Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Isolation of Sporidiobolus ruineniae CO-3 and Characterization of Its Extracellular Protease

An extracellular protease-producing yeast strain, designated as CO-3, was isolated from fermented tea. The cells were spherical- to ovoid-shaped and 6.8–7.4×7.4–9.1 ώm in size. Optimal growth conditions were 25–30°C and pH of 5.0–6.0. The isolate was able to grow in up to 4%(w/v) NaCl and 5%(v/v) ethanol. This strain was identified as Sporidiobolus ruineniae based on the internal transcribed spacer regions including 5.8S rDNA sequence and partial D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA sequence analysis. Optimal activity conditions of the crude protease fraction of S. ruineniae CO-3 were pH of 7.0 at 50°C. Protease production reached maximum when 1.0%(w/v) xylose, 1.0%(w/v) yeast extract, and 0.3%(w/v) K2HPO4 were used as the sole sources of carbon, nitrogen, and mineral, respectively.
King Herring: His Place amongst the Clupeoids

Modern taxonomy, fishery science, and biology were born in Europe. This, together with the longstanding economic importance of the herring, has given Clupea harengus (and its close relative C. pallasi) a prestige and literature that quite outshadows those of any other clupeoid species. In fact, the two species of Clupea contribute about 8% to world clupeoid catches, coming fourth in the 20 economically important clupeoid genera. They belong to a group, the suborder Clupeoidei, with about 80 genera and over 330 species, with a long evolutionary history reaching back to the Cretaceous. The majority of these clupeoid species live in tropical or subtropical waters, where their fisheries are extensive; in total, the clupeoids are economically the most important single fish group, contributing up to one third of all fish catches. The vast Clupea literature (and the research effort that it represents), at times threatening to rival that of all other species put together, suggests an imbalance. Nevertheless, it h.
Distribution and severity of bacterial brown spot on dry beans in South Africa: an update

Bacterial brown spot (BBS) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a seed-borne bacterial disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss). Dry bean is an important field crop in South Africa and all commercially available South African dry bean cultivars are susceptible to BBS. The aim of this study was to determine the current distribution and severity of BBS in the dry bean production areas of South Africa. We surveyed 31 locations in five provinces. Disease severity was evaluated on selected plots on a 0-9 scale in four different farming systems: commercial and subsistence farms and strip and national cultivar trials. Leaves with typical BBS symptoms were harvested and transferred to the laboratory. Bacteria were isolated following standard procedure using King's B medium. Identification of pure isolates was done using physiological and biochemical techniques. Incidence and severity values were used to calculate a disease index. BBS was observed in 88% of locations. BBS incidence was recorded in 54% to 100% of all the farming systems surveyed during the 2008/2009 and 2010/2011 seasons combined. BBS was more severe in the strip and national cultivar trials than on subsistence and commercial farms during the 2008/2009 season and more severe on the commercial farm and in national cultivar trials than on subsistence farms and strip trials during the 2010/2011 season. Findings of this study signal the importance of developing BBS-resistant dry bean cultivars for South Africa.
A functional analysis of the shift from gill to lung breathing during the evolution of land crabs crustacea decapoda

The evolution of air-breathing in land crabs is associated with a progressive shift in the primary site of respiratory gas exchange from the diffusion-limited gills used for water-breathing, via a simple ‘cutaneous’ lung surface to the perfusion-limited, invaginated lung described in the mountain crab, Pseudothelphusa garmani. The reduced diffusion limitation over the lungs facilitates oxygen transfer from air to the tissues at lower ventilation rates but is associated with accumulation of carbon dioxide. A potential respiratory acidosis is buffered by the respiratory pigment haemocyanin and by elevation of haemolymph bicarbonate levels. These changes parallel those described in vertebrates but air-breathing crustaceans maintain relatively low carbon dioxide levels in the haemolymph, either by retaining an aquatic route for its elimination over the reduced gills or by blowing it off across the lung. Maintenance of low carbon dioxide levels may be associated with a limited capacity to buffer against an acidosis due to low levels of circulating haemocyanin (i.e. crustaceans lack red blood cells). This may ultimately limit their survival in air as an acidosis will reduce oxygen transport due to a marked Bohr effect on haemocyanin. The primary role of an invaginated lung may be to reduce rates of water loss in air.
Seleção de genitores de Eucalyptus grandis e de Eucalyptus urophylla para produção de híbridos interespecíficos utilizando REML/BLUP e informação de divergência genética

RESUMO – Foram avaliadas 363 progenies de meios-irmaos de Eucalyptus urophylla e de 245 progenies de meios-irmaos de E. grandis, visando a selecao de genitores para a producao de hibridos interespecificos em cruzamentos controlados em dialelo circulante, com base em seus valores geneticos preditos. Os ensaios foram conduzidos em Guanhaes, MG, no delineamento de blocos casualizados com cinco repeticoes, parcelas lineares de seis plantas para E. urophylla e oito plantas para E. grandis, no espacamento de 3,0 x 2,0 m. Os parâmetros geneticos foram estimados adotando-se modelos mistos com uso do procedimento REML/BLUP (maxima verossimilhanca restrita/melhor predicao linear nao viesada) para diâmetro a altura do peito (DAP), altura total (ALT) e volume individual (VOL). A predicao dos valores geneticos foi feita somente para (DAP), caracteristica que foi utilizada para selecao. Em E. urophylla, foram obtidas as estimativas de herdabilidade no sentido restrito de 0,2785 e de acuracia da ordem de 61%, e em E. grandis, herdabilidade de 0,2247 e acuracia de 53%. A selecao dos 100 genitores de cada especie individualmente proporcionara ganhos geneticos na ordem de 20,6% em E. urophylla e de 16,4% em E. grandis. Ganho genetico para DAP em torno de 35,0% podera ser obtido com o cruzamento dos 10 individuos selecionados para cada especie, portadores das maiores estimativas de divergencia genetica.
Foonchewia guangdongensis gen. et sp. nov. (Rubioideae: Rubiaceae) and its systematic position inferred from chloroplast sequences and morphology

Abstract The new species, Foonchewia guangdongensis R. J. Wang & H. Z. Wen and the new monotypic genus Foonchewia R. J. Wang (Rubioideae, Rubiaceae), are described from eastern Guangdong, China. It is characterized by its subshrub habit, pentamerous and heterostylous flowers, 2‐1ocular ovary with many ovules, and apically dehiscent capsules with numerous angulated seeds. Phylogenetic analysis of four chloroplast DNA regions (rbcL, rps16, ndhF, and atpB‐rbcL) revealed that the new genus is nested in the Spermacoceae alliance and is sister to Dunnia. Morphological comparison between these two genera indicated that they had few synapomorphies; it was therefore inappropriate to classify the new genus in the existing tribe Dunnieae, and a new tribe, Foonchewieae R. J. Wang, is accordingly proposed.
Zero-shot object recognition by semantic manifold distance

Object recognition by zero-shot learning (ZSL) aims to recognise objects without seeing any visual examples by learning knowledge transfer between seen and unseen object classes. This is typically achieved by exploring a semantic embedding space such as attribute space or semantic word vector space. In such a space, both seen and unseen class labels, as well as image features can be embedded (projected), and the similarity between them can thus be measured directly. Existing works differ in what embedding space is used and how to project the visual data into the semantic embedding space. Yet, they all measure the similarity in the space using a conventional distance metric (e.g. cosine) that does not consider the rich intrinsic structure, i.e. semantic manifold, of the semantic categories in the embedding space. In this paper we propose to model the semantic manifold in an embedding space using a semantic class label graph. The semantic manifold structure is used to redefine the distance metric in the semantic embedding space for more effective ZSL. The proposed semantic manifold distance is computed using a novel absorbing Markov chain process (AMP), which has a very efficient closed-form solution. The proposed new model improves upon and seamlessly unifies various existing ZSL algorithms. Extensive experiments on both the large scale ImageNet dataset and the widely used Animal with Attribute (AwA) dataset show that our model outperforms significantly the state-of-the-arts.
A hotspot for Mediterranean cicadas (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadidae): new genera, species and songs from southern Spain

Southern Spain exhibits high diversity and endemism. Based on a long-term field study, a review of nine regional cicada species hitherto placed in the genus Tettigetta is provided. According to morphological characters previously defined by Lee, none of these species belongs to the genus Tettigetta; they are placed instead in four new genera: Tettigettalna Puissant gen. nov., Tettigettula Puissant gen. nov., Tettigettacula Puissant gen. nov., and Pseudotettigetta Puissant gen. nov. Tettigetta parvula (Fieber, 1876) and Tettigetta carayoni Boulard (1982) are transferred to Cicadivetta Boulard, 1982, as Cicadivetta parvula (Fieber, 1876), comb. nov. and Cicadivetta carayoni (Boulard, 1982), comb. nov. Tettigetta manueli Boulard, 2000 is considered a synonym of Tettigettalna helianthemi helianthemi (Rambur, 1840), comb. nov., syn. nov. Three new endemics, Tettigettalna boulardi Puissant sp. nov., Tettigettalna armandi Puissant sp. nov., and Tettigettalna defauti Puissant sp. nov., are described. A new subspecies, Tettigettalna helianthemi galantei Puissant ssp. nov., is also reported. All species are described with information on their distribution, habitat selection, and acoustic behaviour. The high diversity of cicadas in southern Spain is discussed in terms of local geography and mating behaviour.
REARING METHOD FOR CAPRELLA MUTICA (MALACOSTRACA: AMPHIPODA) IN AN EXHIBITION TANK IN THE PORT OF NAGOYA PUBLIC AQUARIUM, WITH NOTES ON REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Abstract Caprella mutica (Amphipoda) has been successfully reared through several generations per year for public exhibition in a tank of 500 L, more than five year after introduction of the species into the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, Japan. The tank was equipped with a coral sand bed filter, a circulation system, and a heater/chiller unit. Artificial seawater (Reef Crystals) was used as a medium. The diatom Phaeodactylum and hatched juveniles of Artemia were provided as food for C. mutica. Two years after the introduction, the sex ratio (females/(females + males)) was 0.50. Males reached body lengths up to 20.5 mm, while the largest female was 10.4 mm long. The average number of embryos/female was 33.0. Embryos were 0.38 to 0.41 mm in the long axis, and 0.30 to 0.33 mm in the short axis. These reproductive characters enable the production of multiple generations in a single year.
Planting black walnut in southern Ontario: midrotation assessment of growth, yield, and silvicultural treatments.

We established 480 remeasurement plots in plantations originally laid out by F.W. von Althen in the 1970s and 1980s for his pioneering work on hardwood planting in southern Ontario. We used 110 of these plots to summa- rize the growth and yield of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) plantations in southern Ontario. Overall, walnut growth averaged only 2.3 m 3 ·ha -1 ·year -1 , reflecting the less than optimal soil conditions at the majority of sites. However, good growth rates (i.e., >5 m 3 ·ha -1 ·year -1 ) were recorded at sites with well-drained loamy soils, particularly when walnut was interplanted with other tree species. We also carried out a detailed analysis of four of the original experiments of F.W. von Althen to examine the long-term impacts of silvicultural treatments applied at an early stage in plantation de- velopment. Briefly, these analyses found (i) a significant long-term effect of controlling herbaceous competition at an early point in plantation development, although there is a suggestion that lower herbicide concentrations may be ade- quate in the long run, (ii) that fertilization effects, which were marginal at the time of application, were not apparent at age 32, (iii) generally better walnut growth when interplanted with other woody species, but autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.), the species that stimulated the best walnut growth, grew invasively throughout the study area, thus ruling it out as a nurse species, and (iv) weak evidence that an initial spacing o f3m×3mi s optimal for walnut de- velopment in the absence of thinning up to age 30. This study provides rare insight into black walnut growth rates and best management practices in southern Ontario, although we recognize that the scope of these findings is limited by less than optimal soil conditions at many of the study sites.
Nitrogen‐to‐Protein Conversion Factors for Some Common Edible Mushrooms

Mushrooms (13) common to Japan were analyzed for total nitrogen (TN), amino acid nitrogen (AAN), amide-N and nonprotein nitrogen. The distribution of protein nitrogen averaged 67% to TN. Averaged nitrogen-to-protein conversion (N:P) factor was 5.99. Application of the factor for estimation of protein content resulted in a considerable difference from amino acid residue (AAres) levels, due to the high level of nonprotein nitrogen. A net N:P factor, defined as the proportion of AAN to TN, was proposed. The averaged value of 3.99 was derived from analytical TN and AAN data of mushrooms. Calculated protein values using this factor were in good agreement with AAres.
The effects of age at slaughter, genotype and finishing system on the organoleptic properties and texture of bull beef from suckled calves

An experiment was devised to examine the effect of animal age at slaughter, within genotype and finishing system, on bull beef eating quality characteristics to assess the 15 month age limit imposed for bulls at slaughter by the Meat and Livestock Commission specification for improved beef eating quality. The experiment was a factorial design using bulls of two crossbred genotypes (Aberdeen Angus × and Charolais ×), offered two diets (silage-based and barley-based) and slaughtered at two abattoirs. Bulls were slaughtered from approximately 10 months of age on seven dates (ages) at 6-week intervals. Bulls given barley were slaughtered on date numbers 1 to 5 (43 to 67 weeks of age) and bulls given silage on date numbers 2 to 7 (49 to 79 weeks of age). On each slaughter date and at each abattoir the first four commercial steers which followed the bulls on the slaughterline and met the United Kingdom (UK) modal carcass specification R 4L were selected as abattoir, slaughter date and industry representative controls. At 48 h post mortem samples of m. longissimus lumborum; m. biceps femoris; and m. semimembranosus were recovered from all bull and steer carcasses, vacuum packed and stored at 2°C for a fiirther 12 days before freezing and subsequent assessment by a 12 member taste panel and texture analysis using a Warner Bratzler shear jig. Bulls achieved high growth rates during the finishing period averaging 1·22, 1·55, 1·41 and 1·98 kg/day for silage-fed Angus × bulls; barley-fed Angus × bulls; silage-fed Charolais × bulls; and barley-fed Charolais × bulls, respectively (s.e. d. = 0·08; P v. 11·9 kg for m. biceps femoris; P P P It was concluded that beef aged for 14 days post mortem and recovered from young bulls which have achieved high growth rates can be at least as good as that representative of the UK standard product. The 15-month age limit for bulls ensures that commercially produced bulls achieve high lifetime growth rates and will produce beef of a quality comparable with that achieved in this study.
Resistance of Four Freshwater Crustaceans to Lethal High Temperature and Low Oxygen

The crustaceans studied were the isopod Asellus intermedius Forbes, and the amphipods Hyalella azteca (Saussure), Gammarus fasciatus Say, and Gammarus pseudolimnaeus Bousfield.Resistance to high temperature decreased with size in A. intermedius and G. fasciatus, but no difference was found for H. azteca. Female Gammarus, were more resistant than males, there was no difference for A. intermedius, and a variable relation in H. azteca. Acclimation temperature could be raised at rates of 2.5 to 5 °C per day, at temperatures above 14 °C. Raising acclimation from 10 to 20 °C increased the lethal temperature (50% mortality in 24 hours) by 1.9 °C in G. fasciatus, 1.3 °C in A. intermedius, 0.5 °C in G. pseudolimnaeus, and apparently not at all in H. azteca. There was no seasonal variation in resistance after A. intermedius was acclimated in the laboratory.Two difficulties encountered were mortality during acclimation and short survival of controls, but careful checking showed that neither greatly affected the repo.
Significance of euphotic sediments to oxygen and nutrient cycling in a temperate estuary

Sediment-water nutrient and oxygen exchanges were measured under light and dark conditions at 1 oligohaline (Stn D) and 1 mesohaline (Stn A) shallow (1 m) site in the Neuse River estuary, North Carolina. USA. Mean respiration rates were very similar between sites (11 to 12 mg 0 2 m-' h-'), but maximum net productivity at the mesohaline site (74 mg Oz m-' h-') was nearly twice that of the oligohaline site (40 mg O2 m-2 h-'). NH4 fluxes were also significantly different. On average, releases of NH, from sediments at both sites occurred in the dark (13 to 22 pm01 N h-' for Stns D and A, respectively) and, slightly, at the lowest irradiance (67 E m-' S-'. 0.3 to 5 pm01 N h-'). NH, was taken up at average rates between 3 and 12 pm01 N m-' h-' at 3 higher irradiances. Mean NO, (nitrate + nitnte) fluxes were very low ( < l 0 pm01 N m-2 h-'), nearly always directed out of the sediment, and not significantly different. Filterable reactive phosphorus fluxes also did not follow any consistent response to changes in irradiance. Flux vs irradiance curves were used in conjunction with estimates of in situ light availability to the benthos to compute ecosystem-level influence of autotrophy on material exchanges. The autotropic-heterotrophic transitions were 1 to 2 m (oligohaline) and 3 to 4 m (mesohaline). When integrated over depth and area the mesohaline sediments were always net NH, sources to the water column, net O2 sources in fall and winter and net O2 sinks in spring and summer. Oligohaline sediments were O2 sinks except during fall, and NH, sources only in winter and summer. Cultural eutrophication has the potential to alter the balance of benthic autotrophy and heterotrophy which in turn may foster phytoplanktonic productivity.
Underwater vocalizations of ice breeding grey seals

Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) breed both on land and on the ice. In January 1991, 36 h of underwater recordings were made from Amet Island, located in ice-covered waters in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. All vocalizations were examined for spectral and temporal structure and then classified into 1 of 7 call types. The majority of calls consisted of guttural "rups" and "rupes" (frequency = 100–3000 Hz), and low-frequency growls (100–500 Hz). Other less common vocalizations were low-frequency clicks (3000 Hz), as well as loud knocks, similar to knocking vocalizations recorded in walrus, and which had not been described previously for grey seals. The total number of vocalizations and the number of specific call types showed seasonal variations. The rate of vocalizations increased with the intensity of social activity and with the number of agonistic behaviors during the progression of the breeding season. Comparisons between night and day showed some changes in the vocal repertoire. Low-frequency click.
Effect of sunflower seed supplementation on the fatty acid composition of muscle and adipose tissue of pasture-fed and feedlot finished beef

This study examined the effects of whole sunflower seed (WSS) supplementation on pasture and in finishing diets on the fatty acid profile of muscle [gastrocnemius (GN), longissimus thoracis (LT), intercostals (IC)] and adipose tissue [subcutaneous (SQ), intermuscular (IM)]. Ninety-six yearling steers averaging 410 kg were randomly allocated to three pasture (P) dietary treatments: (1) supplemented with WSS (P-WSS, n = 48); (2) supplemented with cracked barley grain (P-BAR, n = 24), and (3) not supplemented (P-CON, n = 24). Steers rotationally grazed meadow bromegrass-alfalfa pasture for 66 d. After 66 d on pasture, half the steers from each dietary treatment were trucked to a feedlot where they were adjusted to finishing diets. The remaining 48 steers continued with their dietary treatment on stockpiled pasture for an additional 47 d (SD = 11) until they were slaughtered directly off pasture. In the feedlot, half the steers from each pasture dietary treatment were fed either a control (83% rolled barley, .
GIS-facilitated ex situ conservation of the rare Greek endemic Campanula incurva Aucher: Seed germination requirements and effect of growth regulators on in vitro proliferation and rooting

In order to develop conservation protocols for Campanula incurva, the geographical information systems (GIS) were used to unveil its ecological requirements; this facilitated the selection of substrates and of appropriate temperatures for cultivation and guided propagation experiments and acclimatization. Seed germination was tested under (i) dark, (ii) 16-h photoperiod, (iii) immersion in 400 ppm gibberellic acid (GA3) followed by incubation at dark, and (iv) immersion in 400 ppm GA3 followed by incubation at 16-h photoperiod (all at 21 ± 1°C). Dormancy was not detected. Germination exceeded 85% in 10 days. Shoot tips were established in vitro in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 1 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 0.1 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The effect of 1–8 μM BA and 1–8 μM kinetin on shoot proliferation was studied. Moreover, 8 μM BA was combined with 0, 1, 5, and 10 μM IBA to investigate effects of cytokinin/auxin. The highest number of microshoots/explant (4.03) was obtained with 8 μM BA. Microshoots were transferred to half strength MS and full strength MS media with 0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 μM IBA to evaluate their root induction ability. Half strength MS medium with 5 μM IBA resulted in 100% rooting (16.80 average number of roots/microshoot). Plantlets produced were successfully acclimatized.
Citrullus simple sequence repeats markers from sequence databases

Publically available cDNA sequence data of Citrullus lanatus were searched for simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Nineteen microsatellites were identified and primer pairs were designed to amplify those loci. Primers were evaluated for their ability to detect polymorphisms within a set of several watermelon varieties and local landraces, C. colocynthis, and interspecific hybrids. Eighteen polymorphic SSR loci were identified. These polymorphic loci can be used for varietal identification and other uses.