Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN SOUTHERN BELT OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

† contributed equally ABSTRACT Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a vector-born disease caused by the flagellate parasite Leishmania tropica. Diagnosis by PCR is becoming a ʹgold standardʹ technique. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and to determine the usefulness of kDNA-PCR for the diagnosis of Leishmania tropica. Exudates smears/ skin biopsy of 133 suspected individuals of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis were included in this study. All the samples were analysed with microscope and kDNA-PCR for detection of Lesihmania tropica. The study population in the endemic regions suggested the highest sensitivity of 78.8% of CL in men than women 72.2% by kDNA-PCR. While the microscopy findings were 60.5% in males and 40.4% in females, followed by 94.1% confirmation by kDNA-PCR and 70.5% detection by microscopy in male's age group 21-30 years while 75.0% kDNA-PCR confirmation and 41.6% microscopy positivity in same age group of females. Face was found to be more infected 88.5% with lesion duration 4-6 months having sensitivity of 85.2% by kDNA-PCR as compared to 65.4% detection but sensitivity of 61.8% by microscopy. The highest epidemics 86.4% and 61.4% of Lesihmania tropica were found in North Waziristan Agency by kDNA-PCR and microscopy respectively. For sampling methods, kDNA-PCR showed greater sensitivity 81.4% for dermal scraping than 69.9% Whatman sterile paper.
Sex Hormones in the Song Wren: Variation with Time of Year, Molt, Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone, and Social Challenge

Abstract Little is known about the role that hormones play in controlling the life cycles and behaviors of resident, tropical-forest passerines. In this study, we document levels of the sex hormones dihydroepiandosterone (DHEA), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, and testosterone in male and female Song Wrens (Cyphorhinus phaeocephalus) during the breeding season. In males, we found no significant seasonal changes in sex hormones and no effect of molt or experimental social challenge on hormone levels. The lack of population-level variation in sex hormone levels throughout the reproductive season highlights the asynchronous nature of reproduction in this species. Stimulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis through injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) did not affect sex steroid levels in males but did cause a significant increase in LH levels. Low basal testosterone levels in males and the failure of males to respond to GnRH or social challenge with an increase in testosterone indicates either a limited role for systemic testosterone or a system highly sensitive to small changes in hormone titers. Levels of LH, progesterone, and testosterone were similar in females with and without active brood patches, though DHEA levels were higher in females with them. As in males, reproductive hormone levels in females did not change with body or wing molt. However, although wing molt was not significantly related to brood patch status, body molt was negatively associated with the presence of active brood patches in females. This result may suggest an inability of females to engage in body molt and breeding simultaneously.
Land Forms and Winter Habitat Refugia in the Conservation of Montane Grasshoppers in Southern Africa

: The importance of topography in evaluation of insect conservation is discussed with reference to grasshoppers in the Natal Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa For these insects, the hilltops act as thermal refugia from winter cold air drainage. Additionally, the increased insolation on the eastern and northern sides of the hilltops, compared with the western and southern sides, attracts the grasshoppers. Crevices in the hill summits provide further microrefugia Burning reduces grasshopper numbers by half and although many species are adapted to burn conditions, the reduced grass cover accentuates the thermal influences. Other animals, and plants, also selectively inhabit these hilltops, making them highly significant conservation refugia in a matrix of thermally inhospitable land. Evaluations for biological conservation should take note of the strong influence that land forms may have on plant and animal local distributions. Resumen: La importancia de la topografia en la evaluacion de la conservacion de insectos es discutida con referencia a los saltamontes de las montanas Natal Drakensbeq en Sud Africa. Para estos insectos las cimas de los cerros actuan como refugio termico de los vientos invernales. Adicionalmente, el mayor aislamiento de los lados este y norte de las cimas de los cerros comparados con los lados oeste y sur, atrae a los saltamontes. Las grietas en la cima de los cerroc proporcionan microrefugios mas alejados. Las quemas reducen el numero de saltamontes a la mitad y aunque muchas especies estan adaptadas a las condiciones de quema, la reducida cubierta de pastos acentua las influencias termicas. Tambien otras plantas y animales habitan selectivamente estas cimas haciendolas refugios altamente significativos para la conservacion en una matriz de tierra termicamente inhospita. Las evaluaciones para la conservacion biologica deben de notar la fuerte influencia que la topografia puede tener en la distribucion local de plantas y animales.
First record of a platanistid (Cetacea, Odontoceti) in the North Sea Basin: a review of Cyrtodelphis Abel, 1899 from the Miocene of Belgium

The systematic status of remains of odontocetes (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Miocene of the region of Antwerp (north of Belgium, southern margin of the North Sea Basin) previously referred to the long-snouted dolphin species Cyrtodelphis sulcatus (Gervais, 1853) is revised. A number of the specimens, a rostrum, some rostral and mandibular fragments, probably dated from the late Early to Middle Miocene, are identified as belonging to a member of the family Platanistidae (for which the only extant genus is Platanista from rivers of north-eastern Asia), more precisely to the subfamily Pomatodelphininae. This is the first platanistid record from the North Sea Basin. Another fragment of skull is referred to Kentriodontidae incertae sedis. An isolated tympanic bulla belongs to a eurhinodelphinid. The palaeoecology of the pomatodelphinines is briefly discussed, comparing their palaeogeographic range and the morphology of their feeding apparatus to the eurhinodelphinids, other long-snouted dolphins mainly known from the Miocene.
Human–wildlife conflict in Mozambique: a national perspective, with emphasis on wildlife attacks on humans

Abstract Human–wildlife conflicts are common across Africa. In Mozambique, official records show that wildlife killed 265 people during 27 months (July 2006 to September 2008). Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus, lion Panthera leo, elephant Loxodonta africana and hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius caused most deaths but crocodiles were responsible for 66%. Crocodile attacks occurred across Mozambique but 53% of deaths occurred in districts bordering Lake Cabora Bassa and the Zambezi River. Hippopotamus attacks were also concentrated here. Lion attacks occurred mainly in northern Mozambique and, while people were attacked by elephants across the country, 67% of deaths occurred in northern Mozambique. Attacks by lions, elephants or hippopotamuses were relatively rare but additional data will probably show that attacks by these species are more widespread than the preliminary records suggest. Buffalo Syncerus caffer, hyaena Crocuta crocuta and leopard Panthera pardus were minor conflict species. Good land-use planning, a long-term solution to many conflicts, is particularly relevant in Mozambique, where the crocodile and hippopotamus populations of protected areas are often in rivers that border these areas, and cause conflicts outside them, and where people commonly live within protected areas. Poverty may prompt fishermen to risk crocodile attack by entering rivers or lakes. The high incidence of conflicts near Limpopo and South Africa’s Kruger National Parks (both within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area) highlights the problems created for people by facilitating the unrestricted movement of wildlife between protected areas across their land.
Regulation of the MDM2-p53 feedback loop by ribosomal proteins

The MDM2-p53 feedback loop is vital for cell growth control. Therefore, it is subjected to multiple forms of regulation. This dissertation sought to identify proteins that regulate the MDM2-p53 feedback loop through association with MDM2. Using a stable human 293 cell line that constitutively expresses MDM2, I purified MDM2associated complexes that contains ribosomal proteins L5, Lll, and L23. Ribosomal biogenesis tightly coordinates with cell growth. Perturbation of ribosomal biogenesis induced by inhibiting rRNA synthesis, processing, or assembly leads to ribosomal stress that activates the p53 pathway and stalls cell growth. However, the detailed mechanism underlying this pathway is still unknown. Here we show that ribosomal proteins L5, Lll, and L23 form a complex or complexes with MDM2 independently of ribosomes. Functionally, overexpression ofL5, Lll, or L23 induces p53 transcriptional activity and p53-dependent G 1 cell cycle arrest by inhibiting MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Interestingly, a low dose (5 nM) of actinomycin D, but not y irradiation or translation inhibitors, enhances the MDM2-L proteins interaction. Reduction ofL23 and L5 by siRNA inhibits actinomycin D-induced p53 activation. Furthermore, we show that Lll, but not L5 and L23, leads to a dramatic accumulation of the ubiquitinated species and the steady-state level ofMDM2, indicating that while Lll inhibits MDM2 activity towards p53, it enhances MDM2 auto-ubiquitination and also stabilizes MDM2 through a potential post-ubiquitination mechanism. In summary, these results demonstrate that ribosomal proteins L5, Lll, and L23 are important regulators of the MDM2-p53 feedback loop in response to ribosomal stress.
The role of cytokinins in the regulation of apical dominance in Pisum sativum.

Intact or decapitated Pisum sativum seedlings were used to investigate the correlative inhibition of lateral buds by the shoot apex a developmental process known as apical dominance. Apical dominance is considered to be regulated by the relative ratios of growth regulators, especially auxin and cytokinin, and resource availability in the plant. This study considered the role of cytokinins in the regulation of correlative inhibition, and was closely linked to theoretical models of auxin and nutrient gradients in the whole plant. Firstly, the response of all lateral buds on the plant to decapitation of the shoot apex, and the subsequent growth of these buds, was documented. The pattern of lateral bud branching following decapitation, noted to change with increasing age of the plant, was found to be consistent with the view that apically synthesized auxin, moving basipetally, exerts an inhibitory influence on lateral bud growth. Removal of selected lateral buds on decapitated plants which left various combinations of buds to compete indicated that correlation between lateral buds on the same plant was likely an important factor controlling the patterns of lateral bud branching. Secondly, a quantitative study of the biological responses which result from the application of a cytokinin to a lateral bud were performed. The different abilities of ten cytokinins tested to release lateral buds from dominance paralleled their activity in a soybean callus bioassay, and were likely a result of the intrinsic activities of the cytokinins due to their structure and their subsequent rr.etabolism in the plant following application. A consistent feature of these experiments was the low biological activity of isopentenyladenine in relation to the high activity of zeatin. Further investigation of the role of isopentenyladenine and zeatin in apical dominance control indicated that lateral buds differed in their sensitivity to these two cytokinins. On decapitated plants, lateral buds were more able to
Internal migration of sodium chloride, sorbitol and moisture in fish meat during soaking and cold preservation

ABSTRACT: Migration of NaCl, sorbitol or moisture inside fish meat strips was investigated. Meat strips were soaked in 1.5 M NaCl or 2.0 M sorbitol solution at 4°C and were then cold preserved at 4°C. The contents of NaCl or sorbitol in the internal deep parts of the soaked meat strips were considerably lower than in the superficial parts. During the subsequent cold preservation of the soaked meat strips, migration of both compounds from the outside to the inside was promoted. The migration rate of sorbitol during the cold preservation was markedly lower than that of NaCl. The moisture content in the superficial parts of the NaCl-soaked meat strips was higher than that in the internal deep parts, while the trend in the distribution of moisture was quite the opposite in the sorbitol-soaked meat strips. Moisture migrated from the inside to the outside in the sorbitol-soaked meat strips during the cold preservation. However, the migration of moisture in the NaCl-soaked meat strips hardly proceeded. These results suggested that the moisture migration was affected by the moisture imbalance as well as by the increase in water-holding capacity of myofibrillar proteins by raising the NaCl concentration in the meat strips.
Effects of slaughter weight and sex on carcass traits and meat quality of Casertana pigs reared outdoors

Abstract The effects of different slaughter weights (W) and sex (S) on carcass traits and longissimus dorsi meat quality (pH, WHC, colour, cholesterol and collagen) of Casertana pigs were studied. Thirty-six pure breed Casertana pigs, 24 barrows (B) and 12 gilts (G), were evaluated in a 2x2 factorial design involving different slaughter live weights (L, 125.6 kg; H, 152.5 kg) and S (B and G). H pigs had higher carcass weight (P<0.01), dressing percentage (P<0.05), ham yield (+ 7.9 %; P<0.01), lean meat cuts (P<0.01) and backfat thickness (+13.3%; P<0.05), and lower (P<0.01) loin yield and fatty cuts. W did not affect pH and WHC. L pigs produced lighter (P<0.01) and more yellow meat (P<0.01), while H pigs showed lower (P<0.01) hue value. Cholesterol content resulted higher (P<0.05) in H pig meat. Collagen properties were affected by W. Compared to G, B had higher dressing percentage (P<0.05) and backfat thickness (P<0.01), smaller loin area (P<0.01), slightly lower (P<0.08) loin yield and less (P<0.01) lean cuts. S did not affect any meat quality traits.
Distribution of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in 2004

Abstract The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed delisting the Yellowstone grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) in November 2005. Part of that process required knowledge of the most current distribution of the species. Here, we update an earlier estimate of occupied range (1990–2000) with data through 2004. We used kernel estimators to develop distribution maps of occupied habitats based on initial sightings of unduplicated females (n = 481) with cubs of the year, locations of radiomarked bears (n = 170), and spatially unique locations of conflicts, confrontations, and mortalities (n = 1,075). Although each data set was constrained by potential sampling bias, together they provided insight into areas in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) currently occupied by grizzly bears. The current distribution of 37,258 km2 (1990–2004) extends beyond the distribution map generated with data from 1990–2000 (34,416 km2). Range expansion is particularly evident in parts of the Caribou–Targhee National Forest in Idaho and north of Spanish Peaks on the Gallatin National Forest in Montana.
Under What Conditions Is Trichloroethylene Likely To Be a Carcinogen in Humans?

This manuscript has been reviewed in accordance with the policy of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or use recommendation. Exposures to trichloroethylene (TCE) induce several types of cancer in experimental animals. TCE is metabolized in the body to multiple compounds, several of which are carcinogenic at relatively high doses in rodents. Risk assessments can be pursued with any one of the animal cancer endpoints after consideration of their relevance for humans exposed at low environmental concentrations. Among the TCE metabolites, dichloroacetic acid (DCA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), chloral hydrate (CHL), and 1,2-dichlorovinylcysteine (DCVC) are each considered carcinogenic in rodents. Two of these, DCA and CHL, are used therapeutically in humans, while a third, TCA, has metabolic effects similar to compounds used therapeutically in humans to reduce lipid concentrations in blood. Each of these three compounds produces biological responses that are expected in humans. However, these biological responses, although they serve as precursors for tumor formation in rodents, are not expected to lead to tumors in humans at any environmentally relevant exposure situations. 1,2-DCVC, formed by a minor pathway of TCE metabolism, is further metabolized in kidney to a reactive thioketene. Of the observed animal carcinogenic responses, only the kidney tumors from the DCVC pathway are considered relevant as predictors of human cancer. Factors that increase TCE metabolism to glutathione conjugates or predispose humans to kidney damage should increase risks posed to workers from high-concentration exposures to TCE. Based on our knowledge of the cytotoxic and mutagenic modes of action expected for these active metabolite (s), a nonlinear cancer risk assessment approach is recommended to be used with the kidney tumor data to assess the human risks of TCE.
Group composition and reproductive success of cooperatively breeding white-winged choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos) in urban and non-urban habitat

White-winged choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos, Corcoracidae) are a common, breeding resident in and around the city of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. We compared five measures of reproductive success between the urban and non-urban populations of choughs to investigate the effect of urbanization on this cooperatively breeding species. Urban choughs initiated breeding earlier than their non-urban counterparts and were more likely to suffer nest failures. However, there was no difference in the number of successful nests in a season or the number of fledglings produced per successful nesting attempt. A greater proportion of fledglings survived their first 12 months in the non-urban habitat. We suggest that increased rates of nest predation and fledgling mortality in the urban environment may have a negative effect on reproductive success and remove any advantage that might be gained through a longer breeding season. Possible effects of urbanization on the social and genetic structure of white-winged choughs are also discussed.
Ontogenetic Factors Affecting Diffusion Dispersal in the Introduced Mediterranean Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus

Abstract Dispersal occurs when an individual leaves its natal area or home range, travels through adjacent areas, and then establishes a new home range where it will attempt to reproduce. Previous studies have suggested that subadults (i.e., hatchlings and juveniles) are the main agents of dispersal among introduced populations of Mediterranean Geckos, Hemidactylus turcicus. We derived a testable hypothesis for subadult dispersal in Mediterranean Geckos. In September 2006, we conducted tethering experiments to test the prediction that adults act aggressively toward subadults. From June to October 2006, we conducted 18 mark-recapture samples to test predictions of perch height occupancy and relative presence of adults and subadults at buildings and areas between buildings (i.e., transient habitats). As predicted, subadults occupied lower regions of buildings than adults, and subadults were disproportionately abundant in transient habitats. Apparently because of small sample size, there was no difference in the relative presence of adults and subadults at recently occupied buildings (i.e., arrival habitats). Our results supported the hypothesis that hatchlings were the main agents of diffusion dispersal within our study population and suggested that hatchling dispersal may be motivated by hostile encounters with adults. It was also clear that Mediterranean Geckos attempt to disperse from buildings more frequently than previously suggested.
Laboratory and greenhouse evaluation of a new entomopathogenic strain of Beauveria bassiana for control of the onion thrips Thrips tabaci

Abstract The onion thrips Thrips tabaci is one of the most important pests of greenhouse and open-field broccoli, onion and other crops. However, the current strategy of using synthetic pesticides for its control is inadequate and unsustainable, leading to a growing interest in novel and effective biological control alternatives such as entomopathogenic fungi. Among 20 isolates of Beauveria bassiana tested for virulence against T. tabaci in laboratory bioassays, we found strain SZ-26 as the most potent, causing 83–100% mortality in adults at 1×107 mL−1conidia after 4–7 days. Further experiments in greenhouses showed the strain SZ-26 significantly lowered the numbers of adult and larval stages.
Physiological response of temperate microphytobenthos to freezing temperatures

Microphytobenthos (MPB) contributes up to half the primary production of estuaries. These microorganisms are sensitive to changes in sediment temperatures, particularly the extreme temperatures during exposure periods. This study investigates the physiological responses of MPB to freezing temperatures at two locations near Hobart, Tasmania during winter. Photosynthetic parameters were measured at 2 mm intervals to a depth of 10 mm. FV/FM values at three different distances from the shoreline at Kings Beach and Browns River in winter were between 0.584 and 0.617. rETRmax values were between 24.696 and 20.773. Maximum α values peaked in the subsurface rather than at the sediment surface. In vitro laboratory experiments (down to −5°C) showed little difference in response between the control and treatment groups, indicating no apparent effects of short term freezing on the MPB. Little change in photosynthetic parameters in response to freezing was probably associated with the resistance of light-harvesting reactions to freezing temperatures, recovery of the plasmalemma integrity or cryoprotection. Sediment composition and species composition were similar at both sampling sites. Therefore, responses of MPB were not due to species and grain size composition.