Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex-specific phenotypic integration: endocrine profiles, coloration, and behavior in fledgling boobies

The intensity of color expression in animals plays a key role in social environments as a mechanism to signal individual capacities in competitive contests. Selective pressures for resource competition differ at different stages of life and between sexes; therefore, coloration is expected to vary between juveniles and adults and between males and females. Exploring the covariance between coloration and other traits may help to understand the functional significance of color and the action of natural selection on multivariate phenotypes. Melanin-based plumage coloration was investigated in the masked booby Sula dactylatra in relation to melanin concentration, sex, hormone levels, and shy–bold behavior of chicks close to fledging. Darker brown boobies showed higher levels of both eumelanin and pheomelanin concentration and lower body mass. Males behaved bolder than females and showed on average 8% larger brown patches. Bolder females had smaller brown patches. Bolder individuals also had lower levels of circulating testosterone, but no differences in corticosterone levels were found. Stronger phenotypic integration was observed in females than males. Our study suggests that juvenile melanic coloration may reflect behavioral strategies by sex, endocrine profiles, and body mass indicating the convergence of different adaptive functions in a given phenotype, this being more evident in females. Direction of correlations differed from those predicted under the pleiotropic idea for color-related traits. These results suggest the possibility that juvenile plumage acts as a signaling system in a social context within the age class and suggest that plumage coloration may indicate different behavioral strategies.
Roles of different phytochromes in Arabidopsis photomorphogenesis

The red/far-red light-absorbing phytochromes play fundamental roles in photoperception of the light environment and the subsequent adaptation of plant growth and development. Higher plants possess multiple, discrete phytochromes, the apoproteins of which are the products of a family of divergent (PHY) genes. Arabidopsis thaliana has at least five PHY genes, encoding the apoproteins of phytochromes A-E. Through the analysis of mutants that are deficient in phytochrome A or B and the corresponding double mutant, it is becoming clear that these phytochromes perform both discrete and overlapping roles throughout plant development. Through analysis of the phyA phyB double mutant, it has been possible to define several responses that are mediated by other members of the phytochrome family. This article reviews some of the recent progress in the study of phytochrome-deficient mutants of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
AVALIAÇÃO DA PRODUÇÃO DE ETANOL POR Pleurotus sajor-caju

RESUMO – Esforcos significativos tem sido feitos para produzir etanol a partir de biomassa lignocelulosica. Os fungos do genero Pleurotus sao reconhecidos por produzirem enzimas lignoceluloliticas que os habilitam a degradar a lignina e a celulose dos residuos agroindustriais. Este trabalho avaliou o consumo de diferentes acucares (glicose, xilose e sacarose) e do pseudocaule de bananeira, bem como a producao de etanol por Pleurotus sajor-caju. Os fatores de conversao de substrato total em etanol foram de 0,02; 0,1 e 0,04 g.g -1 para os processos em anaerobiose, aerobiose e global, respectivamente. Quando o pseudocaule de bananeira foi utilizado como fonte de carbono, 9,77 g.L -1 de acucares totais foram consumido e 0,87 g.L -1 de etanol produzidos, resultando em um fator de conversao de substrato em produto de 0,09 g.g -1 . Os resultados indicam que, embora haja a producao de etanol por P. sajor-caju, novos experimentos devem ser realizados de forma a investigar o favorecimento de rotas metabolicas e a conducao do processo que visem otimizar a producao deste composto.
Peer coaching as a support to collaborative teaching

In a collaborative classroom, teachers combine their strengths to work together, coach one another, and provide the best possible environment for their students. Similarly, peer coaching provides educators with a chance to utilize a natural support system at their school. When peer coaching is used in conjunction with collaborative teaching, it enhances teacher improvement and student learning by providing ongoing opportunities for educators to share their unique knowledge bases and expertise, allowing exploration of new ideas and expansion of professional skill repertoires.
Effect of municipal wastewater with manure and fertilizer on yield and quality characteristics of forage in corn

In order to study the effects of wastewater with two kinds of fertilizers (manure and chemical fertilizer) on yield and quality characteristics of forage in corn, a field experiment was conducted in the University of Zabol in Iran during 2007 growing season. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with three replications. The treatment were comprised of two levels of irrigation water (W1 = Well water and W2 = Wastewater) in the main plot and five levels of fertilizer (F1 = Control; F2 = Manure, 30 ton/ha; F3 = Manure, 15 ton/ha; F4 = NPK: 350, 200 and 100 kg/ha; and F5 = NPK: 175, 100 and 50 kg/ha) in the sub plot. Results showed that irrigation with wastewater significantly increases the fresh and dry forage yield of corn than well water. Treatment of treated wastewater also had a significant influence on crude protein content, ash percentage and macro elements (N, P and K) contents in corn forage (P < 5%). But wastewater had no significant effect on Fe, Mn and Zn elements content. The highest fresh and dry forage yield and the most crude protein content, ash percentage and macro elements (N, P and K) contents were obtained from F4 (NPK: 350, 200 and 100 kg/ha) treatment. However, the highest Fe, Mn and Zn elements content were obtained from F2 (Manure: 30 ton/ha) treatment.
Carbocentric limnology: looking back, looking forward.

In this perspective article, I argue that dissolved organic carbon occupies a central role in the functioning of lake ecosystems, comparable in importance to that played by nutrients. Because lakes receive so much dissolved or- ganic carbon from the terrestrial landscape, its accumulation in water bodies usually represents the largest pool of lac- ustrine organic matter within the water column. The transformation of even a small fraction of this external carbon by the microbial community can alter significantly the metabolic balance of lake ecosystems, simultaneously releasing car- bon dioxide to the atmosphere and burying organic carbon in lake sediments. At the landscape level, even if they oc- cupy a small fraction of the landscape, lakes play a surprisingly important role in the regional carbon budget, particularly when considered at the appropriate temporal scale. Resume : Dans cet article perspective, j'avance que le carbone organique dissous joue un role central dans le fonction- nement des ecosystemes lacustres, comparable en importance a celui joue par les nutriments. Etant donne que les lacs recoivent des apports tellement importants de carbone organique dissous des terres environnantes, son accumulation dans les plans d'eau represente generalement le reservoir le plus important de carbone organique lacustre de la colonne d'eau. La transformation meme d'une petite fraction de ce carbone d'origine allochtone par la communaute micro- bienne peut alterer significativement le bilan metabolique de l'ecosysteme entier, liberant simultanement du dioxyde de carbone a l'atmosphere et enfouissant du carbone organique dans les sediments lacustres. A l'echelle du paysage, meme s'ils occupent une petite portion du territoire, les lacs jouent un role d'importance surprenante dans les bilans re- gionaux de carbone, particulierement lorsqu'evalue a l'echelle de temps appropriee. Prairie 548
Shedding Light on Ultraviolet Radiation and Amphibian Embryos

Abstract The hypothesis that increasing ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation is a causal factor in the decline of amphibian populations has received considerable attention in the scientific and public media. To evaluate the validity of this hypothesis, it is necessary to examine the natural environmental factors and biological traits of amphibians that protect them from UVB radiation. A careful reading of the literature reveals that most published studies on the effects of ambient UVB radiation on amphibian embryos have found no increased mortality. Those few reports that show harmful effects employ experimental methods that do not place enough importance on the natural abiotic and biotic factors that provide UVB protection. In the laboratory, amphibian embryos are resistant to doses of UVB radiation far higher than those they would normally receive from ambient sunlight. The jelly surrounding amphibian eggs absorbs UVB radiation, as revealed by spectral measurements of absorbance; after UVB exposure, embryos with their jelly capsules removed show significantly higher mortality than those with the jelly intact. In light of this and other factors mitigating UVB absorption, the hypothesis that ambient UVB radiation causes amphibian mortality and population declines is without support.
Biodegradation and Medical Application of Microbial Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate)

This review is designed to be a comprehensive source for biodegradable polymer: poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)—PHB research, including fundamental structure/property relationships and biodegradation kinetics for samples of different geometry. In addition to presenting the scientific framework for the advances in PHB research, this review focuses on applications of PHB in biomedicine and environment with a discussion on commercial applications and health/safety concerns for biodegradable materials.
Interferon‐γ‐inducing factor enhances T helper 1 cytokine production by stimulated human T cells: synergism with interleukin‐12 for interferon‐γ production

The novel cytokine interferon‐γ‐inducing factor (IGIF) augments natural killer (NK) cell activity in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), similarly to the structurally unrelated cytokine interleukin (IL)‐12. IGIF has been found to enhance the production of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and granulocyte/macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) while inhibiting the production of IL‐10 in concanavalin A (Con A)‐stimulated PBMC. In this study, when anti‐CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb)‐stimulated human enriched T cells were exposed to IGIF, the cytokine dose‐dependently enhanced the proliferation of the cells and this could be completely inhibited by a neutralizing antibody against IL‐2 at lower concentrations of IGIF. Neutralizing antibody against IFN‐γ had only insignificant inhibitory effects on T cell proliferation at higher concentrations of IGIF. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) revealed that, like PBMC, T cells exposed to IGIF produced large amounts of IFN‐γ; however, changes in the production of IL‐4 and IL‐10 were minimal. IGIF, but not IL‐12, significantly enhanced IL‐2 and GM‐CSF production in T cell cultures, as determined by CTLL‐2 bioassay and ELISA, respectively; however, both IGIF and IL‐12 enhanced IFN‐γ production by the T cells. When T cells were exposed to a combination of IGIF and IL‐12, a synergistic effect was observed on the production of IFN‐γ, but not on production of IL‐2 and GM‐CSF. In conclusion, IGIF enhances T cell proliferation apparently through an IL‐2‐dependent pathway and enhances Th1 cytokine production in vitro and exhibits synergism when combined with IL‐12 in terms of enhanced IFN‐γ production but not IL‐2 and GM‐CSF production. Based on structural and functional differences from any known cytokines, it was recently proposed that this cytokine be designated interleukin‐18.
Interspecific competition between insect herbivores: asymmetric competition between cinnabar moth and the ragwort seed‐head fly

ABSTRACT. 1 Removal field experiments and observational studies have been undertaken to determine whether feeding by cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae L. on the flower heads of ragwort Senecio jacobaea L. affects the abundance of the fly Pegohylemyia seneciella (Meade) that feeds in the flower heads as a larva. 2 Correlations between the population density of cinnabar moth and the population density of the fly were suggestive of habitat separation, but provided little evidence of exploitation competition. 3 Removal of cinnabar moth by hand from replicated plots over two years shows that, in years when ragwort flower production is consumed by cinnabar moth caterpillars, the fly may show no recruitment at all. 4 Fly populations persist in refugia, exploiting ragwort plants that grow in areas where there are no cinnabar moth. 5 Recruitment of ragwort is not seed limited, so the reduction in seed production caused by P. seneciella (maximum about 30%) has no impact on ragwort abundance, or on the abundance of cinnabar moth. 6 We conclude that there is strong interspecific competition between these two species, and that the competition is highly asymmetric. The cinnabar moth had a substantial effect on the recruitment of the fly in 1986, but the fly has no measurable impact on the recruitment of the moth. In six years out of seven in our long‐term study, cinnabar moth reduced flower production to levels comparable to those measured in 1986, and we infer that strong competition with the fly was likely in six years out of seven. 7 One reason why there are so few published examples of asymmetric interspecific competition may be simply that the experiments are thought too obvious to be worth doing. We argue that this is not a good reason for eschewing manipulative field experiments, and that few processes in ecology are at all obvious when investigated in detail.
Demineralisation of whey by a combination of nanofiltration and anion‐exchange treatment: a preliminary study

Demineralisation is an important process for the utilisation of whey in the food industry. Sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions pass through nanofiltration (NF) membranes in ion pairs with chloride (Cl−) to maintain electroneutrality, but NF processing can only partially remove these ions from whey, because the total Na and K content of whey generally exceeds the Cl content. In this work, a preliminary study of a new demineralisation method was made. A reconstituted sweet whey powder solution was first treated by Cl-form anion-exchange resin to increase the molar ratio of Cl to Na and K from ~0.5 to ~1.0. Subsequently, NF removed >90% of Na and K from the anion-exchange treated whey compared with <60% from the control whey. This new process could be useful for producing 70% demineralised whey with very low levels of the monovalent ions Na+, K+ and Cl−.
The use of natural n-alkanes in medic and clover as indigestible markers.

Considerable interest has been generated in the use of n-alkanes as indigestible markers for determining the feed intake of grazing sheep. Mayes et al. (1986) stated that "the use of these markers is dependant upon the faecal recovery of these alkanes being known and universally constant". We investigated the possible use of natural alkanes as indigestible markers as part of a grazing experiment examining the nutritive value of new pasture legumes.
Termite assemblages in five semideciduous Atlantic Forest fragments in the northern coastland limit of the biome

Termites are abundant organisms in tropical ecosystems and strongly influence the litter decomposition and soil formation. Despite their importance, few studies about their assemblage structures have been made in Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragments, especially in the area located north of the Sao Francisco River. This study aims to analyze the assemblage composition of five Atlantic Forest fragments located in the northern biome limit along the Brazilian coast. A standardized sampling protocol of termites was applied in each fragment. Thirty-three termite species belonging to twenty genera and three families were found in the forest fragments. The wood-feeder group was dominant both concerning to species richness and number of encounters in all areas. In sites northern to 7°S, there is an evident simplification of the termite assemblage composition regarding species richness and number of encounters by feeding group. This fact is apparently due to a higher sandy level in soils and to semideciduous character of the vegetation in the northern fragments. Thus, even on the north of Sao Francisco River, termite biodiversity is heterogeneously spread with highest density of species in the portion between 07°S and Sao Francisco River mouth (10°29'S).
Sex Identification of Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus by Discriminant Analysis of Morphometric Measurements

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus is a small wader showing sexual monomorphism in plumage and some dimorphism in size. To study whether parameters of body size may be used to reliably sex individuals of this species, a discriminant function analysis was applied to a set of morphometric traits measured in birds caught during migration and the wintering period in northern Poland. Birds were sexed molecularly based on size differences in CHD-linked sequences from W- and Z-chromosomes. Males were significantly larger than females in wing length, head length, skull length, bill depth, bill width and the length of middle toe with claw, while females had longer bills. All traits except for bill width were highly repeatable. A stepwise discriminant function analysis selected wing length, skull length, bill length and bill depth as the best discriminators of sex in Jack Snipe. The discriminant function based on these four traits enabled reliable sexing of 99% of individuals. The alternative function, excluding wing length, which may not always be available for measurement, showed 96.7% classification success. Such very high success in sex identification by a discriminant analysis of morphometric traits may promote this approach as an alternative to molecular sexing techniques in Jack Snipe, when non-invasive sampling is required.
(−)-linalool-Loaded Polymeric Nanocapsules Are a Potential Candidate to Fibromyalgia Treatment

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease that has as main characteristic generalized musculoskeletal pain, which can cause physical and emotional problems to patients. However, pharmacological therapies show side effects that hamper the adhesion to treatment. Given this, (−)-linalool (LIN), a monoterpene with several therapeutic properties already reported in scientific literature as anti-depressive, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperalgesic also demonstrated therapeutic potential in the treatment of FM. Nevertheless, physicochemical limitations as high volatilization and poor water-solubility make its use difficult. In this perspective, this present research had performed the incorporation of LIN into polymeric nanocapsules (LIN-NC). Size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, cytotoxicity, and drug release were performed. The antihyperalgesic effect of LIN-NC was evaluated by a chronic non-inflammatory muscle pain model. The results demonstrated that the polymeric nanocapsules showed particle size of 199.1 ± 0.7 nm with a PDI measurement of 0.13 ± 0.01. The drug content and encapsulation efficiency were 13.78 ± 0.05 mg/mL and 80.98 ± 0.003%, respectively. The formulation did not show cytotoxicity on J774 macrophages. The oral treatment with LIN-NC and free-LIN increased the mechanical withdrawal threshold on all days of treatment in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, LIN-NC is a promising proposal in the development of phytotherapy-based nanoformulations for future clinical applications.
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) curd development: the expression of meristem identity genes

Cauliflower homologues to the Arabidopsis genes leafy (Ify) and apetalal (ap1) have been isolated and designated bofh (Ify) and boap1 (ap1). A non-isotopic digoxigenin labelling system was used to visualize these homologues in the developing cauliflower curd. Strong hybridization to antisense riboprobes indicate expression of both bofh and boap1 in all developmental stages, from curd initiation through to petal formation but not in vegetative meristems. The in situ results were supported by Northern and PCR analysis. The data indicate that these two genes are transcribed in the curd meristems, suggesting that cauliflower curd proliferation is not due to bofh or boap1 gene inactivation, but is probably due to negative regulation by a factor/s, indicated by an apparent transcript threshold requirement for each gene prior to floral primordia development. Both reaches a peak level at curd maturity. However, boap1 reaches a peak level at pedicel elongation, suggesting that boap1 plays a primary role in specifying conversion of reiterating curd meristems to floral primordia. The differences in the pattern of expression between Arabidopsis and cauliflower is discussed. It is shown that bofh and boap1 transcripts are detectable in apices of photoinduced Brassica campestris L. cv. Ceres, but not in apices of non-induced plants, demonstrating that they are stage-specific in both Cauliflower and cv. Ceres. In addition, bofh and boap1 gene expression are affected by temperature, with both genes being switched off during vegetative reversion at high temperatures.
Stomatal response to increased CO2 concentration

Russell, 1954; Heath and Meidner, 1957) and since then this response has been both a continual source of papers, The stomatal response to CO 2 is important in under- and a stock environmental stimulus with which to assess standing stomatal physiology, and important in under- and investigate stomatal function. standing vegetation‐atmosphere exchanges at all There are two main reasons why the response of scales from the individual plant up to global vegetation. stomata to CO 2 has been of such particular interest over Despite the long history of experiments on stomatal the last three decades. Firstly, it is because the stomata responses to CO 2 there are still considerable uncer- appear to respond to the intercellular CO
Vegetation of the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon and California

II. PROCEDURE . 285 Study Areas . 285 Vegetation Samples and Soil Data . 286 Arrangement of Samples in Transects . 286 Evaluation of Transect Techniques . 288 Transect Tables . 289 III. VEGETATION DESCRIPTION . 291 Low Elevations on Diorite . 291 Low Elevations on Gabbro . 297 Low Elevations on Serpentine and the Two-Phase Ef fect . 299 Forest Vegetation of Higher Elevations on Diorite . 302 Vegetation of Higher Elevations on Serpentine . 305
Apocalyptic suicide

As the current millennium draws to a close, there are increasing media reports of violence among cult members. This paper presents a provisional typology of apocalyptic suicide and analyses the factors associated with it. These factors include: a strong dualistic philosophy, a leader with total control over the movement, and relative isolation in the presence of apocalyptic teachings. The role of mental health professionals in dealing with these groups is discussed.
When Cheap is Costly: Rent Decline, Regime Survival and State Reform in Mubarak's Egypt (1990–2009)

It has been held that external rents significantly affect the formation of state institutional capacities as constant flows of rents tend to weaken the capacity to regulate, monitor and restructure the economy. This gives rise to the formulation of a question in reverse: would a steady and consistent decline in rents instigate state capacity building? This study argues that the impact of rent decline on capacity building is politically mediated by the institutional features of the ruling regime which determine the extent to which dwindling rents adversely affect the incumbents' chances of political survival. In Mubarak's Egypt, the ruling incumbents could survive with less rent by resorting to more repression and curtailing political participation and could thus evade the cost of state reform. In that setting, cheap regime survival proved to be quite costly for the overall economy.