources for high-yielding, early maturing, blast-resistant cultivars and parental sources for hybridisation programmes for challenging environments in the future.
Albumin Immunological Evidence and the Relationships of Sea Snakes

The evolutionary relationships among sea snakes, and between sea snakes and terrestrial elapids were examined by microcomplement fixation analyses using antisera to albumins from the genera Hydrophis, Laticauda, and Micrurus. The sea snakes comprise three distinctive groups, the Hydrophis, Aipysurus, and Laticauda groups. These data thus corroborate other molecular and morphological studies of these snakes. All available data indicate that diversification of the Hydrophis group is relatively recent, and that the genus Hydrophis is paraphyletic. The question of a single or multiple origins for the sea snake lineages from terrestrial elapids cannot be resolved with the albumin immunological data. Of the terrestrial elapids examined, the Australian forms with the exception of Demensia psammophis are close to both Hydrophis and Laticauda. Bungarus, Ophiophagus, and Demansia are close to none of the reference antisera. Micrurus seems remote from all elapids tested, despite a previous suggestion allying it with Laticauda.
Host confusion and the evolution of insect diet breadths

It is observed that many herbivorous insects develop well, or even better, on hosts which they will not use than on hosts they regularly use. We present a verbal model which explains this often imperfect correlation between host use and host suitability. Our model focuses on limitations in an insect's ability to perceive and integrate host-associated stimuli. We argue that confusion of «good» hosts with «poor» hosts results from an imperfect identification process and will result in selection for either a change in the behavioral response of an insect to host associated stimuli, or a change in the insect's ability to perceive and integrate these stimuli. Specifically, we argue that there are four evolutionary solutions for dealing with the confusion of «good» and «poor» hosts
ADAPTIVE CHANGES INDUCED BY NATURAL SELECTION IN WILD POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA

The theory of the origin of adaptations through natural selection is more than a century old, if one takes as its inception the date of Darwin's first essay written in 1842. Nevertheless, no agreement as to the role played by natural selection in evolution has as yet been reached. Weismann called natural selection "all powerful," but, during the first quarter of the present century, the idea fell into disrepute because of a failure to comprehend the meaning of the mutation theory and Johannsen's experiments on pure lines. So wide a divergence of opinion has been possible because the theory of natural selection has rested either on deductions from very general propositions or on inference from indirect evidence. That adaptive evolution in nature is too slow a process to be observed within a human lifetime has been taken for granted almost universally. Furthermore, selection pressures which act upon non-pathological traits of wild species have been assumed to be small. Recent observations have shown, however, that natural populations, even of higher organisms, sometimes undergo rapid adaptive changes. Some wild species react to seasonal alterations in their environment by cyclic modifications of
Calf Coccidiosis in Selected Dairy Farms of Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

Cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2010 up to March 2011 to determine the prevalence and to assess the risk factors of calf coccidiosis in selected Dire Dawa dairy farms. Three hundred eighty four fecal samples were randomly collected from calves belonging to twenty six purposively selected dairy farms and were examined for the oocysts of Eimeria by floatation technique using concentrated sucrose solution. Moreover, the hygienic status of the farms was assessed. Out result revealed that the overall prevalence was 22.7%. And out of the dairy farms surveyed for coccidiosis, virtually all (99%) had one or more calves shedding Eimeria oocysts. There was a statistically significant difference (P 0.05 ) with the infection by coccidiosis. Calves belonging to the farms with poor hygiene showed significantly higher (P<0.05) prevalence than calves belonging to the farms with relatively better hygiene. In conclusion, the study revealed that calf coccidiosis is prevalent in Dire Dawa Dairy farms and consequently affects the productivity of the sector. Hence, appropriate disease prevention and control measures are require to be undertaken to reduce its effect.
Notes on transitivity and theme in English: Part 2

Transitivity, mood and theme. Part I of this paper (sections 1–3) was an attempt to sketch some of the principal syntactic options, having the clause as point of origin, that are available to the speaker of English for the representation of processes and relations, and of objects, persons &c. as participants in them. The term ‘transitivity’ was used as a general label for this area of grammatical selection. Part II (sections 4–7) is concerned with another range of grammatical options, also associated with the clause, for which ‘theme’ is being used as the cover term.
Specific Detection of Subgroups I and II of Cucumber Mosaic Virus RNA with Digoxigenin-Labeled Synthetic Oligo-Deoxyribonucleotide Probes

Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) has a genome consisting of three plus-sense, single-stranded RNA molecules, designated RNA1, RNA2 and RNA3 in decreasing order of molecular weight, and is divided into subgroups I and II based on serological properties and differences in nucleotide sequence10). Many efforts have been made to prevent the enormous damage to agricultural crop production caused by CMV. For example, preinoculation of plants with attenuated CMV was successfully adopted to escape reinfection with more virulent strains17). A number of studies also describe the establishment of CMV resistance in transgenic plants which express the gene of CMV coat protein, non-structural protein or satellite RNA2). The principle of these strategies is based on •gcross-protection•h of plant viruses. We are now investigating the molecular basis of the phenomenon using various CMV strains. In the course of this study, we need to develop methods that can discriminate the syntheses of sub-
Chemical transformations in downed logs and snags of mixed boreal species during decomposition

Snags and downed logs are substantial components of the detrital carbon pool in boreal forests. Effects of their decomposition on chemical and physical characteristics of the forest floor remain relatively unknown. The main objective of this study was to characterize chemical transformations of decaying logs and snags of common tree species in the boreal mixedwood forest. Logs and snags from a wide range of decay classes were sampled and analyzed by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and by near-infrared spectroscopy. Little or moderate chemical changes appeared in fresh and moderately decayed snags and logs, but in well-decayed logs, substantial degradation of carbohydrates and increases in lignin concentrations occurred. Deciduous species had initially more carbohydrates than coniferous species, but decomposition narrowed their differences, and in well-decayed logs, species differed mainly in terms of their lignin concentrations. Well-decayed deciduous logs reached very low wood den.
Standard Metabolic Rate of Polar Bears under Simulated Denning Conditions

The metabolic rate of three adult female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) was investigated under simulated denning conditions. Experiments were conducted during the winter, using a metabolic chamber as a simulated den. Ambient laboratory temperatures ranged from -10 to -35 C. Adult female polar bears were given the opportunity to enter the den of their own volition. Metabolic measurements were obtained by immobilizing the study animals and moving them into the respiration chamber. The study animals were in the den for a minimum of 1 wk prior to the measurement of oxygen consumption. A total of 50 metabolic measurements were obtained. The average standard metabolic rate for the study animals was reduced by 25% from expected values. The lowest observed metabolic rate averaged about 50% of predicted values for basal metabolism. The bears were held in the simulated den from 27 to 59 days. Weight loss for the three female bears averaged 0.70 kg/day.
Energy dissipation near the tropopause

It is shown from clear-air turbulence spectra measurements and clear-air turbulence probabilities that the energy dissipation between 25,000 and 40,000 ft is just over 1 watt m ? 2 , a quantity of the same order as the dissipation near the ground. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1969. tb00448.x
Inhibitory effects of methanolic extract of Salvia fruticosa Mill. on pro-inflammatory cytokines production in RAW 264.7 in vitro cellular model and in Balb/c mice in vivo animal model

The aim of this study is to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects of methanolic extract (MeOH) of Salvia fruticosa Mill. on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and in Balb/c mice. Tumor necrosis factor –α (TNF-α), Interlukin-6 (IL-6), and Interlukin 1β (IL-1β) production in RAW 264.7 cells and in Balb/c mice were evaluated. The extract of S. fruticosa exhibited potent inhibitory effects on pro-inflammatory cytokines production in both cellular and animal models stimulated by LPS. Our data suggested that, the methanolic extract of S. fruticosa could be developed as a potential anti-inflammatory candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases mediated by overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Incorporating behavioural variation in individual-based simulation models of marine reserve effectiveness

SUMMARY Effective spatial management of marine species requires informed planning, as well as ongoing assessment. For mobile species such as fish, knowledge of the scale and variation in movement is central to key planning decisions, such as the size and shape of marine reserves and the interpretation of the response of protected populations. For example, populations of species that require large areas of habitat may not show increases in abundance inside small reserves, but calculating optimal reserve size is complicated by individual variations in behaviour. Fish movements can be used to quantitatively inform marine reserve planning and assessment. An individual based numerical simulation model including acoustic telemetry and census data was used to simulate changes in populations of snapper Pagrus auratus in north-eastern New Zealand. Four behavioural categories and offshore migration were used to represent the observed variability in movement. Age-structures of modelled fish populations in fully exploited areas, marine reserves and virgin populations differed substantially. However, the population structure within reserves resembled a fully fished population more closely than an unfished population. Due to the range of movement types shown by snapper, fish were not ‘locked up’ by reserves, and fish with centres of activity based in reserves were predicted to have a relatively high chance of being caught outside these reserves. Furthermore, the model showed that the response of fish populations within marine reserves was dependent on levels of exploitation in fished areas. For snapper in coastal reef areas, reserves c. 40 km2 or more may be required to achieve abundances > 50% of the unfished stock. On balance, while marine reserves with sizes similar to Leigh and Tawharanui (c. 5 km2) can achieve significant levels of protection for snapper, they are too small to fully protect resident reserve snapper populations.