Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functioning of mycorrhizal associations along the mutualism–parasitism continuum*

summary A great diversity of plants and fungi engage in mycorrhizal associations. In natural habitats, and in an ecologically meaningful time span, these associations have evolved to improve the fitness of both plant and fungal symbionts. In systems managed by humans, mycorrhizal associations often improve plant productivity, but this is not always the case. Mycorrhizal fungi might be considered to be parasitic on plants when net cost of the symbiosis exceeds net benefits. Parasitism can be developmentally induced, environmentally induced, or possibly genotypically induced. Morphological, phenological, and physiological characteristics of the symbionts influence the functioning of mycorrhizas at an individual scale. Biotic and abiotic factors at the rhizosphere, community, and ecosystem scales further mediate mycorrhizal functioning. Despite the complexity of mycorrhizal associations, it might be possible to construct predictive models of mycorrhizal functioning. These models will need to incorporate variables and parameters that account for dierences in plant responses to, and control of, mycorrhizal fungi, and dierences in fungal eects on, and responses to, the plant. Developing and testing quantitative models of mycorrhizal functioning in the real world requires creative experimental manipulations and measurements. This work will be facilitated by recent advances in molecular and biochemical techniques. A greater understanding of how mycorrhizas function in complex natural systems is a prerequisite to managing them in agriculture, forestry, and restoration.
Subdividing cell populations in the developing limbs of Drosophila: do wing veins and leg segments define units of growth control?

The Drosophila limb primordia originate as groups of 20–40 cells in the embryonic ectoderm. The leg and wing primordia are specified as a single cluster of cells which splits into dorsal and ventral groups to form the leg and wing imaginal discs (reviewed in Cohen, 1993). During larval development the disc primordia grow rapidly and increase about one-thousand-fold in cell number. As the discs mature the pattern of the appendages is specified through localized expression of a number of transcription factors (reviewed in Neumann and Cohen, 1997b; Carroll, 1998). This ultimately leads to the production of a finegrained pattern in which the number and position of structural features such as wing veins and sense organs are specified. Over 25 years ago Garcı́a-Bellido and colleagues recognized that the developing limb primordia are subdivided into developmentally separate domains, called compartments (Garcı́a-Bellido et al., 1973; reviewed in Blair, 1995; Lawrence and Struhl, 1996; Brook et al., 1996). Operationally, compartments were defined in terms of the boundaries of cell lineage restriction that separate them. The anterior and posterior compartments derive from separate populations of founder cells in the embryonic ectoderm and the progeny of these founder cells do not mix during subsequent development. During early larval development a second lineage restriction boundary subdivides the wing disc into dorsal and ventral compartments (Garcı́a-Bellido et al., 1976). Subsequent work has shown that the compartments are defined by localized expression of transcription factors that specify compartment-specific cell fate: the homeodomain proteins Engrailed and Invected specify posterior fate and the LIM-homeodomain protein Apterous specifies dorsal fate (reviewed in Blair, 1995; Lawrence and Struhl, 1996; Brook et al., 1996). Soon after compartments were first identified it was recognized that the interface between these territories provided a discontinuity that could in principle serve as a source of information to pattern the discs (Crick and B
The Detection of Cortisol in Human Sweat: Implications for Measurement of Cortisol in Hair

Background: Hair cortisol analysis has been shown to be an effective measure of chronic stress. Cortisol is assumed to incorporate into hair via serum, sebum, and sweat sources; however, the extent to which sweat contributes to hair cortisol content is unknown. Methods: Sweat and saliva samples were collected from 17 subjects after a period of intensive exercise and analyzed by salivary enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, an in vitro test on exposure of hair to hydrocortisone was conducted. Residual hair samples were immersed in a 50-ng/mL hydrocortisone solution for periods lasting 15 minutes to 24 hours, followed by a wash or no-wash condition. Hair cortisol content was determined using our modified protocol for a salivary ELISA. Results: Postexercise control sweat cortisol concentrations ranged from 8.16 to 141.7 ng/mL and correlated significantly with the log-transformed time of day. Sweat cortisol levels significantly correlated with salivary cortisol concentrations. In vitro hair exposure to a 50-ng/mL hydrocortisone solution (mimicking sweat) for 60 minutes or more resulted in significantly increased hair cortisol concentrations. Washing with isopropanol did not affect immersion-increased hair cortisol concentrations. Conclusions: Human sweat contains cortisol in concentrations comparable with salivary cortisol levels. This study suggests that perfuse sweating after intense exercise may increase cortisol concentrations detected in hair. This increase likely cannot be effectively decreased with conventional washing procedures and should be considered carefully in studies using hair cortisol as a biomarker of chronic stress.
Biotic and abiotic controls on the ecosystem significance of consumer excretion in two contrasting tropical streams

SUMMARY 1. Excretion of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is a direct and potentially important role for aquatic consumers in nutrient cycling that has recently garnered increased attention. The ecosystem-level significance of excreted nutrients depends on a suite of abiotic and biotic factors, however, and few studies have coupled measurements of excretion with consideration of its likely importance for whole-system nutrient fluxes. 2. We measured rates and ratios of N and P excretion by shrimps (Xiphocaris elongata and Atya spp.) in two tropical streams that differed strongly in shrimp biomass because a waterfall excluded predatory fish from one site. We also made measurements of shrimp and basal resource carbon (C), N and P content and estimated shrimp densities and ecosystem-level N and P excretion and uptake. Finally, we used a 3-year record of discharge and NH4-N concentration in the high-biomass stream to estimate temporal variation in the distance required for excretion to turn over the ambient NH4-N pool. 3. Per cent C, N, and P body content of Xiphocaris was significantly higher than that of Atya. Only per cent P body content showed significant negative relationships with body mass. C:N of Atya increased significantly with body mass and was higher than that of Xiphocaris. N:Po fXiphocaris was significantly higher than that of Atya. 4. Excretion rates ranged from 0.16–3.80 lmol NH4-N shrimp )1 h )1 , 0.23–5.76 lmol total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) shrimp )1 h )1 and 0.002–0.186 lmol total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) shrimp )1 h )1 . Body size was generally a strong predictor of excretion rates in both taxa, differing between Xiphocaris and Atya for TDP but not NH4-N and TDN. Excretion rates showed statistically significant but weak relationships with body content stoichiometry. 5. Large between-stream differences in shrimp biomass drove differences in total excretion by the two shrimp communities (22.3 versus 0.20 lmol NH4-N m )2 h )1 , 37.5 versus 0.26 lmol TDN m )2 h )1 and 1.1 versus 0.015 lmol TDP m )2 h )1 ), equivalent to 21% and 0.5% of NH4-N uptake and 5% and <0.1% of P uptake measured in the high- and lowbiomass stream, respectively. Distances required for excretion to turn over the ambient NH4-N pool varied more than a hundredfold over the 3-year record in the high-shrimp stream, driven by variability in discharge and NH4-N concentration.
Grape seed proanthocyanidins attenuate vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation via blocking phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase‐dependent signaling pathways

The excess generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important role in the development and progression of diabetes and related vascular complications. Therefore, blocking the production of ROS will be able to improve hyperglycemia‐induced vascular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine whether a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) could protect against hyperproliferation of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by high glucose (HG) and determine the related molecular mechanisms. Our data demonstrated that GSPs markedly inhibited rat VSMCs proliferation as well as ROS generation and NAPDH oxidase activity induced by HG treatment. Further studies revealed that HG treatment resulted in phosphorylation and membrane translocation of Rac1, p47phox, and p67phox subunits leading to NADPH oxidase activation. GSPs treatment remarkably disrupted the phosphorylation and membrane translocation of Rac1, p47phox, and p67phox subunits. More importantly, our data further revealed that GSPs significantly disrupted HG‐induced activation of ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and PI3K/AKT/GSK3β as well as NF‐κB signalings, which were dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and Rac1 activation. In addition, our results also demonstrated that HG‐induced cell proliferation and excess ROS production was dependent on the activation of PI3 kinase subunit p110α. Collectively, these results suggest that HG‐induced VSMC growth was attenuated by grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSPs) treatment through blocking PI3 kinase‐dependent signaling pathway, indicating that GSPs may be useful in retarding intimal hyperplasia and restenosis in diabetic vessels. J. Cell. Physiol. 223:713–726, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Successful pregnancy after preimplantation genetic diagnosis for carrier of t(2;7)(p11.2;q22) with high rates of unbalanced sperm and embryos: a case report

Regarding the literature on the results of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in reciprocal chromosomal translocation carriers seems to prevail a view that this method reduces the frequency of miscarriages, and the pregnancy rate is directly proportional to the number of normal spermatozoa. Therefore, we compared the results of sperm karyotype analysis of a carrier of familial t(2;7)(p11.2;q22) with PGD results. The carrier was ascertained as his wife had had two miscarriages.
Optimal monetary policy in an economy with inflation persistence $ J ! on Steinsson

This paper studies optimal monetary policy in a model where inflation is persistent. Two types of price setters are assumed to exist. One acts rationally given Calvo-type constraints on price setting. The other type sets prices according to a rule-of-thumb. This results in a Phillips curve with both a forward-looking term and a backward-looking term. The Phillips curve nests a standard purely forward-looking Phillips curve as well as a standard purely backward-looking Phillips curve as special cases. A cost push supply shock is derived from microfoundations by adding a time varying income tax and by making the elasticity of substitution between goods stochastic. A central bank loss function for this model is derived from a second-order Taylor approximation of the household’s welfare function. Optimal monetary policy for different relative values of the forwardand backward-looking terms is then analyzed for both the commitment case and the case of discretion. r 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: E31; E32; E52; E58
Structural and dynamical properties of methane clathrate hydrates

Equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been performed in both the NVT and NPT ensembles to study the structural and dynamical properties of fully occupied methane clathrate hydrates at 50, 125, and 200 K. Five atomistic potential models were used for water, ranging from fully flexible to rigid polarizable and nonpolarizable. A flexible and a rigid model were utilized for methane. The phonon densities of states were evaluated and the localized rattling modes for the methane molecules were found to couple to the acoustic phonons of the host lattice. The calculated methane density of states was found to be in reasonable agreement with available experimental data. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 24: 1569–1581, 2003
Evaluation of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Thresholds for Diagnosis of Medulloblastoma Using Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

We assess a diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) analysis technique as a potential basis for computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of pediatric posterior fossa tumors. A retrospective medical record search identified 103 children (mean age: 87 months) with posterior fossa tumors having a total of 126 preoperative MR scans with DWI. The minimum ADC (ADCmin) and normalized ADC (nADC) values [ratio of ADCmin values in tumor compared to normal tissue] were measured by a single observer blinded to diagnosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the optimal threshold for which the nADC and ADCmin values would predict tumor histology. Inter-rater reliability for predicting tumor type was evaluated using values measured by two additional observers. At histology, ten tumor types were identified, with astrocytoma (n=50), medulloblastoma (n=33), and ependymoma (n=9) accounting for 89%. Mean ADCmin (0.54 times 10−3 mm2/s) and nADC (0.70) were lowest for medulloblastoma. Mean ADC-min (1.28 times 10−3 mm2/s) and nADC (1.64) were highest for astrocytoma. For the ROC analysis, the area under the curve when discriminating medulloblastoma from other tumors using nADC was 0.939 and 0.965 when using ADCmin. The optimal ADCmin threshold was 0.66 times 10−3 mm2/s, which yielded an 86% positive predictive value, 97% negative predictive value, and 93% accuracy. Interobserver variability was very low, with near perfect agreement among all observers in predicting medulloblastoma. Our data indicate that both ADCmin and nADC could serve as the basis for a CAD program to distinguish medulloblastoma from other posterior fossa tumors with a high degree of accuracy.
Role of RDS and Rhodopsin in Cngb1-Related Retinal Degeneration

Purpose Rod photoreceptor outer segment (OS) morphogenesis, structural integrity, and proper signal transduction rely on critical proteins found in the different OS membrane domains (e.g., plasma, disc, and disc rim membrane). Among these key elements are retinal degeneration slow (RDS, also known as peripherin-2), rhodopsin, and the beta subunit of the cyclic nucleotide gated channel (CNGB1a), which have been found to interact in a complex. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential interplay between these three proteins by examining retinal disease phenotypes in animal models expressing varying amounts of CNGB1a, rhodopsin, and RDS. Methods Outer segment trafficking, retinal function, and photoreceptor structure were evaluated using knockout mouse lines. Results Eliminating Cngb1 and reducing RDS leads to additive defects in RDS expression levels and rod electroretinogram (ERG) function, (e.g., Cngb1−/−/rds+/− versus rds+/− or Cngb1−/−) but not to additive defects in rod ultrastructure. These additive effects also manifested in cone function: Photopic ERG responses were significantly lower in the Cngb1−/−/rds+/− versus rds+/− or Cngb1−/−, suggesting that eliminating Cngb1 can accelerate the cone degeneration that usually presents later in the rds+/−. This was not the case with rhodopsin; reducing rhodopsin levels in concert with eliminating CNGB1a did not lead to phenotypes more severe than those observed in the Cngb1 knockout alone. Conclusions These data support a role for RDS as the core component of a multiprotein plasma membrane-rim-disc complex that has both a structural role in photoreceptor OS formation and maintenance and a functional role in orienting proteins for optimal signal transduction.
Impact of monitoring cerebral oxygen saturation on the outcome of patients undergoing open heart surgery.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES We studied the usefulness of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO 2 ) monitoring during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and evaluated effects of cerebral oxygen desaturation on the postoperative neurological outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 patients were randomly allocated to either control or intervention group. In the control group rSO 2 was recorded continuously, but the attending anesthesiologist was blinded. In the intervention group specific interventions were initiated in case of cerebral desaturation. Neurocognitive testing was done using a simplified antisaccadic eye movement test (ASEM) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Data was analyzed using Chi-square test, and unpaired t-test. RESULTS In both the groups rSO 2 declined during CPB. The decrease in rSO 2 was significant ( P < 0.001) in the control group compared to the intervention group. In the intervention group the rSO 2 mainly responded to an increase in mean arterial pressure. The area under the curve below threshold rSO 2 was significantly more ( P < 0.0001) in the control group compared to intervention group and a significant decrease in the MMSE and ASEM scores occurred in control group at one week and three months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring of rSO 2 during CPB can significantly decrease the incidence of postoperative neurocognitive decline.
Potential Predictability of Vehicular Staying Time for Large-Scale Urban Environment

The newly emerged vehicular communication network is seen as a key technology for solving increasingly serious vehicular traffic congestion and improving road safety. New applications of vehicular networks are also emerging at the same time. Predicting vehicular staying time is vital to both solving the vehicular system problem and building efficient vehicular networking. How much the vehicular staying duration of visits to different areas can be predicted is still an open and unsolved problem. In this paper, we use real vehicular traces in Beijing and Shanghai to explore the limit of predictability of the vehicular visiting time in different areas in large cities, and we analyze the impact of different precision and slot time on predictability. We conclude that using a proper time slot is an efficient way of prediction, and a higher predictability can be achieved if the requirement for precision is reduced. Among all the cases that we studied, we find the predictability to be 76.3% for Beijing and 82.5% for Shanghai in the case with the smallest slot time and reasonable requirements for precision.
Pharmacological aspects of excitatory synaptic transmission to second‐order vestibular neurons in the frog

Synaptic excitation of second‐order vestibular neurons is mediated by two principal afferents: vestibular afferents projecting into the brain via the VIIIth cranial nerve and commissural afferents from the contralateral vestibular nuclear complex. The shape of the excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) generated by selectively activating these two inputs differs qualitatively, such that ipsilateral VIIIth nerve afferents generate a faster‐rising EPSP than do the commissural afferents. We have investigated the synaptic pharmacology of these two inputs in the isolated, intact medulla of the frog in order to determine the nature of the transmitter substances released by the afferents and the nature of the subsynaptic receptors with which these transmitters interact.
AMPA Receptors in Cultured Vestibular Ganglion Neurons: Detection and Activation

The presence and the activity of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptors were investigated in mouse cultured vestibular ganglion neurons using immunocytochemistry and measurement of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+],) by spectrofluorimetry. Cultures of dissociated vestibular ganglia from 18 gestation day mouse embryos were grown in vitro for 3–4 days. lmmunocytochemical labelling of AMPA receptor subunits GluR2/R3 and GluR4 was detected in neuron cell bodies and proximal neurites and more lightly in glial cells. There was no clear selective subcellular localization of the different subunits. For the GluR1 subunit a signal was observed only in some neurons and neurites and was weak. Vestibular ganglion neurons responded to fast application of 1 mM glutamate and 10 mM aspartate through unknown receptors by a transient increase in [Ca2+]i. The mean amplitude of this rapid increase was about nine times the resting level and recovery was complete within 30–45 s after the application. If separated by an interval of at least 10 min, consecutive applications produced similar calcium responses. AMPA (1 mM) application induced the same type of responses. Five minutes prior to the AMPA exposure, the application of a specific AMPA antagonist, 6, 7‐dinitroquinoxaline‐2, 3‐dione (DNQX, 1.5 mM), in the external medium inhibited the response to AMPA. Chelation of external calcium by EGTA (1.5 mM) abolished the responses to drug applications, indicating that an influx of external calcium is involved in the [Ca2+]i increase. These observations suggest that heteromeric AMPA receptors are expressed in vestibular ganglion neurons in culture and play a functional role in their glutamate‐induced depolarization. Experiments are in progress using specific AMPA and NMDA antagonists to characterize the participation of the two types of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the glutarnate/aspartate‐induced intracellular calcium response.
Ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer thickness determined by spectral domain optical coherence tomography in patients with brain lesions

Purpose To evaluate the thickness of the macular ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) in patients with brain lesions. Methods This case-control study included 58 healthy subjects and 98 patients with brain lesions confirmed by MRI. GCIPL and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thicknesses were determined using the Cirrus SD OCT. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of pRNFL and GCIPL thickness were used to discriminate patients with brain lesions from normal controls. Results Average GCIPL thickness showed a good correlation with visual field mean deviation (r2=0.342, p<0.001). All GCIPL parameters, including average thickness (71.9±8.6 vs 85.1±4.8 μm, p<0.001), differed between the patient and control groups. The AUC of the average GCIPL thickness was significantly greater than that of average pRNFL thickness (0.941 vs 0.823, p<0.001). Conclusions Our results suggest that various kinds of brain lesions with different locations show considerable reduction in GCIPL thickness. Thickness of the GCIPL performed better than conventional pRNFL thickness for the diagnosis of retinal ganglion cell damage induced by brains lesions. The pattern of GCIPL loss may be of particular usefulness in recognising a potential intracranial lesion in cases suspected of having normal-tension glaucoma. GCIPL thickness determined by OCT can be an early and useful marker to estimate the status of the visual pathway in various brain lesions.