Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amélioration des activités insecticides des protéines Vip3 de Bacillus thuringiensis

Les proteines Vip3 sont des biopesticides de deuxieme generation synthetisees et secretees par Bacillus thuringiensis au cours de la phase vegetative. Ces proteines, decouvertes au milieu des annees 1990, presentent un grand interet pour lutter contre differents insectes ravageurs appartenant a l’ordre des lepidopteres parmi lesquels Agrotis ipsilon , Spodoptera littoralis , Spodoptera exigua et Spodoptera frugiperda . Plusieurs recherches ont ete menees sur les proteines Vip3 en vue d’elargir leur spectre d’action, d’ameliorer leur action insecticide et contourner les problemes de resistance apparus suite a l’utilisation massive des δ-endotoxines, consideres comme des biopesticides de premiere generation. Dans cette revue nous faisons etat de la plupart des recherches menees sur l’amelioration des activites insecticides des proteines Vip3 de Bacillus thuringiensis . Mots-cles: Bacillus thuringiensis , Vip3, Activite insecticide Abstract Vip3 proteins were considered as a second generation of biopesticides. They are synthesized and secreted by Bacillus thuringiensis during the vegetative growth phase. Vip3 proteins, which are discovered in 1990, are of great interest for the control of Lepidopteran insects pests such as Agrotis ipsilon, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera frugiperda . Many researches were conducted on the Vip3 proteins in order to enlarge their spectrum, improve their insecticidal activities and resolve the problems of resistance that appeared recently after the massive use of δ-endotoxins, considered as first generation of biopesticides. In this review, we tried to summarize research studies interested in the improvement of the insecticidal activities of Vip3 proteins. Keywords: Bacillus thuringiensis , Vip3, Insecticidal activity
Effort rights‐based management

Effort rights-based fisheries management (RBM) is less widely used than catch rights, whether for groups or individuals. Because RBM on catch or effort necessarily requires a total allowable catch (TAC) or total allowable effort (TAE), RBM is discussed in conjunction with issues in assessing fish populations and providing TACs or TAEs. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and there are trade-offs between the two approaches. In a narrow economic sense, catch rights are superior because of the type of incentives created, but once the costs of research to improve stock assessments and the associated risks of determining the TAC and costs of monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement are taken into consideration, the choice between catch or effort RBM becomes more complex and less clear. The results will be case specific. Hybrid systems based on both catch and effort are increasingly employed to manage marine fisheries to capture the advantages of both approaches. In hybrid systems, catch or effort RBM dominates and controls on the other supplements. RBM using either catch or effort by itself addresses only the target species stock externality and not the remaining externalities associated with by-catch and the ecosystem.
Laboratory-scale evaluation of the potential of chemical containment for farmed abalone larval escapees

The sensitivity of abalone Haliotis midae larvae to low levels of toxicants was used to conduct a laboratoryscale experiment to determine the possibility of using chemical containment to prevent the escape of larvae from land-based culture systems, thereby reducing the environmental impact of farming operations. The cryoprotective agent, dimethyl sulphoxide or DMSO (Me2SO), was used as a toxicant and embryos were exposed to increasing concentrations (0–25.60 mol l–1) of DMSO for a period of 24 hours. Hatch-out rates of the control group (0.0% DMSO) did not differ from those obtained at 0.2% (2.56 mol l–1) and 0.4% (5.12 mol l–1) DMSO. An exposure level at and above 0.6% DMSO resulted in a significant decrease in the number of normal larvae. At an exposure concentration of 0.6% (7.68 mol l–1) DMSO, 65% (SE 3.0) of the fertilised eggs hatched, compared to only 10% (SE 2.0) at a concentration of 1.0% (12.80 mol l–1) DMSO. This study indicates the potential for use of DMSO as a form of chemical containment of abalone larvae, even at very low doses. It presents South African abalone farms with a chemical containment method that could potentially be used to prevent the unintentional escape of H. midae larvae from land-based operations.
Exogenous spermidine as a tool to investigate a possible role for internal K+ ions in cutting injury

Roots from 3-d-old maize (Zea mays) seedlings, grown 18 h in the presence of 1 mM spermidine, seem to be much less sensitive to the inhibiting effect of K + upake caused by cutting injury. The analysis of K m and V max of the K + uptake in freshly cut and washed subapical segments, from both control and spermidine-pretreated roots, and the different effects exerted by spermidine in high- and low-salt roots, suggest that the effect on K + uptake determined by cutting injury is probably mediated by K + internal concentration
Molecular Genetics of Primary Microcephaly and Microcephalic Primordial Dwarfism in Consanguineous Families from Pakistan

The centrosome is known as the coordinator of key organizational processes of a cell. Mutations in genes of centrosome associated proteins have been found to cause primary microcephaly (MCPH) or related growth pathologies such as microcephalic primordial dwarfism syndromes in humans. Defects in mitotic progression, chromosome segregation, microtubule assembly and DNA damage-induced checkpoint arrests are the proposed links for the underlying mechanisms. Genes that are part of networks involved in the regulation of the cell cycle can be potential candidates for both diseases. To identify new genes involved in the disease process, twenty nine consanguineous MCPH families and a family with microcephalic primordial dwarfism were recruited from various areas of Pakistan. Homozygosity mapping complemented with exome sequencing or targeted gene sequencing identified several mutations in known MCPH associated genes and in a new gene, PLK4. In case of MCPH, mutations were identified in 28 families linked to known loci. In one family sequencing of the whole exome failed to detect a mutation, suggesting the involvement of regulatory regions. Nine novel mutations were found in ASPM, two in MCPH1 and two in CDK5RAP2. Three known mutations were found in ASPM and one in WDR62. Furthermore, the exact breakpoints were mapped in two families carrying overlapping homozygous microdeletions of 164 kb and 577 kb at the MCPH1 locus. A biallelic loss-of-function mutation, p.Arg936Serfs*1, was identified near the C-terminus of PLK4 in a family segregating inherited microcephalic primordial dwarfism. PLK4 kinase is an essential regulator of centriole biogenesis. Cellular experiments carried out with patient-derived fibroblasts demonstrated a significant reduction at the protein level. Centriole biogenesis was significantly impaired and resulted in monopolar configurations, centriole loss and defective spindle formation. Further, overexpression studies revealed that mutant PLK4 still localized to the centrosome but centriole duplication was significantly impaired. Moreover, patient cells showed a reduced cellular proliferation and delayed mitotic progression. Combining genetic data with the results of cellular experiments, PLK4 was established as a new disease-associated gene in microcephalic primordial dwarfism. This study adds to the mutational spectra of MCPH-associated genes and quantifies the genetic heterogeneity in the Pakistani population. It further confirms the importance of the centrosome for normal brain and body size and extends the genetic understanding and phenotypic spectrum associated with genes relevant for centriole biogenesis.
ALGINIC ACID IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF SARGASSUM WIGHTII AND PADINA TETRASTROMATICA

Alginic acid is mainly synthesized from the seaweeds and it is widely used in several industries. Sargassum wightii and Padina tetrastromatica are the major sources for the manufacture of Alginic acid in Kerala. These are two brown algae, common at Kovalam and Thankasseri areas. Since these sea weeds are available in large quantities, they appear to be the most suitable raw material for commercial exploitation. Major aim of the present study was to examine the amount of alginic acid in different parts of Sargassum wightii and Padina tetrastromatica. The observation revealed that Sargassum wightii could be considered as a good raw material for commercial extraction of alginic acid in Kerala.
Protein export in bacillus subtilis and escherichia coli

The export of heterologous proteins in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli is often inefficient. Frequently observed problems are: 1) accumulation of the precursor form of the exported protein in the cytoplasm or in the membrane; 2), inefficient or incorrect processing of the precursor; 3), inefficient release of the processed protein from the cell-envelope; and 4), proteolytic degradation of the exported protein. Several distinct steps in the export of proteins, involving properties of both the exported protein and the cellular protein export apparatus, can be conceived to account for these problems. The main purpose of the investigations described in this Thesis was to determine whether the processing of precursors of, in particular heterologous, exported proteins by signal peptidase I (SPasc I) might be a rate-limiting step in protein export. Zie: Summary and general discussion
Two new species of Eleutherodactylus from remnant cloud forest in Haiti (Anura : Leptodactylidae)

Two new arboreal leptodactylid frogs, Eleutherodactylus corona and E. dolomedes, are described from remnant cloud forest in the Massif de la Hotte, Dept. du Sud, Haiti. One (E. corona) is a bromeliad/orchid specialist whereas the other (E. dolomedes) is more generalized in habitat preference. Both belong to the bakeri series of the large subgenus Euhyas.
Adrenaline and noradrenaline: introduction

Adrenaline and noradrenaline are found in the adrenal gland and in neurons of the peripheral (autonomic) and central nervous systems. Synthesis of these catecholamines is tightly regulated and ensures that their supply is coupled to the rate of their release. Both adrenaline and noradrenaline help to maintain internal body state (‘homeostasis’) but, in the brain, they are thought also to influence arousal and mood.
Isolation and characterization of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria from a petroleum refinery soil

In this study, fifty strains belonging to the genus Pseudomonas (ARP) were isolated from crude oil polluted soil at a Petroleum Refinery in Mersin,Turkey, by means of selective enrichment cultures in modified M9 minimal medium (MM9). Strains ARP26 and ARP28, which grew best on MM9 agarised medium, were selected for biodegradation tests. Biodegradation rates were evidenced by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with detected efficiencies in ARP26 and ARP28 cultures up to 93% and 98% respectively, within the first seven days of incubation. The ability of degrading phenanthrene was found to be plasmid-mediated through curing experiments. The size of the plasmid involved, referred to as pARPI, was estimated in about 26 kb.
Out of China: distribution history of Ginkgo biloba L.

Gingko biloba L. is one of the most mysterious plant species, which continues to attract the interest of scientists and the public since many centuries. However, our knowledge of its evolutionary history and worldwide distribution is limited. Herein we are combining evidence from a previous phylogeographic analysis of Ginkgo biloba's range in China using cpDNA and AFLPs with new data from old, early introduced in Korea, Japan, Europe and Northern America with the aim to unravel the early human-mediated introduction history of this species. We provide evidence that Ginkgo biloba reached Japan via different routes from China during the last two millennia most likely by human-mediated dispersal. Based on AFLP data, all individuals originally introduced to Europe and North America (e.g., by Kaempfer in Europe in the 1720s) are genetically similar to one ofthe Korean accessions raising, the question ofthe validity of the origin of Kaempfer's original material, which was said to be brought from Japan to Europe in the early 18th century. Multiple introduction into Korea and Japan in concert with an out-crossing mating system has maintained high levels of gene diversity; this is also true for the European and North American trees. In addition, the trees outside the original Chinese Pleistocene refugia, due to their relatively small gene-pool, have a reduced number of AFLP fragments and no exclusive alleles.
The expansion of short rotation forestry: characterization of determinants with an agent‐based land use model

Wood is a limited resource which is exposed to a continuously growing global demand not least because of a politically fostered bioenergy use. One approach to master the challenge to sustainably meet this increasing wood demand is short rotation forestry (SRF). However, SRF is only gradually evolving and it is not fully understood which determinants hamper its expansion. This study provides theoretical insights into economic and environmental determinants of an SRF expansion and their interplay. This assessment requires the incorporation of farmers' decision‐making based on an explicit investment appraisal. Therefore, we use an agent‐based model to depict the decision‐making of profit‐maximizing farmers facing the choice between SRF, the cultivation of conventional annual agricultural crops and abstaining from cultivation (fallow land). The land use decisions are influenced by general economic determinants, such as market prices for wood and annual crops, and by site‐dependent determinants, such as the environmental site quality. We found that the willingness to pay for SRF‐based products and for annual crops most strongly influences the coverage of SRF in the landscape. SRF will in most cases be established on sites with low productivity. However, a decrease in the willingness to pay for annual crops will lead to a reallocation of SRF plantations to sites with higher productivity. Furthermore, our model results indicate that the impact of the distance to processing plants on farmers' decisions strongly depends on general economic determinants and the given spatial structure of the underlying natural landscape. Analysing the relative importance of different determinants of an SRF expansion, this study gives insights into the approach of using SRF to sustainably meet the growing wood demand. Moreover, these insights are taken as a starting point for the design of effective government interventions to promote SRF.
Enhanced Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Bee Pollen by Wet-grinding Technology

Bee pollen is produced by honeybees and is considered one of the most balanced and nourishing nutritional supplements available. Historically, bee pollen has been prescribed for its healing properties and consumed for its high-energy supply. Recent research has provided evidence that bee pollen has diverse biological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and even anti-cancer effects. However, the outer membrane of the pollen grain, exine, is highly resistant to most acidic solutions, high pressure, and even digestive enzymes, and the resulting low bioavailability limits its nutritional and clinical applications. This study applied a wet-grinding method to destroy the exine effectively, and it then examined the pollen’s enhanced biological activity. First, microscopic observations provided strong evidence that wet grinding destroyed the exine time-dependently. In addition, the content of polyphenols, well-known ingredients of bee pollen and used as internal standards for the quality control of commercial pollen preparations, increased up to 11-fold with wet grinding. Further, the anti-oxidant activity demonstrated on the ABTS anti-oxidant assay, as well as the DPPH radical scavenging assay, was also dramatically increased. Together, the results presented here support a new technology by which bee pollen can be used as a resource for medical, nutritional, and cosmetic applications.
MRSA Epidemiology in Animals

Until the 1990s, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was traditionally considered a pathogen causing nosocomial infections, being the so-called HA-MRSA (healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). However, over time, cases of MRSA-positive individuals were observed who never had contact with hospital services, and strains from these individuals were identified and named CA-MRSA (communityassociated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). In 2003 in the Netherlands, a new MRSA strain arose in patients that could not be typed through PFGE (pulsed field gel electrophoresis) with SmaI, with resistance to digestion by this enzyme (Bens et al., 2006), being called since then NT-MRSA (non typeable methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Investigations of this NT-MRSA intensified, and it was observed that these patients carrying this strain had previous contact with pigs and the geographic distribution of cases showed clusters near pig farms (van Loo et al., 2007). With more advanced studies, it was possible to determine strains strictly related to animals, such as those found in pigs, which were named LA-MRSA (livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in 2010 (Vanderhaeghen et al., 2010).
ecospat: an R package to support spatial analyses and modeling of species niches and distributions

The aim of the ecospat package is to make available novel tools and methods to support spatial analyses and modeling of species niches and distributions in a coherent workflow. The package is written in the R language (R Development Core Team 2016) and contains several features, unique in their implementation, that are complementary to other existing R packages. Pre-modeling analyses include species niche quantifications and comparisons between distinct ranges or time periods, measures of phylogenetic diversity, and other data exploration functionalities (e.g. extrapolation detection, ExDet). Core modeling brings together the new approach of Ensemble of Small Models (ESM) and various implementations of the spatially-explicit modeling of species assemblages (SESAM) framework. Post-modeling analyses include evaluation of species predictions based on presence-only data (Boyce index) and of community predictions, phylogenetic diversity and environmentally-constrained species co-occurrences analyses. The ecospat package also provides some functions to supplement the biomod2 package (e.g. data preparation, permutation tests and cross-validation of model predictive power). With this novel package, we intend to stimulate the use of comprehensive approaches in spatial modelling of species and community distributions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Vegetation productivity and diversity of acid grasslands in Northern Greece as influenced by winter rainfall and limiting nutrients

Les effets de la fertilisation sur la productivite d'especes individuelles et de l'ensemble de la vegetation, ainsi que sur la diversite vegetale, ont ete etudies dans une prairie de plaine et une prairie d'altitude sur sols acides dans le nord de la Grece. La chaux et la potasse, qui n'ont ete repandues que dans la prairie de plaine, ne modifient pas la croissance des plantes. La fertilisation par l'azote et le phosphore accroissent nettement la productivite vegetale et modifient la composition specifique. L'azote, surtout combine avec P, favorise les herbacees a croissance precoce dans la prairie de plaine ainsi que l'espece herbacee dominante Agrostis capillaris dans la prairie d'altitude et reduit le nombre d'especes ainsi que l'indice de diversite de Shannon sur les deux sites. Le phosphore applique seul favorise essentiellement les legumineuses. La relation entre la productivite et la diversite des communautes est significativement negative dans la plupart des cas. Les effets de N et P sur l'indice de diversite pourraient etre expliques par leurs effets sur la biomasse hypogee. Ceux-ci sont plus prononces lorsque les precipitations hivernales ont ete suffisantes dans la prairie de plaine et sont moderes lorsque, dans la prairie d'altitude, la vegetation a ete taillee et enlevee l'annee precedente.
04. The effects of phototaxis and thigmotaxis on microhabitat selection by a caecilian amphibian (genus Ichthyophis )

In the field, ichthyophiid caecilians are found in soil and epigeic microhabitats - conditions that provide both the phototactic cue of darkness and the thigmotactic cue of tactile contact. In laboratory experiments, we investigated the use ofphototaxis and thigmotaxis on refuge selection in a caecilian of the genus Ichthyophis. Refuges that provided light with tactile cues, darkness with tactile cues, or darkness without tactile cues were sufficient in satisfying refuge-seeking behaviour in this species. Tactile stimuli, however, proved to be more preferred than darkness in refuge-seeking behaviour. Our results are consistent with field observations of Ichthyophis species. Thigmotactic cues may be preferred because they are more biologically significant for a burrowing vertebrate that has reduced vision.
THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA WOOD STORK POPULATION

AswnAcr. -The largest segment of the North American Wood Stork (Mycteria americam) population traditionally nested in southern Florida, where its perceived population decrease over the last 50 years resulted in its addition to the Federal endangered species list. Previously published reports placed the southern Florida population at 30,000 to 100,000 storks. A complete search of published and unpublished records of Wood Storks nesting in southern Florida, however, failed to support such a long-term population decrease. We cannot demonstrate that the historical population was any larger than it was in 1967, when there were 9400 pairs. The Corkscrew-Big Cypress nesting group, not that of the Everglades, was historically the most numerically important population segment. The historic nesting location for southernmost Wood Storks was not inland in the Everglades but on Cape Sable, which has been subject to the effects of drainage canals. The population size of several decades ago is irrelevant to current conservation strategy because the southern Florida marshes have been irrevocably altered reducing their ability to support storks. We can document a population decrease of 75% from 1967 to 1981-82 in southern Florida, a time frame coincident with the operation of water management policies in the Everglades. Wood Storks recently have begun abandoning traditional colony sites in Everglades National Park in favor of sites in shallow reservoirs to the north. Drainage of the Big Cypress Swamp and maintenance of seasonally excessive water levels in the Everglades of Everglades National Park account for the stork’ s repeated nesting failure and population decrease. Water levels can be manipulated in the Everglades to enhance nesting success and assist in population stabilization. Received 5 Aug. 1985, accepted I Feb. 1986.