Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of 1.8-cineole (eucalyptol) on the spontaneous contractile activity of smooth muscles fibre

Eucalyptus oil is frequently used in phytotherapy. The objective of the present paper was to investigate to what extent 1.8-cineole influences the activity of smooth muscle fibres. The effects of 1.8-cineole on the spontaneous contractile activity were investigated in in vitro experiments with circular smooth muscle fibres of guinea pig stomach. 1.8-cineole was found to have agonistic effects on the a1 and a2 adrenergic receptors. These effects can be registered at low concentrations of up to 3 × 10-7 to 2 × 10-5 M 1.8-cineole. At higher concentrations, the well-known spasmolytic effect appears. At concentrations above 4 × 10-4 M 1.8-cineole, the effect of 10-5 M acetylcholine is 100% suppressed. The results allow for the assumption that, besides the spasmolytic effects investigated to date and owing to its specific effects on the a2 adrenergic receptors of the nerve cells, 1.8-cineole brings about an additional improvement to local blood circulation and alleviates pain. Key words: Smooth muscle fibre, 1.8-cineole (eucalyptol), a1 and a2 adrenergic receptors, papaverine, pain, clonidine.
Comparative transcriptomics support evolutionary convergence of diapause responses across Insecta

Diapause is a common phenotype that is broadly phylogenetically dispersed across Insecta and appears to have multiple evolutionary origins. Nevertheless, there are clear commonalities in diapause regulation across insect taxa. In the present study, we report a meta‐analysis of diapause whole transcriptomic data sets from 11 different insect species that addresses three questions: (i) how similar are whole‐transcriptome diapause responses across species within and across different diapause life‐cycle stages; (ii) do the most closely‐related species demonstrate the most similar diapause responses within and across diapause life‐cycle stages (the existence of phylogenetic signal); and (iii) is there a core set of regulatory genes that universally associate with insect diapause at the transcript level? The included species are mostly Dipterans (n = 9), plus one species each from Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. The group includes multiple species that enter diapause as either larvae, pupae or adults. We establish a set of 4791 orthologous transcript sequences with expression data acquired from published studies of diapause transcriptomes. We find no support for phylogenetic signal. Transcriptomic responses of nondipterans clustered within rather than outside of Dipteran responses. However, expression profiles do tend to cluster with the diapause stage of developmental arrest, although this pattern is only moderately supported. We identify a statistically significant set of 542 orthologues (11% of all orthologues) that are commonly differentially regulated during diapause across all included species. From this core set, we identify candidate genes participating in circadian rhythmicity, insulin signalling and Wnt signalling, which are pathways previously associated with insect diapause development. Clustering relationships among species are most consistent with evolutionary convergence of the shared transcriptomic response, although we are unable to determine whether this reflects convergence of the diapause initiation, maintenance or termination phases.
Virus-Host Infection Dynamics of Marine Single-Celled Eukaryotes Resolved from Metatranscriptomics

Metatranscriptomics has emerged as a tool in microbial ecology that can resolve the functional landscape of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes within a community. In this study, we extend the potential of metatranscriptomics to probe active virus infections and virus-host relationships in marine systems. Polyadenylation-selected RNA-seq data were examined from microbial communities in two productive marine environments: a brown tide bloom event dominated by Aureococcus anophagefferens in Quantuck Bay, NY, and a diatom-dominated plankton community in Narragansett Bay, RI. Active infections by diverse giant viruses (NCLDVs) of algal and non-algal hosts were found at both sites. Ongoing infections of A. anophagefferens by a known Mimiviridae (AaV) were observed during both the peak and decline of the bloom. Bloom decline was also accompanied by increased activity for viruses other than AaV, including (+) ssRNA viruses. In Narragansett Bay, increased temporal reso’lution revealed active NCLDVs with both ‘boom-and-bust’ as well as ‘steady-state infection’-like ecologies. Statistical co-occurrence examinations of the dsDNA, ssRNA and dsRNA markers within the data revealed a broad spectrum of statistically strong and significant virus-host relationships that included both known as well as novel interactions. Our approach offers a method for screening the diversity and dynamics of active viral infections in natural systems and develops links between viruses and their potential hosts in situ. Significance Viruses are important partners in ecosystem scale ecology, yet their study to date is primarily limited to single virus-host infection models in the laboratory or limited to “potential-actions” derived from metagenomics analyses. Using metatranscriptomic sequences from polyadenylated-RNA selected samples, we have simultaneously captured information regarding eukaryotic diversity and active infection by viruses with dsDNA genomes, resulting in a statistical opportunity to predict “who is infecting whom”. This approach further provides concurrent insight regarding viruses with ssRNA and dsRNA genomes, capturing dynamics for the communities of viruses infecting single-celled eukaryotes. Given the central role of these plankton in global scale processes, our efforts result in a transformational step-forward regarding the study of in situ virus-host interactions.
Cytogenetic insights into an oceanic island radiation: The dramatic evolution of pre‐existing traits in Cheirolophus (Asteraceae: Cardueae: Centaureinae)

146–157 p., tablas, graficos -- El suplemento electronico (Fig. S1) esta disponible en la seccion Supplementary Data de la version online del articulo: http://www.ingentaconnect. com/content/iapt/tax/2017/00000066/00000001/art00009/supp-data
Mechanism underlying PTBP1-mediated alternative pre-mRNA splicing in regulating tissue-specific gene expression

Alternative pre-mRNA splicing (AS) provides an efficient means for diversifying the proteome and regulating gene expression levels in the higher eukaryotes. The gene regulation function often involves coupling between AS and nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), a cytoplasmic surveillance mechanism destabilizing mRNAs with premature termination codons. AS is controlled by interplay between cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting factors modulating the usage of alternative pre-mRNA segments. Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (Ptbp1/PTB/ hnRNP-I), a global repressor of neuron-specific alternative splicing program in non-neuronal cells, has been previously shown to repress several neuronal genes by inhibiting the inclusion of open reading frame-maintaining exons and subjecting the exon-skipped transcripts to NMD. Down-regulation of Ptbp1 levels in developing neurons alleviates this effect and gives rise to translation-competent transcripts. Here we identified several new Ptbp1-dependent AS-NMD targets that, unlike the earlier described examples, require Ptbp1 for their optimal expression. One such target, the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome 1 (Hps1) gene, is regulated by a unique Ptbp1-mediated choice between two competing alternative 5’ splice sites (5’ss). Dampening Ptbp1 levels promotes the usage of the downstream 5’ss and gives rise to an NMD-susceptible Hps1 mRNA isoform in neurons. We show that Ptbp1 functions in this circuitry by activating the upstream 5’ss rather than repressing the downstream 5’ss. This was surprising since Ptbp1 typically functions as a splicing repressor. To understand molecular mechanisms underlying Ptbp1-mediated splicing activation, we examined both Hps1 and another
The Modulation of Pain by Circadian and Sleep-Dependent Processes: A Review of the Experimental Evidence

This proceedings paper is the first in a series of three papers developing mathematical models for the complex relationship between pain and the sleep-wake cycle. Here, we briefly review what is known about the relationship between pain and the sleep-wake cycle in humans and laboratory rodents in an effort to identify constraints for the models. While it is well accepted that sleep behavior is regulated by a daily (circadian) timekeeping system and homeostatic sleep drive, the joint modulation of these two primary biological processes on pain sensitivity has not been considered. Under experimental conditions, pain sensitivity varies across the 24 h day, with highest sensitivity occurring during the evening in humans. Pain sensitivity is also modulated by sleep behavior, with pain sensitivity increasing in response to the build up of homeostatic sleep pressure following sleep deprivation or sleep disruption. To explore the interaction between these two biological processes using modeling, we first compare the magnitude of their effects across a variety of experimental pain studies in humans. To do this comparison, we normalize the results from experimental pain studies relative to the range of physiologicallymeaningful stimulation levels. Following this normalization, we find that the estimated impact of the daily rhythm and of sleep deprivation on experimental pain measurements is surprisingly consistent across different pain modalities. We also review evidence documenting the impact of circadian rhythms and sleep deprivation on the neural circuitry in the spinal cord underlying pain sensation. The characterization of sleep-dependent and circadian influences on pain sensitivity in this review paper is used to develop and constrain the mathematical models introduced in the two companion articles.
Phylogeography of the genus Pisolithus revisited with some additional taxa from New Caledonia and Japan

Molecular phylogenetic analyses for the genus Pisolithus (Basidiomycota, Boletales, Sclerodermatineae) were conducted based on the ITS sequences. More than three hundred sequences were retrieved from the GenBank database. In addition, the ITS sequences from some specimens recently collected from New Caledonia and Japan were newly generated for this study. Taxa from New Caledonia did not form a monophyletic group, suggesting multiple dispersals of the genus to New Caledonia, but they all belong to the same clade which is roughly corresponding to the “Lineage B” designated by the previous study. In most cases, Australian taxa were demonstrated to be sister taxa to New Caledonian taxa, but at least in one clade, taxa from New Zealand and New Caledonia were more closely related to each other. Taxa from Japan did not form a monophyletic group, either. Japanese taxa were demonstrated to be closely related to other Asian taxa from China and Thailand. Biogeographical patterns of Pisolithus indicate that long distance dispersal may be the most important factor, and this may be associated with its ability to switch ectomycorrhizal hosts rather frequently.
Eu3+ Sequestration by Biogenic Nano-Hydroxyapatite Synthesized at Neutral and Alkaline pH

ABSTRACT Biogenic hydroxyapatite (bio-HA) has the potential for radionuclide capture and remediation of metal-contaminated environments. Biosynthesis of bio-HA was achieved via the phosphatase activity of a Serratia sp. supplemented with various concentrations of CaCl2 and glycerol 2-phosphate (G2P) provided at pH 7.0 or 8.6. Presence of hydroxyapatite (HA) was confirmed in the samples by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. When provided with limiting (1 mM) G2P and excess (5 mM) Ca2+ at pH 8.6, monohydrocalcite was found. This, and bio-HA with less (1 mM) Ca2+ accumulated Eu(III) to ∼31% and 20% of the biomineral mass, respectively, as compared to 50% of the mineral mass accumulated by commercial HA. Optimally, with bio-HA made at initial pH 7.0 from 2 mM Ca2+ and 5 mM G2P, Eu(III) accumulated to ∼74% of the weight of bio-HA, which was equal to the mass of the HA mineral component of the biomaterial. The implications with respect to potential bio-HA-barrier development in situ or as a remediation strategy are discussed.
Temporal variability in predator presence around a fin fish farm in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Recently, aquaculture has generated worldwide interest as a result of the overexploitation of wild stocks combined with a growing international demand for fish and seafood products. Wild fish attracted to the marine fish farms, together with the presence of the farmed fish, are powerful attractants to predators that normally feed on similar or identical fish stocks in nature. This 9-year study describes for the first time in Mediterranean waters the temporal variability of mammalian and avian predators in a coastal fin fish farm. In all, 99 months (1062 days during 36 consecutive seasons) were spent in the field. By examining the results of this study, it is clear that species as seagulls, shags, bottlenose dolphins and grey herons (considered to cause economic loss in aquaculture owing to direct predation) interact regularly with the fish farm. Although bottlenose dolphins and grey herons were not the most important of all predator species, predatory interactions with the fish farm occurred with what seems to be increasing regularity. Another result observed is the possible bottlenose dolphins’ attraction caused by the harvesting operations in the fish farm. The fish farm offers an alternative food source for predators; hunting at fish farms usually requires less effort on the part of the predator, and becomes a more attractive option than hunting wild fish over wide ranges. During the period of this study, individually identified dolphins feeding were regularly observed feeding on discarded fish from fish farm workers during harvesting operations, supporting the possibility that some individuals are habituated to this food supply. Based on the evidence presented in this paper, it is recommended that strategies for the management of both the aquaculture industry and marine mammal populations should take the results of this study into consideration.
Efficacy of Bioagents and Plant Extract against Alternaria porri Causing Purple Blotch of Onion

The bioagent T. harzarium was found most effective in controlling the pathogen. Lowest disease severity (37.67%) was recorded in the spray treatment of T. harzarium. It was followed by T. viride and P. fluorescens, B. subtilis. Among the plant extract 5 per cent neem seed kernel extract gave maximum control of pathogen i.e. 44.24 per cent over control, followed by Followed by Mentha arvensis, Allium sativum , Zingiber officinale, Vitex negundo . The fungicide Mancozeb was at found at par with extract of NSK and Mentha arvensis.
Revival of dermatoglyphics: Syndromes and disorders, a review

Dermatoglyphics deals with the study of the epidermal ridges and their configurations on the fingers, palms and soles. The word dermatoglyphics is derived from the Greek word 'Derma' meaning skin and 'glyphics' meaning carvings. Dermatoglyphics, once matured, remain unchanged throughout the life of an individual and are not influenced by either the environmental or, age-related factors. Because of these amazing qualities, these dermal ridges play a very crucial and important role in the personal identification of an individual, for forensic purposes, in twin diagnosis, racial variation and have applied values in various diseases and syndromes. Dermatoglyphics has, therefore, been accepted as a simple and inexpensive method for deciding whether a patient would have a particular genetic or, chromosomal defect or, not, and if so, to adopt the preventive strategies at the early enough stages.
Study of Natural Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Juice for Antibacterial and Antiviral Activity

Natural Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) is rich in polyphenols most of which are anthocyanins. These compounds and other natural plant products are recently evaluated for their anti-infectious activity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial and antiviral activity of AMFJ. AMFJ bacteriostatic activity on referent strains of S. aureus ATCC 25923, E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was assessed by counting the number of colonies after 24h incubation at 37°C using the microbial number method. AMFJ was not bacteriostatic for P. aeruginosa. The microbial number for E. coli was 0 ,3 6xl02 CFU/ml AMFJ and for N. aureus 0,87x10s CFU/ml AMFJ. Gram-positive bacteria should mainly be used as a test for further investigation of the bacteriostatic activity of AMFJ. AMFJ antiviral activity directed to the reproduction in ovo of influenza virus type A (H3N2) was investigated. AMFJ inhibited the reproduction of influenza virus in its initial stages, most probably, due to the formation of complex compounds between the virion, on one hand, and the polyphenols, on the other hand, which influenced the adsorption of the influenza virus on the cell surface.
Application of Dynamic Energy Budget theory for conservation relevant modelling of Bird life histories

Teixeira, C.M. G.L. (2016, Januari 13). Application of Dynamic Energy Budget Theory For Conservation Relevant Modelling of Bird Life Histories. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Prom. /coprom. : prof. dr. S.A. L.M. Kooijman & T. Sousa.
性别差异对疼痛影响的研究进展

疼痛是机体对损伤组织或潜在的损伤产生的一种不愉快的反应. 临床实践中证明,与男性相比,女性一般陈述疼痛更容易反复发作、更严重以及持续时间更长和容易出现周期性疼痛,这是由于女性发生疼痛的原因、周期、过程较男性来说都复杂得多,这可能与身体结构以及中枢神经系统有关,同时在使用止痛药物时,患者对止痛效果也有差异. 关键词：疼痛;综述文献;性别差异
Epigenetic pathways involved in response to lead (Pb) exposure in the aging brain: Relevance to Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has a complicated pathology with many potential etiologies. In patients, a diagnosis of AD is confirmed at the time of autopsy by the presence of two major pathological hallmarks: the amyloid beta plaque (Aβ plaque) and the neurofibrillary tangle (NFTs). The late-onset (LOAD) form of this disease has no clear genetic etiology, with the exception of an increased risk of carrying the APOE4 allele. Therefore, research has focused on identifying environmental risk factors in its etiology. Our lab has a legacy of studying environmental exposure to lead (Pb) during early development. We have shown in previous publications that exposure to Pb during early life results in the upregulation in a number of key genes in the amyloid and tau pathways directly related to the development of the characteristic hallmarks of AD. In this dissertation, Manuscript I was a review of the literature related to Pb exposure in both children and adults, and the role Pb has in neurodegenerative diseases, either by workplace exposures or by developmental basis of diseases. The focus of the review was also to present evidence from our work and others to suggest the mechanism by which these changes occur, via potential epigenetic pathways. Manuscript II was aimed to investigate the involvement of epigenetic pathways in the developmental model of Pb exposure, in which (wild-type mice were exposed to 0.2% Pb from PND 1 and 20 Western blot and RT-PCR analysis were performed for a number of key epigenetic marks and regulators across the lifespan in the cortex of mice developmentally exposed to Pb. Alterations in a number of key mediators involved in DNA methylation were identified across the lifespan, as well as specific alterations in histone marks involved in both repression (H3K27me3) and activation (H3K9Ac, H3K4me2) pathways. Activating histone proteins were globally downregulated in the cortex whereas the repression mark was increased at the end of life. Manuscript III, utilized the innovative technique of ChIP-seq to identify H3K9Ac binding peaks in the mouse genome across the lifespan of developmentally Pb exposed mice. Unique peaks were present in the Pb exposed animals, with an emphasis on peaks in the promoter were reported. Of the genes affected, it was found many were associated with AD pathology by utilizing the Kegg’s pathway thingy, specifically it was shown that genes have acetylation islands in or near the promoter that were differentially acetylated in Pb exposed mice later in life. Therefore, by these findings show that epigenetic regulation, specifically by H3K9Ac, could be a potential mechanism by which AD-related genes become upregulated late in life.
Genotype effects impact lipids and organ weights in female mice lacking carotenoid cleavage enzymes

The β-carotene central cleavage enzyme, carotenoid-15,15'-oxygenase (CMO-I) is responsible for cleaving the carotenoid β-carotene to form vitamin A and with further metabolism, the production of biologically-active retinoids. It was previously found that adult mice lacking this enzyme have altered lipid metabolism resulting in fatty liver development. Lycopene, a non-provitamin A carotenoid and the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, is a poor substrate for CMO-I. Instead, lycopene can be oxidatively cleaved by carotenoid 9'10'monoxygenase (CMO-II). Lycopene has been shown in our lab to decrease the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), which is essential for adipogenesis, in some rat tissues. Interestingly, there is a peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) in the promoter region of CMO-I. In order to assess the impact of dietary carotenoids and their metabolites on lipid metabolism, female CMO-I KO, CMO-II KO or wild type (WT) mice, 2931 weeks old, were fed the following AIN-93G based diets for 4 or 30 days: lycopene beadlet, 10% tomato powder, and their respective controls. We hypothesized that mice lacking either carotenoid cleavage enzyme would have altered serum and hepatic lipids compared to WT mice while lycopene or tomato powder might modulate these effects. The results show greater hepatic lipid accumulation in both CMO-I KO mice and CMO-II KO mice compared to WT mice. There were some genotype and diet effects in serum and hepatic cholesterol in each mouse strain compared to WT mice. Furthermore, we found genotypic differences in mRNA expression of PPARα in the liver and PPARγ and FABP4 expression in the adipose tissue and the liver.