Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro fermentation of cereal dietary fibre carbohydrates by probiotic and intestinal bacteria

A range of probiotic and other intestinal bacteria were examined for their ability to ferment the dietary fibre carbohydrates β-glucan, xylan, xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and arabinoxylan. β-Glucan was fermented by Bacteroides spp and Clostridium beijerinckii but was not fermented by lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, enterococci or Escherichia coli. Unsubstituted xylan was not fermented by any of the probiotic bacteria examined. However, many Bifidobacterium species and Lactobacillus brevis were able to grow to high yields using XOS. XOS were also efficiently fermented by some Bacteroides isolates but not by E coli, enterococci, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens or by the majority of intestinal Lactobacillus species examined. Bifidobacterium longum strains were able to grow well using arabinoxylan as the sole carbon source. These organisms hydrolysed and fermented the arabinosyl residues from arabinoxylan but did not substantially utilise the xylan backbone of the polysaccharide. Arabinoxylan was not fermented by lactobacilli, enterococci, E coli, C perfringens or C difficile and has potential to be an applicable carbohydrate to complement probiotic Bif longum strains in synbiotic combinations. Cette etude evalue la capacite d'une serie de bacteries probiotiques et autres bacteries intestinales a fermenter des fibres alimentaires cerealieres (β-glucane, xylane, xylo-oligosides, et arabinoxylan). Elle examine les mecanismes utilises par les bacteries pour hydrolyser et fermenter le substrat et determine si ces fibres cerealieres ont un potentiel d'action en tant que substrats prebiotiques.
Palynotaxonomy of Passiflora L. subg. Decaloba (DC.) Rchb. (Passifloraceae) in Brazil

The palynological study of 21 taxa of Passiflora L. subg. Decaloba (DC.) Rchb. (Passifloraceae) in Brazil aimed to contribute to a better characterization, as well as the circumscription and delimitation of the subgenus, species and subspecies. The pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described and illustrated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The taxa have large or medium-sized pollen grains, isopolar, prolate spheroidal, oblate spheroidal, spheroidal or suprolate, 12-colpate, 12-colporate or 6-colporate, 3 or 6 mesocolpes, and presence or absence of opercules, pseudopercules and secondary opercules, microreticulate (P. truncata) and heteroreticulate exine in the other species. An identification key with pollen characteristics is presented, showing the importance of pollen characteristics for Passiflora taxonomy.
Environmental factors and recruitment of mackerel, Scomber scombrus L. 1758, along the north-east Atlantic coasts of Europe

Increasingly, scientific publications refer to some of the environmental factors affecting the recruitment in fish species. However, presently, there is little information available concerning the influence of the environment on the recruitment of Scomber scombrus, the North-east Atlantic mackerel (NEAM). In this contribution, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), upwelling and turbulent mixing (or `turbulence') series were compared with recruitment estimates, at age-0. The results show that the southern prespawning migration pattern of the Atlantic mackerel is directed towards areas with low turbulent mixing at spawning time, providing a `stable environment' for egg and larval survival. In the southern areas, where the spawning starts, the turbulence conditions of prespawning and spawning periods have the largest influence on the success of recruitment; this is related, possibly, to the more `stable' weather in the subsequent months and for the remainder of the year. In contrast, in the northern areas, the role of turbulence over the entire year becomes increasingly more relevant; this is related, possibly, to the high levels of turbulence during autumn and winter, which may become limiting to the survival of juveniles. About 50% of the variability in the Atlantic mackerel recruitment may be explained by means of environmental variables, such as turbulence. Other variables, such as upwelling and NAO, are only slightly, or not, statistically significant.
Loss of planktotrophy and speciation: geographical fragmentation in the deep-water gastropod genus Bathytoma (Gastropoda, Conoidea) in the western Pacific

Dispersal capabilities are crucial in how speciation patterns are determined in marine invertebrates. Species possessing a long-living planktonic larva apparently have a dispersal advantage over those with non-planktotrophic development, and their distant populations may exchange genetic material, maintaining a broad geographical range for the species. Recent species of the gastropod genus Bathytoma (Conoidea) are all characterized by non-planktotrophic development, having most probably lost a free-swimming larva in the pre-Pliocene, as Miocene fossils have protoconchs indicating planktotrophic larval development. All have a bathyal distribution (100–1500 m), which implies that their capability for direct expansion on the bottom is restricted by both deep-sea basins and shallow-water areas, especially in insular West and South-West Indo-Pacific. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that Bathytoma populations should represent numerous, mostly allopatric taxa restricted to a single or contiguous island groups. We tested this hypothesis using molecular and morphological characters independently. One hundred and thirty-eight specimens from the Philippines, Solomons, Vanuatu, and the Coral Sea were sequenced for one mitochondrial (COI) and one nuclear (ITS2) gene, and 14 operational molecular units were recognized. When these molecular units are overlaid over shell characters, 13 species (11 unnamed) and one form of uncertain status are recognized: three occur in the Philippines, six in the Solomons and one in New Caledonia. Broad distributions (inter-archipelagic) are uncommon (three species). On the whole, the phylogeographic pattern of the diversity in the genus is rather complex and probably also reflects processes of sympatric and fine-scale allopatric speciation, and local extinctions. The eleven new species are described and named.
The influence of phosphorus availability on carbon allocation and P quota in Scenedesmus subspicatus: A synchrotron-based FTIR analysis

D.C. Sigee, F. Bahrami, B. Estrada, R.E. Webster and A.P. Dean. 2007. The influence of phosphorus availability on carbon allocation and P quota in Scenedesmus subspicatus: A synchrotron-based FTIR analysis. Phycologia 46: 583–592. DOI: 10.2216/07-14.1 Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy was used to characterise the molecular composition of the freshwater alga Scenedesmus subspicatus, cultured at three different initial concentrations of phosphorus (PO4-P): 0.05 mg l−1, 0.5 mg l−1 and 5 mg l−1. These led, respectively, to limited algal growth due to phosphorus deficiency (low-P culture), maximum algal growth with no luxury consumption (intermediate-P) and maximum algal growth with luxury phosphorus consumption (high-P culture). In all cultures, FTIR spectra had nine major absorbance bands (wavenumber range 1760–900 cm−1), including bands at 1736 cm−1 (lipid), 1652 cm−1 (amide I) and the region from 1180 to 950 cm−1 (carbohydrate). Internal phosphorus concentrations (Qp), determined by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, differed markedly between low-P (typically < 0.1% dry wt), intermediate-P (> 0.1%) and high-P (> 0.3%) cultures. During logarithmic growth phase, a rapid change in carbon allocation was observed in the low-P cultures, with increases in both the lipid:protein (0.1–0.34) and carbohydrate:protein (0.4–1.0) ratio. Mean cell volume increased by 60%, and the mean chlorophyll a content remained consistently low (typically < 0.2 pg cell−1). The change in carbon allocation was triggered primarily by low Qp values rather than low external (culture medium) concentrations. Intermediate-P and high-P cultures showed higher chlorophyll a content (> 0.2 pg cell−1) and changes in carbon allocation only after entry into stationary phase. No increase in cell volume occurred, suggesting that a switch in carbon allocation during stationary phase (intermediate- and high-P cultures) rather than log phase (low-P culture) does not result in an increase in cell size. Entry into stationary growth phase occurred simultaneously in all three cultures and was not caused by internal (Qp) or external phosphorus depletion. Medium replacement in late stationary phase (day 35) cultures led to a rapid stimulation of growth, with a reversed carbon allocation (reduced lipid:protein and carbohydrate:protein ratios) and in low-P cultures a decrease in cell volume.
Population Structure for Sea Turtles at Drini Bay: An Important Nearshore Foraging and Developmental Habitat in Albania

Abstract Loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta using an important shallow-water foraging ground at Drini Bay, Albania, were monitored over 3 consecutive summers (2008–2010). Working closely with local artisanal fishermen, researchers were able to obtain many of the sea turtles captured as bycatch (nontarget species). There were 407 new records (402 loggerhead and 5 green turtles, Chelonia mydas), with most (99%) being captured in 2 stavnike fish traps (a type of pound net) and a few with mrezh (gill nets). Morphometric data were collected from all captured turtles, and they were allocated into 10-cm size classes (length-frequency-distribution) based on their curved carapace length; caudal measurements were used to assess the developmental-stage of secondary sexual characteristics. An unusually high number of male loggerhead turtles (27%) were captured; their morphometric data were subsequently used as a reference for determining if short-tailed turtles might be adult or sexually developing females. Nesting has not been reported for Albania, so the presence of females is unclear. Drini Bay is also a developmental habitat, as 69% of the studied turtles were yet to mature. Interannual recaptures of 26 turtles allowed their incremental growth rate to be calculated.
Whole-System Integration and Modeling Essential to Agricultural Science and Technology for the 21st Century

Abstract In the 21st century, agricultural research has more difficult and complex problems to solve. The continued increase in population in the developing countries requires continued increases in agricultural production. However, the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water required for the new higher yielding crop varieties has been causing environmental problems. Excessive leaching and runoff of agricultural chemicals are seriously affecting the quality of both the groundwater and surface waters. Increase in soil salinity, decline in soil organic matter, and increase in soil erosion remain the major problems in intensively farmed areas. Even the air quality is being affected. At the same time, market-based global competition is challenging the economic viability of traditional agricultural systems. Global climate change will pose additional challenges. The solution or mitigation of these changing and multiple problems will require continual improvement or changes in management and selection of dynamic cropping systems using a whole-system approach. Therefore, synthesis and quantification of disciplinary knowledge at the whole-system level is essential to meeting these challenges. The process-based models of agricultural systems provide such a synthesis and quantification for evaluating the effects of varying management practices, crops, soils, water, and climate on both the production and the environment. These system models will greatly enhance the efficiency of field research for developing sustainable agricultural systems, serve as guides for planning and management, and help transfer new technologies to various conditions of developing countries. Current state of the system models and their applications for these purposes are reviewed, and advancements needed in models to improve and extend these applications are presented.
Excretion of nitrogen assimilated from N2 fixed by nodulated roots of alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Root excretions into the medium of hydroponically grown N2-fixing alfalfa were studied by quantitative and qualitative measurement of nitrogenous compounds in frequently collected aliquots of the culture solutions. Considerable amounts of several nitrogenous compounds were excreted from the nodulated roots. Ammonia, glutamate, serine, alanine, and aspartate were the main compounds excreted and were similar in proportion to the soluble nitrogenous compounds in nodule and root tissues, with the exception of asparagine. Asparagine was present in very high concentrations in the plant tissues and also in the root xylem exudates destined for the shoots, but it was not detected in the solution bathing the roots. 15N2 was also supplied to the nodulated roots of alfalfa and the flow of the label was followed both in the plant tissues and in the culture solution. Results showed that the amounts of nitrogenous compounds excreted to the medium were related to their formation following N2 fixation and also indicated t.
Predicting the consequences of anthropogenic disturbance: large-scale effects of loss of canopy algae on rocky shores

Anthropogenic disturbances affect natural populations and assemblages by interacting with fundamental ecological processes. Field experiments simulating the effects of human activities at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales are useful to understand these interactions and eventually to predict their ecological consequences. In the Mediterranean, low-shore habitats of rocky coasts are often dominated by canopy algae Cystoseira spp. , but these species are frequently replaced by assemblages of turf-forming algae and mussel beds. We propose that anthropogenic disturbance is the proximate cause of loss of Cystoseira in the Mediterranean, and that the disappearance of canopy algae causes an increase in cover of turf-forming species in disturbed habitats. Two hypotheses were investigated to test this proposition: (1) canopy algae will be dominant in relatively pristine habitats while turf-forming algae will be more abundant in urban areas, and (2) removal of canopy algae in unpolluted areas will result in the development of assemblages similar to those found in urban areas. We tested the first hypothesis by comparing patterns in abundance of Cystoseira and turf-forming algae at a number of locations in urban areas and in areas far from distinct sources of anthropogenic disturbance in the northwest Mediterranean. The second hypothesis was tested by conducting a large- scale manipulative experiment, involving the experimental removal of Cystoseira and several spatial and temporal repetitions of the manipulation. Turf-forming algae were always dominant in urban areas where Cystoseira was nearly absent. In contrast, canopy algae often dominated rocky shores in relatively pristine areas of the northwest Mediterranean. The removal of Cystoseira generally caused an increase in the percentage cover of turf-forming algae and a decrease in the abundance of inverte- brates. These changes were already evident 4 mo after manipulation and were consistent at the spatial and temporal scales examined in the study. Assemblages in cleared patches were qualitatively similar to those occurring where Cystoseira was naturally absent, but quantitative differences in the relative abundance of several taxa were still evident by the end of the study. These results support a cause- effect relationship between anthropogenic disturbance and loss of Cystoseira in the northwest Mediterranean and allow for quantitative predictions of the indirect consequences of disturbing canopy algae for the whole understory assemblage. Management options aimed at conserving these plants should simultaneously preserve other components of the assemblage.
Análise da adaptabilidade e da estabilidade de genótipos de trigo como ferramenta auxiliar na recomendação de novas cultivares

The analysis of adaptability and stability of wheat genotypes helps the plant breeder in the recommendation of new cultivars, recommending lines of broad or specific adaptation to environments. This procedure is particularly important in wheat cropping, mainly when the great diversity of environments to which this cereal is submitted in Brazil is taken into consideration. Thus, the objective of this work was to identify broadly adapted and stable wheat genotypes for recommendation. Data for the analyses were obtained from the experiment Value of Cultivation and Use (VCU) set up in the different adaptation Brazilian regions, in 2003 and 2004. A complete randomized block experimental design with four repetitions was used. The analyzed variable was grain yield. For comparison purposes, three cultivars were used as checks: CEP 24, BRS 194, and Onix. To determine the adaptability and the stability of genotypes, methods described by Eberhart & Russel and by Lin & Binns were used. Four genotypes showed broad adaptability and stability (b=1 e S2d=0) through Eberhar & Russels method; from these, two did not differ statistically from the best check. Determination coefficients were significant and explained the performance of all evaluated genotypes (R2>80% and significant). Lin & Binns model generated results coherent with Eberhart & Russels one in most of the evaluated lines. PF 990313 and PF 980524 genotypes performed outstandingly as to their broad adaptation and average productivity and can be recommended for all of the wheat growing regions of Brazil.
Management of Epilepsy

Management of Epilepsy by S. Chokroverty , 414 pp., ill. , Boston, Butterworth Heinemann, 1996, $45.00. This monography gathers a number of experts in epilepsy to discuss practical approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and management. It is intended to be a manual for the "nonspecialist. " It is written at a level appropriate for general neurologists and would also be of use to neurology residents. …
Effect of rainfall on the grain yield of spring wheat, with an application to the analysis of adaptation

The grain yields for nine cultivars of spring wheat grown at 11 sites in 5 years in the Central West of New South Wales have been previously analysed. The results suggested that the variability in yield was mainly attributable to a single environmental factor. Four components of annual rainfall are now defined, and it is found that each correlates positively with yield over the 37 trials carried out. The highest correlation is with spring rainfall, defined as the rainfall from 3 weeks before anthesis to 2 weeks after anthesis. Year, site and year x site effects are calculated for yield and for spring rainfall by means of a least-squares procedure. The correlations between rainfall and the mean yield of the nine cultivars are 0.983, 0.947 and 0.782 for year, site and year x site effects respectively, which indicates that spring rainfall or a weather factor closely correlated with spring rainfall is a major determinant of grain yield. An adaptation analysis with spring rainfall as the independent variable is compared with the more conventional analysis involving site mean yield as the independent variable. The former analysis is shown to have the advantage that the relative stabilities of the cultivars can be interpreted in terms of their response to rainfall.
Optimization of alkali-catalyzed transesterification of Brassica carinata oil for biodiesel production

Environmental concerns are driving industry to develop viable alternative fuels from renewable resources. On the other hand, to reduce food surplus, the Agricultural Policy of the European Union (EU) obliges the European farmers to leave a percentage of the arable land as set-aside, where can be grown, as an exception, vegetables for nonfood purposes, i.e., energetic ones. Currently, fossil fuels are used in diesel engines and are essential in industrialized places. In addition, petroleum-based diesel increases environmental pollution. To solve these problems, transesterified vegetable oil that has been grown in set-aside lands can be considered to be a renewable energy resource. In this sense, this work describes the optimization of the parameters involved in the transesterification process of Brassica carinata oil. Gas chromatography was used to determine the fatty acid composition of Brassica carinata oil and its esters. Results revealed that the free fatty acid content is a notorious parameter to dete.
Zygogenetic and parthenogenetic Artemia in Cadiz sea-side salterns

Two different forms of Artemia coexist in salterns on the Atlantic shore of South West Spain near Cadiz: a bisexual or zygogenetic strain and a parthenogenetic strain. The relative frequency of the 2 types may vary with the season and is governed by unknown ecological factors. Laboratory experiments and observations made on salterns suggest that the bisexual and parthenogenetic forms vary in frequency during the year according to temperature and salinity changes. From late spring to late autumn, parthenogenetic forms are dominant. After the November rains, bisexual or zygogenetic individuals appear, competing with the parthenogenetic form and becoming more numerous during winter. A marked ecological advantage exists for the bisexual strain in low temperatures and salinities; parthenogenetic strain(s) are better adapted to higher temperatures and salinities. Nutrition, sexual interaction and differential reproductive ability of both forms require further investigation.
Niche conservatism and the differences in species richness at the transition of tropical and subtropical climates in South America

Although detected long ago, latitudinal disparity in species richness lacks a consensus regarding its underlying mechanisms. We evaluated whether the main predictions derived from the tropical niche conservatism hypothesis help to explain differences regarding species richness and turnover of species and lineages between forests located in tropical and subtropical climates. If tropical niches are retained, we predict that only a subset of tropical lineages disperses and establishes outside the tropics; tip-level phylogenetic clustering increases outside the tropics; and the climatic variation drives species richness indirectly via constraints to the distribution of lineages. We compiled 58 checklists along tropical and subtropical sites of riparian forests in southeastern South America. We tested the frequency of niches shifts for species and lineages and the abundance of taxa in each climate. Next, we checked the likelihood of pathways linking climatic and spatial predictors directly with species richness and via phylogenetic clustering estimates. Several lineages only occurred in the tropics, and the number of species and lineages that occurred in both climates was lower than expected by chance. Conversely, few lineages were exclusively subtropical and diversified in the subtropics. Phylogenetic clustering increased in subtropical sites and was correlated with decreasing species richness. An interaction between mean temperature of coldest quarter and precipitation seasonality explained most variation in species richness via increases in phylogenetic clustering. These results support an important contribution of climatic niche conservatism to explain richness disparities between tropics and subtropics, mainly because of the inability of most lineages to colonize the subtropics, which is very likely related to cold intolerance. Since niche conservatism likely drives most of the variation in tree species richness in the region, it provides a mechanistic interpretation of the observed patterns, thus fostering the understanding of richness disparities between these tropical and subtropical tree communities.