Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extrapair paternity in the red bishop (Euplectes orix): is there evidence for the good-genes hypothesis?

We investigated the pattern and frequency of extrapair paternity in a colony of the red bishop, a sexually dimorphic and highly polygynous passerine. In particular, we tested whether there was evidence in support of the good-genes hypothesis, stating that females seek extrapair copulations with high-quality males to enhance the genetic quality of their offspring. Paternity analysis of 432 nestlings from 187 broods using non-radioactive multilocus DNA-fingerprinting revealed that 17.6% of nestlings were extrapair young (EPY) and 30.5% of all broods investigated contained at least one EPY. In a pairwise comparison, extrapair fathers were found to have significantly longer tarsi than the within-pair fathers they cuckolded. Furthermore, extrapair fathers were more often territory owners in the previous season,
Effects of interlinker sequences on the biological properties of bispecific single-chain antibodies

Single-chain bispecific antibody (scBsAb) is one of the promising genetic engineering antibody formats for clinical application. But the effects of interlinker sequences on the biological properties of bispecific single-chain antibodies have not been studied in detail. Three interlinker sequences were designed and synthesized, and denominated as Fc, HSA, 205C′, respectively. Universal vectors with these different interlinker sequences for scBsAb expression in E. coli were constructed. A model scBsAb based on a reshaped single-chain antibody (scFv) against human CD3 and a scFv directed against human ovarian carcinoma were generated and expressed in E. coli. The results of SDS-PAGE and Western blot showed that the different interlinker sequences did not affect the expression level of scBsAb. However, as demonstrated by ELISA and pharmacokinetics studies performed in mice, scBsAbs with different interlinker sequences had difference in the antigen-binding activities and terminal half-life time (T1÷2β) in vivo, the interlinker HSA could remarkably prolong the retention time of scBsAb in blood. These results indicated that the peptide sequence of interlinker could affect important biological properties of scBsAb, such as antigen-binding properties and stability in vivo. So, selection of an appropriate interlinker sequence is very important for scBsAb construction. Optimal interlinker can bring scBsAb biological properties more suitable for clinical application.
The Endothelium, Part I: Multiple Functions of the Endothelial Cells -- Focus on Endothelium-Derived Vasoactive Mediators

ABSTRACT The endothelium, a monolayer of endothelial cells, constitutes the inner cellular lining of the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) and the lymphatic system, and therefore is in direct contact with the blood/lymph and the circulating cells. The endothelium is a major player in the control of blood fluidity, platelet aggregation and vascular tone, a major actor in the regulation of immunology, inflammation and angiogenesis, and an important metabolizing and an endocrine organ. Endothelial cells controls vascular tone, and thereby blood flow, by synthesizing and releasing relaxing and contracting factors such as nitric oxide, metabolites of arachidonic acid via the cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases and cytochrome P450 pathways, various peptides (endothelin, urotensin, CNP, adrenomedullin, etc.), adenosine, purines, reactive oxygen species and so on. Additionally, endothelial ectoenzymes are required steps in the generation of vasoactive hormones such as angiotensin II. An endothelial dysfu.
Taxonomic diversity of bacteria associated with the roots of field‐grown transgenic Brassica napus cv. Quest, compared to the non‐transgenic B. napus cv. Excel and B. rapa cv. Parkland

The composition and diversity of the bacterial community associated with plant roots is influenced by a variety of plant factors such as root density and exudation. In turn, these factors are influenced by plant breeding programs. This study assessed the diversity of root-endophytic and rhizosphere bacterial communities associated with three canola cultivars (Parkland, Brassica rapa; Excel, B. napus; and Quest, B. napus) grown at two field sites. Quest, a derivative of Excel developed by the Alberta Wheat Pool, has been genetically engineered to tolerate the herbicide glyphosate. Approximately 2300 bacteria were isolated from roots of plants and identified based on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. One third of the isolates were positively identified by FAME analysis (i.e. SIM index ≥0.3) with another third assigned tentative identifications (SIM index <0.3). Fewer Bacillus, Micrococcus and Variovorax isolates, and more Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas isolates were found in the root interior of Quest compared to Excel or Parkland. Furthermore, fewer Arthrobacter and Bacillus isolates were recovered from the rhizosphere of Quest compared to Excel or Parkland. The bacterial root-endophytic community of the transgenic cultivar, Quest, was separated by principal component analysis from the other cultivars, and exhibited a lower diversity compared to Excel or Parkland. The rhizosphere of all cultivars yielded more Arthrobacter, Aureobacterium, and Bacillus isolates, but fewer Micrococcus, Variovorax and Xanthomonas isolates compared to the root interior. The results from this study indicate that the composition of the root-endophytic bacterial community of canola differs between cultivars.
Identification and functional characterization of Arabidopsis AP180, a binding partner of plant αC-adaptin

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a well-studied uptake mechanism for nutrients and signalling receptors in mammalian cells that depends on the coordinated interaction of coat proteins and endocytic network proteins to perform the internalization. In this process AP180 promotes the assembly of clathrin triskelia into coated membrane patches at the plasma membrane, while α-adaptin interacts with various network proteins that are in turn required for the budding of the coated pits. The process of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in plants has not been dissected at the molecular level, nor have the members of an analogous uptake machinery been functionally described. In this respect, we have investigated the AP180 and α-adaptin orthologs from Arabidopsis thaliana: At-AP180 and At-αC-Ad. Both plant proteins display the same structural features as their mammalian counterparts and fulfill the same basic functions. To identify their interacting partners, the ear region of At-αC-Ad and the C-terminal region of At-AP180 were used as fusion proteins in pull-down experiments and plasmon-resonance measurements. At-αC-Ad binds several mammalian endocytic proteins, and its interaction with At-AP180 requires the DPF motif. At-AP180 functions as a clathrin assembly protein that promotes the formation of cages with an almost uniform size distribution. Deletion of the single DLL motif abolished the assembly activity of At-AP180 almost completely, but did not affect its binding to triskelia, suggesting the existence of additional binding determinants.
Effects of energy wood harvesting on timber production potential and biological diversity in North Karelia, Finland.

We conducted a two-dimensional production possibility frontier analysis to study the relationships between energy wood removal and 10 variables representing timber production possibilities and biological diversity. The analysis was restricted to the North Karelia region in Eastern Finland over a 40-year period. A large-scale forest planning system was used to deﬁne efﬁcient future joint production possibilities between energy wood removal and the 10 variables. The results indicate that in North Karelia, a moderate amount of forest chips and ﬁrewood can be harvested without large impacts on the timber production potential or biological diversity. Large amounts of energy wood can be harvested from thinning stands, and this simultaneously supports timber production. Energy wood can be harvested from young stands with only minor effects on variables measuring biological diversity. However, if the economic outcome is maximized, about 50% of the energy wood removal at the target level of 1.5 million m 3 year (cid:2) 1 will be from ﬁnal cutting areas. The results of this analysis show that economically sound production of energy wood is strongly linked to the harvesting operations of other forest industries. Professor Antti Asikainen, and Dr. Juha Laitila for their help during the preparation of the article. Two anonymous referees are also acknowledged for their valuable comments on the article. The study was made in the Cool (COmpeting uses Of forestLand) project, a project within two ERA-Nets, WoodWisdom Net 2 and Bioenergy, with Finnish national funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The NAD synthetase NadE (OutB) of Bacillus subtilis is a σB-dependent general stress protein

The identification of σB-dependent general stress proteins is a useful strategy to understand the physiological role of the unspecific stress response in Bacillus subtilis. By N-terminal sequencing of B. subtilis stress proteins Gsp38 was identified as the NAD-synthetase (NadE). NadE was previously characterized as spore outgrowth factor B (OutB) conferring a temperature-sensitive spore outgrowth defective phenotype. Transcriptional studies showed that nadE is strongly induced in response to heat, ethanol and salt stress or after starvation for glucose in a σB-dependent manner. Two promoters are involved in transcriptional initiation, the σA-dependent upstream promoter contributes to the basal level during growth, whereas the σB-dependent downstream promoter is induced after different stress conditions.
The significance of the thickness of cattle skin

The skin is thin at birth. Seasonal variations and changes in the plane of nutrition affect the skin thickness. The differences in skin thickness between breeds of both B. taurus and B. indicus species, are highly significant. Both thin and relatively thick hides may be associated with any combination of milk and beef, early and late maturity, temperate and tropical type cattle.
Effect of yogic practices on low density lipoproteins

The present study was undertaken primarily to assess the effectiveness of yogic practices on reducing low density lipoproteins. For the purpose of the study, 30 middle aged men aged between 35 and 40 years (mean  S.D. 37.5  1.5 years) were randomly selected. The selected subjects for the present study were divided into two groups, namely yogic practice group and control group. The control group was not given any training. The experimental group practiced yoga, weekly six days i.e. Monday to Saturday, between 6.00 A.M. to 8.00 A.M., for a period of twelve week. , The results of this study showed that there was a significant difference between yogic practice group and control group on low density lipoproteins. Moreover, the result of the study also shown that there was a significant decrease in low density lipoproteins after the yogic practice when compared with the control group.
Stemphol from Pleospora herbarum as a Self-Inhibitor

organism producing them may be designated as selfinhibitors, auto-inhibitors and auto-antibiotics.1} In our research for a sporogenic substance of the pathogenic fungus, Pleospora herbarum (Fungi Imperfecti: Stemphylium botryosum), we found that this fungus produced a self-inhibitor in the culture medium. In 1973, this compoundwas reported to have been found in a fungus with the same genus name of Fungi Imperfecti, Stemphylium majusculum,2) but the authors, who called this compound stemphol 1 (Fig. 1), could not distinguish between two possible chemical structures. In 1979, Achenbach et al. synthesized two possible stemphols and concluded that stemphol has the structure 1 from identical mp, UVand mass spectra and elemental analysis results. They also reported that synthetic stemphol and its related compounds had an antibiotic activity against gram-positive bacteria {Bacillus subtHis and Staphylococcus aureus), a yeast {Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and a fungus (Mucor hiemalis). 3) We now describe the isolation of stemphol as a self-inhibitor and its self-inhibitory activity. This fungus was grown on a potato-agar mediumwith 2% sucrose under fluorescent lamps at 25°C for a week. The full-grown mycelia, bearing abundant conidia, as well as the cultured nutrient agar were macerated with acetone, and the acetone extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure and below 40°C to an aqueous residue, which was
Hepatocytes Deficient in CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein α (C/EBPα) Exhibit both Hepatocyte and Biliary Epithelial Cell Character

Abstract To further elucidate the role of CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein α (C/EBPα) in hepatocyte differentiation, we investigated fetal and newborn C/EBPα-deficient (C/EBPα −/−) mice using confocal microscopy and markers specific for hepatocyte (AFP) and biliary epithelial cell (A6) differentiation. Histologically, in fetal liver of C/EBPα −/− mice, pseudoglandular structures appeared starting at 16.5 days of gestation. In newborn livers, the diameters of these structures greatly increased. They were randomly distributed between portal and central veins and interfered with the establishment of normal hepatic plates. However, the portal bile ducts developed normally. The pseudoglandular structures were lined with small hepatocytes with round nuclei and were positive for both AFP and A6 antigens. These data show that C/EBPα −/− hepatocytes exhibit biliary epithelial cell characters and suggest an involvement of C/EBPα in the control of the switch in the differentiation of bi-potential hepatoblasts along the hepatocyte lineage.
Monogenoidea (Dactylogyridae) em tilápias-do-nilo cultivadas sob diferentes densidades de estocagem em tanques-rede

The prevalence and infection intensity of Monogenoidea in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultivated under different stocking densities in 4m3 cages were evaluated. The experiment was designed in sample random sampling with four treatments - densities (D) of D1=250, D2=300, D3=350, and D4=400 fish/m3- and three repetitions, using 360 fish captured and analyzed during the period from February to June 2003. Physiochemical parameters of the water were monthly monitored. Prevalences of 52.8; 62.5; 69.4; 83.3; and 58.3% and parasitic mean intensities of 112.8; 65.7; 274.0; 97.8; and 100.2 Dactylogyrus sp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) were observed. No relationship between the prevalence and infection intensity with the cultivation density was found. However, quadratic effect was verified (P<0.05) related to the parasitic intensity in function of the month. High mean intensity of infection (274) and high prevalence (83.3%) were verified in the months in that the temperature and the transparency of the water oscillated below the recommended limits for the thermal comfort and well-being of tilapia.
A previously unreported throat muscle in Scolecophidia (Reptilia: Serpentes), with comments on other scolecophidian throat muscles

Summary A throat muscle, present in Scolecophidia but absent in other snakes, is reported here for the first time. This muscle passes from the genial region of the lower jaw to the mucosa of the floor of the oral cavity. The precise homology of the muscle is uncertain. In Typhlops at least, it appears to receive hypoglossal innervation, and can thus be assigned to the hypobranchial-spinal muscle group. It may have been derived from a lateral portion of the genioglossus that inserts on the floor of the oral cavity, as is found in diverse lizards, or it may have been derived from the snake geniotrachealis. Present evidence tends to favour the former hypothesis. While the evolutionary origin of the scolecophidian muscle remains unclear a new name is required, it is here termed the geniomucosalis, after the regions of origin and insertion. Some major problems of scolecophidian phylogeny are discussed as a background to remarks on the possible cladistic implications of the presence of the geniomucosalis in Sco.
The effect of temporal variability in salinity on the invasive red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla

Non-native, invasive species are often characterized by being tolerant to environmental stressors, leaving them more fit relative to native species. The red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla originates from the NW Pacific but has recently spread along the coastlines of Western Europe, where it has become abundant in many shallow, soft-bottom estuaries. Salinity is important for the local and regional distribution of algae. The distribution of G. vermiculophylla in Europe suggests that it thrives well in hyposaline environments and that it may be more fit than some native algae under such conditions. Little, however, is known about the ecophysiology of G. vermiculophylla and it is therefore difficult to predict its spread and future distribution. Laboratory experiments with G. vermiculophylla showed that steady-state salinity above 15 psu was optimal for growth and that the growth rate was reduced at salinities below 15 psu. Variable salinity reduced the growth rate and larger oscillations were more stressful than small ones. Exposure to very low salinity (0–5 psu) was stressful for the alga and algae exposed to these low levels for 2–4 days were unable to recover fully. Gracilaria vermiculophylla did not seem to perform better in hyposaline conditions than many native, estuarine species. The present distribution of G. vermiculophylla in Scandinavia can be explained well by its response to salinity, but this may not explain its present success relative to many naturally occurring algal species.
Conservation of the Grassy White Box Woodlands: Effects of Remnant Population Size on Genetic Diversity in the Allotetraploid Herb Microseris lanceolata

The outcrossing allotetraploid herb, Microseris lanceolata, was once abundant and widespread in grasslands and grassy woodlands of southern Australia. Since European settlement, agricultural activities have fragmented its once relatively continuous populations, leaving only small, isolated remnants throughout much of its range. We used allozyme electrophoresis to study the effects of fragmentation on patterns of genetic variation in 16 M. lanceolata populations. Despite its extremely reduced abundance, patterns of genetic variation in M. lanceolata still largely resemble those of a widespread and abundant species. Allele richness (mean = 7.1 alleles per locus set) and total gene diversity ( Ht = 0.371) were high, compared with widespread diploid plant species. This may result partly from tetraploidy in this species. Populations themselves were highly variable, with an average gene diversity within populations ( Hs ) of 0.362 and allele richness of 4.2 alleles per locus set. Detectable differentiation between populations was low ( GST = 2.7%), but there were differences due to rare alleles. One difference between M. lanceolata and other widespread plant species was a high proportion of alleles classed as rare (0.75). Genetic diversity in M. lanceolata populations (ranging in size from 87 to 140,000 individuals) was analyzed in relation to population size, area, and latitude. Relationships between population size and allele richness were difficult to interpret owing to correlations with latitude. Five of eight populations with less than 3000 individuals had notably fewer alleles per locus set than larger populations, while three had as many or more. Individual diversity, as indicated by mean number of alleles per individual, observed uniformity, and other measures, was significantly lower in small populations. Thus, the data indicated that small populations (<0.2 ha, <3000 individuals) are undergoing gradual genetic decline but that at present even small populations can still have relatively high levels of genetic diversity and are therefore valuable for the conservation of this species.
Soil conservation techniques in vineyards increase passerine diversity and crop use by insectivorous birds

Capsule Bird communities are better conserved in vineyards with mechanically managed herbaceous cover corridors. Aims To determine the advantages of herbaceous cover corridors for the conservation of farmland birds. Methods We studied birds in three vineyards subjected to different crop management schemes. Two vineyards had a herbaceous cover planted between crop rows to prevent soil erosion. In one vineyard these herbaceous cover corridors were chemically managed to prevent competition between the herb cover and the crop, whereas in a second the herbaceous cover was subject to mechanical management through some clearing, crop coverage, and height checks. A third vineyard was under conventional management (bare soil and soil tillage) and served as a control. We compared landscape structure and metrics, and passerine species richness, abundance, and diversity between the three vineyards. Results Overall bird species richness and diversity, as well as abundance of insectivorous passerine birds were highest in the mechanically managed vineyard. The chemically managed vineyard had lower species richness and abundance in comparison to the mechanically managed vineyard. In contrast, the conventionally managed plot had the lowest bird diversity, abundance, and species richness of all three plots. Landscape diversity was similar across the three vineyards. Conclusion Although our findings are preliminary and more research and replications are needed, we demonstrate that mechanically managed herbaceous cover corridors in vineyards, have positive impacts on the resident bird communities.
Leaf Anatomy of Four Species Grown under Continuous CO2 Enrichment

The effects of continuous, atmospheric CO2 enrichment on leaf anatomy and morphology were examined for corn, soybean, loblolly pine, and sweet gum. Plants were exposed to constantly monitored CO2 levels of 340, 520, 718, and 910 ppm throughout the growing season in the field. Samples obtained from fully expanded leaves were subjected to routine anatomical procedures, sectioned transversely at 10 μm, and measured for total thickness and thicknesses of epidermal, palisade, and spongy mesophyll layers. Epidermal peels and scanning electron microscopy were used to observe possible changes in leaf surfaces Significant increases were measured in leaf thickness for the three C3 species under enriched CO2 conditions, but not for corn, a C4 plant. The influence of CO2 treatments on changes in stomatal indices was not significant, and there were no clear patterns in variation of stomatal frequency among treatments. Chloroplasts in leaf tissues of plants from CO2-enriched treatments appeared denser and were more deeply stained by the crystal violet.