Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Functional Response as a Consequence of Host Density Choice

Abstract Most predator and parasitoid functional response studies have been carried out by using experimental designs where insects are confined to an arena and subsequently exposed to different host densities, which are evaluated individually. In the case of a parasitoid that looks for profitable patches, this design forces it to use the single host density patch available, and therefore the possibility of selection by the parasitoid is not considered at all. A selective functional response, in which the host is distributed in discrete patches at different densities, could be a solution to avoid such a limitation. However, the disadvantage of this design is that it does not meet the independence assumption required to perform a parametric statistical analysis. Nevertheless, the use of nonparametric analyses such as GAM and GAMM models allows the performance of this kind of design, making the relationship between the response and the explanatory variable more flexible, looking for general behavioral patterns. The behavior of the fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) in a patched condition was assessed in order to demonstrate that nonparametric analyses are useful tools when studying the selective functional response. Results showed that the functional response changed from a “sigmoid curve” to a “bell-shape curve” when the parasitoid had the chance to choose freely among different host densities. The female parasitoid distributed their ovarian load among the eight host densities. The present study suggests that the bell-shape curve displays a general behavior pattern of the parasitoid population.
Padrão espacial de espécies madeireiras da Amazônia pelo método de coordenadas cartesianas e espaciais

A utilizacao de sistemas de informacao geografica (SIG) no planejamento florestal possibilita a analise e o reconhecimento de padroes espaciais das especies florestais em perfil bidimensional e tridimensional. O objetivo deste estudo foi demonstrar a eficiencia do metodo de coordenadas cartesianas e espaciais (MCCE), metodo de correcao da localizacao das coordenadas UTM das arvores em concordância com a localizacao de campo ou cartesianas (X,Y), aliado ao calculo do indice do vizinho natural (ANND) no reconhecimento e analise de padroes espaciais de quatro especies comerciais madeireiras em area de manejo florestal em Caracarai, RR, Brasil. O ANND pressupoe completa aleatoriedade espacial.Simulacoes foram realizadas em 9 ha, subdivididos em 100 subparcelas de 100 m2 cada. Foram coletados: o diâmetro (DAP > 10 cm), alturas comercial e total, volume comercial e as coordenadas cartesianas (X,Y) e espaciais (UTM). Foram observados padroes espaciais aleatorios para Eschweilera bracteosa e Manilkara huberi. Os padroes espaciais dispersos e raros foram mais observados em Cedrelinga cateniformis e Dinizia excelsa. O MCCE demonstrou ser um metodo eficiente para o reconhecimento e analise de padroes espaciais de especies nativas da floresta tropical amazonica, facilitando o planejamento florestal mediante simulacoes 2D e 3D da floresta.
ENZYME-RESISTANT STARCH. III, X-RAY DIFFRACTION OF AUTOCLAVED AMYLOMAIZE VII STARCH AND ENZYME-RESISTANT STARCH RESIDUES

X-ray diffraction was used to follow the development of crystallinity in amylomaize VII starch samples after repeated cycles of autoclaving and cooling. Changes in crystallinity were revealed by the development of reflections at 0.529 and 0.398 nm. The patterns suggested that chain fragments, packed in a B-type crystalline structure with a slightly enlarged crystal lattice, contribute to formation of resistant starch from amylomaize starch. Differences in association between the chain fragments, presumably originating from amylose and varying proportions of interspersed, less-ordered segments, were assumed
Stimulation of autophagy by salicylamide derivatives - implications for viral infection

Canonical autophagy pathways may be stimulated experimentally by a variety of means such as rapamycin treatment, endoplasmic reticulum stress or nutrient deprivation. Infection by obligate intracellular pathogens such as viruses, can serve either to trigger the induction of autophagy pathways or the suppression of autophagy within the host cell at various stages in viral biogenesis. Autophagy pathways therefore play a complex role in both anti-viral defense mechanisms and in pro-viral events, such as the promotion of viral replication and egress. In this study, a panel of salicylamide derivates and structurally associated analogues were screened for anti-viral activity against cytopathic bovine viral diarrhoea virus (cp-BVDV), a Flaviviridae pestivirus often employed as a surrogate model of HCV due to similarities in virion structural organisation. Mardin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell monolayers were infected at MOI 1 with cp-BVDV. Following incubation with the virus for 6h, cell monolayers were then washed and treated for 24 h and 72h with media supplemented with each of the compounds. Viral clearance post drug treatment was quantified by immuno-fluorescence methods. Candidate drugs demonstrating anti-viral activity were identified from the panel. The effects of compounds exhibiting anti-viral activity were further examined in naive cells, and the effects on autophagy markers, ER stress markers and proteins involved in membrane trafficking pathways were quantified by immune-blotting and fluorescence assays.
Contribution to the cytotaxonomical knowledge of Gagea Salisb. (Liliaceae). II. Further karyological studies on Italian populations

Les premiers comptages chromosomiques de populations italiennes sont donnes de Gagea lutea (L.) Ker-Gawl. (2n = 72), G. minima (L.) Ker-Gawl. (2n = 24), G. pratensis (Pers.) Dumort. (2n = 60) et G. villosa (M. Bieb.) Sweet (2n = 48). Il est prouve que Gagea fragifera (Vill.) Ehr. Bayer & G. Lopez est une espece heptaploide (2n = 84) en Italie du Sud. Une forme apparentee et recemment decrite comme une espece separee (G. polidorii J.-M. Tison) presente a la place un caryotype 2n = 72 chromosomes. Il est confirme que les populations sud-italiennes de G. chrysantha (Jan) Schult. & Schult. f. s.l. and G. granalellii (Pari.) Parl. s.l. sont triploides (2n = 36). Gagea foliosa (J. Presl & C. Presl) Schult. & Schult. f. (2n = 36) et G. mauritanica Durieu (2n = 36), aussi triploides, sont etudiees sous l'angle caryologique pour la premiere fois. L'analyse caryotypique de G. minima, G. chrysantha s.l. et G. mauritanica a ete faite: les index d'asymetrie caryotypique Ai and A 2 sont calcules pour ces especes, et compares avec and les index existants des autres onze especes de Gagea, dont les ideogrammes sont connus de la litterature.
Three new sand-dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi, Africa, with a discussion of the status of the genus Capodichromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae)

PRANGE, H. D. 1976. Energetics of swimming of a sea turtle. J. Exp. Biol. 64:1-12. PRITCHARD, P. C. H. 1973. International migrations of South American sea turtles (Cheloniidae and Dermochelidae). Anim. Behav. 21:18-27. ~. 1980. Dermochelys coriacea. Catalog of American amphibians and reptiles 238:1-4. 1982. Nesting of the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, in Pacific Mexico, with new estimate of the world population status. Copeia 1982: 741-747. SAS INSTITUTE INC. 1985. SAS user's guide: basics, version 5 edition. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina.
Antibiotic action on the embryonic development of the fetuses of amphibians

: The effect on the embrionic development of Tr. cristatus of 16 antibiotics (keflin, penicillin, benzazillin, ampicillin, nystatin, kanamycin, streptomycin, novobiocin, brunomycin, erythran, oleandomycin, tetracyclin, chlornytromycin, gentamycin, rimactan, and capreomycin) administered in 3 concentrations was studied. It was established that except kanamycin, keflin and rimactan all the rest damage the embryonic development showing certain phase specifity. Gastrulation turned to be the most sensitive embryonic period.
Controlled Delivery of Angiogenic and Arteriogenic Growth Factors from Biodegradable Poly(ester amide) Electrospun Fibers for Therapeutic Angiogenesis

Therapeutic angiogenesis has emerged as a novel treatment approach for ischemic vascular diseases. It relies on the delivery of exogenous growth factors to stimulate neovessel formation. However, systemic administration of angiogenic factors results in rapid clearance from the site of interest due to their short biological half-life. Mimicking the angiogenesis process is multifaceted; therefore, therapeutic angiogenesis regimens should recapitulate both temporal and spatial presentation of multiple growth factors. In this work, controlled delivery of two growth factors, an angiogenic factor −fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), and an arteriogenic factor −fibroblast growth factor-9 (FGF9), from biodegradable poly(ester amide) (PEA) electrospun fibers towards targeting neovascular formation and maturation, is reported. FGF2 and FGF9 were dual loaded into PEA fibers using a mixed blend and emulsion electrospinning technique. In vitro release kinetics of FGF2/FGF9 dual-loaded PEA fibers over a period of 70 days showed controlled and concurrent release of both factors in a bioactive form. Matrigel tube formation and Boyden chamber transwell assays conducted to evaluate endothelial cell (EC) tube formation, directed smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration, and ECSMC interaction demonstrated that co-released FGF2 and FGF9 from dual loaded PEA fibers enhanced EC tube formation (p < 0.05), directed-migration of SMCs towards PDGF-BB (p < 0.05), and EC/SMC tube stabilization. An ex ovo chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model coupled with power Doppler ultrasound imaging, and an in vivo ischemic hindlimb mouse model were employed to assess the in vivo angiogenic capacity of the delivery system. The CAM assay did not show a significant increase in the vascular density of the full CAM surface treated with FGF2/FGF9 dual-loaded fibers (p > 0.05); however, the 3D power Doppler volumes displayed enhanced localized angiogenesis underneath the fibrous mats with enhanced blood perfusion and flow, as indicated by a statistically significant increase in vascularization and vascularization flow indices for the dual-loaded PEA fibers group versus the unloaded PEA fibers group (p < 0.05). In order to evaluate the effectiveness of FGF9-loaded PEA fibers in vivo, an ischemic hindlimb mouse model was used. Histological analysis of the ischemic tibialis anterior muscle revealed increased percentage of mural cell-covered microvessels in mice treated with FGF9-loaded PEA fibers than those treated with unloaded fibers. Interestingly, CatWalk gait analysis 7 days
RING-POROSITY AND EARLYWOOD VESSELS: A REVIEW ON EXTRACTING ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION THROUGH TIME

Many anatomical features in trees result from their reaction to fluctuating environmental conditions, and some can be measured and dated. Recently, quantitative wood anatomy has been used to build time series, and consequently to study the responses of trees through time. This involves the application of dendrochronological techniques, although some methodological adaptations are necessary when using anatomical variables. Until now, the study of continuous anatomical series has proven to be very promising when applied to the earlywood vessels of ring-porous trees, due to their great physiological relevance.In this paper, we review the main aspects that must be considered when building continuous series of earlywood vessel features of ring-porous trees as compared to ‘classical’ dendrochronology. We first discuss the procedures for building individual series and chronologies, starting with the selection of variables, examining their statistical properties, and assessing how crossdating and detrending should be adapted. We also show that time series of earlywood vessels usually exhibit a low common signal, but in contrast are strongly related to climate, and often reveal responses not recorded by the classical dendrochronological variables.In addition, we deal with the optimization of environmental signals, by first evaluating multiple potential variables to be used, and indicate how to reduce their number according to the relations among them. As earlywood variables are basically determined by vessel number or vessel size, we discuss the search for the most appropriate variable to characterize vessel number, as well as the advantage of progressively selecting earlywood vessels attending to their size and position.Finally, we extend the application of these methodologies to diffuse-porous species as compared to ring-porous trees, and show that the climatic signal contained in their anatomical features is also relevant, provided that vessels are carefully selected upon their location within the ring.
Oviposition preference of Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) on different varieties of rice under caged condition

Preference of Yellow Stem Borer (YSB) female for egg deposition on 21 aus and 11 aman rice varieties were observed under caged conditions during 1992, 1993 and 1994. Significant differences in the number of egg mass deposition on different rice varieties were found excepting on aus, 1992 and aman, 1994. The dorsal side of leaf was preferred to ventral side for egg deposition irrespective of the rice variety. Again, the middle portion of leaf was preferred for egg laying to basal and apical portions in all the varieties. Length and width of egg masses deposited on different rice varieties did not differ significantly except the length of the egg mass in aus season. The number of egg masses deposited by the female YSB was positively correlated with leaf blade colour but negatively correlated with plant height, 2nd leaf length and width, number of leaves, number of tillers and leaf hair in both aus and aman rice. So, the leaf blade colour induces egg deposition, while other plant characters reduce it.
Sequencing and analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Dipera: Culicidae) in China

Abstract The complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae) is presented using traditional Sanger sequencing. Its mitogenome are 15,123 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA) and 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The percent of A + T of the mitogenome is 77.73%. Most mitochondrial genes are encoded on the heavy strand, except for NAD5, NaD4, NAD4L, NAD1, two rRNA and nine tRNA genes, which are encoded on the light strand. The results of phylogenetic analyzes showed that the Cx. tritaeniorhynchus has close relationship with the species of genus Culex.
Molecular and enzymatic studies of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase gene from Bacillus sp. TS1-1

The 16s rRNA gene sequence from Bacillus sp. TS1-1 exhibited the closest match with Bacillus sp. NER (99%) and was identified as Bacillus sp. A cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) gene of Bacillus sp. TS1-1 was isolated and cloned into Escherichia coli. Beginning from the TTG codon, there was an open reading frame composed of 2163bp (721 amino acids). The NH2 terminal position encoded a 46-amino acids signal peptide and followed by the mature enzyme of 675 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature CGTase from Bacillus sp. TS1-1 exhibited 98.7% homology with 96% identity to the CGTase sequence from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. 1-1. The recombinant CGTase of Bacillus sp. TS1-1 expressed in E.coli was successfully purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by a-cyclodextrin-bound-epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B affinity chromatography. The specific activity of the CGTase increased by approximately 280 fold, from 36.69 U/mg of proteins to 10289.23 U/mg of proteins. The purified CGTase enzymes exhibited a single band with molecular weight of 75kDa on SDS-PAGE. Biochemical characterization of the enzyme shows an optimum temperature of 60Â°C and optimum pH of 6.0. The enzyme was stable between pH 7 to pH 9 and temperature up to 70Â°C. The Km and Vmax values calculated were 0.52 mg/ml and 54.35 mg of AŸ-cyclodextrin/ml/min respectively. Sago starch was found to be the best substrate for cyclodextrin (CD) production among other starch sources (corn, rice, soluble and tapioca starch). Only I²- and I³-CD were detected during the production of CDs. The CGTase produced about 86% of AŸ-CD from the total CDs production, using sago starch as substrate after 24 hours of incubation at 60oC, without adding any selective agent. The total AŸ-CD produced under the conditions mentioned above was 3.65 g/l.
Insect Hydrocarbons: Cuticular lipids and water balance

Epicuticular lipids serve many roles in insects and other terrestrial arthropods (see other chapters in this volume), but the fi rst to be recognized was as a barrier to transpiration through the surface of the animal. Surface-area to volume ratios increase as size decreases, so that smaller animals become increasing susceptible to dehydration. Kuhnelt ( 1928 ; cited by Wigglesworth, 1933 ) noted the presence of hydrophobic substances on the insect cuticle and proposed that these reduce water loss . Their importance in water conservation is made apparent by the fact that even a brief treatment with organic solvents to remove surface lipids can result in water-loss rates increasing 10–100 fold (Hadley, 1994 ). On the other hand, water can be lost via other routes. These losses can be substantial (e.g. bloodsucking insects excrete huge amounts of fl uid after a meal). Thus, under certain conditions, cuticular waterproofi ng may be a minor part of the overall water budget. We address several issues in this chapter. First, is cuticular water loss signifi cant? The importance of spiracular control and discontinuous gas exchange in insect water balance has been challenged in recent years, leading to a need to reassess insect water budgets in general. Second, if cuticular transpiration is important for the overall water budget of insects, how does variation in surface lipid composition affect transpiration through the cuticle? We will discuss the relationships between lipid composition, lipid physical properties, and cuticular permeability . Third, what is the biophysical explanation for the critical temperature phenomenon, a rapid increase in water loss at high temperatures? We consider both experimental results and a few theoretical issues that address this question. Finally, do other cuticular structures besides lipids signifi cantly affect insect water budgets? Our goal is both to describe what we do know, as well as to indicate gaps in our knowledge of cuticular function.
PLAZMA ATEROJENİK İNDEKSİN DİYABETES MELLİTUS TİPLERİ ARASINDA KARŞILAŞTIRILMASI

Amac: Diyabetes mellitus (DM), bircok sistem ve organi etkileyen kronik metabolik bir hastaliktir. Diyabetik dislipidemi, DM’nin major makrovaskuler komplikasyonlarindan biri olarak sayilmaktadir. Plazma aterojenik indeksi (PAI), kardiyovaskuler hastalik (KVH) icin bagimsiz belirleyici bir etken olarak kabul edilir. Bu calismanin amaci tip-1 DM ile tip-2 DM hasta gruplari arasinda PAI degerlerini karsilastirmaktir. Materyal ve Metod: Calisma verileri son bir yil icinde kardiyoloji poliklinigine basvuran ve calisma kriterlerine uyan 58 hastanin retrospektif olarak dosyalarinin taranmasi ile elde edildi. Hastalar tip-1 DM grubunda 20 hasta ve tip-2 DM grubunda 38 hasta olmak uzere iki gruba ayrildi. PAI, plazma trigliserid’ in plazma yuksek dansiteli lipoprotein’e bolumunun logaritmasi alinarak elde edildi. Bulgular: Tip-1 DM grubunda PAI 0,29±0,31, tip-2 DM grubunda PAI 0,62±0,35 olarak olculdu (p=0.001) Sonuc: KVH’in onemli bir ongordurucusu olan PAI tip-2 DM olan hastalarda tip-1 DM olan hastalara gore daha yuksek saptanmistir .
Just off the beach: intrageneric distinctiveness of the bandtail goatfish Upeneus taeniopterus (Mullidae) based on a comprehensive alpha-taxonomy and barcoding approach

ABSTRACT The phenotypic, distributional, and genetic distinctiveness of the bandtail goatfish Upeneus taeniopterus within the genus Upeneus (Mullidae) is elaborated using a comprehensive alpha-taxonomic and barcoding approach. Based on a large number of morphometric, meristic and colour characters obtained from 71 preserved or freshly photographed specimens, an updated diagnosis, a redescription, and detailed inter- and intraspecific comparisons are provided. The distribution information is revised with strong emphasis on ensuring correct species identification. Upeneus taeniopterus shows intraspecific variation in morphology and number of oblique bars on the caudal fin related to two size classes, ‘subadults’ (< 12 cm SL) and ‘adults’ (12 cm SL or larger). Indications for population differences were only detected for the smaller size class, possibly reflecting geographic developmental differences. This species is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from Mozambique to the Tuamoto Archipelago and from the Ryukyu Islands to Tonga and occurs mostly in very shallow subtidal sandy beach or lagoon habitats of oceanic islands and atolls. Four new records of the species for Palau, Papua (Indonesia), Tonga and Vanuatu are reported. Comparisons with all other 36 congeners revealed clear differences from U. taeniopterus in the combination of maximum size, eight meristic and colour characters, distributional range and habitat selection. The only congeneric species with similarly large maximum size and wide distributional range is Upeneus vittatus, which differs however in morphology, colour and habitat. The congeneric species differ from U. taeniopterus with sequence divergences which are comparable to those observed among genera. More genetic tissue samples are needed to further investigate the relatedness among Upeneus species and to search for phylogeographic patterns in U. taeniopterus. The need to thoroughly study the insufficiently explored subtidal sandy habitats of oceanic islands and atolls is emphasized.
Hemisynthesis of Anisomycin Derivatives as Antitumor Agents

The antibiotic anisomycin, secreted by Streptomyces griseolus, can induce tumor cell death and it displays antimetastatic activity coupled with induction of apoptosis. Herein we report the hemi-synthesis of 16 novel anisomycin derivatives and their biological activity. The protein synthesis inhibition and the effects on cancer cell proliferation and migration were assessed for two series of molecules to determine structure-activity relationships. The secondary amino group of anisomycin is essential to preserve the bioactivity. Although, the natural product is the most active component of the series but an active derivative has been identified
Pretreatment and conditions for testing germination of seeds of some common Indian Acacia species

Seeds of nine Acacia species were germinated following eleven pretreatments, viz., control, mechanical scarification alone or followed by soaking in tap water for 3 hours, soaking in tap water for 24 hours, soaking in water heated to boiling temperature and subsequently allowed to cool for 6, 12, 24 hours or acid scarification for 5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes. In a second experiment, seeds of each species were subjected to the most suitable pretreatment and germinated under 9 combinations of incubation temperatures (20°C, 20/30°C and 30°C) and media (top of paper, between paper and sand). Final germination and mean germination time were measured. Manual scarification was the best treatment for the majority of species, while 30°C was found the optimum temperature for all the nine species.