Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of phosphate supply on wheat seedlings infected with powdery mildew: carbohydrate metabolism of first leaves

summary Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Longbow) was grown hydroponically with either 0, 0.33 or 3.3 mol Pi m−3 and, after 12 d, was infected with powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis D.C. ex Merat f.sp. tritici). Fructan content of infected first leaves was increased by mildew infection but infection increased starch content only at 0 Pi. Photosynthetic 14CO2 fixation was reduced by infection, especially at 0 Pi. Accumulation of 14C in fructan rose with reduced Pi supply but was unaffected by mildew; accumulation of 14C in starch was lower in infected leaves. Pi deficiency increased the content of sugars in the apoplast, as did mildew infection, the greatest content being in infected leaves of low Pi status. Acid invertase activity was increased by infection but was not affected by Pi status. Thus P-deficiency alone does not mimic the effects of mildew but Pi status and mildew interact in their effect on leaf carbohydrate metabolism.
Natural abundance of 15N and 13C in fish tissues and the use of stable isotopes as dietary protein tracers in rainbow trout and gilthead sea bream.

For developing efficient diets, two sets of experiments examined whether the use and allocation of dietary protein can be traced by labelling with stable isotopes (N-15 and C-13) in two culture fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Sparus aurata). In the first experiment, natural abundance and tissue distribution of these isotopes were determined, by measuring the delta C-13 and delta N-15 values by isotopic ratio mass spectrometry, in fingerlings (14-17 g) adapted to diets differing in the percentage of fish meal replacement by plant protein sources. For both species, delta N-15 and delta C-13 were greater in tissues with higher protein and lower lipid content. Delta N-15 of diets and tissues decreased as replacement increased, suggesting delta N-15 can be used as a marker for dietary protein origin. The N-15 fractionation (delta N-15 fish - delta N-15 diet) differed between groups, and could thus be used to indicate protein catabolism. In the second experiment, fish (75-90 g) of each species ingested a diet enriched with N-15-protein (10 g kg(-1) diet) and C-13-protein (30 g kg(-1) diet). These proportions were suitable for determining that the delta values of tissue components were high enough above natural levels to allow protein allocation to be traced at 11 and 24 h after feeding, and revealed clear metabolic differences between species.
Biological implications of sulfide in sediment—a review focusing on sediment toxicity

The biological implications of sulfide in sediment are poorly understood and all too often ignored despite the fact that sulfide can be extremely important in determining sediment toxicity to resident biota. Sulfide influences sediment toxicity in three major ways, which are reviewed in detail: as a toxicant in its own right; by reducing metal toxicity by forming insoluble metal sulfide solids and/or by forming metal sulfide complexes; and by affecting animal behavior, which in turn can alter the toxicity of not just the sulfide but also other sediment contaminants. Our present limited understanding of sulfide in sediments represents two major problems related to determining the toxicity of sediments, both in the laboratory and the field, and the causative agents of such toxicity. First, we do not know how important sulfide toxicity is to resident populations. Second, by not adequately considering sulfide toxicity, we risk underestimating toxicity and misidentifying the causative agents. Generic and specific recommendations related to resolving these problems are provided, including appropriate measurement and monitoring of sulfide in the laboratory and the field, determination of toxicity thresholds and tolerances for a wide range of sediment‐dwelling organisms, further development of toxicity identification evaluation procedures, further research into sulfide effects on metal toxicity, and determination of the influence of sulfide on bioirrigation.
LARGE-SCALE GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN SONGS OF GAMBEL'S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS

Abstract An earlier study failed to find dialects in the songs of male Gambel's White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in Alaska. We recorded songs of males at five localities over a much greater portion of the subspecies' range, spanning 2250 km east to west and 1650 km north to south. On this scale, distinct geographical variants are evident, based on the song's terminal phrase and the fine details of other phrases. In White-crowned Sparrows, the extent of dialects is apparently positively correlated with the distance migrated by the subspecies; a demographic variable such as survivorship or natal philopatry likely results in this link. Variación Geográfica a Gran Escala en el Canto de Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii Resumen. Un estudio anterior no encontró dialectos en los cantos de machos de Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii en Alaska. Nosotros grabamos cantos en cinco localidades a través de un área de 2250 km este-oeste por 1650 km norte-sur, que abarca una gran parte del área de distribución de la subespecie. A esta escala, es evidente una clara variación geográfica, basada en la parte terminal de los cantos, y en detalles de las otras frases. En esta especie, la extension geográfica de los dialectos aparentemente está correlacionada de manera positiva con la distancia de migración de las subespecies. Esta correlación tal vez sea producto de factores demográficos como la supervivencia o de filopatría.
Synthetic retrotii nsposon vectors for gene therapy

New gene therapy methods are rapidly being developed to permit the expression of tumor sup- pressor genes, cytotoxins, anticancer antigens, and im- munoregulatory proteins in the treatment of cancer. Large-scale testing in humans has been delayed by ques- tions concerning the safety and effectiveness of preferred retroviral vectors and helper cells. These vector systems are limited by their ability to undergo homologous recom- bination with endogenous retroviruses or helper-viral se- quences, resulting in release of replication-competent retrovirus (RCR). In addition, transcriptional inactiva- tion of the retroviral promoter often occurs, caused in part by methylation of CpG islands in the retroviral long terminal repeats (LTRs). We report the production of highly specific retrovectors using gene amplification together with oligonucleotide building blocks. The syn- thetic vectors were based on mouse VL3O retrotransposon NVL3, and lacked homology to retroviral helper gene se- quences. Three of four constructs made by gene amplifi- cation yielded biologically active vectors. These con- structs efficiently transmitted and stably inserted a neo- mycin resistance marker gene into the genome of recipient cells, expressing an abundant RNA species of the expected size in the absence of detectable replication competent retrovirus. The vectors and techniques described enable widely applicable expression modes using generic helper cells, and require only 1.3 kb of cis-acting vector RNA sequences for faithful transfer and expression of genetic material. -Chakraborty, A. K. , Zink, M. A. , Boman, B. M. , Hodgson, C. P. Synthetic retrotransposon vectors for gene therapy. FASEBJ. 7: 971-977; 1993.
A test of temporal and spatial density dependence in the parasitism rates of introduced parasitoids on host, the arrowhead scale (Unaspis yanonensis) in stable host–parasitoids system

Abstract: In 1980, two species of parasitoid wasps (Aphytis yanonensis DeBach et Rosen and Coccobius fulvus Compere et Annecke) were introduced to Japan from China as biological control agents to combat the arrowhead scale (Unaspis yanonensis Kuwana). These introductions represent one of the most successful projects in the history of biological control in Japan. To examine whether density dependent parasitism was inevitable for success of biological control, we tried to detect temporal and spatial density dependence in parasitism rates using time‐series data of scale density, as well as parasitism, over a 16‐year period. The work was conducted in a Satsuma mandarin orange (Citrus unshiu Marc.) orchard in which we previously demonstrated that the system appeared to have stabilized after a decline in scale density following the introduction of the parasitoids. Earlier work also indicated that C. fulvus contributes most to the reduction in, and the stability of, scale density. In this study, we examined: (1) the relationship, on a whole‐orchard basis, between scale density and the rates of parasitism by A. yanonensis, C. fulvus, and a combination of the two species; (2) whether parasitism was positively correlated to scale density on a single‐tree basis among generations and (3) whether spatial density dependence was detectable within generations on an individual‐tree basis. Parasitism by A. yanonensis was temporally density‐dependent on scale population density at the whole‐orchard level, while parasitism by C. fulvus was not. Parasitism by A. yanonensis or by C. fulvus was rarely positively correlated to scale density at the single‐tree level, and spatial density‐dependence was hardly detected at all at this level. Most analyses of combined parasitism rates were similar to rates of parasitism by C. fulvus alone. Contrary to conventional wisdom of biological control theory, this study demonstrates that density dependence is not necessarily detected, even in a system in which a natural enemy has long held pest density stable at low levels.
Ecology of the Acanthocephala

My good friend, Clive Kennedy, is officially retired, but not enough to prevent him from being motivated (by his wife, Pat) into writing another book, this one dealing with the ecology of one of his favorite groups of animals, the Acanthocephala. Oddly, I was present on a warm afternoon in May 2004 in a pub near the Natural History Museum in London when Clive discussed the prospects of undertaking such a task with Ward Cooper, then a Commissioning Editor at Cambridge University Press. Clive was not aware that I was one of the referees for his proposed book, but I was highly enthusiastic about his temporary ‘exodus from retirement’ so that he could write it. I really am glad he did because he has done a really fine job. As he notes in his Preface, the last genuinely thorough volume dealing with acanthocephalans was the one edited by David Crompton and Brent Nickol in 1985, more than 20 years ago. Although the Crompton/Nickol effort was much more broadly focused, there were several chapters dealing with the ecological aspects of the parasites. In the 20 years that have elapsed since 1985, a great deal of new information has been assembled. I strongly felt it should be brought together in a new book and who better to do it than Clive R. Kennedy? In actuality, Clive has done far more than simply write about acanthocephalan ecology research that has been accomplished since 1985. He has also written in a clear and succinct fashion about some very basic ecological principles and ideas, especially those dealing with parasite population biology and modeling, and then incorporated some of the new acanthocephalan information into this previously established framework. The book is divided into 10 chapters, including an introduction and then one dealing with his conclusions and an overview. In between the beginning and the end are chapters dealing with life cycles and transmission, biogeography and distribution, specificity, host-parasite interaction, population dynamics, community dynamics, introductions and extinctions, and relations to ecosystem changes. There are 29 pages of literature citations and a concise index. A good deal of tabular information is included, and the figures are well chosen and illustrated. Many of the latter are re-drawn from the primary literature for clarification purposes. They are well done. In summary, I liked the book. Clive has made a very good effort at describing a variety of ecological aspects involving the Acanthocephala. Would I purchase the book? Yes, definitely. Would I ask my library to purchase it? I already have.
Development of Genetic Evaluations for Metabolic Disease Traits for Canadian Dairy Cattle

The overall goal of this study was to develop genetic evaluations for metabolic disease traits in Canadian dairy cattle. The specific objective was to estimate genetic parameters for metabolic diseases and their main predictors in Canadian Holsteins. Health data recorded by producers were available from the National Dairy Cattle Health System. Records from first to fifth lactation were considered for ketosis (KET), displaced abomasum (DA), milk fever (MF), fat to protein ratio (F:P) and milk shydroxybutyrate (BHBA), whereas for body condition score (BCS) only records from first lactation cows were available. Binary disease traits (0 = no case, 1 = at least one case), F:P and milk BHBA were treated as different traits in first and later lactations. Records for MF in first lactation were not considered in the present study as the frequency of this disease was near zero and a preliminary analysis revealed a heritability of zero. Bivariate and multivariate linear sire models were fitted using AI-REML. Heritability for metabolic disease traits ranged from 0.011 to 0.047. Higher heritabilities were found for BCS, F:P and milk BHBA, with estimates ranging from 0.10 to 0.22. First lactation KET was strongly correlated with DA (0.76) and milk BHBA (0.75), whereas lower genetic correlations were found with BCS and F:P (-0.54 and 0.37, respectively). Displaced abomasum in first lactation was moderately correlated with BCS (-0.40) and F:P (0.19). Similar genetic correlations were estimated in later lactation cows. Milk fever, which was only evaluated in second and later lactation cows, was moderately correlated with KET (0.39) and milk BHBA (0.33). Genetic correlations of disease traits between first and later lactations were relatively high (0.79 for KET and 0.86 for DA).
Searching the genome of beluga (Huso huso) for sex markers based on targeted Bulked Segregant Analysis (BSA)

In sturgeon aquaculture, where the main purpose is caviar production, a reliable method is needed to separate fish according to gender. Currently, due to the lack of external sexual dimorphism, the fish are sexed by an invasive surgical examination of the gonads. Development of a non-invasive procedure for sexing fish based on genetic markers is of special interest. In the present study we employed Bulked Segregant Analysis (BSA) methodology to search for DNA markers associated with the sex of the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso). DNA bulks (male and female) were created by combining equal amounts of genomic DNA from 10 fish of both sexes. A total of 101 decamer primers associated with the sex-specific sequences in non-sturgeon species was used for targeted screening of the bulks, resulting in 2846 bands that all of them were present in both sexes. Our results showed that sex chromosomes are weakly differentiated in the sturgeon genome and comprised sequences not complementary to the sex-specific primers in non-sturgeon species.
Bio-efficacy of Acetochlor for Weed Control in Soybean

Field experiments were conducted to study the bio-efficacy of acetochlor for weed control in soybean during rainy seasons of 1996 and 1997. There was drastic reduction in the density of Echinochloa colona and density and dry weight of total weeds when acetochlor at 500 to 2000 g ha−1 was applied as pre-emergence. Efficacy of acetochlor of E. colona and total weeds increased with the increase in its dose of application from 500 to 2000 g ha−1. On an average, season long weed competition caused 82.0% reduction in the grain yield of soybean when compared with weed-free treatment. Maximum grain yield was observed in weed-free plots, though pre-emergence application of acetochlor at 1.5 and 2.0 kg ha−1, alachlor at 2.5 kg ha−1, pendimethalin and metolachlor each at 1.5 kg ha−1 produced grain yields similar to weed-free treatment.
Effects of climate change on nitrogen dynamics in upland soils. 2. A soil warming study

A new warming technique has been developed in a field experimental study of the potential effects of climatic change on N leaching from hill land plant/soil systems. Thermocouple compensating cable has been utilized to provide a small cross‐section, flexible, low voltage heating cable, mounted on a framework of stainless steel mesh, to provide uniform heating at the vegetation/soil interface of zero‐tension lysimeters and surrounding turf. We describe a specially designed heat controller capable of maintaining a temperature differential of 3 °C above ambient at a soil depth of 0.8 cm. The equipment raises temperatures down the soil profile and within the grass sward, whilst tracking normal diurnal temperature variation. Results presented here illustrate the efficacy of the warming technique, together with the consequences for the release of nitrate from lysimeters. The responses of soil solution concentrations of nitrate varied markedly between soil types, but showed a significant decrease in the brown earth during the first 5 months of additional heating. This suggests that increased nutrient release is masked by plant uptake in this soil, but the responses in the other two soils were less marked.
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection in stored sera of HIV individual in Sokoto, Nigeria

An investigation was carried out to determine the prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that cause toxoplasmosis among HIV positive individuals in Sokoto, Nigeria. Twenty-two (26.1%) of the 84 HIV screened positive sera had antibody to T. gondii infection. Lower titer of 1:4 occurred in 2(9.1%) of the sera, and the sera from patients that were in the age group 50-59 had the highest prevalence (33.3%). Based on the value of the IgG obtained with enzyme Immunosorbent Assay (EIA), using the ImmunoComb ® IgG(Orgenics) the concentration of >50 IU/ml were observed among 14 (63.6%) of the sera sampled, an indication of chronic phase of toxoplasmosis. These results showed that the HIV sero-negative patients need to be adequately counseled on the prevention of toxoplasmosis and any other infections that can always aggravate the illness and to initiate appropriate prophylaxis.
Role of Calcium in the Induction of TNFα Expression by Macrophages on Exposure to Ultrafine Particles

Ultrafine particles have been suggested to be one of the components responsible for the adverse health effects of environmental particulate air pollution (PM10). This study aimed to investigate the ability of fine and ultrafine carbon black (ufCB) particles to stimulate production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) by primary rat alveolar macrophages. We have previously demonstrated that ufCB, but not fine CB, is able to enhance calcium influx into macrophages in the presence of a secondary calcium agonist such as thapsigargin. For this reason, we also investigated the role of intracellular calcium signalling in controlling ufCB-induced TNFα production. Observation of rat alveolar macrophages stained with the calcium-sensitive dye Fura-2 and then treated with ufCB resulted in a rapid but transient increase in cytosolic calcium concentration in individual cells within 15 min of exposure. ufCB treatment of the primary macrophages also induced a significant increase in TNFα mRNA and protein production within 4 h of exposure. Inhibition of calcium influx using a calcium channel blocker, verapamil, as well as inhibition of calcium signalling events with an intracellular calcium chelator, BAPTA-AM, both prevented the ufCB-induced increase in TNFα protein production. TNFα mRNA production was inhibited by verapamil but not by BAPTA-AM. Addition of the antioxidant nacystelin, previously shown to inhibit ufCB-induced calcium influx into macrophages, also inhibited TNFα protein but not mRNA production. These data support the hypothesis that ultrafine particles, via reactive oxygen species, enhance calcium influx into macrophages and that these oxidative and calcium signalling events activate TNFα production.
A study of the breeding Mute Swans Cygnus olor at Abbotsbury

The breeding population has varied between 18 and 130 pairs, with an increasing proportion of the breeding birds having themselves been raised in the colony. The age of first breeding is similar to that in other studies in the UK, but clutch-size is smaller and annual survival rates more variable. The number of breeding pairs is very sensitive to the over-winter adult survival rate, falling when survival is low, rising when it is high. The ages of the two members of each pair are closely correlated, even though the birds may have several mates during their life-times.
Genetic differentiation and population structure within Spanish common frogs (Rana temporaria complex; Ranidae, Amphibia)

Genetic differentiation of Rana temporaria from the Pyrenean and Cantabrian mountains in Spain was studied by means of allozyme electrophoresis. 24 loci were analysed in 104 specimens from 15 populations: nine populations from the Pyrenean massif, five populations from the area of the Cantabrian mountain chain (regions of Galicia, Asturias, and Basque Country), and one population from Germany. Three distinct clusters were distinguished by phenetic analysis: (a) the Pyrenean samples and the single population from the Basque Country, (b) the populations from Galicia and Asturias) and (c) the German population. Ordination (PCA) resulted in one principle component (PC1) that separated Cantabrian from Pyrenean populations, and in a second one (PC2) that separated the single German population from the Iberian ones. PC1 indicated introgression that was corroborated by west-east clines in several alleles along the Cantabrian chain. The rather clear separation of the Cantabrian and Pyrenean clusters (mean genetic distance 0.121) suggests that two genetically different subspecies of R. temporaria may be distinguished in Spain. The absence of fixed allelic differences between populations refutes recent hypotheses of the existence of syntopic sibling species within R. temporaria in Spain. Biogeographically, the Pyrenean and Cantabrian populations possibly originated in two separate colonisation events starting from different glacial refuges. The strong morphological differentiation of Pyrenean R. temporaria populations is not paralleled by genetic divergence, and may better be explained by ecological factors such as climate, altitude and vegetation.
Euglossa paisa , a new species of orchid bee from the Colombian Andes (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

A distinct new species of orchid bee, Euglossa paisa Ramirez n. sp. , is here described. Various morphological characters suggest that this new taxon belongs to the subgenus Glossurella, a group composed of 21 species whose members occur throughout low and mid elevation tropical America. E. paisa n. sp. is morphologically closest to E. oleolucens Dressler, a species endemic to the montane region of southern Costa Rica, and these two to E. fuscifrons Dressler, a species endemic to the lowland wet forests of the northwest Amazon Basin. E. paisa is endemic to the Cordillera Central of Colombia, a region of elevated diversity and profuse endemism.
The effect of lymphocytes from sufferers from recurrent aphthous ulceration upon colon cells in tissue culture

SUMMARY The release of 51Cr from labelled colon cells was used to assess a possible lymphocytotoxic effect of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients suffering from recurrent aphthous ulceration. No significant (p > 0.03) difference was observed between the isotope release following incubation with patients' or control lymphocytes. The absence of such a lymphocytotoxic effect, detectable with oral epithelial cells, is discussed in relation to the role of cellular hypersensitivity in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis and aphthous ulceration. It