Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection for partial resistance in oil palm progenies to Ganoderma basal stem rot.

The development of Elaeis guineensis progenies resistant to Ganoderma may provide the ideal long-term solution to basal stem rot, a major disease of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia. A study was conducted to select different oil palm progenies for resistance to G. boninense infection. In this study, 12-month-old seedlings from 23 progenies, namely, three DxD, six DxP, three OxO, one OxP, five TxP and five TxT were inoculated with G. boninense using the root inoculation technique. External foliar symptoms developing on seedlings were recorded for a period of 12 months. Twelve months after inoculation, all the seedlings were examined for internal symptoms based on the length of inoculated root lesioned, number of primary roots infected and extent of stem bulb tissues lesioned. Based on reisolation of G. boninense from inoculated seedlings, it was shown that all 23 progenies from the different oil palm crosses were infected by G. boninense. The uninoculated seedlings for each of progenies did not show any signs of disease symptoms or lesions and G. boninense was not present. Some 25.6% of the inoculated seedlings were dead due to G. boninense infection, and there were significant differences between the progenies tested for the severity of foliar symptoms measured. For internal symptoms, there was no significant difference in the length of inoculated roots lesioned. However, the number of primary roots infected and extent of stem bulb tissues lesioned were significantly different. Of the 23 progenies, the most susceptible progeny was PK 2724 [DxD, Deli (Elmina) x Deli (Elmina)], whilst a partially resistant progeny was PK 2567 (DxP, Congo x Cameroon). Partial resistance is expressed by low severity of foliar symptoms and slow progress of Ganoderma infection in the roots and stem tissues.
Merging Carrot Linkage Groups based on Conserved Dominant AFLP Markers in F2 Populations

Markers were placed on linkage groups, ordered, and merged for two unrelated F2 populations of carrot (Daucus carota L.). Included were 277 and 242 dominant Amplifi ed fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and 10 and eight codominant markers assigned to the nine linkage groups of Brasilia x HCM and B493 x QAL F2 populations, respec- tively. The merged linkage groups were based on two codominant markers and 28 conserved dominant AFLP markers (based upon sequence and size) shared by both populations. The average marker spacing was 4.8 to 5.5 cM in the four parental coupling phase maps. The average marker spacing in the six merged linkage groups was 3.75 cM with maximum gaps among linkage groups ranging from 8.0 to 19.8 cM. Gaps of a similar size were observed with the linkage coupling phase maps of the parents, indicating that linkage group integration did not double the bias which comes with repulsion phase mapping. Three out of nine linkage groups of carrot were not merged due to the absence of common markers. The six merged linkage groups incorporated similar numbers of AFLP fragments from the four parents, further indicating no signifi cant increase in bias expected with repulsion phase linkage. While other studies have merged linkage maps with shared AFLPs of similar size, this is the fi rst report to use shared AFLPs with highly conserved sequence to merge linkage maps in carrot. The genome coverage in this study is suitable to apply quantitative trait locus analysis and to construct a cross-validated consensus map of carrot, which is an important step toward an integrated map of carrot. Carrot is a diploid (2n = 2x = 18), outcrossing species, with small chromosomes of relatively uniform length demarked by three secondary constrictions (Sharma and Bhattacharyya, 1954). The carrot genome size is 473 Mbp or 0.98 pg of DNA per hap- loid genome (1C) (Arumuganathan and Earle, 1991) which is approximately four times the genome size of Arabidopsis L. , the same size as rice (Oryza sativa L.), one half the size of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.), one fi fth of corn (Zea mays L.) and one twentieth the size of onion (Allium cepa L.). Vivek and Simon (1999) estimated the carrot genome to be 900 cM in length which corresponds to 520 kb per cM.
Reptile habitat preference in heathland: implications for heathland management

A two-year reptile survey was conducted in a heathland in the north of the Netherlands, using artificial refuges placed in different habitats. The studied habitats differed in their botanical composition and physical structure. Five reptile species were recorded: slow worm (Anguis fragilis), viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara), smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), grass snake (Natrix natrix) and adder (Viperu berus). Randomization tests were applied to assess the relationship between the presence of reptile species and habitat. Highest numbers of reptiles were found in habitats with a combination of common heather and purple moor grass, whereas habitats with common rush scored the lowest. The slow-worm preferred habitats consisting of common heather or crowberry, or a combination of these plants with purple moor grass. The viviparous lizard preferred habitats with common heather and purple moor grass. The impact of current nature management on the maintenance and development of these habitats is discussed, and recommendations are given for reptile faunal management.
A Fourth IkB Protein within the NF-kB Signaling Module

Inflammatory NF-kB/RelA activation is mediated by the three canonical inhibitors, IkBa ,- b, and -3. We report here the characterization of a fourth inhibitor, nfkb2/p100, that forms two distinct inhibitory complexes with RelA, one of which mediates developmental NF-kB activation. Our genetic evidence confirms that p100 is required and sufficient as a fourth IkB protein for noncanonical NF-kB signaling downstream of NIK and IKK1. We develop a mathematical model of the four-IkB-containing NF-kB signaling module to account for NF-kB/RelA:p50 activation in response to inflammatory and developmental stimuli and find signaling crosstalk between them that determines gene-expression programs. Further combined computational and experimental studies reveal that mutant cells with altered balances between canonical and noncanonical IkB proteins may exhibit inappropriate inflammatory gene expression in response to developmental signals. Our results have important implications for physiological and pathological scenarios in which inflammatory and developmental signals converge.
Using context in novel community-based natural resource management: landscapes of property, policy and place

SUMMARY Community based natural resource management (CBNRM) engages groups of citizens in collective action towards sustainable conservation and natural resource management (NRM) within and across various tenure regimes. Substantial differences exist between developing and developed countries in terms of conditions conducive to CBNRM. There are also contextual differences from national to local scales, across different ‘spaces’ and ‘places’ within each. This paper focuses on developed countries in deriving and synthesizing some concepts from systems theory and landscape ecology, with lessons from facilitating novel CBNRM arrangements. Understanding the landscape context of interacting levels and scales of social and ecological systems can inform institutional development of resilient CBNRM. Efforts to increase the scale and effectiveness of social-ecological sustainability can benefit from novel arrangements facilitating holistic integration of environmental conservation across levels of institutions of communities and government, including tenure regimes (type and ownership of resources as ‘property’). Property and policy, together with ‘place’ attachment of communities can be viewed within a landscape framework. Such a ‘landscape lens’ provides an interdisciplinary meld that is important to sustainable CBNRM, but sometimes forgotten (or avoided) in government planning, policy deliberation and action.
Ballast and NeuronMax in stroke thrombectomy

Background Comparative evaluation of long sheath performance in stroke thrombectomy has not been performed. Objective To review an initial experience with the new Ballast 6F long sheath compared with the NeuronMax, to evaluate comparative benchmarks in trackability, navigability, and procedural outcomes. Methods A prospectively maintained thrombectomy database was evaluated over a 6-month period to compare procedural and angiographic results between a cohort of patients treated with the historical institutional standard long sheath (NeuronMax) and another with the new Ballast long sheath via a transfemoral approach. Results Of 156 stroke thrombectomy cases, 69 were performed using NeuronMax and 40 using Ballast via a transfemoral approach; the remainder of cases employed alternative long sheaths or were performed via initial radial access. There was no significant difference in patient age, medical history, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, arch type, tissue plasminogen activator use, and clot location between the two groups. Single-pass case frequency (41% for NeuronMax vs 44% for Ballast, p=0.84), and final successful revascularization (TICI 2b or greater) were similar between the two cohorts (91% vs 98%, p=0.42). Good 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) was also similar (33% for NeuronMax, 43% for Ballast, p=0.41). Excluding tandem occlusions, mean procedural time was 31 min for NeuronMax and 25 min for Ballast (p=0.09). Puncture to long sheath access and angiography in the base target vessel was faster for Ballast than NeuronMax (6.5 min vs 9.2 min, p=0.04). Conclusion Among a cohort of practitioners with historical, preferential experience with NeuronMax for stroke thrombectomy, faster procedural times were achieved with Ballast with similar final angiographic results.
A Study of the Flight of the Douglas-Fir Beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopk. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae): I. Flight Preparation and Response

Insect flight can be divided into four basic components which lend themselves to independent study. These are: (1) flight preparation and response; (2) the body movements and their resultant forces; (3) the flight capacity; and (4) flight orientation. Many authors have dealt with these various phases of flight and studies have been made on a wide variety of insects. Nevertheless, on reviewing the literature two deficiencies become apparent. First, there are very few cases where a complete study of flight has been made for a single species, an outstanding exception being the studies on locust flight by Weis-Fogh and Jensen (1956). Secondly, beetles, particularly the Scolytidae, have been neglected as experimental material in flight studies
IN VITRO ANTI-NEOPLASTIC POTENTIAL OF CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER

The efficacy of conventional chemotherapy remains limited owing to its inability to reach the specific site coupled with numerous side effects. We report positively charged chitosan nanoparticles (CHNP) prepared by ionic gelation method and cross-linked with sodium tripolyphosphate (sTPP) in the size range of ~115.4 nm with a PDI of 0.365. A high surface charge of +19.5±1.0 mV stabilized them against aggregation over a wide range of temperature and pH. FTIR of chitosan polymer indicated the characteristic peak of C-N (1030-1067cm -1 ) but in chitosan nanoparticles (CHNP) the peak shifted to 1417.59-1551.64 cm -1 due to the wagging of (-NH2) bond. The ionic interaction with the phosphate group of TPP indicated the conversion of chitosan polymer in the nano form, that forms a cross link with TPP. The strong and sharp peak of phosphate at 1030cm -1 in CHNP confirmed the involvement of TPP while making the nanoparticles. Doxorubicin (DOX), a broad spectrum anti-neoplastic drug, was entrapped at an encapsulation efficiency (E.E) of ~48%. A biphasic release pattern was observed with ~76% of the drug in pH 5.8 as against 80% in pH 7.4 within 24 h. Dose and time dependent in vitro cytotoxicity of void CHNP, DOX per se, and doxorubicin loaded chitosan nanoparticles (DLCHNP) after 24h, 48h and 72h was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2- yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on SiHa (cervical cancer) and HEK (Human Embryonic Kidney) cell lines. DLCHNP showed an increased cytotoxicity in SiHa cells as compared to DOX per se in 72h but in HEK, negligible cytotoxicity was observed. Cellular uptake of DLCHNP was enhanced in SiHa as compared to HEK cells.
Picea abies site index prediction by environmental factors and understorey vegetation: a two-scale approach based on survey databases

Relationships between site index, environmental variables, and understorey vegetation were examined for Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) in the eastern part of France. The study area concerns all the native range of Norway spruce in France and the northeastern plains. The analysis is based on 2087 plots from the French National Forest Inventory database. The data measured on each plot cover topography, soil, geology, and vegetation. Additional environmental variables were estimated using two methods: climatic data estimated from a climatic model developed by Meteo-France (AURELHY), and nutritional variables predicted from vegetation data and species indicator values. General linear model regression was used to predict site index as a function of environmental variables. The best model explains 64% of the site index variance and involves eight variables (elevation, mountain zone, topographic concavity, proportion of plot area occupied by rock outcrop, rock type, soil depth, pH, and C/N ratio). The t.
CHLORPYRIFOS RESISTANT BACTERIA FROM PAKISTANI SOILS: ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION, RESISTANCE PROFILE AND GROWTH KINETICS

Haphazard use of pesticides has been a potential source of ecological imbalance in addition to their genetic activity. The soil microflora (under persistence pesticide stress) are able to detoxify/degrade these toxic compounds into non toxic products. Chlorpyrifos (a trichloropyridinyl phosphothioate) is one of the most widely used pesticides that exert broad based toxic effects. The present study was initiated to isolate, identify and characterize the chlorpyrifos resistant bacteria from cotton cultivated soil of NIAB, Faisalabad, Pakistan (using conventional and API kit methods). Out of 20 isolates 3 chlorpyrifos hyper resistant bacteria were finally selected for follow up studies. The screening was performed by replica device. Three isolates viz., Ps. putida, Aeromonas sp. , and Klebsiella sp. , were found resistant to 2mg/mL, 4mg/mL and 8mg/mL of chlorpyrifos while Ps. putida and Aeromonas sp. , also resisted the 10mg/mL and 20mg/mL doses. Growth kinetic studies revealed that under highly stressed conditions of chlorpyrifos, the generation time was extended compared to shorter generation time in plain liquid medium. Further studies (including analysis of the chlorpyrifos degraded products) are in progress.
Identification of the Motility-related Protein (MRP-1), Recognized by Monoclonal Antibody M31-15, Which Inhibits Cell Motility By Masayuki Miyake,* Masaru Koyama,r Masaharu Seno,

Summary A murine monodonal antibody (M31-15) was identified using the penetration-inhibiting assay of a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (MAC10) and remarkably inhibited the phagokinetic tract motility of various cancer cell lines. The antigen, motility-related protein (MRP-1), recognized by M31-15, was 25- and 28-kD proteins, and M31-15 was used to isolate a cDNA clone from a human breast carcinoma cDNA library. Sequence analysis revealed that MRP-1 had strong similarity with a B cell surface antigen (CD37), a melanoma-associated antigen (ME491), the target of an antiproliferative antibody (TAPA-1), a human tumor-associated antigen (CO-029), and the Sm23 antigen of the trematode parasite Schistosoma mansoni.
Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) of Porto Mauá, Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest Ecoregion, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

This paper presents a list of species of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) sampled in Porto Maua municipality (27°34’S, 28°40’W), Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Sampling was carried out monthly between March 2008 and March 2009. After 204 net-hours of sampling effort, a total of 1,993 individuals from 253 species were recorded. With a single additional expedition, eight new species were added, reaching a total of 261 species recorded in the region of Porto Maua. These new reports and the species accumulation curves may indicate a much richer fauna. The distribution of richness among butterfly families is compared with other inventories in seasonal semi-deciduous forest areas in the Atlantic Forest. We also discuss the importance of riparian forests of the Uruguay River as an ecological corridor that enables the maintenance of the butterfly fauna on the southern edge of the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest Ecoregion.
Synechocystis Mutants Lacking Genes Potentially Involved in Carotenoid Metabolism

Potential surface layer (S-layer) candidate open reading frames (ORFs) in the Synechocystis genome were examined in silico and experimentally by studying a proteinshedding mutant strain. An insertion-deletion in the ORF of the most promising candidate, the hemolysin-like protein Sll1951, was easily segregated to homozygosity under laboratory conditions. Concomitantly, the 178 kDa protein, present on PAGE gels of wild type derived from S-layer preparations, was completely absent in the protein profiles of the mutant strain. Apart from the 178-kDa protein cell wall and cell membrane protein profiles, as well as carotenoid profiles of both strains remained identical with myxol being dominant in the cell wall, and β-carotene as well as echinenone being the major carotenoids of the cell membrane. Pigments were not detected in the supernatant of the mutant. Thin sectionand negative stain transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of a ca. 50 nanometer wide S-layer lattice covering the cell surface of wild type cells, the mutant, however, was devoid of this layer. Although the overall growth performance of the mutant was comparable to the wild type strain, the viability of Δsll1951 was reduced upon exposure to lysozyme treatment and hypo-osmotic stress, suggesting a contribution of the S-layer to the integrity of the Synechocystis cell wall.
Morphologische Indizien für das unmittelbare Schwestergruppenverhältnis der Schizophora mit den Syrphoidea (‘Aschiza’) in der phylogenetischen Systematik der Cyclorrhapha (Diptera: Brachycera)

The phylogenetic relationships of the Schizophora with the families of the Aschiza were investigated on the basis of synapomorphies. Depending on the family, the sensory epithelium of the retinae of the compound eyes of flies consists either of populations of two ommatidial elements or of uniform ommatidia: duotype and monotype respectively. Within the Cyclorrhapha, the monotype occurs exclusively in the Schizophora and Syrphoidea (= Syrphidae + Pipunculidae), whereas the duotype occurs in the remaining Aschiza. These two types form a plesio-apomorphous pair: on the basis of character state analysis the duotype was regarded as plesiomorphous and the monotype proved to be a synapomorphy of the Schizophora and Syrphoidea. The retinal pair was accorded a high relevance as an indicator of the phylogenetic relationships in Cyclorrhapha owing to its special morphology and the very low probability of a parallel development of the apomorphous monotype. In this paper the hypothesis (Hennig, 1976) that the dorsobas.
Effects of nitrogen fertilizer application on seed yield, N uptake, N use efficiency, and seed quality of Brassica carinata

Johnson, E. N. , Malhi, S. S. , Hall, L. M. and Phelps, S. 2013. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer application on seed yield, N uptake, N use efficiency, and seed quality ofBrassica carinata. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1073-1081. Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) is a relatively new crop in western Canada and research information on its response to N fertilizer is lacking. Two field experiments (exp. 1 at 3 site-years and exp. 2 at 4 site-years) were conducted from 2008 to 2010 in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, to determine effect of N fertilizer application on Brassica carinata plant density, seed and straw yield, N uptake in seed and straw, N use efficiency (NUE), N fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) and seed quality. N rates applied were 0 to 160 kg N ha-1 and 0 to 200 kg N ha-1 in exps. 1 and 2, respectively. Plant density was not affected by increasing N rate at 5 site-years but declined with high rates of N application at 2 site-years. Seed yield responded to applied N in 6 of 7 site-years, with the non-responsive site having a high total N uptake at the 0 kg N ha-1 rate (high Nt value). There were no sites where seed yields were maximized with the N rates applied. Response trends of straw yield and N uptake were similar to that of seed yield at the corresponding site-years. NUE and NFUE generally declined as N rate increased. Protein concentration in seed generally increased and oil concentration in seed decreased with increasing N rates. In conclusion, the responses of seed yield, total N uptake, NUE, and NFUE to applied N was similar to those reported in other Brassica species with the exception that a rate was not identified in which Brassica carinata yields were maximized.
The demography of a dominant Amazon liana species exhibits little environmental sensitivity

Abstract: Despite its high plant diversity, the Amazon forest is dominated by a limited number of highly abundant, oligarchic tree and liana species. The high diversity can be related to specific habitat requirements in many of the less common species, but fewer studies have investigated the characteristics of the dominant species. To test how environmental variation may contribute to the success of dominant species we investigated whether the vital rates of the abundant liana Machaerium cuspidatum is sensitive to canopy height, topographic steepness, vegetation density, soil components and floristic composition across an Ecuadorian Amazon forest. The population was inventoried in 1998 and in 2009. Plants were divided into seedling-sized individuals, non-climbers and climbers. Out of 448 seedling-sized plants 421 died, 539 of 732 non-climbers died, and 107 of 198 climbers died. There was weak positive effect of dense understorey on the relative growth rate of climbers. The mortality of seedling-sized plants was higher in areas with intermediate slope, but for larger plants mortality was not related to environmental variation. The limited sensitivity of the vital rates to environmental gradients in the area suggests that ecological generalism contributes to the success of this dominant Amazonian liana.
SEX RATIO AT SIZE OF SAILFISH (ISTIOPHORUS ALBICANS) FROM THE VENEZUELAN FISHERY OFF THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND ADJACENT AREAS

1 SUMMARY Information on sex ratio at size of sailfish (Istiophorus albicans) from the Venezuelan Pelagic Longline fishery and the artisanal drift-gillnet fishery is presented for the period 1991-2007. The document analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution of 2312 fish from the pelagic longline fishery and 35020 fish from the artisanal drift-gillnet fishery. Results indicate sex ratio at size vary temporally between fisheries; sex ratio at size in the artisanal drift gillnet fishery showed little variations, while in the pelagic longline fishery varied throughout the season. A subtle increase was detected in the size of females caught in most recent years, while males remained unchanged. Spatial distribution of males and females appeared to be evenly distributed throughout the area. RESUME