Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Producing potato crop from true potato seed (TPS): A comparative study

In producing a commercial potato crop from true potato seeds (TPS), ware potato crop can be grown by: direct sowing of TPS in the field for production of seed or ware tubers; raising seedlings from TPS in a greenhouse or seedbed and transplanting them later into the field for production of seed or ware tubers in the same season and; direct sowing of TPS in seedbeds at close spacing for production of seedling tubers for producing a commercial crop in the next season. Each propagation method has its advantages and disadvantages. Based on this background, a study was conducted whose objective was to compare the effectiveness of seedling tubers and seedling transplants in production of a potato crop from true potato seeds. Four potato varieties commonly grown by farmers in Kenya were crossed with five advanced clones from the International Potato Center (CIP) in a North Carolina II mating design to generate twenty cross families. The berries were harvested and seedlings were raised on sand-beds in plastic trays. Later, they were propagated as seedling tubers and seedling transplants in the field at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), National Potato Research Centre at Tigoni between March and July 2013. At harvest, data collected included tuber numbers/plant, total weight of tubers per plant (kg) and weight of ware tubers (45 mm< in diameter) per plant (kg). The general observation was that the seedling transplants gave significantly more tubers per plant (15.68) than the seedling tubers (13.08); the reverse was the case when it came to total tuber yield (ton/ha) and percent of ware sized tuber yield. Although seedling transplants took a shorter time to produce a potato crop of commercial value, the low tuber yields (ton/ha) and percentage ware tubers renders this propagation method unsuitable for ware potato production unless there is a market for baby tubers.
Seed Predation on the Ground or in the Tree? Size-Related Differences in Behavior and Ecology of Granivorous Birds

Abstract. Seed-eating birds may consume seeds in the tree (pre-dispersal predation) as well as on the ground (post-dispersal predation), usually at contrasting microhabitat conditions. We examined the foraging behaviour and contribution to seed predation of a whole assemblage of seed-eating birds (mostly Fringillidae) at both dispersal phases (pre- and post-dispersal) in a wind-dispersed tree, the European White Elm Ulmus laevis. We found that most seed predators were tree-feeding birds that prey upon seeds for longer periods in the tree and spend shorter periods in larger flocks foraging on the ground. We also obtained significant differences in predation speed among the seed predator species. The overall number of seeds consumed by birds, as well as the amount of time spent foraging in the tree, increased with increasing feeding heights. Seed availability increases with height, which seems to be the main reason why birds spend more time foraging on higher branches. Birds strongly differed in their perching coefficient (PC, ration of feeding height to distance from crown edge). Small finches such as Serins Serinus serinus and Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis had a very high value of PC in comparison to large finches such as Greenfinches Carduelis chloris, Chaffinches Fringilla coelebs, and Hawfinches Coccothraustes coccothraustes. In general, finches showed much higher values of PC than non-fringillid species, indicating a greater adaptation to perch and feed on more flexible stems. Birds increased their overall seed predation and the time allocated to foraging on the ground when they were in flocks. Small finches tended to follow larger finches and flock in multispecies groups when foraging on the ground. We suggest that this behaviour increases both feeding efficiency and safety. Further studies should take into account possible differences in behavior of seed-eating birds throughout the dispersal season since it may have important implications for their adaptive behavior to select new niches.
In-vitro screening and field validation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes for drought tolerance

In vitro screening using polyethylene glycol (PEG) was performed with matured seed-derived callus from six elite rice varieties and eight advanced cultures to understand the response to drought stress. Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2 mg l-1 of 1-napthaleneacetic acid and 5, 10, 15 and 20 g l-1 of PEG 6000 were used to induce drought stress in callus. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes, treatments and their interactions for callus morphology and fresh weight. The genotypes PMK3, RMD(R)1, ARB6 , ARB7 and ARB8 were identified as the most tolerant to drought stress using principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 48 crosses made from these genotypes showed significant yield increase over their respective parents. The hybrids RMD(R)1/ARB7, PMK3/ARB7 and PMK3/ARB8 were identified as drought tolerant using PCA analysis. From the study it is proved that in vitro screening method can be used to identify drought tolerant rice genotypes.
Fertility selection, genetic selection and evolution

The relationship between fertility selection as measured by the correlation in progeny number between parents and offspring, and selection at individual loci is investigated in humans. Estimates for the magnitude of fertility selection (0.1) and the rate of gene substitution (0.5 gene substitutions per generation per genome) are used in various mathematical models for selection. It is found that the observed magnitude of fertility selection cannot be explained by non‐epistatic directional selection at individual loci. A symmetric quantitative directional selection model is consistent with the observed data. But it is possible that fertility selection does not have a genetic basis.
Paracoccus alcaliphilus sp. nov., an Alkaliphilic and Facultatively Methylotrophic Bacterium

Alkaliphilic facultatively methanol-utilizing bacteria were investigated with respect to their phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics. These bacteria were gram-negative, nonsporeforming, nonmotile, coccoid or short rod-shaped organisms, grew at pH 7.0 to 9.5, and did not grow below pH 6.5 and above pH 10.0. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base composition was 64 to 66 mol% guanine plus cytosine. These bacteria resemble Paracoccus denitrificans with respect to morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, but are distinguished from P. denitrificans by physiological characteristics and DNA-DNA homology. These methanol-utilizing bacteria are described as a new species, Paracoccus alcaliphilus Urakami, Tamaoka, Suzuki, and Komagata. The type strain of P. alcaliphilus sp. nov. is strain TK 1015 (= JCM 7364).
Using body size to predict perceptual range

We examined the relationship between body size and perceptual range (the distance at which an animal can perceive landscape elements) for a group of forest-dwelling rodents. We used previously published data on orientation ability at various distances for three sciurid species (gray squirrel, fox squirrel and chipmunk) and one murid species (white-footed mouse) to build a predictive model. We found a significant positive relationship between perceptual range and body mass. Although this model was built using a 15.5 m high horizon, we used this relation to predict the perceptual range of root voles (3.9–4.3 m) orienting towards a 0.5 m high horizon which was consistent with other empirical work suggesting a value of something less than 5 m. This model illustrates a relationship between perceptual range and body size and can be used to develop starting points for future investigations of perceptual range for similar organisms.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS AND HISTORICAL PHYLOBIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE NEOTOMA MEXICANA SPECIES GROUP

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among 15 individuals representing 6 subspecies of Neotoma mexicana from the United States and Mexico were examined using DNA sequences from the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene. Parsimony, likelihood, and genetic distance analyses revealed a dichotomy between populations of N. mexicana from the United States and northern Mexico and those from south of the Trans-Volcanic belt in southern Mexico. A 2nd dichotomy existed between wood rats in the Sierra Madre del Sur in southwestern Mexico and those south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Further, populations of N. mexicana from the United States and those from Mexico possessed relatively high levels of sequence divergence indicating substantial genetic differentiation between these 2 groups. These data indicate that the 3 taxa probably represent sibling species and that consideration should be given to the elevation of the southern and southwestern Mexico forms to specific status. Additionally, paleontological material from Pleistocene wood rat middens in New Mexico and Mexico provided evidence for the effects of climatic changes on this group of wood rats and the means for assessing the phylobiogeography of the N. mexicana species group.
Real-time MR Imaging Controlled by Transperineal Needle Placement Device for MRI-guided Prostate Biopsy and Brachytherapy

Introduction: MRI is an ideal guiding tool for prostate cancer biopsy and local therapy due to its high sensitivity and specificity to focal prostate lesions and its radiation safety. However, closed-bore high-field MR magnets, which provide better images than interventional magnets, allow only limited access to the patient, and this makes real-time monitoring of the delivery process difficult. To overcome this limitation and increase the merit of MRI-guided biopsy and brachytherapy, we have been developing a MRI-compatible needle placement robot for transperineal prostate biopsy and therapy [1] (Fig. 1). In this study, we focused on an integration of real-time MR imaging with the robot for “closed-loop” needle guidance, where the action made by the robot is captured by the MR image, and immediately fed back to physicians to aid their a decision for the next action. Our proposed integration strategy is to use open-source visualization and communication tools, which enable real-time imaging plane control according to the needle position, as measured by the encoders of the robot, was developed. By rapidly imaging in planes that are parallel or perpendicular to the needle, a physician can monitor needle advancement in the tissue through MR images in real-time and interactively correct the needle path.
Examining fire-prone forest landscapes as coupled human and natural systems

Fire-prone landscapes are not well studied as coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) and present many challenges for understanding and promoting adaptive behaviors and institutions. Here, we explore how heterogeneity, feedbacks, and external drivers in this type of natural hazard system can lead to complexity and can limit the development of more adaptive approaches to policy and management. Institutions and social networks can counter these limitations and promote adaptation. We also develop a conceptual model that includes a robust characterization of social subsystems for a fire-prone landscape in Oregon and describe how we are building an agent-based model to promote understanding of this social-ecological system. Our agent-based model, which incorporates existing ecological models of vegetation and fire and is based on empirical studies of landowner decision-making, will be used to explore alternative management and fire scenarios with land managers and various public entities. We expect that the development of CHANS frameworks and the application of a simulation model in a collaborative setting will facilitate the development of more effective policies and practices for fire-prone landscapes.
Mechanisms of selection: Phenotypic differences among genotypes explain patterns of selection in a dominant species

Predicted changes in precipitation means and variability are expected to alter genotype composition of plant populations; however, it remains unclear whether selection will be for trait differences among genotypes or phenotypic plasticity. This is especially true for more variable precipitation patterns that simultaneously alter soil moisture means and variability. In a previous study we found that a decade of more variable growing-season precipitation patterns changed the genotypic composition of a dominant C4 grass population (Andropogon gerardii) in native tallgrass prairie located in northeastern Kansas. Here, we assessed potential mechanisms underlying the changes observed in population structure of this species by studying how changes in both the size and variability of watering events affected ecophysiological, growth, biomass-allocation, and fitness traits of five common genotypes of A. gerardii in a greenhouse experiment. Three of these genotypes had greater abundances or were only present in fie.
EFFECT OF DIFFERENT GROWING SUBSTRATES ON THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS PARAMETERS AND FRUIT YIELD OF GREENHOUSE-GROWN TOMATO

In the period 2009-2011, a study was conducted in a greenhouse, using fertiga- tion, to determine the photosynthetic activity of leaves and tomato fruit yield of plants grown on different substrates. The plants were grown on rockwool slabs, 15 dm 3 in vol- ume, and slabs of the same volume made of the following straw chaff: rape straw; rape straw + peat (3:1); rape straw + pine bark (3:1); triticale straw; triticale straw + peat (3:1), triticale straw + pine bark (3:1). Two tomato plants were grown on each slab, leaving 22 fruit clusters on each plant during the period from February to October. The obtained re- sults showed that photosynthetic pigment content, chlorophyll fluorescence, rate of photo- synthesis and substomatal CO2 concentration in the leaves of tomato grown on rockwool and on rape or triticale straw chaff substrates did not differ statistically significantly. No significant differences were found in total yield of tomato fruits. Peat or pine bark addi- tion to the rape or triticale straw substrates had no significant effect on the change in their usefulness. The substrates used differed only in the content of total phenolic compounds after tomato harvest. The substrates prepared from triticale straw and its mixture with peat and bark as well as from rape straw with bark were characterized by a higher level of phenolic compounds than the other substrates. In the opinion of the present authors, sub- strates of rape or triticale straw alone, and even more so with the addition of peat or pine bark are not inferior in any way to commonly used rockwool.
A global model of island biogeography

Aim The goal of our study was to build a global model of island biogeography explaining bird species richness that combines MacArthur and Wilson's area–isolation theory with the species–energy theory. Location Global. Methods We assembled a global data set of 346 marine islands representing all types of climate, topography and degree of isolation on our planet, ranging in size from 10 ha to 800,000 km2. We built a multiple regression model with the number of non-marine breeding bird species as the dependent variable. Results We found that about 85–90% of the global variance in insular bird species richness can be explained by simple, contemporary abiotic factors. On a global scale, the three major predictors — area, average annual temperature and the distance separating the islands from the nearest continent — all have constraining (i.e. triangular rather than linear) relationships with insular bird species richness. We found that the slope of the species–area curve depends on both average annual temperature and total annual precipitation, but not on isolation. Insular isolation depends not only on the distance of an island from the continent, but also on the presence or absence of other neighbouring islands. Range in elevation — a surrogate for diversity of habitats — showed a positive correlation with bird diversity in warmer regions of the world, while its effect was negative in colder regions. We also propose a global statistical model to quantify the isolation-reducing effect of neighbouring islands. Main conclusions The variation in avian richness among islands worldwide can be statistically explained by contemporary environmental variables. The equilibrium theory of island biogeography of MacArthur and Wilson and the species–energy theory are both only partly correct. Global variation in richness depends about equally upon area, climate (temperature and precipitation) and isolation. The slope of the species richness–area curve depends upon climate, but not on isolation, in contrast to MacArthur and Wilson's theory.
Exigências Térmicas e Potencial de Desenvolvimento dos Parasitóides Telenomus podisi Ashmead e Trissolcus brochymenae (Ashmead) em ovos do Percevejo Predador Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas)

Development and viability of the egg parasitoids Telenomus podisi Ashmead and Trissolcus brochymenae (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) were studied at five constant temperatures ranging from 17°C to 32°C on its host, the predatory bug Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Female development from egg to adult ranged from 10.8 days (32°C) to 48.6 days (17°C) for T. podisi, and from 10.2 days (32°C) to 35.4 days (17°C) for T. brochymenae. Parasitism viability ranged from 89.0 to 92.7% for T. brochymenae. However, T. podisi viability decreased in lower and higher temperatures. Lower threshold temperatures for egg to adult female development was estimated at 11.1°C for T. podisi and 9.5°C for T. brochymenae. Thermal requirements for this period was 205.3 and 214.7 degree-days for T. podisi and T. brochymenae, respectively. Number of generations per year of these parasitoids and its host, considering the temperature conditions of eucalyptus areas, were estimated to be 22.6, 23.9 and 10.2 for T. podisi, T. brochymenae and P. nigrispinus, respectively. These results indicate that T. brochymenae is better adapted to temperature variations than T. podisi, however, both species can successfully parasitize P. nigrispinus.
A genomic approach to characterization of the Citrus terpene synthase gene family

Terpenes are a very large and structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites which are abundant in many essential oils, resins and floral scents. Additionally, some terpenes have roles as phytoalexins in plant-pathogen relationships, allelopathic inhibitors in plant-plant interactions, or as airborne molecules of plant-herbivore multitrophic signaling. Thus the elucidation of the biochemistry and molecular genetics of terpenoid biosynthesis has paramount importance in any crop species. With this aim, we searched the CitEST database for clusters of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) coding for terpene synthases. Herein is a report on the identification and in silico characterization of 49 putative members of the terpene synthase family in diverse Citrus species. The expression patterns and the possible physiological roles of the identified sequences are also discussed.
Die‐off of Escherichia coli in intact and disrupted cowpats

Diffuse pollution from grazed pastures is recognised as an important source of faecal microbial contamination of surface waters, and farmers urgently require mitigation options to reduce this impact of their farming activities. An obvious mitigation strategy is to reduce the size of the reservoir of faecal material in pastures during critical periods when overland flow is most likely. This work tested the hypothesis that smearing fresh cowpats to increase their surface area would increase exposure to solar radiation and increase desiccation, which in turn would accelerate the die‐off of Escherichia coli in the faecal material. The total solids content and E. coli concentration in intact and disrupted cowpats were monitored during the four seasons. The total solids content was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the disrupted cowpats compared to the intact cowpats. This indicates that increased desiccation of the faecal material was successful. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in E. coli concentrations in the disrupted and intact cowpats. The physical disruption of cowpats did not therefore accelerate the die‐off of E. coli in the faecal material. The disrupted cowpats did appear to decompose faster than the intact cowpats. Mitigation options to reduce faecal micro‐organism losses in overland flow from grazed pastures will now need to focus on other methods to reduce the build up of reservoirs of faecal material on farm.
β-Catenin Regulates Multiple Steps of RNA Metabolism as Revealed by the RNA Aptamer in Colon Cancer Cells

Nuclear β-catenin forms a transcription complex with TCF-4, which is implicated in colon cancer development and progression. Recently, we and others have shown that β-catenin could be a regulator of RNA splicing and it also stabilizes the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA. Here, we further explored the role of β-catenin in the RNA metabolism in colon cancer cells. To specifically modulate the subcellular functions of β-catenin, we expressed the RNA aptamer in the form of RNA intramers with unique cellular localizations. The nucleus-expressed RNA intramer proved to be effective in reducing the protein-protein interaction between β-catenin and TCF-4, thus shown to be a specific regulator of β-catenin–activated transcription. It could also regulate the alternative splicing of E1A minigene in diverse colon cancer cell lines. In addition, we tested whether β-catenin could stabilize any other mRNAs and found that cyclin D1 mRNA was also bound and stabilized by β-catenin. Significantly, the cytoplasm-expressed RNA intramer reverted the β-catenin–induced COX-2 and cyclin D1 mRNA stabilization. We show here that β-catenin regulated multiple steps of RNA metabolism in colon cancer cells and might be the protein factor coordinating RNA metabolism. We suggest that the RNA intramers could provide useful ways for inhibiting β-catenin–mediated transcription and RNA metabolism, which might further enhance the antitumorigenic effects of these molecules in colon cancer cells. [Cancer Res 2007;67(19):9315–20]
Taxonomic Relationships Among the Genera of Subfamily Cucurbitoideae (family Cucurbitaceae) from India Inferred from ITS Sequences of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA was analyzed from 18 species of the subfamily Cucurbitoideae (family Cucurbitaceae) to assess phylogenetic relationships. The ITS sequence data resolves three major clades. Benincasa, Coccinia, Cucumis, Diplocyclos, Lagenaria and Solena, which belong to the tribe Benincaseae, are grouped in a single clade (78% bootstrap support). This group is further distinguishable into two subgroups. Benincasa forms a clade (80% bootstrap support) with Cucumis species. Lagenaria is closely related to Diplocyclos-CocciniaSolena subgroup (78% bootstrap support). Trichosanthes and Luffa are grouped in a single clade (93% bootstrap support). Edgaria darjeelingensis (tribe Herpetospermeae), though nested within Trichosanthes-Luffa clade (50% bootstrap support), is distinct from members of tribes Benincaseae and Joliffeae included in the present study. Momordica cymbalaria (=Luffa tuberosa) forms a clade with Momordica dioica (80% bootstrap support).