Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Partial Characterization of Microsomes Isolated from Mung Bean Cotyledons

Abstract Microsomes isolated from excised cotyledons of 3-day-old, dark-grown, mung bean ( Vigna radiata , L., cv Berken) seedlings metabolized two endogenous substrates (cinnamic acid and lauric acid), three organophosphate insecticides (diazinon, isazofos, and methidathion), three acetamide herbicides (metolachlor, CGA-24704, and alachlor), and bentazon. Cinnamic acid was aryl hydroxylated forming p -coumaric acid. Lauric acid was primarily hydroxylated at the terminal carbon (ω-hydroxylation). The three α-chloroacetamides were O-demethylated. With all three organophosphate insecticides, the phosphorothionate sulfur was oxidized to the corresponding oxon and the phosphoroester oxygen was cleaved in both diazinon and isazofos. Bentazon was aryl hydroxylated forming the 6-hydroxy derivative. The concentration of cytochrome P450 in the microsomal preparations was marginally enhanced by pretreatment of the seed with naphthalic anhydride (NA), but was markedly increased by subirrigation of NA-treated seed with ethanol and was additionally increased with the combination of NA, clofibrate, and ethanol. The extent of metabolism of only lauric acid paralleled the increases in cytochrome P450 content. The various seed/seedling treatments, however, did approximately double the rate of metabolism of the three organophosphates, the three chloroacetamides, and bentazon. Metabolism required a reduced pyridine nucleotide and was affected by several cytochrome P450 monooxygenase inhibitors (carbon monoxide, tetcyclacis, piperonyl butoxide, 1-aminobenzotriazole, and SKF-525A). The inhibitors differentially affected metabolism of the substrates. Microsomal oxidations from both untreated and inducer-treated tissue responded similarly to the inhibitors. The differential inhibitory responses suggest that metabolism may involve several monooxygenase isoforms.
Fast recurrent processing via ventral prefrontal cortex is needed by the primate ventral stream for robust core visual object recognition

Distributed neural population spiking patterns in macaque inferior temporal (IT) cortex that support core visual object recognition require additional time to develop for specific (“late-solved”) images suggesting the necessity of recurrent processing in these computations. Which brain circuit motifs are most responsible for computing and transmitting these putative recurrent signals to IT? To test whether the ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) is a critical recurrent circuit node in this system, here we pharmacologically inactivated parts of the vPFC and simultaneously measured IT population activity, while monkeys performed object discrimination tasks. Our results show that vPFC inactivation deteriorated the quality of the late-phase (>150 ms from image onset) IT population code, along with commensurate, specific behavioral deficits for “late-solved” images. Finally, silencing vPFC caused the monkeys’ IT activity patterns and behavior to become more like those produced by feedforward artificial neural network models of the ventral stream. Together with prior work, these results argue that fast recurrent processing through the vPFC is critical to the production of behaviorally-sufficient object representations in IT.
Cultivo sem solo do morangueiro

Strawberry is a very important crop in Europe and USA due to its nutritional and sensorial characteristics and its profitability. Nowadays, the traditional soil based crop production is being replaced by soilless growing systems, leading to higher yield and quality all over the year. Open systems with different kind of substrates in plastic bags or pots are mainly used, at plant densities from 8 to 12plants m-2. Fruit yield is in the range from 5 to 10kg m-2. In general, plants are grown at 0.8-1m height above the soil surface, to isolate them from the soil and to facilitate the crop management. There are variations in the composition of the nutrient solution, reflecting differences in the conditions of crop production. Plug plants are produced in containers with substrate. They are obtained from runner tips of in vitro propagated mother plants. In Brazil, the strawberry soilless culture is in its first steps. Production and economical results are rather unsatisfactory, and researches about more appropriated cropping systems for local conditions are needed. Therefore, it is necessary to search for sustainable soilless growing systems, mainly of the closed type, to maximize yield under high water and nutrient use efficiency. Plant propagation, facilities and nutrient solutions used in different countries are described. Finally, guidelines for soilless crop systems appropriated for this crop in Brazilian conditions are presented.
Pyridine nucleotide cycle and trigonelline (N-methylnicotinic acid) synthesis in developing leaves and fruits of Coffea arabica

We examined the biosynthesis of trigonelline in leaves and fruits of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) plants. [ 3 H]Quinolinic acid, which is an intermediate of de novo pyridine nucleotide synthesis, and [ 14 C]nicotinamide and [ 14 C]nicotinic acid, which are degradation products of NAD, were converted to trigonelline and pyridine nucleotides. These tracer experiments suggest that the pyridine nucleotide cycle, nicotinamide → nicotinic acid → nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) → nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD) → NAD → nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) → nicotinamide, operates in coffee plants, and trigonelline is synthesized from nicotinic acid formed in the cycle. Trigonelline accumulated up to 18 μmol per leaf in developed young leaves, and then decreased with age. Although the biosynthetic activity of trigonelline from exogenously supplied [ 14 C]nicotinamide was observed in aged leaves, the endogenous supply of nicotinamide may be limited, reducing the contents in these leaves. Trigonelline is synthesized and accumulated in fruits during development. The trigonelline synthesis in pericarps is much higher than that in seeds, but its content in seeds is higher than pericaps, so that some of the trigonelline synthesized in the pericarps may be transported to seeds. Trigonelline in seeds may be utilized during germination, as its content decreases. Trigonelline synthesis from [ 14 C]nicotinamide was also found in Theobroma cacao plants, but instead of trigonelline, nicotinic acid-glucoside was synthesized from [ 14 C]nicotinamide in Camellia sinensis plants.
HIERARCHICAL SPATIAL STRUCTURE AND DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN THE RED ALGA MAZZAELLA LAMINARIOIDES (GIGARTINALES, RHODOPHYTA)

Our study of the genetic structure of Mazzaella laminarioides (Bory) Fredericq (Gigartinales) in the central Chilean region documented a high level of genetic diversity based on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and indicated the occurrence of significant genetic structure at different spatial scales. A total of 288 haploid gametophytes was analyzed with 17 polymorphic RAPD bands, which produced 202 distinct multilocus genotypes. Within stands, mean gene diversity ranged from 0.210 to 0.249 and no significant linkage disequilibrium could be detected among pairs of alleles, revealing that recombination (sexual reproduction) regularly shuffles the genes at that scale. Analysis of molecular variance within stands (less than 30 m) showed that the structure was very low, only marginally significant, and did not increase with increasing hierarchical levels at this lowest spatial scale. In contrast, at a larger spatial scale (among stands, from 5 to 60 km), increasing geographical distance seemed to account for increasing isolation between populations even if natural barriers, such as sandy beaches or river estuaries, may play a role in such isolation. Moreover, the strong genetic differentiation occurring between locations separated by 60 km allowed the assignment of individuals to their original population through a canonical discriminant analysis. This approach further allowed the identification of potential recent migrants from one population to the other. Thus, in species like M. laminarioides for which the dominance of RAPD markers can be avoided by selecting haploid individuals, RAPD analysis appeared to be specially appropriate for the study of genetic differentiation.
Metric and chronological time in human episodic memory

The relative contributions of metric and chronological time in the encoding of episodic memories are unknown. One hundred one healthy young adults viewed 48 unique episodes of visual events and were later tested on recall of the order of events (chronological time) and the precise timing of events (metric time). The behavioral results show that metric recall accuracy correlates with chronological accuracy for events within episodes, but does not play a role on larger time-scales across episodes. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during encoding and recall showed that metric time was represented in the posterior medial entorhinal cortex, as well as the temporal pole and the cerebellum, whereas chronological time was represented in a widespread brain network including the anterior lateral entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, parahippocampal cortex and the prefrontal cortex. We conclude that metric time has a role in episodic memory on short time-scales and is mainly subserved by medial temporal lobe structures.
Evidence for strong mutation bias towards, and selection against, T/U content in SARS-CoV2: implications for attenuated vaccine design

Large-scale re-engineering of synonymous sites is a promising strategy to generate attenuated viruses for vaccines. Attenuation typically relies on de-optimisation of codon pairs and maximization of CpG dinculeotide frequencies. So as to formulate evolutionarily-informed attenuation strategies, that aim to force nucleotide usage against the estimated direction favoured by selection, here we examine available whole-genome sequences of SARS-CoV2 to infer patterns of mutation and selection on synonymous sites. Analysis of mutational profiles indicates a strong mutation bias towards T with concomitant selection against T. Accounting for dinucleotide effects reinforces this conclusion, observed TT content being a quarter of that expected under neutrality. A significantly different mutational profile at CDS sites that are not 4-fold degenerate is consistent with contemporaneous selection against T mutations more widely. Although selection against CpG dinucleotides is expected to drive synonymous site G+C content below mutational equilibrium, observed G+C content is slightly above equilibrium, possibly because of selection for higher expression. Consistent with gene-specific selection against CpG dinucleotides, we observe systematic differences of CpG content between SARS-CoV2 genes. We propose an evolutionarily informed gene-bespoke approach to attenuation that, unusually, seeks to increase usage of the already most common synonymous codons. Comparable analysis of H1N1 and Ebola finds that GC3 deviated from neutral equilibrium is not a universal feature, cautioning against generalization of results.
Habitat Patch Connectivity and Population Survival

We constructed a patch dynamics model which can be used to simulate the changing sizes of resident populations in a series of interconnected habitat patches. We applied the model to white—footed mice (Peromyscus Leucopus) inhabiting patches of forest in an agricultural landscape. The model predicts that mouse populations in isolated woodlots have lower growth rates and are thus more prone to extinction than those in connected woodlots. Field data support this prediction.
The Review of Economics and Statistics

Affirmative action raises the likelihood of getting into college or obtaining a government job for minority social groups in India. I find that minority group students are incentivized to stay in school longer in response to changes in future prospects. To identify causal relationships, I leverage variation in group eligibility, school age cohorts, and state-level intensity of implementation in difference-in-differences and regression discontinuity designs. These estimators consistently show that affirmative action incentivizes about 0.8 additional years of education for the average minority group student and 1.2 more years of education for a student from a marginal minority subgroup.
Repeatability of mate choice in female red jungle fowl

We staged female mate choice trials between pairs of males and repeated the process for each female to determine the repeatability of female preference for males in red jungle fowl {Gallus gallus) in the first and second half of the breeding season. We measured male morphological traits (the size and color of the comb and the brightness of the hackle feathers) that females are known to use in choosing a mate. In the first half of the breeding season, females showed repeatability in their choices of mate with respect to the male's comb characters. Females did not show a repeatable preference with respect to male haclde feathers, and we found no repeatability of mate choice in the second half of the season. Females seem to primarily look at the male's comb when choosing a mate, and other ornaments seem only of secondary importance.
Seed‐swallowing Toucans are Less Effective Dispersers of Guettarda viburnoides (Rubiaceae) than Pulp‐feeding Jays

For many tropical plants, birds are the most important seed dispersers. Not all birds, however, will provide equally effective dispersal services. Behavioral differences, during and after feeding, can result in different establishment probabilities of new individuals. During 3 yr, we examined species‐specific quantitative and qualitative aspects of Guettarda viburnoides seed dispersal by avian frugivores, focusing on how these aspects modify seed dispersal effectiveness. Fruits of G. viburnoides were consumed by ten species of birds, two of which, Cyanocorax cyanomelas and Pteroglossus castanotis, removed 80 percent of the fruits. These two species differ in qualitative aspects of seed dispersal. First, they select for fruits of different sizes; C. cyanomelas feeds on larger fruits than P. castanotis, which results in the former dispersing larger endocarps than the latter. Second, they differ in their fruit handling treatment; C. cyanomelas are pulp consumers, whereas P. castanotis swallow the fruit whole, and are thus traditionally considered ‘legitimate’ dispersers. The probability of seedling emergence, the temporal pattern of emergence, the number of emerged seedlings per endocarp, and the probability of post‐dispersal seed predation differs between endocarps dispersed by C. cyanomelas and P. castanotis; endocarps dispersed by the former have higher emergence probabilities, higher number of seedlings, faster emergence times, and lower predation probabilities than those dispersed by the latter. Finally, these birds differ in their landscape patterns of endocarp deposition; C. cyanomelas disperses endocarps to habitats with higher recruitment probabilities. Ultimately, the pulp consumer C. cyanomelas is a more effective disperser of G. viburnoides than P. castanotis.
Multivariate Analysis of Phenotypic Diversity of Landraces of Rice of West Bengal

Aims: The objectives of this study were to characterize, evaluate and work out the interrelationship among the agro-morphological traits with a view to exploiting them directly in the field (if possible) and forming a base for using these landraces in breeding program. Study Design: A field experiment was done with fifty-one landraces of rice evaluated for 18 agro-morphological traits. Place and Duration of Study: At the Research Farm of Zonal Adaptive Research Station Krishnagar, Nadia, West Bengal, India during the kharif season of 2008, 2009 and 2010. Methodology: The experiment was set out in a randomized complete-block design with two replications to determine the nature and magnitude of the variability among the genetic materials, and the intensity of relationships among the traits using multivariate tools. Results: The study analyzed the diversity of phenotypic traits of the landraces of rice. The analysis of variance found significant variability in eighteen quantitative traits used in distance analysis. All the traits except ligule length, culm length, number of grains panicle and number of primary branches panicle exhibited positive and significant correlation coefficients with kernel weight. Leaf length was positively and significantly correlated with Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 3(1): 110-123, 2013 111 leaf breadth (r=0.760), plant height (r=0.309) culm length (r=0.352); plant height showed similar associationship with flag leaf angle (r = 0.337), culm diameter (r=0.688), culm number (r=0.706) and panicle length(r=0.654). Principal component analysis revealed that six quantitative characters viz., leaf length, culm number, culm diameter, number of grains panicle, grain length/breadth ratio and grain length significantly influenced the variation in these cultivars. Cluster analysis permitted the separation of landraces into ten major clusters from diverse geographical location, suggesting environmental adaptation of the landraces. Conclusion: Thus, the present work identified the existence of inherent variability in the landraces of rice that could be used to exploit the variability directly or through crop improvement programs.
Heterozygosity and Sex Determination in Haplo-Diploidy

Sex determination in haplo-diploid animals has been explained by P. W. Whiting's (1939) single-locus, multiple-allele scheme, which is applicable to two cases only, or by da Cunha and Kerr's (1957) genic-balance scheme, a more general hypothesis. I propose a general hypothesis of sex determination in haplo-diploidy, based on Snell's (1935) multiple-factor suggestion. This multiple-locus hypothesis is that, in haplo-diploid species, sex is determined by a number of loci. Females are heterozygous at one or more loci, while males are homozygous or hemizygous at all sex loci. At the molecular level, this effect might be due to female-determining properties of heteropolymers formed betwen the products of different alleles at any sex locus; homopolymers or heteropolymers between products of different loci are not formed or lack sex-determining activity. Haploid intersexes could arise from mutants that form active homopolymers or active heteropolymers with products of other loci. Diploid intersexes should be extremely rare, except in single-locus species, in which intersexes could result from mutations that reduce heteropolymer formation. The data from a number of cases generally support the multiple-locus hypothesis for Hymenoptera and haplo-diploid mites but not for coccids. No suitable data exist for other haplo-diploid groups. Compared with single-locus species, those with many sex loci will have weaker selection operating on the alleles at each locus and will lose fewer diploids as low-viability males. Testable predictions for species with many sex loci indicate that prolonged close inbreeding should yield diploid males; that diploid intersexes in outbred lines should be extremely rare compared with haploid intersexes; and that feminized borders, due to complementation between different sex alleles, should often occur between genetically different blocks of tissue in gynoid males.
What Can Birds Tell Us about the Migration Physiology of Bats?

Abstract Many species of bats undergo annual migrations, in some cases covering distances of 1,000 km or more. However, very little is known about the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying bat migration. In contrast, the physiology of migrating birds has been studied for decades and many migration-related changes have been documented. Although bats and birds evolved flight and long-distance migration independently, they have likely experienced many similar selective pressures. We therefore suggest that knowledge of bird migration physiology can be used to generate predictions for emerging studies of bat migration physiology. In this review, we discuss major physiological and biochemical adaptations relating to fuel acquisition and fuel utilization. For each, we summarize knowledge gained from migration studies of birds and bats (if any) and make predictions of bat migration physiology. For many aspects, we predict that bats will have evolved similar physiological mechanisms to birds. However, there are some potentially major differences in the energetic models for bats and birds, including torpor, fuel selection at high-intensity exercise, and trade-offs between reproduction and migration.
Application of RAPD-PCR for Virulence Type Analysis within Verticillium dahliae and V. longisporum

A collection of 24 isolates of Verticillium dahliae, 11 isolates of V. longisporum and one isolate of V. alboatrum originating from different host plants and geographical regions was tested for genetic variability by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Based on nine primers, the three Verticillium species could be clearly differentiated. Likewise, this analysis provided a distinct separation of vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) 2B, 4A and 4B of V. dahliae by specific DNA banding patterns. Additionally, V. longisporum was found to segregate into two subgroups with only 88% similarity. This molecular-genetic approach was used for the analysis of randomly selected Verticillium isolates from a field with high intensity of oilseed rape cultivation (33% in crop rotation). RAPD-PCR analysis revealed that 95 of 100 isolates tested belonged to V. longisporum and 5 to VCG 2B of V. dahliae. This 'study demonstrates an adaptation of Verticillium soil populations to a specific cropping history.
Observations on the compatibility between Bulinus spp. and Schistosoma haematobium in the Senegal River basin

Snail-infection experiments were carried out with a number of different species and populations of Bulinus and isolates of Schistosoma haematobium. The parasites came from six localities in the Senegal River basin (SRB), in the Lower Valley (Mbodiene), Middle Valley (Podor, Diatar and Nguidjilone), and Upper Valley (Aroundou and Galladé). Isolates of S. haematobium from the Middle and Upper Valleys all showed some compatibility with laboratory-bred B. truncatus from Mali, but none of these isolates was compatible with laboratory-bred B. truncatus originating from Senegal. Schistosoma haematobium from Diatar (Middle Valley) was compatible with B. senegalensis, whereas S. haematobium from Mbodiene (Lower Valley), which is naturally transmitted by B. globosus, was incompatible with B. senegalensis and B. truncatus. These data demonstrate that different isolates of S. haematobium from different regions of the SRB exhibit distinct intermediate-host specificities, which in turn will have an effect on the epidemiology of the disease, including the periods of transmission. It is apparent that, in addition to B. senegalensis and B. globosus, B. truncatus, the most widespread bulinid snail in the SRB, may be playing a role in the epidemiology of urinary schistosomiasis. This conclusion has obvious implications for the future spread of urinary schistosomiasis in the SRB. Chemical and physical measurements from assorted habitats along the SRB, including pH, temperature, salinity, conductivity, and resistivity, are also reported.