Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonal habitat use and movements of woodland caribou in the Omineca Mountains, north central British Columbia, 1991-1993

From 1991 to 1993, 30 woodland caribou were captured and fitted with radio-collars west of the Williston Reservoir in north central B.C. Monthly radio-telemetry location flights revealed that caribou in the Northern Area, characterized by a complex of mountain ranges, moved greater distances to calving areas than did those in the South, where only one major mountain range exists. In the year of record heavy snowfall for the area, all collared caribou wintered on windswept alpine slopes, while during the below average snowfall year, many caribou remained in forested habitats. In winter, caribou were found to forage on terrestrial lichens in both lowland lodgepole pine flats and on windswept alpine slopes, and on arboreal lichens in upper elevation Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir forests. There are at least 600-700 caribou in the Omineca Mountains.
Effects of Tillage on Soil Microarthropods in Winter Wheat

Abstract. A long-term tillage study plot was sampled to evaluate the effects of tillage on soil-dwelling microarthropods. Soil (300 cm3) was sampled on four dates during two growing seasons from conventional and no-till plots of winter wheat. Microarthropods were extracted using Tullgren funnels and enumerated into seven taxonomic categories: 1) Total abundance, 2) Oribatida, 3) Mesostigmata, 4) Prostigmata, 5) Astigmata, 6) Collembola, and 7) other invertebrates. Abundance within six of the seven groups was greater in no-till than conventionally tilled soil on seven of the eight sampling dates: 1) Total abundance in conventional till 6.44 ± 1.68 and 21.39 ± 5.35 in no-till, 2) Oribatida in conventional till 1.06 ± 0.36 and 7.33 ± 2.23 in no till, and 3) Other invertebrates in conventional till 4.50 ± 0.82 and 10.67 ± 2.85 in no till. The Mesostigmata and Collembola showed significant differences between conventionally tilled and no-till plots on multiple dates. In contrast, mites in the group Prostigmata were more abundant in conventionally tilled soil (3.89 ± 1.13 versus 2.00 ± 0.88 in no till). Abundance of soil microarthropods in no-till plots generally increased (21.39 ± 5.35 in Season 1 to 42.42 ± 4.59 in Season 2), which might indicate gradual recovery of the habitat. Assessments of soil quality in no-till agricultural systems should include evaluations of beneficial soil fauna such as microarthropods.
Genetic diversity and linkage disequilibrium of two homologous genes to maize D8: Sorghum SbD8 and pearl millet PgD8

Yield and yield stability of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. ] are highly influenced by flowering time andphotoperiodic sensitivity in the arid to semi-arid regions of West and Central Africa.Photoperiodic sensitivity is the key adaptation trait of local landraces because it assures flowering at the end of the rainy season, independent of variable dates of planting. Flowering time genes are mainly integrated into four pathways with close interaction among each other: Vernalization, autonomous, GA (gibberellic acid) and photoperiod. In the GA pathway, maize D8, wheat RHT1 and rice SLR have been identified as homologous genes to the Arabidopsis GAI, which is a negative regulator of GA response. We have identified two homologous genes to D8: Sorghum SbD8 and pearl millet PgD8. These genes were expressed in the root and leaves of sorghum and pearl millet as revealed by EST database search and reverse transcription PCR, respectively. The genetic diversity of SbD8 was considerably lower than that of PgD8. The extent of linkage disequilibrium in PgD8is lower than that of maize D8. SbD8 and PgD8 polymorphisms might be appropriate for dissection of photoperiod sensitivity using association mapping approaches. Key words: DELLA proteins, GA pathway, flowering time, photoperiod sensitivity, sorghum, pearl millet.
The effects of endophyte content on the nutritive value of drunken horse grass (Achnatherum inebrians) fed to sheep in Xinjiang province, China

Drunken horse grass (DHG) (Achnatherum inebrians) is a weed of the grazing lands of China, and contains an endophytic fungi (Neotyphodium spp.) producing the neurotoxin ergonovine. The following experiments investigate the effects of endophyte and ergonovine content on the nutritive value and on the symptoms of toxicity of DHG hay fed to sheep in Xi njiang province, PRC. Endophyte infection in DHG was controlled by spraying with Banner Turf during early growth (Low Endophyte), and infected DHG hays (High Endophyte) were prepared from nearby untreated swards. These hays were offered ad libitum to 3 groups of 4 sheep held in metabolism cages indoors over a 4-week period. In the first year (1996), a legume/grass (LG) hay was used as control and 200 g maize given to each sheep daily. In the second year (1996), a local grass (Elymus siricibus) was the control, and no maize was fed. Sheep given the LG hay consumed more DM (861 g/d) than did those given the treated (305 g/d) and untreated (264 g/d) DHG hays. Treated hay contained only 75 g/kg DM ergonovine compared with 200 g/kg DM ergonovine in untreated hay, and had higher in vivo digestibilities (61.3%) than untreated hays (54.8%). All sheep consuming DHG lost weight, and in the second experiment, without maize supplements, sheep were taken off treatments after 3 weeks as a consequence of excessive weight loss. There was a significant positive correlation between endophyte infection and ergonovine content of DHG hay, and significant negative correlation between DHG hay intake and its ergonovine concentration. An oral dose of 60 g ergonovine (2.3 g/kg live-weight) was sufficient to induce severe symptoms of toxicity which abated 11 hours after dosing. It was concluded that even low concentrations of ergonovine in DHG hay depress hay intake and the potential productivity of sheep consuming DHG hay.
Towards a phylogeny of the Metazoa: evaluating alternative phylogenetic positions of Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, and Gnathostomulida, with a critical reappraisal of cladistic characters

This paper critically assesses all morphological cladistic analyses of the Metazoa that were published during the last one and a half decades. Molecular and total evidence analyses are also critically reviewed. This study focuses on evaluating alternative phylogenetic positions of the ‘acoelomate’ worms: Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, and Gnathostomulida. This paper consists of two parts. In Part I, all recently proposed sister group hypotheses and the supporting synapomorphies for these phyla are evaluated. Discrepancies in the treatment of corresponding characters in different cladistic analyses are identified, and where possible, resolved. In Part II, the overall phylogenetic significance across the Metazoa of all characters relevant for placing the ‘acoelomate’ worms is examined. The coding and scoring of these characters for other phyla are evaluated, and uncertainties in our understanding are pointed out in order to guide future research. The characters discussed in this paper are broadly categorized as follows: epidermis and cuticle, reproduction and sexual condition, development, larval forms, coeloms and mesoderm source, nervous system and sensory organs, nephridia, musculature, digestive system, and miscellaneous characters. Competing phylogenetic hypotheses are compared in terms of several criteria: 1) taxon sampling and the fulfillment of domain of definition for each character; 2) character sampling; 3) character coding; 4) character scoring and quality of primary homology; 5) quality of the proposed diagnostic synapomorphies as secondary homologies. On the basis of this study I conclude that a sister group for the Platyhelminthes has not yet been unambiguously established. A clade minimally composed of Neotrochozoa (Mollusca, Sipuncula, Echiura, Annelida) emerges as the most likely sister group of the Nemertea on the basis of morphological and total evidence analyses. Finally, morphological data currrently favor a sister group relationship of Gnathostomulida and Syndermata (probably plus Micrognathozoa). In contrast, molecular or total evidence analyses have not identified a reliable sister group of Gnathostomulida. Further progress in our understanding of metazoan phylogeny crucially depends on the improvement of the quality of currently adopted cladistic data matrices. A thorough reassessment of many of the more than 70 morphological characters discussed here is necessary. Despite the recent compilation of comprehensive data matrices, the power to test competing hypotheses of higher-level metazoan relationships is critically compromised due to uncritical data selection and poor character study in even the most recently published cladistic analyses.
In vitro ex vivo assessment of Morinda citrifolia on drug metabolizing enzymes in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Rubiaceae), common name noni, has been used as a herbal medicine for over 2000 years. The consumption of noni, and especially the fruit, stresses the importance, urgency, and possibility of the examination of drug interaction when concomitantly administered with a drug. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of noni juice (NJ) on aminopyrine N-demethylase (APND), uridine diphosphoglucuronosyl-transferase (UGT), and cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) drug metabolizing enzymes and the molecular mechanism elucidation of NJ on APND using different inhibitors and stimulators. The in vitro results for APND showed that different concentrations of NJ significantly increased the activity in isolated hepatocytes at 1.0 ng/mL, 10 ng/mL, 10 μg/mL, 20 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL. The ex vivo results demonstrated that NJ (210 mg/kg) produced a statistically significant increase in APND activity following 1 day of NJ treatment. The results for UGT and GST showed a decrease in the activity of UGT at a dose of 21 mg/kg following 1 day of treatment, and at 2.1 and 21 mg/kg following 14 days of treatment. GST enzyme demonstrated an increase in activity by 100% for all doses following 1 day of treatment. Molecular mechanism elucidation of the ex vivo effect of NJ on phase I APND showed that KT5720 significantly reduced the activity as compared to control. A change in activity of APND, UGT, and GST following 1 day and 14 days of treatment suggests that all three metabolic pathways may play a role in herb–drug interaction by modulation of metabolic enzymes.
Gauged supergravities in various spacetime dimensions

In this review article we study the gaugings of extended supergravity theories in various space‐time dimensions. These theories describe the low‐energy limit of non‐trivial string compactifications. For each theory under consideration we review all possible gaugings that are compatible with supersymmetry. They are parameterized by the so‐called embedding tensor which is a group theoretical object that has to satisfy certain representation constraints. This embedding tensor determines all couplings in the gauged theory that are necessary to preserve gauge invariance and supersymmetry. The concept of the embedding tensor and the general structure of the gauged supergravities are explained in detail. The methods are then applied to the half‐maximal (N = 4) supergravities in d = 4 and d = 5 and to the maximal supergravities in d = 2 and d = 7. Examples of particular gaugings are given. Whenever possible, the higher‐dimensional origin of these theories is identified and it is shown how the compactification parameters like fluxes and torsion are contained in the embedding tensor.
Effect of Growth Temperature on the Lipid Composition of two Strains of Thermus sp.

Summary: Growth-temperature-dependent alterations in the total extractable lipid and polar lipid components of two strains of Thermus sp. isolated from a Portuguese hot spring were studied between 50°C and 78°C. The total extractable lipid varied between 8.0 and 10.6% of the cell dry weight; there were no alterations in the phosphorus and carotenoid content of the lipid extract, but the carbohydrate content increased as the growth temperature was raised. Three glycolipids and the four phospholipids were separated by thin-layer chromatography. The relative concentration of the major glycolipid (GL1) of strain SPS 17 (yellow-pigmented) increased with the growth temperature, whereas the relative concentration of a minor glycolipid (GL2) decreased. There were no temperature-dependent alterations in the relative concentrations of GL1 and GL2 from strain SPS 11 (colourless). The proportion of the major phospholipid (PL2) decreased in both strains as the growth temperature increased, whereas that of a minor phospholipid (PL1) increased. The major fatty acyl chains of both strains were 13-methyltetradecanoate (iso-C15) and 15-methylhexadecanoate (iso-C17). The GL1 in strains SPS 11 and SPS 17 had a glucose:glucosamine:glycerol:long fatty acyl chain ratio of 3:1:1:3.
Tropical forest and savanna ecosystems show differential impact of N and P additions on soil organic matter and aggregate structure

Landscape transformation and atmospheric nutrient depositions, important global change drivers, are affecting the vegetation and soil properties of natural dry tropical forest and derived savanna ecosystems in India. This study assessed the effect of continuous N and P additions for 6 years on the size distribution and properties of soil aggregates in forest–ecotone–savanna gradient. Addition of N significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates in forest and ecotone, whereas the same input significantly decreased their proportion in the savanna. Consequently, the stability of soil aggregates increased significantly in forest and ecotone, whereas it decreased significantly in the savanna. The effect of P addition on soil aggregate stability was marginal. N addition also altered the biological and chemical qualities of soil aggregates. It caused increase in microbial biomass C (MBC) associated with macroaggregates in forest and ecotone; however, in savanna, MBC increased in the microaggregates. P addition did not affect the amount of MBC in both types of soil aggregates. Because of rapid accumulation of applied N and P in the microbial biomass, the ratios of MBC to microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) as well as microbial biomass phosphorous (MBP) were decreased in both aggregates. Overall, the effect of N addition was more marked than that of P addition, suggesting that N is more limiting than P in these dry tropical ecosystems. In the current scenario of N loading, continued soil N loading in forest may lead to increased macroaggregates with associated MBC and MBN and greater aggregate stability. In contrast, the extensively distributed savannas may show the reverse trend leading to a decrease in soil fertility.
YIELDING AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF "HONEOYE" CULTIVAR STRAWBERRIES DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF SUBSTRATUM AND NITROGEN DOSE

Growing strawberries under covers in substrates allows to eliminate the appli- cation of soil decontamination, which is costly and harmful for the environment. At the same time it guarantees obtaining a higher and better quality yield, as compared to the traditional ground cultivations. In the years 2005-2006 studies were conducted, aiming at determining the effect of three kinds of substratum (peat, peat mixed with composted pine bark in the proportion of 1:1, peat mixed with composted pine sawdust in the proportion of 1:1) and differentiated nitrogen dose (140 or 210 mg N·dm -3 ) upon yielding, chemical composition of leaves and fruit of strawberry (Fragaria × ananasa Duch.) of 'Honeoye' cultivar, grown in an unheated foil tunnel. The total and marketable yield quantity of strawberry fruit grown in peat and in peat with pine bark did not differ significantly. Lower total (407,1 g·plant -1 ) and marketable fruit yield (264,6 g·plant -1 ) was reported when plants were grown in peat mixed with sawdust. Plants grown in peat mixed with sawdust gave fruit with significantly lower unit weight compared to plants growing in the remaining substrates. The studies did not demonstrate a significant effect of differentiated nitrogen fertilization upon strawberry yielding. In the leaves of plants fertilized with ni- trogen dose of 200 mg N·dm -3 significantly more nitrogen was found, as well as less cal- cium, compared to plants fertilized with a smaller dose of this component. In the fruits of strawberry fertilized with a larger nitrogen dose, significantly more nitrates (V), total ni- trogen and potassium were reported and less dry matter, extract and calcium compared to fruit collected from plants fertilized with nitrogen dose of 140 mg N·dm -3 .
Influence of age, kinship, and large-scale habitat quality on local foraging choices of Siberian jays

Animals face a constant conflict between gaining benefits and the risks associated with achieving them. In particular, the trade-off between gaining food and avoiding predation has been the subject of much attention. Here, I investigate the preferences for foraging sites in the group-living Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus), focusing on how energy intake is traded against proximity to cover. The main predator of this species relies primarily on visual cues to locate its prey, and thus, foraging in open habitat should be associated with higher exposure to a predator. Jays generally chose to feed in cover, a pattern that became stronger toward late winter. In particular, the strength of this preference varied with age, relatedness to other group members, and large-scale habitat quality. Adult territory holders and their retained offspring demonstrated similar preference for cover over seasons, a pattern not observed in nonrelated immigrants that showed no response to either forest structure or season. These results suggest that the benefits of parental nepotism enables retained offspring to take less risk, in regards to predators while foraging compared to similar-aged immigrants whose foraging options are constrained by social interference. Also, this study indicates that large-scale forest structure influences small-scale individual behavioral decisions. Copyright 2006.
Factors Affecting Insect Population Dynamics: Differences Between Outbreak and Non-Outbreak Species

Even though outbreaks of insects are temporally rare events, they have aroused the interest of theoretical and applied entomologists alike. The pop­ ulation dynamics of spatially rare species have been the subject of long-term studies concerned with the extirpation of these species, the unusual habitats they occupy, or the unique adaptations they possess (5, 107, 112) . A compari­ son of the features of insects possessing different population processes may lead to a more thorough understanding of insect population dynamics. Past Annual Review of Entomology articles have addressed a number of population dynamics topics including density dependence (100), life tables (54), dynam­ ics (160), stability and diversity (153), and pest management (159). However, no review has specifically addressed insect pest outbreaks or attempted to compare population dynamics of outbreak and nonoutbreak species. Richards (118) pointed out that this comparison is essentially an issue of popUlation balance versus population fluctuation. Populations of organisms are never truly stable, but rise from some low density and then fall to approximately their original size. They may exhibit stable equilibrium points, stable cyclic oscillations between two popUlation points, stable cycles, or a regime of aperiodicity (87). Insect pests usually
Carrier‐free, continuous primary beer fermentation

Eduardo Pires gratefully acknowledges the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) for the PhD fellowship support (SFRH/BD/61777/2009) and Marcel Karabin from the Department of Biotechnology of the Institute of Chemical Technology (Prague) for technical support. The financial contributions of the EU FP7 project EcoBioCAP - Ecoefficient Biodegradable Composite Advanced Packaging, grant agreement no. 265669 as well as of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (project GACR P503/12/1424) are also gratefully acknowledged.
A dielectric barrier discharge terminally inactivates RNase A by oxidizing sulfur-containing amino acids and breaking structural disulfide bonds

RNases are among the most stable proteins in nature. They even refold spontaneously after heat inactivation, regaining full activity. Due to their stability and universal presence, they often pose a problem when experimenting with RNA. We investigated the capabilities of nonthermal atmospheric-pressure plasmas to inactivate RNase A and studied the inactivation mechanism on a molecular level. While prolonged heating above 90 °C is required for heat inactivating RNase A, direct plasma treatment with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) source caused permanent inactivation within minutes. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that DBD-treated RNase A unfolds rapidly. Raman spectroscopy indicated methionine modifications and formation of sulfonic acid. A mass spectrometry-based analysis of the protein modifications that occur during plasma treatment over time revealed that methionine sulfoxide formation coincides with protein inactivation. Chemical reduction of methionine sulfoxides partially restored RNase A activity confirming that sulfoxidation is causal and sufficient for RNase A inactivation. Continued plasma exposure led to over-oxidation of structural disulfide bonds. Using antibodies, disulfide bond over-oxidation was shown to be a general protein inactivation mechanism of the DBD. The antibody’s heavy and light chains linked by disulfide bonds dissociated after plasma exposure. Based on their ability to inactivate proteins by oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids and over-oxidation of disulfide bonds, DBD devices present a viable option for inactivating undesired or hazardous proteins on heat or solvent-sensitive surfaces.