Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A schizophrenia risk locus alters brain metal transport and plasma glycosylation

A common missense variant (rs13107325 (C->T), A391T) in SLC39A8, a gene encoding a transporter of divalent cations including manganese (Mn), is convincingly associated with schizophrenia and has pleiotropic effects on several additional brain-related phenotypes. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in SLC39A8 result in undetectable serum Mn and a Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG) due to the exquisite sensitivity of glycosyltransferases to Mn concentration. Here, we identified Mn-related changes in human carriers of the SLC39A8 missense allele. Analysis of structural brain MRI scans from the UK Biobank showed a dose-dependent change in the ratio of T2w to T1w signal in several brain regions, presumably from altered transport of paramagnetic cations including Mn. We confirmed a specific reduction of serum Mn and showed through comprehensive profiling reduced complexity and branching of the plasma protein N-glycome in both heterozygous and homozygous minor allele carriers. N-glycome profiling of two individuals with SLC39A8-CDG showed similar but more severe alterations in branching that improved with Mn supplementation, suggesting that hypofunction of the common missense variant exists on a spectrum with potential for reversibility. Characterizing the functional impact of this variant may enhance our understanding of schizophrenia pathogenesis and identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers of disease.
Comparative Analysis of Physical Victimization among Male and Female High School Students in Iran

School bullying is a common, problematic behavior among children that can have long-term adverse consequences for the victims of bullying. School bullying may take many forms, such as physical, verbal, and relational or social. So the purpose of this study was to compare physical victimization among male and female high schools students of Boukan city in Iran in academic year 2013-14. Four schools were selected by random cluster sampling. Data collected using Iranian form of bullying victimization scale (B.V.S) and analysed with descriptive statistics (Mean, Standard Deviation) and inferential statistics (One Way Variance test) using SPSS 19 software. The results showed that gender was a meaningful factor for predicting physical victimization among students thus boys had meaningfully higher average scores than girls. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/ijls.v9i3. 12440 International Journal of Life Sciences 9 (3): 2015; 9-12
Evolution of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This thesis examines the contrasting roles of genetic drift and selection on the emergence of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis . In clinical practice some alleles of rifampicin resistance are isolated more frequently than others. To identify if this variation is due to genetic drift or selection, the mutation rate to rifampicin resistance in M. tuberculosis (H37Rv) was determined. PCR-SSCP analysis revealed only three patterns from the rifampicin resistant isolates, each pattern arising at the same mutation rate (Mann-Whitney U test P>0.5). Fitness, defined as the ratio of generations of resistant and susceptible cells formed in mixed culture, of the differing rifampicin resistant alleles was determined relative to the parent fully susceptible strain. There was a significant correlation between fitness and the clinical isolation rate of each allele (regression analysis P=0.026). The fitness of two isolates, with identical IS6110 RFLP pattern isolated from 2 siblings, was determined. One isolate had developed multi drug resistance, the second isolate had remained fully drug susceptible. The fitness of the drug resistant isolate was significantly lower than the drug susceptible isolate (matched pair t test p=0.002). The decreased relative fitness of the resistant isolate implied a physiological cost for the development of drug resistance. Isolates of M. tuberculosis from three patients involved in a hospital outbreak of multi drug resistant tuberculosis were obtained. The fitness of these isolates was determined relative to H37Rv. Isolates obtained from the same patient did not vary in fitness (one way ANOVA p=0.34). However, the isolates from the three different patients had differing fitness values (one way ANOVA p=<0.001). This implied that there is adaptation of the isolates to the individual patient. In conclusion, selection has a major role in adaptation of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis. This adaptation includes adaptation to the infected host as well as drug resistance.
Yield stability in small red inter-racial common bean lines in Kenya

Agronomic performance of new common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties may vary considerably in diverse agro-ecological zones, due to genotype-environment (G x E) interactions. A multi-site evaluation is, therefore, crucial in elite lines selection as it considers simultaneously both yield and stability of performance, making selection of genotypes more precise and refined. This study aimed at assessing the agronomic performance and yield stability of 24 F1.7 small red bean lines, selected for multiple disease resistance, using molecular markers from 16 inter-racial bean populations. The study lines were evaluated in low, medium and high altitude agro-ecological conditions in Kenya. G x E effects for grain yield were highly significant (P<0.001), implying that the agronomic potential of the small red bean lines varied with agro-ecological zones. Tigoni, the high altitude (2130 m above sea level) test site had the highest grain yield (3,809 kg ha-1). There were no significant differences between medium altitude (1820 masl) Kabete (1,100 kg ha-1) and low altitude (1150 masl) Mwea (1,025 kg ha-1) sites. Number of pods per plant was strongly positively correlated with seed yield (r=0.85***), and could be adopted by breeders as an indirect selection method for grain yield. The G x E interaction on grain yield was high (14.4%), implying that most of genotypes should be selected and recommended to specific environments. The high yielding line, KMA13-25-09 (3,385 kg ha-1), was the least stable across sites. Disease severity score for target diseases was low to intermediate regardless of the genotypes and sites. Key words: Disease resistance, Phaseolus vulgaris , severity
Experience of predacious cues and accessibility to refuge minimize mortality of Hylarana temporalis tadpoles

We explored the effect of a prior experience of predation threat and access to the refuge sites on larval mortality in Hylarana temporalis with a 2 × 2 factorial design. The design included predator-naive or predator experienced prey subjects, and presence or absence of a natural shelter. Water scorpion adult individuals ( Laccotrephes species) provided predation threat and also an opportunity to the prey to experience a direct danger of predation. Both previous experience with predators and availability of shelters affected larval survival independently and not conjointly. A prior encounter with predators enabled prey tadpoles to escape predation more effectively with a significant increase in their survival in comparison to the predator-naive subjects. Similarly, access to refuge sites significantly increased survival of predator-naive as well as predator experienced tadpoles compared to that in the absence of shelters. Clearly, ability to sense water borne predacious cues in the vicinity and use refuge sites plays a key role in escaping from predation in the bronze frog tadpoles.
Outbreak investigation, molecular detection, and characterization of foot and mouth disease virus in the Southern part of Bangladesh

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate Foot and Mouth Disease virus (FMDV) outbreak in cattle in the Sarankhola Upazila under Bagerhat district of Bangladesh with isolation, identification, and molecular characterization of FMDV during April 2018. Materials and Methods: This Upazila is located at southern border of Bangladesh and surrounded by mangrove forest Sundarban. The outbreak investigation team collected epidemiological data from outbreak location. In addition, the team collected a total of 30 (15 calves, 15 adult) tongue epithelial tissue samples from a clinically FMD-affected cattle. The confirmation of FMDV and its three serotypes (A, O, and Asia-1) was performed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). An amplified product of the VP1 region of FMDV genome was sequenced by Sanger sequencing method after cultivation and reconfirmation of FMDV into the BHK21 cell line. Genetic variability was studied by constructing a phylogenetic tree. Results: The investigation survey was carried out in overall 8,393 (8,393/15,580; 53.89%) cases including 3,050 (3,050/8,393; 36.34%) cases in calf and 5,343 (5,343/8,393; 59.77%) cases in adult cattle. The overall case fatality rate (CFR) was recorded as 2.27% (354/15,580) with significantly highest CFR in the calf (71.46%; 253/354) compared to an adult. The collected all 30 samples found with FMDV positive and mixed infection of all samples with serotype Asia-1 and serotype O were observed. In BHK 21 cell line, the eight FMDV positive samples showed a typical cytopathic effect during the third passage. Finally, DNA sequence data of two isolates found closely related with the isolates of bordering country India and Myanmar. Conclusion: The investigation identified the risk factors involved in an outbreak of FMDV, namely, sharing the common paddy land after harvesting, no FMD vaccination, the interaction between cattle and wildlife, and cross bordering movement.
Plastic-film mulch improves Vicia unijuga seed yield and yield components under subalpine climate conditions

ABSTRACT Perennial vetch (Vicia unijuga A. Br.) is a valuable protein-rich forage crop to develop grassland animal husbandry in subalpine regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Unsatisfied seed yield (SY) is often a setback constrained by the cold and erratic precipitation environments. Techniques based on mulching (e.g. plastic-film and straw) efficiently improve SY of crops, but little is known about SY response of V. unijuga to mulching. A 3-year field experiment was conducted in a subalpine region of China to evaluate the effects of three mulching treatments – plastic-film mulching (FM), removal of plastic-film mulching at the 30% flowering stage (RM) and barley straw mulching (SM) – on SY and yield components of V. unijuga. Higher soil temperature and water contents were recorded in the FM treatment than in Control and other treatments. The greatest SY was achieved in the FM treatment, with a mean SY of 72.3 g m-2 for the 3 years. Among the yield components, inflorescences m-2 had the highest direct impact on SY, and explained 42.0% of the variation in SY. In conclusion, in subalpine regions, the FM treatment is an effective mulching method for enhancing SY of V. unijuga, and the response arises primarily through increasing initial inflorescence density. Abbreviations FI: florets per inflorescence; IS: inflorescences per square meter; LAI: leaf area index; OF: ovules per floret; PI: pods per inflorescence; SB: shoot biomass; SP: seeds per pod; ST: soil temperature; SWC: soil water content; SY: seed yield; PSY: potential seed yield; TSW: thousand seed weight; Control: non-mulched control; FM: plastic-film mulch for the entire season; RM: plastic-film mulch cover until 30% flowering; SM: naked barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) straw mulch for the entire season; FFS: full flowering stage; IFS: initial flowering stage; MS: maturity stage; PFS: pod-filling stage
Culture and human development : an introduction

Introduction How Do We Create Knowledge of Cultural Human Development PART ONE: DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY AND METHODOLOGY Stability and Flow in Human Experience Philosophical Preliminaries The Developmental Approach Theoretical Bases of Developmental and Cultural Psychology Culture and Development Developmental Methodology in Cultural Development Psychology PART TWO: ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTS FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Structure and Dynamics of Family/Kinship Groups and Marriage Forms Cultural Organization of Human Life Environments PART THREE: CULTURAL ORGANIZATION OF PREGNANCY AND INFANCY Cultural Nature of Parent-Offspring Differentiation during Pregnancy Newborn and Infant Development The Cultural-Ecological Niche PART FOUR: EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT The Second Year of Life and beyond Self Regulation and Participation in Early Childhood PART FIVE: ENTERING THE WORLD OF ACTIVITIES - CULTURALLY RULED Personal Participation and Its Social-Institutional Guidance Adolescence Moving through into Adulthood
Efficient use of nutrients in fine aroma cacao in the Province of Los Ríos-Ecuador

Soil nutrients are vital to high production of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.); however, excessive use of fertilizers affects the environment and profitability of this crop. This research aimed to determine the efficient use of nutrients (EUN) for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in four fine aroma cacao clones (EET-576, EET-575, EET-103, and CCN-51), which are economically important in Ecuador. The experiment design used split plots, with four treatments and four repetitions. The treatments consisted of applications of different doses of N-P-K (kg ha-1): TR (control), T1 (N59-P29-K118), T2 (N74-P37-K148), and T3 (N88-P44-K176). The results showed highly significant differences for the agronomic (AE) and recovery (RE) efficiency of N-P-K in terms of the clone and treatment. The highest efficiencies were presented for clone CCN-51 and the lowest in clone EET-103. The treatment that obtained the highest efficiency was T2 for clones CCN-51, EET-575 and EET-576, except for EET-103 that reached the highest efficiency with T1. The lowest efficiencies were obtained in T3. The highest yields were presented in clone CCN-51, followed by EET-575, later EET-576, and finally EET-103. Influence of the genotypes on the maximum limit of nutrient absorption was evident under the studied conditions, suggesting that it determines the efficient use of nutrients for each clone in interaction with this specific cultivation area.
Ecological stability of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) in organic farming conditions

The main direction in the breeding of legumes is the development of high-productive cultivars with stable yields. In order to assess the ecological stability of 17 broad bean accessions (Fb 1896, Fb 1903, Fb 1929, Fb 2481, Fb 2486, Fb 3270, BGE 002106, BGE 029055, BGE 032012, BGE 041470, BGE 043776, BGE 046721, FbH 13, FbH 14, FbH 15, FbH 16, BGP) with regard to key quantitative traits, a field experiment was conducted in the Institute of Forage Crops (Pleven) in 2016–2018. Plants were grown under organic farming conditions without the use of fertilizers or pesticides. Three types of stability parameters were calculated based on regression, variance, and nonparametric analysis. The results of the variance analysis showed a significant genotype × environment interaction for all quantitative traits except pod width. The factor ‘environment’ had the greatest impact on the phenotypic manifestation of the traits, followed by the factors ‘genotype’ and ‘genotype × environment interaction’. In terms of plant height and 1st pod height, accessions FbH 16 and FbH 13 can be classified as high (79 cm, 35 cm) and ecologically stable (bi = 0.76, bi = 0.79). BGE 029055 was little variable and had high numbers of pods (15) and seeds (41) per plant. Accessions FbH 14, FbH 16, FbH 15, and BGP were distinguished by high seed weight per plant (from 28.36 to 34.93 g), but they exhibited instability (bi > 1) under unfavorable environmental conditions. In contrast, Fb 1903, BGE 043776, and Fb 3270 were very stable (bi < 1) but low-productive. Accessions Fb 1896, Fb 1929, Fb 2481, Fb 2486, BGE 002106, and BGE 029055 showed intermediate parameters, as they had the coefficient of linear regression close to 1, but they were also low-productive. BGE 041470 appeared to be of special interest for breeding. It had high values of 100 seed mass (101.38 g) and seed weight per plant (32.14 g), being relatively stable (bi = 1.10). GGE biplot analysis determined accessions BGE 046721, BGE 032012, FbH 15 and FbH 16 as a promising breeding material combining high and stable seed yield.
Genetic and molecular determinants of prostate cancer among Iranian patients: An update

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common age-related cancers among men. Various environmental and genetic factors are involved in the development and progression of PCa. In most cases, the primary symptoms of disease are not severe. Therefore, it is common for patients to be referred with severe clinical manifestations at advanced stages of disease. Since this malignancy is age related and Iran will face a significant increase in the number of seniors, it is expected that the prevalence of PCa among Iranian men will rise. PCa progression has been observed to be associated with genetic and ethnic factors. It may therefore be clinically useful to determine a panel of genetic markers, in addition to routine diagnostic methods, to detect tumors in the early stages. In the present review, we have summarized the reported genetic markers in PCa Iranian patients to pave the way for the determination of an ethnic specific genetic marker panel for the early detection of PCa. To understand the genetic and molecular biology of PCa among Iranians, we have categorized these genetic markers based on their cellular functions.
Lipase-Catalyzed Interesterification for the Synthesis of Medium-Long-Medium (MLM) Structured Lipids – A Review

SUMMARY Medium-long-medium (MLM) structured lipids typically contain medium-chain fatty acids (C6-C12) at sn-1,3 and long-chain fatty acids (C14-C24) at sn-2 positions. They have reduced calories and are suitable for the control of obesity, lipid malabsorption and other metabolic disorders. This review focuses on the synthesis of MLM lipids by the enzymatic interesterification. It gives detailed description of biocatalysts, substrates, reactors and synthesis methods, and discusses the use of MLM lipids in food products. The information provided in this review can be considered as the current state-of-the art for developing a future strategy for the synthesis of MLM structured lipids.
The NanoZoomer Connectomics Pipeline for Tracer Injection Studies of the Marmoset Brain

We describe our connectomics pipeline for processing tracer injection data for the brain of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Brain sections were imaged using a batch slide scanner (NanoZoomer 2.0-HT) and we used artificial intelligence to precisely segment the anterograde tracer signal from the background in the fluorescence images. The shape of each brain was reconstructed by reference to a block-face and all data was mapped into a common 3D brain space with atlas and 2D cortical flat map. To overcome the effect of using a single template atlas to specify cortical boundaries, each brain was cytoarchitectonically annotated and used for making an individual 3D atlas. Registration between the individual and common brain cortical boundaries in the flat map space was done to absorb the variation of each brain and precisely map all tracer injection data into one cortical brain space. We describe the methodology of our pipeline and analyze tracer segmentation and brain registration accuracy. Results show our pipeline can successfully process and normalize tracer injection experiments into a common space, making it suitable for large-scale connectomics studies with a focus on the cerebral cortex.
Response of Anther Donor Genotypes (F1) from Indica x Indica Crosses to Rice Anther Culture

Anther culture is one of the in vitro techniques that can be used to accelerate the obtainment of purelines in the form of dihaploid (DH) plants resulted from androgenesis. The objectives of this research were to study response of anther donor genotypes in rice anther culture of F1 populations derived from indica x indica crosses and obtain spontaneous DH lines to be used further for variety development program. Anther donor plant used for the experiment consisted of four kinds of F1 populations derived from single crosses, i.e. IR85/I-5, BioR-81/I-5, Bio-R81/O18, and BioR-82/O-18. The result indicated that kindy of all F1 plants showed similar response to callus induction, but significatly different responses to plant regeneration. Genotypes of anther donor plants (F1) significantly affected the percentage of calli producing green plantlet, but not significantly affected the percentage of calli producing albino plantlet. Anther culturability of anther donor plants (F1) was relatively high, ranged from 2.0 to 7.0%. A total of 73 first generation of spontaneous DH lines (38.8%) from the grew out green plantlets was obtained from this study. The resulted DH lines are readily available to be selected and be used in rice cultivar development program.
Variation in tail morphology across urban and forest populations of the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus)

Anolis lizards are well known for their specialist ecomorphs characterized by the convergent evolution of suites of traits linked to the use of particular microhabitats. Many of these same traits evolve rapidly in response to novel selection pressures and have been very well studied. In contrast, the tail crest, a feature present in a subset of lineages, has been almost entirely overlooked. Variation in tail crest morphology within and among species remains largely unstudied, as does the function of the trait. Here, we use the natural experiment provided by urbanization to ask whether tail crest size differs between urban and forest populations of the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus) across the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. We find that tail crest size differs primarily between regions; however, within regions, crests are invariably larger in urban than in forest environments. This difference in size is correlated with the hotter, drier conditions and sparser distribution of perches that typify urban sites, leading to the intriguing possibility that the tail crest might be under differential natural selection for signalling and/or because of the thermoregulatory challenge of urban habitats. Further study is required to shed light on the functional significance and evolution of this under-studied trait.
Impacts of Karenia brevis on bivalve reproduction and early life history

Karenia brevis, le dinoflagelle produisant des brevetoxines (PbTx), est la principale espece d’efflorescences d’algues toxiques dans le Golfe du Mexique. Les effets de cette algue sur Mercenaria mercenaria et Crassostrea virginica sont meconnus tandis que les efflorescences coincident avec la periode de reproduction de ces especes. Ce projet avait pour but de determiner les effets i) d’une exposition a K. brevis en laboratoire et naturelle de terrain sur les processus physiologiques associes a la reproduction de M. mercenaria et C. virginica, et ii) d’une exposition a K.brevis sur la qualite et le developpement des gametes, embryons et larve de ces especes. Suite a l'exposition des adultes de clams et d’huitres a K. brevis, les parametres physiologiques de la reproduction ont ete affectes. La presence de PbTx dans les tissus des gametes et le potentiel transfert maternel de PbTx a la progenie via les ovocytes, pourraient avoir entraine les effets negatifs observes lors du developpement larvaire.Les effets negatifs similaires causes par l'exposition des stades precoces a differentes preparations de cellules de K. brevis suggerent que d'autres composes toxiques, en plus de PbTx, pourraient etre impliques dans la toxicite et, que la majorite des effets deleteres se produisent durant les divisions embryonnaires.Le clam et l’huitre americaine sont sensibles a K. brevis. Les effets negatifs sur les adultes et jeunes stades de vie, combines a une exposition quasi-annuelle aux efflorescences de K. brevis, pourraient engendrer des perturbations majeures sur le recrutement des populations de ces especes importantes, et avoir des repercussions environnementales et economiques.