Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ozone Flux Measurement and Modelling on Leaf/Shoot and Canopy Scale

The quantitative study of the ozone effects on agricultural and forest vegetation requires the knowledge of the pollutant dose absorbed by plants via leaf stomata, i.e. the stomatal flux. Nevertheless, the toxicologically effective dose can differ from the stomatal flux because a pool of scavenging and detoxification processes reduce the amount of pollutant responsible of the expression of the harmful effects. The measurement of the stomatal flux is not immediate and the quantification of the effective dose is still troublesome. The paper examines the conceptual aspects of ozone flux measurement and modelling in agricultural and ecological research. The ozone flux paradigm is conceptualized into a toxicological frame and faced at two different scales: leaf/shoot and canopy scales. Leaf and shoot scale flux measurements require gas-exchange enclosure techniques, while canopy scale flux measurements need a micrometeorological approach including techniques such as eddy covariance and the aerodynamical gradient. At both scales, not all the measured ozone flux is stomatal flux. In fact, a not negligible amount of ozone is destroyed on external plant surfaces, like leaf cuticles, or by gas phase reaction with biogenic volatile compounds. The stomatal portion of flux can be calculated from concurrent measurements of water vapour fluxes at both scales. Canopy level flux measurements require very fast sensors and the fulfilment of many conditions to ensure that the measurements made above the canopy really reflect the canopy fluxes (constant flux hypothesis). Again, adjustments are necessary in order to correct for air density fluctuations and sensor-surface alignment break. As far as regards flux modelling, at leaf level the stomatal flux is simply obtained by multiplying the ozone concentration on the leaf with the stomatal conductance predicted by means of physiological models fed by meteorological parameter. At canopy level the stomatal flux is calculated by SVAT models often based on the energy balance of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere system and on the big-leaf concept. This latter assumes the canopy as equivalent to a single leaf having a leaf area equal to the total area of all the plant’s leaves and lying at a certain height above the ground. The complexity of SVAT models ranges from one-dimensional to three-dimensional models. The most used are one-dimensional models in single-layer, dual-source or multi-layer version. The main uncertainties in flux modelling are currently associated to the estimation of the non-stomatal flux component and to the up-scaling process from leaf to canopy and stand level. For the latter a separate representation of sunlit and shaded leaves is recommended.
A Synopsis of Korthalsella (Viscaceae)

In preparation for forthcoming publi- cations on allozymes and the ITS region of nuclear DNA of Korthalsella, a synopsis of the genus is presented. Only names in current use are listed; a complete taxonomic revision will be published sep- arately. Molecular evidence, as well as morpho- metric evaluation of branch shape characters and anatomical results have shown that a realignment of Korthalsella sections and species is needed. The changes involve new delimitations and combina- tions. A key to the eight species of Korthalsella is presented. The following species are recognized: Korthalsella geminata (Korthals) Engler, K. papu- ana Danser, K. taenioides (Commerson ex DC.) En- gler, including six forms, K. cylindrica (Tieghem) Engler, K. japonica (Thunberg) Engler, including three forms, K. salicornioides (A. Cunningham) Tieghem, K. lindsayi (Oliver ex Hooker f.) Engler, K. lindsayi var. clavata (Kirk) Danser, and K. dac- rydii (Ridley) Danser.
Effects of dietary protein sources on growth, survival and digestive capacity of Octopus maya juveniles (Mollusca: Cephalopoda).

We propose two hypotheses to explain the inexistence of adequate prepared diet for Octopus maya at this date: Hypothesis 1 is related to changes in protein structure during protein cooking, which affects the digestibility. Hypothesis 2 is related to changes on nutritional characteristics during ingredient process, which affects the nutritional composition of diet. To test hypothesis 1, experiments one and two were directed to determine if protein cooking reduces digestibility and growth of animals when compared to fresh or lyophilized protein sources. For hypothesis 2, three experiments were conducted, testing seven different dietary protein sources offered in isolation or combined in artificial diets fed to O. maya. Results demonstrated that the diets that promoted growth were the ones based on fresh crab paste, and both lyophilized crab and squid tentacles paste. In consequence hypothesis 1 was accepted. The cooking process also changed nutritional characteristics of protein sources, affecting the growth of O. maya. Results obtained when squid and crab were mixed suggest that nutritional requirements of octopuses were covered with that diet in similar forms compared to when using fresh or lyophilized crab, also confirming hypothesis 2. Based on growth rates obtained, we can conclude that nutritional requirements of O. maya must be between 80%
Biogeography of Rutilus species of the southern Balkan Peninsula as inferred by multivariate analysis of morphological data

Morphological patterns among species of the genus Rutilus from the southern Balkan Peninsula were analysed to identify morphological differentiation and its palaeogeographic history. Seven meristic and 65 morphometric characters, based on 20 landmarks, were studied on 711 specimens from 15 Greek lakes. Multivariate analyses demonstrated a well-supported differentiation of the western and northern from the eastern Rutilus species' populations, separated by the Pindos Mountains. In North-western Greece, there are three isolated endemic species, in different biogeographical areas (R. prespensis in the Southern Adriatic, R. panosi in the Ionian and R. ylikiensis in the Attico-Boeotia), while in the Northern Aegean, multiple non-homogeneous populations of the cosmopolitan R. rutilus can be found. This distribution is clearly in accordance with the biogeographical scenario for the distribution of freshwater fauna of the Balkan Peninsula. This study confirms differentiation of the populations of Lakes Kastoria, Volvi, Vegoritida and Doirani, and emphasizes the likely existence of cryptic species within R. rutilus populations.
Iron transport in plants: Future research in view of a plant nutritionist and a molecular biologist

Abstract Iron is attractive to plant physiologists since J. Sachs has proven in 1868 the essentiality and the possible leaf uptake of Fe. It lasted about 100 years before the principal processes for Fe mobilization in the rhizosphere were discovered and classified as two distinct strategies for Fe acquisition. During the 80's and 90's of the last century the uptake of Fe2+ and FeIII-phytosiderophores by specific transporters in strategy I- and strategy II-plants, respectively, were postulated without any application of the new approaching molecular techniques. In the following decade, the various transporters for Fe uptake by roots, such as AtIRT1 in Arabidopsis or ZmYS1 in maize and their possible regulation were characterized. In the following years with fast developing molecular approaches further Fe trans ortsrs were genetically described with often only vague physiological functions. In view of a plant nutritionist, besides uptake processes by roots, the following transport processes within the respective target tissue have to be considered by molecular biologists in more detail: 1) radial transfer of Fe from the root cortex through the endodermis, 2) xylem loading in roots, 3) transfer of Fe from xylem to phloem via transfer cells, 4) phloem loading with Fe in source leaves and retranslocation to sink organs, and 5) remobilization and retranslocation via the phloem during senescence of perennial plants. The importance of these various specific transport processes for a well-regulated Fe homeostasis in plants and new strategies to identify and characterize proteins involved in Fe transport and homeostasis will be discussed.
Passive restoration of subtropical grassland after abandonment of cultivation

Passive restoration of grasslands after the abandonment of cultivation may be a viable restoration option where seed sources from remnant grasslands are available, and if the risk of deflected succession is low. Passive restoration of subtropical grassland in Queensland, Australia was evaluated along a chronosequence of abandoned cultivation (fallow) paddocks. Plant communities in fallow paddocks were compared with nearby remnant grassland. On average, species richness recovers after 60 years of abandonment and floristic composition shows affinities with nearby remnant grassland (Bray-Curtis 0·6). The risk of deflected succession, such as dominance by exotic grasses, has apparently been low in this ecosystem. Annual grasses and forbs are rapid colonizers of the abandoned fields, and richness of perennial forbs exhibits near-linear recovery. Perennial grasses are relatively slow to establish but all except two species have statistically insignificant differences in abundance between remnant grassland and fallow fields after 20 years. The perennial grasses that recover most rapidly in fallow paddocks have disseminules that are adorned with appendages for wind dispersal including the most important dominant grass, Dichanthium sericeum. The perennial grasses that are slowest to recover are probably less effective dispersers. Synthesis and applications. Passive restoration of grasslands after the abandonment of cultivation can be a viable contribution to grassland conservation where there is an adequate matrix of remnant grasslands in the vicinity of fallows, perennial exotic species do not monopolize fallows and the dominant native grasses are well dispersed.
A redescription of the post-larval physonect siphonophore stage known as Mica micula Margulis 1982, from Antarctica, with notes on its distribution and identity

The samples obtained during the 2008 Collaborative East-Antarctic MARine Census (CEAMARC) campaign in the Southern Ocean on the TR/V Umitaka Maru contained many specimens of the physonect post-larval stage known as Mica micula, in varying stages of development, allowing us to complement the existing descriptions. M. micula appears to be endemic to the Southern Ocean, and its possible position in the family Pyrostephidae, in particular the species Pyrostephos vanhoeffeni, is discussed. For the first time, the definitive nectophores were observed, but they were still too underdeveloped to be assigned conclusively to any known physonect species.
Aggregation and organic matter in subarctic Andosols under different grassland management

Quantity and quality of soil organic matter (SOM) affect physical, chemical, and biological soil properties, and are pivotal to productive and healthy grasslands. Thus, we analyzed the distribution of soil aggregates and assessed quality, quantity, and distribution of SOM in two unimproved and improved (two organic and two conventional) grasslands in subarctic Iceland, in Haplic and Histic Andosols. We also evaluated principal physicochemical and biological soil properties, which influence soil aggregation and SOM dynamics. Macroaggregates (>250 µm) in topsoils were most prominent in unimproved (62–77%) and organically (58–69%) managed sites, whereas 20–250 µm aggregates were the most prominent in conventionally managed sites (51–53%). Macroaggregate stability in topsoils, measured as mean weight diameter, was approximately twice as high in organically managed (12–20 mm) compared with the conventionally managed (5–8 mm) sites, possibly due to higher organic inputs (e.g., manure, compost, and cattle urine). In unimproved grasslands and one organic site, macroaggregates contributed between 40% and 70% of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen to bulk soil, whereas in high SOM concentration sites free particulate organic matter contributed up to 70% of the SOC and nitrogen to bulk soil. Aggregate hierarchy in Haplic Andosols was confirmed by different stabilizing mechanisms of micro- and macroaggregates, however, somewhat diminished by oxides (pyrophosphate-, oxalate-, and dithionite-extractable Fe, Al, and Mn) acting as binding agents for macroaggregates. In Histic Andosols, no aggregate hierarchy was observed. The higher macroaggregate stability in organic farming practice compared with conventional farming is of interest due to the importance of macroaggregates in protecting SOM and soils from erosion, which is a prerequisite for soil functions in grasslands that are envisaged for food production in the future.
Changes in the Composition of Somatic and Gonadal Tissues of Yellow Perch following White Sucker Removal

Abstract We determined the response of the proximate composition of yellow perch Perca flavescens to removal of a food competitor, the white sucker Catostomus commersoni, in a whole-lake manipulation of Douglas Lake, Michigan. Following removal of 80% of the adult white sucker population, the composition of somatic tissue of adult yellow perch collected from mid-April to mid-July improved, with water content decreasing and fat and caloric contents increasing. In a nearby reference lake, yellow perch proximate composition showed either no change or became less favorable during the same time period. From mid-July to mid-October, somatic tissue composition showed no improvement in Douglas Lake; this is consistent with a previous study showing that feeding rate late in the summer was not significantly different after sucker removal. Gonadal development had a strong influence on the composition of somatic tissues. Immediately following spawning, fat and energy reserves were depleted and the water content of so.
Response of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) varieties to embryogenic callus induction and in vitro salt stress

Response of three varieties of sugarcane ( Saccharum sp.) to callus induction, embryogenic callus production and in vitro salt tolerance was studied. For callus induction and embryogenic callus production, leaf bases segments were subjected to in vitro culture on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg 1 -1 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid for 4 weeks. To evaluate salt tolerance of the varieties, growing calli were exposed after two subsequent subcultures (4 weeks each) to different concentrations of NaCl (0, 17, 34, 68 and 102 mM) added to the culture medium for 4 weeks. Comparision of genotypes was based on callus induction percentage, embryogenic callus production percentage and relative fresh weight growth (RFWG). For salt tolerance, necrosis percentage and relative fresh weight growth of callus were used. The three varieties responded well to callus induction with a percentage of induction about 82, 84 and 100% for CP70-321, NCo310 and CP65-357, respectively. The high percentages of embryogenic callus obtained for the three varieties indicated that these varieties have a high capacity for embryogenic callus production. Relative fresh weight growth of callus was about 1.076, 1.282 and 0.925 for CP70-321, NCo310 and CP65-357, respectively. NaCl effect resulted in calli necrosis and a reduction of their growth. However, growing calli derived from varieties CP70-321 and NCo310 showed less necrosis percentages and less relative fresh weight growth reduction under salt stress. They appeared to be more salt tolerant in vitro than CP65-357. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (4), pp. 350-354, 2005
The Effects of Tricyclazole Treatment on Aquatic Invertebrates in a Rice Paddy Field

The benthic macro-invertebrate community response to tricyclazole treatments in an experimental rice paddy field was analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. The observed community presented low species diversity, dominated by the gastropods Gyraulus albus and Physa fontinalis, the oligochaetes Branchyura sowerbyi, and the hirudinea Alboglossiphonia heteroclita. No significant effect was detected following tricyclazole treatments, while a moderate shift in community composition was observed during the sampling period, with gastropods prevailing at the end of the experiment. Multivariate classification tree analysis emphasized the importance of sampling date over tricyclazole treatments. The limited period of submersion of the rice paddy field, the low oxygen content and the high water temperatures are supposed to be the reasons of the low community diversity observed.
Evidence for Systemic, Cross-resistance in White Clover ( Trifolium repens ) and Annual Medic ( Medicago truncatula var truncatula ) Induced by Biological and Chemical Agents

Soil-based growth cabinet and greenhouse experiments were designed to determine whether a resistance response previously noted in Trifolium repens to the clover cyst nematode Heterodera trifolii was systemic and also effective against a pest from a different taxon. Root applications of benzo(1,2,3)thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid-S-methyl ester (BTH) or a Pseudomonas -like bacterial strain P29 to white clover seedlings induced resistance to the blue-green aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi . A similar response was observed in the annual medic, Medicago truncatula var truncatula . Estimation of lignin and callose content of whole plants at the termination of the bioassay showed no differences between treated and control plants. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Construction of Uracil and Tryptophan Auxotrophic Mutants from Sake Yeasts by Disruption of URA3 and TRP1 Genes

Uracil auxotrophic mutants were constructed from the sake yeasts K-701 and K-901 by successive URA3 gene disruption. First, as sake yeast is diploid, one URA3 gene was disrupted with pURA38 (AURA3 SMR1) and the heterozygous disruptant was isolated on an SM (sulfometuron methyl) plate. The other URA3 gene was disrupted with pURA36 (Δ URA3) and homozygous URA3 disruptants were isolated on FOA (5-fluoro-orotic acid) plate on which only ura3 mutants can grow. Direct URA3 gene disruption with pURA36 (Δ URA3) was also done and the uracil auxotrophic mutant was isolated. Four types of URA3 disruptants were isolated, two of which had no bacterial DNA.A tryptophan auxotrophic mutant was constructed from one of the URA3 disruptant using pTRP14 (Δ TRP1 URA3) by gene disruption. This TRP1 disruptant was also lacking bacterial DNA.Laboratory scale sake brewing using the auxotrophic mutants showed that these strains are very useful as recipient strains for molecular breeding of sake yeasts.
Aegilops sharonensis: Origin, genetics, diversity, and potential for wheat improvement

Aegilops sharonensis Eig (Sharon goatgrass; section Sitopsis) is an annual diploid grass species growing endemically in the coastal plains of Israel and southern Lebanon. It is a wild relative of wheat, with a genome closely related to the B genome of cultivated bread wheat. With the most limited distribution of any species in the genus Aegilops, Ae. sharonensis is rapidly losing its habitats, owing to the combined effects of modern agricultural intensification and expansion of urban and industrial areas. Aegilops sharonensis is known to be a rich source of genes providing resistance to important wheat diseases and abiotic stresses, but it has not been widely exploited. The presence of gametocidal genes that control preferential transmission of chromosome 4Ssh increases the difficulty of introgressing genes from Ae. sharonensis into wheat. However, successful introgression of the genes for resistance to leaf rust, stripe rust, and powdery mildew has been achieved. Studies on genetic and phenotypic diversi.
Selenium-induced enhancement in carbohydrate metabolism in nodulated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) as related to the glutathione redox state

Abstract This study was undertaken to investigate the factors explaining the results of our previous study revealing that selenium (Se) may enhance the nodulation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) via improved carbohydrate metabolism. Symbiotic and non-symbiotic alfalfa plants were cultivated without or with low (1 µM) Se addition at low (2 mM) and adequate (10 mM) N supply levels. The plants were analyzed for root nodulation, photosynthesis and growth parameters. The antioxidative defense and glutathione (GSH) redox state were also investigated. In the inoculated low-nitrogen (N) plants, Se markedly increased the number and fresh weight (FW) of the nodules without any effect on nitrogenase activity. Particularly in the nodulated low-N plants, it also significantly increased the net assimilation rate and soluble sugars, and enhanced protein synthesis. Though Se generally diminished the activity of antioxidative enzymes, the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radical (O2• –) remained constant or even significantly diminished. This gives evidence that Se enhanced the protection of plants against oxidative damage. Se tended to increase GSH particularly in the leaves, and significantly increased the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) particularly in the low-N plants. We suggest that Se exerts its positive effect on the carbohydrate metabolism via modulation in the glutathione redox state.
Karyological Analysis of Two Endemic Tooth-Carps, Aphanius persicus and Aphanius sophiae (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae), from Southwest Iran

The karyotypes of 2 endemic tooth-carps of Iran, Aphanius persicus (Jenkis, 1910) and Aphanius sophiae (Heckel, 1849), were investigated by examining metaphase chromosomes spreads obtained from gill epithelial and kidney cells. The diploid chromosome numbers of both species were 2n = 48. The karyotypes consisted of 11 pairs of submetacentric and 13 pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes in A. persicus and 14 submetacentric and 10 subtelocentric chromosomes in A. sophiae. The arm numbers in A. persicus and A. sophiae were NF = 70 and NF = 76, respectively. Sex chromosomes were cytologically indistinguishable in both tooth-carps.
Engineering of a Recombinant Vitamin K-dependent γ-Carboxylation System with Enhanced γ-Carboxyglutamic Acid Forming Capacity

The vitamin K-dependent γ-carboxylation system in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane responsible for γ-carboxyglutamic acid modification of vitamin K-dependent proteins includes γ-carboxylase and vitamin K 2,3-epoxide reductase (VKOR). An understanding of the mechanism by which this system works at the molecular level has been hampered by the difficulty of identifying VKOR involved in warfarin sensitive reduction of vitamin K 2,3-epoxide to reduced vitamin K1H2, the γ-carboxylase cofactor. Identification and cloning of VKORC1, a proposed subunit of a larger VKOR enzyme complex, have provided opportunities for new experimental approaches aimed at understanding the vitamin K-dependent γ-carboxylation system. In this work we have engineered stably transfected baby hamster kidney cells containing γ-carboxylase and VKORC1 cDNA constructs, respectively, and stably double transfected cells with the γ-carboxylase and the VKORC1 cDNA constructs in a bicistronic vector. All engineered cells showed increased activities of the enzymes encoded by the cDNAs. However increased activity of the γ-carboxylation system, where VKOR provides the reduced vitamin K1H2 cofactor, was measured only in cells transfected with VKORC1 and the double transfected cells. The results show that VKOR is the rate-limiting step in the γ-carboxylation system and demonstrate successful engineering of cells containing a recombinant vitamin K-dependent γ-carboxylation system with enhanced capacity for γ-carboxyglutamic acid modification. The proposed thioredoxin-like 132CXXC135 redox center in VKORC1 was tested by expressing the VKORC1 mutants Cys132/Ser and Cys135/Ser in BHK cells. Both of the expressed mutant proteins were inactive supporting the existence of a CXXC redox center in VKOR.