Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modification of a multiple‐locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for typing isolates of Erwinia amylovora

&NA; Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight that affects economically important rosaceous plants, is reported among the most important plant pathogenic bacteria. The low genetic diversity within E. amylovora and the lack of simple and high‐resolution genotyping techniques make epidemiology and evolutionary studies challenging for this pathogen. A multiple‐locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) based on a set of nine variable number tandem repeat loci was successfully used to type 46 E. amylovora isolates collected from different host plants in 16 countries, mainly Mediterranean. The nine polymorphic loci proved to have high discriminatory power and to increase the resolution of the MLVA. Thirty‐eight haplotypes clustered in seven clonal complexes. The results identified potentially useful genetic markers among the Mediterranean strains, particularly from the Balkan Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean countries. Different MLVA types were observed amongst Italian strains only, indicating the possibility of multiple introductions of the disease. MLVA can be used effectively as a fast, cheap, and simple tool to track E. amylovora infection sources, to gain insight into geographic diversity, and to understand the dynamic evolution of the pathogen.
Gold-plasmon enhanced solar-to-hydrogen conversion on the {001} facets of anatase TiO2 nanosheets

A 64-fold improved efficiency of solar-to-hydrogen conversion (SHC) was achieved via exposing Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the {001} facets of anatase TiO2 nanosheets. The SHC follows a surface plasmon resonance-mediated electron injection mechanism, where Au NPs can not only harvest visible light and convert them to free energetic electrons, but promote the SHC by increasing the electron–hole pair formation rate driven by the electromagnetic field formed nearby the semiconductor.
Distribution of Asellia tridens (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) lineages including representatives from Saudi Arabia

The genus Asellia was recently revised, giving an insight into the genetic and morphological characteristics of a group whose distribution spans from North Africa into Asia. We studied the genus further by considering additional mitochondrial markers and sampling localities. The deepest previously identified split in A. tridens is supported (Middle East/North Africa), along with the association of North and West African lineages. Central Saudi Arabia is found to represent the easternmost extent of a North African haplogroup when considering concatenated fragments of Cytochrome-b, NADH Dehydrogenase 2, and Cytochrome Oxidase 1 genes. New distribution data further emphasises the diversity found in the Middle East and suggests some mixing of haplotypes over long distances.
The Effect of Applying Exogenous Salicylic Acid on Aphid Infection and its Influence on Histo-Physiological Traits and Thermal Imaging of Canola

Abstract Insect damage in canola adversely affects its productivity andquality and is considered one of the most important degrading factors in Egypt. The effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on aphid populations, growth and yield of canola (Brassica napus, L.) cv. serw 4 was the major goal of this study. Two experiments were conducted at the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, during 2014 and 2015 seasons, to achieve this target. Each experiment included four levels of SA (0, 50, 100, 200 mg 1-1). The experimental results revealed that SA, at low concentration (50 mg 1-1), was an effective treatment for reduction the number of aphid populations and colony depth on the main inflorescence, contributed with reducing the thickness of secretory tissue of flower pedicel. The level of 50 mg 1-1 of SA-treated canola had the highest number of stomata cm-2, along with the lowest width of both stoma and its aperture. Thickness of xylem tissue and the number of xylem vessels bundle-1 in leaf midrib, reducing sugars and free amino acids was increased at 50 mg 1-1 SA, but free phenolics content did not affected significantly. Under controlled conditions, changes in temperature of infected leaves allowed the discrimination between healthy and infected areas in thermo-image, even before visible symptoms of aphid infestation appeared. The detection of modifications in plants or canopies, associated with low insect severity in the early stages of infestation, was crucial for the targeted, site-specific or on demand application of integrated aphid control. Canola, which was treated with 50 mg 1-1 of SA, gave 30.5 and 27.9 kg of oil ha-1 over the control. It was concluded that spraying of SA at 50 mg 1-1 was an effective elicitor to diminish the aphid numbers on canola inflorescence and improve its yield.
Simple Technologies for Converting Rest Raw Materials of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) into High-Quality, Valuable, and Tasty Feed Ingredients

ABSTRACT Rest raw materials as viscera, heads, and frames from farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were hydrolyzed with the use of endogenous enzymes and the commercial enzymes Protamex and a mixture of Papain and Bromelain. Composition of the prehydrolysis mixture clearly influenced the quality of final hydrolysate and process kinetics. An increased proportion of viscera increased the amount of endogenous enzymes, which influenced hydrolysis kinetics, the extent of hydrolysis, and increased bitterness. Commercial enzymes, in addition to endogenous enzymes, are not always more yield efficient or economically beneficial but can be used to improve the taste and to ease the separation of oil from the hydrolysate fraction. Hydrolysis of denatured proteins in rest raw materials was hardly detectable. Optimum temperature should therefore be selected to avoid protein denaturation and simultaneously maintain high enzymatic activity. Hydrolysates preferably contain a low concentration of oil, and this work shows that high-quality oil can be separated before hydrolysis by mild thermal treatment. The previous separation of oil did not influence hydrolysate yield and decreased the concentration of lipids in the final hydrolysate. The initial separation of oil also increased productivity of the hydrolysis reactor, due to the reduction of hydrolysis volume.
Monitoring reintroduced Lear’s macaws (Anodorhynchus leari) in the Raso da Catarina, Bahia (Brazil)

Two Lear’s Macaws (Anodorhynchus leari), which were rescued as nestlings from a nest in March, 2003, were treated and raised in captivity. A pre-release training program was established before their reintroduction to prepare their muscles through natural flights in a large cage, while simultaneously developing avoidance behaviors towards predators and human beings. While in captivity, their foraging capability was analyzed. Conventional (VHF) radiotelemetry was used to evaluate and monitor the release process and the post-release behavior of the birds. The macaws were able to survive in the wild for at least 83 days, being able to forage successfully and interact with wild A. leari. Local residents provided important information on their location after release. However, the kinds of habitat used and the long distances daily typically covered by the macaw suggest satellite-based tracking technology may be more effective for the gathering of data in future reintroduction experiments. The fact that only two individuals were reintroduced limits potential extrapolations on the utility of the approach for the conservation of the species. Despite these limitations, the study may contribute to the development of effective reintroduction procedures for this highly endangered species.
A KEY TO THE GENERA OF AMERICAN BIDESSINE WATER BEETLES, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW GENERA (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae)1

The many tiny species of the tribe Bidessini (Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae) are in great need of revision. At present, however, the group is in such a confused state and the faunas of great areas of the world are so poorly known that any revisionary work must be considered preliminary. The following key largely based on notes made by the writer while a Guggenheim Fellow at the British Museum (Natural History) in London, is presented in the hope that it may encourage further collecting and study of this interesting group of aquatic insects. In the American literature many species are placed in the genus Bidessus Sharp (1882), but this name actually covers a group of genera some of which are extremely different from typical Bidessus. Much of the difficulty lies in the small size of the insects (1.2 to 3.5 mm. in length) which makes their study difficult. In some groups the male genitalia have proven to be of great value in separating species and show excellent correlation with some generic groups. The Bidessini and Pachydrini are associated by the fusion of the coxal plates to the abdominal sternites so that the under surface of the body from the front of the metasternum to the hind border of the third abdominal segment consists of one rigid piece. This is seen in typical form in all the American genera except Hydrodessus. In the Bidessini, however, the middle coxae are not separated by the intercoxal process of the metasternum which does not reach the metasternal fork and the posterior tibiae are slender, usually curved at the base and expanded toward the apex so that they appear club-like. The coxal lines are generally distinct and longer than the prosternal process. In the Bidessini, Pachydrini, and Hyphydrini the articular cavities of the hind coxae are not contiguous and not protected by the coxal processes so they open on the under surface of the coxae and are separated by the coxal processes which are usually adpressed to the level of the abdominal sternites (Sharp, 1882). The Bidessini thus form a distinctive group of hydroporine dytiscids although some genera show modifications of the tarsi not characteristic of the subfamily Hydroporinae. The many species show varying ecological modifications, and the group as a whole occupies the very small aquatic predator niche in the marginal zone and psammon of freshwater. The characters which have been used for the separation of genera are not all of equal value or reliability. In the following key, I have attempted to evaluate these characters by placing emphasis on those which seem least subject to variation or differences in interpretation, but I have included summaries of other characters for the purpose of comparison. The key may be used in simplified
Field and laboratory metabolism and thermoregulation in Dovekies (Alle alle)

ABsTRAcr. -The Dovekie (Alle alle) is an abundant seabird in the high Arctic. We studied Dovekie energetics by measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) in the laboratory and rates of CO2 production (with doubly labeled water, DLW) of free-living adults during the chick-rearing period. Within the thermoneutral zone, resting metabolism was 2.42 ? 0.13 ml O2 g'h-' (177.9 ? 9.6 kJ/day). These values were 84-112% greater than predicted for nonpasserines. Thermal conductance (C) was 0.0630 ? 0.0029 ml 02 g'h-' 0C-', which was close to or lower than allometric values of birds of similar body size. Field metabolic rate (FMR) was 6.68 ? 1.06 mlC02 C gh-' (696.1 ? 103.7 kJ/day). This is the highest FMR value, corrected for body mass, yet published for seabirds studied by the doubly labeled water method during the chick-rearing period. The high wing loading of Dovekies implies that flight cost may be high, resulting in a high FMR. Despite a high FMR, Dovekies had an FMR/RMR ratio of 3.9, similar to values reported for other species in other regions during chick-rearing. We estimated that the amount of plankton (mainly Calanus finmarchicus) consumed each day by Dovekies equaled 80% of their body mass. A colony of 70,000 pairs of Dovekies (assuming one 14-day-old chick in each nest) would consume 21.9 tons of fresh zooplankton per day, and would add approximately 2.1 tons (dry mass) per day of guano to the marine and terrestrial ecosystems over this period. Received 4 January 1990, accepted 13 July 1990.
Effects of the miticide hexythiazox on biology of Galendromus flumenis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

ABSTRACT The Banks grass mite, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks) (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a major pest of dates. The miticide hexythiazox (Savey® 50 DF) is the current industry standard for Banks grass mite management on dates. However, sole reliance on hexythiazox as a single control strategy may lead to resistance in the mite population. Incorporating biological control into the Banks grass mite management on dates is a step towards a more integrated programme. The predatory mite, Galendromus flumenis (Chant), is the most abundant predator and the only phytoseiid species on date bunches. Conservation of G. flumenis is essential for a successful integrated mite management programme, and it is important to understand the impact of hexythiazox on the biological control of Banks grass mite by G. flumenis. For this purpose, the toxic effects of the recommended field rate of hexythiazox on the development of different immature stages and the fecundity of adult females of G. flumenis were evaluated. Laboratory bioassays were conducted in which predators were both treated topically by hexythiazox sprays and exposed to residues on the arena surface and on the sprayed prey. Mortality due to hexythiazox was 0.09% in eggs, 2.63% in larvae, 0.00% in protonymphs and 2.08% in adult females of G. flumenis. Hexythiazox did not have any significant effect on the fecundity of the treated females, hatch rate of the laid eggs, progeny development or sex ratio. Results suggest that hexythiazox would not disrupt the biological control of Banks grass mite by G. flumenis in the field.
Increased diatom dissolution in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica linked to inception of the Prydz Bay gyre

Diatom assemblages and abundance in marine sediment cores are utilised as proxies of paleoceanographic conditions. However, diatoms are altered by taphonomic processes, which cause diatom accumulation rates to vary while simultaneously altering assemblages by removing some species from the sedimentary record. Furthermore, these taphonomic processes vary with space and time. Additionally, significant insights into the marine carbon and silicon cycles can be gained by assessing variability in diatom dissolution. Sediment core NBP0101-JPC24 from Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, provides a detailed Holocene record of diatom community shifts in an ecologically significant section of the Antarctic coast. The sedimentary and paleontologic record in JPC24 records the inception of the Prydz Bay gyre during deglaciation, as well as an increase in sea ice and in wind-related turbulence over the last 7000 years. A record of diatom preservation for JPC24 has been established by examining dissolution-induced changes in the morphology of Fragilariopsis curta, a sea-ice-related diatom common in JPC24. Diatom dissolution in NBP0101-JPC24 does not significantly correlate with the relative abundance of any diatom species or ecological species group. However, dissolution is low during the deglacial, prior to the inception of the Prydz Bay gyre and resultant polynya, and increases as the gyre increases in size and strength to present conditions. Circulation in the upper water column associated with the modern persistent gyre causes diatoms and other silt-sized particles to remain in suspension. Prior studies have shown that diatoms exposed to caustic marine water continue to dissolve until they are sequestered in sediments. Once sequestered in the sediments, diatoms will stop dissolving when a chemical equilibrium has been achieved between silicic acid in solution and solid opal. Diatom dissolution, therefore, is seen to be controlled by physical oceanographic factors rather than diatom ecology.
Linear Decoder Analysis Applied to Multineuronal Records of Retinal Ganglion Cells

— Achieving a thorough understanding about the neural code is one of the neuroscientists’ greatest challenges. One way to evaluate our current knowledge about the neural code is trying to reconstruct sensorial stimuli from neuronal responses. In spite of nowadays there are several types of decoding techniques, few of them have been used and analyzed in actual multi neuronal records of retinal ganglion cells. In this work, we had employed and analyzed a linear decoder to reconstruct different visual stimulus, white noise scramble and natural image, from multi neuronal records of retinal ganglion cells. The efficiency of the reconstruction depends on two factors: one the one hand, the type of visual stimulus, if parameters used were calculated since white noise, scramble or natural image , and on the other hand, the numbers of cells employed in the reconstruction.
Cutting Edge: Role of the Inositol Phosphatase SHIP in B Cell Receptor- Induced Ca 21 Oscillatory Response 1

Src homology-2 domain-containing inositol polyphosphate 5*phosphatase (SHIP) is a recently identified protein that has been implicated as an important signaling molecule. Although SHIP has been shown to participate in the FcgRIIB-mediated inhibitory signal, the functional role of SHIP in activation responses by immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifbearing receptors such as B cell receptor (BCR) remains unclear. Indeed, it has been proposed that SHIP serves as a linking molecule for the regulation of the extracellular signalregulated kinase pathway in BCR signaling, because SHIP associates with Shc. We now report that SHIP-deficient DT40 B cells display enhanced Ca 21 mobilization in response to BCR ligation, whereas extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation is unaffected. This Ca 21 enhancement is due to a sustained intracellular Ca 21 increase or to long-lasting Ca 21 oscillations by loss of SHIP, as revealed by single-cell Ca 21 imaging analysis. These results demonstrate the importance of SHIP in B cell activation by the modulation of Ca 21 mobilization. The
Traditional and new food uses of pulses

The global production of pulses, such as various peas, beans, lupines, and lentils, is about 77 million metric tons. Pulses are diverse in their traditional food uses in Asia, Africa, and America, where they have been used, for example, in soups, spreads, meal components, snacks, and breakfast items. Having high protein content (about 20–40%), pulses have recently gained interest when alternative sustainable protein sources are considered. Pulses have been used for protein enrichment in pasta and bread, and they also are suitable ingredients in gluten-free foods. Wet and dry fractionation methods as well as bioprocessing such as germination and fermentation provide useful tools for development of new functional pulse ingredients. The use of pulses is bound to increase in the future, and especially in combination with cereal raw materials they may find new applications meeting both sensory and nutritional needs of consumers on all continents.
Phospholipids in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) larvae rearing: Incorporation of DHA in live feed and larval phospholipids and the metabolic capabilities of larvae for de novo synthesis

22 An increasing number of studies suggest that DHA associated to dietary phospholipid (PL) 23 are better metabolically available for fish larvae. Knowledge on how to increase DHA levels 24 in the major PL classes of the live feed are needed. Brachionus Cayman was cultured in 25 conical fibreglass vessels, enriched with commonly used commercial diet Multigain or DHA 26 Selco (DSelco) in flat bottom vessels at 20 oC. The changes of DHA content in the PL of the 27 rotifers through enrichment and through a starvation phase post-enrichment were investigated 28 in order to define an appropriate enrichment time and to test the stability of DHA post29 enrichment. The different dietary non-HUFA (non-highly unsaturated fatty acid) composition 30 of DSelco (25.1 % SFA, 32.1 % MUFA) and Multigain (40.7 % SFA, 2.11 % MUFA) allowed 31 an evaluation on how SFA and MUFA might affect the efficiency of DHA enrichment of 32 phospholipid in the rotifers. Rotifer samples were collected at 0 h, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h and 33 24 h after initiation of enrichment. Total lipid (TL) and the fatty acid composition in TL, 34 phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of rotifers and enrichment diets 35 were analysed. The highest DHA levels in PC (23.0%) and PE (16.5%) in Cayman were 36 found after 24 h enrichment with Multigain, and levels were far higher than obtained earlier. 37 The enriched DHA was stable at 10 oC for at least 24 h post enrichment under starving 38 conditions (p>0.05), whereas a significant (p<0.05) decrease of DHA was observed during 39 starvation at 20 oC. In order to obtain high DHA levels in PC and PE in rotifers, the 40 enrichment time is suggested to be at least 24 h to maximise the efficiency of DHA 41 enrichment in PL and the enrichment diet should have a high DHA content. The feeding 42 rations should be low to reduce the total lipid contents of the rotifers. The overall results 43 allowed us to propose a hypothesis that 18:1n9 can inhibit DHA incorporation through 44 competition whereas 16:0 can facilitate DHA incorporation into PL. The hypothesis needs to 45 be further tested. 46
Avaliação econômica de inseticidas biológicos

A economicidade e um importante fator na selecao de um inseticida para uso em programas de manejo de populacoes de insetos-pragas. Geralmente o agricultor compra inseticida desconsiderando aspectos relacionados ao seu desempenho agronomico e ao seu efeito sobre os sistemas nao visados, o que pode provocar intoxicacoes humanas, contaminacoes dos agroecossistemas e aumentos desnecessarios no custo de producao. O objetivo basico da avaliacao economica de um inseticida biologico e o de verificar a viabilidade de sua comercializacao, em comparacao com os metodos tradicionalmente utilizados. Entre varias metodologias, destaca-se a relacao custo-beneficio de cada medida, como sugerido neste trabalho. A formula proposta e: Custo-Beneficio = [(Preco de Inseticida) x (Custo Ambiental)]/[(Desempenho do Produto) x (Periodo de Controle Efetivo) x (Perda Evitada)]. Pelo exemplo utilizado, determinou-se que pelo indice de custo-beneficio, Baculovirus anticarsia e cerca de 10 vezes superior a bacteria e de 15 a 20 vezes melhor que os inseticidas quimicos utilizados frequentemente na cultura da soja.
DECIPHERING THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE STRESS ON RUBISCO LARGE SUBUNIT AND ITS COMPLEX ASSEMBLY

Ribulose 1, 5Bisphosphate Carboxylase/ Oxygenase (RuBisCO) is one of the most important photosynthetic enzymes in determining the photosynthetic efficiencies in plants. It plays a crucial role in carbon fixation. Disassembly of large and small subunits of RuBisCO enzyme results in significant decrease in carbon fixation and photosynthetic performance. This work aims to investigate the impact of temperature (heat and chill ing) stress on the accumulation of RuBisCO large subunit and the complex assembly. Hereby, pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings, grown at 20°C, were subjected to low (10°C) and high (40°C) temperatures. The effect of these temperature extremes was evaluated in relation to protein banding profile patterns for total cellular and chloroplast proteins using SDS-PAGE technique. The assembly of RuBisCO complex (~ 680 kDa) using Histidine Deoxycholate Native (HDN)PAGE technique was appeared. In conclusion, this study may give some insights about the mechanism by which temperature stress can affect the assembly/disassembly of RuBisCO complex. This will increase our awareness to come up with new ways to protect RuBisCO enzyme during extreme climates and consequently save many crop losses worldwide.