Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A1.26 Innate lymphoid cells are present at normal human enthesis providing a potential mechanism for spondyloarthropathy pathogenesis

Background and objectives The pathogenesis of murine spondyloarthropathy (SpA) has been intimately linked to the presence of IL-23 responsive, innate like lymphocytes at peripheral and spinal enthesis. Human SpAs are associated with SNPs in genes related to the IL-23 pathway and drugs that block IL-12/23 have shown efficacy. We hypothesised that the normal human enthesis has a population of resident innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) that could be key in governing entheseal immune homeostasis partly via interaction with resident mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Materials and methods Normal spinal enthesis were harvested from patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery and enzymatically digested prior to sorting or flow cytometry. Immunophenotyping and cell sorting was performed on enthesis samples harvested from 6 patients and unmatched peripheral blood. The expression of RORγt and key immunomodulatory transcripts was tested in sorted populations by RTqPCR. Anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles enthesis were obtained from patients with knee OA and Achilles tendon rupture and analysed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Adherent cells from entheseal digest were cultured under standard MSC culture conditions and expression of known MSC markers was assessed by flow cytometry. Results All sorted samples contained ILC3s, median proportion 0.09% (range 0.015–0.63). Transcript analysis confirmed the expression of RORγt transcript in sorted ILC3 populations. ILC3s expressed 51-fold greater relative expression of RORγt in comparison to unsorted mononuclear cells. 5 of 6 sorted samples contained ILC2s, median proportion 0.20% (range 0–0.49). RORγt expression was detected in knee OA and there was widespread expression of RORγt in inflammatory infiltrates in injured enthesis as shown by IHC. Culture expanded adherent cells grew in characteristic fibroblastoid colonies and expressed phenotypic markers consistent with bone marrow derived MSCs. Conclusions Our findings show that both ILCs and MSCs are present in the normal human spinal enthesis. ILCs may also be greatly increased in frequency following injury. The co-localisation of ILC and MSC populations at the enthesis suggests a potential link between cellular dysregulation of the IL-23/17 axis and human SpA pathology.
GENETIC VARIATION IN SYMPATRIC AND ALLOPATRIC POPULATIONS OF HYBRIDIZING FRESHWATER SNAIL SPECIES (VIVIPARUS ATER AND V. CONTECTUS)

To estimate the geographical extent of introgression, we studied the genetic structure of sympatric and allopatric populations of hybridizing freshwater snail species Viviparus ater and V. contectus in central Europe. Six allozyme loci which were variable in Lake Garda, Italy in a previous study (five nearly diagnostic loci between the two species and one highly polymorphic locus in V. contectus) were analyzed from ten sympatric locations and four allopatric populations each for the two species. Presumably introgressed genes (low allele frequencies) were found from at least one locus in seven out of the ten sympatric sites. These seven sites covered most of northern Italy. The data indicate that introgression has occurred from Viviparus contectus to V. ater and vice versa. Therefore, there is a possibility of widespread introgression or mosaic zones in nature. However, we cannot rule out that the observed patterns are due to the shared ancestry. V. ater possessed low genetic variation (the jackknifed mean of Wright's F^ ± S.E. over four loci was 0.041 ± 0.004). On the other hand, V. contectus showed high genetic differentiation (the jackknifed mean of Fgr ± S.E. over six loci was 0.546 ± 0.166). Although introgression may have caused evolutionary changes in V. ater and V. contectus, it was not strong enough to level out the genetic differences between the two species, which may have originated from isolation among populations in V. contectus and a past bottleneck event in V. ater.
Nutritive evaluation and acceptability of two aquatic weeds ( Eichhornia crassipes and Acroceras zizanioides ) by West African dwarf goats

Aquatic weeds are plants which grow and reproduce in rivers, streams, brooks, swamps and dams without agronomic care. They have potentials as forage for ruminants. The chemical composition, forage acceptability, secondary metabolites and N- balance of Eichhornia crassipes (EC) and Acroceras zizanioides (AZ) were studied using West African Dwarf goats. The effect of rainy and dry seasons in EC was not noticed for dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and ash. Crude protein content was highest (14.40%) in the leaf but least (7.04%) in the stem and this was contrary for crude fibre. Fresh EC and AZ were richer in crude protein (11.80 and 23.60%) respectively, but lower in dry matter (7.70 and 18.72%) than the dried form. AZ contained more crude protein (23.6%) and was more preferred in the fresh and dried forms by goats than any of the presented form of EC. The two water weeds contained tannin, phenol and saponin at non-toxic levels. Dry matter intake (DMI) increased at 20 and 40% supplementation than grass alone, but decreased with 100% AZ. N-balance and N-retention by goats was positive in AZ composed forages, but negative for AZ alone. The results revealed that EC and AZ are potential sources of nutrients for ruminants.
SPIDER EFFECTS ON PLANTHOPPER MORTALITY, DISPERSAL, AND SPATIAL POPULATION DYNAMICS

Nonlethal (trait-mediated) effects of predators on prey populations, particularly with regard to prey dispersal, scarcely have been considered in spatial ecological studies. In this study, we report on the effects of spider predators on the mortality, dispersal, and spatial population dynamics of Prokelisia crocea planthoppers (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in a prairie landscape. Based on a three-generation survey of host-plant patches (Spartina pectinata; Poaceae), the density of cursorial and web-building spiders declined significantly with increasing patch size (a pattern the opposite of that for the planthopper). Independent of patch size effects, an increase in the density of web-building and cursorial spiders had a negative effect on planthopper density in one of three generations each. Finally, the likelihood of extinction of local (patch) populations of planthoppers increased significantly with an increase in the density of web-building spiders. Planthoppers in small host-plant patches with high densit.
Utilization of amino acids by planktonic marine bacteria: Importance of clean technique and low substrate additions1,2

Rapid turnover of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) by bacterioplankton in the Gulf of Mexico was observed with techniques designed to eliminate contamination of samples with trace metals and organic compounds. The mean turnover rate of DFAA, based on incorporation of 0.5 nM additions of a mixture of amino acids, was 4.9-d-l for high productivity neritic environments and 1.3. d-’ for low productivity oceanic environments. These rates are faster than those in parallel samples measured by traditional techniques and are consistently faster than previously reported values. Data for multiple level (0.01-7 nM) additions of the mixed substrate were in accord with the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics model. Kinetic parameters derived from this model (V,,,, K, + S,, and R), bacterial cell numbers, and V,,,/cell were highest at photic depths of the neritic zone, intermediate at photic depths of the oceanic zone, and lowest at aphotic depths of the oceanic zone. Estimates of secondary productivity by bacterioplankton (based on V,,,,,) on an equal water volume basis were 6.6 + 1.5% (+-SE, y1 = 5) of the light-saturated primary productivity at the maximum productivity depth. Estimated turnover time of the bacterioplankton community ranged from 2.4 d at 5 m at the highest productivity station to 130 days at 250 m at the lowest productivity
EFFECTS OF SOME PICORNAVIRUS INHIBITORS ON THE REPLICATION OF FELINE CALICIVIRUS FCV IN CRFK CELLS

Obtaining of substances suppressing replication of caliciviruses is of special interest due to their particular role in the veterinary and human infectious pathology. Investigations for development of effective anti-calicivirus chemotherapy are important due to lack of specific means for calicivirus infections treatment. Caliciviridae possess a RNA(+) genome and similar structure as Picornaviridae, but reveal a different genome strategy. In a view of some similarities, a screening for anti-calicivirus activity of several highly efficient inhibitors of picornavirus replication was carried out. Research was carried out with Feline calicivirus (FCV), Crandell’s Feline Kidney cell line (CrFK) and the following compounds: Arildone, Disoxaril, S-7, Guanidine hydrochloride, PTU-23, HBB, Ribavirin and Oxoglaucine. Anti-calicivirus activity and citotoxicity were tested through CPE inhibition test and neutral red uptake assay (vs. virus inoculating doses ranging within 1 and 10 000 CCID50). Significant effects of HBB, PTU-23, Ribavirin and Oxoglaucine and a slight activity of S-7 were indicated, while Arildone, Disoxaril and Guanidine hydrochloride did not show influence.
Effect of isolation temperature on the characteristics of extracellular proteases produced by Antarctic bacteria

Protease-producing psychrotolerant bacteria were isolated from Antarctic biotopes on casein agar plates using different incubation temperatures. Most of the isolates were non-spore-forming Gram-negative motile rods with catalase activity, 30% were pigmented and none of them were glucose fermenters. All the strains were grown in liquid cultures at 20°C and protease secretion was tested using the azocasein method. Despite their capacity for production of a clear zone of hydrolysis in agar plates, some strains did not produce detectable levels of proteolytic activity in liquid cultures. The lowest apparent optimum temperature for protease activity found in culture supernatants was 40°C. Almost all the strains showed activation energy values about 10-20 kJ-mol-1 lower than that observed for a mesophilic Subtilisin. Most of the proteases showed optimal activity at neutral or alkaline pH values and developed a multiple-band profile on gelatine-SDS-PAGE. It was observed that the lower the strain isolation temperature was, the more stongly cold-adapted–in terms of optimal temperature and activation energy–were the proteases produced by them. This dependence of the characteristics of the proteases on the isolation temperature is an important factor to take into account in the design of screening programmes directed towards the isolation of psychrotolerant bacteria able to produce proteases strongly or weakly adapted to work in the cold. The Antarctic area explored proved to be a promising source of proteolytic bacteria with potential use in industrial processes to be carried out at low or moderate temperatures.
Climate change and its impact on the forests of Kilimanjaro.

Cloud forests are of great importance in the hydrological functioning of watersheds in subhumid East Africa. However, the montane forests of Mt. Kilimanjaro are heavily threatened by global change impacts. Based on an evaluation of over 1500 vegetation plots and interpretation of satellite imagery from 1976 and 2000, land-cover changes on Kilimanjaro were evaluated and their impact on the water balance estimated. While the vanishing glaciers of Kilimanjaro attract broad interest, the associated increase of frequency and intensity of fires on the slopes of Kilimanjaro is less conspicuous but ecologically far more significant. These climate change-induced fires have lead to changes in species composition and structure of the forests and to a downward shift of the upper forest line by several hundred metres. During the last 70 years, Kilimanjaro has lost nearly one-third of its forest cover, in the upper areas caused by fire, on the lower forest border mainly caused by clearing. The loss of 150 km2 of cloud forest – the most effective source in the upper montane and subalpine fog interception zone – caused by fire during the last three decades means a considerable reduction in water yield. In contrast to common belief, global warming does not necessarily cause upward migration of plants and animals. On Kilimanjaro the opposite trend is under way, with consequences more harmful than those due to the loss of the showy ice cap of Africa’s highest mountain.
Impact of freshwater input and wind on landings of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in shelf waters surrounding the Ebre (Ebro) River delta (north-western Mediterranean)

Time series analyses (Box–Jenkins models) were used to study the influence of river runoff and wind mixing index on the productivity of the two most abundant species of small pelagic fish exploited in waters surrounding the Ebre (Ebro) River continental shelf (north-western Mediterranean): anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus). River flow and wind were selected because they are known to enhance fertilization and local planktonic production, thus being crucial for the survival of fish larvae. Time series of the two environmental variables and landings of the two species were analysed to extract the trend and seasonality. All series displayed important seasonal and interannual fluctuations. In the long term, landings of anchovy declined while those of sardine increased. At the seasonal scale, landings of anchovy peaked during spring/summer while those of sardine peaked during spring and autumn. Seasonality in landings of anchovy was stronger than in sardine. Concerning the environmental series, monthly average Ebre runoff showed a progressive decline from 1960 until the late 1980s, and the wind mixing index was highest during 1994–96. Within the annual cycle, the minimum river flow occurs from July to October and the wind mixing peaks in winter (December–April, excluding January). The results of the analyses showed a significant correlation between monthly landings of anchovy and freshwater input of the Ebre River during the spawning season of this species (April–August), with a time lag of 12 months. In contrast, monthly landings of sardine were significantly positively correlated with the wind mixing index during the spawning season of this species (November–March), with a lag of 18 months. The results provide evidence of the influence of riverine inputs and wind mixing on the productivity of small pelagic fish in the north-western Mediterranean. The time lags obtained in the relationships stress the importance of river runoff and wind mixing for the early stages of anchovy and sardine, respectively, and their impact on recruitment.
Biodegradation and Decolorization of Reactive Orange 16 by Nocardiopsis alba Soil Isolate

A bacterium identified as Nocardiopsis alba was isolated from acclimated sludge from a dyeing wastewater treatment plant. This strain rapidly decolorized Reactive orange16 (RO16) at 0.1% (w/v) concentration of both sucrose and peptone supplemented in Mineral Salt Medium (MSM) under static conditions at a temperature of 30°C with in 24 h with an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L. The organism exhibited a remarkable color removal capability (95%) even at a high concentration of 1000 mg/L (RO16) dye within 24 h. The biodegradation products were analyzed by, FTIR spectroscopy and LC-MS analysis. The LC-MS analysis indicated the presence of 1-amino- 1-napthalene sulphonic acid in degraded product of the dye. The degraded product is less toxic to the growth of Vigna mungo seeds when compared to the non degraded dye.
Patterns of Flower Visitation across Elevation and Successional Gradients in Hawai‘i 1

Abstract: Numerous studies have examined foraging strategies of pollinators in continental landscapes, but relatively little is known about island pollinators. We investigated four native plant communities and their potential pollinators on Mauna Loa Volcano on Hawai'i Island across two environmental gradients: elevation (middle and high) and succession (early and late). The effects of elevation and successional stage on visitation rates and degree of plant specialization were compared. Elevation had a significant effect on visitation rates with plants at mid elevation receiving the most visits, whereas succession had little effect on visitation rates. Both succession and elevation impacted plant specialization, with plants at late-succession and high-elevation sites being more specialized in terms of their diversity of flower visitors. Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae) received the most forager visits, even when it was not the most abundant plant flowering. Endemic Hylaeus bees (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) were the dominant visitors across all sites (64%–91% of visits), and endemic birds were observed only at mid elevation, primarily in the late-succession site. Considering the paucity of natural history studies on Hawaiian Hylaeus, further investigation of their potential role as pollinators of native Hawaiian plants is necessary.
Elucidating Phylogenetic Relationships in the Aechmea Alliance: AFLP Analysis of Portea and the Gravisia Complex (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae)

Abstract Genetic concepts within the Bromelioideae are highly problematic, in particular within the tank-forming “core bromelioid” clade. Previous molecular studies showed that the largest genus, Aechmea, and allied genera are polyphyletic and require revision. Here we focus on one group within the Aechmea alliance, the Portea/Gravisia group. To assess whether species of this group form a distinct lineage within the core bromelioid clade, and to clarify generic limits and interspecific relationships within the group, we generated and analyzed amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). In total, 69 species were sampled, including 26 species previously assigned to the Portea/Gravisia group. Neighbor joining, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the AFLP data consistently retrieved the Portea/Gravisia group as a monophyletic clade with several subclades, comprising species from the genera Aechmea, Canistrum and Portea. The phylogenetic distribution of polyporate pollen of the resulting trees indicates this character state arose once within the core bromelioids and thus can be regarded as a synapomorphy for the Portea/Gravisia clade. Further, our study shows that within the Portea/Gravisia group, subclades are characterized by petal color and geographic distribution. Thus, the present study is a further advance in the challenging task of elucidating phylogenetic relationships within the core bromelioids as the basis for a revised taxonomy of this ecologically important group.
Microorganisms colonizing surface in coastal marine water as revealed by 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis

To investigate the community structure and dynamics of surface-associated microbial cells, sterile strengthened glass sheets were immersed in near-shore marine water of Xiamen, China. The organisms colonizing the glass surface were sampled after 1 h, 7 and 14 days. Three 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed using primers universal for the domain bacteria. 40 clones were selected randomly from each clone library for sequencing, and the sequences were submitted for homology and phylogenetic analyses. All cloned sequences fell into 6 major groups: Sequences of clones originating from chloroplasts of eukaryotic Bacillariophyta were abundant in all three samples (ranging from 16 to 64%) and predominated in 7 and 14-day samples and occupied 45% of the total cloned sequences; γ-Proteobacteria came next and occupied 42% of the total sequences and the proportion of γ-Proteobacteria in each clone library decreased with immersion time. An entophytic bacterium Serratia proteamaculans involving biofilm formation was predominant within the γ-Proteobacteria and took up more than half of the clone library of 1 h sample. Other bacterial groups, Bacteroidetes, α-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria occupied 5 to 1%. Key words: Microorganisms colonization, dynamics, 16S rRNA, clone library, marine coastal water.
389. The composition of the milk of Egyptian cows and buffaloes

The milk of 100 cows and of the same number of buffaloes, in Cairo and its neighbourhood, was analysed; analyses were also made on bulk samples taken at 2-week intervals from the milk of the two buffalo and cow herds of the Faculty of Agriculture at Giza. All samples were mixtures of morning and evening milkings in proportion to yield.
Dramatic decline and range contraction of the Endangered Patagonian frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

Abstract The Endangered frog Atelognathus patagonicus is endemic to the Laguna Blanca wetland system, Patagonia, Argentina. This species has undergone a significant contraction of its original distribution, including loss of the main population from the largest lagoon, Blanca. The decline of A. patagonicus was first perceived in 1986 and was thought to be at least partially associated with the anthropogenic introduction of the perch Percichthys colhuapiensis for sport. To evaluate the potential impact of P. colhuapiensis on A. patagonicus we surveyed for both species in 28 lagoons, and found A. patagonicus present in 23. These lagoons represent, however, only a small percentage of the total wetland area. The presence of A. patagonicus was associated with lagoons characterized by absence of P. colhuapiensis and high abundance of macrophytes. The most severe problem facing the remaining populations is in the many lagoons currently not protected by Laguna Blanca National Park. Conservation efforts need to focus on the prevention of fish introductions in the wetlands areas on private land. A project to restore A. patagonicus to Laguna Blanca, and educational programmes emphasizing the protection of Patagonian wetlands as reservoirs of regional biodiversity, are currently under development.
Alizarin marking of whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus otoliths during egg incubation

Alizarin red S from 200 to 5000 mg L )1 was used to mark the otoliths of whitefish embryos Coregonus lavaretus (L.) from 5 days after fertilization until shortly before hatching, to develop a method for evaluating the effect of stocking whitefish. Mark quality depended on developmental stage at the time of immersion. The best results were obtained when the otolith primordia had formed and had started aggregating to form the innermost part of the nucleus. This was verified by in vitro staining of otoliths where the primordia were more intensely stained than the remaining part of the nucleus. The volume ratio eggs to ARS solution, which was 1:10 in all but two treatments, must be observed when comparing fluorochrome concentrations, as mark quality decreased at higher ratios of 1:5 and 1:2. An average mortality rate of 35% in the most successful treatments was considered tolerable for a mass-marking programme being used under commercial hatchery conditions. This method for marking otoliths of whitefish embryos with ARS during egg incubation is recommended for all cases where marking of larvae is not possible.