Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallels, nonparallels, and plasticity in population differentiation of threespine stickleback within a lake

803.812 The frequent occurrence of parallel phenotypic divergence in similar habitats is often evoked when emphasizing the role of ecology in adaptive radiation and speciation. However, because phenotypic plasticity can contribute to the observed pattern of divergence, confirmation of divergence at loci underlying phenotypic traits is important for confirming adaptive divergence. In the present study, we examine parallel morphological, neutral, and potentially adaptive genetic divergence of threespine stickleback inhabiting different habitats within a lake. Three genetic clusters best explained the neutral genetic structure within the lake; however, morphological differences were only weakly connected to genetic clusters and there was considerable phenotypic variation within clusters. Among the factors that could contribute to the observed pattern of morphological and genetic divergence are phenotypic plasticity, selective mortality of hybrids, and habitat choice based on morphology. Several loci are identified as outliers indicating divergent selection between the morphs and some parallels in morphological and adaptive genetic divergence are found in stickleback spawning at two lava sites. However, neutral genetic structure indicates considerable genetic connectivity among the two lava sites, and the parallels in morphology may therefore represent selective distribution of phenotypes rather than parallel divergence. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 803–813. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: adaptive divergence – ecological divergence – Gasterosteus aculeatus – structure – speciation.
Vertical Distribution of Age-0 Walleye Pollock During Late Summer: Environment or Ontogeny?

Abstract Variability in the late-summer vertical distribution of age-0 Walleye Pollock Gadus chalcogrammus in the southeastern Bering Sea has been attributed to a range of physical and biological factors. Using acoustic data (38 and 120 kHz) collected during the 2010 Bering Aleutian Salmon International Survey (BASIS) and dedicated high-resolution surveys (HR1 and HR2), we evaluated whether late-summer distributions could be explained by water column properties (environment) or whether sampling was likely occurring during the ontogenetic shift of age-0 Walleye Pollock from near-surface habitat to demersal habitat (ontogeny). Neither water column attributes (temperature, relative temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and density gradient) nor the acoustic density of zooplankton prey strongly predicted the acoustic estimates of age-0 Walleye Pollock vertical presence or density. At 6 of 10 paired BASIS—HR1 stations, age-0 Walleye Pollock shifted deeper in the water column between BASIS sampling and the HR1 sampling conducted 8–34 d later. There were no consistent differences in FL (P > 0.05 for 2 of 4 station pairs) or energy density (P > 0.05 for 3 station pairs) between age-0 Walleye Pollock caught in near-surface trawls and those caught in midwater trawls. Our data suggest that the observation of both near-surface and midwater age-0 Walleye Pollock during late summer is likely due to an ontogenetic habitat shift; however, the causative factor was not clear given the limited sample sizes and explanatory variables. The timing of the ontogenetic shift, which appears to have begun before August 18, 2010, can ultimately affect survey strategies, and knowledge of this timing can provide additional insight into factors affecting the overwinter survival of age-0 Walleye Pollock.
Padronização de um protocolo de eletromiografia de superfície em voluntários saudáveis : um novo desfecho nos estudos da parede abdominal

Purpose: Preventing relapse is not enough: to achieve better surgical outcomes, the influence of hernias and their treatment on abdominal wall function must be understood. Although core muscle strength has been studied, their activation during clinically validated hernia tests has never been evaluated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe an abdominal muscle evaluation protocol that involves isokinetic, isometric and respiratory movements with surface electromyography (SEMG). Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers were evaluated. A three-step protocol was developed with two different tasks on each step: 1-A: isometric contraction in dorsal decubitus, 1-B: isometric contraction in lateral decubitus; 2-A: maximal expiratory pressure maneuver, 2-B: maximal inspiratory pressure maneuver, 3-A: isokinetic Biodex testing, 3-B: isometric Biodex testing. Wireless six-channel SEMG was performed to evaluate the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) and internal oblique/transverse abdominis (IO/TA). Results: The peak and root mean square amplitudes obtained from the raw EMG signal were normalized. Activation of the evaluated muscles was greater in steps 1-A and 3-A. The greatest activation observed in steps 1-A and 1-B was in the IO/TA and EO
Taxonomic reassessment of Chondrus verrucosus (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales), with a description of Chondrus retortus sp. nov

Phylogenetic and morphological reinvestigation of Chondrus verrucosus Mikami was conducted in the Pacific coast of southeastern Honshu, Japan, including the holotype specimen and samples near the type locality. Two entities were recognized by phylogenetic analyses of plastid rbcL and nuclear EF2 sequences. In morphological analyses, the two entities were distinguished by: (i) thallus size and form, and (ii) cell shape of the medullary layer surrounding young carposporangia: one has larger thalli, is regularly canaliculated, with linear medullary cells (large‐type); the other is smaller, canaliculated with crispation and has roundish medullary cells (small‐type). The large‐type was common in southern to eastern Boso Peninsula including near the type locality; the small‐type was typical in the southwest Boso Peninsula and Sagami Bay. The large‐type was shown to be equivalent to C. verrucosus by examination of the holotype specimen. The small‐type is described as a new species, C. retortus Matsumoto et Shimada.
Evaluación de la arveja forrajera como alimento para cerdos en engorde

Se realizaron dos experimentos con el objetivo de evaluar la arveja forrajera como alimento para cerdos, estudiando tres dietas isoproteicas e isoenergeticas: D0: testigo; D20: con 20% de arveja; D40: con 40% de arveja. El experimento I fue una prueba de digestibilidad y metabolismo en vivo utilizando 12 cerdos machos de 40 kg, determinando coeficiente de digestibilidad aparente (CDa) de MS, MO, PC y EB, valor biologico y valor proteico de las dietas. El experimento II fue una prueba de desempeno individual con 24 cerdos entre 50-110 kg de peso. Se evaluaron: velocidad de crecimiento (VC); consumo de alimento (CA) e indice de conversion (IC). Los cerdos fueron faenados con 110 ± 2 kg determinando rendimiento, largo, espesor de grasa dorsal y porcentaje de cortes carniceros. Se utilizo un diseno de parcelas al azar constituyendo cada animal la unidad experimental. Los resultados fueron analizados estadisticamente mediante ANAVA al 1 y 5%. No se observaron diferencias en el CDa de los nutrientes entre tratamientos. No se observaron diferencias para los parametros de desempeno. Los resultados de carcasa y rendimiento en cortes no presentaron diferencias entre tratamientos. Se concluye que la arveja es un alimento adecuado para incluir en las dietas de cerdos.
Microbial- and isothiocyanate-mediated control of Phytophthora and Pythium species

Plant pathogens of the oomycete lineage share common susceptibilities to many biotic and abiotic stresses. We are investigating the potential of antagonistic bacteria, isothiocyanates, and mycophagous amoebae to control diseases caused by Phytophthora spp. , including the etiologic agent of sudden oak death, Phytophthora ramorum (Rizzo and others 2005), and Pythium spp. , which cause seedling root rotting diseases across the plant kingdom (Hendrix and Campbell 1973). Antagonistic bacteria. Inoculation of plant growth media with surfactant-producing bacteria is an established method for preventing oomycete diseases in hydroponic cultures. For instance, infection of water hyacinth by Pythium ultimum can be controlled by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain SS101, which releases a cyclic lipopeptide surfactant that lyses oomycete zoospores (deSouza and others 2003). We sought to determine whether P. fluorescens SS101 treatment could be effective in non-hydroponic systems by investigating its capacity to control root infection by soil-borne Pythium spp. and leaf infection by P. ramorum. Cells of strain SS101 and the surfactant-deficient mutant strain 17.18 were inoculated into orchard soil, with concomitant addition of soy flour to stimulate amplification of resident Pythium spp. populations. Twelve wheat seeds were sown per treatment. After 24 days eedlings were harvested and 10 1 cm root segments per seedling assayed for infection by Pythium spp. Observed infection frequencies of 0.83 percent and 1.7 percent in the SS101- and 17.18 treatments, respectively, were both significantly lower (P < 0.001) than the 26.7 percent infection frequency in the nontreated control, implying that the surfactant is not necessary for disease control. These results are consistent with our recent findings of protection against Pythium spp. root infection conferred by another surfactant-deficient mutant of strain SS101.5 Although we observed that pretreatment with strain SS101 can dramatically lower the incidence P. ramorum zoospore-mediated infection of detached bay and rhododendron leaves, the pretreatment was not effective at reducing disease incidence in field trials, most likely due to the diminution of bacterial inoculum on the leaf surface resulting from precipitation events.
The lower Colorado — a salty river

Not available – first paragraph follows: It has been said that the Colorado River is the most litigated, regulated, and argued-over major river in the world. The river provides irrigation water to 1.5 million acres within the seven states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming (Upper Basin) and Arizona, California, and Nevada (Lower Basin). More than half of this acreage is in California. The river also furnishes a full or supplemental supply of municipal and industrial water to 17 million people. The Republic of Mexico receives water from the river to irrigate 0.5 million acres of farmland and supply 0.5 million inhabitants.
Specificity, diversity, and regulation in TGF‐β superfamily signaling

Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) superfamily members are multifunctional cell‐cell signaling proteins that play pivotal roles in tissue homeostasis and development of multicellular animals. They mediate their pleiotropic effects from membrane to nucleus through distinct combinations of type I and type II serine/threonine kinase receptors and their downstream effectors, known as Smad proteins. Certain Smads, termed receptor‐regulated Smads, become phosphorylated by activated type I receptors and form heteromeric complexes with a common‐partner Smad4, which translocates into the nucleus to control gene transcription. In addition to these signal transducing Smads, inhibitory Smads have been identified that inhibit the activation of receptor‐regulated Smads. In contrast to the still growing TGF‐β superfamily (with ~30 members in mammals), relatively few type I and type II receptors as well as Smads have been identified. We will focus on recent insights into the molecular mechanisms by which signaling specificity between different TGF‐β superfamily members is achieved and regulated, and how a single family member can elicit a broad scala of biological responses. —Piek, E. , Heldin, C. ‐H. , ten Dijke, P. Specificity, diversity, and regulation in TGF‐β superfamily signaling. FASEB J. 13, 2105–2124 (1999)
Seasonal changes in sexual size dimorphism in northern chamois

In many polygynous mammals, sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is thought to have evolved through sexual selection, because larger males prevail in male–male combat and secure access to estrous females. SSD is often correlated with higher age-specific mortality of males than of females, possibly because males have higher nutritional requirements and riskier growth and reproductive tactics. In adult chamois Rupicapra rupicapra, sexual dimorphism in skeletal size was about 5%, but dimorphism in body mass was highly seasonal. Males were about 40% heavier than females in autumn but only 4% heavier in spring. For a given skeletal size, males were heavier than females only in autumn. Chamois sexual dimorphism appears mainly due to greater summer accumulation of fat and muscle mass by males than by females. Male mass declines rapidly during the rut. Limited dimorphism in skeletal size combined with substantial but seasonal dimorphism in mass has not been reported in other sexually dimorphic ungulates. Seasonal changes in mass allow males to achieve large size for the rut by accumulating body resources during summer. The use of these resources over the rut may reduce mortality associated with sustaining a large size over the winter.
Tracks and riparian zones facilitate the use of Australian regrowth forest by insectivorous bats

Summary 1 Documentation of habitat use by individual bat species is a key issue when assessing impacts after forests are disturbed, for example by logging. 2 We used bat detectors to compare bat activity in unlogged forest and regrowth forest 15 years after logging in northern New South Wales, Australia. Sites of contrasting management history were replicated at the scale of small catchments, with detectors positioned on tracks, off tracks and in riparian zones in either unlogged or regrowth forest. 3 The highest bat activity was recorded on forest tracks, with no significant difference between detectors in regrowth (mean = 183 passes night−1) and unlogged forest (196 passes night−1). Activity in riparian zones was intermediate (regrowth = 55 passes night−1; unlogged = 26 passes night−1), while off-track sites in forest regrowth had the lowest activity levels (5 passes night−1). Species richness was lowest in the off-track samples in regrowth and highest in the on-track samples of regrowth. 4 An index of clutter for different vegetation layers was recorded at each site. Bat activity decreased significantly with increasing clutter formed by the layer of regrowth eucalypts and/or understorey rain forest. This result strongly suggested that low bat activity off tracks was related to vegetation clutter. 5 Specific identification of calls revealed that the suite of species associated with tracks included both those predicted by ecomorphology to be clutter-sensitive (Falsistrellus tasmaniensis, Vespadelus darlingtoni, Vespadelus pumilus and Chalinolobus morio) and clutter-tolerant (Rhinolophus megaphyllus). 6 Elevation and temperature were also significant covariates of activity for a number of species. 7 As part of sustainable management of regrowth forests, we advocate maintaining flyways for bats in the form of tracks and riparian zones, in addition to the widely recognized need for the retention of hollow-bearing trees as roost sites. Research on the effects of silvicultural thinning, which will reduce clutter with possible benefits to some bat species, should also be a priority in forest characterized by secondary regrowth.
Impact of altering the water table height of an acidic fen on N2O and NO fluxes and soil concentrations

The impact of experimentally intensified summer drought and precipitation on N2O and NO turnover and fluxes was investigated in a minerotrophic fen over a 2‐year period. On three treatment plots, drought was induced for 6 and 10 weeks by means of roofs and drainage and decreased water table levels by 0.1–0.3 m compared with three nonmanipulated control plots. When averaged over the three treatment plots, both N2O and NO emission showed only little response to the drought. On the single plot scale, however, a clear impact of the treatment on N2O and NO fluxes could be identified. On the plot with the weakest water table reduction hardly any response could be observed, while on the plot with the greatest drainage effect, N2O and NO fluxes increased by 530% and 270%, respectively. Rewetting reduced NO emissions to background levels (0.05–0.15 μmol m−2 h−1), but heavily enhanced N2O emission (18–36 μmol m−2 h−1) for several days in the plots with largest water table reduction. These peaks contributed up to 40% to the cumulative N2O fluxes and were caused by rapid N2O production according to isotope abundance data. According to N2O concentrations and isotope abundance analysis N2O was mostly produced at depths between 0.3 and 0.5 m. During water table reduction net N2O production in 0.1 m depth steadily increased in the most effectively dried plot from 2 up to 44 pmol cm−3 day−1. Rewetting immediately increased net N2O production in the topsoil of the drought plots, showing rates of 18–174 pmol cm−3 day−1. This study demonstrates that drought and rewetting can temporarily increase N2O emission to levels that have to date only been reported from nutrient rich and degraded fens that have been drained for agricultural purposes.
l-ARABINOSE-SENSITIVE, l-RIBULOSE 5-PHOSPHATE 4-EPIMERASE-DEFICIENT MUTANTS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Englesberg, E. (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.), R L. Anderson, R. Weinberg, N. Lee, P. Hoffee, G. Huttenhauer, and H. Boyer. l-Arabinose-sensitive, l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli . J. Bacteriol. 84: 137–146. 1962—l-Arabinose-negative mutants of Escherichia coli B/r, ara-53 and ara-139, are deficient in the enzyme l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase; ara-53, further analyzed, accumulates large quantities of l-ribulose 5-phosphate when incubated with l-arabinose. The mutant sites are closely linked to the left of the previously ordered l-arabinose mutant sites, and probably represent the structural gene for l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase (gene D) in the l-arabinose operon. The inducible levels of l-arabinose isomerase and l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase vary correspondingly as a result of mutation in the structural gene for l-ribulokinase (gene B), further substantiating the dual structural and regulatory function of this gene locus. Ara-53 and ara-139 are strongly inhibited by l-arabinose and give rise to l-arabinose-resistant mutants. The one resistant mutant analyzed still lacks the 4-epimerase but is deficient in l-ribulokinase and has increased l-arabinose isomerase activity, a characteristic of a type of mutation in the B gene. It is proposed that accumulation of l-ribulose 5-phosphate is responsible for the inhibition, and that mutation to resistance will involve mutation in the A, B, C, permease, or repressor genes, thus providing a direct method for isolating these types of l-arabinose-negative mutants. Glucose prevents and cures the l-arabinose inhibition. Images
Effects of Vitamin D3 and Calcium on Productive Performance, Egg quality and Vitamin D3 Content in Egg of Second Production Cycle Hens

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementary vitamin D 3 on productive performance, internal egg quality, eggshell quality, apparent calcium digestibility and vitamin D 3 content in egg of second production cycle hens fed on different levels of calcium. A total of 140 second cycle brown-egg laying hens, aged 98 weeks, were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 4 replicates. The treatments consisted of diets containing 3.5%Ca and 2,000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg of feed (control), 3.5%Ca and 6,000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg of feed (treatment 2), 3.75%Ca and 2,000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg of feed (treatment 3), 3.75%Ca and 6,000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg of feed (treatment 4), and 4.0%Ca and 2,000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg of feed (treatment 5). All diets were fed for 8 weeks. Thereafter, apparent calcium digestibility was studied for 5 days. There was no significant difference in productive performance and internal egg quality among the dietary treatments ( p> 0.05). Thickness of eggshell increased with the addition of 6,000 IU vitamin D 3 in the diet containing 3.5%Ca or with the supplementation of calcium higher than 3.5% in the diet ( p 0.05). Vitamin D 3 content in egg yolks increased with the content of vitamin D 3 in the diet ( p< 0.01). In conclusion, second production cycle brown-egg laying hens require dietary calcium higher than 3.5% or the addition of 6,000 IU vitamin D 3 in diet containing 3.5%Ca for eggshell quality improvement. Vitamin D 3 content in egg yolks can be increased at least 2.5 times by adding 6000 IU of vitamin D 3 /kg feed to hens feed.
Improved efficiency of uidA gene transfer in stone pine (Pinus pinea) cotyledons using a modified binary vector

This paper describes the construction of a binary vector with the uidA-int gene under the control of the promoter and first intron from the maize (Zea mays L.) ubiquitin 1 (Ubi1) gene, aiming at high expression levels of the uidA gene in Pinus pinea L. cotyledons. Transient expression was determined after microparticle bombardment of 1-day-old cotyledons, and data indicated that the new construct performed considerably better than p35SGUSint, which has the uidA-int gene under the control of a CaMV35S promoter. In addition, we have demonstrated that the marker gene uidA from plasmid pBINUbiGUSint is reproducibly transferred from Agrobacterium tumefaciens (E.F. Sm. & Town) Conn, and beta-glucuronidase activity was detected 7 days after inoculation of scraped or sonicated cotyledons. Infection with A. tumefaciens EHA105 pBINUbiGUSint significantly improved results obtained earlier with plasmid p35SGUSint. Further, the application of our protocol reduced the level of the necrotic response that is usually disp.
The Relationship between Human Capital and the Competitiveness of SMEs in Mexico City, Mexico

The main purpose of this paper was to determine if a relationship between human capital and competitiveness in the SMES in Mexico City exists. To be able to determine the above the data collected in the first phase of this research and the correlation statistics tests were conducted with the Chi-square method. This area of human capital ais characterized by predominant levels of medium to very low competitiveness, with the exception of the organizational culture factor. In the same sense, with the execption of safety and health all other existing factors were associated to the competitiveness of the company and it was concluded that no significant relationship exists between competitiveness and the factors of the human resources area in the medium-size companies. An employer should be aware that the human capital is a strategic resource and all of the factors are important to achieve competitiveness, therefore, it is necessary to establish a link between the universities and the business sector to provide training in this area. There are few studies in the Mexican and Latin American context that have linked the human capital competitiveness of SMEs. The contribution of this work is critical to knowledge in such area.
Plants Used by Bees as Pollen Sources in the Brazilian “Cerrado”

Bee flora is the set of plants that supply food to bees in a given region. The recognition of the plants used by bees for the collection of pollen in order to enable adequate handling by the beekeeper and the improvement of the bee pasture are considered of great importance for a good beekeeping. Some bee pollen samples were obtained monthly during one year from pollen collectors installed in five beehives in two different areas (“cerradão” and “cerrado” sensu stricto) in Pirassununga, SP, Brazil. It was noted that species of the Asteraceae family were intensely visited by the Apis mellifera bees, indicating the importance of them for an eventual bee flora recomposition. Alternativelly bees visited nearby areas, using mainly Eucalyptus sp. and Citrus sp. for the collection of pollen.