Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive variation in coral geometry and the optimization of internal colony light climates

1. The ability of photosynthetic organisms to adjust their light climate has high adaptive significance because irradiance can vary spatially by orders of magnitude. Using a plating (foliaceous) coral species (Turbinaria mesenterina), we tested the hypothesis that plasticity of colony geometry optimizes internal irradiance distributions. 2. We developed a two-dimensional model to predict the internal irradiance distribution of a foliaceous colony as a function of its geometry. Field tests showed that the model explained 85% of the variation in irradiance within colonies of T. mesenterina with minimal bias. 3. Colony plate angle, plate spacing and range of tissue distributions into the colony were exponential functions of water depth. In shallow water plates tended to be nearly vertical, narrowly spaced, and had living tissue only near the growing edge of the plate. In deep water plates grew more horizontally, were more widely spaced, and had living tissue extending well into the colony interior. This pattern of phenotypic plasticity effectively evens out differences in within-colony irradiances. 4. We compared within-colony irradiance distributions across light habitats (depth), based on the observed variation in colony geometry with water depth. Despite fourfold differences in environmental irradiance, within-colony irradiances had a common mode of 100-200 mu mol m(-2) s(-1). This is near the hypothesized photosynthetic optimum defined by the upper limit of the subsaturation parameter (E-k) of the photosynthesis-irradiance curve. 5. Our study demonstrates that phenotypic plasticity of colony geometry is an important mechanism for regulating light capture during growth in T. mesenterina, and facilitates near-optimal internal irradiances across a wide range of environmental light regimes.
Efficient Whisker-mediated Gene Transformation in a Combination with Supersonic Treatment

Currently, several genetic transformation methods have been established and applied to rice. They can be classified into indirect transformation using Agrobacterium as a mediator of DNA delivery into plant cells (Hiei et al. 1994) and direct transformation represented by particle bombardment (Taylor and Fauquet 2002). Whiskers of silicon carbide (SCW) or aluminum borate (ABW) have been used to transform plant cells, such as maize (Kaeppler et al. 1992, Frame et al. 1994, Petolino et al. 2000), wheat (Omirulleh et al. 1996), grass (Asano et al.1991) and rice (Nagatani et al. 1997, Matsushita et al.1999, Takahashi et al. 2000, Mizuno et al. 2004). The whiskers are inorganic single crystal fibers with 10–200 μm in length and 0.1–1 μm in diameter. The plant cells are transformed by vortexing with a mixture of whiskers and plasmid DNA solution. Whisker-mediated transformation is a simple and inexpensive method. We found that the supersonic treatment of suspensioncultured calli with whiskers markedly increased the transformation efficiency. Moreover, by virtue of the use of suspension-cultured cells in the system, we could obtain the required number of recipient calli for each transformation trial. In this study, we examined the effect of supersonic treatment on the DNA-delivery into genomes of recipient cells by whiskers, optimized the conditions, and established the highly efficient gene transformation system, which we named the whisker-supersonic (WSS) method.
First Report of Sheath Rot of Rice Caused by Pantoea ananatis in Korea

Sheath rot symptoms in rice (Oryza sativa) were commonlyobserved during rice growing season in southern part of Korea in2009 and 2010. Symptoms on glumes and stems of rice ranged fromnecrotic spot to brown discoloration. Lesion appearance was notuniform, and the margins were often diffused with an indistinctchlorosis. No water-socking symptom was observed (Fig. 1A). Weisolated bacteria from small pieces (3−5 mm) of infected tissue ofstem or glume. Tissues were surface-sterilized for 30 s in 1%hypochlorite solution followed by rinsing in sterile distilled water.Tissues were macerated using a pipette tip in 100- µl of water in a 1.5ml Ependorf tube. The macerated tissue was left to soak for 10 min,after which 5 µl of liquid suspension were streaked onto Tryptic SoyBroth agar medium (TSA). Representative colonies were purifiedby repeated sub-cultures. Bacterial isolates were stored at −80
Acinetobacter radioresistens sp. nov. isolated from cotton and soil

A new species of Acinetobacter, Acinetobacter radioresistens, is proposed for three radiation-resistant Acinetobacter strains which were isolated from samples of cotton and soil. This species is phenotypically, genetically, and enzymatically distinguished from other Acinetobacter species. Strains of this species are gram-negative, oxidase-negative, nonsporeforming, nonmotile, nonfermentative, aerobic, pleomorphic coccobacilli and produce no acid from saccharides; they assimilated 16 of the 52 carbon sources which we examined. The radiation-resistant Acinetobacter strains had little deoxyribonucleic acid homology (15 to 44%) with other Acinetobacter strains and showed a different pattern from other Acinetobacter strains on electrophoretic analysis of enzymes. The guanine-plus-cytosine contents of the deoxyribonucleic acids are 44.1 to 44.8 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids are C18:1, C16:1 and C16:0, and the ubiquinone system is Q-9. The type strain of this species is strain FO-1 (= IAM 13186).
Effects of serial propagation, donor age, and genotype on Chamaecyparis nootkatensis physiology and growth traits

Clonal replicates of Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach rooted cuttings (ramets) originating from pruned donor hedges (ortets) were grown for 3 years in a completely randomized common garden in southwestern British Columbia. Ramets were cut when ortets were 3, 7, 11, and 15 years old; selected ramets were also serially propagated for one, two, or three cycles, 4 years apart. Serial propagation and physiological and chronological aging effects of ortets on ramets were evaluated for photosynthetic and gas exchange parameters, rooting, height, biomass, and cold hardiness. Genotypic variation typically exceeded treatment differences. Excepting several genotypes, serial propagation had no significant effect on aging for pruned plants. Some genotypes had crooked or plagiotropic growth. These differences strengthened with ortet age, but serial propagation effects varied with genotype. Rooting success was similar across treatments. Detrimental effects of ortet aging were detected only at age 15. Clonal roo.
Length–weight relationship, age, growth and mortality of Atlantic chub mackerel Scomber colias in the Adriatic Sea

Chub mackerel, Scomber colias, is widely distributed in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean including the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. This medium-sized pelagic fish species occurs in deeper waters during the colder part of the year and schools are found in coastal waters during the warmer parts of the year, where they spawn and feed. Atlantic chub mackerel is one of the most important commercial fish throughout its habitat and as a consequence of its wide distribution and broad commercial exploitation, biological information on the growth and mortality is required for stock assessment and management. Despite the abundance and economic importance of S. colias in the Adriatic Sea, knowledge about its biology and population dynamics is still limited. Studies of the age, growth, mortality and exploitation rates of S. colias have not been undertaken previously in the Adriatic Sea. Therefore, the exploitation status of this species' stock in the Adriatic Sea is unknown. The purpose of this study was to provide information on the age, growth and length–weight relationship as well as estimates of mortality and exploitation rate in order to define the present state of the population in the Adriatic Sea.
WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY ESTIMATES AND GEOGRAPHIC EMBEDDED SAMPLES: CASE STUDY OF ALASKAN STELLER SEA LION

This paper examines willingness to pay for an endangered species protection program across geographically embedded samples. The samples range from the boroughs that contain critical habitat for the Steller sea lion to the state that contains these boroughs to the entire United States. The analysis is done using the contingent valuation method and comparing mean willingness to pay estimates using the Method of Convolution. When comparing willingness-to-pay estimates among paired samples, results indicate significantly different values across geographic samples, which may lead to dramatically different policy implications. Respondent motivating factors also vary from sample to sample, which may be of interest to the management agencies, especially federal agencies and those with a national scope.
Propriedades reológicas e efeito da adição de sal na viscosidade de exopolissacarídeos produzidos por bactérias do gênero Rhizobium

Viscosity of some polysaccharide solutions supports that these molecules can be applied in food sectors. Four exopolysaccharides (R1, R2, R3, R4) produced by different Rhizobium strains were selected. Sugar composition and differences in the uronic acid contents suggests that chemical structure of these molecules can vary when different culture conditions and strains are analyzed. The Power Law was the rheological model used to represent the experimental data of shear stress versus shear rate. All exopolysaccharides showed non-Newtonian behavior, with pseudoplastic characteristics. R1, R2 and R4 showed a slight increase in viscosity in the presence of 0,2 M NaCl.
Circle Hook Performance in the Uruguayan Pelagic Longline Fishery

Circle hooks have been promoted as an alternative to traditional J-hooks in pelagic longline fisheries to minimize bycatch mortality and injury to sea turtles and other marine wildlife. We evaluated the effect of hook type (circle hook vs J-hook) on the catch and length composition of target and non-target species in the Uruguayan pelagic longline fishery, for both American- and Spanish-style longlines. The sample unit used for comparing catches was two consecutive sections of the longline, each with a different hook type. For the American-style longline 39,822 hooks were deployed in 108 paired sections, and for the Spanish-style 45,142 hooks were deployed in 238 paired sections. The catch of albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre, 1788), was higher with circle hooks with both gears. The catch of shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus (Rafinesque, 1810), also increased with the use of circle hooks, but only with the American-style longline. A decrease was observed in the catch of pelagic stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea (Bonaparte, 1832), with both gears, though it was significant only with the Spanish-style longline. The performance of circle hooks for other target species, such as swordfish, Xiphias gladius (Linnaeus, 1758), and sharks, and for bycatch species including sea turtles and seabirds remains unclear and requires further research.
In situ preparation of fatty acid methyl esters for analysis of fatty acid composition in foods

Lipid extraction preceding fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) preparation for gas chromatography is time-consuming and cumbersome. We omitted the lipid extraction and performed in situ transesterification (ISTE) by heating lipid-containing foods at 90°for 10 min after adding 0.5N NaOH in methanol for methanolysis and continued heating another 10 min for further methylation after adding 14% BF3 in methanol. FAME prepared by ISTE showed fatty acid composition virtually identical to FAME prepared after lipid extraction from powder, liquid, phospholipid-rich, and tissue products. Due to its simplicity, speed, and reduced organic solvent usage, ISTE should be useful to determine overall fatty acid composition of foods.
Environmental factors related to the occurrence of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Nostocales, Cyanophyta) at the north-eastern limit of its geographical range

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii has recently attracted wide attention owing to its toxigenicity and its capacity for rapid invasion of new geographical regions. We studied the spatial distribution of C. raciborskii in western Poland and the environmental variables related to its occurrence near the border of its current temperate geographical range. We also identified the typical phytoplankton assemblages in which C. raciborskii occurs. Forty-six lakes were sampled once during the summers of 2008 and 2009. C. raciborskii was present in 43% of the samples and its biomass accounted for 0.1–13.9% of the total phytoplankton biomass found in the lakes. A General Linear Model (GLM) analysis and t-tests showed that the lakes in which C. raciborskii occurred were significantly shallower, more turbid and more eutrophic than the lakes from which it was absent. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) and GLM analyses showed that C. raciborskii biomass correlated positively with total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and conductivity. It correlated negatively with temperature, ammonium ( ) and orthophosphate ( ). According to Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA), C. raciborskii often co-occurred with Aphanizomenon ovalisporum, which is rarely observed in the studied region (common in subtropical regions, like C. raciborskii), rather than with the more common A. aphanizomenoides or the native A. gracile. Moreover, Planktothrix agardhii, the most common species in the studied region, was weakly associated with C. raciborskii. Overall, C. raciborskii was frequently present in the temperate lakes of western Poland, but it was most abundant in eutrophic lakes with high conductivity and high concentrations of TN and TP but low concentrations of and .
The Spread of Sibling Larvae of Sedentary Marine Invertebrates

1. It is unlikely that individual selection simply for increasing distance between juveniles or between juveniles and parents would produce the patterns of reproduction and large-scale dispersal exhibited by many benthic invertebrates with pelagic larvae. However, these patterns are compatible with the hypothesis that pelagic larval phases of several weeks are the result of individual selection for spreading sibling larvae. 2. Selection for spread of siblings as a fixed feature of the life cycle depends on survival and reproduction in the benthic phase of life and in early and late larval stages varying independently from time to time and place to place. Data on benthic populations is apparently insufficient to determine whether or not such variation occurs. However, information on horizontal diffusion rates gained from dye diffusion experiments indicates the geographic scale of independent variation required by the hypothesis. 3. Rate of diffusion in the sea increases with time (or size of diffusing patch), but even with an accelerating rate of diffusion, the advantage in adding an extra day to pelagic life probably decreases as the duration of the pelagic phase increases because the added increment of spread is smaller relative to the spread already achieved. 4. Selection for spread of sibling larvae could result in multiple spawning, greater variability in vertical swimming, or variability in length of pelagic period as well as increased length of pelagic period. Selection for multiple spawning would be more intense in invertebrates with a short pelagic larval phase and should be more common in these species if selection commonly favors spread of offspring. Unfortunately, the disadvantages of increasing dispersal by any of these supplementary means cannot be assessed. Observations on large numbers of species may be required to detect predicted trends. Specialists on some groups of invertebrates may have such data but be unaware of its relation to dispersal and evolution of complex life cycles. 5. Alternative hypotheses can explain the evolution of most patterns of development and behavior discussed here. Observations on variability in survival and reproduction in the benthic phase over areas of increasing size would provide the strongest test of the hypothesis that spread of siblings is a function of long pelagic larval stages. In such studies it is particularly important to distinguish whether variability among areas results from variation in early mortality or variations in numbers of settling larvae. A minimum estimate of the short-term advantage of spreading offspring could be gained from data on the fraction of settlers surviving and age-specific fecundity, gathered over a large area for 5 or more years.
Structure of tbe gene for Xenopus transcription factor TMIIIA

The eucaryotic transcription factor TFIIIA is required for 5S RNA transcription in Xenopus, and changes in the level of TFIIIA have been implicated in the differential expression of 5S RNA genes. In this paper, we report the isolation and sequencing of the X. laevis TFIIIA gene. The gene is approximately 11 kb in length and consists of 9 coding segments separated by 8 introns. A sequence of 30 amino acid residues is known to repeat imperfectly 9 times in tandem within the TFIIIA protein, and Miller et al. (EMBO J. 4, 1609-1614, 1985) proposed that TFIIIA evolved by duplication of a primordial 30 amino acid residue unit. Our results from DNA sequence analysis support their proposal by showing that some of the exon-intron boundaries correspond closely to the repeating unit. We also found that the 5' flanking sequence of the TFIIIA gene contains a TATA box (TATATAA) at position -32 and a CAAT box (GCCAATCC) at position -96 and that the site of polyadenylation is 255 residues 3' of the stop codon. Finally, we have shown that the coding sequence of the TFIIIA gene is significantly polymorphic.
Effect of sesamin on growth and arachidonic acid content of neoplastic and non‐neoplastic prostate epithelial cell cultures

Sesamin (a lignan present in sesame oil) is reported to specifically inhibit Δ5 desaturation and the formation of arachidonic acid (20:4n‐6) from dihomogamma‐linolenic acid (20:3n‐6) in cell free extracts. In this study the effects of sesamin have been evaluated on cell cultures derived from canine prostatic tissues of epithelial origin from neoplastic and non‐neoplastic tissues. Sesamin reduced cell proliferation in a dose dependent manner in both cell lines with TD50 values of 91 ± 16 μM (non‐neoplastic) and 132 ± 12 μM (neoplastic). In the non‐neoplastic cells, supplemented with gamma‐linolenic acid (18:3n‐6) in the culture media, sesamin had little effect on the content of C16 and C18 fatty acids but markedly reduced the content of 20:4n‐6 and caused an accumulation of 20:3n‐6. This observation is consistent with sesamin inhibiting Δ5 desaturase activity. Sesamin, however, had little effect on the content and ratio of 20:3n‐6 and 20:4n‐6 fatty acids in neoplastic cells indicating that Δ5 desaturase activity was low in these cells. Thus, sesamin is an effective compound for reducing Δ5 desaturase activity in non‐neoplastic cell cultures and could be used to manipulate the content of series 1 and 2 prostaglandins derived from 20:3n‐6 and 20:4n‐6, respectively. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Objetivos de seleção para sistemas de produção de gado de corte em pasto: ponderadores econômicos

Breeding objectives were developed for beef cattle production under typical economic and environmental conditions of central Brazil. The traits considered were: calves weaned per cow/year (NCW), weaning weight (WW), carcass weight (CW) and food intake. In the study, two systems were examined, a cow-calf system (surplus calves sold after weaning) and a cow-calf enterprise (in which surplus calves are raised for slaughter). In the first, income is from the sale of male calves and surplus heifers after weaning and of culled cows. In the second, the income is from the sale of steers, surplus heifers and culled cows. For both situations, the profit (US$/cow/year) was estimated by the difference between revenue and costs. The economical values (EV) were calculated as the change in profit resulting from a unit change in each trait, as other traits remained unchanged. The trait with greatest economic value was NCW, followed by food intake, CW and WW. The order of importance when values were in additive genetic standard deviation units were feed intake, CW, NCW and WW.
Heritability of colour patterns in a closed population of honeybees

On a etudie l'heritabilite de la coloration des reines, des ouvrieres et des mâles d'abeille dans la descendance de la 10 e generation de 20 familles de reines. Les reines issues de la 11 e generation de 10 familles ont ete egalement examinees. Toutes les abeilles provenaient d'un programme de selection en population fermee demarre en 1979 (Szabo et Lefkovitch, 1987). Constituee a l'origine par des achats chez divers eleveurs de reines de Californie, cette souche d'abeilles avait ete constituee a partir de divers ruchers repartis dans tout l'Alberta
Immunohistochemical Localization of Prothoracicotropic Hormone‐Producing Neurosecretory Cells in the Brain of Bombyx mori

A monoclonal antibody that recognized the Bombyx prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) was produced by immunizing mice with a synthetic pentadecapeptide corresponding to the amino‐terminal portion of Bombyx PTTH. The antibody recognized both intact and reduced forms of PTTH. Immunohistochemistry with this antibody has demonstrated that PTTH is produced by two pairs of dorso‐lateral neurosecretory cells of the brain and transported to the corpora allata by axons running through the contralateral hemisphere of the brain. Immunoreactive axon terminals in the corpora allata were localized between the glandular cells, suggesting that PTTH is released at the inner part of this organ.
Impact of Phakopsora pachyrhizi Infection on Soybean Leaf Photosynthesis and Radiation Absorption

Yield loss in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] due to soybean rust (SBR) (caused by Phakospora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd.) has been associated with reduced radiation interception and reduced radiation use efficiency by green leaf area. The objective of this study was to determine the mechanisms involved in the SBR-induced reductions in radiation use efficiency by quantifying the effect of SBR on (i) absorption of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and (ii) carbon exchange rate (CER) per unit absorbed PPFD of soybean leaves. A controlled-environment study was conducted using a split-plot design with three replications over time, with two disease levels as main plots and two soybean cultivars as subplots. The two disease levels were a disease-free control and inoculation with P. pachyrhizi. Measurements included leaf CER, PPFD absorptance, and chlorophyll fluorescence. As disease severity increased, there was a small linear decline in leaf absorptance and a negative exponential decline in leaf CER. At 50% disease severity, absorptance was reduced by 10% and CER was reduced by 68% compared with the disease-free control. The relative decline in CER was similar at low and saturating PPFD levels. Soybean rust-induced reductions in CER were mainly associated with lower efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry and damage to PSII reaction centers. Therefore, visual indicators such as light absorptance and disease severity do not reflect the degree of impact of SBR on leaf photosynthesis.