Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Case Against Biomarkers As They Are Currently Used In Radioecological Risk Analyses: A Problem Of Linkage

Biomarkers are successfully used in human risk anal yses as early indicators of contaminant exposure and predictors of deleterious effects. Thi s has boosted the search for biomarkers in determin ing ecological risks to non-human biota, and particular ly for assessments related to radioactive contamina nts. There are difficulties, however, which prevent an easy tr ansfer of the biomarker concept from humans to non-human biota, as there are significant differences in endp oints of concern, units of observation and dose res ponse relationships between human and ecological risk ana lyses. The use of biomarkers in ecological risk ana lyses currently lack a linkage between molecular-level ef fects and quantifiable impacts observed in individu als and populations. This is important because ecological r isk analyses generally target the population level of biological organisation. We highlight various examples that de monstrate the difficulties of linking individual re sponses to population-level impacts, such as indirect effects and compensatory interactions. Ecotoxicologists cop e with such difficulties through the use of uncertainty or extrapolation factors. Extrapolation factors (EF) typically range from 1 to 1000 when linking effects observed in individuals to those predicted to occur in popul ations. We question what magnitude of EF will be required when going from a moelcular level effect, measured by a biomarker, all the way up to the population level o f biological organisation. Particularly, we stress that a successful application of biomarkers to radioecolog ical risk assessment can only be achieved once the connection has been made between changes in individual resource allocation-based life histories and po pulation dynamics. This clearly emphasises the need to quant ify the propagation of molecular and cellular level effects to higher levels of biological organisation, especiall y in the long-term via several generations of expos ure. Finally, we identify pertinent research approaches that are more system-oriented, and thus may help solve the p roblem of linking effects across levels of biological organis ation.
Cytostatic In Ktro for Hormone-dependent and Hormone- independent Human Breast Cancer Cells

Since experimental studies have shown that tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) has potent antitumour activity that can be potentiated with cytokines, we tested the efficacy of TNF-a with interferon-y (IFN-y) on different human breast cancer cell lines, particularly comparing hormonedependent and -independent phenotypes. TNF-a inhibited the growth of hormone-dependent human MCF-7, ZR-75-1 and T47-D breast cancer cells with a half maximal concentration of 0.25 nM. In contrast, the growth of hormone-independent cells MDA-MB-231 and HS578T was not affected by TNF-u alone, but a synergistic inhibition was observed when using IFN-y and TNF-u together. The mRNA for the proto-oncogene C-MYC, as an intracellular indicator of cell activation, was significantly increased in MCF-7 cells in the presence of TNF-IX. In MDA-MB-231 cells this mRNA was increased only in the presence of both TNF-(r and IFN-y, without a change in the number of surface TNF receptors. These findings indicate that TNF-a treatment in combination with IFN--y may provide a successful approach to overcome the cellular heterogeneity of advanced breast tumours. Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
The influence of ozone fumigation on metabolic efficiency and plant resistance to fungal pathogens

In the study the effect of elevated ozone concentrations on plant metabolic efficiency and plant resistance to necrotrophic fungi was estimated, Seedlings of spring barley, meadow fescue and winter rape were fumigated for 12 days with 130 and 180 ppb of ozone. Measurements of heat emission and respiration intensity after 6, 9 and 12 days since the start of fumigation were performed. At the same time, plants were artificially inoculated - barley and fescue with conidia and mycelium of Bipolaris sorokiniana, rape with mycelium of Phoma lingam. The experiment showed a positive effect of the fumigation with the higher dose of ozone on resistance of all studied plant species to fungal infection. Ozone fumigation induced a decrease in metabolic efficiency (heat rate per O 2 consumption) of plants. Recovery of this parameter was faster in seedlings ozonated at 180 ppb. The data suggest that pathogen resistance increased in the plants that were acclimated to the enhanced ozone level.
Distribution of Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Geographical heterogeneity or age related incidence?

I refer to the article by Johansson et al. in the January 1991 issue of your journal concerning the geographical distribution of neoplasia-related cytogenetic abnormalities. Cases contributing to published consecutive series were taken from a data base of 13,266 cytogenetically abnormal neoplasms and grouped broadly by geographical region, each region contributing between 10 and 100 cases according to the neoplasm studied. No details are given about the ages of patients; it is presumed that adult and childhood cases are included in all neoplasms studied. Geographical heterogeneity is claimed for a considerable number of chromosomal abnormalities associated with particular neoplasms. T h e highly significant difference reported for the geographical distribution of Philadelphia positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (P < bution of P h t ALL ascribed by the authors to geography may be due to variations in the ages of the patients in the published surveys. Regional differences in the distribution of chromosomal subtypes based on karyotype alone should be interpreted with extreme caution.
Comparison of Conventional and Mulching Mowers for Kentucky Bluegrass Maintenance

The effects on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf quality of mowing with either a mulching mower or a conventional rotary mower, having clippings re moved or returned, were determined. Turf that received 0, 150, or 300 kg N ha–1 yr–1 was mowed at 5 cm either biweekly, weekly, or twice weekly. Turf quality, weed encroachment, and thatch buildup were monitored. Highest quality was found where turf was mowed twice weekly with a conventional rotary mower with clippings returned and received 300 kg N ha–1 yr–1. Quality ratings for turf mowed with the mulching mower were equal to or significantly lower than ratings for turf mowed with a conventional rotary mower with clippings returned on 13 of the 17 rating dates. Thatch buildup and weed encroachment responded to N level, with more thatch and fewer weeds at the highest N level.
Annual plant growth and soil characteristics under desert halophyte canopy

Les niches fertiles favorables qui se developpent sous la canopee d'arbustes perennes disperses, dans des regions desertiques, peuvent subvenir a la croissance d'herbacees annuelles. Neanmoins, dans les zones ou la vegetation perenne consiste en halophytes, de fortes quantites de sel sont presentes dans le sol alentour, ce qui peut deteriorer l'environnement benefique. Nous avons emis l'hypothese que, meme dans les sols sales, tels que ceux du desert chaud et sec du Neguev en Israel, et dans les cas ou l'eau n'est temporairement plus un facteur limitant, la biomasse et l'activite microbienne jouent un role important dans la production vegetale annuelle. Les donnees provenant d'une etude en cours sur le terrain demontrent la presence d'un sol heterogene sous la canopee de Hammada scoparia, une halophyte typique du desert du Neguev, ou l'on a observe des gradients d'humidite du sol, de salinite, d'azote mineral et de biomasse microbienne. La production de Stipa capensis, une abondante herbacee annuelle, est plus importante sous la canopee de H. scoparia, que dans l'espace ouvert. Nous avons trouve que la production de S. capensis est fortement correlee a la biomasse microbienne, ce qui implique le role essentiel de celle-ci comme mediateur des relations plante-azote dans des habitats desertiques pauvres
THE SELECTION AND USE OF FRUIT BY BIRDS IN AN EASTERN FOREST

In order to gain insight into the above questions, I studied the feeding habits of birds in a 600 ha tract of woods belonging to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, Mercer Co., New Jersey in the fall and winter of 1974-75. I found 23 species of fruit-bearing plants in the woods and along its margins. The species composition varied in different successional stages and with different moisture and soil conditions. To take into account the variety of stand types represented in the forest, I chose study sites in 3 different, relatively homogenous areas. The first study area comprised 235 m2 in an area grown in young red maple (Acer rubrum) and white oak (Quercus alba) with American beech (Fagus gran(difolia) and some flowering dogwoods (Cornus fiorida); the diverse understory included mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), false Solomon's seal (Smilacina racemosa), spicebush (Lindera bensoin) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). In this plot, only the mapleleaf viburnum and false Solomon's seal produced fruit. The second plot was 470 m2 of white oak, tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and shagbark hickory (Carva ovata), with subcanopy of flowering dogwood, blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) and American beech. Understory included mapleleaf viburnum, New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracencis), greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia), false Solomon's seal and spicebush. The dogwood and blackgum trees produced fruit, but most of the blackgum berries had already dropped when the study began. The viburnum, false Solomon's seal and spicebush had fruit. The third plot was 470 m2 of floodplain forest near the Stony Brook River. An open canopy of 2 large white oaks with box elders (Acer negundo) beneath allowed much sunlight to pass through. Understory was mostly tall, woody spicebush and vine poison ivy (Rhus ra(licans) densely entwined the trunks of the oaks. Both the spicebush and poison ivy produced large crops of berries. All fruit on each plant in the 3 plots was counted at the outset of the study, as were the
The role of breeding phenology and aggregation of waterfowl on avian influenza dynamics in Southern Africa

Recent outbreaks of high-pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV) in birds, humans and other mammalian species calls for a better understanding of virus dynamics in wild bird species and populations that act as maintenance hosts. Host ecology influences the transmission of pathogens and can be used to explore and infer pathogen dynamics. Most of the ecological processes proposed to explain AIV transmission in wild birds have been derived from studies conducted in the temperate and boreal regions of the northern hemisphere. We evaluate the role of two key drivers of AIV dynamics in a waterfowl community in Zimbabwe (southern Africa): (1) the recruitment of young birds, and (2) the seasonal aggregation of birds. We analyse the seasonal variation of AIV prevalence in waterfowl and overlay these data with the phenology of reproduction and the seasonal variation in the local abundance of these species. We find that the breeding period of southern Afrotropical waterfowl species is more extended and somewhat less synchronised among species in the community than is the case in temperate and boreal waterfowl communities. Young birds are recorded at most times of the year, and these immunologically naive individuals can therefore act as new hosts for AIV throughout the year within the wild bird population. Whilst host aggregation peaks in the cold-dry to hot-dry season, birds still aggregate throughout the year and this potentially spreads the opportunities for first infection of juveniles and other naive birds temporally. We did not find a relationship between season, AIV prevalence in waterfowl, the influx of juveniles or the gradual aggregation of birds during the dry season. Therefore, the main drivers of AIV dynamics (juvenile influx and host abundance/aggregation), although present in Afrotropical regions, could not explain the AIV seasonal patterns in our study in contrast to results reported from temperate and boreal regions. These differences imply variation in the risk of AIV circulation in waterfowl and in the risk of spread to poultry, other animals or humans. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Junk food gets healthier when it's warm

Invertebrate herbivores are often faced with food of different quality, affecting growth, and reproductive rates. Temperature also has a strong influence on these rates, but how temperature and food quality interact is largely unknown. We investigated the interaction between temperature and food quality on the developmental rates of a keystone plankton herbivore, the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa. We fed the copepod along a gradient of five food qualities from phosphorus‐limited to phosphorus‐replete algae, exposing them to eight different temperatures from 8°C to 22°C in a full factorial design. We observed that temperature and food quality as well as their interaction significantly affected copepod growth. Food quality effects were strongest at low temperatures and decreased with increasing temperatures. Our results suggest that ectotherms need more carbon relative to phosphorus at higher temperatures to meet their metabolic demands. Thus, the threshold elemental ratio for growth should be higher at higher temperatures and a higher probability of carbon limitation for secondary production when it is warmer.
Effects of applying dairy wintering barn manure of differing C:N ratios directly to pasture on N mineralisation and forage growth

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of applying spent dairy wintering barn bedding (termed ‘manure’) to a pasture soil. An incubation study compared rates of nitrogen (N) mineralisation of manures of differing storage durations (fresh, 2.5 months and 12 months) and C:N ratios (26:1, 22:1, 17:1 and 12:1), added to soil at a rate of 289 mg N kg−1 soil. The second experiment was a field trial, conducted in South Otago in southern New Zealand which compared pasture dry matter responses to applications of stored manure (c. 70 kg N ha−1; C:N of 18:1) or urea (30 kg N ha−1) to an unfertilised control. Incubation results indicated the addition of urea as a N source to the manure product at a rate to reduce the C:N ratio to approximately 12:1 resulted in a large increase in apparent net mineralisation. Field experiment results showed that application to pasture of manure with a high C:N ratio (above 18:1) resulted in a period of net N immobilisation and pasture growth restriction although there was no difference in annual pasture growth or grass N uptake. Knowledge of the C:N ratio of a manure product may help guide farmers in determining the best time to apply manure to soil to both maximise pasture growth and minimise potential nutrient losses to the environment.
A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF DIRECT FLUORESCENCE ANTIBODY, MODIFIED ACID-FAST STAIN, AND SUCROSE FLOTATION TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SERPENTIS OOCYSTS IN SNAKE FECAL SPECIMENS

Modified acid-fast stain (Mod AFS) of a direct wet smear (DWS), unstained DWS (UDWS), and Sheather's sugar coverslip flotation (SSCF) techniques were compared with the com mercial monoclonal antibody (MAb) test MERIFLUOR? CryptosporidiumlGiardia for direct flu orescence detection of C serpentis oocysts in feces from 40 snakes without clinical signs of infection. MERIFLUOR? test detection sensitivities for purified C. serpentis and C parvum oocysts were compared. The oocysts of C. serpentis and C. parvum showed the same intensity of fluorescence reaction (majority, 3+ to 4+). Sensitivity of the MERIFLUOR? test was 100% for SSCF-derived material and 88% for DWS versus 45% for Mod AFS DWS, 35% for SSCF, and 21% for UDWS. The threshold of MAb detection (4.7 x 103 oocyst/ml), was the same for C. serpentis and C. parvum oocysts and was 16 times higher than the absolute sensitivity of the listed conventional techniques. Conventional techniques underestimated the number of C. serpentis oocysts by an average factor of 5.3 and produced false-negative results an average of 66% of the time. False negatives were 100% when the concentration of oocysts was <7.5 x lOVml. The range of concentration of fecal C. serpentis oocysts (0.4 x 103/ml-1.4 x 107ml, X = 5.0 x lOVml) was an average of three times lower than those reported for C. parvum from humans and other mammals. The MAb detection was more sensitive for C. serpentis oocysts than were conventional techniques, and it eliminated false-negative outcomes and the subjectivity associated with those methods.
SOME INTRIGUING HIGH-THROUGHPUT DNA SEQUENCE VARIANTS PREDICTION OVER PROTEIN FUNCTIONALITY

This paper intends to review computational methods and high throughput automated tools for precisely prediction various functionalities of uncharacterized proteins based on their desired DNA sequence information alone. Then proposes a hybrid weighted network and Genetic Algorithm to improve prediction purpose. The main advantage of the method is the protein function and DNA sequence prediction can be computed precisely using best fitness parent in genetic algorithm. With the accomplishment of human genome sequencing, the number of sequence-known proteins has increased exponentially and the pace is much slower in determining their biological attributes. The gap between DNA sequence variants and their functionalities has become increasingly large. However, detection of sequences based on protein data bank has become benchmark for many researchers. As amount of DNA sequence data continues to increase, the fundamental problem stay at the front of genome analysis. In the course of developing these methods, the following matters were often needed to consider: benchmark dataset construction, gene sequence prediction, operating algorithm, anticipated accuracy, gene recommender and functional integrations. In this review, we are to discuss each of them, with a different focus on operational algorithms and how to increase the accuracy of DNA sequence variants prediction.
Influence of the Non-ripening Mutants rin and nor on the Aroma of Tomato Fruit

Differences in aroma have been examined in headspace samples of ripe tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit of ‘Rutgers’ and of yellowing fruit of the nonripening mutants rin and nor. Volatiles were trapped and separated by gas chromatography, and the intensity of the effluent aromas was rated by sniffing. Intense aroma compounds were identified by mass spectrometry. Sixty-nine intense compounds were found in ‘Rutgers’, of which 46 were present in one or both mutant strains. Fifteen compounds with odor intensities rated medium to very strong were identified that were deficient or absent in fruit of the mutants. The latter compounds included two aldehydes, seven alcohols, two ketones, three sulfur-containing compounds, and a phenol. A few compounds were intense odors in ‘Rutgers’ and in one or both mutants; hex-2-enal, linalool, phenylacetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, 2-phenylethanol, and eugenol. Some compounds were detected that were more intense in rin and nor than in ‘Rutgers’ (e.g., guaiacol). It is proposed that the “normal background aroma” in fresh tomatoes is caused by those intense odors, which are common to both normal and mutant strains, whereas the bland flavor of mutant fruit is caused by the absence of those intense aroma compounds found only in ‘Rutgers’. The intense aroma compounds found only in ‘Rutgers’ may be crucial determinants of acceptability in fresh tomato fruit.
Examining the vascular pathway of sweet cherries grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks

Dye transport through vascular pathways was examined in tissues surrounding the graft union of second-leaf, field-grown trees of 'Lapins'/Gisela 5 ('Gi 5') (dwarfing) and 'Lapins'/'Colt' (nondwarfing). Excavated, intact trees were allowed to take up xylem-mobile dye via transpiration for 6 h before sectioning the tree into scion, graft union, and rootstock tissue. 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' had a significantly larger stem cross-sectional area in the central graft union than did 'Lapins'/'Colt'. Per unit cross section, dye transport of both 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' and 'Lapins'/'Colt' was significantly less in the graft union than in rootstock sections, with still less transported to scion tissues in 'Lapins'/'Gi 5'. 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' had a tendency to produce vascular elements oriented obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the tree. Dye was distributed more uniformly axially and radially across the graft union in 'Lapins'/'Colt' than in 'Lapins'/'Gi 5', with an apparent accumulation of dye in 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' graft union. Xylem vessel diameters and vessel hydraulic diameters (VD h ) were smaller overall in 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' than in 'Lapins'/'Colt'; however, graft unions in both had smaller VD h than did rootstock sections. These observations suggest reduced transport efficiency of xylem vessels in the graft union in 'Lapins'/'Gi 5' may be due to smaller vessels, vascular abnormalities and/or increased amounts of callus and parenchyma tissue.
'Ruddy': A Multiple-pest-resistant Sweetpotato

The sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. ] ‘Ruddy’ was developed jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the South Carolina Agriculture Forestry Research System. ‘Ruddy’ is an attractive, red-skinned, orange-fleshed cultivar with multiple resistance to diseases, nematodes, and soil insects. It has high yield potential and excellent baking quality. It will provide a multiple pest-resistant alternative to the red-skinned, pest-susceptible commercial cultivars Diane in California, and Georgia Jet in South Carolina and Georgia. It also gives organic growers an alternative cultivar to the pest-resistant cultivar Regal.
Senescence mechanisms : Special section: hormones, regulating and signaling substances in plant growth and development. Part 2

Senescence in plants is usually viewed as an internally programmed degeneration leading to death. It is a developmental process that occurs in many different tissues and serves different purposes. Generally, apoptosis refers to programmed death of small numbers of animal cells, and it shows some special features at the cell level. Some senescing plant cells show some symptoms typical of apoptosis, while others do not. This review will focus primarily on leaf senescence with ultimate aim of explaining whole plant senescence (i.e., monocarpic senescence). Traditionally, the ideas on senescence mechanisms fall into two major groupings, nutrient deficiencies (e.g., starvation) and genetic programming (i.e., senescence-promoting and senescence-inhibiting genes). Considerable evidence indicates that nutrient deficiencies are not central senescence program components, while increasing evidence supports genetic programming. Because chlorophyll (Chl) and chloroplast (CP) breakdown are so prominent, leaf senescence is generally measured in terms of Chl loss. Although CP breakdown may not be the proximate cause of leaf cell death, it certainly is important as a source of nutrients for use elsewhere, e.g., for developing reproductive structures in monocarpic plants, and this loss limits assimilatory capacity. The CP is dismantled in an orderly sequence. Individual protein complexes seem to be taken out all at once, not one subunit at a time. Removal of any component, e.g , Chl, seems to destabilize the whole complex. It is of special interest that senescing CPs secrete Chl-containing globules indicating that some CP components are broken down outside the CP. Senescence appears to be imposed on the CP by the nucleus, and all the known senescence-altering genes except one, cytG in soybean, are nuclear. Only the d 1 d 2 mutation(s) in soybean prevents a broad range of leaf senescence processes. Exactly, what causes cell death is unclear; however, the selective thiol protease inhibitor, E-64, does delay death, and this suggests that proteases play a key role.