Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ASSESSING THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE PALAWAN PANGOLIN MANIS CULIONENSIS (PHOLIDOTA) USING DISCRETE MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS

Abstract We use discrete morphological characters in a statistical framework to reassess the taxonomic status of the Palawan pangolin Manis culionensis relative to the Sunda pangolin M. javanica. We recommend that the 15 species-level traits previously proposed in the literature to distinguish the 2 pangolins be replaced by 5 newly defined diagnostic characters related to skull and external scales. Our study supports species-level partition between the Palawan and Sunda pangolins at a frequency of expected polymorphism threshold fixed to 0.10. Isolation through sea level rising (approximately 800,000–500,000 years ago) of proto-Palawan pangolins coming from Borneo through Early Pleistocene land bridges might have promoted the speciation of M. culionensis, a Palawan endemic species to be considered of high conservation concern.
Properties of dehalogenase from Rhizobium sp. RC1

Many halogenated substances are recalcitrant to aerobic biodegradation. Microorganisms that can utilize this compound generally produce enzymes that can cleave carbon-halogen bond. This enzyme also known as dehalogenase is the key enzyme action in these catabolic pathways. Rhizobium sp. RC1 has the ability to grow in mono- and dihalogenated aliphatic compounds such as D,L-2chloropropionate (D,L-2CP) and 2,2DCP (2,2dichloropropionate). The basic enzyme action and properties of Rhizobial dehalogenase(s) and dehalogenation product were described in this review. This review also summarize on how this bacterium was identified with the ability to degrade halogenated compounds. Key words: Halogenated compound, Rhizobium sp. RC1, degradation, dehalogenation, pollutant degradation, dehalogenase, haloalkanoic acid.
Correlates of Mortality in an Exploited Wolf Population

Abstract We investigated the influence of habitat use on risk of death from hunting and trapping of 55 radiocollared gray wolves (Canis lupus) from an exploited insular population in Southeast Alaska, USA. We compared mortality rates for resident and nonresident wolves and used Cox proportional hazards regression to relate habitat composition within 100-m circular buffers around radiolocations to risk of death of resident and nonresident wolves. In addition, we included covariates representing distances to roads, logged stands, and lakes and streams in those analyses. We also compiled harvest data from 31 harvest units within the study area to compare densities of roads and distances from human settlements with rates of harvest. During our study 39 wolves died, of which 18 were harvested legally, 16 were killed illegally, and 5 died from natural causes. Legal and illegal harvest accounted for >87% of the mortality of radiocollared resident and nonresident wolves. Mean annual survival was 0.54 (SE = 0.17) for all wolves. Annual survival was 0.65 (SE = 0.17) for resident wolves and 0.34 (SE = 0.17) for nonresidents. Very few (19%) nonresident wolves survived to colonize vacant territories or join existing wolf packs. Roads, muskegs, and distances from lakes and streams were covariates positively associated with death of resident wolves. Clear-cuts were positively associated with risk of death of nonresident wolves. Rate of harvest increased with density of roads; however, road densities >0.9 km/km2 had little additional effect on harvest rates. Harvest rates decreased with ocean distances from nearest towns or settlements. Roads clearly increased risk of death for wolves from hunting and trapping and contributed to unsustainable rates of harvest. Wildlife managers should consider effects of roads and other habitat features on harvest of wolves when developing harvest recommendations. They should expect substantial illegal harvest where wolf habitat is accessible to humans. Moreover, high rates of mortality of nonresident wolves exposed to legal and illegal harvest may reduce or delay successful dispersal, potentially affecting linkages between small disjunct wolf populations or population segments. We conclude that a combination of conservative harvest regulations and large roadless reserves likely are the most effective measures for conserving wolves where risks from human-caused mortality are high.
Available kin recognition cues may explain why wasp behavior reflects relatedness to nest mates

Relatedness is predicted to be a key determinant of cooperative behavior, but kin discrimination within social insect colonies is surprisingly rare. A lack of reliable cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) cues is thought to be responsible, but here we show that in a high-profile paper wasp model, kin recognition cues are available for some individuals that found nests with nonrelatives. Thus, unrelated Polistes dominulus helpers could potentially recognize themselves as such. On this basis, we reanalyzed a behavioral data set to investigate whether foraging effort, defense contributions and aggression toward nest mates might thus reflect CHC profiles. Both foraging behavior and aggression varied with genetic relatedness, but genetic relatedness itself was a better predictor of this variation than differences in CHC profiles. We propose that wasps use specific components of the CHC profile, the identity of which is as yet unknown, to identify relatives among nest mates. Our data provide the first evidence of within-nest kin discrimination in primitively eusocial wasps but leave open the question of which cues are responsible.
Comparative Study of Genetic Variability of AAT and CT/GT Microsatellites in Staghorn Coral, Acropora (Scleractinia: Acroporidae)

Comparative study of genetic variability of AAT and CT/GT microsatellites in staghorn coral, Acropora (Scleractinia: Acroporidae). Zoological Studies 49(5): 657-668. Acropora is the most speciose genus of scleractinian corals. However, phylogenies among closely related species and population genetics of Acropora remain equivocal. In this study, 7 AAT-repeat loci developed from the Caribbean species, A. palamta, and 5 dinucleotide (CT/GT)-repeat microsatellites newly developed from the Indo-West-Pacific (IWP) species, A. muricata, were examined to determine their utility for revealing the mutation rate and genetic diversity of Acropora species. Five of the 8 AAT-repeat loci were successfully amplified in IWP species, with DNA sequences in the flanking region showing over 97% similarity to those of the Caribbean species, suggesting homology of these AAT loci among these cross-oceanic Acropora. In contrast, amplifications of all GT-repeat loci failed in the Caribbean species. Eight loci (5 AAT and 3 CT/GT ones) showed Mendelian inheritance based on crossing experiments of A. muricata larvae. When the mutation rate (θ) was estimated, AAT-repeat loci showed relatively higher mutation rates (θ = 39.94-112.82) compared to GT-repeat loci (θ = 2.44-53.33). Analysis of molecular variance indicated a relatively higher within-population variation at AAT-repeat loci (98.6%) than at GT-repeat loci (78.7%). The F ST statistic of 2 sympatric Acropora species (A. muricata and A. digitifera) indicated that the value for AAT loci (F ST = 0.014) was about 15 times lower than that for GT loci (F ST = 0.213), although both microsatellite motifs showed statistically significant differentiation of species. Our study highlights that AAT-repeat loci might have functional constraints and result in underestimating the genetic variability of species and populations; thus, their application to revealing genetic variations within Acropora should be utilized with caution. http://zoolstud.sinica. edu.tw/Journals/49.5/657.pdf.
Crop isolation, not extended rotation length, reduces blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans) severity of canola (Brassica napus) in south-eastern Australia

Due to the large increase of canola production in Australia, current blackleg cultural control recommendations (extended rotation length and isolation distance from canola stubble) are not adhered to by farmers in many canola-producing regions. Canola crops are increasingly being sown in short rotation and, in many instances, adjacent to paddocks containing canola stubble. In this study, the level of disease in commercial canola crops was determined for different rotations and distances from canola stubble. There was a strong relationship between the presence of canola stubble from the previous year (6-month-old stubble) and distance to current canola crops, but no relationship between the presence of older (18–42 month old) stubble and distance to current canola crops. Blackleg severity was highest where canola crops had been sown adjacent to 6-month-old canola stubble, with the level of blackleg severity decreasing markedly in the first 100 m. Disease severity then generally declined up to 500 m. Plants 500–1000 m from 6-month-old stubble had similar levels of blackleg infection. Blackleg severity was similar between canola crops sown into 18-month-old canola stubble (short rotation) and crops sown into paddocks that had no history of canola for at least the previous 3 years (long rotation). Based on these findings, we recommend that canola crops should be sown at distances greater than 100 m and preferably 500 m from last season's canola stubble, rather than extending rotation length between crops.
Analysis Genetic Stability in Prunus humilis Bunge Plants after Cryopreservation Twice

Cryopreservation is one of the important biotechnologies. The Shoot-tips of Prunus humilis Bunge were successfully cryopreserved using vitrification method. Eight single-bud sibling lines were established as model system for genetic analysis. Amplified fragmentation length polymorphism (AFLP) assay was used to detect the variation of genetic stability. In the detected sites, only two sites where band pattern changed after cryopreservation, might be contribute to the change in DNA methylation status at EcoRⅠ recognition according to the different sequence following the recognition. About one third bands which had changed after cryopreservation twice seemed to have cumulative effect. Methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) assay was carried out for further investigation DNA methylation changes. A significant change in DNA methylation status induced by cryopreservation was detected. Variety of changes of band patterns could be classified to four kinds.
Status of Quality Management in Australian Manufacturing SMEs

The purpose of this study is to assess the status of Quality Management (QM) in Australian manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the intention is to identify the trends for adoption of advanced QM methodologies. A survey questionnaire is employed to explore the status of quality management practices in the Australian manufacturing SMEs. An extensive survey was completed which includes all states and territories; in all types of manufacturing organisations already using Quality Management System (QMS). The findings confirm that like other countries such as UK manufacturing, SMEs in Australia are also reluctant to adopt advanced QM methodologies such as Six Sigma.
Compost in the 20th Century: A Tool to Control Plant Diseases in Nursery and Vegetable Crops

The discovery of disease suppression in certain bark composts increased the interest in using compost as growing substrate to control root rot diseases caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi. Disease suppression mechanisms include antibiosis, competition, hyperparasitism, and induced systemic resistance. Although abiotic factors may infl uence disease suppression, the latter is often based on microbial interactions—the two common mechanisms being general for pythium (Pythium spp.) and phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora spp.) and specifi c for rhizoctonia (Rhizoctonia solani). The discovery of disease suppression agents in compost led to the development of biocontrol agent-fortifi ed compost during the last decade of the 20th century. The suggested recommendations for future research and extension outreach may include 1) development of methods to manage bacterial and viral diseases through the use of compost; 2) exploration of the potential effects of fortifi ed compost on insect pests suppression; 3) improvement of inoculation methods of composts with biocontrol agents to produce consistent levels of disease suppression at the commercial scale; 4) development of effective fortifi ed compost teas for suppressing foliar diseases; 5) education of compost producers on methods of production of fortifi ed compost that suppress specifi c diseases; and 6) education of end-users on uses of fortifi ed compost and its by-products. Historical review
Activity-Dependent IGF-1 Exocytosis Is Controlled by the Ca 2+ -Sensor

-sensor that triggers IGF-1 exocytosis inthese neurons. Deletion of Syt10 impaired activity-dependentIGF-1secretioninolfactorybulbneurons,resulting in smaller neurons and an overall decreasein synapse numbers. Exogenous IGF-1 completelyreversed the Syt10 knockout phenotype. Syt10 colo-calized with IGF-1 in somatodendritic vesicles ofolfactory bulb neurons, and Ca
Development and validation of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of albendazole 2-aminosulfone residues in animal tissues

ABSTRACT To monitor the residues of albendazole (ABZ) in edible animal tissues, a monoclonal-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) was developed. The hapten albendazole 2-aminosulfone (ABZSO2NH2) was conjugated to a carrier protein as an immunogen. The spleen cells of the inoculated mice expressing specificity to ABZSO2NH2 were fused. The obtained monoclonal antibody 2A11 was selected for detailed study. The standard curves based on the ABZSO2NH2 matrix calibration ranged from 20.0 to 320.0 µg L−1, with an IC50 value of 85.2 ± 6.3 µg L−1 (n = 5). The limits of detection for ABZSO2NH2 ranged from 11.0 to 20.8 µg kg−1 in edible animal tissues. The recoveries ranged from 73.6% to 99.8% with a coefficient of variation of less than 20%. The developed ic-ELISA exhibited good correlation (r = 0.999) with high-performance liquid chromatography. Thus, it would be a very attractive alternative for the screening of ABZSO2NH2 residues in edible animal tissues.
Bilirubin

PRINCIPLE : Bilirubin reacts with diazotized sulphanilic acid to form an azocompound the colour of which is measured at 546 nm (530-560 nm) and is proportional to the concentration of Bilirubin. For Total Bilirubin the reaction is accelerated by caffeine reagent. The readings for total bilirubin are taken after 5 mins. incubation & the readings for direct Bilirubin are taken after 3 mins. incubation.
Origin of White and Brown Adipose Cells From Vascular Endothelium: A Dissertation

Obesity is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. The current obesity epidemic is the result of surplus energy consumption. Excess energy is stored in expanding adipose tissue. Adipose tissue growth entails the enlargement of existing adipocytes, the formation of new fat cells from preexisting progenitors, and the coordinated development of supporting vasculature. Identifying adipocyte progenitors and the mechanism of adipose tissue expansion is crucial for the development of new strategies to combat obesity and its complications. Though important progress has been made towards understanding the developmental origin of adipocytes, the identities of adipocyte progenitors are still not completely known. The main objective of this study is to determine whether endothelial cells of the adipose tissue can give rise to new adipocytes. Our results indicate that murine endothelial cells of adipose tissue are pluripotent and can potentially give rise to preadipocytes. Lineage tracing experiments using the VE-Cadherin-Cre transgenic mouse reveal localization of reporter genes in endothelial cells, preadipocytes and white and brown adipocytes. Moreover, capillary sprouts from human adipose tissue, which have predominantly endothelial cell characteristics, are found to express Zfp423, a preadipocyte determination factor. In response to PPARγ activation, endothelial characteristics of sprouting cells are progressively lost, and cells form structurally and biochemically defined adipocytes. Taken together, our data support an endothelial origin of a population of adipocytes. The ability of the vascular endothelium to give rise to adipocytes may explain how angiogenesis and adipogenesis can be temporally and spatially coordinated. Analysis of BAT and WAT revealed that adipose depots have distinct compositions of adipocyte progenitors. Of the CD45-CD29+Sca1+CD24+ progenitor population, only 17% and 52% express VE-Cadherin in WAT and BAT, respectively. Our data show that the number of these specific progenitors in BAT and WAT are highly variable and suggest that a considerable number of adipocytes progenitors may have a non-endothelial cell origin. Differences in composition and types of adipocyte progenitors may explain the differences in the adipocytes phenotypes that we observe in discrete depots. In brief, we find that the vascular endothelium gives rise to a population of brown and white fat cells, and that the number of endothelial-derived adipocyte progenitors residing in BAT and WAT is highly variable. These results expand our current understanding of adipose tissue growth, and, we hope, will accelerate the development of treatments for obesity-related complications.
Habitat‐density associations are not geographically transferable in Swiss farmland birds

Knowledge about associations between habitat and population density is essential for ecological studies and management alike, for instance, to identify high-density areas worthy of protection. Furthermore, habitat-density associations are important for setting targets, e.g. in agri-environmental schemes. However, habitat associations need to be constant across management units, which may be entire countries; otherwise management should be targeted at smaller, internally homogenous regions. We use data on 13 Swiss farmland bird species from 128 study sites to test for the generality of the association between territory density and six key habitat descriptors: the density of hedges and woodland edges, and the proportion of meadows, pastures, crops and fallow land at each study site. We modelled observed territory counts in overdispersed Poisson regressions, with and without zero-inflation, and including the interactions between four geographical regions and six habitat descriptors. To test for spatial transferability of habitat-density associations, we also fitted the corresponding main-effects models. As a continuous alternative to discrete regions, we fitted models with altitude and its interactions with habitat, to test for the generality of habitat-density associations across the 1885 m altitudinal gradient in our study (365–2250 m a.s.l.). Finally, we tested for nonlinearity as a possible reason for geographical non-transferability of habitat-density associations. The interactions between either region or altitude and habitat-density associations were important in 10 of 13 species, showing that habitat-density associations were not transferable. Discrete regions were the best descriptor of the spatial variation in habitat-density associations in seven species, and altitude in six. Simple overdispersed Poisson regressions were superior to zero-inflated models for 12 of 13 species. For 6 species nonlinearity was a sufficient explanation for the observed non-transferability. Non-transferability of habitat-density relationships might stem from biological reasons or from methodological inconsistencies. To distinguish between them, to suggest better management actions and to improve species habitat models, focused habitat-density studies ought to be replicated at various sites. Our study emphasizes the need for spatial stratification of conservation measures (e.g. agri-environmental schemes), otherwise, they may be inefficient or even harmful. Ideally, the spatial extent of internally homogenous regions ought to be investigated for efficient conservation management.
Historical changes in fishing efficiency in the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, Western Australia: implications for assessment and management

The west coast demersal scalefish fishery off the southern part of Western Australia has experienced technological creep over the past 20 years, resulting in improved fishing efficiency. The aim of this study was to obtain quantitative measures of efficiency improvements arising from the historical adoption of several important technologies from the surveys of experienced skippers. Survey results suggest that the relatively rapid adoption of Global Positioning Systems from 1989 to 1991 had a large and overriding effect on fleet-wide fishing efficiency. Additive effects from the fleet-wide adoption of colour sounders and hydraulic reels on effective fishing effort and the catch rates of West Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum) and pink snapper (Pagrus auratus) were also demonstrated. Historical logbook data were independently analysed as a secondary check of these findings for three of the surveyed skippers, which identified that GPS adoption had a significant, positive influence on the catch rate for two vessels, but not for the third, highlighting potential variation in this response among skippers. The results have contributed towards improved understanding of the historical dynamics of the fishery and of the factors that have affected, at least in part, historical changes or, in some instances, a lack of change in observed effort and catch rates.
A PCR-based identification method for species of Armillaria

A portion of the Intergenic Spacer (IGS) of the ribosomal RNA operon of 74 isolates of 11 Ar? millaria species from Europe and North America was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction. Am- plifications were made from scrapes of living mycelium without DNA extraction. Alu I digests ofthe amplified product were electrophoresed in agarose and stained with ethidium bromide. With few exceptions, each tax? on had a unique combination of restriction fragments. Most taxa had a single Alu I pattern, but two restric? tion patterns were seen among isolates of A. borealis,
Glutamine Pretreatment Reduces IL-8 Production in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells by Limiting IκBα Ubiquitination

: Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the human body, plays several important roles in the intestine. Recent studies showed that glutamine regulates protein metabolism and intestinal inflammation among other mechanisms by reducing proinflammatory cytokine release. Because regulation of the inflammatory response was shown to be linked to proteolysis regulation, we hypothesized that glutamine pretreatment could act on IL-8 production in human intestinal epithelial cells through the regulation of inhibitor kappaB (IkappaB) ubiquitination. The HCT-8 cells were pretreated for 24 h with 0.6, 2, or 10 mmol/L glutamine. IL-8 concentration and IkappaB (free and ubiquitinated) expressions were assessed by ELISA and immunoblotting, respectively. A pretreatment with 10 mmol/L glutamine decreased IL-8 production under both basal and proinflammatory conditions (both P < 0.05). In the presence of a proteasome inhibitor (MG132), the ubiquitin-IkappaBalpha complex expression was not significantly modified by glutamine under basal conditions but decreased significantly under proinflammatory conditions (P < 0.05). After the addition of 10 mmol/L of glutamine, the free IkappaBalpha expression increased under basal and stimulated conditions (both P < 0.05). A glutamine pretreatment of 10 mmol/L did not affect ubiquitin expression or proteasome activity. This study indicates that glutamine pretreatment may reduce the intestinal inflammatory response by limiting the proteolysis of IkappaBalpha.