Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental Drivers of Patterns of Plant Diversity Along a Wide Environmental Gradient in Korean Temperate Forests

Understanding patterns of biodiversity and their drivers along environmental gradients is one of the central topics in ecology. However, whether diversity patterns along environmental gradients differ among diversity components as well as life forms and what kind of variables control or interact to shape the diversity patterns are poorly known. This study scrutinized the distribution patterns of three plant groups with four diversity indices and evaluated the effects of regional area, topography, topographic heterogeneity, climate, primary productivity, vegetation structure diversity and vegetation type diversity along an extensive elevational gradient on the Baekdudaegan Mountains in South Korea. Different elevational patterns, including hump-shaped, reversed hump-shaped, increasing, multimodal and no relationship, were observed among both the diversity indices and the plant groups. Regional area, habitat heterogeneity and climate were included to explain most of the elevational diversity patterns. In particular, habitat heterogeneity was the most important variable for explaining the patterns of diversity. The results suggest that patterns of elevational diversity may differ not only among plant groups but also among diversity indices and that such patterns are primarily caused by habitat heterogeneity in the Baekdudaegan Mountains because more heterogeneous and diverse habitats can support more coexisting species.
Light-Induced Retinopathy: Young Age Protects more than Ocular Pigmentation

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy that ocular melanin confers in protecting the retina of juvenile and adult rats exposed to a bright luminous environment. Methods: Juvenile (JLE) and adult (ALE) Long–Evans pigmented rats were thus exposed to a bright cyclic light (10,000lux; white light) from postnatal day 14–28 or for 6 consecutive days, respectively. Flash electroretinograms (ERG) and retinal histology were performed at different predetermined ages, post-light exposure. Results: Despite a significant reduction in ERG responses immediately following light exposure, with time, retinal function fully recovered in JLE compared to a 54% recovery for the ALE. In ALE, we noted a region of the supero-temporal quadrant that was highly vulnerable to light damage. This region was also devoid of melanin granules prior to the light exposure. This melanin-free zone increased in size in the days that followed the end of exposure, a process that was accompanied by the gradual degeneration of the thus uncovered photoreceptors. In contrast, melanin and photoreceptor losses were minimal in JLE. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the light-induced photoreceptor degeneration in ALE would be secondary to the initial destruction of the RPE and ensuing loss of melanin protection. In contrast, the melanin granules of JLE appear to be significantly more resistant to light damage, a characteristic that would explain the higher resistance of JLE photoreceptors to light damage. Our results would thus suggest that the efficacy of ocular melanin protection against light damage declines with age.
Service Quality Influence on Patient Loyalty: Customer Relationship Management as Mediation Variable (Study on Private Hospital Industry in Denpasar)

Private Hospital Industry has currently been advanced and prolific rapidly along with the improvement of technology and medical science. Its circumstance prompts a strong effort to achieve and satisfy consumers in order that they become loyal ones. The study aimed to identify and examine (1) service quality influence on patient loyalty; and (2) service quality influence on patient loyalty mediated by CRM. The population was patients of Private Hospitals accredited by minimum five standards, and had BOR (Bed Occupancy Rate) score of minimum 50% in Denpasar. Collecting sample of study used two levels of judgment sampling. The first level was purposive sampling to determine the means of choosing sample. The amount of sample was 100 respondents analyzed by Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GSCA). The results showed service quality positively and significantly influenced customer loyalty; Implementation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) mediated service quality influence on customer loyalty. When customers of Private Hospital in Denpasar felt the service quality met their expectation or more, they would be satisfied and loyal. Theoretically, the study is able to enhance and complement the realm of management science particularly concepts of CRM service, Customer Loyalty, and to be beneficial for academics and practitioners.
Summary Menadione-induced apoptosis : roles of cytosolic Ca 2 + elevations and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore

Mitochondrial membrane permeabilization is regarded as an important hallmark of early apoptosis. There is still uncertainty about the mechanism by which the permeabilization of the inner mitochondrial membrane occurs, but one possibility, which has attracted recent interest, is induction of the permeability transition pore (PTP). Elevation of the cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration may play a role in this process (Ferri and Kroemer, 2001; Kroemer and Reed, 2000). Elevations of the cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration are used as general signalling mechanisms, which activate different processes even in the same cell. Ca 2+ can interact with many different molecular targets, and it has therefore become increasingly clear in recent years that signal specificity requires subcellular localization and/or special temporal patterns. A number of different mechanisms allowing such spatiotemporal specificity have been identified (Berridge et al. Pancreatic acinar cells have proved useful models for the study of Ca 2+ signalling. Physiological stimulation, with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) or the circulating peptide hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), evokes repetitive cytosolic Ca 2+ spikes, and these are mostly confined to the apical granular pole (Petersen et al., 2001). This is partly due to the clustering of Ca 2+ release channels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) extensions in the apical pole (Petersen et al.,
Treatment with anthelminthics during pregnancy: what gains and what risks for the mother and child?

SUMMARY In 1994 and 2002, respectively, the World Health Organisation proposed that treatment for hookworm and schistosomiasis could be provided during pregnancy. It was hoped that this might have benefits for maternal anaemia, fetal growth and perinatal mortality; a beneficial effect on the infant response to immunisation was also hypothesised. Three trials have now been conducted. Two have examined the effects of benzimidazoles; one (the Entebbe Mother and Baby Study) the effects of albendazole and praziquantel. All three were conducted in settings of high prevalence but low intensity helminth infection. Results suggest that, in such settings and given adequate provision of haematinics, the benefit of routine anthelminthics during pregnancy for maternal anaemia may be small; none of the other expected benefits has yet been demonstrated. The Entebbe Mother and Baby Study found a significant adverse effect of albendazole on the incidence of infantile eczema in the whole study population, and of praziquantel on the incidence of eczema among infants of mothers with Schistosoma mansoni. Further studies are required in settings that differ in helminth species and infection intensities. Further research is required to determine whether increased rates of infantile eczema translate to long-term susceptibility to allergy, and to explore the underlying mechanisms of these effects. The risks and benefits of routine anthelminthic treatment in antenatal clinics may need to be reconsidered.
Extreme Population-Dependent Linkage Disequilibrium Detected in an Inbreeding Plant Species, Hordeum vulgare

In human genetics a detailed knowledge of linkage disequilibrium (LD) is considered a prerequisite for effective population-based, high-resolution gene mapping and cloning. Similar opportunities exist for plants; however, differences in breeding system and population history need to be considered. Here we report a detailed study of localized LD in different populations of an inbreeding crop species. We measured LD between and within four gene loci within the region surrounding the hardness locus in three different gene pools of barley (Hordeum vulgare). We demonstrate that LD extends to at least 212 kb in elite barley cultivars but is rapidly eroded in related inbreeding ancestral populations. Our results indicate that haplotype-based sequence analysis in multiple populations will provide new opportunities to adjust the resolution of association studies in inbreeding crop species.
The effects of pre- and postnatal depression in fathers: a natural experiment comparing the effects of exposure to depression on offspring

Background: Depression in fathers in the postnatal period is associated with an increased risk of behavioural problems in their offspring, particularly for boys. The aim of this study was to examine for differential effects of depression in fathers on children's subsequent psychological functioning via a natural experiment comparing prenatal and postnatal exposure. Methods: In a longitudinal population cohort study (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)) we examined the associations between depression in fathers measured in the prenatal and postnatal period (measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and later behavioural/emotional and psychiatric problems in their children, assessed at ages 3½ and 7 years. Results: Children whose fathers were depressed in both the prenatal and postnatal periods had the highest risks of subsequent psychopathology, measured by total problems at age 3½ years (Odds Ratio 3.55; 95% confidence interval 2.07, 6.08) and psychiatric diagnosis at age 7 years (OR 2.54; 1.19, 5.41). Few differences emerged when prenatal and postnatal depression exposure were directly compared, but when compared to fathers who were not depressed, boys whose fathers had postnatal depression only had higher rates of conduct problems aged 3½ years (OR 2.14; 1.22, 3.72) whereas sons of the prenatal group did not (OR 1.41; .75, 2.65). These associations changed little when controlling for maternal depression and other potential confounding factors. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the increased risk of later conduct problems, seen particularly in the sons of depressed fathers, maybe partly mediated through environmental means. In addition, children whose fathers are more chronically depressed appear to be at a higher risk of emotional and behavioural problems. Efforts to identify the precise mechanisms by which transmission of risk may occur should be encouraged to enable the development of focused interventions to mitigate risks for young children.
Effects of pre-shipping marbofloxacin administration on fever and blood properties in healthy Thoroughbreds transported a long distance

The present study evaluated the effects of single-dose marbofloxacin in protecting horses against fever associated with transportation using 48 healthy Thoroughbreds. All horses were premedicated with interferon-α (0.5 U/kg, sublingually, every 24 hr) for 2 days before transportation and on the day of transportation. Horses were randomly assigned to receive marbofloxacin (2 mg/kg, IV, once; MRFX group), enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg, IV, once; ERFX group) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (10 ml, IV, once; control group) ≤1 hr before being transportation. Each group contained 16 horses (8 males, 8 females). Horses were transported 1,210 km using commercial vans over the course of approximately 26 hr. Clinical examinations and hematologic analyses were performed on all horses both before and after transportation. Post-transportation neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios were significantly lower in horses in the MRFX group compared with the control horses. The serum amyloid A levels were significantly lower in horses in the MRFX group and ERFX group compared with the control horses. Regarding the post-transportation rectal temperatures, fever was detected in 0 horses and 1 horse in the MRFX and ERFX groups, respectively, whereas fevers exceeding 39.1°C were detected in 2 horses in the control group. Additionally, the number of essential post-transportation treatments provided by veterinarians was reduced 3-fold in the MRFX and ERFX groups compared with the saline group. MRFX provided ERFX-like protection against fever associated with long-distance transportation, yielding significantly better protection than saline. Administration of MRFX just before transportation deserves a further study for efficacy in preventing horse fever associated with transportation.
Effects of Kefir on the Cardiac Autonomic Tones and Baroreflex Sensitivity in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Aims: It has been previously shown that the probiotic kefir (a symbiotic matrix containing acid bacteria and yeasts) attenuated the hypertension and the endothelial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the present study, the effect of chronic administration of kefir on the cardiac autonomic control of heart rate (HR) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in SHR was evaluated. Methods: SHR were treated with kefir (0.3 mL/100 g body weight) for 60 days and compared with non-treated SHR and with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Cardiac autonomic vagal (VT) and sympathetic (ST) tones were estimated through the blockade of the cardiac muscarinic receptors (methylatropine) and the blockade of β1−adrenoceptor (atenolol). The BRS was evaluated by the tachycardia and bradycardia responses to vasoactive drug-induced decreases and increases in arterial blood pressure (BP), respectively. Additionally, spontaneous BRS was estimated by autoregressive spectral analysis. Results: Kefir-treated SHR exhibited significant attenuation of basal BP, HR, and cardiac hypertrophy compared to non-treated SHR (12, 13, and 21%, respectively). Cardiac VT and ST were significantly altered in the SHR (~40 and ~90 bpm) compared with Wistar rats (~120 and ~30 bpm) and were partially recovered in SHR-kefir (~90 and ~25 bpm). SHR exhibited an impaired bradycardic BRS (~50%) compared with Wistar rats, which was reduced to ~40% in the kefir-treated SHR and abolished by methylatropine in all groups. SHR also exhibited a significant impairment of the tachycardic BRS (~23%) compared with Wistar rats and this difference was reduced to 8% in the SHR-kefir. Under the action of atenolol the residual reflex tachycardia was smaller in SHR than in Wistar rats and kefir attenuated this abnormality. Spectral analysis revealed increased low frequency components of BP (~3.5-fold) and pulse interval (~2-fold) compared with Wistar rats and these differences were reduced by kefir-treatment to ~1.6- and ~1.5-fold, respectively. Spectral analysis also showed an impairment of spontaneous BRS in SHR, but kefir-treatment caused only a tendency to reverse this result. Conclusions: The novelty of this study is that daily chronic consumption of a low dose of kefir reduced the impairment of the cardiac autonomic control of HR and of the impaired BRS in SHR.
Normalizers of Operator Algebras and Reflexivity

The set of normalizers between von Neumann (or, more generally, reeexive) algebras A and B, (that is, the set of all operators T such that T AT B and T BT A) possessesìocal linear structure': it is a union of reeexive linear spaces. These spaces belong to the interesting class of normalizing linear spaces, namely, those linear spaces U satisfying UU U U. Such a space is reeexive whenever it is ultraweakly closed, and then it is of the form U = fT : T L = (L)T for all L 2 Lg where L is a set of projections and a certain map deened on L. A normalizing space consists of normalizers between appropriate von Neumann algebras A and B. Necessary and suucient conditions are found for a normalizing space to consist of normalizers between two reeexive algebras. Normalizing spaces which are bimodules over maximal abelian selfadjoint algebras consist of operators`supported' on sets of the form f = g] where f and g are appropriate Borel functions. They also satisfy spectral synthesis in the sense of Arveson. 1. Introduction and preliminaries This paper is devoted to the study of a class of linear spaces of operators on Hilbert space which arise as normalizers of operator algebras; we call them normalizing subspaces. Normalizers of von Neumann algebras (in particular, of maximal abelian selfad-joint algebras-masas for short) are known to play an important role in various contexts. The non-selfadjoint generalizations of von Neumann algebras are the re-exive algebras rst introduced by Halmos in 8]. We will primarily be concerned
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ENZYME-FORMING SYSTEMS DURING ADAPTATION

Experiments on enzymatic adaptations in yeast to galactose and maltose under various conditions are examined. The pertinent facts established may be summarized as follows:— 1. The presence of exogenous nitrogen stimulates the rate of adaptation and raises considerably the attainable level of enzyme activity. 2. This stimulation is absent if the cells are unable to assimilate the added nitrogen. 3. Competitive interactions can be exhibited between two adaptive enzyme systems induced either serially or simultaneously in the same cell. 4. A similar kind of interaction was observed between an adaptive and a so called "constitutive" enzyme. 5. The presence of exogenous nitrogen modifies greatly the nature and extent of the interaction between the enzyme-forming systems. The significance of these results to our understanding of the mechanism of the modification and maintenance of cellular enzymatic constitution is discussed. The validity of the distinction between "constitutive" and "adaptive" enzymes is reexamined in the light of the data presented.
Conversion from mouse embryonic to extra-embryonic endoderm stem cells reveals distinct differentiation capacities of pluripotent stem cell states

The inner cell mass of the mouse pre-implantation blastocyst comprises epiblast progenitor and primitive endoderm cells of which cognate embryonic (mESCs) or extra-embryonic (XEN) stem cell lines can be derived. Importantly, each stem cell type retains the defining properties and lineage restriction of their in vivo tissue of origin. Recently, we demonstrated that XEN-like cells arise within mESC cultures. This raises the possibility that mESCs can generate self-renewing XEN cells without the requirement for gene manipulation. We have developed a novel approach to convert mESCs to XEN cells (cXEN) using growth factors. We confirm that the downregulation of the pluripotency transcription factor Nanog and the expression of primitive endoderm-associated genes Gata6, Gata4, Sox17 and Pdgfra are necessary for cXEN cell derivation. This approach highlights an important function for Fgf4 in cXEN cell derivation. Paracrine FGF signalling compensates for the loss of endogenous Fgf4, which is necessary to exit mESC self-renewal, but not for XEN cell maintenance. Our cXEN protocol also reveals that distinct pluripotent stem cells respond uniquely to differentiation promoting signals. cXEN cells can be derived from mESCs cultured with Erk and Gsk3 inhibitors (2i), and LIF, similar to conventional mESCs. However, we find that epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) derived from the post-implantation embryo are refractory to cXEN cell establishment, consistent with the hypothesis that EpiSCs represent a pluripotent state distinct from mESCs. In all, these findings suggest that the potential of mESCs includes the capacity to give rise to both extra-embryonic and embryonic lineages.
Time outdoors and physical activity as predictors of incident myopia in childhood: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE Time spent in "sports/outdoor activity" has shown a negative association with incident myopia during childhood. We investigated the association of incident myopia with time spent outdoors and physical activity separately. METHODS Participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were assessed by noncycloplegic autorefraction at ages 7, 10, 11, 12, and 15 years, and classified as myopic (≤-1 diopters) or as emmetropic/hyperopic (≥-0.25 diopters) at each visit (N = 4,837-7,747). Physical activity at age 11 years was measured objectively using an accelerometer, worn for 1 week. Time spent outdoors was assessed via a parental questionnaire administered when children were aged 8-9 years. Variables associated with incident myopia were examined using Cox regression. RESULTS In analyses using all available data, both time spent outdoors and physical activity were associated with incident myopia, with time outdoors having the larger effect. The results were similar for analyses restricted to children classified as either nonmyopic or emmetropic/hyperopic at age 11 years. Thus, for children nonmyopic at age 11, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) for incident myopia was 0.66 (0.47-0.93) for a high versus low amount of time spent outdoors, and 0.87 (0.76-0.99) per unit standard deviation above average increase in moderate/vigorous physical activity. CONCLUSION Time spent outdoors was predictive of incident myopia independently of physical activity level. The greater association observed for time outdoors suggests that the previously reported link between "sports/outdoor activity" and incident myopia is due mainly to its capture of information relating to time outdoors rather than physical activity.
Tractography: Where Do We Go from Here?

Diffusion tractography offers enormous potential for the study of human brain anatomy. However, as a method to study brain connectivity, tractography suffers from limitations, as it is indirect, inaccurate, and difficult to quantify. Despite these limitations, appropriate use of tractography can be a powerful means to address certain questions. In addition, while some of tractography's limitations are fundamental, others could be alleviated by methodological and technological advances. This article provides an overview of diffusion magnetic resonance tractography methods with a focus on how future advances might address challenges in measuring brain connectivity. Parts of this review are somewhat provocative, in the hope that they may trigger discussions possibly lacking in a field where the apparent simplicity of the methods (compared to their functional magnetic resonance imaging counterparts) can hide some fundamental issues that ultimately hinder the interpretation of findings, and cast doubt as to what tractography can really teach us about human brain anatomy.
EVOLVING FRIENDSHIPS AND SHIFTING ETHICAL DILEMMAS: FIELDWORKERS' EXPERIENCES IN A SHORT TERM COMMUNITY BASED STUDY IN KENYA

Fieldworkers (FWs) are community members employed by research teams to support access to participants, address language barriers, and advise on culturally appropriate research conduct. The critical role that FWs play in studies, and the range of practical and ethical dilemmas associated with their involvement, is increasingly recognised. In this paper, we draw on qualitative observation and interview data collected alongside a six month basic science study which involved a team of FWs regularly visiting 47 participating households in their homes. The qualitative study documented how relationships between field workers and research participants were initiated, developed and evolved over the course of the study, the shifting dilemmas FWs faced and how they handled them. Even in this one case study, we see how the complex and evolving relationships between fieldworkers and study participants had important implications for consent processes, access to benefits and mutual understanding and trust. While the precise issues that FWs face are likely to depend on the type of research and the context in which that research is being conducted, we argue that appropriate support for field workers is a key requirement to strengthen ethical research practice and for the long term sustainability of research programmes.