Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transmission of Pepino mosaic virus by the Fungal Vector Olpidium virulentus

Transmission of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) by the fungal vector Olpidium virulentus was studied in two experiments. Two characterized cultures of the fungus were used as stock cultures for the assay: culture A was from lettuce roots collected in Castellon (Spain), and culture B was from tomato roots collected in Murcia (Spain). These fungal cultures were maintained in their original host and irrigated with sterile water. The drainage water collected from irrigating these stock cultures was used for watering PepMV-infected and non-infected tomato plants to constitute the acquisition―source plants of the assay, which were divided into six different plots: plants containing fungal culture A (non-infected and PepMV-infected); plants containing fungal culture B (non-infected and PepMV-infected) ; PepMV-infected plants without the fungus; and plants non-infected either with PepMV and the fungus. Thirty-six healthy plants grouped into six plots, which constituted the virus acquisition―transmission plants of the assay, were irrigated with different drainage waters obtained by watering the different plots of the acquisition―source plants. PepMV was only transmitted to plants irrigated with the drainage water collected from PepMV-infected plants whose roots contained the fungal culture B from tomato with a transmission rate of 8%. No infection was detected in plants irrigated with the drainage water collected from plots with only a fungus or virus infection. Both the virus and fungus were detected in water samples collected from the drainage water of the acquisition― source plants of the assay. These transmission assays demonstrated the possibility of PepMV transmission by O. virulentus collected from tomato crops.
The impact of nutritional factors on the immune system in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.: a review

Abstract Compared to the extensive number of studies in nutritional immunology in humans as well as in livestock, the evaluation of nutritional impact on fish health is in its infancy. The mechanisms by which single nutrient modulate immunity are frequently not understood, even if experiments give some indication of the mode of action. With current knowledge in fish nutrition, the methods and criteria for optimal nutrient recommendations should be reevaluated to include health factors such as immunolgy and disease resistance. By increasing knowledge of the role of different nutrients in the general metabolism and in immunity, and by improving rearing conditions, it may be possible to reduce losses due to diseases by retarding the progress of diseases, improving recovery and improving protection through vaccines. This review covers research on dietary level of carbohydrate, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and vitamin C in salmonids, of which the vitamins have been by far the most studied.
Sex‐Biased Harvesting and Population Dynamics in Ungulates: Implications for Conservation and Sustainable Use

The consumptive use of wildlife, in particular tro- phy hunting and game ranching of ungulates, has been ad- vocated as a tool for conservation in Africa We show that these methods of harvesting differ significantly from natural predation, with trophy hunting showing extreme selection for adult males and game ranching leading to dispropor- tionate harvests of young males. Little information, either theoretical or empirical, exists concerning the effect of these harvesting regimes on the long-term population dynamics of ungulate populations. Despite that, the potential effects of sex-skewed harvests are numerous. In this paper, we investi- gate onepotentially deleterious effect of sex-skewed harvests. Both theory and experimental data suggest that male ungu- lates are limited in their absolute ability to inseminate fe- males. Using a Leslie-Matrix model and published data on impala, we show that the interaction between sperm limita- tion and harvests with highly male-biased sex ratios can lead to greatly reduced female fecundity (defined as the number of young born) and population collapse. These re- sults are robust and suggest thatpresent methods of harvest- ing may not be optimal, or viable, in the long term.
Applying Environmental Interpretation in Protected Areas of Developing Countries: Problems in Exporting a US Model

Interpretation is most effective when its form and content are adapted to the situations in which it will be presented. Although many developed countries have a long and rich tradition of interpretation, the physical, financial, and socio-economic, differences among and within developing nations suggest that this tradition will not always apply there. As our colleagues in developing countries look for interchange and suggestions, the temptation to impose our model—and the difficulty for them to accept it—will be great. Interpreters in developing countries need to pursue a different model—one which gives relative emphasis to interpretation's role in strategic environmental education for target audiences. Though not altogether excluding the visitor service function that is frequently emphasized in US protected areas, interpretive programmes in many developing countries are often included as just one component of country-wide environmental education master-plans aimed at establishing sustainable development as a national ideology. Host countries sometimes accept the conventional model too readily, often because the only available training materials are translated from these sources. When application falls short of expectations, in-country interpreters usually blame themselves or conclude that interpretation ‘just isn't for us—rather than questioning the model they have been handed. Universities must also share some of the responsibility for this sorry state of affairs. International students studying at US or European institutions sometimes return home better prepared to work as interpreters in those countries’ protected areas than in those in their own countries. Trainers and teachers, whether working at home or elsewhere, need to do a better job of listening to their students. They need to learn what it is like to be an interpreter in that student's country, and they need to learn what it is like to be part of the audience. Would we accept anything less of our own mentors and interpretive trainers? Clearly, a superior strategy to exporting our model of interpretation is to assist developing countries in arriving at their own. Over many decades, interpreters in the US and other developed countries have developed a profound knowledge about their craft. Although much of it will not apply everywhere, some of our ideas may have widespread application. The key will be to determine which ones these are. Working with our developed country colleagues, learning with them and through them, we can explore together a range of possibilities that neither of us is able to envision alone. Filtered through our cultures and individual realities, the ideas which have merit will be identified and put to test. Others will be rejected. In the very best scenario, both parties will learn, and sustainable environmental quality will be the result.
Circadian Variations of Thermoregulation, Blood Constituents and Hormones in Crossbred Dairy Cows in Relation to Level of Milk Production

Abstract Physiological processes in cattle generally reveal a pattern of diurnal rhythmicity that could be influenced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The objective of this study was to monitor the daily rhythms in thermoregulation and blood constituents and endocrine responses in crossbred cows (Butana x Friesian) in a tropical environment. Also it was intended to explore the effect of level of milk production of cows on the pattern of diurnal responses. The cows used in the investigations were six relatively high producing cows (14.30 kg/day) and six low producing cows (7.10 kg/day) during late lactation. The nycthemeral changes in physiological parameters were monitored at 6 hrs intervals for 48 hrs. The rectal temperature (Tr) and respiratory rate (RR) increased in the afternoon (12:00 PM) in both groups and high producing cows maintained higher values during the course of the study. The packed cell volume (PCV) and Hb concentration were higher in high producing cows compared to low producing cows. Serum levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides showed a significant diurnal variation in both groups of cows. Serum urea concentration showed relative stability in both experimental groups. Serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and urea were lower in high producing cows than in low producing cows. Serum enzymes AST and ALT showed irregular diurnal variation in both high and low producing cows and high producing cows maintained lower aminotransferase enzyme activity. Serum cortisol level was higher at 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM compared to values measured in the morning (6:00 AM) and night (12:00 PM) and cortisol level was higher in high producing cows. Serum insulin level did not reveal significant diurnal variation in both groups of cows and insulin level was higher in high producing cows. The findings may be utilized in diagnosis of metabolic diseases and monitoring the production of dairy cows.Key words: Dairy cows, milk production, circadian variation, thermoregulation, blood constituents
How Far are Stem-Cell-Derived Erythrocytes from the Clinical Arena?

Blood transfusion is an indispensable cell therapy. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion depends on the availability of donor material, and concerns over supply and safety have spurred development of methods to manufacture blood from stem cells. Recent advances have increased excitement about the potential therapeutic production of RBCs ex vivo. Current methods could theoretically yield therapeutic doses of RBCs. However, generation of RBCs in the large numbers required for transfusion remains a significant challenge. In this article, we review the recent progress made in producing RBCs from various cell sources for transfusion purposes and discuss the most compelling issues to be addressed to translate this progress into a clinical-grade transfusion product. It is hoped that ongoing efforts and new technologies for ex vivo erythrocytes generation will provide alternative transfusion products to meet present and future clinical requirements.
When mutant p53 fires up

Mutant p53 functions as a key molecular element in the inflamed colon tissue joining forces with nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) to prolong and intensify the inflammatory response, leading eventually to a higher risk for colitis associated colorectal cancer (CAC). This phenomenon coincides with the fact that mutations in p53 are an initiating factor of CAC unlike sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) where they are considered a late event contributing to tumor progression. This research highlight attempts to illuminate the consequences of such a reshuffling in the molecular sequence of events from non-cancerous tissue to invasive carcinoma of the colon. Implications of this different role taken by mutant p53 when inflammation is involved might affect tumorigenesis, pathogenesis, and hierarchical morphogenesis and suggest the reevaluation of current animal models used to study CAC. We also discuss the possible role of mutant p53 in stromal and immune compartments, either in an autonomous or non-autonomous manner.
Nutrient Supply and the Growth of the Seminal Root System in Barley III. COMPENSATORY INCREASES IN GROWTH OF LATERAL ROOTS, AND IN RATES OF PHOSPHATE UPTAKE, IN RESPONSE TO A LOCALIZED SUPPLY OF PHOSPHATE

A method was devised by which different zones along a single seminal axis of an intact plant could be exposed for extended periods to contrasting concentrations of nitrate (either 0-01 or 1-0 mM) in continuous flow, the supply of all other nutrients being favourable throughout. The concentration of nitrate was found to exert a direct and strictly localized effect upon the growth of lateral roots which, depending upon the supply of assimilates from the shoot, resulted in marked modifications to the form of the root system. Zones receiving 1-0 mM nitrate showed an increase in the number and extension rate of both first- and second-order laterals, associated with a preferential accumulation of dry matter, compared with zones in 0-01 mM nitrate. The average number of laterals (both first and second order) per cm of parent root was 4-4 in the presence of 1-0 mM nitrate and 2-2 in 0-01 mM. The average ex tension rates of first-order laterals were 0-61 and 0-26 cm d"1 and second-order laterals, 0-10 and 0-05 cm d-1 for nitrate concentrations of 1-0 and 0-01 mM respectively. The precise numbers and extension rates of laterals in any one zone were affected, however, by the rate of growth of laterals in other parts of the root system. In contrast, the extension rates of axes were little affected by the concentration of nitrate to which their apical meristems were exposed and approached 2-0 cm d_1 provided the plants were not nitrogen-starved. The significance of these results to the physiology of root growth and soil-plant relations is dis cussed.
Forgery Detection in Hyperspectral Document Images using Graph Orthogonal Nonnegative Matrix Factorization

The analysis of inks plays a crucial role in the examination process of questioned documents. To address this issue, we propose a new approach for ink mismatch detection in Hyperspectral document (HSD) images based on a new orthogonal and graph regularized Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (NMF) model. Although some previous works have proposed orthogonality constraints to solve clustering problems in different contexts, the application of such constraints is not straightforward due to the sum-to-one assumption related to the physical nature of Hyperspectral images. In this work, we demonstrate that under some acquisition protocols, latent factors in HSD images can be constrained to be orthogonal. We also incorporate a graph regularized term to exploit the geometric information lost by the matricization of HSD images. Furthermore, we propose an efficient alternating direction method of multipliers based algorithm to solve the proposed method. Our empirical validation demonstrates the competitiveness of the proposed algorithm compared to the state-of-the-art methods. It shows a high potential to be used as a reliable tool for quick investigation ofquestioned documents.
Activities of synaptosomal membrane-bound enzymes in response to dietary alterations in linoleic and α-linolenic acid

Maintenance of appropriate proportions of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in brain phosphatides has been considered important for normal brain function. Experiments were undertaken in rats to ascertain the influence of dietary alterations in the ratio of linoleic to α-linolenic acid on the expression of membrane-bound enzymes. Fats with ratio of 18:2 n-6 to 18:3 n-3 equivalent to 120, 40, and 8 (achieved through suitable blending of safflower and soybean oils) were fed to three groups of weanling rats over a period of 16 weeks. Synaptosomal membranes were isolated by subjecting the brain homogenates to discontinuous sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. These membranes were used for the assay of enzyme activities and fatty acid analysis. Higher dietary intake of α-linolenic acid enhanced the activities of acetyicholinesterase and Na+, K+-ATPase. These results suggest that dietary α-linolenic acid influenced the expression of enzymes, possibly through alterations in the fluidity of these membranes, as evidenced by the compositional changes in them.
Distribution fields for aquatic ecosystem components : method of identification of correlation zones

A method was initially suggested for the identification of zones where there are strong correlations between two distribution fields. The method was based on outlining areas where the gradients of the two fields are in the same or opposite directions. In the present study, correlation zones were optimized by varying the range of angles between gradients, simultaneously changing the correlation value and zone area. The major role was given to the correlation value; the zone area was maintained so that the optimized correlation zone was significant. The method was applied in an attempt to establish the interaction of spatial distribution of a grazer (Cladocera) and its food (nanophytoplankton) in Lake Kinneret (Israel), using data from multidisciplinary surveys carried out on 26 December 1991 and 13 May 1993. 2003 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Production of High-protein Hydrolysate from Poultry Industry Residue and their Molecular Profiles

The use of mechanically deboned poultry meat (MDPM) as a source of raw protein for the enzymatic preparation of hydrolysates was investigated using commercial proteases Alcalase and Flavourzyme. Hydrolysis conditions were optimized by response surface methodology, and the influence of temperature, pH, and enzyme concentration were evaluated to determine the hydrolysis index. For Alcalase, optimal values of temperature, pH, and enzyme concentration were found to be 50°C, 7.5%, and 2.5%, respectively, while for Flavourzyme the optimized variables were at 50°C, 6.0%, and 3.5%, respectively. Compared to raw MDPM, Alcalase produced a very high recovery of 89% of the nitrogen from the hydrolysates, while for Flavourzyme recovery was around 67%. Alcalase was used to produce a spray-dried hydrolysate containing 62% of total protein with molecular weights ranging from 5,807 to 12,000 Da, and had excellent microbiological quality.
The effects of Echinacea purpurea L. (purple coneflower) as an antibiotic growth promoter substitution on performance, carcass characteristics and humoral immune response in broiler chickens

This experiment was conducted to examine the effects of using different forms and levels ofEchinacea purpurea L. (EP) in comparison with an antibiotic growth promoter (flavophospholipol) on performance, carcass characteristics and immune responses of broiler chicks. In this trial, 336 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were weighted and randomly assigned to the 7 treatment groups, each with 4 replicates and with 12 broilers in each replicate. The 7 treatments were as follows: Basal diet (control), Basal diet + antibiotic (4.5 mg flavophospholipol/kg diet), Basal diet + dried aerial part powder of EP continuously (5 g/kg diet), Basal diet + the dried aerial part powder of EP continuously (10 g/kg diet), Basal diet + the ethanolic extract continuously (0.25 gr/kg diet), Basal diet + the dried aerial part powder of EP with 3-days application followed by 11 application free days intermittently (5 g/kg diet), and Basal diet + the dried aerial part powder of EP with 3-days application followed by 11 application free days intermittently (10 g/kg diet). The contents of flavonol-o-glycosides as quescetin in the Echinacea dried aerial part and the ethanolic extract were determined, and the amount of flavonol-o- glycosides as quescetin in the 5 g/kg diet EP continuously to the ethanolic extract was equal. At the 28th and 31st day, blood samples were taken and analyzed for immune responses. The results showed that the use of the 5 g/kg diet EP continuously led to the highest DFI, DWG and antibody titres against sheep red blood cell (SRBC) and Newcastle virus when compared to other groups. The intermittent application of 10 g/kg diet EP had significant effect in the grower period on DWG, FCR and immune responses against SRBC (p<0.05). DFI and DWG were increased by 5 g/kg diet EP continuously than the ethanolic extract significantly (p<0.05). The percentage weight of carcass traits were not affected by dietary treatments except for the percentage of the small intestine that decreased in the intermittent groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, performance and immune responses of broiler chicks were improved by continuous application of 5 g/kg diet EP. Key words: Broilers, Echinacea purpurea L. , performance, immune responses, carcass characteristics.
Effects of hydrogen peroxide, dichlorvos and cypermethrin on subsequent fecundity of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, under fish farm conditions.

The effect was investigated of three topical bath treatments, namely, hydrogen peroxide, dichlorvos and cypermethrin, on the hatch and subsequent development of egg strings from salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) which survived the treatments. All treatments significantly reduced the hatch compared to reference egg strings (9 weeks post treatment), although hatching was significantly higher after cypermethrin treatment than for the other two treatments. Subsequent development of the larvae to nauplius and copepodid stages was also significantly reduced by all treatments, the same differences between treatments being evident as seen for the total hatch. The proportion of opaque white egg strings after treatment was closely and negatively associated with the numbers of larvae hatching and developing to the nauplius stage.
Plasmodesmata in Relation to Viral Movement within Leaf Tissues

The involvement of plasmodesmata (PD) in viral systemic infection has long been accepted. An extensive body of supporting literature has been provided by electron microscopic analysis of infected leaves and stems (26). These studies almost always showed viral particles lodged within structurally mod­ ified PD that were located between infected cells. Images of this type led to the concept that plant viruses must have evolved a mechanism(s) that enables them to move, from cell to cell, by physically modifying PD to allow the passage of the encapsidated form of each virus (i.e. diameter of icosahedral virus particles range from 18-80 nm, whereas filamentous or flexuous rod­ shaped particles have diameters ranging from 10-25 nm). Although the ultra­ structural approach to the study of viral infection provided essential infor­ mation on the cytopathological effects of viruses and their cellular distribution, within the plant, it did not provide information on the actual mechanism(s) involved in viral movement. With the advent of molecular biology, this limi­ tation has now been removed. Over the past decade great progress has been made in identifying and characterizing the viral genes and their products that enable plant viruses to move from cell to cell and long distances within the plant. Rapid advances in plant molecular virology, in concert with recent advances
Alkali-extractable and water-soluble polysaccharide (F1SS): a chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic character for Cephalotheca

The cell wall alkali-extractable water-soluble polysaccharide (F1SS) purified from the three species of Cephalotheca has been characterized. Two different structures have been deduced by chemical and structural analyses. The structure of the polysaccharide F1SS from C. purpurea and C. reniformis is similar, and composed of 3,6-di-O-substituted mannopyranose with terminal residues of rhamnopyranose. The polysaccharide F1SS from C. sulfurea contains 2,6-di-O-substituted mannopyranose and terminal residues of galactofuranose. Our results confirm the relatedness of C. purpurea and C. reniformis with Ophiostomatales and of C. sulfurea with Sordariales.