Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity and ecology of lichens and lichenicolous fungi in "Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici" National Park (Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain)

334 lichenized fungi and 13 lichenicolous fungi were reported from «Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici» National Park. The diversity of growth-forms was distributed as follows: 59.4 % crustose, 20.2 % foliose, 10.7 % fruticose, 3.7 % squamulose and 2.3 % leprose. Lichenicolous fungi count for 3.7 % of the catalogue. Alpine belt was the richest with the 48 % of found taxa, subalpine belt was the second richest with 37.9 % and the montane belt was the poorest with only 14.1 % of taxa. However, this belt had the highest proportion of crustose taxa, with a 63.5 %. In addition, subalpine belt contained more foliose taxa with a 29 % of the taxa present in that belt, and there was also found the higher proportion of fruticose lichens (12.4 %). Crustose lichens were the main growth form on all the substrates. Otherwise, growth forms are in a similar proportion on ground and plant debris. The patterns of diversity and ecological distribution were similar to the ones found in mid-latitude mountains from Europe (Alps, Apennines, Cantabrian Range) or North America (Rocky Mountains). European mountain localities were richer in crustose species, while North American sites had a higher proportion of foliose and fruticose taxa. Moreover, corticolous taxa showed to be more abundant in European areas, on the other hand terricolous taxa were more frequent in North American mountains.
Casein kinase 2 controls synapse organization and stability

Synapse remodeling is a local and dynamic process, requiring constant modifications of the neuronal network. Post-translational modifications, such as reversible phosphorylation by kinases and phosphatases, play a crucial role in synapse development and stabilization (Caroni et al., 2012; Wu et al., 2010). To better understand the complex regulation of synaptic stabilization, I performed an unbiased genome-wide RNAi screen consisting of 312 kinases and 127 phosphatases or their subunits. Seven kinases and four phosphatases not previously implicated in synapse stability were identified. They control synapse stability through modulation of phospholipid signaling, metabolic signaling, or the cytoskeleton. The analysis of a major regulatory molecule identified in the screen Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) provides novel insights into the mechanisms controlling the regulation of synapse stability. CK2 is largely conserved and constitutively active, consisting of two catalytic CK2a and two regulatory CK2b subunits. I demonstrated that both kinase-active CK2a and regulatory CK2b are indispensable for synapse stability pre- but not postsynaptically at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Moreover, CK2a-CK2b interaction is necessary for the maintenance of stable synapses in vivo demonstrating that CK2 functions as an a2/b2 holoenzyme. I identified essential residues in CK2a that mediate this interaction. In addition, I showed that presynaptic CK2a activity regulates synaptic domain organization and localization of essential synaptic proteins such as the cell adhesion molecule Neuroglian (Nrg) and the adaptor molecule Ankyrin2 (Ank2). Ank2 provides a regulatable link between synaptic cell adhesion molecules and the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton. I demonstrated that CK2 phosphorylates Ank2 in vitro and controls synapse stability at least partially via Ank2, but not via its interaction with Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Therefore, Ank2L represents an essential substrate of CK2 to regulate synaptic morphology and stabilization. CK2 may thus be an important protein kinase whose function is to control synapse stability through constitutive phosphorylation of structural synaptic components. This provides a compelling mechanism to regulate the lifetime of synaptic connections and to enable local structural synaptic plasticity without disruption of neuronal circuit architecture.
A Novel MAPK Phosphatase MKP-7 Acts Preferentially on JNK/SAPK and p38α and β MAPKs*

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are inactivated via dephosphorylation of either the threonine or tyrosine residue or both in the P-loop catalyzed by protein phosphatases which include serine/threonine phosphatases, tyrosine phosphatases, and dual specificity phosphatases. Nine members of the dual specificity phosphatases specific for MAPKs, termed MKPs, have been reported. Each member has its own substrate specificity, tissue distribution, and subcellular localization. In this study, we have cloned and characterized a novel MKP, designated MKP-7. MKP-7 is most similar to hVH5, a member of previously known MKPs, in the primary structure. MKP-7 is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm when expressed in cultured cells, whereas hVH5 is both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. MKP-7 binds to and inactivates p38 MAPK and JNK/SAPK, but not ERK. Furthermore, we have found that MKPs have the substrate specificity toward the isoforms of the p38 family (α, β, γ, and δ). MKP-7 binds to and inactivates p38α and -β, but not γ or δ. MKP-5 and CL100/MKP-1 also bind to p38α and -β, but not γ or δ. Finally, we propose a tentative classification of MKPs based on the sequence characteristics of their MAPK-docking site.
Critical Evaluation of Feeding Options for Replacement Calves

The replacement heifer enterprise typically represents about 20% of the expenses of the dairy farm. This makes it the second largest expense on the dairy farm, trailing only the costs of feed for the milk cow herd. Costs are incurred from the day of birth of the calf, with no economic returns until the heifer calves and enters the milking string. Goals of the replacement heifer enterprise should be to minimize expenses while ensuring healthy, vigorous heifers that grow rapidly and enter the milking herd at 22 to 24 months at proper body size. Getting the heifer off too a fast start during the milk feeding period provides the foundation for healthy, well-grown, economical heifers.
Introgression of trypanotolerance genes in mice using markers information.

INTRODUCTION Various inbred mouse strains show variation in resistance to Trypanosoma congolense infection. Among these mouse strains, the C57BL/6 strain appears to be the most resistant with mean survival time of 110.2 days whereas the A/J strain, with mean survival of 15.8 days, appears to be the least resistance (Morrison et al., 1978). Three chromosomal regions were associated with trypanotolerance in mice (Kemp et al., 1997). Marker-assisted introgression is a crossbreeding program that aims at incorporating genes from a donor to a recipient animal through a backcross design. The present paper aims at assessing results of a marker-assisted introgression experiment that aimed at introgressing each of the three trypanotolerance QTL alleles from the mouse strain C57BL/6 (donor) into the mouse strain A/J (recipient).
Biointensive Sustainable Mini-Farming: II. Perspective, Principles, Techniques and History

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the: principles for a more productive, resource-efficient and environmentally sound agriculture; the philosophical foundation for this kind of farming; the historical agricultural systems leading to Ecology Action's “Grow Bio-intensive” system: the French intensive, the Biodynamic, and Alan Chadwick's Biodynamic/French intensive approaches; and a description of Ecology Action's system.
Genetic relatidness and In vitro antimicrobial activities of alkaloids isolated from Indian varieties of Catharanthus roseus (L.)

Catharanthus roseus (L.) is one of the most intensively studied for its anticancerous property but phytopathogenic activity of the plant has not been much studied. Callus induction from C. roseus was optimized by varying various harmone concentrations and the best result was obtanined in MS medium fortified with 2mgL-1 2, 4-D and 0.1 mgL-1 kinetin. Antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration showed that the 20, 40, and 80% leaves, shoot, and root extract inhibits Gram positive B. subtilis and phytopathogenic fungus F. oxysporium, A. niger, Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum falcatum, Cylindrocladium scoparium respectively. Genetic relatidness was determined by RAPD analysis revealed that, white and violet colored C.roseus flowered plant was closely related than rosy pink coloured flower.
Características estruturais do dossel e acúmulo de forragem em gramíneas tropicais, sob lotação intermitente e pastejada por ovinos = Sward structural characteristics and herbage accumulation in tropical grasses, under intermittent stocking ...

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o acumulo de forragem e as caracteristicas estruturais do dossel de gramineas forrageiras tropicais sob lotacao intermitente na epoca das aguas. Os tratamentos constituiram de quatro cultivares de gramineas: Aruana, Marandu, Massai e Piata pastejadas por ovinos sob lotacao intermitente. Foram avaliadas as massas e os componentes da forragem no pre-pastejo em dois estratos, de 0-25 e de 25-50 cm, e no pos-pastejo; e o acumulo de forragem. Nao houve diferenca entre os periodos de ocupacao e de descanso entre as cultivares, para as variaveis avaliadas. A cv. Massai obteve a maior massa seca de forragem (MSF) nos dois estratos, alem da maior densidade volumetrica (DV) e massa de material morto (MMM) no estrato 0 a 25 cm. No pos-pastejo dos pastos de Massai foram observadas as maiores MSF, DV e MMM. Os maiores acumulos e taxa de acumulo de lâminas foliares foram observados nos pasto de Massai. O pre-pastejo a 50 cm para as cultivares avaliadas, resulta em valores elevados para massa e proporcao dos componentes de colmo e/ou material morto no dossel, alem de excesso de forragens no pos-pastejo. As cultivares avaliadas sao produtivas e adequadas para cultivo na regiao Nordeste, apresentando resultados de taxas de acumulos de forragem e de lâminas foliares proximos a producao em outras regioes do Brasil.
In vitro selection of foeniculum vulgare for salt tolerance.

In vitro selection of Foeniculum vulgare for salt tolerance was undertaken by the use of somaclonal variation. In this idea, explants of root, hypocotyl and cotyledon of sterilized seedling were transferred to callus and regeneration media with concentrations of 0, 50, 100 and 150 mM of NaCl. After 4 weeks, calli induction, regeneration frequency and calli fresh and dry weights, in both control and stress conditions, were measured. The results showed that salinity caused a significant decrease in the callus induction and shoot regeneration of fennel. However, in the presence of 100 and 150 mM NaCl, the highest frequency of callus induction in hypocotyl and cotyledon explants was recorded on the media supplemented with 1 mg l -1 IAA (Indol-3-Acetic Acid) plus 1 mg l -1 2,4-D (2, 4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 2 mg l -1 kinetin. Among different growth regulator treatments, the combination of 2 mg l -1 NAA (Naphtaleneacetic acid) and 0.5 mg l -1 kinetin was found to be the most effective for shoot regeneration under stress condition. The highest dose of NaCl (150 mM) inhibited callus induction and shoot regeneration compared to control with 41% and 96% respectively. The calli fresh and dry weights of all explants were decreased with the increas of NaCl concentration. The highest and the lowest of dry and fresh weight of calli were observed in 0 and 150 mM respectively.
Endocytosis and NF-κB are involved in the signal pathway of the degranulation and expression of prophenoloxidase messenger RNA of prawn hemocytes triggered by CpG oligodeoxynucleotides.

Microscopic observations showed that granulocytes were the primary CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN)-stimulated hemocyte population of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. To clarify whether endocytosis and the NF-κB and ERK signal pathways are required to initiate and activate degranulation in prawn ODN-triggered hemocytes, the total extracellular phenoloxidase (PO) activity (PO(subscript T)) was examined. When hemocytes were separately treated in vitro with ODN2006 and inhibitors of specific signaling components, there was a decrease in the POT of hemocytes treated with either chloroquine (1 and 2 mM), an inhibitor of endosomal acidification, or pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC; 5-30 μM), which inhibits the NF-κB pathway. After ERK-inhibiting PD98059 treatment, a reduction in the POT was detected in 1/2 of all hemocyte samples tested in this experiment; however, the POT of the remaining samples did not significantly differ from that of the ODN2006-stimulated sample. In addition, expression of the proPO gene was monitored after prawns were injected with ODN2006 (5μg/prawn) and PDTC (1.5mM/prawn) by a semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. The results showed that a decreased level of prophenoloxidase (proPO) messenger RNA was detected at 1 and 3 h post-treatment. All data suggest that in addition to the protein kinase C-activating signaling pathway demonstrated in our previous study, both the endocytic and NF-κB pathways are involved in activation of the proPO system of CpG ODN-induced prawns.
The key to success : an investigation into oviposition of the salvinia weevil in cool climate regions

In cooler climates of Australia, where salvinia ( Salvinia molesta D.S.Mitchell (Pteridophyta: Salviniales) is rapidly becoming a major problem, long-term establishment of the salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)) has not yet been achieved. Biological control appears to offer the only cost-effective and long-term solution to salvinia but until the agent is successfully established, ongoing use of expensive chemical and mechanical control methods are required. The reasons that the salvinia weevil is failing to establish in cool climates are not fully understood. This paper describes preliminary studies on oviposition of the salvinia weevil at low temperatures as part of an investigation into the breeding ability of the weevil in temperate zones. The effect of air and water temperatures on the oviposition of the weevil in climate-controlled cabinets, and a glasshouse has been investigated and results are discussed. In understanding cool temperature effects on oviposition of the weevil, a significant contribution could be made towards the long-term management of salvinia in temperate climates.
PARTIAL SUBSTITUTION OF ALFALFA HAY WITH GRASS HAY (SUDANGRASS, ELEPHANT GRASS) IN DIETS FOR LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE: DIGESTIVE FUNCTION.

233 PARTIAL SUBSTITUTION OF ALFALFA HAY WITH GRASS HAY (SUDANGRASS, ELEPHANT GRASS) IN DIETS FOR LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE: DIGESTIVE FUNCTION. *M. A. Gastelum, E. G. Alvarez, J. E. Guerra, J. L. Corrales, J. Moreno. M. Meza, L. E. Soto, R. A. Zinn 1 Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico, 3 University of California, Davis. Ranchero01@hotmail.com
New field of insect science: Research on the use of insect properties

In recent years, research on “insect properties” has been attracting much attention for industrial applications of insect technology. This is a new field of research that attempts to analyze specific physiological properties of insects to develop technology for helping humankind. The term “insect properties” has been used to refer to “specific biological functions of insects” since around 1986, and it is now widely accepted in Japan. From 1996, the National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science (NISES) promoted “Research for utilization of insect properties” as a “Center of Excellence (COE)” project funded by the Science and Technology Agency. At this point, a new research field called “Research for utilization of insect properties” was initiated, and this led to the recognition of this field by the academic community. In the 21st century, remarkable results, including the development of transgenic silkworms and the full decoding of the silkworm genome, have been achieved. It is expected that this advanced technology will be a powerful tool for progress of research on the use of insect properties. This review presents an overview of the current state of research on use of insect properties as a new technology.
Large Herbivore Ecology, Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation

Preface Introduction 1. Large herbivores across biomes Herve Fritz and Anne Loison 2. Living in a seasonal environment Jon Moen, Reidar Andersen and Andrew W. Illius 3. Linking functional responses and foraging behaviour to population dynamics Andrew W. Illius 4. Impacts of large herbivores on plant community structure and dynamics Alison J. Hester, Margareta Bergman, Glenn R. Iason and Jon Moen 5. Long-term effects of herbivory on plant diversity and functional types in arid ecosystems David Ward 6. The influence of large herbivores on tree recruitment and forest dynamics Robin Gill 7. Large herbivores: missing partners of western-European light-demanding tree and shrub species? Frans W. M. Vera, Elisabeth S. Bakker and Han Olff 8. Frugivory in large mammalian herbivores Richard Bodmer and David Ward 9. Large herbivores as sources of disturbance in ecosystems N. Thompson Hobbs 10. The roles of large herbivores in ecosystem nutrient cycles John P. Pastor, Yosef Cohen and N. Thompson Hobbs 11. Large herbivores in heterogeneous grassland ecosystems Douglas A. Frank 12. Modelling of large herbivore - vegetation interactions in a landscape context Peter J. Weisberg, Michael B. Coughenour and Harald Bugmann 13. Effects of large herbivores on other fauna Otso Suominen and Kjell Danell 14. The future role of large carnivores on terrestrial trophic interactions: the northern temperate view Reidar Andersen, John D. C. Linnell and Erling J. Solberg 15. Restoring the functions of grazed ecosystems Ian J. Gordon 16. Themes and future directions in herbivore-ecosystem interactions and conservation John Pastor, Kjell Danell, Roger Bergstrom and Patrick Duncan References Index.
The Catalogue of Life: towards an integrative taxonomic backbone for biodiversity

The Catalogue of Life Programme is addresseing the need for a comprehensive catalogue of the world’s presently known animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms. The need is for an electronic catalogue that can be used as a taxonomic back-bone. In a wide variety of programmes covering species and documenting many types of biotic materials and records. The First Phase of the programme has used an architecture based on an array of global species databases to reach coverage of about two-thirds of known species. In the Second Phase of the Programme there will be a new architecture, a new array of services, and a ring of partnerships with global programmes. Index Terms — Catalogue of Life, global taxonomic framework, species checklist, synonymic indexing, taxonomic hierarchy. —————————— u ——————————
Seasonal patterns of brood rearing and worker longevity in colonies of Africanized honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in South America.

Seasonal patterns of brood rearing, swarming and absconding, nectar and pollen storage, and worker longevity are described for Africanized honey bee colonies in French Guiana, South America. During the wet season, colonies show diminished brood rearing, slightly higher mean worker longevity, no swarming and a higher probability of absconding, and a shift in colony age structure towards older bees. These demographic responses to the dearth season are considerably less pronounced than those known for other races under temperate and subtropical conditions during the winter non-foraging period, and observations suggest that dif ferences between races may be at least partly genetic. These results have important implications for the rate of spread of Africanized honey bees in South America. In temperate and subtropical climates, winter conditions result in dra matic changes in honey bee (Apis mellifera) biology. Brood rearing and foraging are severely curtailed or stopped (Nolan, 1925, 1928; Bodenheimer and Ben-Nerya, 1937; Bodenheimer, 1937; Maurizio, 1950; Gontarski, 1953; Hassanein and El-Banby, 1960), adult longevity rises (Fukuda and Sekigu chi, 1966, and references cited therein), and workers and the queen are quiescent, forming a winter cluster which obtains energy to generate heat from honey stores. For wet tropical areas, "winter" conditions are related to rainfall rather than temperature, with periods of severe rainfall being periods of reduced resource availability. The biology of honey bees under these conditions has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of brood rearing and adult worker longevity in persisting colonies of African ized bees during the wet season in French Guiana, South America, and to compare such data to those for other races of honey bees under temperate or subtropical conditions.
Diagnóstico molecular da leishmaniose tegumentar americana em pacientes atendidos no Centro de Referência em hanseníase e dermatologia sanitária da Universidade federal de Uberlândia, CREDESH-UFU.

Leishmaniasis represents a complex of parasitic diseases with high rates of morbimortality which are extremely associated with poverty . The definitive diagnosis of ATL is based on clinical and epidemiological data associated to the laboratory diagnosis. PCR has proved to be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis, because it is a faster and more sensitive than conventional methods, and can identify the species in different clinical samples. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PCR for the diagnosis of ACL, to identify Leishmania species in samples from patients attended by the National Reference Center on Leprosy and Sanitary Dermatology, Federal University of Uberlândia. A total of 37 skin samples collected from patients with skin lesions suggestive of ATL and four suspects were submitted to the diagnosis of IHQ and PCR and subsequent PCR-RFLP analysis of positive samples. A total of 37 skin samples collected from patients with cutaneous lesions suggestive of ATL were submitted to IHC and PCR diagnosis, following by PCR-RFLP analysis of positive samples. Ten samples positive for leprosy and negative for Leishmania (Montenegro Skin test and IHC negative results) were used for test the absence of primers annealing with Mycobacterium leprae. By consensus a result was considered as positive when at least three of the five diagnostic techniques tested were positive, resulting in 30 (73%) samples considered positives and 11 as negative (27%). IHC showed the lower sensitivity and NPV when compared with the other three PCR tests, but it showed high specificity and PPV. The values of the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for the primers 13A/13B and L150/152 were 80% and 100%, and 90% and 100%, 100 and 100%, 50% and 66.6%, respectively. The primers HSP70 and LITS1/L5.8S present similar results reaching 100% of sensitivity, specificity, NPV and PPV. The four PCR assays presented better results for ATL diagnosis when compared to the IHC and the others methods routinely used. The identification of species through PCR-RFLP was able to identify the four species proposed in this study L.braziliensis, L. amazonensis, L.guyanensis and L.infantum. In conclusion, ITS1 and HSP70 PCR-RFLP assays were able to diagnosing to identify the ATL causative agent with high sensitivity and specificity, however, the HSP70 PCR-RFLP showed better applicability in the diagnostic routine of ATL in Brazil due to its high sensitivity, specificity and operational characteristics.
ISSUE Late Neogene history of the laurel tree (Laurus L., Lauraceae) based on phylogeographical analyses of Mediterranean and Macaronesian

Aim The post-glacial range dynamics of many European plant species have been widely investigated, but information rapidly diminishes as one moves further back in time. Here we infer the historical range shifts of Laurus, a paradigmatic tree of the Tethyan flora that has covered southern Eurasia since the Oligo-Miocene, by means of phylogenetic and phylogeographical analyses.