Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Translation information processing is regulated by protein kinase C-dependent mechanism in Purkinje cells in murine posterior vermis

Significance For spatial navigation, self-centered information sensed by sensory organs is transformed into word-centered information about our motion and orientation in space. The cerebellar posterior vermis helps transform vestibular afferent cues into translation and tilt information, but empirical evidence on the neuronal computations involved is lacking. We investigate these computations using a modeling approach and transgenic mice where protein kinase C (PKC) is inhibited at cerebellar cortex output neurons (Purkinje cells [PCs]). We demonstrate that most PCs have tilt and translation information and that the gain and timing of translation information are modulated by PKC-dependent processes. Hence, translation and tilt information are independently regulated in PCs. Moreover, PKC-dependent processes at PCs participate in generating world-centered motion information. The cerebellar posterior vermis generates an estimation of our motion (translation) and orientation (tilt) in space using cues originating from semicircular canals and otolith organs. Theoretical work has laid out the basic computations necessary for this signal transformation, but details on the cellular loci and mechanisms responsible are lacking. Using a multicomponent modeling approach, we show that canal and otolith information are spatially and temporally matched in mouse posterior vermis Purkinje cells and that Purkinje cell responses combine translation and tilt information. Purkinje cell-specific inhibition of protein kinase C decreased and phase-shifted the translation component of Purkinje cell responses, but did not affect the tilt component. Our findings suggest that translation and tilt signals reach Purkinje cells via separate information pathways and that protein kinase C-dependent mechanisms regulate translation information processing in cerebellar cortex output neurons.
The seasonal impact of Cytisus striatus on soil fertility and the herbaceous understory

Cytisus striatus is an endemic shrubby legume from western Spain that grows on acidic and rocky soils forming extent shrublands. The shrub’s effect on soil fertility and herbaceous species diversity and growth was studied in a natural population from centralwestern Spain. The concentrations of soil organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus were higher under Cytisus striatus canopy. Herbaceous species in the understorey had higher nitrogen content than those growing in between shrubs. Isotopic nitrogen analyses did not show a direct relationship between symbiotic nitrogen fixation on C. striatus and the nitrogen content of herbaceous species. The presence of shrubs had a negative effect on herbaceous richness and diversity in its understorey. However, herbaceous diversity in the ecosystem was increased due to the spatial heterogeneity created by the shrubs. The biomass produced by herbaceous species was lower under a dense shrub canopy than in areas without shrubs. It is proposed that intense competition could be responsible for these results, with Poaceae and Asteraceae outcompeting other species under a dense C. striatus canopy.
Heavy metal content of plants growing on soils contaminated by lead mining

During the nineteenth century several parts of Wales were intensively mined for lead, zinc and copper ores. Fields adjacent to and downstream from the mines became contaminated by air- and water-borne heavy metal compounds. Such fields still contain high concentrations of total lead, zinc and copper together with silver and cadmium, the chief ‘guest’ elements in lead and zinc ores. Extraction of the soils with dilute acetic acid suggested that contaminated soils contained more of these metals that were available to plants (Alloway, 1969; Alloway & Davies, 1971). Some studies of plant composition were made to confirm the evidence from soil extraction and to indicate the extent to which these metals were entering the food chain.
A combining ability analysis of cassava Manihot esculenta Crantz genotypes to anthracnose disease.

Cassava Anthracnose Disease (CAD) caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f sp. manihotis has been recognized as one of the major economic disease of cassava in all the cassava growing regions of Africa. Little information is available on the resistance of cassava to C. gloeosporioides f sp. manihotis. This study was conducted to determine the relative importance of general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability, maternal and non-maternal reciprocal effects on resistance to C. gloeosporioides f sp. manihotis in selected cassava genotypes. A complete diallel mating scheme including reciprocals of nine resistant and susceptible genotypes of cassava were evaluated in the field over a period of two planting seasons. The combining ability analysis revealed that both the additive and nonadditive gene effects were present. Crosses between the resistant lines and susceptible genotypes showed intermediate disease reaction to CAD suggesting a polygenic system of resistance to the disease. The significant maternal and specific reciprocal differences among the parents and crosses indicated that maternal and/or cytoplasmic inheritance is involved in the reaction of cassava genotypes to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f sp manihotis. The significant genotype X environment interaction suggested lack of stability in the development of lesions/cankers on cassava stems. Therefore, recurrent selection would be appropriate for accumulating genes for resistance to CAD in cassava and progeny performance may not be based on their parents performance sec-1.
Evaluation of Interferon-Gamma Polymorphisms as a Risk factor in Feline Infectious Peritonitis Development in Non-Pedigree Cats—a Large Cohort Study

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a common infectious cause of death in cats, with heritable host factors associated with altered risk of disease. To assess the role of feline interferon-gamma gene (fIFNG) variants in this risk, the allele frequencies of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (g.401 and g.408) were determined for non-pedigree cats either with confirmed FIP (n = 59) or from the general population (cats enrolled in a large lifetime longitudinal study; n = 264). DNA was extracted from buccal swabs or tissue samples. A pyrosequencing assay to characterize the fIFNG SNPs was designed, optimized and subsequently performed on all samples. Genotype and allele frequency were calculated for each population. Characterization of the target SNPs was possible for 56 of the cats with FIP and 263 of the cats from the general population. The SNPs were in complete linkage disequilibrium with each other. There was an association between FIP status and genotype (χ2; p = 0.028), with a reduced risk of developing FIP (χ2; p = 0.0077) associated with the genotype TT at both positions. These results indicate that, although fIFNG variants may be associated with altered risk of disease, the prevalence of individual variants within both populations limits application of their characterization to breeding purposes.
Nutrition Contents of the Some Wild Edible Plants in Central Black Sea Region of Turkey

The Central Black Sea region is in the northern part of Turkey. This region has a rich plant diversity. This study was carried out to determine the food values of some edible plants (Amaranthus retroflexus, Heracleum platytaenium, Ornithogalum sigmoideum, Chenopodium album, Cichorium intybus, Epi lobium angustifolium, Malva sylvestr is, Oxalis acetos ella, Plantago media, Polygonum cognatum and Smilax excelsa ) . The plants were collected in Ordu in 2004. The dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and protein contents were investigated in the studied plants. Dry matter contents were the highest in the stem of H. platytaenium. While the richest nitrogen and protein contents were the leaves of P. cognatum, the lowest contents were found in the stem of P. media. Although the maximum concentration of phosphorus was determined in the leaves of A. retroflexus, the lowest phosphorus concentration was found in the leaves of P. media.
Fruit Anatomy Provides Structural Synapomorphies to Help Define Myodocarpaceae (Apiales)

Abstract Fruit anatomical characters studied herein confirm the inclusion of Delarbrea and Myodocarpus in Apiales, but as a distinct group, corroborating previous studies (based on molecular data) in the recognition of Myodocarpaceae as a new family. The fruits of these genera share some features with those of Apiaceae (especially subfamilies Mackinlayoideae and Azorelloideae) and Araliaceae, including branching and anastomosing vascular bundles and secretory canals, woody endocarps, the presence of single ventral bundles or carpophores, and dispersed crystals. However, the presence of median wings in Myodocarpus and secretory vesicles in the mesocarps (adjacent to the woody endocarp) in both genera are unknown in any other genus of the order. Fruit characters are also useful in distinguishing Delarbrea, which produces drupes with a single ventral vascular bundle and sclereids in the mesocarp, from Myodocarpus, which has schizocarps with a single carpophore and lacks sclereids. Delarbrea balansae, once treated as the sole member of Pseudosciadium, shares all the distinctive fruit features with the other species of Delarbrea, further supporting its transfer there.
Phylogeny and Biogeography of Epimedium/Vancouveria (Berberidaceae): Western North American - East Asian Disjunctions, the Origin of European Mountain Plant Taxa, and East Asian Species Diversity

Abstract Using ITS and atpB-rbcL spacer sequences of 38 (of 55) species of the highly disjunct Eurasian/North African Epimedium and all three species of its western North American sister genus Vancouveria, we reconstructed the phylogeny of these two genera and dated major splits with a molecular clock approach. Epimedium was found to be monophyletic with a stem age dated to between 9.7 and 7.4 million years ago (My). Within Epimedium, almost all sections as recognized in the most recent classification of the genus were found to be monophyletic but subg. Epimedium was found to be paraphyletic in relation to subg. Rhizophyllum. Range formation in Eurasia proceeded as follows: in a first step, the western Himalayan part of the generic distribution area (sect. Polyphyllon) was separated from the remainder, followed by a split between the Chinese distribution area (sect. Diphyllon) and the remainder, the separation of the highly disjunct range of E. pinnatum from the Caucasus plus E. perralderianum from North Africa (subg. Rhizophyllum) and the remainder, and in a last step the separation of the European E. alpinum plus the Turkish E. pubigerum from the range of the genus in Japan, Korea, northeastern China and Far Eastern Russia (sects. Epimedium and Macroceras). These results imply that the European mountain species are not most closely related to taxa in mountain areas towards the east (e.g., Caucasus, Himalayas) but rather to taxa in the Far East. Accordingly, in Epimedium the link between western Eurasia and eastern Asia apparently was not through intervening mountain regions but probably through a more northerly deciduous forest belt which does not exist any longer. The largest number of species of Epimedium is found in China (sect. Diphyllon: 44 species mainly in Hubei, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces). The age of this clade was dated to 0.52 to 0.4 My. This implies that the diversification of this group probably is the result of frequent range shifts in the Quaternary.
Abyssal Polychaetous Annelids from the Mozambique Basin off Southeast Africa, with a Compendium of Abyssal Polychaetous Annelids from World-Wide Areas

Twenty-six abyssal polychaetes are named from the Mozambique basin off southeast Africa. Three species and two genera are new: Progoniada simplex, Berkeleyia profunda, Bruunilla natalensis, and another in Sphaerodoridae to be described elsewhere. A new family Fauveliopsidae is erected, its species previously allied with Flabelligeridae. Three species are known from Indo-Pacific regions: Glycera papillosa, Ammotrypane brevibranchiata, Phalacrostemma elegans. One, Axionice spinifera, is antarctic; another, Scalibregma inflata, is cosmopolitan. Five generic categories are chiefly or wholly abyssal: Ilyphagus, Fauveliopsis, Flabelligella, Monorchos, Potamethus. Nine genera are cosmopolitan: Aphrodita, Euphrosine, Phyllochaetopterus, Chaetozone, Ammotrypane, Nicomache, Myriochele, Serpula. Unidentifiable species are in families Lacydonidae, Onuphidae, and Ampharetidae. A compendium names abyssal species from depths of 2000 m or more; included are nearly 500 species in 240 genera and 51 families.
Modelling relationships between species spatial abundance patterns and climate

Aim To move towards modelling spatial abundance patterns and to evaluate the relative impacts of climatic change upon species abundances as opposed to range extents. Location Southern Africa, including Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Methods Quantitative response surface models were fitted for 78 bird species, mostly endemic (68) or near-endemic to the region, to model relationships between species reporting rates (i.e. the proportion of checklists reporting a species for a particular grid cell), as recorded by the Southern African Bird Atlas Project, and four bioclimatic variables derived from climatic data for the period 1961–90. With caution, reporting rates can be used as a proxy for abundance. Models were used to project potential impacts of a series of projected climatic change scenarios upon species abundance patterns and range extents. Results Most models obtained were robust with good predictive power. Projections of potential future abundance patterns indicate that the magnitude of impacts upon a proxy for abundance are greater than those upon range extent for the majority of species (82% by 2071–2100). For most species (74%) both abundance and range extent are projected to decrease by 2100. Impacts are especially severe if species are unable to realize projected range changes; when only the area of a species' simulated present range is considered, overall abundance decreases of more than 80% are projected for 19 (24%) of species examined. Main conclusions Our results indicate that projected climatic changes are likely to elicit greater relative changes in species abundances than range extents. For most species examined changes were decreases, suggesting the impacts upon biodiversity are likely generally to be negative. These results also suggest that previous estimates of the proportion of species at increased risk of extinction as a result of climatic change may, in some cases, be under-estimates.
A dairy cow model to assess aflatoxin transmission from feed into milk – Evaluating efficacy of the mycotoxin binder Mycosorb®

A dairy cow model was established to measure the transmission of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) into milk. Four Ayrshire mid-lactation dairy cows (ranging 590 – 650 kg body weight and averaging 4.5 years of age) were used in a crossover experimental design in which each cow acted as its own control and was subjected to four dietary treatments administered as six 12-day feeding periods followed by a 7-day washout period. Periods I – VI comprised a 7 d of adaptation followed by 5 d of sampling. Period VII was a 7-d washout with sampling in the final two days. From each morning's milking, yield was recorded and sampled for AFM1 analysis by HPLC. Treatments included a negative control, contamination with AFB1 (5 µg of AFB1/kg feed), AFB1 + Mycosorb ® (MTB) 10 g/cow/d, and AFB1 + MTB 50 g/cow/d. In response to the negative control, AFM1 concentrations in milk remained below the limit of detection ( ® (MTB) in reducing secretion of AFM1 into milk by cows fed the same AFB1-contaminated diet. When supplemented at 50 g/head/day, MTB significantly reduced ( P
Fathers of Children With Congenital Heart Disease: Sources of Stress and Opportunities for Intervention

Objectives: To examine sources of stress for fathers of children with congenital heart disease and opportunities for intervention to prevent or reduce paternal mental health problems. Design: Qualitative study using online crowdsourcing, an innovative research methodology to create an online community to serve as a research sample. Setting: Yammer, an online social networking site. Subjects: Geographically diverse sample of 70 parents (25 fathers and 45 mothers) of young children with congenital heart disease. Interventions: Participants joined a private group on Yammer and responded to 37 open-ended study questions over a 6-month period. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using an iterative process, and themes regarding sources of stress for fathers of children with congenital heart disease and opportunities for intervention were identified. Measurements and Main Results: Four broad themes regarding sources of stress for fathers of children with congenital heart disease emerged from the qualitative data from both mothers and fathers: societal expectations for fatherhood and standards of masculinity, balancing work and family responsibilities, feeling overlooked as a partner in care, and lack of father supports. To begin to address these sources of stress, participants recommended that care teams acknowledge and normalize the impact of congenital heart disease on fathers, provide support for balancing work and family responsibilities, recognize and promote father knowledge and engagement, and provide formal and informal supports for fathers of children with congential heart disease. Conclusions: Fathers of children with congenital heart disease experience unique sources of stress in the absence of targeted interventions to meet their needs. Care teams play an important role in acknowledging the experiences of fathers and including and engaging fathers in care.
Construction of an integrated prognostic classifier model for predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in non‐small cell lung cancer

Dear Editor: Although immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has become an innovative treatment regimen for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years, only a small proportion of patients benefit from this regimen [1]. Nowadays, several biomarkers have been used to predict the effectiveness of ICI treatment, such as programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression level in tumor tissues [2], tumor mutation burden (TMB) [3], and so on. However, single biomarker has not been found to be efficient enough to precisely identify treatment-responsive patients; thereby indicating that multiple biomarkers would be a better option. Hence, we made a comprehensive analysis of several ICI efficacy-associated biomarkers and constructed a prognostic classifier model for NSCLC patients receiving ICI treatment. Ourmain study endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Some evidences had indicated the prognostic value of common gene mutations, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tumor protein p53 (TP53), for NSCLC treatment using ICI [1]. Additionally, the human SWItch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatinremodeling complex was encoded by multi-gene families. Mutations in these genes occurred broadly in
Interactions between a crinivirus, an ipomovirus and a potyvirus in coinfected sweetpotato plants

Novel and severe symptoms of chlorosis, rugosity, leaf strapping and dark green islands, designated as sweetpotato severe mosaic disease (SPSMD), were caused by dual infection of Sweet potato mild mottle virus (SPMMV; Ipomovirus ) and Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV; Crinivirus ) in three East African sweetpotato cultivars (Tanzania, Dimbuka and New Kawogo). The storage root yield was reduced by ∼ 80%, as compared with healthy plants under screenhouse conditions in Uganda. Plants infected with SPMMV or SPCSV alone showed nonsignificant or 50% yield reduction, respectively. SPCSV reduced resistance to SPMMV in sweetpotato, similar to the situation with resistance to Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV; Potyvirus ) that breaks down following infection with SPCSV, followed by development of sweet potato virus disease (SPVD). In single virus infections with SPMMV and SPFMV or their coinfection, cvs Tanzania and Dimbuka were initially systemically infected, displayed symptoms and contained readily detectable virus titres, but new leaves were symptomless with very low virus titres, indicating recovery from disease. In contrast, cv. New Kawogo remained symptomless and contained low SPMMV and SPFMV titres following graft inoculation. These moderate and high levels of resistance to SPMMV and SPFMV, respectively, were lost and cultivars succumbed to a severe disease following coinfection with SPCSV. The synergistic interactions increased titres of SPMMV and SPFMV RNA by ∼ 1000fold as quantified by real-time PCR, whereas SPCSV titres were reduced twofold, indicating an antagonistic interaction. Coinfection with SPMMV and SPFMV caused no detectable changes in virus titres or symptom severity.
Diatom aggregation when exposed to crude oil and chemical dispersant: Potential impacts of ocean acidification

Diatoms play a key role in the marine carbon cycle with their high primary productivity and release of exudates such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP). These exudates contribute to aggregates (marine snow) that rapidly transport organic material to the seafloor, potentially capturing contaminants like petroleum components. Ocean acidification (OA) impacts marine organisms, especially those that utilize inorganic carbon for photosynthesis and EPS production. Here we investigated the response of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana grown to present day and future ocean conditions in the presence of a water accommodated fraction (WAF and OAWAF) of oil and a diluted chemically enhanced WAF (DCEWAF and OADCEWAF). T. pseudonana responded to WAF/DCEWAF but not OA and no multiplicative effect of the two factors (i.e., OA and oil/dispersant) was observed. T. pseudonana released more colloidal EPS (< 0.7 μm to > 3 kDa) in the presence of WAF/DCEWAF/OAWAF/OADCEWAF than in the corresponding Controls. Colloidal EPS and particulate EPS in the oil/dispersant treatments have higher protein-to-carbohydrate ratios than those in the control treatments, and thus are likely stickier and have a greater potential to form aggregates of marine oil snow. More TEP was produced in response to WAF than in Controls; OA did not influence its production. Polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and distributions were significantly impacted by the presence of dispersants but not OA. PAHs especially Phenanthrenes, Anthracenes, Chrysenes, Fluorenes, Fluoranthenes, Pyrenes, Dibenzothiophenes and 1-Methylphenanthrene show major variations in the aggregate and surrounding seawater fraction of oil and oil plus dispersant treatments. Studies like this add to the current knowledge of the combined effects of aggregation, marine snow formation, and the potential impacts of oil spills under ocean acidification scenarios.
The Role of the Non‐neuronal Cholinergic System in Inflammation and Degradation Processes in Osteoarthritis

The non‐neuronal cholinergic system represents non‐neuronal cells that have the biochemical machinery to synthetize de novo and/or respond to acetylcholine (ACh). We undertook this study to investigate this biochemical machinery in chondrocytes and its involvement in osteoarthritis (OA).