Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relación entre la circunferencia escrotal, el crecimiento testicular y parámetros de calidad de semen en toros de raza Guzerat, desde la pubertad hasta los 36 meses de edad

Objetivo: investigar la asociacion entre el tamano de la circunferencia escrotal y las caracteristicas espermaticas en 194 machos de la raza Guzerat. Metodos: los toros se dividieron por grupos de edades desde los 12 hasta los 36 meses de edad. Se realizaron mediciones del largo y ancho del testiculo y de la circunferencia escrotal. A los animales que presentaron una circunferencia ≥ 19 cm se les colecto semen mediante electroestimulacion transrectal para inducir la eyaculacion. Las caracteristicas evaluadas en el semen fueron motilidad, vigor, concentracion espermatica y presencia de celulas redondeadas. Resultados: la correlacion entre la circunferencia escrotal con la motilidad espermatica por grupo de edad fue positiva (r = 0,94; p < 0,005). El presente estudio demostro que la presencia de gota citoplasmatica proximal, las celulas redondeadas en el eyaculado y los defectos en la cabeza de los espermatozoides son caracteristicas de evaluacion objetiva, las cuales pueden ser utilizadas para seleccionar precozmente la produccion de espermatozoides en estos machos Guzerat. Conclusiones: la produccion de espermatozoides con parametros normales en la raza Guzerat se logran cuando los machos llegan a la edad de 28 meses y una circunferencia escrotal cercana a los 30 cm.
Evaluation of two herbal spices as feed additives for finisher broilers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two herbal spices as feed additives for finisher broilers. 120 5-week old birds were randomly assigned to four treatments in a completely randomized design. Each group was further subdivided into three replicates of 10 birds per replicate. Four experimental diets were formulated such that diet I (T1) which served as the control contained neither ginger nor garlic. Diets 2 (T2) and 3 (T3) contained 0.25% garlic and ginger respectively. Diet 4 (T4) contained a combination of 0.25% of garlic and ginger. Response parameters evaluated include weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, blood parameters and carcass characteristics. The experiment lasted for 35 days. Results showed that birds fed supplemented diets had significantly (P 0.05) difference in the feed consumption of the birds among the treatments. The hematological indices, serum biochemistry and carcass characteristics of the birds among the treatment were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. The results of this study suggest that ginger and garlic can be included in broiler finisher diets without adversely affecting the performance of the birds.
Differential tolerances among soft-water macrophyte species to acidification

Twenty-six macrophyte species were studied for their degree of tolerance to extremely acid conditions. They are characteristic of soft water on sandy soils in The Netherlands. These species were divided into two groups based on their recent distribution by pH and alkalinity. The first group consists of the species that can (at least temporarily) survive under extremely acid conditions (pH < 5); the second group contains species that are limited by a distinct minimum pH of the water (pH 5–6). This sharp distinction between groups on.the basis of pH can be used for reconstruction of the development of acidification in waters using historical data on the macrophytes involved. The two groups of species can be used to discriminate between two types of soft water in The Netherlands. Key words: soft-water macrophytes, ecological groups of macrophytes, autecology, acidification, indicator species.
Effect of Medium Composition and Explant Source on the Distribution Profiles Selected Micronutrients in Mistletoe Tissue Cultures

Abstract In order to study the pattern of in vitro accumulation of selected micronutrients in mistletoe (Viscum album L.) callus cultures, we inoculated leaf and stem explants on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different combinations of plant growth regulators at various concentrations. The accumulation of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and boron (B) in mistletoe callus cultures was significantly affected by both plant growth regulator (PGR) treatment and explant source, as well as their interaction. However, neither of these factors affected Fe accumulation in a statistically significant sense. The average concentration of iron (Fe), Mn, Zn, and Cu in vitro was higher in stem‐derived callus cultures than in leaf‐derived calli, and much higher than in mistletoe plants and in mistletoe hosts, such as fir, oak and chestnut. For stem‐derived calli and with the exception of B, application of 4.65 µM potassium (K) was superior to other PGR treatments leading to the maximum in vitro accumulation of the selected micronutrients. Except for B, the accumulation of micronutrients in stem‐derived callus cultures was highly correlated with dry weight concentration; a high positive correlation was also observed among Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu concentration, while B accumulation was slightly negatively correlated with the other micronutrients. On the contrary, in leaf‐derived cultures, a high positive correlation was observed only between Mn and Cu concentration. The concentration of the selected micronutrients fluctuated during a total incubation period of 10 weeks on MS + 4.95 µM α‐naphthylacetic acid (NAA), with an increasing trend after the eighth week (B concentration being again an exception). Finally, the addition of ascorbic acid to the culture medium generally promoted micronutrient accumulation, in particular Mn and Cu in stem‐derived cultures and Fe, Zn, and B in leaf‐derived calli. This effect was correlated with an increase in total free phenolics substances, and further discussed in view of various plant antioxidant systems in vitro.
Regulation of Elongation Growth of Excised segments of Vigna Hypocotyl under Osmotic Stress in the Absence or Presence of Absorbable Solute

Etude des roles de deux pompes a protons dans la reprise de croissance afin d'analyser le mecanisme de recouvrement de la croissance de segments excises d'hypocotyles de Vigna durant un stress osmotique en presence ou en absence d'un solute absorbable
Adaptogenic studies of acetone extract of Musa paradisiaca L. fruit peels in albino Wistar rats

Rationale: The present study deals with the evaluation of antistress activity in acetone extracts of M.paradisiaca unripe fruit peels and acetone extracts of M.paradisiaca ripe fruit peels (AURMP, ARMP) with special reference to stress induced depression in animal models. The presence of high amounts of plant sterols and triterpenoids in the peels are expected to reduce the cholesterol level and the modulating effect of cholesterol in the stress and chronic depression. The potentially high antioxidant activity in peel extracts is hypothesized to produce the adaptogenic activity. Materials and Methods: The anoxia stress was evaluated on the 7 th , 14 th , and 21 st day, one hour after the AURMP and ARMP treatment in the anoxia stress model. The swimming endurance stress was assessed as the mean swimming time on 8 th day following AURMP and ARMP treatment. The antidepressant activity was measured using open field and forced swim test (FST) following chronic variable stress (CVS) model. The level of tryptophan in brain was estimated ex vivo by HPLC technique. Results: The mean endurance time was increased significantly by AURMP (39.17 ± 1.88) treatment ( P P < 0.001) antidepressant activity for AURMP and ARMP. Both AURMP and ARMP had suppressed the stress induced by CVS model and this was evidenced from the results of FST and open-field test confirming antidepressant activity. It is concluded that the AURMP and ARMP had shown promising antistress activity.
The Genome of Burkholderia cenocepacia J2315, an Epidemic Pathogen of Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Bacterial infections of the lungs of cystic ﬁbrosis (CF) patients cause major complications in the treatment of this common genetic disease. Burkholderia cenocepacia infection is particularly problematic since this organism has high levels of antibiotic resistance, making it difﬁcult to eradicate; the resulting chronic infections are associated with severe declines in lung function and increased mortality rates. B. cenocepacia strain J2315 was isolated from a CF patient and is a member of the epidemic ET12 lineage that originated in Canada or the United Kingdom and spread to Europe. The 8.06-Mb genome of this highly transmissible pathogen comprises three circular chromosomes and a plasmid and encodes a broad array of functions typical of this metabolically versatile genus, as well as numerous virulence and drug resistance functions. Although B. cenocepacia strains can be isolated from soil and can be pathogenic to both plants and man, J2315 is representative of a lineage of B. cenocepacia rarely isolated from the environment and which spreads between CF patients. Comparative analysis revealed that ca. 21% of the genome is unique in comparison to other strains of B. cenocepacia , highlighting the genomic plasticity of this species. Pseudogenes in virulence determinants suggest that the pathogenic response of J2315 may have been recently selected to promote persistence in the CF lung. The J2315 genome contains evidence that its unique and highly adapted genetic content has played a signiﬁcant role in its success as an epidemic CF pathogen. solanacearum ampliﬁcation according to the supplied protocols, the optional of of 94°C followed of suitable annealing
The Ontogeny of Rubber Formation in Guayule, Parthenium argentatum Gray

Rubber formation in stems of guayule, Parthenium argentatum Gray, first occurs in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells surrounding the resin ducts and eventually in the cytoplasm of adjacent parenchyma cells. With age, rubber droplets appear in the vacuoles of both cell types At maturity, rubber droplets increase in frequency and size, and most of the droplets occur in the vacuole. The rubber particles assume different shapes in each compartment-irregular or globoid in the cytoplasm, spherical in the vacuole. Guayule epithelial cells contain numerous plastids, mitochondria, microbodies, and Golgi bodies but do not contain lutoids The epithelial cells also are rich in smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which is often associated with complex tubular membrane structures that may be involved in the production and secretion of terpenoid substances found in the resin ducts
First record of invasive Theora lubrica (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Semelidae) in the Atlantic Ocean

In the present paper, the semelid Theora lubrica is recorded for the first time in the Atlantic Ocean, based on numerous specimens collected in the Nervion Estuary and Pasajes Port (Basque coast, south-eastern Bay of Biscay). This species is native to Japan and the Pacific coast of Asia, and has previously been introduced to other areas outside its natural range. Its presence in ports or adjacent areas, suggests that the shipping activity is the most likely pathway of introduction of this alien species in the new settlements. On the Basque coast, the possible impact of T. lubrica on native communities is still uncertain. Future surveys will help us to evaluate its introduction.
Spatial pattern of the Río Cuarto corn disease vector, Delphacodes kuscheli Fennah (Hom., Delphacidae), in oat fields in Argentina and design of sampling plans

The spatial pattern of the Río Cuarto Corn Disease vector, Delphacodes kuscheli (Hom., Delphacidae), was analysed in oat fields within the endemic area of the disease, during the growing seasons 1993 and 1994. The spatial pattern was analysed by fitting the probabilistic models Poisson and negative binomial and estimation of single‐date and overall aggregation indices. The population of the different stage classes, sex, and wing forms showed a significant trend to aggregation as the negative binomial model fitted the observed frequency distributions in more than 78% of the cases (sampling dates) while the Poisson model fitted well in only 28% of cases or less. Single‐date aggregation index, CA, ranged from 0.3 to 0.84. Overall (whole season) aggregation index, CA*, estimated through the Bliss and Owen’s regression method, ranged from 0.18 (female adults) to 1.08 (nymphs I–II), indicating a moderate degree of aggregation compared with other planthopper species. There were no significant relationships between aggregation and population density. The minimum number of sampling units and critical lines for sequential sampling plans were calculated based on the estimation of CA* for the precision levels (D) 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3. Even low degrees of aggregation, like that of adults, demand much more sampling effort than randomly distributed populations, particularly at high densities. General implications and limitations of the proposed sampling plans for monitoring the vector population abundance are discussed.
Attachment Strength of Ascophylum nodosum (L.) LeJolis and Exposure to Wave Action

Shoots of the fucoid Ascophyllum nodosum were collected from the shores of Musquash Harbour, New Brunswick (Canada). Exposure to wave action was calculated from local weather bureau data and hydrographic charts. A logarithmically transformed empirical quotient describing breaking stresss was positively associated with exposure in 1982 and 1983. Non-linear differences in breaking stress occurred on a tide level basis. Interacting physicochemical and biological agents result in low magnitude associations. Instead of possessing high tensile strength, this alga is extensible.
Antiradical Capacities of Perilla, Sesame and Sunflower Oil

The aim of this study is to examine the radical scavenging activity of perilla and sesame oil that Koreans traditionally consume. For DPPH radical scavenging activity, oil and its hexane/70% methanol extracts (ME) are used and for superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, ME are used. Unrefined perilla oil, sesame oil, and refined sunflower oil are used. The yields for ME of perilla, sesame and sunflower oil are 0.57, 0.61, and 0.30%, respectively, and the amounts of phenolic compounds in ME of corresponding oil are 18.77, 88.64 and 0.05 ㎍ tannic acid/mg, respectively. IC50 for DPPH scavenging activity of perilla, sesame and sunflower oil are 2.12, 1.91, and 3.35 ㎎/㎖, respectively and those for ME of corresponding oils are 0.42, 0.07, and 43.11 ㎎/㎖, respectively. In DPPH assay, the solvent used for oil sample is iso-octane and that for ME is methanol. Superoxide anion scavenging activity of ME of perilla, sesame and sunflower oil tested at 1 ㎎/㎖ concentration are 21.10, 13.25, and 3.14%, respectively. Hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of those samples tested at 1 ㎎/㎖ concentration are 86.08, 93.30, and 93.17%, respectively. In summary, the refining process seems to remove the phenolic compound during oil processing. Antiradical substances in perilla and sesame oils responsible for scavenging DPPH radicals are present in the methanol fraction, while the antiradical substances in the sunflower oil are in the lipid fraction. DPPH scavenging activity of ME of sesame oil is significantly higher than that of perilla oil (p<0.05). However, superoxide anion scavenging capacity of ME of perilla oils was found to be greater than that of both sesame and sunflower oils (p<0.05).
The Economics of Bank Supervision: So Much to Do, So Little Time

While bank regulation and supervision are the two main components of banking policy, the difference between them is often overlooked and the details of supervision can appear shrouded in secrecy. In this post, which is based on a recent staff report, we provide a framework for thinking about supervision and its relation to regulation. We then use data on supervisory efforts of Federal Reserve bank examiners to describe how supervisory efforts vary by bank size and risk, and to measure key trade-offs in allocating resources.
Characterization, Expression, and Immunohistochemical Localization of 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase/Δ5-Δ4 Isomerase in Human Skin

Three beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta 5-delta 4 isomerase (3 beta-HSD) catalyses an obligatory step in the biosynthesis of all classes of hormonal steroids, namely, the oxidation/isomerization of 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroids into the corresponding 3-keto-4-ene steroids in gonadal as well as in peripheral tissues. Because humans are unique with some primates in having adrenals that secrete large amounts of the steroid precursors dehydropiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEA-S) and its exceptionally large volume makes the skin an important site of steroid biosynthesis, we have isolated and characterized cDNA clones encoding 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta 5-delta 4 isomerase from a human skin lambda gt11 library. The longest clone obtained contains the entire coding sequence for type I 3 beta-HSD (372 amino acids) as well as an additional 131 nucleotides in the 5'-untranslated region. The insert of 1647 bp containing the entire coding region has been inserted in a pCMV expression vector and transfected into human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa). The expressed enzyme efficiently catalyzes the transformation of pregnenolone, DHEA, and dihydrotestosterone into progesterone, 4-androstenedione, and 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, respectively. Using the enzyme expressed in HeLa cells, we have shown cyproterone acetate, a progestin used in the treatment of acne and hirsutism, as well as norgestrel and norethindrone, two steroids widely used as oral contraceptives, to be relatively potent inhibitors, with Ki values of 0.38 microM, 1.3 microM, and 1.2 microM, respectively. Immunohistochemical localization of 3 beta-HSD, illustrated by using an antibody raised against human placental 3 beta-HSD, shows that the enzyme is localized in sebaceous glands.
Fitness costs as well as benefits are important when considering responses to anthropogenic noise

Trade-offs lie at the heart of behavioral ecology, with our ultimate understanding of many behaviors reliant on an assessment of both fitness benefits and costs. However, the rapidly expanding research literature on the impacts of anthropogenic noise (a recently recognized global pollutant) tends to focus on the benefits likely to be accrued by any resulting behavioral adaptations or plasticity. In particular, although studies investigating acoustic communication (the topic receiving the most attention to date) invariably discuss, and occasionally attempt to measure, the perceived benefits in terms of reduced masking that might arise from vocal adjustments by signalers, only rarely are the potential fitness costs even mentioned. The bias toward benefits prevents a full understanding of the consequences of anthropogenic noise, including the implications for population viability and community structure. Here, we argue for a greater consideration of fitness costs, outline a number of specific examples (reduced transmission distances, increased risk of predation/parasitism, altered energy budgets, loss of vital information), make suggestions about how to move forward, and showcase why a balanced view is as crucial in this field as any other aspect of behavioral ecology.
Technologie de conservation et de stockage du pollen de Bouleau (Betula verrucosa)

Abstract Good preservation and storage of birch pollen (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.) is desirable for two reasons; for one it enables a deeper knowledge of the biological state of the pollen and for the other, since birch pollen is a bio-indicator of air quality, its study under optimal conditions (preservation and biological state) at the biological, structural, ionic and immunological level is essential for analysing the effect of atmospheric pollution on the pollen. For this reason this study has involved both pollen collected under natural conditions and pollen from urban sites (in situ). For a period of two and half years we have studied different methods of preservation and different storage temperatures by in vitro germination tests on a 10% sucrose Heslop-Harrison medium using rehydrated pollen. The best preservation is obtained with freeze-drying for half an hour and subsequent storage at 80°C. The in vitro germination test on in situ pollen shows that the germination percentage is a reliable paramete.
Staphylococcal Intoxication Traced to Non-Fat Dried Milk.

A series of food poisoning outbreaks, due to the consumption of imported non-fat dried milk (NDM), occurred in Egypt during 1986. Bacteriological examination was carried out on two samples of the remaining NDM for the outbreaks, and 90 samples of the imported NDM, represented nine code numbers. All of the samples tested were free of coagulase positive staphylococci, Salmonella , Shigella , Bacillus cereus , Clostridium perfringens , and Escherichia coli , and the viable bacterial counts ranged from 7.9 × 102 to 5.0 × 104 cells/g. However, staphylococcal enterotoxins B & A (1.5 & 0.125 μg/100 samples, respectively) were detected in the NDM samples remaining from the outbreaks. At the same time, out of 27 representative samples of NDM, three samples, with the same code number, contained staphylococcal enterotoxin B (1.25 μg/100 g), and one of those three samples contained staphylococcal enterotoxin A (0.125 μg/100 g).
Chromosome Numbers in Ferocactus (Cactaceae: Cactoideae)

The Cactaceae is subdivided into three subfamilies (Pereskioideae, Opuntioideae and Cactoideae) which are traditionally interpreted as monophyletic lineages (Barthlott and Hunt 1993). The Cactoideae include 85% of the species diversity in the family and exhibit the greatest morphological extremes in habit and stem structure. This subfamily includes the tribe Cacteae, which is found mainly in and or semiarid habitats in North America and contains the genus Ferocactus Britton and Rose. The taxonomy of the genus remains in a somewhat confused state due to several factors. As for most groups within the Cactaceae, the lack of extensive field research to document variability, the relatively high levels of morphological homoplasy, and the use of primarily vegetative morphological characters, make the establishment of species boundaries difficult. The number of species recognized in the genus has been a matter of disagreement and is reflected in several taxonomic treatments that have been produced over the last seven decades. Britton and Rose (1922) proposed a classification in which they included 30 species; subsequently, Lindsay (1955) proposed that the genus was comprised of 25 species. More recently, Taylor (1984) recognized 23 species, while Bravo and Sanchez-Mejorada (1991) accepted 29. Finally, Unger (1992) presented a classification scheme for 20 species based on the previous treatments. Of these classifications, that of Taylor (1984) represents a systematic treatment of the genus sensu stricto, and is the most widely accepted by cactus taxonomists because it includes detailed descriptions of floral, fruit and seed coat characters. The phylogeny of Ferocactus is uncertain; however, two major evolutionary lineages [section Bisnaga (Orcutt) N. P. Taylor and J. Y. Clark and section Ferocactus] have been proposed for the genus. The former probably derived from F. flavovirens (Scheidw.) Britton and Rose and the latter from F. robustus (Link and Otto) Britton and Rose (Taylor and Clark 1983). These two species are distributed in south-central Mexico, a region that is thought to be the center of origin of the genus (Taylor 1984), and have apparently retained plesiomorphic features that place them as putatively basal species within the genus. On morphological grounds, the two sections are distinguished on the basis of a fruit character: in section Ferocactus the fruits dehisce by a basal pore, and in section Bisnaga the fruits are juicy and indehiscent, occasionally splitting irregularly (Barthlott and Hunt 1993, Taylor 1984). This study was undertaken to document chromosome numbers in Ferocactus and to discuss the causes of its apparently stable diploid condition.