Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Characteristics of Fruits Morphology, Chemical Composition and Colour Changes in Must During Maceration of Three Grapevine Cultivars

Abstract The study compares morphology of clusters and fruits, the chemical composition and changes of pulp in the process of maceration of grape cultivars ‘Mavrud’, ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Merlot’. The cultivar ‘Mavrud’ had biggest clusters and fruits. Its fruits were less firm but had the highest acidity while the fruits of the ‘Pinot Noir’ had the highest content of soluble solids and dry matter and the greatest firmness but the lowest acidity and content of nitrites and nitrates. The fruits of the ‘Merlot’ cultivar had the highest content of L-ascorbic acid, nitrites and nitrates. The pulp colour was largely affected by the maceration temperature. During a warm maceration, the process of pulp darkening accelerated and the red colour saturation increased, whereas cold maceration resulted in the blue colour saturation.
FLAXSEED AS A SOURCE OF FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Scientific evidence supports flaxseed consumption; however, a large sector of the population is still unaware of the benefits associated to its consumption and its possible applications as functional food ingredient in foodstuffs. Flaxseed is mainly known by its high alpha-linolenic acid content, but it is also a lignan source, soluble fibre and protein, compounds which are biologically active in the prevention of some non-transmissible chronic diseases. Southern Chile has comparative advantages for the cultivation of this crop. Together with its full processing, this crop could strengthen regional industry. The purpose of the present review is to highlight the nutritional properties of flaxseed.
Avaliação de pastagem diferida de Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. 2. Disponibilidade de forragem e desempenho animal durante a seca

The availability of herbage, green herbage, dead herbage, green leaf, green stem, dead leaf and dead stem components was evaluated in the Signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens) pasture during the dry season, and after postponement period, from July to October 1997. The pasture characteristics were correlated with the average daily weight gain (ADG) of crossbred Limousin-Nelore males, aging 19 months and 374 kg body weight on average, from July to September 1997. The average availability of herbage was 7.568 kg dry matter (DM)/hectare (AH), green herbage (AGH) 3,834 kg DM/ha, and dead herbage (ADH) 3,734, in early July, after the postponement period of the Signalgrass pasture. The continuous utilization during the dry period of the postponed pasture, and stocking rate . 75 animal units, did not affect AH and ADH, respectively, 7,902 and 4,637 kg/ha on average; nevertheless, diminished the availability of green herbage and green leaf dry matter (AGL). The availability of green herbage and of green leaf component increased in July and October, and reduced at crescent rate from August to September. In late September, the average availability of green herbage reached least value, 2,540 kg DM/ha. The availability and proportion of green leaf component in total herbage were greatest in early August, respectively, 1,517 kg DM/ha and 18.5%, and were least in late September, respectively, 480 kg DM/ha and 5.7%. The tropical pasture postponement warranted the maintenance of the animals, and leaded at a minimum average daily gain (ADG) (104 g/d), during the dry season. In September, the animals loosed body weight. ADG was linearly and negatively correlated with availability of dead dry matter, and it was linearly and positively correlated with the availability of green dry matter/dead dry matter ratio and green leaf dry matter/dead dry matter plus green stem dry matter ratio. Had no correlation between the ADG and availability of green leaf, and between the ADG and availability of green herbage. ADG did not correlated with grazing pressure or with herbage availability.
Extrapolation of the Species Accumulation Curve for Incomplete Species Samplings: A New Nonparametric Approach to Estimate the Degree of Sample Completeness and Decide when to Stop Sampling

Incomplete species samplings are deemed to remain the common practice in those groups of animals, such as small or micro- invertebrates, with numerous species that often are more or less difficult to detect in the field. Thus, extrapolating the Species Accumulation Curve as far as possible beyond the actual sample size may thus serve as a useful (although imperfect) surrogate to the desired, but practically inaccessible, complete samplings. In this context, several kinds of theoretical or empirical models for the Species Accumulation Curve and also a lot of estimators of (i.e. ratio singletons/doubletons larger than 0.6), a specific formulation of the Species Accumulation Curve (bi-hyperbolic with exponents -1 and -2 for sample size) complies at best. Accordingly, the more appropriate estimator of total species richness is Jackknife-2. Only when the ratio singletons/doubletons happens to fall beneath 0.6, Chao estimator may then be preferred. This is the case when samplings closely approach exhaustivity or when they address assemblages with unusually homogeneous abundances of species.
Impacts of alien plants and man‐made disturbance on soil‐growing bryophyte and lichen diversity in coastal areas of Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract Seventy phytosociological relevés were performed in 1 m × 1 m plots at 14 study sites spread along sandy shores in northern and southern Sardinia (Italy). The plots were selected in different habitat types (open dunes, native Juniperus woodlands, maquis, and plantations with Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pinus) according to a stratified sampling method in order to investigate impacts deriving from different levels of Carpobrotus spp. cover, dry litter from exotic trees, and other disturbance types. The quantile regression and logistic regression analyses revealed that the reduction in the amount of bryophyte and lichen cover on sand dunes of the study area is caused either by a high cover of Carpobrotus spp. mats or by a high cover of dry exotic litter in dense, unmanaged or poorly managed forest plantations. Additional detrimental effects are often driven by other kinds of man‐made disturbances. Forest management in the coastal areas of Sardinia should be gradually modified to take into account the conservation of bryophytes and lichens. Some of the biological indicators used are quite widespread in the Mediterranean coastal habitats or are exclusively associated with sand dunes; therefore, they can also be conveniently used as indicators of biological impacts in other countries or islands of the same biogeographical region.
Orchid Bees of forest fragments in Southwestern Amazonia

Bees of the tribe Euglossini are known as orchid-bees. In general, areas with more vegetation cover have greater abundance and diversity of these bees. This study investigated the effects of forest fragmentation on assemblages of the euglossine bees in the region of Rio Branco municipality, State of Acre, and surrounding areas. Ten forest fragments with varying sizes were selected for the study and were classified as urban or rural. The bees were sampled between December 2005 and August 2006. A total of 3,675 bees in 36 species and 4 genera were collected. In general abundance and richness of bees did not differ statistically between urban and rural fragments. The index of edge in fragments was a predictor of richness and diversity of bees. The connectivity estimated was also an adequate predictor for richness. Fragments with greater similarity in relation to their landscape structure were also more similar in relation to faunal composition.
Composition chimique et activités antimicrobienne et insecticide de l'huile essentielle de Mentha rotundifolia du Maroc

Abstract The chemical composition and the antimicrobial and insecticidal activities of the essential oil in Mentha rotundifolia were studied. The essential oil is rich in pulegone (85%). The susceptibility of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), fungi (Trametes pini, Aspergillus niger, Pénicillium parasiticus) and insects of cereal (Rhyzopertha dominica and Sitophilus oryzae) with respect to the essential oil of Mentha rotundifolia was studied at different concentrations. At the 1/1000V/V concentration, the essential oil inhibited all bacteria and fungi, whereas at 6,5.10−2 ml/cm3 concentration, the essential oil destroyed all cereals insects.
Increased Regeneration Efficiency in Seed Derived Callus of Rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

In five cultivated rice varieties e.g., Nonabokra, PNR 381, Taipei 309, Koshika and TKM 11 the response in the initiation of callus and its size varied greatly among varieties, salt concentrations (NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 ) and their interaction. Better regeneration ability of Nonabokra, Koshika and TKM 11 was found to be correlated to small size callus with a high concentration of Na 2 SO 4 . The regeneration ability found here was dependent on variety/genotype, callus type and size, source of salt and their concentration. Regeneration ability enhanced three - tenfolds from Na 2 SO 4 stressed callus compared to the control i.e. without Na 2 SO 4 . Vigorous rooting was also observed in the regenerated plants obtained from the calli induced in the medium containing Na 2 SO 4 . In NaCl supplemented medium, on the other hand, regeneration and rooting ability were poor. Key words: Rice varieties, Regeneration efficiency, Shoot regeneration DOI = 10.3329/ptcb.v16i1. 1105 Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 16(1): 45-52, 2006 (June)
THE EFFECT OF AN ESSENTIAL OIL MIX DERIVED FROM OREGANO, CLOVE AND ANISEED ON BROILER PERFORMANCE

This study was conducted to explore the usage of essential oil mix (EOM) in broiler nutrition as a natural growth promoting substance instead of antibiotics. Different levels of EOM were added to a standard diet, to determine its effect on feed intake, daily live weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to control and antibiotic groups. Two hundred and fifty five day-old broilers (Ross-308, n = 250) were divided into five equal groups were as follow: Control group (no EOM or antibiotic), 100 ppm EOM group , 200 ppm EOM group, 400 ppm EOM group with and an Antibiotic group (0.1% Avilamycin). The diets were prepared freshly each day. Experiment carried out 35 days. The feed intake was similar between the groups (p>0.05), but the highest daily live weight gain was observed in the 200 ppm EOM group (71.31 g) followed by Antibiotic group (65.84 g), 100 ppm EOM oil group (63.40 g), control group (61.30 g) and 400 ppm EOM group (61.17 g). Thus, daily live weight gain increased in 200 ppm EOM group by approximately 16 % over the control group and approximately 8 % over the antibiotic group. Feed conversion ratio was improved in 200 ppm EOM group by approximately 12 % over the control group and approximately 6 % over the antibiotic group. The results show that, EOM could be considered as a potential natural growth promoter for poultry.
The annual reproductive cycle of the Smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris) in England

Newts were collected throughout the year from both breeding ponds and terrestrial sites and were weighed, measured and dissected; in males, the testes were examined histologically. Smooth newts show post-nuptial gametogenesis such that, during late summer and autumn they are producing mature gametes for the following year's breeding season. In males, the testes are at their smallest size during the spring, when they consist mostly of immature sperm cysts and evacuated tissue, mature sperm having been evacuated into the vasa deferentia during the newts' migration to water. Evacuated testicular tissue is glandular in function and there is evidence that secretions from this tissue control the development of secondary sexual characters: the dorsal crest, fringes of skin on the toes and the dorsal cloacal gland. In both sexes, fat body and liver weights are lowest in the spring and increase in the autumn. In females, oocytes vary in size, depending on the amount of yolk they contain. Only the larger oocytes are laid in a current breeding season, the smaller ones being retained and yolked in late summer and autumn. In both sexes, measures of fecundity (testis size in males, oocyte number in females) are strongly correlated with body size. The finding that male newts have a finite supply of sperm during the breeding season leads to an interpretation of various aspects of male courtship behaviour. These are adaptations for conserving sperm and allocating it to courtship encounters in a way likely to promote male reproductive success.
Using a trans-disciplinary and trans-institutional team approach and co-design principles to develop an accessible serious gaming system for children with limited hand function

This paper describes the design process that was used to design and develop a stand-alone, home-based, customised and accessible ‘serious gaming’ (SG) system for children with hand impairments. Hand impairments, typically resulting from conditions such as cerebral palsy (CP), prevent access and the appropriate use of the full range of control options available from commercially available controllers for gaming systems such as the Microsoft Xbox or Sony PlayStation. This lack of engagement and participation in a popular mainstream activity can lead to feelings of frustration and annoyance and a sense of peer exclusion. The aim of this project was to design and develop an accessible SG system that was engaging, fun to use, and provided a new form of therapy. A trans-disciplinary and trans-institutional team incorporating Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Design, Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Media, Rehabilitation Medicine and Allied Health provided professional expertise through a co-design process involving children with and without hand impairments. The design and development process took just over thirty months from problem analysis through to the finished product. Known as the ‘OrbIT Gaming System’, the final product provides an integrated software and hardware solution for children with hand impairments who want to play computer games. The System includes fifteen two and three dimensional games, an integrated menu system, and full data-logging capability. A structured stage-gate product development process was used to produce a novel ‘orb’ shaped controller (nicknamed ‘Orby’) that players use to control their game character.
Influence of dietary vitamin E and zinc on performance, oxidative stability and some blood measures of broiler chickens reared under heat stress (35 °C)

Influence of dietary vitamin E and zinc on performance, oxidative stability and some blood measures of broiler chickens reared under heat stress (35 °C) This study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin E (αTA; dL-α-Tocopheryl acetate) and zinc (Zn; ZnCl2) on performance, oxidative stability and some blood measures of broiler chickens under normal and hot temperatures. One hundred sixty 10-day-old male chicks were assigned to four groups in four replicates. The birds received two diets, control and enriched with two levels of vitamin E and Zn (100 and 50 mg/kg of diet, respectively) under two ambient temperatures (22 °C and 35 °C). Although the diets enriched with the antioxidant vitamin and element compared with un-enriched diets resulted in the better performance of the birds, significant differences were related to temperature conditions, as the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the highest body weight (BW) were observed in the group fed the enriched diet under normal temperature. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA), cholesterol (C), triglycerides (TG), glucose (G), total protein (TP), and hematocrit and heterophil: lymphocyte ratio levels were significantly lower in birds reared under 22 °C compared with the group under 35 °C but the hematocrit was not significantly lower in groups fed enriched diets and exposed to normal conditions (P>0.05). It was concluded that a combination of 100 mg of vitamin E and 50 mg of Zn provides the better performance and the least blood C and TG levels accompanying the better oxidative stability in male broilers under normal temperature (22 °C) and that this combination can be considered as a protective strategy in broiler diets for reducing the negative effects of heat stress.
Histopathology, Biochemistry, and Pathogenicity of Vibrio harveyi Infecting Black Tiger Prawn Penaeus monodon

Abstract Vibrio harveyi infection was found to occur in pond-reared black tiger prawn in Thailand. The diseased prawns with a hepatopancreatic infection of V. harveyi showed bacterial invasions and multiplication in the tubular lumens. This condition was followed by necrosis of hepatopancreatic cells and the thickened basal lamina, subsequent granulomatous encapsulation of the invaded tubules, and production of granulation tissue around granulomatous lesions. Heavy bacterial multiplication in the hepatopancreatic tubules caused systemic bacterial dissemination, which resulted in marked necrosis in the heart and lymphoid organ. On the other hand, two prawns with percuticular infection by V. harveyi had bacterial invasions in the subcuticular, spongy connective tissue in the telson, and systemic dissemination was followed by the occurrence of bacteriaphagocytizing hemocytes in the various tissues. Both types of isolates (chitinase positive and negative) were moderately pathogenic to prawn; intramuscular inj.
Morphological diversity of larval skeletons in the sea urchin family Echinometridae (Echinoidea: Echinodermata)

To clarify the morphological variety of larval skeletons, a detailed morphological comparison among the species of the family Echinometridae was performed. Through conspecific comparison of larval skeletons among different ages, we found five skeletal characters of the body skeleton that are stable in the four-armed pluteus and thus useful in homologous comparison among the species. The morphological variation was summarized as the difference in the number of spines and posteroventral transverse rods, and differences in the shape of the body skeleton. Significant correlations were found between some skeletal characters, such as between upper body length and bottom width of body skeleton and between lower body length and the number of spines. We found that the larval skeletons of tropical species tend to have fewer spines and rods than those of temperate species, which is consistent with the hypothesis that a reduction in skeletal elements decreases the specific gravity of larvae as an adaptation to tropical waters.
An individual-based analysis of the variability of eggs and their newly hatched larvae of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) on the Scotian Shelf

We assessed the seasonal pattern of size variation in cod eggs on the Scotian Shelf region of the Northwest Atlantic during the period March 1991–May 1993. Cod eggs were present from October to May during the surveys. Spawning was not strongly bimodal. There was a dominant autumn peak, in contrast to the historically dominant spring spawning. Egg diameter varied seasonally. Seasonal temperature patterns explained 52% of the variation in egg diameter. By incubating the eggs on-board ship, we also assessed the seasonality of the standard length (SL) of larvae that hatched from these eggs. Larval SL also varied seasonally. Egg diameter and SL were significantly correlated, but the correlation was weak (r2 = 0.3). However, the strength of correlation was consistent with laboratory estimates based on individual data. The results suggest that previous estimates of the egg size – larval size correlations are inflated. Temperature exerted a significant effect on both egg diameter and larval size, and is hypothesi.
ALS‐linked P56S‐VAPB, an aggregated loss‐of‐function mutant of VAPB, predisposes motor neurons to ER stress‐related death by inducing aggregation of co‐expressed wild‐type VAPB

A point mutation (P56S) in the vapb gene encoding an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐integrated membrane protein [vesicle‐associated membrane protein‐associated protein B (VAPB)] causes autosomal‐dominant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In our earlier study, we showed that VAPB may be involved in the IRE1/XBP1 signaling of the unfolded protein response, an ER reaction to inhibit accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins, while P56S‐VAPB formed insoluble aggregates and lost the ability to mediate the pathway (loss‐of‐function), and suggested that P56S‐VAPB promoted the aggregation of co‐expressed wild‐type (wt)‐VAPB. In this study, a yeast inositol‐auxotrophy assay has confirmed that P56S‐VAPB is functionally a null mutant in vivo. The interaction between P56S‐VAPB and wt‐VAPB takes place with a high affinity through the major sperm protein domain in addition to the interaction through the C‐terminal transmembrane domain. Consequently, wt‐VAPB is speculated to preferentially interact with co‐expressed P56S‐VAPB, leading to the recruitment of wt‐VAPB into cytosolic aggregates and the attenuation of its normal function. We have also found that expression of P56S‐VAPB increases the vulnerability of NSC34 motoneuronal cells to ER stress‐induced death. These results lead us to hypothesize that the total loss of VAPB function in unfolded protein response, induced by one P56S mutant allele, may contribute to the development of P56S‐VAPB‐induced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Marten and fisher responses to fluctuations in prey populations and mast crops in the northern hardwood forest

Many forest tree species produce seed (mast) crops that are consumed by a variety of wildlife species and these pulsed resources may mediate interactions among predator and prey populations. In the northern hardwood forests of New York, we investigated interactions among mast production, prey abundance, and harvests of American martens (Martes americana) and fishers (Martes pennanti) during 1988–2009. Mast production for beech (Fagus grandifolia), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and mountain ash (Sorbus americana) was synchronous and an alternate-year pattern in production was evident for most of the time series. We documented considerable temporal variation in summer small mammal relative abundance and our numerical response models received substantial support for 5 of the 8 species, indicating lagged responses to autumn mast crops. Trap response of martens to the autumn production of beech mast and mountain ash berries was immediate and numerical responses to the relative abundance of small mammal prey occurred during the preceding summer. The age structure of the marten harvest differed based on the dominant alternate-year pattern of summer prey relative abundance and autumn mast production (χ24 = 33.06, P < 0.001). The proportion of juvenile marten in the autumn harvest was 52% and 34% following summers when small mammal relative abundance was high and low, respectively and these differences resulted in a persistent cohort effect that was apparent until age 3.5. Trap response of fishers to the autumn production of beech mast was immediate and numerical responses to the relative abundance of Sciurid prey occurred during the preceding summer. Marten and fisher harvests fluctuated similarly among New York, Maine, and New Brunswick, which may indicate regional synchronization of mast crops and responses of martens and fishers to similar prey dynamics. A better understanding of how food availability influences demographic responses and trapping vulnerability of martens and fishers would aid our ability to manage harvests of these species on a sustained yield basis. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.