Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soil erosion in Nordic countries – future challenges and research needs

In Europe, water, wind and tillage erosion are common threats to soil quality (Verheijen et al., 2012). In the Nordic countries the main problem of erosion is generally that phosphorus (P), pesticides and other water pollutants attached to eroded material are lost to recipient waters. Erosion is monitored from plots, fields, and in streams and rivers (Boardman & Poensen, 2006). The amount of soil erosion measured from small agricultural catchments dominated by silty clay soils in Norway and Sweden varied largely in space (Table I). The range measured at the outlet of the small streams varied between 0.01 and 3.67 t ha 1 yr . In Lithuania, the combined variation in space, time and topography is huge and soil losses from 0.01 to 19 t ha 1 yr 1 have been measured with surface runoff from downstream slopes (Kinderiene & Karcauskiene, 2012). In general, the spatial variation between different catchments is greater (varying with a factor of more than hundred) than the variation between years (varying with a factor of 10). The total P losses in Norway and Sweden varied between 0.03 and 4.69 kg ha 1 yr 1 (Table I). In the Swedish catchments, high P losses can be related to factors such as clay and clay loam soils, medium to high precipitation and large proportions of annual crops in the catchments (Kyllmar et al., 2006). In the Norwegian catchments, the P losses differ depending on production system, soil types an water flow pathways (Bechmann et al., 2008). In arable production systems, erosion is the main P loss process. At the plot scale, Skøien and Børresen (2012) found that total P losses are closely correlated to soil losses, whereas Ulén et al. (2012a) found that particulate P concentrations can be reasonably wellpredicted from suspended sediment (SS) concentrations above base flow in a Swedish catchment. Land levelling has caused high erosion from arable fields in Norway (Øygarden et al., 2006). Roughly recalculated to arable land based on source apportionment, Norwegian studies indicate that soil losses from catchments with artificially levelled arable land may be even higher than 2 t ha 1 yr 1 (Bogen et al., 1993; Bechmann et al., 2008). At the field scale, monitoring of soil losses in surface and subsurface runoff from a land levelled arable field in Norway showed variations from 0.09 to 3 t ha 1 yr 1 (Bechmann et al., 2011). At the plot scale, measurements of soil losses showed even higher values, up to 7.6 t ha 1 yr 1 (Lundekvam, 2007; Skøien & Børresen, 2012). The tolerable rate of erosion for both agricultural production and water quality can be set to approximately 1 t ha 1 yr 1 (Verheijen et al., 2012). Standard potential erosion risk in Norway is defined for areas with the traditional autumn ploughing. Erosion risk below 500 kg ha 1 yr 1 is defined as low, from 500 to 2000 kg ha yr 1 as medium, from 2000 to 8000 kg ha 1 yr 1 as high and above 8000 kg ha 1 yr 1 as very high.
Influence of β ‐glucanase on feeding value of barley for poultry and moisture content of excreta

1. The cause of the sticky droppings and poor performance that can occur when barley is fed to poultry was investigated. 2. The problems could be overcome by water‐treatment of the barley or by addition of β‐glucanase. 3. The problems appear to be caused by a viscous factor, which is hydrolysed by β‐glucanase. Water‐treatment allows hydrolysis by enzymes in the barley. 4. Heat‐treatment of barley denatures hydrolytic enzymes and prevents reduction in viscosity.
Global analysis of mRNA metabolism by comparative dynamic transcriptome analysis.

mRNA metabolism is a highly complicated process. It begins with cotranscriptional events including RNA capping, splicing, cleavage and polyadenylation. During transcription, various proteins are loaded onto the mRNA. This mRNA protein complex is known as mRNP. The structure and composition of mRNP determine the fate of mRNA. Before transported to the cytoplasm, mRNAs are inspected by the nuclear surveillance mechanisms, the aberrant molecules are eliminated. In the cytosol, the cap of mRNA is protected by the translation initiation factor eIF4E. The eIF4E interacts with poly(A)-binding protein and circularize mRNA to ensure effective translation. Cytosolic mRNA degradation competes with translation and can reduce the translatability by shortening the poly(A)-tail. Poly(A)-tail shortening eventually triggers decapping and mRNA degradation. Various surveillance events also take place in the cytosol to prevent formation of aberrant proteins. To monitor eukaryotic mRNA metabolism, we developed in this study comparative Dynamic Transcriptome Analysis (cDTA). cDTA provides absolute rates of mRNA synthesis and decay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) cells with the use of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp) as internal standard. cDTA uses non-perturbing metabolic labeling that supersedes conventional methods for mRNA turnover analysis. cDTA reveals that S. cerevisiae and S. pombe transcripts that encode orthologous proteins have similar synthesis rates, whereas decay rates are five-fold lower in S. pombe, resulting in similar mRNA concentrations despite the larger S. pombe cell volume. cDTA of S. cerevisiae mutants reveals that a eukaryote can buffer mRNA levels. Impairing transcription with a point mutation in RNA polymerase (Pol) II causes decreased mRNA synthesis rates as expected, but also decreased decay rates. Impairing mRNA degradation by deleting deadenylase subunits of the Ccr4-Not complex causes decreased decay rates as expected, but also decreased synthesis rates. Extended kinetic modeling reveals mutual feedback between mRNA synthesis and degradation that may be achieved by a factor that inhibits synthesis and enhances degradation. We further use cDTA to determine the transcription rate and degradation rate of mRNAs in 46 yeast strains lacking genes involved in mRNA degradation and metabolism. In these strains, changes in mRNA degradation rates are generally compensated by changes in mRNA synthesis rates, resulting in a buffering of mRNA levels. We show that buffering of mRNA levels requires the RNA exonuclease Xrn1. The buffering is rapidly established when mRNA synthesis is impaired, but is delayed when mRNA degradation is impaired, apparently due to Xrn1p-dependent transcription repressor induction. Cluster analysis of the data defines the general mRNA degradation machinery, reveals different substrate preferences for the two mRNA deadenylase complexes Ccr4-Not and Pan2p-Pan3p, and unveils an interwoven cellular mRNA surveillance network.
Skull morphology and functionality of extant Felidae (Mammalia: Carnivora): a phylogenetic and evolutionary perspective

Felids morphology and ecological role as hypercarnivores are quite constant, despite considerable body size variation among species. Skull morphological and functional features of 34 extant cat species were evaluated under a phylogenetic framework of the Felidae. Twenty skull measurements were analysed through Principal Component Analysis to assess the species morphofunctional spaces. Force indexes were obtained from static equilibrium equations to infer jaw mechanics. Correlations between morphological, functional, and ecological traits were tested by phylogenetically independent contrasts. In spite of the general cat-like pattern, specific features on the skulls allowed differentiation among groups. Acinonyx jubatus, for instance, showed a shorter and shallower temporal fossa than other big cats, and their bite functionality is marked by an increased contribution of the masseteric system. A morphofunctional dichotomy between Neotropical and Eurasian/African small cats was detected, and is associated with the major transversal axes of the skulls. According to the contrast analyses, the skull size is correlated with the bite force and prey size, but it is uncorrelated with the variations on jaw mechanics (from temporalis or masseter muscle optimizations). Also, there was no correlation between functional differences on jaw muscles and the ratio of prey weight to cat weight. The efficiency of the jaw apparatus among cats is quite consistent; therefore, the different evolutionary trends of jaw mechanics seem to be caused by the casuistic fixation of phenotypical variations, rather than by specific adaptative selections. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161, 414–462.
ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY IN RUNNING WATERS: PERIPHYTON CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND SNAIL GROWTH

Mismatches between the elemental composition of primary consumers and their food suggest that the production of primary consumers may be limited by food mineral content. Although the consequences of these mismatches for consumers have been studied extensively for zooplankton and terrestrial herbivores, the relationship between periphyton elemental composition and primary consumer performance has been rarely explored. We manipulated periphyton elemental composition by growing stream periphyton under all combinations (2 × 2 factorial) of low and high inorganic N and P and offered low and high quantities to Elimia livescens snails. Periphyton quantity, as measured by ash-free dry mass and total carbon, was kept the same among nutrient treatments within a level of food quantity. We measured Elimia growth as change in blotted wet mass and shell-free ash-free dry mass. Periphyton chemical composition was described by measurements of percentages of C, N, P, ash and chlorophyll a. At low periphyton quantity, Elim.
EFFECT OF SPERM INSEMINATION DURATION ON IN VITRO FERTILISATION (IVF) PERFORMANCE IN GOATS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sperm insemination duration during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) on the cleavage rate of goat embryos. Goat oocytes were retrieved through the slicing of ovaries obtained from abattoir and laparoscopic oocyte pick-up (LOPU). For in vitro maturation (IVM), the collected cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured and then incubated overnight in CO2 (5%) incubator at 38.5°C for 24-27 hr (abattoir source) or 18-21 hr (LOPU source). Oocytes were partially denuded and co-incubated with post-thawed sperm with concentration of 1x10 6 sperm/ml. After 8-14 hr or 18- 24 hr of insemination, in vitro culture (IVC) of presumptive zygotes were further incubated in CO2 (5%) incubator at 38.5°C for preimplantation embryonic development. The cleavage of the embryos was observed and recorded daily under inverted microscope. The fertilisation rate with insemination duration of 8-14 hr (39.82%) was higher than that with 18-24 hr (33.59%); however, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between 2 groups of insemination durations. There was significant (P<0.05) decrease as the embryo developmental stages increased. Generally, the embryo developmental rates of all stages for insemination durations of 8-14 hr were higher than that of 18-24 hr, which were 49.36 vs. 27.92%; 33.77 vs. 22.29%; 7.32 vs. 2.08% and 0.56 vs. 0.00% for 2-, 4-, 8-cell and morula, respectively. In conclusion, shorter insemination duration may be needed to improve the IVF performance in goats.
Investigating effects of surrounding landscape composition and complexity on populations of two polyphagous insect pest groups in Iowa soybean

The composition and complexity of agro-ecosystems are important factors influencing the population dynamics of insect pests. Understanding these interactions may improve our ability to predict the spatial occurrence of pest outbreaks, thereby informing scouting and management decisions. In 2012 and 2013, two concurrent studies were conducted to examine the relationship between landscapes surrounding Iowa soybean, Glycine max [L. ] Merrill, fields and two polyphagous pest groups; Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Population densities were monitored in soybean within simple and complex agricultural landscapes to determine the response of these pests to landscape complexity. Results revealed P. japonica populations were significantly greater in soybean fields within complex landscapes and were positively associated with area of uncultivated land. The specific compositions of surrounding landscapes were also analyzed to determine the landscape features that explain the greatest variation in P. japonica and stink bug population densities. Results suggested that the area of wooded and grass habitat around fields accounted for the greatest variation in P. japonica populations; however, no discernable relationships were observed with stink bug populations. Sampling also sought to survey the community of stink bugs present in Iowa soybean. The community was predominantly comprised of stink bugs in the genus Euschistus, comprising a combined 91.04% of all captures. Additional species included the green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (4.48%); spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (2.99%); and red shouldered stink bug, Thyanta custator accerra (McAtee) (1.49%). Future work will be needed to determine if the landscape effects on P.
First report of scald of triticale caused by Rhynchosporium secalis in North America.

Scald, caused by Rhynchosporium secalis, was found for the first time on leaves of triticale in the Willamette Valley in Oregon in April 1995. Koch's postulates were completed and four separate inoculation studies were done with 12- to 17-day-old greenhouse-grown seedlings of triticale lines. Seedlings were examined beginning 3 days after inoculation and at 2- to 3-day intervals until a final rating was made 11 to 20 days after inoculation. Nine to 15 days after inoculation, leaves of susceptible plants of triticale lines 149 TR 3-232, 83 TP 1-121, and 191 TR 2-12 lost turgor, wilted, and collapsed, changing from green to gray to chlorotic. No leaf lesions developed in triticale lines 5735 TW 3-324 and 431 TU 1-22. Seedlings of rye, winter and spring wheat, and barley were also inoculated with conidia of R. secalis. Severe scald developed in rye cvs. Prima and Jingshou and rye semidwarf line SD-152. Some cultivars of inoculated barley developed small lesions along margins of leaves, but were considered resistant to scald. No disease symptoms developed in inoculated wheat. Symptomatic leaf sheaths and blades from triticale line 149 TR 3-232 were dried and deposited in the Herbarium, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis. A culture of R. secalis from triticale in Oregon was deposited in the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, MD, as ATCC 96698.
TGFβ and HIV Infection a

TGF beta is a cytokine which is involved with the regulation of different aspects of host defense responses to injury. Overexpression of TGF beta can lead to the conversion of its protective functions to pathogenetic manifestations. TGF beta is a potent factor in promoting anabolic aspects in connective tissue metabolism, and uncontrolled production of TGF beta has been associated with the development of fibrosis. With respect to its effects on immune and inflammatory responses, TGF beta is an important endogenous immunosuppressive factor which physiologically may protect the organism from tissue damage caused by chronic activation of leukocytes. As a result of overproduction in HIV infection, this function of TGF beta can contribute to noncytopathic mechanisms of immunodeficiency. TGF beta is involved with several aspects of HIV disease and promotes virus replication and spreading through multiple distinct mechanisms. It directly stimulates virus replication in infected monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells under certain in vitro conditions. It may stimulate the production of other cytokines that enhance virus replication and it may be the mediator of other HIV-stimulating agents such as cocaine. It enhances recruitment of mononuclear phagocytes as cells susceptible to virus infection. Through its profound and broad inhibitory effects on different antiviral defense mechanisms, it facilitates more rapid progression of virus infection and increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignancies. Although these findings are largely based on in vitro systems, the demonstration of TGF beta overexpression in HIV-infected patients supports the notion that this cytokine is an important pathogenetic mediator in HIV infection and its associated diseases. Therapeutic strategies to interfere with these functions of TGF beta are the development of TGF beta-neutralizing antibodies and soluble TGF beta-binding proteins and receptors as well as approaches directed at reducing TGF beta gene expression.
Are communities saturated? On the relationship between α, β and γ diversity

A popular way to suggest a regional influence on local species diversity has been to plot local versus regional diversity. The form of these curves has been interpreted as evidence for or against “community saturation” due to species interactions. This interpretation, however, is unwarranted. Using the concepts of α, β and γ diversity, I show that local–regional richness curves are determined by the way total diversity is partitioned between its α and β components, which itself is a matter of scale. Changing the scale of the local community amounts to changing the scale at which the heterogeneity of the interactions between organisms and their environment manifests itself, and hence the balance between α and β diversity. Community saturation may occur because of physical limitations, but there are no theoretical grounds for the belief that species interactions set an absolute upper limit to diversity at any scale. A distinction between different meanings of the concept of “saturation” is proposed to clarify this issue. I argue that the challenge now is to understand the relationship between α and β diversity at multiple scales, and the processes that determine it.
In vitro Pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis against Tea Termites

Tea is an economically important plantation crop of Assam, India. Termites are one of the predominant pests causing damage to tea, thereby affecting the productivity and quality. Bacillus thuringiensis strains are widely used as microbial control agents for different insect pests. In the present study B. thuringiensis and B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis were evaluated in vitro for their pathogenicity against two species of tea termites, viz., Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Microcerotermes beesoni Snyder. Bacillus thuringiensis strains caused mortality of above 80% in both the termite species. B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis was found to be more virulent compared to B. thuringiensis against the termites.
Rescue and relocation programme of turtles and tortoises and elongated tortoise monitoring programme in the Nam Theun 2 Reservoir (Laos)

The impoundment of the Nam Theun 2 (NT2) Reservoir on the Nakai Plateau resulted in the creation of a 489 km 2 reservoir at its full supply level. This inundation has generated a modification of the environment e.g. in terms of geomorphology especially for the wetlands and terrestrial ecosystems. Wildlife population including six species of fresh water turtles and tortoises has been expected to be affected by the NT2 Reservoir impoundment. In order to avoid an excessive loss of these populations, a turtle conservation programme (rescue, relocation, and monitoring programmes) was conducted with two distinct phases (i) the first phase started before the reservoir impoundment (January 2008) and ended after the reservoir reached its full supply level (January 2009) and (ii) the second phase (monitoring only) was conducted from August 2008 to January 2009 and from November to December 2009. A total of 490 individuals belonging to four freshwater turtle species and three terrestrial species were rescued and relocated into different selected habitats above the full supply level. This number of rescued individuals exceeded the objectives of the rescue and relocation programme. The monitoring programme’s results focused particularly on nine individuals belonging to the elongated tortoise species ( Indotestudo elongata) . Results showed all nine observed elongated tortoises were successfully surviving. However their annual survival rate declined from 100% during the first phase of the programme to 47% after the two monitoring phases. This annual apparent survival rate was outside the range of the natural annual survival rate of this species (88% to 96%). However, the programme found that this sharp decline might be caused by either an error of transmitters attached on individuals or external threats from poaching. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that the four individuals re-tracked showed good sign of population establishment ( e.g. normal increase in body weight).
Morpho-anatomical traits of root and non-enzymatic antioxidant system of leaf tissue contribute to waterlogging tolerance in Brachiaria grasses

Soil waterlogging is a major abiotic stress that affects the growth and yield of forage grasses in the tropics. Brachiaria forage grasses are widely planted in the tropics to sustain livestock production. An outdoor study was conducted using plastic cylinders under drained and waterlogged soil conditions in order to identify root and shoot traits associated with waterlogging tolerance in Brachiaria ruziziensis (waterlogging sensitive) and Brachiaria humidicola (waterlogging tolerant). For that reason, dry mass, leaf chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, root morpho-anatomical traits (aerenchyma, stele proportion, suberin deposition) and total non-enzymatic antioxidant activity in leaf tissue were determined. Under waterlogging, reductions of shoot biomass, chlorophyll loss, impairment of photosynthetic efficiency and diminution of antioxidant system were found in B. ruziziensis but not in B. humidicola. In B. humidicola an increase of the antioxidant system in response to waterlogging was found. Under waterlogging, both grasses showed an increase in root aerenchyma, reduction of root stele proportion and shorter roots than plants grown under drained conditions. We conclude that a combination of greater aerenchyma formation, smaller stele proportions, increased suberin deposition in the outer part of the root and an escalation of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system acts to enhance root aeration and prevent the deleterious effect of reactive oxygen species in plants of B. humidicola subjected to waterlogged conditions.
Sulbactam-containing β-lactamase inhibitor combinations

Sulbactam irreversibly inhibits the hydrolytic activity of b-lactamases. This compound is commercially available in combination with either ampicillin or cefoperazone. In each instance, the activity of the partner antibiotic against b-lactamase-producing bacteria is restored. One of the particular advantages of using sulbactam-containing combinations is that sulbactam itself has inherent activity against some Acinetobacter baumannii. Sulbactam combinations have not demonstrated strong selective pressures for extended-spectrum b-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. In contrast to clavulanate, sulbactam does not induce class I (Ampc) chromosomal b-lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae.
Inheritance of Resistance in Sweetclover to the Sweetclover Aphid

The inheritance of resistance in sweetclover, Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. , to the sweetclover aphid, Therioaphis riehmi (Borner), was studied by using mass infestation and confinement of aphids to measure resistance. Classification of F1, F2, and backcross progenies revealed that resistance was a dominant characteristic and that a single pair of alleles was segregating in most of the progenies observed. An additional pair of genes that acted in a complementary manner appeared to be involved in several progenies derived from I resistant parent.