Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studies on the enzymatic hydrolysis of Brazilian lobster (Panulirus spp) processing wastes

Meat recovered from the cephalothorax of the lobster (Panulirus spp), which is normally discarded during processing, was subjected to hydrolysis. The enzymes used were papain, pepsin and a fungal protease, each one tested at concentrations of 2, 4 and 5 mg g -1 (enzyme/substrate, wet weight basis). The degree of hydrolysis, measured by the release of tyrosine, was found to be highest when fungal protease was used, followed by papain and pepsin. Of the concentrations tested, it was found that 5 mg g -1 produced the highest degree of hydrolysis in the three enzymes. The protein hydrolysates produced were highly soluble, with excellent wettability and some capacity for oil emulsification. No bitter off-flavour was detected in the final product.
PHAGOCYTOSIS OF IMMUNE COMPLEXES BY MACROPHAGES

Sheep red cells (E) sensitized with IgG antibody (EA) or with antibody and complement (EAC) interact in vitro with mouse peritoneal macrophage monolayers. The role of IgG and of C3 in the attachment and ingestion of the erythrocytes was examined by means of quantitative technique utilizing 51Cr-labeled E. Controlled osmotic lysis permitted the separate measurement of the radioactivity associated with bound or with ingested E. IgG-125I was used to estimate the number of IgG molecules bound per E as a function of the IgG concentration. Control experiments showed that iodination did not influence the extent of binding of IgG to E and that the binding of IgG prepared from immune serum could be essentially ascribed to its anti-E antibody content. Only between 103 and 104 rabbit anti-E IgG molecules per erythrocyte were needed for detectable attachment and ingestion of EA (a maximum number of 6 x 105 IgG antibody molecules could be accomodated on one erythrocyte). Evidence was obtained that C3 is primarily involved in particle attachment, whereas only IgG is able to markedly promote the ingestion of particles attached to macrophages: (a) Addition of complement to the EA substantially increased the binding to the macrophages, whereas ingestion was increased to a smaller extent. Both binding and ingestion of EAC were markedly inhibited by papain fragments of IgG obtained from a rabbit antiserum to mouse C3. (b) Low doses (2 µg/ml) of papain fragments of IgG from a rabbit antiserum to mouse IgG markedly reduced the ingestion of EAC, whereas attachment of EAC to macrophages was inhibited to a much smaller degree. The possible relevance of these findings for the in vivo fate of particulate immune complexes as they interact with macrophages is discussed. It is suggested that in the primary immune response, when the complexes are predominantly in the form of EA (IgM) or EA (IgM) C3, they would tend to remain on the surface of the macrophages and thus be in a position to stimulate immunocompetent cells. In the secondary response, when EA (IgG) or EA (IgG) C3 predominate, the complexes would tend to be more rapidly interiorized and degraded by the mononuclear phagocytes,
Pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase : its oligomeric forms in mature green tomato fruit

Pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP: EC 2.7.1.90) from mature green tomato fruit was purified by a DEAE-Sephacel column and preparative gel electrophoresis. Tomato PFP was composed of oligomeric forms and the tetramer of 243–262 kDa molecular mass was predominant. Treatment of PFP with 20 mM pyrophosphate effectively dissociated oligomers into monomers as shown by the gel filtration patterns of a Sepharose 6B column. Kinetic analysis indicated that tomato PFP had a Km of 0.3 mM for glucose-6-phosphate and a Ki of 1.3 mM for pyrophosphate. About 11-fold activation was attained by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, though there was no activation in the direction of the reverse, gluconeogenesis reaction. Various effectors had a role to control the PFP activity in the direction of either the forward or reverse reaction.
Ainu and Ryukyuan Cranial Nonmetric Variation: Evidence which Disputes the Ainu-Ryukyu Common Origin Theory

Presence or absence of 22 nonmetric traits was recorded in the crania from the islands of Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima of the Ryukyu Islands. Their trait-frequency patterns were compared with the samples from East/Southeast Asia and the world using Smith's Mean Measure of Divergence (MMD) statistic, principal coordinate analysis, and neighbor-joining clustering algorithm. The results indicated that the Ryukyuan samples aligned with the East/Southeast Asian “Mongoloid” cluster and are far distant from the Jomon/Ainu cluster. These results do not support the prevailing view which favors a common origin of the Ainu and Ryukyuan peoples. Moreover, evidence based on morphological and genetic data supporting the present conclusion, and populational uniqueness of the Jomon and Ainu were discussed.
Effects of Amylopectin Branch Chain Length and Amylose Content on the Gelatinization and Pasting Properties of Starch

ABSTRACT Structures and properties of starches isolated from different botanical sources were investigated. Apparent and absolute amylose contents of starches were determined by measuring the iodine affinity of defatted whole starch and of fractionated and purified amylopectin. Branch chain-length distributions of amylopectins were analyzed quantitatively using a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography system equipped with a postcolumn enzyme reactor and a pulsed amperometric detector. Thermal and pasting properties were measured using differential scanning calorimetry and a rapid viscoanalyzer, respectively. Absolute amylose contents of most of the starches studied were lower than their apparent amylose contents. This difference correlated with the number of very long branch chains of amylopectin. Studies of amylopectin structures showed that each starch had a distinct branch chain-length distribution profile. Average degrees of polymerization (dp) of amylopectin branch chain length ranged from 18.
Effect of Sulphur-Based Amino Acids with or without Formic Acid on Performance and Microbial Load of Broiler Chickens

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of sulphur-based amino acids with or without formic acid on performance and microbial load of broiler chickens in a 56-day feeding trial. One hundred and ninety-two one-day old unsexed Arbor Acre broilers were used. The birds were brooded for 7 days after which they were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 12 birds each. The experimental treatments were: Diet 1: Basal diet + DL-methionine without formic acid, diet 2: Basal diet + DL-methionine with 0.8% formic acid, diet 3: Basal diet + methionine hydroxyl analogue without formic acid, diet 4: Basal diet + methionine hydroxyl analogue with formic acid. The design of the experiment was a completely randomised design in a 2X2 factorial arrangement. Dietary treatments had no significant influence on the feed intake (FI) pattern of the birds. However, the inclusion of formic acid and the sulphur amino acid sources significantly affected body weight gain (WG) and feed conversion (FCR). Birds fed with diet 2 had significantly (P<0.05) improved WG (3.16kg/bird) and FCR (1.42) compared with birds fed with the other diets with values ranging from 2.28 to 2.64kg/bird. The microbial load of the digesta from
Distribution history and present status of the raccoon dog in Finland

The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray was introduced from the Far East in several areas of the USSR, mainly the European part, in 1929–55. The first raccoon dogs were seen in Finland in the latter half of the 1930s, and by the mid-1950s, the frontier of the first regular observations had reached the most southeasterly parts of the country. Since then, the raccoon dog dispersed through southern and central Finland at an average annual rate of 20 km. The rate of population increase, as well as present density, has been highest in southern and southeastern Finland, and lowest in the northern parts of the distribution area. The northern limit of the distribution lies nowadays in southern Lapland, only a little further north than two decades earlier, when most of southern and central Finland was already inhabited. The length of the growing season seems to explain most of the variation in the population density between the provinces. The longer the growing season, the better the raccoon dog manages; in southern Finland where the summers are longer, the juveniles have enough time to grow and gather fat reserves before hibernation. Therefore, many of them survive the winter and even breed in the following spring. In the north, in contrast, juvenile mortality is high during the first winter because of the short summer. The food availability, the yield of wild berries and the abundance of small rodents, is mostly responsible for the annual variation in the population density. Near the northern limit of the distribution, climate may also cause some of the annual variation in population density.
The Amino-terminal Extracellular Domain of the MCP-1 Receptor, but Not the RANTES/MIP-1α Receptor, Confers Chemokine Selectivity

The chemoattractant cytokines, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein) and MIP-1α (macrophage inflammatory protein), are recognized by highly homologous but distinct receptors. To identify receptor domains involved in determining ligand specificity, we created a series of chimeric MCP-1 and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted)/MIP-1α receptors that progressively interchanged the amino terminus and each of the three extracellular loops. Radiolabeled MCP-1 bound with high affinity to the wild-type MCP-1 receptor, but not to the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor (C-C CKR-1). Chimeras that retained the amino-terminal extension of the MCP-1 receptor bound MCP-1 with high affinity. In contrast, chimeric MCP-1 receptors, in which the wild-type amino terminus was replaced with the corresponding portion of the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, bound MCP-1 with low affinity. These data indicate that the amino terminus of the MCP-1 receptor is necessary for high affinity binding of the ligand. Very different results were obtained using the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor. Radiolabeled MIP-1α bound with high affinity to chimeras that expressed the extracellular loops of the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor. In contrast to the MCP-1 receptor, substitution of the wild-type amino-terminal extension had little or no effect on MIP-1α binding. For the MCP-1, but not the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, the presence of the wild-type amino terminus also significantly lowered the ligand concentration required for maximal signaling. We conclude that the amino-terminal extension of the MCP-1 receptor, but not the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, is critically involved in ligand binding and signal transduction. These data reveal significant functional differences between the two C-C chemokine receptors and suggest a two-step mechanism for activation of the MCP-1 receptor.
Author's response

REFERENCES 1. Gelb AF, George SC, Silkoff PE, et al. Central and peripheral airway/alveolar sites of exhaled nitric oxide in acute asthma. Thorax 2010;65:619e25. 2. Mahut B, Trinquart L, Le Bourgeois M, et al. Multicentre trial evaluating alveolar NO fraction as a marker of asthma control and severity. Allergy 2010;65:636e44. 3. Mahut B, Delclaux C, Tillie-Leblond I, et al. Both inflammation and remodeling influence nitric oxide output in children with refractory asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:252e6. 4. Puckett JL, Taylor RW, Leu SY, et al. Clinical patterns in asthma based on proximal and distal airway nitric oxide categories. Respir Res 2010;11:47. 5. Delclaux C, Sembach N, Claessens YE, et al. Offline exhaled nitric oxide in emergency department and subsequent acute asthma control. J Asthma 2008;45:867e73.
Nonthermal Biological Effects of Microwaves: Current Knowledge, Further Perspective, and Urgent Needs

The aim of this article is to present an overview of diverse biological effects of nonthermal microwaves (NT MWs) and complex dependence of these effects on various physical and biological parameters. Besides well-known dependencies on frequency and modulation, the available data suggest dependencies of the NT MW effects on intermittence and coherence time of exposure, polarization, genotype, gender, physiological and individual factors, static magnetic filed, electromagnetic stray field, cell density during of exposure, and indicate that duration of exposure may be more important than PD for the NT MW effects. Further evaluation of these dependencies are needed for understanding the mechanisms by which NT MWs affect biological systems, eventual poor reproducibility of the NT MW effects, planning in vivo and epidemiological studies, developing medical treatments, setting safety standards, and minimizing the adverse effects of MWs from mobile communication.
A Movable Miniature Free Air CO 2 Enrichment (Mini-FACE) Facility for Field-grown Crops

This paper describes the design and performance of a miniature free air CO 2 enrichment (mini-FACE) system. Two joined concentric rings (a CO 2 fumigation vent-ring and an outer baffle-ring allowing for enhanced local mixing) can be adjusted vertically, allowing the fumigation system to trace canopy development during crop growth. These features facilitate the use of relatively small plots (1.14 m diameter). In tests based on four rings winter wheat was exposed to elevated [CO 2 ]. The system maintained a 1 min average [CO 2 ] at the centre of the control ring within - 10% of the setpoint for 77% of the operation time. In the vertical plane, where the CO 2 is liberated (level 0), the setpoint [CO 2 ] - 20% was met for 77% of the time given as a weighed mean of the ring area (1.02 m 2 ). The variation in [CO 2 ] measured among the four rings was acceptable. This flexible and cheap system may promote increased and globally more widespread research into the effects of increased atmospheric CO 2 on field-grow
The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investments in Latin American Forestry and Forest Industry

ABSTRACT The paper examines the relationships between the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the forestry and forest products industry and host-country-specific factors that affect the spatial distribution of FDI. Data on Brazil and Chile are used to analyze the impact of market size, roundwood supply, and exports on FDI. The results indicate that the main motivation for FDI is market-seeking and resource-seeking, highlighting the role of domestic demand and sufficient supply of roundwood in multinational forestry companies' investment decisions. The results further imply that governments can use policies related to these factors to attract foreign investment into the forest sector in Brazil and Chile.
CORRECTIONS

BIOPHYSICS AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY Correction for “Mechanism of E-cadherin dimerization probed by NMR relaxation dispersion,” by Ying Li, Nicole L. Altorelli, Fabiana Bahna, Barry Honig, Lawrence Shapiro, and Arthur G. Palmer III, which appeared in issue 41, October 8, 2013, of Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (110:16462–16467; first published September 25, 2013; 10.1073/pnas.1314303110). The authors note that the second sentence in the Acknowledgments, “This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants GM059273 (to A.G.P.) and GM062270 (to L.S.)” should instead appear as “This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants GM059273 (to A.G.P.) and GM062270 (to L.S.) and by National Science Foundation Grant MCB-0918535 (to B.H.). ”
Effects of oceanographic circulation on the gene flow, genetic structure, and phylogeography of the rosethorn rockfish (Sebastes helvomaculatus)

The genetic structure and phylogeography of 88 rosethorn rockfish (Sebastes helvomaculatus) from five localities (California, Oregon, British Columbia, and two in the Gulf of Alaska) were analyzed using DNA sequences from the mitochondrial control region. High levels of genetic diversity ( h > 85%) and significant population genetic structure (FST = 0.13, P 70% of the individuals representing a recent lineage absent in the Aleutian province. This suggests a limited northward dispersal across the zoogeographic boundary. The phylogeographic stucture may be due to a founder effect in the Aleutian province or an ocean circulation driven pseudo-vicariance. These results demonstrate that organisms with protracted pelagic-phase stages and high dispersal capability can exhibit population genetic structure that reflects their historical demography and present dispersal patterns.
Termination of pupal diapause in the bollworm Helicoverpa armigera by an imidazole derivative KK‐42

The bollworm Helicoverpa armigera , an important pest of cotton and other agricultural crops, overwinters in pupal diapause. Short daylength and lower temperature experienced during larval development are the major environmental triggers responsible for the induction of diapause (Li & Xie, 1981). Diapause is not a graded response to the environmental conditions but an ‘all or none’ phenomenon. Temperature is the most important factor in determining the duration of diapause (Wang et al., 1999). Diapausing pupae are characterized by a virtual absence of the moulting hormone and diapause can be broken by the injection of 20-hydroxyecdysterone (Wang & Gong, 1997). In some insects, KK-42 was reported to act as an anti-juvenile hormone (JH) agent (Kuwano et al., 1985; Kiuchi et al., 1985; Gelman et al., 1995) or as ecdysteroid antagonist (Kadono-Okuda et al., 1987; Kiuchi & Akai, 1988; Gelman et al., 1995). KK-42 was also shown to induce a precocious termination of diapause in pharate first instar larvae of the wild silkmothAntheraea yamamai , and the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar japonica(Suzuki et al., 1990, 1993; Bell et al., 1994; Lee & Denlinger, 1996). The ability of KK-42 to disrupt pupal diapause has not been investigated. The bollworm H. armigera is one of the most serious pests in Asia, especially in China. Our preliminary investigations revealed that ecdysteroids are crucial factors in the control of induction and termination of pupal diapause in this pest. The aim of the present study was to examine whether KK-42 exerts anti-ecdysteroid effects or, to the contrary, induces a precocious diapause break. In the first case, bollworms cultured under non-diapause conditions and treated with KK-42 as prepupae should develop into diapausing pupae or, at least, the length of the pupal instar should be extended. If, on the other hand, KK-42 could break pupal diapause, the treatment of diapausing pupae with KK-42 should cause a precocious termination of diapause. In this paper, we describe the effects of KK-42 on non-diapausing and on diapause-bound H. armigera prepupae and pupae. In pilot experiments we found that KK-42 may cause a precocious termination of diapause, presumably by stimulating ecdysteroid production from the prothoracic glands.
β-l,3-Glucanase and Resistance to Aspergillus flavus Infection in Maize

Studies of the activity levels of the fungal cell wall degradative enzyme, beta-1,3-glucanase, were carried out with Zea mays L. embryogenic callus cultures and kernels of genotypes with different abilities to resist aflatoxin formation on the ears. Dual-culture experiments of the aflatoxin forming fungus, Aspergillus flavus Link: Fr. with maize callus, demonstrated that the growth of A. flavus on plates was inhibited more by callus of a resistant genotype (Tex 6 x Mo17 denoted TXM) than by a sensitive genotype (Pa91). The inhibition correlated with the activity levels of beta-1,3-glucanase in the callus and in the culture medium. The presence of the fungus caused an increase in enzyme activity in TXM but not in Pa91 callus. Direct treatment of callus of both genotypes with A. flavus spores caused the amount of callose to increase within 30 min. An elevated beta-1,3-glucanase activity in maize kernels was also correlated with lower A. flavus infection observed in the resistant genotype (Tex 6) compared with a susceptible one (B73). Fungal inoculation of the ears increased the enzyme activities both in kernels in contact with and not in contact with the fungus. These studies indicate that beta-1,3-glucanase activity may have a role in the inhibition of growth of the A. flavus fungus, that maize embryogenic callus and kernels do respond to the presence of this nonpathogenic fungus, and that these systems might be useful in further plant-fungal interaction studies.
Arsenic phytoremediation by Phragmites australis: green technology

The authors report arsenic phytoremediation by the common reed, Phragmites australis (P. australis). The plants for this study were collected from five sampling sites in the Chelpo contaminated area of Khorasan Province in Northeast Iran. P. australis was found to be a hyper‐accumulator plant. Because of the potential for this plant to be used as an agent to remove arsenic from a polluted environment, P. australis has a considerable enrichment factor. Thus, in the P. australis accumulation model following the order of root>rhizome>stem>leaves, the examination of P. australis for the phytoremediation process indicates that this species can cope with arsenic remediation from certain polluted soils.
Use of Faecel Fluid for Dry Matter Digestibility of Ruminant Feeds

Abstract Denek, N. and Can, A. 2007. Use of faecel fluid for dry matter digestibility of ruminant feeds. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 31: 29–32. To compare the suitability of buffered faecal suspensions of sheep (SFT), cattle (CFT) and horse (HFT) as an inoculum in in vitro digestibility technique ten feeds viz. commercial concentrate feed (CCF) with low CP: wheat straw (WS) (30:70; Fl), CCF with high CP: WS (70:30; F2), CCF with low CP: alfalfa hay (AH) (70:30; F3), CCF with low CP: WS (70:30; F4), CCF with low CP: alfalfa hay (AH) (30:70; F5), tomato pomace silage containing 10% WS (F6), corn grain (CG): AH (40:60; F7), CG:AH (85:15; F8), AH (F9) and WS (FIO) were used. Results from this study indicated that HFT had the highest potential to be used for predicting in vivo DM digestibility. However, more research is required to improve HFT.
Enrofloxacin Residue in Chicken Tissues from Tehran Slaughterhouses in Iran

Two hundred and seventy chicken muscle, liver and kidney samples from 90 broiler farm in Tehran province of Iran were collected over a period of one year starting from August 2001. All chicken had been slaughtered in Tehran slaughterhouse. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used for separating, detecting and analyzing of Enrofloxacin residues in samples. All samples showed Enrofloxacin residues and samples from 22 (24% of farms showed residues of Enrofloxacin above MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits). 8 (8.88%),12 (13.33%) and 22 (24.44%) of muscle, liver and kidney samples showed residues of Enrofloxacin above MRLs respectively. The mean concentrations of Enrofloxacin in muscle, liver and kidney samples were 18.32±32.29SD, 18.34±12.36 SD and 26.06±19.52 SD ng/g respectively. This study confirmed widespread misuses of Enrofloxacin in farms and lack of implementation of recommended withdrawal times. Also the results of this study emphasized on harder regulations for the use of antimicrobial drugs in poultry industry as well as the inspection of chickens for drug residues prior to marketing.