Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequence Diversity of Puroindoline‐a, Puroindoline‐b, and the Grain Softness Protein Genes in Aegilops tauschii Coss

Aegilops tauschii Coss. constitutes a valuable resource of genetic variability for improving cultivated bread wheat, Triticum aestivum L. Nucleotide sequence diversity was examined at the Hardness (Ha) locus, which bears the Puroindoline-a (Pina-D1) and Puroindoline-b (Pinb-D1) genes, and the closely related Gsp-Dl gene. A distinct signature of polymorphism and selection was evident in each of the three genes across loci for the 50 accessions of Ae. tauschii. Pinb-Dl was characterized by a high level of nucleotide diversity (π = 0.02966; θ = 0.0166) relative to a low level of variation in the neighboring linked Pina-D1 and Gsp-D1 genes. Despite the close genetic and physical linkage among these three loci, recombination and linkage disequilibrium analyses detected at least two recombination events, most likely at the interlocus level. Tests for neutrality showed that polymorphism at Pina-D1 and Gsp-D1 did not depart from a drift-mutation model. Genetic variation at the Pinb-D1 locus was higher than expected under neutrality suggesting that selection might operate to maintain polymorphism at this locus. The sequence variation resolved here will help elucidate the kind of variation that may be important for the function of these genes as well as to identify novel Ae. tauschii genotypes that may be used to broaden the range in wheat endosperm texture. Lastly, these results on sequence diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and recombination may help in the development of new strategies for breeding purposes.
Range expansion in asexual dandelions: selection for general‐purpose genotypes?

Phenotypic plasticity and broad ecological tolerance are hypothesized as important traits in the range expansion of asexual species, because individual asexual lineages have to face spatial and temporal environmental variation with limited opportunity for genetic adaptation. The hypothesis that asexual lineages are general‐purpose genotypes (GPG) has been previously tested, with mixed results, in species that have both sexual and asexual variants. Such comparisons can be confounded with intraspecific ploidy level differences that are often observed between the two reproductive types. Avoiding the confounding effects of ploidy differences, we test whether northward range expansion selects for a GPG strategy in asexual lineages of the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), a species that shows geographic parthenogenesis. We compared the biomass of asexual lineages that were collected along a geographic transect from close to the asexuals’ area of origin (central Europe, where asexuals descend from sexual ancestors in mixed populations) towards their northern distribution edge (Northern Europe, where only asexual lineages occur) in three different experimental environments: optimal, drought and shaded conditions. The geometric mean performance across test environments did not differ significantly between plants from different regions along the transect. However, southern lineages typically showed larger differences in biomass between different test environments, mainly caused by a relatively high performance in the optimal environment. Northern and mid‐latitude lineages showed more even performance across the different environments. Synthesis. Our results suggest that phenotypic plasticity is important in the asexual range expansion of Taraxacum officinale and that range shifting in this species is accompanied by a change in phenotypic plasticity strategy from lineages with high ability to increase biomass in optimal growing conditions (master‐of‐some strategy) to lineages that maintain more constant performance in different environments (GPG or jack‐of‐all‐trades strategy) from core to range edge.
Toward schizophrenia genes: Genetics and transcriptome

Schizophrenia is highly heritable, and the identification of its genetic factors is receiving great attention. In this review, we digested current genetic findings about schizophrenia. At first, DISC‐1 and ‐2 derived from a large Scottish family, and velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome caused by microdeletion of 22q11, are hot topics in cytogenic studies. Secondly, selections and classifications of samples become the biggest problems in linkage studies, because many following studies failed to confirm replicated linkages. Thirdly, a lot of functional and/or positional candidate genes are analyzed. Some genes, including NRG1, DTNBP1, G72, DAAO, RGS4, and PRODH2, are recently identified in association studies. In the last method, the novel way to select functional candidate genes with a transcriptome analysis is getting presented. The transcriptome analysis makes it possible to identify up‐ and down‐regulated genes from overall transcriptions (mRNAs). We also have an ongoing case‐control study about schizophrenia, following serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE), one of the transcriptome analyses. We analyzed changes of gene expressions in methamphetamine‐ and phencyclidine‐treated rodent cerebral cortexes, two well‐known animal models of schizophrenia. We identified their homologous 209 human genes as candidates. These findings will bring us new understanding of pathophysiologic aspects and further drug targets toward schizophrenia. Drug Dev. Res. 60:111–118, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cell Movements in Hydra

All cells in hydra undergo continuous and systematic locomotion across the polyp body. Different patterns and mechanisms of movement are exhibited by the various cell types. Passive displacement is one of the most conspicuous forms of cell movement: The epithelial cells of the body column and tentacles move centrifugally due to the expansive growth of the tissues. Another factor in the passive displacement of epithelial cells involves the propagation of morphological characters across the tissue, rather than actual movement of cells or tissues per se. True cell locomotion , where cells move relative to neighboring tissue by means of self-propulsion, is also apparently exhibited by epithelial cells in certain situations, notably at sites where morphogenetic changes are taking place (e.g., bud and tentacle bases). Epithelial cells always migrate as sheets of cells, never individually. In contrast, nematocytes and interstitial cells undergo active migration individually. Nematocyte migration is strongly polarized, very possibly by the mat of epithelial cell muscular processes along which they move. Interstitial cell migration appears to occur under many conditions, but not nearly as commonly as was classically supposed. Finally it appears that interstitial cells and nematoblasts move in bulk through the intercellular spaces in some situations. This movement is probably due to epithelial cell activities and is used to redistribute cells located in the interstitial spaces.
Conflict of interest between sexes over cooperation: a supergame on egg carrying and mating in a coreid bug

In the golden egg bug (Phyllomorpha laciniata Vill. Heteroptera: Coreidae) females lay eggs on the backs of conspecifics, often on courting males. Although the bugs do not provide care to the eggs, this decreases the risk of egg predation. As an effect males carry many eggs which are not their own. The male and female interests are in conflict; females need to find an oviposition site, and male fitness depends on the obtained number of matings. By using a very rare modeling approach, a supergame where the individuals actions change payoffs over time, we show that combinations of reciprocating strategies where males obtain a mating in return for a carried egg can be stable. The value of the mating, to males, is more important than the relatedness to the eggs in gaining their cooperation in carrying eggs. Females may also take advantage of the males without reciprocating. This is especially likely if the probability of future meeting is high and the value of a mating is high for the male. We relate our results to our own data from empirical studies and experiments on the species. In the light of the results we discuss the behavior of the bugs in relation to nuptial gifts. We also discuss the general applicability of the supergame approach.
Design and synthesis of novel thiopheno-4-thiazolidinylindoles as potent antioxidant and antimicrobial agents

A novel and convenient synthesis of thiopheno-4-thiazolidinyl indole analogues is presented (IVa-IVi), with the aim of obtaining biologically active compounds. 3,5-disubstituted indol-2-carboxyhydrazides (Ia-If) were allowed to react with 3-acetyl-2,5-dichlorothiophene (II) to yield the corresponding 3,5-disubstituted indol-2-carbohydrazides (IIIa-IIIf). The pre-formed indolecarbohydrazides (IIIa-IIIf) were allowed to react with 2-mercaptoacetic acid or 2-mercaptopropanoic acid to produce thiopheno-4-thiazolidinylindoles (IVa-IVi). This reaction protocol affords a simple, eco-friendly, non-hazardous, easier preparation and high yields. The antioxidant (free radical scavenging, total antioxidant capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power) and antimicrobial activities of the synthesised compounds were evaluated. The structures and purity of the products were confirmed by their IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectral and analytical data. Most of the compounds tested showed very significant scavenging, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Compounds containing electron donor group (CH3) at the fifth position of indole exhibit an excellent ferric-reducing activity. The present study suggests that compounds IIIa-IIIb, IIIf, IVa-IVc, IVf-IVi, may serve as promising lead scaffolds for antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE MOUSE OPOSSUMS OF THE GENUS THYLAMYS (DIDELPHIMORPHIA, DIDELPHIDAE) IN NORTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL ARGENTINA

El analisis filogenetico de un fragmento del genoma y el estudio cualitativo y cuantitativo de la morfologia externa y craneana sugiere que, en su actual acepcion, Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) es un complejo de por lo menos tres especies. En el arreglo taxonomico propuesto en este trabajo, las poblaciones en las provincias argentinas de Entre Rios y Corrientes son referidas como T. citellus (Thomas, 1912), mientras que una forma pequena de Thylamys que habita en el Chaco Seco de Argentina es provisoriamente referida como T. pulchellus (Cabrera, 1934). En este esquema, la distribucion de Thylamys pusillus es restringida al Chaco de Bolivia, Paraguay y areas adyacentes de Argentina en el nordeste de la provincia de Formosa. Se proveen diagnosis enmendadas para T. citellus y T. pulchellus, conjuntamente con una detallada descripcion morfologica de ambas entidades y una discusion de las diferencias con otras especies de Thylamys. Por ultimo, se incluyen nuevos datos de distribucion.
VARIATION IN THE DEMOGRAPHY OF GUPPY POPULATIONS:THE IMPORTANCE OF PREDATION AND LIFE HISTORIES

We compare the demography of natural populations of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) coexisting with two different communities of predators. In some populations, guppies co-occur with Rivulus hartii, a small, gape-limited predator; in others, guppies co-occur with larger species of fish that also prey on guppies. We found an association between the demography of the resident guppy population and the species of predator(s) present at a site. Populations of guppies that co-occurred with Rivulus had fewer small, immature guppies and more mid- and large-sized, mature guppies than populations of guppies that lived in the community of larger predators. The sex ratio of adult guppies did not differ between predator localities but it was significantly more variable among sites with the small predator. Ninety percent of all samples had a female-biased sex ratio. Season (wet vs. dry season) did not have a statistically significant influence on sex ratio or on stage or size distributions. The observed variation in guppy demography could be simply a result of differences in the prey size preferences of the predators. However, guppies from the two types of localities show considerable differences in life history traits, including age at maturity and fecundity. This variation in traits could be contributing to the differences in demography. Indeed, results from an individual-based computer model suggest that fecundity, offspring size, and individual growth rates were most influential in producing interlocality differences in size distributions and the proportions of the populations that were immature. Mortality rates and individual growth rates seem to make the greatest contribution to variation in adult sex ratio. Therefore, the observed patterns in the demography of these populations appear to result from complex interactions between the mortality schedules and life history traits of their constituents.
Effects of Shoot Vigor and Foliar Application of GA and SADH on the Occurrence of Bud Necrosis in‘Kyoho’Grape

In order to make clear the cause of necrosis occurring in lateral buds in grapevines and its control measure, the effects of shoot vigor on the occurrence of bud necrosis, and also on the bud sprouting and the cluster development in the next spring were examined in a necrosis-sensitive cultivar, ‘Kyoho’. Further, the effects of foliar application of GA (gibberellic acid) and SADH (succinic acid-2, 2-dimethylhydrazide) before or after full bloom on the shoot growth and the occurrence of bud necrosis were studied in the same cultivar.Each lateral bud on a shoot consisted of a central bud and mostly two additional axillary buds in the cultivar, and the central bud deterioration was found in about 80% of the lateral buds at the nodes from the 6th to the 20th in the strong shoots (average length: 390cm) of a vigorous‘Kyoho’vine. On the other hand, only about 20% of them suffered from the necrosis in the weak shoots (average length: 88cm) of a moderately growing vine. When the data of the strong and weak shoots in both vines were combined, highly significant correlation (r=0.77**) was found between the shoot length and the percentage of the necrotic lateral buds below the 15th node. Further, when the strong (long) shoots were used as fruiting canes, they tended to show the lower rate of sprouting, the smaller number of florets per cluster and the shorter length of cluster.The spraying of GA solution at 100ppm against the leaves (from the 5th to the 9th) 9 days before or 7 days after full bloom remarkably acceralated the occurrence of the necrosis in the central buds of the lateral buds located at the wide range of nodes from the 1st to the 25th. Also, the number of axillary buds per lateral bud was extraordinarily increased by both treatments. Shoot growth, especially above the 10th node, was promoted more effectively by the prebloom application than the postbloom one.When the SADH solution was sprayed at 5, 000ppm against the leaves (from the 5th to the 9th) 14 days before or 10 days after full bloom, both of the treatments, particularly the prebloom application, significantly depressed the growth of internodes from the 10th to the 25th, and the occurrence of the necrotic buds at the wide range of nodes under the 25th.From these results, a close relationship is estimated between the occurrence of necrotic buds in the grape shoots and the level of endogenous GA in the buds, and it can be said that the foliar application of SADH before full bloom is very effective for controlling the necrosis.
Comparison of Elaterid Biodiversity Among Larch Plantations, Secondary Forests, and Primary Forests in the Central Mountainous Region in Japan

Abstract Biodiversity of Elateridae in three forest types, i.e., larch plantations (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière), secondary forest, and primary forest, was investigated and compared. Click beetles were captured with malaise traps in 46 stands in three 14-d periods in June, July, and August. A total of 550 individuals, representing 53 species of click beetles, were captured for this study. The number of species and the number of individuals were not significantly different among the three forest types. However, the composition of species in the three forest types was different. The 46 stands were divided into three groups that were approximately equivalent to the three forest types by Twinspan analysis. Elaterid species associated with the primary forest was Dalopius exilis Kishii. Selatosomus puerilis Kishii and Hemicrepideus secessus secessus Candèze were specific to the secondary forest, and Hemicrepidius sinuatus sinuatus (Lewis) and Ampedus optabilis optabilis (Lewis) showed their preference for the larch plantation. In environmental factors investigated, openness of the canopy influenced the number of the species.
Life Cycle of the Trematode Neodiplostomum oriolinum (Diplostomatidae) under Natural Conditions in Primorye Region (Russia)

Life Cycle of the Trematode Neodiplostomum oriolinum (Diplostomatidae) under Natural Conditions in Primorye Region (Russia) The life cycle and developmental stages of the trematode Neodiplostomum oriolinum Oschmarin, 1963 are described. It was experimentally established that under natural conditions of Primorye Region, the first intermediate hosts of this trematode are snails Polypylis semiglobosa, Helicorbis sujfunensis, and the second are tadpoles of Rana dybowskii. Adult worms were developed in chicken and rat. Based on comparative morphological analysis of adult worms developed under experimental conditions and data given in P. G. Oshmarin (1963) paper it is assumed that N. oriolinum and N. paraoriolinum Oschmarin, 1963 are synonyms. Жизненный цикл трематод Neodiplostomum oriolinum (Diplostomatidae) в условиях Приморского края (Россия) Приведено описание жизненного цикла и стадий развития трематод Neodiplostomum oriolinum Oschmarin, 1963. Экспериментально установлено, что в условиях Приморского края роль первого промежуточного хозяина трематод выполняют моллюски Polypylis semiglobosa и Helicorbis sujfunensis, а второго - головастики лягушки Rana dybowskii. Половозрелые черви выращены у цыпленка и крысы. На основании сравнительного анализа морфологических характеристик выращенных в ходе эксперимента половозрелых червей, а также описаний N. oriolinum и N. paraoriolinum Oschmarin, 1963 высказано мнение о том, что N. oriolinum и N. paraoriolinum являются синонимами.
Isolation and partial characterisation of the serum immunoglobulin of the flounder, Platichthys flesus

Whole flounder serum has been fractionated by gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA22. Pooled material from the first major peak of the elution profile was further fractionated by FPLC ion-exchange chromatography and this yielded one major and three minor peaks. Under both reducing and non-reducing conditions SDS electrophoresis showed that the major peak and two of the minor ones were immunoglobulin (Ig). All three of these Ig populations were tetrameric, with estimated molecular weights of 710 kD. However, approximately 90% of the major Ig species consisted of tetramers which were covalently linked by disulphide bonds, whereas the remaining 10% was composed of dimeric molecules held together by non-covalent interactions. The heavy chains of all three Ig populations had apparent molecular weights of approximately 72 kD but the light chain composition showed considerable heterogeneity. In the major population, five polypep-tides were detected in the light chain region of the gel with apparent molecular weights covering the range 22–28 kD. However, there was no difference in the light chain composition of covalently and non-covalently linked tetramers. The two minor populations differed both from each other and from the major species in respect of their light chain compositions. No evidence was found for a monomeric serum Ig, and alkaline urea electrophoresis failed to demonstrate a J chain.
Synthesis of DNA-(3′)-PNA Chimeras with Conformationally Restricted Linkers Based on 4-Hydroxyproline

Abstract The synthesis and evaluation of DNA-(3′)-PNA chimeras containing rigid linkers based on (R/S)-4-hydroxy-D/L-proline are described. It is shown that installment of the trans-L-linker using the tetrabutylammonium salt of (R)-4-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityloxy)-N-(thymin-1-yl)acetyl-L-proline (2) leads to a DNA-(3′)-PNA chimera which hybridizes efficiently with complementary RNA.
OPTIMIZING CONDITIONS FOR HEAT PUMP DEHYDRATION OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

ABSTRACT Heat pump dryers were studied as an alternative to freeze drying for dehydration of lactic acid bacteria for starter cultures. Factors investigated were bacterial growth phase, addition of dehydro-protectants, drying conditions, drying media and storage life of the dried bacteria. The main criterion for evaluation was the activity of the dried product. Results indicated that single dehydro-protectants were not able to give high activities, but suitable combinations were found giving results at least equal to freeze-drying. Nitrogen purging was found to give a significant improvement in activity.
Resistance to heterologous isolates of tomato spotted wilt virus in transgenic tobacco expressing its nucleocapsid protein gene

The nucleocapsid protein (NP) gene of the lettuce isolate of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV-BL), from the L serogroup, was synthesized and cloned into a plant expression cassette using polymerase chain reaction. Transgenic tobacco plant lines were obtained via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated leaf disk transformation, and their progenies were tested for their ability to resist infections by TSWV isolates belonging to the L and I serogroups (.)
The effect of cortisol on proliferative properties of flounder (Paralychthys Olivaceus) B Lymphocytes

Flounder B lymphocytes isolated from different tissues were studied in terms of cell proliferation, apoptosis and the effects of cortisol on these processes. B lymphocytes, isolated from the flounder head kidney and spleen, were characterized by higher proliferation and lower intracellular calcium (Ca2*i) response to Ig‐crosslinking compared with peripheral blood B lymphocytes. Cortisol induced high levels of apoptosis (150% of control levels) in peripheral blood B lymphocytes, in combination with a stimulatory LPS signal. Head kidney and to a lesser extent spleen B lymphocytes, although less sensitive than their equivalent in peripheral blood, underwent cortisol‐induced apoptosis irrespective of extra stimulation up to 142% of control levels. Also proliferation with and without LPS stimulation was suppressed by cortisol (compared to plasma values measured during stress conditions) that is effective in inducing a significant increase in apoptosis in all three populations of B‐cells, suggesting that cortisol may be important for immunoregulation in both stressed and non‐stressed conditions. This implies possible severe impact of stress on lymphocyte development and activity. Different sensitivity of B‐cells to the corticosteroid, with respect to developmental stage and activity, may prevent excessive and long lasting depletion of B‐lymphocytes.