Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Double Cloprostenol Administration During mid Luteal Phase of Oestrous Cycle does not Modify the Interoestrous Interval in Gilts

The present study was undertaken to test the effect of two vulva injections of D-cloprostenol on day 7, 9 and 10 of oestrous cycle on the duration of the interestrous interval in gilts. Following a pre-treatment oestrous cycle, 87 gilts were assigned to receive vulva injections of 75 μg D-cloprostenol at 08:00 and 14:00 h on day 7 (D7; n=30), day 9 (D9; n=29) or day 10 (D10; n=28) of their second observed oestrous cycle. Across the treatments, the duration of the oestrous cycle with D-cloprostenol treatment (19.1±0.1 d) was not different from that of the previous oestrous cycle (20.1±0.4 days). Plasma progesterone concentrations were evaluated 6 h before and 24 and 72 h after D-cloprostenol treatment in the D9 group. Compared to pretreatment levels (9.6±0.4 ng/mL), plasma progesterone concentrations were reduced (P<0.05) at 24 h (6.3±1.0 ng/mL) and 72 h after treatment but complete luteolysis did not occur. These data indicate that in gilts double vulva administration of D-cloprostenol is not able to induce a complete luteolisys and hence the duration of the oestrous cycle is not modified.
A Phase 1 and pharmacokinetic study evaluating daily or weekly schedules of the humanized anti-GD2 antibody hu14.18K322A in recurrent/refractory solid tumors

ABSTRACT Hu14.18K322A is a humanized anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody with a single point mutation that reduces complement-mediated cytotoxicity, with a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of 60 mg/m2 daily for 4 days in children with recurrent/refractory neuroblastoma. We report additional results of a Phase 1 trial to determine the MTD and safety profile of hu14.18K322A in patients with osteosarcoma, and of an alternative schedule of weekly hu14.18K322A administration in patients with neuroblastoma or osteosarcoma. Eligible patients with recurrent/refractory osteosarcoma received hu14.13K22A daily x4 every 28 days in a Phase 1 traditional 3 + 3 dose escalation design. Additional patients with osteosarcoma were then enrolled to receive hu14.18K322A once weekly for 4 weeks per course. Patients with recurrent/refractory neuroblastoma were also enrolled on the weekly schedule at 50 mg/m2/dose. Six patients with osteosarcoma treated on the daily schedule received a median of 2 (range 1–6) courses; the recommended daily dose was established as 60 mg/m2. Three patients had stable disease (SD) as best overall response. Five patients (3 neuroblastoma, 2 osteosarcoma) enrolled on the weekly schedule received a median of 1 (1–3) course; 2 achieved SD as best overall response. Pain, fever, hematologic toxicities, hyponatremia, and ocular/visual abnormalities were common toxicities among both schedules. Dose-limiting toxicities attributed to hu14.18K322A included anorexia and fatigue (n = 1). Pharmacokinetic profiles were similar between daily and weekly schedules. The recommended dose for patients with osteosarcoma receiving daily hu14.18K322A x4 is 60 mg/m2. Patients receiving the weekly schedule experienced similar pharmacokinetics and toxicity profile as the daily schedule.
The form and outcome of mycelial interactions involving cord-forming decomposer basidiomycetes in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments

SUMMARY The mycelial interactions of strains of six cord-forming wood-inhabiting basidiomycetes were studied both against each other and against other fungi including Armillaria species on 2% malt extract agar, in wood lengths, and in non-sterile soil. Generally, cord-formers could be ranked in a combative order Phanerochaete velutina (DC ex Pers.) Parmasto =Phanerochaete laevis (Fr.) Erikss. & Ryv. > Steccherinum fimbriatum (Pers. ex Fr.) Erikss. =Hypholoma fasciculare (Huds. ex Fr.) Kummer =Phallus impudicus (L.) Pers. > Tricholomopsis platyphylla (Pers. ex Fr.) Sing. However, the outcome of interactions varied considerably according to circumstances. For example, in soil systems it depended on the extent to which encounters occurred between mycelia growing out from the wood inoculum blocks or within the inocula themselves. This depended in turn on the relative size of the inoculum blocks used for each strain. Encounters between like mycelia growing out into soil led to the formation of persistent mycelial connectives between the inoculum blocks. However, those between unlike mycelia elicited discolouration and lytic reactions following either contact ('mycelial interference') between different species, or fusion and somatic incompatibility between different strains of the same species. Such reactions were followed either by replacement of one system by the other, or the development of mycelium-free zones of soil between deadlocked colonies. After 3 months all pairings of cord formers against systems of Armillaria bulbosa (Barla) Kile and Watling, A. cepestipes Vel. f. pseudobulbosa Romagn. & Marxmuller and A. mellea (Vahl ex Fr.) Kummer in soil resulted in the colonisation of the Armillaria inocula to varying degrees and the death of virtually all associated rhizomorphs.
On‐pump beating‐heart coronary artery bypass grafting in high‐risk patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Operative technique for surgical myocardial revascularization in high‐risk patients remains an argument of debate. On‐pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with cardioplegic arrest and off‐pump CABG have intrinsic limitations. The hybrid approach of on‐pump beating‐heart CABG (OPBHC) has been proposed over the years with conflicting results. This systematic review and meta‐analysis intends to summarize the contemporary literature.
Ablative fractional CO2 laser vs lyophilized growth factor intralesional injection vs combination of both modalities for striae distensae treatment

Different studies had evaluated the efficacy of fractional CO2 laser and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) in treating striae distensae (SD). Lyophilized growth factors (LGF) represent another form of delivering growth factors similar to PRP with a more standardized method. To the best of our knowledge, no previous trials have been reported using LGF in SD.
Microbial size spectra from natural and nutrient enriched ecosystems

Microbial size spectra, including bacteria through nanophytoplankton, were measured by use of flow cytometry across the western north Atlantic Ocean and during two nutrient enrichment studies: bottle enrichments in the Sargasso Sea and an in situ iron enrichment in the equatorial Pacific (IronEx II). Spectral shapes, or the relative conformity to a function described by a power law, ranged from smooth and log linear during the spring bloom in the Sargasso Sea to being distinctly non‐log linear in coastal waters. Overall, the individual spectra within large regions characterized by similar ecological conditions showed remarkable consistency, inviting speculation that powerful organizing mechanisms are at work in these communities. Moreover, the ensemble average of all of the spectra along the transect displays clear power‐law behavior. Slopes ranged from 21.0, in which biomass was equally distributed between all size classes, to 21.4, in which proportionally more biomass was contained in smaller size classes; there was no clear relationship between nutrient concentrations and spectral slopes over the entire data set. Species succession in nutrient‐enriched bottles caused spectra to evolve from relatively smooth power laws to distributions showing preferred sizes (i.e., nonlinear on a log‐log plot). The IronEx II spectra, however, remained similar over the course of the experiment. It could be that the elimination of bottle effects in this experiment buffered the system in ways that maintained the size structure of the microbial community over the size range we measured. Our results suggest conditions that lead to log‐linear size distributions; these should be verified over a broader range of scales and environments.
Preparation of a Flexible Superhydrophobic Surface and Its Wetting Mechanism Based on Fractal Theory.

Substrates of superhydrophobic surface are important for their application. Preparation of a flexible superhydrophobic surface has drawn more and more attention. In this work, a flexible substrate was made using a semi-curing spray method to obtain a flexible superhydrophobic surface with excellent abrasion resistance on the surface of a room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber. Results show that under a bending condition, excellent superhydrophobic properties are still maintained. The Cassie-Baxter model and Wenzel model can be used to estimate the static water contact angle for regular roughness surfaces. There are few numerical theoretical models to predict contact angle or wetting mode for irregular micro-nanostructures superhydrophobic surfaces. The fractal theory can be used to transform the equation of Wenzel model and obtained the fractal wetting theory suitable for fractal structures on irregular rough surfaces. However, this fractal-wetting model cannot be applied to Cassie-Baxter state, which is always suitable for superhydrophobic surfaces. A new method was developed to calculate the static water contact angle of water droplets in the Cassie-Baxter model state. Using image identification and split surface method, a new model is constructed based on the fractal theory. Experimental data for water contact angles on flexible superhydrophobic surface with SiC/CNTs micro-nanostructures is agreement with the simulated values.
Fire‐induced tree mortality in a neotropical forest: the roles of bark traits, tree size, wood density and fire behavior

Large‐scale wildfires are expected to accelerate forest dieback in Amazônia, but the fire vulnerability of tree species remains uncertain, in part due to the lack of studies relating fire‐induced mortality to both fire behavior and plant traits. To address this gap, we established two sets of experiments in southern Amazonia. First, we tested which bark traits best predict heat transfer rates (R) through bark during experimental bole heating. Second, using data from a large‐scale fire experiment, we tested the effects of tree wood density (WD), size, and estimated R (inverse of cambium insulation) on tree mortality after one to five fires. In the first experiment, bark thickness explained 82% of the variance in R, while the presence of water in the bark reduced the difference in temperature between the heat source and the vascular cambium, perhaps because of high latent heat of vaporization. This novel finding provides an important insight for improving mechanistic models of fire‐induced cambium damage from tropical to temperate regions. In the second experiment, tree mortality increased with increasing fire intensity (i.e. as indicated by bark char height on tree boles), which was higher along the forest edge, during the 2007 drought, and when the fire return interval was 3 years instead of one. Contrary to other tropical studies, the relationship between mortality and fire intensity was strongest in the year following the fires, but continued for 3 years afterwards. Tree mortality was low (≤20%) for thick‐barked individuals (≥18 mm) subjected to medium‐intensity fires, and significantly decreased as a function of increasing tree diameter, height and wood density. Hence, fire‐induced tree mortality was influenced not only by cambium insulation but also by other traits that reduce the indirect effects of fire. These results can be used to improve assessments of fire vulnerability of tropical forests.
Sigh maneuver protects healthy lungs during mechanical ventilation in adult Wistar rats

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a tool used for the treatment of patients with acute or chronic respiratory failure. However, MV is a non-physiological resource, and it can cause metabolic disorders such as release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and production of reactive oxygen species. In clinical setting, maneuvers such as sigh, are used to protect the lungs. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of sigh on oxidative stress and lung inflammation in healthy adult Wistar rats submitted to MV. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (CG), mechanical ventilation (MVG), MV set at 20 sighs/h (MVG20), and MV set at 40 sighs/h (MVG40). The MVG, MVG20, and MVG40 were submitted to MV for 1 h. After the protocol, all animals were euthanized and the blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and lungs were collected for subsequent analysis. In the arterial blood, MVG40 presented higher partial pressure of oxygen and lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide compared to control. The levels of bicarbonate in MVG20 were lower compared to CG. The neutrophil influx in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was higher in the MVG compared to CG and MVG40. In the lung parenchyma, the lipid peroxidation was higher in MVG compared to CG, MVG20, and MVG40. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activity were higher in MVG compared to CG, MVG20, and MVG40. The levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF in the lung homogenate were higher in MVG compared to CG, MVG20, and MVG40. The use of sigh plays a protective role as it reduced redox imbalance and pulmonary inflammation caused by MV.
EUTROPHICATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE GREAT LAKES1

Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior are classified as oligotrophic lakes on the basis of their biological, chemical, and physical characteristics. Lake Ontario, although rich in nutrients, is morphometrically oligotrophic or mesotrophic because of its large area of deep water. Lake Erie, the most productive of the lakes and the shallowest, is eutrophic. Several changes commonly associated with eutrophication in small lakes have been observed in the Great Lakes. These changes apparently reflect accelerated eutrophication in the Great Lakes due to man’s activity. Chemical data compiled from a number of sources, dating as early as 1854, indicate a progressive increase in the concentrations of various major ions and total dissolved solids in all of the lakes except Lake Superior. The plankton has changed somewhat in Lake Michigan and the plankton, benthos, and fish populations of Lake Erie are greatly different today from those of the past. An extensive area of hypolimnetic water of Lake Erie has developed low dissolved oxygen concentrations in late summer within recent years.
Metabolomic Biomarkers in Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders range among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and belong to the leading disorders in the study of the total global burden of disease. Anxiety disorders are complex conditions, with not fully understood etiological mechanisms. Numerous factors, including psychological, genetic, biological, and chemical factors, are thought to be involved in their etiology. Although the diagnosis of anxiety disorders is constantly evolving, diagnostic manuals rely on symptom lists, not on objective biomarkers and treatment effects are small to moderate. The underlying biological factors that drive anxiety disorders may be better suited to serve as biomarkers for guiding personalized medicine, as they are objective and can be measured externally. Therefore, the incorporation of novel biomarkers into current clinical methods might help to generate a classification system for anxiety disorders that can be linked to the underlying dysfunctional pathways. The study of metabolites (metabolomics) in a large-scale manner shows potential for disease diagnosis, for stratification of patients in a heterogeneous patient population, for monitoring therapeutic efficacy and disease progression, and for defining therapeutic targets. All of these are important properties for anxiety disorders, which is a multifactorial condition not involving a single-gene mutation. This review summarizes recent investigations on metabolomics studies in anxiety disorders.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Inhibitors by Drug Repurposing Using in silico Structure-Based Virtual Screening Approach

The rapidly spreading, highly contagious and pathogenic SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The novel 2019 SARS-CoV-2 enters the host cell by binding of the viral surface spike glycoprotein (S-protein) to cellular angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The virus specific molecular interaction with the host cell represents a promising therapeutic target for identifying SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs. The repurposing of drugs can provide a rapid and potential cure toward exponentially expanding COVID-19. Thereto, high throughput virtual screening approach was used to investigate FDA approved LOPAC library drugs against both the receptor binding domain of spike protein (S-RBD) and ACE2 host cell receptor. Primary screening identified a few promising molecules for both the targets, which were further analyzed in details by their binding energy, binding modes through molecular docking, dynamics and simulations. Evidently, GR 127935 hydrochloride hydrate, GNF-5, RS504393, TNP, and eptifibatide acetate were found binding to virus binding motifs of ACE2 receptor. Additionally, KT203, BMS195614, KT185, RS504393, and GSK1838705A were identified to bind at the receptor binding site on the viral S-protein. These identified molecules may effectively assist in controlling the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 by not only potentially inhibiting the virus at entry step but are also hypothesized to act as anti-inflammatory agents, which could impart relief in lung inflammation. Timely identification and determination of an effective drug to combat and tranquilize the COVID-19 global crisis is the utmost need of hour. Further, prompt in vivo testing to validate the anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibition efficiency by these molecules could save lives is justified.
Invitro Antioxidant Activity and Invitro A -Glucosidase and A -Amylase Inhibitory Activity of Barleria Cristata L.

Medicinal plants are reservoirs of natural products with anti-diabetic potentials. With respect to effective therapeutic approaches to treatment of DM, much effort has being made to investigate potential inhibitors against α-glucosidase and α-amylase from natural products. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antioxidant activity and also evaluate invitro inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase of Barleria cristata L. extracts . Our assay results suggests that ethanolic and aqueous leaf extract of Barleria cristata L. exhibit dose-dependent increase in percentage inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase enzymes and α-amylase when compared with standard drug acarbose. Ethanolic extracts produced highest invitro antioxidant activity when compared to aqueous extract. It can be concluded that the ethanolic leaf extract of Barleria cristata L. might be used in the control of blood glucose in clinical conditions like diabetes.
Growth and Phenology of Three Lythraceae Species in Relation to Feeding by Galerucella calmariensis and Galerucella pusilla: Predicting Ecological Host Range from Laboratory Host Range Testing

Abstract Previous studies have characterized the development of the biological control insects, Galerucella calmariensis and Galerucella pusilla on purple loosestrife and on nontarget Lythraceae species, including two species native to Minnesota, winged loosestrife, and swamp loosestrife. The impact of Galerucella spp. on these plants, when grown in outdoor mesocosms that more closely mimics ecological host range, has not been reported. The first objective of this study was to compare the growth and seed capsule production of purple loosestrife, winged loosestrife, and swamp loosestrife, with and without exposure to Galerucella spp. With purple loosestrife, larval feeding on apical and lateral shoot buds resulted in fewer seed capsules, and reduced aboveground biomass and plant height compared to control plants. No measured plant growth or reproductive parameters were reduced as a result of beetle feeding on swamp loosestrife. Presence of Galerucella spp. on winged loosestrife resulted in a reduction of seed capsules in one of 2 yr of study. A second objective of our study was to compare the phenology of the three Lythraceae species in relation to that of Galerucella spp. In the northern United States, flowering and seed development in swamp loosestrife occurred a month later than in purple or winged loosestrife. The delayed flowering of swamp loosestrife resulted in avoidance of shoot meristem feeding damage caused by the first generation of beetles. Laboratory studies might have overestimated the host range of Galerucella spp. on swamp loosestrife with the finding of asynchronous flowering times of purple and swamp loosestrife. Our mesocosm studies confirm that previous laboratory host range testing did accurately predict the ecological host range of winged loosestrife. Nomenclature: Galerucella calmariensis L. ; Galerucella pusilla Duftschmidt; purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L. ; winged loosestrife, Lythrum alatum Pursh; swamp loosestrife, Decodon verticillatus (L.) Ell.
Accelerating regrowth of temperate‐maritime forests due to environmental change

To understand how environmental changes have influenced forest productivity, stemwood biomass (B) dynamics were analyzed at 1267 permanent inventory plots, covering a combined 209 ha area of unmanaged temperate‐maritime forest in southwest British Columbia, Canada. Net stemwood production (ΔB) was derived from periodic remeasurements of B collected over a 40‐year measurement period (1959–1998) in stands ranging from 20 to 150 years old. Comparison between the integrated age response of net stemwood production, ΔB(A), and the age response of stemwood biomass, B(A), suggested a 58 ± 11% increase in ΔB between the first 40 years of the chronosequence period (1859–1898) and the measurement period. To estimate extrinsic forcing on ΔB, several different candidate models were developed to remove variation explained by intrinsic factors. All models exhibited temporal bias, with positive trends in (observed minus predicted) residual ΔB ranging between of 0.40 and 0.64% yr−1. Applying the same methods to stemwood growth (G) indicated residual increases ranging from 0.43 and 0.67% yr−1. Higher trend estimates corresponded with models that included site index (SI) as a predictor, which may reflect exaggeration of the age‐decline in SI tables. Choosing a model that excluded SI, suggested that ΔB increased by 0.40 ± 0.18% yr−1, while G increased by 0.43 ± 0.12% yr−1 over the measurement period. Residual G was significantly correlated with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature (T), and climate moisture index (CMI). However, models driven with climate and CO2, alone, could not simultaneously explain long‐term and measurement‐period trends without additional representation of indirect effects, perhaps reflecting compound interest on direct physiological responses to environmental change. Evidence of accelerating forest regrowth highlights the value of permanent inventories to detect and understand systematic changes in forest productivity caused by environmental change.
Dissection moléculaire de la fonction activatrice AF-1 du récepteur aux oestrogènes alpha dans la physiopathologie vasculaire et la prolifération utérine

Les œstrogenes influencent de nombreuses maladies comme le cancer de l'endometre et les maladies cardiovasculaires. Leurs actions majeures sont relayees par le recepteur aux œstrogenes ERa, regulant la transcription de genes cibles via deux fonctions activatrices AF-1 et AF-2. Grâce a l'utilisation de souris invalidees pour AF-1, mon equipe a rapporte que l'AF-1 n'etait pas necessaire pour l'action vasculoprotectrice du 17s-œstradiol (E2), principal œstrogene naturel. Durant ma these, nous avons demontre que : i) le tamoxifene, modulateur selectif des ERs,protege de l'atherosclerose via AF-1, contrairement a l'effet de l'E2 mais n'accelere pas la re-endothelialisation, ii) l'AF-1 du ERa est necessaire pour la regulation de la transcription et de la proliferation cellulaire dans l'uterus en reponse a l'E2 et au tamoxifene. Ainsi, ce travail contribue a la dissection moleculaire de l'action du Era in vivo, qui pourrait poser les bases d'une optimisation de la modulation du ERa.