Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FIRST RECORD OF AN EGG PARASITOID FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN PROCONIINE SHARPSHOOTER PARAULACIZES IRRORATA (HEMIPTERA: CICADELLIDAE), WITH NOTES ON REARING TECHNIQUES

Interest in the natural enemies of proconiine sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae: Proconiini) has increased since the accidental introduction and subsequent establishment of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata (Say), in California, Tahiti, Hawaii, and most recently Arizona. Previous surveys of egg parasitoids of proconiine sharpshooters from Florida indicated several species in the families Mymaridae (primarily Gonatocerus spp.) and Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera) (Triapitsyn et al. 1998; Triapitsyn & Hoddle 2001; Triapitsyn et al. 2002; Triapitsyn 2003; Tipping et al. 2005). However, no egg parasitoids have been reported to attack the eggs of the common proconiine sharpshooter Paraulacizes irrorata (Fabricius). This species has a distribution that includes central, northeastern and southeastern USA as well as northern Mexico (Young 1968). The eggs of P. irrorata are deposited in masses into woody twigs and stems as well as the hardened petioles of a great variety of plant species. This method of oviposition results in great difficulty for researchers to find and identify egg masses in the field. Additionally, this species does not apply brochosomes to the site of oviposition. Other North American proconiine sharpshooter species, particularly those in the genera Homalodisca Stal and Oncometopia Stal, often powder oviposition sites with highly visible brochosomes.
Development and verification of PCR based assay to dectect and quantify garden pea lec gene.

Vrablik A. , Hodek J., Soukup J., Demnerova K. , Ovesna J. (2012): Development and verification of PCR based assay to dectect and quantify garden pea lec gene. Czech J. Food Sci., 30: 247–257. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) entering the food chain have became its part, which is necessary to monitor. GMO analyses are used as a control mechanism according to valid acquis communautaire for traceability and labeling of GMOs. Generally, approved PCR based protocols are used and they require stepwise procedures that use amplification of species specific gene as initial point. This study aims to develop and verify PCR based assay for amplification of garden pea lectin gene ( Pisum sativum L.) as reference one. Lectin gene was analysed in silico , selected region was amplified and sequenced and new set of species specific primers for identification of garden pea was designed. Conditions of conventional PCR as well as real-time PCR were optimised and specificity of new primer set on DNA extracted from garden pea cultivars as well as DNA extracted from other selected species from Fabaceae family was tested. Quantification of garden pea lectin gene using real-time PCR based on SYBR Green I was optimised and per formance characteristics recorded. The characteristics fit to method acceptance criteria range. Plasmid with garden pea lectin sequence was developed and plasmid is available as a positive control.
The role of Biotechnology in developing plant resources in deserts environment

Plant tissue culture technique is one of the applications of biotechnology by which plants can be mass multiplied using vegetative and sexual tissues. Micropropagation for plant mass production , rehabitation of destructed vegetation and studying the micro environmental stresses in vitro are some of the purposes of tissue culture. Biotechnology also involves the study of the plant biodiversity through DNA fingerprinting and genetic engineering through gene transfer. This paper illustrate some of the present tissue culture studies achieved on some desert plants that are considered as multipurpose and water saving plants in Saudi Arabia. Performance of twelve cultivars of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) was studied at different stages of in vitro conditions. The problems encountered with the culture of 'Ajwah' and 'Nabtat Sultan' were compared to the easy cultures of 'Mosaifah' , 'Barhy' and 'Maktoumy'. DNA fingerprinting was carried out on date palm cultivars produced through field and tissue culture. Tissue culture was also applied on some wild sand dune plants such as Ghada (Haloxylon persicum) and Erta (Calligonum comosum ) for mass production , results indicates that Ghada can be easly produced compared to Erta , however slow growth of both plants are considered as obsticles. Some species of Acacia were also micropropagated. The results showed that some species were easy in vitro growing as in the case of Samar (Acacia tortilis) Salam (A. ehrenbergiana) and Talh (A. gerrardii) at the time some other Acacia were difficult to initiate as in the case of Syial (A. Seyal) and Sinigal (A.senegal ). These difficulties were persisted throughout in vitro and acclimatisation stages in green house conditions. This study was directly involved in the utilisation of desert plants which require less watering, for planting and landscaping programs in the local deserts of Saudi Arabia and similar conditions.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Induces Sustained NF-κB Activation during De Novo Infection of Primary Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells That Is Essential for Viral Gene Expression

ABSTRACT In vitro Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection of primary human dermal microvascular endothelial (HMVEC-d) cells and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells is characterized by the induction of preexisting host signal cascades, sustained expression of latency-associated genes, transient expression of a limited number of lytic genes, and induction of several cytokines, growth factors, and angiogenic factors. Since NF-κB is a key molecule involved in the regulation of several of these factors, here, we examined NF-κB induction during de novo infection of HMVEC-d and HFF cells. Activation of NF-κB was observed as early as 5 to 15 min postinfection by KSHV, and translocation of p65-NF-κB into nuclei was detected by immunofluorescence assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and p65 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IκB phosphorylation inhibitor (Bay11-7082) reduced this activation significantly. A sustained moderate level of NF-κB induction was seen during the observed 72 h of in vitro KSHV latency. In contrast, high levels of ERK1/2 activation at earlier time points and a moderate level of activation at later times were observed. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was activated only at later time points, and AKT was activated in a cyclic manner. Studies with UV-inactivated KSHV suggested a role for virus entry stages in NF-κB induction and a requirement for KSHV viral gene expression in sustained induction. Inhibition of NF-κB did not affect target cell entry by KSHV but significantly reduced the expression of viral latent open reading frame 73 and lytic genes. KSHV infection induced the activation of several host transcription factors, including AP-1 family members, as well as several cytokines, growth factors, and angiogenic factors, which were significantly affected by NF-κB inhibition. These results suggest that during de novo infection, KSHV induces sustained levels of NF-κB to regulate viral and host cell genes and thus possibly regulates the establishment of latent infection.
Narrow endemics in European mountains: high genetic diversity within the monospecific genus Pseudomisopates (Plantaginaceae) despite isolation since the late Pleistocene

The evolutionary history of narrow endemic species has received little attention compared with that of more widely distributed species. Small effective population sizes and long‐term isolation of many narrow endemic species make research on their genetic make‐up important for their future conservation. In this study we investigated the genetic variation and historical distribution of an isolated plant, the monospecific genus Pseudomisopates, as an example of the phylogeographical history of narrow endemics.
Who swarms with whom? Group dynamics of Myotis bats during autumn swarming

For many animal taxa, group-living is a strategy where the cohesion provided by groups confers fitness benefits to individuals. Bats are highly gregarious with many species living in groups with complex social structures. During the summer, many temperate species are sexually segregated among roosts where females have been found to exhibit dynamic social structures and males remain understudied. We studied the group dynamics of little brown and northern Myotis bats (Myotis lucifugus and Myotis septentrionalis) during autumn swarming, a period for which social interactions are largely unknown. Using capture–mark–recapture surveys, we characterized the occurrence and frequency of age and sex groups occurring at swarms. Within a night, young-of-the-year associated more often with other bats than did adult males and females. Further, they associated more often with other young-of-the-year than adults. We found no evidence to support the maternal guidance hypothesis predicting that there would be associations between mother–offspring pairs. Adult male and female bats associated less frequently with each other and were captured alone most often. When males were captured in groups, these groups were more likely to be composed of multiple males and in M. lucifugus, males had preferred male associates they grouped with over multiple nights. Groups formed during the autumn swarming season may represent cohort groups of young bats learning of the location of sites and groups of males that are potentially cooperating to secure more mating opportunities.
Some factors influencing lodging in cereals

Three varieties, characterised by the possession of varying degrees of resistance to lodging, were grown in a Latin square with a view to determining if any character could be found which would serve as a stable criterion of resistance to lodging. Observations were made and analysed for all those morphological characters associated with strength of straw. The characters examined were: tillering, length of straw, lengths of internodes, diameter of fifth internode, thickness of culm wall, number of vascular bundles, width of lignified tissue in a cross-section, and thickness of sclerenchyma cell walls.
Differentiating Mexican gray wolf and coyote scats using DNA analysis

Abstract Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) are the smallest subspecies of North American gray wolves (Canis lupus), and identification of Mexican wolf scats could be confused with those of sympatric coyotes (Canis latrans). We used DNA analysis (molecular scatology) to differentiate scats (n = 203) of free-ranging Mexican gray wolves and coyotes and compared the results to traditional field methods (i.e., diameter, location, and sign) and odor used for identifying scats of the 2 species. We then used the scats whose species identifications were confirmed with DNA analysis to evaluate discriminant analysis for classifying scats using 3 measurements—diameter, mass, and length. Forty-nine (24%) of the field-collected scats (n = 203) tested provided amplifiable DNA and were determined to comprise 28 scats deposited by Mexican wolves and 21 deposited by coyotes. Scats identified with DNA analysis to the 2 species had a 79% diameter overlap (Mexican wolf 16.3–35.8 mm; coyote 17.4–27.8 mm), and scats ≥28 mm in diameter were Mexican wolf scats. There was a significant difference (t = −2.28; P < 0.05) between diameter means for the 2 species (Mexican wolf x̄ = 26.0 mm; coyote x̄ = 22.8 mm). Of 45 scats that would have been field-identified as deposited by Mexican wolves based on location and odor criteria, DNA analysis indicated that 19 (42%) were deposited by coyotes; of 41 scats that would have been field-identified as deposited by coyotes based on diameter <30 mm criterion, 20 (49%) were deposited by Mexican wolves. Halfpenny's (1986) suggested diameter criterion for field identification of scats identified 3 of the scats as gray (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) or red fox (Vulpes vulpes; 0% correct), 24 as coyote (62% correct), and 20 as Mexican wolf (75% correct). Discriminant analysis indicated that diameter and mass of scats offered the best results for accurately classifying coyote scats (86%) but provided relatively low accuracy for classifying Mexican wolf scats (65%). Our results suggest that previous diet studies using traditional identification methods may have misrepresented the diets of both the North American gray wolf and the coyote when the 2 species were sympatric. Molecular scatology appears to be a more definitive scat-identification technique than traditional field methods or odor for these canids.
&rgr;-Cymene Inhibits Growth and Induces Oxidative Stress in Rice Seedling Plants

Abstract &rgr;-Cymene was one of the major components of volatiles released by croftonweed. The allelopthy of &rgr;-cymene on the growth of upland rice seedlings was performed. Hydrogen peroxide generation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, proline content, total ascorbate (ascorbate/dehydroascorbate), reduced/oxidized glutathione, and the levels of induction of antioxidant enzyme were studied in the seedlings of upland rice. &rgr;-Cymene inhibited the growth of upland rice seedlings. Exposure of upland rice seedlings to &rgr;-cymene increased levels of H2O2, MDA, and proline, indicating lipid peroxidation and induction of oxidative stress. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were significantly elevated during the treatment period (7–15 d) compared with enzymes in the upland rice seedlings unexposed to &rgr;-cymene, thereby indicating the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon &rgr;-cymene exposure. These results suggest that activation of the antioxidant system by &rgr;-cymene led to the formation of ROS that resulted in cellular damage and decreased growth of upland rice seedlings. Nomenclature: Croftonweed, Ageratina adenophora (Sprenge) King & H.E. Robins. (synonym: Eupatorium adenophora Sprenge); rice, Oryza sativa L.
Application of molecular tools for gut health of pet animals: a review.

Gut health is an important facet of well being of pet animals; it is in this context, various nutritional and biotechnological approaches have been proposed to manipulate the gut health by specifically targeting the colonic microbiota. Nutritional approaches include supplementation of antioxidants and phytochemicals like flavonoids, isoflavonoids and carotenoids. Biotechnological approaches include supplementation of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics in the diet and potential application of molecular tools like fluorescent in situ hybridization, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, quantitative dot blot hybridization, and restriction fragment length polymorphism etc. in studying the fecal microbiota composition. Post-genomic and related technologies, i.e. genomics, nutrigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and epigenomics in the study of gastrointestinal tract also put forward challenges for nutritionists and microbiologists to elucidate the complex interactions between gut microbiota and host.
THE TADPOLE OF THE CASQUE-HEADED FROG, APARASPHENODON BRUNOI MIRANDA-RIBEIRO (ANURA: HYLIDAE)

Abstract The tadpole of Aparasphenodon brunoi is described and illustrated for the first time (external morphology and internal oral features) from Maricá, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Characters of this tadpole include: body representing 30% of total length; eyes lateral; spiracle single, sinistral, with opening directed upward and backward; anal tube median; dorsal fin originating at the mid-third of body; caudal tip extended into a flagellum; oral disc anteroventral; and labial tooth row formula 2(2)/6(1). In general, body and tail brown. Tail with transverse dark brown stripes. Morphological comparisons were made with tadpoles of eight other pond and stream-dwelling casque-headed treefrog species of the genera Argenteohyla, Osteocephalus, and Trachycephalus. The tadpoles of the subspecies of Argenteohyla possess characteristics that may indicate full specific rank of these taxa, so that the taxonomic status of these subspecies should be revaluated. Considering that high number of tooth rows is usually associated with stream dwellers, the presence of this characteristic in A. brunoi tadpoles (a pond-dweller) may represent retention of an ancestral lotic pattern. Furthermore, the number of tooth rows in the posterior labium of A. brunoi corroborates the putative morphological synapomorphy of the tribe Lophiohylini (presence of at least four posterior labial tooth rows in the larval oral disc).
Minimax bounds for structured prediction

Structured prediction can be considered as a generalization of many standard supervised learning tasks, and is usually thought as a simultaneous prediction of multiple labels. One standard approach is to maximize a score function on the space of labels, which decomposes as a sum of unary and pairwise potentials, each depending on one or two specific labels, respectively. For this approach, several learning and inference algorithms have been proposed over the years, ranging from exact to approximate methods while balancing the computational complexity. However, in contrast to binary and multiclass classification, results on the necessary number of samples for achieving learning is still limited, even for a specific family of predictors such as factor graphs. In this work, we provide minimax bounds for a class of factor-graph inference models for structured prediction. That is, we characterize the necessary sample complexity for any conceivable algorithm to achieve learning of factor-graph predictors.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA

SUMMARY Programmed cell death (PCD) is essential for plant development and stress responses. In order to gain insights into PCD in plants, Molecular biology and Genetics approaches were applied to discover genes involved in the regulation and execution of the cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the fungal AAL-toxin and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as cell death triggers, a comprehensive transcriptional analysis revealed a set of genes regulated in a common fashion by the two PCD stimuli. These included an oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase and various oxidoreductases, the transcription factors Zat11, WRKY75 and NAM, proteasomal components, a heterologous group of genes with diverse functions, and genes encoding proteins with unknown functions. A number of those genes are being functionally studied by gene silencing or isolating homozygous knockout lines. In addition, our group has isolated mutants that are more tolerant to AT as well as to the fungal AAL toxin, thus indicating a new link between redox and sphingolipid signaling. These genetic studies were further substantiated by molecular and biochemical data bringing new insights into the interplay between H2O2 and sphingolipids during PCD.
Iranian Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera)

A new checklist of Asilidae from Iran, consisting of 156 species and subspecies belonging to 9 subfamilies, is presented. One tribe, 8 genera, and 31 species are new records for the Iranian fauna. Notes on synonymy, distribution, habitat, and prey of the species are included.
ASSESSING THE EXTENT TO WHICH ROADLESS AREAS COMPLEMENT THE CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

We assessed the extent to which inventoried roadless areas (IRAs) on USDA Forest Service lands contain biophysical features that complement the conservation reserve network (e.g., national parks, designated wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges) in the United States. We compared the percentage of land area in IRAs and conservation reserves across three geographic divisions (Alaska, East, and West), 83 ecoregions, 10 elevation zones, and 11 land-cover classes. We also summarized variation in the size class distribution of IRAs. Of the 83 ecoregions evaluated in the United States, 28 have >12% of their total area in conservation reserves. If IRAs are considered with conservation reserves, the number of ecoregions exceeding the 12% threshold increases from 28 to 32. When only national forest land in the ecoregions is considered, the area of designated wilderness exceeds 12% in 18 of the 45 ecoregions summarized. If IRAs are considered along with designated wilderness, the number of ecoregions exceeding the .
A comprehensive effect of acephate on cauda epididymis and accessory sex organs of male rats

In the present study, thirty six (36) adult male Wistar rats were divided into six groups each containing 6 Wistar rats (n = 6). Group I served as untreated control group while group II served as the positive control and group III served as the negative control. Group IV, V and VI were considered as the experimental groups. Group II received tetracyclin (28.6 mg/kg/b.wt/day), while group III received vehicle (olive oil 0.5 ml/100 g body weight/day). GroupIV, V and VI were administered “acephate” and dissolved in olive oil at dose level of 25, 50 and 75mg/kg b.wt/day for 30 days, respectively. Reproductive toxicity of acephate was evaluated on the basis of weight analysis of cauda epididymis and accessory sex organs, fertility, sperm dynamics, protein content, sialic acid content and histopathological studies. There was a decrease in the weight of epididymis, ventral prostate, vas deferens and seminal vesicle. The results showed highly significant decline in sperm density and motility. Post fertility test showed 30, 60, and 80% negative results. A statistically significant increase was noticed in protein content whereas sialic acid content was decreased in the cauda epididymis and accessory sex organs. The histopathological observations also support the occurrence of toxicity being caused due to exposure of acephate. The observations are thus indicative of the reproductive toxicity caused by acephate at different dose levels in the male rats. Key words: Acephate, fertility, sperm density, sialic acid, toxicity.
The Inclusion Compounds of β-Cyclodextrin with 4-Substituted Benzoic Acid and Benzaldehyde Drugs Studied by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Inclusion compounds of some 4-substituted benzoic acid and benzaldehyde drugs with β-cyclodextrin were prepared and characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The thermal stability and chemical stability of these drugs were strikingly improved after inclusion. The effect of inclusion on the chemical-shifts of protons H-3 and H-5 in the NMR spectroscopy is discussed. Using the relative shift theory, the preferred inclusion mode was proposed. The center of the aromatic ring of the drug molecule was considered to be located in the cavity 1.2A inside from the H-5 plane of β-cyclodextrin.
Comparative analysis of algorithms to generate adjacency constraints

A mathematical programming formulation of the area-based forest planning problem can result in a large number of adjacency constraints with much potential for redundancy. Two heuristic algorithms have been proposed for reducing redundant adjacency constraints generated by the conventional algorithm. In this paper another analytical algorithm is proposed, and its efficiency and that of the conventional algorithm and the two heuristics are evaluated and compared. Comparison is based on the number of constraints, and on the computational effort needed both to derive the adjacency constraints and to solve the associated planning problem. Evaluation for several adjacency maps shows that the conventional algorithm has the largest number of constraints, with a low degree of effort in derivation of adjacency constraints and a small computational task to find a final solution. The first heuristic algorithm has the smallest number of constraints but involves a high degree of effort and a large computational task. T.