Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Male feeding contribution facilitates multiple brooding in a biparental songbird

Despite the cost of lost mating opportunities, biparental care is routinely observed across different groups of animals. Theory predicts that paternal care will increase reproductive success, yet many empirical studies have failed to find a direct link. Most studies have focused on the effect of paternal care on current breeding attempts, but male contributions may benefit future reproduction. Species producing clutches or litters more than once per season (i.e. multiple breeding attempts per season) are suitable for investigating whether paternal care contributes to current or future reproductive success, or both. We investigated the importance of the male's feeding contribution to multiple brooding in Japanese Tits Parus minor in northern Japan, where approximately 50% of pairs were known to reproduce multiple times within a breeding season. Male feeding contribution (proportion of provisioning delivered by the male) was positively correlated with the probability of the female multiple brooding and with nestling body mass. However, it was not correlated with fledging success in the current breeding attempt. Our results demonstrate the importance of male parental care for annual reproductive success in this multi-brooded species and provide insights into the evolution of biparental care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cryobiotechnology of tropical seeds – scale, scope and hope

Plants provide essential ecosystem services that benefit humankind, yet their existence is subject to an increasing number of threats, including global environmental change. Anticipated impacts on future access to medicines, nutritious foods, particularly indigenous fruits, and sustainable biofuels, demands that action is taken to protect and conserve such valuable, neglected and underutilized species (NUS), especially in the tropics where the use of non-timber forest products (NTFP) is considerable. Primarily, the protection of such plant genetic resources is achieved through the complementary approaches of in situ and ex situ conservation; for the latter, generally as dry seeds stored at -20°C. However, tropical forest species – which are estimated to constitute about 50% of the world’s plants – tend not to be so readily amenable to such an approach, and attention is now focusing increasingly on cryopreservation. This review considers the following issues: how plant cryopreservation studies have evolved over time and the extent of application of cryobiotechnology (scale); the policy current drivers and biodiversity needs that provide a framework for current and future plant cryopreservation studies (scope); and which technological innovations, knowledge and understanding might fast-track the science and accelerate the mainstreaming of plant cryopreservation particularly for tropical seeds (hope). Whilst significant progress in plant/seed cryobiotechnology has been made in the last decades, a co-ordinated global research and training programme aimed at accelerating the cryobanking of tropical plants of value to humankind is now urgently needed.
Photosynthetic efficiency of apples under protected shade nets

Sunburn in apples is caused by excessive solar radiation and high temperatures. Shade netting is used to control sun damage in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards. The physiological aspects of the effectiveness of this technique have not yet been fully understood. The objective was to study the variation in chlorophyll fluorescence in apples exposed to environmental conditions of radiation and temperature under netting, to better understand the physiological aspects in the effectiveness of this technique to control sun damage. From 50 and up to 150 d after flowering (DAF), maximum photochemical quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), incidence of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, μmol m-2 s-1), and fruit surface temperature (FST, °C) were evaluated in netted and non-netted ‘Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ apple orchards with 20% shade netting, as well as at harvest in fruit picked from the tree. Netting reduced sunburn by 9% for ‘Gala’ and 5% for ‘Fuji’. For ‘Gala’, netting reduced FST from 2 to 5 °C and 2 to 3 °C for ‘Fuji’ compared to the control (P < 0.05). The PAR decreased by 27% for ‘Gala’ and 22% for ‘Fuji’ compared to the control (P < 0.05). The mean value of Fv/Fm was 12% in ‘Gala’ and 3% in ‘Fuji’ lower than under netting. This difference in Fv/Fm was maintained in fruit picked from the tree and was 13% in ‘Gala’ and 8% in ‘Fuji’. The effectiveness of nets as a measure to control sun damage in apples is related to the ability of this technique to reduce the photo-inhibition process on the fruit skin.
Improving bioaccumulation assessment: Relationship between in vitro and in vivo biotransformation rates of hydrophobic organic chemicals in mammals

The effective management of industrial and commercial chemicals in the environment requires good public policy based on sound science. The overall objective of this research is to improve national and international regulatory programs for the environmental management of industrial and commercial chemicals by developing and testing methods for the assessment of bioaccumulation of chemicals in biota. Bioaccumulation is a key consideration in the assessment of the environmental impacts of chemicals on environmental and human health. A review of regulatory approaches to the assessment and management of chemicals shows that current methods for assessing chemical bioaccumulation lack a priori consideration of the ability of organisms to biotransform chemicals and methods to assess bioaccumulation in species other than fish. The specific objective of my research is to develop and test a scientifically sound and cost-effective method for assessing bioaccumulation of chemicals in a mammalian species that incorporates the ability of mammals to biotransform chemicals. A thin-film sorbentphase dosing method was developed and tested to measure the in vitro biotransformation rates of hydrophobic chemicals in rat and fish liver S9 fractions. The results showed that the biotransformation rates measured using the sorbent-phase dosing system were significantly higher than those measured using conventional solvent-delivery dosing methods. The sorbentphase dosing system demonstrated several advantages over traditional solvent-dosing methods for hydrophobic chemicals by (i) eliminating incomplete dissolution of very hydrophobic substances in largely aqueous liver homogenates; (ii) providing a method for measuring the unbound fraction of substrate in solution; and (iii) simplifying chemical analysis. Also, an in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) method was developed to estimate whole body biotransformation rate constants and biomagnification factors (BMFs) of hydrophobic chemicals in rats from in vitro biotransformation rates. The IVIVE methodology was evaluated and found to be consistent with IVIVE models for pharmaceuticals and produced estimates of rat whole body biotransformation rate constants and BMFs for benzo[a]pyrene which were within the range of empirical values. The proposed IVIVE model for bioaccumulation assessment requires fewer physiological and physiochemical parameters than those used for pharmaceutical drug research; does not involve interconversions between clearance and rate constants in the
A new species of tylosaurine mosasaur from the upper Campanian Bearpaw Formation of Saskatchewan, Canada

Mosasaurs assigned to the genus Tylosaurus have been reported from the North Atlantic Circle Basin, including the Western Interior Seaway in North America and Europe, from the Turonian of Chihuahua, Mexico, to the early Maastrichtian of Belgium. The youngest record of Tylosaurus in North America is from the middle Campanian of the Pierre Shale, South Dakota. Data obtained by examination of an almost complete skull and associated postcranial elements of a large tylosaurine mosasaur from the upper Campanian of Saskatchewan supports the recognition of this specimen as a new species, Tylosaurus saskatchewanensis sp. nov. The specimen, collected from the Bearpaw Formation, southern Saskatchewan, Canada, presents unique features and combinations of features. It is recognized as a tylosaurine based on: edentulous rostrum; relatively long suprastapedial process of quadrate not reaching infrastapedial process; predental anterior extension of dentaries; and 12–13 maxillary and dentary teeth. Some of the characters that support recognition of the new species include: exclusion of prefrontal from dorsal rim of orbit by anterior process of postorbitofrontal; frontal extends anteriorly well into narial openings; well developed dorsal midline eminence of frontal; straight margins of parietal table; small infrastapedial process of quadrate located high on quadrate shaft almost touching suprastapedial process; thick tympanic ala of quadrate; 55 vertebrae anterior to chevron-bearing caudals; and rounded astragalus with big semicircular crural emargination. The new species represents the most northern occurrence of the genus and the subfamily and extends the stratigraphical distribution of the genus Tylosaurus in North America, occupying the northern Western Interior Seaway during the late Campanian. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:55338D44-B3C7-4F9C-8B51-C29DB9B99364
Using High Throughput DNA Sequencing to Evaluate the Accuracy of Serial Dilution Based Tests of Microbial Activities in Oil Pipelines

Microbial activities have detrimental effects on industrial infrastructure. If not controlled, microbial presence can result in corrosion, biofilm formation, and product degradation. Serial dilution tests are routinely used for evaluating presence and abundance of microorganisms by diluting samples and culturing microbes in specific media designed to support microorganisms with particular properties, such as sulfate reduction. A high-throughput sequencing approach was used to evaluate changes in microbial composition during four standard serial dilution tests. Analysis of 159 isolates revealed significant differences in the microbial compositions of sequential serial dilution titers and identified several cases where: (a) bacteria known to have a detrimental metabolic function (such as acid production) were lost in the serial dilution medium designed to test for this function; (b) bacteria virtually absent in the original sample became dominant in the serial dilution medium. These observations raise concerns regarding the accuracy and overall usefulness of serial dilution tests.
IS SPECIES GEOGRAPHIC OVERLAP CONSTANT ACROSS LATITUDE? A HOMAGE TO E. H. RAPOPORT

E. H. Rapoport's seminal book, Areography , was significant for the foundation of macroecology and development of geographical ecology. Indeed, one of the most studied macroecological patterns is the so-called Rapoport's rule -- the tendency of species geographic ranges to be smaller towards lower latitudes. However, several of Rapoport's pioneering ideas have been rarely studied or completely overlooked. Related to the ecogeographical rule that carries his name, he proposed the existence of a latitudinal geographical trend in the overlap of species ranges of the same genus: the constant overlap hypothesis. Such constancy, he argued, appears despite the existence of both latitudinal gradients in species richness and range size. This overlap pattern has not, to our knowledge, being revisited and tested. Here, we intend to honor his legacy by revisiting this particular hypothesis. Using current data for the original rodent genera that Rapoport studied and for phyllostomid bat genera, we applied this framework along with modern macroecological tests to evaluate the overlap among species of the same genus across latitude. We conducted correlation and linear regression analyses to describe this pattern and compared our results to a null model of simulated range construction and placement. Based on the observed vs. simulated pattern comparison, we found that Rapoport's original idea of a constant overlap across latitudinal bands is actually the expected pattern under the conditions of our null model. This may suggest that range cohesion and size, the only range properties kept in the null model, are sufficient to explain the overlap patterns among species of the same genus across latitude. We discuss our findings in light of potential biological and methodological explanations. In doing so, we highlight the enduring legacy that E. H. Rapoport had and will continue to have on our investigations of geographical ecology and macroecology.
Characterization of porcine trophectoderm derived cells to establish a model for placental development

ESTABLISH A MODEL FOR PLACENTAL DEVELOPMENT by KATHRYN STEWART HODGES (Under the Direction of Steven L. Stice) ABSTRACT A porcine trophoblastic cell line could provide a powerful model for understanding trophoblast cell biology as well as placental gene expression and proteomics in vitro. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) has been shown to induce differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into trophoblast lineages. In this experiment, elongated embryos were flushed from the hysterectomized uteri of superovulated and bred prepuberal gilts 15 days post insemination. The trophectoderm tissue was manually dissected into cell aggregates and plated on collagen Type IV, Matrigel, human extracellular matrix (laminin, collagen type IV and heparan sulfate proteoglycan derived from human placenta) or mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder layers in a DMEM based culture medium in the presence or absence of BMP4. Cells were passaged and only cells growing on Matrigel or MEF feeder layers could be further cultured. These data suggest that both the cell substrate and BMP4 affect initial trophoblast outgrowths.
Proteomic analysis of xylem vessel cell differentiation in VND7-inducible tobacco BY-2 cells by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

The xylem vessel is an essential structure for water conduction in vascular plants. Xylem vessel cells deposit thick secondary cell walls and undergo programmed cell death, to function as water-conducting elements. Since the discovery of the plant-specific NAC domain-type VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) transcription factors, which function as master switches of xylem vessel cell differentiation in Arabidopsis, much has been learned about the transcriptional regulatory network of xylem vessel cell differentiation. However, little is known about proteome dynamics during xylem vessel cell differentiation. Here, we performed two-dimensional electrophoresis-based proteomic analysis of xylem vessel cell differentiation using a transgenic tobacco BY-2 cell line carrying the VND7-inducible system (BY-2/35S::VND7-VP16-GR), in which synchronous trans-differentiation into xylem vessel cells can be induced by the application of a glucocorticoid. Of the 47 spots revealed by gel electrophoresis, we successfully identified 40 proteins. Seventeen proteins, including several well-characterized proteins such as a cysteine protease and serine carboxypeptidase (involved in programmed cell death), were upregulated after 24 h of induction. However, previous transcriptomic analysis showed that only eight of these proteins are upregulated at the transcriptional level during xylem vessel cell differentiation in BY-2/35S::VND7-VP16-GR cells. These findings suggest that post-transcriptional regulation strongly affects proteomic dynamics during xylem vessel cell differentiation.
The scaling of growth, reproduction and defense in colonies of Amazonian Termites

Phenotypes can evolve through life-history tradeoffs. Termites have been the first eusocial insects on Earth, prompting life history evolution at the colony level. Despite this, termite life-history allocation strategies are poorly known. Here, we addressed this issue using novel data on three common species from the diverse, yet understudied Amazonian termite fauna: Neocapritermes braziliensis , Labiotermes labralis and Anoplotermes banksi . Using Oster and Wilson’s optimal caste ratio theory and Higashi et al.’s termite caste allocation theory as frameworks, we assessed how termite colonies should invest in growth (immatures), reproduction (alates) and defense (soldiers) as they accumulate workers. We also examined whether soldier loss in soil-feeding Apicotermitinae ( A. banksi ) may have affected allocation strategies. We found that: (1) the scaling of immature number was isometric in the three species, contrary to the leveling off expected under resource limitation; (2) colonies of all sizes were equally likely to produce any number of alates, rather than having a size threshold for reproduction; (3) the scaling of soldier number was unrelated to alate production, but varied from isometry in N. braziliensis to negative allometry in L. labralis despite their similar defense strategies; (4) A. banksi had more immatures per worker and a higher maximum alate number per worker than the other species, suggesting that soldier loss may have allowed higher relative investment in colony growth and, possibly, reproduction. Termites can provide novel insights into life-history allocation strategies and their relation to social evolution, and should be better incorporated into sociobiological theory.
Helminthosporium submersum sp. nov. (Massarinaceae) from submerged wood in north-western Yunnan Province, China

The diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi of China is currently being studied. In this paper, we report on nine collections of asexual morphs of Helminthosporium from submerged wood in rivers and streams in west to north-west Yunnan Province, China. The taxa are characterized based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU, RPB2 and TEF1α sequence data. A new species, Helminthosporium submersum , is described and illustrated with notes on taxonomy and phylogeny. Molecular data for Helminthosporium aquaticum and H. velutinum are provided .
Cytogenetic and biochemical investigations to study the response of Vigna radiata to cadmium stress

A study was carried out on root tips and leaves of Vigna radiata, 15 days old plantlets grown in nutrient Hoagland media were exposed to various levels of cadmium chloride (0.05, 0.10 and 0.50 mM) for 48 and 72 h. The plant tissues were analyzed for mitotic index, chromosomal variations, root-shoot ratio, leaf area, chlorophyll estimation, and the activity of nitrate content, nitrate reductase (NR), soluble protein and proline content. A number of chromosomal variations such as laggard chromosomes, anaphasic bridges, and unidistribution of chromatin material were observed in root tips. A reduction in mitotic index, root-shoot ratio, area of leaf and chlorophyll estimation was observed at all concentrations of cadmium. Moreover, activity of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrate content and soluble protein content was also found to be decreased. However, rate of proline content was found to be increased on increasing the concentration of cadmium. An increase in the levels of proline suggests its possible incorporation in synthesis of the phytochelatins and metallothioneins to sequester and combat Cd-stress. Key words: Vigna radiata, phytochelatins, cytogenetics, cadmium.
Differential hormonal regulation of rat acidic epididymal glycoprotein in the parotid gland and epididymis

DIFFERENTIAL HORMONAL REGULATION OF ACIDIC EPIDIDYMAL GLYCOPROTEIN IN THE EPIDIDYMIS AND PAROTID GLAND OF THE RAT. Beverly E. Naiman and Nancy J. Charest. Section of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Acidic Epididymal Glycoprotein (AEG) is a 31,000 molecular weight, well characterized major secretory protein of the rat epididymis whose gene expression is regulated by androgens. Our laboratory has recently discovered that AEG is a major secretory product of the parotid gland as well. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hormonal regulation of gene expression of AEG in the parotid gland and compare it to the regulation of AEG in the epididymis. This was accomplished by various manipulations of hormonal status of rats, and removing the parotid gland and epididymis after treatment. Total RNA was isolated from each tissue and specific levels of AEG mRNA were followed by Northern blot analysis with a radiolabeled AEG cDNA probe. A developmental profile of AEG mRNA expression in the parotid gland was constructed and compared to that of the epididymis. Significant amounts of AEG mRNA were detectable by 20 days of age, with the most rapid increase occurring between day 25 and 30. Adult levels were reached by day 45 and remained constant through day 90. A very similar developmental pattern was seen in the epididymis. Adult female rats treated with daily injections of testosterone for 24 or 48 hrs had unchanged parotid AEG mRNA levels compared with untreated controls. Androgen resistant males had similar
Thickness Effect on the Optical Band Gap of V 2 O 5 Thin Films Deposited by Thermal Evaporation

Thin V2O5 films have been used as a passive electrode to be applied in some electrochromic devices that requires particular optical, crystallographic and electrochemical energy properties. These properties are greatly influenced by the film thickness. In this work were determined the thickness dependence on, spectral optical absorption and particle size of the V2O5 thin films deposited by thermal evaporation in three nanoscale thickness. It is clear from the results that these particles size apparently are not influenced by the thickness of the film in its formation. Thus, it was verified that the microstructure, mainly the thickness, strongly influences the optical properties, especially the absorption energy, of these samples. The optical gap energy decrease as the film thickness increased. This actually proves that film thickness can be used as a way to modulate the materials optical absorption in optical and optoelectronic devices.
Modulation of genotoxic responses by environmental agents.

A metabolite of a widely used pesticide, paraoxon, exerted a dramatic mutagenic synergistic effect in Salmonella typhimurium with a number of mammalian-activated or plant-activated aromatic amines and heterocyclic amines. The mutagenic synergy required an activated an aromatic amine, and was not attributable to the generation of new mutagenic products or to the modification of the stability of the activated aromatic amine products. Paraoxon modulated the genotoxic potency of dietaiy heterocyclic amines in human cells. The results of this study raise the concern of the environmental effects of organophosphorus ester insecticides. A clone of the Chinese hamster ovary cell line, AS52, was isolated, characterised and analysed under identical treatment conditions with the mutagens 2-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene (2AAAF), ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), and UV radiation. The genetic endpoints included acute DNA damage detected in the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay, whole cell clastogenicity detected with laser beam flow cytometry and forward mutation at a target gene. There were statistically significant increases in DNA damage and forward mutation with all three mutagens. Statistically significant increases in chromosome damage were observed with 2AAAF and EMS but not with UV. A non-uniform distribution of DNA damage throughout the genome was indicated with the chemical mutagens in the SCGE assay. Another type of modulation in genotoxic response was investigated whereby numerous commercial soybean processing products and by-products were analysed for their antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activities. Antimutagenic activity was detected in a soybean processing by-product, soybean molasses and in an ethanol extract, fraction PCC. PCC protected mammalian cells against direct DNA damage, clastogenic damage and point mutation induced by 2AAAF. A fraction of PCC, PCC100 was an effective antimutagen in mammalian cells and in human lymphocytes. Analytical chemical studies identified the compounds responsible for the antimutagenic activity as the soyasaponins I, III and V.