Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparative analysis of the characteristics and function of naturally occurring and drug-induced natural suppressor cells in mice.

Natural suppressor (NS) cells are characterized by their ability to suppress the response of lymphocytes to immunogenic and mitogenic stimuli in a non-specific manner without a requirement for priming or major histocompatibility complex restriction. NS cells are found in a number of lymphoid tissues, including adult bone marrow, neonatal spleen and the spleens of pregnant mice, as well as after cytoreductive procedures, such as total lymphoid irradiation and treatment with high dose cyclophosphamide (Cy). However, there is a great deal of controversy over the precise lineage and mode of action of NS cells. Therefore, this study was undertaken to elucidate and compare the lineage and mechanisms of action of naturally-occurring splenic pregnancy-associated NS (SPANS) cells and experimentally-induced splenic NS cells following high dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) treatment of mice.
Evolution of the Chlorophyta: Insights from chloroplast phylogenomic analyses

Green plants comprise two main clades: the Streptophyta, which include charophyte green algae and the embryophytic land plants, and the Chlorophyta including a wide diversity of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial green algae. Establishing a robust phylogeny is important to provide an evolutionary framework for comparative and functional studies. During the last two decades our understanding of the evolution of green algae has profoundly changed, first by phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal sequence data (mainly 18S), and more recently by analyses of multi‐gene and chloroplast genomic data. The phylogenetic relationships among the main streptophytan lineages have been extensively studied and are now relatively well resolved. Although a lot of progress has been made in the last few years, the phylogenetic relationships in the Chlorophyta are still less well established. Here we review how chloroplast genomic data have contributed to address relationships among the main chlorophytan lineages. We highlight recent progress and conflicts among different studies, and discuss future directions in chloroplast phylogenomics of green algae.
Adjusted Diets of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Breeding In An Altered Estuary

Abstract Diet of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the Florida Bay estuary was determined from prey remains from nest sites and used to evaluate differences between two time periods, the 1972 and 1973 breeding seasons compared with 2009 and 2010. Between these two time periods, Florida Bay underwent a well-documented series of ecological changes beginning in the late 1980s, which significantly altered the ecosystem. To examine the hypothesis that ecological changes may have shifted Bald Eagle diets, we compared 571 remains (30 species) collected in 1972/1973 from 21 nest sites, to 419 remains (22 species) collected sites in 2009/2010 from 11 nest sites. Fish made up the majority of prey in 1972/1973 and 2009/2010 (80.7% and 69.5% by number, respectively) and birds were second (15.8% and 29.1%). Hardhead catfish (Arius felis) skulls made up the majority of individual prey remains in both time periods (55% and 54%). Bald Eagles also ate significantly larger catfish in the 1972/1973 seasons, as the mean total skull length was 10% greater and estimated biomass was 35.7% greater. There was no difference in overall prey diversity between the two time periods; however, analysis of similarities showed prey composition differed. Mullet (Mugilidae), jack (Carangidae), Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), and Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) were the species that contributed most to the dissimilarities between time periods. We suggest that Florida Bay's ecological and prey community changes during this time period influenced Bald Eagle diets.
Determining the factors that cause higher concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in milk fat of dairy cows fed fresh alfalfa versus alfalfa hay

Quantity and profile of fatty acids from fresh forage samples may be altered by repeated extractions and during storage by oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. In Experiment 1, fatty acids from fresh alfalfa were extracted with hexane:isopropanol (H:IP, 3:2 v/v) in three sequential extractions, and the percentage and profile of fatty acids from each of the three extractions were determined. In Experiment 2, fresh alfalfa samples were stored for 0, 30, or 60 d and the profile of fatty acids was also determined. Samples of fresh alfalfa were randomly harvested and immediately submerged in liquid nitrogen. For the first extraction (Experiment 1), approximately 5 g of the frozen alfalfa was mixed with 18 ml of H:IP per gram of material. The second and third extractions were done by adding H:IP to the pellet (3 ml/g of the original sample weight), mixing for 2 min, and then centrifuging. The effect of storage on the profile of fatty acids was tested (Experiment 2) using the results from Experiment 1. Repeated extractions increased
Haematology and Clinical Biochemistry Findings Associated with Equine Diseases - a Review

The course and outcome of a disease process is dependent upon factors such as the disease-causing agent and its cell tropism, defense mechanisms of the host, genetic resistance of the species or breed affected, as well as the age, nutritional status and hormonal levels of the affected animal. When haematology, clinical biochemistry and cytology test results are combined with other laboratory procedures, complete physical examination and also with the history of the patient, a veterinarian is well armed to arrive at a definitive diagnosis, make a certain prognosis (good, poor or guarded) and can also make a concluding statement on the efficacy of the instituted therapy. In clinical biochemistry, demonstration of specific enzyme activity and concentration of analytes in serum/plasma facilitates the disease diagnosis. Also, evaluation of haematology, clinical biochemistry and diagnostic cytology tests can help establish the presence or absence of diseases of internal organs, and by serial performance of these tests, may help to determine whether a disease process remains static, progressive or regressive. This review therefore provides the haematological, serum biochemical and cytological characteristics of diseases caused by the main bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, helminths, arthropods, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine disturbances, neoplasm, allergy, toxins (phytoxins and zootoxins) and inorganic poisons in horses.
Effects of Divergent Selection for Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) on Mature Weight and Growth Curves in Angus Cattle

ii DEDICATION. iv ACKONWLEDGEMENTS . v VITA. vii FIELDS OF STUDY . vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 The correlation between mature weight and serum IGF-I concentration . 1 1.2 Purpose of current study . 3 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 5 2.1 Previous investigation of IGF-I . 5 2.1.1 Brief introduction to IGF-I . 5 2.1.2 Heritability estimates for IGF-I . 7 2.1. 3 Estimates of correlation between IGF-I and growth traits . 8 2.1. 4 Estimates of correlation between IGF-I and feed efficiency . 10
The Regulation of Mitochondrial Stress Responses in Caenorhabditis elegans

The Regulation of Mitochondrial Stress Responses in Caenorhabditis elegans Christopher Franklin Bennett Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Matt R. Kaeberlein Department of Pathology, University of Washington Abstract Organismal aging has been proposed to result, at least in part, from mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Mitochondria play an important role in energy metabolism, molecular biosynthesis, apoptosis, and cellular signaling and are therefore complexly tied to cellular and organismal health. Paradoxically, there are numerous cases in Caenorhabditis elegans, in addition to other organisms, where inhibition of mitochondrial respiration is sufficient to extend lifespan. One proposed mechanism for this pro-longevity effect is the induction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), which upregulates expressionOrganismal aging has been proposed to result, at least in part, from mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Mitochondria play an important role in energy metabolism, molecular biosynthesis, apoptosis, and cellular signaling and are therefore complexly tied to cellular and organismal health. Paradoxically, there are numerous cases in Caenorhabditis elegans, in addition to other organisms, where inhibition of mitochondrial respiration is sufficient to extend lifespan. One proposed mechanism for this pro-longevity effect is the induction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), which upregulates expression of mitochondrial-specific chaperones and proteases to re-establish protein homeostasis in the mitochondria. This thesis describes the use of C. elegans to understand the genetic regulation of the UPR and importantly, the role of this response in stress resistance and aging. I first describe a genome-wide RNAi screen for negative regulators of the UPR that takes advantage of a highly sensitive UPR fluorescent reporter and RNAi feeding in C. elegans. I identify 95
PRODUCTION OF GUAVA MINI-GRAFTED ON INTRA OR INTERSPECIFIC ROOTSTOCK

Mini-grafting is a type of grafting that has been indicated to increase efficiency of forest and fruit species propagation. the aim of this study was to evaluate the mini-grafting technique as a method for propagation of guava grafted on intra or interspecific rootstock. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four treatments, five replications and plots consisting of ten plants, in a 22 factorial arrangement, and factors consisted of rootstocks and canopy cultivars. Rootstocks used were Psidium guajava and Psidium guineense. the canopy used was Paluma and Cortibel 1 cultivars. Only the canopy used had an effect on the percentage of grafting success of 52, 54, 82 and 84%, respectively, for ‘Cortibel 1’/P. guineense; ‘Cortibel 1’/P. guajava; ‘Paluma’/P. guineense; ‘Paluma’/P. guajava combinations. Mini-grafting was effective for guava propagation on intra or interspecific rootstocks. The average production time for ‘Paluma’ and ‘Cortibel 1’ saplings grafted on P. guajava or P. guineense, for mini-grafting, was 351 days, so that ‘Paluma’ seedlings were more vigorous than those of ‘Cortibel 1’.
Determination of the frequency and density of weed species in apple orchards in Kahramanmaras region of Turkey

A study was carried out in Kahramanmaras region of Turkey during 2012-13 having ten subregions namely, Afsin, And? r? n, Caglayancerit, Ekinozu, Elbistan, Goksun, Center, Nurhak, Pazarc? k and Turkoglu to determine the range, density and frequency of weeds in apple orchards. In the orchards 133 weed species from 31 families were determined. The average density of weeds was 112.49 plants m -2 . The maximum density of weed species was found in Goksun (127.30 plants m -2 ) followed by Elbistan (126.13 plants m -2 ), Ekinozu (125.95 plants m - 2 ), Afsin (120.39 plants m -2 ), Center (117.94 plants m -2 ) and Caglayancerit (114.90 plants m -2 ), and the minimurn density was determined in Pazarc? k (69.51 plants m -2 ). From the identified 133 weed species one species belonged to Pterydophyta, 2l species to Monocotyledoneae and 111 species to Dicotyledoneae. The average densities of the weed species over l0 subregions for Agropyron repens (L.) P. Beauv. , Chenopodium album L. , Bromus arvensis L. and Amaranthus retroflexus L. were found to be 13.76, 12.17, 12.10 and 10.76 plants m-2, respectively. With regard to frequency of occurrence, C. album L. was detected more than 56% in six subregions excluding And? r? n, Pazarc? k, Turkoglu and Center; A. retroflexus L. more than 54% in 7 subregions excluding Center, Pazarc? k and Turkoglu and A. repens (L.) P. Beauv. more than 50% in 10 subregions. Frequency of occurance of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. was observed 50.1, 50.9, 76.9% in Afsin, Caglayancerit and And? r? n, respectively and it was below 50% in other 7 subregions. In terms of coverage, Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. , A. retroflexus , A. repens , B. arvensis , C. album , Convolvulus arvensis L. , C. dactylon and Lactuca serriola L. were determined to be within the range of 20.2 to 48.2% in the study areas while the other species were below 20%. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 42(1): 87-102, March 2017
Quantitative trait loci for egg quality and production in laying hens

A genome scan for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for egg quality and production traits was carried out in laying hens. The resource population was an F2 cross and parental lines were chosen to exhibit the maximum divergence for egg quality and molecular genetic markers. Both the Rhode Island Red (RIR) and synthetic White Leghorn (WL) lines from MTT Agrifood Research Finland were examined. This study represents the first genome scan for a cross between two modern egg layer lines. The crossing between lines was performed reciprocally to allow an analysis of sex chromosome Z and parentof-origin effects of QTL. Eight animals (four males and four females) from each line were selected to produce the reciprocal F1 generation, while the subsequent F2 generation consisted of 305 females. Egg quality and production traits were recorded during the entire production period from 18 to 60 weeks of age. Animals in all three generations were genotyped with 99 polymorphic microsatellite markers. A genetic linkage map was constructed for 13 autosomes and sex chromosome Z for a whole genome scan that covered 2311 cM (centi Morgan) (Haldane) in total. QTL analysis was performed by regression using a statistical model that included dominance, parent-oforigin, background genetic effects and a two QTL model. Several QTLs for different egg quality and production traits were identified. The most interesting QTLs located on chromosome 4 influenced body weight and egg weight, and an area on chromosome Z affected the number and weight of eggs. The QTL affecting body weight explained about 25 % of the phenotypic variation in the F2 population. Several QTLs with an effect on egg white quality and egg weight were found on chromosome 2. Fine mapping and the use of a back cross (BC) generation, performed by crossing the F2 generation with males from RIR and WL lines allowed the QTL regions on chromosome 2 to be narrowed down. This approach provided evidence that two QTLs on chromosome 2 affected the same trait. The results of parent-of-origin effects of QTLs indicated that differences can be expected when the QTL allele is inherited from the sire compared with the dam. Three such QTLs affecting body weight, age at the first egg laying and feed intake were clustered on chromosome 1. This is one of the first reports of production QTLs with parent-of-origin effects in avian species.
The Namib-Thar Desert Disjunction in Dactyliandra (Cucurbitaceae) is the Result of a Recent Introduction to India

Abstract Depending on taxonomic concept, the genus Dactyliandra (Cucurbitaceae) comprises up to four species: two from Southwest Africa, D. luederitziana (Namibia) and D. welwitschii (Angola), and two very locally distributed and poorly known taxa from Northeast Africa, D. nigrescens and D. stefaninii. In addition to these African populations, D. welwitschii was also reported as a possibly native species from the Thar desert of Northwestern India and Pakistan ca. 8,000 km away from the Namib range. A phylogenetic analysis of plastid and nuclear ribosomal ITS DNA sequences including all Dactyliandra species and D. welwitschii from the Thar desert revealed that this striking disjunction is of very recent origin. Dactyliandra is monophyletic only after exclusion of the East African taxa, which are best placed in Trochomeria. The species Dactyliandra welwitschii is monophyletic and includes the Indian plants, which group with a sample from an Angolan population. We hypothesize that this unexpected connection is a result of man-mediated introduction to India from Africa perhaps in the times of the slave trade. The new combinations Blastania lucorum and Trochomeria nigrescens are published here.
Life history variation along an elevational gradient in Plethodon montanus: implications for conservation

Global amphibian populations are declining and evidence suggests that future changes in climate will have a negative effect on many populations, especially salamanders within the southern Appalachians. However, for many salamander species, the relationship between demographic vital rates (i.e., survival, growth, and reproduction) and climate is unknown, which limits predictive models. We, therefore, describe the life history variation of Plethodon montanus using capture-recapture data over a period of four years, at five sites along an elevational gradient and determined how vital rates vary with body size, elevation, sex, and season. We used a hierarchical model to estimate growth rate, asymptotic size, and the variance in periodic growth, while we used a spatial Cormack-Jolly-Seber model to estimate probability of capture and survival, as well as dispersal variance. Our results show that highest elevation population had a larger asymptotic size, slower growth, but also had higher survival compared to the lower elevation populations. Moreover, we found a disparity in seasonal survival among our elevations, at higher elevations, survival was higher during the inactive season (late fall, winter, early spring) compared to the active season, whereas the lower elevations showed either no difference in seasonal survival or had lower survival during the inactive season compare to the active season. Our results provide uncertainty in vital rates for this P. montanus, which can inform population models. Furthermore, given that survival is reduced in warmer habitats compared to cooler, the effect of future warming in the southern Appalachians and the ability of salamanders to adapt to these novel climates should be a focus of future research.
Hybridization of domestic mink with wild American mink (Neovison vison) in eastern Canada

Farmed American mink (Neovison vison (Schreber, 1777)) pose a risk to biodiversity owing to escape and release from farms. Feral mink may affect native species in locations where American mink are not endemic, such as Europe. In contrast, escaping domestic mink may hybridize with wild mink in North America, leading to introgression of domestic traits via hybrid-mediated gene flow. We tested this idea in eastern Canada, which has a history of mink farming. We sampled known domestic and free-ranging mink, and profiled 508 individuals at 15 microsatellite loci. We found that 33% of free-ranging mink were either escaped domestic individuals, domestic–wild hybrids, or were introgressed to domestic or wild parental groups. The greatest prevalence of free-ranging domestic, hybrid, or introgressed mink (59%) occurred in Nova Scotia, which also had the most mink farms. Historic (1980s or earlier) mink sampled from museums had higher allelic richness and private allelic richness than contemporary wild mink. Domesti.
Effects of UV-A and UV-C radiation on some morphological and physiological parameters in Savory (Satureja hortensis L.)

The present study was conducted to assess the effects of UV-A and UV-C on some morphological and physiological parameters of savory (Satureja hortensis L.). Plants were grown in a uniform environment and after 50 days they were exposed to UV-A and UV-C radiation for 15 and 8 days respectively. Alterations in growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, UV absorbing compounds and protein and carbohydrate contents were measured. UV-C-treated plants showed a significant decrease in shoot growth, leaf number and shoot fresh and dry weights as well as leaf protein, leaf carbohydrate, chlorophyll a, b and total and carotenoid contents. Also treatment with UV-A caused a significant reduction in shoot dry weight, protein and chlorophyll a and total contents. Notably, no significant difference was observed in the root growth, fresh dry weight and carbohydrate content by UV-R treatment. In addition, UV exposure resulted in a significant increase of flavonoid and anthocyanin contents.
Insights Into evolution and adaptation using computational methods and next generation sequencing

OF THE DISSERTATION Insights Into Evolution and Adaptation Using Computational Methods and Next Generation Sequencing by Alexander G. Shanku Dissertation Director: Andrew D. Kern Historically, much of the research in evolutionary biology and population genetics has involved analysis at the level of either a single locus or a few number thereof. However, “Next Generation” sequencing technology has opened the floodgates with respect to both the sheer volume and quality of sequence data that researchers have long needed to address and answer long-standing questions in their fields. Scientists are now, by and large, no longer hampered in their efforts by technological hurdles to obtain data, but are in fact facing the problem of how best to use the vast amount of data that are accumulating at an ever-increasing rate. This is a good problem to have. The following research described in this dissertation is an attempt to derive answers to questions in the fields of population genetics and evolutionary biology that, until recently, have been either intractable or, at best, extremely
The Changes of Fecal Steroid Hormones and Bacterial Composition inDifferent Gestation Stages of Meishan Sows

Currently, the importance of gut microbiota to the health of their host has been well discussed, yet the knowledge about the host hormonal effect on the gut microbiota is limited. In this study, a combination of the high-throughput 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing and the Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics techniques were used to investigate the stool microbial composition and microbial metabolites at different gestation day in Meishan sows. The results showed that, the stool steroid hormones including estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) and cortisol (CORT) were increased at gestation day 90 (P<0.05), when compared to gestation day 30. In coincide with the changes of steroid hormones, the relative abundance of Burkholderiales and Selenomonadales of the stool microbiota at d90 of pregnancy was significantly increased than that of at d30 of pregnancy at the order level (P<0.05). However, no significant difference of the richness estimators (ACE and Chao), and the diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson) were found between the d30 and d90 of gestation. Further, the metabolomics profile revealed 13 metabolites changed greatly from the gestation day 30 to 90, including amino acid metabolic pathway, lipid and carbohydrate metabolic pathway (P<0.001). The results suggest that the interaction of the steroid hormones and the gut bacteria may account for the metabolic changes throughout the length of pregnancy.