Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe

Abstract. In this work, we examined the interaction of ions and neutral particles during atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events. The analysis is based on simultaneous field measurements of atmospheric ions and total particles using a neutral cluster and air ion spectrometer (NAIS) across the diameter range 2–25 nm. The Waldstein research site is located in a spruce forest in NE Bavaria, Southern Germany, known for enhanced radon concentrations, presumably leading to elevated ionization rates. Our observations show that the occurrence of the ion nucleation mode preceded that of the total particle nucleation mode during all analyzed NPF events. The time difference between the appearance of 2 nm ions and 2 nm total particles was typically about 20 to 30 min. A cross correlation analysis showed a rapid decrease of the time difference between the ion and total modes during the growth process. Eventually, this time delay vanished when both ions and total particles did grow to larger diameters. Considering the growth rates of ions and total particles separately, total particles exhibited enhanced growth rates at diameters below 15 nm. This observation cannot be explained by condensation or coagulation, because these processes would act more efficiently on charged particles compared to neutral particles. To explain our observations, we propose a mechanism including recombination and attachment of continuously present cluster ions with the ion nucleation mode and the neutral nucleation mode, respectively.
Seed dynamics linked to variability in movement of tidal water

Abstract Question: Community structure may be influenced by patterns of dispersed seeds (seed rain) because they contribute to the template of plant community development. We explored factors influencing seed rain in a system dominated by tidal water, where direction and magnitude of water flow are difficult to predict, unlike many other hydrochorous systems where water flow is directional. We posed three main questions: (1) are patterns in seed rain linked to effects of hydrodynamic variability; (2) do these patterns in seed rain reflect distribution of seed sources and seed production; and (3) what are the implications for the assembly of tidal communities? Location: Salt marshes on the Wadden island of Schiermonnikoog, The Netherlands. Methods: Species compositions of vegetation, seed rain, seed production and driftlines along a chronosequence of communities were compared. We also studied seed movement by sowing Astroturf® mats with seeds and checking for seeds remaining after a single tidal inundation. Results: Storm surges had a significant effect on seed-rain patterns as the highest density and diversity of captured seeds were found during a stormy period. Seed rain of the youngest communities was more influenced by storms than that of older communities. Patterns in seed rain generally followed similar patterns in the distribution of established plants, and seed production. Conclusions: Results suggested mostly local dispersal of seeds. However, there was some evidence of long-distance dispersal occurring during storm surges in younger communities that are regularly inundated with tidal water. The possible role of seed retention in constraining community development, rather than dispersal per se, is further discussed. Nomenclature: van der Meijden (1996).
Wie funktionieren Phytopharmaka? - Wirkmechanismen der Vielstoffgemische

Zunächst soll die Frage erörtert werden, warum und wozu Pflanzen überhaupt Sekundärstoffe produzieren. Pflanzen benötigen Sekundärstoffe, um sich gegen ihre diversen Feinde, die sie ständig umgeben und denen sie permanent ausgesetzt sind, wie Pflanzenfressern, Bakterien, Pilze, Viren und konkurrierende Pflanzen, zu schützen (Abb. 1). Sekundärstoffe werden von Pflanzen auch als Signalstoffe eingesetzt, um bestäubende und samenverbreitende Tiere anzulocken; sie können auch als UV-Schutzsubstanzen und Nund C-Speicherstoffe dienen (Abb. 2). In vielen Fällen hat ein Sekundärstoff mehr als eine Funktion. Da in den Pflanzen meist komplexe Gemische an unterschiedlichen Sekundärstoffen mit diversen Bioaktivitäten vorliegen, verfügen Pflanzen über einen Cocktail an Aktivstoffen mit sehr breiter Wirkung (4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15, 17, 18). Vielfach werden Arzneipflanzen und Phytotherapeutika als bloße Plazebos angesehen, obwohl klinische Studien und Erfahrungswissen in sehr vielen Fällen eine Wirksamkeit belegt haben (1, 3, 5, 10, 14, 23). Die Diskriminierung der Phytopharmaka liegt unter anderem an der Schwierigkeit, die für die Wirksamkeit verantwortlichen Substanzen eindeutig zu ermitteln. Zudem besteht häufig die Erwartung, eine einzige Wirksubstanz zu finden, obwohl die Arzneipflanzen, die in der traditionellen Medizin und Phytotherapie seit vielen Jahren genutzt werden, fast immer komplexe Gemische an Sekundärstoffen enthalten. Man geht berechtigterweise davon aus, dass es diese Sekundärstoffe sind, die auch für die Wirksamkeit einer Droge verantwortlich gemacht werden können. Diese Übersicht will versuchen, die Wirkmechanismen der Aktivstoffe aus Arzneipflanzen aus evolutionärer und ökologischer Sicht zu erhellen. ➤ Sekundärstoffe interagieren mit molekularen Targets
The relationship between occurrence of ectoparasites, temperature and culture conditions: a comparison of farmed and wild common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758) in the Sinop region of northern Turkey

A 1-year study on the occurrence of ectoparasites on farmed and wild common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758) and their relationship with temperature and culture conditions was conducted between June 1994 and May 1995 at two sites in the Sinop region of northern Turkey. Following the investigation of 125 common carp, Trichodina acuta Lom, 1961, Trichodina mutabilis Kazubski and Migala, 1968, Trichodina nigra Lom, 1960, Trichodinella subtilis Lom, 1959, Apiosoma piscicola Blanchard, 1885, Epistylis sp. , Dactylogyrus anchoratus Dujardin, 1845, Dactylogyrus extensus Mueller and Van Cleave, 1932, Gyrodactylus sp. and Argulus foliaceus L. , 1758 were identified. Trichodina mutabilis and Dactylogyrus extensus were found to be the most common ectoparasites on both the farmed and the wild common carp. The overall infestation prevalence was 100% on farmed carp and 93.6% on wild carp. Dactylogyrus anchoratus represents a new parasite record for Turkey.
The response of key gluconeogenic enzymes in bovine liver to various dietary and hormonal regimes

SUMMARY The effects of starvation, glucocorticoid administration, and the feeding of an all-concentrate diet, on the 14CO2-fixing activities of pyruvate carboxylase (EC. 6.4.1.1), phosphopyruvate carboxylase (EC. 4.1.1.32) and propiony1-CoA carboxylase (EC. 6.4.1.3) were measured in liver from lactating cows. Starvation caused a 26% decrease in propiony1-CoA carboxylase activity, glucocorticoid administration a 35% decrease in phosphopyruvate carboxylase activity, and the all-concentrate diet 24 and 41% increases in the activities of phosphopyruvate carboxylase and propiony1-CoA carboxylase respectively.
Breeding for salinity resistance in crop plants: Where next?

Soil salinity is widely reported to be a major agricultural problem, particularly in irrigated agriculture, and research on salinity in plants has produced a vast literature. However, there are only a handful of instances where cultivars have been developed which are resistant to saline soils. Reasons for the lack of success in developing salt-resistant genotypes, and for the low impact that plant physiological research has made, are explored. We conclude that soil salinity has not yet become a sufficient agricultural problem, other than on a local scale, to make salt resistance a high priority objective for plant breeders. The limited success of simple selection, where this has been practised in breeding programs, can be accounted for by the fact that research has consistently shown salt resistance is a complex character controlled by a number of genes or groups of genes and involves a number of component traits which are likely to be quantitative in nature. We also conclude that the results of physiological research have been poorly marketed by physiologists and, understandably, have failed to impress plant breeders. We anticipate that the importance of salinity as a breeding objective will increase in the future. Our assessment of reports of the degradation of irrigation systems, together with projections of the future demands of irrigated agriculture, is that enhancing the salt resistance of at least some crops will be necessary. Salinity resistance will both help provide stability of yield in subsistence agriculture and, through moderating inputs, help limit salinisation in irrigation systems with inadequate drainage. It is emphasised that plant improvement and drainage engineering should be seen as partners and not alternatives. We conclude with a personal view of one way forward for developing salt-resistant genotypes, through the pyramiding of physiological characters.
Mesoscale Gradients of Herb Richness and Abundance in Central Amazonia 1

There are few hypotheses to explain local understory diversity patterns. There is a consensus that climate and soil fertility affect understory density and diversity at large scales, but few studies addressed the mechanisms controlling density and diversity locally. Here, I examine patterns of abundance and diversity of three understory herb groups along gradients of soil nutrients and topography at the mesoscale (64 km2) in a wet tropical forest, and possible factors causing them. Herb richness, diversity, density, and cover were measured in fifty‐nine 250 × 2 m plots systematically distributed over Reserva Ducke, Manaus. Herb groups responded differently to environmental gradients. Whereas density and cover of pteridophytes increased with altitude and slope, Marantaceae density and cover decreased. Density of sedges increased with altitude, but did not vary with slope. Density and cover of Marantaceae and sedges but not pteridophytes increased with the soil cation content. Pteridophyte richness increased with slope whereas Marantaceae richness decreased, richness of both groups increased with cation content. Diversity increased with altitude for Marantaceae and decreased for pteridophytes. Some of these patterns agree with what is expected from herbs, such as the greater abundance of Marantaceae and sedges in flat and low altitude plots, where water availability is higher and probably also light, and the greater richness of Marantaceae and pteridophytes in higher nutrient plots. The unexpected results of higher abundance and richness of pteridophytes in slopes, instead of in bottomlands, suggest that biotic or litter‐mediated controls may be important to set these patterns.
Role of the ϵ Subunit of Thermophilic F1-ATPase as a Sensor for ATP*

The ϵ subunit of F1-ATPase from the thermophilic Bacillus PS3 (TF1) has been shown to bind ATP. The precise nature of the regulatory role of ATP binding to the ϵ subunit remains to be determined. To address this question, 11 mutants of the ϵ subunit were prepared, in which one of the basic or acidic residues was substituted with alanine. ATP binding to these mutants was tested by gel-filtration chromatography. Among them, four mutants that showed no ATP binding were selected and reconstituted with the α3β3γ complex of TF1. The ATPase activity of the resulting α3β3γϵ complexes was measured, and the extent of inhibition by the mutant ϵ subunits was compared in each case. With one exception, weaker binding of ATP correlated with greater inhibition of ATPase activity. These results clearly indicate that ATP binding to the ϵ subunit plays a regulatory role and that ATP binding may stabilize the ATPase-active form of TF1 by fixing the ϵ subunit into the folded conformation.
Rumen Bacterial Community Transition During Adaptation to High-grain Diet

Transitional changes of the ruminal bacterial community structure in cows during the switch from roughage to high-grain diet were monitored by PCR amplification and sequencing of 16S rDNA clone libraries. In total, one hundred fifty 16S rDNA sequences of almost full-length (1.4 kb) were analysed from three libraries prepared from the rumen fluid on day 0, 3, and 28 of switch to high-grain diet. In the first library (day 0, hay diet) of 51clones, 90.2% of sequences were belonging to the low G+C Gram-positive bacteria (LGCGPB) phylum, with the minor inclusion of theCytophaga-Flavobacter-Bacteroides (CFB;3.9%), Proteobacteria (3.9%) and high G+C Gram-positive bacteria (HGCGPB;2.0%) phyla-related sequences. Six LGCGPB sequences were clustered with the well-known cellulolytics of the rumen, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and R. albus. In the second library (day 3 of high-grain diet) of 58 clones, the LGCGPB-related sequences still dominated (72.4%), albeit being represented by other species than in the first library. In particular, this library was enriched by representatives of Selenomonas-Succiniclasticum-Megasphaera group IX (17.2%), lactobacilli- (6.9%) and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens lineage 3-related (8.6%) sequences. Other phyla were represented by CFB (22.4%) and HGCGPB (3.4%). In the third library (day 28 of high-grain diet) of 41 clones, 95% of sequences fell into the LGCGPB phylum. About half of them (46%) were clustered within theSelenomonas-Succiniclasticum-Megasphaera group in Clostridium cluster IX. No HGCGPB-related sequences were detected and CFB was represented by only a single clone. No Streptococcus bovis -related sequences were detected in any of the three clone libraries.
Pre‐Pleistocene origin of an endangered habitat: links between vernal pools and aquatic Oxalis in the Greater Cape Floristic Region of South Africa

Vernal pools constitute a minute and under‐studied habitat type scattered across the species‐rich Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR), and harbour a number of endemic species from a wide variety of phylogenetic backgrounds. The unique species complements, restricted habitat size and high levels of anthropogenic threat to these ecosystems merit more intensive research focus. In this study, we explore the history of vernal pool habitat through the lens of a major component of the vernal pool flora, Oxalis L.
Posttranscriptional Regulation ofMRP/GS-XPump and γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase Expression by 1-(4-Amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3- (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea and by Cycloheximide in Human Glioma Cells

Treatment of human glioma A172 cells with 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethy-3-nitrosourea (ACNU) for 2 to 4 hr resulted in a 2- to 3-fold increase in steady-state levels of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) mRNA. Nuclear run-on assays revealed a less than 0.5-fold increase in transcription rates of these genes under the same treatment conditions, suggesting that posttranscriptional regulation plays an important role for the increased mRNA levels. In the absence of ACNU, rates of MRP and gamma-GCS mRNA degradation were similar in A172 cells as determined by incubating cells with the RNase inhibitor, Actinomycin D. ACNU treatments resulted in increased MRP mRNA stability. Induction of MRP and gamma-GCS mRNA by ACNU apparently did not require de novo protein synthesis as determined by the use of protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX). However, CHX alone could induce accumulation of gamma-GCS mRNA, also by posttranscriptional mechanism. Taken together, these results demonstrate that (i) posttranscriptional regulation is primarily involved in the induction of MRP and gamma-GCS expression by ACNU and CHX in human glioma cells; and (ii) despite the fact that these two genes have been reported to be frequently co-expressed, their responses to the treatments of RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors are not the same.
Superficial scald, a functional disorder of stored apples. XI. Apple antioxidants

Sixteen varieties of apples were examined for their cuticular content of antioxidants. Eleven antioxidants were detected by t.l. c. , α, γ and δ-tocopherol being the only ones identified. α-Tocopherol and four of the unidentified antioxidants were of general occurrence in fresh apples, whilst the presence of the others depended not only on variety but also on maturity and origin of the sample. Superficial scald did not occur during storage if the antioxidant content remained adequate to prevent or sufficiently limit the extent of α-farnesene autoxidation. The amount required depends largely on the quantity of α-farnesene produced by the apple during storage.
Präzäkale Protein- und Aminosäurenverdaulichkeit sowie Gesamt-Rohnährstoffverdaulichkeit der Extraktionsschrote von drei Raps-Varietäten, ermittelt an ileorektostomierten bzw. intakten Schweinen

: The apparent precaecal crude protein digestibility and amino acid absorption as well as the total digestibility of the nutrients organic matter, crude protein, crude fat and crude carbohydrates were determined of rations consisting of barley plus oilmeals of two rapeseed varieties of double quality (DQ) from Canada (Canola) and the GDR as well as of one variety of single quality (SQ) with 10 female pigs weighing between 120 and 140 kg with ileorectal anastomoses (IRA) and 4 intact (INT) female pigs weighing between 150 and 160 kg. The three rapeseed meals (RSM) were furthermore fed to IRA pigs as sole protein source together with protein-free feed. Based on the digestibilities of the crude nutrients determined with INT pigs and calculated with the difference method the energy content of RSM DQ "Canola", DQ GDR and SQ GDR could be calculated as 495, 633 and 500 EFUpig/kg DM (average: 543 EFUpig). The precaecal digestibility of the crude protein of the above mentioned RSM sorts determined with IRA pigs and calculated with the difference method amounts to 73, 76 and 75% resp. and is thus lower than the average absorption of all amino acids. The precaecal digestibilities of crude protein and essential amino acids for the mixtures calculated from the digestibility values of the individual feedstuffs barley and the above mentioned RSM largely agree with the experimentally determined digestibility values, i.e. there is additivity. On an average of the values known from literature for DQ RSM (including our own results), the precaecal digestibility of crude protein amounts to 70, of lysine to 74, of methionine to 82, of cystine to 82, of threonine to 69, of tryptophan to 72 and of isoleucine to 74%.
Survey of Personalized Recommendation Algorithms

As the explosive growth of global information，the information overload is one of the most critical problems and is becoming more and more serious. Recommendation systems are one of the powerful ways to solve the problem. The definition of recommendation system is first introduced. A comparison study is conducted based on the four main recommendation algorithms: content-based recommendation, collaborative filtering recommendation, knowledge-based recommendation and hybrid recommendation. The evaluation methods, evaluation metrics and recommendation benchmarked datasets are also presented. At last the difficulties and future directions of recommendation systems are given.
Biogeography and Prehistoric Exploitation of Birds in the Mussau Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea

SummaryThree archaeological sites on or near Mussau Island (Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea) have yielded 58 bird bones that represent 17 species (six seabirds, eight resident landbirds, two migrant shorebirds and one introduced species). Four of these (the petrel Pterodroma sp., Brown Booby Sula leucogaster, cockatoo cf. Cacatua sp. and owl Tyto sp.) have not been recorded previously from Mussau. The archaeological samples of birds from Mussau are too small to represent thoroughly the island's prehistoric avifauna. Nevertheless, they are important among avian bone assemblages from the Lapita Cultural Complex (c. 3500–2000 yr BP) for being the westernmost, among the best dated and associated with extensive cultural and environmental information. The Mussau samples also demonstrate that prehistoric losses of birds, such as those well documented in Polynesia, occurred as well in the Papuan region. Compared to avifaunas from Lapita sites in Western Polynesia (Tonga), the lower percentage of extinct/ex.
Soybean germplasm resistant to races 3, 5, or 14 of soybean cyst nematode

Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. , accessions added to the U.S. soybean germplasm collection since 1980 were evaluated for reaction to Races 3, 5, and 14 of the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe. Accessions were evaluated in the greenhouse by inoculation with approximately 1000 H. glycines eggs and enumeration of females developing on roots 35 d after planting. Nineteen accessions were resistant to Race 3, 11 accessions were resistant to Race 5, and two accessions were resistant to Race 14. The PI 467312 was resistant to all three races. These resistant accessions may contain news genes for resistance to this nematode
Effect of light on photosynthetic capacity during cold acclimation in a cold-sensitive and a cold-tolerant potato species

The effect of low temperature acclimation at various light levels on the photosynthetic capacity of Solanum species was examined. Two species, Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Red Pontiac and Solanum acaule Bitt. , which differ significantly in degree of frost-tolerance and in their ability to acclimate to low temperature stress, were compared. Acclimation conditions included 5/2°C (day/night) temperatures, and either moderate (400 · mol · m−2· s−1) or low (40 · mol · m−2· s−1) photosynthetic photon flux densities. Several parameters of photosynthesis were measured in tissue pieces during acclimation treatments including chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a/b ratios and carbon dioxide-saturated photosynthetic oxygen evolution during light-limited and light-saturated assays. Most measured photosynthetic parameters of low temperature-grown plants of both species showed greater declines under the moderate light than the low light conditions. Chlorophyll a/b ratios were unchanged after low temperature exposures in both light level treatments. At low temperatures, the cold-sensitive S. tuberosum demonstrated a greater inhibition of photosynthetic capacity in light- and carbon dioxide-saturated assays than S. acaule at all light levels. In addition to a pronounced inhibition at the higher light level, S. tuberosum demonstrated a very strong inhibition of photosynthetic capacity at very low light levels. Our results suggest a correlation between ability to maintain essential metabolic processes during low temperature stress in the presence of moderate light levels and the ability to increase cold tolerance.
Bats of Jaú National Park, central Amazônia, Brazil

ABSTRACT Although recognized as highly diverse, the bat fauna of the Amazon basin has been only patchily sampled. This paper combines data from five short surveys conducted between 1998 and 2001 in Jaú National Park, 220 km east of Manaus, central Amazônia. We used mistnets, recordings of echolocation calls and roost visits to provide the first bat inventory for this area. A total of 53 bat species in 33 genera and five families were documented, including several species that are regarded as rare, in particular Saccopteryx gymnura, Vampyriscus brocki, Molossops neglectus, and Promops centralis. The Chao 1 index indicates that sampling is about 72% complete, suggesting that around 73 bat species might co-exist in Jaú. We compare the composition of Jaú's bat fauna to those of other sites in Amazônia and interpret the resulting patterns of diversity. Data on reproduction are given for 14 species.