Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hematological, biochemical, and histopathological study of the plant extract of Terminalia chebula Reitz., Aloe vera Linn., and Tamarindus indica Linn. on animal model: A comparative study

Background: Terminalia chebula Reitz. , Aloe vera Linn. , and Tamarindus indica Linn. are used in the treatment of different kinds of ailments. Their comparative toxicity profile is very important because all three drugs also affect on vital organ. Aims and Objectives: The foremost objective of the current study was relative evaluation of acute and subacute toxicity of the plant extracts of T. chebula Reitz. , A. vera L. , and T. indica L. in rats. Materials and Methods: Acute toxicity was conducted by the taking limit dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight. Utterance was completed and recorded for 24 h 1 time daily up to 14 days. Rats were supervised for mortality and behavioral changes 1 time daily throughout all days of study. Meant for subacute study, diverse group of animals was treated for all the three plant extracts at three distinct dose levels at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of freshly prepared extracts, respectively, every 24 h orally for 28 days. Control group only administered distilled water and normal feed. At the last moment of the study, biochemical parameters, hematological investigation, and histopathological examination of organs such as liver and kidney were examined. The relative analyses of histopathological investigation were done for all the three plant extracts in comparison to controls. Results: Not at all significant different (P > 0.05) or histopathological changes were detected in terms of hematological, biochemical parameters, and histopathological changes with respect to the control. None of any mortality and behavioral changes were noted. Conclusions: Overall, analysis of the results concluded that medium-term oral administration of all three plant extracts does not show toxicity for 28-day treatment.
Clinical and diagnostic profile of patients with anal fistula: a cross sectional study from Vilasrao Deshmukh Government Institute of Medical Sciences, Latur, Maharashtra

Anal fistulas are one of the commonest causes for a persistent discharge seropurulent in nature that irritates the skin in the neighbourhood and leads to discomfort. Fistula-in-ano is seen quite frequently in perirectal perianal suppuration. An abnormal communication lined by granulation tissue between the anal canal and the skin leading to chronic inflammation. These fistulas are developed because of these chronic abscesses.
Golden magic: RSH enzymes for (p)ppGpp metabolism in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The nucleotides guanosine tetraphosphate and pentaphosphate (together known as (p)ppGpp or magic spot) are produced in plant plastids from GDP/GTP and ATP by RelA-SpoT homologue (RSH) enzymes. In the model plant Arabidopsis (p)ppGpp regulates chloroplast transcription and translation to affect growth, and is also implicated in acclimation to stress. However, little is known about (p)ppGpp metabolism or its evolution in other photosynthetic eukaryotes. Here we studied (p)ppGpp metabolism in the golden-coloured marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We identified three expressed RSH genes in the P. tricornutum genome, and determined the enzymatic activity of the corresponding enzymes by heterologous expression in bacteria. We showed that two P. tricornutum RSH are (p)ppGpp synthetases, despite substitution of a residue within the active site believed critical for activity, and that the third RSH is a bifunctional (p)ppGpp synthetase and hydrolase, the first of its kind demonstrated in a photosynthetic eukaryote. A broad phylogenetic analysis then showed that diatom RSH belong to novel algal RSH clades. Together our work significantly expands the horizons of (p)ppGpp signalling in the photosynthetic eukaryotes by demonstrating an unexpected functional, structural and evolutionary diversity in RSH enzymes from organisms with plastids derived from red algae. Highlight We discover RSH enzymes for (p)ppGpp metabolism in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and show that they have surprising functional and structural features, and belong to novel red-plastid lineage RSH clades.
Factors associated with infectious bursal disease vaccination failure in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a viral infection that affects young chicks. The IBD outbreaks in vaccinated chickens are reported in Tanzania frequently. The current study was conducted to find out the possible causes of vaccination failure focusing on knowledge and practices of vaccine sellers and users, the immunogenic potential of currently used vaccine and the phylogenetic relationship between the vaccine and the field strains. A cross-sectional study was performed to gather information on knowledge and practices from 384 poultry farmers and 20 veterinary outlets in Dar es Salaam. Results revealed inadequate knowledge of farmers in vaccine handling and administration and also breaches in the cold chain maintenance by vaccine sellers was apparent. A total of 60 chicks were experimentally vaccinated with Virgo 7 strain vaccine and titers of induced antibodies assessed. The vaccine induced adequate antibodies against IBDV, confirming its immunogenic efficacy. Isolated nucleic acids from the vaccine and field strains were sequenced and result shows that IBDV field isolates, are genetically different from the vaccine strains used in the country. The field isolates belong to the vvIBDV African types, while the vaccines belong to the vvIBDV European/Asian or classical virulent types. Putting together results from this study reveals multiple possible reasons which may contribute to vaccine failures. These include poor vaccine handling by farmers and vaccine sellers and the genetic disparity between the field and vaccine strains. It is therefore recommended that veterinary regulatory authorities should ensure good vaccine handling practices and considering local virus isolates during vaccine development. Key words: Infectious bursal disease (IBD), Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (vvIBDV), phylogenetic analysis, strains, vaccine, poultry farmers and antibodies.
Histological Description of intestine and Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue in Esox Lucius from Anzali wetland

Study of gut tissue structure in fish is important as the fish culture increases and then, more information is required regarding to feeding and nourishment. Then, the present study aimed to describe the histological and histochemical characteristics of GALT in the pike, Esox lucius, from the Anzali wetland. In this regards, 20 E. lucius were collected from the Anzali wetland. Tissue samples from different parts of gut were fixed in Bouin’s solution. Tissue slides were prepared using tissue preparation techniques and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue and AB-PAS. In E. lucius the internal surface of gut was folded and coated by simple columnar cells and goblet cells. Goblet cells positively reacted to PAS, AB and ABPAS, due to mix acidic and neutral glycoproteins containing. Correspondence N Salamat, Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran, (e-mail: salamatnegin@yahoo.com) Eosinophilic granular cells were detected in lamina propria. GALT represented throughout the gut mucosa in the epithelium and lamina propria. Lymphocytes increased in number toward the posterior part of intestine (p<0.05).
On the contribution of Mary Agard Pocock to developmental biology research of the genus Volvox L.

Mary Agard Pocock (1886–1977) made seminal contributions to our knowledge of the green algal genus Volvox L. During the 1930–1950s, she published a series of papers dealing with Volvox and the related colonial volvocine algae. Working first at the University of Cape Town, and later at Rhodes University College (later Rhodes University, Grahamstown), Pocock was the most active researcher in this field of phycology during that time. In this essay, her extremely detailed works on Volvox, an organism of great interest for developmental biologists today, are briefly analysed (with an emphasis on the ontogenetic aspects). We show that Pocock’s data on morphogenesis and reproduction of several members of the genus reveal her significant role in the emergence of this field and her passion for the biology of this organism. Her works still retain an importance for understanding contemporary developmental biology of Volvox, rather than being of mere historical interest. Documenting this is important for those with an interest in the scientific history of this model taxon in developmental biology, and in phycology research in South Africa in general.
Spontaneous Symmetry-Breaking in the Corrosion Transformation of Ancient Bronzes

In general, during long-term museum conservation, ancient bronzes will generate new corrosion products also called the “secondary corrosion” on the surface of the unearthed “primary corrosion” products due to various environmental conditions. In this paper, the corrosion stages of several ancient Chinese bronzes are characterized by using optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrometer (Raman). It is found that there exist phase transformation relationships in between the “primary corrosion” and the “secondary corrosion” stages (i.e., (1) the crystal lattice type tends to transform from a high symmetry system to a low symmetry system; (2) in case of the same crystal lattice type, the corrosions exhibit an inter-transformation or symbiosis). It is interesting to note that these transformation rules are very consistent with the well-known physical law of “spontaneous symmetry-breaking”, which won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics and also has been considered to be general law of nature, in addition to the principle of Gibbs free energy reduction. The significance of this discovery allows us to achieve the predictability and controllability of the bronze corrosion products (i.e., to predict the corrosive trends in advance and control the “second corrosion” by adjusting the conservation conditions. This research provides a novel conservation concept of ancient bronzes.
Resource partitioning among sympatric species of primates at Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana

We investigated how four primate species in Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) coexisted after logging shrunk their feeding resources. We used multivariate discriminant function analysis to determine whether feeding sites and food types could discriminate them. Results showed that lower canopy discriminated Cercopithecus mona and Cercopithecus petaurista; middle canopy, C. petaurista and Procolobus verus; upper canopy P. verus and Colobus polykomos; seed C. polykomos; fruit, P. verus. Variations in seasonal and zonal selections of feeding sites and food types were significant at the 0.05 level. Primates selected upper canopy, flower and fruit more in rainy season (mean abundance ± se = 14.45±1.2, 10.21±0.53, 17.69±0.7) than in dry season (9.32±0.67, 8.11±0.52, 12.58±0.54); middle canopy and seed more in dry season (13.17±0.12 and 16.7±0.84) than rainy season (8.07±0.53 and 8.43±0.6), respectively. Upper and middle canopies and seed were more selected at the park’s centre (mean abundance ± se = 14.3±1.57, 12.8±1.06 and 16.83±1.16, respectively); and lower canopy, periphery (16.98±1.42). C. polykomos selected the park’s centre mostly (16.6±2.4); C. petaurista, inner (16.9±1.2); and C. mona, periphery (14.7±1.3). Selection by C. polykomos reduced from the park’s centre (mean abundance ± se = 16.6±2.4) through inner (10.5±0.2) to periphery (6.6±1.6); but selection by C. mona reduced from periphery (14.7±1.3) through inner (12.2±1.3) to centre (11.2±1.6). C. petaurista and P. verus appeared to be forest generalists. Seasonal and spatial variations, resource variability and forest conditions facilitated resource partitioning to allow co-existence. Strict measures are required at KCA to facilitate forest regeneration to conserve the primates. Key words: Conservation, monkeys, resource-shrunk, co-existence, reserve, forest, regeneration.
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of MIKC-Type MADS-Box Gene Family in Punica granatum L.

MADS-box is a critical transcription factor regulating the development of floral organs and plays essential roles in the growth and development of floral transformation, flower meristem determination, the development of male and female gametophytes, and fruit development. In this study, 36 MIKC-type MADS-box genes were identified in the ‘Taishanhong’ pomegranate genome. By utilizing phylogenetic analysis, 36 genes were divided into 14 subfamilies. Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the gene structure, conserved motifs, cis-acting elements, and the protein interaction networks of the MIKC-type MADS-box family members in pomegranate, and their expressions pattern in different tissues of pomegranate were analyzed. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed that the E-class genes (PgMADS03, PgMADS21, and PgMADS27) were highly expressed in floral tissues, while PgMADS29 was not expressed in all tissues, indicating that the functions of the E-class genes were differentiated. PgMADS15 of the C/D-class was the key gene in the development network of pomegranate flower organs, suggesting that PgMADS15 might play an essential role in the peel and inner seed coat development of pomegranate. The results in this study will provide a reference for the classification, cloning, and functional research of pomegranate MADS-box genes.
Using Concept Cartoons to Identify the Epistemological Beliefs of Middle School Students

Epistemological beliefs, including the source of knowledge, the certainty of knowledge, the organization of knowledge, the control of learning, and the speed of learning, are important to identify since these beliefs impact students' learning processes and how they attribute meaning to life. Concept cartoons, that students find genuine and credible, are found to be effective assessment tools in revealing these beliefs. The present study aims to identify and compare 5th and 8th grade middle school students' epistemological beliefs utilizing concept cartoons. The study participants were 5th (N=38) and 8th grade (N=47) students enrolled in three different middle schools in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize. In order to reveal the students' opinions, one concept cartoon for each dimension of epistemological belief was utilized. A scoring rubric was employed to analyze the student responses to the concept cartoons. According to the results of the t-tests on students' scores, the 5th and 8th grade students' epistemological beliefs in the dimensions of organization of knowledge, source of knowledge, and certainty of knowledge are similar. In contrast, 8th grade students' epistemological beliefs related to the speed of learning and the control of learning were found to be significantly higher than those of 5th-grade students. Among the mean values of the students' epistemological beliefs, source of knowledge beliefs were found to be the lowest.
RNA interactions with CTCF are essential for its proper function

The function of the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) in the organization of the genome has become an important area of investigation, but the mechanisms of how CTCF dynamically contributes to genome organization is not clear. We previously discovered that CTCF binds to large numbers of endogenous RNAs; promoting its oligomerization. Here we found that inhibition of transcription or interfering with CTCF ability to bind RNA through mutations of two of its 11 zinc fingers that are not involved with CTCF binding to its cognate site in vitro, zinc finger-1 (ZF1) or −10 (ZF10), disrupt CTCF association to chromatin. These mutations alter gene expression profiles as CTCF mutants lose their ability to promote local insulation. Our results highlight the importance of RNA as a structural component of the genome, in part by affecting the association of CTCF with chromatin and likely its interaction with other factors. Bullet Points (4 of max 75 words) Transcriptional inhibition disrupts CTCF binding to chromatin RNA-binding regions (RBR) in CTCF are found within ZF1 and ZF10 Local insulation is markedly decreased in ZF1∆ and ZF10∆ mutant rescues Gene expression and chromatin organization are disrupted by RBR mutants
Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Plants Used in the Treatment of Diabetes in Kwango, Kongo Central and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Non-communicable diseases represent new challenges for the mankind in the fight for health improvement. Among these diseases, diabetes is a major contributor. Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body is unable to use the insulin produced effectively. This survey was performed in Kwango, Kongo-Central and Kinshasa provinces respectively between October 2016 and September 2017. A questionnaire was administered to the target population in order to collect relevant data. Plant identification was carried out at the herbarium of University of Kinshasa. The findings revealed that the inventoried medicinal flora is made up of 68 species which are divided into 34 families of 58 genera; the leaf is the most commonly used part in the treatment of diabetes while maceration is the most commonly used method of preparation. The use of medicinal plants is reported in almost all age groups from 20-89 years of age but with a predominance among people aged 40-49 years. Trees and phanerophyte species predominate in the flora studied; the majority of users of these medicinal plants have a primary level of education. In-depth phytochemical and pharmacological studies need to be carried out on these plants with a view to their scientific validation in the diabetes management.
GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC PARAMETERS OF ON-FARM PERFORMANCE TESTING OF LANDRACE AND LARGE WHITE PIGS FROM A LOCAL BREEDING FARM IN THE PHILIPPINES

Restricted maximum likelihood (REML) was used to analyze 6500 on-farm performance test records obtained from a local swine breeding farm from 2014 and 2016, consisting of 2651 Landrace (759 boars; 1912 gilts) and 3829 Large White (1145 boars; 2684 gilts). The high heritability estimates based on paternal half sib correlation for average daily gain, ADG (0.65-0.85 in boars, 0.26-0.37 in gilts), feed conversion ratio, FCR (0.26-0.28), weight at end of test, WtEOT (0.60-0.87 in boars, 0.35-0.43 in gilts), backfat thickness - from shoulder, BFT1 (0.52-0.58 in boars, 0.30-0.51 in gilts), midback, BFT2 (0.450.76 in boars, 0.14-0.38 in gilts), ham, BFT3 (0.32-0.61 in boars, 0.36 for gilts), and their average, AveBFT (0.62-0.77 for boars, 0.36-0.42 for gilts) suggest that local selection for performance test traits in Landrace and Large White pigs may lead to substantial response to selection while the significant genetic correlations among them is expected to bring correlated responses in the other traits. Significant phenotypic correlations among performance test traits (except FCR) were positively correlated with each other, ranging from 0.39 to 0.96. FCR was negatively correlated to other boar performance test traits, ranging from -0.32 to -0.83. Significant genetic correlations varied considerably among performance test traits.
SK3-overexpression drives sex-dimorphic working and social memory impairment in mice

Although sex differences in memory tasks dependent on hippocampal function have been described in several species, including rodents and humans, the exact mechanisms involved remain debatable. The function of the small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel type 3 has been associated with cognitive deficits, and its overexpression in male mice (T/T) induces shrinkage of the hippocampus. Here we describe that opposite to the observation in males, in female mice, SK3-induced-reduction in the volume of the hippocampal formation does not interfere with working and social memory performance. Male, but not female T/T mice showed decreased adult hippocampal neurogenesis and down-regulation of the expression of the genes related to Akt/mTOR and MAP kinase pathways. T/T male mice exhibit impaired estrogen and Neurogulin 1 signaling. An increased number of filopodia spines is observed in the dentate gyrus (DG). Our results suggest a fine-tune modulation of SK3 expression participates in the sex-dependent function of the hippocampus via estrogen signaling and neuroplasticity in the DG. Our results reinforce the importance of testing male and female mice while conducting experiments with transgenic mice.
Affordable Housing Provision in Informal Settlements through Land Value Capture and Inclusionary Housing

Public-driven attempts to provide decent housing to slum residents in developing countries have either failed or achieved minimal output when compared to the growing slum population. This has been attributed mainly to shortage of public funds. However, some urban areas in these countries exhibit vibrant real estate markets that may hold the potential to bear the costs of regenerating slums. This paper sheds light on an innovative hypothesis to achieve slum regeneration by harnessing the real estate market. The study seeks to answer the question “How can urban public policy facilitate slum regeneration, increase affordable housing, and enhance social inclusion in cities of developing countries? ” The study approaches slum regeneration from an integrated land economics and spatial planning perspective and demonstrates that slum regeneration can successfully be managed by applying land value capture (LVC) and inclusionary housing (IH) instruments. The research methodology adopted is based on a hypothetical master plan and related housing policy and strategy, aimed at addressing housing needs in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya. This simulated master plan is complemented with economic and residual land value analyses that demonstrate that by availing land to private developers for inclusionary housing development, it is possible to meet slum residents’ housing needs by including at least 27.9% affordable housing in new developments, entirely borne by the private sector. Findings suggest that under a robust public-led governance umbrella, market forces can (1) significantly contribute to fill the financial gap in order to achieve the end of slums by 2050 in coherence with the United Nations Agenda 2030 targets and principles, and (2) increase both affordable and market housing in upgraded neighbourhoods, hence enhancing social inclusion in cities of developing countries.