Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antifungal and Herbicidal Effects of Fruit Essential Oils of Four Myrtus communis Genotypes

The chemical composition of the essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from the fruits of four selected Myrtus communis L. genotypes from Turkey was characterized by GC‐FID and GC/MS analyses. 1,8‐Cineole (29.20–31.40%), linalool (15.67–19.13%), α‐terpineol (8.40–18.43%), α‐pinene (6.04–20.71%), and geranyl acetate (3.98–7.54%) were found to be the major constituents of the fruit essential oils of all M. communis genotypes investigated. The oils were characterized by high amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes, representing 73.02–83.83% of the total oil compositions. The results of the fungal growth inhibition assays showed that the oils inhibited the growth of 19 phytopathogenic fungi. However, their antifungal activity was generally lower than that of the commercial pesticide benomyl. The herbicidal effects of the oils on the seed germination and seedling growth of Amaranthus retroflexus L. , Chenopodium album L. , Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. , Lactuca serriola L. , and Rumex crispus L. were also determined. The oils completely or partly inhibited the seed germinations and seedling growths of the plants. The findings of the present study suggest that the M. communis essential oils might have potential to be used as natural herbicides as well as fungicides.
The induction of CXCR4 expression in human osteoblast-like cells (MG63) by CoCr particles is regulated by the PLC-DAG-PKC pathway.

BACKGROUND Osteolysis which leads to aseptic loosening of implants is a fundamental problem in joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty) and the leading cause for implant failure and revision surgery. Metal (CoCr) particles separated from implants by wear cause osteolysis and the failure of orthopedic implants, but the molecular mechanism is not clear. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been shown to play a pivotal role in periprosthetic osteolysis. The aim of this study was to determine which signal transduction pathway (PLC-DAG-PKC or MAPK/ERK) induces CXCR4 expression in osteoblast-like cells (MG63) cells. METHODS MG63 and Jurkat cells were stimulated with different amounts of particles (107 , 106 , and 105 ) for different time periods (30 min to 24 h), in the presence and absence of specific inhibitors (chelerythrine for the PLC-DAG-PKC pathway and PD98059 for the MAPK/ERK pathway). The expression of CXCR4-specific mRNA was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PKC activity was measured by Western Blot using an antibody specific for PKC-related phosphorylation. RESULTS Real-time PCR data showed that CXCR4 mRNA expression in MG63 cells induced by CoCr particles was significantly diminished by the PKC-specific inhibitor chelerythrine. This effect was not observed with the MAPK/ERK inhibitor PD98059. The involvement of PKC was also confirmed by an intensified phosphorylation pattern after stimulation with CoCr particles. In Jurkat cells, none of the inhibitors exhibited any effect. CONCLUSION The induction of CXCR4-specific mRNA expression in MG63 cells after stimulation with CoCr particles is regulated by the PLC-DAG-PKC pathway and not by the MAPK/ERK pathway. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2326-2332, 2017.
A Phylogeny of Belonolaimus Populations in Florida Inferred from DNA Sequences

Gozel, U. , B. J. Adams, K. B. Nguyen, R. N. Inserra, R. M. Giblin-Davis, and L. W. Duncan. 2006. A phylogeny of Belonolaimus populations in Florida inferred from DNA sequences. Nematropica 36:155-171. The D2-D3 and ITS regions of rDNA from 33 Florida populations of Belonolaimus spp. were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Our objective was to derive a theoretical evolutionary framework for interpreting phenotypic differences as they relate to the taxonomy of the genus. The most striking aspect of the phylogenetic analysis is that none of the three nominal species (B. longicaudatus, B. euthychilus, and B. gracilis) are monophyletic. Additionally, two taxa appear to have discordant ITS and LSU sequences. Three major clades of B. longicaudatus exhibited discernible, overlapping, geographic foci from east to west across the peninsula. Morphological character states considered important for species identification (stylet:tail ratio > or or or < a value somewhat greater than 1.0; degree of lip constriction). We were unable to identify suites of morphological/morphometric character states that discriminated between the molecular-derived clades of B. longicaudatus. The large number of autapomorphies for the relatively conserved D2-D3 region both between and within the nominal species reinforces previous observations that the genus Belonolaimus is far more complex than currently recognized.
Voluntary eyelid contraction modifies the blink reflex recovery cycle

In order to determine the extent to which the recovery cycle of the blink reflex is modified by voluntary contraction of the eyelids we investigated the electrically elicited blink reflex with paired stimuli of identical intensity in 9 healthy subjects. We pseudorandomly administered two interstimulus intervals (150 ms and 250 ms) in three different conditions of voluntary contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle (relaxed, mild lid closure and strong lid closure). Our results show that inhibition of the R2 response following the second stimulus is significantly reduced with voluntary contraction. In addition, we found significantly larger amplitudes and shorter latencies of R1 and R2 with voluntary contraction. We conclude that in healthy subjects, voluntary eyelid contraction causes facilitation or disinhibition not only in the nuclei of the seventh cranial nerve, but also in the polysynaptic pathway of the R2. The possible implications on the interpretation of clinical data are discussed.
Genetic rearrangements of a Rhizobium phaseoli symbiotic plasmid

Different structural changes of the Sym plasmid were found in a Rhizobium phaseoli strain that loses its symbiotic phenotype at a high frequency. These rearrangements affected both nif genes and Tn5 mob insertions in the plasmid, and in some cases they modified the expression of the bacterium's nodulation ability. One of the rearrangements was more frequent in heat-treated cells, but was also found under standard culture conditions; other structural changes appeared to be related to the conjugal transfer of the plasmid.
Origin of the foraminifera.

We report nuclear small-subunit rDNA sequences for two species of the benthic foraminifer Ammonia. Because of their abundance in present and past seas, the foraminifera are a very important group of organisms used in a wide range of geologic studies; however, the ancestry of this group was, until now, unknown. Difficulties in purifying foraminiferal DNA and avoiding PCR contamination led us to develop DNA.DNA in situ hybridization techniques to verify our sequence data. Phylogenetic analysis of verified foraminiferal DNA sequence indicates these taxa are a divergent, "alveolate" lineage, within the major eukaryotic radiation. Our findings cast doubt upon the assumption that all foraminifera are derived from an amoebalike ancestor. Cytological features and the DNA sequences presented herein suggest that the foraminifera were derived from a heterokaryotic flagellated marine protist, probably sometime in the later Proterozoic.
Appraisal of the consequences of the DDT‐induced bottleneck on the level and geographic distribution of neutral genetic variation in Canadian peregrine falcons, Falco peregrinus

Peregrine falcon populations underwent devastating declines in the mid‐20th century due to the bioaccumulation of organochlorine contaminants, becoming essentially extirpated east of the Great Plains and significantly reduced elsewhere in North America. Extensive re‐introduction programs and restrictions on pesticide use in Canada and the United States have returned many populations to predecline sizes. A proper population genetic appraisal of the consequences of this decline requires an appropriate context defined by (i) meaningful demographic entities; and (ii) suitable reference populations. Here we explore the validity of currently recognized subspecies designations using data from the mitochondrial control region and 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci taken from 184 contemporary individuals from across the breeding range, and compare patterns of population genetic structure with historical patterns inferred from 95 museum specimens. Of the three North American subspecies, the west coast marine subspecies Falco peregrinus pealei is well differentiated genetically in both time periods using nuclear loci. In contrast, the partitioning of continental Falco peregrinus anatum and arctic Falco peregrinus tundrius subspecies is not substantiated, as individuals from these subspecies are historically indistinguishable genetically. Bayesian clustering analyses demonstrate that contemporary genetic differentiation between these two subspecies is mainly due to changes within F. p. anatum (specifically the southern F. p. anatum populations). Despite expectations and a variety of tests, no genetic bottleneck signature is found in the identified populations; in fact, many contemporary indices of diversity are higher than historical values. These results are rationalized by the promptness of the recovery and the possible introduction of new genetic material.
Membrane Topology Analysis of Cyclic Glucan Synthase, a Virulence Determinant of Brucella abortus

ABSTRACT Brucella abortus cyclic glucan synthase (Cgs) is a 316-kDa (2,831-amino-acid) integral inner membrane protein that is responsible for the synthesis of cyclic β-1,2-glucan by a novel mechanism in which the enzyme itself acts as a protein intermediate. B. abortus Cgs uses UDP-glucose as a sugar donor and has the three enzymatic activities necessary for synthesis of the cyclic polysaccharide (i.e., initiation, elongation, and cyclization). Cyclic glucan is required in B. abortus for effective host interaction and complete expression of virulence. To gain further insight into the structure and mechanism of action of B. abortus Cgs, we studied the membrane topology of the protein using a combination of in silico predictions, a genetic approach involving the construction of fusions between the cgs gene and the genes encoding alkaline phosphatase (phoA) and β-galactosidase (lacZ), and site-directed chemical labeling of lysine residues. We found that B. abortus Cgs is a polytopic membrane protein with the amino and carboxyl termini located in the cytoplasm and with six transmembrane segments, transmembrane segments I (residues 419 to 441), II (residues 452 to 474), III (residues 819 to 841), IV (residues 847 to 869), V (residues 939 to 961), and VI (residues 968 to 990). The six transmembrane segments determine four large cytoplasmic domains and three very small periplasmic regions.
Filamentous and matrix components of skeletal muscle Z‐disks

The fine structural appearance of Z‐disk lattices in vertebrate skeletal “fast” muscle varies depending upon whether osmium or glutaraldehyde has been employed as the primary fixative. Prior investigators have attributed the differences to change in the extent of actin filament overlap within the Z‐disk and/or to rearrangement of Z‐disk filaments.
Optimal Stop Points for Data Gathering in Sensor Networks with Mobile Sinks

Given a wireless sensor network (WSN) in which a mobile sink is used to collect data from the sensor nodes, this paper addresses the problem of selecting a set of stop points that results in low energy usage by the sensor nodes. This paper assumes an approach in which a mobile sink travels along a fixed path and uses a stop-and-collect protocol since this has previously been shown to be an efficient WSN data collection method. The problem of selecting an optimal set of stop points is shown to be an NP-hard problem. Then, an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation is used to derive an optimal algorithm that can be used for small problem instances. Next, a polynomial-time Tabu-search-based heuristic algorithm is proposed. Simulations are used to compare the energy consumption values, computation times and expected network lifetimes when using the optimal ILP algorithm, the proposed heuristic algorithm and several other possible heuristic algorithms. The results show that the proposed heuristic algorithm results in near-optimal energy usage values with low computation times, thereby making it suitable for large-sized WSNs.
Influence of CYP3A5 Gene Polymorphisms of Donor Rather than Recipient to Tacrolimus Individual Dose Requirement in Liver Transplantation

Background. Tacrolimus is a widely used immunosuppressant in organ transplantation, but it is characterized by a narrow therapeutic index and high interindividual variations of its pharmacokinetics. Tacrolimus is a substrate for CYP3A. It has been conjectured that CYP3A5 polymorphism is associated with tacrolimus pharmacokinetic variations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of polymorphisms of the donor and recipient CYP3A5 gene on tacrolimus disposition in liver transplantation. Methods. Fifty-three liver transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus were enrolled in this study. Tacrolimus dosage and blood trough concentration were investigated at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month after transplantation. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was applied to determine the genotype of CYP3A5 gene. Results. The concentration/dose (C/D) ratios in patients with *1/*1(*1/*3) genotype donor were significantly lower than in patients with *3/*3 genotype donor at 2 weeks (P=0.036) and 1 month (P=0.021), but not at 1 week posttransplantation. Combination analysis showed that such significance still existed between CYP3A5 expressor group and nonexpressor group for both donor and recipient genotype. Also differences of C/D ratio between CYP3A5 expressor and nonexpressor donors in nonexpressor recipients were larger than those between recipients in nonexpressor donors. Conclusion. The large interindividual variation of tacrolimus dose requirement is influenced by the metabolic activity of CYP3A5. Polymorphisms of the donor CYP3A5 gene seem to contribute more to such variation than the recipient. A larger population and further studies are needed to explore the exact mechanisms for tacrolimus pharmacokinetics.
The anti-monoamine oxidase effects of furazolidone.

Furazolidone (N-(5-nitro-2-furfurylidene)-3-amino-2-oxazolidinone) in saturated solution in vitro did not affect rat liver monoamine oxidase (MAO). After a single oral dose in rats, however, decreased liver mitochondrial MAO was observed in about 4 hr, and maximal inhibition occurred in 16 to 24 hr. Enzyme activity returned to normal over approximately 21 days. A classical dose-response curve was elicited by oral administration of 2 (no effect) to 100 (complete inhibition) mg/kg, with 50% inhibition being given by 20 mg/kg. Inhibition in brain and liver was cumulative. Combining sonically-lysed mitochondria from control or dosed animals had no effect on the MAO activity of either. A study of nitrofurans and other compounds indicated that the unsubstituted 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone moiety was essential for inhibition in vivo but was inactive in vitro. Of several postulated degradation products of 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone, only 2-hydroxyethyl hydrazine (HEH) fulfilled known structural requirements for MAO inhibition. At 10 -6 M in vitro HEH gave 50% inhibition of mitochondrial MAO; 30 min after oral administration of 10 mg/kg, almost complete loss of MAO activity occurred. From the above results, it is proposed that MAO inhibition observed after furazolidone administration may be a result of metabolism in part to HEH.
Predictability of bulk synchronous programs using MPI

The BSP cost model provides a general framework to design efficient and portable data-parallel algorithms. Execution costs of BSP programs are predicted combining a limited number of program and machine dependent parameters. BSP programs can be written using several programming tools. In this work we explore the predictability of bulk synchronous programs implemented with the Message Passing Interface. Two classic computational geometry problems: the convex hull (CH) and the lower envelope (LE) are considered as cases of study. Efficient BSP algorithms have been implemented using MPI and executed on three different parallel architectures: a Fujitsu AP1000 (distributed memory), a CRAY T3E (distributed shared memory) and a cluster of PCs (Backus). The paper compares the degree of predictability on these architectures, analysing the main sources of error.
RC-MAC: A Receiver-Centric MAC Protocol for Event-Driven Wireless Sensor Networks

Event-driven wireless sensor networks (WSNs) usually operate under light traffic load. However, when an event is detected, a large number of packets may be generated. A MAC protocol designed for this kind of WSNs should be able to swiftly adapt to the two conditions. Most WSN MAC protocols are optimized for light traffic for the energy efficiency consideration. In this paper, we propose a novel receiver-centric MAC protocol called RC-MAC that seamlessly integrates duty cycling and receiver-centric scheduling, providing high throughput without sacrificing the energy efficiency. To handle bursty traffic triggered by an event, RC-MAC takes advantage of the underlying data gathering tree structure of WSNs and the multichannel technique supported by current IEEE 802.15. 4 RF transceivers to assist scheduling of medium access. The throughput is improved in two phases with receiver-centric medium access scheduling and distributed channel assignment. First, on a data gathering tree, a receiver is able to coordinate the medium access of multiple senders so as to reduce collisions and achieve high throughput. Second, different receivers coordinate their senders in different channels and the throughput is further improved by allowing parallel data gathering. Observing packet processing time on low cost sensor nodes, we design a scheduling pattern that ensures fairness between source nodes without sacrificing the throughput. We evaluate the performance of our RC-MAC through measurements of an implementation in TinyOS on TelosB motes and extensive ns-2 simulations. Compared with contention-based and scheduling-based MAC protocols, we show that the throughput and the fairness under heavy traffic load are significantly improved by the receiver-centric scheduling. Due to the high throughput, the energy efficiency is also improved.
Applying the ACR/EULAR Systemic Sclerosis Classification Criteria to the Spanish Scleroderma Registry Cohort

Objective. To compare American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for systemic sclerosis (SSc) with previous American Rheumatology Association (ARA) criteria. Methods. This was a cross-sectional multicenter study comparing sensitivity of both criteria in the cutaneous subsets in the Spanish scleroderma registry (RESCLE) cohort. Results. In 1222 patients with SSc, the most prevalent items were Raynaud phenomenon (95%), skin thickening (91%), and abnormal capillaroscopy (89%). ARA criteria classified as SSc 63.5% of all patients, and 63%, 100%, 11.2%, and 0% in the limited, diffuse, sine, and pre-SSc subsets, respectively. ACR/EULAR criteria classified 87.5% of all patients and 98.5%, 100%, 41.8%, and 15.9% in the same subsets, respectively. Conclusion. ACR/EULAR criteria are more sensitive than ARA criteria, especially in limited, sine, and pre-SSc subsets.
Low-temperature single-crystal Si TFTs fabricated on Si films processed via sequential lateral solidification

Nonhydrogenated, n-channel, low-temperature-processed, single-crystal Si thin-film transistors (TFTs) have been fabricated on Si thin films prepared via sequential lateral solidification (SLS). The device characteristics of the resulting SLS TFTs exhibit properties and a level of performance that are superior to polycrystalline Si-based TFTs and are comparable to similar devices fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates or bulk-Si wafers. We attribute these high-performance device characteristics to the absence of high-angle grain-boundaries within the active channel portion of the TFTs.
A new concept of bone conduction.

IT HAS been known for a long time that vibrations in the range of audiofrequencies when transmitted directly to the skull produce the same kind of hearing sensations as airborne sounds. Since at least the early part of the 19th century, this phenomenon, which we call bone conduction, was used diagnostically for the differentiation of conductive hearing losses from sensorineural ones. Although these latter tests became first known empirically, the theory of bone conduction has attracted wide attention ever since. Its explanation, as it turned out, was not easy and presented a number of puzzling aspects. By the middle of the 19th century, two schools of thought, viewed by the majority of writers of that day as incompatible, had emerged. One school thought that energy was transmitted only through the skull bones directly to the inner ear. This was known as the osseous route of transmission. The other one thought
Observations on spermatogenesis in Onchocerca volvulus and Wuchereria bancrofti.

Serial sections of onchocercomata revealed that in O. volvulus during spermatogenesis the spermatocyte divides twice to give rise to four spermatids. The spermatid develops into an elongate, narrow, smooth-walled spermatozoan, which, upon entering the female genital tract, becomes rounded and probably amoeboid. The chromosomes are distinct throughout all stages of spermatogenesis and remain separate and distinct in the spermatids and both phases of the spermatozoa. The haploid numher of chromosomes in this species is believed to be five. In W. bancrofti the material, although incomplete, indicated the cellular changes in spermatogenesis to be similar to that seen in O. volvulus. Here the chromosomes were more clearly visualized and the haploid number was consistently found to number five.
Ownership, Management Responsibility and Corporate Performance of the Listed Firms in Kazakhstan

The research explores the relationship between management responsibility and corporate governance of listed companies in Kazakhstan. This research employs firm level data of selected listed non-financial firms and firm level data “operational” financial sector, consisted from banking sector, insurance companies and accumulated pension funds using multivariate regression analysis under fixed effect model approach. Ownership structure includes institutional ownership, managerial ownership and private investor’s ownership. Management responsibility of the firm is expressed by the decision of the firm on amount of leverage. Results of the cross sectional panel study for non-financial firms showed that only institutional shareholding is significantly negatively correlated with debt to equity ratio. Findings from “operational” financial sector show that leverage is significantly affected only by the CEO/Chair duality and the size of financial institutions, and insignificantly affected by ownership structure. Also, the findings show, that there is a significant negative relationship between profitability and the debt to equity ratio for non-financial firms, which is consistent with pecking order theory. Generally, the found results suggest that corporate governance and a management responsibility play important role in corporate performance of listed firms in Kazakhstan. Keywords—Corporate governance, corporate performance, debt to equity ratio, ownership