Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tissue and Spatial Distribution of Flavonol and Peroxidase in Onion Bulbs and Stability of Flavonol Glucosides during Boiling of the Scales

Two major flavonol glycosides [quercetin 3,4‘-diglucoside (F1) and quercetin 4‘-monoglucoside (F2)] and a flavonol aglycon quercetin were mainly localized in the abaxial epidermis of scales. Their contents increased on aging. Peroxidase in scales oxidized flavonols in the order quercetin ≫ F2 > isoquercetin ≫ F1, and the activity was higher in the outer than in the inner scales. These results suggest that the enzyme can participate in the formation of defense substances against infection and brown compounds in the dry skin from quercetin. Contents of F1 and F2 in scales were decreased by cooking by boiling. This decrease was due to the release of F1 and F2 into cooking water and their oxidation. F2 was oxidized more rapidly than F1 during cooking. The difference in the stability between F1 and F2 was due to the presence or absence of a hydroxyl group at the C-3 position of the glucosides. Keywords: Flavonols; peroxidase; distribution in tissues; thermostability; onion (Allium cepa)
Effects of reducing access to food on intake and feeding behaviour of loose-housed dry Charolais cows

The food intake and feeding behaviour of four groups of loose-housed dry Charolais cows offered hay ad libitum were compared according to the number of mangers available for the group (one or two cows per manger) and to the composition of the group. Two groups had six dry cows (trial 1) and were considered as homogeneous according to nutritional requirements. Two groups had three dry and three lactating cows (trial 2) and were considered as heterogeneous according to nutritional requirements. In trial 1, the intake, the eating duration, the number of long meals and the synchro- nisation of the eating activity decreased with competition for food. In trial 2, dry cows increased their intake with competition by 1.2 kg DM.d -1 . beef cow / food intake / feeding behaviour / group feeding / competition for feeding
Influence of riparian buffer width on bird assemblages in Western Oregon

The goals of current management practices in riparian areas in the Pacific Northwest includ protecting and maintaining habitat for terrestrial wildlife. However, little is known about the use of riparian buffers by terrestrial wildlife. particularly how buffer width may affect abundance and specics composition of wildlife communities. In this study. I compared bird assemblages in logged and unlogged riparian areas along headwater streams and assessed the relations between bird abundance and riparian buffer width. The abundances of 4 species of forest-associated birds that were more abundant in unlogged than in logged beadwater riparian stands (Pacific-slope flycatcher [Empidonax difficilis], brown creeper [Certhia americanu], chestnut-backed chickadee [Poecile rufesccus], winter wren [Troglodytes troglodytes]) increased with increasing width of riparian bnffers, However, 4 other species that also were more abundant in unlogged than logged riparian stands (Hammond's flyecatcher [Empidonax hammondii], golden-crowned kinglet [Regulus satrapa], varied thrush [Ixoreus nacvius], hermit warbler [Dendroica occidentalis]) were rarely observed in even the widest buffers sampled (40-70 m on 1 side of the stream), Although riparian buffers along headwater streains are not expected to support all bird species found in unlogged riparian areas, they are likely to provide the most benefit for forest-associated bird species if they are >40 m wide, and density of large trees within buffers is not reduced by harvesting.
Mass Extinctions and Their Aftermath

This is a systematic review of the major mass extinctions in the history of life. It covers all groups of organisms - plant, animal, terrestrial, and marine - that have become extinct alongside the geological and sedimentological evidence for environmental changes during the biotic crises. All proposed extinction mechanisms - climate change, meteorite impact, volcanisms - are critically assessed. In this text the demise of the dinosaurs is put into the proper context of other extinction events. This book is intended for undergraduates in Europe and graduate students in the US, studying geology, palaeontology, or evolutionary biology, and their teachers. It should also be of interest to research scientists in adjacent subjects.
Inibição do escurecimento enzimático de banana maçã minimamente processada

Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar o efeito do acido ascorbico (AA), do cloreto de calcio (CC), do cloridrato de L-cisteina (Cis) e EDTA, na prevencao do escurecimento enzimatico de banana maca minimamente processada. Foram utilizadas as combinacoes: (i) AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 0,5%, (ii) AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1%, (iii) AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1,5% e (iv) EDTA 1%, constituindo quatro tratamentos de um delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Produtos minimamente processados nao tratados quimicamente nao foram analisados, considerando-se seu acentuado escurecimento e sua vida de prateleira inferior a 6 h. As bananas foram tratadas com hipoclorito de sodio, fatiadas, imersas nos tratamentos quimicos, acondicionadas em embalagens rigidas envoltas com filme PVC 30 µm e armazenadas durante cinco dias a 5+1°C e 85+3% UR. Amostras foram analisadas diariamente, durante os cinco dias de armazenamento. Os tratamentos contendo AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1% e AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1,5% determinaram os maiores valores de acidez titulavel e menores de pH. Observaram-se aumentos no valor a* e reducao nos valores b* e L* na banana maca minimamente processada, independente do tratamento quimico, durante o armazenamento. O tratamento AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1,5% foi o mais efetivo na prevencao das modificacoes dos valores a*, b* e L*, associados a coloracao das rodelas. Observou-se aumento na atividade da polifenoloxidase (PPO) e peroxidase (POD) durante o armazenamento das rodelas de banana, independente do tratamento, a excecao da reducao observada na atividade da PPO, nos produtos tratados com EDTA. Os tratamentos contendo EDTA e AA 1%+CC 1%+Cis 1,5% foram os mais efetivos na contencao do aumento das atividades da PPO e POD, respectivamente.
Long-term and short-term variations of Escherichia coli population structure in tropical coastal waters

In this study, monthly and daily samplings were carried out at Klang, an eutrophic estuary, and at Port Dickson, an oligotrophic coastal water system. Escherichia coli concentration was measured via culture method, and the phylogenetic structure of E. coli population was via Clermont typing. Average E. coli concentration at Klang was higher than Port Dickson (t = 2.97, df = 10, p \ 0.05), and daily sampling did not show any apparent temporal variation at both sites. At Klang, salinity was inversely correlated with coliform (R = 0.216, df = 25, p \ 0.05), suggesting that river flow was a mode of transport for coliform. Although E. coli concentration was higher at the eutrophic site, E. coli population structure at both Klang and Port Dickson were similar and showed neither long-term nor short-term variations. This study showed the predominance of commensal groups A and B1 in tropical coastal waters of Peninsular Malaysia.
A 75-kDa plant protein isolated by tubulin-affinity chromatography is a peroxisomal matrix enzyme

The function of microtubules in plant cells relies on their interactions with various, largely unidentified, proteins. A 75-kDa polypeptide (p75) was isolated previously by tubulin affinity chromatography of tobacco BY-2 proteins and is further characterized here. We have obtained two peptide sequences of 13 and 8 amino acid residues from the p75, which have 77% and 87% similarity to two putative dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase proteins of 74.9 and 75.3 kDa in Arabidopsis. The proteins contain a peroxisomal matrix targeting signal SKL or AKL near their carboxyl terminus, an epimerase-dehydratase motif, and a region of 321 amino acid residues sharing 41% similarity with a dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase from Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus. A monoclonal antibody 4B9 against the tobacco p75 reacted with a 75-kDa polypeptide on immunoblots of tobacco BY-2 and Arabidopsis protein extracts, and in immunofluorescence microscopy it revealed small organelle-like structures in tobacco BY-2 and Arabidopsis root-tip cel.
Validation and Use of Ontario's Trophic Status Model for Establishing Lake Development Guidelines

ABSTRACT The Trophic Status Model of Ontario's Lakeshore Capacity Study is a refinement of the Dillon-Rigler (1975) model for predicting total phosphorus concentration and several trophic status indicators in lakes. A recent version of this model allows the modeling of watersheds, extending 3 lakes upstream for up to 15 catchments of a study lake. This feature enables lake managers to predict the effect of lakeshore development throughout an entire watershed, including downstream lakes. Differences between modeled and measured concentrations of total phosphorus for the ice-free period were less than 20% in 11 of a set of 15 lakes in a south-central Ontario watershed. Annual, seasonal and long-term coefficients of variation for measured phosphorus concentrations were 19–22% over a 9-year period in an intensively studied lake. Assumptions and sources of error in modeled and measured phosphorus concentrations are discussed. The ability of the Trophic Status Model to predict phosphorus concentrations in the a.
Evaluación del estado de conservación de los anfibios en Chile

Los anfibios son uno de los grupos con mayores problemas de conservacion en la actualidad. La declinacion que se produce en numerosas poblaciones a nivel mundial ha llevado a los herpetologos a reconocer la urgencia de abordar temas relacionados a la biologia y estado de conservacion de este grupo. En Chile existen numerosas propuestas para categorizar en estados de conservacion, tanto a flora como fauna. De alli, que el estado de conservacion de la fauna de anfibios haya sido evaluado a nivel nacional y regional. Sin embargo, la revision de estos trabajos denota el uso reiterado de analisis cualitativos que carecen de datos cuantificables, estando sujetas a observaciones de campo y a la experiencia de los investigadores. Se hace necesario aplicar un metodo mas cuantificable en la categorizacion de anfibios de manera que sea posible detectar y reconocer los factores que podrian incidir en la disminucion de las poblaciones. El presente trabajo recopila la informacion disponible para los diversos taxa de anfibios chilenos, y evalua el estado de conservacion de la fauna de anfibios que habita en Chile por medio de la adicion del indice SUMIN elaborado por Reca et al. (1994) y la propuesta por la Union Internacional para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza (IUCN 2001). Se comparan los resultados de la aplicacion de estas metodologias con las evaluaciones previas.
The production of sulphur compounds in Cheddar cheese and their significance in flavour development

Summary A method is described for determining H2S, methanethiol and dimethyl sulphide in Cheddar-cheese headspace. Cheeses ranging in age from 2 to 12 months were analysed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a photometric detector. These cheeses were presented to a trained flavour panel for the assessment of quality and intensity of Cheddar cheese flavour. An attempt is made to correlate the concentration of sulphur compounds in the headspace with the average flavour scores. The results suggest that the flavour intensity of the cheese is related to the concentration of methanethiol in the headspace.
Antioxidative enzymes response to NaCl stress in salt‐tolerant Sesbania rostrata

Sesbania rostrata Brem. & Oberm. has been used as a promising halophytic plant to improve saline soil in north-east Thailand. Our previous study suggested that the salt tolerance of this plant was associated with its ability to translocate Na+ and Cl− ions from roots to shoots and trap them in the shoot cells. The present study further investigated the effect of NaCl on the activity of antioxidative enzymes and the tolerance to an active oxygen species generator, paraquat in S. rostrata leaves. Higher constitutive levels of antioxidative enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as higher levels of induced CAT and SOD activities with salinity stress were found in salt-tolerant S. rostrata than salt-sensitive Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Meal. Tolerance of S. rostrata to paraquat determined by the chlorophyll content in leaf disks increased with NaCl treatment. These findings indicate that S. rostrata exhibits better protection against the oxidative damage caused by NaCl, at least partly due to a higher constitutive and induced activities of antioxidative enzymes.
Microscopical studies of resistance to powdery mildew disease in the hop cultivar Wye Target

Microscopical studies of fungal development and host responses during infection of the hop cultivars Northern Brewer (susceptible) and Wye Target (resistant) with a Zenith isolate of Sphaerotheca humuli are described. Resistance to powdery mildew disease in cv. Wye Target is principally determined by the R2 major gene. Fungal growth was typically restricted in cv. Wye Target following formation of a single haustorial initial or haustorium which failed to develop the characteristic lobes found in susceptible cells. The hypersensitive reaction of penetrated epidermal cells was associated with death of haustorial initials but the associated appressorium remained alive during the first 2 days after inoculation. In leaves expressing resistance, histochemical staining revealed deposition of lignin-like material and callose in penetrated cells and to a lesser extent in underlying palisade mesophyll cells. Transmission electron microscopy and enzymic digestion clearly demonstrated extensive paramural deposition of β-1.3 glucans (callose) in reacting mesophyll cells. Plant cell death, lignification and widespread callose deposition were rarely observed at infection sites in cv. Northern Brewer but collars of callose were deposited around the necks of all haustoria formed.
Investing in biodiversity: The recreational value of a natural coastal area

This essay focuses on the comparison between the recreational value of a natural beach area and the recreational value of a developed beach area nearby. Within the EU DELOS (2000–2003) framework, a survey by questionnaire was carried out in 2002 in Lido di Dante, a well-developed tourist resort in Italy. It consists of the application of the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) in the value of enjoyment version (VOE) for assessing the non-marketable recreational use (such as sunbathing, walking, and swimming) of the Lido di Dante beach areas in the status quo and in hypothetical scenarios of erosion and artificial defence. The project of defence from erosion, considered in this exercise, is paid with public funds. Foreigners were interviewed. It is highlighted that the recreational value in the situation of erosion is lower than that of the status quo, and that the individual loss of enjoyment would be considerable, while the implementation of the project would give a mean gain. Among the explanatory variables of the recreational beach use, the beach quality ratings seem to be important, while income is not significant when it is specified. The comparison of the values for the different beach areas highlights that in Lido di Dante, the daily use value in Euros of the natural beach area is higher than that of the developed beach area. This case study shows that, from a recreational point of view, investing in a natural area is successful and that a sustainable coastal development requires defence projects to be selected also in order to preserve biodiversity.
Defective FcγRIIb1 signaling contributes to enhanced calcium response in B cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract B lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) display enhanced B cell antigen receptor (BCR)-mediated early signal transduction events, including increased fluxes of intracytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]i). Because crosslinking of FcγRIIb1 (CD32) in normal B cells suppresses the BCR-initiated signal transduction process, we investigated whether the increased BCR-initiated [Ca2+]i response in SLE B cells is the consequence of decreased FcγRIIb1-mediated suppression. To this end, we used flow cytometry to study the [Ca2+]i responses of indo-1-loaded negatively gated B cells stimulated with F(ab′)2 fragments or whole IgG anti-human μ Ab. We found that the ratio of F(ab′)2 to whole anti-μ Ab [Ca2+]i response was significantly lower in SLE B cells compared to B cells from patients with other systemic rheumatic diseases or normal individuals (P
Leading Edge Perspective

Avihu H. Yona,1,2 Idan Frumkin,3 and Yitzhak Pilpel3,* 1Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 2Physics of Living Systems, Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 3Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel *Correspondence: pilpel@weizmann.ac. il http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.cell. 2015.10. 005
Reconstructing the biogeographical history of two plant genera with different dispersion capabilities

Aim The pappus is one of the most distinctive features of the genera belonging to the sunflower family, and is an efficient mechanism for dispersion by wind. The pappose Holocheilus (seven species) and the non‐pappose Panphalea (nine species) are two genera of the monophyletic subtribe Nassauviinae (Asteraceae, Mutisieae), which overlap in their areas of distribution. This paper aims to reconstruct the biogeographical histories that shaped the distribution of these two genera, which are phylogenetically and geographically related, but differ in their means of dispersion. Our initial expectation was that the dispersion capability of the pappus should be reflected in more dispersal events in Holocheilus than in Panphalea.
Freshwater Protected Areas: Strategies for Conservation

Abstract: Freshwater species and habitats are among the most threatened in the world. One way in which this growing conservation concern can be addressed is the creation of freshwater protected areas. Here, we present three strategies for freshwater protected‐area design and management: whole‐catchment management, natural‐flow maintenance, and exclusion of non‐native species. These strategies are based on the three primary threats to fresh waters: land‐use disturbances, altered hydrologies, and introduction of non‐native species. Each strategy draws from research in limnology and river and wetland ecology. Ideally, freshwater protected areas should be located in intact catchments, should have natural hydrological regimes, and should contain no non‐native species. Because optimal conservation conditions are often difficult to attain, we also suggest alternative management strategies, including multiple‐use modules, use of the river continuum concept, vegetated buffer strips, partial water discharges, and eradication of exotic species. Under some circumstances it may be possible to focus freshwater conservation efforts on two key zones: adjacent terrestrial areas and headwaters.
Prebiotics and the Bioavailability of Minerals and Trace Elements

Abstract Promising evidence exists for a stimulatory influence of prebiotic carbohydrates (non‐digestible oligosaccharides (NDO) and lactulose) on the bioavailability of minerals and trace elements, although most information is available from rat experiments. Because the number of human studies is limited, additional research is needed, especially studies that focus on the long‐term effects of prebiotics on bone metabolism. The hypothesized mechanisms suggest that prebiotics that result in a strong pH reduction, a pronounced osmotic effect, a stimulation of the exchange of protons, an increased level of butyrate and calbindin, and an enlarged surface area in the colon may be promising candidates for increasing the absorption of minerals and trace elements. Because the place of colonic fermentation seems to be of influence in these mechanisms, the use of mixtures of different types of prebiotics is of special interest. Probiotics are involved in most prebiotic‐related mechanisms, possibly mediated in part by the production of polyamines. Therefore, the combined use of pre‐ and probiotics may yield promising results. More detailed information on the present state‐of‐the‐art concerning the effects of prebiotics on the bioavailability of minerals and trace elements in different life stages, discussed by study design and its underlying mechanisms, can be found in this review. #This article is based on a publication in Gastroenterol y Hepatol 2003; 26 (Suppl. 1) and updated for recent findings. Permission granted by Ediciones Doyma, S.L.
Níveis crescentes de suplementação energética sobre o desenvolvimento de novilhos mantidos em pastagem natural na encosta do sudeste do Rio Grande do Sul

The trial was conducted from August 11th to November 15th, to evaluate the effects of energetic supplementation with ground sorghum grain on grazing beef steers performance. Thirty eight steers without definite breed, aging 12 to 15 months and weighing 159,97 kg were used. Animals were kept under set stocking on a natural pasture improved with Lotus subbiflorus and invaded with Eragrostis planna, Ness. Treatments consisted of control or without supplement (T0); 0.75% of mean live weight (T0.75) and 1.5% of mean live weight (T1.75) of ground sorghum grain. Animals were randomly assigned to treatments according to a complete randomized design. The effects of treatments on animals live weight daily gain (ADG) and increment of body condition score (IBCS) were just observed at the first period, from August 11th to September 6th, and considering the overall mean of the experiment, when a quadratic response was observed. There were no supplementation effects upon increment of height at withers and hearth girth. Supplementation with ground sorghum grain increased ADG and IBCS compared to no supplemented animals at the end of the winter, however, there was no effect during spring.
IL-17 cytokine/receptor families: emerging targets for the modulation of inflammatory responses

IL-17 was identified a decade ago as a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by activated T cells that stimulates the secretion of other cytokines from various non-lymphoid cells by acting through a unique cell surface receptor, IL17R. Evidence that IL-17 may contribute to several immune-mediated diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and airway inflammation, prompted much interest in this cytokine. Recently, the large-scale analysis of expressed sequence tags (EST) led to the discovery of novel genes dispersed in the human genome that encode at least five additional cytokines structurally related to IL-17. Screening of EST databases also uncovered at least four novel genes encoding Type I transmembrane proteins with significant homology to IL-17R, thereby forming a family of receptors whose cognate ligands are likely to belong to the IL-17 cytokine family. Initial characterisation of some of these cytokines and one IL-17R homologue demonstrated their involvement in regulating inflammatory responses in a manner similar to, albeit distinct from, that of prototypic IL-17. The IL-17 cytokine/receptor families appear therefore to represent unique signalling systems within the cytokine network that might offer innovative approaches to manipulate immune and inflammatory responses. The prospect of targeting these molecules for therapeutic purposes has generated a substantial volume of patent literature that will be reviewed here.