Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of bovine and salmon gelatin-chitosan films

The aim was to study thermo-physical and antimicrobial properties of gelatin-chitosan films by gelatin origin (bovine and salmon), chitosan concentration and physical state (glassy or rubbery). Thermo-physical properties (pH, Bloom grade, color, isotherms, glass transition temperature, moisture uptake rate, molecular mobility and film solubility) and antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli, Salmonella thyphimurium and Listeria monocitogenes were evaluated. The results showed that the presence of chitosan increased the water content of both gelatin films and improved the physical performance of both films, especially for salmon gelatin, without a significant (p > 0.05) change of color. Antimicrobial activity was effective against all bacteria depending on chitosan concentration and glassy or rubbery state, with the highest effect in glassy state. In conclusion, the evaluated films could be a potential application as bioactive edible films for fresh foods.
The relative importance of glucosinolates and amino acids to the development of two aphid pests Brevicoryne brassicae and Myzus persicae on wild and cultivated brassica species

This paper describes an experiment to investigate the relative importance of glucosinolates and the availability of free amino acids in the phloem to the feeding behaviour and development of the specialist brassica aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L) (cabbage aphid) and the generalist, Myzus persicae, (Sultzer) (peach potato aphid). Aphid development was determined on brassica species and cultivated brassica varieties. Analysis of individual glucosinolates in the wild brassica species identified significant differences in their profiles and in their concentrations present in freeze dried leaves. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation (r = 0.83) between the intrinsic rate of increase of B. brassicae and glucosinolate concentrations; four glucosinolates, 2‐OH‐3‐butenyl, and 2‐propenylglucosinolate, 3‐methoxyindolyl and 4‐pentenylglucosinolates accounted for 79% of the variation. The intrinsic rate of increase of M. persicae was less correlated, though still significant (r = 0.5); 3‐indolyglucosinolate and 3‐butenylglucosinolate accounted for 47% of the variation. Regression analysis also showed a correlation between phloem amino acid concentrations and the intrinsic rate of increase of B. brassicae (r = 0.48) but not of M. persicae. The concentration of the important amino acids tyrosine, alanine, leucine and glutamic acid, accounted for 43% of the variation in intrinsic rate of increase. Leaf water potential of the Brassica species showed no relationship with the intrinsic rate of increase of either B. brassicae or M. persicae.
Biologia reprodutiva de Rourea induta Planch. (Connaraceae), uma espécie heterostílica de cerrado do Brasil Central

Heterostyly is a floral polymorphism usually associated to intramorph-incompatible mating system. We evaluated reproductive aspects of heterostyly in a Rourea induta Planch. population in a cerrado area of Brasilia, Central Brazil. Analyses of the floral biology, breeding systems, fruit set and maturation, seed germination, reproductive phenology and floral visitors of were conducted. The flowers are small (about 11 mm diameter), with single morphology, and have five pistils and two sets of five stamens of unequal lengths. The average lengths of stamens and pistils were significantly different between thrum and pin morphs. However, complete reciprocal herkogamy was not found between stamen and pistil lengths of the two floral morphs. Both morphs are intramorph-incompatible. However, thrums are completely self-incompatible while pins are partially self-compatible. In spite of the differences in the floral morphology and breeding system, the two morphs had similar reproductive success in natural condition. The two floral morphs did not differ significantly in terms of fruit setting and maturation or seed germination rate. Rourea induta produced abundant flowers daily over two short events ("pulsed bang" flowering) and most plants in the population flowered synchronously. Many species of insects, mainly small social bees, were observed visiting the flowers. Our results suggest that partial self-incompatibility, intramorph-incompatibility, and differences between morphs in lengths of stamens and pistils reduced autogamy levels in R. induta. Ultimately, the higher fruit setting by intermorph pollination promotes isoplety and indicates that sexual reproduction in R. induta population depends on pollinators services.
Response of winter wheat to prolonged waterlogging under outdoor conditions

SUMMARY The response of winter wheat cv. Maris Huntsman to waterlogging was studied in two experiments in soil columns outdoors. Winter waterlogging treatments increased nodal root production and the proportion of aerenchyma within roots, but caused chlorosis and premature senescence of leaves, and decreased tillering. For all treatments, grain losses were much less than expected from the extent of tiller loss in winter; losses after single waterlogging events ranged from 2% (after 47 days with the water-table at 5 cm) to 16% (after 80 days with the water-table at the soil surface). Yield losses after three waterloggings at the seedling, tillering and stem elongation stages of growth were additive, and totalled 19%. In many treatments, grain loss was associated with lighter individual grain weights, suggesting that the size of the root system or efficiency of water and nutrient uptake by roots at the later stages of growth may have been less after earlier waterlogging. The importance of nitrogen fertilizer in maintaining a satisfactory plant nitrogen status was shown when nitrogen was with held before a 3-week waterlogging treatment during stem elongation; tiller and floret survival was subsequently greatly restricted and grain yields decreased 22% below those of plants waterlogged at the same stage of growth but supplied with nitrogen.
Estímulo do comportamento fotoautotrófico durante o enraizamento in vitro de Annona glabra L., I. desenvolvimento do sistema radicular e da parte aérea

Conduziu-se este trabalho, com o objetivo de induzir a estimulo do comportamento fotoautotrofico durante o enraizamento in vitro em brotacoes de Annona glabra L. Brotacoes oriundas de cultivo em tubos fechados com tampa e pelicula de PVC (cultivo sem aeracao), com tampa sem a pelicula de PVC e tampao de algodao (cultivo com aeracao) foram inoculadas em meio WPM suplementado com 4,9 µ M de AIB e 164,4mM de carvao ativado na presenca (58,42mM) ou ausencia de sacarose. Durante o enraizamento, foram mantidas as mesmas condicoes de vedacao dos tubos de ensaio em que as brotacoes foram induzidas. Apos a inoculacao, os tubos contendo os explantes foram mantidos em sala de crescimento sob radiacao fotossintetica ativa de 45-56 µ mol.m-2.s-1 a 25±3oC. Os resultados mostraram que o enraizamento das brotacoes de A. glabra nao dependeu do suprimento de sacarose no meio de cultura, em tubos fechados com o tampao de algodao ou tampa plastica sem PVC. A aeracao dos tubos de ensaio trouxe incrementos de significativos (ate 250%) na materia seca radicular. A inducao de raizes secundarias (laterais) em A. glabra so ocorreu em culturas com aeracao, independentemente da presenca ou ausencia de sacarose no meio de cultura. Com os resultado desse experimento, conclui-se que o estimulo do comportamento fotoautotrofico em A.glabra pode ser obtido com sucesso durante a fase de enraizamento in vitro.
Risk of predation in male and female adders, Vipera berus (Linné)

In a pilot test with live adders, Vipera berus, more males than females were attacked by visually guided predators after, but not before, the synchronized spring sloughing in males. In three 24 h experiments and one five days experiment the same proportion of male and female adder models in basking position was attacked by predators. I spring more males than females were exposed to predators, but in the summer the opposite was true. However, in the whole season females were exposed to predation a longer period than males. As sex ratio remains constant, male activity in spring, with high mobility and fighting, may be more risky than the extensive basking in pregnant females during summer.
The correlation of skin color and gingival pigmentation patterns in a group of South Indians in Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Melanin pigmentation of the gingiva occurs in all ethnicities. Excessive pigmentation is an esthetic concern that has increased awareness about depigmentation procedures. The purpose of the present study is to correlate skin color and gender with intensity and distribution of gingival melanin pigmentation in a group of South Indians for treatment strategies. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 male and female non-smoking healthy subjects were included aged 18-35 years. A clinical examination of gingiva was performed to assess the anatomic distribution of gingival pigmentation. The intensity of gingival pigmentation and phenotype of gingiva were also assessed. Subsequently, the skin color was visually examined and assessed as fair, wheatish brown and dark. Results: Six classes of gingival pigmentation were defined based on the anatomic distribution. Gingival pigmentation was observed as highest being in the attached gingiva and interdental papilla (25.4%) and least being in the marginal gingiva and interdental papilla (10.2%). Correlation between skin color and intensity of pigmentation was statistically significant, with dark skinned subjects having heavy gingival pigmentation. However, no correlation was found between gender and phenotype of the gingiva with intensity and distribution of pigmentation. Conclusion: South Indians predominantly have pigmentation in attached gingiva and interdental papilla and their skin color is positively correlated with the intensity of pigmentation. Incidence of pigmentation did not differ between the sexes. Majority of subjects had thick gingival phenotype. Anatomic delineation of gingival pigmentation and their contributory factors may help design treatment strategies in depigmentation procedures.
Intercambio lipídico durante la fritura de patatas prefritas congeladas en aceite de girasol alto oleico

Lipid exchange during frying of frozen prefried potatoes in high oleic sunflower oil was studied. After 15 frying operations, changes in the major food components, as well as in the fatty acid and triglyceride composition of the lipid fraction of both the food and of the frying oil, were evaluated. From analyses of the fatty acid composition, it is possible to determine the exact contribution made by both the initial food fat and of the frying oil to the lipids in the fried potatoes. Results indicate that the fat composition of fried food depends fundamentally on that of the oil used to fry, more than 90% of the fat content of the food being contributed by the oil. In addition, quantification of the triglyceride species has allowed determination of the gradual changes occurring in the fat composition of the fried food and estimation of the triglycerides that undergo significant changes in some of their acyl groups.
Monophagous leaf-mining larvae of Stigmella (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae) on birch: patterns and differentiation in exploitation of the host.

Patterns of larval coexistence, density and mortality of six birch feeding Stigmella leaf-miners were analysed in four field sites in the Netherlands. Larval feeding was further characterized by quantitative records on phenology, oviposition (per host, per tree and per leaf), larval growth rate and relative use of different mesenchyme layers. As the Stigmella guild on birch in western Europe is known to consist of three phylogenetically distinct species-groups, the specific feeding syndromes were primarily interpreted in this context. Ecological segregation among species groups tended to be larger than that within these groups. Among group segregation mainly involved differences in phenology, types of birch trees, mesenchyme layers used for feeding and larval body size and growth rate. Within group differentiation primarily concerned the distribution and clumping of eggs and the use of differently sized trees. A preliminary analysis of the frequency of mines per infested leaf produced a rather aggregated pattern, suggesting that only a limited number of the available birch leaves are considered as suitable by ovipositing females.
Performance Of Bari Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Varieties In Chittagong Region

Five mango varieties developed by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) were evaluated at ARS, Pahartali, Chittagong during January to June 2012 to find out the suitable variety. The earliest flowering as well as harvesting were observed in BARI Aam-1 and the latest in BARI Aam-8. Number of fruits per tree varied from 51 to 117. Maximum number of fruits (117) per tree was obtained from BARI Aam-8, while minimum fruits (51) from BARI Aam-4 (Hybrid). The heaviest fruit (373.0 g) was obtained from BARI Aam-4 (Hybrid), while the lightest fruit (172.6 g) was in BARI Aam-3. Maximum yield per plant was found in BARI Aam-8 (33.59 kg) followed by BARI Aam-4 (19.02 kg), whereas it was lowest in BARI Aam-1(14.42 kg). The highest edible portion (78.66 %) was recorded in BARI Aam-4, while the lowest (65.99%) was obtained from BARI Aam-1. The highest TSS content (21.36%) was recorded in BARI Aam-3, whereas the lowest TSS content (16.51%) was observed in BARI Aam-2. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 38(2): 203-209, June 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjar.v38i2. 15883
Effects of metronidazole on growth of Gardnerella vaginalis ATCC 14018, probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and vaginal isolate Lactobacillus plantarum KCA

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition whose prevalence has been reported at 29% and whose adverse effects are becoming more and more recognized. Current antibiotic treatment often does not cure the infection, nor prevent relapses. The recent clinical finding that probiotic lactobacilli can augment antibiotic efficacy was investigated in a series of in vitro studies. Gardnerella vaginalis ATCC 14018, an organism associated with BV, and probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 as well as freshly isolated Lactobacillus plantarum KCA were dispensed into microplates containing different concentrations of metronidazole ranging from 0 µg/ml as control to 8000 µg/ml. Growth of the strains was markedly inhibited at high antibiotic concentrations, but a significant (p=0.005) stimulatory effect occurred for L. rhamnosus GR-1 at 64 µg/ml and 256 µg/ml (p=0.02). After the organisms entered stationary phase, the stimulatory effect declined. At concentrations ≥4000 µg/ml, there was marked growth inhibition of more than 71% on the two lactobacilli strains, while Gardnerella vaginalis was inhibited over 70% at ≥3000 µg/ml. The surprising ability of probiotic lactobacilli to survive and grow in metronidazole may have implications for complimentary probiotic and antibiotic therapy of BV.
BEHAVIOUR OF RED DEER (CERVUS ELAPHUS L.) AT CALVING TIME

Red deer on the Isle of Rhum (Inner Hebrides) show a well defined calving peak in late May and early June. Just before calving, hinds leave their usual social groups and move away from areas of high population density. Calves spend most of the day lying away from their mothers and are visited at intervals. During these visits, mothers show increased vigilance and flight distance from observers. When disturbed close to their lying calves, hinds are unwilling to approach the calf's position and may move the calf to a new area during the following 24 hours. Calves select their lying position with care, preferring to lie in long vegetation in places where they are sheltered from sight and can see the ground in front of them. All these behaviour patterns change during the first four weeks after parturition. The behaviour of hinds breeding for the first time differs little from that of experienced mothers.
Variation of some morphological and electrophoretic characters of 11 populations of Scots pine in Turkey

In this study, the genetic variation in populations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), one of the species covering large areas in Turkey, was investigated. Open pollinated seeds were collected from 11 populations in a natural distribution range. Six characters of seeds (length, width, ratio of length to width, weight/1000 seeds) and seedling (cotyledon number and hypocotyls height) and two enzyme systems (leucine aminopeptidase, LAP; glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, GOT) were investigated. Significant differences were detected among the populations for the morphological characters. In addition, isozyme patterns of the two enzyme systems revealed that Lap has two loci (one with 2 alleles and the other with 3), while Got has three loci (two with 3 alleles and the third one with 2 alleles). Polymorphic loci were 80% on the average. The mean number of alleles per locus was 2.02, and expected heterozygosity was 22%. The mean total genetic diversity was calculated as 0.235; the mean gene diversity within .
Diets of hartebeest and roan antelope in Burkina Faso : Support of the long-faced hypothesis

Diets of hartebeest ( Alcelaphus buselaphus ) and roan antelope ( Hippotragus equinus ) were assessed at the Nazinga Game Ranch in southern Burkina Faso, West Africa. Microhistological analysis of feces indicated that dietary overlap was high during the rainy ( X = 73.7%) and cool-dry (68.2%) seasons, low during the hot-dry season (48.2%), and lowest during the last month of the hot-dry season (31.5%). As the hot-dry season progressed and food presumably became less available, diets of the two antelopes diverged. Hartebeest maintained a high percentage of grass in their diet, but roan antelope switched from being predominantly grazers (>95% grass) to mixed feeders (<50% grass). As grass feeders, both antelopes have skeletal features that facilitate acquisition and grinding of highly fibrous diets, but 11 of 12 mass-relative indices of the skull morphology of hartebeest exceeded those of roan antelope. Because of those differences in skull morphology, and in keeping with the “long-faced” hypothesis, hartebeest were apparently more capable than roan antelope of acquiring and masticating scarce regrowth of perennial grasses when availability of forage was lowest. Such divergence within a single foraging class of African bovids, such as grass feeders, should reduce competition and perpetuate coexistence.
A New Iridopteridalean Plant from the Middle Devonian of Northwest China

Middle Devonian (Givetian) plant Ramophyton givetianum gen. et sp. nov. is reported from north Xinjiang of northwest China. All axes of this plant are smooth. First‐order axes are pseudomonopodial in habit and bear alternately attached second‐order axes in the same plane. Numerous ultimate appendages are arranged in whorls on both first‐ and second‐order axes, are equally dichotomized in three dimensions, and form paired tips curving oppositely. Two to five ultimate appendages per whorl are unequally spaced at the nodes of first‐order axes, and two to four appendages per whorl are similarly spaced at nodes of second‐order axes. A single second‐order axis and two or three ultimate appendages are inserted in one node of first‐order axes. The ultimate appendages are sterile or fertile or contain both sterile and fertile parts. The curved tips of fertile ultimate appendages bear tiny elliptical sporangia in pairs. Ramophyton is attributed to Iridopteridales mainly because of elongate terminal sporangia in pairs, iterative architecture of whorled branching, and two types of lateral organs (ultimate appendages and second‐order axes) on one node of first‐order axes. I suggest that iridopteridalean and pseudosporochnalean cladoxylopsids show close affinity because they share elongate terminal sporangia in pairs and similar fertile/sterile ultimate appendages; nonpseudosporochnalean cladoxylopsids display major differences in fertile complexity/diversity and distinct planation.
Estimation of cashmere production from cashmere fibre length in goats

Length was measured in situ on 1329 male and female goats and significant (P< 0.01) linear relationships between cashmere length and the weight of cashmere produced was found in all age groups and sexes. Values ofR2ranged from 0.50 to 0.75, suggesting that cashmere length is a reasonable independent variable for predicting cashmere production. Pooling data provided significant (P< 0.01) linear regressions of cashmere production (g) on length (mm) for one group composed of 18-, 21-, 33-month wethers, 9- month bucks and non-pregnant and pregnant does (y = 2.03x - 16.86), and another group composed of 5- and 9-month does (y= 1.51x- 10.99). The 6 regressions developed from this study provide the basis of a simple inexpensive method of estimating cashmere production in groups of goats within a flock.
The behaviour of log phase Escherichia coli at temperatures below the minimum for sustained growth

Abstract The behaviour of cold-adapted, log phase Escherichia coli broth cultures during incubation at 2°C or 6°C for upto 8 days, and during subsequent incubation at 12°C, was determined by measurement of absorbance values at 600 nm (A600), enumeration of colony forming units (cfu) on plate count agar (PCA) and violet red bile agar (VRBA), and measurement of the length of cells viewed under phase contrast illumination. The A600 values and the mean length of cells remained constant for cultures incubated at 2°C; however, numbers of cfu recovered on PCA declined by about 1 log cfu over 8 days, while the numbers of cfu recovered on VRBA declined by about 1 log cfu during the first day, and by about a further log cfu by day 8. For cultures incubated at 6°C, A600 values increased about 0·6 log A600 units during the first 4 days and declined by less than 0·1 log A600 unit during the next 4 days. The numbers of cfu recovered on PCA increased by about 0·5 log cfu unit during the first day at 6°C and declined by about 1 log cfu during the subsequent 7 days. The numbers of cfu recovered on VRBA did not increase during the first day at 6°C, and at that and subsequent times were between 0·3 and 0·8 log cfu less than the log numbers recovered on PCA. The mean lengths of cells declined from 5 to less than 4 μ m during the first day at 6°C, but increased to 8 μ m between the fourth and eighth days, with the mean length of the longest 10% of cells increasing from 6 to 18 μ m. For cultures incubated at 12°C after incubation at 2°C or 6°C for 4 and 8 days, both A600 values and enumeration of colonies on PCA indicated the initiation of growth after about 15 h. However, cultures that had been incubated at 2°C proceeded to sustained exponential growth, while cells in cultures that had been incubated at 6°C elongated during incubation at 12°C between 10 and 30 h. The division of elongated cells to cells of normal size resulted in numbers of cfu increasing at rates greater than the exponential growth rate at 12°C. The observations may have implications for the control of mesophilic pathogen proliferation in raw meats and other chilled foods.
ORGANIZATION AND REPLICATION ACTIVITY OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL MASS OF OOGONIA AND PREVITELLOGENIC OOCYTES IN XENOPUS LAEVIS

The origin of the mitochondrial mass, previously well characterized in Xenupus diplotene oocytes, has been traced up to oogonia by means of electron microscopy. A polarized organization of the oogonia and of the oocytes of the succeeding stages was observed. The mitochondrial cloud was found to be built up in the centriolar region near the site where the chromosomes will be implanted along the nuclear envelope at the “bouquet” stage. Autoradiographic studies of thymidine incorporation into mitochondrial DNA suggest that mitochondrial DNA synthesis is active throughout this early period of oogenesis.