Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the immunogenicity and protective efficiency of a novel dual-promoter DNA vaccine, harboring SAG1 and GRA7 genes, from RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii in BALB/c mice

Background Toxoplasmosis, a protozoan parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, has been a serious human and veterinary medicine problem with global distribution. In the current study, we assessed immunogenicity and protective efficiency of a novel dual-promoter DNA vaccine, harboring SAG1 and GRA7 genes, from RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) with or without CpG-ODN as adjuvant in a murine model. Methods BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 alone and pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 with CpG-ODN three times at three-week intervals. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokines in mice sera. Four weeks post final vaccination, MTT assay and lethal challenge-infection with 1×103 tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain were carried out to assess stimulation index (SI) and mice survival time, respectively. Results The IgG levels in mice immunized with multicomponent vaccines, including pVitro-SAG1–GRA7 alone and pVitro-SAG1–GRA7 with CpG-ODN, were significantly higher than those in control mice or single-gene DNA-vaccinated ones (P<0.05). Furthermore, level of IgG2a in mice receiving pVitro-SAG1–GRA7 with CpG-ODN was significantly higher than that in mice receiving pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 alone (P<0.05). The Toxoplasma lysate antigen (TLA)-stimulated lymphocytes from pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 with CpG-ODN group responded more dramatically than those from control groups or single-gene DNA-vaccinated groups (P<0.001). The pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 with CpG-ODN-vaccinated mice developed high levels of IgG2a and IFN-γ (P<0.001) and low levels of IgG1 and IL-10, compared to control groups, suggesting a modulated immune response type Th1. In addition, survival time of the mice immunized with pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 with CpG-ODN was significantly extended, compared to controls (P<0.05); however, all mice died. Conclusion The multivalent pVitro-SAG1-GRA7 DNA vaccine with CpG-ODN adjuvant is a promising vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis.
Horizontal, Vertical, and Conglomerate FDI: Evidence from Cross Border Acquisitions

By using data on cross-border acquisitions (CBAs), this paper explores the distribution of the strategies pursued when multinational enterprizes integrate a foreign subsidiary into their organisational structure. Based on a measure of vertical relatedness, each of the 165,000 acquisitions in our sample covering 31 source and 58 host countries can be classified as horizontal, vertical, or conglomerate. Three novel features of CBAs are highlighted. First, horizontal and vertical CBAs are relatively stable over time. Second, substantial parts of CBAs involve conglomerate acquisitions. Third, the wave-like growth of CBAs arises primarily from changes in conglomerate activity, which responds to international valuation differences between financial markets.
Potential of a Cladosporium cladosporioides strain for the control of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) under laboratory conditions

The two spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae is an important polyphagous pest worldwide. It is able to adapt to a wide variety of environments and has a high reproduction rate. In practice, farmers try to reduce losses by using synthetic acaricides. However, frequent and inadequate applications of acaricides have made this mite resistant to many active ingredients, creating the need to search for alternative control strategies. The aim of this research was to identify and to evaluate an indigenous strain of a fungus, which eliminated a T. urticae colony in a greenhouse. The isolated fungus was identified through a morphological and molecular characterization as Cladosporium cladosporioides. Thereafter, the mites were treated with five concentrations of C. cladosporioides conidia (2x104, 2x105, 2x106, 2x107, and 2x108 conidia ml-1) and a positive control (commercial Beauveria bassiana strain, 1x106 conidia ml-1). After 10 d, all treatments achieved at least 50% control; the concentrations 2x107 and 2x108 spores ml-1 controlled 73.3% and 81.7%, respectively, surpassing the commercial strain slightly (72.3%). TL50 ranged between 5 (2x108 spores ml-1) and 8 (2x104 spores ml-1) d, and LC50 was 1.95x106. The possible acaricidal effect of this strain on these mites is discussed.
The RESPONSE OF SUGARCANE GENOTYPES SUBJECTED TO SALINITY STRESS AT DIFFERENT GROWTH PHASES

A few commercial sugarcane genotypes were subjected to salinity stress at various growth phases of sugarcane to ascertain the critical growth stage for salinity stress and to assess the response of the genotypes. All the data were recorded and analysed during maturity phase. The salt treatments drastically reduced SPAD chlorophyll, chlorophyll fluorescence, RWC, stalk height, weight and other yield parameters in a few genotypes during T2 (salt treatment given during formative phase) & T5 (salt treatment given throughout crop cycle) but a few genotypes which are tolerant towards salt stress gave better results comparing other genotypes. The ions like sodium, potassium and chloride were analysed in the juice which showed higher elevation in the genotype Co 97010. Among the genotypes, Co 85019 and Co 99004 recorded significantly prime compared to rest of the genotypes. Treatment throughout the growth phases (T5) followed by stress at formative phase (T2) were found to be critical for growth, physiological and yield responses in all the genotypes.
Supplementary Material on “ Testing for changes in Kendall ’ s tau ”

This document contains proofs and further technical results for the article “Testing for changes in Kendall’s tau”. It consists of one section, labeled Appendix D. The results are labeled D.1, D.2, . Results from the main document are referred to as in the main document. The labels contain references to the respective section, e.g., Corollary 3.1 can be found in Section 3, Lemma A.2 in Appendix A of the main document. D. Proofs of lemmas We first prove Lemmas A.1 and A.2 from Appendix A. Proof of Lemma A.1. Part (i) is straightforward. Part (ii): There are positive constants C1, C2 such that app,k = E ∣∣∣X0 − E (X0∣∣∣F k −k)∣∣∣p p ≤ C1E ∣∣∣X0 − E (X0∣∣∣F k −k)∣∣∣ 1 ≤ C2E |X0 − fk (Z−k, . . . ,Zk)|1 . (1) The first inequality is due to the boundedness of X0. The second inequality can be shown by applying Jensen’s inequality for the conditional expectation E(·|F k −k) to the convex function ∗Corresponding author: Daniel Vogel, E-Mail: daniel.vogel@abdn.ac. uk.
Maternal nutrient restriction between early-to-mid gestation and its impact upon appetite regulation following juvenile obesity

The impact of maternal nutrient restriction during early-to-mid gestation, a period coinciding with early fetal brain development, on appetite regulation and energy balance in the offspring following juvenile obesity was examined. Pregnant sheep were either fed to fully meet their nutritional requirements throughout gestation or 50% of this amount between 30-80 days gestation. Following weaning, offspring were either made obese through exposure to a sedentary obesogenic environment or remained lean. Maternal nutrient restriction had no effect on birth weight or subsequent growth. At one week of age, only, gene expression for neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus was reduced in nutrient restricted offspring. By 1 year of age, all obese animals had raised plasma leptin, non-esterified fatty acids and insulin, with the latter effect amplified in nutrient restricted offspring. Fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides and cortisol were unaffected by obesity. The entrained reduction in physical activity that led to obesity persisted when all animals were maintained within individual pens. Obese nutrient restricted offspring, however, exhibited reduced daily food intake and were, therefore, no longer in positive “energy balance”. This adaptation was accompanied by elevated hypothalamic gene expression for the melanocortin-4 and insulin receptors, AMP-activated kinase and acetyl CoA carboxylase α . In conclusion, nutrient restriction specifically targeted over the period of early fetal brain development, contributes to a profoundly different adaptation in energy balance following juvenile obesity. The extent to which this adaptive response may benefit the offspring or result in an exacerbated risk for type II diabetes remains to be established.
Smooth snake population decline and its link with prey availability

The relationship between the numbers of smooth snakes, Coronella austriaca, and common lizards, Zootoca vivipara, was investigated in a 6.5 ha area of lowland heath within Wareham Forest in southern England. With the exception of 2002 the numbers of lizards, small mammals and individual smooth snakes captured, or observed, were recorded during each of 21 annual surveys between May and October 1997-2018. Smooth snake diet was investigated annually between 2004 and 2015 by analysing faecal samples and showed that lizards, particularly the common lizard, and pigmy shrews, Sorex minutus, were important prey species. There was no significant correlation between the occurrence of any small mammal species and either snake numbers or their presence in smooth snake diet. Over the study period there was an overall decline in the number of smooth snakes captured whilst there was an overall increase in the number of common lizard sightings. The frequency of common lizards found in the diet of smooth snakes was positively correlated with their abundance within the study area. There was a significant correlation between the decline of smooth snake numbers and the subsequent increase in the number of common lizard sightings suggesting that lizard abundance may be controlled by snake numbers. Conversely, we found no evidence indicating that smooth snake numbers were dependent on lizard numbers suggesting that factors other than prey availability e.g. habitat change due to cattle grazing, blocking ground water drainage ditches, or climatic variables, were impacting on snake numbers, particularly between 2012 and 2018.
The Role of Perceived Consumer Effectiveness on Value-Attitude-Behaviour Model in Green Buying Behaviour Context

The upward trend of environmental deterioration had motivated the researchers to focus their studies towards the environmental domains both in the pro-environmental purchase and non-purchase studies. Value-Attitude-Behaviour (V-A-B) model is one of the popular models used in the environmental behavioural studies over the last few decades. Nonetheless, its application on green buying behaviour warrants future research as the nature and motivations of this behaviour are different from other general purchase-related behaviour. Recently, the concept of perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) has been applied extensively to explain the environmental attitude and behaviour. However, past studies reported on its role on V-A-B model in the context of green buying behaviour is still limited. As such, this paper aims to review the underpinning theories together with relevant literatures and to propose an integrated framework to examine the role of PCE on the V-A-B model in future green buying behavioural studies.
Proteomic Changes during B Cell Maturation Salonen , Johanna 2013-1029

B cells play a pivotal role in adaptive immune system, since they maintain a delicate balance between recognition and clearance of foreign pathogens and tolerance to self. During maturation, B cells progress through a series of developmental stages defined by specific phenotypic surface markers and the rearrangement and expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes. To get insight into B cell proteome during the maturation pathway, we studied differential protein expression in eight human cell lines, which cover four distinctive developmental stages; early pre-B, pre-B, plasma cell and immature B cell upon anti-IgM stimulation. Our two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and mass spectrometry based proteomic study indicates the involvement of large number of proteins with various functions. Notably, proteins related to cytoskeleton were relatively highly expressed in early pre-B and pre-B cells, whereas plasma cell proteome contained endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi system proteins. Our long time series analysis in anti-IgM stimulated Ramos B cells revealed the dynamic regulation of cytoskeleton organization, gene expression and metabolic pathways, among others. The findings are related to cellular processes in B cells and are discussed in relation to experimental information for the proteins and pathways they are involved in. Representative 2D-DIGE maps of different B cell maturation stages are available online at http://structure.bmc. lu.se/BcellProteome/. Citation: Salonen J, Rönnholm G, Kalkkinen N, Vihinen M (2013) Proteomic Changes during B Cell Maturation: 2D-DIGE Approach. PLoS ONE 8(10): e77894. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0077894 Editor: Valli De Re, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS National Cancer Institute, Italy Received May 16, 2013; Accepted September 6, 2013; Published October 29, 2013 Copyright: 2013 Salonen et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: Funding provided by Medical Research Fund of Tampere University Hospital, Magnus Ehrnrooth foundation, Orion-Farmos research foundation, Finnish Cultural Fund, Sigrid Juselius foundation, University of Tampere and BioMediTech Finland. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: mauno.vihinen@med.lu.se
A distance–performance trade‐off in the phenotypic basis of dispersal

Abstract Across taxa, individuals vary in how far they disperse, with most individuals staying close to their origin and fewer dispersing long distances. Costs associated with dispersal (e.g., energy, risk) are widely believed to trade off with benefits (e.g., reduced competition, increased reproductive success) to influence dispersal propensity. However, this framework has not been applied to understand variation in dispersal distance, which is instead generally attributed to extrinsic environmental factors. We alternatively hypothesized that variation in dispersal distances results from trade‐offs associated with other aspects of locomotor performance. We tested this hypothesis in the stream salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus and found that salamanders that dispersed farther in the field had longer forelimbs but swam at slower velocities under experimental conditions. The reduced swimming performance of long‐distance dispersers likely results from drag imposed by longer forelimbs. Longer forelimbs may facilitate moving longer distances, but the proximate costs associated with reduced swimming performance may help to explain the rarity of long‐distance dispersal. The historical focus on environmental drivers of dispersal distances misses the importance of individual traits and associated trade‐offs among traits affecting locomotion.
Understanding the Effects of Personalization as a Privacy Calculus: Analyzing Self-Disclosure Across Health, News, and Commerce Contexts†

The privacy calculus suggests that online self-disclosure is based on a cost–benefit trade-off. However, although companies progressively collect information to offer tailored services, the effect of both personalization and context-dependency on self-disclosure has remained understudied. Building on the privacy calculus, we hypothesized that benefits, privacy costs, and trust would predict online self-disclosure. Moreover, we analyzed the impact of personalization, investigating whether effects would differ for health, news, and commercial websites. Results from an online experiment using a representative Dutch sample (N = 1,131) supported the privacy calculus, revealing that it was stable across contexts. Personalization decreased trust slightly and benefits marginally. Interestingly, these effects were context-dependent: While personalization affected outcomes in news and commerce contexts, no effects emerged in the health context.
EVALUATION OF EGYPTIAN TREE WILLOW (Salix safsafs) LEAVES AND ITS FEEDING AFFECT ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBITS

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing Berseem hay by different levels of Salix Safsaf hay in rabbit diet on growth performance, carcass, blood biochemical traits and antioxidant status. Weaned male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits about 6 weeks old (n = 120, mean body weight 701.15 g) were randomly allotted to four dietary groups. The control group was fed a basal diet including 300 Kg/Ton of Berseem hay(T1); the experimental groups received the basal diet replacement with 75, 150 and 225 Kg/Ton Salix Safsaf hay of (300 Kg/Ton) Berseem hay diets (T2, T3 and T4), respectively). The experimental period lasted for 8 weeks. Results showed that T4 had the best final body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Dietary including Salix Safsaf hay improved digestible coefficient of Dry matter (DM), Organic matter (OM), Crude protein (CP), Ether extract (EE) and nutritive values of Total digestible nutrient (TDN) and Digestible crude protein (DCP); Replacement of Salix Safsaf hay had no significant (P<0.9858) effected on digestible coefficient of crude fiber as compared with control treatment. Treatment including 225 Salix Safsaf hay significantly increased N-intake (IN, g/day), digestible N (DN, g/d), retained N (RN, g/d), the efficiency of intake N converted into digestible N, the efficiency of intake N converted into retained N and the efficiency of digestible N converted into digestible N and caecum activity as Total volatile fatty acid (VFA). While significantly decreased urinary-N (UN, g/day) and caecum activity as NH3-N (mg100 dL) as compared with control treatment. Treatments including 75 Salix Safsaf hay increased carcass weight (g) and total edible parts % as well as blood plasma albumine and glucose contents were increased (p ≤ 0.0011 and 0.05). Dietary contained Salix Safsaf hay decreased blood plasma total lipids, (mg/l), triglycerides, (mg/dl), total cholesterol, (mg/dl), low-density lipoprotein, (mg/dl) very low-density lipoprotein, (mg/dl), aspartate aminotransferase,(IU) alanine aminotransferase , (IU), alkaline phosphatase, (μl) (p ≤ 0.0171, 0.0190, 0.0001, 0.0015, 0.0036, 0.0511, 0.0542 and 0.0532) respectively. Replacing 150 or 75 Berseem hay by 15 or 225 Salix Safsaf hay increased the blood plasma concentrations of creatinine and high-density lipoproteins. Total antioxidant capacity in blood increased (p ≤ 0.0001) for T4 treatment. However, malondialdehyde was reduced (p ≤ 0.001) when Salix Safsaf hay partial replaced Berseem hay in rabbit diet. Replacing Berseem hay in rabbit diets by Salix Safsaf hay reduced the feeding cost of experimental rabbits.
THE DETERMINANTS OF CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP RATES: AN EXPLANATORY STUDY

The aim of this paper is to explain empirically the determinants of credit default swap rates using a linear regression. We document that the majority of variables, detected from the credit risk pricing theories, explain more than 60% of the total level of credit default swap. These theoretical variables are credit rating, maturity, riskless interest rate, slope of the yield curve and volatility of equities. The estimated coefficients for the majority of these variables are consistent with theory and they are significant both statistically and economically. We conclude that credit rating is the most determinant of credit default swap rates.
The modelling of premixed laminar combustion in a closed vessel

Premixed laminar combustion in closed vessels has been widely used for the determination of laminar burning velocities. A novel multiple burnt gas zone model has been developed to describe the different aspects of premixed laminar combustion in a closed spherical vessel. The mixture is divided into burnt and unburnt gases with the flame front as a discontinuity. Unburnt gases are assumed to be in a frozen chemical state. However, burnt gases are divided into a number of burnt gas zones. For the methane–air mixture the model is used to determine the temperature distribution within the burnt gas, the relationship between the pressure rise and mass fraction burnt, the variation of the combustion products with temperature and pressure, the spatial distribution of the gas density, the influence of elevated initial temperature, pressure and molecular structure. This computation allows for the variation in heat capacity of the constituents, and solves the equilibrium combustion equation for the ten major species (N2, O2, H2, CO, CO2, H2O, O, H, NO, OH). This eliminates some of the simplifications made by Bradley and Mitcheson (1976 Combust. Flame 26 201–17) or Takeno and Iijima (1979 7th Int. Colloq. on Gas Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems (Göttingen, Germany) pp 20–4), such as the constant specific heat for the burnt and unburnt gases, incorporation of the flame front thickness, use of the Rankine–Hugoniot relation for finding the burnt gas state.
Seasonal Evolution of Stratosphere‐Troposphere Coupling in the Southern Hemisphere and Implications for the Predictability of Surface Climate

Stratosphere‐troposphere coupling in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) polar vortex is an important dynamical process that provides predictability of the tropospheric Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and its associated surface impacts. SH stratosphere‐troposphere coupling is explored by height‐time domain empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis applied to the zonal mean‐zonal wind anomalies averaged over the Antarctic circumpolar region (55–65°S; U55–65°S). The leading EOF explains 42% of the height‐time variance of U55–65°S and depicts the variations of the vortex that is tightly tied to the seasonal breakdown of the vortex during late spring. The leading EOF pattern, defined here as the stratosphere‐troposphere coupled mode, is characterized by variations in U55–65°S that develop in early winter near the stratopause, change sign from late winter to early spring, gain maximum amplitude during October in the upper stratosphere, and then extend downward to the surface from October to January. This stratosphere‐troposphere coupling during the spring months appears to be preconditioned by anomalies in upward propagating planetary wave activity and a meridional shift of the vortex as high as the stratopause and as early as June. Interannual variations of the stratosphere‐troposphere coupled mode are highly correlated with those of the tropospheric SAM, Antarctic stratospheric ozone concentration, Antarctic sea ice concentrations in the South Pacific and the Weddell Sea, and SH regional climate during late spring–early summer. Anomalies in the upper stratospheric flow as early as June are thus a potentially important source of predictability for the tropospheric SAM and its associated impacts on surface climate in spring and summer.
Evaluating the potential contribution of contract auctions to Agri-Environmental Policy efficiency: A simulation model for Emilia-Romagna (Italy)

Auctions are a potentially suitable policy tool for increasing the efficiency of Agri- Environmental Schemes (AES) through an improved allocation of contracts. In theory, through the auction mechanism, farmers have incentives to reveal their compliance costs, helping to reduce information rents and increase policy cost-effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to simulate the potential contribution of auction mechanisms to the efficiency of AES in Emilia-Romagna (Italy). The results show advantages for auctions compared with traditional flat rate payments based on average compliance costs. However, their performance is worse than flat payments based on marginal compliance costs.