Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EXPERIMENTAL MODELS FOR STUDYING LEPROSY

Of all the mycobacterial diseases affecting man, leprosy is second only to tuberculosis in that it presents a world health problem affecting between 12 and 15 million people, particularly in newly developing tropical and subtropical countries. Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and manifests itself most commonly in the skin, nose, upper respiratory tract and peripheral nerves. The effect on nerves is responsible for serious disabilities and deformities of the feet, hands and face. The World Health Organization estimates that in at least 25 percent of all cases there is some degree of deformity. M . leprae is the only species of mycobacterium that affects nerves in man and other animals. It is thus a unique organism in this respect and clearly deserves study, which will no doubt increase our knowledge of the properties of peripheral nerve fibers as well as of the organism itself. Patients with leprosy present a wide range of symptoms, depending upon their proximity to either of the two polar forms of the disease: tuberculoid leprosy, in which there are few bacilli, and lepromatous leprosy, in which the number of bacilli is extremely high. The clinical form of the disease thus seems to depend upon the capacity of the individual to destroy the organisms. For these reasons the pathogenesis of leprosy, which is a chronic and infectious disease produced by an obligate intracellular parasite often living in near symbiosis with its host, presents a field of study requiring knowledge drawn from a range of scientific disciplines wider than those for other mycobacterial diseases. Hitherto, progress has been severely restricted because M. leprae cannot, as yet, be grown in vitro and has only been grown in vivo to a limited extent since 1960.2,3 This is one of its frustrating features since it was one of the first organisms to be linked with a specific disease in man (in 1874 by Hansen). Therefore it was first necessary to develop special experimental models using other species of mycobacteria even before the study of leprosy could be started in the laboratory. In this review we shall describe the experimental models developed during the last ten years. These have now reached a stage permitting M . leprae to be grown in experimental animals and studied on a sound experimental basis. These models have contributed significantly to our study of leprosy in man.
Allozyme differentiation between the lowland Carex capitata and the alpine Carex arctogena (Cyperaceae) in Scandinavia

Within Scandinavia, Carex capitata s.l, is usually divided into two taxa: the lowland to lowalpine C. capitata s.s. , and the alpine C. arctogena. The systematic status of these taxa is uncertain, reflected by their taxonomic treatment in different floras. In this study, allozymes were used to assess the degree of genetic differentiation between and within taxa. Ten populations of Carex capitata s.s. and eight of C. arctogena, from Norway and Sweden, were included in the study. Sixteen loci in eleven different enzyme systems were analysed: five were variable within or between taxa, three could be interpreted in all plants. In all, 20 different alleles were found. Four of these alleles were confined to C. capitata s.s. , and two to C. arctogena. In C. capitata s.s. , three loci (18%) were polymorphic, while all loci were monomorphic in C. arctogena. The number of alleles per polymorphic locus was 2.2 in C. capitata s.l. The taxa had completely different alleles at two loci {Pgi-2, Pgm-1). Nei's genetic identity was 0.86 between taxa, and ranged between 0.95 and 1 in pairwise comparisons of populations of Carex capitata s.s. , while it was 1 in all comparisons between populations of C. arctogena. The distinction of C. capitata s.s. and C. arctogena as separate species agrees well with the amount of differentiation found between other congeneric species. It is suggested that the low genetic variation observed in both taxa is due to ancient founder events. The difference in genetic variability between taxa may be due to differences in immigration history: whereas C. capitata s.s. may have colonized Scandinavia from several close refugia after the last glaciation, C. arctogena may have reached Scandinavia after long-distance dispersal of a limited number of propagules.
Genetic diversity of Chinese Spring Soybean Germplasm Revealed by SSR Markers

To use, maintain and increase crop germplasm collections efficiently, it is important to assess the diversity of these collections. In this study, 1383 accessions of Chinese spring sowing soybean (Glycine max) were used for SSR analysis. In total, 1111 alleles were detected among these collections with an average number of alleles (NA) of 18.52 per locus. The genetic diversity index (PIC value) varied from 0.456 to 0.928 with an average of 0.815. Intensive breeding of cultivars have led to a decrease of genetic diversity. Random-repeated sampling within landraces of different geographical regions suggested that the ranking of both average NA and PIC values among different geographical regions were North spring soybean (Nsp) > South spring soybean (Ssp) > Northeast spring soybean (NEsp), but because of the uneven distribution of SSR variation patterns, the differences between them did not reach a significant level. There was a relationship between genetic distances and geographical distances among soybean populations from different regions, indicating a certain degree of geographical differentiation among Chinese soybean germplasm collections.
Evidence of Oceanic Dispersal of a Disjunctly Distributed Amphidromous Shrimp in Western North America: First Record of Macrobrachium Occidentale from the Baja California Peninsula

Six morphological species of the genus Macrobrachium occur in the Baja California Peninsula (M. americanum, M. digueti, M. hobbsi, M. michoacanus, M. olfersii, and M. tenellum). Their presence is an interesting topic for the systematics of the group, given that their distribution shows a distinct disjunct on the coastal plains of the northern part of the Gulf of California slope. Extensive collection of freshwater shrimp of the peninsula allowed us to discover individuals whose morphology corresponds to Macrobrachium occidentale Holthuis, 1950. This species, described in 1950 from the Pacific slope of Central America has received little atention. The type locality is in Guatemala, but it is also found in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. In Mexico it has been reported in the states of Sinaloa, Nayarit, Guerrero, and Oaxaca. The aim of the present work is to contribute to the systematics of M. occidentale through two approaches. First, by reviewing the geographical distribution in Mexico, using taxonomic morphological revision of extensive field collections, as well as material deposited in three scientific collections. Second, through molecular genetic analysis of fragments of the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I, determine whether individuals from the peninsula belong to the same entity found on the mainland Pacific slope of Mexico or whether they form a distinct lineage. The results indicate the presence of the same genetic entity in both regions and show a disjunct distribution similar to other species of the genus in this region. We present a systematic account for M. occidentale, including a taxonomic treatment of the studied populations and a report of their genetic identity and relationships. Further, we suggest and discuss that the presence of this amphidromous species on the peninsula is explained by the oceanic dispersal hypothesis.
Community-level field method for testing the toxicity of contaminated sediments in estuaries

The objective of this study was to demonstrate a method for testing the toxicity of contaminated sediments under field conditions. An artificial sediment that matches field sediment in grain-size distribution and organic matter content was mixed from 11 components and used as the test substrate. Clean sediments and sediments spiked with zinc were exposed in the field on a holding rack anchored on the bottom of Mobile Bay, Alabama. The abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate recruits were used as indicators of sediment quality. The number of recruits was significantly reduced by the presence of zinc in one-week exposures.
Cranial myology of some species of Liolaemus and Phymaturus (Squamata: Tropiduridae: Liolaeminae)

The cranial musculature of 19 species of Liolaemus and two species of Phymaturus was compared and analyzed for taxonomic significance. Using 52 myological cranial characters a cladistic analysis of the taxa mentioned was performed. Parsimony analysis was conducted with the program Nona, and 180 equally parsimonious trees were obtained. In all of them the Tropidurinae are paraphyletic. The Liolaeminae are a monophyletic group. Phymaturus and Liolaemus are monophyletic groups, and the relationships among the species of Liolaemus remain unresolved.
EFFECT OF DIETARY VICINE ON THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LAYING CHICKENS

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of dietary vicine [2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxy pyrimidine-5 (β-D-glucopyranoside)] on feed consumption, egg and yolk weight, egg production, egg fertility and hatchability, in vitro hemolysis of red blood cells, plasma lipid levels, and the peroxide, glutathione and vitamin E levels in plasma and/or liver. Vicine, when fed to laying hens, reduced the number of developing ova, egg and yolk weights and the fertility and hatchability of eggs. Yolks from vicine-fed birds had a lower ratio of yolk height:diameter and increased incidence of blood spots. Vicine consumption also elevated plasma lipid and lipid peroxide levels, increased erythrocyte hemolysis, and depressed the ratio of plasma vitamin E:lipid. In addition these birds had heavier livers with higher lipid peroxide and GSH levels. However, liver and plasma protein and liver lipid levels were not affected by dietary vicine. The effects of dietary vicine in these studies were not due to altered feed consump.
Transisomaltosylation activity of a bacterial isomalto-dextranase.

A bacterial isomalto-dextranase, described previously as a new type of dextranase different from the known 1,6-α-d-glucan 6-glucanohydrolase [EC 3.2. 1.11], was found to be a configuration-retaining exo-glucanase so far as judged from the downward mutarotation shown by products in a dextran digest, and from the lower activity of the enzyme on lesspolymerized isomaltodextrins according to one of the criteria proposed by Reese et al. The dextranase was observed to cause not only transisomaltosylation (isomaltotetraose formation in dextran digests, isomaltotriose formation in dextran digests containing glucose and transisomaltosylation among isomaltodextrins) but also isomaltose condensation to isomaltotetraose in concentrated solutions. These activities shown by the isomalto-dextranase are in keeping with the novel concept that carbohydrases are catalysts of glycosylation (glycosylhydrogen interchange), proposed by Hehre and his coworkers. The relative ease of isomaltose condensation catalyzed by the enzyme .
Acute Toxicity of Chlorine to Selected Estuarine Species

Two flowing water systems designed to test the acute toxicity of chlorine in estuarine water are described, one adapted for microscopic species, the other for larger species. Acute toxicity results for several invertebrate and fish species are presented. Molluscan larvae and Acartia tonsa were the most sensitive species tested, with 48-h TL50 values less than 0.005 ppm.
Effects of large river restoration on currently used bioindicators and alternative metrics

1. Data-rich restoration experiments offer opportunities to test the ability of bioassessment tools, such as those currently used to assess the ‘ecological status’ of waterbodies targeted by the European Water Framework Directive, to detect observed ecological changes. 2. Minimum flow increases in four regulated reaches of the French Rho^ne River modified the inverte- brate and fish communities in a predictable way, as detailed in other articles of this Special Issue. We tested the ability of several fish and macroinvertebrate metrics currently used in bioassessment to detect these changes. In addition, we considered changes in metrics that are expected to respond specifically to flow increase. These metrics were related to the habitat requirements of species, the ecological specialisation of communities and the abundance of macroinvertebrate functional groups (seen as surrogates for ecosystem attributes). 3. For invertebrate communities, bioassessment metrics based on richness had equivocal responses to restoration and the Potamon-Type Index demonstrated no or contradictory responses to restoration. The French biotic index was not sensitive to restoration and instead depicted spatial differences in biological quality. For fish communities, the French fish index was marginally sensitive in the reach with the largest minimum flow increase and some of its metrics were sensitive in other reaches. 4. Contrasting with commonly used bioassessment indices and metrics, several metrics related to habitat requirements appropriately indicated the observed changes in community structure. Large flow changes increased the proportion of fish and macroinvertebrate individuals with preferences for midstream habitats, fast currents, deep waters and/or coarse substrates. However, these changes did not translate into the expected increase in ecological specialisation. In addition, functional metrics indicated that restoration led to higher proportions of grazers and higher availability of suspended food for filtering collectors, suggesting a return to the ecological conditions of a large river. 5. The mixed and potentially contradictory responses of the different metrics confirm the difficulty of establishing benchmarks for ecological indicators in large-regulated rivers and the need to design appropriate bioassessment metrics.
Composição, riqueza e heterogeneidade da flora arbórea da bacia do rio São João, RJ, Brasil

RESUMO – (Composicao, riqueza e heterogeneidade da flora arborea da bacia do rio Sao Joao, RJ, Brasil). Estudos floristicos vem apontando a regiao da bacia do rio Sao Joao, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, como detentora de uma riqueza e diversidade de especies arboreas particularmente altas. Entretanto, tais afirmativas sao baseadas em estudos locais, nao existindo ainda uma analise de sua flora arborea em nivel regional. A partir da compilacao de inventarios floristicos e fitossociologicos de 20 trechos de floresta ombrofila de baixada (30-300 m), o presente trabalho aborda a composicao, riqueza e heterogeneidade da flora arborea da bacia do rio Sao Joao. A compilacao incluiu apenas as arvores com DAP ≥ 2,5 cm, que foram identificadas em nivel especifico. A amostra da flora arborea totalizou 460 especies, 231 generos e 62 familias. Estes numeros reafirmam que a regiao e realmente detentora de uma flora arborea com alta diversidade, inclusive com diversas especies raras ou vulneraveis a extincao, podendo ser considerada como uma das mais ricas entre as de Floresta Atlântica do Sudeste brasileiro. Analises multivariadas detectaram uma alta heterogeneidade floristica entre os fragmentos florestais, contribuindo na elevada riqueza regional encontrada. Os padroes de similaridade sugerem que a principal fonte desta heterogeneidade provem dos diferentes estados de conservacao das areas. Palavras-chave: analise multivariada, conservacao, Floresta Atlântica ombrofila de baixada, flora regional
ESTABLISHMENT OF THREE DIPLOID CELL LINES OF ANOPHELES STEPHENSI (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

The culture of insect tissues in vitro offers con-siderable potential for studying many aspects of the pathogenic cycles of protozoan, bacterial, and viral agents which have an insect vector or reser-voir. Studies directed toward this end have been limited in since the culture of insect cells has, in been a very difficult task (2, 8, . the feasibility of obtaining both long-term primary cultures and continuous cell lines of insect (5-7) . Follow-ing This report describes the establishment of 3 additional cell lines originating from larval tissues of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi which is the vector both in nature and in the laboratory for a number of malaria parasites
Population Structure and Social Organization in the Primitive Ant Amblyopone Pallipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The genus Amblyopone contains the most morphologically and behaviorally primitive species in the poneroid complex of ants, and a detailed examination of their social structure could significantly contribute to the reconstruction of social evolution in the Formicidae. But because of their cryptic habits and distribution, the biology of the majority of species of Amblyopone and the related genera Mystrium, Myopopone, Prionopelta, and Onychomyrmex remains almost entirely unknown. Previous investigations have provided information on colony foundation (Haskins, 1928; Haskins and Enzmann, 1938; Haskins and Haskins, 1951), ecology, behavior, and taxonomy (Wheeler, 1900; Brown, 1960; Gotwald and Levieux, 1972; Baroni Urbani, 1978), and physiology (Whelden, 1958). Still, many of the details of social organization in Amblyopone are lacking. present in this paper the results of a two-year study on the behavior and ecology of Amblyopone pallipes.
EFFECT OF REARING AND ADULT FEED RESTRICTION AND PHOTOPERIOD REGIMENS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FOUR MEAT PARENT CHICKEN GENOTYPES

Two experiments were conducted each involving 2600 birds consisting of four commercial, chicken broiler, parent genotypes. The first experiment was designed to compare full feeding with two rearing feed restriction systems and two photoperiod treatments (1) a constant 14-h daylength and (2) a "17–9–14-h daylength. " In experiment 2, adult full feeding was compared with two levels of feed intake restriction and the 17–9–14-h daylength used in experiment 1 was compared with a "simulated natural daylength. " The rearing period skip-a-day feeding systems resulted in reduced body weight, delayed sexual maturity, heavier initial egg weight, increased number of hatching eggs, higher fertility, higher hatchability of total eggs set and more broiler chicks compared with full-fed birds. Controlled skip-a-day feeding resulted in reduced body weights, increased egg production, higher egg fertility, higher hatchability and more broiler chickens compared with ad libitum skip-a-day feeding. Body weights were lower with ad.
Ultrastructure of Elasmobranch and Teleost Erythrocytes

The ultrastructure of circulating erythrocytes of Raja clavata and Torpedo marmorata (Elasmobranchs) and Rutilus rutilus and Gobio gobio (Teleosts) was comparatively described in relation to their function. The existence of intranuclear hemoglobin and the degradation of cytoplasmic organelles are related to hemoglobin storage. Lysosome-like vesicles and microtubular marginal bands are also common elements of these cells. Thus, the presence of numerous cytoplasmic organelles in circulating erythrocytes suggests a certain immaturity, in relation to those in mammals.
Cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems in Serbia: effects on water quality, human health and biodiversity

Cyanobacterial blooms and toxins (cyanotoxins) in both natural and controlled waterbodies are of worldwide concern. This paper presents a review of 130 years of research on the biodiversity, occurrence and toxicity of cyanobacteria in waterbodies throughout Serbia, as well as their effects on water quality and human health. Data on the occurrence of particular cyanotoxins over more recent years are also collated. Data from over 70 sources, including research articles, project reports, conference abstracts, dissertations, books, annual and news reports are summarized. This survey provides a valuable resource for current and future assessments of cyanobacterial and cyanotoxin occurrence and abundance in Serbian waterbodies, and for management solutions where ecosystems and human health are jeopardized.
Schilderia Adamanica: A New Fossil Wood from the Petrified Forests of Arizona

During the fall of I93 2, Mr. J. A. SCHILDER gave the writer a specimen of wood from the petrified forests of Arizona. Slides were made and it soon became evident that it represents a new wood from the Triassic, and a type of structure not previously reported either in living or fossil plants, justifying the establishment of a new genus. Upon the advice of Dr. I. W. BAILEY, who has examined the slides, it has been decided that, since the specimen shows only the secondary xylem, no suggestions may profitably be made concerning its relationship with other plants until evidence is obtained from additional material showing primary xylem, pith, or leaf traces. The specimen has been replaced by chalcedony and its petrifaction is similar to that ordinarily found in the Arizona fossils. Figure I (pl. V) indicates the size of the specimen and shows the conspicuous multiseriate xylem rays.
Reconocimiento preliminar de la densidad y estructura poblacional de Saguinus tripartitus Milne-Eduards en la Amazonía peruana

Censos por transecto fueron llevados a cabo en enero del 2005 en la cuenca del rio Aushiri para determinar la densidad poblacional y estructura poblacional del «pichico dorado» (Saguinus tripartitus MilneEduards). Fueron registrados 17 grupos, cuya densidad poblacional fue calculada en 13,5 individuos/km2 . El tamano de los grupos fluctuaron desde cuatro a ocho individuos y el tamano promedio fue 5,3 individuos/ grupo. Cada grupo estuvo integrado por la pareja reproductora y su progenie de dos a seis individuos. Los adultos conformaron el 75% de la poblacion.
Interactions of Factors Affecting Seedling Recruitment of Blue Oak (Quercus Douglasii) in California

Acorn germination and seedling recruitment of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) were studied in relation to postdispersal predators, planting depth, oak canopy cover, slope angle and aspect, and herb layer. Removal of acorns and seedling recruitment from surface—sown and buried acorns were measured for 2 yr at two sites, a north—slope forest and a ridgetop savanna. Nested exclosures were used to measure acorn predation by birds, mice, gophers, deer, and cattle. The rate of seedling recruitment (Ps) was related to treatment variables using cluster analysis combined with stepwise logistic regression. Average acorn fall ranged from 3.5 to 58.7 acorns/m2, with germination rates varying from 28 to 85% in different years. 8172 sown acorns yielded 2922 (35.76%) seedlings, but Ps varied from 0.09 to 0.71 among the different treatments. Year, site, and rodents interacted strongly to affect seedling recruitment. Ps averaged 0.48 during a cool wet year compared to 0.23 in drier years. Low correlations between seedling recruitment rates for the same plot in different years were due to annual changes in the distribution of favorable microsites and patchy, unpredictable acorn predation. Recruitment rates for buried acorns were twice those of surface—sown acorns due to improved germination and reduced predation. Pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) were the major predator of buried acorns. Surface acorns suffered high mortality from dying and overheating, as well as from predation by mice, gophers, and cattle. Seedling recruitment was positively associated with increasing canopy cover and more mesic microsites at the low elevation site, but was negatively associated with these factors at the cooler, high elevation site. Hierarchichal classification combined with stratum—specific logistic regression models was important in revealing strong interactions among seedling recruitment factors.