Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Nutrient Limitation on Pigments in Thalassiosira weissflogii and Prorocentrum donghaiense

The response of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Thalassiosira weissflogii pigments under nitrate (N) and phosphate (P) limitation were studied using HPLC and in vivo fluorescence protocols in batch cultures. For P. donghaiense, the pigment ratio was kept stable under different nutrient conditions from the results of HPLC. For T. weissflogii, there was a lower ratio of chlorophyllide to Chl a during the exponential phase, but the reverse during the stationary phase. Different members of the phytoplankton had different pigments response mechanisms under nutrient limitation. From the results of in vivo fluorescence, the ratio of peridinin to Chl a for P. donghaiense increased in nutrient-free culture, while it was kept stable for nutrient-limited cultures during the exponential phase. For T. weissflogii, the ratio of fucoxanthin to Chl a for each culture increased during the exponential phase, but the ratio under N limitation was apparently lower than that for P limitation during the stationary phase. The results indicate that both pigment ratios from HPLC and in vivo fluorescence of T. weissflogii were changed greatly under different nutrient conditions, which suggests that both ratios could be used as indicators of algal physiological status in different nutrient conditions. (Handling editor: Jin-Zhong Cui)
NF-κB–mediated chemoresistance in breast cancer cells

Abstract Background. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a known survival pathway, and it may explain differential sensitivity to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and chemotherapeutic-induced apoptosis in apoptotically sensitive (APO+) and apoptotically resistant (APO−) Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 breast cancer cells. Methods. Crystal violet viability and luciferase reporter gene assays were used to determine the inhibitory concentration of viability at 50% (IC 50 ) and the inhibitory concentration of activity at 50% (EC 50 ) values in APO− and APO+ cells with the selective NF-κB inhibitor, BAY 11-7082 (BAY). The apoptotic reporter assay was used to determine the effects of the transfection of the inhibitory kappa B-dominant negative (IκB-DN) construct in conjunction with TNF, paclitaxel, or doxorubicin treatments in these cells. Results. The concentrations at which 50% of cell viability is inhibited (IC 50 ) and at which 50% of NF-κB activity is inhibited (EC 50 ) for BAY in APO− and APO+ cells were 95.24 μmol/L and 1.53 μmol/L, respectively, and 7.62 μmol/L and 2.64 μmol/L, respectively. The IC 50 and the EC 50 values were equivalent for the APO+ cells ( P =.665), but not for the APO− cells ( P =.025). IκB-DN-transfection alone, or with TNF, doxorubicin, or paclitaxel treatments resulted in cell death of both APO− and APO+ cells as compared with vector-control; however, greater cytotoxicity was seen in the APO+ cells. Direct comparison of the APO+ cells versus the APO− cells revealed that these differences were significant ( P =.05). Conclusions. Pharmacologic or molecular inhibition of the NF-κB pathway blocked cell survival in MCF-7 APO+ cells, while only molecular inhibition induced cytotoxicity in the APO− cells. Selective manipulation of the NF-κB pathway in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents may lead to an increased potency and efficacy of these agents. (Surgery 2001;130:143-50.)
Dynamics of central nervous 5-HT1A-receptors under psychosocial stress

It is well established that stress leads to changes in the serotonergic system. In order to gain a better understanding of the effects of recurrent stressful experiences on the serotonergic system, changes in the 5-HT1A-receptor system resulting from different periods of psychosocial stress (PSS) were analyzed in the present study. Male tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) were submitted to subordination stress for 2, 10, 21, and 28 d. 5-HT1A-receptor binding was quantified by in vitro receptor autoradiography using the agonist 3H-8-OH-DPAT (3H-8-hydroxy-2- (di-n-propylamino)tetralin. PSS caused a downregulation of 3H-8-OH-DPAT binding sites in cortical areas and in the hippocampus. After 10, 21, and 28 d of PSS, the number of binding sites was reduced in layers V and VI of the posterior cingulate cortex (by 34%). After 28 d of PSS, the number of binding sites was reduced in the parietal cortex (by 18%), in the prefrontal cortex (by 16%), in the regio retrobulbaris (by 8%), and in region CA1 of the hippocampus (by 11%). In the raphe nuclei, no PSS-induced downregulation of 5-HT1A-receptors occurred. A transient increase in 3H-8-OH-DPAT binding was observed in the claustrum after 2 d of PSS (by 15%). There were also transient decreases in affinities for the radioligand probably representing receptor desensitization, for example, in the dorsal raphe nucleus after 28 d of PSS. In conclusion, the dynamic 5-HT1A-receptor changes occurring during PSS include downregulation and transient desensitization of receptors. They reflect regulatory mechanisms which probably lead to destabilization of the serotonergic system during prolonged PSS.
Interaction between the Effects of Deficit Irrigation and Water Salinity on Yield and Yield Components of Rice in Pot Experiment

Abstract Water scarcity and salinity are important limitations for agricultural production in semi-arid region. The purpose of this research is to study the interaction between the effects of water salinity and deficit irrigation on yield as grain per pot and yield components in greenhouse conditions. The irrigation treatments were continuous flooding (control), intermittent flooding (intervals of 1 or 2 d); Wo, W1, and W2, respectively. The salinity levels of irrigation water were 0.6 (control), 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6 dS m-1 in year of 2005 and 0.6 (control), 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 dS m-1 in the year of 2006, which are referred to as So, S1, S2, S3 and S4, respectively. A local cultivar (Kamphiroozi) was planted in pots in a greenhouse in 2005 and 2006. The results indicated that grain weight per pot was not significantly different between continuous flooding and intermittent flooding at 1-d intervals. The volumetric water contents of soil before each irrigation in the intermittent flooding at 1- and 2-d intervals were 0.36 and 0.34 cm3 cm-3 with a corresponding matric head of -431 cm and -594 cm, respectively. The grain weight per pot was not reduced significantly by salinity level of 1.5 dS m-1 in Wo and W1, while it decreased significantly at salinity levels higher than 2.5 dS m-1 in W2. With increasing irrigation water salinity levels from So to S1, the straw weight per pot increased significantly. Generally, increased irrigation water salinity reduced 1000-grain weight, but water stress mitigated the reduction of 1000-grain weight by salinity. With increasing irrigation salinity beyond threshold (1.5 dS m-1), deficit irrigation resulted in significantly higher number of spikelets per panicle compared with flooding irrigation. Increased salinity with deficit irrigation resulted in a higher percent of unfilled grain. With increasing salinity level of irrigation water beyond the threshold values (1.5 dS m-1) the deficit irrigation resulted in a lower percent of unfilled grain. respectively. The reduction of average grain weight per pot per unit increase of salinity of saturation extract was 14.5% per dS m-1 in continuous flooding, and 11.0% per dS m-1 in intermittent flooding (1-d and 2-d intervals) in the two years of study. The average reduction of grain weight per pot per unit increase in irrigation water salinity was 38.0% per dS m-1 in continuous flooding, 17.0% per dS m-1 in intermittent flooding (1-d and 2-d interval) during the two years of study. Finally, it is concluded that with saline water at 2.5–3.0 dS m-1, intermittent irrigation is preferable for rice production and with saline water at 3.5 dS m-1 or higher continuous flood irrigation failed to produce grains, but intermittent irrigation produced some grains whose weight per pot was about 50% of that in non-saline irrigation water.
Types of carbamyl phosphate synthetases and subcellular localization of urea cycle and related enzymes in air-breathing walking catfish, Clarias batrachus

The types of carbamyl phosphate synthetase (CPS), the subcellular localization of urea cycle enzymes and glutamine synthetase (GS) in liver and kidney (potential ureogenic tis- sues) and also the possible involvement of some extra-hepatic tissues for urea synthesis via the urea cycle were studied in an Indian ureogenic amphibious air-breathing walking catfish, Clarias batrachus. Mitochondrial CPS III (glutamine- and N-acetyl-L-glutamate (NAG)-dependent) and cytosolic CPS II (glutamine-dependent) activities were found to be present in liver, analogous to that described for two other teleosts that have CPS III activity. The same activities and subcellu- lar localization were found in kidney. Unexpectedly, a CPS I-like (ammonia- and NAG-dependent) activity was found to be present at levels higher than the CPS III activity in the mitochondrial fraction of both liver and kidney analogous to another Indian amphibious air-breathing teleost fish, Heteropneustes fossilis. The two other urea cycle enzymes, ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) and arginase (ARG), and GS were found to be localized primarily in the mitochondria, and argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) in the cytosol analogous to H. fossilis and elasmobranchs. Significant levels of urea cycle enzymes along with GS activity could also be detected in muscle, intestine and brain tissues, except ASL in muscle and ASS in brain. Our results also indicated that probably all three different types of CPS activities are also expressed in all three extra-hepatic tissues. The urea cycle-related CPS III found in invertebrates and fish is considered to be the evolutionary precursor of the urea cycle-related CPS I in ureotelic mammalian and amphibian species. Whether or not the CPS I-like activity reported here (1) is due to the presence of a separate CPS I gene in addition to a CPS III gene or (2) represents an adapted CPS III activity in C. batrachus, these results suggest that the presence of both CPS I- like and CPS III activities along with the presence of urea cycle enzymes in extra-hepatic tissues may play an important physiological adaptive role for survival of these walking catfish in higher ambient ammonia or living in air or while burrowing inside mud during habitat drying. J. Exp. Zool. 283:121n130, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Most teleost fishes are ammoniotelic in terms of nitrogen excretion and, until recently, the pres- ence of a functional urea cycle was not known to exist in teleosts (for reviews, see Campbell and Anderson, '91; Wood, '93; Anderson, '95a; Wright,
Intraspecific Variation of Capparis spinosa L. in Tunisia

An analysis of caper (Capparis spinosa L.) variability in Tunisia using morphological descriptors revealed intraspecific diversity. This diversity was relatively high in the prickly caper but relatively low for inermis and shaggy types that formed one homogenous group. All studied descriptors showed discriminative power and enabled classification of the studied accessions in two morphotypes: one prickly and one that included the inermis and downy caper. The later morphotype is characterized by creeping shoots and relatively large leaves, low stomatal density, and high numbers of stamens. The heterogeneous prickly group is characterized by erect shoots and relatively small leaves, high stomatal density, and a small numbers of stamens.
Predator - Prey Relationships: Rodent - Snail Interactions in the Central Negev Desert of Israel

We investigated the effects of increasing rodent (Acomys cahirinus and Gerbillus dasyurus) predation efficiency on their population density and the population of their prey, the desert snail (Trochoidae seetzenii). The study was carried out on a rocky hillslope in the Central Negev Desert, Israel. Rodent predation on snails is limited by the number of shelters for rodents in the area. In most natural conditions, more shelters are found on the upper than on the lower slope. We introduced artificial shelters along the slope. We then censused the number of rodents, snails, and of eaten snails for five years
ESSENTIAL OILS ON MIXED COCCIDIAN VACCINATION AND INFECTION IN BROILERS

One trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of two specific essential oil (EO) blends in broilers infected with viable oocysts of mixed Eimeria spp. Eight treatments were evaluated which consisted of three controls, two unvaccinated treatments and three treatments vaccinated at day of hatch with Advent coccidia ® vaccine. The three controls were: 1) Unmedicated-Uninfected (UU), 2) Unmedicated-Infected (UI), and 3) antibiotic plus ionophore (AI). The two unvaccinated treatments were fed diets supplemented with either Crina POULTRY (CP) or Crina ALTERNATE (CA) at 100 ppm. Cocci-vaccinated treatments included one ® ® group fed diets without feed additives (WFA), and two fed diets supplemented with the two EO products (CP and CA) at the same concentration. At 19 d of age, all birds except those in the UU control were infected with E. acervulina, E. maxima, and E. tenella. Lesion scores (LS) and oocyst counts (OC) were performed 7 d post-infection and anticoccidial indexes (ACI) were calculated. The non-cocci-vaccinated chickens fed the EO blend CA, and the cocci-vaccinated chickens fed WFA diets had similar feed conversion ratios to the UU broilers, 7 d post infection. The cocci-vaccinated chickens fed diets containing EO had lower relative BWG than the cocci vaccinated group fed WFA diets. The lowest OC was observed in vaccinated birds fed WFA diets. Under the conditions of this experiment, the dietary inclusion of EO blends may serve as an alternative to antibiotic and/or ionophores in mixed Eimeria spp. infections in non-cocci-vaccinated broilers, but no benefits of EO supplementation were observed for vaccinated broilers against coccidia.
Mapping Soil Test Phosphorus and Potassium for Variable‐Rate Fertilizer Application

Variable-rate fertilizer (VRF) application requires knowledge of the spatial variability of soil test P and K within a field. The objectives of the study were to: (i) evaluate cell (area) vs. point soil rumpling, both on a grid basis, and (ii) compare methods for mapping location specific soil test data. Soils in two central Wisconsin fields were rumpled with two methods; study site soils included two alfisols and one entisol. The grid-cell method involved dividing fields into 318-ft square cells and compositing soil cores to give one sample per cell. The grid-point method involved soil sampling at grid intersection points spaced on a 106-ft square grid
Variation in Molecular Species of Core Lipids from the Order Thermoplasmales Strains Depends on the Growth Temperature

The core lipids from five strains of the order Thermoplasmales grown at various temperatures have been investigated. The major core lipid of the cell membrane in these strains was caldarchaeol (2, 2′, 3, 3′-tetra-O-di(biphytanyl)-sn-diglycerol). Five types of molecular species of the C40 isoprenoid chains having different numbers of cyclopentane rings were detected in caldarchaeol. In the strains of the genus Picrophilus, a novel molecular species of the C40 isoprenoid chain, being a C40-bicyclic isomer, was detected. An increasing degree of cyclization depending on the rising growth temperatures was observed in all the strains examined.
Characterization of a Cytosolic Heat-shock Protein-Caveolin Chaperone Complex

Caveolin is a 22-kDa protein that appears to play a critical role in regulating the cholesterol concentration of caveolae. Even though caveolin is thought to be a membrane protein, several reports suggest that this peculiar protein can traffic independently of membrane vesicles. We now present evidence that a cytosolic pool of caveolin is part of a heat-shock protein-immunophilin chaperone complex consisting of caveolin, heat-shock protein 56, cyclophilin 40, cyclophilin A, and cholesterol. Treatment of NIH 3T3 cells with 1 μm cyclosporin A or 100 nmrapamycin disrupted the putative transport complex and prevented rapid (10–20 min) transport of cholesterol to caveolae. The lymphoid cell line, L1210-JF, does not express caveolin, does not form an immunophilin-caveolin complex, and does not transport newly synthesized cholesterol to caveolae. Transfection of caveolin cDNA into L1210-JF cells allowed the assembly of a transport complex identical to that found in NIH 3T3 cells. In addition, newly synthesized cholesterol in transfected cells was rapidly (10–20 min) and specifically transported to caveolae. These data strongly suggest that a caveolin-chaperone complex is a mechanism by which newly synthesized cholesterol is transported from the endoplasmic reticulum through the cytoplasm to caveolae.
Effect of biochar on chemical properties of acidic soil

The effect of biochar addition on the chemical properties of acidic soil such as soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and exchangeable acidity were investigated to determine the liming potential of biochars. This study was conducted by incubating acidic soil (clayey, smectitic, acid, mesic, shallow, Aridic Ustorthent) of pH < 4.80 with biochars for 165 days. The biochars were produced from two biomass feedstocks such as corn stover (Zea mays L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) using microwave pyrolysis (at 650°C). Corn stover biochar, switchgrass biochar, and lime (calcium carbonate) were applied at four rates (0, 52, 104, and 156 Mg ha−1) to acidic soil. Amendment type, application rate, and their interaction had significant effects (p < 0.05) on soil pH, EC, and CEC of acidic soil. Exchangeable acidity was significantly affected by amendment type. Application of corn stover biochar had shown a relatively larger increase in soil pH than switchgrass biochar at all application rates. The ameliorating effect of biochars on chemical properties of acidic soil was consistent with their chemical composition.
Different genetic components control coat-imposed and embryo-imposeddormancy in wheat

Abstract Wheat grain dormancy is a multigenic trait controlled both by R genes conferring red testa pigmentation and by other genes, at least one of which has a major effect in the embryo. Enhanced grain dormancy and red test colour are inherited as pleiotropic effects of dominant R alleles at triplicate loci in hexaploid wheat. However, polymorphism for R genes cannot account for the wide variation in dormancy observed among different redgrained varieties. A variety of different dominant R alleles all have equivalent effects on dormancy when introgressed into white-grained wheats, although the latter vary in dormancy both in the absence and in the presence of dominant R alleles. As a result, certain redgrained genotypes can exhibit intermediate dormancy, similar to that of some white-grained genotypes with different genetic backgrounds. A new major gene (Phs) was identified as controlling the difference between two red-grained cultivars with widely different dormancies. The Phs gene appeared to exert its effect in the embryo of the grain, in contrast to R gene expression in maternal testa tissue. Discrete genetic functions thus underlie physiologically distinct mechanisms of coatimposed dormancy and embryo-imposed dormancy in wheat
Diversity and Abundance of Bats (Chiroptera) found in Bat Boxes in East Lithuania

Bat diversity and abundance was investigated in thirteen areas in east Lithuania in 2009. A total of 504 bat boxes of four models were checked in each area (30–60 bat boxes per area). The bat boxes were checked six times during the warm season of the year: in May, June, July, August, September and October. Six bat species, namely the Nathusius’ pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii), soprano pipistrelle (P. pygmaeus), pond bat (Myotis dasycneme), brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), noctule (Nyctalus Noctula) and northern bat (Eptesicus nilssonii), were found in bat boxes. The Nathusius’ pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle clearly dominated in the bat assemblage (accordingly, 79.3% and 18.4%). The breeding colonies of Nathusius’ pipistrelles and soprano pipistrelles were found in standard and four/five-chamber bat boxes. The breeding colonies of bats were constituted of approximately 30–150 individuals. Multichamber bat boxes in Lithuania were erected for the first time.
Neurosarcoidosis

Purpose of Review:This article provides an update on the evaluation and treatment of neurosarcoidosis. Recent Findings:The broad range of clinical manifestations of neurosarcoidosis has recently expanded to include painful small fiber neuropathy. Although definitive diagnosis remains a challenge, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (FDG-PET) scan and high-resolution CT allow for improved detection of systemic sarcoidosis. In addition, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration provides a less invasive means of tissue confirmation of systemic sarcoidosis than mediastinoscopy. Although not standardized, treatment strategies for neurosarcoidosis now commonly include tumor necrosis factor-&agr; antagonists in combination with corticosteroids and other cytotoxic agents for patients with severe disease. Summary:Advances in the diagnosis and management of neurosarcoidosis may benefit the patient and clinician faced with this multifaceted disease.
Ultrastructure of Chrysochromulina ahrengotii sp. nov. (Prymnesiophyceae), a new saddle-shaped species of Chrysochromulina from Danish coastal waters

Abstract A new, small, saddle-shaped species of Chrysochromulina with a coiling haptonema is described from Danish coastal waters. The scale cover of C. ahrengotii sp. nov. comprises an inner layer of plate scales and an outer layer of spine-bearing scales. Chrysochromulina ahrengotii bears close morphological resemblance to C. scutellum Eikrem et Moestrup, another species of Chrysochromulina recently described, but differs in details of the scales and in having only one type of spine scale. Details of the flagellar apparatus and some observations on scale formation are reported. The spine scales are formed in T-shaped cisternae of the Golgi apparatus, a very unusual feature somewhat resembling the formation of the flat scales in C. chiton Manton seen by Manton in 1967. The flagellar apparatus is similar to that of other saddle-shaped species such as C. scutellum, C. simplex Estep, Davis, Hargraves et Sieburth, C. apheles Moestrup et Thomsen, and C. acantha Leadbeater et Manton. Chrysochromulina ahrengoti.
Eukaryotic algal phytochromes span the visible spectrum

, Plant phytochromes are photoswitchable red/far-red photorecep- tors that allow competition with neighboring plants for photo-synthetically active red light. In aquatic environments, red and far-red light are rapidly attenuated with depth; therefore, photosynthetic species must use shorter wavelengths of light. Neverthe- less, phytochrome-related proteins are found in recently sequenced genomes of many eukaryotic algae from aquatic environments. We examined the photosensory properties of seven phytochromes from diverse algae: four prasinophyte (green algal) species, the hetero- kont (brown algal) Ectocarpus siliculosus , and two glaucophyte species. We demonstrate that algal phytochromes are not limited to red and far-red responses. Instead, different algal phytochromes can sense orange, green, and even blue light. Characterization of these previously undescribed photosensors using CD spectroscopy supports a structurally heterogeneous chromophore in the far-red – absorbing photostate. Our study thus demonstrates that extensive spectral tuning of phytochromes has evolved in phylogenetically distinct lineages of aquatic photosynthetic eukaryotes.