Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unravelling the induction and development of intramembranous bones in the chicken eye

"Unravelling the Induction and Development of Intramembranous Bones in the Chicken Eye" By: Kellie Duench Bone development is a complex process, involving multiple tissues and hierarchical inductive interactions. The study of skeletal development has focused on endochondral bones while intramembranous bones (e.g. scleral ossicles) have received less attention. Although, sonic hedgehog was recently demonstrated to be present during induction of scleral ossicles, other signalling molecules are still unknown. Using in situ hybridization and bead implantation I have demonstrated the presence or absence and the involvement of candidate genes and gene families during the development of scleral ossicles. Scleraxis, patched, as well as the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of genes, were found to be involved in the development of scleral ossicles. Conversely, it was determined that indian hedgehog and msx2 are not present. This study has contributed to unravelling the signals involved during the induction and subsequent development of scleral ossicles and has contributed to the current understanding of intramembranous bone development.
Experimental fisheries for black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) in the Azores, Northeast Atlantic

In this study, we used fisheries observers’ data to analyse and describe the experimental fishing of black scabbardfish in the Azores in terms of type of gear, fishing operation, catch per unit effort (cpue), and fish size compositions. Standardized catch in numbers per 1000 hooks varied from 103 to 210 fish with an overall average of 132 fish per 1000 hooks. Recorded cpue values were similar to those recorded for Madeira and mainland Portugal in early 2000 but were higher than those observed in mainland Portugal for recent years. Bycatch was similar to that observed for other longline fisheries but much lower than in the North Atlantic deep-water trawl fishery.
Growth of the edible crab (Cancer pagurus L.) off south-west England

Moult increments, annual moult frequency and hence annual growth were determined from suture-tagged edible crabs (Cancer pagurus L.) released and recaptured off Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset. The average moult increments of males and females at a premoult carapace width of 100 mm were similar; at larger sizes the average moult increment of females was considerably less than that of males. Annual moult frequency of C. pagurus in south-west England decreased with increase in size, females more so than males. As a result of the smaller moult increments and lower moult frequency of females, their annual growth is considerably less than that of males. This appears to be the result of three aspects of sex and reproduction: (1) reduction in moult increments, probably as a result of competition for nutritive resources between egg production and body growth; (2) the interruption of the moulting cycle by successive annual spawnings from a single impregnation at the previous moult; and (3) accentuation of the larger increments in weight at moulting of male crabs due to the allometric growth of their chelae. A consequence of the higher growth rate of males is the presence of very large male crabs – a distinctive feature of the population structure of the stock off south-west England. The growth of C. pagurus in south-west England was compared with published data for stocks off the east and north-east coast. Moult increments were similar for both areas, but there were considerable differences in the moult frequencies. In the south-west, males moult more frequently than females; the opposite is the case for the east and north-east crab stocks. A valid reason for this difference has not yet been established.
Effects of Dietary Nutrient Density on Performance and Carcass Quality of Male Broilers Grown for Further Processing 1

Two trials of identical design were conducted in floor pens to characterize the response of male broilers grown to heavy weights for further processing to dietary nutrient density levels. Nutrient density is defined as the metabolizable energy content of the diet with all essential nutrients maintained in proportion. Ten treatments were utilized with varying nutrient densities obtained by adding poultry oil from 0 to 9% in increments of 1%. Crude protein, amino acids, and other essential nutrients were maintained in proportion to dietary energy levels. Body weights, feed consumed and processing quality were obtained at differen t intervals up to 63 days of age. Body weight peaked with the diet containing 6% added fat (3267 ME Kcal/ kg, mean of starter, grower, and finisher ME values). Feed intake tended to decrease with increasing nutrient density, but not at a rate commensurate with the change in energy levels. Feed conversion (g gain per g feed) improved as dietary nutrient density increased. Dressing percentage tended to decrease as dietary nutrient density level increased. Abdominal fat and breast meat, both on an absolute weight or percentage of carcass weight basis, remained rather constant when protein was maintained in proportion to energy.
Shading affects morphology, dry-matter partitioning, and photosynthetic response of greenhouse-grown 'Chardonnay' grapevines

Additional index words. net carbon exchange rate, leaf morphology, light, Vitis vinifera Abstract. In order to gain an understanding of the capacity of severely shaded leaves to be productive in dense canopies, the effects of increased shading on morphology, dry-mat- ter partitioning, and whole-plant net carbon exchange rate (NCER) were investigated on greenhouse-grown Vitis vinifera L. 'Chardonnayʼ grapevines. Vines were subjected to whole-plant shading levels of 0%, 54%, 90%, and 99% of direct sun 3 weeks after potting. Data were collected 8 to 10 weeks after potting. Nonlinear regression was used to investigate the relationship of leaf morphological traits and organ dry weights to increased shading. Leaf size was maintained with increased shading to approximately the 90% shading level, while leaf fresh weight, volume, density, and thickness were immediately reduced with increased shading. Root dry weight was most affected by increased shading, and root to shoot ratio was reduced. When nonlinear regressions were produced for light response curves, light compensation point was reduced by approximately 49% by moderate shad- ing, and 61% by severe shading. Shaded leaves approached the asymptote of the light response curve more quickly, and had reduced dark respiration rates, indicating that the morphological compensation responses by the vine allow shaded leaves to use available light more effi ciently. However, the long-term ramifi cations of reduced root growth in the current year on vines with shaded leaves may be signifi cant.
Testing assumptions of central place foraging theory: a study of Adélie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae in the Ross Sea

We investigated central place foraging (CPF) in the context of optimal foraging theory in Ad e lie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae of the southern Ross Sea by using satellite tracking and time-depth recorders to explore foraging at two spatio-temporal scales: within the day-to-day (sub-mesoscale: single foraging trip, 10s of km 2 ) and the entire breeding season (mesoscale: trips by multiple individuals across the collective foraging area, 100s of km 2 ). Specifi cally, we examine whether three basic assumptions of the Orians – Pearson CPF model, shown to occur in other CPF species, are met: 1) within a patch, the rate of prey acquisition declines with time spent in that patch; 2) food is distributed in discrete patches and is not available between those patches; and 3) CPF species have knowledge of the potential (or average, at least) feeding rate within their universe of patches, and use this knowledge to determine their foraging strategy when planning or engaging in a foraging trip. We found that prey consumption rates did not decline with time spent in patches, and penguins foraged to some degree most of the time when at sea. Food availability, as measured by foraging dive rate, appeared to be predictable within the same day at the same location, but predictability broke down after 2 d at distances 10 km away. We conclude that the assumptions of the Orians – Pearson CPF model are not a good fi t to the circumstances of Ross Sea penguins, which clearly are central place foragers.
The Teuthoidea (Cephalopoda, Mollusca) fauna of the Aegean Sea: comparison with the neighbouring seas and notes on their diet composition

Intensive samplings carried out in the Aegean Sea revealed the presence of 3 sepiid and 10 sepiolid species. A checklist of the Mediterranean Sepioidea is presented, as well as their distribution in the Mediterranean territorial areas and the Black Sea. The faunal comparison of the Mediterranean areas showed that the number of species decreases from the west to the east, while in the Black Sea, no sepioid species exist. In terms of zoogeographical categories, the Atlanto-Mediterranean species dominate in all Mediterranean areas followed by the endemic species. Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831 is a Lessepsian migrant while only one species, Stoloteuthis leucoptera (Verrill, 1878), has a cosmopolitan distribution. The diet of the 13 sepioid species is mainly based on Crustacea and Pisces.
Demersal Assemblages and Depth Distribution of Elasmobranchs from the Continental Shelf and Slope Trawling Grounds off the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean)

The analysis of 131 hauls performed during four bottom trawl fishing surveys carried out between depths of 46 and 1 713 m in two different areas off the Balearic Islands yielded a total of 23 elasmobranch species belonging to 8 families. Cluster analysis and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) ordination were applied to detect zonation patterns and some ecological parameters (e.g. species richness, abundance and biomass, mean weight, diversity and evenness) were calculated for each assemblage. For each area, analysis of similitude (ANOSIM) and similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) were also applied to detect differences between seasons and depths. For the most important species (Galeus melastomus, Scyliorhinus canicula, Centroscymnus coelolepis, Etmopterus spinax, Squalus blainvillei, Raja naevus, Raja asterias, Raja clavata, Raja miraletus and Raja oxyrhinchus), the bathymetric distribution of abundance and the length frequency were also analysed.
Size-Specific Provisioning by Cicada Killers, Sphecius speciosus, (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) in North Florida

ABSTRACT Eastern cicada killer wasps (Sphecius speciosus Drury) mass-provision underground nest burrows with cicadas they capture and paralyze in nearby trees. We studied provisioning by female cicada killers at 2 aggregations in north Florida where a variety of cicada species, with a large range in body size, are used as prey. We captured and measured samples of male and female wasps and we uniquely marked samples of females. We measured and identified paralyzed cicadas that we retrieved from females as they were provisioning their nests. We compared the body sizes of male and female wasps, and cicada prey, between locations. The mean body sizes of male wasps, female wasps, and cicadas from the St. Johns site were much larger than those from the Newberry site. We determined the relationship between the size of individual female wasps and the size of their prey at both locations. Previous studies had concluded that cicada killer hunting is opportunistic, with females provisioning their nests with cicadas of different sex, species, and size in proportion to their relative abundance in the environment. However, we found that individual female cicada killers at these locations exhibited prey specificity by size. Small wasps brought only small cicadas to their nests, as they are likely constrained from carrying large cicadas in flight. Large wasps, not similarly constrained, rarely provisioned with small cicadas. The wasps appear to selectively hunt the largest prey they can carry in flight. Evidence suggests that the cicadas retrieved from wasps at the Newberry site were smaller because small female wasps predominate there, and not because there is a difference in the body size distributions of the cicadas between the 2 local environments.
Olive Floral Bud Growth and Starch Content During Winter Rest and Spring Budbreak

In the olive (Olea europaea L.), inflorescence and flower differentiation occur in the early spring following a period of winter chilling and dormancy of the potentially reproductive buds. We examined the size, structure, and starch content of these buds during winter rest in the field and during forcing under standard growth-chamber conditions. Basic bud structure and dimensions remained unchanged during the rest period, but starch content increased in the bud's central axis. When cuttings were forced in the growth chamber, the buds followed a morphogenetic pattern similar to that observed in the field, but the sequence of developmental events could be timed more precisely. The first changes observed were the onset of axis growth and the differentiation of axillary primordia within 3 days of transfer to the growth chamber. This was followed by the initiation of new nodes, and, at 15 to 18 days, by the first signs of floral differentiation in the terminal and axillary bud apical meristems. Bud growth and differentiation were accompanied by a decrease in starch content.
Schistosoma mansoni: níveis de infecciosidade para os moluscos hospedeiros intermediários do Brasil

The levels of infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni for the three species of Biomphalaria, intermediate hosts of parasite in Brazil were studied after exposing of molluscs to miracidia in the laboratory and in the field. The LE and SJ strains of S. mansoni, maintained in laboratory were used in these experiments as well as the WVS and RFS strains ohtained from faeces of schoolchildren from Belo Horizonte, MG. The results show the high level of infectivity of S. mansoni for B. glabrata with infection rates varying from 4.7 to 85-5%. The snail B. straminea was susceptible to LE, SJ and WVS strains, with infection rates of 11.0 to 24.6%, B. tenagophila was susceptible only to LE and SJ strains with infection rates of 2.5 to 6.5%. The mean number of cercariae of the WVS strain shed per day, by B. straminea and B. glabrata were 93 ± 59 and 782 ± 1,120, respectively.
Smooth Muscle Cells: Enhancement by IFN-Transduction in Endothelial Cells and Alloantibody-Mediated Class I Signal

Chronic rejection is the major limiting factor to long term survival of solid organ allografts. The hallmark of chronic rejection is transplant atherosclerosis, which is characterized by the intimal proliferation of smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and ﬁ-broblasts, leading to vessel obstruction, ﬁbrosis, and eventual graft loss. The mechanism of chronic rejection is poorly understood, but it is suspected that the associated vascular changes are a result of anti-HLA Ab-mediated injury to the endothelium and smooth muscle of the graft. In this study we have investigated whether anti-HLA Abs, developed by transplant recipients following transplantation, are capable of transducing signals via HLA class I molecules, which stimulate cell proliferation. In this report we show that ligation of class I molecules with Abs to distinct HLA-A locus and HLA-B locus molecules results in increased tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular proteins and induction of ﬁbroblast growth factor receptor expression on endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Treatment of cells with IFN- g and TNF- a up-regulated MHC class I expression and potentiated anti-HLA Ab-induced ﬁbroblast growth factor receptor expression. Engagement of class I molecules also stimulated enhanced proliferative responses to basic ﬁbroblast growth factor, which augmented endothelial cell proliferation. These ﬁndings support a role for anti-HLA Abs and cytokines in the transduction of proliferative signals, which stimulate the development of myointimal hyperplasia associated with chronic rejection of human allografts. The Journal of Immunology, 1999, 163: 1010–1018. on a FACScan ﬂow cytometer as previously described (42). Expression of ICAM-1, HLA class I, and VCAM-1 was determined by direct immunoﬂuorescence using mAbs from Coulter (Miami, FL) and R&D Systems (Minneapolis, MN). Cell ﬂuorescence was analyzed on a FACScan ﬂow cytometer using CellQuest Software obtained from Becton Dickinson (Mountain View, CA). Gates for forward and side scatter measurements were set on EC or SMC, and a minimum of 10,000 events were acquired. Instrument calibration was performed using Cali- BRITE beads and FACScomp software (Becton Dickinson).
Survival and Reproductive Success of Tobacco Thrips on Three Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Infected and Noninfected Peanut Cultivars

Abstract A comparison of the survival and reproductive success of Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on tomato spotted wilt virus (Bunyviridae: Tospovirus) (TSWV) infected and uninfected peanut plants was conducted under greenhouse conditions in North Carolina. Three cultivars—NC 9, NC-V11, and NC 12C—adapted to North Carolina production practices were evaluated. A total of 180 individually caged plants, in three replicates, were infested with 20 female F. fusca each. Adult and larval thrips were collected after 30 d on the plants. Final counts were square root transformed and a mixed model analysis of variance conducted. Effects of cultivar and the virus-by-cultivar interaction were not statistically significant. TSWV-infected plants had significantly fewer adult and larval F. fusca than did uninfected plants for adults (P = 0.04) and for larvae (P = 0.01). This study reports on an alternative method of assessing TSWV resistance among peanut cultivars and the trend appears to support t.
The size distribution of plankton biomass in a large lake and its seasonal variability

Biomass size spectra were calculated from comprehensive microscopic assessment of plankton organisms in large, deep Lake Constance (Bodcnsec). They revealed an approximately constant size distribution of biomass from bacteria (10 I4 g C cell-‘) to crustaceans ( 1O-4 g C ind.-‘), resembling distributions found in open marine systems (seasonal average). Size ranges without detectable biomass as reported from other lakes did not exist. External perturbations, and size and depth of the pelagic zone, but not the type of habitat (marine vs. limnetic) were suggested as crucial factors influencing the shape of the biomass size distribution. The fit of the normalized biomass size spectrum to a straight line with a slope of - 1 . OO was very close (rZ = 0.98), indicating a decrease of abundance per size class N proportional to the increase of body weight w (N cc w-l). Seasonal variation of biomass per size class was strongly related to body weight. It was largest for organisms with generation times of about 1 yr. Slopes of normalized biomass size spectra were steep in early spring (- 1.16) indicating a dominance of small organisms and a low transfer cfficicncy to larger organisms. From spring to early summer, the size distribution of organisms shifted toward larger organisms (slope up to -0.94). The seasonal changes of the size spectra support the idea that, due to differences in the intrinsic reaction times of differently sized organisms, varying environmental conditions produce less regularly shaped actual size spectra, if not averaged over a period longer than the external fluctuations.
Conservation of grassland patches failed to enhance colonization of ground-active beetles on formerly cultivated plots

SUMMARY The dry grasslands of the Mediterranean Basin have been traditionally managed since ancient times, but have been drastically degraded by recent human activities such as cultivation. Cultivated plots in a dry grassland of Southern France were abandoned more than 20 years ago, but their vegetation and ground-active beetle community structure and composition differ considerably from neighbouring uncultivated grassland plots. Because these formerly cultivated plots are adjacent to an uncultivated grassland area, they constitute a model system for examining beetle recolonization patterns on field margins. No edge effect or ecotone was identified on the margins between two of the formerly cultivated plots and the uncultivated dry grassland; there was no significant peak of beetles species richness in this area. All the most common dry grassland beetle species (mainly saprophagous and predatory species, which are less habitat-specialist than phytophagous species) had already recolonized the formerly cultivated plots. However, although uncultivated dry grassland was adjacent to the formerly cultivated plots it was insufficient for complete regeneration of dry grassland beetle communities on formerly cultivated plots, indicating habitat quality remained lower even after 20 years. Understanding the causes of spatial variation in active-ground beetles at the species level is important before the ecological restoration of habitat quality to its prior state, using the adjacent steppe as a reference.
SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE ATTACHED ALGAE OF FRESHWATER AND SALINE LAKES IN THE LOWER GRAND COULEE, WASHINGTON1

A two year investigation of two freshwater alkaline lakes and two saline lakes in the Lower Grand Coulee has provided a quantitative and qualitative record of many of the seasonal changes occurring in the non-planktonic algae. A glass plate method satisfactorily recorded quantitative changes in the attached algae. The plates (28 by 28 cm) were submerged for 2 to 4 weeks at various depths. Dry weight and ash-free dry weight of the predominantly algal attachment materials on plates were determined, and the ash-free weight was expressed as a production rate. The ash from freshwater lakes was composed normally of intact diatom frustules. The ash from saline lakes was also diatomaceous, but the weakly silicified frustules were deformed during ashing. Proportional counts of the various species in freshwater lakes were made using the ash. The evaluation of relative dominance was based on the mathematical product of the cell count and a calculated volume factor for each species. The glass-plate production technique was examined at some length and it was concluded that a e-week submergence period was most satisfactory, that glass was not unduly selective, that a horizontal position was satisfactory, and that the method was best suited to the freshwater lakes. In freshwater lakes ( 200450 ppm T.D.S. ) results clearly show a bimodal production curve with the peak generally higher in the spring than in the fall. Lowest production invariably occurred in late summer. High production values in the spring were commonly near or above 500 mg/m”/day. Comparison of the results of two years shows sizable differences in total production at comparable times of year, but the seasonal distribution of species followed the same general pattern both years. Cymbella affinis, C. cistula, C. mexicana, Diatoma elongatum, Fragiluria uaucheriae, Gomphonema eriense, Nitxchia spp. , Synedra acus, and S. ulna were characteristic spring dominants in the freshwater lakes. These diatoms were replaced in summer mainly by Epithemia sorex, E. turgida, and Rhopalodia gibba. A few “spring” species were common in one lake in summer but only at greater depths. The