Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro propagation of cactus (Cereus peruvianus l.)

The effect of various treatments on the behaviour of in vitro consecutive micropropagation stages of cactus was studied. The statistical analysis of data revealed that for shootlet proliferation stage; recycling the in vitro culture of shootlets for six times at monthly intervals on MS medium amended with BAP at 5 mg/l plus NAA at 0.1 mg/l concentration significantly augmented the shootlet proliferation rates to 5.12-fold higher than on MS-free of hormons medium. Moreover, the highest amounts of chlorophyll-a &-b and carotenoids were detected in shootlet tissues grown on MS-medium provid with either NAA at 0.1 mg/l plus BAP at 3, 4 or 5 mg/l or NAA at 0.2 mg/l plus BAP at 3 mg/l concentration. For rooting stage, using full, half or quarter strength of MS medium with or without 1 g/l activated charcoal (AC) gave the highest rooting rates (100%) and longest root length, while applying full MS medium without AC resulted in the greatest root number formed per shootlet. For acclimatization stage; culturing the obtained vitroplants on either peat moss alone, sand alone or a mixture of peat moss and sand at the rate of 1:1 gave the highest survival capacity (100%); but using peat moss alone allowed the stem of the acclimatized vitroplant to grow up to the highest tall. In conclusions, it is benefitable to use successfully the in vitro culture techniques for mass micropropagation Cereus peruvianus.
Characterization of enterotoxin and soluble hemagglutinin from Vibrio mimicus: identity with V. cholerae O1 toxin and hemagglutinin

Eight strains of Vibrio mimicus isolated from patients with diarrhoea in Bangladesh were all found to produce an extracellular toxin identical to cholera toxin produced by Vibrio cholerae O1 bacteria, with regard to subunit structure and immunological properties. Like cholera toxin, but in contrast to heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli most of the toxin from V. mimicus was found extracellularly and was proteolytically ‘nicked’ in its A subunit. This may relate to the finding that V. mimicus also produced an extracellular hemagglutinin which was immunologically indistinguishable from the soluble hemagglutinin/nicking protease of V. cholerae O1.
Parameters of photosynthesis: Definitions, theory and interpretation of results

A global assessment of carbon flux in the world ocean is one of the major undertakings of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS). This has to be undertaken using historical in situ data of primary productivity. As required by the temporal and spatial scales involved in a global study, it can be conveniently done by combining, through appropriate models, remotely sensed information (chlorophyll a, temperature) with basic information about the parameters related to the carbon uptake by phytoplanktonic algae. This requires a better understanding as well as a more extended knowledge of these parameters which govern the radiative energy absorption and utilization by algae in photosynthesis. The measurement of the photosynthetic response of algae [the photosynthesis (P) versus in-adiance (£) curves], besides being less shiptime consuming than in situ primary production experiments, allows the needed parameters to be derived and systematically studied as a function of the physical, chemical and ecological conditions. The aim of the present paper is to review the significance of these parameters, especially in view of their introduction into models, to analyze the causes of their variations in the light of physiological considerations, and finally to provide methodological recommendations for meaningful determinations, and interpretation, of the data resulting from /"versus £ determinations. Of main concern are the available and usable irradiance, the chlorophyll a-specific absorption capabilities of the algae, the maximum light utilization coefficient (a), the maximum quantum yield (4>m), the maximum photosynthetic rate (Pm) and the light saturation index (£k). The potential of other, non-intrusive, approaches, such as the stimulated variable fluorescence, or the sun-induced natural fluorescence techniques is also examined.
Does differential predation explain the replacement of zebra by quagga mussels?

Abstract: We examined the hypothesis that direct predation is part of the explanation for the displacement of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) by quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in North America. We investigated selectivity and feeding rates by 3 predators (Round Goby, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, rusty crayfish) using 2 or 3 size classes of predators feeding on different size classes of both mussel species. Round Goby, the predator with a long evolutionary history with dreissenids, consumed a larger range of dreissenid sizes than the other 2 predators. Pumpkinseed Sunfish did not show a preference for either mussel species, but both rusty crayfish and gobies preferred quagga mussels over zebra mussels. The size of mussels vulnerable to these predators increased with predator size, but all predators preferred the smallest mussels (4–8 mm). Medium (105–125 mm) and large (135–155 mm) Round Gobies consumed the largest size class (16–20 mm) of quagga mussels, but only large Round Gobies were able to consume 16–20-mm zebra mussels. Crayfish consumed a higher number of quagga than zebra mussels in both the 8–12-mm and 12–16-mm size classes. Large Pumpkinseed Sunfish (170–185 mm) were able to consume the largest size class of quagga but not zebra mussels. Our results do not support direct predation as the cause for quagga mussels replacing zebra mussels. However, predation may affect mussel size structure because small mussels were more vulnerable to predation than larger mussels.
Day-roosting Social Ecology of the Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and the Endangered Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis)

Day-roost use by northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies on the Fort Knox military reservation, Kentucky, USA, resulted in formation of non-random networks of roosts that exhibited a trend toward centralization. Centralization of day-roost networks was reflected in the social structure of colonies, which were characterized by dense associations among individuals within colonies. Social structure varied among colonies and appeared to be related to reproductive condition; colonies exhibited greater cohesiveness during parturition and lactation. Northern long-eared bat maternity colonies appeared to be exclusive, occupying distinct roosting areas with one or several areas receiving intense use. Day-roost removal simulations suggested a linear relationship between colony fragmentation and roost loss, and that loss of >20% of roosts is required to initiate colony fragmentation. Experimental hierarchical removal of day-roosts yielded results consistent with simulations, as removal of the single most-central (primary) roost had no impact on colony fragmentation, whereas removal of 24% of less-central (secondary) roosts resulted in partial network fragmentation. Patterns of colony day-roost and space use were similar preand post-removal treatments. Day-roost removal did not alter the number of roosts used by individual bats, but distances moved between roosts were greater in the secondary roost-removal treatment group. Day-roost characteristics largely were consistent pre-post treatment for both treatment groups. Historical data from an Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) maternity colony revealed that this species also exhibits a non-random social assorting dynamic. Non-random social assortment resulted in a closely connected centralized network of day-roosts. Individuals within the Indiana bat maternity colony exhibited close social connections with colony members, but subgroups likely existed within the colony. Indiana bat day-roosting ecology appears flexible, as patterns of roost and space use differed substantially between years.
Seed biology of jubatagrass (Cortaderia jubata)

Abstract Jubatagrass is one of the most invasive nonnative species along sensitive natural coastal sites of California. This study was designed to understand the biology of reproduction and seed longevity under field conditions. Jubatagrass can produce over 100,000 wind-dispersed seeds from a single inflorescence. Seeds are produced apomictically, and germination is directly related to seed size. Of the total seeds produced, only 20 to 30% were of ample size to readily germinate when exposed to light and under a temperature range similar to coastal environments. Seeds not exposed to light also germinated but at about 30% the level of light-exposed seeds. This suggests that exposed disturbed coastal sites with moderate temperatures have high potential for germination and establishment of jubatagrass. The percentages of germinable and viable seeds were not significantly different, indicating that jubatagrass does not have a primary dormancy. This was supported by field experiments demonstrating that seeds do not persist under natural conditions for more than 6 mo. These results indicate that an intensive 1-yr control program targeting established seedlings and mature plants should sufficiently manage existing populations. However, effective long-term management of jubatagrass must focus on anticipating environments susceptible to invasion, reducing new seed recruitment, and preventing subsequent seed germination and seedling establishment. Nomenclature: Jubatagrass, Cortaderia jubata (Lemoine) Stapf.
Antiangiogenic activity of Boucerosia diffusa and Boucerosia truncato- coronata extracts in chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM)

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels involves the migration, growth, and differentiation of endothelial cells, which line the inside wall of blood vessels. The process of angiogenesis is controlled by chemical signals in the body. These signals can stimulate both the repair of damaged blood vessels and the formation of new blood vessels. Other chemical signals, called angiogenesis inhibitors, interfere with blood vessel formation. Normally, the stimulating and inhibiting effects of these chemical signals are balanced so that blood vessels form only when and where they are needed (Auerbach et al., 2003). The family Asclepiadaceae is commonly known as Milky weed family and found in tropical regions of the world. About 2900 species belonging to 345 genera are present in the world. A total of 332 species (35 genera) and 48 species (28 genera) reported from India and Andhra Pradesh respectively. The genus Caralluma comprises about 200 genera and 2,500 species. The generic name is derived from the Arabic word-gahralluhum meaning wound in the flesh or abscess referring to the floral odours. The member of this genus is a small erect fleshy plant which has four grooved round shaped stems devoid of leaves with small flowers of ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 8 (2014) pp. 107-114 http://www.ijcmas. com
THE CHEMICAL CYCLE AND BIOACCUMULATION OF MERCURY

Because it is very toxic and accumulates in organisms, particularly in fish, mercury is an important pollutant and one of the most studied. Nonetheless we still have an incomplete understanding of the factors that control the bioconcentration of mercury. Elemental mercury is efficiently transported as a gas around the globe, and even remote areas show evidence of mercury pollution originating from industrial sources such as power plants. Besides elemental mercury, the major forms of mercury in water are ionic mercury (which is bound to chloride, sulfide, or organic acids) and organic mercury, particularly methylmercury. Methylmercury rather than inorganic mercury is bioconcentrated because it is better retained by organisms at various levels in the food chain. The key factor determining the concentration of mercury in the biota is the methylmercury concentration in water, which is controlled by the relative efficiency of the methylation and demethylation processes. Anoxic waters and sediments are an important source of methylmercury, apparently as the result of the methylating activity of sulfatereducing bacteria. In surface waters, methylmercury may originate from anoxic
Technological quality of eggs in relation to the age of laying hens and Japanese quails

This investigation was carried out to evaluate certain egg quality characteristics of ISA Brown laying hens and Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in relation to their age. One hundred forty-four brown-egg ISA Brown laying hens and one hundred female quails were used in the study. A total of 1,678 eggs of laying hens and 2,060 eggs of Japanese quails were used during the experiment. The eggs for technological values were collected during two consecutive days in a 4-week period when the laying hens were from 20 to 60 weeks of age and the quails were from nine to 49 weeks of age. The results show that egg weight was affected by the age of the hens and quails (overall means 61.13 g and 12.52 g, respectively). Despite frequens fluctuations, as the age of the laying hens and quails increased, the yolk index and yolk proportion increased as well, while the albumen index, eggshell strength and shell thickness decreased. The increasing age of the hens also led to a decrease in egg shape index and eggshell proportion, but these parameters increased in the quails. A significantly higher proportion of albumen was found in the hens than in the quails, but of worse quality than in the quails as expressed by Haugh units score. The egg from ISA Brown hens had a darker yolk color than those from Japanese quails (5.90 vs. 4.87 in the La Roche scale).
Species pairs for the biological control of weeds: advantageous or unnecessary?

Two or more species of insects in the same genera have been introduced in some weed biological control programs, either by accident or on purpose, to increase the climatic range distribution of the agents. If the species are ecological equivalents, the introduction of both species will be unnecessary and may be detrimental if competition reduces their overall impacts. If however the species vary in the type of attack or their distributions, the introduction of congeners can be advantageous. In this paper, we review the following cases of species pair releases in the biological control of weeds in North America: the beetles Chrysolina quadrigemina (Suffrian) and Chrysolina hyperici (Forster) for St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum L.); the gallflies Urophora affinis Frfld. and Urophora quadrifasciata (Meig.) for knapweed (Centaurea) species; the weevils Neochetina bruchi Hustache and Neochetina eichhorniae Warner for water hyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms] and the beetles Galerucella pusilla Duftschmidt and Galerucella calmariensis L. for purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.). In the cases of Chrysolina and Galerucella, the species pairs appear to be complementary for control of the target weeds, with each species providing good control in slightly different habitats and coexisting at some sites. With the Urophora gallflies, one species is more effective than the other, but overall, seed reduction is greater when both agents are present in combination (although this seed reduction is insufficient for a reduction of the target weed). In the case of the Neochetina beetles, a difference in the ability of the two species to kill plants was apparent, but whether they differed in habitat preferences was less clear. Given the increasing focus on the possible non-target effects of weed biological control introductions, we recommend that greater care be taken to avoid mixed species introductions and that judicious use be made of controlled field experimentation to determine impacts of the species. Molecular studies of species before introduction could help prevent the accidental introduction of multiple species.
PHYTOALEXINS AND THEIR ELICITORS-A Defense Against Microbial Infection in Plants

Some of the more important evidence is presented which supports the view that accumulation of phytoalexins at the site of attempted infection in plants. The accumulation of phytoalexins represents only one of a number of disease-resistance mechanisms in plants. Experiments are described demonstrating that the enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of phytoalexins are themselves synthesized de novo when plant cells are exposed to microbes of other effective stimuli. Evidence is also presented showing that phytoalexins, once accumulated, are catabolized or detoxified by many microorganisms as well as by the plants themselves. Elicitors are the major concern of this review. The literature is summarized in which elicitors are shown to be not only constituents of some microbes but also to be present in the cell walls of plants. A hypothesis is presented that suggests that all of the abiotic and some of the biotic elicitors stimulate phytoalexin accumulation by causing the release of an endogenous elicitor from the cell walls of plants. 108 references, 9 figures.
BACKGROUND ECOLOGICAL RISK: TO WEIGH IN OR NOT? THAT IS THE KEY QUESTION

It is clear that ecological risk assessment (ERA) is evolving at a fairly rapid pace, and that ERA is going through its growing pains. By hook or by crook, every component of the ERA process is under scrutiny today, with multiple groups (agencies, states, etc.) exploring, if not attacking, every source of error and imprecision in the process. Hopefully, these efforts are only being undertaken for the purposes of improving the quality of the assessments, and new ways of doing things aren’t just being proposed for the sake of change. One topic currently gaining interest in ERA, concerns the treatment of background, and specifically the notion of calculating a risk level for site background, the area that by definition, although geographically near the contaminated site of interest, is beyond the influence of the contamination. Before such calculations become part and parcel of ERAs, we would do well to consider whether the concept itself makes sense, and also whether the push to possibly incorporate background risk calculation as standard practice, is for the betterment of ERAs or just a measure that has been introduced to maintain the dynamic in the evolution of ERA. Where background calculations of risk are beginning to be used, the ecological risk assessor compares these values with the potential risk estimates of the onsite receptor. Subtracting the background figure from the onsite figure seemingly leaves the risk assessor with the level of risk that stands to be dealt with. To the extent that hazard quotients (HQ) are statements of ecological receptor health (a point discussed a little later), one way to demonstrate the flaws in this hazard quotient manipulation system is through an analogy with another health-based measure — human body weight. Everyone knows that carrying too much weight can lead to medical complications, a short list of which includes heart disease and diabetes. How does one know that one is overweight? We simply know this by comparing our weight with a standard (such as is published in an Army guide), and by applying a general rule that weighing 10% more than the standard constitutes an overweight condition. Thus, one who tips the scales at just over 165 pounds, but who according to the
Relationships Among Whole-and Part-Lactation Gross Feed Efficiency, Feed Consumption, and Milk Yield

Abstract Milk production, feed consumption, and feed efficiency data were collected on 425 first lactation cows by 31 sires to determine if a part-lactation measure of feed efficiency would effectively predict total lactation efficiency. The data were summarized by ten 30 day periods (1 to 30, 31 to 60…, 271 to 300), and a 300-day lactation total basis. Three periods (two, five, and seven) were examined to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations. Phenotypic correlations among measures of feed efficiency in adjacent periods ranged from . 82 to . 88. Correlations between the 10 part-lactation measures and total ranged from . 64 to . 87 with the highest occurring in Periods 4 and 5. The highest phenotypic correlation between part-lactation efficiency and total fat-corrected milk yield occurred during Period 5 (.72). Correlations between feed consumed in each of the 10 periods and total fat-corrected milk and total efficiency ranged from . 10 to . 69 and −. 29 to . 32. The highest genetic correlation of the three part-lactation efficiency measures with total occurred during the fifth period (1.00). The genetic correlation between fifth period efficiency and total fat-corrected milk yield was higher (.91) than the other two part-lactation measures but similar to that for total (.93). Heritabilities of the three part-lactation measures of feed efficiency were . 44, . 44, and . 34 as compared to . 56 for total lactation efficiency. Selection for efficiency during Period 5 would be 89% as effective as direct selection for total efficiency. Selection for yield during Period 5 would improve efficiency in the same period more rapidly than direct selection
Genomic Imprinting: A Specialized Form of GeneRegulation

Genomic imprinting is a process resulting in the preferential expression of certain genes depending on whether the genetic material has been inherited from the mother or the father. Many imprinted genes have been identified as having important roles in mammalian development, and the loss of imprints as well as non-imprinted alleles causes a variety of developmental abnormalities and pathological conditions in both mice and humans. In this article, the phenomenon of genomic imprinting, the developmental implications of imprinting and the molecular mechanisms proposed for this process are reviewed.
DNA damaoe, repair, and tannino acceleration

Exposure of the skin to solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) leads to various adverse effects, such as the induction of cellular damage and mutations, suppression of the skin's immune system, and the induction of skin cancer. These effects are the consequence of various molecular alterations in the skin resulting from absorption of photons. Formation of DNA damage is one of these. In the present study the effect of tanning accelerators was investigated on the level of DNA damage after exposure to UV. With the use of a specific monoclonal antibody, DNA damage was quantified in human skin. Epicutaneous application of a complex of tanning enhancers (Unipertan © VEG-2002) before exposure to UV was found to reduce the level of DNA damage at 6 and/or 24 h thereafter. The results of in vitro studies (human skin organ cultures) as well as of a preliminary clinical trial are presented. The tanning enhancer was shown to increase removal of UV-DNA damage over normal repair measured at 6 and 24 h after UV exposure.
Effect of Somatic Cell Count on Milk Yield and Composition of First and Second Lactation Dairy Cows

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) on milk yield and milk composition in first and second lactation Holstein dairy cows. Thirty cows in first lactation and 49 cows in second lactation were used in the study. Animals were 15±9.87 days in milk. Individual milk samples were collected monthly from June 2009 to March 2010, and somatic cell counts, milk protein, milk fat, lactose and milk urea-N were determined. Four SCC groups were formed for determining effect of SCC on milk yield and composition. These groups were as follows: ≤200, 201-500, 501-999, and ≥1.000×103 cell/mL. It was observed that SCC had a high significant effect on milk yield, milk protein, milk lactose (P<0.01), total solids and milk urea-N (P<0.05), however, the effect of SCC on milk fat was not significant (P>0.05). This study indicates that high SCC negatively affects not only milk yield but also milk composition and quality.