Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pollen concentrations inside private cars during the Poaceae and Artemisia spp. pollen season – a case study

A growing number of studies are researching indoor air concentrations of pollen in buildings, but to our knowledge no studies have dealt with the precise concentration of pollen inside private cars. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of exposure to pollen in private cars throughout the Poaceae and Artemisia spp. pollen season. The study was conducted in the town of Lappeenranta and along Highway 6 in south‐east Finland between July 14 and August 17, 2003. The pollen concentrations were measured inside two moving and parked cars using rotorod‐type samplers. Surface and ambient Burkard samples were also collected. Both Poaceae and Artemisia spp. pollen were recorded only on one day and in low concentrations (<10 pollen grains per cubic meter, pg/m3) inside moving and parked cars, whereas the concentrations of Betula spp. (0–15 vs. 0–12 pg/m3) and Pinus (0–41 vs. 0–80 pg/m3) ranged from low to moderate, respectively. The number of pollen grains on the inside surfaces of cars ranged from zero to 72 pg/cm2 during the measurement periods. The concentrations of Poaceae and Artemisia spp. pollen in the indoor air of the car during the flowering period were low, therefore, likely to cause reactions only in the most sensitive people. By contrast, even after the main flowering period the concentrations of Betula spp. pollen were on a level high enough to cause reactions in individuals with allergies.
Microbiological, sensory and color changes of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) patties during refrigerated storage.

ABSTRACT In this study, the microbiological, sensory and color changes of anchovy patties during refrigerated storage were investigated. Total viable bacteria and psychrotrophic bacteria counts increased, and sensory scores decreased during the storage period. Total bacteria count exceeded the critical limit of 106 cfu/g on day 5. Yeast–molds, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were not detected during the storage period. L*, a*and b*values of anchovy patties were changed from 36.8 ± 1.2, 4.67 ± 1.00, 13.0 ± 2.12 to 35.3 ± 3.8, 4.20 ± 0.89, 14.12 ± 2.76, respectively, on day 5. Up to day 4, anchovy patties were determined as “acceptable,” but on day 5, they were no longer acceptable according to the results of microbiological and sensory analysis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Anchovy is very suitable for patties because of their flavor and taste. In recent years, the increasing numbers of working women of the population have led to direct consumer's preference to ready-to-eat fish foods. For this purpose, anchovy patties were made, and microbiological, sensory and color changes of anchovy patties during refrigerated storage were investigated. The other discarded fish species can be used for making fish patties. The variety of fish patties can be increased and discarded fish can be evaluated on this way.
What forces drive cell wall expansion

Fungal hyphae characteristically extend at the apex, by the localized deposition of new cell wall and plasma membrane. That entails the performance of work and raises the question, what forces drive hyphal extension in the face of surface cohesion and external resistance? Conventional wisdom credits turgor, i.e., hydrostatic pressure, with driving the tip forward and shaping it by plastic deformation. An experimental test of this hypothesis became possible with the discovery that the oomycetes Achlya bisexualis and Saprolegnia ferax do not regulate turgor. When the osmotic pressure of the medium is raised by the addition of sucrose or other osmolytes, the organisms produce a more plastic wall and continue to grow. Saprolegnia ferax produces near-normal hyphae in the absence of any measurable turgor. Responses to variations in the composition of the medium and to a range of inhibitors indicate that the processes responsible for growth are the same in normal hyphae (4 bars; 1 bar = 100 kPa) and in turgorles.
Activity, habitat utilization, feeding behaviour, and diet of the sand moray Gymnothorax ocellatus (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) in the south western Atlantic

Atividade, utilizacao do habitat, comportamento alimentar, e dieta da moreia-de-areia Gymnothorax ocellatus (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) no Atlântico sudoeste. A moreia-de-areia Gymnothorax ocellatus e um predador noturno do Atlântico ocidental que forrageia ativamente o fundo, predando principalmente crustaceos (em especial camaroes e siris) e peixes actinopterigios, os quais sao localizados principalmente pelo olfato. Os individuos permanecem inativos durante o dia, quase sempre escondidos em tuneis individuais escavados por outros animais, que nao moreias, em substrato areno-lodoso.
Assessing the potential of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) as a nurse plant in highland grasslands of south Brazil

The expansion of forests over natural grasslands is observed in many parts of the world. This study aimed to contribute to the investigation into the nursing effects promoted by Araucaria angustifolia during the process of forest expansion over grasslands in southern Brazil. Air temperature and humidity, and soil chemistry were evaluated beneath the canopy of isolated trees of A. angustifolia, and compared with values in adjacent grassland areas and under the canopy of the shrub Baccharis uncinella. Milder summer temperatures and vapour pressure deficits were measured under Araucaria and Baccharis compared with open grassland. There were also ameliorating effects on soil chemistry under individuals of these two species, but these were more pronounced for Araucaria than for Baccharis. The results suggest that the large number of seedlings commonly found beneath the canopy of Araucaria is due not only to perching, but also to nursing, through the amelioration of environmental conditions.
Rapid analysis of transgenic rice straw using near-infrared spectroscopy

A rapid near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy method was established to predict the lignin and starch contents and enzymatic sacchari cation e ciency of transgenic rice (Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare) straw wherein expression of genes encoding lignin synthetic enzymes are regulated. Strong correlations were obtained between laboratory wet chemistry values and the NIR-predicted values. is method is useful to develop transgenic rice where cell-wall formation is engineered.
Produtividade de tambaqui criado em tanque-rede com diferentes taxas de alimentação

This research was aimed at evaluating the effect of feeding rates on productivity and blood glucose levels, triglycerides and total plasma proteins of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) reared in cages. Tambaqui juveniles were reared during 150 days fed at 1, 3 and 5% of body weight per day allocated with two meals, six days a week. The feeding rates did not show any effects on the condition factor and survival. Weight gain and production of fish that were fed at 3 and 5% were significantly higher than the fish that received 1% of body weight per day. Although, feed conversion was significantly higher at the ratio of 1% of body weight per day, and the values of feed conversion obtained at the ratios of 3 and 5% per se make the culture of tambaqui unprofitable. No alterations were observed in the levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and total plasma protein of tambaqui from the different treatments. The feeding-ratio productivity adequate for tambaqui juveniles, when reared in cages in varzea lakes with an initial weigh of 200g, is 1% of body weight per day.
Oestrus detection by mounts received in Friesian × Bunaji and Bunaji heifers

SUMMARY Behavioural oestrus was studied using 32 Friesian × Bunaji and 29 Bunaji heifers standing for mounts by either vasectomized bulls or heifer herdmates. The study was conducted from 06.00 to 12.00 h and from 13.00 to 18.00 h local time for 96 days. All the 61 heifers showedoestrus. The mounts received by the heifers ranged from 68 to 170, being few between the first 24 days but increasing later. A total of 171 oestrous cycles were recorded, 85·4% of which had a mean oestrous cycle length (± S.E.) of 22·6 ± 0·9 days, while the average duration of oestrus (± S.E.) was 5·9 ± 0·2 h. Results showed significant differences between the mounts made by the teasers as well as mounts received by the heifer groups (both P = 0·01), but the teaser x heifer group interaction was not significant (P > 0·05). As all the heifers showed oestrus at least once, observation for oestrus between 06.00 and 18.00 hwould be reliable for supporting an artificial insemination scheme in the Guinea Savannah of Nigeria.
Efficiency of Maize Dry Matter Production During Periods of Complete Leaf Area Expansion

ABSTRACTCrop dry matter production, in the absence of other limiting fac-tors, is determined by the absorption of photosynthetically activeradiation (PAR) by a crop canopy and the efficiency with whichabsorbed PAR is converted into dry matter. This study was con-ducted to investigate the effects of plant density and phase of de-velopment on PAR absorption and conversion efficiency of two maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids. The maize hybrids Pioneer 3851 and Pioneer3925 were grown in 1984 and 1985 at plant densities of 3.9, 6, and10 plants m 2 in irrigated field experiments near Elora, Ontario, ona London loam (Aquic Hapludalf) soil that had been systematicallytile drained. Conversion efficiency was estimated from rates ofaboveground dry matter accumulation and PAR absorption from ap-proximately 2 wk before to 6 wk after silking. PAR absorption wasestimated from continuous measurements of incident PAR, PAR re-flectance and PAR transmittance. Crop growth rates declined duringthe phase of development under study due to a decline in incidentPAR and a decline in conversion efficiency from 5.8 to 3.5%; PARabsorptance was approximately 89% and remained fairly stable. Leafarea index among density-hybrid treatments ranged from 2.0 to 4.8,and PAR absorption of the latter was 9% higher than that of theformer. Although crop growth rates of the plant densities were notdifferent during the grain-filling period, differences in PAR absorp-tion were too small to show a significant effect of plant density onconversion efficiency. Photosynthetic conversion efficiency appearsto be influenced by phase of development, but the effects of plantdensity on efficiency appear to be small.
Physiological and Molecular Features of the Pathosystem Arabidopsis thaliana L.‐Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Libert

The fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Libert causes rot diseases on many crops worldwide and large economic losses occur frequently because of a lack of resistant varieties. The pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum and the molecular basis of plant responses to the pathogen are poorly understood. In the present investigation, the process of S. sclerotiorum infection in Arabidopsis thaliana L. , a plant that is highly susceptible to this fungus, was analysed. In addition, the defense activation in the host was investigated. A convenient inoculation method using millet grain was developed for S. sclerotiorum in Arabidopsis. The fungus rapidly infected the plants, probably through ball- or cushion-like infection structures. Visible symptoms developed within 24 h and plants were killed 72 h after inoculation. Cellulase, the main enzyme that caused host tissues to rot, was secreted by S. sclerotiorum in a pH-dependent manner. Oxalic acid, another pathogenic factor secreted by the fungus, induced necrotic lesions on the leaves. Infection with S. sclerotiorum strongly induced the production of the pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the PR gene PDF.1 was induced, but not PR1, indicating that the pathogen activated basal defense of jasmonic acid/ethylene dependence, which is consistent with its necrotrophic characteristics. This pathosystem for Arabidopsis-S. sclerotiorum could provide an approach for the analysis of the interactions between S. sclerotiorum and other crops, thereby facilitating genetic manipulation techniques for controlling this pathogen. (Managing editor: Li-Hui Zhao)
A description of the upper thoracic autonomic nervous system in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

The purpose of this study was to describe the autonomic innervation of the carotid sinus and heart in the rhesus monkey. Nine male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and one male crab‐eating macaque (M. fascicularis) were carefully dissected from the origin of the vagus nerves and superior cervical ganglia to the level of the fourth thoracic ganglion. The specimens were either freshly killed or obtained no later than 24 hours post mortem. The macaque monkeys were found to possess an innervation pattern that displayed features common to dog (connections between the vagus nerves and middle cervical ganglia), baboon (distinct cervical sympathetic and cervical vagal nerve trunks), and man (nerves projecting from the middle cervical and stellate ganglia to the heart). Distinct inferior cervical and first thoracic ganglia were never seen, but rather, large and well defined stellate ganglia were found. The macaque innervation pattern, when considered as a whole, most closely resembled the baboon.
Does metazooplankton regulate the ciliate community in a shallow eutrophic lake?: Ciliate community regulation

Summary 1. As grazers on picoplankton and nanoplankton, planktonic ciliates form an important link in pelagic food webs. Ciliate communities may be controlled by predation by metazooplankton. In eutrophic systems, however, where the number of large crustaceans is often low, the mechanisms that regulate ciliate dynamics have rarely been described. 2. We conducted an enclosure experiment with natural and screened (145 μm) summer plankton communities to investigate the effect of the small-sized crustacean zooplankton on ciliate community structure and the microbial loop in a shallow eutrophic lake. 3. The removal of the larger fraction of crustaceans initiated a decrease in total ciliate abundance. At the community level, we observed a substantial increase in large-sized predacious ciliates (>100 μm) and a simultaneous decrease in the abundance of smaller ciliates (<20–40 μm) that were mostly bacterivores and bacterio-herbivores. The compositional shift in the ciliate community, however, did not cascade down to the level of bacteria and edible phytoplankton.
Auxin changes both the extensibility and the yield threshold of the cell wall of vigna hypocotyls

Elongation of plant stem is governed by two simultaneous processes: irreversible yielding of the cell wall and uptake of water. Among many candidates for the parameters that redulate and/or restrict growth, we focused on the mechanical properties of the cell wall and determined those parameters that govern of IAA-induced growth by means of the pressure-jump method combined with the pressure-probe technique
Water use, competition, and crop production in low rainfall, alley farming systems of south-eastern Australia

Annual crops were grown in alleys between belts of perennial shrubs or trees over 3–4 years at 3 sites across low rainfall (<450 mm) south-eastern Australia. At the two lower rainfall sites (Pallamana and Walpeup), crop grain yields within 2–5 m of shrub belts declined significantly with time, with a reduction equivalent to 45% over 9 m in the final year of cropping. At the third, wetter site (Bridgewater), the reduction in crop grain yields adjacent to tree belts was not significant until the final year of the study (12% over 11 m) when the tree growth rates had increased. The reductions in crop yield were associated with increased competition for water between the shrub or tree belts and the crops once the soil profile immediately below the perennials had dried. At all 3 sites during the establishment year, estimates of water use under the woody perennials were less than under annual crops, but after this, trends in estimates of water use of alley farming systems varied between sites. At Pallamana the perennial shrubs used a large amount of stored soil water in the second summer after establishment, and subsequently were predominantly dependent on rainfall plus what they could scavenge from beneath the adjacent crop. After the establishment year at the Walpeup site, water use under the perennial shrubs was initially 67 mm greater than under the annual crop, declining to be only 24 mm greater in the final year. Under the trees at Bridgewater, water use consistently increased to be 243 mm greater than under the adjacent annual crop by the final year. Although the shrub belts used more water than adjacent crop systems at Walpeup and Pallamana, this was mostly due to the use of stored soil water, and since the belts occupied only 7–18% of the land area, increases in total water use of these alley farming systems compared with conventional crop monocultures were quite small, and in terms of the extent of recharge control this was less than the area of crop yield loss. At the wetter, Bridgewater site, alley farming appeared to be using an increasing amount of water compared with conventional annual cropping systems. Overall, the data support previous work that indicates that in lower rainfall environments (<350 mm), alley farming is likely to be dogged by competition for water between crops and perennials.
Preliminary Experiments on Physical Tolerances of Eggs of Lizards and Snakes

In lizards and snakes the egg is a vulnerable stage in the life cycle with limitations that must often restrict geographic range or local occurrence of a species. Eggs of the rat snake, racer, ring—necked snake, Great Plains skink and five—linked skink were exposed in mixed groups to various controlled conditions of temperature and humidity to determine some of the differences between species in their ranges of tolerance. In atmospheres of 60 to 90% relative humidity eggs of all kinds tested lost water rapidly over periods of days and were short—lived. Mold contributed to mortality. At higher humidities survival was prolonged. At 97.5% relative humidity eggs dehydrated slowly but sometimes survived for several weeks and produced normal hatchlings. The small, thin—shelled eggs of ring—necked snakes deteriorated much more rapidly than eggs of the other species tested, and those of the racer were most resistant. In incubation media of decaying wood, loamy humans, crushed limestone and sand, with water content of 2 to 68%, eggs of all kinds tested gained weight by absorption of moisture and most eventually hatched. Gains in weight were gradual and were not proportional to the moisture content of the medium. For all species tested the eggs were eury—thermal with limits of tolerance near 41@? C and lower limits near the freezing point, but there were minor differences between species, and for the ring—necked snake the range of tolerance was several degrees narrower that it was for the skinks. For the egg, temperature is much less limiting than moisture.
Review: Fate of pathogens in home-made mayonnaise and related products

Abstract Home-made mayonnaise has been associated with outbreaks of food-poisoning due mainly to Salmonella and in some cases eggs have been shown to be the principal source of infection. The survival of Salmonella spp. , Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus in mayonnaise is influenced by the pH of the mayonnaise and the choice of the acidulant used in preparation. Acetic acid (vinegar) is more germicidal than citric acid (lemon juice). It is recommended that mayonnaise is prepared with vinegar to a pH of 4·1 or less. The addition of garlic or mustard to mayonnaise at concentrations of 0·3-1·5% (w/w) results in an increase in the death rate of Salmonella enteritidis. Salt, on the other hand, has a protective effect on S. enteritidis survival at similar concentrations. The type of oil and vinegar used in mayonnaise preparation also influences the death rate. Storage of mayonnaise at refrigeration temperatures protects Salmonella spp. from acidulants and therefore a holding time of 24 h at 18-22°C is advised before refrigeration. The presence of vegetable material in the mayonnaise has the effect of reducing the toxicity of mayonnaise by absorbing acetic acid.
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE IN BONE TUMORS AND TUMOROUS CONDITIONS : WITH SPECIAL NOTES ON GIANT CELLS

Immunohistochemical and biochemical investigations were carried out on alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) in 139 patients with bone tumors and tumorous conditions.Biochemically, preoperative serum ALPase level was significantly higher in osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma, and was significantly reduced postoperatively in osteosarcoma. The ALPase activity in the tumor tissue extract was correlated with the serum ALPase level. All these isoenzymes were considered to be bone type ALPases (ALP3). Liver/bone type ALPase immunostaining was carried out to clarify the following points: 1) Localization of ALPase antigen, 2) differences in stainability between giant cells and small mononuclear cells and 3) relationship of ALPase with calcification by double staining with von Kossa stain. The results were similar to those of enzyme-histochemistry except that stromal cells in the giant cell tumor of bone (GCT) and enchondroma cells were positive for ALPase. Tumorous giant cells were positive in osteosarcoma, but not in GCT and chondroblastoma. Non-tumorous giant cells were all negative. The staining pattern was different between giant cells and stromal cells in GCT, suggesting differences in the origin, differentiation, or intracellular condition between these cells. Differences were present between calcification mediated by osteoid and that in cartilaginous tumors.
Expression of Interleukin 1α, Interleukin 6, and Tumor Necrosis Factor α Genes in Human Melanoma Clones Is Associated with That of Mutated N-RAS Oncogene

To assess whether RAS oncogenes may affect the expression of cytokines in tumor cells, the presence of interleukins (IL) 1 alpha, 1 beta, 4, 6, 7, and 8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and interferon gamma mRNA has been analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in 19 melanoma clones derived from the metastatic cell line 665/2 and previously characterized for RAS mutation and expression. Five of these clones and the parental cell line showed a mutation at codon 61 of N-RAS that resulted in Gln-->Arg substitution (N-RAS/61+), while in the remaining 14, only the wild-type allele for N-RAS was present (N-RAS/61-). With the exception of interferon gamma and IL-4, all the cytokines tested were expressed by the parental 665/2 cell line, whereas IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were coordinately transcribed only in the subset of the clones bearing the mutated N-RAS gene. The other cytokine genes studied (IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-7, and IL-8) displayed a variable degree of expression, and such an heterogeneity was not correlated to the N-RAS phenotype of the clones. The association between N-RAS oncogene and IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha expression was also found in a 665/2 subline (665/2/5) in which loss of mutated N-RAS genes simultaneously occurred with the loss of IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha expression. Direct evidence that N-RAS oncogene could influence the pattern of cytokine expression was provided by the coordinate induction of IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha messenger RNA achieved in N-RAS/61+ transfectants of the N-RAS wild-type melanoma clone 2/21. Furthermore, IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha could be detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the culture medium obtained from N-RAS/61+ melanoma clones as well as from positive transfectants, indicating that lymphokine mRNA expression triggered by the activated N-RAS oncogene lead to a secreted protein. In an N-RAS/61+ melanoma clone, by adding specific antibodies against each cytokine, it was found that soluble IL-1 alpha exerted a positive control on IL-6 mRNA and a negative one on its own expression. In addition, IL-1 alpha and IL-6 were negatively regulated by soluble IL-6 and TNF-alpha.