Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Mechanics of Protrusible Tentacles and Tongues

This paper provides a comparison at multiple levels of structural organization of the biomechanics of protrusible muscular systems with different origins and phylogenetic history. The high-performance prey capture tentacles in squid, the tongues of frogs and salamanders, and the tongue of the chameleon are used as examples. The tentacles of squid are muscular organs that lack bony elements. They are rapidly elongated during prey capture(typical extension time 25 ms, peak acceleration of approximately 250 m.s › 2 ) by extensor muscles that have remarkably short sarcomeres (myosin e laments are only 0.5 to 1.0 mm, compared with 1.6 mm in vertebrates). Short sarcomeres generate only relatively small forces, but relatively high absolute strain rates for a given intere lamentary sliding velocity(at low external loads). A forward dynamics model (VAN LEEUWEN & KIER, 1997) predicts the movements of the tentacles with reasonable accuracy and predicts also that the short sarcomeres provide optimal extension velocity. Several frogs (Hemisotidae and Microhylidae) have a similar extension mechanism in their tongue (denoted as hydrostatic elongators by NISHIKAWA, 1999b) to that found in the tentacles of squid. The extension performance is, however, limited relative to that observed in squid. This can be explained by two factors. First, the extensor e bres run in one direction only, while in the squid the e bres are arranged in circumferential arcs as well as in two other e bre groups that run at right angles to each other. The unidirectional e bre orientation results in a smaller extension for a given shortening of the extensor e bres than observed in the tentacle. Second, the myosin e laments in the extensor muscle of the frog tongue are similar to those found in other vertebrate skeletal muscle. It is likely that the e lament lengths are not optimised for a high peak extension velocity although data are lacking thus far. These limitations have been circumvented by several groups of frog (Bufonidae, Ranidae and others) that ‘throw’ their tongue out of the mouth by a rapid jaw movement (inertial elongators). The ballistic tongues of many plethodontid salamanders extend in less than 10 ms. The most extreme performance is found in Hydromantes supramontis, which elongates the tongue up to 80% of body length. The paired cylindrical protractor muscles envelope two elongate epibranchials, the posterior ‘legs’ of the tongue skeleton. The complete tongue skeleton is projected with the tongue pad. The normal stress of the protractor muscle on
Mechanistic interpretation of carbon isotope discrimination by marine macroalgae and seagrasses.

The literature, and previously unpublished data from the authors' laboratories, shows that the δ13C of organic matter in marine macroalgae and seagrasses collected from the natural environment ranges from -3 to -35‰. While some marine macroalgae have δ13C values ranging over more than 10‰ within the thallus of an individual (some brown macroalgae), in other cases the range within a species collected over a very wide geographical range is only 5‰ (e.g. the red alga Plocamium cartilagineum which has values between -30 and -35‰). The organisms with very negative δ13C (lower than -30‰) are mainly subtidal red algae, with some intertidal red algae and a few green algae; those with very positive δ13C values (higher than -10‰) are mainly green macroalgae and seagrasses, with some red and brown macroalgae. The δ13C value correlates primarily with taxonomy and secondarily with ecology. None of the organisms with δ13C values lower than -30‰ have pyrenoids. Previous work showed a good correlation between δ13C values lower than -30‰ and the lack of CO2 concentrating mechanisms for several species of marine red algae. The extent to which the low δ13C values are confined to organisms with diffusive CO2 entry is discussed. Diffusive CO2 entry could also occur in organisms with higher δ13C values if diffusive conductance was relatively low. The photosynthesis of organisms with δ13C values more positive than -10‰ (i.e. more positive than the δ13C of CO2 in seawater) must involve HCO3- use.
Purification and characterization of a phytase from Mitsuokella jalaludinii , a bovine rumen bacterium

The phytase from Mitsuokella jalaludinii, a novel phytase-producing rumen bacterium, was purified 120-fold to near homogeneity and characterized. The phytase was completely cell-associated and about half of the enzyme activity was released when the bacterial cells were incubated with 1.5 mol/l KCl solution for 8 h. The optimum pH for phytase activity was in the range of 4.0 to 5.0 and the optimum temperature was 55 to 60°C. The phytase was stable at pH 4.0 to 7.0. It was highly specific to sodium phytate as the substrate, strongly inhibited by Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+and Fe3+, significantly stimulated by Ba2+ and slightly stimulated by Mn2+ and Ca2+. The metal ions chelating agents, namely trisodium citrate, potassium sodium tartrate and EDTA, did not show any inhibitory effect on the phytase activity of M. jalaludinii. The phytase was also not inhibited by sulfhydryl inhibitor, 2-mercaptoethanol, and a carboxyl inhibitor, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDAC). Key words: Mitsuokella jalaludinii, bacterial phytase, rumen bacteria.
Contrasting ecosystem recovery on two soil textures: implications for carbon mitigation and grassland conservation.

Understanding processes that promote or constrain ecosystem recovery from disturbance is needed to predict the restorative potential of degraded systems. We quantified a suite of ecosystem properties and processes across two chronosequences of restored grasslands on contrasting soil textures to test the hypothesis that restorations on silty clay loam soil would exhibit greater recovery of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and fluxes than on loamy fine sand because soil with higher clay content possesses a greater capacity to physico-chemically protect organic matter. Warm-season grass aboveground net primary productivity was similar between the two soil textures. Root biomass increased and root quality (as indexed by C:N ratio) decreased across both chronosequences. An asymptote in the accumulation of N in roots in the silty clay loam chronosequence resulted in wider C:N ratios of roots than in the loamy fine sand chronosequence. Total soil C (TC) and microbial biomass C (MBC) increased across the si.
Is there evidence for the post‐invasion evolution of increased size among invasive plant species?

Many plant species grow taller and have higher reproductive capacity where they are nonindigenous invaders than where they are native components of the flora. Traditionally, it has been accepted that this is a plastic response to a benign environment, though recently this assumption has been challenged and a genetic basis for increased plant size has been invoked. We tested the hypothesis that the increased size of certain weed species is genetically, rather than environmentally, based. A common environment growth experiment revealed no significant differences in the size of Carduus nutans, Digitalis purpurea, Echium vulgare or Senecio jacobaea sampled from alien (Australia and New Zealand) or native (Britain and continental Europe) habitats. We conclude that post-invasion genetic changes associated with increased size may be unusual and that the phenomenon, where it occurs, generally reflects a plastic response to a novel environment.
A Review on Machine Diagnosis Methods for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the common female malignant tumors. According to statistics, there are about 1.2 million new women with breast cancer each year worldwide, and about 500,000 women die of breast cancer each year. In the developed areas along the eastern coast of China, the incidence of breast cancer is relatively high. According to statistics from a hospital in Wenzhou, the average annual breast cancer surgery in the hospital is more than 1,000. Breast cancer has become one of the common cancers that trouble women. In clinical practice, some doctors have proposed that if they can integrate the patient's existing report data and disease characteristics, and realize the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer through AI technology, they can provide doctors with objective auxiliary diagnosis reports. The breast cancer machine diagnosis method is the key technology to realize a clinical diagnosis. This paper reviews the breast cancer machine diagnosis methods, compares the advantages and disadvantages of these methods, and finally gives a summary and prospects.
Cyanide Containing Wastewater Treatment by Ozone Enhanced Catalytic Oxidation over Diatomite Catalysts

Cyanide containing wastewater that discharged from gold mining process creates environmental problems due to the toxicity of cyanide. As one of the promising advanced oxidation process, catalytic oxidation with ozone is considered to be effective on the purification of cyanide. Diatomite, a natural mineral, was used as catalyst in this study. The effect of O 3 dosage, salinity, initial cyanide concentration and initial pH condition were investigated. It was observed that the removal rate of cyanide was much higher in the catalytic oxidation with ozone process than the one in zone alone process. Alkaline condition was especially favorable for cyanide in catalytic oxidation with ozone. The ozone and catalytic oxidation with ozone were simulated by pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The apparent first-order rate constant contribution of the diatomite catalyst was 0.0757 min -1 , and the contribution percentage was 65.77%.
Padrão Nictemeral do pH Ruminal e Comportamento Alimentar de Cabras Leiteiras Alimentadas com Dietas Contendo Diferentes Relações Volumoso: Concentrado

The objectives of the present study were to characterize nictemeral pattern of ruminal pH and feed behavior of dairy goats fed diets presenting different ratios of roughage:concentrate. Five non pregnant non lactating goats, ruminally cannulated, and averaging 58 kg were used during the five experimental periods. A 5x5 Latin square was used to evaluate five treatments consisted of roughage to concentrate ratio of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 e 20:80. Diets were fed every 6h in order to reduce ruminal pH variation during the 24h period. After adaptation to experimental diets, a 48h period was given to measure ruminal pH hourly for 24h, to be used as a covariate, following a study of feeding behavior where measurement was taken at every 10 minutes for the remaining 24h period. It was observed that increasing level of concentrate resulted in reduction of pH, especially when concentrate accounted for more than 60%. Treatment effect was also observed on time spent eating, ruminating and idling. Time spent eating was greater as percentage of roughage in the diet increased, especially over 60%. Roughage content of 100% presented the highest value of rumination time and the lowest value for idle, following diets containing 80 e 60% respectively. There were no difference between diets containing 40 e 20% roughage, which presented the lowest value for rumination and the highest for idle time.
Coloured Components of Chloroplast Membranes as Intrinsic Membrane Probes for Monitoring the Development of Heat Injury in Intact Tissues

Assays for heat injury in intact leaves were investigated by heating leaf tissue at a rate of 1°C per minute and recording changes in chlorophyll fluorescence; chlorophyll absorbance; light-induced absorbance change at 518 nm of the bulk chloroplast pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids); and photooxidation of chloroplast cytochrome-554 (cytochrome f ). Leaves of the golden passionfruit (Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa were used as the experimental material. Heat injury to the chloroplast thylakoid membranes began above 35°C as evidenced by abnormal changes in chlorophyll fluorescence and absorbance and inactivation of chloroplast membrane activities. Chlorophyll fluorescence increased and chlorophyll absorbance decreased above 35°C and the increase and decrease, respectively, were greatest at 52°C. The measurements made on intact leaf tissue together with assays of photosystem 2 activity in isolated chloroplasts indicated the relative thermostabilities of several chloroplast membrane activities. Inactivation of photosystem 2 activity linked to oxygen evolution appeared to be associated with membrane changes occurring between 35 and 44°C. The 518-nm absorbance changes indicated that energy-dependent proton pumping and associated reactions were inactivated between 44 and 48°C. Photosystem-1-mediated photooxidation of cytochrome-554 became inactivated between 48 and 52°C. These studies demonstrate that chlorophylls, carotenoids and cytochrome f may be used as intrinsic membrane probes for monitoring the development of heat injury in the chloroplast membrane system. The absorbance and fluorescence changes that these compounds undergo upon heating provide a basis for reliable and rapid methods applicable to intact tissue for determining heat sensitivity in green plants.
Water Quality II: The Effect of Water Nitrate and Bacteria on Broiler Growth Performance

Abstract Broiler chickens exposed to water sources contaminated with nitrate-nitrogen (1.90, 2.72, 3.55, or 5.19 mg/L) and added coliform bacteria (500 CFU/mL Escherichia coli or 100 CFU/mL Enterobacter cloacae) exhibited reduced (P .05) by water treatment. This study further confirms the nonpathogenic but adverse effects of low-level water nitrate and bacterial contamination on broiler performance.
Modes of action of phytochromes

through largely unknown pathways into molecular and physiological changes that modulate growth and developPhytochrome is a family of photoreceptors whose ment. Phytochromes posses two photo-interconvertible apoproteins are encoded by divergent genes. Three forms, the R-absorbing form (Pr) and the FR-absorbing modes of action of phytochromes, very-low-fluence form (Pfr) and are synthesised in the Pr form. In recent responses (VLFR), low-fluence responses (LFR) and years it has been established that phytochromes are a high-irradiance responses (HIR), have been considered small family of photoreceptors whose apoproteins are in the literature to define the quantitative relationship encoded by diVerent genes (Clack et al., 1994; Hauser between response and predicted levels of the far-red et al., 1995). Traditionally, three ‘modes of action’ of light absorbing form of phytochrome. The results of phytochromes have been described: very-low-fluence recent experiments with phytochrome mutant and responses ( VLFR); low-fluence responses (LFR) and transgenic seedlings are consistent with the notion high-irradiance responses (HIR). Assigning particular that phytochrome B, and in some cases other stable responses to particular molecular species of phytochromes phytochromes, mediate LFR whereas phytochrome A is one of the important areas of research in the field mediates both VLFR and HIR. The mechanisms of photomorphogenesis. This review seeks to bring involved in phytochrome A inductive responses (VLFR) together data on the modes of action of phytochrome versus HIR appear to be different in some ways. with information on diVerent phytochrome molecular However, VLFR, LFR and HIR can converge to control species. the transcriptional activity of a single gene promoter. The analysis of phytochrome transduction chains is The implications of these findings for the under- currently concentrating the eVorts of many laboratories. standing of phytochrome phototransduction are Experimental approaches include the characterization of discussed. the photoreceptor molecule, in particular the biological significance of diVerent domains (Cherry et al., 1993;
Evaluation of agricultural effluents and irrigation water as sources of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli

Food-borne disease outbreaks caused by Escherichia coli have been linked to the use of faecally-polluted irrigation waters. Thus the overall aim of this research was to evaluate irrigation water and agricultural effluents as sources of antibiotic resistant E. coli in the Western Cape. The aim of the first study was to enumerate and characterise E. coli present in irrigation water and in potential contamination sources. Maximum total coliform and E. coli counts for irrigation sites was log 7.862 and log 5.364 MPN.100 mL, respectively. Five out of seven irrigation sites had E. coli counts exceeding national and international guidelines for ‘safe’ irrigation water (<1 000 counts.100 mL), making it unsafe for the irrigation of fresh produce. In this study, 46.6% of the E. coli strains were characterised in phylogenetic group B1. It has been shown that E. coli in group B1 have the ability to survive and persist in the external environment. Group B1 was also the most common group among isolates from irrigation sites (79.4%), while isolates from environmental sites grouped mainly in group A0 (54.1%). It was concluded that the wide variation of E. coli types present in irrigation water is a concern that should be further investigated. This raises human health implications since the increased exposure to faecal organisms increases the risk of food-borne outbreaks. The E. coli isolates (n = 120) and the marker (n = 37) and reference strains (n = 6), were evaluated for antibiotic resistance to seven medically-important antibiotics from different classes using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Thirty-five strains (35/163 = 21.5%) exhibited resistance to one or more antibiotics. Piggery effluent was found to harbour the most antibiotic resistant E. coli isolates (9/35 = 25.7%). Among the resistant E. coli strains, the highest occurrence of antibiotic resistance was to trimethoprim (2.5 μg) (68.6%), tetracycline (30 μg) (57.1%), ampicillin (10 μg) (45.7%) and chloramphenicol (30 μg) (34.3%). Seventy-four percent (26/35) exhibited multiple antibiotic resistances to two or more antibiotics. The antibiotic resistant E. coli strains were evaluated for the presence of pathotypes using Polymerase Chain Reaction analysis to detect Intestinal Pathogenic E. coli (InPEC) and Extra-intestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Five InPEC strains were characterised as four Entero-Pathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains resistant to three or four antibiotics and one Entero-Aggregative E. coli (EAEC) strain resistant to trimethoprim. The antibiotic resistant EAEC strain also possessed the ExPEC-related gene iutA. Two E. coli isolated from the Mosselbank River were both resistant to chloramphenicol and trimethoprim and also possessed the ExPEC-related gene iutA. It was concluded that the diverse antibiotic resistances of E. coli pathotypes present in irrigation water is a concern that should be further investigated. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Impact of Screen Reading and Multitasking Conditions on Reading and Writing among College Students

Electronic screens on laptop and tablet computers are being used for reading text, often while multitasking. Two experimental studies with college students explored the effect of medium and opportunities to multitask on reading (Study 1) and report writing (Study 2). In study 1, participants (N = 120) read an easy and difficult passage on paper, a laptop, or tablet, while either multitasking or not multitasking. Neither multitasking nor medium impacted reading comprehension, but those who multitasked took longer to read both passages, indicating loss of efficiency with multitasking. In Study 2, participants (N = 67) were asked to synthesize source material in multiple texts to write a one-page evidence-based report. Participants read the source texts either on (1) paper, (2) computer screen without Internet or printer access, or (3) computer screen with Internet and printer access (called the “real-world” condition). There were no differences in report quality or efficiency between those whose source materials were paper or computer. However, global report quality was significantly better when participants read source texts on a computer screen without Internet or printer access, compared with when they had Internet and printer access. Active use of paper for note-taking greatly reduced the negative impact of Internet and printer access in the real-world condition. Although participants expressed a preference for accessing information on paper, reading the texts on paper did not make a significant difference in report quality, compared with either of the two computer conditions. Implications for formal and informal learning are discussed.
Morphological variation in the Cape Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion pumilum) as a consequence of spatially explicit habitat structure differences

An organism's phenotype is to some extent influenced by costs and benefits in terms of natural and sexual selection. The intensity of natural selection can in part be driven by habitat structure, which may result in varying levels of crypsis and/or selection on traits related to maximizing performance in that habitat. This may be countered by sexual selection, which can lead to sexual dimorphism in body size and/or the expression of conspicuous ornamentation relating to maximizing reproductive success. The intensity of these forces can also be different between the sexes, resulting in complex patterns of phenotypic variation. With this in mind, we examined morphological variation within the Cape Dwarf Chameleon, Bradypodion pumilum. The species inhabits two geographically disjunct habitat types and, in the present study, we demonstrate that chameleons from the two habitats show morphological differences. Large, conspicuous individuals inhabit closed vegetation, whereas small, drab individuals inhabit open vegetation. However, when morphological traits are size-adjusted, the open vegetation morph displays many traits that are larger for its body size than the closed vegetation morph, especially for characters related to locomotion (limbs) and bite force (head width). Sexual dimorphism is also present, although the degree and number of dimorphic characters was very different between the two morphs, with size-adjusted male-biased dimorphism much more pronounced in the closed morph. Overall, our findings suggest that natural selection in open habitats limits both body size and conspicuous characters, although sexual selection in closed habitats favours the development of ornamentation related to display. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102, 878–888.
Factors Predisposing to Teenage Pregnancy Among Female Adolescents in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Pregnancy among female adolescents is the cause of death among adolescents 15-19 years’ old which makes it a public health problem. Therefore, this study sought to determine the factors predisposing to teenage pregnancy among female adolescents in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study design guided by a behavioral theory was adopted. Multistage sampling was used to select 260 female adolescents that participated in the study. A semistructured questionnaire of 45 items validated at 0.70 Cronbach alpha was used for data collection. Results: The result showed that majority of the respondents fall between the age group 14-16 years (67.7%); and (49.2%) of the respondents had good knowledge of teenage pregnancy with a mean of 6.40 ±1.02 measured on 8-point rating scale. The result also showed that 80.0% of the respondents are negatively influenced by environmental factors with a mean of 61.67 ±10.50 measured on a 104-point rating scale. About (77.3%) of the respondents had poor practice predisposing to teenage pregnancy with mean 35.58 ±4.12 measured on a 44-point rating scale. Knowledge and environmental factors showed a statistical relationship with practices predisposing to teenage pregnancy where p=0.048 and p=0.000 respectively. Conclusion: Knowledge and environmental was shown as the major factors predisposing to teenage pregnancy. Health promotion intervention and policy formulation can be geared towards empowering adolescents to reduce the occurrence of teenage pregnancy.