Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate is an important driver for stream diatom distributions

Aim The species distributions of macroorganisms are widely studied, yet microbial distributions at species level remain poorly resolved. We explored the relative contributions of climatic and local environmental factors in explaining the distribution patterns of unicellular diatoms. Location A geographical gradient of c. 1200 km in Finland (60°–70° N). Methods We modelled the distributions of 157 diatom taxa sampled in 227 stream sites using climatic and local environmental predictors with four different modelling techniques: generalized linear models, generalized additive models, boosted regression trees and Random Forest. We used models with three separate sets of predictors: environment only, climate only and the full set of predictors. The model performances were evaluated using the area under the curve of a receiver operating characteristic plot and the true skill statistic values by a four-fold cross-validation approach. Results We found that the predictive performance of the full models was highest, indicating the importance of both the local environment and large-scale climatic factors in diatom distribution patterns. However, climate-only models outcompeted the environment-only models in predicting diatom distributions. The explanatory variables had varying importance across species and growing degree days and precipitation had the highest relative importance in the full models. We also found that the predictability of the distributions varied greatly among species, but the differences among families were typically small. Main conclusions Our results suggest that at a broad geographical scale climate-related factors are important determinants of diatom distributions and may be stronger drivers than local variables. The inclusion of both climatic and local environmental factors in species distribution modelling facilitates the understanding of the joint effects of these drivers on microorganisms in future conditions. From an applied perspective, our study demonstrated that species distribution models serve as an important tool in explaining and predicting microbial distributions.
Lichenicolous Fungi: Interactions, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Abstract The lichenicolous fungi represent an important ecological group of species that form obligate associations with lichens. They have been studied seriously for over 200 years and the European species are especially well collected. However, collecting in other areas has been far less systematic and many new species await discovery. North American species are especially under-studied and this review is intended to stimulate the collection and study of these species. To encourage this study by lichenologists, we review the sorts of interactions formed by lichenicolous fungi with their lichen hosts, discuss various aspects of host specificity, virulence, chemical ecology, and evolution of lichenicolous fungi and provide a complete taxonomic listing of lichenicolous genera arranged as far as possible into natural groupings. In each section we suggest research topics in need of further study, and provide a listing of significant literature. We hope by calling attention to the largely unexplored biodiversity of lichenicolous fungi, investigators will take up the study of these fascinating organisms.
Synthesis and Evaluation of N-Methyl and S-Methyl 11C-Labeled 6-Methylthio-2-(4′-N,N-dimethylamino)phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines as Radioligands for Imaging β-Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer’s Disease

6-Thiolato-substituted 2-(4′-N,N-dimethylamino)phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines (RS-IMPYs; 1−4) were synthesized as candidates for labeling with carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min) and imaging of Aβ plaques in living human brain using positron emission tomography (PET). Ki values for binding of these ligands to Alzheimer’s disease brain homogenates were measured in vitro against tritium-labeled 6 (Pittsburgh compound B). MeS-IMPY (3, Ki = 7.93 nM) was labeled with carbon-11 at its S- or N-methyl position to give [11C]7 or [11C]8, respectively. After injection into rats, [11C]7 or [11C]8 gave moderately high brain uptakes of radioactivity followed by rapid washout to low levels. The ratio of radioactivity at maximal uptake to that at 60 min reached 18.7 for [11C]7. [11C]7 behaved similarly in mouse and monkey. [11C]7 also bound selectively to Aβ plaques in post mortem human Alzheimer’s disease brain. Although rapidly metabolized in rat by N-demethylation, [11C]7 was stable in rat brain homogenates. The ex vivo brain .
THE RED ALGA GENUS RHODOSPORA (BANGIOPHYCIDAE, RHODOPHYTA): FIRST REPORT FROM NORTH AMERICA 1

We recently discovered several populations of the red alga Rhodospora sordida Geitler in samples from seep walls in Tennessee. This species is thought to be an extremely rare alga. It was reported previously only from seep walls in Europe. The last published reports of the alga were made in the mid‐1970s. A culture of the alga was made from one other site in North America (a rock wall in Arkansas) in 1977, but no publication accompanied that find. Since discovering the alga in summer 2004, we found a second population in a seep wall in northeast Ohio. We suspect that this species has a broader distribution than previously thought and has been overlooked or misidentified in past studies.
Bottom Fauna and the Food of Fishes

IN the waters off Plymouth there exists a definite inshore fishing-ground, approximately 13 square miles in area, locally known as the “corner. ” In order to obtain some idea of the Bionomic conditions prevailing on this ground an intensive study of the bottom fauna was undertaken. Quantitative seasonal observations extending over a period of one year (August, 1928–July, 1929 inclusive) have been made, using the 0.1 square metre Bottom Sampler and the “Agassiz” Trawl, a method having been devised for obtaining quantitative hauls with the latter instrument. Investigations into the food actually eaten by the fishes within the area have been carried on simultaneously, and the stomach contents of over 2000 fishes comprising 29 different species have been examined. On account of the length of time required for stomach examination, it was found impossible to make seasonal observations on them also, but comparable winter and summer examinations were made.
Acid- and Oxidatively-Labile Vinyl Ether Surfactants: Synthesis and Drug Delivery Applications

Liposomes have now evolved into a commercially-important drug delivery vehicle by overcoming a host of problems that were initially encountered with first generation liposomes. In spite of these impressive advances, the great potential of liposomes as drug delivery vehicles will not be fully realized until more effective targeting and membrane fusion mechanisms have been incorporated into their formulations. Our laboratory has developed several plasmenyl-type lipids for use in acid- or photooxidatively-triggerable liposomes. This review summarizes our progress toward the design, synthesis, and triggered release of encapsulated agents upon acid-catalyzed hydrolysis or photosensitized oxidation of plasmenyl-type lipid systems. Application of these materials in cascade triggering and intracellular drug delivery schemes is also described.
Genetic parameters of live body weight, body measurements, greasy fleece weight, and reproduction traits in Makuie sheep breed

Genetic parameters of production and reproduction traits were estimated using 39,926 records from 5,860 individual progenies of 163 sires and 1,558 dams. The data were collected at Makuie Sheep Breeding and Raising Station (Maku, Iran) from 1989 through 2013. Nineteen traits were classified in four main groups: a) live body weight traits, b) body measurement traits, c) greasy fleece weight traits, and d) reproduction traits. Year of birth, lamb sex, age of dam, and birth type were considered as fixed effects in the animal model. Four different animal models that are differentiated by including or excluding maternal effects were fitted for each trait. The Akaike information criterion was used to determine the most appropriate model for each trait. Parameters were overestimated substantially when maternal effects, either genetic or environmental, were ignored from the models. By ignoring the maternal effects, the traits could be classified into three main groups: body live weight traits with high heritability (0.34-0.46), body measurement and greasy fleece weight traits with medium heritability (0.11-0.27) and reproduction traits with low heritability (0.03-0.20). The genetic correlations among the traits ranged from-0.41 to 0.99. The estimated genetic parameters may be used to set up short/long term breeding program for the selection purpose of Makuie sheep breed.
The effect of high levels of carbon dioxide on dark respiration and growth of plants

Abstract Raising ambient levels of CO2 during the night, between 350 and 950cm3m−3, reduced the dark respiration rate of Medicago sativum seedlings. The percentage effect was greater for maintenance respiration than for dark respiration as a whole, and when the plants were in a low photosynthate status. Twenty-four h carbon balance studies confirmed a reduction in night time respiration and an increase of net carbon gain when night time [CO2] was high. Growth experiments showed a small but significant increase of dry weight in Medicago sativum seedlings exposed to high [CO2] (∼ 1200 cm3m−3) at night. This effect was greater for plants grown with Rhizobium nodules than for plants grown with nitrate in the absence of Rhizobium. A similar, but smaller and statistically non-significant effect of high night time [CO2] on growth was found for Xanthium strumarium seedlings. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the rising CO2 content of the atmosphere.
Formulation, Preparation and Preservation of Lemon ( Citrus limon L.) Cordial

Lemon cordial was prepared and its storage conditions were studied. The prepared cordial was kept in 250 ml sterilized glass bottles, sealed and stored at ambient temperature (22°- 37°C) for 360 days. The chemical composition, keeping quality and consumers acceptability of the product was analyzed at an interval of 15 days up to 120 days and then at an interval of 30 days upto360 days. Except vitamin C content, no noticeable change was observed during the storage. Key words: Lemon, Cordial, Citric acid, Ascorbic acid, Reducing sugar, Non-reducing sugar DOI:10.3329/jbs.v16i0. 3755 J. bio-sci. 16: 125-127, 2008
The fate of water in the rumen

1. A mathematical treatment is given of the marker technique for studying water balances in the rumen. The treatment is extended to cover non-steady-state conditions and emphasis is placed on the underlying assumptions and practical limitations of the technique. 2. The 51Cr complex of ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (51Cr EDTA) was used as a marker in the rumen of sheep. 3. The 51Cr EDTA entered 95–98% of the water in the rumen. Mixing in the rumen, though adequate, was usually not quite complete even 1·5 h after injection of the dose. The techniques of injecting the dose and of withdrawing the sample were found to be important; some techniques often led to poor mixing. 4. Provided that the time of injection of the dose was suitably selected, reliable estimates of the volume of water in the rumen could readily be made, but reliable estimates of flow rates needed stringent attention to details of technique.
Pheromonal Regulation of Development in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

INTRODUCTION Mating of the two different haploid cell types of baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to form a diploid provides a relatively simple system for studying the biochemical basis of intercellular signaling and developmental control in eukaryotic cells. Conjugation occurs efficiently when cultures of opposite mating type are mixed but only exceedingly rarely when cultures of the same haploid cell type are mixed. Thus, there must be specific biochemical features that distinguish and define the mating type of a yeast cell and that mediate the intercellular interactions occurring between them to permit conjugation. Indeed, substantial progress has been made over the last 10 years in describing events in the mating process at the molecular level (for reviews, see Crandall 1977for reviews, see Crandall 1978; Crandall et al. 1977; Manney and Meade 1977; MacKay 1978; Goodenough 1980; Thorner 1980; Manney et al. 1981). One exciting outcome of these investigations is the demonstration that reciprocal exchange of diffusible oligopeptide pheromones is the intercellular stimulus that initiates the physiological changes in haploid cells that culminate in mating. In this paper, mating will be discussed in light of recent advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of yeast. Where possible, the identification and biochemical mode of action of cell-type-specific gene products that function in this developmental process will be emphasized, particularly the pivotal role of the mating pheromones. AN OVERVIEW OF MATING EVENTS A diagrammatic representation of the conjugation process is shown in Figure 1 and is based on the observations of a large number.