Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Binding to CSA receptor is associated with asymptomatic and mild malaria: a preliminary study using P.falciparum field isolates from Sudan

Malaria imposes great socio-economic burden on humanity, and afflicts approximately 90 countries and territories in the tropical and subtropical regions, almost one half of them are in Africa, South of Sahara. Sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes within the small vessels of vital organs is a key event in the pathogenesis of malaria and responsible of virulence of Plasmodium falciparum parasite. To find out whether the ability of infected red blood cells (IRBCs) to adhere to a specific receptor is a risk factor for developing severe clinical manifestation of the disease, in-vitro cytoadhesion and inhibition experiments were performed on field isolates obtained from five symptomatic and five asymptomatic patients inhabiting Gazira State, Central Sudan. The results showed significant lower levels (p<0.02) of cytoadhesion among asymptomatic compared to symptomatic patients. Percent inhibition by FA6-152, a monoclonal antibody for CD36, was comparable between the two study groups. However, the inhibition by CSA protein was less among symptomatic compared to asymptomatic patients. These results shed light on possible role of CSA receptors expressed on endothelial cells in ameliorating the events associated with the severe phenotype of the disease.
Thermal Hardening: A New Seed Vigor Enhancement Tool in Rice

Abstract: In a laboratory study, indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds were exposed to thermal hardening (heating followed by chilling followed by heating; chilling followed by heating followed by chilling; heating followed by chilling or chilling followed by heating). In indica rice, heating followed by chilling followed by heating resulted in decreased mean germination time, time to start germination, electrical conductivity of seed leachates, and time to 50% germination, as well as increased germination index, energy of germination, radicle and plumule length, root length, root/shoot ratio, root fresh and dry weight, radicle and plumule growth rate, and shoot fresh weight. In japonica rice, chilling followed by heating followed by chilling performed better than all other treatments, including control. ( Managing editor: Ping HE)
Immobilization of dissolved organic matter from groundwater discharging through the stream bed

SUMMARY. 1. In laboratory experiments, 9.7–25.7% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in groundwater (at concentrations of 18.7–24.8 mg 1-−1) was immobilized after perfusion through 8-cm-deep (22-cm-diameter) cores of stony stream-bed substratum. 2. This represented immobilization rates of 7.1–23.5 mg m−2 h−1 or, extrapolated across the year, potential immobilization rates within the stream bed of 62.2–205.9g m−2 yr−1. Actual rates in the entire stream bed were probably higher because perfusion through the experimental cores did not reduce groundwater DOC concentrations to levels measured in the adjacent stream. 3. Natural concentrations of dissolved free amino acids (DFAAs) in groundwater were generally unchanged following perfusion through the cores, suggesting the maintenance of a dynamic equilibrium in their concentrations. 4. Selective enrichments of amino acids in groundwater (up to 20-fold) were entirely immobilized following perfusion, indicating their rapid retention and flux in this environment. Thus, immobilization of the bulk DOC in stream-bed cores probably did not reflect net reductions in dissolved free, low-molecular-weight material, with higher molecular weight, more ‘refractory’ material being immobilized instead. 5. We conclude that groundwater can contribute substantial amounts of DOC, both high and low molecular weight, to a stream ecosystem. The stream bed is the site at which much of this material could be initially immobilized and made available to the stream trophic structure.
Hotspots of biodiversity and conservation priorities: A methodological approach

This is a methodological paper aimed at comparing methods to assess regional biodiversity. In more detail we compared the effectiveness of hotspots of species richness, of rarity and complementarity in evaluating local animal diversity. Species distributions were sampled over a 10×10 km UTM grid across the Italian territory. We considered 471 species of zygaenids, butterflies, carabines, amphibians and reptiles. Hotspots were analysed at national and regional levels and considered taxa either all together, or separately. To test the predictive value of complementarity analysis, we initially excluded zygaenids. At national level, of 3218 10×10 km UTM quadrats sampled, 161 (5% of total) had highest species richness. Islands included only 1 hotspot (Sicily). Sixty‐eight species (14.4%) were not represented. They were mainly endemic (65%), insular (73.5%), or rare (25%). Working taxon by taxon, hotspots numbered 433. Only 85 (19.6%) were hotspots contemporaneously for two taxa and only 9 were hotspots for 3 taxa. Missing species were fundamentally insular species. The regional‐level approach generated 467 hotspots. Eleven species were not represented (2.3%). They had marginal distributions, or were insular endemites. Hotspots of rarity numbered 235 and 10 species were not included. Results demonstrated that hotspots are poor predictors of overall biodiversity. The complementarity method identified 67 quadrats. By definition, these quadrats accounted for all species investigated. They failed, however, to predict the occurrence of three zygaenids. As expected, complementarity provided better results than hotspots analysis. Combining the two methods assures that areas having the highest biodiversity are identified, even working with incomplete databases. Regional or rarity hotspots should generally be preferred to hotspots of species richness.
Livelihood activities in a Namibian wildlife conservancy: a case study of variation within a CBNRM programme

Abstract Approaches to community-based natural resource management tend to vary among programmes based on the needs and characteristics of the communities in which the programmes operate. Variation also exists within individual programmes, creating the potential for conflict if management does not recognize that these differences can indicate competing interests and needs. In this study we examine livelihood activities at the household level in a wildlife conservancy along the Kwando River in the Caprivi region of Namibia. We ask how people in the conservancy make their livelihoods and what differences exist between the conservancy’s riverside and inland populations. The study finds that the inland population, c. 20 km from the river on slightly heavier soils, engages in fewer livelihood activities and has greater food security than does the riverside population. We further establish that differences between the two populations are significant enough to indicate two distinct combinations of livelihood activities with different environmental interactions. These findings suggest that any management action taken by the conservancy will affect household livelihoods differently based on location and that these differences must be considered if the conservancy is to make a successful transition from a subsistence-based agricultural system to a wildlife-based economy.
Recria de cordeiras em pastagem nativa melhorada submetida à fertilização nitrogenada: 1. Dinâmica da pastagem

It was evaluated the effect of nitrogen fertilization (100 and 200 kg/ha of N as urea) on the components of forage production of an improved native pasture with 3.12 ha (paddocks - 0.52 ha). Control areas without application of N were used, using a complete block design with two replications. Paddocks were grazed by lambs in a continuous stocking and variable stocking rate to keep forage allowance of 16% LW. In spring of 2004, pasture was uniformly fertilized with 250 kg/ha of 5-20-20 and N doses were applied during experimental period (summer 2005). Total forage on offer and rate of forage disappearance were not affected by treatments nor the periods of evaluation. Total herbage mass diminished significantly with time and was affected by N doses as function of the accumulation verified prior to the experimental period. All other studied variables showed no significant effect of N due to water deficit. There was no herbage accumulation during the first part of experimental period and accumulation rate only became positive in the last half period. As consequence, herbage height and herbage mass diminished significantly with time. Green forage mass showed inverse behaviour in relation to dead material percentage. The quadratic response of this later component was initially characterized by high values that diminished by the final period with the reestablishment of normal rainfall. By this reason, the green forage allowance was very low and interacted in time with N doses. Volumetric density presented low values when compared to values previously observed in this kind of pasture. However, a tendency for higher values was verified at the end of the observations period. The herbage height and herbage mass presented high correlation (r = 0.87) indicating that herbage height can be a good estimator of herbage mass, in these conditions. In the situation of water deficit, nitrogen fertilization does not contribute to the expression of more intense responses of the studied variables.
Home Range, Nest Use and Activity of the Tasmanian Bettong, Bettongia gaimardi

Home range, nest use and activity of the Tasmanian bettong, Bettongia gaimardi, was investigated in northern Tasmania. During 3-week periods in August and November 1986 and February and May 1987 radio-tracking of six females and three males was undertaken, five of these being tracked in more than one period. Home ranges of males were larger than those of females. There was no indication of any major differences in home-range size or shifts in location of home ranges between seasons. Nightly patterns of movement were essentially random with distances of 500-600 m between half-hourly locations being not uncommon. Males occasionally showed a more regular pattern of movement possibly related to searching for oestrous females. Bettongs became active soon after dark. The number of hours spent active was greatest during May (79% of length of night) and lowest during November (93% of night). Bettongs occasionally rested at night between two bouts of activity. Nests are formed from a hollowed-out bundle of plant material and located under fallen trees, shrubs or logs, or under low shrubs or clumps of ground vegetation such as Lomandra. Individuals used 3-6 nests per 3-week tracking period. Nests were usually only used consecutively for one or two nights, and different nests were used to different extents. A different set of nests tended to be used in different months. Nests showed some tendency to be located at one end of the home range. Nesting areas used by different individuals overlapped.
Effects of Shiitake Mushroom Stalk Meal on Growth Performance, Carcass Yield and Blood Composition in Broilers

To investigate the effects of the bottom third of shiitake mushroom stalk (SMM) on growth performance, carcass yield and blood composition, 280 Arbor Acre broilers were given ad libitum access to a commercial pellet diet (CP, 21% ; ME, 3kcal/g) until first week, and then they were divided to 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10% dietary SMM groups (SMM was mainly substituted for rice bran on the weight basis) of each four replications of 14 birds. The crude protein of these diets was adjusted to 21, 19 and 17% at 2-3, 4-6 and 7 weeks, respectively. The metabolizable energy of all diet groups was 3kcal/g on air dry throughout the experimental period. Compared with the 0% SMM group, feed intake and body weight gain did not show difference up to the 7.5% SMM group, but both were lower in the 10% SMM group (P<0.05). Feed efficiency was almost similar in all groups. Carcass yield was higher in the 2.5 and 5% SMM groups (P<0.05) than in the 0% SMM group. The weight of the breast with bone, wings, drum-sticks and thighs did not show differences among groups. Visceral organ weight did not show any differences. Blood triglyceride increased in the 5% SMM group (P<0.05). Blood glucose, cholesterol and uric acid were not different among groups. The present results suggest that the stalk of the shiitake mushroom can increase carcass yield and serum triglyceride at the 5% level. These carcass and triglyceride seem to be improved by the medicinal function of the SMM. In conclusion, SMM can be incorporated up to the 5% level for broiler diets without negatively affecting growth performance or carcass yield.
Gender and adolescent-to-parent violence: A systematic analysis of typical and atypical cases

The gender composition of adolescent-to-parent violence is so often presumed that researchers may use de-gendered terms such as youth, child and parent when they are referring to a son assaulting his mother. Indeed, the growing body of research on adolescent-to-parent violence shows that the most frequent dyad is males (sons) assaulting females (their mothers or stepmothers). By comparison, male parents (fathers or stepfathers)1 are less likely to be targets of abuse: in part, this is because their children may view them as more intimidating and, in part, because adolescent-to-parent violence is more frequent in single-parent households, where adult females are more likely to be sole heads of families (Cottrell and Monk, 2004). Although girls may assault their parents for different reasons than boys, the target of their violence is more often mothers than fathers.
Role of Rhizobium Inoculation in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Under Water Stress Conditions

Two chickpea varieties viz., 90122 and 93081 were subjected to Rhizobium inoculation with BioPower under water stress conditions, imposed by withholding water. Stress reduced all the parameters including yield components and this effect was more pronounced by stress at reproductive stage as compared with vegetative stage. Rhizobium inoculation enhanced yield under both normal and stressed conditions, but its performance was better under normal than under stress. Rhizobium inoculation proved ineffective to recover loss caused by water stress. The two varieties exhibited statistically non-significant differences.
Inositol Metabolism in Developing Seed of Low and Normal Phytic Acid Soybean Lines

While inositol has key roles in phytic acid and raffi nosaccharide synthesis, its concentration in developing seed of low phytic acid soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] lines derived from CX1834 (Wilcox et al., 2000) has not been compared to that of normal lines. Concentrations of metabolites in the phytic acid and raffi nosaccharide biosynthesis have been measured in mature seed of CX1834-derived lines but not throughout seed development. Our objective was to compare concentrations of inositol and metabolites associated with phytic acid and raffi nosaccharide synthesis in developing seed of CX1834-derived and normal lines. Plants were cultured with complete nutrient solutions in growth chambers with 650 to 700 μmol m −2 s −1 of photosynthetically active radiation and a 26/22°C day/night temperature. Seed inositol concentrations were high (60 to 90 mmol kg −1 seed dry wt.) at 20 d after fl owering (DAF) and decreased 95% by maturity in both normal and low phytic acid lines. In two of three experiments, low phytic acid lines had signifi cantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater seed inositol concentrations than normal lines at the fi rst two sampling dates, but differences at maturity were not signifi cant. Seeds of low phytic acid and normal lines had statistically similar concentrations (p > 0.05) of partially phosphorylated inositol intermediate (inositol triphosphate [IP3]), stachyose, raffi nose, and phytase activity throughout development. These results corroborate previous studies that ruled out defects in genes coding myo-inositol1-P synthase, inositol kinases, and phytase as the basis for the low seed phytic acid trait in CX1834-derived lines.
Origin of Marine Fatty Acids. I. Analyses of the Fatty Acids Produced by the Diatom Skeletonema costatum

Analysis of the fatty acid composition of a marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum, shows that the longer-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids characteristic of fish lipids can be produced by some phytoplankton as well as through intermediary zooplankton. Comparison of cultures of various degrees of maturity indicates that the fatty acid composition of mature cultures in laboratory experiments is not necessarily typical of pelagic diatoms. The origin of atypical C16-polyunsaturated fatty acids is discussed.
Quantum critical breakdown of a gapless frustrated antiferromagnet

We use continuous similarity transformations in momentum space with a truncationscheme based on the scaling dimension to analyze the quantum phase transitions in the square lattice spin-12 J1-J2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet with nearest neighbor couplings J1 and frustrating second neighbor couplings J2. We choose this method because it was successfully applied to the unfrustrated magnet (J2 = 0) in recent studies [1]. We focus on the semiclassical phases of our model with long-range magnetic order, i.e. the Néel phase for J2 . 0.4J1 and the columnar phase for J2 & 0.6J1, and their quantum critical breakdown. The regime between these phases is paramagnetic. We observe phase transitions at Jc1 2 ≈ 0.367J1 and Jc2 2 ≈ 0.63J1. Both of them appear to be of second order. We find good indications for bound states in the Néel phase that could drive the breakdown of this phase. Kurzfassung Wir nutzen kontinuierliche Ähnlichkeitstransformationen im Impulsraum mit einem Trunkierungsschema, das auf der Skalierungsdimension basiert, zur Analyse der Quantenphasenübergänge im spin2 J1-J2 Heisenberg Antiferromagneten auf dem Quadratgitter mit Nächste-Nachbar-Kopplungen J1 und frustrierenden Übernächste-NachbarKopplungen J2. Wir wählen diese Methode, da sie in aktuellen Studien erfolgreich auf den unfrustrierten Magneten (J2 = 0) angewendet wurde [1]. Wir fokussieren uns auf die semiklassischen Phasen unseres Models mit langreichweitiger magnetischer Ordnung, d.h. auf die Néel Phase für J2 . 0.4J1 und die kolumnare Phase für J2 & 0.6J1, und auf deren quantenkritischen Zusammenbruch. Der Bereich zwischen diesen Phasen ist paramagnetisch. Wir beobachten Phasenübergänge bei Jc1 2 ≈ 0.367J1 und Jc2 2 ≈ 0.63J1. Beide zeigen Merkmale für Phasenübergänge zweiter Ordnung. Wir finden deutliche Hinweise auf gebundene Zustände in der Néel Phase, die den Zusammenbruch dieser Phase auslösen könnten.
Cooperativity of α-naphthoflavone in cytochrome P450 3A-dependent drug oxidation activities in hepatic and intestinal microsomes from mouse and human

1. The effects of several CYP3A substrates (α-naphthoflavone (αNF), terfenadine, midazolam, erythromycin) on nifedipine oxidation and testosterone 6-β-hydroxylation activities were investigated in hepatic and intestinal microsomes from mouse and human. 2. αNF (10 μM) and terfenadine (100 μM) inhibited nifedipine oxidation activities (at substrate concentration of 100 μM) in mouse hepatic microsomes to ∼50%, but not in mouse intestinal microsomes. αNF (30 μM) stimulated nifedipine oxidation activities in mouse and human intestinal microsomes and in human hepatic microsomes to ∼1.3-1.8-fold. Inhibitory potencies (50% inhibition concentration, IC50) of midazolam and erythromycin for nifedipine oxidations were calculated to be ∼90 μM in human intestinal microsomes. In contrast, testosterone (100 μM) stimulated the nifedipine oxidation activities ∼1.5-fold in hepatic and intestinal microsomes from mouse and human. 3. αNF showed different effects on the kinetic parameters including the Hill coefficients of nifedipine oxidation and testosterone 6-β-hydroxylation catalysed by hepatic and intestinal microsomes from mouse and human. Cooperativity in nifedipine oxidation was increased by the addition of αNF to pooled human hepatic microsomes, but little effects of αNF could be observed in individual human intestinal microsomes. 4. These results suggest that CYP3A enzymes in liver and intestine might have different characteristics and that observations from hepatic microsomes should not be directly applicable to intestine metabolism in some cases. Studies of drug-drug interactions of CYP3A substrates are recommended to be performed using intestinal samples.
A Seedling Bioassay for Assessing the Response of Wild Oat (Avena fatua) Populations to Triallate

Germinated seeds of wild oat populations that were susceptible (S) or resistant (R) to triallate at the recommended soil-applied rate (1.7 kg/ha) were treated with six triallate concentrations on filter paper in petri dishes. Measurement of shoot length 8 d after treatment provided an accurate indication of differences among populations, and was more reliable than determining shoot fresh weight. ED50 values (herbicide concentrations that reduced shoot length by 50% relative to untreated controls), derived from nonlinear regression analysis, indicated four and five levels of response to triallate among eight S and seven R populations, respectively. The ED50 values varied from 0.11 to 11 ppm a.i. triallate for the most susceptible to the most resistant populations, respectively. Routine testing of wild oat samples suspected of resistance, at triallate concentrations of 0.5 or 1 ppm in the petri dish bioassay, effectively identified populations that had become resistant to the recommended soil-applied rate.
A novel thermophilic methane-oxidising γ-Proteobacterium

Abstract A novel thermophilic methane-oxidising bacterium was isolated from underground hot springs in Hungary. Strain HB grew on methane at up to 72°C, the highest recorded growth temperature for a methanotroph. 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis showed that strain HB was the first known representative of a novel, deep-branching group of the γ- Proteobacteria quite distinct from extant methanotrophs. The nucleotide sequence of pmoA , encoding particulate methane monooxygenase, was determined for this novel thermophile. Sequence comparison showed that the methane monooxygenase of this strain was most closely related to that of Methylocaldum and Methylococcus species. Particulate methane monooxygenase gene fragments having a high degree of identity to that of pmoA from strain HB were amplified by PCR from DNA isolated from thermophilic methane-oxidising enrichments inoculated with hot spring samples (55–70°C) from Japan, suggesting that this novel genus, for which we informally suggest the name ` Methylothermus ', is widespread in thermophilic environments.