Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytomorphological Behaviour of Primary Trisomics in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)

The desynaptic plant showed univalents ranging from 0 to 13 at diakinesis and metaphase I. In triploid plant 36 per cent of the cells showed eight chromosomes separating to one pole at anaphase I. The morphology, cytology and sterility studies were conducted in all the trisomics isolated. All the primary trisomics showed 6II+1III or 7II+1I at diakinesis and metaphase I. The frequency of trivalents was reduced at metaphase I. The trivalent resumed in chain of 3, V-, Y-, frying pan, S-, J- and 4-shape configurations. Based on cytomorphological distinction, the 16 trisomics were grouped in five classes as bushy, awned, slender, dark green and tiny.
Investigation of the biological activity of methanol extract from Eremostachys labiosa Bunge

Eremostachys plants (Lamiaceae) are consumed by indigenous Iranian culture as medicinal plants, but experimental studies on their biological properties are lacking. In order to investigate the biological potentials, methanol extract of Eremostachys labiosa (ELM) was tested for toxicity on various cancer cell lines using MTT 3, (4, 5-dimethylthiazal-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay. Anti-cancer effect of ELM was shown by its significant toxicity on different cancer cell lines especially on gastric (AGS) cancer cells. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of ELM, the amount of produced nitric oxide (NO) was assessed in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated J774A.1 macrophages using Griess reagent, and a remarkable decline was observed. Additionally, ELM showed considerable suppression on the proliferation of L. major promastigotes. The present study provides some evidence on the remarkable biological activities of E. labiosa. These findings also afford the scientific basis for the use of E. labiosa as a candidate medicinal plant for further in-depth phytochemical investigations towards anti-leishmanial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Estimating dispersal distributions at multiple scales: within-colony and among-colony dispersal rates, distances and directions in European Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Knowledge of the rate, distance and direction of dispersal within and among breeding areas is required to understand and predict demographic and genetic connectivity and resulting population and evolutionary dynamics. However dispersal rates, and the full distributions of dispersal distances and directions, are rarely comprehensively estimated across all spatial scales relevant to wild populations. We used re-sightings of European Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis colour-ringed as chicks on the Isle of May (IoM), UK, to quantify rates, distances and directions of dispersal from natal to subsequent breeding sites both within IoM (within-colony dispersal) and across 27 other breeding colonies covering 1045 km of coastline (among-colony dispersal). Additionally, we used non-breeding season surveys covering 895 km of coastline to estimate breeding season detection probability and hence potential bias in estimated dispersal parameters. Within IoM, 99.6% of individuals dispersed between their natal and observed breeding nest-site. The distribution of within-colony dispersal distances was right-skewed; mean distance was shorter than expected given random settlement within IoM, yet some individuals dispersed long distances within the colony. The distribution of within-colony dispersal directions was non-uniform but did not differ from expectation given the spatial arrangement of nest-sites. However, 10% of all 460 colour-ringed adults that were located breeding had dispersed to a different colony. The maximum observed dispersal distance (170 km) was much smaller than the maximum distance surveyed (690 km). The distribution of among-colony dispersal distances was again right-skewed. Among-colony dispersal was directional, and differed from random expectation and from the distribution of within-colony dispersal directions. Non-breeding season surveys suggested that the probability of detecting a colour-ringed adult at its breeding location was high in the northeastern UK (98%). Estimated dispersal rates and distributions were therefore robust to incomplete detection. Overall, these data demonstrate skewed and directionally divergent dispersal distributions across small (within-colony) and large (among-colony) scales, indicating that dispersal could create genetic and demographic connectivity within the study area.
Method for Removing Iodine131 from Milk

Summary Fresh samples of raw whole milk containing iodine 131 (either added and stored for 24 hr at 4C before use, in vivo labeled, or market milk samples contaminated with fresh fallout) were passed through a column (2.0×4.8cm) containing 15ml of Dowex 2-X8 anionic resin previously charged with an aqueous solution containing NaCl, NaH 2 PO 4 , and Na 3 C 6 H 5 O 7 at pH 6.6. The concentration of each anion in the charging solution expressed in nm/liter was 4.03 (nm Cl/liter)+4.64 (nm inorganic P/liter) + 20.4 (nm citrate/liter), where the expressions in parentheses represent the composition of the milk to be treated and the numerical coefficients provide for the difference in affinity of these anions for the resin. Analysis of treated milk indicated that approximately 98±2% of I 131 was removed from 120–130 resin bed volumes of milk (and about 95% from 230 resin bed volumes). The removal of I 131 did not vary with flow rates of 5–20ml per min, and the anionic composition was essentially unchanged. Also, the rate of removal was not affected by temperatures, which ranged from 1–30C, indicating that cold temperatures may be maintained during the process, thereby minimizing bacterial growth. All the I 131 in milk was removed except the protein-bound I 131 , which was not available for ion exchange. Although the protein-bound I 131 in milk from individual cows may vary from 0–10%, it is negligible in market milk contaminated with fresh fallout. The flavor of resin-treated milk was comparable to that of untreated milk. The absorbed I 131 on the resin may be stripped with 2 n HCl prior to resin regeneration.
Antibacterial Activity of Brewer's Spent Grains Peptides to Staphylococcus aureus

Antibacterial ability of brewer's spent grains peptides was detected which were hydrolyzed in different hydrolysis time with four proteases. The results showed: Flavourzyme hydrolyze in 180 min has better antibacterial ability to Staphylococcus aureus. The hydrolyzate was separated with polyamide column chromatography, ion exchange column chromatography, respectively. Peptides were tested of antibacterial ability, and better antibacterial ability were collected. Molecular weight is about 1877.67 which is measured with gel column chromatography. The minimal inhibitory concentration to Staphylococcus aureus was 2%.
The accuracy of varietal selection using factor analytic models for multi-environment plant breeding trials

Modeling of cultivar x trial effects for multienvironment trials (METs) within a mixed model framework is now common practice in many plant breeding programs. The factor analytic (FA) model is a parsimonious form used to approximate the fully unstructured form of the genetic variance-covariance matrix in the model for MET data. In this study, we demonstrate that the FA model is generally the model of best fit across a range of data sets taken from early generation trials in a breeding program. In addition, we demonstrate the superiority of the FA model in achieving the most common aim of METs, namely the selection of superior genotypes. Selection is achieved using best linear unbiased predictions (BLUPs) of cultivar effects at each environment, considered either individually or as a weighted average across environments. In practice, empirical BLUPs (E-BLUPs) of cultivar effects must be used instead of BLUPs since variance parameters in the model must be estimated rather than assumed known. While the optimal properties of minimum mean squared error of prediction (MSEP) and maximum correlation between true and predicted effects possessed by BLUPs do not hold for E-BLUPs, a simulation study shows that E-BLUPs perform well in terms of MSEP.
Effect of calcium and phytic acid on the activation of trypsinogen and the stability of trypsin

The kinetics of the activation of trypsinogen to ttrypsin has been investigated under different combinations of calcium (II) and phytic acid. The data describing the integrated process of active trypsin generation, inert protein generation, and active trypsin stability have been analysed in terms of 2 rate equations containing 4 rate constants. The effect of phytic acid on these rate constants at 30°C and either pH 6.0 or pH 8.1 is given
Density-dependent, central-place foraging in a grazing herbivore: competition and tradeoffs in time allocation near water

Optimal foraging theory addresses one of the core challenges of ecology: predicting the distribution and abundance of species. Tests of hypotheses of optimal foraging, however, often focus on a single conceptual model rather than drawing upon the collective body of theory, precluding generalization. Here we demonstrate links between two established theoretical frameworks predicting animal movements and resource use: central-place foraging and density-dependent habitat selection. Our goal is to better understand how the nature of critical, centrally placed resources like water (or minerals, breathing holes, breeding sites, etc.) might govern selection for food (energy) resources obtained elsewhere - a common situation for animals living in natural conditions. We empirically test our predictions using movement data from a large herbivore distributed along a gradient of water availability (feral horses, Sable Island, Canada, 2008–2013). Horses occupying western Sable Island obtain freshwater at ponds while in the east horses must drink at self-excavated wells (holes). We studied the implications of differential access to water (time needed for a horse to obtain water) on selection for vegetation associations. Consistent with predictions of density-dependent habitat selection, horses were reduced to using poorer-quality habitat (heathland) more than expected close to water (where densities were relatively high), but were free to select for higher-quality grasslands farther from water. Importantly, central-place foraging was clearly influenced by the type of water-source used (ponds vs. holes, the latter with greater time constraints on access). Horses with more freedom to travel (those using ponds) selected for grasslands at greater distances and continued to select grasslands at higher densities, whereas horses using water holes showed very strong density-dependence in how habitat could be selected. Knowledge of more than one theoretical framework may be required to explain observed variation in foraging behavior of animals where multiple constraints simultaneously influence resource selection.
Habitat Related Variation in Reproductive Traits among Intertidal Crabs from the Southwestern Atlantic

ABSTRACT The reproductive traits of three coastal grapsoid crabs from the southwestern Atlantic, Neohelice granulata (Dana, 1851), Cyrtograpsus angulatus Dana, 1851 and C. altimanus Rathbun, 1914, were compared under the hypothesis that more energy is diverted to maintenance (and less to reproduction) in the upper intertidal and/or in estuaries than in the lower marine intertidal or subtidal, in order to cope with the harsh, and frequently variable, environmental conditions of semiterrestrial and brackish water habitats. Each species occupies a different habitat along intertidal, as well as estuarine gradients: N. granulata lives in the upper and middle intertidal of salt marshes and mud flats, especially in estuarine waters; C. angulatus lives in the low intertidal and subtidal of estuarine and marine habitats, and C. altimanus is predominantly an intertidal and subtidal marine crab. Results suggested that energy demands imposed by the harsh environmental conditions of the estuarine and semiterrestrial habitats resulted in less energy available for reproduction in N. granulata, evidenced by a shorter breeding season, a reduced reproductive output per clutch and an increased clutch interval. The opposite occurred with C. altimanus: less energy was necessary to cope with the stable marine water, allowing the presence of a long breeding season, a higher reproductive output per clutch and a very short clutch interval. Differences observed between marine and estuarine populations of C. angulatus are comparable with differences between C. altimanus, and N. granulata.
New record of the seagrass species Halophila major (Zoll.) Miquel in Vietnam: evidence from leaf morphology and ITS analysis

Abstract The seagrass Halophila major (Zoll.) Miquel is reported for the first time from Vietnam. It was found growing with other seagrass species nearshore, 4–6 m deep at Tre Island, Nha Trang Bay. Leaf morphology and phylogenetic analysis based on ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences confirmed the identification. There was very little sequence differentiation among samples of H. major collected in Vietnam and other countries in the Western Pacific region. A very low evolutionary divergence among H. major populations was found.
Systematic position of the Socorro mockingbird Mimodes graysoni

Recently acquired tissue makes possible a first molecular assessment of the taxonomic position of the Soccoro Island endemic mimid Mimodes graysoni. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the ND-2 gene was analyzed using parsimony, maximum likelihood and bayesian methods of inference. These methods all placed Mimodes graysoni within a strongly supported clade containing four representatives of the genus Mimus. Retention of the monotypic Mimodes would make Mimus paraphyletic, therefore Mimodes graysoni is more properly placed in the genus Mimus.
Genetic variances among clonally propagated populations of tamarack and the implications for clonal forestry.

Genetic variances of three tamarack (Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch. ) populations in central New Brunswick were examined using vegetatively propagated materials. The component of variance due to clones within families was large for both 5-year height and survival and was partitioned into additive and nonadditive genetic variances. About 85% of the clonal variance for height was additive for the AFES and CANAAN populations but was only 18% for the NORTON population. For survival, the proportion of nonadditive variance was larger than additive variance for the AFES and CANAAN populations, whereas for the Norton population it was negligible. The possibility of clonal propagation and selection is explored as a tree improvement –reforestation option and a strategy is discussed.
Macroptery in altitudinal specialists versus brachyptery in generalists. A paradox of alpine Scandinavian carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Non-riparian alpine carabid beetle assemblages in Scandinavia are usually dominated by a set of seventeen species. Five of these species are more or less restricted to the alpine and subalpine regions (altitudinal specialists), whereas the remaining twelve species are widespread also in lowland (altitudinal generalists). Flight-wing length differs between these two groups of species, i.e. all altitudinal specialists are macropterous, whereas seven of the generalists are brachypter- ous or dimorphic with the brachypterous morph strongly dominating. Generalists abundant in lowland forests are all brachypterous, whereas the macropterous species in lowland are confined to open, dry habitats. The dominance of macroptery among altitudinal specialists is paradoxical as the alpine environment generally is supposed to select for brachyptery, and the specialists should be better adapted to their habitat than the generalists are. Available subfossil evi- dence suggests that the specialist species reached the Scandinavian Mountain Range from a continental refugium south of the ice sheet. The macroptery of the specialists can be explained by the relative recentness of the last glaciation and the lower dispersal power of the brachypterous or apterous tundra species that have not been able to colonize Scandinavia from their glacial refugia. The time available for colonization of generalist species following deglaciation was probably much longer than for specialists, and consequently brachypter- ous species were successful. Wing dimorphism as a tool for reconstructing faunal history is discussed.
Ecological networks, nestedness and sampling effort

1 Ecological networks have been shown to display a nested structure. To be nested, a network must consist of a core group of generalists all interacting with each other, and with extreme specialists interacting only with generalist species. 2 Studies on ecological networks are especially prone to sampling effects, as they involve entire species assemblages. However, we know of no study addressing to what extent nestedness depends on sampling effort, despite the numerous studies discussing the ecological and evolutionary implications of nested networks. 3 Here we manipulate sampling effort in time and space and show that nestedness is less sensitive to sampling effort than number of species and links within the network. 4 That a structural property of an ecological network appears less prone to sampling bias is encouraging for other studies of ecological networks. This is because it indicates that the sensitivity of ecological networks properties to effects of sampling effort might be smaller than previously expected.
Maximum Likelihood Estimates of Parameters of First and Second Lactation Milk Records

Abstract Variance and covariance components, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations between first and second lactation milk records were estimated by Maximum Likelihood procedures. Data consisted of 423,314 first records and 339,182 selected second records completed in over 160,000 herd-year-seasons from daughters of 1,873 Holstein sires. Heritabilities of first and second milk records were . 41 and . 35. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were . 91 and . 56. Computational practicality and bias in estimation by Maximum Likelihood are discussed.
Synergistic Interaction between Xanthan and Konjac Glucomannan in Aqueous Media

The non-Newtonian behavior and dynamic modulus of a series of aqueous mixtures of xanthan (native, deacetylated, depyruvated, and deacylated) and konjac glucomannan were measured with a rheogoniometer. The flow curves, at 55°C, of a mixed solution of xanthan and glucomannan showed plastic behavior at 0.1% total gums. At a concentration of 0.1 % total gums, gelation occurred at room temperature. A much stronger gel was observed in a mixture with deacetylated xanthan, about twice as strong as that of a mixture with depyruvated xanthan. The dynamic modulus of a mixture of deacylated xanthan and glucomannan stayed at very small value in the presence of CaCl2 (6.8mM) and urea (4.0M). The side chains of xanthan may be dominant in the interaction with konjac glucomannan molecules.
Improved Equations for Estimating the Resting Metabolic Rate

New models were developed for predicting the resting metabolic rate (RMR) with sufficient accuracy for use in epidemiologic studies and for weight control of individuals. For this purpose, the RMR of 213 women and 76 men was measured, and physical measurements were taken. The RMR was regressed on correlates of RMR, avoiding harmful degrees of collinearity by rejecting interregressor correlations exceeding r=0.5. For women, the best model (R2=0.71) included the regressors age, race, weight, pulse rate, smoking, and body temperature. The best model for males (R2 = 0.81) included age, race, weight, blood pressure, smoking, time (of day the RMR was measured), and whether subjects had a meal prior to calorimetry. The models were cross validated internally and also validated using an external database. In both cases, the mean estimated RMR did not differ significantly from the measured RMR. The accuracy of the models was compared with four models reported in the literature, three of which overestimated the RMR by up to 17%. In conclusion, improved RMR prediction models have been developed, more accurate than existing models, rendering them suitable for application to epidemiological databases and for individual weight control programs.
Induction of the activity of glycolytic enzymes correlates with enhanced hydrolysis of sucrose in the cytosol of transgenic potato tubers

The aim of this work was to define the metabolic factors which regulate the respiratory pathways in trangenic potato tubers. We previously found that respiration is enhanced in transgenic tubers which express a yeast invertase and a glucokinase from Zymomonas mobilis. In this study we investigated glycolysis in three further transgenic potato lines with profound changes in the mobilization of sucrose. We studied antisense ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase lines which are characterized by a reduction in starch accumulation and a significant build up of sucrose and related metabolic intermediates. We also report the generation of two novel double transgenic lines where the yeast invertase is expressed specifically in tubers of the ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase antisense line, targeted to either the cytosol or apopolast. We evaluated whether the localization of sucrose cleavage had an impact on the glycolytic induction, and assessed if invertase expression in the high-sucrose background had any further effects on glycolysis. We found that induction of the glycolytic enzymes only occurs when the invertase is targeted to the cytosol, and that the extent of this induction was comparable in the wild type and antisenseADPglucose pyrophosphorylase backgrounds. We conclude that the signal regulating glycolysis is directly linked to cytosolic sucrose hydrolysis.
How Artificial Are Artificial Substrata for Periphyton?

Artificial substrata are increasingly used to study periphyton, but their ability to reproduce natural substrata remains controversial. Although many studies have made contemporaneous comparisons of periphyton assemblages on artificial and natural substrata at one or a few sites, no broadly based comparison exists. We therefore surveyed the literature to establish conditions under which artificial substrata satisfactorily mimic both the quantity and the quality of natural periphyton assemblages. In general, epilithon was underestimated by the artificial substrata; epiphyton was overestimated, but less severely. These trends were significantly affected by the time available for colonization of the artificial substrata before sampling, site trophy, ambient temperature, and whether the study was conducted in a lake or in running water. Neither the composition of the substratum nor its orientation appeared important. Natural diatom assemblages were usually well simulated by those on artificial substrata, whereas both epilithic and epiphytic green and bluegreen algae were severely underrepresented on the artificial substrata. Since artificial substrata often misrepresent both the quantity and the quality of natural periphyton, they should be used with more caution, especially in intersite and interseason surveys.