Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leeches from Chiapas, Mexico, with a New Species of Erpobdella (Hirudinida: Erpobdellidae)

ABSTRACT Freshwater leeches were collected from Chiapas, Mexico. Among these collections and prior records, a total of nine species were found, comprising six genera and four families. One species, Diestecostoma octannulata, represents a new record for Mexico and two species, Helobdella elongata and H. octatestisaca, represent new records for Chiapas. Additionally, a new species of Erpobdella was discovered from a single stream in the park El Arcotete near San Cristobal de las Casas. Here it is described as Erpobdella adani and it is morphologically distinguished from Mexican Erpobdella species by the combination of having the whole body strongly dorsoventrally flattened, three annuli between gonopores, an enlarged male gonopore, and no preatrial loops for the male reproductive system. Based on sequence data (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 12S; nuclear 18S), this new species appears most closely related to a clade formed by E. coastalis and E. ochoterenai. Both mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I molecular barcodes and morphological descriptions of the collected species are presented.
Detection of Some Important Bacterial Agents Causing Bovine Mastitis

The present work was conducted to isolate and detect by PCR three important bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis) associated with bovine mastitis. A total of 36 clinical mastitic milk samples were collected from various cross bred cattle presented in the Veterinary Clinical complex centre, Bikaner, Rajasthan. Out of 36 milk samples processed, we recovered 51 isolates belonging to Staphylococcus aureus (18), Streptococcus uberis (5), Streptococcus agalactiae (2), Staphylococcus intermedius (8), Staphylococcus chromogens (4), Bacillus sp. (2) and Escherichia coli (12). The PCR conducted directly on milk samples with species-specific primers of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus uberis revealed 19, 7 and 2 samples respectively positive for these pathogens. The study showed highest incidence of Staphylococcus aureus (50.0%) followed by Streptococcus uberis, (13.89%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (5.5%) by culture-based method while incidence rate recorded by PCR of Staphylococcus aureus (52.77%) followed by Streptococcus uberis, (19.44%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (5.5%) associated with bovine mastitis. Thus, PCR was found to have a good correlation with cultural method for diagnosis of the causative agent of mastitis in a short span of time.
Termite mounds vary in their importance as sources of vegetation heterogeneity across savanna landscapes

Questions Termite mounds are well known to host a suite of unique plants compared with the surrounding savanna matrix. However, most studies testing the significance of mounds for ecosystem heterogeneity have been conducted at single sites. Mound effects on savanna heterogeneity across varying landscapes are less well understood, and how effects might vary across geological types and mounds of different sizes is as yet unknown. Location Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe. Methods We studied effects of termite mounds on vegetation spatial heterogeneity across two geologies (granite and basalt), including effects of mound size and the spatial extent of termite influence. Herbaceous vegetation was sampled on mounds and savanna matrix plots, and along distance transects away from mounds. Soil nutrients on mounds and in the matrix were also compared between geologies. Results Soil nutrients were more concentrated in large mounds compared with the matrix on granite, but not on basalt, with mounds therefore acting as nutrient hot-spots on nutrient-poor granite only. Large and medium sized mounds hosted compositionally different grass species to the matrix on granite, but not on basalt. Large mounds on granite also had significantly lower grass and forb species richness compared with the matrix. However, small mounds on granite, and all mound size categories on basalt, did not have an effect on grass and forb species richness or assemblage composition, an observation attributed to a lack of difference in soil nutrients between the mounds and matrix. Conclusion Our study shows that the significance of termite mounds to ecosystem spatial heterogeneity is strongly influenced by geology and mound size, with mound effects on herbaceous plant species heterogeneity more pronounced in dystrophic geologies and around large mounds. Future studies should take greater cognisance of landscape context and mound size when seeking to understand the contribution of termite mounds to ecosystem structure and function. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Deciphering the associations between soil microbial diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality driven by long‐term fertilization management

An increasing number of studies indicate that microbial diversity plays a crucial role in the mediation of ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) in natural ecosystems. However, this point remains mostly overlooked in managed ecosystems, especially in agriculture. Here, we compiled promising strategies for the targeted exploitation of the associations between microbial diversity and EMF of agricultural soils using samples from two long-term (more than 30 years) experimental field sites in southern China. The two sites experienced a similar monsoon climate and fertilization management practices. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing, structural equation modelling and random forest analysis, to analyse our data and validate our hypotheses. We found that soil physiochemical properties and the C-, N-, P- and S-cycle enzyme activities were increased with the increase in microbial diversity. Specifically, a positive linear relationship was observed between microbial diversity and EMF, which was mediated by long-term fertilization management via changes in soil microbial communities and physiochemical properties. Random forest analysis and SEM showed that the important role of microbial diversity on EMF was maintained even when simultaneously taking multiple multifunctionality drivers (soil physiochemical properties, soil aggregation and enzymatic patterns) into account. In addition, microbial diversity, C-cycle enzyme activity and pH value are feasible predictors of EMF; these factors were shown to be the main drivers of EMF of arable soils. Our findings suggest that there may be a limited degree of multifunctional redundancy in arable soils. The relationship we observed between microbial diversity and EMF suggests that management practices that foster more diverse soil microbial communities may have the potential to improve the functioning of agroecosystems. plain language summary
Glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus among Bulgarian children and adolescents: the results from the first and the second national examination of HbA1c

ABSTRACT The standardized hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test is an essential tool to evaluate the glycaemic control and the diabetes care. The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare the actual HbA1c level in a cohort of Bulgarian patients with type 1 diabetes aged 0–19 years in two consecutive national studies, in 2012 and 2014. We used a standardized method for HbA1c high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Тhe survey was conducted in 11 paediatric endocrinology practices in Bulgaria. Overall 829 patients with type 1 diabetes participated in the first study, 422 boys and 407 girls, aged 11.9 ± 4.2 years. The second study included 498 patients: 261 boys and 237 girls, aged 11.6 ± 4.1 years. The mean HbA1c level for the patients studied in 2014 (8.42 ± 1.69%) was significantly lower compared to that in the patients studied in 2012 (8.93 ± 1.98%, p < 0.001). Significantly more patients in the second study (36%) showed optimal control with HbA1c < 7.5% (p < 0.05) compared to those from the first one (24.9%). Teenagers in both studies had higher HbA1c levels compared to the other age groups: 9.19 ± 2.11% in 2012 and 8.8 ± 1.87% in 2014. We found significant differences in the HbA1c levels between the different centres in Bulgaria (from 7.92% to 9.95% in 2012 and from 7.42% to 9.13% in 2014). All age groups, except the teenagers showed improvement in the glycemic control in the second study as a result of continuous and structured education of the patients and their families.
Comparison of soft tissue chin prominence in various mandibular divergence patterns of Tamil Nadu population

Introduction: Chin is the prominent anatomical landmark in the lower third of the face and it plays a vital role in maintaining facial harmony. Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the soft tissue chin (STC) prominence in various mandibular divergence patterns. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 lateral cephalograms (38 men and 52 women) of nongrowing individuals who had reported for orthodontic treatment with age ranging above 19 years were selected. The lateral cephalograms were divided into three groups based on their mandibular divergence patterns. Three linear measurements at three different levels (Pog-Pog′, Gn-Gn′ and Me-Me′) were measured manually on the lateral cephalogram. ANOVA, post hoc test, and Mann–Whitney U-test were used for analysis and a P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The STC thickness measurements were greater in Group A when compared to Group B and Group C. The values are highly significant with P = 0.000. No significant difference was found between Group B and C. The values of STC thickness between genders also showed a significant difference. Conclusion: The STC is thicker in hypodivergent individuals, whereas STC thickness between hyperdivergent and normodivergent showed no significant difference. Furthermore, STC prominence is greater in males when compared to females. Hence, these parameters can be used for planning an advancement genioplasty in Class II individuals.
Sperm Whale Seismic Study in the Gulf of Mexico, Annual Report: Year 1

The Sperm Whale Seismic Study, year one, is the first report of a three year research project in the Gulf of Mexico to tag sperm whales and gather a variety of information, including genetic analyses, habitat, seasonal distribution, diving behavior, acoustic noises associated with behaviors and locations, as well as other information and analyses.
Morphometric and genetic study of Ethiopian Lophuromys flavopunctatus Thomas, 1888 species complex with description of three new 70-chromosomal species (Muridae, Rodentia)

Morphological (multivariate craniometry) and genetic (cytochrome b sequence) analyses combined with available chromosome and RAPD data were performed to clarify species limits, distribution, and relationships in the diverse Lophuromys flavopunctatus species complex of Ethiopia. This approach allowed us to evaluate real taxonomic diversity of the group and describe three new species. The revealed level of interspecific morphological diversity in L. flavopunctatus s. lat. was significantly higher among Ethiopian taxa compared to non-Ethiopian ones. Moreover, the results of multivariate analyses of craniometric data provide independent support for our earlier supposition about the presence of both recent and ancient reticulate processes among Ethiopian Lophuromys species. In general, the results of our study support the recognition of nine distinct species (including newly described ones), all of which are endemic to this country. The current diversity of the group could be explained by intensive local speciation and accumulation of survived evolutionary lineages within the Ethiopian Plateau. Most of the Ethiopian members of this species complex are closely associated with montane forests; some of them have rather limited geographic ranges and seem to be threatened due to habitat destruction.
The complete chloroplast genome of Plagiorhegma dubia Maxim., a traditional Chinese medicinal herb

Abstract Plagiorhegma dubia Maxim. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb from Plagiorhegma, Berberidaceae, which is distributed in the northeast of China, Korea, Russia. The complete chloroplast genome is 152,468 bp in length, with large single copy (LSC 82,257 bp) and small single copy (SSC 16,599 bp) regions separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IR 26 805 bp). The genome has a total of 113 genes including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis shows that P. dubia is closely related with Sinopodophyllum hexandrum and Epimedium species. The results are of great implication for the development and utilization of P. dubia and the phylogenetic researches on Berberidaceae.
Seedling emergence of 144 subalpine meadow plants: effects of phylogeny, life cycle type and seed mass

Abstract Timing of seedling emergence is a critical aspect of a plant's life cycle, and it may influence the expression of other plant life history traits. However, most studies have been conducted at the population level, and thus little is known about timing of seedling emergence at the community level. In the field, we determined the peak emergence season for seedlings of 144 species collected from a subalpine meadow on the eastern Tibet Plateau in China. The proportion of species with seedlings emerging in autumn, spring and summer, seedling field emergence percentage (FE) and mean emergence time (MET) were analysed in relation to seed mass, life cycle type (annual/biennial and perennial) and phylogeny. The results showed that (1) the proportion of species with seedlings emerging in autumn (33%), spring (44%) and summer (23%) differed significantly; (2) overall, species with seedlings emerging in autumn had higher FE than those emerging during spring/summer; (3) there was a positive relationship between log-seed mass and log-MET, but log-seed mass had no significant effect on log-FE; (4) life cycle type did not affect seedling emergence; and (5) phylogeny significantly explained peak emergence season. These results suggest that seed mass and phylogenetic position are the main determinants of seedling emergence season. However, seedling peak emergence season affected FE, growing season length and resource utilization, and thus may be related to the importance of a species in the community.
Multimodal study of the interactions between the hepatitis B virus and the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase cGAS

Le virus de l’hepatite B (HBV) est l’agent etiologique de l’hepatite B. Ce virus est responsable d’hepatite chronique B, de cirrhose et de cancer du foie au niveau mondial. L’absence d’activation de la voie Interferon (IFN) suite a l’infection par HBV est encore mal comprise. Recemment, le senseur cellulaire cytosolic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) a ete decrit comme un senseur efficace de DNA double brin possedant egalement une activite antivirale envers des virus a ADN et a ARN. Le but de mes travaux de these a ete de contribuer a la comprehension des relations existants entre le HBV et cGAS, a des stades precoces et tardifs de l’infection HBV en utilisant des experiences de perte- et gain- de function ainsi que du profilage genomique des genes apparentes a cGAS dans un modele cellulaire permissif au HBV. Mes travaux ont demontre (1) que cGAS exerce une forte activite antivirale envers le HBV incluant une reduction de la forme nucleaire du genome, le cccDNA; (2) alors que le rcDNA genomique nu est reconnu par la voie cGAS/STING et induit une reponse IFN efficace, la nucleocapside virale protege le DNA genomique viral et l’empeche d’etre detecte par la reponse immunitaire innee; et (3) que l’infection par HBV diminue l’expression des acteurs de la voie cGAS-STING et des genes impliques dans la reponse immunitaire innee in vitro et in vivo. Ce dernier point met en lumiere le role de cGAS dans un nouveau mecanisme d’echappement du HBV au systeme immunitaire inne dans les cellules hepatocytaires et dans ce mecanisme.
The study of entrepreneurial skills required by small scale poultry farmers in Orumba North and South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

The study investigated entrepreneurial skills required by small-scale poultry farmers in Orumba North and South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Four research questions were developed and hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance. Twenty nine (29) structured questionnaire items were developed and face validated by three experts. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach Alpha statistics and Alpha co-efficient of 0.78 was obtained. The questionnaire was administered on 86 respondents made up of 58 registered small scale poultry farmers and 28 extension agents. The entire 86 copies administered were retrieved and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies. In addition, Chi-Square and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical tools were adopted to test the validity or otherwise of the null hypotheses against the alternative hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that all the identified twenty nine (29) entrepreneurial skill items in poultry production were required by small-scale poultry farmers for increase productivity. It was therefore recommended that the identified skills be packaged and used to train all poultry farmers in the state for sustainable production of poultry products. Also effort should be made by government to establish and equip skill acquisition and training centers to enhance the effectiveness of small scale poultry farmers. Key words: Entrepreneurship, skill, small-scale farmers, poultry production.
A Systems Comparison of Contrasting Organic Weed Management Strategies

Weed management strategies differ in their ability to control weeds, and often have unique agroecological implications. To provide growers with an improved sense of trade-offs between weed control and ecological effects, we implemented several prominent organic weed management strategies in yellow onion in 2014 and 2015. Strategies included cultivation of weed seedlings during the early, weed-sensitive “critical period” of the crop; frequent cultivation events to ensure “zero seed rain”; and weed suppression with polyethylene or natural mulches. As expected, end-of-season weed biomass and weed seed production were greatest in the critical period system and nearly zero for the zero seed rain system. Weeds were also well controlled in natural mulch systems. Average onion yield per treatment was 50.7Mg ha-1. In 2014, the critical period system and the polyethylene mulch systems demonstrated yield loss, likely due to weed competition and excessive soil temperature, respectively. Onion soluble solids content was also diminished in these systems in 2014, but bulb firmness was greatest in unmulched systems. Carabid beetles, earthworms, soil compaction, soil nitrate, and microbial biomass were affected by weed management strategy, with naturalmulched systems generally performing most favorably. However, these effects were not substantial enough to affect yield of a subsequent sweet corn crop grown in weed-free conditions. In contrast, sweet corn managed with only early-season cultivations demonstrated yield loss (P = 0.004) in plots where the critical period treatment was implemented the prior year, indicating that weed competition resulting from abundant weed seed production in that system was the most influential legacy effect of the weed management strategies. Nomenclature: Onion, Allium cepa L. ; corn, Zea mays L.
Feasibility to identify novel potential molecular markers of endometrioid endometrial cancer by global gene expression profiling.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 113 Endometrial cancer is the third most common gynecologic malignancy and the ninth most common malignancy for females overall in Hong Kong. Approximately 80 % or more of these cancers are endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma This study was to investigate the feasibility to identify potential molecular markers of endometrial cancer for its diagnosis, prognosis and therapy by global gene expressing profiling. We performed an integrated, genome-wide analysis of gene expression in a set of 24 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas and compare this to 8 normal endometrium controls using advanced techniques combining laser capture microdissection, RNA amplification and high density microarrays, Human Genome U133 2.0 plus GeneChip® arrays (Affymetrix). Unsupervised analysis of mRNA fingerprints readily distinguished cancer from normal. Supervised analysis identified 15 genes significantly up-regulated and 132 genes down-regulated in endometrial cancer, as compared with normal control (more than 4-fold change in more than 2/3 cancer cases). The gene expression profiles in endometrial cancer were classified in mutually dependent 6 function sets, resulting 10 biological processes according to gene ontology. The gene ontology analysis showed that endometrial carcinogenesis underwent complete down-regulation of integrin binding and cell adhesion activity. Also, genes belonging to proteolysis and petidolysis were significantly down-regulated. Gene pathway analysis revealed the interaction among the genes of interest and its role in the endometrial carcinogenesis. The results from this preliminary study highlight novel molecular features of endometrioid endometrial cancer. The building of these global gene expression files in a more large set of this malignancy is undergoing. It may provide a foundation for the development of new diagnostic and prognostic marker(s) and type-specific therapies against this common female genital malignant disease.
Heat Shock Proteins: Treating Metabolic Disease by Turning up the Heat

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen as access to nutrition as increased and physical activity levels have decreased. Low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels are influenced by genetics, but low levels of physical activity also drive down levels of CRF in individuals increasing their susceptibility to metabolic disease. Heat shock proteins (HSP) are anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic molecular chaperones that assist in refolding proteins that have become unfolded during stress. HSP72 expression is lower in multiple tissues of obese, type 2 diabetics and HSP72 ablation results in insulin resistance. The work here confirms that in vivo heat treatments and the induction of HSP72 improve whole-body glucose homeostasis, skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity, and suggest that heat treatment may protect against metabolic derangements in the white adipose tissue and liver. In the WAT, constitutive HSP levels and the induction of HSPs following heat treatment is different between WAT depots with abdominal WAT showing greater constitutive HSP levels but a lower induction of HSPs following heat treatment. Heat treatment also modified fatty acid handling in the WAT in a depot specific fashion. Using a rat model to mimic intrinsic low CRF observed in diabetic humans, we examine the metabolism of rats selectively bred to be low capacity runners (LCR) or high capacity runners (HCR). We observed that LCR rats a particular susceptible to skeletal muscle insulin resistance following an acute (3 d) high-fat diet challenge, particularly in the glycolytic muscle where we observed lower HSF-1, HSP72, and mitochondrial proteins. In the liver and skeletal muscle, a 3 d HFD reduced the induction of HSPs following heat treatment. Finally, we found evidence that supports a role for HSP72 in maintaining proper autophagy-mitophagy that may