Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calling and associated behaviour of some species of Pseudophryne (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

Males of three species of Pseudophryne (Anura: Leptodactylidae) produce a number of kinds of calls during the calling season. Six call types were recorded in P. corroboree and five in both P. dendyi and P. bibroni. All calls except a non-pulsate threat call are structurally related to the mating call of P. corroboree. The courtship call of this species is essentially a mating call with the addition of three to four similar components. The mating calls of P. dendyi and P. bibroni are essentially shortened versions of the mating call of P. corroboree. The threat calls of all species are very similar structurally and are modifications of one component of the mating call. The auditory premating isolating mechanism in these species is probably the courtship call. Other factors such as differences in colour and time of breeding are probably important in enhancing specific distinctiveness. Diel calling activity of P. corroboree males appears to be primarily dependent on changing light intensities and secondarily on temperature changes. There is also a longer term cycle which is probably dependent on hormonal factors. Males of all species are territorial. The territory is the calling site (the burrow) and is only weakly defended in some species. A non-phylogenetic series based on increasing degree of aggressiveness follows: P. corroboree (Snowy Mountains), P. corroboree (Fiery and Brinda-bella Ranges), P. dendyi and P. bibroni.
A new species of Centaurea L. (Cardueae: Asteraceae) from Turkey

A new species of Centaurea L. , C. kizildaghensis (Cardueae: Asteraceae), is described and illustrated from south Anatolia. It is restricted to the serpentine rocky slopes of Kizil Dag (C3 Konya–Derebucak, Camlik), and is closely related to C. pseudokotschyi Wagenitz and C. drabifolioides Hub. -Mor. , from which it differs in stem, leaf, and phyllary appendage characters. The diagnostic morphological characters are discussed. A new key is produced for Group G species for the flora of Turkey. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 153, 61–66.
Zur Kenntnis der Temperaturabhängigkeit der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.)

Zusammenfassung. 1. Als Vorarbeit fur Freilanduntersuchungen wurden Laboratoriumsversuche angestellt, welche die Abhangigkeit der Lebenserscheinungen der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.) von der Ausentemperatur ermitteln sollen. 2. Das Ei wird im Laufe der Entwicklung vom Winter zum Fruhjahr hin empfindlicher gegen starken Frost. Wenn das Raupchen im Ei unmittelbar vor dem Schlupfen steht, vertragt es aber noch eine Temperaturerniedrigung von mehr als — 13 °. Es ist dabei gleichgultig, ob das Ei der Kalte trocken oder in einem Eisblock eingefroren ausgesetzt wird. Die todliche Temperaturgrenze liegt bei etwa — 16 °. 3. Die Eier brauchen, um schlupfen zu konnen, in der Winterruhe nicht gefroren zu sein. Aber moglicherweise ist die Mortalitat hoher, wenn sie keinen Frost erlitten haben. 4. Es werden die Aktivitatsgrenzen sowie der Kaltetod und Warmetod aller Stadien der Nonnenraupe in Abhangigkeit von der Ausentemperatur ermittelt. Die Einzelheiten der Ergebnisse sind aus der graphischen Darstellung auf Abb. 2 ersichtlich. 5. Die Nonnenraupe besitzt anscheinend keinen ausgesprochenen Temperatursinn. Im Temperaturwahlapparat ist nicht festzustellen, das sie in der Zone der geordneten Bewegungen eine besondere Temperatur bevorzugt. 6. Die Nonne ist in allen Stadien dem jahreszeitlichen Wechsel der Temperatur bestens angepast und vertragt alle im Freien normalerweise vorkommenden Temperaturextreme.
Femtosecond laser based enucleation of porcine oocytes for somatic cell nuclear transfer

Cloning of several mammalian species has been achieved by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in recent years. However, this method still results in very low efficiencies around 1% which originate from suboptimal culture conditions and highly invasive techniques for oocyte enucleation and injection of the donor cell using micromanipulators. In this paper, we present a new minimal invasive method for oocyte imaging and enucleation based on the application of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses. After imaging of the oocyte with multiphoton microscopy, ultrashort pulses are focused onto the metaphase plate of MII-oocytes in order to ablate the DNA molecules. We show that fs laser based enucleation of porcine oocytes completely inhibits the first mitotic cleavage after parthenogenetic activation while maintaining intact oocyte morphology in most cases. In contrast, control groups without previous irradiation of the metaphase plate are able to develop to the blastocyst stage. Further experiments have to clarify the suitability of fs laser based enucleated oocytes for SCNT.
SHORT TERM UPTAKE OF NUTRIENTS BY ENTEROMORPHA PROLIFERA (CHLOROPHYCEAE) 1

Rates of NH4+ and NO3− uptake were determined by accumulation of 15N in plant tissue and by disappearance of nutrient from the medium. Agreement between rates calculated by the two methods was good, averaging 82.7% (SD = 15.8%) and 91.2% (SD = 13.7%) for NH4+ and NO3− uptake, respectively. An average of 93.4 and 96.0% of added 15NH4+ and 15NO3− was recovered from the medium and /or plant tissue at the end of the incubations. Both bacterial uptake and regeneration of NH4+ may contribute to discrepancies between NH4+ uptake rates calculated by 15N accumulation and disappearance of NH4+ from the medium.
Article Revision bingo

Bingo can be a versatile and engaging tool for spicing up end‐of‐module revision and other contexts in which course content is being reviewed. Instead of numbers being called out, students are given a verbal clue that fits with one of the answers on their playing grid. Get five correct answers in any straight line (including either of the major diagonals) and they win the game. The interactive and light‐hearted medium of a bingo game can provide motivation for study and enhance learning by the students. Protein revision bingo is included as an example. © 2001 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Seed germination, plant growth and physiological responses of Salsola ikonnikovii to short-term NaCl stress

Salsola ikonnikovii (Chenopodiaceae), a drought-tolerant plant species that is distributed in sand or light-saline soil in Xinjiang, China, produces seeds (fruits) with attached winged perianths. To study the role of the wing in seed germination under salt stress and to further investigate the growth and physiological responses of the plants to salt stress, the germination behaviour of S. ikonnikovii was determined after winged and non-winged seeds were treated with 0–1000 mmol · L−1 NaCl. Several parameters of two-month old plants that had been treated with NaCl for three weeks were measured. The results revealed that the winged perianths limited germination but protected the seeds from salt damage. The growth of the plants was stimulated by lower concentrations of salt (≤100 mmol · L−1 NaCl), while increasing salt concentrations inhibited growth. The level of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde increased significantly at high concentrations of salt. Correspondingly, concentrations of the osmolytes proline, betaine, and soluble sugars, and the activities of antioxidative enzymes (catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) increased, but the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (carotenoids, glutathione) were significantly reduced at high salt concentrations. These results imply that osmotic adjustment and the antioxidative system may work synergistically to ensure that a plant grows normally under high salt concentrations.
The influence of vertical mixing on the photoinhibition of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence and its inclusion in a model of phytoplankton photosynthesis

The maximum active quantum yield of photosystem II was estimated from measurements of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence [(F' m - F' 0 )/F' m = F' v ,/F' m ] in samples of phytoplankton collected from various depths in Chaffey Reservoir, Australia. During stratified conditions, F' v /F' m showed depth-dependent decreases as irradiance increased during the morning, and increases as irradiance reduced in the afternoon. Wind-induced mixing disrupted the diel pattern, but even under well-mixed conditions a vertical gradient in F' v /F' m remained. Differences in F' v /F' m values between samples incubated at fixed depths and unconstrained lake samples enabled identification of the phytoplankton mixing depth. Recovery of F' v /F' m was modelled as a function of time and the degree f F' v /F' m inhibition, while damage was considered a function of photon dose. A combined, numerical model was fitted to diel sequences of F' v /F' m to estimate rate constants for damage and repair Recovery rate constants ranged from r = 0.7 × 10 -4 to 9.1 X 10 -4 s -1 , while damage rate constants ranged from k = 0.03 to 0.22 m 2 mol photon -1 . A fluorescence-based model of photosynthesis was used to investigate the sects of wind speed, euphotic depth and mixed layer depth on photoinhibition. At different mixing rates, depth-integrated photosynthesis was enhanced by up to 16% under the conditions tested, while increases of 9% occurred between phytoplankton with different measured damage and repair characteristics.
Kava ichthyosis: a nitric oxide synthase inhibition?

Purpose: Kava is a traditional Pacific beverage made from the root of Piper methysticum . It is mainly used for its sedative properties due to lipophilic lactones called kavalactones. Various preparations or medications made from this plant can be purchased via the internet. Kava action mechanisms include cell membrane stabilisation, inhibition of intracellular Ca 2+ increase and enzyme inactivation. Chronic or heavy kava consumption results in the skin taking on a scaly aspect. Biologically, an isolated increase in serum gamma-glutamyltransferase is apparent. Cases of sudden death after heavy kava sessions have occurred in Australia, and nine cases in New Caledonia were reported by our forensic laboratory during the 2000−mid-2013 period. No clear explanation has been given. We describe the possible action mechanism. Methods: We monitored 116 heavy kava drinkers. A multiple-probe drug cocktail was used on six other volunteers, all heavy and chronic kava drinkers, before and after kava abstinence to carry out CYP450 phenotyping. Results: The heavy chronic drinkers showed an isolated increase in GGT without any biological or clinical abnormality other than scaly skin. With the multiple-probe drug cocktail an inhibition of the CYP1A2 isoenzyme was demonstrated. In kava dermopathy a lack of epithelial nitric oxide production leading to an increased S-nitroso-glutathione degradation by the epithelial gamma-glutamyltransferase should be considered. Conclusions: As there are close structural and functional similarities between nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and CYP1A2, and as we have formerly demonstrated that kava inhibits CYP1A2, an inhibition of NOS in chronic kava drinkers must be studied to see if ichthyosis can be explained, and if high blood GGT level is a reflection of epithelial cell GGT activity. Furthermore, a decrease in NO bioavailability can cause myocardial and vascular dysfunctions and hypercoagulability, leading to acute coronary syndrome or ischemic stroke. This mechanism should be explored in cases of “post-kava session sudden death”.
A seringueira (Hevea brasiliensisMuell.-Arg.) no Vale do Rio Paraíba

A study was made about the culture of the rubber plant (Hevea brasiliensisMuell.-Arg.) in the Paraiba Valley of the State of Sao Paulo, in a region where this planting was done for the first time, with a view to investigate about the adaptability of its culture to this habitat and the possibility of its exploitation on this land. The rubber culure was established in the lowlands of the valley on tertiary soil that belongs to the Guatemala series, at the Pindamonhangaba Experiment station, located practically in the center of the valley, at 22°55' S. and 45°22' W. , 570 m above sea level. The development of the plants was normal. After 7 years, when these plants had been settled, 70% were found to have the conventional dimensions for starting their exploitation. Rubber production was estimated in the first year at 460 kg per hectare, at 620 in the second and at 835 kg in the third year of harvest. The occurrence of the leaf disease caused by Dothidella ulei,during the last two years, does not seem to have had an appreciable influence on the production which went on increasing more and more. The examinations of the rubber obtained revealed characteristics of the finest quality.
Screening and Characterization of Several 2,2-Dicholoropropionic Acid–Degrading Bacteria Isolated from Marine Sediment of Danga Bay and East Coast of Singapore Island

ABSTRACT Industries and agriculture activities extensively utilize halogenated compounds. These compounds were found to be toxic and pollute the environment. Thus, many studies have been done on microbial degradation of these chemicals. In this study, an attempt was made to isolate bacterial strains EK1–EK5 from marine sediments collected at Danga Bay and east coast of Singapore island. The 16S rRNA analysis suggested that the isolated bacteria had more than 96% sequence identity to the sequence in the database; therefore, they were designated as Bacillus sp. , Rhodococcus sp. , Lysinibacillus sp. , Microbacterium sp. , and Aminobacter sp. The results of molecular analysis were supported by biochemical and microscopic examinations. Bacterial isolates were able to grow slowly in minimal medium containing only 2,2-dichloropropionate as the sole carbon source. The cellular doubling times were 39.60 ± 0.1, 36.60 ± 0.2, 30.71 ± 0.1, 41.23 ± 0.1, and 36.70 ± 0.3 h for EK1, EK2, EK3, EK4, and EK5, respectively. In the future, it will be important to further investigate the presence of the dehalogenase gene in their genomic DNA for further characterization.
Isolation and characterization of an alkaliphilic bacterium capable of growing on 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxyacetic acid

A bacterial strain, called P4a, was isolated from debris of concrete samples of a demolished herbicide factory. The samples were contaminated with chlorinated and methylated phenoxyalkanoic acids. Strain P4a was able to utilize 2,4-dichloro- (2,4-D) and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) as the sole source of carbon and energy ; degradation of 2,4-dichlorinated and 4-chloro-2-methylated phenoxypropionic acid and -butyric acid derivatives was not found. Growth on 2,4-D was observed from a pH of 5.6 up to a pH of about 10, with optimum growth at around 8.5. No supplements were found to be required for growth on 2,4-D, but the presence of yeast extract increased the growth rate from less than 0.05 h -1 to 0.2 h -1 . The strain was metabolically active up to pH values of 12, which corresponded to the pH of aqueous eluates from such material. It was able to degrade 2,4-D under these conditions up to an initial concentration of 400 mg/l and in fact did degrade 1,600 mg/l of 2,4-D at an initial pH value of 11. Strain P4a was tentatively identified as Comamonas acidovorans on the basis of the substrate utilization pattern (BIOLOG), fatty acid profile (MIS) and G+C content.
Testing Alternative Regression Frameworks for Predictive Modeling of Healthcare Costs

Predictive models of health care costs have become mainstream in much health care actuarial work. The Affordable Care Act requires the use of predictive modeling-based risk-adjuster models to transfer revenue between different health exchange participants. Although the predictive accuracy of these models has been investigated in a number of studies, the accuracy and use of models for applications other than risk adjustment have not been the subject of much investigation. We investigate predictive modeling of future health care costs using several statistical techniques. Our analysis was performed based on a dataset of 30,000 insureds containing claims information from two contiguous years. The dataset contains more than 100 covariates for each insured, including detailed breakdown of past costs and causes encoded via coexisting condition flags. We discuss statistical models for the relationship between next-year costs and medical and cost information to predict the mean and quantiles of future cost, ranki.
COMB REPLACEMENT AND NOSEMA DISEASE (NOSEMA APIS Z.) IN HONEY BEE COLONIES

Le remplacement des rayons dans les nids des colonies d'abeilles domestiques est generalement considere comme une mesure sanitaire importante. L'hypothese selon laquelle le rayon sali est la premiere source d'infection semble etre generalement acceptee. Le but de cette etude est d'evaluer les effets des differents protocoles de remplacement des rayons sur la maladie a Nosema, la production de couvain et la production de miel
Abundance and sensitivity of beneficials in deciduous fruit as a decision tool for selectivity testing

Thirty‐two selectivity tests on apple trees were evaluated in order to determine the best timing for selectivity tests based on the predominance of various beneficial groups and their sensitivity to pesticides during the season. In the testing method used the whole insect populations of apple trees were measured. For the purpose of this evaluation the numbers of beneficial species were aggregated at the family/order level (Anthocoridae, Miridae, Nabidae, Coccinellidae, Hymenoptera and Araneae, respectively). Logarithmically transformed figures of the species counts in azinphos‐methyl‐ and water‐treated trees, plotted over the observation period, demonstrated that the months of June to August are the most suitable ones for carrying out selectivity tests on fruit trees. The sensitivity of the various beneficial groups were obtained by comparing the logits of the mortality rates of azinphos‐methyl and water by weighted t‐tests. The sensitivity did not vary greatly over the testing season from June to October for all groups except Miridae during the second half of the season. This can be explained by the predominance of the less sensitive adults ready for hibernation.
Does phenotypic integration constrain sexual size dimorphism in eastern lubber grasshoppers (Romalea microptera)

Abstract Conspicuous sex differences in size, shape, color and behavior are pervasive throughout both the animal and plant kingdoms. Although previous work has shown that sexual dimorphism can evolve purely as the result of either natural (intersexual resource competition) or sexual selection (fecundity selection, male-male combat), a handful of studies have also shown that these mechanisms need not be mutually exclusive and may even act synergistically to enhance dimorphisms. More recent studies have focused on the factors that act to constrain the evolution of sexual dimorphism. For example, a high genetic covariance among traits between the sexes is thought to retard adaptive sexual differentiation or place an upper limit on the degree of intersexual divergence. However, high genetic correlations themselves are often the result of selection for functional coherence amongst traits (integration), and thus divergent selection between the sexes could theoretically drive sexual dimorphism in the genetic variance-covariance matrix (G). To address this issue, we consider the phenotypic variance-covariance matrix (P), within the context of the evolution of sexual dimorphism in the eastern lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera). We show that: 1) adult female lubbers have relatively wider heads than adult males; 2) most morphological traits show significant integration with one another, but males show a higher degree of integration than females; 3) P in lubbers is not strongly correlated across the sexes. These results suggest that phenotypic integration does not constrain the evolution of sexual dimorphism in R. microptera. Hence, sex-related traits can evolve separately from other traits.
Avaliação do potencial de cinco cultivares de videiras americanas para sucos de uva no sul de Minas Gerais

Objetivou-se, no presente trabalho realizar uma caracterizacao dos sucos de uva de cinco cultivares de videira americana Vitis labrusca (Folha de Figo, Alwood, Concord, BRS-Rubea e Isabel) segundo suas caracteristicas visuais, olfativas e gustativas, utilizando um metodo descritivo por um painel de degustadores da Embrapa Uva e Vinho (EMBRAPA/CNPUV) de Bento Goncalves e da Associacao Brasileira de Enologia (ABE), constituido por doze degustadores. De acordo com os resultados, os sucos das cultivares Isabel e Folha de Figo foram superiores aos demais, segundo a analise de componentes principais (ACP), principalmente pelas variaveis limpidez, equilibrio olfativo, intensidade e corpo gustativo, persistencia olfato-gustativa e julgamento geral (notas). O suco Folha de Figo foi superior ao Isabel quanto a tonalidade, sendo o primeiro caracterizado como vermelho-violaceo. A cultivar Folha de Figo e a mais utilizada na regiao para a producao de suco, podendo os produtores utilizarem tambem a cultivar Isabel, que mostrou potencial nas condicoes edafo-climaticas do sul de Minas Gerais.
Developmental Fates of Axillary Buds as a Major Determinant for the Pattern of Life History in Lolium

Abstract The architecture of a grass population is determined by the spatial distribution and morphology of tillers. The demographic and phase changes of tillers were compared between an annual-like (Progrow) and perennial (Ruanui) lines of Loliumspecies. We investigated the developmental fate of axillary buds for 57 weeks after germination (WAG) under a constant condition. In general, a high production of seeds is positively correlated with the annual habit in plants. A high production of seeds was highly associated with % reproductive tillers in annual¬like Progrow, which resulted from the death of non-reproductive or vegetative tillers before heading. However, no such tendency was observed in perennial Ruanui. This showed that the death of tillers is genetically regulated to contribute to the maximum success in fitness depending on the longevity. In addition, % reproductive tillers was distinctly reduced during the following regrowth in Ruanui, suggesting that a phase change in the tiller system took places during the growth. Microscopic observations of quiescent axillary buds showed that a phase change from reproductive to vegetative occurred at maturity in Ruanui but not in Progrow. As a result, numerous ears developed in Ruanui plants only when they were vernalized after first maturation (30 WAG), showing that the vernalized state gradually diminishes with time in Ruanui. Thus, the present results confirmed that the differential regulation in the develop¬mental fate of axillary buds actually plays a role for determining the pattern of life history in Lolium.
Effects of light intensity on visual prey detection by juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Despite the research on this important fish species for more than a century, surprisingly little is known of some fundamental aspects of the biology of Atlantic cod, such as how light affects foraging behaviour. We measured the reactive distances of juvenile cod (age 1) over light intensities from 0.01 to 64 µmol m−2 s−1 in a controlled laboratory environment, and used these results to estimate the visual range and the parameters for a predictive visual model. The reactive distance at 0.01 µmol m−2 s−1 indicated high sensitivity to low light conditions. The reactive distance was less at intermediate light levels (1.5–6.5 µmol m−2 s−1) and increased thereafter. Only a model with a different set of parameters above and below 5 µmol m−2 s−1 fitted the data, but the validation of the model against another dataset indicated that the generality of the model was poor. We interpret these results as a change in foraging behaviour of juvenile cod at light intensities occurring at twilight in natural habitats, and the results illustrate how behaviour can complicate the relationship between light and reactive distance in a marine teleost.