Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of natural fermented milk in the protection of liver from cancer

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the protective effect of natural fermented milk (NFM) against liver cancer.Design/methodology/approach – Five types of NFM were collected from different places around Makka. The natural flora which present in them were studied and certain types which contain Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. strains were selected to be used in the research. The nutritional experiment was carried out on 20 Albino mice divided into four groups. The first group (A) was control (not fed on NFM). The second (B) and third (C) groups were fed daily on (NFM) for two weeks. The final group (D) received basal diet only for four weeks, but after two weeks the third and fourth groups were treated orally by one dose of toxic mutagen (0.25 mg/mouse). The quality of life was measured by: specific strain count in stool; histopathological and histochemical studies on liver; and lymphocytic count.Findings – Cow's milk which contains Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. has.
Tomato culture filtrate stimulates hatching and activity of Meloidogyne incognita juveniles

Hydroponic culture media were tested after growing tomato, okra, cucumber and bean for their effect on hatching and mobility of Meloidogyne incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) in laboratory experiments. Tomato and okra culture media increased the numbers of J2 that hatched as compared to those in water or fresh culture medium. The tomato culture medium increased hatching even in the presence of fosthiazate, an organophosphate nematicide, and at a concentration that inhibited hatching in the absence of tomato culture medium. Neither heat treatment of the tomato culture medium nor change of pH abolished its hatching stimulatory activity. When active J2 were incubated in the tomato culture media, the percentages of nematodes that became quiescent were lower than those of nematodes incubated in water or in fresh culture medium for 3 and 7 days in two trials. Moreover, the sigmoid movement of J2 was faster in the tomato culture medium than in water. Quiescent J2 became active more rapidly in culture media of tomato, cucumber and okra than in water or fresh culture medium. In experiments using soil containing quiescent J2, more J2 were extracted with the Baermann funnel method from soil treated with tomato culture medium than from soil treated with water. The results confirm that nematode stimulants, which may serve as a potential means in nematode control, exist in the plant culture media.
Plant growth-altering effects of Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus C–11–25 on two wheat cultivars

The effect of Azospirillum brasilense Cd, Bacillus C–11–25, indole acetic acid, gibberellic acid and cytokinin on plant growth characteristics of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend Thell) cultivars was studied under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Responses of wheat plants to bacterial inoculation were similar to those caused by the addition of gibberellic acid in growth pouches. Chester and Fielder wheat varieties differed in responses to the bacteria and hormone additions. When added to growth pouches, bacterial culture filtrates and dead bacterial cells caused plant growth responses similar to those caused by the addition of live cells. Bacteria and hormone additions resulted in increased permeability of Fielder wheat to 15Nlabelled nitrate, and decreased nitrate permeability of Chester wheat. Bacterial inoculation of soil in pots caused 15N isotope dilution in Fielder but not in Chester wheat. Hormone addition to pots caused isotope dilution in Chester wheat. It appeared that genetic differences between cultivars affected plant growth responses. The accuracy of estimates of N2 fixation by associative bacteria based on 15N isotope dilution calculations may be reduced if control plants differ in plant response to these bacteria.
Incidence of Micronuclei and Abnormalities in the Head of Spermatozoa Caused by the Salts of a Heavy Metal, Nickel

All the three salts of nickel viz. nickel chloride, nickel nitrate and nickel sulfate induced micronuclei in the polychromatic erythrocytes of mice. These also caused various types of abnormalities in the head of spermatozoa. The frequency of spermatozoa with abnormal heads was maximum with nickel nitrate.
Studies of the Byron Bog in Southwestern Ontario: X. Inquilines and Victims of the Pitcher-Plant, Sarracenia purpurea L.

In the description of the Byron Bog (Judd, 1957a) it was pointed out that the pitcher-plant, Sarracenia purpurea L. , is to be found in the Chamaedaphnetum calyculatae association in the bog. The period of blooming of this plant in 1956 was from June 13 to June 22(Judd, 1958). In that year rearings were made of larvae of the moth Exyra rolandiana on the flowers and leaves of the plant (Judd, 1957b). Also in 1956 a study of the inquilines and victimsto be found in the leaves of the plant was undertaken, based upon a series of daily collections of insects and other arthropods from the leaves. The present paper is a report on this project.
Success or Failure? Do Indicator Selection and Reference Setting Influence River Rehabilitation Outcome?

Abstract Recovery indicators play a crucial role in the evaluation of river rehabilitation projects. Various types of biological indicators are used to address different ecosystem attributes (structure, composition, and function) at different levels of the biological hierarchy (population, guild, and community). Indicator values are evaluated against reference information from various sources, representing the conditions to be achieved (near-natural references) or to avoid (degraded references). We studied the extent to which investigators’ conclusions on project outcome were influenced by the indicator and reference types used. We analyzed 40 selected studies dealing with the recovery of riverine fish assemblages after active rehabilitation of physical habitat and lateral connectivity. In 32 (80%) of the 40 studies, fish response was measured at the population level. Structural and compositional indicators dominated (31 and 24 studies, respectively), while functional indicators were underrepresented (5 s.
Stimulation of Cellular Signaling and G Protein Subunit Dissociation by G Protein βγ Subunit-binding Peptides*

We previously developed peptides that bind to G protein βγ subunits and selectively block interactions between βγ subunits and a subset of effectors in vitro (Scott, J. K., Huang, S. F., Gangadhar, B. P., Samoriski, G. M., Clapp, P., Gross, R. A., Taussig, R., and Smrcka, A. V. (2001) EMBO J. 20, 767–776). Here, we created cell-permeating versions of some of these peptides by N-terminal modification with either myristate or the cell permeation sequence from human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein. The myristoylated βγ-binding peptide (mSIRK) applied to primary rat arterial smooth muscle cells caused rapid activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the absence of an agonist. This activation did not occur if the peptide lacked a myristate at the N terminus, if the peptide had a single point mutation to eliminate βγ subunit binding, or if the cells stably expressed the C terminus of βARK1. A human immunodeficiency virus TAT-modified peptide (TAT-SIRK) and a myristoylated version of a second peptide (mSCAR) that binds to the same site on βγ subunits as mSIRK, also caused extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation. mSIRK also stimulated Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and phospholipase C activity and caused Ca2+ release from internal stores. When tested with purified G protein subunits in vitro, SIRK promoted α subunit dissociation from βγ subunits without stimulating nucleotide exchange. These data suggest a novel mechanism by which selective βγ-binding peptides can release G protein βγ subunits from heterotrimers to stimulate G protein pathways in cells.
REMOVAL EXPERIMENT REVEALS LIMITED EFFECTS OF A BEHAVIORALLY DOMINANT SPECIES ON ANT ASSEMBLAGES

Ant communities are thought to consist of a competitive hierarchy of interacting species, with an assemblage of subordinate species being structured by a dominant species. Mensurative and behavioral studies suggest a significant role for competition in structuring ant communities, although there are few experimental studies to support this contention. We examined the effect of the dominant ant Iridomyrmex purpureus on the ant fauna of sandstone outcrops in southeastern Australia. We conducted a mensurative survey using transect counts to compare ant assemblages at eight outcrops with, and eight without I. purpureus. Using cages, we then successfully excluded the dominant ant from four outcrops and compared assemblages at these exclusion sites with those at sites with and without I. purpureus and with procedural control sites over a period of 12 months. We conducted behavioral studies comparing I. purpureus with six other common species in terms of their abilities to locate, recruit to, and defend bait. While initial surveys indicated both positive and negative effects of I. purpureus on the activity of several subordinate species, exclusion of I. purpureus resulted only in changes in the abundance of other species of Iridomyrmex, which are behaviorally and ecologically similar to the dominant species. Iridomyrmex purpureus was faster at discovering bait than other species, but not always better at recruiting to the bait. It interfered with the foraging of all species tested; however, it displaced other Iridomyrmex from bait most often. While longer-term studies may provide more definitive results, exclusion of the dominant species over one year had strong effects only on ecologically similar species. Despite its behavioral dominance and association with several other species in the mensurative surveys, I. purpureus was not shown to cause any other major changes in ant community structure.
Utilização de recursos florais por abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) em uma área de Caatinga (Itatim, Bahia, Brasil)

This study was designed to identify important food resource plants used by bee species in a Caatinga area, as well as describe the local patterns of floral use by bees. A total of 1,145 foraging bees, belonging to 60 species, were captured while visiting 50 plant species. Melochia tomentosa L. , Sida galheirensis Ulbr. , Erythroxylon catingae P. Cowan, and Ziziphus cotinifolia Reiss. were the most frequently visited plants. Melochia tomentosa, Solanum paniculatum L. and S. galheirensis were visited by larger number of bee species. Some oligolectic bees were identified. Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 and Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, 1793) had the largest trophic niche breadth (2.71 and 2.31). The trophic niche overlap was highest (0.52) between Xylocopa grisescens Lepeletier, 1841 and Frieseomelitta silvestrii (Friese, 1902). The low trophic niche overlap between Apis mellifera and native stingless bees seems to be the result of intensive exploration of only a few flower sources by Africanized bees, not frequently visited by meliponids.
Patterns of invertebrate distribution and abundance in the intertidal salt marsh: Causes and questions

The intertidal marsh community comprises both benthic and natant faunal components. The benthic components are primarily small invertebrates residing within or on the soft sediments of the vegetated marsh surface. The natant components include larger, fully aquatic organisms (e.g., fish and shrimp) that inhabit the shallow waters adjacent to the marsh at low tide but interact with the benthic components of the community when the marsh is tidally inundated. In this structurally complex and often expansive intertidal environment, patterns of invertebrate distribution and abundance are not apparent to the casual observer. Benthic core samples taken along an intertidal marsh transect on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA show that many of the inconspicuous infaunal organisms, which numerically dominate the macrofaunal elements of this soft-substrate community, exhibit zonal distribution patterns along a tidal gradient. Patterns of invertebrate distribution in the intertidal salt marsh are often attributed to the activities of aquatic predators. The results of most predator exclusion experiments have left little doubt that predation/disturbance can be an important determinant of invertebrate abundance in soft-substrate communities; but a growing number of experiments, in both freshwater and marine environments, have produced results that apparently conflict with this, general tenet. Dismissed by some as “failed” experiments, these investigations have exposed our lack of knowledge about the effects of specific predators and the importance of complex interactions which involve more than two trophic levels. Although the importance of predation has been stressed in many recent experimental investigations, there are many other factors that, alone or in combination, may also influence the structure of salt marsh invertebrate assemblages. Included among these are: (1) various density-dependent processes (e.g., adult-larval interactions, agonistic behavior, interspecific competition), (2) selective larval settlement or mortality, (3) the influence of physical factors expressed through habitat preferences, and (4) unpredictable or cyclic physical disturbances. Many questions concerning the spatial and temporal patterns of invertebrate distribution and abundance in the salt marsh are unresolved and remain as challenges to our understanding of soft-substrate community dynamics.
Evidence for Partial Migration in the Southern Monarch Butterfly, Danaus erippus, in Bolivia and Argentina

Migration is a common life‐history strategy that includes traits such as directed flight, increased wing size, seasonal lipid deposition and reproductive arrest. The degree of investment in these traits ultimately determines the life‐history strategy of individuals. Partial migration is a common mixed life‐history strategy where species or populations consist of both migrant and resident individuals. While this phenomenon is widespread across taxa, the ecological factors that select for and maintain partial migration are poorly understood, especially among insects. Here, we investigate regional life‐history traits associated with migration in the southern monarch, Danaus erippus, and describe a mixed life‐history strategy in this butterfly. Individuals from the Bolivian lowlands were observed throughout the year exhibiting mate‐ and milkweed‐directed behaviors. These butterflies had smaller wings, lower wing loads and maintained constant lipid and egg loads across summer and autumn months. Danaus erippus in the highlands of the Bolivian Andes were observed only in the summer and autumn months, during which they also showed mate‐ and milkweed‐directed behaviors. These individuals possessed similar‐sized wings and maintained similar lipid and egg loads as the lowland butterflies. In contrast, individuals from northwest Argentina showed persistent, directed, southwesterly flight during the autumn (March–May), larger wing size, higher wing loads, and increased autumn lipid deposition along with decreased egg production. These data indicate that D. erippus utilizes a mixed life‐history strategy with a combination of residents and migrants in the Bolivian lowlands, elevational migrants in the Bolivian Andes, and latitudinal migrants in northwestern Argentina.
Efficient adult skeletal muscle regeneration in mice deficient in p38β, p38γ and p38δ MAP kinases

Adult skeletal muscle is a very stable tissue containing a small population of myofiber-associated quiescent satellite cells compared with late embryonic/neonatal skeletal muscle, which contains highly proliferating myoblasts and small actively growing myofibers, suggesting that specific regulatory pathways may control myogenesis at distinct developmental stages. The p38 MAPK signaling pathway is central for myogenesis, based on studies using immortalized and neonatal primary myoblasts in vitro. However, the contribution of this pathway to adult myogenesis has never been investigated. Four p38 isoforms (p38α, p38β, p38γ and p38δ) exist in mammalian cells, being p38α and p38γ the most abundantly expressed isoforms in adult skeletal muscle. Given the embryonic/neonatal lethality of p38α-deficient mice, here we investigate the relative contribution of p38β, p38γ and p38δ to adult myogenesis. Regeneration and myofiber growth of adult muscle proceeds with similar efficiency in mice lacking p38β, p38γ and p38δ as in wild-type control mice. In agreement with this, there is no difference in adult satellite cell behavior in vitro among the different genotypes. Importantly, the pattern of p38 activation (ascribed to p38α) remains unperturbed during satellite myogenesis in vitro and adult muscle regeneration in wild type and p38β-, p38γ- and p38δ-deficient mice, rendering p38α as the essential p38 isoform sustaining adult myogenesis. This study constitutes the first analysis addressing the functionality of p38β, p38γ and p38δ in satellite cell-dependent adult muscle regeneration and growth.
Nutrient relations during an eucalyptus cycle at different population densities

To synchronize nutrient availability with the requirements of eucalyptus during a cultivation cycle, the nutrient flow of this system must be well understood. Essential, for example, is information about nutrient dynamics in eucalyptus plantations throughout a cultivation cycle, as well as impacts on soil nutrient reserves caused by the accumulation and subsequent export of nutrients via biomass. It is also important to quantify the effect of some management practices, such as tree population density (PD) on these fluxes. Some nutrient relations in an experiment with Eucalyptus grandis, grown at different PDs in Santa Barbara, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were evaluated for one cultivation cycle. At forest ages of 0.25, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.75 years, evaluations were carried out in the stands at seven different PDs (between 500 and 5,000 trees ha-1) which consisted in chemical analyses of plant tissue sampled from components of the aboveground parts of the tree, from the forest floor and the litterfall. Nutrient contents and allocations of the different biomass components were estimated. In general, there were only small and statistically insignificant effects of PD on the nutrient concentration in trees. With increasing forest age, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations were reduced in the aboveground components and the forest floor. The magnitud of biochemical nutrient cycling followed the sequence: P > K > N > Mg. At the end of the cycle, the quantities of N, P, Ca and Mg immobilized in the forest floor were higher than in the other components.
The Seasonal Variations in the Worm Burden of Scottish Hill Sheep

1. The investigation shows that the spring increase in worm egg output of Scottish hill sheep is correlated with an increase in worm burden. 2. The increase is mainly due to members of the Trichostrongylidae, and of these the stomach worms, Ostertagia spp. and Trichostrongylus axei, are the most important. 8. This increase in the worm burden in the spring is due to larvae picked up at that time, and there was no evidence that any were lying dormant throughout the winter in the mucous membrane of the abomasum and small intestine.
POSSIBLE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN GEOLOGY AND SOME DISEASE PATTERNS *

After making inves t iga t ions i n Norway, Roy L. Swank and h i s associates (1950; 1952) wrote, “ T h i s s tudy seems to corroborate t h e h y p o t h e s i s t ha t t h e inges t ion of fats, i n par t icu lar milk and animal fats may b e among t h e f a c t o r s t ha t p rec ip i t a t e multiple s c l e r o s i s i n s u s c e p t i b l e persons. Our information d o e s not d i sprove t h e poss ib i l i ty t ha t t h e consumption of t h e s e f a t s may b e co inc i den ta l with o ther f ac to r s hav ing the same distribution. ” He a l s o sa id , # “ T h e s e s t u d i e s s u g g e s t tha t a high inc idence of t he disease is to b e found in farming and da i ry ing a reas . ” P r o f e s s o r W. C. Gibson , Kinsmen P r o f e s s o r of Neurological R e s e a r c h at t h e Univers i ty of Br i t i sh Columbia, w a s na tura l ly in t e re s t ed in Swank’s ideas, par t icu lar ly b e c a u s e both had se rved a n apprent icesh ip under Dr. Wilder Penf i e ld , O.M. , at t h e Montreal Neurological Insti tute. G ibson w a s also a w a r e tha t some of h i s Univers i ty co l l eagues i n t h e Depar tment of Geology, whi le engaged i n the i r o re finding activities, had become in t e re s t ed in biogeochemi s t ry , and more par t icu lar ly i n t h e t r a c e e lement c o n t e n t s of water, soil, and vege ta l matter. Indeed, t h e s e t r a c e e lement s t u d i e s had prompted a somewhat s p e c u l a t i v e a r t i c l e by o n e of u s (H.V.W., 1954) on “Geology and Health. ” Knowing t h a t i n 1957 t h e writer of t h i s specu la t ive a r t i c l e w a s about t o v i s i t Scandinavia t o exc h a n g e geochemica l da ta , G ibson sugges t ed tha t it might b e u s e f u l to follow up t h e f ind ings of Swank, and, if poss ib l e , t o a t tempt to r econc i l e h i s f ind ings with t h o s e o ther super f ic ia l ly unre la ted obse rva t ions which had s u g g e s t e d t h a t s o m e d i s e a s e pa t t e rns might b e r e l a t ed to t r a c e e lement imbalances . T h e above t ra in of c i r cums tances in i t ia ted a s e r i e s of inves t i ga t ions tha t h a v e been made during t h e p a s t n i n e years. T h e s e inves t iga t ions h a v e been time-consuming, and of n e c e s s i t y intermittent: t hey h a v e had t o b e car r ied on as supplementary ra ther * Thia paper w a a presented at a meeting of the Dlvis lon of Environmental Sciencea of The N e w Y o t k Academy of Sc iences on Yay 4 , 1966.
Invading Crayfish in a Michigan Stream: Direct and Indirect Effects on Periphyton and Macroinvertebrates

Crayfish are common inhabitants of North American streams and many species are undergoing human-assisted range expansions. We studied the effects of an introduced crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) on benthic macroinvertebrates and periphyton in a northern Michigan (USA) stream by 1) conducting a 46-d enclosure-exclosure experiment and 2) sampling benthic communities along a longitudinal gradient in crayfish density. In stream enclosures, crayfish reduced total macroinvertebrate densities by 47-58% and herbivore densities by 55-72% relative to exclosures. Over the course of the experiment, periphyton chlorophyll a increased by 48-70% in enclosures compared to an increase of only 8% in exclosures. Periphyton biomass, however, did not vary across treatments. Periphyton primary productivity increased 4-7 times in the presence of crayfish, probably because crayfish reduced grazer densities (indirect effect) and removed non-autotrophic components of the periphyton matrix (direct effect). The longitudinal survey supported experimental results. At sites along a crayfish density gradient occurring over 3 km of stream, periphyton chlorophyll a on rocks increased and macroinvertebrate density decreased with increasing crayfish density. These studies show that crayfish directly and indirectly affected the stream benthos, thereby producing responses at more than 1 trophic level. Some responses were consistent with a trophic cascade, but crayfish increased food web connectance by consuming periphyton. Therefore, crayfish can have complex, multi-trophic-level effects on the food webs of invaded streams.