Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
First report of taro black rot caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata in China

Colocasia is the most widely cultivated species of taro in China, because it does not require a large growing area and is relatively easy to obtain and maintain. In 2005, a hitherto unseen postharvest disease of taro, a superﬁcial black rot, was observed at a Chenglong vegetable company storage barn in Chenggong County in Kunming, Yunnan, China. A fungus was consistently isolated from rotted corms when diseased tissue was incubated between slices of fresh carrot root (Moller & DeVay, 1968). The fungus was identiﬁed as Ceratocystis ﬁmbriata using morphology and molecular features. The ITS region of rDNA was sequenced using the procedures of Baker et al . (2003). Analysis of ITS sequence data (GenBank Accessions AM293382 and AM293383) showed that the isolates were 97% homologous to those from diseased taro in Brazil (GenBank Accessions AY526286–AY526290) by BLAST analysis; and 96% homologous to isolates on Colocasia spp. from Hawaii and to Chinese herbarium material that was over 70-year-old (GenBank Accessions AY526304–AY526307). Hawaiian and Chinese material was considered by Harrington et al . (2005) to represent a previously uncharacterized taxon in the Asian clade of C. ﬁmbriata , while Brazilian isolates fall into the ‘Latin American’ clade. were yellow- ing and necrosis of leaf blades, brown lesions of petioles, discoloration of stems from brown to black, overgrowth and stunt of shoots, root and crown rot, and plant death. Healthy plants were free from these symptoms. A fungus was observed intercellularly and was consistently isolated from tissues with symptoms. The fungus was identiﬁed as Embellisia it differs from all Embellisia Specimens of diseased plants and fungal isolate (MHLZU 0408) were deposited in the Mycological Herbarium of Lanzhou University. Pathogenicity was conﬁrmed with three methods of spraying, wounded root and seed inoculation, respectively with 75-day-seedlings, 35-day- seedlings and seeds that were pre-germinated for 2 days. Plants grown in pots containing disinfested soil were maintained in a greenhouse where the temperature was 23 ± 2ºC. The symptoms exhibited on inoculated seedlings and seeds were similar to those observed in the ﬁeld, and the fungus was reisolated from inoculated plants. Untreated seedlings remained symptomless. This is the ﬁrst report of yellow stunt and root rot of standing milkvetch caused by Embellisia sp. Some similar symptoms were previously observed in ﬁelds
Amana kuocangshanica (Liliaceae), a new species from south-east China

Amana kuocangshanica D. Y. Tan & D. Y. Hong is described as a new species from Mt. Kuocang, Zhejiang Province, south-east China. Morphological observations and a statistical analysis of the new species and its relatives show that it is most closely related to A. anhuiensis and A. erythronioides, but differs in having the lower leaf oblanceolate, the widest at two-thirds length from the base, tunics glabrous inside, and fruit beaks 5–7.5 mm long. The morphologies of the pollen, seeds, and epidermal cells of the leaves of this new species are described. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 154, 435–442.
Color vision and color choice behavior of the honey bee

La theorie des couleurs developpee par l'auteur pour l'abeille decrit tres bien la vision et le comportement de choix des couleurs. La theorie consiste en 5 modeles qui interagissent: 1) le modele physiologique (PR) des photorecepteurs. 2) le modele physiologique de codage oppose des couleurs (COC). Celui-ci decrit le codage de la chromaticite (aspect bidimensionnel de la couleur qui est different de la brillance) par 2 types de neurones codant en oppose lineairement. Un systeme de codage de la brillance n'est pas necessaire parce que l'abeille ignore les differences d'intensite dans les experiences de dressage a la couleur
Localisation of nickel and mineral nutrients Ca, K, Fe, Mg by Scanning Electron Microscopy microanalysis in tissues of the nickel-hyperaccumulator Alyssum bertolonii Desv. and the non-accumulator Alyssum montanum L.

Plants of the nickel-hyperaccumulator Alyssum bertolonii Desv. and of the non-accumulator A. montanum L. growing on a serpentine site in Tuscany, Italy, and plants of A. montanum from a nearby non-serpentine site were analysed for metal concentration and localisation. The leaves of A. bertolonii contained 160 times more nickel than those of A. montanum from the same site, thus demonstrating its hyperaccumulation capacity towards this metal. On the other hand, both species showed an inversion of the Ca/Mg ratio in their organs relative to the soil. Nickel localisation in plant tissues was examined by Scanning Electron Microanalysis (SEM/EDX). In A. bertolonii, a specific pattern of nickel distribution was detected, with the highest concentrations present in parenchyma and sclerenchyma cells for the roots; in the shoots, the highest amounts of nickel were found in the stem epidermis, the leaf epidermal surface, and the leaf trichome base. This particular nickel tissue distribution pattern was not found in the non-accumulator A. montanum growing on serpentine soil. Other mineral nutrients, namely Mg, Ca, K, Fe, instead, had a similar distribution in the two species. The A. montanum plants from the non-serpentine site had very low nickel levels in their tissues, and these were of the same magnitude as those found in A. bertolonii plants grown in a greenhouse on commercial horticultural soil with low nickel concentration. In A. bertolonii plants, the tissue-specific allocation patterns appeared to depend on the degree of nickel hyperaccumulation, which is, in turn, directly linked to the soil characteristics.
Lowering of Serum Thyroxine and Triiodothyronine Levels in Yearling Coho Salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, by Dietary Mirex and PCBs

Yearling coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, were fed diets contaminated with PCBs (500 μg or 50 μg/g dry feed), Mirex (50 μg or 5 μg/g dry feed), or a mixture of Mirex and PCBs (5 μg Mirex + 50 μg PCB/g dry feed) daily for 2 or 3 mo. Serum T3 and T4 levels were significantly reduced in fish fed the high Mirex diet for 2 or 3 mo. Serum T3 levels were reduced in fish fed the high PCB diet for 3 mo. Serum T3 and T4 levels were significantly reduced in fish fed the mixed Mirex–PCB diet for 3 mo. The significant increase in serum T4/T3 ratios in fish given the high Mirex or high PCB diet was not evident in fish given the mixed Mirex–PCB diet, suggesting a synergistic effect that is different from the effect of individual contaminants. Fish given the high PCB or high Mirex diet had significantly lower body weights than the control fish. Key words: organochlorines, teleost fish, thyroid gland, hormones, endocrines, synergism, pituitary gland
Nuclear DNA distribution and amitotic processes in activated Helianthus tuberosus tuber parenchyma

ABSTRACT The nuclear DNA content in dormant tubers of Helianthus tuberosus L. cv OB1 and in explants activated for several hours by 2,4-D was measured by in situ cytometry of Feulgen-stained nuclei and by flow cytofluorimetry of isolated DAPI-stained nuclei. The pattern of variation of mean nuclear DNA content was nearly the same using either method. During activation, DNA content reached a maximum at 9 h. Cytophotometric analysis of optical density profiles of the nuclei and molecular analysis of restricted DNAs indicated that the observed increase at 9 h is probably not related to chromatin decondensation due to a different pattern of cytosine methylation but rather to DNA synthesis. At 15 h amitoses occurred and generated pairs of similar sized nuclei, having an equal DNA content. Concomitantly, the class of nuclei with the highest DNA value disappeared whilst a class with a lower DNA content increased. Between 9 and 20–25 h, DNA content decreased, then increased up to 35 h, when a single DNA class acc.
Characteristics of carcass composition, fat metabolism and meat quality of genetically different pigs

The aim of the study was to quantify the differences in meat and fat quality and lipid metabolism of pigs with either high or medium capacity for lipid accretion. A total of 58 castrated males of the breeds German Saddle Back (SB) and German Landrace (DL) were included in the experiment. Animals were housed individually and fed twice daily semi ad libitum. Saddle Back pigs indicated a lower lean meat content (41.4% vs 52.6%) and a higher fat percentage (40.9% vs 28.2%) in comparison to DL as a result of high lipid accumulation. The larger fat content of SB was related to an increased intramuscular fat concentration of longissimus muscle. A significant correlation between intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition was estimated in both breeds. The relative concentration of saturated fatty acids was significantly increased in SB pigs. The percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (8.3%) in SB muscle fat was significantly lower than in DL muscle fat (10.7%). The de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids resulted in mostly saturated fatty acids and oleic acid. The higher activities of lipogenetic enzymes in backfat of SB proved a higher lipogenetic capacity. There were no significant differences in meat quality traits of longissimus muscle between the two breeds. Eigenschaften von Schlachtkorperzusammensetzung, Fettstoffwechsel und Fleischqualitat bei genetisch unterschiedlichen Schweinen. Das Ziel der Untersuchung war die Charakterisierung der Unterschiede in der Schlachtkorperzusammensetzung, dem Fettstoffwechsel und der Fleischqualitat von genetisch unterschiedlichen Schweinen. Es wurden insgesamt 58 mannliche Kastrate der Rassen Deutsche Landrasse und Deutsches Sattelschwein bei einer Lebendendmasse von 110 kg gepruft. Die Sattelschweine weisen einen signifikant geringeren Muskelfleischanteil (41,4%) im Vergleich zur Landrasse (52,6%) auf. Die verstarkte Akkumulation von Lipiden der Sattelschweine spiegelt sich in dem deutlich hoheren Fettanteil (40,9% gegenuber 28,2%) und der verstarkten Fetteinlagerung im Muskel wider. Der erhohte relative Gehalt der gesattigten Fettsauren des Muskelfettes der Deutschen Sattelschweine wird durch den hoheren Anteil von Triglyceriden hervorgerufen. Die Fleischqualitat des Musculus longissimus beider Rassen unterscheidet sich nur unwesentlich.
Compatibility of the insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana with neem against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, on eggplant

A study on the compatibility of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) with neem was conducted against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), on eggplant. Initially, three concentrations of B. bassiana (106, 107, and 108 conidia ml−1) and three concentrations of neem (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0%) were used as individual treatments against B. tabaci. The highest concentration of B. bassiana yielded the highest B. tabaci egg (25.2%) and nymph mortalities (73.0%), but this was not significantly different from the mortalities caused by the 107 conidia ml−1 suspension. Similarly, the highest concentration of neem yielded the highest egg (27.3%) and nymph mortalities (75.5%), which was also not significantly different from the 0.5% suspension. Therefore, 0.5% neem was used along with 107B. bassiana conidia ml−1 suspension as an integrated pest management program against B. tabaci. The combination of B. bassiana and neem yielded the highest B. tabaci egg (29.5%) and nymph mortalities (97.2%), and the lowest LT50 (2.08 day) value. Moreover, an integrated combination of B. bassiana with neem caused 27.6 and 20.5% more nymphal mortality than individual treatments of B. bassiana and neem, respectively, 7 days post‐application. Thus, a combined application of an entomopathogenic fungus and a botanical insecticide may benefit from both, and it has proven effective for the control of B. tabaci on eggplant.
Systematic Position of the Slime Molds and Its Bearing on the Classification of the Fungi

1. The Myxomycetes have been regarded both as fungi and as animals. If the fungi are thought of as descended from green algae either as a monophyletic or polyphyletic group, the Myxomycetes are excluded. If, however, the fungi are regarded as a monophyletic group descended from colorless flagellates, the Myxomycetes form a natural class, the lowest of four, the others being the Phycomycetes, the Ascomycetes, and the Basidiomycetes. It is suggested that the fungi be regarded as a phylum which has not definitely developed into either plants or animals, but may be grouped with the former as a matter of convenience, and in accordance with custom. It is pointed out that the familiar assumption that all living organisms are descended from a single primitive cell is unwarranted and less in accord with what we know concerning living organisms than the assumption that life may have originated more than once and in different forms. 2. It is suggested that the words fungus, assimilative and saprobe, and appropriate derivatives, be used instead of plant, vegetative, and saprophyte, in referring to fungi. 3. The differences between the Myxomycetes and the Phycomycetes which are usually held to indicate a sharp separation of the two groups are considered, and it is maintained that these differences are neither so absolute nor so fundamental as is ordinarily believed, and may be recognized adequately by regarding them as distinct classes of a single phylum.
Composition and Mechanics of Routine Swimming of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Routine swimming encompasses all volitional motions of fish. It is usually assumed to be quasi-steady, i.e. routine swimming is mechanically equivalent to steady swimming. Routine swimming of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, was dominated by unsteady motions of linear and centripetal (angular) acceleration. Constant-speed swimming was rare. Mean speeds and acceleration rates were small. Tail-beat frequencies were nevertheless strongly correlated with mean swimming speed, but increased more rapidly with increasing speed in routine swimming than in steady swimming. Tail-beat amplitudes and propulsive wavelengths were similar to values seen in steady swimming. The composition of routine swimming and analysis of the force balance showed that routine swimming was not quasi-steady. Therefore, forces and rates of working should be estimated from a complete description of whole-body deformation. This is impractical. Drag dominated resistance in routine swimming, such that average thrust (= resistance) may be c.
The influence of sowing date, harvest date and seed rate on the yield of forage peas

A series of preliminary trials is described to assess the potential and some of the cultural requirements of new cultivars of forage peas grown as pure stands in the west of Scotland. Optimum sowing date was late March for harvesting 15 weeks later to leave sufficient of the growing season for a catch crop or the establishment of a grass sward. Yield of dry matter (DM) at harvest was approximately 6 t ha-1 but DM concentration varied greatly with season. The digestibility of the organic matter was of the order of 0·700 and the crude protein concentration in the DM 170 g kg-1. DM yield increased with increasing seed rate up to 200 kg ha-1 the maximum rate tested.
The economic value of restricted and full‐feeding during confinement rearing on two‐year egg production1

Synopsis A pure strain of S.C. White Leghorns was restricted‐fed from 22 to 147 days of age. They were then placed on full‐feeding and put through a first year production test, force moulted and kept through a second year production test. The food restriction reduced body size, delayed sexual maturity, reduced mortality, reduced food consumption, increased egg production and increased efficiency of egg production. The delay in sexual maturity associated with a greater increase in body weight in the laying‐house tended to reduce the advantageous effects of the biological response during the first production year. The absence of delayed sexual maturity and need for weight gain during the second production year revealed the full effect of the biological response in the restricted group. The restricted birds had an increased economic return of 44 cents per bird in the first production year and 89 cents per bird in the second production year compared with full‐fed birds.
Preliminary Investigation Into the Origin of the Spiny Lobster, Panulir Us Argus (Latreille, 1804), Population of Belize, Central America (Decapoda, Palinuridea)

Une analyse genetique a ete effectuee sur des echantillons de Panulirus argus de localites relativement eloignees, au Belize, Amerique Centrale, et sur deux phenotypes localement differencies. Les resultats montrent un haut degre de similarite genetique entre des echantillons geographiquement distants. Bien que mediocrement resolu, la presence disproportionnee d'un rare allele dans un echantillon suggere la possibilite d'un certain degre d'isolation genetique ou d'echange differentiel. Aucune difference genetique n'a pu etre decelee entre les deux phenotypes de P. argus reconnus au Belize.
Pollination ecotypes of Satyrium hallackii (Orchidaceae) in South Africa

Intraspecific variation in floral traits may reflect adaptive shifts in the pollination system of a plant. This idea was tested by examining the pollination biology of Satyrium hallackii H. Bolus. , an orchid which has spurs varying from 8 to 36 mm among populations in southern Africa. Field observations showed that the short-spurred form (S. hallackii subsp. hallackii) in coastal fynbos habitats is pollinated by bees, while the long-spurred form (S. hallackii subsp. ocellatum) in grassland habitats is pollinated primarily by hawkmoths and, secondarily, by long-tongued flies. The shift between hawkmoths and bees as pollinators may have been promoted by an ecological gradient in South Africa: carpenter bees are common in coastal fynbos habitats, but rare in grassland habitats where there are few available nesting sites. On the other hand, hawkmoths are common in grassland habitats, but rare in fynbos where there are few palatable host-plants. The formation of pollination ecotypes across pollinator gradients has probably been a major factor in the diversification of South African plants with specialized pollination systems.
Differences in defensive behaviour between host‐adapted races of the pea aphid

1. Host races, i.e. host‐adapted populations in partial reproductive isolation, have been reported in a growing number of insect herbivores including aphids. The pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum encompasses distinct races highly specialised on various Fabaceae plants. Races have been well documented at both the ecological and genetic level. However, little is known about possible behavioural differences between host races other than those involved in plant choice.
Bacterivory by tropical copepod nauplii: extent and possible significance

Copepod nauplii may be an important intermediary between the 'microbial' and 'classical' pelagic marine food webs. In studies of planktonic food webs, along a trophic gradient from eutrophic harbour through coastal to oligotrophic oceanic waters off Jamaica, West Indies, we investigated bacterivory by nauplii of 11 representative copepod taxa (n = 176 total nauplii) using fluorescently labelled bacteria (FLB) of 0.7 μm 3 volume at concentrations of 1.5 to 2.5 x 10 6 cells ml -1 . Seven taxa consistently ingested FLB: Acartia liljeborgii, Paracalanus spp. , Temora stylifera, T. turbinata, Oncaea spp. , Undinula vulgaris, Oithona spp. ; 4 taxa consistently did not: Centropages velificatus, Clausocalanus spp. , Euchaeta marina, and Corycaeus spp. These data, and the observations that naupliar moulting and growth rates were uncoupled from chlorophyll a concentrations in any size fraction over the range 0.09 to 4.7 mg m -3 , suggest that nauplii are not food limited even in oceanic waters. Calculations indicate that daily food requirements of oceanic nauplii can be met from a diet of bacteria and picoplankton, but not from a diet of nano- and net-phytoplankton. Naupliar production in oceanic waters is at least 50 to 60 % of copepodite production; it appears therefore that the ecological importance of copepod nauplii in oceanic waters has been greatly underestimated.
Synthetic Pattern of Fish Diversity in Alabama, USA

The state of Alabama has a rich fish fauna. Analyzing the current distributional patterns of fish diversity by synthesizing information and integrating different spatial and temporal scales is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms of diversity and making strategies for fish conservation. Basing the study on long-term intensive samples (9,244 collections) of fish species at 3,716 field stations across Alabama from 1845 to 1994, I analyzed the general pattern of fish diversity in Alabama at the county level. The results indicate that more than half the area of Alabama has high fish diversity, including fish species endemic to the USA. Most of the counties with the highest fish diversity are in southwestern Alabama. Nonnative fish species occurred mainly in the southernmost counties, such as Mobile and Baldwin. Twelve counties have the rare species which has only one occurence location in each country, with Lauderdale County having the most (10 rare species); the counties with the rare species are generally distributed at the four corner areas of the state boundaries, particularly on the northern and southern boundaries. A high positive correlation exists between species diversity and endemic species, but there is no significant correlation between species diversity and diversification. Both Power-law and logarithmic relationships exist between class of species diversity and its frequency; counties with higher fish diversity tend to have low human-population densities, and are located at or nearby the Alluvial-deltaic Plain and Gulf Coast floodplain.
Associating Genes to Drug Response

Drug developers’ principal interest in pharmacogenetics is to learn which genes are relevant to variation in response to their drugs. Pharmacogeneticists must overcome several inferential challenges to meet this need. False positive results can be avoided through experiment replication. Using the human genome as the ultimate measure of intrinsic differences between individuals, it can be demonstrated that results are not artifacts of population structure. Association analysis based upon estimated haplotypes is more powerful than single-marker methods to minimize the hazard of false negative results. This article summarizes the current state-of-the-art in pharmacogenetic inference and identifies areas for further method development work to enable identification of the genes underlying the efficacy or safety of a particular drug.
Characterization of an immobilized digestive enzyme system for determination of protein digestibility

Developpement d'un systeme polyenzymatique immobilise sur lit de verre poreux et comprenant pepsine, trypsine, chymotrypsine et peptidase intestinale de porc. Application a l'evaluation de la valeur nutritive des proteines alimentaires