Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DNA barcoding reveals unprecedented diversity in Dancing Frogs of India (Micrixalidae, Micrixalus): a taxonomic revision with description of 14 new species

In this study, we investigate species level diversity in the monotypic frog family Micrixalidae, which is endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India. Attempting the first nearcomplete taxon sampling of Indian dancing frogs from the entire Western Ghats, we use 138 tissue samples collected from 70 localities over the last 12 years for DNA barcoding. Our results of multiple mitochondrial gene (16S and COI) barcoding reveal unexpectedly high species level diversity in the genus Micrixalus . Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we herein describe 14 new species, leading to a more than two-fold increase in the number of known species in this ancient lineage. Additionally, certain taxonomic uncertainties about the status of previously known taxa in this genus are resolved. Micrixalus narainensis and M. swamianus are considered as junior subjective synonyms of M. kottigeharensis, whereas M. herrei is resurrected from synonymy of M. fuscus and confirmed as a valid species. Taxonomic accounts of three species— M. elegans , M. silvaticus and M. thampi —are provided for the first time after their original descriptions. For nomenclatural stability, M. fuscus, M. saxicola and M. silvaticus are lectotypified, and M. elegans and M. kottigeharensis are neotypified. Detailed descriptions, morphological and genetic comparisons, illustrations, data on distribution, and natural history are provided for all species. We also provide the first osteological description of M. fuscus, the type species of the genus Micrixalus , and we report foot-flagging behavior in a total eight species, including two for which it has been studied previously. Overall, our results highlight the underestimation of true diversity in several amphibian groups of the Western Ghats, suggesting that spatial patterns of amphibian richness and endemism in this region need to be further re-examined. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.4038/cjsbs.v43i1. 6850 Ceylon Journal of Science ( Bio. Sci. ) 43(1): 2014 Please note that the Full Text PDF is a very large file (11MB) and may take a few minutes to download.
Study Regarding Rural Guesthouse and Tourists' Satisfaction

Abstract. In order to success in any business an important factor is considered to be the quality of the services delivered to customers. The paper presents the touristsâ€™ satisfaction with respect to the services offered by rural guesthouses. Lodging represents an important part of the holiday. According to the available legislation of Romania there are more than 10 different types of accommodation facilities which can be certificated to assure to the tourist services. Hitherto in Romania the certification of accommodation facilities is due to only truth technical characteristics. For the main objective of the paper a survey was conducted in 2 flowers and 3 flowers rural guesthouses. The respondents had to evaluate the quality of the services by using the SERVQUAL model. The quality of the services offered by the rural guesthouses did not meet the tourists expectations for none of the comfort categories. For future research is recommended to conduct a similar study at the nation level to determinate if only the technical characteristics are enough or not to certificate an accommodation units.
Effects of nutrient limitation on biochemical constituents of Ankistrodesmus falcatus

1. Cell size and volume changed as a function of the type of resource limitation, with nitrogen-limited cells being smaller and less dense and phosphorus-limited cells being larger and more dense than non-limited cells. 2. The major biochemical constituents of the green alga Ankistrodesmus falcatus varied as a function of nitrogen or phosphorus limitation (15% of maximum growth rate) compared to cells growing at their maximum rate. Nitrogen-limited cells had much lower protein content and phosphorus-limited cells had higher carbohydrate and lipid contents than cells growing under no limitation. 3. Phosphorus-limited cells had a higher total lipid content than either nitrogen-limited or non-limited cells, but the lipid class composition was similar. 4. The protein : lipid ratio was lowest (0.38) in the nitrogen-limited cells, intermediate in the phosphorus-limited cells (0.44) and highest in the non-limited control cells (1.14).
Resource utilization by bumblebee queens, workers and males in a subarctic area

We studied the seasonal dynamics of food niche width and annual niche relations of queens, workers and males of six abundant bumblebee species living on a slope of a subarctic hill in North Sweden. The basic data consist of analyses of pollen contents in nectar loads of individual foragers. At any given time of the season individual foragers utilized frequently more than one flower species during each trip, concentrating, however, most of their efforts on one species only. These “major” species varied between individuals thus widening the foraging niche of the species. No obvious differences were observed in niche widths of the sexes and castes of the species (neither day-to-day nor annual observations). Queens had highest niche overlaps and males the lowest ones. Sexes and castes were separated into groups by their foraging patterns. Differences in proboscis lengths are not obvious niche separating factors at the study area. The environmental uncertainty (in time and space) may occasionally lead to excess of resources, which, in turn, may open possibilities of wide utilization of available flower species, thus rendering close fit between proboscis length and corolla tube depths of the foraged flowers unnecessary.
Pollination biology and genetic variability of a giant perfumed flower (Aristolochia gigantea Mart. and Zucc., Aristolochiaceae) visited mainly by small Diptera

The genus Aristolochia presents conserved features in its basic structural plan of trap flowers and in its pollination syndrome. Visitors, usually flies, are attracted to the rotting-meat scented flowers and remain trapped until the second day, when the protogynous flowers release them. Aristolochia gigantea Mart. and Zucc showed many of these floral traits but display a citronella-like odour, giving the opportunity to study the reproductive ecology in this atypical species. Characteristics and behavior of pollinators, coupled with the distances between individual plants and populations, are important factors in patterns of genetic diversity. Thus, our objectives were to study the flower visitors, reproductive success, and gene flow in A. gigantea in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. Results suggest that pollination by flies remains as a conserved interaction within the genus Aristolochia. The main pollinators appeared to be Megaselia spp. (Phoridae), evidenced primarily by the frequency of their occ.
Bacteria in Biology, Biotechnology and Medicine, 6th ed. Paul Singleton. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2004, 570 pp., $80.00, paperback. ISBN 0-470-09027-8.

Paul Singleton is a prolific author of texts on bacteriology. The first edition of this book was published in 1981. I was interested to find, at Amazon.com, a recent review of the 1981 text that referred to it as “clear and accessible” and “a good supplement to biology courses in college or even advanced high school courses”, because I find those descriptives applicable to the current version as well. It is fair to say that to …
ppGpp-based stringent response inhibitors: characterization in vivo and in vitro

5 Introduction 6 1. Protein biosynthesis 6 1.2 Ribosomal functional cycle 8 1.2.1 Translation initiation 9 1.2.2 Translation elongation 10 1.2.3 Translation termination 10 1.2.4 Ribosomal recycling 11 2. The stringent response 11 2.1 General mechanism of the stringent response 12 2.2 E. coli RelAand SpoT-mediated metabolism of ppGpp 13 2.4 (p)ppGpp 15 3. The stringent response as a target for antibacterial compounds 16 3.1 Role of the stringent response in bacterial virulence 16 3.2 ppGpp analogues as stringent response inhibitors 18 Aims of the project 20 Experimental part 21 1. Materials and methods 21 1.1 Measuring nucleotide pools in E. coli 21 1.2 In vitro stringent response assay 24 1.3 Effect of Relacin on E. coli growth 25 2. Results 27 2 2.1 Measurement of nucleotide pools in vivo 27 2.2 Effects of Relacin on E. coli RelA in vitro 29 2.3 Effect of Relacin on E. coli growth 32 Discussion and outlook 34 Summary 36 ppGpp-sarnased poomisvastuse parssijad: in vivo ja in vitro iseloomustamine 37 Acknowledgements 39 References 40 Non-exclusive licence to reproduce thesis and make thesis public 46
Gestión del conocimiento en la UNAH

CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA (CT) entrevista a la Doctora Rutilia Calderon, hondurena, Catedratica en la Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de la UNAH. Actualmente se desempena como Vicerrectora Academica de la UNAH. Es Coordinadora General del Instituto de Profesionalizacion y Superacion Docente, de la UNAH. Es Asesora Internacional de OPS / OMS para Venezuela y Antillas Holandesas y Coordinadora del Programa de Comunicacion Social de la OPS/OMS en Venezuela y Antillas Holandesas. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5377/rct.v0i5. 517 Revista Ciencia y Tecnologia , No. 5, Segunda epoca, Diciembre 2009: 25-34
Extraction and partial purification of coagulation active components from common bean seed

An active coagulation component was extracted from common bean seed by NaCl solution and the obtained crude extract was partially purified through a sequence of steps that included precipitation of protein by ammonium sulphate, desalting by dialysis and anion exchange. A turbid water was treated by protein fractions obtained in the anion- exchange elution process by stepwise increase in NaCl concentration. The jar tests were conducted at various dosages of eluates. Different mode of relation between coagulation activity and applied coagulant dose for each protein fraction indicated the existence of different mechanisms of coagulation/flocculation, depending of characteristics of different proteins in the fractions.
Ginger root oil increases mating competitiveness of sterile Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera:Tephritidae) in Western Australia

The exposure of sterile male Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) to the aroma of essential oil derived from ginger root Zingiber officinale Roscoe (GRO) has been shown in field cage trials to increase their mating success. This field cage study compared the mating performance of mass reared sterile Mediterranean fruit fly males prepared for ground release programmes under four different post‐irradiation systems, two of which involved exposure of the flies to GRO aroma. In the first system, irradiated pupae were placed into non‐vented 5‐L paper tubs, individually aromatized by 20 μl of GRO (4 ml/m3) for 96–120 h until the adults were 2–3 days old. In the second system, irradiated pupae were placed in vented 5‐L paper tubs, exposed for 24 h in a GRO aromatized room (0.5 ml/m3) when the adults were 3 days old and contained until required for mating tests at 5 days old. The third and fourth systems were the same as the first two systems respectively, except that the flies were not exposed to GRO aroma. Significant differences in mating success were found among treatments. The exposure of 2 to 3‐day old flies to GRO aroma improved mating performance slightly compared with equivalent non‐exposed flies, but it was still below the minimum value accepted under international standards, while 27% of unexposed 5‐day‐old sterile males mated and had competitiveness (Fried value 0.38) slightly above this minimum level. GRO exposed 5‐day‐old flies had the highest mating percentage (67%) and a level of competitiveness (Fried value 1.81) based on induced sterility above that of wild flies (Fried value 1). The results indicate that the effectiveness of sterile male ground release programmes can be increased significantly by releasing 5‐day‐old sterile males that have been exposed to GRO in an entirely aromatized adult fly holding room.
The new Noah's Ark: beautiful and useful species only. Part 1. Biodiversity conservation issues and priorities

Most of the world's species at risk of extinction are neither particularly attractive nor obviously useful, and consequently lack conservation support. In contrast, the public, politicians, scientists, the media and conservation organisations are extremely sympathetic to a select number of well-known and admired species, variously called flagship, charismatic, iconic, emblematic, marquee and poster species. These are extremely attractive, large, entertaining or useful, and they receive the lion's share of public and private financial support, publicity, research, conservation and protective legislation. Such species have proven to be the best available means of increasing public awareness of the biodiversity crisis, and of mobilising financial support for conservation. They are widely touted as critical to the cause of conservation, not just symbolically, but also because preservation of their habitats, it has been claimed, can simultaneously preserve other species at risk. However, there is only limited evidence of ‘trickle-down’ benefits to rare, endemic and endangered species. Indeed, management strategies based on various ecologically-defined representative species (surrogate species, focal species, indicator species, keystone species, umbrella species) are only partially useful for aiding non-targeted species at risk. Aesthetic and commercial standards have become the primary determinants of which species in the natural world deserve conservation. Accordingly, the world's biodiversity is being beautified by selective conservation of attractive species, while the plight of the overwhelming majority of species is receiving limited attention.
Morphology of the Infrared Sense Organs of Melanophila acuminata (Buprestidae: Coleoptera)

Melanophila acuminata (De Geer), along with other members of the submenus Melanophila , has the habit of flying to forest fires and other sources of heat. Infrared receptors and wax glands are situated in pits next to the middle coxal cavities. Sense organs averaging 70.8 were found in the pits of 23 beetles examined. Each sense organ consists of a spherical, cuticular structure, approximately 15μ in diameter, with a central cavity that is connected to the distal process of a nerve cell. Adjacent to each sense organ there is a wax gland continuously secreting strands of wax which serves to protect the organs from dust particles. The sense organs probably function by selectively absorbing the wavelengths of greatest energy emitted by the forest fires. However, the mechanism of this selectivity is unknown.
Effects of the Introduction of Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-DNA ipt Gene in Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana SR1 Plant Cells

LIMBURGS UNIV CENTRUM,DEPT SBM,B-3590 DIEPENBEEK,BELGIUM. STATE UNIV GHENT,GENET LAB,B-9000 GHENT,BELGIUM.BEINSBERGER, SEI, UNIV INSTELLING ANTWERP,DEPT BIOL,B-2610 WILRIJK,BELGIUM.
Circadian expression patterns of vrille in peripheral tissues of mutants in Drosophila melanogaster

The circadian clock of Drosophila (fruit fly) has been extensively studied as a model system in molecular chronobiology. In Drosophila melanogaster, several clock genes are necessary for the generation and regulation of overt rhythms. Among these, vrille (vri) is a clock gene as well as a clock-controlled gene and its oscillation is essential for circadian rhythms at both molecular and behavioral levels. In this study, we have investigated the rhythmic expression patterns of vri at six time points (ZT 02, ZT 06, ZT 10, ZT 14, ZT 18 and ZT 22) over the 24 h period in peripheral tissues such as intestine and salivary glands of wild type (WT) and mutants [vestigial (vg) and cryptochrome absent (cryb )] of D. melanogaster under LD (12:12) condition. At ZT 14, vri expression was most pronounced in WT and mutants in both tissues compared to other time points. At ZT 22 and ZT 02, the expression was almost nil in both tissues. A definite temporal pattern in the levels of vri expression was observed at ZT 06, ZT 10 and ZT 18 in both tissues (of WT and other mutants). vg flies have greatly reduced wings, their gross locomotor activity was poorer and levels of its expression were also lower than WT flies. In cryb mutant, vri expression was less intensive than WT and vg mutants; this indicates that photic transduction to central/peripheral clock(s) is defective in cryb flies compared to other two types. In this study, we observed the presence of circadian expression patterns of vri in the peripheral oscillators during the developmental stages of Drosophila melanogaster.
Molecular analysis of the trophic interactions of British reptiles

The prevalence of a parasitic nematode of slow worms, Neoxysomatium brevicaudatum, was also investigated using PCR primers. Prevalence was higher in males and females in April. Analysis of smooth snake diet confirmed that predation on reptiles was high but revealed increasing consumption of small mammals with age. Predation on reptiles by grass snakes was higher than expected and suggests competition may exist between smooth snakes and grass snakes at a juvenile stage. Overall, these results provide information pertinent to translocation and reintroduction programmes along with conservation management strategies.
Increasing Soil Water Retention with Native‐Sourced Mulch Improves Seedling Establishment in Postmine Mediterranean Sandy Soils

Seasonal drought and heavily impeded soils reduce restoration success in Mediterranean‐type postmine soils, where up to 90% seedling mortality has been observed after 2 years. To alleviate these barriers, amendments were incorporated into the soil profile of a freshly mined sand quarry. Within the quarry, three 223 m2 replicate sites contained two substrate amendments: 12% v/v native‐sourced mulch or gravel incorporated within the top 50 cm of the soil profile. Three remnant sites provided a “natural” reference system. Seeds of two autochthonous trees, Banksia attenuata (R.Br.) and B. menziesii (R.Br.) were sown across all treatments. Soil impedance, moisture, and seedling stomatal conductance were monitored for 2 years, at which point seedlings were excavated, and nutrient concentration, root morphology, and soil chemical properties were measured. Roots in all restoration treatments were restricted to the top 40 cm of the profile due to increases in soil impedance, regardless of amendment, compared to >70 cm in the natural system. Seedling mortality was greatest after the second summer in the control and inorganic amendment treatments, with stomatal conductance indicating severe drought stress. Survival in the organic treatment was 24–42% greater than the control, with higher soil moisture and stomatal conductance rates 2.5 times that of the control. The increased soil water retention by a native‐sourced mulch was shown to improve postmine restoration success for these native trees.
Cytogenetics and morphology of the pentaploid hybrid between Brassica napus and Orychophragmus violaceus and its progeny

A pentaploid hybrid plant (2n = 50, AACCO) between Brassica napus (AACC) and Orychophragmus violaceus (OO) showed matroclinous morphology and some patroclinous characters. Cloned progenies were mixoploid, consisting of various cells with 38-53 chromosomes, half of the cells with 50 chromosomes. The 50 chromosomes were mainly paired as 25 bivalents and segregated as 25:25 or 22:28; many other segregations were observed in some cells. Progenies produced by selfing had 38-47 chromosomes. Plants with 38 chromosomes were cytologically stable; in all other plants the chromosome number of individual cells varied between the genotype-specific maximum number and 38, indicating loss of chromosomes during mitosis. The mixoploid plants with 44 chromosomes mainly produced two kinds of mixoploid progenies with 44 and 41 chromosomes, respectively. All plants with 2n = 38 had the same morphology as the parental B. napus and were normal in fertility. These chromosome pairings and segregations in the pentaploid and its progeny support the hypothesis that O. violaceus is a natural polyploid species with a basic chromosome number of 3.
Pão sem gluten enriquecido com a microalga Spirulina platensis

With the objective of offering a product for people with celiac disease, due to their gluten intolerance, gluten-free bread made with rice flour was elaborated, in substitution of the wheat flour. To increase the protein content of the bread, dried Spirulina platensis, a microalga, was added to the products in the range from 2 to 5% (flour basis). The bread samples were evaluated according to their specific volume (V/W), crumb hardness, measured with a texturometer, and the crumb color. It was shown that the specific volume and crumb hardness were not affected by the addition of up to 4% of alga, but a decrease of 22% in the volume and an increase of 113% in crumb hardness of the bread were noted with the addition of 5%. The addition of Spirulina resulted in products with improved nutritional quality, with a significant increase of 39.04% in the protein content as well as of some essential amino acids (threonine, methionine, isoleucine and leucine), when compared to bread without the addition of the alga. With respect to color, the bread with Spirulina showed a decrease in luminosity with increase in the addition of the alga and a displacement of the hue angle towards a green color. With respect to the sensory evaluation, no significant difference was found between the bread with 3 and 5% of Spirulina in the formulation.
Toxicological Effects of Tributyltin on Physiological Function of Carassius Aurats

Triorganotin compounds are widely distributed toxicants. In this study, we discussed the toxicological effects of tributyltin on the physiological functions of carassius aurats. The results show that the effects of TBT on plasma membrane fluidity in leukocytes were significantly different under the different concentration (P < 0.05). The Plasma membrane fluidity increased with higher TBT concentration exposure (p < 0.05), which presents a dose-dependent manner. TBT can produce a relatively fast liberation of hemoglobin with the higher concentration; moreover, the relative hemolysis decreased when erythrocytes were in a medium in the presence of gluconate, suggesting a protective role for gluconate against TBT induced hemolysis. AchE serves as a key enzyme of nerve conduction, TBT can inhibit the AchE activity, and it demonstrates that the degree of inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase increases with the increase of the TBT concentration, which presents a dose-dependent manner, too. Enzyme activity levels for EROD showed apparent TBT concentration-dependent increases with the higher TBT concentration. In the TBT exposures, the lowest concentration of 0.1 μM had a non-significantly higher aromatase activity than controls (p < 0.05). After a spike at the 0.25 μM exposure, aromatase activity generally decreased with an increase in exposure. This shows that TBT was potent inhibitor of aromatase activity in the brain. Lactate dehydrogenase activity increased with the concentration of TBT in the medium. Based on these results, it can be suggested that TBT will affect the physiological function of carassius Aurats.
Digestive Enzymes in Insectivorous Plants

Further investigations of the acid protease in the genus Nepenthes were made . Zymograms obtained by polyacrylamide-gel thin layer electrophoresis revealed that the crude secretion of Nepenthes had at least 4 protease components, whereas a purified preparation had only one. A purified preparation from an extract of Drosera peltata, which was also investigated comparing with that from Nepenthes secretion, had one protease component, which resembled the purified Nepenthes protease in electrophoretical mobility.