Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modification of Acetobacter xylinum bacterial cellulose using dextransucrase and alternansucrase

In addition to catalyzing the synthesis of glucan from sucrose as a primary reaction, glucansucrase also catalyzes the transfer of glucose from sucrose to other carbohydrates that are present or are added to the reaction digest. Using dextransucrase and alternansucrase, prepared from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-742CBM and B-1355C, respectively, we modified the bacterial cellulose in Acetobacter xylinum ATCC10821 culture, and then produced a characteristic cellulose that is soluble and has a new structure, There were also some partially modified insoluble cellulose and oligosaccharides in the modification culture. After methylation and following acid hydrolysis of both the soluble and insoluble glucans, there were (1→4) as well as (1→6) and (1→3) glycosidic linkages in the soluble glucan.
IDENTIFICATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL ENHANCERS USING TARGETED REGIONAL ELECTROPORATION (TREP) OF EVOLUTIONARILY CONSERVED REGIONS

INTRODUCTION During development, precise temporal and spatial regulation of critical genes is required to orchestrate body plan morphology. Preservation of a generalized developmental process and body plan across divergent species suggests that regulation has also been conserved. Thus, evolutionarily conserved regions (ECRs) in association with developmentally important genes are likely candidates as regulatory elements. Screening of ECRs has recently been described during early chick development, using in vitro whole embryo electroporation of ECR constructs containing green fluorescent protein (GFP). The major limitation of this technique is that the chick embryos only survive in vitro for about 48 hrs after electroporation and thus enhancers involved in later development and organogenesis cannot be determined. We previously reported on a method to deliver expression vectors at targeted locations during in ovo development by confined microelectroporation (CMEP). We have modified this technique to broaden the targeted region of electroporation and vector delivery, i.e., targeted regional electroporation (TREP). Herein, we demonstrate the ability of this technique to screen for ECR activity at later stages of development.
The comparison study of the three histochemical staining methods in gastric cardia intestinal metaplasia staining

Objective: To compare the three histochemical staining methods of intestinal metaplasia (IM),AB PAS,AB(pH 2 5),HID in the studying of gastric cardia IM and find out the criteria of selecting.Methods: 25 cases of IM was detected by AB PAS,AB(pH 2 5),HID,respectively.Results: The histochemical positive staining of AB PSA and HID is consistent( P 0 05),and much higher than AB(pH 2 5)( P 0 05). And the different methods have no significant affect on histo phenotype of IM( P 0 05). of the three methods,AB PAS was the most efficient and economical methods with the best staining not only for intensity but also for contrast;AB(pH 2 5)was the last choice with the regard of staining intensity and contrast;HID was the most time consuming and expensive methods,but it can distinguish different type of mucoprotein,of sialomucin and s ulfomucin.Conclusion: The select criteria is that AB(pH 2 5) use for the screening of IM,which can index the place of IM;and AB PAS is the best of the three to use for IM staining;HID is use for IM different histochemical type and mucoprotein classification.
Crystallographic Data in Echinoderm Classification

IN THE zoological and paleontological literature of recent years, there have been many discussions of the mineralogical and chemical nature of invertebrate skeletons. Much of this work has dealt with the physiology of shell deposition. Excellent reviews of several aspects of this research may be found in an AAAS symposium entitled Calcification in biological systems (Sognnaes, 1960); papers in this volume by Wilbur, Bevelander and Nakahara, and Travis are particularly concerned with the invertebrates. Because these studies are oriented toward physiological processes, however, they have little direct bearing on the phylogenetic and taxonomic problems posed by differences in skeletal composition. Of greater importance to the taxonomist has been a series of studies concerned with relating skeletal structure and composition to changes in the natural environment. The principal stimulus here has been the need to develop indicators of environmental factors, such as temperature and salinity, which may be used to interpret conditions of the geologic past (see Lowenstam, 1954, for review). Because the effects are mostly phenotypic, every attempt has been made to avoid skeletal characteristics which are sensitive to genetic change: that is, those characteristics which display differences between closely related species within the same environment. As a result, this work, too, has produced comparatively little information directly applicable to taxonomic problems. In the few cases where skeletal structure and composition have been tackled from a purely taxonomic point of view, and have been surveyed systematically in a family, order, or class, the results have been immediately applicable to problems of evolution and classification. The studies of Newell (1937, 1942) on shell structures in pectinid and mytilid molluscs are noteworthy examples. In the present paper, the orientations of crystals in one relatively small invertebrate group, the Echinoidea, will be described with the objective of using patterns of crystal orientation as a taxonomic tool on an equal footing with more conventionally used morphological features.
Laser Diffraction Analysis Application on the Grain Size Analysis of Mati River Delta Sediments (Albania)

The source of Mati River is located in the Bulqiza district (North of Albania), while its delta is situated near to Rodoni Gulf. It has a length of 115 km and a surface basin is 2450 km, including two contributors as Mati and Fani branches. Laser Diffraction Analysis was applied for the grain size analysis of beach sediments of Mati river delta. The measurements were carried out with Malvern instrument while the dataset were generated by performing Mastersizer 2000 software. This research aim is presenting the grain-size distribution, depositional processes, hydrodynamic condition, mechanism of sedimentation and depositional environments. The bivariate analyses, linear discriminant functions, were used for twenty six samples from the shoreline of Mati river delta. The results of grain size parameter reveal that samples of the study area are mostly medium sand followed by fine sand, moderately well sorted, symmetrical nature and mesokurtic to leptokurtic distribution. The analysis of linear discriminate function indicates that sediments were reworked by Aeolian or beach processes, under the environment of shallow marine and by fluvial deposits.
Morphology, taxonomy, and stratigraphic occurrence of the Lepidocyclininae

The character of the test of members of the Lepidocyclinidae and Lepidocyclininae are reviewed. Generic distinctions are based primarily on characters of the megalospheric nucleoconch. All generic and subgeneric names are discussed, and the genera Lepidocyclina (subgenera Lepidocyclina and and Nephrolepidina) Eulepidina and Pliolepidina are adopted. Polylepidina belongs to the subfamily Helicolepidininae. An alternative treatment of species reclassified by Cole is suggested. A stratigraphically significant fauna from Trinidad is described. Age-determinations of some significant occurrences are revised.
Exotic or not, leaf trait dissimilarity modulates the effect of dominant species on mixed litter decomposition

It has long been recognized that leaf traits exert a crucial control on litter decomposition, a key process for nutrient cycling, and that invading species can greatly alter such soil processes via changes in mixed litter trait composition. Trait effects on ecosystem processes are hypothesized to operate via changes in either dominant trait values in the community (often calculated as community‐weighted mean trait values; CWM) or trait functional diversity (dissimilarity between species trait values; FD). Few have studied the effects of these community trait components in tandem due to their interdependence. We studied litter mixture decomposition using three exotic and six native European tree species with a range in litter decomposability, to disentangle the unique and combined roles of CWM and FD in explaining net litter mixture mass loss. We showed that while CWM exerted the strongest effect on mass loss, FD modulated its effects, increasing mass loss in mixtures with low mean decomposability and decreasing mass loss in mixtures with high mean decomposability. Litter species identity and native/exotic status explained relatively little additional variation in mass loss after accounting for CWM and FD. We further showed that alterations to CWM and FD were more important than the replacement of a native species with an exotic counterpart in predicting mass loss. Synthesis: Our results indicate that the effect of adding an exotic or losing a native species on litter decomposition rate can be predicted from how a species alters both CWM and FD trait values. This supports the idea that the repercussions of exotic species on ecosystem processes depends on the extent that introduced species bear novel traits or trait values and so on how functionally dissimilar a species is compared to the existing species in the community.
The Speed of Invasion: Rates of Spread for Thirteen Exotic Forest Insects and Diseases

Invasive, exotic insects and diseases have a devastating effect on North American forests. The rate of spread, or range expansion, is one of the main determinants of an invasive organism’s impact, and can play a major role in structuring management response options. To better understand how exotic organisms have spread through our forests, this study employs a consistent, rigorous analytical framework to analyze a comprehensive geospatial database for the spread of seven exotic insects and six diseases. This study includes new data for six insects and two diseases in combination with five invasive species previously analyzed using the same technique. The quantile regression analysis of over 3000 records of infestation over the preceding century show that the rate of spread of invasive forest insects and diseases ranges from 4.2 km·year−1 to 57.0 km·year−1. The slowest disease spread was white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) at 7.4 km·year−1 while the most rapid disease spread was chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) at 31.3 km·year−1. The slowest insect spread was balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae) (4.2 km·year−1) while the fastest was emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) at 57.0 km·year−1. Species that can fly long distances or are vectored by flying insects have spread faster than those that are passively dispersed. This analysis highlights the difficulty of estimating spread rates from studies of individual dispersal or flight distances, but the estimated spread rates in this study are generally in line with previous estimates.
Microclimatic Investigations as Tool for Urban Design

Abstract According to recent studies concerning climate change an increase of air temperature in Europe is predicted. Warmer summer temperatures are expected to have a large impact on the quality of human life in urban quarters, as well as increase the demand for cooling. It is well known that climate responsive design can reduce heat stress at street level and energy use, with health, social, economical and environmental benefits as a result.
Research on SRAP molecular markers in germplasm resources of Coix lacryma-jobi

Objective To study the 25 germplasm resources of Coix lacryma-jobi by the technique of SRAP molecular markers. Methods Taking genome DNA in the leaves of C. lacryma-jobi extracted by modified CTAB method as template. Six ideal primer pairs were selected from 88 primer pairs by using the optimized SRAP-PCR reaction system and the amplification of 25 germplasm resources by SRAP-PCR were carried out. Results The total 66 clear and repeatable polymorphic bands were obtained, and the polymorphic rate was up to 93%. The coefficient of genetic similarity among each species was calculated by using NTSYPC 2.1 software. The results indicated that the coefficient of genetic similarity of these materials ranged from 0.48 to 0.82. Conclusion The 25 populations of C. lacryma-jobi could be clustered into four groups.
Genetic evidence for the origin of Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, in the southwestern Indian Ocean

Aedes aegypti is among the best‐studied mosquitoes due to its critical role as a vector of human pathogens and ease of laboratory rearing. Until now, this species was thought to have originated in continental Africa, and subsequently colonized much of the world following the establishment of global trade routes. However, populations of this mosquito on the islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO), where the species occurs with its nearest relatives referred to as the Aegypti Group, have received little study. We re‐evaluated the evolutionary history of Ae. aegypti and these relatives, using three data sets: nucleotide sequence data, 18,489 SNPs and 12 microsatellites. We found that: (a) the Aegypti Group diverged 16 MYA (95% HPD: 7–28 MYA) from its nearest African/Asian ancestor; (b) SWIO populations of Ae. aegypti are basal to continental African populations; (c) after diverging 7 MYA (95% HPD: 4–15 MYA) from its nearest formally described relative (Ae. mascarensis), Ae. aegypti moved to continental Africa less than 85,000 years ago, where it recently (<1,000 years ago) split into two recognized subspecies Ae. aegypti formosus and a human commensal, Ae. aegypti aegypti; (d) the Madagascar samples form a clade more distant from all other Ae. aegypti than the named species Ae. mascarensis, implying that Madagascar may harbour a new cryptic species; and (e) there is evidence of introgression between Ae. mascarensis and Ae. aegypti on Réunion, and between the two subspecies elsewhere in the SWIO, a likely consequence of recent introductions of domestic Ae. aegypti aegypti from Asia.
Antioxidants from three Swietenia Species (Meliaceae)

The genus Swietenia (Meliaceae) has a wide variety of secondary metabolites with reported antioxidant activity, such as flavonoids and limonoids. In the present study, the antioxidant capacity, along with the phenol and flavonoid contents of the leaf extracts of three species of this genus: Swietenia mahagoni, Swietenia macrophylla, and Swietenia humilis were evaluated. The antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) methods. The results showed that the three species had significant antioxidant activity and substantial contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The species S. macrophylla was the most effective, and compounds with recognized antioxidant capability were detected by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Catechin was the most abundant constituent in the active fractions, and was confirmed and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Key words: Swietenia macrophylla, antioxidant, (+)-catechin, flavonoids, phenols.
Fluorescent indices of oak and wheat leaves in dependence on chlorophyll content

Fluorescence spectra and fluorescence induction curves of the leaves of two plant species in dependence on chlorophyll content were studied. Red oak (Quercus rubra L.) leaves upon the autumn chlorophyll degradation, as well as wheat leaves (Triticum aestivum L.) at various stages of ontogenesis showed linear dependence between the ratio ω = F740 / F685 (the ratio of the maximum values of fluorescence at respective wavelengths) and chlorophyll content. In both cases, parameter Fv / Fm (the relative value of the variable fluorescence) remained almost unchanged up to significant reduction of chlorophyll content, indicating on maintaining the high photochemical activity of photosystem 2.
The Regulation of spinal neurogenesis by PTPγ

RPTPs have striking patterns of expression within the neural tube; raising interesting questions as to their role in the development of this structure. PTPγ expression is initially observed in the first born neurons and this expression domain progressively expands to the lateral motor columns and intermediate zone of differentiating neurons. Short hairpin encoding RNAi constructs were generated against PTPγ, which effectively knocked down this gene in vitro and in ovo. Analysis of silenced embryos through neuronal markers presented a range of phenotypes. The most striking was a dorsoventral truncation of the neural tube arising from a loss of LIM-HD expressing cells not observed among controls. During the onset of neurogenesis, a loss of Lim1/2/3, Islet1/2, and Mnr2/Hb9 positive cells was observed. At later stages, Islet1/2 cells showed no such sustained effect essentially recovering. A further heterotopic phenotype was observed with mislocated neurons located ectopically in the ventricular lumen, that were Islet1/2 and Nkx2.2 positive but never Lim1/2/3. The targeted regions showed a significant decrease in apoptosis suggesting newly born neurons were dying before reaching their pool specific domains. A reduction in the proliferative capacity in the ependymal zone demonstrated by Histone3 activity. Over expression of PTPγ showed a similar reduction in LIM-HD expression however no overall change in S-Phase was observed yet cells at M Phase were reduced with no apoptosis detected through Caspase3 activity. The data suggests PTPγ silencing may result in a failure of Lim1/2/3 cells to reach their final destinations and acquire LIM-HD identities, implicating this gene in the development of inter and motor neuron populations. Preliminary RNAi experiments against PTPσ show a reduction in LIM-HD fated cells and a triggering of the apoptosis programme along with a reduction in number of mitotically active cells. This is consistent with a potential role for PTPs during neurogenesis and the birth of the first neuronal populations in the neural tube.
The Genus Micropsalliota

Until its emendation by Pegler & Rayner (1969), the genus Micropsalliota H6hnel (1914) was a dubious one, being founded on a few partly inappropriate characters. From the original description one may deduce a slenderness of habit and violet spores and, from the name, the impression that the genus must be close to Agaricus. Now the genus seems well established; it has been accepted by Singer (1975). In my monograph of Congolese Agaricus (Heinemann, 1956), I proposed an infrageneric classification with several sections of the subgenus Conioagaricus, to accommodate slender species which could fit Micropsalliota as well, except that the spores were not at all violet. I must admit that the subgen. Conioagaricus is heterogeneous with perhaps too many species, some of which might be better placed in other subgenera of Agaricus or in other neighbouring genera, such as Micropsalliota. It must also be added that most of these Conioagaricus species were seen but once and consequently are generally poorly represented so that the treatment I gave must be considered tentative.
Studies on acriflavin-fast attenuated Erysipelothrix insid-iosa. Comparison on pathogenicity and immunogenicity between mice and pigs.

Pathogenicity ar? d immuxaogenicity for mice were compared among eighteen Ery-sipelothrix insidiosa strains which had been attenuated by serial passages on acriflavimtagar culture, and those for pigs among nine of these strains.In the early stage of attenuation, all the original virulent Erysipelothrix insidiosastrains lost their virulence to kill mice. Arthritis occurred to the hind legs in all thesechronically infected mice. In this stage, the attenuated organisms were well propagatedin these mice, autd arthritis was induced constantly by inoculation with even a few dosesof these organisms.With the progress in attenuation, the organisms lost their ability to produce arthritisin mice gradually, although they still retained the immunogenicity for mice which wasdemonstrated by challenge made with a virulent strain ten days after immunization, After further attenuation, these organisms were no longer propagated in mice, aztdlost their immunogenicity completely.Inoculated with the organisms which had constantly caused arthritis in mice, pigsexlxibited clearer "red patches" than those inoculated with the organisms which had notcaused arthritis in mice. They presented no other clinical abnormality during an observa-tion period of fourteen days after inoculation. The red patches disappeared within sevendays. These pigs survived against the challenge with virulent organisms, without mani-testing ar? y clinical symptoms during another observation period of fourteen days.Some of the strains had only a weak activity of producing arthritis in mice, but theysltowed a protection rate of more than eighty percent in mice against challenge with tltevirulent strain. They were proved to vary in degree of red-patch formation and give riseto only an insufficient immune status in pigs.After inoculation with strains which had lost an ability to produce arthritis or reducea protection rate to less than eighty percent in mice, no pigs were found to be immunxeagainst the virulent organisms.Tl? ere was 21 correlation between the immune statu
Trophic generalism at the population level in ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Abstract A growing body of evidence suggests trophic generalism (feeding on resources from more than one trophic level and/or on different resources of the same trophic level) is a widespread feature among ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). However, it remains unclear whether trophic generalism applies to single individuals, at the intrapopulation or interpopulation level. Here we present stable isotope data (δ15N, δ13C) of seven common European carabid species on an archipelago of 18 lake islands in northeastern Poland. We found strong differences in isotopic ratios between individuals of the same population as well as between different populations, indicating that carabids are opportunistic feeders and that the degree of opportunism differs between habitats and between islands. Trophic niche breadth as assessed by isotopic ratios was influenced by local habitat diversity. We suggest that opportunistic usage of different local resources results in striking differences between local populations and a very broad trophic niche observed at regional level. Résumé Un nombre croissant de preuves suggèrent que le généralisme alimentaire (c’est-à-dire l’utilisation de ressources appartenant à plus d’un niveau trophique et/ou de ressources très variées au sein d’un même niveau trophique) est un caractère répandu chez les carabes (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Pourtant, un doute subsiste quant à savoir si le généralisme trophique s’applique à des individus à un niveau intra- ou interpopulationnel. Nous présentons ici des données concernant les isotopes stables (δ15N et δ13C) mesurés pour sept espèces communes de Carabidae européens prélevés dans un archipel de 18 îles lacustres du nord-est de la Pologne. Nous avons décelé de fortes différences de rapports isotopiques entre des individus d’une même population ainsi qu’entre individus de populations séparées, indiquant que les carabes ont des habitudes alimentaires opportunistes et que le degré d’opportunisme diffère d’un habitat à l’autre et d’une île à l’autre. La niche trophique, estimée sur base de rapports isotopiques, est influencée par la diversité locale d’habitats. Nous proposons que l’exploitation opportuniste des ressources alimentaires locales a pour conséquence des différences marquantes entre les populations locales et la très large niche trophique observée à l’échelle régionale.