Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Insecticides on Some Biological Parameters of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammtidae)

Bioassay carried out to determine the toxicity of seven insecticides (viz. endosulfan 0.07%, imidacloprid 0.004%, spinosad 0.01%, triazophos 0.08%, thiodicarb 0.075%, novaluron 0.01% and azadirachtin @1ml/L) to Trichogramma chilonis showed that spinosad was the most toxic in all the studies followed by triazophos. Spinosad resulted in only 17.80 per cent parasitization and 3.97 per cent adult emergence from the host eggs, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton treated before parasitization. Novaluron was found to be the safest resulting in 58.93 per cent parasitization and 89.72 per cent adult emergence from the host eggs treated before parasitization. The parasitization in other insecticides ranged from 20.00 to 40.47 per cent. Spinosad was also found highly toxic to all the immature stages of T. chilonis resulting in only 0.46, 0.66 and 0.65 per cent adult emergence when the parasitoid was treated in the egg, larval and pupal stages, respectively. Novaluron was found to be safe to all the immature stages of the parasitoid resulting in 86.75, 87.84 and 87.46 per cent adult emergence when treated in egg, larval and pupal stages, respectively. The parasitoid adult emergence in other insecticides ranged from 57.95 to 88.63 per cent when treated in egg stage, 53.97 to 87.12 per cent when treated in larval stage and 61.46 to 87.15 per cent when treated in pupal stage.
Spectrophotometric determinations of chloroplastidic pigments in acetone, ethanol and dimethylsulphoxide

Spectrophotometric determinations of chloroplastidic pigments in acetone, ethanol and dimethylsulphoxide). The concentration of pigment indicates a range of properties in the physiological processes of plants. A large number of procedures have been developed to measure leaf pigment content. Some of these procedures involve leaf maceration and centrifugation, while others require incubation of a leaf sample in solvent for a few minutes or hours, which makes the process laborious. The choice of the best procedure may vary according to the plant species and type of solvent used. This study compared the efficiency of three commonly used solvents (dimethylsulphoxide, ethanol and acetone) in the extraction of chlorophylls and carotenoids of five plant species and one lichen species. The results indicated that dimethylsulphoxide was more efficient at chlorophyll extraction in all of the studied species. The ethanol and acetone extracts quickly lost molecular stability. Acetone extract may also cause phaeophytinisation and reduce the chlorophyll content.
Evolutionary Dynamics: Exploring the Equations of Life

Preface 1. Introduction 2. What Evolution Is 3. Fitness Landscapes and Sequence Spaces 4. Evolutionary Games 5. Prisoners of the Dilemma 6. Finite Populations 7. Games in Finite Populations 8. Evolutionary Graph Theory 9. Spatial Games 10. HIV Infection 11. The Evolution of Virulence 12. The Evolutionary Dynamics of Cancer 13. Language Evolution 14. Conclusion Further Reading References Index
Efeito do biofertilizante e de volumes de substrato no desenvolvimento de mudas de caju

Resumo: A cultura do caju tem uma grande importância para a economia do Nordeste, sendo esta regiao a principal produtora nacional. Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa avaliar o crescimento de mudas de cajueiro submetidas a diferentes dosagens de biofertilizante e volumes de substratos. O experimento foi desenvolvido em ambiente protegido (Viveiro), no setor de viveiricultura, pertencente a Universidade Estadual da Paraiba – UEPB, Campus IV, municipio de Catole do Rocha – PB. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado (DIC), no esquema fatorial 5 x 2, com 4 repeticoes totalizando 40 tratamentos. Foram estudados 5 dosagens de biofertilizante: (0 ; 30; 60; 90 e 120 mL/planta/vez), aplicadas via solo e dois volumes de substrato em recipientes de saco de polietileno (V 1 = 25% de solo + 75% de humus de minhoca e V 2 = 50% de solo + 50% de humus de minhoca). Foram avaliados a altura da planta, o diâmetro do caule, o numero de folhas, a area foliar, o comprimento da raiz, o peso verde da raiz e o peso seco do caule. Constatou-se que as plântulas de cajueiro se comportaram distintamente para os tratamentos e que os melhores resultados foram obtidos com a dosagem de 120 mL de biofertilizante juntamente com o substrato formado por 25% de solo + 75% de humus de minhoca. Palavras-chave: Anacardium occidentale L. , adubacao orgânica, plântulas
The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age

As the title itself suggests, this book captures complete journey of the United States antitrust law from its inception to the present age of digital economy. The author has narrated this in a lucid and captivating form replete with short stories and instances interwoven in a classic rhetoric. To make the book appealing, interesting, realistic and impactful for the readers, the author has borrowed quotes of various eminent personalities and luminaries to capture their exact thoughts. The author has in fact succeeded to a large extent in leaving the readers spellbound with his captivating thoughts over excessive concentration as not only a threat to competition but also on policy, polity and democratic process.
Effets de l’administration de tétrahydrobioptérine en condition physiologique et pathologique : De la neurobiologie au comportement

La tetrahydrobiopterine (BH4) est le cofacteur requis pour l’activite des enzymes responsables de la synthese de la dopamine, la serotonine et l’oxyde nitrique. Par consequent, la BH4 est necessaire au bon deroulement de nombreux processus physiologiques centraux et peripheriques dont la neurotransmission, la reponse inflammatoire, la regulation du stress oxydatif, la fonction vasculaire et endotheliale et le metabolisme. Or, de par sa structure chimique, la BH4 est une molecule facilement oxydable et degradable, et des diminutions des niveaux centraux de BH4 ont ete observees dans de nombreuses maladies neuropsychiatriques a composante inflammatoire dont la maladie d’Alzheimer et la depression majeure. Le deficit de BH4 apparait donc comme un mecanisme pouvant participer a l’etiologie de ces pathologies et en aggraver les symptomes. Malgre ces observations, les effets d’une administration de BH4 sur la neurophysiologie et les comportements en s’y rapportant restent largement inexplores. L’objectif de cette these a donc ete de caracteriser les effets d’une administration peripherique de BH4 sur la fonction cerebrale et le comportement chez la souris. Nous nous sommes interesses aux effets de BH4 sur le systeme dopaminergique mesolimbique et la motivation en condition physiologique puis en situation d’inflammation aigue. Dans un second temps, nous avons explore le potentiel therapeutique de la BH4 dans le traitement de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Nous avons tout d’abord demontre que la BH4 traversait la barriere hemato-encephalique et qu'une injection peripherique permettait d’augmenter les niveaux centraux de BH4. Nos travaux ont montre qu’en condition physiologique, l’administration de BH4 potentialise la liberation de dopamine dans le nucleus accumbens et les comportements motives. En condition de neuroinflammation aigue induite par le LPS, l’administration de BH4 permet d’attenuer la neuroinflammation. Ces donnees suggerent un potentiel benefique de la BH4 sur les troubles motivationnels induits par l’inflammation. Dans notre deuxieme etude, nous avons demontre que l’administration chronique de BH4 permet de corriger les deficits mnesiques observes dans le modele murin triple transgenique de la maladie d’Alzheimer. La supplementation en BH4 induit egalement une diminution de la neuroinflammation ainsi qu’une amelioration de la tolerance au glucose. Cependant, ces ameliorations mnesiques, metaboliques et inflammatoires ne s’accompagnent pas d’une diminution des pathologies amyloide et tau.Ainsi, l’ensemble de ces travaux a permis une meilleure caracterisation des effets neurobiologiques et comportementaux de la BH4 et renforce son potentiel therapeutique.
Zooplankton of the Great Lakes: A Guide to the Identification and Ecology of the Common Crustacean Species

Researchers, instructors, and students will appreciate this compilation of detailed information on the crustacean zooplankton of the Great Lakes. The authors have gathered data from more than three hundred sources and organized into a useful laboratory manual. The taxonomic keys are easy to use, suitable for both classroom and laboratory identifications. Detailed line drawings are provided to help confirm the identification of the major species. Zoologists, limnologists, hydrobiologists, fish ecologists, and those who study or monitor water quality will welcome this dependable new identification tool. A concise summary of pertinent information on the ecology of these zooplankton is provided in the main body of the text. A check-list of all species reported from each of the Great Lakes and notes on the distribution and abundance of more than a hundred species were compiled from an extensive search of existing literature. In addition, the authors collected samples from several locations on Lake Superior, in order to provide information on the abundance and life histories of the major crustacean species. "
Dormancia y tratamientos pregerminativos en las semillas de Leucaena spp. cosechadas en suelo ácido

Se desarrollo un experimento con semillas de accesiones de Leucaena spp. cosechadas en suelo acido y almacenadas bajo condiciones ambientales, para determinar el periodo e intensidad de la dormancia y su ruptura. Para ello se empleo un diseno de clasificacion simple y cuatro replicas, con los siguientes tratamientos: 1) semilla sin tratar (control); 2) corte de cubierta; y 3) agua a 80°C durante 2 minutos. En cada una de las accesiones hubo diferencias significativas entre los tratamientos aplicados y los mayores valores de germinacion se encontraron con el corte de cubierta. Todas las accesiones mostraron estado dormatico (entre 10 y 98%), el cual se aprecio en la germinacion del control y en la viabilidad con el corte de cubierta. Los mayores valores de dormancia en las semillas cosechadas en el 2006 se detectaron en L. macrophylla CIAT 17233, L. macrophylla CIAT 17231 , L. diversifolia CIAT 17270 y L. leucocephala IH-1140, cuya dureza fue de 98,0; 97,0; 80,0 y 74,7%, respectivamente; en las cosechadas en el 2003 y 2004, los porcentajes de dureza fueron de 89,0; 69,0 y 60,0% para L. lanceolata CIAT 17252, L. macrophylla CIAT 17238 y L. leucocephala cv. K-67, respectivamente. Se concluye que las semillas de las accesiones presentaron dormancia poscosecha, que vario entre 10 y 98%. Ademas la escarificacion termica provoco su ruptura, por lo que se recomienda aplicar este procedimiento antes de la siembra a las semillas de Leucaena spp. que se cosechen en suelo acido de Cascajal.
Acinetobacter spp. and other non-fermentative pathogens causing nosocomial bacteremias

Members of the genus Acinetobacter were first described by Morax in France and Axenfeld in Germany in 1896, and became initially known as the Morax-Axenfeld bacillus. Over the years some 15 different generic names have been used to describe this microorganism, the most common being: Bacterium antitrutum, Herella va@nicola, Mima polymorpha, Achrornobacter, Alcaligenes, BSl/t: Moraxella lwofii, etc. Baumann, Doudoroff and Stainer in 1968 showed clearly that the oxidase-negative strains which were later given the name Acinetobacter differed from the oxidase-positive strains which were later given the name Moraxella. Today, modern niolecular taxonomic methods have resulted in a new classification comprising at least 19 DNA-DNA homology groups ofwhich, to date, seven have been given species names.
Enzymatic regulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis via protein ubiquitination

Pulmonary surfactant is a critical surface-active substance consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPtdCho) and key apoproteins that are produced and secreted into the airspace from alveolar type II epithelial cells. Deficiency of the surfactant leads to severe lung atelectasis, ventilatory impairment, and gas-exchange abnormalities. The generation of DPPtdCho in cells occurs via two integral routes: the de novo and remodeling pathways. The interplay between these pathways has not been investigated. Overexpression of the remodeling enzyme, acylCoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT1), in epithelia decreases de novo PtdCho synthesis without significantly altering cellular phospholipid mass; this occurs through increased degradation of cholinephosphotransferase (CPT1), the terminal enzyme of the de novo pathway. CPT1 is degraded by multi-ubiquitination and trafficking via the lysosomal pathway. When expressed in lung epithelia, CPT1 mutants harboring arginine substitutions at multiple carboxyl-terminal lysine residues exhibited proteolytic resistance to effects of LPCAT1 overexpression. Cellular expression of these CPT1 mutants also restores de novo PtdCho synthesis to levels normally observed in lung epithelia. Further studies demonstrate that the SCF (Skip-Cullen-F-box) ubiquitin E3 ligase component, β-TrCP, was sufficient to degrade CPT1. Similar to CPT1, LPCAT1 levels are also regulated at the level of protein stability. However, LPCAT1 is a polyubiquitinated enzyme processed within the proteasome. Similar to CPT1, β-TrCP may be the putative E3 ubiquitin ligase subunit responsible for LPCAT1 ubiquitination. β-TrCP appears to dock and ubiquitinate LPCAT1 within its amino-terminus. Collectively, these observations indicate the presence of cross-talk between the phospholipid remodeling and de novo pathways; this involves tight regulation by site-specific ubiquitination of indispensable regulatory enzymes catalyzed by SCF ubiquitin E3 ligase members that
Multiple Discontinuous Ligand-mimetic Antibody Binding Sites Define a Ligand Binding Pocket in Integrin αIIbβ3 *

Integrin αIIbβ3, a platelet fibrinogen receptor, is critically involved in thrombosis and hemostasis. However, how ligands interact with αIIbβ3 has been controversial. Ligand-mimetic anti-αIIbβ3 antibodies (PAC-1, LJ-CP3, and OP-G2) contain the RGD-like RYD sequence in their CDR3 in the heavy chain and have structural and functional similarities to native ligands. We have located binding sites for ligand-mimetic antibodies in αIIb and β3 using human-to-mouse chimeras, which we expect to maintain functional integrity of αIIbβ3. Here we report that these antibodies recognize several discontinuous binding sites in both the αIIb and β3 subunits; these binding sites are located in residues 156–162 and 229–230 of αIIb and residues 179–183 of β3. In contrast, several nonligand-mimetic antibodies (e.g. 7E3) recognize single epitopes in either subunit. Thus, binding to several discontinuous sites in both subunits is unique to ligand-mimetic antibodies. Interestingly, these binding sites overlap with several (but not all) of the sequences that have been reported to be critical for fibrinogen binding (e.g. N-terminal repeats 2–3 but not repeats 4–7, of αIIb). These results suggest that ligand-mimetic antibodies and probably native ligands may make direct contact with these discontinuous binding sites in both subunits, which may constitute a ligand-binding pocket.
Characterization of the equine spermadhesin HSP-7 found on stallion spermatozoa as it relates to stallion fertility and sperm capacitation

Equine spermadhesin HSP-7 is a 14 kDa protein isolated from stallion seminal plasma and present on the surface of spermatozoa. HSP-7 displays carbohydrate and zona-pellucida binding properties, but the physiological role in equine fertilization is not well defined. HSP-7 has 98% amino acid sequence homology with the well-studied boar spermadhesin, AWN. Currently, these two proteins are considered to have the same reproductive function. Immunofluorescence studies presented here show that the stallion and boar spermadhesins are localized to different segments on spermatozoa. The variation in molecular compartmentalization of spermadhesin molecules in different species suggests that these structurally related proteins could be involved in independent events of fertilization. While the variation in HSP-7 abundance was not statistically significant between fertile and subfertile stallions, capacitated spermatozoa displayed a marked increase in HSP-7 when compared to neat sperm (P < 0.05). These results indicate that rather than aiding in capacitation, HSP-7 is exposed with capacitation and may have a more significant role in the acrosome reaction and sperm-oocyte recognition than previously documented. Mammalian spermatozoa are synthesized in the seminiferous epithelium and secreted into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules as functionally immature cells that are unable to fertilize an oocyte. Spermatozoa are highly differentiated haploid cells which transform into motile, functional cells during epididymal transit (Senger, 2005). The structure of spermatozoa consists of a head, neck, middle piece and principal piece (Figure 1). The head of spermatozoa includes the nucleus, acrosome and post-acrosomal lamina, which are surrounded by a plasma membrane. The shape of the spermatozoal nucleus defines the shape of the sperm head and therefore, equine spermatozoa are broad and flat. The rostral portion of the sperm nucleus is covered by the acrosome, which is a double-layered membrane with enzymatic activity. During the initial stage of fertilization, the equatorial segment, which lies at the base of the acrosome, is the site of physical interaction between the spermatozoal plasma membrane and the zona pellucida. Upon fusion with the oocyte, the acrosome reaction allows for the spermatozoa to penetrate the zona pellucida and gain access to the perivitelline space (Ellis et al., 2002). The plasma membrane is the outermost component surrounding a spermatozoon and consists of three distinct zones: lipid bilayer, phospholipid-water interface and glycocalyx. Integral and peripheral proteins are intermingled into the lipid bilayer with a negative net 2 charge, attracting and loosely binding proteins from the seminal plasma (McKinnon and Voss, 1992). The …
Xenogeneic β2-Microglobulin Substitution Alters NK Cell Function1

Recently, it has been shown that human β2-microglobulin (h-β2m) blocks the association between the NK cell inhibitory receptor Ly49C and H-2Kb. Given this finding, we therefore sought to assess the immunobiology of NK cells derived from C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice expressing exclusively h-β2m. Initial analysis revealed that the Ly49C expression profile of NK cells from h-β2m+ mice was modified, despite the fact that H-2Kb expression was normal in these mice. Moreover, the NK cells were not anergic in that IL-2 treatment of h-β2m+ NK cells in vitro enabled efficient lysis of prototypic tumor cell lines as well as of syngeneic h-β2m+ lymphoblasts. This loss of self-tolerance appeared to correlate with the activation status of h-β2m+ NK cells because quiescent h-β2m+ transplant recipients maintained h-β2m+ grafts but polyinosine:polycytidylic acid-treated recipients acutely rejected h-β2m+ grafts. NK cell reactivity toward h-β2m+ targets was attributed to defective Ly49C interactions with h-β2m:H-2Kb molecules. With regard to NK cell regulatory mechanisms, we observed that h-β2m:H-2Kb complexes in the cis-configuration were inefficient at regulating Ly49C and, furthermore, that receptor-mediated uptake of h-β2m:H-2Kb by Ly49C was impaired compared with uptake of mouse β2m:H-2Kb. Thus, we conclude that transgenic expression of h-β2m alters self-MHC class I in such a way that it modulates the NK cell phenotype and interferes with regulatory mechanisms, which in turn causes in vitro-expanded and polyinosine:polycytidylic acid-activated NK cells to be partially self-reactive similar to what is seen with NK cells derived from MHC class I-deficient mice.
Coryneform Gram-Positive Rods

This chapter deals with aerobically growing, asporogenous, irregularly shaped, non-partially acid-fast, gram-positive rods generally called "coryneforms. " The bacteria discussed in the chapter all belong to the class Actinobacteria, the genera of which are characterized by specific 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotides. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing data demonstrate that the genera Corynebacterium and Turicella are more closely related to the partially acid-fast bacteria and to the genus Mycobacterium than to the other coryneform organisms covered in the chapter. The chapter discusses descriptions of genera and species. Detection of antibodies directed against diphtheria toxin is the only established serologic test for coryneform bacteria. Toxin neutralization assays using a Vero cell culture system have been replaced mainly by enzyme immunoassays. The susceptibility patterns for each taxon were given with the descriptions of each taxon. Since the antimicrobial susceptibility of coryneform bacteria is not predictable in every case, susceptibility testing should always be performed with clinically significant isolates.
Effects of Hydro and Osmo-Priming on Seed Germination and Field Emergence of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Laboratory tests and two field experiments were conducted in RCB design in 2006 and 2007 at the Research Farm of the University of Tabriz, Iran, to evaluate the effects of hydro and osmo - priming (PEG: Polyethylene glycol 6000 at -0.8MPa ) on seed germination and field emergence of lentil. Analysis of variance for laboratory data showed that hydropriming significantly improved germination rate and root weights, compared to other seed treatments. However germination percentage for seeds primed with water and PEG were statistically similar, but higher than those for unprimed seeds. Over all, hydropriming treatment was comparatively superior in laboratory tests. Invigoration of lentil seeds by hydropriming resulted in higher seedling emergence in the field, compared to control and seed priming with PEG. Seedling emergence rate was also enhanced by priming seed with water. Thus, hydropriming could be used as a simple method for improving seed germination and seedling emergence of lentil in the field.