Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The mechanisms of arsenic detoxification by the green microalgae chlorella vulgaris

The mechanisms of arsenic interaction with the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) and the potential for its bio-remediation from water were investigated. This was made possible by the development of an improved arsenic extraction from C. vulgaris, leading to successful glutathione and phytochelatins (GSH/PC) complex speciation analysis with 71.1% efficiency. The response of C. vulgaris when challenged by As(III), As(V) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) was assessed through experiments on adsorption, efflux and speciation of arsenic (reduction, oxidation, methylation and chelation with GSH/PC). At high phosphate concentration (1.62 mM of PO4-3), poor adsorption of As(V) led to low intracellular uptake; at low phosphate concentration (3.2 μM of PO4-3), an increase in the level of free thiols was observed as well as a moderate decrease in intracellular pH with no evidence for signals of oxidative stress. Chlorella vulgaris cells did not produce any As-GS/PC complex when exposed to As(V). This may indicate that a reduction step is needed for As(V) complexation with GSH/PC. Chlorella vulgaris cells formed DMASV-GS upon exposure to DMA. The formation of this complex in vivo has only been reported once in Brassica oleracea plants. This complex is perhaps a fragment of a bigger molecule and thus part of another detoxification mechanism since its formation was not related to the concentration of DMA in media or the exposure time. It was found that As(III) triggers the formation of arsenic complexes with PC and homophytochelatins (hPC) and their compartmentalisation to vacuoles. It is the first time that, as a result of the newly developed extraction method using sonication, such intact complexes have been identified in C. vulgaris exposed to arsenic and their hPC complexes have been reported in any organism. The potential of C. vulgaris to bio-remediate arsenic from water is highly selective and effective for the more toxic As(III) (for human life) without the potential hazard to reduce As(V) to As(III). This was possible to assess because of the following empirical observations: • At low phosphate (3.2 μM of PO4-3) and in the presence of As(V), C. vulgaris are not likely to grow and be efficient at bio-remediating arsenic. • At high phosphate (1.62 mM of PO4-3) and in the presence of As(V), C. vulgaris are highly likely to grow but are not likely to be efficient at bio-remediating arsenic. However the potential to transform As(V) into more toxic As(III) is very low. • Under any phosphate concentration and in the presence of As(III), C. vulgaris has high potential to bio-remediate arsenic, by storing As(III) into the cell biomass while retaining significantly high growth rates.
Childhood Pet Keeping and Humane Attitudes in Young Adulthood

A questionnaire survey of 385 UK-based university students was used to investigate whether there was an association between pet keeping in childhood and humane attitudes in young adulthood. Subjects gave detailed, retrospective reports of the pets they had kept during their childhoods, and a variety of attitude scales and open-ended questions were used to measure their current attitudes concerning the welfare of both animals and humans. Higher levels of childhood pet keeping were related to more positive attitudes towards pet animals and greater concerns about the welfare of non-pet animals and humans. Ethical food avoidance practices (eg vegetarianism); membership of animal welfare and environmental organizations were also found to be associated with pet keeping during childhood. Knowledge of the experiences that underlie existing variation in humane attitudes will greatly assist the development of more effective humane education programmes in the future.
Análise de estabilidade de produção de genótipos de batata no Rio Grande do Sul

Este trabalho teve os objetivos de: comparar os valores da interacao genotipo-ambiente (GA) obtidos com o uso do modelo dos efeitos principais aditivos e interacao multiplicativa (AMMI) e na analise da regressao linear (RL); comparar a estabilidade de producao de genotipos de batata ( Solanum tuberosum L.). Dez genotipos foram avaliados em 34 ambientes (combinacoes de local, periodo de cultivo e ano) no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, em 1994 e 1995. A soma dos quadrados (SQ) das regressoes explicou somente 19,5% da SQ da interacao GA, ao passo que o primeiro componente (CP1) da analise dos componentes principais explicou 44,6%. A SQ do CP1 foi maior que o dobro das SQ de todas as tres regressoes combinadas (conjunta, genotipica e ambiental). Portanto, a analise AMMI foi mais eficiente em descrever a interacao GA que a RL. A cultivar Monte Bonito e instavel, mas tem a producao mais elevada; 'Baronesa' e moderadamente estavel e tem producao alta; 'Santo Amor' e 'Trapeira' sao as mais estaveis, com producao acima da media; 'Macaca' e 'Cristal' sao as mais instaveis, com producao abaixo da media; 'Atlantic' e instavel e tem producao baixa.
A case of brief psychosis upon cannabis withdrawal

Psychosis can be a result of mental illness (often seen in cases of schizophrenia for example), stress, or medication side effects. Psychosis can be evident when a patient is taking substances such as Cannabis, however, the psychosis usually resolves when the drug use is discontinued.7 As such, and there are limited cases of psychosis upon withdrawal from Cannabis use described in the literature as it is an infrequent phenomenon. Cannabis contains several cannabinoids with the prominent cannabinoids been cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 3 Cannabis acts on the cannabinoid receptors (CB1), where it converts to its active form Delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 7 It subsequently affects intracellular enzymes such as cAMP causing a reduction.7 The decrease in cAMP, then causes a decrease in potassium and calcium channels. As a result, there is a reduction in the amount of neurotransmitter released from axonal terminals, except for dopamine.7 Dopamine is usually inhibited by GABA neurons. Cannabis disinhibits GABA neurons leading to the activation of dopamine.7,8 Excessive dopamine in the mesolimbic tract is hypothesized to cause positive psychotic symptoms.
Method development and application of Next Generation Sequencing in forward genetics

Forward genetic screens remain one of the main genetic tools to characterize gene functions in plants. Recent advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology have greatly reduced the time required for mutant identification in forward genetic screening. The major advantage of NGS enabled mapping, known as mapping-by-sequencing, is the simultaneous marker identification and genotyping and identification of the genomic loci causing phenotypes. We have been among the first to show that mapping-by-sequencing can be performed even within the same genetic background using mutagen-induced changes as segregating markers. As a proof of this concept, we mapped a previously unknown suppressor of like heterochromatin protein1 (lhp1) mutant. We developed a computational pipeline for the same and integrated it into an existing mapping-by-sequencing pipeline called SHOREmap. Though mapping-by-sequencing is now being routinely used, less effort has been put in optimizing the experimental set-up. Therefore, we developed new computational pipeline called Pop-Seq simulator that can simulate different mapping populations and sequencing experiments. It simulates recombinant genomes by following empirical determined recombination frequency and landscape, which make simulations close to reality. Using Pop-Seq simulator we simulated different mapping-by-sequencing scenarios and created guidelines for mapping-by-sequencing experiments in Arabidopsis. Although mapping-by-sequencing has already become a standard method in Arabidopsis, the application in crops is hindered by the large genome sizes and the lack of complete reference genomes. Therefore, we have used the Pop-Seq simulator to extend our analysis on the experimental design of mapping- by-sequencing to two crop model species, rice and barley, in which next generation sequencing-based mapping becomes tangible reality. Besides, we have developed a reference-free method called NIKS (needle in the k-stack) that enables mapping-by- sequencing in species without pre-assembled reference sequence, gene annotation, or genetic map. NIKS directly compares genomes using k-mers from whole genome sequencing data to identify homozygous mutations and extend the sequence associated with mutation site by local de novo assembly. We have used ab initio gene structural prediction to annotate the effect of mutations, which led us to the identification of causal mutation. This method will facilitate mapping-by-sequencing in non-model species.
Effect of herbs as feed additive on haemato-biochemical constituents in growing crossbred heifers fed paddy straw based ration

Growing crossbred heifers (21), 6-to 12-month old and weighing 59 to 96 kg were selected and divided into 3 groups of7 animals each in such a way that the average body weights in all the groups remain uniform. All the experimental animals in different groups were fed similar basal ration (group 1, control) whereas, animals in group 2 were supplemented with a mixture of Asparagus racemosus and Cryptolepis buchananl herbs and animals in group 3 were supplemented with a mixture of Bacapa monnieri, Urtica dioica and Eclipta alba herbs at 1% level of concentrate mixture as feed additive. Hematological parameters, viz. Hb, PCV, TLC and DLC; surum total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin: globulin ratio, urea nitrogen and activities ofAP, SGOT and SGPT and blood glucose level did not differ significantly among different treatment groups. It was concluded that the inclusion of herbs at 1% level in concentrate mixture as feed additive pose no stress and had no harmful effect on crossbred heifers as assessed from haemato-biochemical constituents.
Risk factors for communicable diseases in humanitarian emergencies and disasters: Results from a three-stage expert elicitation

Background: Humanitarian emergencies including disasters associated with natural hazards, conflict, complex emergencies and famines can pose significant risks to public health, especially when they lead to population displacement into inadequate conditions. To reduce the risk of communicable disease outbreaks in such situations it is necessary to know the key risk factors, their thresholds (quantitative risk factors only) and their relative importance in different types of emergencies. Methods: We conducted a three-stage structured expert elicitation. Experts from the fields of health protection and humanitarian assistance were invited to complete three successive online questionnaires. Experts were asked to choose the 20 most critical risk factors and in subsequent rounds to determine thresholds for urgent (yellow threshold level) and critical action (red threshold level). Additionally, experts were asked to assign weights for the risk factors in different emergency types. Results: We identified 20 key risk factors, which include factors related to water, sanitation and hygiene, access to health care, vaccination, nutrition, political will and others. Nine out of the 20 risk factors were quantifiable, for those risk factors yellow and red thresholds are given. 11 risk factors were qualitative. All risk factors scored highly when weighted in different emergency types and differences between risk factor weights in different types of emergencies were limited. Conclusion: Communicable disease risks in humanitarian emergencies are a nexus of complex and often interrelated individual issues. Knowing key risk factors and their thresholds and weight in different types of emergencies can help guide emergency response and risk reduction efforts.
Seasonal biogeochemical patterns in surface water, subsurface hyporheic, and riparian ground water in a temperate stream ecosystem

Relationships among stream surface water (9-km reach), substream hyporheic water (10-m pool-riffle-pool reach), and riparian groundwater (single site) biogeochemical patterns were examined in four seasons (1989-1990) in a temperate stream ecosystem (Michigan, USA). Surface water concentrations of chloride, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and chlorophyll-a exceeded those of groundwater during most sampling periods. Groundwater and hyporheic concentrations of silica (SiO 2 ), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), nitrate+nitrite (NO 3 -N), and ammonium (NH 4 -N) were generally higher than in surface water, particularly during summer. Hyporheic temperatures exhibited sharpest gradients with depth and distance downstream beneath a study riffle during summer and winter. Biologically reactive solutes (SRP, NO 3 -N, NH 4 -N, and DOC) generally decreased with depth and increased with distance beneath the riffle during summer and winter as well. Hyporheic patterns were indistinct or more variable during spring and fall and were attributed, in part, to the breakdown of thermal gradients within the bed, similar to seasonal lake turnover (mixis). Similarities between longitudinal/depth gradients in hyporheic patterns and longitudinal stream channel patterns for SiO 2 and Cl (the more conservative solutes) indicated potential cumulative groundwater discharge effects through successive hyporheic zones over stream distance. Relationships between hyporheic patterns, stream channel patterns, and the biologically reactive solutes (SRP, NO 3 -N, NH 4 -N, DOC) were less clear because of potential biotic or abiotic uptake at the sediment-water interface. Groundwater-surface water interaction within a hyporheic zone forms a complex system structured not only by hydrologic forces but also by seasonal changes in temperature and discharge.
Changes in photosynthetic indexes of rice varieties during forty-seven years of genetic improvement in Jilin Province, China.

The photosynthetic characteristics of twenty-five rice varieties released from 1958 to 2005 in Jilin Province,China were investigated in 2006 and 2007. The grain yield were linearly increased from 6 671.9 kg/hm2 in 1958 to 11 853.2 kg/hm2 in 2005,with an annual increase of 110.2 kg/hm2 (1.65%) in the 47 years. The harvest index,growth duration and spikelets/leaf area ratio were increased year by year and significantly correlated with grain yield. The photosynthetic rate of leaf increased and significantly and positively correlated with grain yield. The increase in photosynthetic rate was due to the increase in apparent leaf mesophyll conductance. The photosynthetic rate of modern variety was restricted by stomatal factors,due to the decrease of ratio of intercellular CO2 concentration to ambient CO2 concentration with year of release. The increase in transpiration rate exceed to that in photosynthetic rate,thus the water use efficiency descended. It is suggested that the improvement of water use should be paid attention to in future rice breeding.
The MT2A gene polymorphisms and risk factors for CVD in healthy Thais according to smoking status

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent the major global health problem. The CVD risk factors include smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Cigarette smoke contains toxic substances and heavy metals such as cadmium that can induce body oxidative stress. Metallothionein (MT), an important metal binding protein, plays key roles in the homeostasis and transportation of essential heavy metals such as zinc and copper, scavenging of free radicals, and detoxifying of toxic heavy metal like cadmium. The most abundant MT isoform found in human tissues is MT2A. Mutations at core promoter region of MT2A gene can affect the gene expression. Moreover, mutations at 3'UTR affect mRNA stability, translation process and cellular localization. The aim of present study was to investigate the polymorphisms of MT2A gene and CVD risk factors in Thai smokers and never-smokers. The study was conducted in a total of 222 Thai individuals consisting of 157 never-smokers, 17 former-smokers, and 48 current-smokers. The MT2A -5A/G and +838C/G gene polymorphisms were investigated by PCR-RFLP technique. The respective minor allele frequencies of MT2A-5G and +838C were 2.7 and 20.0%. MT2A-5A/G gene polymorphism was related to serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level and hypertension. The MDA levels in all subjects, never-smokers, and former-smokers with AG genotype were significantly higher than in those with AA genotype. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the prevalence of hypertension were also significantly higher in all subjects and never-smokers with AG genotype than in those with AA genotype ( P = 0.003 and P = 0.019 respectively). For the MT2A +838C/G, the prevalence of dyslipidemia in current-smokers with GG genotype was higher than in those with GC+CC genotype ( P = 0.040). These findings suggest that MT2A gene polymorphism may have application on assessment for risk of oxidative stress, hypertension, and dyslipidemia; all of these are known as risk factors for CVD.
On the genesis of

Carbon, the basic building block of our universe, enjoys a vast number of allotropic structures. Owing to its bonding characteristic, most carbon allotropes possess the motif of hexagonal rings. Here, with ﬁrst-principles calculations, we discover a new metastable three-dimensional carbon allotrope entirely composed of pentagon rings. The unique structure of this Pentagon Carbon leads to extraordinary electronic properties, making it a cornucopia of emergent topological fermions. Under lattice strain, Pentagon Carbon exhibits topological phase transitions, generating a series of novel quasiparticles, from isospin-1 triplet fermions to triply degenerate fermions and further to Hopf-link Weyl-loop fermions. Its Landau level spectrum also exhibits distinct features, including a huge number of almost degenerate chiral Landau bands, implying pronounced magneto-transport signals. Our work not only discovers a remarkable carbon allotrope with highly rare structural motifs, it also reveals a fascinating hierarchical particle genesis with novel topological fermions beyond the Dirac and Weyl paradigm.
Comparison between bipolar diathermy and silk ligation technique during tonsillectomy

Objective : to compare the use of bipolar diathermy and silk ligation in tonsillectomy with respect to operative time and post op hemorrhage, in our setting. Study design : randomized controlled trail. Place and duration of study : nishtar hospital, multan from May 2016 to May 2018. Methodology : After consent, 234 patients of chronic tonsillitis of 5 to 35 year of age were selected as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly divided in to two groups by using lottery method. In group A, tonsillectomy was done and suture ligation was applied for hemostasis. In group B, tonsillectomy was done and bipolar diathermy was used for hemostasis. Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS software. Results : In our study, mean age was 13.84 + 5.83 years. Majority of patients 55.13% were between 5-15 years of age. Out of 234 patients, 71.37% were male and 28.63% were females. The mean operative time in group A was 29.45 + 9.71 minutes and in group B was 16.37 + 4.38 minutes with p-value <0.0001. Secondary hemorrhage was seen in 2.56% patients in group A (suture ligation group) and 10.56% patients in group B (Bipolar diathermy group) with p-value of 0.016. Conclusion : bipolar diathermy method of hemostasis in tonsillectomy is fast but associated with statistically increase risk of secondary hemorrhage compared to silk ligation. Keywords : tonsillectomy, silk ligation, bipolar diathermy, operative interval, secondary hemorrhage.
Application of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Essence on Chicks Fed Aflatoxin B 1 : Impacts on Internal Organ Weights, Biochemical Traits and Mortality

Aflatoxins (AF) are a major issue encountered in poultry farms, leading to much economic losses. The current trail is planned to determine the effects of AF (600ppb) and Rosemary essence (ROS) (500ppm), singly or in combination, on the visceral organ weights, some blood biochemical parameters and mortality percentage of broilers. A total of 240 unsexed Ross 308, were randomly allotted into 4 treatments with 3 replicates having 20 chicks each (Control; AF; ROS and AF+ROS). The broilers fed AF contaminated diet from beginning and showed characteristic effects of aflatoxicosis. The weight of spleen, and pancreas decreased and bursa and liver weights increased due to ingestion of AF. Serum levels of cholesterol, LDL and HDL and mortality is increased in aflatoxin fed broilers. The Rosemary could partially restore the adverse effects of AF to some extent and when alone added into the diet and showed good effects on reducing cholesterol, HDL, LDL and reduction number of dead birds, due to presence of essential oils and antioxidants activity in its content.
Genetic epidemiology and control of genetic expression in van der Woude syndrome.

: By three pedigree and statistical criteria van der Woude syndrome (VWS) appears to have been underreported and frequently not diagnosed. Eight percent of gene carriers are not diagnosed because they are nonpenetrant. But among penetrant gene carriers as many as 80% may not have been recognized in the past. A direct estimate of incidence of VWS is 3.6/100,000 births; indirect estimates are more than double that. The relative risk of inheriting a cleft from an affected parent is 22.43%; the risk of inheriting lip pits only, or being nonpenetrant is 27.57%. (This corrects a similar statement in the abstract of Burdick et al [J Craniofacial Genet Dev Biol 5:181-208, 1985], which was incorrectly calculated). The idea of unitary control of the action of the VWS gene in the three target tissues appears not to be supported. Rather, we tend to support the idea that the gene is controlled independently in the three tissues. Indications of a family at risk are listed and discussed.
A Classification of Living and Fossil Genera of Decapod Crustaceans

– We present an updated classification for the entire Crustacea Decapoda, listing all known families and genera organized by higher taxonomic groups and including estimates of the number of species in every genus. All taxonomic names are also linked to the verified literature in which they were described, the first compilation of its kind for the Decapoda. To arrive at this compilation, we began with the classification scheme provided by Martin & Davis (2001) for extant families, updated the higher classification and included the fossil taxa. The resultant framework was then populated with the currently valid genera and an estimate of species numbers within each genus. Our resulting classification, spanning both extant (living) and fossil taxa, is the first comprehensive estimate of taxonomic diversity within the entire Decapoda. The classification consists of 233 families of decapods containing 2,725 genera and an estimated 17,635 species (including both extant and fossil species). Of the families in our classification, 53 are exclusively fossil, 109 contain both fossil and extant species, and 71 are extant only. The current estimate for extant species is 14,756, whereas 2,979 species are known exclusively as fossils.