Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Ultra-Low-Flow Water Delivery System for Small Experimental Tanks

Abstract An ultra-low-flow water delivery system was developed and tested for use in research studies requiring low flow in small water volumes. Small test systems save on the amount of fish, chemicals, and biologics needed in disease challenge and treatment experiments. The ultra-low-flow system, consisting of a semi-enclosed header tank with a variable-height standpipe and dulled, guarded syringe needle nozzles, can produce flows that result in 1–20 water exchanges/d for a 10-L volume. Water was prefiltered through two inline, 70-μm filters to limit flow loss due to particulates blocking the small-orifice nozzles. Accurate and precise flows are produced by the system, and needle nozzles should last at least 7 d before fouling requires them to be changed; nozzle changes can be made in about 5 s. Flows in the range of 5–135 mL/min were produced by using 3.8-cm-long needles (16, 18, 20, and 21 gauge) with standpipe heights of 15.2, 30.5, and 45.7 cm. Water flows through selected needle nozzles and standpip.
Effect of pre‐harvest fungicides on the spoilage of soft fruit after harvest

SUMMARY In the 1972 season, Elvaron and Benlate reduced the count of Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium spp. , Penicillium spp. and Aureobasidiutn pullulans on strawberry and raspberry fruits during the first 2 wk of the season, but not subsequently. No such reduction was recorded for Hainesia lythri (strawberries only), Phoma state of Didymella applanata (raspberries only), Mucor spp. , and Rhizopus spp. Similar results were obtained in 1973. In the first half of either season, both fungicides decreased the rate of fungal spoilage of stored fruit (except for Benlate in the 1973 season), although in the latter part of the season, there was little difference in the incidence of fungal spoilage between sprayed and unsprayed fruit. Both fungicides, however, reduced the development of B. cinerea (and Cladosporium spp. on raspberries) on stored fruit irrespective of season or harvest date except for Benlate in the 1973 season where Benlate-resistant strains of the fungi developed on the fruit. The failure of either fungicide to reduce fungal spoilage in the latter part of the harvesting season was due to the development of Phycomycetes, particularly Mucor mucedo and to a lesser extent Rhizopus stolonifer and R. sexualis, except where Benlate-resistant strains of B. cinerea and Cladosporium spp. were present.
Isolation of endophytic fungi from eastern larch (Larix laricina) leaves from New Brunswick, Canada

Endophytic fungi were isolated from leaves of eastern larch (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) collected in Saint John County, New Brunswick, Canada. Two thousand three hundred and six isolates were obtained from 1600 leaves (6400 leaf segments) from 40 trees. Isolates were obtained from 36.0% of the segments. These were distributed among 73.9% of the leaves. Multiple isolates (two or more) were obtained from 12.8% of the leaves but 26.1% of the leaves had no endophyte isolated whatsoever. The isolate designated RP31 accounted for 84.2% of all isolates and was the lone endophyte isolated from 46.5% of the leaves. Isolates RPB82, RPB65, and coelomycete 3 accounted for 10.2% of all isolates obtained. Of the 10 taxa isolated, RP31, RPB82, RPB65, and coelomycete 3 represented 98.1% of the total number of isolates. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the number of isolations between leaf segments from the petiole to the tip when all isolates were considered together. However, if RP31 was excluded .
Morphological and Functional Expression of Fibroblast on Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/β-Tricalcium Phosphate/Nature Bone

The in-vitro biocompatibility of degradable and bioactive composites consisting of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and nature bone (NB) was investigated by culturing fibroblasts on the PLGA/β-TCP/NB substrates, and the cell morphology, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and von Kossa mineralization were evaluated. The results showed that the incorporation of β-TCP and NB benefited fibroblasts attachment and the fibroblasts cultured on the PLGA/β-TCP/NB composite substrates spread better as compared to those on the pure PLGA after culturing for different times. MTT assay showed that the fibroblasts cultured on the PLGA/β-TCP/NB extraction revealed a higher proliferation rate than those on the pure PLGA extraction. ALP and von Kossa assay indicated that β-TCP and NB could promote biomineralization in vitro. All of the results showed that the addition of β-TCP and NB into PLGA could stimulate fibroblasts to proliferate and differentiate.
Ascending Migration of Endophytic Rhizobia, from Roots to Leaves, inside Rice Plants and Assessment of Benefits to Rice Growth Physiology

ABSTRACT Rhizobia, the root-nodule endosymbionts of leguminous plants, also form natural endophytic associations with roots of important cereal plants. Despite its widespread occurrence, much remains unknown about colonization of cereals by rhizobia. We examined the infection, dissemination, and colonization of healthy rice plant tissues by four species of gfp-tagged rhizobia and their influence on the growth physiology of rice. The results indicated a dynamic infection process beginning with surface colonization of the rhizoplane (especially at lateral root emergence), followed by endophytic colonization within roots, and then ascending endophytic migration into the stem base, leaf sheath, and leaves where they developed high populations. In situ CMEIAS image analysis indicated local endophytic population densities reaching as high as 9 × 1010 rhizobia per cm3 of infected host tissues, whereas plating experiments indicated rapid, transient or persistent growth depending on the rhizobial strain and rice tissue examined. Rice plants inoculated with certain test strains of gfp-tagged rhizobia produced significantly higher root and shoot biomass; increased their photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration velocity, water utilization efficiency, and flag leaf area (considered to possess the highest photosynthetic activity); and accumulated higher levels of indoleacetic acid and gibberellin growth-regulating phytohormones. Considered collectively, the results indicate that this endophytic plant-bacterium association is far more inclusive, invasive, and dynamic than previously thought, including dissemination in both below-ground and above-ground tissues and enhancement of growth physiology by several rhizobial species, therefore heightening its interest and potential value as a biofertilizer strategy for sustainable agriculture to produce the world's most important cereal crops.
Cleavage by RNase P of Gene N mRNA Reduces Bacteriophage λ Burst Size

RNase P, an enzyme essential for tRNA biosynthesis, can be directed to cleave any RNA when the target RNA is in a complex with a short, complementary oligonucleotide called an external guide sequence (EGS). RNase P from Escherichia coli can cleave phage lambda N mRNA in vitro or in vivo when the mRNA is in a complex with an EGS. The EGS can either be separate from or covalently linked to M1 RNA, the catalytic RNA subunit of RNase P. The requirement for Mg2+ in the reaction in vitro is lower when the EGS is covalently linked to M1 RNA. Substrates made of DNA can also be cleaved by RNase P in vitro in complexes with RNA EGSs. When either kind of EGS construct is used in vivo, burst size of phage lambda is reduced by > or = 40%. Reduction in burst size depends on efficient expression of the EGS constructs. The product of phage lambda gene N appears to function in a stoichiometric fashion.
The effect of patch size and separation on bumblebee foraging in oilseed rape: implications for gene flow

Summary 1 Theory predicts that the susceptibility of patches of plants to gene flow mediated by incoming pollinators will depend on the length of pollinator residence (the number of flowers visited during a bout in a patch). We sought to determine whether pollinator residence is sufficiently sensitive to patch size and separation to influence levels of gene flow significantly. We studied oilseed rape Brassica napus as an exemplar of a conventional animal-pollinated plant and as a species where there is a risk of genetic escape from genetically modified (GM) varieties. 2 We determined pollinator residence in 36 patches created by mowing an agricultural field of flowering oilseed rape. Each square patch had an edge length of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 m. Patches were separated by either 9 m or 18 m from the border of a large unmown area of crop. We used the residence of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) to solve a model of bumblebee-mediated gene flow. 3 Bumblebee residence increased significantly with patch area, but did not depend on the separation distance of the patch from the large areas of crop. Even in the largest patches, bees visited only c. 60 of the c. 1 × 105 flowers before leaving. 4 If bumblebees were the sole pollinators, the model predicted that 4–8% of the seed produced by the smaller patches (c. 80–320 plants) had fathers outside the patch, whereas in the larger patches (720–8000 plants) the prediction was 2–4%. Nevertheless, larger patches should produce the greatest number of seeds with extrinsic paternity. 5 Synthesis and applications. Our observations demonstrate that susceptibility to pollinator-mediated gene flow is liable to decrease systematically as the size of plant patches increases. These findings can inform the management of genetic diversity in and among small or fragmented populations. If the patch size–gene flow relationship that we observed applies to larger scales, the model could estimate gene flow between GM crops and volunteer or feral populations in agricultural landscapes.
Female life‐history characteristics of the Mosor rock lizard, Dinarolacerta mosorensis (Kolombatović, 1886) from Montenegro (Squamata: Lacertidae)

Analysis of the female life history of the poorly studied endemic Balkan lizard species Dinarolacerta mosorensis was conducted on three population samples from Montenegro. One clutch is produced annually. Females mature at body sizes of 56–57 mm snout–vent length (SVL), attained at age 3–4 years. SVL increases with age. The average clutch size ranged from 4.3 to 5.2 eggs, and was significantly positively correlated with maternal SVL in two population samples. There were no trade‐offs between egg size/offspring size and clutch size, nor between variation in egg size/offspring size and maternal SVL. The incubation period averaged 26.5 days, while hatching success in captivity was 72%. Significant positive correlations were found between the hatchling mass and egg mass and size, and also between the hatchling total length and egg width and volume. There was a significant negative relationship between the hatchling mass and incubation duration.
Germination of Species of Labiatae in Response to Gibberellins

Gibberellic acid at between 1 and 1000 mg/1 was used to treat fruits of different Labiatae species kept at an unfavourable temperature for normal germination (25°C). Germination requirements were diverse, but all germinated in response to gibberellic acid. Minimum effective concentrations varied widely from 1 mg/1 with Salvia glutinosa up to 1000 mg/1 with Lycopus europaeus and Scutetlaria galericulata. When species were tested under conditions in which a proportion of the fruits germinated naturally the results suggested that, even under marginal conditions, relatively high concentrations of gibberellic acid were required to promote germination, although hypocotyl extension in each of the species responded to much lower levels (0.1 mg/1). Treatments applied to fruits of Lycopus europaeus and two Galeopsis species showed that modifications to the physical conditions of the test, such as light and temperature, produced only small changes in response to gibberellic acid. This effect was found even when situations in which a proportion of seeds germinated without gibberellin treatment were compared with conditions extremely unfavourable for germination. Comparisons of the effects of gibberellic acid (A3) and gibberellin A4 suggested that the latter promoted germination at approximately one hundred times the dilution of the former when tested on Lycopus europaeus and Galeopsis pyrenaica.
Why are red foxes absent from some eucalypt forests in eastern New South Wales

The distribution and abundance of red foxes, other mammalian predators and their ground-dwelling mammalian prey were examined in 29 areas of two major regions of eucalypt forests in eastern New South Wales. In the southern region, red foxes and cats were abundant. Dingoes (andor wild dogs) were in low abundance or absent, spotted-tailed quolls were rare and medium-sized mammals (0.2-6 kg) scarce. In the northern region, red foxes were in low abundance and absent from some areas, such as parts of Chilelundi State Forest, where dingoes, cats, spotted-tailed quolls and medium-sized mammals were abundant. In both regions, small mammals ( 6kg) were widespread and generally abundant. Reasons for the absence or low abundance of red foxes in some areas were examined. Factors assessed were as follows: (i) relative abundance of other predators; (ii) abundance of mammalian prey; (iii) absence of European rabbits; (iv) habitat and its structure; (v) proximity to freehold land; and (vi) presence of roads. Distance from freehold land most adequately explained the absence of red foxes from some forests. Red foxes were present in all forests less than 2 km from freehold land and were in highest abundance in forests close (<1km) to freehold land. Severe disturbance such as clearing for grazing or agriculture appears to play some part in the distribution and abundance of the red fox and the demise of the medium-sized grounddwelling mammals.
Maize seed vigor and weed competition

Seed vigor is directly related to rapid and uniform seedling emergence and to crop initial development, factor which should have significant effects on the ability of plants to compete for the uptake of resources such as water, light and soil nutrients. It was investigated the effects of maize seed vigor on crop initial growth, yield and weed competition. The experiment was conducted in an experimental area at the University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil during the 2007/2008 growing season and used four lots of maize seed hybrid DOW8480, previously characterized with different vigor levels, grown on plots with and without weed control to give a total of eight treatments. Field analysis were made at the 2, 4, 6 and 8 leaves development stages when plants were evaluated by height, stem diameter and leaf area index. The solar radiation incident on intercrop lines was also measured at the 4 leaf development stage. Weed samples were collected during the maize-tasseling stage and evaluated by dry mass accumulation and maize yield was evaluated at harvest. The results showed that seed vigor is directly related to initial crop growth and that this affects maize plant competitive ability with regard to weeds with inferior growth rates. Furthermore, seed vigor has direct effects on maize yield during maximized competition for the uptake of resources.
Estrutura de um solo construído cultivado com diferentes espécies de poáceas

Na mineracao de carvao a ceu aberto, a superficie e completamente suprimida de vegetacao e as camadas de solo e rochas que recobrem os bancos de carvao sao removidas, causando drasticas alteracoes no perfil do solo original. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influencia de diferentes especies de poaceas na recuperacao da estrutura de um solo construido, como parte da estrategia de recuperacao de areas degradadas por mineracao de carvao. Os tratamentos avaliados foram: T1 - Hemarthria altissima, T2 - Paspalum notatum, T3 - Cynodon dactilon, T4 - Urochloa brizantha. Como testemunha, utilizou-se o solo construido sem cobertura vegetal, denominada T5. Foram coletadas amostras de solo nao preservadas e preservadas nas camadas de 0,00-0,10m e 0,10-0,20m, para as determinacoes da porcentagem de macroagregados e microagregados, diâmetro medio ponderado, carbono orgânico, densidade e macroporosidade do solo construido. Os resultados obtidos foram analisados aos 05, 41 e 78 meses apos o estabelecimento do experimento. Aos 78 meses de conducao do experimento, observa-se acao positiva das quatro especies vegetais na recuperacao da agregacao do solo construido, com destaque para a Urochloa brizantha que proporcionou a menor densidade do solo e um dos maiores valores de macroporosidade. As poaceas proporcionaram uma melhoria na estruturacao do solo construido, principalmente a partir dos 41 meses de conducao do experimento, quando houve um incremento nos valores de DMP, principalmente na camada de 0,00-0,10m. Os teores de carbono orgânico foram incrementados ao longo do tempo, entretanto, isso nao se refletiu em aumento do DMP aos 78 meses
Origine du muscle squelettique: rôles de Pax3/Pax7.

801 M/S n° 10, vol. 21, octobre 2005 GCN2 (souris GCN2-/-). Conformément aux données de la littérature décrites chez le rat, nous avons montré que la prise alimentaire de souris sauvages était fortement diminuée en réponse à une carence nutritionnelle en un acide aminé indispensable, la leucine [3]. En revanche, les souris GCN2-/consomment indifféremment les régimes complet ou carencé (Figure 1A), bien que la leucinémie soit fortement diminuée, quel que soit le génotype, par la consommation du régime carencé en leucine (Figure 1B). De plus, des souris présentant une invalidation du gène codant GCN2 uniquement dans le cerveau se comportent comme les souris GCN2-/(Figure 1C). Afin de localiser le site d’activation de la kinase GCN2 dans le cerveau, nous avons analysé le niveau de phosphorylation de son substrat (eIF2α) par immuno-histochimie. Vingt minutes de consommation d’un régime carencé en leucine entraînent une forte induction de la phosphorylation de eIF2α dans les neurones de l’APC des souris sauvages, alors qu’aucun marquage n’est obtenu avec les souris GCN2-/(Figure 1D). Nos résultats montrent que l’activité de GCN2 dans le cerveau est indispensable au développement de l’aversion alimentaire résultant du déficit en acides aminés. En couplant la carence en acide aminé à la phosphorylation de eIF2α dans les neurones de l’APC, GCN2 doit agir via ses effets sur la traduction des protéines et/ou la transcription de gènes cibles (Figure 2). Les mécanismes mis en route en aval de l’activation de cette kinase restent à déterminer. Cependant, il est probable que d’autres régions du cerveau soient secondairement impliquées pour aboutir à la réponse comportementale. La voie GCN2/eIF2α a été conservée chez tous les eucaryotes, de la levure aux mammifères. Chez la levure, cette voie de signalisation régule la biosynthèse des acides aminés en fonction de leur disponibilité. Ces travaux montrent que, chez les omnivores, elle est utilisée pour limiter la consommation d’une nourriture carencée en acides aminés, favorisant par défaut une alimentation équilibrée. ◊ GCN2 regulates feeding behavior to maintain amino acid homeostasis in omnivores RÉFÉRENCES
Range size in North American Enallagma damselflies correlates with wing size

SUMMARY 1. Cross-species macroecological comparisons in freshwater invertebrates have been restricted by a lack of large-scale distributional data, and robust phylogenies. Here, we use data from the OdonataCentral database to explore body length–range size and wing length– range size relationships in damselflies from the genus Enallagma; the recent publication of a phylogeny for this group meant that, as well as a cross-species analysis, we were able to assess relationships in a phylogenetically controlled manner. 2. For cross-species comparisons, only wing length showed significant (positive) regression relationships with range size and occupancy, although the inclusion of body length in multiple regressions increased the fit of the models. Damselflies with larger wings relative to their body length had larger distributions, a result confirmed by a significant positive relationship between range size and residuals from the regression of wing size on body size. 3. For the phylogenetically controlled analyses, only wing length contrast scores were significantly related to distribution patterns and entered into regression models; the significant positive relationships between wing length contrasts and both range size and occupancy contrasts suggested that evolutionary increases in wing length had occurred alongside range expansions. 4. Together these results suggest that species of Enallagma with larger wings (both absolute and relative to body length) tend to be more widely distributed in North America and that the evolution of wing size may have played a role in range expansion. No such relationships were evident for body size. We discuss the potential importance of wing morphometrics for studying the evolutionary ecology of freshwater insects.
The Allometry of Reproduction: An Empirical View in Salamanders

In order to distinguish important variations in some life history traits, body size must be subtracted by constructing allometric null hypotheses. We present interspecific empirical models that describe the relationship among salamanders between body size and three variables: clutch volume, clutch size, and egg size. The relationship between log clutch volume and log body volume for 74 species of salamanders has a correlation of . 899 and a slope of 0.64. The significance of this interspecific slope and lack of identity between it and intraspecific slopes is discussed. The relationships between log clutch size versus log body volume and log egg volume versus log body volume are largely determined by the mode of reproduction of the species. Data for four populations of salamanders of the genus Ambystoma are presented and compared with the models. The usefulness and necessity of first determining how a particular reproductive trait is expected to change with body size is made clear, for example, by observing that individuals of two of the populations studied have the same percent of their body volumes occupied by ova. In comparing the two populations with the empirical model, however, individuals are shown to contain very different clutch masses relative to what is expected for salamanders of their respective sizes. Constraints of size and shape must be considered in order to properly evaluate reproductive adaptations.
Is Interspecific Variation in Relative Growth Rate Positively Correlated with Biomass Allocation to the Leaves?

Recently, Shipley and Peters (1990) have made an attempt to test an important aspect of Tilman's (1988) contentions, namely, that "allocation to roots or stems comes at a cost-a decreased maximal rate of vegetative growth" (Tilman 1988, p. 98). That is, plants that invest more biomass in their roots must produce less biomass than those that invest relatively more in aboveground biomass. Shipley and Peters (1990) tested this hypothesis using 68 species from wetland regions. They did not find a negative relation between growth of seedlings, measured as the relative growth rate (RGR), and allocation to roots, measured as the rootshoot ratio. Rather, a positive correlation was found, at least for plants 30 d after germination. They therefore concluded that Tilman's contentions are incorrect.