Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization and the Effect of pH Adjustment for Trehalose Production by Propionibacterium acidipropionici DSM 20273

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide, which is used in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Microorganisms produce trehalose to protect their cells from stress conditions. The optimum conditions were determined for trehalose production by Propionibacterium acidipropionici DSM 20273 using the Taguchi method with four parameters: lactose concentration, initial pH, temperature and agitation rate. The trehalose production was optimum at a lactose concentration of 20 g.L-1, an initial of pH 7, a temperature of 30°C and an agitation rate of 100 revolutions per minute. Under these conditions, the highest yield of trehalose (595 mg.·L-1)was produced. Of the four parameters tested, the trehalose production was most affected by the temperature. To investigate the effect of pH adjustment on trehalose production, the pH was adjusted to four levels: no control of pH, control of pH at 5.5, part 1, control of pH at 7 and control of pH at 5.5, part 2. The study found that the pH adjustment increased the accumulation of trehalose. The highest volumetric production rate and yield of trehalose were found when controlling the pH at 7, during the period 114.30–192 hr (0.0113 g.L-1.hr-1 and 0.346 g.g-1, respectively). The concentration of trehalose reached 0.925 g.L-1 at the end of the fermentation. Furthermore, the efficiency of the lactose consumption was around 100 ± 10%.
Fluctuations in abundance of a stem-boring moth damaging shoots of Phragmites australis: causes and effects of overexploitation of food in a late-successional grass monoculture.

Flush-crash cycles of the monophagous and univoltine moth Archanara geminipuncta, which greatly damages the silicate-rich shoots of common reed P. australis, showed a non-equilibrium nature of population fluctuations in this late-successional, apparent, and undistrubed grass monoculture. The striking similarities to pest outbreaks in crops (early successional plants in man-made pure stands) are discussed (.)
Enhancement of Catalytic Efficiencies of Xylanase, Pectinase and Cellulase by Microwave Pretreatment of their Substrates

Microwave pre-treatment of polygalacturonic acid, xylan and carboxymethylcellulose was found to improve the catalytic efficiencies of pectinase, xylanase and cellulase by 1.5, 2.3 and 1.6 fold, respectively. The microwave effect was distinguished from a pure thermal effect by irradiating at a constant temperature with the help of a non-contact infrared controller. The temperature and time of pre-treatment and substrate concentration during the pre-treatment were optimized by response surface methodology. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant morphological changes in the substrate as a result of microwave pre-treatment. The time course of enzymatic hydrolysis in each case showed that the use of microwave pre-treated substrates gave higher catalytic rates. Also, a higher degree of bioconversion was observed in each case when microwave pre-treated substrates were used.
Phyllostomid Bat Community Structure and Abundance in Two Contrasting Tropical Dry Forests 1

Although tropical wet forests are generally more diverse than dry forests for many faunal groups, few studies have compared bat diversity among dry forests. I compared ground level phyllostomid bat community structure between two tropical dry forests with different precipitation regimes. Parque National Palo Verde in northwestern Costa Rica represents one of the wettest tropical dry forests (rainfall 1.5 m/yr), whereas the Chamela‐Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve on the Pacific coast of central Mexico represents one of the driest (750 mm/yr). Mist net sampling was conducted at the two study sites to compare changes in ground level phyllostomid bat community structure between regions and seasons. Palo Verde was more diverse than Chamela and phyllostomid species showed low similarity between sites (Classic Jaccard = 0.263). The distinct phyllostomid communities observed at these two dry forest sites demonstrates that variants of tropical dry forest can be sufficiently different in structure and composition to affect phyllostomid communities. At both dry forest sites, abundance of the two most common foraging guilds (frugivores and nectarivores) differed between seasons, with greatest numbers of individuals captured coinciding with highest chiropterophilic resource abundance.
PRE-PRINT VERSION

Marketing activities support the market introduction of innovative goods or services by furthering their diﬀusion and, thus, their success. However, such activities are rather ex-pensive. Managers must therefore decide which speciﬁc marketing activities to apply to which extent and/or to which target group at which point in time. In this paper we introduce an agent-based simulation approach that supports decision makers in these concerns. The practical applicability of our tool is illustrated by means of a case study of a novel, biomass-based fuel that will likely be introduced on the Austrian market within the next ﬁve years.
Offsets for land clearing: No net loss or the tail wagging the dog?

Summary Offsets (also known as mitigation banks, compensatory habitat, set-asides) is a policy instrument recently introduced in several States in Australia to permit some land clearing while striving for no net loss in the extent and condition of native vegetation overall. Offsetting is criticized with respect to the amount of gain required to compensate for losses from clearing, the equivalence of losses and gains, the time lag between losses and gains and a poor record of compliance. Despite these criticisms, we conclude that offsetting is a useful policy instrument while governments continue to permit some clearing of native vegetation. However, offsets will only contribute to no net loss if (i) clearing is restricted to vegetation that is simplified enough so that its functions can be restored elsewhere with confidence or clearing is restricted to vegetation that is unlikely to persist and is not practicable to restore irrespective of clearing; (ii) any temporary loss in habitat between clearing and the maturation of an offset, or differences between the habitat lost from clearing and gained through an offset, does not represent significant risk to a species, population or ecosystem process; (iii) there will be gains of sufficient magnitude on the offset site to compensate for losses from clearing; (iv) best practice adaptive management is applied to offsets; (v) offsets are in place for at least the same duration as the impacts from clearing; and (vi) there is adequate compliance. Land clearing with offsets outside these parameters is inconsistent with ‘no net loss’.
First record of Cybicola buccatus (Copepoda: Pseudocycnidae) in Scomberomorus brasiliensis (Scombridae) in northeastern Brazil coast

The Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus brasiliensis is an epipelagic species with coastal habits and is a fundamental part of artisanal fishing along the Brazilian coast as a species with high economic value. The present work aimed to report the first occurrence of Cybicola buccatus (Copepoda) in S. brasiliensis in northeastern Brazil. The fish were purchased at the public terminal in Aracaju/SE between March 2016 and June 2019 and transported to the laboratory for identification, necropsy and parasite collection. Of the sixteen fish analysed, six were parasitized by C. buccatus with a prevalence of 37.50%, an mean intensity of 1.33 and an mean abundance of 0.50. This occurrence is a new record of this ectoparasite for the locality, as it had not yet been reported in S. brasiliensis on the northeastern coast of Brazil. The results presented here contribute to the existing knowledge about the distribution of this copepod and the parasitic fish fauna along the Brazilian coast.
Where Should I Publish My Scholarly Research Article

Research is essential to carry science forward by the way of innovations and dissemination of findings in the form of publications. Experiences and findings can be shared among scholars and people around the globe so that similar and new thoughts can be generated. Publications also help in knowledge building, improve one’s curriculum vitae, academic and career advancement. They directly or indirectly enhance institute’s reputation and gets financial benefit in form of grants [1].
A New Group of Filterable Organisms

A group of organisms of small size has been discovered which can be cultivated in indefinite series. The organisms form a well-defined group and have both relatively large and small forms. The smaller forms appear to be as small as vaccinia virus and from them the larger forms readily develop. Occurrence The organisms have been obtained from all samples of raw sewage so far examined from four London districts during the summer. They have not been detected in London tap-water, or faecal material from man, pig, rabbit, or rat.
The effect of vitamin C and E supplementation in the treatment of malarial infection

Malaria infects a number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa and is gradually becoming endemic in this region. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of malaria on antioxidant status and also to ascertain whether antioxidant vitamins could be useful in the treatment of malaria. The study group comprised of 40 patients with non-complicated malaria and 25 healthy age-matched controls. Twenty-five of the patients, (group A), were given chloroquine only while 15,(group B), were given vitamins C and E in addition to chloroquine. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), and serum lipid peroxidation were measured. The results obtained at enrolment and 7days after the patients had commenced medication showed significantly higher (p The Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 24 2003: 39-46
Microproteinuria and Long-term Prognosis with Respect to Renal Function and Survival in Normotensive and Hypertensive Women: A 24-year Follow-up of a Representative Population Sample of Women in Gothenburg, Sweden

Objective: This study aimed to assess albuminuria and subclinical proteinuria, their association with hypertension and their role as predictors of hypertension, impaired renal function and mortality. Material and Methods: A baseline population study comprising 1462 women in five different age groups in Gothenburg, Sweden, was carried out in 1968-69. Comprehensive clinical examinations and laboratory tests were performed, including blood pressure measurement and an Albustix test. A systematic subsample of women additionally collected a 24 h urine sample for quantitative protein analysis. Values of urinary protein (u-protein) excretion between 80 and 300 mg/24 h were defined as microproteinuria. The results described in this paper are based on a 24-year follow-up. Results: The baseline Albustix test was positive in 6.8% of 1458 women, from whom a urine sample was obtained. Of 741 baseline urine collections for u-protein excretion, 16.9% were in the microproteinuric range (80-300 mg/24 h), 1.1% in the macroproteinuric range (>300 mg/24 h) and 82.1% in the normoproteinuric range (<80 mg/24 h). Hypertension was more common in Albustix-positive women than in those with negative Albustix, and hypertension was also more prevalent in women with microproteinuria than in women with normoproteinuria. Neither positive Albustix nor microproteinuria was related to later renal impairment. Hypertension was associated with increased mortality in both Albustixpositive and Albustix-negative women, and in women with both normoproteinuria and microproteinuria at baseline. The mortality ratio during the follow-up period was, however, not significantly influenced by positive Albustix or by microproteinuria at baseline, in either hypertensive or non-hypertensive women. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that both a positive Albustix test and microproteinuria were associated with hypertension. Hypertension at baseline increased the risk for death during the follow-up period, while neither albuminuria, defined as a positive Albustix test, nor microproteinuria was associated with an impaired long-term prognosis with respect to renal function or survival in this cohort of Swedish middleaged women during 24 years of follow-up. Microproteinuria in otherwise healthy normotensive or hypertensive women does not appear to impair the long-term prognosis.
Differential interactions among cotton genotypes and isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum

Abstract The pathogenicity of nine isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov) was evaluated on seedlings of 30 cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) genotypes in 2005 and 2006. Isolate×genotype interaction was a highly significant (P < 0.01) source of variation in wilt incidence, suggesting that physiologic specialization exists within Fov isolates. Cluster analysis of aggressiveness of isolates and susceptibility of genotypes by the unweighted pair-group method based on arithmetic means (UPGMA) placed the isolates and the genotypes in several groups. Isolates were separated into two distinct groups. One group was closely related to race 5 while the other group was closely related to race 1. Cluster analysis also demonstrated that the Egyptian commercial cultivars had unique susceptibility patterns to Fov isolates remotely related to those of the other genotypes. The interaction between experiments of 2005 and 2006 was mainly due to a differential effect of years on the disease incidence for cotton cultivars.
Effect of Caponization on Meat Quality of Greenleg Partridge Cockerels

Abstract The objective of the study was to determine the effect of caponizing Greenleg Partridge cockerels on slaughter parameters and meat quality. In total 80 Greenleg Partridge cockerels were assigned to two groups with 40 birds per group. Group I (control) consisted of uncastrated cockerels and group II contained birds that were castrated at 8 weeks of age. Birds were kept until 24 weeks of age and fed the same diet ad libitum. Body weight was recorded at 1, 8, 16 and 24 weeks of age. Dressing percentage, proportion of breast and leg muscles, giblets and abdominal fat, and microstructure of the pectoralis superficialis muscle were determined postmortem. Physicochemical characteristics of meat (pH, CIE L*a*b* colour, water holding capacity, drip loss, thawing loss, cooking loss, shear force, texture parameters and chemical composition) were determined and sensory evaluation was performed. The castration of Greenleg Partridge cockerels contributed to increases in body weight, dressing percentage, and carcass muscle and fat content, and changed the colour of bird skin and muscles. The leg muscles of capons were characterized by higher pH24h, better water holding capacity, a tendency for higher fat concentration, and better sensory quality. The breast muscles of castrated cockerels lost more water and were tougher than the same muscles from uncastrated cockerels, but received better scores for flavour. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that the caponized Greenleg Partridge cockerels can be used as a valuable material for production of high quality meat.
Duplication of Aldolase and Esterase Loci in Cicer (Cicereae Alef.)

The genetic control of fructose bisphosphate aldolase (ALDO, EC 4.1.2.13) and esterase (EST, EC 3.1.1.2) isozymes in Cicer was studied by starch gel electrophoresis. Fixed heterozygote enzyme phenotypes were observed in homozygous lines for both Aldo-1, Aldo-2 and Est-4, Est-5. Crosses between the individuals carrying different alleles of the duplicated genes gave rise to asymmetrically staining bands for both enzyme systems. Subcellular localization studies demonstrated that the products of duplicated aldolase loci are present in the plastids, whereas duplicated esterase isozymes were found in the cytosolic compartment. Selfing and crossing experiments revealed that there are two nuclear genes encoding the plastid specific ALDO isozymes {Aldo-1 and Aldo-2). Similarly, EST-4 and EST-5 isozymes are spec-ified by two nuclear genes {Est-4 and Est-5). No linkage was found between any of the duplicated genes and the other isozyme loci examined in this study. Taxonomic distribution of both duplications was examined in the electrophoretic survey of the related species. Present evidence suggests that these duplications are unique and
Chemical and Related Osmotic Changes in Egg Albumen During Storage

Abstract Experimentation was conducted to study the relationship of albumen pH, bicarbonate buffering system and migration of components across the vitelline membrane to the osmotic properties of egg albumen. The effects of storage time, storage temperature and shell oiling were also evaluated. Sealing the egg with oil resulted in a reduction of albumen pH. When the eggs were refrigerated (7°C.) a greater decrease in albumen pH was found when compared to those at 22°C. (room temperature). Titrations of albumen from eggs stored at 22°C. for 14 days indicated that the buffering capacity was reduced as the pH increased. pH increase leveled off after 7 days and the volume of acid required to titrate the albumen was reduced 58 percent. The largest reduction in buffering capacity came between pH 9.0 and 9.3 (3 and 7 days storage). The largest change in pH occurred between 0 and 3 days. Thick albumen lost buffering capacity more quickly than did thin in unoiled eggs. No differences were found when the eggs were oiled. Storing eggs sealed with oil to prevent CO2 loss resulted in no change in osmotic concentration of the albumen. When the eggs were not sealed a decrease in osmotic concentration was observed. This decrease was more pronounced at 22°C. , 255 to 230 milliosmols, than at 7°C. , 255 to 239 milliosmols. It was apparent that the osmometer could detect CO2 loss from the albumen. A new osmotic equilibrium was established at a lower level of osmotic concentration. From the data it appeared that the eggs were not in osmotic equilibrium when laid. Carbon dioxide loss from the egg over a 7 day storage period was determined and compared to the osmotic concentration. Most of the CO2 was removed from the eggs during the first 2 days. The first day accounted for a majority of the loss. Free amino acids were demonstrated to move from the yolk across the vitelline membrane to the albumen. Most of this movement was found to occur after 14 days of storage. Sulfhydryl groups increased in the albumen over a 28 day storage period but did not diffuse from the yolk. The source of SH groups was apparently from reduction of S-S bonds.
Update on collagen receptor interactions in platelets: is the two-state model still valid?

This review summarises some of the key developments that have taken place in our understanding of platelet-collagen interactions within the last 18 months. Within this time, the major activatory collagen receptor glycoprotein VI (GPVI) has been sequenced and shown to reconstitute collagen responses in a megakaryocytic cell line. It is a member of the Ig superfamily of proteins, with two extracellular Ig domains, and is constitutively associated with the Fc receptor n -chain (FcR n -chain). GPVI signals through a pathway that shares many features with those of immune receptors, with critical roles for Syk and the adapters LAT and SLP-76 in the activation of PLC n 2. Significant developments have also taken place in regard to the role of the major adhesion receptor for collagen, the integrin f 2 g 1 (also known as GPIa-IIa). An f 2 g 1-selective collagen-based peptide has been developed and co-crystalisalised with the I-domain of the f 2 subunit. Polymorphisms in f 2 have been shown to cause wide variation in expression of f 2 g 1, with the f 2 allele T 807 /A 873 leading to a high level of the integrin and increased risk of stroke in young people. Activation of platelets by a wide range of agonists has been shown to increase the affinity of f 2 g 1 to intermediate or high affinity states. This has important implications for the two-site, two-state model of collagen-platelet interactions. A new model is proposed in which collagen binds initially to either f 2 g 1 or GPVI, leading to subsequent binding to the other receptor and conversion of the integrin to a high affinity state. In this model, both receptors generate intracellular signals which support platelet activation.
Induction and differentiation of reproductive buds in Coffea arabica L.

The induction and differentiation phases of reproductive buds of Coffea arabica L. have not received much attention. In the present paper, axillary buds from five plagiotropic branches that developed in the same growing season without fruits (1st crop branches), and from green segments of five recently grown plagiotropic branches with fruits (2nd crop branches), were collected every two weeks during successive inductive months of the year. This study was carried out with adult arabica trees, Catuai Vermelho cv. IAC 81, cultivated under normal farming conditions in the region of Campinas, SP, Brazil (22o54' Lat. S). Slides of longitudinal-axial sections of 10-12 mm thickness were mounted for the characterization and quantification of histological stages of bud differentiation. The results indicate that the regulatory signals controlling the phases of induction and differentiation of floral buds are distinct, and that there are differences in the response between branches with and without fruits. In the case of 1st crop branches (no fruits present), induction of floral buds took place in January and February, whereas floral bud differentiation was observed during the months of March and April. In 2nd crop branches (fruits present), the induction of floral buds was observed during any month of the year provided that they had already overcome their juvenile state (October-July, in this study). In these 2nd crop branches, the flower bud differentiation was only observed after harvesting all pre-existing fruits of each branch (after May, in this study), which suggests that floral bud differentiation in Arabica coffee is influenced by the source-sink relationship, i.e. by the presence of developing fruits within each plagiotropic branch.
In vitro expansion of human megakaryocytes as a tool for studying megakaryocytic development and function

Research on normal human megakaryopoiesis has been limited by technical problems in obtaining megakaryocytic cells in sufficient quantities for experimental purposes. We describe here an ex vivo serum-free liquid culture system to expand normal human megakaryoblasts from purified bone marrow-, cord blood- or peripheral blood-derived CD34 + cells. The early megakaryocytic cells are expanded in the presence of recombinant thrombopoietin (TpO) and interleukin-3 (IL-3), and if necessary further purified by employing anti-CD61 immunomagnetic beads. Our expansion system generates normal human megakaryoblasts in quantities sufficient to perform various functional studies on these cells as well as to isolate from them proteins and mRNA for molecular analysis. Megakaryocytic cells isolated from these cultures (i) express several markers characteristic of this lineage (CD41, CD61, CD62 P, CXCR-4, PAR-1, etc.), (ii) respond by calcium flux and phosphorylation of various intracellular proteins to stimulation by thrombin and (iii) adhere to fibrinogen and vitronectin. However, human megakaryoblasts derived from the cultures supplemented with TpO + IL-3, in contrast to murine megakaryocytic cells cultured under similar conditions, display poor polyploidization and do not release platelets. Since IL-3 has been reported to inhibit final maturation of megakaryocytic cells, we recently modified our expansion strategy. In this new approach CD34 + cells are first expanded for 11 days in the presence of TpO + IL-3. Then megakaryoblasts derived are expanded for an additional 7 days supplemented with TpO only. We found that megakaryocytic cells expanded in this 'two step culture' model are more differentiated, are polyploid and release platelets. The model described here provides normal human megakaryoblasts in adequate numbers, to study megakaryopoiesis and megakaryocyte function.