Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
1α,25‐Dihydroxy‐3‐Epi‐vitamin D3, a natural metabolite of 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3, is a potent suppressor of parathyroid hormone secretion

1α,25(OH)2D3 is an important negative regulator of parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene transcription. In parathyroid cells, as in other target tissues, 1α,25(OH)2D3 is degraded by side chain oxidation by the inducible 24‐hydroxylase. We have previously shown that one metabolite of this pathway, 1α,23(S),25‐(OH)3‐24‐oxo‐D3, potently suppresses PTH synthesis and secretion in cultured bovine parathyroid cells (bPTC). Further examination of the metabolites of 1α,25(OH)2D3 in bPTC has revealed another compound that is less polar than 1α,25(OH)2D3. By HPLC analysis and mass spectrometry, this metabolite was identified as 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3. The activity of this metabolite on PTH gene transcription was assessed by the steady‐state PTH secretion by bPTC after 72‐h treatment with concentrations from 10−11 M to 10−7 M. 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3 was found to be only slightly, but not significantly, less active than the native 1α,25(OH)2D3 in suppressing PTH secretion despite having 30 times lower affinity for the bPTC VDR. Both 1α,25(OH)2D3 and 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3 maximally suppressed PTH secretion by 50%. Along with 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3, the activities of the other two A‐ring diastereomers were assessed. 1β,25(OH)2D3 suppressed PTH only at 10−7 M with a decrease of only 30%, in good agreement with its low VDR affinity. Surprisingly, 1β,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3 stimulated PTH secretion by 30–50% at concentrations from 10−11 M to 10− 8M and fell to control (untreated) rates at 10−7M. The mechanism for this increase in PTH secretion is under investigation. Metabolism studies performed in bPTC cells using high concentrations of 1α,25(OH)2D3 substrate showed that in some incubations, the concentration of 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3 was even higher than that of the parent substrate 1α,25(OH)2D3. This finding indicates a slower rate of metabolism for this diastereomer. Thus, production and accumulation of 1α,25(OH)2‐3‐epi‐D3, as a major stable metabolite of 1α,25(OH)2D3 in parathyroid glands, may contribute to the prolonged suppressive effect of 1α,25(OH)2D3 on PTH gene transcription. J. Cell. Biochem. 73:106–113, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Further Observations Upon Periclimenes Noverca Kemp, 1922, With the Designation of a New Genus Zenopontonia, and Some Remarks Upon Periclimenes Parasiticus Borradaile (Decapoda Natantia, Palaemonidae)

[L'etude d'un materiel recent de Periclimenes noverca Kemp, 1922, provenant de Nouvelle Caledonie, a montre que cette espece ne peut etre placee dans le genre Periclimenes Costa, en raison de son epine hepatique mobile. Un nouveau genre, Zenopontonia, est etabli pour recevoir cette espece. La position systematique par rapport a Periclimenes et aux deux autres genres de Pontoniinides a epines hepatiques mobiles, Allopontonia Bruce et Paranchistus Holthuis, est discutee. Les donnees connues sur les associations entre les crevettes pontoniinides et les etoiles de mer sont passees en revue et les nouveaux resultats d'etudes sur les hotes sont donnes. Les specimens types de P. parasiticus Borradaile ont ete reexamines et sont decrits et illustres; les rapports entre cette espece et P. soror Nobili, sont discutes. , L'etude d'un materiel recent de Periclimenes noverca Kemp, 1922, provenant de Nouvelle Caledonie, a montre que cette espece ne peut etre placee dans le genre Periclimenes Costa, en raison de son epine hepatique mobile. Un nouveau genre, Zenopontonia, est etabli pour recevoir cette espece. La position systematique par rapport a Periclimenes et aux deux autres genres de Pontoniinides a epines hepatiques mobiles, Allopontonia Bruce et Paranchistus Holthuis, est discutee. Les donnees connues sur les associations entre les crevettes pontoniinides et les etoiles de mer sont passees en revue et les nouveaux resultats d'etudes sur les hotes sont donnes. Les specimens types de P. parasiticus Borradaile ont ete reexamines et sont decrits et illustres; les rapports entre cette espece et P. soror Nobili, sont discutes. ]
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of the Munc18c–syntaxin41–29 complex

The production of diffraction-quality crystals of Munc18c, a protein involved in regulating vesicular exocytosis in mammals, is reported. The diffraction resolution of Munc18c crystals was optimized by (i) cocrystallizing with a peptide fragment of the Munc18c functional binding partner syntaxin4, (ii) using nanolitre free-interface diffusion crystallization-screening chips and microlitre hanging-drop vapour diffusion and (iii) applying a post-crystallization dehydration treatment. Crystals belonging to the cubic space group P213, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 170.8 A, α = β = γ = 90°, were generated that diffract to 3.7 A resolution on a laboratory X-ray source.
Comparative Study on Energy and Nitrogen Metabolisms between Brahman Cattle and Swamp Buffalo Fed with Low Quality Diet

A metabolism trial was conducted with four Brahman cattle and four swamp buffaloes fed with Ruzi grass hay (Brachiaria ruziziensis, 0.77% N). There was no significant difference in energy and nitrogen balances, and nutrient digestibilities between cattle and buffaloes. However, fasting heat production was significantly lower in buffaloes. Urinary excretion of allantoin tended to be lower in buffaloes than in cattle although there was no significant difference. Free fatty acid content in the blood serum during the fasting period was lower in buffaloes than in cattle although it was not different when the animals were fed. On the other hand, urea content in the blood serum during the fasting period was higher in buffaloes than in cattle.
Archaeopteryx and the Origin of Flight

Reexamination of the specimens of Archaeopteryx, which constitute the only direct evidence pertaining to the habits and mode of life of the earliest stages of avian evolution, indicates that neither the highly favored arboreal theory nor the much critized cursorial theory offers adequate explanation for the origin of avian flight. The osteology of Archaeopteryx, in virtually every detail, is indistinguishable from that of contempraneous and succeeding coelurosaurian dinosaurs-especially in the details of the manus, forelimbs, and pectoral arch. It is proposed that these conditions reflect a highly predaceous mode of life for Archaeopteryx, rather than being arboreal adaptations. Plumage, in the form of contour feathers, is believed to have arisen in response to the need for controlling heat loss (and gain) and was secondarily modified on the fore limbs to enhance the prey-catching function of the hands. Enlargement of the primordial "primaries" and "secondaries" transformed the forelimbs of "proto-Archaeopteryx" into large, continous, trapping surfaces-natural insect nets-activated by powerful ventral adductor muscles (the pectoralis group). These adaptations were admirably preadaptive for active, flapping flight. The primordial insulative function of contour feathers and the predatory hypothesis for the enlargement of the remiges seem to account for the otherwise paradoxical presence in Archaeopteryx on essentially modern "flight" feathers in the absence of virtually all of the skeletal specializations that are associated with (or required for ? ) modern bird flight, whereas those skeletal specializations that are present in Archaeopteryx are the same, or nearly the same, as those that are preserved in various (presumed) predaceous coelurosaurian dinosaurs.
The Economic Impacts of the Recreational Bluefin Tuna Fishery in Hatteras, North Carolina

Abstract Little is known about a recreational fishery for bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus that emerged in the winter months (1994–1996) near Hatteras, North Carolina. Our research sought to better understand this developing fishery, especially the extent of local and statewide economic impacts and the resultant implications for public and private fisheries management decision making at the local level. We used a quota-based sampling approach to collect names and addresses from charter and private boat anglers in Hatteras; 1,051 anglers were sampled and received a mail questionnaire soon after project personnel intercepted them. Technicians recorded a total of 1,390 bluefin tuna boat trips (1,020 charter boat trips and 370 private boat trips) between January 15 and March 22, 1997. These 1,390 trips resulted in an estimated 6,546 angler-days of bluefin tuna fishing from Hatteras. Trips by North Carolina residents accounted for only 15.6% of the total number of trips. Each angler spent an average of US$1,005 in.
Light Dependency of Salinity-Induced Chloroplast Degradation

Abstract The contents of Na, K, CI, chlorophyll and the foliar ultrastructure of rice seedlings grown in NaCl solution at various concentrations were investigated under light and dark conditions. The seedlings were first grown in water for 7 d under a light condition and then in NaCl solutions at various concentrations for 24 h under a light or dark condition. The Na and CI contents in the 3rd leaves increased as the concentration of NaCl in the culture solution increased, and were significantly higher under a light condition than under a dark condition. The K content was scarcely influenced by the NaCl concentration under both conditions. The chlorophyll content in the 3rd leaves of the seedlings decreased as the NaCl concentrations of the culture solution increased under a light condition but not under a dark condition. In the 3rd leaves of the seedlings grown in the NaCl solution under a light condition, the thylakoids of chloroplasts in mesophyll cells were swollen and showed a wavy configuration. Under a dark condition, however, the thylakoids appeared intact under saline conditions although the leaves accumulated a large amount of Na and CI than in a light condition. The present study suggests that the damages in the chloroplasts, such as a decrease in the chlorophyll content and the degradation of thylakoids, were caused by a light-dependent reaction and not directly by accumulation of excess salt.
Zoo talk

Experiencing the natural world first-hand is an innate human need, and zoological collections play an important role in meeting this demand. Patricia Patrick and Sue Dale Tunnicliffe’s book provides a fascinating and insightful analysis of the role that ‘speech’ plays in terms of understanding visitor experience and the relationship between zoo design and public education. Beginning with the history of animal collections, the authors explain how the concept of ‘zoo voice’ has evolved from one of institutions developed for learning about animal taxonomy to places to visit to enhance public understanding surrounding conservation, environmental and ethic issues. In doing so, they introduce the importance that dialogue, the ‘zoo talk’ of the book’s title, that takes place between exhibits and staff and visitors has on the educational and recreational experiences that visitors have, whether they be a family on a day trip or students on a highly organised educational visit. Content is divided into 12 chapters which, with dialogue at its centre, take the reader through a series of themes exploring the rationale for zoos existing, the differing experiences of visitors and the role that zoos play in education. Grounded in research which is sourced from both original analyses by the authors, and extensive literature reviews, each chapter is both scholarly in its approach, but also readily accessible. The authors use this strategy to good effect by clearly describing and explaining the nature of their own work and how it relates to the work of others. A good example is their development of a model of zoo knowledge, a simple framework that has far-reaching implications for zoos and other informal learning institutions. A particular value of the book’s design is that readers can dip in and out, concentrating on chapters or themes of most interest. Those involved educational programmes in zoos will be drawn to the chapters on learning and exhibit design; teachers and those organising visits to zoos will find the Zoo Field Trip Design chapter invaluable, with its mixture of practical advice coupled with theoretical rationale underpinning the purpose and design of learning experiences of this type. The appeal of the book is widened to the broader educational world through the way the authors explore the data they present. For example, in the Visitor Voice chapter, the careful deconstruction of conversations between students and their teachers whilst looking at a variety of exhibits provides practical examples of the complex process of making meaning from discourse. Targeted at the academic arena, this book should be essential reading to anyone involved in informal learning but has lots to offer students writing up reports of educational visits as well as their teachers. As well as providing the reader with greater awareness of the work that zoos are, and could be doing, it is also a useful starting point for those interested in research in this rapidly expanding and important area of science education. Usefulness to student***II Usefulness to teacher****I
The development of the chondrocranium of the spiny dogfish, Acanthias vulgaris (Squalus acanthias). Part II: Branchial arches and extravisceral cartilages

The first part of this work, dealing with the development of the neurocranium, mandibular and hyoid arches, was published in this journal (El-Toubi, '49). The present paper deals with the development of the branchial arches, as well as the extravisceral cartilages. These structures were studied in serial sections of embryos of Acnnthias vztlgaris from which reconstructions on squared paper were made. Other embryos, equal in length to those sectioned and reconstructed, were stained with methylene blue by van Wijhe's method ( '02) for demonstrating the cartilaginous skeleton. The description given below is the result of studying both the serial sections and the methylene blue preparations.
Yield and Osmotic Adjustment Capacity of Barley Under Terminal Water-Stress Conditions

This paper reports the influence of the osmotic adjustment capacity and turgor potential (TP) on tolerance to drought in 12 cultivated genotypes, six breeding lines and six cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under terminal water-stress conditions. When the crops reached the flag leaf stage, half of the experimental plots in which they were grown were submitted to water stress treatment and the remainder maintained under optimal irrigation conditions. Differences were seen in the osmotic adjustment, relative water content (RWC) and water potential (WP) of the different genotypes. Two of the breeding lines showed the greatest osmotic adjustment capacities, maintaining their TPs better than the other genotypes studied. A positive, significant correlation was found between yield and osmotic adjustment capacity, RWC and WP under water-stress conditions. Osmotic adjustment capacity and TP were linearly related, indicating that as water stress increases osmotic adjustment favours the maintenance of higher TPs. Significant correlations were found between osmotic adjustment capacity and grain filling rate and grain yield. Under conditions of terminal water stress, yield was negatively correlated with the number of days to ear emergence; no correlation was found between osmotic adjustment capacity and earliness. Early ear emergence, a good osmotic adjustment capacity and high RWC values all contributed to yield increases under terminal water-stress conditions.
Delivering on the Promise of Support for Growth? Evaluator Perceptions of a New State Teacher Evaluation System

This cross-case synthesis gives voice to evaluators in EC-12 and higher education settings who are enacting a state-mandated system of teacher evaluation and support by examining their perceptions of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). Questions addressed included: How do differently situated school administrators and supervisors 1) understand the model, 2) describe the implementation of its elements, 3) understand and enact their roles, and 4) assess the impact of the model? Data from EC-12 school principals and clinical supervisors at the university level indicates the system establishes a comprehensive definition of quality teaching. However, model complexity creates challenges. Coaching and mentoring requires time and expertise, and impact on student learning is unclear, raising the question of whether there is space for support through supervision in a model also used for accountability. Combining support with a reified model of evaluation leaves evaluators to negotiate inherent tensions.
Freshwater rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farming affects sediment and pore-water chemistry

Marine aquaculture has come under scrutiny, whereas little is known about the nature and extent of the effects of cage aquaculture in freshwater. We describe the development of changes in sediment and pore-water chemistry caused by an experimental Oncorhynchus mykiss farm located in freshwater Lake 375 (Experimental Lakes Area, north-western Ontario, Canada) during its first two production cycles along a distance transect from the cage. Significant changes in sediment chemistry were quick to develop; pore-water ammonia was elevated under the cage after 1 month and sediment nutrients were elevated 1 month later. The effects on the benthic environment were spatially localised, although variables responded to different extents. Within 16 months, nutrient concentrations in surface sediment reached an asymptote, whereas concentrations of metals and ammonia continued to increase. Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations under the cage reached levels that exceed sediment quality guidelines and may cause adverse biological impacts. An anti-fouling coating applied to the net pen was the major source of Cu, whereas Zn originated also from fish feed. Ammonia and pH are recommended for inclusion in monitoring programs because they were sensitive to fish farming and are biologically relevant. We also suggest inclusion of Cu and Zn in monitoring programs at farms with treated nets.
Early development of the digestive tract of cod larvae, Gadus morhua L., during start‐feeding and starvation

Cod larvae, Gadus morhua L. , were reared in the laboratory and released to a large marine enclosure 4 to 5 days after hatching (6–8° C). The development of the digestive system was studied until day 24 after hatching. Morphological investigations of the jaw apparatus and the digestive tract showed that the larvae are able to absorb ingested food well before exhaustion of the yolk sac. The foregut, and especially the midgut, were particularly active in lipid absorption, and the hindgut was characterized by pinocytotic activity. Duhng the first days of feeding, no distinct prey organisms were observed in the gut, and signs of food absorption in the epithelial cells of the gut were sparse.A distinct red fluorescence, restricted to the hindgut, was observed from day 11 to day 19. On the basis of changes in absorptive pattern in the gut we suggest that changes in digestive and absorptive abilities, as well as in nutritional needs, take place around days 15–17 after hatching. In starved larvae, signs of degeneration of the gut tissue were first visible in the foregut. By day 9 after hatching, microvilli was degenerated to such an extent that the ability to absorb food must have been severely restricted. If larvae are starved longer than this, they will probably not survive.
Pre-penetration events affecting host specificity of Verticillium lecanii

The pathogenicity of two isolates of Verticillium lecanii towards non-target invertebrates and six species of aphid was tested in bioassays. There was no evidence of infection in any of the 20 non-target invertebrates. All target aphid species were susceptible to at least one isolate. The level of susceptibility varied between aphid species, with Myzus persicae and Brachycaudus helichrysi showing the greatest susceptibility. Studies on initial spore deposition, retention and germination on two susceptible aphid species and four resistant non-target insects revealed differences in the behaviour of the pathogen between the two groups. Spore density mm -2 was greater on susceptible insects both immediately post-inoculation and following 24 h incubation. There was no loss of spores from M. persicae over 24 h. All other species showed more than 50% spore loss in the same period. However, even after 90% spore loss, large numbers of spores remained on the bigger insects such as Agonum dorsale . Germination and germ-tube growth were possible on such resistant non-target insects, indicating that resistance to infection occurs after this stage. There was little difference in rate of germination on the two groups. However, differences in germ-tube growth were evident, with the production of longer and narrower germ-tubes on the resistant insects.
Molecular Biology of the Cell (4th Ed)

B Alberts, A Johnson, J Lewis, M Raff and KRoberts, 2002. UK: Taylor & Francis, 1463 pp. £44.00. ISBN 0-8153-4072-9 Reviewed by John Cheverton Collins Advanced Molecular Sciences: A2 Microbes andDisease (2nd Ed)Terry Hudson and Ken Mannion, 2001. London, UK: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd., 96pp. £9.99. ISBN 0-00-327742-9 Reviewed by John Heritage Apoptosis: The molecular biology of programmed cell death Michael D Jacobson and Nicola McCarthy (eds.), 2002. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 304pp. £35. ISBN 0-19-963849-7 Reviewed by Mathew Smalley A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Research (3rd Ed) David Hopkins, 2002. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. 211pp. £16.99. ISBN 0 33521004 X Reviewed by Len Newton Language and Literacy in Science Education Jerry Wellington and Jonathan Osborne, 2001. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. 152pp. £14.99. ISBN 033 20598 4 Reviewed by Sue Dale Tunnicliffe The Ecology of Wildlife Diseases Peter J Hudson, Annapaola Rozzoli, Bryan T Grenfell, Hans Heesterbeek, Andy P Dobson (eds.), 2002. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 197pp. £24.95. ISBN 0-19-850619-8 Reviewed by Amanda Brown The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists 2nd Edition David, Ian, John & Margaret Millar, 2002. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 428pp. £14.95. ISBN 0 521 00062 9 Reviewed by Natalie Partridge
A comparison of dimension-adjusted catch data methods for assessment of fish and crab abundance in intertidal salt marshes

Sample collection methods and data standardization techniques accounting for marsh physiography were tested for mobile aquatic fauna in two intertidal pocket salt marshes in Sarah’s Creek, a tributary to the York River in Virginia. Fish and blue crab populations were described and compared as numbers per cubic meter of total marsh volume and numbers per square meter of total marsh area. These methods increase the accuracy of the analyses of sampled populations by relying on fewer assumptions than traditionals random sampling methods. Depending upon the season and the species compared, statistical differences were observed between dimension-adjusted data within the same sampled populations. Our data suggest that accurate population profiles can be determined if collection methods and data adjustments are based on the ecology, behavior, and life-history stage of the target species.