Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Host-plant acceptance by aphids : cues initiating reproduction

The host-plant acceptance behaviour of aphids was examined, in two aphid species, the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi and the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphum pisum, to elucidate the recognition factors used to assess plant suitability for parthenogenetic reproduction. In addition, host-plant chemistry was investigated to study possible cues that initiated reproduction. The probing and parturition behaviour of R. padi on barley, Hordeum vulgare, or bird cherry leaves, Prunus padus, were monitored by electrical penetration graph (EPG) coupled with a simultaneous video recording. The autumn winged gynoparae and the summer winged virginoparae initiated reproduction on their host plants, P. padus and H. vulgare, respectively, before phloem contact occurred and these findings suggest that phloem contact is not necessary for host-acceptance decisions. Host acceptance behaviour of A. pisum, on susceptible and phloem-based resistant line of Medicago truncatula was monitored and found to be similar on both plant lines. The phloem-based resistance mechanism did not affect parturition behaviour indicating that reproduction is initiated prior to phloem contact. The results also imply that sign chemicals used as host recognition cues located in a peripheral tissue rather than in the phloem of host plants. Bioassays were employed to characterise the sign chemicals within host-plants of R. padi. It was found that virginoparae reproduced similarly on a neutral medium such as water or holidic diet as well as host-plant aqueous extract, which suggests that particular stimulants may be not involved in hostplant recognition by this generalist morph. On the other hand, aqueous extracts of bird cherry leaves specifically stimulated parturition in autumn gynoparae. Bioassay-guided chemical fractionation showed that at least five secondary metabolites appear to be involved in host recognition by gynoparae.
Valosin-containing protein (VCP): structure, functions, and implications in neurodegenerative diseases

ABSTRACT Valosin-containing protein (VCP) is a hexameric protein belonging to the type II AAA+ (ATPases Associated with diverse cellular Activities) protein family. VCP governs multiple cellular processes and its diverse functions are determined by its interaction with a wide variety of partners and cofactors. Recently, mutations in VCP were suggested to cause inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of VCP mutations in these diseases are still largely unknown. In this review, we summarize the structure and cellular functions of VCP, especially focusing on apoptosis and two major cellular degradation pathways, the ubiquitin–proteasome system and autophagy. We also list the representative VCP mutations and discuss their potential association with neurodegenerative diseases.
Challenging the conceptual framework of maintenance hosts for influenza A viruses in wild birds

Summary 1.The conceptual framework considering Anseriformes and Charadriiformes as the main maintenance hosts for influenza A viruses (IAV) in wild birds has shaped IAV research and surveillance over the last decades. 2.We challenge this framework by reviewing the worldwide surveillance data on non-Anseriformes and non-Charadriiformes (NANC) species, generally considered as playing little role in IAV maintenance, available in literature and online data bases (close to 200 sources). 3.Globally, we found an IAV infection rate of 1.51% (95% CI, 1.44%–1.59%) for c.101 000 birds tested from NANC species. If Anseriformes have, as expected, a higher infection rate than any other bird orders, eight bird orders have an infection rate higher or close to the Charadriiformes infection rate, challenging the status of Charadriiformes. 4.We interpret the attention paid in favour of Charadriiformes by an extrapolation bias from data collected in hotspots of IAV infection in Charadriiformes (e.g. Delaware Bay, USA). 5.The growing data on IAV in wild birds worldwide, summarised here, supports two non-exclusive hypotheses: (i) the quality of the diagnostic tools and techniques used explain the patterns observed; (ii) IAV maintenance is determined by complex multi-host systems composed of multiple bird species, dependent on the ecosystem and its bird diversity and composition. 6.Synthesis and applications. Our results have two main implications. First, new research and surveillance should be designed in order to understand influenza A viruses ecology in wild birds across the world, along with appropriate diagnostic tools and new hypotheses and dedicated protocols. This should be done in line with our new conceptual framework that conveys less a priori than its predecessor. Secondly, our results call for more bridging between biological and epidemiological sciences in order to tackle disease ecology in multi-host systems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Evolution of Vernalization and Photoperiod-Regulated Genetic Networks in the Grass Subfamily Pooideae

Flowering time is a carefully regulated trait that integrates cues from temperature and photoperiod to coordinate flowering at favorable times of the year. This dissertation aims to understand the evolution of genetic architecture that facilitated the transition of Pooideae, a subfamily of grass, from the tropics to the temperate northern hemisphere approximately 50 million years ago. Two traits hypothesized to have facilitated this evolutionary shift are the use of long-term low-temperature (vernalization) to ready plants for flowering, and long-day photoperiods to induce flowering. In chapter one I review literature on the regulation of grass flowering by vernalization and photoperiod, and in chapters two and three I determine the role of VERNALIZATION 1 (VRN1) and VRN2, known to confer vernalization responsiveness in core Pooideae crop species, in flowering time across Pooideae. In chapter four, I then test predictions of the hypothesis that the Brachypodium distachyon miR5200 ortholog in the ancestor of Pooideae was important for suppressing short day flowering through its negative regulation of flowering time integrator FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)/VERNALIZATION3 (VRN3). In combination with other studies, my data demonstrate that VRN1-mediated vernalization responsiveness evolved early in the Pooideae, while VRN2-mediated vernalization responsiveness appears to have evolved much later in the diversification of Pooideae. Although miR5200 likely evolved early in the Pooideae, its transcriptional regulation by short day photoperiod appears derived within Brachypodium distachyon. This work answers important questions about the evolutionary origin of temperatureand photoperiod-mediated flowering in an economically important clade that contains crop species such as wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). Directions for future work on this topic are discussed in chapter 5.
USE OF CASWELL'S CLASSIFICATION ON FOOD QUALITY ATTRIBUTES TO ASSESS CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS FRESH MILK IN TETRA-PACKED CONTAINERS

This study assesses, using the Caswell’s classification on food quality attributes (1998), what quality attributes that consumers consider most important in their decision to purchase fresh milk stored in tetra-pack containers, and the impact of a number of socio-economic characteristics of consumers on this behavior. A consumer survey was carried out (n=664) in the Gampaha district from April to May in 2005, and data pertaining to 100 who consume it with the highest frequency (i.e. 3.43 packs/week) were considered for the empirical analysis. The results based on two indices, namely the “Mean Score of Quality Attribute” (MSQA) and the “Food Quality Responsive Index” (FQRI) suggest that attributes such as purity, appearance, size, convenience, and informational labeling from “value” and “package” subsets were the most important. It also shows that consumers did not judge that tetra-packs enhance attributed included in the “food safety” and “nutrition” subsets to a larger extent. The statistic outcome based on Ordered Logistic regression techniques, where the values of FQRI were used to develop four dependent variables, shows that factors such as age, marital status, sex, and level of education and income of a consumer have a significant impact on this behavior. The results suggest that the market can work effectively on promoting the sales of fresh milk by enhancing its quality in terms of value and packaging attributes, while the government should take into account of regulating the attributes of food safety and nutrition through appropriate food standards.
Amphibia, Anura, Pipidae, Pipa pipa : distribution extension, new state record and geographic distribution map

Pipa pipa (Linnaeus, 1758) presents the largest range within its genus, occurring in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, and French Guyana (Lima et al. 2005). This species occurs typically in Amazonian tropical rainforest, always in slow flowing watercourses, backwater of streams, ponds, and pools in flooded forest, where it hides under submerged litter (Lima et al. 2005).
Effect of Different Sources of Dietary Starch on Meat Quality, Oxidative Status and Glycogen and Lactate Kinetic in Chicken pectoralis Muscle

We studied the effects of different dietary starch sources fed to poultry on the quality attributes and oxidative damage in fresh and aged chicken pectoralis muscle. In a corn-soya diet, 300 g.kg-1 of the starch from ground corn was replaced by starch from broken corn, ground sorghum or pure starch, and fed for 11 days prior to slaughter to male broilers. In pectoralis muscle, pH rate, colour, drip loss, glycogen and lactate were measured at 10, 45, 90 minutes and 24 hours postmortem. Protein, lipid oxidation and haem iron were measured in fresh and aged meat. Sorghum starch caused a lower initial pH, while broken corn and pure starch gave higher pH in the pectoralis muscle. Ground corn and pure starch sources showed the lowest pH (45 min postmortem) indicating faster decline curves. Ground sorghum produced a lower level of residual glycogen in muscle and a lower rate of protein oxidation while the highest glycogen and a higher protein oxidation rate was observed with pure starch Type of starch sources in diet received prior to slaughter affect the quality parameters in poultry meat. Particularly, ground sorghum improved meat quality whereas pure starch provoked a higher protein oxidation.
Induced biotic response in Amazonian ant-plants: the role of leaf damage intensity and plant-derived food rewards on ant recruitment

Although plant-ants respond to cues indicating the presence of herbivores, it remains unclear how ant workers are stimulated by herbivory cues with varying intensity. I hypothesized that ants respond more quickly to intense foliar damage, and ants inhabiting myrmecophytes that provide food resource recruit workers to any intensity of foliar damage. I tested the induced response in three ant-plant systems: two that provide food resources and another one that does not provide. I simulated leaf damage using different concentrations of foliar extracts. In all systems the plant-ant recruitment increased after damage simulations. In food providing system ants did not distinguish between different intensity damages, although one system have shown a mixed response to that intensity. This result indicates that ants defend more intensely their host plant to avoid damages that diminish food provisioning. In the non-food providing system ants responded more quickly to simulation of high foliar damage. This faster recruitment to leaves with high damage suggests that ants are searching for hot spots that potentially have more insects for feeding on. I suggested that future works could manipulate plant size and quality, and food provisioning to better understand why mutual ant-plant systems with very distinct characteristics are evolutionarily stabilized.
First report of metazoan parasites from the cichlid Pseudocrenilabrus philander and the cyprinid Enteromius paludinosus in a South African Ramsar wetland

Parasites of two small fish species from a Ramsar wetland in South Africa were studied in 2014–2015. The cichlid Pseudocrenilabrus philander (Weber, 1897) was parasitised by the copepod Lernaea cyprinacea Linnaeus, 1758, the monogenean Gyrodactylus thlapi Christison, Shinn & van As, 2005 and four gryporhynchid metacestode (Cyclophyllidea) species: Paradilepis scolecina (Rudolph, 1819), Paradilepis maleki Khalil, 1961, Neogryporhynchus lasiopeius Baer & Bona, 1960 and Valipora campylancristrota (Wedl, 1855). The cyprinid Enteromius paludinosus (syn. Barbus paludinosus) (Peters, 1852) was infected with the monogenean parasites Dogielius intorquens Crafford, Luus-Powell & Avenant-Oldewage, 2012, Dactylogyrus teresae Mashego, 1983, and three Dactylogyrus spp. These results represent several new locality as well as host records and further contribute information on the parasitic diversity in the Barberspan Ramsar wetland.
Determination of the antioxidant and antifungal activities of twelve plants belonging to the Colombian coffee region

The aims of this study were determinate the antioxidant and antifungal activities of twelve plants belonging to the Colombian Coffee Region (CCR). A phytochemical characterization was performed to the hexane, dichloromethane and hexane-isopropanol (3:1) extracts. Also the antioxidant activities through Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS•+) methods were assayed; In addiction, the total phenolic content and the activities against the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani and Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet were also evaluated. In this study 10 hexane-isopropanol (3:1) and 6 dichloromethane extracts as well as 1 hexane extract displayed antioxidant capacity superior to 25% through the DPPH•assay, standing out the hexane extract of Piper umbellatum (Piperaceae) with an activity of 44.8%. The extracts that showed the most important antifungal activities were the hexane-isopropanol (3:1) extract of Mikania lloensis (Asteracea) that inhibited 44.8% the growth of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum and the hexane extract of Piper pessaresanum (Piperaceae) that showed 59% of growth inhibition against Fusarium solani. Further more the Piper pessaresanum dichloromethane and hexaneisopropanol (3:1) extracts and the dichloromethane extract of Alchornea coelophylla (Euphorbiaceae) gave 100% of inhibition against the fungi Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet. This study is a contribution to the bioprospecting to the Colombian flora.
ELICITATION OF POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES (PHA) FROM BACILLUS SUBTILIS IN FERMENTOR SYSTEM

This research investigates the elicitation of the Bacillus subtilis of its PHA content, the polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), by applying pH gradients from its optimum conditions of 37C and pH of 6-8. Analyses of results were done by gravimetric analysis, and presence of PHB was verified by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector. Results have shown that PHA was elicited only at ΔpH 2 and 12, having 17.86% and 25%, respectively at the instance of pH change. Furthermore, six hours after the application of stress, %PHB elicited for ΔpH of 2, 4, 10 and 12 had 41.67%, 25%, 46.15% and 50%, respectively. From these results, it was observed that PHA was instantly elicited for extreme ΔpH's. After the formation of spores, B. subtilis was able to resist chemical damages to elicit more PHA. However, no PHA was elicited for ΔpH=6. Overall, the pH responsible for the highest PHB elicitation was 12, having a yield of 0.68 mg PHB/mg dry cell weight.
A new species of Physconelloides (Mallophaga) from Texas

Bigger, J. H. and R. A. Blanchard. 1955. Ecology and control of soil insects attack ing corn in Illinois. Jour. Econ. Ent. , 48(3) :255-260. Bowling, C. C. 1957. Seed treatment for the control of the rice water weevil. Jour. Econ. Ent. , 50(4):450-452. Bowling, C. C. 1959. A comparison of three methods of insecticide application for control of the rice water weevil. Jour. Econ. Ent. , 52(4):767. Rouse, Ernest Philip and Willard H. Whitcomb. 1957. The grape colaspis as a pest of rice in Arkansas. Bull. Ent. Soc. Amer. , 3(3) :44 (Abst.). Whitehead, F. E. 1954. Tests on insecticidal control of rice water weevil. Jour. Econ. Ent. , 47(4):676-680.
Effect of conditions and duration of storage on composition of essential oil from coriander seeds

The composition of volatile components of the essential oil extracted from seeds of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) grown in different years in either Russia or Georgia was studied by capillary gas chromatography. Climatic conditions had a weaker effect on the essential oil composition than the region of growth. After one-year storage in the dark, minor changes were observed in the oil composition, and its organoleptic properties were virtually unchanged. However, the essential oil underwent significant chemical transformation of monoterpenes when stored in the light.
Study on the Manufacturing of Chitosan Using Krill(Euphausia superba Dana) and Quality Characteristics

For the use of Antartic krill(Euphausia superba Dana) as food resource, general composition, extracting condition of chitin and quality characteristics of chitosan were investigated. General composition of frozen krill(Euphausia superba Dana) was consisted of moisture 79.0%, protein 13.1%, lipid 4.0%, VBN 7.7mg%, ash 2.7%, others 1.2% and that of dried krill powder was moisture 5.6%, protein 56.1%, lipid 18.8%, ash 11.4%, others 8.1%. The condition of chitin extraction from krill powder was treated with 1N NaOH at for removing protein, 1N HCl for excepting mineral substances and methanol for decoloring. The yield of chitin by new procedure developed was 3.7%. The composition of extracted chitin contents was moisture 7.1%, ash 0.4%, protein 3.5%, lipid 3.1%. The results of degree of deacetylation in chitosan at 50% NaOH, , for 2 hrs was showed 82%. At the same alkali concentration and reaction concentration, a longer reaction time gave a decreased degree of deacetylation. The apparant viscosity was 0.09241 Pa in 1% chitosan from krill and 0.13826 Pa in standard chitosan.
Optimization of CSR Programs for Education Development in Central Kalimantan

The government requires companies to care for the environment around the location of their business activities through a social responsibility program or what is called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The potential of CSR as an alternative funding support for education development in Central Kalimantan is quite large, but its contribution is not optimal. Communication and collaboration between the Government, Entrepreneurs and the Community in planning, implementing and evaluating CSR activities need to be improved. Support for regulation and regulation of CSR activities that are integrated with regional development plans is expected to be able to provide an optimal contribution to education development in Central Kalimantan. Keywords: CSR, Educational Development, Central Kalimantan
Digestion of Various Starch Granules by Amylase

We confirmed that starch granules of potato, Chinese yam (tubers of Dioscorea batatas Decne), banana (Musa cavendish L.), lily (bulbs of Lilium spp.), gingko (seeds of Ginko biloba L.), high-amylose maize, East Indian lotus (tubers of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn), Japanese chestnut (seeds of Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc.), kuzu (Japanese arrowroot, Pueraria lobata Ohwi), sweet potato were respectively in decreasing order more resistant to the attack of pancreatin than were those of normal maize, wheat, rice, red maize (Maize morado), and taro (roots of Colocasia antiquorum Schott). Among endosperm mutants of maize (Zea mays L.), starch granules of amylose-extender mutant were much more resistant to the action of amylases than were those of the normal counterpart. Starch granules of sugary-Ji and sugary-2 mutants were digested much faster than those of the normal counterpart by amylases. Starch granules of waxy, shrunken-2 and brittle-2 mutants tended to be digested faster than those of the normal. When opaque-2 was combined with each one of the endosperm mutants, it was observed that the starch granules of the double mutants were digested by amylases to an extent very comparable to their respective nonopaque single-mutant counterpart. The differences among the endosperm mutants in susceptibility of starch granules to the action of amylases disappeared following gelatinization of starch granules with alkali. Observations under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that starch granules resistant to the action of amylase showed after the action of amylases shapes and surfaces similar to the intact granules. On the other hand, starch granules susceptible to amylase showed numerous pin holes on the surface layer and the pores penetrated into the inner layers of the granule during the attack with amylases. For some of the granules the inner portion which appeared to be terraced or step-shaped could be seen. This may be indicative of layered or stratified internal structures of the granules. The other characteristic observations by SEM were striated structures on the surfaces of starch granules attacked by amylase, for example those of banana, lotus and lily.
Conservation Pattern, Homology Modeling and Molecular Phylogenetic Study of BMP Ligands

Background: Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs) play many important roles in embryogenesis and metamorphosis throughout the life of vertebrates and other animals. The BMPs are multifunctional and some BMPs do similar functions which lead us to believe that it may have existed before the evolution and they may evolve from a single BMP. Additionally, less is known regarding phylogeny and conservation based conserved molecular mechanism of BMPs. Hence, evolutionary relationship of 16 BMP ligands (phylogenetic as well as protein sequence conversed patterns) were done. Materials and Methods: For this study, protein sequences were retrieved from UniProtKB, homology modeling was executed by Swiss-model using 3rjr.1A and 2qcq.1A as template, followed by MSA and phylogeny. Later conserved regions of BMP ligand were compared. Protein subfamily determination was done in Zebra and supported by the phylogenetic data. Results: Remarkably, similar region of conserved area were observed and different disulfide linkage pattern had been identified. It was found notable patterns in C1-C4, C2-C5 and C3-C6 that all but BMP3 and BMP15 do not contain 7th Cys. Phylogeny study indicate, according to evolutionary clock, GDF11 and BMP15 were more distantly diverged taxa, BMP3A and BMP3B had same point origin and GDF5, 6 and 7 are homologous. These seven proteins, as per this study indicates that, those are evolved at simultaneously during evolution, whereas other nine forms monophyletic taxa. Conclusion: However, more studies needs to explore on this. As per homology modelling studied, BMP ligands shares common evolutionary origin, some of the members are highly diverged indicating ancient evolutionary history of these protein. This study will be useful for wet lab once the evolutionary relationship gets established.
PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN IN MAMMALIAN FETAL TESTIS

High degree of homology between animal and plant genes for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) points to its general importance for the control of the cell proliferation. PCNA is a cofactor necessary for the activity of the DNA polymerase δ and it is expressed in proliferating cells. Therefore PCNA is a well known endogenous proliferation marker and its detection is often used to establish the proliferation status of cells in various tissues (1, 2).