Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variations in Species Composition, Biomass, and Density in Shrimp Trawl Bycatch Across Seasons and Tidal Phases in Southern Korean Waters: Developing a Fisheries Risk Management Approach

We quantitatively investigated compositions of fish and invertebrate bycatch in Korean shrimp fisheries. We sampled shrimp trawl bycatch from 48 commercial trawls over 1 year. These samples contained 108 taxa from 50 families, with 60 fish taxa contributing 51.2% of the total biomass and 48 invertebrate taxa 48.8%. However, 86.32% of the total individual organism density comprised invertebrates, while individual fishes made up the remainder. Within the bycatch, two fish species varied in population size structure by season, suggesting recruitment is seasonal in these taxa. Overall general catch characteristics (total bycatch biomass and organism density) varied significantly by season and tide, and a significant interaction effect was observed (season×tide) on total density, but not on total biomass. The data collected will be used in designing a program of long-term bycatch monitoring.
Antibacterial polypeptides of Lactobacillus species

Twelve of 79 strains of the genus Lactobacillus, mainly isolated from plants or fermenting material, were found to inhibit at least one of the nine indicator strains of the species Lact. brevis, Pediococcus damnosus and Leucanostoc oenos. The antimicrobial activities from Lact. brevis B 37 and Lact. casei B 80 were caused by polypeptides detectable in the culture liquids. They are bacteriocins with a narrow antimicrobial spectrum. Brevicin 37 from Lact. brevis B 37 was active against many lactic acid bacteria and Nocardia corallina, whereas caseicin 80 from Lact. casei B 80 inhibits only one other strain of Lact. casei. Brevicin 37 is stable at 121dC, caseicin 80 is inactivated above 60dC, and both are inactivated under alkaline conditions.
From guidelines to practice - nutritional habits of Hungarian elite athletes compared with the data from the 3rd National Dietary Survey.

This study evaluated the diet of 615 professional athletes (PA) (306 males and 309 females; 21.3±5.5 years) compared with 312 age-matched non-athletes (NA), who participated in the 3 rd Hungarian National Dietary Survey in 2003. Dietary intake was assessed based on 3-day food record. In males, daily energy intake was 3513±1143 kcal and 2965±551 kcal for PA and NA, respectively (P<0.001). In females, there were no significant differences between PA and NA concerning the intake of energy. Athletes reported insufficient energy intake in both genders. Similarly to NA, PA failed to meet the adequate rate for macronutrients. Energy intake from carbohydrates was lower (47.3±6.6% in male and 49.2±7.3% in female) and from lipids higher (36.8±6% in male and 35.2±6.7% in female) than recommended. Athletes reported higher intakes of vitamins C and E, potassium and calcium than NA. Sodium and cholesterol intake was highly above the RDA in every group. Surprisingly, sodium intake of NA was even higher than PA in female.
The potential of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum and other biological control organisms for suppressing fusarium wilt of banana

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of nonpathogenic F. oxysporum and Trichoderma isolates from suppressive soils in South Africa to suppress fusarium wilt of banana in the glasshouse. Several biological control agents and commercial biological control products were included in the study. The isolates were first screened in vitro on potato dextrose agar. In glasshouse evaluations, the fungal and bacterial isolates were established on banana roots before they were replanted in pathogen-infested soil, while the commercial biocontrol agents were applied as directed by the supplier. Banana plantlets were evaluated for disease development after 7 weeks. In vitro tests showed none of the nonpathogenic isolates suppressed Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense ( Foc ), while slight suppression was observed with the two Trichoderma isolates. Results of the glasshouse evaluations revealed that two of the nonpathogenic F. oxysporum isolates, CAV 255 and CAV 241, reduced fusarium wilt incidence by 87·4 and 75·0%, respectively. The known biological control agent Fo47 did not suppress Foc significantly. Pseudomonas fluorescens strain WCS 417, known for its ability to suppress other fusarium wilt diseases (WCS 417), reduced disease incidence by 87·4%. These isolates should be further evaluated for potential application in the field, independently and in combination.
Fractionation of Soy Protein Hydrolysates using Ultrafiltration Membranes

The effect of membrane pore size on the molecular weight distribution and selected functional properties of a protein hydrolysate produced from soy isolate and Pronase was examined. Molecular weight distributions were similar for permeates from 5000, 10,000 and 50,000 molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) membranes: two large fractions at 2300 and 1000 daltons. The 100,000 MWCO membrane resulted in three fractions of 25,000, 13,000 and 2300 daltons. Solubility of the hydrolysate increased with decrease in MWCO, while foam stability decreased.
Investigating the Effectiveness of Selenite on Drought Stressed Upland Rice

Water stress is an enormous problem facing food production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Production of free radicals during water stress has led to oxidative stress, which eventually causes death of cells in plants. Therefore, it is important to tackle this issue knowing that rice is one of the most important cereal crops largely cultivated and consumed by humans and animals. The studies aimed at the effect of selenite on physiological and biochemical activities of water-stressed upland rice. Three Upland rice cultivars namely Nerica U4, Nerica U7 and Vandana were collected in Africa Rice Centre, Ibadan. The seeds were sterilized and soaked for 10 hours in different concentrations of Selenite (Se) (0 mg/l, 50 mg/l and 100 mg/l). Primed seed were planted into sterilized-sieved top soils. Plants were subjected to 0 (irrigated) and 8 days (non-irrigated) water stress. Selenite 50 mg/l improved plant height, number of leaves, total carotene, chlorophyll contents, biomass, grain number of upland rice during water stress. Selenite increased activities of APX as water stress progressively increased consequently, low MDA content was observed in cultivar Vandana. Furthermore, selenite significantly improved total carotene, chlorophyll contents, anthocyanin, and dry shoot weight in cultivar Nerica U7 during water stress. Selenite significantly stabilized activities of anthocyanin and CAT in cultivar Nerica U4 during water stress. Hence high grain yield was recorded in Nerica U4 and U7 in selenite primed upland rice during water stress. Selenite reduced lipid peroxidation in upland rice at 100mg/l. Therefore, it can be concluded that response of rice to selenite during water stress is based on tolerance capacity of the cultivars and also, selenite 50mg/l can help to improve growth and yield of upland rice in drought-prone area.
Seasonal adaptation of ex‐ephippio and parthenogenetic offspring of Daphnia magna: differences in life history and physiology

Summary 1Physiology and life history of ex-ephippial and parthenogenetic offspring of Daphnia magna Straus were compared to test the hypothesis that females hatching from resting eggs are well adapted to the predictable high-food conditions of the spring algal bloom. 2Although ex-ephippial neonates were smaller than parthenogenetic neonates, they showed higher juvenile growth rates that compensated for the size difference by the time of maturation. 3At high food concentration, ex-ephippial females were even larger at maturation than parthenogenetic females, produced more eggs, and reached a higher rate of population increase. 4The high activity of the ex-ephippial females was accompanied by higher metabolic rates, which in combination with the low initial mass resulted in reduced survival times under starvation. 5Thus, the two phenotypic types of offspring produced by Daphnia are adapted to differing conditions. Ex-ephippial females are superior to parthenogenetic offspring under high food conditions, but inferior when food is limiting. 6This pattern selects for synchronous hatching of resting eggs in spring when the spring algal bloom is to be expected.
Fine‐scale genetic structure of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using microsatellite markers: effects of restocking and natural recolonization

Summary 1. An important goal of conservation biology is to preserve the evolutionary potential of a species by maintaining natural levels of genetic diversity. Here, we assess the population differentiation in the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, listed in Annex II of the European Habitats Directive, to provide valuable information for its conservation in Normandy (France). 2. Samples collected from 10 natural sites revealed that 13 of 14 microsatellite loci were polymorphic. Significant differentiation among populations was detected (FST = 0.054, P < 0.001), and all FST pairwise comparisons except one were significant. A genetic split was observed between populations inhabiting streams with limestone geology compared to those inhabiting streams with siliceous geology, which could reflect adaptative differences. 3. Hatchery stocks used for the restocking of two rivers were genetically distinct from native stocks. 4. Analysis of three stream habitats restored in 1995 showed that all were recolonized naturally by wild salmon from geographically close populations and no founder effects were detected. Allelic richness was similar between recolonized and wild populations. 5. From a management perspective, our study revealed that restoration of habitat is very effective to recreate new populations in rivers from which salmon have disappeared and that natural recolonization can be fast and effective in terms of genetic diversity.
Persistent low densities of plains ungulates in Etosha National Park, Namibia: testing the food-regulating hypothesis

Declines and persistent low densities of plains ungulates during 1960–1994 in Etosha National Park (Etosha) compromise Namibia's efforts to develop a wildlife- and tourist-based economy and maintain its national biodiversity. Plains ungulates are blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), plains zebra (Equus burchelli), springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), and gemsbok (Oryx gazella). We tested the hypothesis that plains ungulate populations were well below their food-resource ceiling (FRC) and predicted that widely variable rainfall (food production) would have no significant effect on birth and survival rates; alternatively, ungulates regulated near their FRC would display strong responses to variable rainfall through negative feedback on fertility, yearling recruitment, and mortality. Data supported the hypothesis that Etosha's populations were well below their FRC. The pregnancy rate of springbok was high during drought. Recruitment of all four species was not positively related to rainfall. Mortality was.
Plant Competition and Herbivory in Relation to Vegetation Biomass

We tested whether effects of competition and herbivory on plant growth depend on the aboveground biomass of vegetation. Our objective was to test theoretical predictions about the site-dependence of biotic mechanisms of plant population regulation. Biomass ranged from a mean of 64 to 776 g/m2 at the eight study sites, which included six old fields and two herbaceous plant communities near water. To measure effects of competition, 4-5 wk old plants of a perennial grass (Poa compressa) were transplanted into plots where neighboring plants were either left intact or removed and after 4 mo the shoot mass of transplants was compared in the two treatments. Transplants were caged in both treatments to exclude herbivores. Removing neighbors increased transplant shoot mass significantly at all sites, indicating that transplants experienced less competition for re- sources when their neighbors were removed. Regression analysis indicated that the increase in shoot mass due to neighbor removal was significantly greater at sites with higher biomass. This result supports theories that predict competition should increase with increasing bio- mass. To measure effects of herbivory, the growth of caged and uncaged plants was com- pared. Caging transplants did not increase their shoot mass significantly at the two sites with the lowest biomass. However, shoot mass was significantly greater for caged transplants than for uncaged transplants at all other sites. Caged transplants lost less tissue to herbivores such as small mammals and molluscs. Regression analysis indicated that the increase in shoot mass due to caging was significantly greater at sites with higher biomass. The com- bined effect of herbivory and competition was measured by comparing transplant growth in plots where transplants were caged and neighbors were removed with the growth of transplants in plots where transplants were not caged and neighbors were left intact. Trans- plant shoot mass was significantly greater where herbivores were excluded and neighbors were removed, especially at sites with high biomass. Our results indicate that competition and herbivory each have a greater effect on plant growth at sites with higher biomass and that herbivory has less effect than competition on plant growth at sites with relatively low biomass.
The Effect of Bromocriptine on the Liver of Immature Female Rats

The present study was performed to determine the effect of bromocriptine (BRO) a dopamine agonist on the liver of immature female rats. Sixty-five immature rats (15 days old) weighing 20-25g were assigned into four groups (20 for each group except the first group of 5 animals), the first group was initial control sacrificed on day 1 of the experiment. The second group served as control and received vehicle (IP), the third and fourth group received BRO (IP) at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg BW respectively for two durations (7 days and 21 days). Five animals of each group were maintained for 1 month without treatment for recovery study. BRO treatment caused; i) a significant decrease in the body weight, ii) a significant increase in the weight of the liver, iii) a significant increase in serum levels of alkaline phosphatase in immature rats of both treated groups when compared to the control group. Histological changes in the liver were observed in both BRO treated groups of each duration indicating that BRO induced liver injury. From the present study, we conclude that despite the effect of BRO in the liver of immature female rats, a period of one month without treatment was sufficient for the recovery of BRO effects.
Drought in a Bornean everwet rain forest

1 In 1998, the forests of Lambir Hills National Park experienced a severe drought. Between late January and mid‐April, less than one‐fifth of the normal expected rainfall was received. To investigate the effects of the drought, survival among 6993 trees (≥ 1 cm d.b.h.) in the drought period (1997–98) was compared with survival among 7270 trees in the same area before the drought (1993–97).
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Applications of the “Molecular Clock” in Systematic Biology

Abstract— Divergence time analyses have become increasingly popular over the past several decades, partly due to the proliferation of molecular data, but also because of the development of methods that do not assume a strict molecular clock. In this review, I provide a brief background to the topic, then highlight several methods for “relaxing” the assumptions of a strict molecular clock. I discuss the pros and cons of many of these methods. Finally, I discuss the various techniques for incorporating fossils in molecular studies to estimate absolute ages of clades.
Identification of a Novel Integrin αvβ3 Binding Site in CCN1 (CYR61) Critical for Pro-angiogenic Activities in Vascular Endothelial Cells*

CCN1 (CYR61) is a matricellular inducer of angiogenesis essential for successful vascular development. Though devoid of the canonical RGD sequence motif recognized by some integrins, CCN1 binds to, and functions through integrin αvβ3 to promote pro-angiogenic activities in activated endothelial cells. In this study we identify a 20-residue sequence, V2 (NCKHQCTCIDGAVGCIPLCP), in domain II of CCN1 as a novel binding site for integrin αvβ3. Immobilized synthetic V2 peptide supports αvβ3-mediated cell adhesion; soluble V2 peptide inhibits endothelial cell adhesion to CCN1 and the homologous family members CCN2 (connective tissue growth factor, CTGF) or CCN3 (NOV) but not to collagen. These activities are obliterated by mutation of the aspartate residue in the V2 peptide to alanine. The corresponding D125A mutation in the context of the N-terminal half of CCN1 (domains I and II) greatly diminished direct solid phase binding to purified integrin αvβ3 and abolished αvβ3-mediated cell adhesion activity. Likewise, soluble full-length CCN1 with the D125A mutation is defective in binding purified αvβ3 and impaired in αvβ3-mediated pro-angiogenic activities in vascular endothelial cells, including stimulation of cell migration and enhancement of DNA synthesis. In contrast, immobilized full-length CCN1-D125A mutant binds αvβ3 and supports αvβ3-mediated cell adhesion similar to wild type CCN1. These results indicate that V2 is the primary αvβ3 binding site in soluble CCN1, whereas additional cryptic αvβ3 binding site(s) in the C-terminal half of CCN1 becomes exposed when the protein is immobilized. Together, these results identify a novel and functionally important binding site for integrin αvβ3 and provide a new approach for dissecting αvβ3-specific CCN1 functions both in cultured cells and in the organism.
Profile of Microbial Community Structure and Presence of Endolithic Microorganisms Inside a Deep-Sea Rock

Microbial community structure in the depth profile of a deep-sea sedimentary rock collected from the Sanriku Escarpment in the Japan Trench at a depth of 6337 m were analyzed using enrichment culture methods and culture-independent molecular phylo-genetic techniques. The rock was subsampled at four depths (S1 to S4; from the surface to the inside), and carbon concentrations and colony-forming units (CFU) were determined under several culture conditions. Terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequences indicated that a shift in bacterial and archaeal ribotype structures occurred in the sections at different depths from the surface. rDNA clone analysis revealed a significant change in microbial rDNA community structure. Bacterial community rDNA in sections S1 to S3 consisted of typical marine bacteria mainly members of the f and n -subclass of Proteobacteria, while the inner most section, S4, contained rDNA signatures for the g -subclass of Proteobacteria and the High G + C Gram-Positive Group. Major archaeal rDNA clones shifted from Marine Group I (S1) to Thermococcales (S2-S4). The changes in bacterial and archaeal rDNA community structure indicated the possible infiltration of seawater and microorganisms into the rock and strongly suggested the isolation of endolithic microbial communities over the geological history of the rock.
Natural Sources and Requirements of Phosphorus for Fishes

The hypothesis that daily consumption of natural prey provides a source of phosphorus sufficient to meet growth and metabolic requirements of fishes is examined. Fish may be capable of utilizing available phosphorus directly from the water; however, this source is negligible in comparison to dietary intake. Experiments were designed to test the effect of different dietary phosphorus levels, chosen to approximate those of natural prey items, on growth of juvenile perch at temperatures encountered during the growing season. Rations were based upon estimates of daily food consumption for perch in Lake Memphremagog. Growth was significantly temperature-dependent and independent of dietary phosphorus levels. Phosphorus:ash ratios of whole fish were not significantly different among diet treatments or between the initiation and termination of the growth experiment. Excretion of phosphorus was positively related to phosphorus intake.Key words: absorption efficiency, daily ration, growth, Lake Memphremagog, nutri.
Effect of high altitude on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and basal metabolism rate in Chinese Holstein cows on the Tibetan plateau

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of two altitudes (3600 and 1600 m) on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and basal metabolism rate in Chinese Holstein cows. Experiment 1 was conducted to investigate the effect of high altitude (3600 m) on rumen fermentation, in vitro dry matter degradability, and nitrogen metabolism compared with low altitude (1600 m) in Chinese Holstein cows. Results indicated that total volatile fatty acids concentration, total gas production and gas coefficient a, b and c, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis and in vitro dry matter degradability were lower at 3600 m than 1600 m (P < 0.05). The number of protozoa and ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher at 3600 m than 1600 m (P < 0.05). We concluded that carbohydrate fermentation in the rumen was impaired, and ammonia nitrogen used for microbial nitrogen synthesis was also decreased at high altitude of 3600 m compared with 1600 m. Experiment 2 was conducted in vivo to investigate the effect of high altitude on apparent nutrient digestibility and basal metabolism rate in Chinese Holstein cows. Results indicated that the apparent digestibility of the diet’s dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre was lower at 3600 m than those at 1600 m, respectively (P < 0.05). In Chinese Holstein cows, basal metabolism rate was increased with increasing level of altitude (P < 0.05). The results indicated that the high altitude of the Tibetan plateau impaired rumen fermentation and elevated the basal metabolism rate of Chinese Holstein cows.
ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME AFTER NERVE REPAIR IN A LONGITUDINAL COHORT

To investigate the temporal changes in the results of clinical tests of the functional outcome after nerve repair, we followed up 19 patients periodically over a four year period after repair of the median or ulnar nerve at the forearm. Between the first and last follow-up four of the instruments used-Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, manual muscle testing, Sollerman grip test, and Jamar dynamometer-indicated significant and moderate to large improvements. A moderate and significant improvement was also noted during the same period in patients' estimation of pain or discomfort. Results of the two-point discrimination test did not change significantly over time. Most changes occurred during the first postoperative year, and thereafter it was principally motor function that improved. We conclude that four of the six used tests showed useful temporal dynamics during the follow-up time. The lack of responsiveness in two-point discrimination test suggests that other or complementary test instruments should be used for assessment of tactile gnosis after nerve repair.