Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of PEG and mannitol induced water stress on regeneration in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the leading cereal crop and covers more of the earth than any other crop. It also contributes to vegetable protein and source of calories for more than 2.5 billion people of the developing world (FAO2012). To feed the 9.1 billion populations projected for the world in 2050 agricultural production needs to be doubled (Tillmen et al., 2011; FAO, 2012). Wheat like other cereals is unable to meet the goal as 24-39% of the cropland areas reported no yield improvement (Ray et al., 2012, 2013; Wang et al., 2013). The yield ceilings are mostly attributed to environmental stresses, which cause adverse physiological changes in plants (Shao et al., 2008). Among a number of abiotic factors drought is the most common environmental constraint that prevent crops attaining their maximum yield potentials (Edward and Wright, 2008; Johari et al., 2011). This stress has threatened the world food supply (Nevo and Chen, 2010; Ahmad et al., 2014). In crop plants water stress is induced either due to its excess or shortage (Harb et al., 2010). The most common water stress encountered by plants is drought. Drought imparts a negative effect on plants growth and development. These effects become chronic due to unpredictable weather conditions in the regions characterized by low annual rainfall. Drought has remained a challenging issue for plant scientists and breeders. It is expected that about 65% of the world population will face water shortage problems in the year 2025. Thus the situation demands for better understanding of plant mechanisms to thrive with these scarcer water resources (Rosegrant and Cline, 2003). Drought induced osmotic stress, triggers a wide range of perturbations ranging from growth and development disruption to the modification of ion transport and uptake systems (Karimi et al., 2011). In vitro culture technique serves as a useful tool to study the biochemical and physiological response of undifferentiated callus to drought stress at the cellular level (Ghasempour et al., 2007). Moreover, the distinction between different solutes to induce stress in culture media, and the relationship between surviving abilities of cultured cell lines and their growth properties can be served by in vitro culture techniques. Undifferentiated cells and callus cultures eliminate complications associated with genetic and morphological variability inherent to different tissues in whole plants (Parida and Das, 2005; Shao et al., 2007; Ghasempour et al., 2007). Understanding of plants ability to tolerate stresses opens a way for crops manipulations to improve tolerance, adaptation or resistance to stresses (Lutts et al., 2004; Parida and Das, 2005; Movahhedy-Dehnavy et al., 2009). Previous studies on wheat tissue culture have shown that callus induction frequency and regeneration of in vitro plants is immensely influenced by the genotype (Filippov et al., 2006), type of explants used for regeneration (Patel et al., Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 52(4), 1025-1033; 2015 ISSN (Print) 0552-9034, ISSN (Online) 2076-0906 http://www.pakjas. com.pk
Emergence and floating behaviours of post‐settlement juveniles of Macomona liliana (Bivalvia: Tellinacea)

Observations were made on the behaviour of post‐settlement juveniles of the tellinid bivalve Macomona liliana in the laboratory. Under flowing water conditions the juveniles actively emerged from the sediment and floated in the water column. The emergence and floating behaviours of Macomona liliana are described. The presence of drifting threads in Macomona liliana is also documented.
Temperature modulates liver lipid accumulation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed low dietary levels of long‐chain n‐3 fatty acids

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were fed five graded levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), from 1.4 to 5.2% of total fatty acids (FA, 5–17 mg kg−1 feed), and grew from ~160 g to ~3000 g, with the period from 1450 g onwards conducted both at 6 °C and at 12 °C. All fish appeared healthy, and there were no diet-related differences in haematological or plasma parameters, as well as intestinal histological or gut microbiota analysis. Fish reared at 6 °C had higher accumulation of storage lipids in the liver compared to fish reared at 12 °C. Liver lipids also increased with decreasing dietary EPA + DHA at 6 °C, while there was no such relationship at 12 °C. Gene expression of SREBP1 and 2, LXR, FAS and CPT1 could not explain the differences in liver lipid accumulation. In liver polar lipids, DHA was found to be reduced when dietary EPA + DHA was <2.7% of FAs, while the level of EPA in the membranes was not affected. In conclusion, reducing dietary EPA + DHA from 5.2 to 1.4% of total FAs had a minor impact on fish health. Temperature was the factor that most affected the liver lipid accumulation, but there was also an interaction with dietary components.
CaMV gene expression : the analysis of two CaMV promoters in yeast and higher plants

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a system in which to analyse plant promoters. The promoters chosen for study were the 19S and 35S promoters of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) which, like cellular plant promoters, are transcribed in the plant nucleus by host cell RNA polymerase II. A complete CaMV genome was introduced into yeast on a 2 micron plasmid-based vector and using Northern blot analysis, several CaMV-hybridising transcripts were detected. More precise information on the activity of the promoters was obtained by constructing gene fusions in which the 19S and 35S promoters were linked to the bacterial lacZ gene. Biochemical assays for ^-galactosidase showed that cells harbouring the 19S-lacZ gene expressed 0-galactosidase but those harbouring the 35S-lacZ gene did not. The insertion of a yeast transcription termination signal upstream of the 19S promoter did not abolish or diminish expression of the 19S-lacZ gene. ^-galactosidase was present at low levels in cells expressing 19S-lacZ. constituting less them 0.01% of total cell protein. The 5’ends of 19S-lacZ transcripts present in yeast were mapped by primer extension. The major RNA species initiated approximately 250bp upstream of the 19S-lacZ coding region, indicating the existence of a fortuitous promoter in this region of the CeiMV DNA. Tw o less abundant RNA species initiated within the 19S-lacZ open reading frame at positions +9 eind +25bp and may be produced from the genuine 19S promoter. There is evidence to suggest that one or both of these shorter transcripts is the functional mRNA for /3-galactosidase. All three classes of RNA were polyadenylated. Coupling of the 19S-lacZ gene to a yeast enhancer (the GAL UAS) produced a 5-fold increase in /S-galactosidase activity. At the transcriptional level, activation of the enhancer resulted in a massive increase in the level of the RNA initiating at -250bp but had a minor influence of the levels of the two RNA species initiating at +9 and +25. A series of deletion mutations within the 19S promoter was constructed using Bal31 nuclease. Analysis of these mutations in yeast revealed that sequences from -500 to -193bp and from -137 to -62bp were not required for 19S promoter function, but a deletion from -62 to -21bp (which removes the putative TATA box) severely reduced 19S-lacZ gene expression. Transgenic tobacco plants containing the 19S promoter deletions fused to a CAT gene were produced by A.tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer but the analysis of these plants was not completed.
Effect of different rice brans on the growth of Thai silver barb (Puntius gonionotus Bleeker) in seasonal ponds

An experiment was conducted for a period of 110 days to study the effect of different rice brans on the growth of Thai silver barb (Puntius gonionotus, Bleeker) in rainfed seasonal ponds (30 m² each). Each of the ponds was stocked with 150 fish with the mean initial body weight of 2.03 ± 0.03 g. There were three treatments namely R1, R2 and R3 each having four replicates. Three types of rice bran namely coarse, auto (fine) and red were applied to the treatments R1, R2 and R3 respectively. Fish received different types of rice bran at a rate of 5% of body weight daily. The water quality parameters were found within the productive range. The results showed that treatment R1 produced significantly (p<0.05) highest growth and treatment R2 produced the lowest growth. The survival rates varied between 77 and 84% with treatment R3 producing the highest survival. However, the overall best production (1530 kg/ha) and economic return for the culture period was obtained in treatment R1 receiving coarse rice bran. The results of the present study demonstrated that the coarse rice bran resulted in better growth and production of P. gonionotus.
Enhancement of Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Brown Rice Flour Through Solid-State Yeast Fermentation

This study investigated the effect of solid-state yeast fermentation on the nutritional and antioxidant properties of brown rice flour (BRF). Three brands of commercial baker’s yeast (Eagle, Saf-levure, and Mauripan) were used to ferment BRF at 25°C for 12 h. There were significant increases in protein, ash, insoluble and soluble fiber, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron contents after yeast fermentation. Fermented BRF with Eagle yeast possessed the highest contents of protein, ash, zinc, and calcium. Fermentation of BRF with Eagle yeast was more effective in increasing antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents from 1.01 to 1.54 mmol of Trolox equivalents per gram and from 1.09 to 1.21 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram, respectively. Yeast fermentation reduced phytic acid content of BRF (124.59 ± 0.48 µg/g), and the Eagle yeast-fermented sample had the lowest value (36.55 µg/g) compared with the other fermented samples. Fermented flour with Eagle yeast also had the highest α-amylas.
Dung Beetles and Long-Term Habitat Fragmentation in Alter do Chão, Amazônia, Brazil

We examined the abundance and diversity of dung beetles in forest fragments within a savanna landscape near Alter do Chão, Pará, Brazil. These fragments have existed for 150 years and possibly millennia. Using pit-fall traps to capture dung beetles, we investigated fragment area, fragment isolation, and tree density in fragments as predictors of species richness, abundance, and biomass of dung beetles. Across six fragments, isolation distance was negatively related with dung beetle species richness, while all other variables were unrelated. We also examined the abundance of the dominant species using flight-intercept traps in 21 fragments. Tree density correlated negatively with abundance of the dominant species, a probable new species.
Sensory adaptations in hydrothermal vent shrimps from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

When discovered in 1985, Rimicaris exoculata Williams & Rona, 1986 and Chorocaris chacei (Williams & Rona, 1986) were assumed by most to be blind. Downwelling light at intensities useful for vision does not reach depths greater than 800-1300 m (rev. in Lakin et al., 1997), while the shrimps are found at depths of ~1700-3900 m. Nonetheless, R. exoculata possesses a dorsal organ with cellular, biochemical, and physiological characteristics of a retina that appears to be adapted to transduce the dim light emitted by the hydrothermal vents around which they feed (rev. in O’Neill et al., 1995). We have also examined the morphology of the eyes of R. aurantiaca Martin et al., 1997 (see Nuckley et al., 1996), C. chacei (see Lakin et al., 1997), Mirocaris fortunata (Martin & Christiansen, 1995), (see Kuenzler et al., 1997), and Alvinocaris markensis Williams, 1988 (see Wharton et al., 1997). Neurochemical analyses of the brain of R. exoculata are underway (Curra et al., 1996). Electrophysiological recordings of concentrationdependent sulphide sensitivity from the antennal nerves of Rimicaris (Renninger et al., 1995) have provided insight into the mechanisms whereby vent shrimps might locate active hydrothermal systems.
Review of the Miocene long-snouted dolphin Priscodelphinus cristatus DU BUS, 1872 (Cetacea, Odontoceti) and phylogeny among eurhinodelphinids

The Miocene long-snouted dolphin species Eurhinodelphis cristatus (sensu ABEL, 1902) (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Eurhinodelphinidae), recognized in the area of Antwerp (North of Belgium, southern margin of the North Sea Basin) and the east coast of the USA (Maryland and Virginia), is re-described, including several undescribed specimens associated with ear bones and teeth. The systematic affinities of this species with other members of the family Eurhinodelphinidae are investigated, leading to its inclusion in the new genus Xiphiacetus, together with the species Eurhinodelphis bossi (sensu KELLOGG, 1925). The asymmetry of the skull is discussed, especially for a strange specimen with an asymmetrical basicranium interpreted as the consequence of pathology. Thanks to recently found specimens, the stratigraphic range of Xiphiacetus cristatus might be extended in the Upper Miocene, widening the Eurhinodelphinidae distribution, previously limited to an Upper Oligocene - Middle Miocene interval. The description in X. cristatus of several structures related to the telescoping of the skull, hearing, and the feeding apparatus, considered as derived compared to other eurhinodelphinids, allows suggestions concerning evolutionary trends inside the family. A cladistic analysis is undertaken in a way to examine the phylogenetic relationships between the best-known eurhinodelphinid genera. The main results of the analysis are a sister-group relationship between Schizodelphis + Xiphiacetus and Ziphiodelphis + (Mycteriacetus + Argyrocetus), and a more stemward Eurhinodelphis. This topology leads to some hypotheses concerning the evolution of the habitat of the eurhinodelphinids. An appendix contains remarks about the systematic status of several taxa usually included in, or related to, the family Eurhinodelphinidae.
Temperature drives plant and soil microbial diversity patterns across an elevation gradient from the Andes to the Amazon

Climate strongly regulates plant community composition and diversity, exemplified by gradients in plant diversity and community structure with elevation. However, we do not know if soil bacteria and fungi, key drivers of terrestrial biogeochemical cycling, follow similar biogeographical patterns determined by the same climatic drivers. We studied an Andean tropical forest transect traversing 3.5 km in elevation. The species richness (α-diversity) and compositional dissimilarity of communities (β-diversity) were determined for plants, bacteria and fungi. We determined the environmental drivers of these patterns, using 31 environmental and edaphic predictor variables, and the relationship between microbial communities and soil organic matter cycling (extracellular enzymes). We found co-ordinated changes with elevation in the species richness and composition of plants, soil bacteria and fungi. Across all groups, α-diversity declined significantly as elevation increased, and β-diversity increased with increased elevation difference. Temperature was the dominant driver of these diversity gradients, with only weak influences of edaphic properties, including soil pH, which did not vary substantially across the study transect. The gradients in microbial diversity were strongly correlated with the activities of enzymes involved in soil organic matter cycling, and were accompanied by a transition in microbial traits, towards slower-growing, more oligotrophic taxa at higher elevations. We provide the first evidence of co-ordinated temperature-driven patterns in the diversity and distribution of plants, soil bacteria and fungi in tropical ecosystems. This finding suggest that, across landscape scales of relatively constant soil pH, shared patterns and environmental drivers of plant and microbial communities can occur, with large implications for tropical forest communities under future climate change.
Comparison of Gridded Weather Datasets with Point Datasets over Three Locations of India

Climate information of any place is of prime importance for understanding the dynamics of natural resources in general and agriculture in particular. But availability of good quality, long-term weather data over large region remains a challenge. Hence, in this study a comparative analysis of temperature (maximum and minimum temperature) and rainfall was conducted between the manual observatory datasets with that of the gridded datasets of India Meteorological Department (IMD) over three places of Indo-Gangetic plain of India. In this analysis the mean monthly values of the parameters as well as the daily extremes were compared. The agro-meteorological stations data used in this study are from three districts namely Ludhiana, Hisar and Kanpur over north India. Results showed that, in case of monthly based comparison, the gridded datasets could explain almost all the variability (R2>0.95) in the manual observatory/point datasets while could explain about 65% to 86% variability in the rainfall amount. The higher values of rainfall were seen to be underestimated by the gridded dataset. The root mean square error (RMSE) for maximum temperature varied from 0.71°C to 0.84°C while for minimum temperature it was higher in the tune of 1.25°C to 1.36°C. For, daily values of extreme temperatures gridded data could also explain almost the whole range of variations in the extremes of station data of all the three locations as indicated by very high value of coefficient of determination (R2). The nRMSE for maximum temperature varied between 2.1% to 2.5% while for minimum temperature the nRMSE ranged between 4.2% and 8.7%. Hence, it can be inferred that gridded temperature datasets may be directly used if meteorological station datasets are not available/accessible for any particular place.
Tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-1β mRNA expression in HMC-1 cells : differential regulation of gene product expression by recombinant interleukin-4

Cytokine-activation pathways in mast cells are supposed to play a significant role in host defense mechanisms and allergic reactions. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a well-characterized regulator of growth and function of mast cells. The human mast cell line HMC-1 was established from a patient suffering from mast cell leukemia and was shown to expose IL-4 binding sites. In the present study, the effects of recombinant human (rh) IL-4 and other rh cytokines (IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-8) on expression of cytokine mRNA in HMC-1 cells were examined by Northern blot analysis using oligonucleotide probes. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-1 beta transcripts were found to be expressed constitutively in HMC-1 cells, whereas transcripts for IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) could not be detected. Of all cytokines tested, rhIL-4 was found to down-regulate IL-1 beta mRNA expression and formation of immunoreactive IL-1 beta protein in HMC-1 cells. The effect of IL-4 on IL-1 beta gene product expression was time- and dose-dependent (maximum effects obtained with 100 U/mL of rhIL-4). No effect of IL-4 on expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in HMC-1 cells was observed. These results raise the possibility that human mast cells are a source of both TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta. Furthermore, our study provides evidence that IL-4 regulates IL-1 beta gene product expression in HMC-1 cells. The HMC-1 cell line should be a useful tool for studying cytokine activation pathways in human mast cells.
Stomatal Metabolism: Primary Carboxylation and Enzyme Activities

Malate and aspartate are the major labelled products when 14CO2 is offered to epidermal strips of Commelina cyanea R.Br. Thirty seconds after initial exposure to 14CO2 of strips in light with open stomata, 75 % of 14C in aspartate was a [4-14C]aspartate. As the exposure time increased, the ratio [4-14C]aspartate to [U-14C]aspartate declined. This evidence indicates that 14C enters aspartate after a s-carboxylation reaction and that the newly formed aspartate is further metabolized by the tissue. Ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase fractionated similarly on sucrose density gradients whether from intact leaf or epidermal strips and, from either tissue, the activity was inhibited by antisera to purified fraction 1 protein from wheat. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from mesophyll and epidermis also coincided on sucrose density gradients. A survey of enzymic activities in extracts of leaves and epidermes showed that the latter were specialized towards the metabolism of C*4 acids. They have a high ratio of phosphoenolpyruvate to ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activities, and enhanced amounts of aspartate aminotransferase, malate dehydrogenase (NADP+), and NAD : malic and NADP : malic enzymes. Pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, enzymes possibly involved with C*4 acid metabolism, were not detected.
Relating Ediacaran Fronds

Abstract. Ediacaran fronds are key components of terminal-Proterozoic ecosystems. They represent one of the most widespread and common body forms ranging across all major Ediacaran fossil localities and time slices postdating the Gaskiers glaciation, but uncertainty over their phylogenetic affinities has led to uncertainty over issues of homology and functional morphology between and within organisms displaying this ecomorphology. Here we present the first large-scale, multigroup cladistic analysis of Ediacaran organisms, sampling 20 ingroup taxa with previously asserted affinities to the Arboreomorpha, Erniettomorpha, and Rangeomorpha. Using a newly derived morphological character matrix that incorporates multiple axes of potential phylogenetically informative data, including architectural, developmental, and structural qualities, we seek to illuminate the evolutionary history of these organisms. We find strong support for existing classification schema and devise apomorphy-based definitions for each of the three frondose clades examined here. Through a rigorous cladistic framework it is possible to discern the pattern of evolution within and between these clades, including the identification of homoplasies and functional constraints. This work both validates earlier studies of Ediacaran groups and accentuates instances in which previous assumptions of their natural history are uninformative.
Enhancement of protein contents of rice bran for animal feed by solid state fermentation

The present study was conducted to focus on the output of single cell protein by solid state fermentation on rice bran. Candida utilis and Rhizopus oligosporus has been used in this study for the fermentation of rice bran for the nutritional enhancement which then can be used for cattle feed. A number of parameters such as incubation temperature , moisture, substrate ratio, inoculums age, incubation period and inoculums size were studied to evaluate the improvement of single cell protein (SCP) production. Analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was applied to compare the replicate values. Results showed that the maximum crude protein was obtained when the inoculums size 10% (v/v) and 48 hours old culture was practiced. A fermentation period of 60 hours, the incubation temperature of 30°C and moisture level of 500 ml in growth medium was found to get maximum protein yield and viable count of yeast and mold. After complete optimization of fermentation parameters, a batch of rice bran fermented with Candida utilis and Rhizopus oligosporus at optimized conditions, moved over a maximum crude protein yield, i.e., 33.14% as compared to 7.22% of unfermented rice bran. Significant values at optimized conditions revealed that there is a considerable improvement in nutritional contents of rice bran through solid state fermentation for animal feed.