Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFICACY OF EXTRACTS OF SOME PLANTS IN AVOIDING FUNGAL DISEASES OF STORED CEREALS

ABSTRACT Objective : Plant metabolites and plant-based pesticides appear to be one of the better alternatives to the synthetic pesticides. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the antifungal properties of the aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic and chloroform extracts of the leaves and stems of five wild plants ( Astrachantha echinus ; Seriphidium herba-album ; Peganum harmala ; Diplotaxis acris and Tamarix aphylla ) collected from Tabuk deserts of KSA, against seed-born mycoflora isolated from stored corn, wheat and barley grains. Methods : In vitro antifungal activities of the 5 extracts were tested using the poisoned food technique. Separation of the different fractions from selected extracts were carried out using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to characterize the separated fractions and estimate the in vivo reduction in mycotoxins levels due to plants extracts. Results : Most of these extracts significantly suppressed radial growth of the tested fungi in vitro with varying levels and/or caused their complete inhibition (100%, P ≤ 0.01). Results of separation of selected extracts using TLC, and then their characterization by HPLC analysis revealed that these promising extracts were rich in p-Coumaric acid, Catechin, Caffeic acid, Cinnamic acid, Ferulic acid, Vanillic acid and Gallic acid in concentrations ranging from 97.0 µg mL -1 (Vanillic acid) to 471.1 µg mL -1 (Gallic acid). In addition, methanolic, ethanolic extracts of Astrachantha echinus and Seriphidium herba-album plants showed potent in vivo antimycotoxigenic activity (P ≤ 0.01) against toxigenic isolates of Apergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides in comparison with the synthetic fungicide. Conclusion : These novel methanolic, ethanolic extracts of Astrachantha echinus and Seriphidium herba-album plants could be commercially used as worldwide ecofriendly phytofungicides to prevent fungal biodeterioration of cereals; prevent mycotoxins production and/ or decreasing them to an acceptable level; displace the use of synthetic fungicides and high cost refrigeration of cereals during storage.
Histological and ultrastructural changes in canola (Brassica napus) funicular anatomy during the seed lifecycle

We examined the dynamic cellular changes that occur in Brassica napus L. funiculus histology and ultrastructure over developmental time by using light and transmission electron microscopy. Over the course of development, the funiculus significantly increased in size. This was a result of increased cell numbers as well as the deposition of additional wall material in the epidermis and vasculature layers of the funiculus. Conversely, the intermediate cortex layer broke down, detached from adjacent tissues, and developed large intercellular spaces. There was a loss of cytoplasm in the epidermis although this tissue remained intact. This cellular degeneration was correlated with a reduction in starch and other changes in organelle features. A pronounced increase in the number of vascular elements, both in the xylem and phloem tissues, also occurred as the funiculus matured. We present the first detailed histological examination of the funiculus in B. napus, one of the most economically important crops in Cana.
Appearance and Spread of Triazine Resistance in Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)

The first step in appearance of herbicide-resistant weed populations is the appearance of resistant plants or mutants. While efforts are underway to study and predict the spread of resistant plants within weed populations, knowledge of the conditions prevailing at the time of appearance of the first resistant plants is misunderstood. We try to shed some light on this phenomenon using the example of atrazine-resistant common lambsquarters. The population structure and variability, the presence of unusual genotypes that have a high mutation rate, the occurrence of a low-dose resistant phenotype that is the precursor of a high-dose resistant phenotype, and the potential for multiplication and spread are shown to be of major importance in the behavior of herbicide resistance.
Beyond the borders : signaling in cell adhesion and migration

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Mate‐locating behaviour, habitat‐use, and flight morphology relative to rainforest disturbance in an Afrotropical butterfly

To cope with environmental constraints, organisms can show variation in phenotype, either by genetic adaptation or phenotypic plasticity. These patterns are especially pronounced in ecosystems that are under anthropogenic influence. Due to human-induced disturbances such as logging and deforestation, tropical forests comprise such a system. To date, most studies have dealt with ecological responses at the community level relative to forest disturbance or degradation. However, the evolutionary consequences of tropical forest deterioration on behaviour and functional morphology have received far less attention compared to temporal regions. From a resource-point of view, light conditions are essential for heliotherms such as butterflies. Because degradation of tropical cloud forests in the Taita Hills (Kenya) is very pronounced, the present study tested whether this induced changes in mate-location strategies, habitat-use, and functional flight morphology in a forest butterfly, Salamis parhassus. According to predictions from temperate regions, it was hypothesized that the species would change its mate location strategy from perching to patrolling in more disturbed forests, that this higher mobility results in a faster occupancy of light gaps, and that it accords with a higher wing loading within populations from undisturbed forests. These hypotheses were confirmed by field surveys and experiments. The present study demonstrates that degradation of tropical forests does not only affect communities (e.g. species richness), but also the behaviour and functional morphology of individual species. (C) 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 96, 830-839.
Ruminal degradation kinetic of Brachiaria brizantha silages with different microbial additives

Objetivou-se determinar as fracoes de carboidratos e estimar os parâmetros da cinetica de degradacao ruminal de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu com a inclusao de dois aditivos microbianos: Aditivo LPPP Pasto ( Lactobacillus plantarum e Pediococcus pentosaceus ) e Aditivo BSLPPA Pasto ( Bacillus subtilis , Lactobacillus plantarum e Pediococcus acidilactici ). O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado com tres diferentes silagens e tres repeticoes por silagem. Os silos foram abertos apos 34 dias de fermentacao e sendo, depois, encaminhadas para analises laboratoriais. Para o fracionamento de carboidratos, foram determinados os carboidratos totais (CHOT), carboidratos nao-fibrosos (CNF), as fracoes A+B1 (fracoes de rapida e media degradacao ruminal), fracao B2 (fracao lentamente degradada no rumen) e a fracao C (fibra indigerivel no rumen). Os dados da producao de gases foram ajustados ao modelo logistico bicompartimental. Nao houve diferenca nos valores das variaveis de cinetica de degradacao dos carboidratos fibrosos e nao-fibrosos das silagens analisadas. Porem, silagens de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu ensiladas com os aditivos bacterianos apresentaram maiores fracoes digestiveis de carboidratos, reducao dos carboidratos totais, bem como menor fibra indigestivel no fracionamento de carboidratos. Sendo assim, os dois aditivos microbianos melhoraram o valor nutricional da silagem de capim - marandu.
Effects of grazing soil fauna on the functioning and community composition of saprotrophic basidiomycete fungi

Saprotrophic fungi are key regulators of nutrient cycling and re-distribution within woodland ecosystems. They are the primary agents of wood and leaf litter decomposition, and their hyphal networks, which grow throughout the soil-litter interface, represent highly dynamic channels through which nutrients are readily distributed. These networks also represent the primary resource for a huge diversity of mycophagous soil fauna. This study uses soil microcosms to investigate and compares the potential of soil invertebrates, representing the Isopoda, Myriapoda, Acari, Collembola, Tubificida (Enchytraeidae) and Nematoda, to influence mycelial emergence, morphology, extracellular enzyme production and wood decomposition by cord-forming basidiomycetes. While all invertebrates disrupted mycelial growth to some extent, macrofauna (woodlice and millipedes) generally exerted the strongest grazing pressures. By severing thick cords, these larger invertebrates limited mycelial growth and induced the strongest enzymatic responses. In contrast, while the smaller micro- and mesofauna reduced extension rates of some fungal species, their low-intensity grazing also induced compensatory growth responses, stimulating growth of less palatable fungal species. The varying susceptibility of different fungi to grazers also caused grazers to exert selective pressures on fungal communities. By removing entire networks of the most combative fungal species, the woodlouse Oniscus asellus prevented the competitive exclusion of three fungal opponents from soil and wood. By stimulating growth of the less competitive fungal species, the nematode Panagrellus redivivus, also reversed the outcomes of specific mycelial interactions. Via these two opposing mechanisms soil invertebrates are likely to exert top-down control, influencing the community compositions of saprotrophic fungi. Overall, the effects of grazers on mycelial distribution, decomposition and community compositions were strongly specific, suggesting that the factors which influence invertebrate diversity and community compositions will also indirectly affect mycelial growth and functioning in temperate woodland soils.
La adopción de tecnología “Soft” en la lechería uruguaya para el manejo de la información: un estudio de caso en Florida, Uruguay, 2º parte

Con el objetivo de profundizar el conocimiento sobe los factores que promueven o desalientan el uso de software para el manejo de la información a nivel predial se realizó un estudio involucrando a 61 productores lecheros ubicados en Florida, Uruguay. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la probabilidad de utilizar software responde a las mismas variables identificadas en estudios anteriores sobre la adopción de computadoras. Entre estos factores se destaca el tamaño económico de los predios y la educación formal del productor. Al mismo tiempo, este estudio también ha permitido identificar el efecto de otros factores (factores no previamente reportados por la literatura) incluyendo variables que intentan describir la personalidad del productor, sus estilos de aprendizaje, sus metas y sus objetivos. El análisis factorial mostró un complejo interrelacionamiento entre variables explicativas estudiadas. Este conocimiento puede ser útil a la hora de decidir el uso de este tipo de herramientas, tanto para el productor como para el técnico asesor, y consecuentemente redundara en un uso más provechoso de dicha tecnología.
Viscosity dependence of dielectric liquids on electric field

Data on the dependence of the viscosity of liquid dielectrics (castor oil, petroleum oil, PMS-1, 5, CCl/sub 4/, and transformer oil) on applied voltage are considered. The experimental technique used is characterized by the absence of current passage through the liquid, as one of the electrodes was isolated from it. For castor and petroleum oils, viscosity decrease with increasing electric field is observed. For the other liquids the viscosity increases with increasing voltage. The material of the active electrode greatly influenced the results.
Light- and electron-microscope observations on the Golgi apparatus of normal and axotomized primary sensory neurons.

In the 70 years since its discovery, the 'internal reticular apparatus' or Golgi apparatus (Golgi, 1898) has been studied by numerous workers in normal and in experimentally altered neurons by three principal techniques: (1) by light microscopy after impregnation of the tissue with silver or osmium, in variations of the technique introduced by Golgi (the 'classical' methods); (2) by electron microscopy; and (3) by the histochemical technique based on the hydrolysis of nucleoside diphosphates and thiamine pyrophosphate in the Golgi apparatus, introduced by Novikoff & Goldfischer (1961). It is generally accepted that the organized elements of the agranular endoplasmic reticulum, which consist of stacks of flattened cisternae and associated vesicles seen by electron microscopy in the cytoplasm of neurons and other cells, are the ultrastructural correlates of the metallophil reticulum demonstrated by the classical techniques. It is also thought that the nucleoside diphosphatase (NDPase) technique is an accurate marker for the same organelle (Novikoff & Essner, 1962). * However, striking inconsistencies in the apparent response to axonal lesions of the Golgi apparatus, demonstrated by the different techniques, are to be found in the literature. With the classical techniques, peripheral displacement and partial to extensive fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus ('retispersion' and 'retisolution', Penfield, 1920) has been consistently reported as a consequence of axonal injury in mammalian motor (Marcora, 1910; Penfield, 1920; Moussa, 1956) and primary sensory neurons (Penfield, 1920; Moussa, 1956; Sosa & De Zorilla, 1966b). Young (1932) has described a similar phenomenon in the stellate ganglion neurons of cephalopods. Retispersion and retisolution have also been described in spinal ganglion cells after electrical stimulation of the dorsal root (Legendre, 1910) and in directly traumatized spinal motor neurons (Cajal, 1914). Retisolution (though not retispersion) has also been described in neurons undergoing irreversible changes as a consequence of anoxia, ischaemia and treatment with various toxins (see Becker, 1962, for references). Fragmentation and peripheral displacement of the Golgi apparatus have also been
Effect of temperature on the drying characteristics, colour, antioxidant and beta‐carotene contents of two apricot varieties

Summary In this study, the drying characteristics, colour, oxygen reactive antioxidant capacity (ORAC) and beta-carotene contents of two apricot varieties dried at different temperatures were compared. The hot air drying of apricot slices for both varieties consisted of a constant rate period (CRP) and two of falling rate periods (FRP). The CRP drying rate and the first and second FRP drying coefficients increased with drying temperature for both apricot varieties. The first and second FRP of both apricot varieties gave activation energies of 23.5–28.7 and 25.6–29.3 kJ mole−1, respectively. The colour values (L*, a* and b*) of both dried apricot varieties decreased with increasing temperature, while the total colour change of both dried apricot varieties increased with temperature. The chroma, hue angle and browning index values of both dried apricot varieties decreased with increasing temperature, and the hydrophilic ORAC and beta-carotene contents increased with drying temperature.
Ubiquitin proteasome system networks in the neurological disorders

Human neurological disorders are associated with brain-enriched proteins in a major way. Homeostasis of such proteins is a critical event in brain functioning and development. Neuropathological studies of most common neurological disorders clearly show that accumulated, misfolded, mutant proteins are the preliminary causes for such disorders. Studies in the past few decades suggest that the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) network is a critical regulator of protein levels mammalian cells. To date, various proteins and substrates in UPS associated with neurological disorders have been identified, but molecular mechanisms and how they are associated with pathogenesis of neurological disorders are poorly understood. Understanding UPS network may set a new window to understand the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Here we are reporting the current studies of UPS components in major neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, autistic spectrum disorders, Huntington's, and multiple sclerosis.
The role of the barley testa layer and its flavonoid content in resistance to Fusarium infections

Developing testa layers of the barley proanthocyanidin-free mutants ant 13-152, anf17-148, ant 18-159, ant19-109, ant22-1508, ant25-264, ant26-485, ant27-489, ant28-484 and ant29-2110 and their mother varieties, were analysed for accumulation of proanthocyanidins and their flavonoid precursors. In vitro infection of developing barley caryopses of wild type and mutants with Fusarium poae, F. culmorum and F. graminearum revealed all mutants except ant18-159 to be more sensitive to Fusarium attack than wildtype. Mutant ant 18-159 showed extreme resistance. Histological investigations of the infection process revealed that the hyphae were unable to penetrate the testa of this mutant. The testa layer of ant 18-159 accumulates small amounts of dihydroquercetin as a result of nonsense mutations in the structural gene for dihydroflavonol reductase. Authentic dihydroquercetin and an autographic assay proves this flavonoid to be a strong inhibitor of Fusarium growth and macrospore formation. Mutant ant 17-148, which accumulates the flavone chrysoeriol as a consequence of a mutation in the step catalysed by flavanone 3-hydroxylase, demonstrates that this flavone is not an inhibitor of Fusariwn growth in vivo. Comparison of flavonoid standards and monomers and polymers from other plants reveal monomeric flavonoids generally to be potent inhibitors of Fusarium.
Comparative Studies on Haematological Values of Broiler Strains (Ross, Cobb, Arbor-acres and Arian)

Measurement of haematological parameters provides valuable information for evaluation of health status of man and animals, but due to lack of reference values for avian blood profiles, it is not widely used in poultry. This study has contributed to the current knowledge on avian blood profiles, or more specifically demonstrated leukograms and haemograms of four main broiler strains (Ross, Cobb, Arbor-Acres, and Arian) during 8 weeks husbandry period. Blood samples were collected from chickens at different age (1 to 56 days old) with 7-day sampling intervals. Total numbers of RBC and WBC, PCV, Hb, MCV, MCH, MCHC, ESR, together with absolute count of heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils as well as H / L ratio were determined. One-way ANOVA, Wilcoxon, Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis H tests from SPSS11 were used for statistical analysis of the results. This study showed that age affects significantly (P<0.05) the haematological profiles of the broiler strains. With increasing of age, the erythrocytic parameters (except MCV, MCH, and MCHC) and leukocytic parameters (except heterophils and H / L ratio) were significantly increased (P<0.01), but MCV, MCH and absolute count of heterophils as well as H / L ratio were significantly decreased (P<0.01).
Estudos de reparo de DNA por excisão de nucleotídeos em lesões oxidativas em células de mamíferos.

BERRA, C. M. The involvement of nucleotide excision repair in DNA oxidative lesions in mammals cells. 2008. 134 f. PhD Thesis (Microbiologia) – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Pulo, São Paulo, 2008. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) mechanism is well known to be involved in the removal of UV-induced lesions. However, the participation of this repair mechanism in oxidative DNA lesions is still controversial. Few data indicate that NER-deficient cells have problems to recognize and remove oxidized guanines, suggesting the involvement of this pathway in oxidative lesion repair. In order to study the participation of NER mechanisms in the removal of oxidative DNA lesions, we examined the effects of photoactivated methylene blue (MB) directly in plasmidial DNA as well as in NER-deficient cells. MB photoactivation is known to produce manly 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoG) damage after in vitro DNA treatment. To confirm these data, plasmid DNA was treated in vitro with MB and light and then analyzed by electrophoresis for the presence of sites cleaved by FPG, a glycosylase that recognizes and cleaves DNA at certain damaged bases, including 8-oxoG. The results show that the plasmid DNA presents more FPG sensitive sites when MB was photoactivated than non-photoactivated, confirming that MB and light can produce oxygen free radicals (ROS) that can damage DNA. In vivo assays using wild type human fibroblast cultured cells or NER-deficient (XP-A and XP-C) showed that MB can be similarly incorporated in all cells tested. Moreover, the photoactivation is able to generate singlet oxygen (O2) inside cells. We also detected the presence of 8-oxoG in genomic DNA of cells treated with MB and light by immunohistochemistry using an antibody anti-8-oxoG. We performed an in vivo assay treating cells with MB and light to verify the induction of oxidative lesion in genomic DNA. Data show that XP-A and XP-C deficient cells are more sensitive to photoactivated MB-induced damage than wild type cells by clonogenic survival assay and flow cytometry. In addition, using alkaline comet assay, XP-A and XP-C cells were found to have more oxidative DNA lesions after MB and light treatment than wild type cells. However, there is a clear similarity in repair kinetic between proficient and deficient cells line, but there are more γ-H2AX foci in XP-A and XP-C cells after MB photoactivation suggesting more susceptibility of DNA strand breaks of these cells lines when compared to NER-proficient cells. Therefore, these results suggest that photoactivated MB generates oxidative damage and DNA strand breaks both in vitro and in vivo assays and that XPA and XPC proteins may also have a role in the protection of cellular oxidative stress, in addition to its participation in repair of UVinduced DNA damage.