Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Octaheme Cytochrome c Nitrite Reductase

Octaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductase (TvNiR) from bacterium Thioalkalivibrio nitratireducens catalyzes the six-electron reduction of nitrite and two-electron reduction of hydroxylamine to ammonium without release of any intermediates. TvNiR also catalyzes the six-electron reduction of sulfite to sulfide. High-resolution structures of the TvNiR apo-form and its complexes with the substrates (nitrite and sulfite) and inhibitors (azide and phosphate) were obtained. The subunit of TvNiR consists of two domains. The N-terminal domain has a unique fold and contains three hemes. The remaining five hemes are located in the catalytic C-terminal domain, with the heme arrangement, including the catalytic heme, being identical to that found in pentaheme cytochrome c nitrite reductases (ccNiRs). The catalytic machinery of TvNiR resembles that of ccNiRs. It comprises the lysine residue in the proximal position of the catalytic heme, the catalytic triad of tyrosine, histidine, and arginine on the distal side, channels for the substrate and product transport, and two conserved Ca2+-binding sites. The complete set of eight hemes forms a spatial pattern characteristic of other structurally characterized octaheme cytochromes. In the crystalline state and in solution, TvNiR exists as a stable hexamer containing 48 hemes, which are clustered into three isolated groups, each group comprising 16 interacting hemes. 3D Structure Keywords: multiheme protein; cytochrome c nitrite reductase; heme arrangement; electron transport; 3D structure
Size variation and mating success in the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus

Abstract The stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is Britain’s largest beetle, with a patchy distribution in southern England. The literature suggests that it displays exceptional size variation, particularly in the males, but no analysis of size inequality has ever been conducted. In the present study, stag beetle adults are measured and allometric relationships derived between various parameters and total body length. Most of the specimens found each year are fragments and head width can be used as a good predictor of total body length in each sex. Body size differs between years and between localities and male beetles show a greater degree of size inequality than females. However, L. cervus does not show greater inequality in size than many other beetle species and populations of males are composed of a relatively large number of small individuals. These males are not at a disadvantage in mating because it is the ratio of male : female size that determines mating success. Very large males are less successful in mating and it is suggested that lack of mating success may act as an additional constraint on mandible size in this species. Size variation is most likely caused by variation in larval food resources, coupled with variation in local climatic conditions.
Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans dlk‐1 gene expression

Abstract C. elegans DLK‐1 has been reported to play an important role in synaptogenesis by shaping the structure of presynaptic terminal. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and regulation of the dlk‐1 gene in C. elegans. To determine the expression pattern, we made a dlk‐1::gfp fusion construct, named pPDdg1, which consisted of ∼2.2 kb 5’ upstream region, the first exon, the first intron, and a part of the second exon of the dlk‐1 gene. By microinjecting this construct into the worm, we observed that the DLK‐1 ::GFP was expressed mainly in neurons. We next examined the regulatory elements of gene expression by deletion analysis of pPDdg1. Removal of a large portion of the 5’ upstream region (? ‐361 to ‐2246) of the gene had little effect on the expression pattern, whereas deletion of the first intron led to elimination of the DLK‐1 ::GFP expression in most of the neurons. Our results suggest that the first intron of the C. elegans dlk‐1 gene contains the regulatory element critical for gene expression.
Assessment of potential antagonists for anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) disease of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in North Western Ethiopia (Pawe)

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is considered as one of the most popular fruits among millions of people in the tropical area and increasingly in the developed countries. Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is the most important pre- and post-harvest disease of mango. The objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of different promising antagonistic Trichoderma and Bacillus spp. on phyloplane of mango in Ethiopia and to evaluate their antagonistic potential against the pathogen. A total of 19 mango fields were surveyed and anthracnose affected all fields. Culture studies on potato dextrose agar for evaluation of antibiosis activity of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. revealed that they have inhibitory and lytic effect on C. gloeosporioides, which is an indication of their potential biocontrol agent for management of mango anthracnose as an alternative to chemical control. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among Bacillus isolates in causing lysis of pathogen mycelium, when inoculated on actively growing colony of C. gloeosporioides. Maximum reduction in growth rate of pathogen was observed with Bacillus spp. (B50), which restricted the growth to 2.7 mm compared to 8.3 mm in the control with 67.5% efficacies. There were similar effects (p < 0.05) among Trichoderma spp. in formation of inhibition zones and lysis by varying degrees up to 59.7% efficacies in reducing linear growth of the pathogen in dual culture.
Natural hybridization between steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) and coastal cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki clarki) in two Puget Sound streams

A genetic investigation of anadromous trout populations in the Puget Sound area revealed numerous juvenile individuals from two streams with electrophoretic phenotypes consistent with those expected for hybrid descendents of steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) and coastal cutthroat trout (S. clarki clarki). The likelihood of hybridization was evaluated with a hybrid index measuring the relative probability that the combined genotype for a particular fish at several diagnostic loci could have arisen by random mating within each of the two Salmo species. The distribution of hybrid index scores among fish from the two creeks clearly demonstrated the genetic distinctness of the two species and the intermediate genotypic composition of the unknown fish. We concluded that these electrophoretically intermediate fish were natural steelhead–cutthroat hybrids based on their restricted occurrence at specific sample sites in only 2 of 23 streams surveyed, the linear distributions of juveniles from the two parental spec.
Direct effects of temperature on forest nitrogen cycling revealed through analysis of long‐term watershed records

The microbial conversion of organic nitrogen (N) to plant available forms is a critical determinant of plant growth and carbon sequestration in forests worldwide. In temperate zones, microbial activity is coupled to variations in temperature, yet at the ecosystem level, microbial N mineralization seems to play a minor role in determining patterns of N loss. Rather, N losses often appear to vary with seasonality in hydrology and plant demand, while exports over longer periods are thought to be associated with increasing rates of anthropogenic N deposition. We analyzed long‐term (21–32 years) time series of climate and stream and atmospheric chemistry from two temperate deciduous forest watersheds in the southeastern USA to understand the sensitivity of internal forest N cycles to climate variation and atmospheric deposition. We evaluated the time series with a simple analytical model that incorporates key biotic constraints and mechanisms of N limitation and cycling in plant–soil systems. Through maximum likelihood analysis, we derive biologically realistic estimates of N mineralization and its temperature sensitivity (Q10). We find that seasonality and long‐term trends in stream nitrate (NO3) concentrations can in large part be explained by the dynamics of internal biological cycling responding to climate rather than external forcing from atmospheric chemistry. In particular, our model analysis suggests that much of the variation in N cycling in these forests results from the response of microbial activity to temperature, causing NO3 losses to peak in the growing season and to accelerate with recent warming. Extrapolation of current trends in temperature and N deposition suggests that the upturn in temperature may increase future N export by greater than threefold more than from increasing deposition, revealing a potential direct effect of anthropogenic warming on terrestrial N cycles.
Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems

Summary 1. Atmospheric nutrient deposition has contributed to widespread changes in heathlands throughout Europe. As a consequence, management is now being considered as a potential tool with which to compensate for increased nutrient loads. Currently, only limited information is available on the extent to which management measures could compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition. We hypothesized that low-intensity management measures are not sufficient to counterbalance current nutrient inputs, particularly of nitrogen (N). 2. In order to improve heathland management schemes, we evaluated the effectiveness of different management measures in reducing the impact of ongoing atmospheric nutrient loads. We compared the effects of mowing, prescribed burning (low-intensity management) and sod-cutting (high-intensity management) on heathland nutrient budgets [N, calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P)] in the Lueneburg Heath nature reserve (north-west Germany). Nutrient balances were calculated by analysing the present-day input, the output as a result of the removal of biomass/humus horizons, and changes in leaching rates. 3. Nutrient losses by increased leaching following management measures were negligible compared with nutrient losses caused by the removal of above-ground biomass or humus horizons. The total quantities of nutrients removed by sod-cutting were equivalent to between 37 and 176 years of atmospheric input (for N, 89 years). 4. In contrast, the quantities of N removed by mowing and prescribed burning were equivalent to only 5 years of atmospheric input. Thus, heathlands subjected to such treatments will accumulate N in the long term. In addition, output‐input ratios for phosphorus (P) exceeded those for N in the mowing and sod-cutting experiments. It is therefore likely that heathlands currently (co-) limited by N will shift to being more Plimited in the long term. This will promote species that are well adapted to P-limited sites (e.g. Molinia caerulea ). 5. Synthesis and applications . This study shows that low-intensity management cannot compensate for atmospheric N loads in the long term. Consequently, high-intensity management measures are an indispensable tool in preserving a long-term balanced N budget in heathlands. In order to maintain a diverse structure, managers need to combine low- and high-intensity management measures. Prescribed burning proved to be the best means of avoiding an increasing P shortage, because this measure causes very low P outputs.
Relatedness Asymmetry and Reproductive Sharing in Animal Societies

We have shown (Reeve and Keller 1995) that reproduction i social groups is generally shared more equally in sister-sister groups than in mother-daughter associations, and we proposed a model based on the relatedness asymmetry between group members to account for this pattern. Emlen (1996) endorses our model but raises the possibilities that the model might not apply to several types of vertebrate familial societies, that the well-documented dominance of parents over offspring confounds the prediction of our model, and that greater skews in mother-daughter associations may reflect greater avoidance of incestuous mating in these associations. Below we consider these points in turn. Our model examines the consequences of females having asymmetric relatedness to each other's offspring (as will arise in mother-daughter associations) in the simple case in which females have a single mate. However, as Emlen points out, extrapair fertilization is common in vertebrates, with the effect of decreasing the relatedness among siblings. If a fraction f of the brood is sired by another male (unrelated to the parental male or female), the average relatedness between siblings is
Early induction of Tα1 α‐tubulin transcription in neurons of the developing nervous system

In this report, we have examined the relationship between the onset of neuronal gene transcription and neuronal development by characterizing expression of the early panneuronal Tα1 α‐tubulin promoter in developing neurons. In the peripheral nervous system, detectable expression of a β‐galactosidase transgene driven by the Tα1 promoter (Tα1:nlacZ) was coincident with neuronal birth dates, with the exception of sympathetic neuroblasts, which expressed the transgene prior to terminal mitosis. Similarly, in the central nervous system, the onset of β‐galactosidase expression was coincident with neuronal birth dates in most identifiable populations of central neurons. A small subpopulation of transgene‐positive cells localized to ventricular zones, but the vast majority was observed in locations consistent with their identification as migrating and/or differentiating neurons. To determine more precisely the temporal relationship between transgene expression and terminal mitosis, we analyzed cultures of cortical progenitors that become postmitotic neurons in vitro. When initially plated, the vast majority of cells consisted of dividing, nestin‐positive progenitors. Neurons differentiated from these progenitors as early as 1 day in vitro, as indicated by immunostaining for βIII‐tubulin, a neuron‐specific tubulin isotype that is turned on shortly after terminal mitosis. Double‐labeling studies showed that Tα1:nlacZ expression was detectable in the same cells and at approximately the same time as was βIII‐tubulin, indicating that detectable transcription of the Tα1 α‐tubulin promoter commences at the time of terminal mitosis, at least in culture. This promoter, therefore, provides a valuable tool for genetic manipulation of early developing neurons in transgenic mice. J. Comp. Neurol. 405:45–60, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Influence of Premilking Teat Preparation and Attachment Delay on Milk Yield and Milking Performance

Abstract Premilking teat preparation and attachment delay were varied in four experiments conducted with American Holstein, Danish Holstein, and Danish Jersey cows. Premilking teat preparation varied from 10 to 30 s and consisted of wiping teats for 6 to 20 s and stripping one to five squirts of milk from each teat. Attachment delay from beginning of premilking teat preparation until machine attachment varied from . 5 to 3.0 min. Longer preparation significantly increased milk yield for Danish Jersey cows, but not for American or Danish Holstein cows. Older Danish Jersey cows were more sensitive to premilking teat preparation than first lactation cows. Attachment delay influenced the milk yield in Danish Jersey cows, amount of residual fat in American Holsteins, and fat percentage in the residual milk of American and Danish Holstein cows. A 1.3-min delay can be generally recommended for the whole herd with only small or no milk loss for cows in early stage of lactation. Milk yield decreased for Danish Jersey cows and tended to decrease for American Holstein cows when machine attachment was delayed to 3.0 min, regardless of stage of lactation. The lack of treatment effects for Danish Holstein cows may be due to a lack of conditioned stimulation for cows milked in their tie stalls compared with the response of cows moved to milking parlors for milking. Added duration of teat wiping, vigorousness of teat stripping, and delay of machine attachment hastened steady milk flow. Conversely, advanced days in lactation delayed steady milk flow. The high fat content of Danish Jerseys did not delay the start of steady milk flow compared with the American and Danish Holsteins. In late stage of lactation, 30 s of teat preparation and 1.3 min of machine attachment delay minimized time until steady milk flow as well as 10 s of teat preparation and 3.0 min of attachment delay.
terminal flower: a gene affecting inflorescence development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary Growth of flowering stems in wild-type Arabidopsis is indeterminate. Many flowers arise sequentially on the flanks of apical meristems in a phyllotactic spiral. We have isolated eight recessive mutants of a gene, terminal flower, in which inflorescences become determinate. Flower primordia sooner or later ‘invade’ the meristem summit leading to cessation of its further growth. Primary apical meristems usually terminate with several part-flowers which lack pedicels, and several normal pedicellate flowers may arise first. By contrast apical meristems of secondary branches usually produce only a single pedicellate flower. Plant height is also reduced and more rosette inflorescences develop. These growth patterns occur in six strong mutants raised at 25°C under continuous light. In two weak mutants termination occurs much later with many more flowers arising before eventual termination. Termination is similarly delayed in at least one of the strong mutants grown at lower temperatures. The tfl mutation does not affect the indeterminate growth of flower meristems, at least in-so-far as this occurs in agamous mutants. The tfl locus is at the top of linkage group 5, close to RFLP 447. We propose that the TFL gene product supports the activity of an inhibitor of flower primordium initiation. This inhibitor would normally prevent flowers from arising on the inflorescence apex but in tfl mutants it may readily fall below its threshold of activity. The TFL gene may be one of a class responsible for evolutionary changes between indeterminate and determinate growth.
Composition of eggplant cultivars of the Occidental type and implications for the improvement of nutritional and functional quality

Summary We have investigated the diversity for composition in seven eggplant (Solanum melongena) cultivars of the Occidental type. The results show that, with the exception of moisture content and pH, there is a wide diversity for all the analysed traits. Protein content was variable, but generally low. The content in available carbohydrates ranged between 2.99 and 4.19 mg 100 g−1, and the main soluble sugars were glucose and fructose. The fibre content was the most variable trait. In all cases, the dehydroascorbic acid content was higher than the ascorbic acid content. Total phenolics content was on average thirty-nine-fold higher than vitamin C content. Multivariate analysis showed that accessions from the black and striped groups presented a similar composition profile, while the white and pickling fruits were very distinct. The pickling eggplant H11 is identified as the best source for improving the nutritional and functional properties of Occidental eggplants.
The Impact of Servicescape on Customer Experience Quality through Employee-to-customer Interaction Quality and Peer-to-peer Interaction Quality in Hedonic Service Settings

This paper investigates how servicescape perception influences customer experience quality in hedonic service settings. In addition to the direct effect of servicescape quality on customer experience quality, the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality are also investigated. We collected data through a self-administered survey. The proposed relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that servicescape quality influences customer experience quality both directly and indirectly through employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality, and customer experience quality influences customer loyalty. Additionally, we find that the indirect path via peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in a low-satisfaction customer group. The indirect effect of servicescape quality perception through peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in low-satisfaction customer groups. Therefore, if evaluations for this indirect effect fall below an acceptable level, it should be addressed first before improving on other attributes. However, after this point, further improvements offer few if any gains; therefore, service firms should allocate their resources to quality improvements to other factors. This study is the first to investigate the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via peer-to-peer interaction quality in hedonic service settings. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the significance of this indirect effect applies only to a low-satisfaction customer group.
Descriptions of Two New Species of the Genus Colon Herbst (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Coloninae) from Korea and Japan

Abstract Two new species, Colon (Myloechus) koreanus new species (type locality—Mt. Odaesan, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Prov., Korea) and C. (M.) shini new species (type locality—Mt. Odaesan, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Prov., Korea), of the genus Colon Herbst are described from Korea and Japan. Types and paratypes of the new species are designated. The subfamily Coloninae and the genus Colon are reported for the first time in Korea. Colon (Myloechus) shini is the eighth species recorded from Japan. A key to the species of Colon in Korea and Japan, and illustrations of diagnostic features of the two new species are presented.
Genotoxic effects of metals on human salivary gland tissue and lymphocytes as detected by the Comet assay

The etiology of salivary gland malignancies still remains unclear. Metal compounds are of special interest since they show ubiquitous presence in the environment, are present in many working places, and are accepted (co-)carcinogens in some other malignancies. Metals enter the body as xenobiotics by inhalation or ingestion. This study investigated the genotoxic potential of sodium dichromate (Na2Cr2O7), nickel sulfate (NiSO4), cadmium sulfate (CdSO4) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) on human salivary gland cells and lymphocytes. Macroscopically healthy tissue of salivary glands was harvested from 46 patients during surgery and isolated to single cells by enzymatic digestion. The cells were incubated with Na2Cr2O7, NiSO4, CdSO4 or ZnCl2. Na2Cr2O7 was also incubated in combination with the other metal compounds listed. Carcinogenic and co-carcinogenic effects of cadmium were tested by incubation with Na2Cr2O7 and consecutive repair intervals. DNA damage and repair were evaluated by the Comet assay, determining DNA-strand breaks. The extent of damage was quantified using a digital analysis system. Na2Cr2O7 produced significantly enhanced DNA-strand breaks in human salivary gland tissue and lymphocytes. All other metal compounds exerted no damaging effect on both cell types. Co-incubation of Na2Cr2O7 with the other metals revealed a significant additive effect only for CdSO4. Specific analysis of the influence of cadmium showed a reduction of DNA-repair after Na2Cr2O7-induced strand breaks in salivary gland cells. This study provides evidence that exposure to distinct metals may significantly contribute to malignant salivary gland tumors. In consequence, further studies as epidemiological and toxicological data are warranted to determine the role of distinct metals as potential (co-) carcinogens.