Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA hsa-miR-1301-3p Regulates Human ADH6, ALDH5A1 and ALDH8A1 in the Ethanol-Acetaldehyde-Acetate Metabolic Pathway

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) and aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are vital enzymes involved in the metabolism of a variety of alcohols. Differences in the expression and enzymatic activity of human ADHs and ALDHs correlate with individual variability in metabolizing alcohols and drugs and in the susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as epigenetic modulators to regulate the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes. To characterize miRNAs that target ADHs and ALDHs in human liver cells, we carried out a systematic bioinformatics analysis to analyze free energies of the interaction between miRNAs and their cognate sequences in ADH and ALDH transcripts and then calculated expression correlations between miRNAs and their targeting ADH and ALDH genes using a public data base. Candidate miRNAs were selected to evaluate bioinformatic predictions using a series of biochemical assays. Our results showed that 11 miRNAs have the potential to modulate the expression of two ADH and seven ALDH genes in the human liver. We found that hsa-miR-1301-3p suppressed the expression of ADH6, ALDH5A1, and ALDH8A1 in liver cells and blocked their induction by ethanol. In summary, our results revealed that hsa-miR-1301-3p plays an important role in ethanol metabolism by regulating ADH and ALDH gene expression. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Systematic bioinformatics analysis showed that 11 microRNAs might play regulatory roles in the expression of two alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and seven aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genes in the human liver. Experimental evidences proved that hsa-miR-1301-3p suppressed the expression of ADH6, ALDH5A1, and ALDH8A1 in liver cells and decreased their inducibility by ethanol.
A functional structural model of grass development based on metabolic regulations and coordination rules.

We present a novel model of grass, which fully integrates shoot morphogenesis and the metabolism of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at organ scale, within a 3D representation of plant architecture. Plant morphogenesis is seen as a self-regulated system driven by two main mechanisms. First, the rate of organ extension and the establishment of architectural traits are regulated by concentrations of C and N metabolites in the growth zones and their temperature. Second, the timing of extension is regulated by rules coordinating successive phytomers instead of a thermal time schedule. Local concentrations are calculated from a model of C and N metabolism at organ scale. The 3D representation allows for accurate calculation of light and temperature distribution within the architecture. The model was calibrated for wheat (Triticum aestivum) and evaluated for early vegetative stages. Our approach allowed simulation of realistic patterns of leaf dimensions, extension dynamics, organ mass and composition. The model simulated, as emergent properties, plant and agronomic traits. Metabolic activities of growing leaves were investigated in relation to the whole plant functioning and environmental conditions. The current model is an important step towards a better understanding of the plasticity of the plant's phenotype in contrasting environments.
The effect of postprandial glycaemia on cognitive function – response to Young and Benton

We would like to thank Young and Benton for their interest in our work. With reference to our study(1), of the 98·8 g total available carbohydrate in the trifle, 60·4 g came from the added sugars (sucrose or isomaltulose). For glycaemic index (GI) testing, in which 50 g of available carbohydrate was used, this equated to 30·6 g of the test sugars. We acknowledge that the difference of 11 GI units between trifles was relatively small, but the design was not based on maximising a difference in GI. This study was designed as a practical experiment using the principle of replacing high-GI with low-GI ingredients as suggested by the Glycemic Index Foundation(2). The relatively small difference in GI may have had an influence on the outcome, but we have also compared cognitive test scores to the same sugars ingested as sugar-sweetened beverages, thereby maximising the difference in GI between these sugars (33 GI units), and found no effect on cognitive outcomes(3). Young and Benton suggest that we did not consider interpersonal variability in glycaemic response. We are well aware of interand intra-individual variability in glycaemic response and have published on the subject with a view to improving reliability(4). However, Young and Benton appear to overlook that our study had a crossover design which controls for an individual’s glucose tolerance status. The crossover design also addresses the comment regarding the vegan alternative. In practice, people eat foods and meals with all of the attendant nutrient interactions and our study was designed as a practical experiment. Again though, in our previous study with sugar-sweetened beverages in which no nutrient interactions were present, there was no differential effect on cognitive performance following ingestion of the sucroseand isomaltulose-sweetened beverages(3). The rationale for measuring cognitive outcomes over a 2-h period was explained in the Introduction of our article. The difference in glycaemic response to food is greatest during this time period allowing sufficient time for exogenous glucose to cross the blood–brain barrier(5). Our aim was to test cognitive performance under different prevailing blood glucose concentrations. We note that differences in memory have been found over longer test durations but that there are heterogenous findings(6). There may be dietary aspects that affect cognitive performance andwewould be very interested to read of developments in this area. However, if the purpose is to assess the impact of postprandial glycaemia on cognitive performance, then we would hope that strong trial designs are used to isolate the glycaemic response from other design factors.
Protective effect of medicinal plant extracts on biomarkers of oxidative stress in erythrocytes

Plants are universally recognized as a vital part of the world’s natural heritage and up to 80% of the population rely on plants for their primary healthcare. Varieties of medicinal plants are recognized as a source of natural antioxidants that can protect from oxidative stress, thus playing an important role in chemoprevention of diseases. In the present investigation, 22 extracts from different parts of eight medicinal plants (Punica granatum Linn. (Punicaceae), Caesalpinia bonducella Flem. (Fabaceae), Hibiscus subdariffa Linn. [(Malvaceae), Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), Garcinia indica Linn. (Clusiaceae), Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Euphorbiaceae), Momordica charantia Linn. (Cucurbitaceae), and Matricaria chamomilla Linn. (Asteraceae)] were screened for their protection against oxidative stress in erythrocytes induced by hydrogen peroxide (2 mM) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (0.01 mM). The effect was also compared with known antioxidants and flavonoids. Subjecting erythrocytes to oxidative stress by incubation with hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide caused a significant alteration in reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration compared to the control. Our results show that medicinal plant extracts protect erythrocytes from hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced oxidative stress; known antioxidant (vitamin C, E, and β-carotene) and flavonoid (quercetin) also showed a similar protective effect. Our observations may, in part, suggest the use of the spent/waste parts of medicinal plants. This could be an economically viable source of natural and potent antioxidants effective against complications arising from oxidative stress. The results may also improve the ethanopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plants.
Differentiating sibling species in the Quaternary fossil record: a comparison of morphological and molecular methods to identify Microtus arvalis and M. rossiaemeridionalis (Arvicolinae, Rodenia)

The sibling species Microtus arvalis and Microtus rossiaemeridionalis are widely sympatric, North Eurasian species that are difficult to trace back in the fossil record due to the lack of criteria for taxonomic identification. This paper examines the potential of morphometric and molecular methods for differentiating their fossil remains. Discriminant function (DF) analysis of linear measurements of the lower first molar (m1) is used to create and validate a predictive model for taxonomic identification using modern M. arvalis (obscurus karyotypic form) and M. rossiaemeridionalis from the Ural Mountains. For modern specimens both the derived DF and the molecular methods yielded identical results for species identification. DF derived from modern data was applied to m1s of M. arvalis sensu lato from Subatlanticum (1300–1200 BP) and Atlanticum (7380 ± 150 BP) layers of the Pershinskaya 1 cave in the Middle Urals. In addition, from 27 mandibles with m1 in the morphological dataset 258 bp of cytochrome b were sequenced using ancient DNA techniques. Comparison of the morphological and molecular results revealed a substantial loss of predictive power of the DF derived from modern data when applied to fossils. Morphological change since the mid Holocene appears detrimental to DF derived from recent data. Our results emphasize the need for verification of taxonomic inferences from morphological data when dealing with sibling species, and accentuate the advantages of joint use of morphological and molecular methods in differentiating cryptic taxa in the fossil record.
Discriminative stimulus properties of haloperidol

Rats (N = 9) were trained to discriminate the antipsychotic drug haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg i.p.) from drug vehicle (0.25% acetic acid in 0.9% saline) using a water‐reinforced, fixed‐ratio 10 response operant procedure. Acquisition of discrimination required a mean of 45 trainingsessions (median value of 38 sessions). The discriminative stimulus was dose‐dependent with an ED50 value of 0.008 mg/kg. The total number of responses per 10‐min test session was significantly reduced at all doses of haloperidol that produced haloperidol lever selection. The antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine substituted for the haloperidol discriminative stimulus (ED50 = 0.38 mg/kg). The indirect dopaminergic agonists amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (10 mg/kg) fully blocked the haloperidol discriminative stimulus. Taken together, these initial results suggest that the discriminative stimulus produced by haloperidol is mediated, at least in part, by an interaction with dopamine receptors.
Determining the effectiveness of resistance to subterranean clover mottle sobemovirus in different genotypes of subterranean clover in the field using the grazing animal as virus vector

Summary The effectiveness of resistance to subterranean clover mottle sobemovirus (SCMoV) previously identified in different genotypes of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) inoculated with infective sap in the glasshouse, was tested in two field experiments which used the grazing animal as virus vector. Replicated plots each consisting of paired test rows of 20 different genotypes were used. Clover plants infected with SCMoV were transplanted in between the paired test rows and these acted as sources of the virus for spread by grazing sheep. Although used in different years at different sites with different virus isolates, the field exposure methodology employed produced consistent results. The genotypes each behaved similarly in both experiments as regards the relative extents of SCMoV infection that developed, levels ranging from 0–98%. The previously identified resistance in six ‘highly resistant’ and three ‘partially resistant’ cultivars was effective under field conditions. However, the ‘partial resistance’ in three others was overcome, cvs Green Range and Mt Barker developing levels of infection approaching those in ‘susceptible’ cultivars, while an intermediate infection level developed in cv. Karridale. The three cultivars in which partial resistance was not effective all belonged to ssp. subterraneum. In subterranean clover breeding programmes, field screening using the grazing animal as a vector is advisable to determine whether SCMoV resistance found by sap inoculation is still effective under field conditions.
Quinoa – a Model Crop for Understanding Salt-tolerance Mechanisms in Halophytes

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an ancient Andean crop that produces edible seeds and leaves. Quinoa's tolerance to salinity and other types of abiotic stresses provides it with high potential in a world where scarcity of water and increased soil salinization are important causes of crop failures. Due to its traditionally broad cultivation area (from Colombia to southern Chile), there is a wide range of quinoa cultivars adapted to specific conditions displaying a broad genetic variability in stress tolerance. In addition, being practically unique as a halophytic seed-producing crop with amazing nutritional properties, it is ideal as a model species for investigating morphological, cellular, physiological, and bio-molecular mechanisms of salinity tolerance. This review summarizes current knowledge of genotype-dependent variability in salinity responses and adaptive salt-tolerance mechanisms in quinoa. These include anatomical features and physiological aspects, such as osmotic adjustment through accumulation of ions, osmoprotectants, and sodium loading, transport, and storage, including the activity and gene expression of plasma and vacuolar membrane transporters. Finally, current knowledge regarding the effect of salinity on the nutritional properties of quinoa is discussed.
Comparative Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid on n-6 and n-3 Fatty Acid Profiles of Phospholipid Classes in Several Tissues of Rats Fed a Hypertriglyceridemic Diet.

Dietary hypertriglyceridemic rats were treated with refined eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and changes in the n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) profiles in phospholipid (PL) classes in their tissues were analyzed in various aspects. The effects of EPA on the PUFA profiles in tissue PL classes were different from those of DHA. The effects were manifested differently depending on tissues and on the PL classes even in the same tissue. A decrease in the proportion of n-6 PUFA and an increase in the proportion of n-3 PUFA were both marked, particularly in the liver and heart, due to treatment with EPA and DHA; whereas these changes were somewhat slighter in the testes and were hardly observed in the brain. The variation pattern of tissue difference in the individual PUFA of each PL class differed, depending on the kind of PUFA, among the control, EPA, and DHA groups. The variation pattern of PL class difference in the individual PUFA of each tissue showed a similar tendency. Suppression of metabolic conversion from linoleic acid to arachidonic acid was not uniform depending on the tissue and also on the PL class, but the effect of DHA was more intense compared with that of EPA. On the other hand, the ratio of n-3 PUFA/total PUFA (n-3/PUFA) was largest in phosphatidylethanolamine, following by phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin, in all the tissues, and was larger in the DHA group than in the EPA group. These findings suggest that a large uptake of n-3 PUFA by the liver PC and PE classes may decrease the secretion of VLDL-TG from the liver and may be related to the decrease of serum triglyceride.
Evaluation of the Toxicity of Satureja intermedia C. A. Mey Essential Oil to Storage and Greenhouse Insect Pests and a Predator Ladybird

The use of chemical insecticides has had several side-effects, such as environmental contamination, foodborne residues, and human health threats. The utilization of plant-derived essential oils as efficient bio-rational agents has been acknowledged in pest management strategies. In the present study, the fumigant toxicity of essential oil isolated from Satureja intermedia was assessed against cosmopolitan stored-product insect pests: Trogoderma granarium Everts (khapra beetle), Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (lesser grain borer), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (red flour beetle), and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (saw-toothed grain beetle). The essential oil had significant fumigant toxicity against tested insects, which positively depended on essential oil concentrations and the exposure times. Comparative contact toxicity of S. intermedia essential oil was measured against Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe (oleander aphid) and its predator Coccinella septempunctata L. (seven-spot ladybird). Adult females of A. nerii were more susceptible to the contact toxicity than the C. septempunctata adults. The dominant compounds in the essential oil of S. intermedia were thymol (48.1%), carvacrol (11.8%), p-cymene (8.1%), and γ-terpinene (8.1%). The high fumigant toxicity against four major stored-product insect pests, the significant aphidicidal effect on A. nerii, and relative safety to the general predator C. septempunctata make terpene-rich S. intermedia essential oil a potential candidate for use as a plant-based alternative to the detrimental synthetic insecticides.
Demographically-adjusted norms for selected tests of verbal fluency: Results from the Neuropsychological Norms for the US-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) project

Abstract Objective Verbal fluency tests are sensitive to various disorders affecting the central nervous system and are commonly included in neuropsychological evaluations. We aimed to develop normative data for two verbal fluency tests in a sample of native Spanish-speakers living in the US-Mexico border region. Method Participants included 254 adults from the Neuropsychological Norms for the US-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) Project (Age: range = 19–60; Education: range = 0–20, 59% female). Participants completed two verbal fluency tests (i.e., letter [PMR] and semantic/category fluency [Animal Naming]) as part of a larger neuropsychological test battery. We examined linear and nonlinear effects of demographic factors (age, education, and gender) on verbal fluency raw scores, and developed T-scores using fractional polynomial equations controlling for demographics. We also calculated the rates of “impairment” (T-scores < 40) that would be obtained by applying the newly developed norms and available norms for non-Hispanic English-speakers on comparable tests. Results There were positive small effects of age and medium effects of education on verbal fluency raw scores. The normalized distribution of T-scores with the new norms showed expected psychometric properties. However, rates of impairment for both letter and semantic fluency were significantly higher when applying non-Hispanic White norms, and significantly lower when applying non-Hispanic Black norms. Conclusions We provide norms for Spanish-speakers living along the US-Mexico border region for two verbal fluency tests that are co-normed with a more extensive neuropsychological battery. These regional norms will improve interpretation of verbal fluency test performance in Spanish-speakers living in the US-Mexico borderland.
Interaction between Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi and Pantoea agglomerans in olive knots

Results of a survey of olive knot disease in central Italy in 2002 and 2003 showed that Pantoea agglomerans was found associated with the pathogen Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi (Ps. savastanoi) in 70% of the olive knots examined. Pathogenicity tests in which these two bacteria were co-inoculated on the stems of 1-year-old olive plants at ratios of 1:1, 1:100 and 100:1 showed that the growth of P. agglomerans was apparently aided by the presence of an actively growing population of Ps. savastanoi. At the same time, however, a dominant population of P. agglomerans at the inoculation site tended to depress the growth of Ps. savastanoi, probably because of competition for space and nutrients between these bacteria and by means of antibiotic production by P. agglomerans. In some cases the association of P. agglomerans, which in culture was found to produce indole-3-acetic acid but not cytokinins, with Ps. savastanoi resulted in an increase in the size of knots. This boosting effect of P. agglomerans on proliferation was probably due to the release of IAA by this bacterium at the inoculation sites.
Temperature‐independent diel variation in soil respiration observed from a temperate deciduous forest

The response of soil respiration (Rs) to temperature depends largely on the temporal and spatial scales of interest and how other environmental factors interact with this response. They are often represented by empirical exponential equations in many ecosystem analyses because of the difficulties in separating covarying environmental responses and in observing below ground processes. The objective of this study was to quantify a soil temperature‐independent component in Rs by examining the diel variation of an Rs time series measured in a temperate deciduous forest located at Oak Ridge, TN, USA between March and December 2003. By fitting 2 hourly, continuous automatic chamber measurements of CO2 efflux at the soil surface to a Q10 function to obtain the temperature‐dependent respiration (Rt) and plotting the diel cycles of Rt, Rs, and their difference (Ri), we found that an obvious temperature‐independent component exists in Rs during the growing season. The diel cycle of this component has a distinct day/night pattern and agrees well with diel variations in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and air temperature. Elevated canopy CO2 concentration resulted in similar patterns in the diel cycle of the temperature‐independent component but with different daily average rates in different stages of growing season. We speculate that photosynthesis of the stand is one of the main contributors to this temperature‐independent respiration component although more experiments are needed to draw a firm conclusion. We also found that despite its relatively small magnitude compared with the temperature‐dependent component, the diel variation in the temperature‐independent component can lead to significantly different estimates of the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in the study forest. As a result, the common practice of using fitted temperature‐dependent function from night‐time measurements to extrapolate soil respiration during the daytime may underestimate daytime soil respiration.