Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soil biodiversity and carbon cycling: a review and synthesis of studies examining diversity–function relationships

Biodiversity and carbon (C) cycling have been the focus of much research in recent decades, partly because both change as a result of anthropogenic activities that are likely to continue. Soils are extremely species‐rich and store approximately 80% of global terrestrial C. Soil organisms play a key role in C dynamics and a loss of species through global changes could influence global C dynamics. Here, we synthesize findings from published studies that have manipulated soil species richness and measured the response in terms of ecosystem functions related to C cycling (such as decomposition, respiration and the abundance or biomass of decomposer biota) to evaluate the impact of biodiversity loss on C dynamics. We grouped studies where one or more biotic groups had been manipulated to include a richness of ≤10 species or >10 species in order to reflect ‘low’ and ‘high’ extents of diversity manipulations. There was a positive relationship between species richness and C cycling in 77–100% of low‐diversity experiments, even when the richness of just one biotic group was manipulated, whereas positive relationships occurred less frequently in studies with greater richness (35–64%). Moreover, when positive relationships were observed, these often indicated functional redundancy at low extents of diversity or that community composition had a stronger influence on C cycling than did species richness. Initial reductions in soil species richness resulting from global changes are unlikely to alter C dynamics significantly unless particularly influential species are lost. However, changes in community composition, and the loss of species with an ability to facilitate specialized soil processes related to C cycling, as a result of global changes, may have larger impacts on C dynamics.
Thermal resistance of Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes in meat and potato substrates

The heat resistance of a wild type and nalidixic acid resistant strain of Yersinia enterocolitica, and Listeria monocytogenes, was measured in meat (minced beef and minced beef homogenate) and potato substrates over the temperature range 50–60C. Comparisons of heat resistance were determined using D-values calculated using a linear survival model. The results showed that the wild-type strain of Y. enterocolitica was more heat resistant than the mutant (p<0.05). Under most conditions, the use of a nonselective/overlay recovery medium resulted in higher D-values compared to a selective recovery medium (p<0.05). Analysis of the data using a nonlinear survival model (D1 and D2 -values) suggested the presence of heat resistant subpopulations and was particularly evident for the mutant strain, and in potatoes compared to minced beef.
Genetic, phenotypic and ecological divergence with gene flow at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec: the case of the azure‐crowned hummingbird (Amazilia cyanocephala)

We test whether populations of the Mesoamerican azure‐crowned hummingbird, Amazilia cyanocephala (Trochilidae), located east and west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are genetically, morphologically and environmentally differentiated and examine the relative role of drift and selection in driving diversification.
Computer-automated flow respirometry: Metabolism measurements on a Caribbean reef flat and in a microcosm1

We describe a system for making real-time measurements and analyses of metabolic rates of communities in flowing water. Oxygen sensors, a current meter, a light meter, and a tide gauge were connected to a microcomputer that monitored the changes in oxygen concentration of a reef flat community in situ and in a continuous flow microcosm. This system enabled the observation of the response of community metabolism to short-term environmental changes, such as clouds passing over the sun, and provided estimates of long-term rates. Along the reef transect, net daily production was 30.3 g 0, (11.4 g C) m-2, total night respiration was - 13.3 g 0, (-5.0 g C) m-2, and daily excess production was 17.0 g 0, (6.4 g C) m-2. In the microcosm net daily production was 4.1 g 0, (1.5 g C) m-2, total night respiration was -2.3 g O2 (-0.9 g C) m-2, and daily excess production was 1.8 g 0, (0.7 g C) m-2. Primary production of both reef and microcosm saturated at relatively high irradiance (values of Zk > 600 PEinst m-2 s-l; of Zg5% > 1,100 PEinst m-2 s-l).
GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE OF MAIZE INBRED LINES SELECTED FOR TOLERANCE TO DROUGHT UNDER LOW NITROGEN

Low soil nitrogen (low N) limits maize (Zea mays L.) production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Knowl- edge of inheritance of tolerance to low N in inbred lines selected for drought tolerance would be useful for devel- oping hybrids adapted to low N conditions. The objectives of this study were to determine the (i) effect of zero, one and two doses of drought tolerance in inbred lines on per- formance of hybrids under low N, (ii) type of gene action conditioning performance under low N, and (iii) relation- ship between per se performance of parental inbred lines and their hybrids. Ninety-six hybrids were formed from 24 inbred lines using the Design II mating scheme. The parental lines and hybrids were evaluated under both low and high N in separate trials side by side during the rainy season at one location in Nigeria for two years. Most of the hybrids with at least one drought tolerant parent had higher yields than those having two drought susceptible parents. Mean squares for GCA-males, GCA-females and SCA effects were significant for grain yield under both low and high N, whereas their interactions with year was sig- nificant only for GCA-male effects under low N. Non-addi- tive gene action was slightly higher than additive gene ac- tion for grain yield under low N. Average heterosis for grain yield was 129% under low N and 114% under high N. Grain yield, plant and ear heights of inbred lines con- tributed positively to grain yields of hybrids. However, grain yields of inbred lines accounted for less than 15% of the total variation in grain yield among hybrids at each N level. Five of the 12 drought tolerant lines and two of the 12 susceptible inbred lines had significant positive GCA ef- fects for grain yield under low N. Use of inbred lines, such as KU1409, 4058, 1824 and 9432 with consistently positive GCA effects for grain yield under low-N in a breeding pro- gram would be desirable to further improve grain yield and associated traits for low N environments.
Induction of phytochelatin and responses of antioxidants under cadmium stress in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seedlings

We investigated the role of antioxidant compounds (e.g., α-tocopherol, phytochelatins, glutathione, and other non-protein thiols) in the cadmium (Cd) tolerance of saffl ower (Carthamus tinctorius L. cv. Arak2811) seedlings exposed to diff erent concentrations of Cd (0-100 μM) for a week. A concentration- and tissue- dependent response to Cd was observed. Increasing Cd supply markedly reduced the dry weight of roots. Plants accumulated a substantial amount of Cd, especially in the roots. Levels of α-tocopherol showed a signifi cant increase with an increase in the concentration of Cd in leaves. Upon Cd exposure, α-tocopherol levels followed a similar pattern in the root tissue with no signifi cant change as compared to the control. Cadmium exposure caused a signifi cant increase in non-protein thiols and phytochelatin levels in roots, whereas non-protein thiols and phytochelatin levels were not aff ected in leaves. Th e glutathione content in leaves signifi cantly increased with increasing Cd concentrations, whereas in roots glutathione contents increased up to a concentration of 50 μM Cd and then decreased. Th e results indicate that the non-protein thiol and phytochelatin biosynthesis induction in roots and enhanced level of α-tocopherol and glutathione in leaves may be involved in Cd tolerance and hyperaccumulation in saffl ower.
Efficacy of Free Chlorine Against Water Biofilms and Spores of Penicillium Brevicompactum

INTRODUCTION Biofilm is a microbial community characterized by attached cells on a surface or interface or to each other, are embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances that they had produced and exhibit structural and phenotypic changes (Donlan and Costerton, 2002). Despite the fact that the term ‘biofilm’ is rarely applied to filamentous fungi, there are several descriptions indicative of biofilm formation in different medical, environmental and industrial settings (Mowat et al., 2008a; Mowat et al., 2008b). The occurrence of biofilms in water distribution systems can be a source of taste, odour and visual appearance problems resulting in poor drink water quality (Hageskal et al., 2008). Moreover, fungi in potable water distribution systems may have direct effects on human health. Water for human consumption is often disinfected before goes to the distribution system. Chlorine, chloramines or chlorine dioxide are most often used because they are very effective disinfectants. In contrast, biofilms can protect microbes from disinfectants and allow microbes injured by environmental stress and disinfectants to recover and grow. The objective of this work was analyse the susceptibility of Penicillium brevicompactum biofilms and its single spores against free chlorine, the most common disinfectant used routinely in water treatment.
Saving Energy in OpenFlow Computer Networks

New innovations in the information and communication sector have ensured that more people have access to the Internet and the prospect is that this number will even grow further. With this also the energy consumption, and thus the CO 2 will increase. It is thus important to look for cleaver solutions to reduce the energy consumption. This thesis analyses the inﬂuence of an eﬃcient scheduling algorithm on the energy consumption of computer networks. We compare the inﬂuence of two different scheduling algorithm in a Software-Deﬁned Network which deploys OpenFlow. We present a linear programming algorithm that reduces the number of active switches and hereby reduces the energy consumption of the network. While the shortest path algorithm functions as a baseline for comparison. For the simulation a realistic network environment is setup in which we run extensive experiments to collect data for analysis. The algorithm proposed in this project reduces the energy consumption of the network with 30% and still manages to keep the bandwidth at an acceptable level.
Energy from wind and water extracted by Horizontal Axis Turbine Buck and Renne 1985: wake effect on full-scale 2.5 MW turbines

Wind energy, together with other renewable energy sources, are expected to grow substantially in the coming decades and play a key role in mitigating climate change and achieving energy sustainability. One of the main challenges in optimizing the design, operation, control, and grid integration of wind farms is the prediction of their performance, owing to the complex multiscale two-way interactions between wind farms and the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). From a fluid mechanical perspective, these interactions are complicated by the high Reynolds number of the ABL flow, its inherent unsteadiness due to the diurnal cycle and synoptic-forcing variability, the ubiquitous nature of thermal effects, and the heterogeneity of the terrain. Particularly important is the effect of ABL turbulence on wind-turbine wake flows and their superposition, as they are responsible for considerable turbine power losses and fatigue loads in wind farms. These flow interactions affect, in turn, the structure of the ABL and the turbulent fluxes of momentum and scalars. This review summarizes recent experimental, computational, and theoretical research efforts that have contributed to improving our understanding and ability to predict the interactions of ABL flow with wind turbines and wind farms.
Starvation and Predation as Factors Limiting Population Size

We consider a simple model in which an animal can control both its prob- ability of starvation and its probability of predation. Probability of starvation is decreased by increasing the mean amount of food obtained in the day, but this increases the probability of predation. The optimal mean gain minimizes the total mortality. It is shown that as the amount of food that is required per day increases, the probabilty of starvation does not necessarily increase, and may actually decrease. This result arises because as the food requirement increases, the animal increases its predation risk in order to avoid starvation. The results suggest that it is inappropriate to argue that food alone or predation alone limits the size of a population when there is a strong interaction between them. Furthermore, the number of animals that die from starvation may not provide a reliable indication of the importance of food.
Isolation of influenza C virus from pigs and experimental infection of pigs with influenza C virus.

Summary Fifteen strains of influenza C virus were isolated from abattoir pigs in China in 1981 and antibody against influenza C virus was found in pig sera. Virus survey also showed seasonal activity of influenza C virus in pigs. Additionally, experimental infection of pigs with influenza C virus demonstrated that Chinese domestic pigs could be infected by influenza C virus and that the virus could be transmitted from pig to pig. These results indicate that, like influenza A, influenza C virus can cause natural infection in pigs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a finding.
Biological Networking of Proteins Having Impending Role in Milk Fat Content of Bovines

In this era of postgenomic research, scientists are searching for biological catalogues that can assist in filling gapes in existing biological information. Intermingling of genomics, bioinformatics and computational biology is a promising approach towards advanced functional genomics and is answering many unanswered queries in science. Biological networking of macromolecules specially proteins is opening new horizons for exploring functional relations between gene products and the respective networks of such associations. Present study was planned to investigate the biological networks of three candidate genes/proteins that are involved in determining milk fat content in bovines. CYP11b1, OLR1 and SCD were selected for the purpose of analysis and meaningful results were found depicting their functional interactions in respective pathways. This study can be a first step towards the genetic and genomic screening of these genes at population level in the search of useful markers for selection of superior dairy animals. (Maryam Javed, Masroor Ellahi Babar, Asif Nadeem, Muhammad Wasim, Tanveer Hussain, Abu Saeed Hashmi . Biological Networking of Proteins Having Impending Role in Milk Fat Content of Bovines. Life Sci J 2014;11(10s):659-663). (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com . 126
Thymol and Acetic Acid Vapors Reduce Postharvest Brown Rot of Apricots and Plums

Fumigation with 1 mg·L -1 of thymol vapor retarded mycelial growth of Monilinia fructicola (G. Wint.) Honey. Mean colony diameter was reduced from 49 mm in the control to 13 mm when the conidia were cultured on potato dextrose agar. Fumigation of apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) with 2 mg·L -1 of thymol vapor reduced the germination of M. fructicola conidia to 2% compared with 98% on untreated fruit. Microscopic observations showed that the spores fumigated with thymol were shrunken and had collapsed proto- plasts. In in vivo experiments, surface-sterilized apricots and plums (Prunus salicina L.) were inoculated with conidia of M. fructicola by applying 20 µL of a spore suspension to wounds on the fruit, and then were fumigated with thymol or acetic acid. The incidence of brown rot was reduced to 3% and 32% when 'Manch' apricots were fumigated with thymol or acetic acid at 5 mg·L -1 , respectively, compared with 64% incidence in untreated fruit. Fumigation of 'Violette' plums with thymol or acetic acid at 8 mg·L -1 reduced brown rot from 88% in the control to 24% and 25%, respectively. Fumigation of 'Veeblue' plums with thymol at 4 mg·L -1 reduced brown rot from 56% in the control to 14%. Fumigation of apricots with thymol resulted in firmer fruit and higher surface browning, but total soluble solids and titratable acidity were not affected. Fumigation of plum with thymol resulted in higher total soluble solids, but firmness and titratable acidity were not affected. Thymol fumigation caused phytotoxicity on apricots but not on plums.
Elucidating the Role of Toxin-Induced Microbial Stress Responses in Biological Wastewater Treatment Process Upset

It is hypothesized that physiological bacterial stress response mechanisms are involved in activated sludge process upset caused by shock loads of toxic chemicals. The goal of this research was to determine whether the bacterial glutathione-gated, electrophile-induced potassium efflux system is responsible for deflocculation observed in response to shock loads of toxic electrophilic (thiol reactive) chemicals. The results indicate significant K efflux from the activated sludge floc structure to the bulk liquid in response to shock loads of chloro-2,4dinitrobenzene (CDNB), N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), benzoquinone (BQ), and cadmium (Cd) to a bench-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system. In most cases, the stressor chemicals caused significant deflocculation, as measured by an increase in effluent volatile suspended solids (VSS), at concentrations much less than that required to reduce the maximum specific oxygen uptake rate by 50% (IC50). This suggests that toxin-induced activated sludge deflocculation may actually be caused by a protective bacterial stress mechanism and that the upset event may not be detectable by aerobic respirometry. More importantly, the amount of K efflux appeared to correlate well with the degree of deflocculation. The transport of other cations including sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum, either to or from the floc structure, was negligible as compared to K efflux. It was also determined that the K efflux occurred immediately (within minutes) after toxin addition and then was followed by an increase in effluent turbidity. Using alkaline phosphatase as a periplasmic marker, it was determined that a negligible amount of the K efflux response was due to lysis of activated sludge microorganisms. The current results suggest that activated sludge upset (i.e. deflocculation) may be caused by a specific protective stress response in
DifferentialEffectof Adriamycinon DNA Replicativeand Repair Synthesisin CulturedNeonatal Rat CardiacCells1

The effect of the potent antitumor antiobiotic Adriamycin (ADM) on DNA replication and unscheduled DNA synthesis in cultured rat cardiac cells was investigated. Autoradiog raphy and [3H]thymidine incorporation studies were carried out on parallel cultures. DNA replication was depressed for up to 6 days following a 3-hr pulse of ADM administration. An ADM concentration of 1 . tg/mI which was effective in reducing replicative DNA synthesis by as much as 75% did not reduce the ability of cardiac cells to repair UV-damaged DNA. However, cells exposed to higher ADM concentrations failed to undergo significant UV-induced repair. In the absence of UV treatment, ADM did not stimulate unsched uled DNAsynthesis. To accountforthe differential response of the cardiac cell cultures to replicate and repair DNA, we propose that ADM exerts a localized effect on DNA synthe sis covering a region proximal to its primary intercalation site.
Introduction: Experimental Approaches to Testing Adaptation

How natural selection acts on traits to produce adaptation to different environments is a central question in evolutionary biology. Recently there has been a revival of interest in this question, in part because of the development of new tools in several fields (Rose and Lauder 1996). Modern methods for phylogenetic analysis now provide a framework for testing the hypothesis that a trait is an adaptation using comparative data (Larson and Losos 1996). It is also possible to test the current adaptive value of specific traits. Within-species phenotypic selection analysis (Lande and Arnold 1983) allows the measurement of direct and indirect selection on correlated characters in natural populations, and it can be combined with quantitative genetic data to predict short-term responses to selection. However, testing hypotheses concerning the ecological causes of natural selection usually requires experimental manipulation (Wade and Kalisz 1990). The objective of this volume is to explore how modern techniques for genetic and physiological manipulation can be used to elucidate the causes and mechanisms of adaptation. Experimental studies of adaptation are not new. The classical approach to testing for intraspecific local adaptation is the reciprocal transplant experiment. If the relative fitness of genotypes from each population is highest in their “home” environment, there is strong evidence for local adaptation. However, classical reciprocal transplant experiments cannot tell us the ecological causes of adaptation or what specific traits are under selection. More recently, evolutionary ecologists have used multivariate selection analysis (Lande and Arnold 1983; Rausher 1992) to examine direct and indirect selection on specific characters. This technique can be combined with experimental manipulation of environmental factors to elucidate the ecological causes of natural selection (Wade and Kalisz 1990). If the strength or direction of selection on a set of
Luteinizing Hormone Receptor Knockout (LuRKO) Mice and Transgenic Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)-Overexpressing Mice (hCG αβ+) Have Bone Phenotypes

Considerable attention has been paid to the role of sex steroids during periods of major skeletal turnover, but the interaction of the gonadotropic hormones, which include LH, FSH, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), within bone tissue have been overlooked. The question is pertinent due to the recent detection of extragonadal expression of gonadotropin receptors. Western blotting, immunolocalization, and RT-PCR supported the presence of osteoblast LH receptors. However, osteoblast cells failed to bind [125I]hCG and treatment with hCG failed to generate either cAMP or phosphorylated ERK 1/2. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone histomorphometry were examined in the following models: 1) LH receptor null mutant (LuRKO) mice; 2) transgenic mice overexpressing hCG (hCG αβ+); and 3) ovariectomized (OVX) hCG αβ+ model. Male LuRKO mice showed a decrease in BMD after 5 months, apparently secondary to suppressed gonadal steroid production. Similarly, 9- to 10-wk-old female LuRKO mice exhibited decreases in histo.
Genetic contribution of three introduced life history forms of sockeye salmon to colonization of Frazer Lake, Alaska

Colonization of Frazer Lake (Kodiak Island, Alaska) by sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) represents a rare, successful introduction of this species into a new environment. Eggs, fry, and adults were introduced repeatedly into Frazer Lake from 1951 to 1971. Donors originated from three source populations, each with different life histories: late-run lake shoreline spawners (Karluk Lake), early-run inlet tributary spawners (Red Lake), and late-run lake outlet spawners (Ruth Lake). We used six nuclear DNA (nDNA) microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to determine which donor population(s) had colonized the principal spawning habitats of Frazer Lake: three shoreline areas and four inlet tributaries. Based on nDNA comparisons, two shoreline-spawning populations were most similar to the shoreline donor, and the four tributary-spawning populations were most similar to the tributary donor. However, five of the seven Frazer Lake populations appeared to be influenced genetically by more than one donor.