Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Importance of bee pollination for cotton production in conventional and organic farms in Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the importance of wild bee and feral honeybee visits for cotton production on conventional and organic farms. Experiments were conducted in Brazil, on a conventional cotton farm in Mato Grosso state in the Amazon biome and on an organic farm in Paraiba state in the Caatinga biome. On the conventional farm, bee assemblage and cotton production were measured near to and far from natural vegetation. Bee richness, fibre fraction, seed number and yield (Kg/ha) were higher by 57.14, 1.95, 17.77 and 18.44% respectively in plots near natural vegetation, but bee abundance did not vary with distance to natural vegetation. On the organic farm, because the cropping area is surrounded by natural vegetation, pollination deficit was evaluated using an exclusion experiment where cotton production of flowers bagged to prevent bee visitation (spontaneous self-pollination) was compared to production of flowers open to bee visitation (open pollination). Open pollinated flowers had higher average boll weight, fibre weight and seed number. Although cotton is not directly dependent on bee pollination, bees increased cotton production on the organic farm by more than 12% for fibre weight and over 17% for seed number. Our data confirm the importance of maintaining communities of pollinators on cotton farms, especially for organic production.
Tratamientos pregerminativos de hidratación deshidratación para semillas de pepino (Cucumis sativus L.)

The object of the present paper was to determinate the effects of hydration - dehydration treatments on fresh and storage cucumber seeds ( Cucumis sativus L.) of two varieties (Hatuey-1 and Japones), harversted in Cuba. We tested seven solutions of different substances for partial hydration. For both varieties the priming treatment only with water and one cycle of hydration - dehydration proved to be the best to break the dormancy or to increase the rate of germination in fresh cucumber seeds, but not in storage seeds.
Assemblage et fonction de complexes ARN-protéines

Les particules ribonucleoproteiques (ou RNP) sont a la base de nombreuses fonctions cellulaires fondamentales. La formation de ces particules RNP est un processus tres complexe qui necessite de nombreuses etapes de maturation et de multiples facteurs d'assemblage. Par ailleurs, une structure correcte des particules RNP est essentielle a leur fonction. Il est donc critique de comprendre comment ces particules sont formees dans la cellule. Au cours de ma carriere, je me suis interessee a plusieurs aspects de ces mecanismes. Au cours de ma these dirigee par Chantal Ehresmann (1990-1994), dans l'equipe de Bernard Ehresmann (UPR 9002 du CNRS) j'ai etudie le mode d'interaction de la proteine ribosomique S8 sur l'ARNr 16S d'E. coli. Mon travail post-doctoral dans l'equipe de David Tollervey (EMBL, Heidelberg (1994-1996) et Universite d'Edimbourg (1996-2001) a porte sur l'etude des mecanismes de maturation, d'assemblage et de degradation de diverses RNP. J'ai notamment contribue a la caracterisation de l'exosome, un complexe d'exonucleases 3'->5' implique dans la maturation et la degradation de divers ARN chez la levure. J'ai egalement etudie le role de proteines chaperons dans la biogenese des snoARN (biogenese des ribosomes), des ARN ribosomiques et des ARNt. En 2001, j'ai ete recrutee au grade de chargee de recherche au CNRS dans l'equipe d'Alain Krol ou nous etudions les mecanismes de synthese des selenoproteines. L'incorporation de selenocysteine dans les selenoproteines fait appel au recodage co-traductionnel d'un codon UGASec en phase. Chez les eucaryotes, ce mecanisme implique l'assemblage d'un complexe ARN-proteine au niveau d'une structure en tige-boucle ou ARN SECIS (Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence) situee dans la region 3' non codante de l'ARNm des selenoproteines. La proteine SBP2 se fixe specifiquement a l'ARN SECIS et recrute les facteurs de la machinerie de biosynthese. Elle fait egalement partie de complexes supramoleculaires dans le cytoplasme et le noyau, suggerant un possible assemblage nucleaire de la mRNP SECIS. Nous avons montre que la proteine SBP2 presentait une origine evolutive commune avec des proteines de la famille L7Ae. Ces proteines partagent un domaine de liaison a l'ARN similaire et participent a la construction de plusieurs RNP essentielles telles les sous-unites ribosomiques, les snoRNP (biogenese des ribosomes), les snRNP (epissage), et les mRNP codant pour les selenoproteines. Nos objectifs sont d'elucider les principes d'interaction SBP2/SECIS, d'identifier les composants moleculaires des complexes qui se forment autour du SECIS et de comprendre leur assemblage. En collaboration avec Edouard Bertrand (Montpellier) et Bruno Charpentier et Christiane Branlant (Nancy) nous avons identifie une machinerie d'assemblage des RNP L7Ae conservee de la levure a l'homme et d'importance fondamentale pour la cellule. Elle est constituee d'une proteine adaptatrice et d'un complexe de proteines chaperons. Notre objectif est de comprendre son role dans l'assemblage des mRNP de selenoproteines.
Caracteristicas hematologicas da Tilapia rendalli Boulenger, 1896 (Osteichthyes: Cichlidae) capturada em "pesque-pague" de Franca, Sao Paulo, Brasil

Foram estudadas as variaveis hematologicas da Tilapia rendalli Boulenger, 1896, capturada em "pesque-pague" de Franca, Sao Paulo, Brasil. Determinou-se a concentracao de hemoglobina, o hematocrito, a concentracao de hemoglobina corpuscular media (CHCM) e o percentual de celulas sanguineas de defesa orgânica (leucocitos e trombocitos). A concentracao de hemoglobina variou de 3,3-14,0 g/dL, o hematocrito de 23,0-42,0% e o CHCM de 14,3-33,3 g/dL. Na contagem diferencial de celulas sanguineas de defesa orgânica foram observados trombocitos (29,0-53,0%), linfocitos (35,0-64,0%), neutrofilos (1,0-10,0%), monocitos (1,0-5,0%) e eosinofilos (0-5,0%). UNITERMOS: Cichlidae, Hematologia, Peixe de agua doce, Sangue, Tilapia rendalli
Formation of MethylGlyoxal Induced, Partially De-Aggregated Soluble Advanced Glycation Endproducts of Human Fibrinogen

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), a heterogeneous group of molecules, are formed from the non-enzymatic reaction of reducing sugars or their metabolites with free amino acids in plasma or amino groups of proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. AGEs can accumulate in plasma and tissues. Once formed, they can contribute to the pathology of a broad range of conditions including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cataract formation and coronary heart disease. The objective of this project was to demonstrate the in-vitro formation of advanced glycation endproducts by the reaction of human fibrinogen with MethylGlyoxal (MG), a reactive sugar metabolite. Human fibrinogen (hFib) at physiological concentrations was glycated with MG at high, observable concentrations. This showed a time dependent, hyperchromic shift in the UV absorbance at 280 nm, which indicated an increase in electron stacking suggesting an increase in adduct formation. Furthermore, the λmax underwent a hypsochromic shift changing the wavelength from ~280 nm to ~265 nm after 21 days of incubation, further suggesting an increase in adduct formation. Results from HPLC and UV analysis supported the formation of a Partially De-Aggregated Soluble Advanced glycation product, (PDASA). This re-solublized aggregate may be the result of a reversible clot formation model which would be useful in subsequent experiments on the thermodynamics of human fibrinogen conformation changes.
Molecular and Immunohistochemical Identification of a Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger-2C (Nhe2C) Paralog in the Gills of Marine Longhorn Sculpin (Myoxocephalus Octodecemspinosus)

Sodium hydrogen exchanger proteins (NHEs) are members of the cation proton antiporter superfamily (CPA) and are thought to function in fish for maintaining physiological ion concentrations and acid-base balances by excreting excess H + ions from the body in exchange for Na + ions. There are many more types of these proteins in teleost fish than in mammals due to putative genome duplication. This study describes a new form of NHE2 in the gills of marine longhorn sculpin, Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, designated NHE2c. Sequencing revealed that the NHE2c nucleotide-coding region transcribes a peptide 795 amino acids in length with an estimated molecular weight of 89.2 kDa. Data shows that NHE2c is a unique peptide from previously described NHE isoforms, including the NHE2 family. A polyclonal antibody made against NHE2c and used in double and triple labeled immunohistochemical experiments detected the peptide on the apical edge of gill cells that also contained Na + -K + -ATPase and NHE2b. Western blot analysis detected two protein bands at approximately 45 kDa and 75 kDa. These extra copies of NHE2 in the sculpin genome pose an intriguing question of why the proteins are synthesized in the first place. While, in the future, studying syntenic NHE paralogs in the NHE2 family of longhorn sculpin could give us an evolutionary perspective to homologous NHEs in higher vertebrates. INDEX WORDS: Sodium hydrogen exchangers, NHE2c, Marine longhorn sculpin gills, Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, Frenchman Bay, ME
Crossing gradients of consumer pressure and physical stress on shallow rocky reefs: a test of the stress‐gradient hypothesis

1. The stress‐gradient hypothesis predicts an increase in the importance and intensity of positive species interactions towards extreme ends of gradients generated by either physical stress or consumer pressure. However, little attention has been devoted to assessing how the co‐occurrence of different gradients of stress and variations in the abundance of the benefactor can influence switches in species interactions.
Understanding strain diversity in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense and history of introduction of 'tropical race 4' to better manage banana production.

Fusarium wilt of banana is caused by 35 different strains or genotypes of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. VCG 01213, so-called ‘tropical race 4’, is just one of six distinct strains that can attack Cavendish, but it is much more aggressive on Cavendish than strains known earlier in Australia and South Africa. New plantations established in the 1990s in peninsula Malaysia and Sumatra soon succumbed. VCG 01213 was later found to be common in village banana plants in those areas. It is only one of eight strains present in the villages. It is not a new mutant strain but is only newly recognised as unique. The combination of many strains and many different cultivars in mixed plantings allows sufficient banana production for home use. Yet attempts to grow Cavendish in plantation fail within a few years of establishment. Commercial Cavendish production in Taiwan, where strain VCG 01213 is present, is possible only by planting partially resistant Cavendish mutants in rotation with paddy rice and ratooning only twice. Even so, losses continue and costs are high. Permanent commercial plantations are no longer economic in areas where VCG 01213 is found. However, surveys indicate this pathogen is not ubiquitous. VCG 01213 was recently introduced into the Northern Territory of Australia, where eradication was attempted. This involved investigation of source, elimination of entire banana fields, isolation of sites, no replanting and tight quarantine. The situation here is not confounded by ‘village banana plants’ and is simplified by isolation and distance from the country’s main banana-growing areas. In the Philippines and China, the disease now occurs in plantations situated within large areas of commercial banana production. The threat was at first not taken seriously and strain identification was delayed. Spread has occurred very rapidly in South China and less so in the Philippines. The VCG 01213 pathosystem is virtually unstudied, and its biology and epidemiology unknown. The results of experimental studies in Sumatra on incidence, treatment with endophytes and antagonists, cassava rotation, timing of infection, root invasion and breeding for resistance are reported. Rotation with cassava appears promising. INTRODUCTION We now know that Fusarium wilt of banana is caused by many different strains or genotypes of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). Since the strains are clonal and have evolved with different wild banana species in different places, they have unique characteristics of pathogenicity and, presumably, of ecological properties. We know little about their differences beyond finding by default differences in varietal host range and
Study of efficacy and safety of bipolar coagulation in total laparoscopic hysterectomy

Aim: To study the efficacy and safety of bipolar coagulation in total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Methods: A single surgeon, single center, retrospective study of one year was conducted in Akola Endoscopy center from 1 May 2010 to 30 th April,2011. 200 patients who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign conditions were enrolled. Data about the surgical time, estimated blood loss, related complications and length of hospital stay were evaluated. Results: The patients who underwent TLH with bipolar coagulation in the present study, it was found that the mean operating time was 52.83+-12.28 min, mean blood loss was 40.50+-28.02 ml, postoperatively febrile morbidity was found to be in 1.5% of patients and secondary hemorrhage in 2.5% with average hospital stay around 9-10 hours. No patient required blood transfusion or re-laparotomy. There were no intra-operative or anesthetic complications and no case of hernia or mortality. Conclusion: bipolar coagulation for hemostasis used in laparoscopic hysterectomy is safe and effective.
Toward a Practical Measure of Firm Risk-Taking: Revisiting Bowman's Paradox

Literature overwhelmingly shows a negative relationship between firm-level risk and returns based on accounting data, which is counter-intuitive from the rational perspective of risk-aversion. The present paper revisits this so-called Bowman’s Paradox and examines the wealth of literature on the topic with the objective of contributing to the development of an appropriate measure for firm risk-taking that would provide a counter-argument on the existence of the paradox. After formulating the criteria for such a measure, potential firm risk-taking measures were developed based on variability of some key financial ratios and empirically tested using US listed companies’ data for several time periods. The results showed the same counter-intuitive negative relationship between risk-taking and returns but the present paper identified an area for future theory development that hopefully will lead to a firm risk-taking measure that would exhibit the elusive positive relationship with returns.
Satellite imagery as a single source of predictor variables for habitat suitability modelling: how Landsat can inform the conservation of a critically endangered lemur

Summary 1. Statistical modelling of habitat suitability is an important tool for planning conservation interventions, particularly for areas where species distribution data are expensive or hard to collect. Sometimes however the predictor variables typically used in habitat suitability modelling are themselves difficult to obtain or not meaningful at the geographical extent of the study, as is the case for the Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur alaotrensis, a critically endangered lemur confined to the marshes of Lake Alaotra in Madagascar. 2. We developed a habitat suitability model where all predictor variables, including vegetation indices and image texture measures at different scales (as surrogates for habitat structure), were derived from Landsat7 satellite imagery. Using relatively few presence records, the maximum entropy (Maxent) approach and AUC were used to assess the performance of candidate predictor variables, for studying the effect of scale, model selection and mapping suitable habitat. 3. This study demonstrated the utility of satellite imagery as a single source of predictor variables for a Maxent habitat suitability model at the landscape level, within a restricted geographical extent and with a fine grain, in a case where predictor variables typically used at the macro-scale level (e.g. climatic and topographic) were not applicable. 4. In the case of H. alaotrensis, the methodology generated a habitat suitability map to inform conservation management in Lake Alaotra and a replicable protocol to allow rapid updates to habitat suitability maps in the future. The exploration of candidate predictor variables allowed the identification of scales that appear ecologically relevant for the species. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study presents a cost-effective combination of maximum entropy habitat suitability modelling and satellite imagery, where all predictor variables are derived solely from Landsat7 images. With a habitat modelling method like Maxent that shows good performance with few presence samples and Landsat images now freely available, the methodology can play an important role in rapid assessments of the status of species at the landscape level in data-poor regions, when typical macro-scale environmental predictors are of little use or difficult to obtain.
BIOCHAR, CHARACTERISTICS AND ITS EFFECTS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION

Biochar (biological charcoal) is a charcoal product produced by heating biomass at temperatures ranging from 400oC-500oC in conditions without oxygen or minimal oxygen (pyrolysis). Biochar has the characteristic of having a high amount of aromatic carbon that is difficult to decompose by microorganisms. The use of biochar in the tropics is very beneficial for maintaining soil fertility and reducing atmospheric pollution with carbon dioxide and methane gases. Effectiveness of biochar depends on the type of biomass and temperature used at pyrolysis. Types of woody biomass produce coarser biochar, while leafy biomass, grasses produce finer biochar. Temperatures exceeding 500oC will produce more ash than biochar. Biochar has biochemical characteristics, aromatic structure and chemical content. Thus it can function to improve physical, chemical and absorbent properties. Aromatic structures are useful in slowing decomposition so that they hold carbon in the soil for long periods. Thus it can slow down the release of carbon and methane into the atmosphere.
Studies on the host-parasite relationships of the "salmon poisoning" trematode--Nanophyetus salmincola (Chapin)

approved 'Dr. Raymond E. Millernann The effect of experimental infection with the "salmon poiscning" fluke, Nanophyetus salmincola, on five species, including three subspecies, of salmonid fish was studied. The estimated numbers of cercariae that killed in 24 hours 50% of kokanee (Q 2rhnchus nerka), Montana black-spotted cutthroat trout (Salmo arki lewisi.), ktlantic salmon (S. salar), coho salmon (0. kisutch), rainbow trout (. gairdneri), and coastal cutthroat trout (S. clarki clarki), all between 30 and 37 millimeters in fork length, were 58, 74, 110, 200, 295, and 430, respectively. This range in sensitivity of the different species of fish to the parasite was correlated with the natural duration of the host-parasite relationships. The symptomatic, gross and histopathologic changes associated with.penetration and migration of N. salmincola cercariae in the above trout and salmon species and in Lahontan cutthroat trout (S. clarki henshawi) are described. Penetration and migration of cercariae in fish were 'This study was supported by ablic Health Service Research Grant 5 ROl A106599-02, from the National Institute of JJergy and Infectious DLeases. Redacted for privacy studied. Parasites were found inside fin rays and blood vessels, and were present in internal organs within 1 hour after epidermal penetration. Effects of different salinities on emergence, viability, and infectivity of N. salmincola cercariae were determined. Cercariae emerged from the snail, Oxytrema silicula, in waters having salinities that ranged from 2 to 20 ppt. Cercariae survived the longest (68 to 75 hours) in waters having salinities from 2 to 6 ppt. Cercariae penetrated fish at all test salinities (12 to 20 ppt) except at 4 arid ppt. Observations were made on emergence of cercariae from snails. Cercariae were present in the blood of the afferent ctenidial sinus. The parasites passed dom the ctenidial leaflet through a central sinus to the leaflet apex and then into the
Parent Progeny regression analysis in F2 and F3 generations of rice

Parent progeny regression analysis involving F2 and F3 generation of two crosses in rice was undertaken to estimate the genetic potential transferred from one generation to other by adopting three levels of selection for single plant yield. Significant positive correlation and regression was observed in both crosses at positive level of selection (mean +1SD) between F3 mean and the corresponding F2 values, indicating that selection of single plant yield at these levels would be effective in both crosses. It indicates the chances of selecting high yielding genotypes at early generations.
Effects of influenza infection on neutrophil function and increased susceptibility to a secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an influenza infection affects neutrophil function, thereby increasing susceptibility to a secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. To determine this, we measured the phagocytosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by neutrophils in the lungs and bone marrow of uninfected and influenza‐infected mice. Mice were infected intranasally with 600 PFUs of PR8 influenza virus in 100 μL HBSS for 3 or 6 days. Control mice received 100 μL HBSS intranasally. To elicit a neutrophil response in the lungs of uninfected mice, mice were exposed to aerosolized LPS (10 mg/mL) for 20 minutes, and the neutrophil response was allowed to develop for 8 hours before the neutrophils were collected. Neutrophils were collected from the lungs and bone marrow from all groups of mice. S. pneumoniae was labeled with DiI and opsonized with fresh mouse serum. To measure phagocytosis, neutrophils were incubated with the labeled S. pneumoniae. To measure ROS, di(acetoxymethyl ester) was added to the leukocytes. Phagocytosis and ROS were measured using flow cytometry at incubation times of 0 and 60 minutes. We found that a prior influenza infection reduced the phagocytosis and ROS capabilities in the lungs, and to a lesser extent the bone marrow, compared to uninfected or LPS‐challenged mice. In conclusion, a prior influenza infection appears to increase susceptibility to a secondary S. pneumoniae infection by reducing neutrophil function.