Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of maltase from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Enteropathogenic strains of faecal Escherichia coli produced significantly (P < 0.01) more maltase than the non-pathogenic strains of the organism. The enzyme was induced by maltose but repressed by glucose and fructose. The maltase was partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, followed by dialysis and gel permeation chromatography. The partially purified maltase had an Mr of 144500 and an apparent Km of approx. 7.6 mM for maltose. The enzyme was stimulated by Ca2+, inhibited by Cu2+, Hg2+, Uo2+, IAA and EDTA, and exhibited optimum activity at pH 6.5 at 30°C.
Antioxidants and Pungency of Onion

Information on levels of antioxidants and pungency can be utilized for improvement of onion (Allium cepa L.) through selection or breeding. Several genotypes were evaluated for these criteria. Phenol (128.51 mg/100 g) was found to be the most abundant antioxidant followed by ascorbic acid (11.49 mg/100 g). Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities averaged as 4.80 mg·mL−1, 1.71 ΔA430·min−1·g−1, and 0.73 units, respectively. Antioxidant capacity, as determined by ascorbic acid and quercetin equivalents, was highest in ‘AVT-II(01)’ and ‘Sukhsagar’, whereas that determined by 2,2-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity was highest (i.e., the lowest IC50 value) in ‘AVT-I(05)’. Lipid peroxidation, an indirect measure of antioxidant capacity, ranged between 0.019 and 0.036 μmol of malondialdehyde/100 g of substrate. Pyruvic acid development, an index of onion pungency, was between 6.86 and 15.33 μmol·g−1. Based on averages and principal component analysis, genotype ‘AVT-I(03)’ followed by ‘AVT-II(01)’ and ‘Sukhsagar’ can be used for future breeding programs.
Establishment and control of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) with inert dusts in stored canola

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) is know as one of main pests of stored canola seeds worldwide, however, the cases of infestation in Brazil are still not reported. Due to its potential pest status allied to the increasing production of canola in Brazil, this work aims to evaluate the establishment of T. castaneum in canola stored seeds, as well as the effects of diferent inert dusts to its control. For stablishment determination, three substrates were tested: wheat bran (control); whole wheat seeds; and whole canola seeds. The insects remained in the substrates for 14 days, when mortality was counted, and then for aditional seven days before get removed, for progeny assessment at 66 days after initial exposure. For the insecticide potential of inert dusts, four treatments were tested in canola seeds as substrate: diatomaceous earth; basaltic rock powder; vegetable charcoal powder; and untreated canola seeds as control treatment. The beetles were exposed to the treated substrate and cumulated mortality was counted each two days for 15 days. Lower adult mortality and higher progeny in canola seeds indicates that these substrate is a potential host for T. castaneum. Diatomaceous earth and vegetable charcoal powder reduced the survival of adult beetles in canola in more than 60% at the end of the evaluation period. The T. castaneum adults and its offspring develops well in stored canola seeds. Additionally, the use of inert dusts, mainly diatomaceous earth and vegetable charcoal powder presents promising results of control of the beetle in stored canola seeds.
Formation of Conserved Charge at the de Sitter Space

The article considers a new mechanism of charge accumulation in the early Universe in theories with compact extra dimensions. The relaxation processes in the extra space metric that take place during its formation lead to the establishment of symmetrical extra space configuration. As a result, the initial accumulation of the number associated with the symmetry occurs. We demonstrate this mechanism using a simple example of a two-dimensional apple-like extra space metric with U ( 1 ) -symmetry. The conceptual idea of the mechanism can be used to develop a model for the production of the baryon or lepton number in the early Universe.
Morphology of labeled efferent fibers in the guinea pig cochlea

Efferent axons to the guinea pig cochlea were labeled by extracellular injections of horseradish peroxidase into the intraganglionic spiral bundle within the spiral ganglion. The terminal fibers formed by these axons were classified according to their patterns of termination within the basal turn of the cochlea. A class of terminal fibers designated “autonomic” forms a highly branched plexus in the osseous spiral lamina but does not enter the organ of Corti. The termination of single autonomics includes blood vessels as well as areas of the osseous spiral lamina not adjacent to blood vessels. Two major classes of efferent axons from the olivocochlear bundle enter the cochlea by way of the vestibulocochlear anastomosis and terminate either in areas near inner hair cells (IHC efferents) or onto outer hair cells (OHC efferents). The IHC efferents have thin axons throughout their course within the cochlea and can be divided into two subclasses. The most numerous subclass of IHC efferents (unidirectional) enters the inner spiral bundle and turns to spiral in only one direction for less than 1 mm and then forms a discrete termination including many en passant and terminal swellings that are within both the inner and tunnel spiral bundles. A less common subclass of IHC efferents (bidirectional) bifurcates upon entry into the inner spiral bundle to send branches both apically and basally. These terminal fibers take spiral courses that are greater than 1 mm in extent, often course in the tunnel spiral bundle for a large portion of the spiral, and form terminals throughout their extended spiral course. None of the IHC efferent fibers send branches to cross the tunnel to innervate the outer hair cells. A second major class of olivocochlear fibers, OHC efferent fibers, forms large boutons on the outer hair cells, and although they sometimes spiral beneath the IHCs for some length, they do not give off terminals to this region. The OHC efferent axons are thick and myelinated as they enter the cochlea, and they branch near the spiral ganglion to form several terminal fibers. Some of these terminal fibers are thin as they travel from the intraganglionic spiral bundle across the osseous spiral lamina to the organ of Corti, whereas others are thick and obviously myelinated as far peripheral as the habenula. The diameter of the OHC efferent fibers in the lamina is related to the extent of innervation in terms of the number of tunnel‐crossing branches and the number of boutons on the OHCs. Reconstructions of the parent axons forming these fibers showed that single neurons can span lengths of the organ of Corti up to 1.5 mm. The two major classes of olivocochlear terminal fibers seen in the present study may represent the terminations of the two groups of brainstem olivocochlear neurons found in previous studies. That these groups have separate terminations, and that their axons are of quite different caliber, are facts that strongly argue for a distinct morphological separation of the two groups of olivocochlear neurons which undoubtedly has functional significance.
Separation of Cartesian Products of Graphs Into Several Connected Components by the Removal of Vertices

Abstract A set S ⊆ V (G) is a vertex k-cut in a graph G = (V (G), E(G)) if G − S has at least k connected components. The k-connectivity of G, denoted as κk(G), is the minimum cardinality of a vertex k-cut in G. We give several constructions of a set S such that (G□H) − S has at least three connected components. Then we prove that for any 2-connected graphs G and H, of order at least six, one of the defined sets S is a minimum vertex 3-cut in G□H. This yields a formula for κ3(G□H).
The life history of Chondrus crispus in culture

The life history of the rhodophycean alga, Chondrus crispus, was completed in culture in about 20 months. Plants established from tetraspores formed male and female gametophytes and subsequently carposporophytes; carpospores in turn gave rise to plants with mature tetrasporangia. Tetraspores from these resulted in second generation gametophytes. Carpospores of plants from nature developed into tetrasporophytes; gametophytes derived from the tetraspores became sexually mature within a year. Sporophytic and gametophytic plants were, as expected, morphologically similar. Rate of growth of plants in cultures was comparable with published observations made on plants in nature. Preliminary experiments showed that, in culture, regeneration can occur from both the erect frond and the basal disc. In the latter, erect fronds may arise from any point on the dorsal surface of the disc.
Wheat Seeding Rate Influences Herbicide Performance in Wild Oat (Avena fatua L.)

Field experiments were conducted at three locations in Alberta for 3 yr to determine if spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeding rate (75 and 150 kg ha -1 ) influenced the effects of recommended and reduced herbicide rates on wild oat (Avenafatua L.) shoot biomass, wild oat seed in the soil seed bank, and wheat yield and net economic return. Wild oat biomass and seed in the soil seed bank decreased nonlinearly at both seeding rates as herbicide rates increased. The herbicides were more effective in reducing wild oat shoot biomass and seed in the soil seed bank when wheat was seeded at the higher rate. The lowest wheat yields and net economic returns occurred when no herbicides were applied and both variables increased nonlinearly with increasing herbicide rate. In most cases, wheat yield and net economic return were greater at the higher seeding rate. On average, wheat yield improved by 19% and net economic return by 16% when wheat was seeded at the higher rate. The results indicate that seeding wheat at relatively high rates can contribute positively to herbicide performance and result in better wild oat management and higher wheat yields and economic returns. In some cases, there was little difference between applying the herbicides at 75 or 100% of the recommended rate but reducing rates below 75% almost always resulted in higher wild oat shoot biomass and seed, and reduced yields and net economic returns, even at the higher wheat seeding rate.
Suppression of Septoria tritici blotch and leaf rust on wheat seedling leaves by pseudomonads

Application of cells of two isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads from soil to wheat seedlings prior to inoculation with Mycosphaerella graminicola (anamorph, Septoria tritici) or Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici markedly reduced symptom expression. These Pseudomonas isolates, LEC 1 and LEC 2. also reduced in vitro growth of Geotrichum candidum. Rhizoctonia solani. Sclerotium rolfsii and S. tritici. Growth of the melanin-producing isolate ISR398 of S. tritici was inhibited on silica gel thin-layer chromatograms by compound(s) extracted with diethyl ether from King's Medium B colonized by Pseudomonas isolate LEC 1. The growth of the antagonistic pseudomonads on defined medium was not affected by the following commercial fungicides: benomyl, captafol, chlorothalonil, fenarimol, mancozeb, maneb, metalaxyl, prochloraz, propiconazole, triadimefon, and the herbicides 2,4-D and diclofop-methyl at the recommended concentrations
3D-QSAR method on indole and pyrrole inhibitors of monoamine oxidase type A

Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) converts norepinephrine and serotonin to an oxidative form. These monoamine neurotransmitters have important roles in depression. The MAO-A inhibitors have been discovered for neurodegenerative disease therapy. In order to design novel MAO-A inhibitors, in this study, the quantitative structure-activity relationships for the combined series of indoles and pyrroles were elucidated and the structural conditions to show good inhibitory effects on MAO-A were derived. This result can help us design new inhibitors irrespective of their specific moiety.
ON THE DEFINITIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF DOMINANCE AND TERRITORIALITY

1. Dominance/subordinance is a relationship between two individuals in which one defers to the other in contest situations. Each such relationship represents an adaptive compromise for each individual in which the benefits and costs of giving in or not giving in are compared. Familiar associates in groups or neighbours on nearby territories may develop relatively stable dominant‐subordinate relationships based on individual recognition. Although the aggressive aspects of dominance are usually emphasized, the less conspicuous actions of the subordinate individual are actually more important in maintaining a stable relationship.
Growth‐rate and smolting‐rate of progeny of male Atlantic salmon parr, Salmo salar L.

In experiments conducted in two successive years, the progeny of male Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar L.) were found to grow in length at the same rate as the progeny of sea-run males. The proportions of these populations which smolted at one year old did not differ in the first experiment, but were significantly higher among progeny of parr (33%) than among progeny of sea run-adults (21%) in the second year. Survivals throughout the experiments were high, at 89 and 91% respectively in the two years. A possible inhibitory relationship between smolting and sexual reproduction in the same year is discussed.
Segmental Nature of Age-Associated, Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Abnormalities Necessitates Three-Dimensional Analyses

Age-associated electron transport system (ETS) abnormalities in skeletal muscle are distributed in a mosaic and segmental fashion; thus, histological techniques examining a single cross-section of tissue underestimate the number of fibers harboring such mitochondrial abnormalities. Analyses of consecutive cross-sections along the length of a muscle are necessary to determine the absolute number of ETS abnormal fibers within a given skeletal muscle. Two hundred serial cross-sections of old rat and rhesus monkey skeletal muscle were obtained by cryostat sectioning. Sections were stained and examined for cytochrome c oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase activity at regular intervals spanning a 1,600—μm region of muscle. All fibers staining negative for cytochrome c oxidase activity or hyperreactive for succinate dehydrogenase activity were then followed along their lengths to determine the extent of the ETS abnormal regions. ETS abnormalities in both animal models were found to be distributed in localized reg.
Effect of water velocity on the early development of manganese-depositing biofilm in a drinking-water distribution system

A study of the development of biofilm colonizing the surfaces of pipes in a drinking-water distribution system has shown that water velocity significantly influenced the nature and physiological activity of the biofilm. Biofilm developed at a velocity of 0.5 m s−1 actively oxidized and deposited manganese, but at 0.01 m s−1 no manganese was deposited. Budding bacteria were the dominant microorganisms depositing manganese but a variety of other organisms were also present in the biofilms. The budding bacteria oxidizing manganese were Pedomicrobium manganicum and Metallogenium.
Mechanisms of UDP-Glucose Synthesis in Plants

Substantial progress has been made in studies on enzymes synthesizing UDP-glucose (UDPG) which is essential for sucrose and cell wall biosynthesis, and in an array of other processes, e.g. glycosylation of proteins and lipids. The enzymes include UDPG pyrophosphorylase, UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (USPase) and sucrose synthase (SuSy). Genes coding for those proteins are under complex spatial and temporal regulation, and are frequently coexpressed. Recent evidence for regulation of some of the UDPG-synthesizing proteins by posttranslational modifications and oligomerization, together with discoveries of novel isozymes and unexpected locations within a cell (including chloroplasts and mitochondria) have made the studies exciting, but complex. The enzymes differ in specificity for sugar and nucleotide portions of their substrates/products, and may be involved in distinct metabolic pathways, but also in signaling. Homology models for USPase and SuSy structures are presented, based on recent crystallization of structurally related proteins. Future challenges in research on UDPG-producing enzymes are underlined.
Role of Membrane Lipid Fatty Acids in Sperm Cryopreservation

Lipid is an important constituent of cell membrane. Membrane lipid composition of spermatozoa has been correlated to different function. Many researchers have related membrane lipid with survival success after cryopreservation or cold shock. Sperm maturation and acrosome reactions are natural phenomenon, but cryopreservation or cold shock is not. Therefore, sperm cells are not programmed for such change and undergo stress. So the change in membrane lipid composition due to cold shock or cryopreservation may be looked upon as response of spermatozoa to a certain stressed condition. A significant body of research worked on the relationship between membrane lipid and fatty acid composition and ability of cell to tolerate adverse change in temperature. However, as the approach of different research groups was different, it is very difficult to compare the changes. Studies have been done with different species, ejaculated/seminal or epididymal sperm. Lipid analyses have been done with whole cell membrane isolated by different methods. Fatty acids estimated were from whole cell, plasma membrane, head membrane, or phospholipids. The cryopreservation condition, media composition, and diluents/cryoprotectants were also different. At this onset a comprehensive review is needed to cover changes of sperm membrane lipid composition of different species under different cryopreservation conditions.
A bi-directional fractional-order derivative mask for image processing applications

: Fractional computation has been recently designed as a major mathematical tool in image and signal processing fields. This study presents a novel operator established for two-dimensional fractional differentiation. It is developed based on the one-dimensional Charef fractional differentiation extension. A new multi-directional mask is proposed and a new adaptive fractional-order computation is introduced. The proposed method uses the gradient computation properties. It has been applied in edge detection and de-noising problems using real and synthetic images. Obtained results have been compared to those given by integer and fractional useful operators. Results demonstrate that the fractional edge images obtained using the proposed operator has more complete and clear contour information and more abundant texture detail information. The performances have been improved by the proposed method.
A description of the skeletal development pattern of the temperate coral Caryophyllia smithi based on internal growth lines

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the microstructure and internal growth lines of the temperate ahermatypic coral Caryophyllia smithi (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). The arrangement of internal growth lines in combination with the orientation of aragonite crystals were used to describe the pattern of skeletal development in C. smithi. The observed pattern was verified using observations from another study on skeletal development in C. smithi, but which was based only on external observations of skeletons of living and dead specimens in different stages of development. The pattern of skeletal development in C. smithi is suggested to be subdivided into three stages, based on the deposition of specific skeletal elements during the development of the skeleton. In the first ‘juvenile’ stage, various primary skeletal elements are formed: the basal plate, the septa and a primary and secondary septotheca. The second ‘half full grown’ stage is characterized by development of apparently only an extended basal attachment, which enlarges the attachment area to the substratum. In the third ‘full grown’ stage, the edge zone of the polyp tissue is retracted from the extended basal attachment to the calice, and upward growth of the coral predominates followed by lateral thickening of the septotheca, costae, septa and columella. Internal growth lines were found throughout the skeleton and may be composed of, or resulting from the presence of organic matter. The septotheca and the extended basal attachment, which are important for a strong skeletal structure and a strong attachment to the substratum, respectively, are probably thickened faster than the other skeletal elements. Attachment scars were found in areas where attachment of the coral tissue to the skeleton is critical.
Measuring negative tourist-to-tourist interaction: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT Despite the destructive nature of tourist-to-tourist interactions, previous research efforts focused on service provider–tourist interactions while neglecting negative tourist-to-tourist interactions. Consequently, there is a lack of conceptual clarity on how to measure negative tourist-to-tourist interaction. Following a rigorous methodological procedure and a two-wave study, this paper develops a four-dimensional scale for the measurement of negative tourist-to-tourist interaction. The scale’s predictive validity suggests that negative tourist-to-tourist interaction negatively influences value and memorability. The paper discusses the implications of the findings for measuring negative tourist-to tourist interactions within the context of service design and management in the tourism industry.
Observations on new and rare species of freshwater diatoms from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

The freshwater diatom flora of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, was recently described using surface sediments from 56 largely glacial kettle lakes scattered over the narrow peninsula. During our examination we had the opportunity to study seven rare and interesting taxa with light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two of these organisms, Neidium statuarium Hamilton & Siver sp.nov. and Stenopterobia pseudodelicatissima Siver & Hamilton sp.nov., are described as new species. Two new combinations, along with emended descriptions based on SEM, are provided for Nupela vitiosa (Schimanski) Siver & Hamilton comb.nov. and Tryblionella scalaris (Ehrenberg) Siver & Hamilton comb.nov. Morphological details of three additional and rare species, Neidium fasiatum Ostrup, Neidium sp. , and Tryblionella plana var. fennica (Hustedt) Simola are also provided. The relationships of each taxon to other similar species are discussed.Key words: Cape Cod, Neidium, new species, Nupela, Stenopterobia, Tryblionella.