Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anticipation of Nitric Oxide Stress in the Human Commensal Fungus Candida albicans

Anticipation of Nitric Oxide Stress in the Human Commensal Fungus Candida albicans by Jed J. Lynn Candida albicans is the most common human commensal fungus, able to colonize host niches such as skin, mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Colonization of diverse microenvironments requires the ability to evade or overcome innate host protection and adapt to rapid transitions between environments with different stresses and nutrient availability. Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract requires passage through the stomach containing toxic levels of nitric oxide, generated from acidification of nitrite in the low pH of the stomach. Although resistance of C. albicans to nitric oxide is mediated by the flavohemoglobin Yhb1, little is known about the physiologically relevant ligands that regulate YHB1 expression. Here I propose the hypothesis that nontoxic saliva chemicals induce YHB1 expression and promote resistance to nitric oxide generated in the stomach. Supporting this hypothesis is the observation that two ions actively concentrated in the saliva – nitrate and thiocyanate – induce YHB1 expression. Indeed, whole-genome transcriptional analysis of C. albicans treated with nitrate or thiocyanate produce gene expression profiles nearly identical to cells treated with nitrite or nitric oxide. Pretreatment of C. albicans with either of these two nontoxic compounds increases resistance of the yeast to nitric oxide. I propose that this is an evolved response in which C. albicans anticipates nitric oxide stress generated in the stomach. C. albicans thus upregulates nitric oxide stress response genes in response to saliva signals that precede nitric oxide formation further on in the gut. Only a few examples of anticipatory signaling have so far been identified and it is not known how common this type of regulation is among microbes. Expression of the YHB1 gene in response to nitric oxide is regulated by the transcription factor Cta4. I show that Cta4 binds to the YHB1 promoter in vivo as a homodimer and is necessary, but not sufficient, for nitric oxide, nitrate and thiocyanate induced expression of YHB1. Based on these data I propose a model in which Cta4 transcriptional activation is inhibited under non-inducing conditions by a negative regulator. Understanding the mechanism by which C. albicans senses and responds to nitric oxide, nitrate and thiocyanate remains a question for future research.
Molecular Systematics of Nyctinomops (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

Abstract. The genus Nyctinomops comprises 4 species of bats in the free-tailed family Molossidae: Nyctinomops macrotis, Nyctinomops femorosaccus, Nyctinomops aurispinosus, and Nyctinomops laticaudatus. The objective of this study was to use mitochondrial sequence data to test hypotheses of relationship within Nyctinomops. A total of 460 bases of cytochrome b and 686 bases of NADH dehydrogenase were sequenced and analyzed from 22 individuals by use of parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. Sequences from other molossid genera (Tadarida, Cynomops, and Otomops) were used as outgroups. In addition, a series of Nyctinomops specimens from Peru was re-assessed using morphological and molecular data. Our results agree with previous studies using morphological similarity in the placement of the largest member of the genus, N. macrotis, as sister to the remaining species. Furthermore, both mitochondrial data sets recovered the following relationship for the other members of the genus: (N. aurispinosus (N. laticaudatus, N. femorosaccus)).
Phytochemistry and arthropod bioactivity of Australian lamiaceae

Crude foliar extracts of sixty species from six subfamilies of Australian Lamiaceae were screened by whole organism contact toxicity on the polyphagous mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). In addition, cytotoxicity assessments against insect cell lines from Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) and Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) were also made. The findings indicated that the Spodoptera cell line was more susceptible to extracts than the Drosophila cell line and no direct correlation was observed between the two screening methods. However, several interesting relationships were identified. Extracts from sub-families Ajugoideae, Scutellarioideae, Chloanthoideae, Viticoideae and Nepetoideae showed acaricidal activity, whilst only those from Ajugoideae and Nepetoideae displayed potent cytotoxic effects. A range of activities was observed for the 25 species of Plectranthus, 14 of which showed moderate to high contact toxicity against T. urticae. Overall, least promising bioactivity was observed for extracts from the plant subfamily Prostantheroideae, which showed little contact toxicity or cytotoxicity for the 18 extracts studied. Greatest cytotoxicity was observed from a methanol extract of leaf material of Glossocarya calcicola Domin. Bioassay guided fractionation led to the discovery of three novel clerodane diterpenes, which were not present in the stems or at all in the closely related species G. hemiderma. Compound 1 was characterised as (rel)-10âH-trans-12i-(2-methylbut-2(E)-enoyl)-1â-(isobutanoyl)-6a,13i-dihydroxyclerodan-4(20),8(18)-dien-7,15-dione-15,16-oxide, to which the trivial name calcicolin-A was assigned. The other two compounds had the same skeletal structure and C-12 substituent but in compound 2 (calcicolin-B), the C-1 esterifying group became 2-methylbut-2(E)-enoic acid and in 3 (calcicolin-C) it became 2-methylbutanoic acid. Although insect antifeeding activity was not observed for G. calcicola, cytotoxicity against insect and human carcinoma cell lines was detected. Greatest acaricidal activity was observed for Plectranthus diversus S.T. Blake when topically applied (LC50 = 0.25% (w/v)). The major compound present in the extract of P. diversus was identified as the known compound 7a,18-dihydroxy-isopimara-8(14),15-diene. These findings were of chemotaxonomic significance as this is the first known occurrence of a pimarane diterpene in Plectranthus, a genus characterised by abietane diterpenes. A number of abietanes were isolated and identified in this study, though none of which were novel. Promising cytotoxicity was observed from P. fasciculatus P.I. Forst. , which was attributed to coleon U, a known abietane diterpene with cytotoxic activity. Other species of Plectranthus showed potential acaricidal activity as a crude extract in particular P. graveolens R.Br. (LC50 = 0.76% (w/v)). Bioassay guided fractionation did reveal some interesting behavioural effects on mites but in general the fractions were less toxic than the whole extract. The…
Origin of Japanese Populations of Reeves' Pond Turtle, Mauremys reevesii (Reptilia: Geoemydidae), as Inferred by a Molecular Approach

Abstract Reeves' pond turtle, Mauremys reevesii, is an aquatic geoemydid species that is broadly distributed in East Asia. Like many other Asian turtles, this species is facing an extinction crisis in most countries where it occurs. In Japan, however, this turtle commonly occurs in various freshwater habitats. Although the Japanese populations have generally been considered to be native, a few recent studies have yielded circumstantial evidence that suggested that they had originated from relatively recent artificial introductions from abroad. To evaluate the validity of such a view, we analyzed sequence variations of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the control region in M. reevesii samples from various localities in Japan and adjacent countries. The results revealed the presence of 3 distinct genetic groups (groups A, B, and C) in the Japanese samples, of which groups A and B included haplotypes that were almost identical with some haplotypes from the Korean sample and the Chinese and Taiwanese samples, respectively. Sequences from M. reevesii shell products commercially traded in Taiwan included one that was almost identical to the group C sequence. The current Japanese populations of M. reevesii seem to have been derived from multiple artificial introductions from adjacent countries. This finding implies a need to be concerned about the effect of M. reevesii on the Japanese native wildlife, particularly on the Japanese endemic pond turtle, Mauremys japonica, with which M. reevesii is phylogenetically closely related and reportedly frequently hybridizes in the wild. However, the Japanese population may be useful as a genetically variable stock for conservation of this species, which is highly endangered in most of its range outside Japan.
Changes in the Physical, Optical, and Thermal Properties of Polyethylene Mulches during Double Cropping

In temperate regions, the vegetable growing season is short and plastic mulches are usually left in the field for an entire year when used for double cropping. This work was conducted to study the effect of weathering on the physical, optical, and thermal properties of plastic mulches during double cropping. The design was a randomized complete block with four replications. The mulches were black, grey, infrared transmitting brown (IRT-brown), IRT-green, white, and white-on-black (co-extruded white/black). Tomato was grown the first year and cucumber the following year. The grey mulch degraded substantially during double cropping (only 40% of bed was covered the second year) and showed an increase in light transmission and a decrease in heat accumulation (degree-days). The black, white- on-black, white, IRT-brown, and IRT green mulches showed less degradation with 93%, 91%, 85%, 75%, and 61% soil cover, respectively. However, their soil warming ability was significantly reduced. These mulches could be used for double cropping to suppress weeds and to reduce inputs associated with plastic purchase, laying, and disposal. However, they may not provide adequate soil warming early in the season for the second crop.
Characteristics of Tree Roosts of Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) in Southeastern Mississippi

Abstract Cavity-roosting species of bats generally require patches of forest containing older timber, but such habitats have been reduced in the southeastern United States. Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii, is a rare species for which data on natural roosts in the Gulf Coastal Plain (where caves are largely absent) are scant. We used radiotelemetry to locate tree roosts of C. rafinesquii in southeastern Mississippi from August 2001 until August 2004. We captured and radiotagged 25 bats that led us to 14 trees. Corynorhinus rafinesquii used hollow Nyssa spp. and Magnolia grandiflora. Most of these trees were still alive, relatively large (mean DBH = 79.4 cm, mean height = 18.5 m), possessed cavities with openings not located at their bases and were located adjacent to streams or other bodies of water. When bats shifted roosts among different trees, these sites were usually located nearby (mean distance ≅ 360 m). Tree roosts were apparently rare within the study area, and C. rafinesquii showed roost fidelity to particular areas of forest. Six tree roosts were used by multiple individuals and several trees were reused within tracking sessions and among years.
Contrasting synchrony in root and leaf phenology across multiple sub‐Arctic plant communities

Roots account for > 50% of net primary production in many ecosystems and are widely accepted as playing a fundamental role in ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling. Despite this, the timing and controls of root production and the relationships between root and leaf phenology are still poorly understood in many plant communities, making it challenging to elucidate broad scale patterns and to predict ecosystem responses to a changing climate. Here, we investigate and compare the extent of synchrony of community‐level fine root and leaf production in 10 widespread sub‐Arctic plant communities, including deciduous forest, evergreen shrub, deciduous shrub and sedge‐dominated communities. We show that across contrasting plant communities, timing of leaf production does not vary substantially, but there are considerable differences in timing of root production between woody plant‐ and sedge‐dominated vegetation. In sedge communities, root production occurs early in the growing season, soon after the peak of leaf production, whereas in woody plant communities, leaf and root production are highly asynchronous, with the majority of root production occurring late in the growing season. Seasonal dynamics of root growth were not consistently correlated with soil temperature, suggesting that differences in timing of production relate to inherent differences between plant functional types. This raises important questions as to the drivers of root production, the functional reasons underlying these contrasting plant strategies, as well as the consequences for microbial communities and nutrient cycling of such contrasting timing of carbon inputs to soil. Synthesis. We demonstrate that major differences exist in the synchrony of temporal dynamics of leaf and root production between woody plant and sedge‐dominated sub‐Arctic vegetation. The substantially greater asynchrony in root and leaf production in woody plants compared with sedges suggests that vegetation change associated with climate warming will result in significant shifts in timing of carbon fluxes to soil, and highlights the need for separate leaf and root components in ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycle models.
Heterosis studies in rice hybrids involving diverse cytosteriles

Forty hybrids were developed utilizing five cytoplasmic male sterile lines of four different sources and eight effective restorers and they were studied for the extent of heteorosis for eight different quantitative characters over popular commercial rice hybrid Sahyadri as a standard check. Seven hybrids viz., IR 58025 AI Panvel 1(41.90%), IR 58025 AI IR 5 (36.43%), IR 58025 AI Ratnagiri 3 (33.81%), PMS 2 A IIR 54 (33.57%), PMS 2A I IR 5 (30.95%), PMS 2A I Ratnagiri 3 (30.48%), WA base hybrids and G 46 I Ratnagiri 3 (24.05%)-Gambiaca base hybrid, expressed highly significant positive heterosis for grain yield over rice hybrid Sahyadri.
Influence of Drainage Connectivity, Drainage Area and Regional Species Richness on Fishes of the Interior Highlands in Arkansas

Abstract There has been strong recent interest in the “macroecological” approach of explaining local community phenomena as a consequence of patterns at larger geographic scales. Various authors have suggested that if local observations can be explained by the larger-scale patterns in which they are embedded, there is less need to invoke local (within-site) processes (like competition, habitat structure, etc.) to explain community structure. We used a large database on local stream fish assemblages and species distributions in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas to test three macroecological hypotheses: (1) faunal similarities among upland river basins can be predicted from the hierarchical geographical connectivities of those streams in the larger Mississippi River Basin drainage network; (2) faunal richness of drainages up to the size of small rivers (ca. 4000 km2) increases with drainage area; and (3) local (within-site) species richness increases in proportion to regional (basin) richness. These hypotheses were tested at the level of “all species”, and within the families Cyprinidae (minnows) and Percidae (darters). For the first hypothesis, Mantel tests comparing matrices of faunal similarities and basin connectivity (based on number of nodes separating these smaller basins within the Mississippi River Basin) showed that similarities in composition of fish faunas among the upland basins were predictable from the pattern of drainage connectivity. This pattern existed at the levels of “all species”, minnows, and darters. Upland basins separated by the fewest nodes had fish faunas that were most similar, with all basins in the more northern White-Arkansas river basin separating (across all taxa and within families) from the southern Ouachita river basin drainages; and lesser rivers within these basins also showed similarity generally related to their connectivity. In tests of the second hypothesis, drainages up to small rivers in size exhibited positive, species-areas slopes at all taxonomic levels. Species-area regression slopes (z) were 0.30 for “all species”, and 0.36 for darters, both differing significantly from a slope of zero. However, minnows had a species-area regression slope of z = 0.20, which did not differ statistically (P = 0.16) from a slope of zero. For the third hypothesis, regional (basin) species richness explained little of the variation in species richness at individual local sites, with the relationship significant at P = 0.054 for mean local number of “all species”, and nonsignificant within the minnow and darter families. Within all levels of regional (basin) species richness, there was great variation in number of species found at individual sites. Overall, we conclude that extrinsic macroecological hypotheses, based on patterns at large spatial scales, differed in explaining composition of the faunas or assemblages at smaller spatial scales, leaving much variation in local assemblage structure to be explained by local intrinsic factors.
Phosphate regime structures species composition in cultured phototrophic biofilms

Summary 1. The effect of phosphate on species composition in biofilms was studied under three different phosphate regimes (0.5, 5 and 50 μm) in two different multi species communities: one composed of the four diatom species Melosira varians, Nitzschia perminuta, Navicula trivialis and Achnanthes lanceolata and one containing these diatom species plus the two cyanobacterial species Leptolyngbya foveolarum and Cylindrospermum stagnale. 2. Algal growth in monocultures and mixtures was measured as chlorophyll a and PAM fluorimetry was applied to document density and physiological condition of the two main groups of photosynthetic organisms in mixed cultures. 3. In phosphate-replete communities, a single species dominated the community (N. perminuta in the diatom mixture and L. foveolarum in the all species mixture), while in the phosphate-deprived communities several species persisted, in spite of severe phosphate limitation. 4. We conclude that high supply of phosphate enables the species L. foveolarum, and to a lesser extent N. perminuta, to overgrow biofilm consortia, facilitated by their filamentous growth form, motility or the excretion of inhibitors. The persistence of several species under a low phosphate regime is explained by a less intense interspecific interaction in low-density biofilms. This clarifies field observations published previously.
Dynamic Hyperglycemic Patterns Predict Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy

Background: Admission hyperglycemia impairs outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Since hyperglycemia in AIS represents a dynamic condition, we tested whether the dynamic patterns of hyperglycemia, defined as blood glucose levels > 140 mg/dl, affect outcomes in these patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 200 consecutive patients with prospective follow-up. Based on blood glucose level, patients were distinguished into 4 groups: (1) persistent normoglycemia; (2) hyperglycemia at baseline only; (3) hyperglycemia at 24-h only; and (4) persistent (at baseline plus at 24-h following MT) hyperglycemia. Results: AIS patients with persistent hyperglycemia have a significantly increased risk of poor functional outcome (OR 6.89, 95% CI 1.98–23.94, p = 0.002, for three-month poor outcome; OR 11.15, 95% CI 2.99–41.52, p = 0.001, for no major neurological improvement), mortality (OR 5.37, 95% CI 1.61–17.96, p = 0.006, for in-hospital mortality; OR 4.43, 95% CI 1.40–13.97, p = 0.01, for three-month mortality), and hemorrhagic transformation (OR 6.89, 95% CI 2.35–20.21, p = 0.001, for intracranial hemorrhage; OR 5.42, 95% CI 1.54–19.15, p = 0.009, for symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage) after endovascular treatment. These detrimental effects were partially confirmed after also excluding diabetic patients. The AUC-ROC showed a very good performance for predicting three-month poor outcome (0.76) in-hospital mortality (0.79) and three-month mortality (0.79). Conclusions: Our study suggests that it is useful to perform the prolonged monitoring of glucose levels lasting 24-h after MT.
Blood biochemical profile in repeat breeding crossbred dairy cows.

Received: Revised: Accepted: April 21, 2014 June 24, 2014 July 28, 2014 In Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India thirty blood samples were collected from repeat breeder and normal dairy cows. The plasma glucose, serum cholesterol, serum protein, serum total lipid, serum calcium and serum phosphorus were estimated as per the standard biochemical methods. The plasma glucose level (mg/dl) in regular breeding animals and repeat breeding animals were 60.27±2.28 and 55.18±3.10 respectively. The serum total cholesterol level (mg/dl) of regular and repeat breeding cows were 114.14±9.72 and 98.90±12.48 respectively. The serum protein level (g/dl) of regular and repeat breeding cows were 6.70±0.09 and 6.32±0.04 respectively. The serum total lipid content (mg/dl) in regular and repeat breeding cows were 273.50±12.64 and 248.30±8.79 respectively. The serum calcium level (mg/dl) in regular and repeat breeding cows were 11.10±0.01 and 9.98±0.04 respectively. The serum phosphorus level (mg/dl) in regular and repeat breeding cows were 6.01±0.32 and 4.46±0.30 respectively. We conclude that the significantly decreased levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol, total protein, total lipids, calcium and phosphorus in repeat breeding dairy cows compared to normal dairy cows.
Nutrients requirements in biological industrial wastewater treatment

Wastewaters from olive mills and pulp and paper mill industries in Jordan have been characterized and treated using laboratory scale anaerobic and aerobic sequencing batch reactors, respectively. Nutrient requirements for these two industrial wastewaters were found to be less than what is usually reported in the literature for C:N:P ratio of 100:5:1 for aerobic treatment and 250:5:1 for anaerobic treatment. This was ascribed to the low biomass observed yield coefficients and relatively low removal efficiencies in these wastewaters. It was found that for anaerobic treatment of olive mills wastewater COD:N:P ratio of about 900:5:1.7 was able to achieve more than 80% COD removal. The observed biomass yield was about 0.06 kg VSS per kg of COD degraded. For extended aeration aerobic treatment of pulp and paper mill wastewater COD:N:P ratio of about 170:5:1.5 was able to achieve more than 75% COD removal. The observed biomass yield was about 0.31 kg VSS per kg of COD degraded. In both these wastewaters nutrients were not added. A simple formula is introduced to calculate nutrient requirements based on removal efficiency and observed biomass yield coefficient. Key Words: Olive mill wastewater; anaerobic treatment; aerobic treatment; sequencing batch reactor; biomass yield; nutrient requirement. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 3 (4), 2004: 236-238