Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urogenital Tract Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis among Women Attended at Different Units in a Referral Hospital in Spain

Aims: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in a group of women visiting different Units in a referral Hospital from Spain Study Design: This was a hospital retrospective and descriptive study for the presence of C. trachomatis in endocervical, vaginal and urine swabs obtained from consecutive sexually active women attendees at different Units. Also their medical records were reviewed. Retrospective ethical approval was granted by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Investigation of Principality of Asturias. Methodology: We included 1997 symptomatic and asymptomatic unselected women (mean age 29.1 range 18 to 45 years) who were evaluated for urogenital chlamydial infection. Results: The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis was 6.3%. The C. trachomatis infection had the highest prevalence among the age group below 25 years of age (n=30, 7.5%). Genotypes E, G and D constitute 89.4% of the genotyped strains. Infections with genotypes G and F were more often (n=31, 42%) associated with clinical manifestations that suggest cervical infection and genotype E was observed more frequently (n=17, 85%) in asymptomatic women. Conclusions: In our study, similar prevalence rates between both symptomatic and asymptomatic women, under 25 years, were found. Self-collected vaginal swabs are an appropriate alternative for routine diagnosis of C. trachomatis infection. The findings of this work highlighted the need for a possible Chlamydia screening program, offered especially in younger women. Delays in seeking a diagnosis and treatment among asymptomatic females can result in increased transmission of this bacterium and its serious consequences for women reproductive health.
Cooking and drying processes optimization of Pentadesma butyracea kernels during butter production

The cooking and the drying of the Pentadesma butyracea kernels are the main steps in the traditional method of extracting P. butyracea butter. In this work, the Response Surface Method with Central composite design was used to optimize the cooking and drying of Pentadesma kernels during P. butyracea butter production. The cooking and drying times, as well as the drying temperature of Pentadesma kernels are considered as independent factors. The moisture content of the Pentadesma kernels, the quantity, the acidity and the peroxyde values of extracted butter were the responses to be expected. The responses have been described using a second degree polynomial models which have been first tested and then used to explain 97.5, 80.7, 96.1 and 97%, of the variation of moisture content, quantity of butter, and acid and peroxide values, respectively. Increasing cooking time and drying temperature greatly reduced the free fatty acid values of the butter (<1%) and peroxide value (<1 meq/kg). The optimum cooking time (110 min), drying temperature (55°C) and drying time (72 h) could be used to get 52.92% of Pentadesma butter equivalent to the category 1 (with 0.62 meq/kg of peroxide and 0.28% of FFA content). Cooking and drying of Pendadesma kernels are important stages in the butter production. This work determined the optimum conditions of cooking and drying processes. These results could be used by P. butyracea butter processors to get good quality of Pentadesma butter and to improve extraction yield. Key words : Forest galeries, Pentadesma butyraceae, cosmetic industry, temperature, shea butter, Pentadesma butter, Benin.
Conservation Genetics of the Endemic Mexican Heliconia uxpanapensis in the Los Tuxtlas Tropical Rain Forest

Heliconia uxpanapensis (Heliconiaceae) is an outcrossing endemic herb that grows within continuous and fragmented areas of the tropical rain forest of southeast Veracrúz (México). The genetic diversity, population differentiation, and genetic structure of seven populations of the studied species were assessed using inter‐simple sequence repeat) markers. Population differentiation was moderately high (FST range: 0.18–0.22) and indirect estimates of gene flow were rather low (Nm=0.65–0.83). Analysis of molecular variance indicated that the populations explained 22.2 percent of the variation, while individuals within the populations accounted for 77.8 percent. The similar and high level of genetic diversity found within populations of the continuous and fragmented forest suggests that H. uxpanapensis has not suffered yet the expected negative effect of fragmentation. Genetic structure analyses indicated the presence of fewer genetic clusters (K=4) than populations (N=7). Three of the four fragmented forest populations were assigned each to one of the clusters found within the continuous forest, suggesting the absence of a negative fragmentation effect on the amount and distribution of genetic variation. Given the significant genetic structure combined with high genetic diversity and low levels of gene flow, theoretical simulations indicated that H. uxpanapensis might be highly susceptible to changes in the mating system, which promotes inbreeding within fragmented populations. Thus, future conservation efforts in this species should be directed to ensure that levels of gene flow among populations are sufficient to prevent an increment in the magnitude of inbreeding within fragments.
MICROMORFOMETRIA FOLIAR DE Schinus molle L. (ANARCADIACEAE) EM DIFERENTES ALTURAS NA COPA

A caracterizacao foliar em arvores e essencial para a sua identificacao e utilizacao, bem como para se compreender as suas relacoes com o ambiente. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se o estudo da anatomia dos foliolos e das caracteristicas biometricas das folhas de S. molle em diferentes alturas na copa, em funcao das modificacoes ambientais e fisiologicas promovidas. As folhas foram coletadas em tres diferentes alturas na copa: base, meio e alto da copa em uma populacao cultivada de S. molle. Para as analises anatomicas, as folhas foram fixadas em FAA e armazenadas em etanol sendo, posteriormente, submetidas a seccoes paradermicas e transversais. As lâminas foram fotomicrografadas e as imagens analisadas no software UTHSCSA-Imagetool. Para as analises biometricas foram avaliadas a area, comprimento, largura, massa seca foliares, bem como a area foliar especifica. Os foliolos possuem epiderme unisseriada, estomatos anomociticos e ciclociticos, mesofilo isobilateral e camada subepidermica em ambas as faces da epiderme. Canais secretores e colenquima foram observados na nervura central e bordo dos foliolos. Ocorreram modificacoes nas espessuras da cuticula e do mesofilo, no sistema vascular, espessura do floema e na densidade estomatica de acordo com a altura em que os foliolos se encontram na copa das arvores. As folhas foram menores e demonstram reduzida area foliar para as partes mais altas da copa. A anatomia foliar de S. molle e diferente de outras especies do genero Schinus e demonstra modificacoes sob as diferentes condicoes ambientais e fisiologicas promovidas pelas diferentes alturas na copa.
Increased Neuronal β‐Amyloid Precursor Protein Expression in Human Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Association with Interleukin‐1α Immunoreactivity

Abstract: Levels of immunoreactive β‐amyloid precursor protein and interleukin‐1α were found to be elevated in surgically resected human temporal lobe tissue from patients with intractable epilepsy compared with postmortem tissue from neurologically unaffected patients (controls). In tissue from epileptics, the levels of the 135‐kDa β‐amyloid precursor protein isoform were elevated to fourfold (p < 0.05) those of controls and those of the 130‐kDa isoform to threefold (p < 0.05), whereas those of the 120‐kDa isoform (p > 0.05) were not different from control values. β‐Amyloid precursor protein‐immunoreactive neurons were 16 times more numerous, and their cytoplasm and proximal processes were more intensely immunoreactive in tissue sections from epileptics than controls (133 ± 12 vs. 8 ± 3/mm2; p < 0.001). However, neither β‐amyloid precursor protein‐immunoreactive dystrophic neurites nor β‐amyloid deposits were found in this tissue. Interleukin‐1α‐immunoreactive cells (microglia) were three times more numerous in epileptics than in controls (80 ± 8 vs. 25 ± 5/mm2; p < 0.001), and these cells were often found adjacent to β‐amyloid precursor protein‐immunoreactive neuronal cell bodies. Our findings, together with functions established in vitro for interleukin‐1, suggest that increased expression of this protein contributes to the increased levels of β‐amyloid precursor protein in epileptics, thus indicating a potential role for both of these proteins in the neuronal dysfunctions, e.g., hyperexcitability, characteristic of epilepsy.
Lettuce Response to Phosphorus Fertilization with Struvite Recovered from Municipal Wastewater

Struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) production is widely studied as a way to remove phosphorus (P) from wastewater and generate a potentially marketable P fertilizer, but its effects on crops have yet to be researched more thoroughly. This study was conducted to evaluate struvite recovered by the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) pilot process (STR) as a source of P for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by comparing its effectiveness with that of single superphosphate (SUP), a common P fertilizer derived from phosphate rock. In a greenhouse pot experiment, a P-deficient loamy sand soil was amended with either SUP or STR at P rates of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 mg·kg -1 . Nitrogen and potassium were uniformly supplied to all treatments. The response of lettuce head fresh weight and P uptake to P rate exhibited statistically significant quadratic relationships for both SUP and STR. With respect to SUP, STR was significantly more effective in increasing lettuce yield and P uptake, probably because of the larger amount of magnesium (Mg) incorporated with this material and a synergistic effect on P uptake. This work supports previous findings based on other test crops in suggesting that STR can be a P source attractive to the fertilizer market with additional agronomic and environmental benefits such as providing available Mg and nitrogen, helping attenuate consumption of phosphate rock, and reducing release of P by discharge of treated wastewaters to surface and groundwater systems.
ACTIVE ABSORPTION OF CL– AND NA+ IN POSTERIOR GILLS OF CHINESE CRAB ERIOCHEIR SINENSIS: MODULATION BY DOPAMINE AND cAMP

Abstract Isolated posterior gills from the Chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis acclimated to freshwater (FW) were used for perfusion. Dopamine and dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP) induced a significant increase of 36Cl– influx. When amiloride, a specific sodium selective channels blocker, was added to the incubation saline, it induced a dramatic decrease of 22Na+ influx, and such an effect could be reversed by dopamine or db-cAMP. In the same experimental condition, we observed that ouabain added to the serosal side induced a marked decrease of the stimulating effect of db-cAMP on 22Na+ uptake across the epithelium to the hemolymph, suggesting that dopamine stimulates Na+ and Cl– influxes via cAMP and Na+/K+-ATPase pathways.
Envelhecimento acelerado modificado para sementes de coentro (Coriandrum sativum L.) e sua correlação com outros testes de vigor

Correlation among the results of the tradicional test of accelerated aging accomplished with the use of water, saline solution and saturated solution of NaCl with other tests of physiologic quality was estimated. In cilantro seeds- of cultivating Verdao, coming of cultivation agroecologic, of the commercial mark Bionatura®, Candiota-RS, without any type of chemical treatment, roduced in the harvest 2006/07. The quality was evaluated by the tests of tenor of water, germination, first counting of the germination, emergency of seedling, index of emergency speed, test of cold and correlated with the tests of traditional aging, test of accelerated aging with saline solution and saturated solution of NaCl in the periods of 48, 72 and 96 hours. The periods of 48 hours of exhibition of the seeds in saline and saturated solution of NaCl and 72 hours in saline solution, were the best ones correlated with the germination tests, first counting of the germination and index of emergency speed.
Congruence between phylogenetic and stratigraphic data on the history of life

The quality of the fossil record and the accuracy of reconstructed phylogenies have been debated recently, and doubt has been cast on how far current knowledge actually reflects what happened in the past. A survey of 384 published cladograms of a variety of animals (echinoderms, fishes, tetrapods) shows that there is good agreement between phylogenetic (character) data and stratigraphic (age) data, based on a variety of comparative metrics. This congruence of conclusions from two essentially independent sources of data confirms that the majority of cladograms are broadly accurate and that the fossil record, incomplete as it is, gives a reasonably faithful documentation of the sequence of occurrence of organisms through time.
Austroconops Wirth and Lee, a Lower Cretaceous Genus of Biting Midges Yet Living in Western Australia: a New Species, First Description of the Immatures and Discussion of Their Biology and Phylogeny (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract The eggs and all four larval instars of Austroconops mcmillani Wirth and Lee and A. annettae Borkent, new species, are described. The pupa of A. mcmillani is also described. Life cycles and details of behavior of each life stage are reported, including feeding by the aquatic larvae on microscopic organisms in very wet soil/detritus, larval locomotion, female adult biting habits on humans and kangaroos, and male adult swarming. Austroconops annettae Borkent, new species, is attributed to the first author. Cladistic analysis shows that the two extant Austroconops Wirth and Lee species are sister species. Increasingly older fossil species of Austroconops represent increasingly earlier lineages. Among extant lineages, Austroconops is the sister group of Leptoconops Skuse, and together they form the sister group of all other Ceratopogonidae. Dasyhelea Kieffer is the sister group of Forcipomyia Meigen + Atrichopogon Kieffer, and together they form the sister group of the Ceratopogoninae. Forcipomyia has no synapomorphies and may be paraphyletic in relation to Atrichopogon. Austroconops is morphologically conservative (possesses many plesiomorphic features) in each life stage and this allows for interpretation of a number of features within Ceratopogonidae and other Culicomorpha. A new interpretation of Cretaceous fossil lineages shows that Austroconops, Leptoconops, Minyohelea Borkent, Jordanoconops Szadziewksi, Archiaustroconops Szadziewksi, and Fossileptoconops Szadziewksi form a monophyletic group. Within this assemblage Leptoconops and Minyohelea are sister groups and Austroconops and Jordanoconops are monophyletic (Austroconops is possibly paraphyletic in relation to Jordanoconops). All are considered to be members of Leptoconopinae Noè and the subfamily Austroconopinae Borkent, Wirth and Dyce is a new synonym of Leptoconopinae. Extant and fossil distributional records suggest that Austroconops was displaced from its previously broad distribution by the emergence of Culicoides Latreille. Larval feeding on microorganisms is plesiotypic within the Ceratopogonidae and Chironomoidea, and living in small aquatic habitats is plesiotypic within each family of the Culicomorpha. Outgroup comparisons further suggest that diurnal feeding by adult females is plesiotypic within the Ceratopogonidae and Chironomoidea.
The fourth paradigm pattern of post‐glacial range expansion of European terrestrial species: the phylogeography of the Marbled White butterfly (Satyrinae, Lepidoptera)

Aim Three paradigm patterns of post‐glacial dispersal are known for terrestrial species in Europe. However, the possibility of a fourth arises with the Italian and the Balkan lineages expanding to central Europe and the Iberian one being trapped by the Pyrenees. We test this hypothesis by analysing the molecular biogeography of the Marbled White butterfly.
Relationship between vessel porosity and leaf emergence pattern in ring- and diffuse-porous deciduous trees in a temperate hardwood forest

To elucidate the functional relationship between intra-annual variations in vessel diameter and leaf emergence pattern of ring-porous and diffuse-porous deciduous trees in temperate forests, we determined the temporal relationships between leaf phenology and vessel formation. Cylindrical stem cores were periodically collected from each of five ring- and diffuse-porous species, and the leaf and vessel formation were observed simultaneously. In the ring-porous species, vessel formation began within 2 weeks of leaf appearance, and most wide vessels were formed within 2 weeks of full leaf expansion. More of the trees with intermediate-type formed medium-sized vessels or sparse wide vessels than trees with the flush-type leaf emergence, especially between full leaf expansion and the end of shoot elongation. Narrow vessel formation began 2–8 weeks after full leaf expansion in all specimens. The transition between the pore- and non-pore zones was abrupt in the flush-type species, and gradual in the intermediate-.
Studies on the swimming musculature of the rainbow trout. II. Muscle metabolism during severe hypoxia

Some aspects of anaerobic metabolism in the red and white (mosaic) muscles of the rainbow trout have been studied during environmental hypoxia. Evidence has been obtained for the operation of anaerobic pathways other than glycolysis, especially in the superficial red muscle. L-alanine and succinate were observed to accumulate as anaerobic endproducts in this tissue. Anaerobic glycolysis also increased significantly during hypoxia, but only in the white muscle. Glycogen stores were depleted by 70–85 % in both red and white muscle. Glucose increased in concentration in the red but not in the white muscle. In an attempt to understand some of the species differences in the susceptibility of fish to hypoxia the results of the present study have been compared with an earlier study on the carp (Johnston, 1975). The effect of death from hypoxia on the levels of muscle metabolites has also been studied.
The influence of function on the development of bone curvature. An experimental study on the rat tibia

The effect of depriving the tibia of normal mechanical function during its growing period was investigated by performing a unilateral sciatic neurectomy in the gluteal region of young rats. The animals were kept for 16 months, after which their tibias were examined. On the neurectomized side there was a failure of this bone to attain its normal weight, thickness, cross sectional shape or longitudinal curvature. Attainment of the bone's overall length was uneffected.
Effect of Ozone on the Antioxidant Capacity of "Qiushui" Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Qiushui) during Postharvest Storage

The aims of this study are to investigate the effect of different concentrations of ozone (O3) on pear fruit quality. Qiushui Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifoliaNakai cv. Qiushui) were treated with various concentrations of O3 (2.14, 6.42 and 21.4mg/m3) at room temperature everyday for 1h. The pear fruit firmness, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and the antioxidant composition contents (total phenolics and total flavonoids) were investigated every 8 days. Results indicated that O3 treatment maintained high level of firmness and total soluble solids and also increased the antioxidant enzymes activity of pear fruit during storage. The moderate O3 (6.42mg/m3) treatment could significantly induce higher POD activity, inhibit PPO activity and keep high contents of total phenolics and total flavonoids. These results suggest that postharvest application of suitable O3 treatment (6.42mg/m3) could enhance antioxidant capacity and keep pear fruit quality. Practical Applications The presented study showed that treatment with suitable concentration of O3 (6.42mg/m3) could delay the decrease of fruit quality, induce higher antioxidant enzyme activities, and keep a higher antioxidant capability of the Qiushui pear fruit during storage at room temperature. These results suggest that suitable O3 treatment is a useful method for maintaining Qiushui pear fruit quality and extending their postharvest life; it might have potential application in pear fruit preservation.
Temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition in boreal soils

The temperature sensitivity of decomposition of different soil organic matter (SOM) fractions was studied with laboratory incubations using C and C isotopes to differentiate between SOM of different age. The quality of SOM and the functionality and composition of microbial communities in soils formed under different climatic conditions were also studied. Transferring of organic layers from a colder to a warmer climate was used to assess how changing climate, litter input and soil biology will affect soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity. Together, these studies gave a consistent picture on how warming climate will affect the decomposition of different SOM fractions in Finnish forest soils: the most labile C was least temperature sensitive, indicating that it is utilized irrespective of temperature. The decomposition of intermediate C, with mean residence times from some years to decades, was found to be highly temperature sensitive. Even older, centennially cycling C was again less temperature sensitive, indicating that different stabilizing mechanisms were limiting its decomposition even at higher temperatures. Because the highly temperature sensitive, decadally cycling C, forms a major part of SOM stock in the organic layers of the studied forest soils, these results mean that these soils could lose more carbon during the coming years and decades than estimated earlier. SOM decomposition in boreal forest soils is likely to increase more in response to climate warming, compared to temperate or tropical soils, also because the Q10 is temperature dependent. In the northern soils the warming will occur at a lower temperature range, where Q10 is higher, and a similar increase in temperature causes a higher relative increase in respiration rates. The Q10 at low temperatures was found to be inversely related to SOM quality. At higher temperatures respiration was increasingly limited by low substrate availability.
Resistance of Dry Bean and Snap Bean Cultivars to Root-knot Nematodes

This study assessed the reaction of dry bean and snap bean cultivars to infection by Meloidogyne incognita (races 1, 3) and by Meloidogyne javanica, two species of root-knot nematodes. Three independent experiments were done, one for each species or race of Meloidogyne, using randomized complete block designs with four replications (plots) and four plants per plot. A plot with the susceptible tomato cultivar Santa Clara was used in each block to determine the efficiency of the inoculum and to calculate the reproduction rate for each of the genotypes assessed. The bean cultivars Apore and Talisma were highly resistant to Meloidogyne javanica, slightly resistant to Meloidogyne incognita race 1, and moderately resistant and slightly resistant, respectively, to Meloidogyne incognita race 3. The snap bean cultivars Macarrao Atibaia and Macarrao Preferido were slightly resistant to Meloidogyne javanica and moderately resistant and susceptible, respectively, to Meloidogyne incognita race 1. The reactions of the latter cultivars against Meloidogyne incognita race 3 were very resistant and slightly resistant, respectively. The results of these experiments showed that the dry bean cultivars Apore and Ouro Negro and the snap bean cultivar Macarrao Atibaia have potential to be used in breeding programs for a broader spectrum of root-knot nematode resistances.