Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria on levels of aflatoxin M1 in milk and phosphate buffer

The ability of 8 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and 4 strains of bifidobacteria to remove aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) from milk and phosphate buffer was investigated. The strains were incubated in liquid media containing AFM 1 at 37°C for 96 h. Removal of toxin from UHT treated milk was greater with LAB than bifidobacteria. Among the LAB, Lactobacillus (Lb.) bulgaricus was most effective, removing 80.5% of AFM 1 from UHT milk, and for bifidobacteria Bifidobacterium (B.) adolescentis was most effective (73%). In phosphate buffer, more than 70% of AFM 1 were removed by LAB and and 40% by bifidobacteria. Of the LAB strains Lb. plantarum was most effective in removing 73% of AFM 1 while B. adolescentis, the most effective bifidobacteria, removed 41.6%. Lactobacillus strains removed 64.0-80.5%, Lactococcus strains removed 46.0-68.5% and Bifidobacterium strains 67.0-72.5% of AFM 1 from milk. In the buffer, removal of AFM 1 varied considerably with Lactobacillus strains removing 9.4-73.1%, Lactococcus strains, 4.5-38.3% and Bifidobacterium strains 7.8-41.6% of AFM 1 . Varying amounts of AFM 1 bound by the bacteria were released into phosphate buffer, the highest during the first washing, but subsequent washings released little further AFM 1 .
The effects of Pseudomonas and Aeromonas strains on Legionella pneumophila growth

Manmade water systems such as cooling towers, potable water systems etc. serve as amplifiers for Legionella pneumophila and non-legionella heterotrophic bacteria (NLHB) by providing suitable conditions for growth and multiplication. In this study we investigated the activity of Pseudomonas and Aeromonas strains, which were isolated from water systems of buildings in Istanbul city, on the growth of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 in vitro. It was found that while the cultures of Pseudomonas species (100%) had a stimulating effect on the growth of L. pneumophila, the cultures of Aeromonas species (61.5%) generally inhibited the growth of L. pneumophila on selective agar medium. Also, it was detected that cell-free supernatants (CFSs) of both Aeromonas, except N24 strain, and Pseudomonas species were not capable of inhibiting the growth of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar (BCYEA) plates. However, some of these substances were able to stimulate the growth of L. pneumophila on BCYEA without L- Cysteine (UNBCYEA). It can be thought that the growth of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 could be controlled by the NLHB such as Pseudomonas and Aeromonas that live normally in the same water body. The level of the NLHB can change time to time in water systems and this situation can affect outbreaks of Legionnaires disease.
CALCIUM BIOAVAILABILITY OF CALCIUM CARBONATE BASED DIETS FOR MALE GROWING RATS

Calcium (Ca) bioavailability of different levels of calcium carbonate using male Sprague-Dawley derived weanling rats was determined. Normalized value (NV), the relative bioavailability (RBV) and calcium absorption in three levels (0.14, 0.19 and 0.24 %) of three balanced diets (diets No 1, 2 and 3) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as a source of calcium were estimated. Normalized values and RBVs in femur, tibia and fibula for rats fed diet containing 0.19% calcium (No.2) were significantly (P<0.05) higher (81.8 and 100 %, respectively ) than those (78; 95 and 78; 95 ) for rats fed diet containing 0.14% (No.1) (78; 95 and 78; 95, respectively) and diet containing 0.24% calcium (No.3)(60.8; 74.2 and 60.2;73.6, respectively). Results also show that calcium absorption, total body calcium and serum calcium for rats fed diet No.2 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of rats fed diets No.1 and 3. It was concluded that calcium carbonate based diet containing 0.19% calcium with 1.5:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio may give high calcium bioavailability for growing rats which was considered as standard (control) diet for other diets.
Further progress on the phylogeny of Noctuoidea (Insecta: Lepidoptera) using an expanded gene sample

Major progress has been made recently toward resolving the phylogeny of Noctuoidea, the largest superfamily of Lepidoptera. However, numerous questions and weakly supported nodes remain. In this paper we independently check and extend the main findings of multiple recent authors by performing maximum‐likelihood analyses of 5–19 genes (6.7–18.6 kb) in 74 noctuoids representing all the families and a majority of the subfamilies. Our results strongly support the six family system of Zahiri et al., with the former Lymantriidae and Arctiidae subsumed within the huge family Erebidae, and Noctuidae restricted largely to the subfamilies with so‐called trifine hindwing venation. Our data also strongly corroborate monophyly of the set of four families with quadrifid forewing venation, to the exclusion of Notodontidae, and removal from the latter of Oenosandridae. Other among‐family relationships, however, remain unsettled. Our evidence is equivocal on the position of Oenosandridae, which are sister group to either Notodontidae alone or to all other noctuoids. Like other recent nuclear gene studies, our results also provide no strong support for relationships among the four quadrifid forewing families. In contrast, within families our analyses significantly expand the list of robustly resolved relationships, while introducing no strong conflicts with previous molecular studies. Within Notodontidae, for which we present the largest molecular taxon sample to date, we find strong evidence for polyphyly for some, or all, recent definitions of the subfamilies Thaumetopoeinae, Pygaerinae, Notodontinae and Heterocampinae. Deeper divergences are incompletely resolved but there is strong support for multiple ‘backbone’ nodes subtending most of the subfamilies studied. Within Erebidae, we find much agreement and no strong conflict with a recent previous study regarding relationships among subfamilies, and somewhat stronger support. Although many questions remain, the two studies together firmly resolve positions for over half the subfamilies. Within Noctuidae, we find no strong conflict with previous molecular studies regarding relationships among subfamilies, but much stronger resolution along the ‘backbone’ of the phylogeny. Combining information from multiple studies yields strongly resolved positions for most of the subfamilies. Finally, our results strongly suggest that the tribes Pseudeustrotiini and Prodeniini, currently assigned to the largest subfamily, Noctuinae, do not belong there. In sum, our results provide additional corroboration for the main outlines of family‐level phylogeny in Noctuoidea, and contribute toward resolving relationships within families.
Aquaporin biology during spermatogenesis and sperm physiology in the marine teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

Water transport during gametogenesis is an essential physiological process associated with the successful reproduction of vertebrates. In the mammalian male reproductive tract, several studies have highlighted the key role that aquaporins could play during the differentiation of spermatozoa in the germinal epithelium, in the concentration and maturation of sperm in the testicular ducts, and in the regulation of osmotically induced volume changes in ejaculated spermatozoa. In teleosts, several studies have reported the expression of aquaporin mRNAs in the testis, but their role is completely unknown. In the marine teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), aquaporin-1aa and -10b (Aqp1aa and -10b) have been localized in ejaculated spermatozoa, and it has been hypothesized that Aqp1aa possibly mediates the water efflux during the hyperosmotic shock in seawater, which is required for the activation of sperm motility. Using a combination of molecular and biochemical approaches, the main objective of this thesis was to identify the aquaporin paralogs present in the testis and spermatozoa of the gilthead seabream, and investigate the potential physiological role of these channels during sperm motility. The following objectives have been addressed: 1. To isolate and functionally characterize the repertoire of the aquaporins present in testis, and to identify the cell types, including spermatozoa, in which they are expressed. 2. To study the in vivo developmental expression of testicular aquaporins, and to examine the in vitro regulatory effects of recombinant piscine gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating (rFsh) and luteinizing (rLh) hormones, and sex steroids, on aquaporin expression during the spermatogenic cycle. 3. To investigate the potential physiological role of sperm aquaporins controlling volume changes and/or solute transport occurring during sperm motility activation. The present thesis reports for the first time the presence of a complex aquaporin network in the testis of the marine teleost gilthead seabream and uncovers previously unknown mechanisms in sperm physiology and motility. The results indicate that the expression of the different aquaporin paralogs in testicular somatic and germ cells during spermatogenesis is differentially regulated by the pituitary gonadotropins, Fsh and Lh, through androgen-dependent and independent mechanisms, providing the first model of aquaporin regulation during the spermatogenesis of a non mammalian vertebrate as a step forward towards the elucidation of the physiological roles of these important channels in the reproductive systems. The findings also provide evidence for the specialized and coordinated role of aquaporins during sperm motility initiation and maintenance in a marine teleost. The data show that Aqp1aa facilitates the intracellular Ca2+ wave in spermatozoa during the hypertonic shock, which is needed for the initiation of flagellar movement and the trafficking of Aqp8b to the mitochondrion, where facilitates H2O2 efflux during ATP production.
Cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress in COPD

Background: Cigarette smoking is the major risk factor for COPD, leading to chronic airway inflammation. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke induces structural and functional changes of airway epithelial mitochondria, with important implications for lung inflammation and COPD pathogenesis. Methods: We studied changes in mitochondrial morphology and in expression of markers for mitochondrial capacity, damage/biogenesis and fission/fusion in the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B upon 6-months from ex-smoking COPD GOLD stage IV patients to age-matched smoking and never-smoking controls. Results: We observed that long-term CSE exposure induces robust changes in mitochondrial structure, including fragmentation, branching and quantity of cristae. The majority of these changes were persistent upon CSE depletion. Furthermore, long-term CSE exposure significantly increased the expression of specific fission/fusion markers (Fis1, Mfn1, Mfn2, Drp1 and Opa1), oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) proteins (Complex II, III and V), and oxidative stress (Mn-SOD) markers. These changes were accompanied by increased levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β. Importantly, COPD primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) displayed similar changes in mitochondrial morphology as observed in long-term CSE-exposure BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, expression of specific OXPHOS proteins was higher in PBECs from COPD patients than control smokers, as was the expression of mitochondrial stress marker PINK1. Conclusion: The observed mitochondrial changes in COPD epithelium are potentially the consequence of long-term exposure to cigarette smoke, leading to impaired mitochondrial function and may play a role in the pathogenesis of COPD.
Ant Diversity Patterns Along an Elevational Gradient in the Reserve Naturelle lntegrale d' Andringitra, Madagascar

Inventory methods designed to '? "nnit rapid, replicable, and quantitative sampling of the leaf litter ant fauna were tested in wet tropical forest in eastern Madagascar in the Reserve Naturelle Integrale d' Andringitra. Methods involved a combination of pitfall and leaf litter sampling along a 250 m transect. Surveys were conducted at four sites, located at 785, 825, 1275, and 1680 m. From pitfall and leaf litter samples, I collected and identified 27,866 ants belonging to 114 species and 28 genera; general collecting yielded an additional 34 species. The first­ order jackknife produced an estimate of a total of 132 species for the four sites collectively. Species accumulation curves demonstrate the efficacy of these techniques in sampling the majority of the ants in the leaf litter. The species collected and their relative abundance are presented. The composition of the fauna is compared with that of other tropical forest sites. Species diversity decreased with elevation. Species turnover and faunal similarity measures showed a division in ant communities between the lowest elevation sites (785 and 825 m) and the highest elevation sites (1275 and 1680 m) that corresponded to the cloud forest transition.
Study of Jaundice profile in Pregnancy in tertiary care centre in central India

International Journal of Medical Research and Review Available online at: www.ijmrr. in 3 | P a g e Study of Jaundice profile in Pregnancy in tertiary care centre in central India Suri AD, Jain RK, Jain SC Dr Akash Deep Suri, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Chirayu Medical College & Hospital, Bhopal, India. Dr R K Jain, Associate Professor , Dept of Medicine GMC Bhopal , Dr S C Jain, Ex Professor & Head, Dept of Medicine GMC Bhopal, India
Morphological re-examination of Epiophlebia laidlawi (Insecta: Odonata) including remarks on taxonomy

Epiophlebia is the only known taxon of Odonata that is neither part of the damselflies (Zygoptera) nor dragonflies (Anisoptera). Previously, two species of Epiophlebia were recognized, restricted to areas in Japan (Epiophlebia superstes) and the Himalayas (Epiophlebia laidlawi). Recently, the group gained attention with the description of new species from China – Epiophlebia sinensis and Epiophlebia diana – while a subsequent genetic study suggested only one species of Epiophlebia. To clarify these conflicting hypotheses this study focused on the under-recorded Epiophlebia laidlawi. This study elucidated the morphology of this species in comparison to Epiophlebia superstes, representing the first comparative study of Epiophlebia species. Furthermore, it presents notes on the taxonomic conditions of this group. With this study, a first step is made to resolve the confusion regarding the taxonomic status of the described Epiophlebia species. A number of anatomical characters – for example the different shape of the vertex of the head, the distinct colour patterns of the head, thorax and the abdomen or the differences in the shape of the hamulus anterior and posterior in the secondary male genitalia – confirmed the species status of E. laidlawi and underlined its distinctness from E. superstes. However, in the Chinese species E. sinensis and E. diana a re-examination is advised; especially in E. diana the species status is questionable.
Long‐term alkalinity trends in the Baltic Sea and their implications for CO2‐induced acidification

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions currently decrease open ocean pH, but on multi‐millennial time scales intensified continental weathering is expected to contribute to increasing oceanic alkalinity (AT) and thus mitigate the acidification signal. The Baltic Sea is an ideal study site for such AT dynamics, due to its direct link to terrestrial processes, short water residence time and long history of AT measurements dating back to the early 20th century. We compiled an extensive AT data set that revealed the highest data quality and coverage for the past two decades. Within that period, surface water AT levels increased throughout the Baltic Sea. The rates of change were highest in the low‐saline, northern areas and decreased gradually toward constant levels in the North Sea. The AT increase observed in the Central Baltic Sea (+3.4 µmol kg−1 yr−1) and the Gulf of Bothnia (+7 µmol kg−1 yr−1) has compensated CO2‐induced acidification by almost 50% and 100%, respectively. Further, the AT trends enhanced the CO2 storage capacity and stabilized the CaCO3 saturation state of the Baltic Sea over the past two decades. We discuss the attribution of the AT trends to potential changes in precipitation patterns, continental weathering driven by acidic rain and increasing atmospheric CO2, agricultural liming and internal AT sources.
Breeding ecology of the Eastern Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus orientalis at Lake Kasumigaura, central Japan

CapsuleTwo populations of the Eastern Great Reed Warblers, one close to settlements and one far away, differed mainly in nest losses which were higher at the latter site. Aims To compare the breeding ecology of two Japanese populations, and with breeding data from Polish sites. Methods We studied two sites in 1996. The Seimei site comprises a natural reed-bed (Phragmites australis) (2.0 ha) c. 2 km from residential areas. The Sakura site occurs as smaller reed-bed (0.8 ha) close to residential areas. Field study comprised mainly nest searching and nest monitoring. Results Breeding density, nest height, number of stems supporting nest, clutch size and brood size were not significantly different between sites. The proportion of nests built on reed stems standing in the water (60%) was significantly higher at the Seimei site (P < 0.001), and the warblers in this habitat experienced significantly higher nesting failure (P < 0.05). Predation was a principal cause of failure at both sites. Significantly more nests suffered from predation at Seimei (53%) than at Sakura (16%). Breeding density was higher at both sites compared with European populations but it fell within ranges of other Japanese populations. Mean first-egg date of first brood does not differ between our sites and Polish ones. Conclusion The differences between the two Japanese populations and between Japanese and Polish populations were relatively small and were seen mainly in nest losses, breeding density and proportion of nests built over water.
Molecular phylogeny of Planchonella (Sapotaceae) and eight new species from New Caledonia

We present a hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships in Planchonella (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) using nrDNA (ITS) data analysed with parsimony jackknifing and Bayesian inference. Results from these two approaches yield similar majority-rule consensus trees. Planchonella (formerly included in Pouteria) is a monophyletic genus of trees and shrubs with 60 species currently recognised. They are distributed in Australia (13 spp.), New Caledonia (32 spp.), the Pacific islands (10 spp.), and New Guinea (5 spp.), but more molecular research is needed in order to identify all members in New Guinea and Malesia. Three strongly supported clades and several subclades were recovered by our analysis. Two clades are restricted to New Caledonia. Within these are eight recently discovered species that are described here (P. crenata, P. glauca, P. latihila, P. luteocostata, P. mandjeliana, P. povilana, P. roseoloba, P. rufocostata), each with a conservation assessment. Our molecular phylogeny shows that some of these taxa, initially believed to be conspecific or closely related, represent separate lineages that deserve species rank. Two of these species are restricted to areas with near-future mining activities, which is why urgent conservation assessments are needed. Several subspecies or varieties of P. myrsinifolia and P. cotinifolia are recognised in Australia. Neither of these two species is monophyletic in its present circumscription, and for this reason P. cotinifolia var. pubescens is given species rank here as P. pubescens. We also amend the generic description of Planchonella, a genus best distinguished on a character combination of stamens positioned just below (rarely in) the tube orifice, a multi-seeded fruit, and foliaceous cotyledons embedded in endosperm.
Distribution of foliar carbon and nitrogen across the canopy of Fagus sylvatica: adaptation to a vertical light gradient

La distribution du carbone et de l'azote foliaires a ete etudiee au long d'un gradient de lumiere vertical dans la canopee naturelle de Fagus sylvatica. Les poids sec et frais des feuilles par surface (LWA et LWA w , respectivement) croissent lineairement avec un facteur de site diffus (a d , flux radiatif relatif). La taille des arbres, independamment de a d , est un autre determinant de la morphologie des feuilles, et LWA aussi bien que LWA w augmentent avec l'accroissement de la taille des arbres. On a trouve une relation lineaire positive entre a d et la concentration en hydrates de carbone non-structuraux totaux (TNC, la somme d'hydrates de carbone et d'amidon solubles a l'ethanol), probablement due a une production photosynthetique des feuilles plus elevee a un flux radiatif plus grand. Par consequent, pour rendre compte de la variation du TNC avec le flux radiatif, il peut etre necessaire, dans les etudes sur les modifications de la structure des feuilles liees a la lumiere, d'exprimer le contenu des constituants de la feuille sur la base d'un poids sec sans TNC plutot que d'un poids sec total. Le contenu total des feuilles en carbone par poids sec et a d ne sont pas correles ; cependant, le contenu des feuilles en carbone, corrige pour les changements du TNC avec a d , augmente significativement avec la disponibilite relative de la lumiere, ce qui suggere un investissement accru en carbone foliaire dans le tissu de soutien. Le contenu en eau des feuilles decroit avec a d , en raison probablement d'un bilan hydrique des feuilles moins favorable a des hauteurs de canopee plus elevees. Le contenu en azote des feuilles par poids sec (N m ) decroit avec l'accroissement du flux radiatif. Si le contenu en azote est exprime sur la base du poids sec sans TNC, la relation devient moins etroite, bien que la tendance qualitative persiste. On n'a trouve aucune correlation entre l'azote foliaire et le TNC, considere comme une estimation de la production photosynthetique journaliere ; il est suggere que N m , croissant a des valeurs decroissantes de a d , est investi pour capter la lumiere plus efficacement, ce qui represente une strategie d'allocation de l'azote inherente aux plantes d'ombre. Etant donne qu'une part considerable du magnesium foliaire est contenue dans la chlorophylle, la baisse du contenu en magnesium des feuilles, exprime aussi bien sur le poids sec total que sans TNC, avec l'augmentation de a d , ainsi qu'une relation lineaire entre les contenus en azote et en magnesium des feuilles, apportent une preuve supplementaire de l'allocation de l'azote foliaire tendant a augmenter l'interception de la lumiere lorsque le flux radiatif diminue.
The nest of the Hastings River mouse Pseudomys oralis.

THE most detailed information on the burrows and nests of Australian small mammals are reported by Watts and Aslin (1981). The nests of several species of Pseudomys have been described and vary between species. Three nests of the New Holland mouse Pseudomys novaehollandiae were excavated from sand burrows and described as being partially comprised of Eucalypt leaves (Kemper 1981). In South Australia, silky mice P. apodemoides construct nests of shredded bark within a nest chamber of approximately 15 cm (Watts and Aslin 1981). The desert mouse P. desertor reputedly builds dry grass nests in shallow constructions (Read et al.1999) and the long-tailed mouse P. higginsi and eastern chestnut mouse P. gracilicaudatus, delicate mouse P. delicatulus and Gould’s mouse P. gouldii all construct nests of plant material (Watts and Aslin 1981; Green 1993; Fox 1995) mostly grass. The nests of the smokey mouse P. fumeus are constructed of dried grass and Allocasuarina needles that are shaped in a cup form (10-15cm in diameter) (Woods and Ford 2000).