Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular genetics of muccpolysaccharidosis type I: Diagnostic, clinical, and biological implications

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS‐I) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the α‐L‐iduronidase (IDUA) gene. These mutations lead to a deficiency of the glycosidase α‐L‐iduronidase (IDUA), which is required for the degradation of heparan sulphate and dermatan sulphate and thus the storage of these glycosaminoglycans in the lysosome. There is a wide range of clinical phenotypes in MPS‐I (eponyms: Hurler syndrome, severe; Hurler/Scheie syndrome, intermediate; Scheie syndrome, mild), which makes prediction of disease severity and genetic counselling difficult. However, since cloning of the IDUA gene, mutation analysis has provided some molecular explanations for the range of MPS‐I phenotypes, in turn facilitating the selection and evaluation of patients undergoing experimental treatment protocols such as bone marrow transplantation. A total of 46 mutations now have been defined for MPS‐I consisting of 8 nonsense mutations, 21 missense mutations, 3 splice site mutations, and 14 minor deletions and/or insertions. Furthermore, 30 polymorphisms or nonpathogenie sequence variants have been defined, including 7 amino acid substitutions. Among patients of European origin, there are two major MPS‐I mutations and a number of less frequent mutations. It is possible to follow mutation analysis of 292 patients, which can be divided into eight main patient groups of different ethnic and/or geographic origin with significant variation in mutant allele frequencies. A complex picture of molecular heterogeneity is emerging, building a valuable database for genotype/phenotype correlation. Mutation analysis is also providing some of the first clues into the structure and function of IDUA. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spiranthes diluvialis (Orchidaceae), a new species from the western United States

Spiranthes diluvialis, a species known from widely scattered localities in the western United States, is formally described. It has been confused in the past with a number of other species. Morphological characters and cytological data indicate an origin through hybridization ofS. magnicamporum andS. romanzoffiana.
Crown Asymmetry, Treefalls, and Repeat Disturbance of Broad‐Leaved Forest Gaps

Gap—edge trees were significantly more likely to fall into pre—existing gaps than in other directions in a moist tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. Trees not at gap edges were more likely to fall away from near neighbors than toward them. We show that gross asymmetries of tree crowns were the rule rather than the exception for all trees. The crowns of most gap—edge trees were strongly asymmetrical into their adjoining gaps, and trees not at gap edges were strongly asymmetrical way from near neighbors. Trees had a strong and significant tendency to fall on these heavy sides. Such treefalls, and related limbfalls, can result in redistribution of gaps and a retardation of gap regeneration. An analysis of 5 yr of canopy height data from a mapped 50—ha plot on BCI revealed that sites within larger gaps were significantly more likely to be redisturbed by secondary treefalls than were sites in the smallest gaps or nongap quadrats. These results suggest that treefall gaps in tropical forest may be more persistent disturbances than previously thought.
Assessment of Parametric and Non-parametric Methods for Selecting Stable and Adapted Durum Wheat Genotypes in Multi-Environments

Seventeen parametric and non-parametric methods for grain yield of 5 cultivars and 20 advanced durum wheat genotypes evaluated across 10 environments during the 2004-2007 growing seasons were used to assess performance stability and adaptability of the genotypes as well as to study interrelationship among these methods. Biplot analysis based on the rank correlation matrix indicated that most non-parametric methods were significantly inter-correlated with parametric methods. The results also showed that stability methods could be classified into four groups based on biplot analyses. The group related to the dynamic stability concept and strongly correlated with mean grain yield included the parameters of regression coefficient (bi), alpha (αi), TOP (proportion of environments in which a genotype ranked in the top third), environmental variance (Si2), coefficient of variation (CVi), Di2, Si(3) and Si(6). The second group included Wricke’s ecovalence (Wi2), the Huehn’s parameters [Si(1) Si(2)], Shukla’s stability variance (σ2i), Plaisted and Peterson’s parameter (P59) and Tai’s model (λi) which were influenced by both yield and stability simultaneously. The third group included Kang’s parameter (RS) and superiority index (Pi), which only measures stability. Genotypes 18, 16 and 2 were most stables based on parametric and non-parametric stability methods used.
Media for conidial production of the entomopathogenic fungus, Fusarium coccophilum (Anamorphic fungi: Phialosporae)

Culture media were developed for the mass production of conidia of Fusarium coccophilum, isolated from the scale insect Comstockaspis macroporana. Three isolates were cultured on each of PDA, SDAY and water agar, but none of these produced adequate amounts of conidia for application. Using an isolate F-2965, conidial productions on improved media were compared. Among the 13 media tested, conidial production was poor on nutrient rich media, such as PDA, MEA, CMA and Sabouraud's saccharose agar. Medium No. 4, which consisted of peptone, yeast extract and starch, produced the highest conidial yield, followed by medium No. 3 with half starch and medium No. 1 with saccharose substituted for starch. However, media containing starch as the carbon source were highly viscous and difficult to prepare as agar plates. On the other hand, medium No. 1, which contained saccharose instead of starch, was easy to prepare and conidial yield did not significantly differ with medium No. 3. Thus, medium No. 1 was the most practical and had the highest conidial yield among the media tested, with 3.4×104 conidia/cm2 plate.
THE RELATION BETWEEN SOIL WATER TENSION AND GROWTH RATE OF LARVAE OF TIPULA OLERACEA AND T. PALUDOSA (DIPTERA) IN TURF

Growth rates were determined at pF values ranging from less than 1.0** to 4.2, with the turf being kept as near as possible in the natural state (i.e. with living grass etc.). Growth rates of first, third and fourth instar larvae were found and were usually highest at pF 0.8 and nearly zero at pF 4.2. Growth rates (fourth instars) or log growth rates (first and third instars) varied in inverse proportion to pF between values of pF 0.8 and 4.2. There was generally no difference between growth rates of larvae at pFs 0.8 and 1.0.
DETECTION OF ORIENTIA TSUTSUGAMUSHI IN CLINICAL SAMPLES BY QUANTITATIVE REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Orientia tsutsugamushi infection causes scrub typhus, a common zoonosis of rural Asia. Orientia tsutsuga- mushi was recently detected by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay in animal specimens. We evaluated the same qPCR assay in specimens obtained from patients with serologically proven scrub typhus infections. The 47-kDa qPCR assay was more sensitive than was mouse inoculation; it was reactive in whole blood specimens from all 10 isolate-positive patients and in 7 of 17 isolate-negative individuals (P 0.003, Fisher's two-tailed exact test). As few as 1,076 O. tsutsugamushi copies/L were detected in whole blood. Four of 7 sera from isolate-proven scrub typhus infections were also reactive by qPCR. The assay was unreactive in all 12 individuals without scrub typhus infection. This is the first demonstration of a sensitive and specific real-time qPCR assay for human scrub typhus infection. Scrub typhus is an acute, febrile zoonosis caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. The disease is of greatest public health importance in rural areas of Asia and on Western Pacific Islands. Prompt, accurate di- agnosis allows institution of specific antibiotic treatment, which markedly reduces morbidity and mortality. 1,2 Effective serologic assays have been developed that use crude O. tsut- sugamushi antigens 3 and, more recently, recombinant 56-kDa outer membrane protein antigens. 4 Orientia tsutsugamushi can be isolated by inoculating patient blood into mice, but results are not available in time to guide clinical management. The causative organism can also be demonstrated by standard and by nested PCR. 5-7 Real-time PCR assays are as sensitive as standard PCR but are more rapid and can give quantitative results. A real-time quantitative PCR assay (qPCR) for de- tecting O. tsutsugamushi nucleic acid in infected mouse and monkey blood was recently described. 8 Using the same primer and probe as did Jiang and others, we performed qPCR on clinical specimens taken from Thai patients with proven scrub typhus infection. The primer was designed based on sequences of an O. tsutsugamushi 47-kDa surface antigen. 8 The 47-kDa gene sequences of the Karp, Kato, Gil- liam, and Boryong strains of O. tsutsugamushi are similar to those of the genes of the high-temperature requirement (HtrA) family of stress response proteins that have both chaperone and endoprotease activities. 8
Fibroblast growth factor‐1‐inducible gene FR‐17 encodes a nonmuscle α‐actinin isoform

Polypeptide growth factor binding to cell surface receptors activates a cytoplasmic signaling cascade that ultimately promotes the expression of specific nuclear genes. As an approach to investigate the molecular mechanism of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐1 mitogenic signaling, we have begun to identify and characterize FGF‐1‐inducible genes in murine NIH 3T3 cells. Here we report that one of these genes, termed FGF‐regulated (FR)‐17, is predicted to encode a nonmuscle isoform of α‐actinin, an actin cross‐linking protein found along microfilaments and in focal adhesion plaques. FGF‐1 induction of α‐actinin mRNA expression is first detectable at 2 h after mitogen addition and is dependent on de novo RNA and protein synthesis. Maximal α‐actinin mRNA expression, corresponding to an approximately nineteenfold level of induction, is present after 12 h of FGF‐1 stimulation. Western blot analysis indicated that FGF‐1 stimulated cells also produce an increased amount of α‐actinin protein. The FGF‐1‐related mitogen FGF‐2, calf serum, several of the polypeptide growth factors present in serum, and the tumor promoter phorbol myristate acetate can also induce α‐actinin mRNA expression. Finally, nonmuscle α‐actinin mRNA is expressed in vivo in a tissue‐specific manner, with relatively high levels detected in adult mouse intestine and kidney. These results indicate that nonmuscle α‐actinin is a serum‐, polypeptide growth factor‐, and tumor promoter‐inducible gene in mouse fibroblasts. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular cloning and expression of kidney‐type glutaminase from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and its up‐regulation by glutamine in primary culture enterocyte

Glutaminase (GLS) is the key enzyme of glutamine (Gln) metabolism and utilization. In this study, a cDNA encoding GLS protein was identified from common carp Cyprinus carpio intestine. The open reading frame of GLS cDNA encodes a polypeptide of 595 amino acids, which shows a high similarity with its zebrafish Danio rerio counterpart. Bioinformatic analysis showed the protein belongs to kidney-type GLS. The putative protein has glutaminase domain and ankyrin repeats domain, which are highly conserved among vertebrate orthologues. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the abundance of GLS mRNA was the highest in the white muscle, followed by the brain, eyeball and pituitary. Glutaminase was ubiquitously expressed in all intestinal segments of common carp. The activity of GLS did not distribute uniformly along the entire length of the intestine. In primary culture enterocyte, and the expression of GLS mRNA is up-regulated quickly and effectively by Gln.
Divergência genética de acessos tradicionais de feijoeiros através de características da semente = Genetic divergence of access through traditional bean characteristics of the seed

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a divergencia genetica de acessos tradicionais de feijoeiros do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma da Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso via caracteristicas das sementes de 65 acessos de feijoeiro do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Phaseolus da Unemat, onde a caracterizacao da semente foi realizada por meio de oito descritores morfologicos qualitativos e cinco descritores quantitativos, submetidos a dois metodos de agrupamento, de Otimizacao Tocher e Hierarquico UPGMA, comparando seus resultados. Os dados qualitativos apresentaram a formacao de seis grupos pelo metodo de Otimizacao Tocher e cinco grupos pelo UPGMA, ja para as caracteristicas quantitativas ocorreu a formacao de dois grupos pelo metodo de Tocher e quatro grupos pelo UPGMA, baseado na distância euclidiana. O estudo possibilitou verificar os acessos mais divergentes e o comportamento dos dois metodos de agrupamento, que demonstraram semelhanca no agrupamento dos acessos, possibilitando uma boa visualizacao da distância genetica entre os acessos, tanto para caracteristicas qualitativas baseado em variaveis multicategoricas quanto para caracteristicas quantitativas, evidenciando a existencia de materiais geneticamente diferentes. O uso conjunto dos dois metodos associados a analises de caracteres qualitativos e quantitativos possibilitou uma avaliacao mais precisa dos acessos e em ambos os casos o UPGMA complementou o Tocher.
Angulate and leopard tortoises in the Thicket Biome, Eastern Cape, South Africa: populations and biomass estimates

The population parameters (morphometrics, population size and biomass) were determined for leopard and angulate tortoises in the Thicket Biome, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Leopard tortoises had a mean total length of 306.47mm (SD = 94.65mm, range 59–496mm,n = 89). Males were smaller (mean total length 277.31mm, SD = 71.85mm, range 73–377mm,n = 36) than females (mean total length = 332.33mm, SD = 97.64mm, range 59–496mm, n = 53). Angulate tortoises had a mean total length of 155.17mm (SD = 33.89mm, range 59–194mm, n = 18). Males were larger (mean total length = 186mm, SD = 8.40mm, range 174–194mm, n = 5) than females (mean total length = 143.31mm, SD = 32.48mm, range 59–178mm, n = 13). The estimated population density for leopard tortoises was 0.85 tortoises ha−1 with an estimated biomass of 6.02kg −1. Angulate tortoise population density was estimated at 0.12 tortoises ha−1 with a mean biomass of 0.06kg ha−1. The possible consequences of this high density and biomass are discussed. Resume On a determine les parametres (morphometrie, taille des populations et biomasse) des populations de tortues leopards et de tortues angulees dans le Thicket Biome, Province du Cap oriental, en Afrique du Sud. Les tortues leopards avaient une longueur totale moyenne de 306,47 mm. (SD = 94,65 mm., ecart 59–496mm., n = 89). Les mâles etaient plus petits (longueur totale moyenne = 277,31 mm., SD = 71,85 mm., ecart 73–377 mm., n = 36) que les femelles (longueur totale moyenne = 332,33 mm., SD = 97,64 mm., ecart 59–496 mm., n = 53). Les tortues angulees avaient une longueur totale moyenne de 155,17 mm. (SD = 33,89 mm., ecart 59-194 mm., n = 18). Les mâles etaient plus grands (longueur totale moyenne = 186 mm., SD = 8,40 mm., ecart 174-194 mm., n = 5) que les femelles (longueur totale moyenne = 143,31 mm., SD = 32,48 mm., ecart 59-178mm., n = 13). L'estimation de la densite de population des tortues leopards etait de 0,85 tortue/ha. , avec une biomasse estimeea 6,02 kg/ha. On a estime la densite de population des tortues angulees a 0,12 tortue/ha. , avec une biomasse moyenne de 0,06kg/ha. On discute les consequences possibles de ces hautes densites et biomasses.
Prevalence of Candida spp in the oral cavity of infants receiving artificial feeding and breastfeeding and the breasts of nursing mothers

Abstract This study aimed to phenotypically characterize the population of Candida genus yeasts in the oral cavity of infants receiving artificial feeding and breastfeeding from their breasts of the mothers. The presence of Candida spp was detected in 35% of the 157 infants. These were distributed into three groups: exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), mixed (MF) and artificial feeding (AF); and frequency was verified according to two factors: isolation of Candida spp in the oral cavity of infants receiving EBF and MF (35.0%) and AF (67.2%) (p < 0.005); and those using bottles (67.3%) or breast alone (32.0%). Lactating women (122 mothers of newborns in EBF and MF) were also studied, together with 30 nonlactating control women; the frequency of in vitro isolation of Candida spp from the breasts was 32.8% and 13.3%, respectively. In both the oral cavity of infants and breasts of lactating women, Candida albicans was the most commonly isolated yeast. An association between the use of pacifiers and oral colonization by Candida spp was verified. Of the 40 infants who used pacifiers, colonization was identified in 70.0%. Other predisposing factors were evaluated, oral hygiene and infants who received kisses on the lips, and both showed a statistically significant difference, p < 0.01 and p < 0.02, respectively. In infants, the use of breast pads proved to be a predisposing factor (OR = 2.4) for colonization and infection of the breasts by Candida spp. In comparisons of the phenotypic identities of Candida spp isolated in the oral cavity of infants with those isolated from the breasts of their mothers, a similarity of 69.2% was determined.
Homalopsid Snakes: Evolution in the Mud

Cerberus rynchops (Schneider, 1799) Enhydris Sonnini and Latreille, 1802 Enhydris albomaculata (Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854) Enhydris alternans (Reuss, 1834) Enhydris bennettii (Gray, 1842) Enhydris bocourti (Jan, 1865) Enhydris chanardi Murphy and Voris, 2005 Enhydris chinensis (Gray, 1842) Enhydris doriae (Peters, 1871) Enhydris dussumieri (Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854) Enhydris enhydris (Schneider, 1799) Enhydris gyii Murphy, Voris and Auliya, 2005 Enhydris indica (Gray, 1842) Enhydris innominata (Morice, 1875) Enhydris jagorii (Peters, 1863) Enhydris longicauda (Bourret, 1934) Enhydris maculosa (Blanford, 1879) Enhydris matannensis (Boulenger, 1897) Enhydris pahangensis Tweedie, 1946 Enhydris pakistanica Mertens, 1959 Enhydris plumbea (Boie, 1827) Enhydris polylepis (Fischer, 1886) Enhydris punctata (Gray, 1849) Enhydris sieboldii (Schlegel, 1837) Enhydris subtaeniata (Bourret, 1934) Enhydris vorisi Murphy 2006 Erpeton Lácèpéde, 1800 H omalopsid snakes are aquatic rear-fanged snakes that inhabit freshwater, brackish water, and marine environments from Pakistan’s Indus River east ward to Queensland, Australia. While a few live in flowing streams with clear water and rocky bottoms, most live in the muddy habitats created by Himalayan silt flowing to the seas of Southeast Asia. Many feed on fish, but a few have adapted to feeding on crustaceans and some are commensal with crustaceans living in their burrows. The Indochinese Peninsula and Sunda Shelf contain the greatest species diversity, and the history of these snakes is closely tied to the changing landscape of Southeast Asia. Homalopsid Snakes: Evolution in the Mud is the only available book on these aquatic reptiles and the first comprehensive review of the group in 35 years. It contains species accounts, summaries of the field work, and photographs of the snakes and their morphology which can only be found in this book.
Female-Biased Mortality in a Sexually Dimorphic Ungulate: Feral Cattle of Amsterdam Island

I investigated the scale and pattern of mortality among feral cattle ( Bos taurus ) occurring on Amsterdam Island in 1988 to test hypotheses related to sexual dimorphism. Because cattle are sexually dimorphic ungulates and all deaths apparently were due to starvation, mortality was expected to be biased towards males. Mortality of juvenile males was higher than that of juvenile females (22.4 versus 11.7%), but mortality of adult males was lower than that of females (18.3 versus 47.7%). Causes for differential survival in adult age-classes are uncertain, but could involve sex differences in use of habitat, or consequences of previous selection during domestication.
Variations in serologically detectable antigen of soybean dwarf virus in soybean leaflets as a function of time after inoculation and plant age.

Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) systems were developed for detection of soybean dwarf virus (SDV) and compared for sensitivity. With direct double-antibody sandwich (DAS) ELISA, dilution of conjugated immunoglobulins with uninfected tissue extracts prepared with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (1:5, w/v) improved absorbance compared with conjugates prepared with PBS alone. The apparent amplification of the positive signal occurred without changing nonspecific (background) absorbance. Indirect antigen-coated ELISA detected the dwarfing strain (SDV-D) but was much less sensitive than DAS-ELISA (.)
Mutational Analysis of FERM Domain Proteins CG34347 and Cdep in Drosophila

Crumbs is a transmembrane protein and apical determinant in Drosophila epithelial cells. Its cytoplasmic tail contains a PDZ and a FERM domain-binding site through which Crumbs interacts with the FERM proteins Yurt, Moesin and Expanded. Recent evidence suggests that Crumbs can also interact with the uncharacterised FERM proteins CG34347 and Cdep. The main objective of my thesis was to generate mutations in CG34347 and Cdep to facilitate the functional analysis of these genes. I generated a mutation for Cdep that remains to be characterised and two mutant lines for CG34347; one lacking the first exon and one lacking the entire gene, using a FRT-based recombination strategy. Both CG34347 mutants cause severe ovarian defects. The most consistent defect is a multilayering of the interfollicular stalk. These defects are also observed when Notch, Hippo, Wingless and Hedgehog signalling pathways are overactive in ovaries suggesting that CG34347 participates in one of those pathways.
Spices as Beneficial Hypolipidemic Food Adjuncts: A Review

Abstract The spices fenugreek, garlic, ginger, onion, red pepper, and turmeric are effective as hypocholesterolemics under conditions of experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, fenugreek is effective in human diabetics, whereas garlic and onion are effective in humans with induced lipemia. Capsaicin and curcumin, the active principles of red pepper and turmeric, respectively, are also documented to be efficacious even at doses comparable to calculated human intake. Capsaicin, curcumin, fenugreek, ginger, and onion are understood to cause an enhanced biliary secretion of bile acids also. Considerable human experimentation has been done with garlic and onion, but similar evaluation of the four other spices needs to be done. Limited information is also available on the hypolipidemic influence of spice combinations. Among these six spices, beneficial effects on lipid metabolism would probably be in the order: garlic > onion > red pepper/capsaicin > turmeric/curcumin > fenugreek > ginger. The mechanisms underlying the hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic influence of these spices have also been fairly well understood.