Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coniochaeta ershadii, a new species from Iran, and a key to well-documented Coniochaeta species

A new species of Coniochaeta from dead pistachio twigs, C. ershadii, is described from Varamin district, Tehran Province. C. ershadii differs from the similar C. gamsii by possessing smaller ascocarps covered with setae, a peridium with an irregular texture, longer and narrower asci, shorter ascospores, and by producing numerous crystals when cultivated on Leonian agar and other media. It is particularly distinguished by its ascospores with protruding ends up to 1.7-2.5 μm long. The conidiophores of the nodulisporium-like anamorph of C. ershadii produce 2-3 conidiogenous loci and cylindrical blastoconidia with attenuated bases. A dichotomous key for identification of 54 sufficiently documented Coniochaeta species is provided.
The Rule of Law as a Pre-requisite for Public Policy Implementation: The Case of Free Basic Water Service Delivery in Ingquza Hill Municipality

The stimulus for service delivery transformation in South Africa, has been through a myriad of new service delivery policies that identify targets, responsibilities and provide for the creation of new institutional mechanisms which seek to restore balance. While much has changed, twenty-five years into democracy, South Africa remains a highly polarised society, with one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world. Within the context of good governance, considering the role of the rule of law in ensuring that equitable delivery of services takes place through policy implementation, is critical. This paper seeks to examine the relevance of the rule of law in the context of service delivery policy implementation, and reflects on the case of Free Water Service delivery in Ingquza Hill Local Municipality, a rural area in South Africa. The paper concludes that while governance mechanisms provide clear guidelines for the rule of law and how policy ought to be implemented, the implementers of policy have poor policy knowledge, which in turn impacts on the extent to which the gap between the haves and have-nots can be closed. Within the context of this case study, the principles of the rule of law, namely, legality, equality and acknowledgement of the rights of citizens, are being fettered. Unequal access to water persists despite the prevalence of rule of law. The article concludes by calling for a transition beyond the elements of good governance towards a capable state.
The Conversion of Photoinactive Protochlorophyllide633 to Phototransformable Protochlorophyllide650 in Etiolated Bean Leaves Treated with δ-Aminolevulinic Acid

The relationship of phototransformable protochlorophyllide to photoinactive protochlorophyllide has been studied in primary leaves of 7- to 9-day-old dark-grown bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Red Kidney) seedlings. Various levels of photoinactive protochlorophyllide, absorbing at 633 nm in vivo, were induced by administering δ-aminolevulinic acid to the leaves in darkness. Phototransformable protochlorophyllide, absorbing at 650 nm in vivo, was subsequently transformed to chlorophyllide by a light flash, and the regeneration of the photoactive pigment was followed by monitoring the absorbance increase at 650 nm in vivo. A small increase in the level of protochlorophyllide633 causes a marked increase in the extent of regeneration of protochlorphyllide650 following a flash. High levels of the inactive pigment species, however, retard the capacity to reform photoactive protochlorophyllide. A nonstoichiometric and kinetically complex decrease in absorbance at 633 nm in vivo accompanied the absorbance increase at 650 nm. The half-time for protochlorophyllide650 regeneration in control leaves was found to be three times longer than the half-time for conversion of chlorophyllide678 to chlorophyllide683 at 22 C. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that protochlorophyllide633 is a direct precursor of protochlorophyllide650 and that the protein moiety of the protochlorophyllide holochrome acts as a “photoenzyme” in the conversion of protochlorophylide to chlorophyllide.
Outcome of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery in Patients with Chronic Rhinisinusitis Not Responding to Medical Therapy

INTRODUCTION Chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS) is one of the commonest chronic disease entity involving nose and paranasal sinuses. It ranks second in all chronic condition in USA affecting about 31 million American people in a year. CRS is considered as a medical condition and treatment starts with a course of antibiotics, nasal irrigation and steroids. Patients who don’t respond to medical management are advised for surgical procedure, and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the only surgical method currently available. There is an ongoing debate regarding the effective management of CRS by medical or surgical method, and no conclusion is drawn yet as patients are mostly assessed subjectively.
REVISION OF AUSTRALIAN DACNUSINI (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE: ALYSIINAE), PARASITOIDS OF CYCLORRHAPHOUS DIPTERA

The alysiine braconid tribe Dacnusini is revised for Australia and 4 genera are recorded from the continent for the first time. Chaenusa mcalpini, C. rugosa, C. semisetosa, Chorebus nigricapitis and Coelinius versicolor are described as new, and a key is provided for their discrimination. Dacnusa areolaris Nees von Esenbeck, a Palaearctic species known from New Zealand, is also recorded from Australia and is shown to be widespread. The synonymy of the genus Coelinius Nees von Esenbeck is discussed. Lectotypes are designated for Chaenon anceps Curtis and Chaenon affinis Curtis and a neotype is designated for Stephanus niger Nees von Esenbeck. Reasons for the paucity of the Australian dacnusine fauna, the relationships between species and the general biology of the tribe are discussed.
Microheterotrophy in the zooxanthellate coral Stylophora pistillata: Effects of light and ciliate density

We examined the ability of the zooxanthellate coral Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1797) to feed on microhcterotrophs (bacteria and oligotrichous ciliates). The effect of light on the feeding rates was also investigated. Grazing experiments were first conducted by exposing coral colonies to known amounts of 3H‐thymidine‐labeled bacteria and ciliates and measuring the appearance of radioactivity in coral tissues. A method was developed to obtain clean cultures of 3H‐labeled ciliates. Results showed that 7% of the labeled bacteria and 90% of the labeled ciliates were ingested after 4–6 h incubation. Corals were then incubated in medium containing different concentrations of unlabeled ciliates (200, 500, 800 cells ml−1), Replicates of each concentration were exposed to one of three light levels (0, 80, 250 µmol m−2 s−1). Coral feeding rate increased with prey density, from 1.40 to 4.10 × 104 ciliates (0.22–0.65 µg C mg protein−1 h−1) for 200–800 ciliates ml−1, respectively. However, a plateau was observed after a total ingestion of 4 × 104 ciliates (1.7 µgC mg protein−1). The total number of ciliates ingested, as well as the ingestion rates decreased when the light intensity increased. During dark experiments, the maximal amount of carbon ingested was twice as much as that ingested in light experiments. However, heterotrophic nutrition occurred even if the colonies could satisfy their carbon metabolism via photosynthesis. Zooplankton feeding seems therefore to complement autotrophic nutrition. Under high light, the small amount of microplankton ingested may provide nitrogen, phosphorus, or vitamins to corals, and this food supply may be especially important in tropical waters where inorganic nutrient concentrations are low. Conversely, when light is limiting, predation may also provide most of the energy necessary for coral maintenance.
Carabid populations in field beans and their effect on the population dynamics of Sitona lineatus (L.)

SUMMARY The abundance and diversity of potential carabid predators of Sitona lineatus (L.) in field beans were monitored between 1980 and 1983. The absolute abundance of the large predatory species was determined in mark-recapture experiments and a radio-labelling technique was used to estimate the level of predation in the field. Using previously published population data for S. lineatus, the importance of predation in the population dynamics of the weevil was estimated. The mortality of weevil larvae due to predation varied from 0.6%– 10.5% while that of adult weevils varied from 2.6%– 23.8%. It appeared that carabids played a significant role in the population dynamics of S. lineatus and, in years when abundant, could reduce the population of larvae and overwintering adults by more than 30%.
Low-fat bologna and beaker sausage : effects of carrageenans and chloride salts

Two meat products, regular bologna and bologna-like beaker sausage, were used to test performance of low-fat bologna batters prepared with two chloride salts (NaCl or KCl) and two carrageenan types (kappa or lambda). In the beaker sausage, two carrageenan-salt combinations lowered cooking loss compared to controls, and lambda-carrageenan in the presence of potassium cations was most effective. In regular bologna, none of the carrageenan-salt combinations lowered the cooking loss usually resulting with large amounts of added water. Also, treatments with lambda-carrageenan were less firm than high-fat or low-fat controls.
Grooming for tolerance? Two mechanisms of exchange in wild tufted capuchin monkeys

The strategies used by individuals to deploy altruistic behaviors have long captured research attention. Two general mechanisms can account for the decision-making process underpinning the deployment of altruistic behaviors among nonkin. The first mechanism, referred to here as "temporal relation between events," corresponds to classical reciprocal altruism; as such, it is strictly within-dyad and has a strong temporal component. The second mechanism, labeled here as "partner choice based on benefits received," relies on across-dyad comparisons. Although these 2 mechanisms are both theoretically plausible and are not mutually exclusive, very little is known about their relative importance in the deployment of altruistic behaviors. To partially fill this gap, we explored the occurrence of exchanges between grooming and tolerance by assessing the roles of both temporal relations between events and of partner choice based on benefits received in wild tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus). Data on grooming and cofeeding on contestable resources (as a measure of tolerance) were collected both in natural contexts and during supplemental feeding on provisioning platforms. Overall, our results document reciprocal exchanges between grooming and tolerance over food resources and thus represent the first evidence in wild New World primates for partner choice based on benefits received. More interestingly, partner choice was found to drive the reciprocal exchange much more strongly than the temporal relation between events. Our findings suggest that the role of partner choice based on benefits received should be given much more attention in studies investigating the mechanisms underlying altruism among nonkin. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
STICS: a generic model for simulating crops and their water and nitrogen balances. II. Model validation for wheat and maize

Une evaluation du modele generique de culture STICS, decrit en details dans Brisson et al. [11], est presentee. Elle repose sur une base de donnees agronomiques qui reunit des situations variees de culture de ble et de mais en France. L'accent est mis sur la necessite d'utiliser des references standards pour le parametrage des varietes, qui concerne surtout les stades de developpement. La validation est realisee sur les variables de sortie du modele, definie comme etant les variables finales d'interet agronomique (rendement et composantes, biomasse aerienne, dates de floraison et de maturite, teneurs en azote dans la plante et dans le grain, quantite d'eau et d'azote dans le sol) au moyen de plusieurs criteres mathematiques (erreurs quadratiques, ecarts moyens, efficacite). Il ressort que le comportement des deux cultures sont assez proches avec des erreurs quadratiques de 1,6 t.ha -1 pour le rendement du ble et de 2,4 t.ha -1 pour le rendement du mais. La simulation des deux composantes du rendement: nombre de grains et poids du grain est plus mauvaise, de meme que les simulations concernant l'azote aussi bien dans la plante que dans le sol qui apparaissent avec un biais systematique. En revanche l'eau dans le sol est correctement simulee. L'analyse de cinetiques d'evolution de variables d'etat majeures du systeme, telles que l'indice foliaire ou l'indice de nutrition azotee, sur quelques cas extraits de la base de donnee permet de mettre en evidence les disfonctionnements du modele et de proposer des modifications pour les corriger. On retiendra essentiellement l'introduction d'une relation entre le nombre de grains et le poids maximal du grain, ce qui rend la variable « nombre de grains » dependante de la variete, la prise en compte de la senescence des feuilles liee aux stress environnementaux, l'arret de l'absorption azotee au debut du remplissage du grain. Ces modifications permettent d'ameliorer les resultats de modelisation concernant les composantes du rendement et le bilan azote. Elles ont peu d'effet sur la biomasse et le rendement qui restent a des niveaux d'erreur de l'ordre de 15 %; cette incompressibilite de l'erreur sur la biomasse et par consequent le rendement est une illustration de la robustesse du modele.
Inference and Succesful Behavior

Inference procedures integrate past experience with current sense data to permit perception of the content of the sense data as objects and events. This notion impinges on views of knowledge. The dominant Western view that knowledge is "justified, true belief" is orthogonal to the classical secular view prevalent in ancient India that "knowledge is a means for successful behavior. " Both views rely on inference from empirical observations, and both use formalisms and schema for "valid" inference to delineate assumptions, to evaluate liability of conclusions, to assure validity of the knowledge base, and to identify bases for controversies. The view that knowledge is successful behavior explicitly deemphasizes the a priori, while emphasizing the veridical character of the evidence rather than its "truth value. " This approach is often used to deal with the unknown in unfolding events because it increases the chances of success.
Role of Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Enzymes in Systemic Virus Infections of Plants

Oxidative stress in compatible virus-host plant interactions was studied in cucumber mosaic virus and zucchini yellow mosaic virus-infected Cucumis sativus and Cucurbita pepo plants. Both cucumber mosaic virus- and zucchini yellow mosaic virus-infected plants showed an enhanced peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids indicating an advanced disintegration of membranes. Radical intermediates formed during lipid peroxidation co-oxidize pigment molecules and might thus account for virus-induced yellowing symptoms. Furthermore in infected plants an induction of superoxide dismutases, catalases, total peroxidases and ascorbate peroxidases was observed. All the peroxidase isoforms detected in Cucumis sativus and Cucurbita pepo, however, not only functioned as radical scavengers but also catalysed the formation of H2O2. Thus it can be presumed that the enhancement of peroxidases contributes to the oxidative stress in systemic plant-virus interactions. By way of oxidation of indole-3-acetic acid upregulated peroxidases might also be responsible for growth reductions and malformations in virus-infected plants. Zusammenfassung Die Bedeutung reaktiver Sauerstoffspezies bei kompa-tiblen Virus-Wirtspflanzeninteraktionen wurde am Bei-spiel gurkenmosaik- und zucchinigelbmosaikvirus-infizierter Cucumis sativus und Cucurbita pepo Pflanzen untersucht. An viruskranken Pflanzen beider Arten zeigte sich eine erhohte Konzentration thiobarbitursaurereak-tiver Substanzen, die auf eine verstarkte Desintegration von Membranstrukturen schlieβen lieβ. Radikale ungesattigter Fettsauren konnten durch Kooxidation von Pigmentmolekulen uberdies auch die Ursache fur virusbedingte Blattvergilbungen sein. Weiters waren an infizierten Pflanzen erhohte Aktivitaten von SODs, Katalasen, Peroxidasen und Ascorbatperoxidasen festzustellen. Es zeigte sich allerdings, daβ alle an Cucumis sativus und Cucurbita pepo nachweisbaren Peroxidaseisoenzyme nicht nur Radikalfangereigenschaften aufwiesen, sondern auch die Reduktion von molekularem Sauerstoff katalysierten. Es kann daher angenommen werden, daβ es durch die Induktion der Peroxidaseaktivitat in viruskranken Pflanzen zu verstarktem oxidativem Stress kommt. Da Peroxidasen Indolessigsaure oxidieren, konnte eine virusbedingte Aktivitatserhohung auch fur Wachstumsverzogerungen und Miβbildungen an viruskranken Pflanzen verantwortlich sein.
Rhytismatales of Australasia

The Rhytismatales are both genetically and biologically diverse in Australasia. Although taxonomically one of the better known groups of ascomycetes from the region, almost all knowledge on the group is confined to species from south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. The indigenous Australasian species show two distinct patterns of geographic relationship—one group comprises species with a broad tropical distribution, the other comprises species that have close relatives on phylogenetically related hosts in other parts of the temperate Southern Hemisphere. While the widespread tropical species have a broad host range, the others tend to be specialised toward a single host. Further research required includes alpha-taxonomic studies from other parts of Australasia, study of the biological roles these fungi play in Australasian forests and molecular studies on the origin of the genetic diversity of the order in this region.
Analysis of the Secondary Structure of β-Amyloid (Aβ42) Fibrils by Systematic Proline Replacement*

Amyloid fibrils in Alzheimer's disease mainly consist of 40- and 42-mer β-amyloid peptides (Aβ40 and Aβ42) that exhibit aggregative ability and neurotoxicity. Although the aggregates of Aβ peptides are rich in intermolecular β-sheet, the precise secondary structure of Aβ in the aggregates remains unclear. To identify the amino acid residues involved in the β-sheet formation, 34 proline-substituted mutants of Aβ42 were synthesized and their aggregative ability and neurotoxicity on PC12 cells were examined. Prolines are rarely present in β-sheet, whereas they are easily accommodated in β-turn as a Pro-X corner. Among the mutants at positions 15-32, only E22P-Aβ42 extensively aggregated with stronger neurotoxicity than wild-type Aβ42, suggesting that the residues at positions 15-21 and 24-32 are involved in the β-sheet and that the turn at positions 22 and 23 plays a crucial role in the aggregation and neurotoxicity of Aβ42. The C-terminal proline mutants (A42P-, I41P-, and V40P-Aβ42) hardly aggregated with extremely weak cytotoxicity, whereas the C-terminal threonine mutants (A42T- and I41T-Aβ42) aggregated potently with significant cytotoxicity. These results indicate that the hydrophobicity of the C-terminal two residues of Aβ42 is not related to its aggregative ability and neurotoxicity, rather the C-terminal three residues adopt the β-sheet. These results demonstrate well the large difference in aggregative ability and neurotoxicity between Aβ42 and Aβ40. In contrast, the proline mutants at the N-terminal 13 residues showed potent aggregative ability and neurotoxicity similar to those of wild-type Aβ42. The identification of the β-sheet region of Aβ42 is a basis for designing new aggregation inhibitors of Aβ peptides.
Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Properties of Vanilla planifolia

Introduction: Spices are an ingredient that today is considered indispensable in the kitchen not only for the important role of flavoring and coloring food, but also for the antibacterial, antioxidant, eupeptic, antidiabetic and anticancer properties, which have been highlighted through chemical and pharmacological analysis. Methods: In order to use spices in the food sector, it is necessary to have a product with characteristics of authenticity and genuineness such as to protect the consumers from possible health risks. The aim of the present study was to find the best extractive conditions for vanilla capsules with the use of different solvents such as ethyl ether, methyl alcohol and dichloromethane and subjecting the extracts obtained to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Results: From the analysis carried out it was possible to highlight that the main component of the vanilla pod is vanillin from which the particular aroma derives. Other important compounds are: vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, anisic alcohol; and vanillin degradation products which are also available in small concentrations. In addition, the following flavonoids have been identified: rutin, morine, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, apigenin, whci are considered to be responsible for pharmacological activities. Conclusions: Knowledge of chemical composition of a spice is necessary to guarantee its authenticity. In the case of vanilla, possible sophistications can be highlighted considering the relationship between vanillin and the other main components which in the natural extract is well defined and, in addition to being an index of good quality, allows to identify the origin of the plant and to discover any adulterations,as by adding synthetic vanillin or other spices.
Altered expression of β‐catenin/E‐cadherin in meningiomas

Aims : Meningiomas are generally slow‐growing benign tumours representing approximately 20% of all primary intracranial tumours. The hallmark of tumorigenesis of meningiomas is the loss of chromosome 22, including loss of heterozygosity of the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene. The NF2 encoded protein merlin appears to function as a tumour suppressor gene by controlling cadherin‐mediated cell–cell adhesion. The E‐cadherin cell adhesion system includes β‐catenin that indirectly connects cadherin to actin filaments. The aim of this study was to analyse the expression and the subcellular location of E‐cadherin and β‐catenin in human meningiomas, including meningiomas of different histomorphological subtypes and different World Health Organization (WHO) grades.
Correlation between the restoration method and the development of fractures in endodontically treated teeth – a study on panoramic radiographies

The aim of this study is to identify the restoration methods used by dentists in Romania and to relate them to the development of coronal or mixed fractures. Matherials and methods. 400 panoramic radiographies made between 2012 and 2017 were analized by an endodontics specialist. Teeth with endodontic treatment were identified and analized, their restoration method was noted and the fractures were detected. Results and discussions. The restoration methods prefered by the dentist in Romania are: dental bridges (35.72%), individual crowns (33.25%), fillings (28.64%) and a low percentage of onlays and other types of restorations. Fractures occur in less than 20% of the teeth, most of them from the lateral region. The main reasons for the appearance of fractures are: massive coronal direct restorations, bulky direct metallic posts that reduced the resistance of the roots, abutments and loosening of crowns. Conclusions. Endodontic treatments are more necessary in lateral teeth, direct fillings being the restoration method that led to the development of most of the fractures. Individual crowns have the lowest failure rates, while teeth without posts fractured twice as much as teeth that have them.