Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multipotent neural stem/progenitor cells as a model of genetic neuronal diseases

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NPC) can be used for therapeutic purposes in several ways. Cultured NPCs offer a unique cell source to study the neural mechanisms in normal situations as well as in the pathogenesis of genetic diseases. In neurodegenerative disorders, potential therapies to recover the damaged neurons are NPC transplantation or activation of a patient’s own NPCs. However, the mechanisms of NPC differentiation are still poorly known and before any clinical use, it is of utmost importantance to know how the differentiation of NPCs is regulated. These four studies provide new information about the differentiation of NPCs. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the defiency of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). We investigated how FMRP deficiency affects the differentiation of NPCs. We show that FMRP deficiency directs the NPC differentiation into neuronal phenotypes, but developing neurons have fewer and shorter neurites and smaller body volume. Furthermore, FMRP deficient NPCs have increased occurrence of intense oscillatory Ca2+ responses to neurotransmitters (NT) compared to controls. In the second study, we used Ca2+ imaging techniques to monitor the neurotransmitter responsiveness in an early state of NPC differentiation. We found that during the early stage of differentiation, cells responded to various NTs and could be distinguished based on their NT responses. During development, cells progressively lose their metabotropic responses and gain ionotropic responses while they simultaneously develop into neuronal cells. Next, we studied the effect of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) -linked mutation and environment on NPC differentiation. We treated NPCs with synthetic amyloid(A ) in vitro and also transplanted NPCs into AD-linked mutant mouse brain. We show that both AD-linked mutation in NPCs and AD-brain environment have effects on NPC differentiation. Transplanted NPCs survived and migrated better when transplanted into AD mouse brain. In addition, transplanted NPCs stimulated brain neurogenesis even in highly A -burdened brain. Oxidative stress (OS) is one of main characteristics in AD brain. Activation of a transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) during the OS leads to activation of cellular defense mechanisms. We also show that the activation of Nrf2 protects NPCs against A -induced toxicity by enhancing their survival, proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, we discovered another important function for Nrf2: the ability to regulate injury-induced neurogenesis. National Library of Medical Classification: WL 102, QV 126 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): Neural Stem Cells; Neurogenesis; Cell Differentiation; Neurotransmitters Receptors; Neurotransmitter; Fragile X Syndrome; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Oxidative Stress; Neurobiology
Inclusion, Power, and Community:Teachers and Students Interpret the Language of Community in an Inclusion Classroom

To illuminate the processes of creating learning communities, this study investigated the social context of an inclusion classroom by examining (a) how teachers established a community ethos, (b) how students responded with regard to the positioning of students with disabilities, and (c) how macro discourses possibly shaped interactional processes. Teachers used discourse and participation frameworks in whole-class lessons to encourage participation and collective responsibility for “helping. ” Nevertheless, the teachers’ inclusive language was manipulated to harass and exclude in small-group contexts. Benhabib’s conceptions of “general” and “concrete” selves and Cornelius and Herrenkohl’s aspects of classroom power—assigning ownership, creating alliances, engaging in persuasion—frame a discussion of contexts of inclusion and exclusion.
Interaction effects of deficit irrigation and row spacing on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) growth, seed yield and oil yield.

Productivity of sunflower is strongly regulated by the availability of water. In order to study the influence of deficit irrigation (I1:100% FC, I2 and I3: 75 and 50% FC during stem elongation period, respectively; I4 and I5: 75 and 50% FC at flowering stages) and two row spacings (45 50 and 75 cm) on growth, yield and oil yield of sunflower, an experiment was conducted using a split plot design with three replications in the 2007 2008. Results indicated that Maximum (374.67 gm -2 ) and minimum (198.5 gm -2 ) grain yield was obtained from I1 and I3 treatments. Compared to I1, grain yield was reduced significantly under deficit irrigation treatments (I2, I3 and I5). Interaction effects of row spacing and deficit irrigation indicated that the highest seed yield (458.0 gm -2 ) and oil percentage (31.66%) was obtained from I1 and 75 cm row spacing. Reduction of grain yield due to deficit irrigation (I4) was not significant (374.6 vs. 340.1 gm -2 ), compared to full irrigation. Therefore, we confirm that irrigation levels significantly affected seed yield and oil percentage. Our results indicated that deficit irrigation, during the critical growth period should be avoided.
Diversity and richness of ant species in a lowland wet forest reserve in Sri Lanka

Sinharaja Forest Reserve (SFR) represents one of the largest remaining stands of mixed dipterocarp forest in southwestern Sri Lanka. It is characterised by high floral and faunal endemicity and is gazetted as a World Heritage Site. Research was undertaken to study the ground-dwelling ants in the SFR using pitfall traps and leaf litter extraction. The collection was carried out in disturbed and undisturbed primary forest, old selectively-logged forest (30 years old) and periphery forest (agricultural buffer zone) along a small elevation gradient (200 m - 700 m). A total of 173 species and morphospecies in 11 subfamilies and 54 genera were caught. Pheidole and Tetramorium were the most speciose genera, with 19 and 18 species respectively; Cerapachys followed with 12 species. These results demonstrate the high diversity of litter dwelling ant species in the SFR. There were no significant differences in species richness between sites within the forest. Future studies should analyse species assemblages in each forest type in relation to forest structure and environmental parameters to further understand the distribution of ant species across this unique and complex forest.
Probiotic bacteria effects on growth and bacterial composition of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

The effects of Bacillus probiotic forms on growth performance and microbiota were examined in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Shrimp were fed for 120 days with one of three diets; a control diet alone or supplemented with either probiotics consisting of live-sprayed Bacillus (LS) or freeze-dried Bacillus (FD). Culturable bacteria counts in the hepatopancreas, intestine and culture water of the three treatments were relatively constant during the experiment. Bacillus numbers in the hepatopancreas and intestines of probiotic-treated groups increased significantly (P < 0.05) after 30 treatment days and remained relatively constant afterwards while no appreciable changes occurred in the control. Shrimp supplemented with LS and FD contained significantly lower concentrations of Vibrio (P < 0.05) in the hepatopancreas, intestine and culture water, compared to those in the control group. Shrimp treated with LS and FD probiotic bacteria showed a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency (FE), compared to those of control group. Probiotic bacteria have the potential to enhance shrimp culture by reducing Vibrio and improving growth performance.
Home Medication Review in Geriatric population in Gandhinagar

With advanced age there is an increase in multiple disease states, with a consequent increase in the number of medicines taken. The elderly therefore need regular review. Home Medication Review (HMR) Program was pioneered by Australian Government in the year 2001. HMR is a collaborative service involving the general practitioner, pharmacist and the patient. This study was carried out to assess medication taken, adherence. The main objectives of this study are to collect demography and check disease prevalence, study medicine use and to assess medication adherence in geriatric population. Results: 102 patients of age greater than 60 years participated in the study. 48 were females (47.05%) and 54 were males (52.95%). The most prevalent chronic disease in geriatric population is Hypertension (50%) followed by Diabetes mellitus (28%). The average number of disease per patient is 1.42 ± 0.6. A total of 144 medicines of different doses and combinations are identified as being taken, an average of 3.18 medications per patients. The average Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) score at baseline is 9.74 ± 0.64 and in follow up is 9.93 ± 0.25, while average pill count percentage at first follow up is 99.35 ± 19.5 and in last follow up is 99.92 ± 17.053, indicating that all patients are adherent. Conclusions: This study gathered demographic and medication-usage data. All patients are adherent to their medications; and their caretakers also play a vital role in maintaining their medication adherence. Further studies can be carried out on a larger subject population and using patient education as an intervention so as to give an overview of the health related issues & to adopt suitable measures to uplift the health of the masses.
An Efficient Tissue Culture Regeneration System for Georgia Plume, Elliottia racemosa, a Threatened Georgia Endemic

Georgia plume, Elliottia racemosa Muhlenb. ex. Elliott, is an extremely rare small tree or shrub endemic to Georgia, which is being severely affected by habitat loss and lack of sexual recruitment. In vitro plant regeneration of Georgia plume has not been previously reported and may be a method for the conservation and propagation of this threatened species. Studies evaluated the effects of sterilization methods, explant types, medium composition, and light environment on plant regeneration. An efficient plant regeneration system was developed in which adventitious shoot buds were induced using young, expanding leaf explants placed on an induction medium supplemented with 10 mM thidiazuron and 5 mM indole-3-acetic acid with Gamborg's B5 salts. Shoot elonga- tion was promoted on a medium with 25 mM (2-isopentenyl) adenine incorporated into WoodyPlantMedium.Invitrorootingstudiesevaluatedcontinuousandpulseauxintreat- ments and ex vitro rooting trials after KIBA (indole-3-butric acid, potassium salt) dips. A 5-day pulse treatment on 100 or 150 mM indole-3-butyric acid produced '90% rooting of shoots with greater shoot and root dry weight than other pulse times. High rooting frequencieswereobtainedunderinvitroandexvitroconditionswithover85%survivalof plantlets transferred to greenhouse conditions. The culture protocol was found to be effective with material collected from mature specimens in the wild from divergent populations. Tissue culture appears to be a promising approach for the propagation and conservation of this rare and threatened plant.
Moral Dilemmas, Theoretical Confusion

In philosophical ethics, value pluralism is the idea, often associated with Isaiah Berlin, that there are many objective, conflicting, even incommensurable values and that this necessitates often tragic moral choices. Several administrative theorists (notably Wagenaar and Spicer) have argued that value pluralism has far-reaching implications for public administration. The cogency of their arguments is, however, questionable. This article critically examines the uses of value pluralism in administrative theory and concludes that its claimed implications are neither valid, nor exhaustive, nor congruent. Hence, the implications of value pluralism for public administration (if any) remain open to debate.
Decrease in horn size and increase in age of trophy sheep in Alberta over 37 years

Long-term data (1974-2011) from harvested bighorn rams (Ovis canadensis) in Alberta, Canada, suggested a reduction in horn size and in the proportion of trophy rams in the provincial population over time. Age at harvest increased over time, suggesting slower horn growth. Rams that experienced favorable environmental conditions early in life had rapid horn growth and were harvested at a younger age than rams with slower horn growth. Guided nonresident hunters did not harvest larger rams than residents, suggesting that few large rams were available. Resident hunter success declined in recent years. Despite an apparently stable population, successive cohorts produced a decreasing harvest of trophy rams. We suggest that unrestricted harvest based on a threshold horn size led to adecline in theavailability oftrophy rams. That decline is partly an inevitable consequence of selective hunting that removes larger rams. Although our analysis does not establish that evolution of smaller horns caused the observed decline in both horn size and harvest oftrophyrams,wesuggest thatintensivetrophyhunting mayhaveartificiallyselected foradecreasein horn growth rate. 2013 The Wildlife Society.
First Bacterial Endosymbionts Found in the Phylum Ascomycota

i DEDICATION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii Chapter 1: Introduction Overview 1 General Approach 2 General Hypotheses 4 Chapter 2: Review of Literature Fe(II) in the Environment 5 Fe(II) Oxidation 5 Bacterial Oxidation of Fe(II) 6 Microbial Degradation of Glass and Iron Containing Minerals 6 Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids (LMWOA) as Fungal Exudates 8 Endosymbionts 9 Burkholderia 11 Bradyrhizobium 12 Chapter 3: Fungal Isolation and Metabolism Results and Discussion Plating and Microscopy 14 Sequencing and Phylogeny 16 pH Tolerance 16 Growth on Borosilicate Glass 19 LMWOA Fungal Exudates 21 Fe(II)/Fe(III) Utilization 26 Chapter 4: Intercellular staining, antibiotic treatment and isolation in culture of putative bacterial endosymbionts Introduction 30 Nucleic acid staining 31 Antibiotic Treatment 33 Bacterial Endosymbiont Isolation 37 PCR of Bacterial Isolates and in situ Bacteria from Fungal gDNA 38 Fluorescent in situ Hybridization 40 Chapter 5: Characterization of isolated Bradyrhizobium strains v Isolated Bradyrhizobium observations 44 Chapter 6: Conclusion Conclusions and Future Work 47 Chapter 7: Material and Methods 49 Formulae 68 References 69 Appendix A: Bacterial 16s and Fungal 18s Sequences 77 Appendix B: Bacterial Counts After Antibiotic Exposure per Fungal Cell 80 Appendix C: HPLC and GC Raw Data and Example Data Plot 84 Appendix D: Phospholipid Phosphate Spectrophotometer Data 90
Examining potential benefits of group living in a sawfly larva, Perga affinis

Although defense may serve as a primary selective force behind the evolution and maintenance of social behavior, numerous other benefits play a role as well. Larvae of the Australian sawfly, Perga affinis, live in colonies and retain their gregarious lifestyle through pupation. To evaluate selective pressures maintaining social behavior in P. affinis, I investigated potential benefits of group living. These included predation protection, immune function, thermoregulation, foraging facilitation, and pupation success where I compared treatments between individuals versus groups and between groups of different sizes. I found no evidence of predation on larvae; however, the mortality risk was significantly higher for single versus grouped larvae, suggesting that other grouping benefits are important. Immune function was not a benefit as hemolymph from single versus grouped larvae did not differ in its ability to limit bacterial growth. Investigating thermoregulation revealed that grouped larvae attained significantly higher temperatures than single individuals and that large groups reached higher temperatures than small groups. Larvae grew significantly faster at higher temperatures, indicating that the increased heat absorption and retention capacity of large groups may speed up development. Group size did not affect foraging facilitation (measured via weight gain) except during the last time period, where individuals in large groups gained significantly more weight. Weight gain in the last instar may be critical for pupation as high larval weight significantly increased the odds of pupation success. Thus, the group size effect on weight gain during the last instar provides an adaptive explanation for the observed ontogenetic increase in colony size and coalescence. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
HEMOPOIETIC COLONY STUDIES

In heavily irradiated mice, bone marrow regeneration of either endogenous or exogenous origin was shown to occur in discrete foci comparable to the more intensively studied spleen colonies. The number of endogenous bone marrow colonies was inversely related to dose of whole body X-irradiation. Endogenous marrow colonies were found after higher doses of irradiation than were endogenous spleen colonies. Most of them were granulocytic in nature. Exogenous bone marrow colonies in lethally irradiated mice injected with bone marrow cells were proportional in number to the dose of cells injected, appeared at a time comparable to spleen colonies like which, at 7 or 8 days, they were of single differentiated cell line, either granuloid or erythroid or megakaryocytic, with a small percentage of "mixed" colonies. Whereas erythroid colonies outnumber granuloid colonies in spleen, either in situ or subcutaneously transplanted (E:G colony ratio of about 3.5), granuloid colonies outnumber erythroid in bone marrow (E:G colony ratio of about 0.7). The characteristic E:G colony ratios of spleen and marrow appear more likely to be the result of a hemopoietic organ stromal influence on pluripotent colony forming units (CFU's) than of selective lodgment of committed (unipotent) granuloid and erythroid CFU's in bone marrow and spleen, respectively, as indicated by the following. Bone marrow stem cells (CFU) which had reseeded the marrow cavity of irradiated primary recipients 18–24 hr earlier, were reharvested and retransplanted intravenously into irradiated secondary hosts. The E:G colony ratio of the colonies formed in the spleen of the secondary hosts was typical of primary spleen colonies (2.8), that of the colonies formed in the marrow cavity was typical of bone marrow colonies (0.6). Pieces of marrow stroma containing reseeded CPU's from the contralateral femur of these same primary recipients were implanted by trocar directly into the spleens of other irradiated secondary recipients. Those CPU's that developed in the intrasplenic-implanted marrow stroma yielded an. E:G colony ratio of 0.1. Those that migrated into the contiguous and remote portions of the spleen gave E:G colony ratios of 2.9 and 2.4, respectively. Irradiated marrow stroma and normal spleen CPU's (a 1 mm cube of spleen) were loaded into the same trocar and implanted directly into the spleens of irradiated mice. The spleen CFU's that migrated into the implanted marrow stroma yielded five granuloid and two mixed colonies. The larger number that developed in the host spleen yielded an E:G colony ratio of 2.9 or higher. Of those 19 mixed colonies that bridged the junction of spleen and implanted marrow stroma in each of the above two experiments, in every case, the erythroid portion of the colony was in the splenic stroma, the granuloid portion was in the marrow stroma.
Nutritive Value of Some Agro–Industrial By–Products as Supplement to Guinea Grass (Panicum Maximum) By Sokoto Gudali Calf

Supplementation value of some agro–industrial by–products was assessed by 12 Sokoto Gudali calves in a Completely Randomized Design. Four test diets were formulated: Palm Kernel Cake (PKC), Brewer’s Dried Grain (BDG), Wheat Offal (WO) and combinations of PKC + BDG + WO based diets while Guinea grass was fed as the basal diet. Diet A (33.25 % PKC), diet B (33.25 % BDG), diet C (33.25 % WO) and diet D (11.08 % PKC + 11.08 % BDG + 11.08 % WO) were included in the formulated diets. The proximate composition of the diets and performance characteristics of calves on these diets were assessed using standard procedures. Diet D was observed to have the highest CP, CF and ether extract (28.3, 34.0 and 20.0 % respectively) while diet C followed a direct inverse trend of this in terms of DM, CP and CF (55.8, 22.6 and 23.0 % respectively). Results also showed that there were not significant differences among the treatments in final weight, weight gain, daily weight gain and the feed conversion ratio but diet A was significantly different (P
Effects of emotional excitement on cardiovascular regulation

The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events is higher among spectators of exciting sports events, particularly in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but the mechanistic link between the events is not known. We assessed the hemodynamic, autonomic function, plasma catecholamines, endothelin-1, interleukin-6, and markers of platelet activation and blood coagulation of enthusiastic male ice hockey spectators with CAD (n=55, 60±9 years) and healthy subjects (n=16, 48±6 years) during Finnish national league ice hockey final play-off matches and on a control day. Blood markers were also measured before and after a maximal exercise test with a bicycle ergometer. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were significantly higher one hour before, during, and one hour after the match than on the control day. During the match the highest systolic BP was 180±14 vs. 145±15 and diastolic BP was 103±13 vs. 82±11 mmHg (respectively, p<0.001 for both). Heart rate (HR) was higher throughout the match (p<0.05) and remained elevated two hours after the match (p<0001), and measures of HR variability were decreased during the match (p<0.01). Plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and noradrenaline (NOR) increased during the match (p<0.01 for all), but markers of platelet activation and coagulation remained unchanged. ET-1 did not change during exercise but NOR, adrenaline, IL-6, and markers of platelet activation and blood coagulation increased statistically significantly (p<0.0001 for all). A statistically significantly more marked increase in both endothelin-1 and interleukin-6 was observed in CAD patients compared with healthy subjects during the match (time x group interaction p<0.05 for both). The high-frequency power of R-peak-to-R-peak intervals decreased in CAD patients (p<0.001) but did not change in healthy subjects during the match. Maximal metabolic equivalens (METs) were most strongly correlated with ET-1 response during the match (β =-0.45, partial correlation r=-0.43, p=0.002) when age, body mass index, METs, left ventricular ejection fraction, basal ET-1 and subjective experience of excitement were entered into the model as independent variables in a linear stepwise regression analysis. In conclusion, autonomic reactions and vasoconstriction may partly explain the vulnerability to cardiovascular events caused by this type of leisure-time emotional excitement. Emotional excitement causes concomitant increases in markers reflecting vulnerability to atherosclerotic plaque complications, while physical exercise causes more prominent changes in markers of coagulation. Emotional excitement causes more significant increases of markers of vasoconstriction and acute inflammation and withdrawal of cardiac vagal regulation in patients with CAD than in healthy subjects. Exercise capacity may protect against further cardiovascular events in CAD patients because it is associated with reduced ET-1 release during emotional excitement.