Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid and Trisodium Phosphate on the Microflora of Refrigerated Beef Carcass Surface Tissue Inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria innocua , and Clostridium sporogenes †.

The microbial profiles of inoculated beef carcass tissue (BCT) were monitored during prolonged refrigerated vacuum-packaged storage following antimicrobial treatment. An industrial spray wash cabinet was used to deliver water (W), 1.5 and 3.0% lactic (LA) or acetic (AA) acid, or 12% trisodium phosphate (TSP) washes. Fresh unaltered bovine feces spiked with antibiotic-resistant strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria innocua , and Clostridium sporogenes were used to inoculate BCT prior to all treatments. The effect of treatments on bacterial populations was tracked by monitoring levels of specific-antibiotic-resistant(marked) bacteria along with mesophilic aerobic bacteria (APC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and pseudomonads for up to 21 days of storage at 5°C. Initial APC levels of approximately 5.6 log CFU/cm2 were reduced by 1.3to 2.0 log CFU/cm2 by LA, AA, and TSP treatments. Marked bacteria were reduced to <1.3 log CFU/cm2, remaining that way throughout the 21-day storage. TSP treatments were not different in effectiveness from acids for controlling growth of E. coli O157:H7 and C. sporogenes , but were less effective for APC, L. innocua , or LAB. The aerobic bacteria, L. innocua , and LAB had counts ≥7 log CFU/cm2 by 7 days in all but one case and by 14 days all had counts >7 log CFU/cm2 on the untreated controls and water-washed samples. Treatments generally added a degree of safety regarding the foodborne pathogens and pathogen models used for the present study when beef tissue was stored up to 21 days and in no case did the treatments appear to offer any competitive advantage to select microorganisms on BCT.
Mitochondrial localization and regulation of BRAFV600E in thyroid cancer: a clinically used RAF inhibitor is unable to block the mitochondrial activities of BRAFV600E.

CONTEXT The oncogenic BRAF(V600E) mutation results in an active structural conformation characterized by greatly elevated ERK activity. However, additional cellular effects caused by subcellular action of BRAF(V600E) remain to be identified. OBJECTIVE To explore these effects, differences in the subcellular localization of wild-type and mutant BRAF in thyroid cancer were investigated. RESULTS A significant proportion of endogenous and exogenous BRAF(V600E), but not wild-type BRAF, was detected in the mitochondrial fraction, similar to other BRAF mutants including BRAF(V600D), BRAF(V600K), BRAF(V600R), and BRAF(G469A), which showed elevated kinase activity and mitochondrial localization. Induced expression of BRAF(V600E) suppressed the apoptotic responses against staurosporine and TNFα/cycloheximide. Interestingly, the mitochondrial localization and antiapoptotic activities of BRAF(V600E) were unaffected by sorafenib and U0126 suppression of MAPK kinase (MEK) and ERK activities. Similarly, although the RAF inhibitor sorafenib effectively inhibited MEK/ERK activation, it did not block the mitochondrial localization of BRAF(V600E). In addition, inducible expression of BRAF(V600E) increased the glucose uptake rate and decreased O(2) consumption, suggesting that BRAF(V600E) reduces mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, a signature feature of cancer cells. Again, these metabolic alterations resulted by BRAF(V600E) expression were not affected by the treatment of thyroid cells by sorafenib. Therefore, RAF and MEK inhibitors are unable to block the antiapoptotic activity of BRAF(V600E) or correct the high glucose uptake rate and glycolytic activity and suppressed mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation induced by BRAF(V600E). CONCLUSIONS The mitochondrial localization observed in oncogenic BRAF mutants might be related to their altered responses to apoptotic stimuli and characteristic metabolic phenotypes found in thyroid cancer. The inability of MEK and RAF inhibitors, U0126 and sorafenib, respectively, to block the mitochondrial localization of BRAF(V600E) has additional therapeutic implications for BRAF(V600E)-positive thyroid cancers.
Electrical Lab-on-a-Chip for Ex Vivo Study on the Influence of Electric Fields on Pollen Cells

Pollen tubes are polarly growing plant cells that are able to respond to a combination of chemical, mechanical, and electrical cues during their journey through the flower pistil in order to accomplish fertilization. How signals are perceived and processed in the pollen tube is still poorly understood and evidence for electrical guidance, in particular, is vague and highly contradictory. To generate reproducible experimental conditions for ex vivo pollen cell cultures, here we present a low-cost, reusable Electrical Lab-on-a-Chip (ELoC) for investigating the influence of electric fields on growing cells. Viability of pollen growth using a structured microfluidic network is first investigated and validated. Then the integration of microelectrodes into the device is addressed in detail. Characterization of the pollen growth medium conductivity and simulation of the ELoC electrical configuration were carried out to define the experimental conditions. Reusability of the microdevice is achieved by structuring the design into two separate rebondable modules: a microfluidic module and a microelectrode module. Two experimental approaches were realized: a batch design for exposing simultaneously a large number of cells to a global electric field, and a single-cell design in which a localized electric field is applied to individual cells. Extensive batch results indicate that DC fields were inhibitory above 6 V/cm. However, switching to AC fields re-established pollen tube growth at frequencies above 100 mHz, suggesting a significant role of the medium conductivity in controlling the cellular response. Unlike macroscopic open-assay experimental setups, single-cell tests further indicate no reorientation of pollen tube growth, suggesting that previously reported tropic behavior was caused by ion movement in the substrate rather than by a direct effect of the electric field on the cell.
Studies on in vitro antiproliferative activities in Cruciferae vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables have drawn a great deal of attention in cancer research because of their potential protective properties. In the present study, four vegetables viz., cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi and radish were procured and processed for cold extraction procedure using 70% ethanol. The extracts were subjected to the qualitative phytochemical analysis, quantitative estimation of glucosinolates content and in vitro antiproliferative activity by MTT assay on MCF7, DL and NIH-3T3 cell lines. The results of qualitative phytochemical analysis showed the presence of several bioactive compounds viz., polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides and alkaloids. Quantitative estimation of glucosinolates in terms of potassium thiocyanate equivalence/5 mg of extract revealed that the cabbage has highest content of glucosinolate (122.6 μg) followed by cauliflower (109 μg), kohlrabi (101.6 μg) and radish (60.2 μg). The four cruciferous vegetables registered notable cell proliferation inhibition at different concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 μg/mL) in a dose dependent manner against three different cell lines. The results of antiproliferative activity was expressed in terms of IC50. Among the four vegetables, cabbage showed considerable cytotoxicity and cell proliferation inhibition with an IC50 value of 192.5, 189.7, 589.7 μg/mL followed by cauliflower (378.7, 398.9, 597.9 μg/mL), kohlrabi (389.5, 396.9, 619.7 μg/ml) and radish (415.4, 423.3, 703.6 μg/ml) in three different cell lines MCF7, DL and NIH-3T3, respectively. The present study underlines the epidemiological surveys that cruciferous vegetables possess anticancer effects might be due to the presence of glucosinolates augmented with other phytochemicals.
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is a leaf pathogen of local Fraxinus species in the Russian Far East

Dieback of European ash was first observed in Europe in the early 1990s. The disease is caused by the invasive ascomycete Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, proposed to originate from Far East Asia, where it has been considered a harmless saprotroph. This study investigates the occurrence of H. fraxineus in tissues of local ash species in the Russian Far East, and assesses its population-specific genetic variation by ITS sequencing. Shoot dieback symptoms, characteristic of H. fraxineus infection on European ash, were common, but not abundant, on Fraxinus mandshurica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla trees in Far East Russia. High levels of pathogen DNA were associated with necrotic leaf tissues of these ash species, indicating that the local H. fraxineus population is pathogenic to their leaves. However, the low levels of H. fraxineus DNA detected in shoots with symptoms, the failure to isolate this fungus from such tissues, and the presence of other fungi with pathogenic potential in shoots with symptoms indicate that local H. fraxineus strains may not be responsible (or their role is negligible) for the observed ash shoot dieback symptoms in the region. Conspicuous differences in ITS rDNA sequences detected between H. fraxineus isolates from Russian Far East and European populations suggest that the current ash dieback epidemic in Europe might not directly originate from the Russian Far East. Revision of the herbarium material shows that the earliest specimen of H. fraxineus was collected in 1962 from the Russian Far East and the oldest H. fraxineus specimen of China was collected in 2004.
Protein content correlates with starch morphology, composition and physicochemical properties in field peas

Abstract: Protein and starch are two major components in field peas. In this study, we investigated the starch morphologies, compositions, and thermal properties between high protein peas (approximately 30%) and other market types of field peas (yellow, green, maple, and marrowfat peas, with approximately 23% protein contents). For the shape and size, high protein peas had the compound starch granules that could be easily fragmented into small irregular and polygonal granules, whereas other pea types had oval or kidney-like starch granules with high percentage of large granule sizes. High protein peas had significantly lower starch contents (27.2%-34.2%) than other pea types (45.5%-47.4%). However, the amylose content (74.6%-89.2%) in high protein peas were significantly higher that of other pea types (50.1%-54.1%). Our differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) data showed that the onset temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), and conclusion temperature (Tc) of starch gelatinization in high protein peas were significantly higher than those of other pea types, whereas the enthalpy change (▵H) of high protein peas was significantly lower than those of other pea types. The unique properties of high protein peas characterized in this study provided useful information to further improve pea quality.
Culicid and Chaoborid flies (Diptera : Culicidae and Chaoboridae) attracted to a CDC miniature frog call trap at Iriomote Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

: Mosquito collections were made at two foothill sites of Iriomote Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, by rnodified light with frog call CD player from June 12 to 18, 2004. A total of 777 and 257 female Diptera was collected at sites 1 and 2, respectively, Among them, 4 haematophagous species were predominant at sites 1 and 2-U)7anotaenia maofdrlanei with 580 (74.6%) and 193 (75,1%) individuals respectively, Ulr: yaeyamana 19 (2,4%) and 27 (10.5%), and Corethrella nippon ! 06 {13.6%) and 20 (7.8%) which is a new record for Iriomote Island, and Mimomyia luzonensis with 39 (5,O%) individuals was predominant at site 1. The females of these species collected by the traps fed easily on a frog, Rana limnochan's exposed in the cage. The results demonstrated clearly that frog call is the primary stimulus in guiding these Culicine and Chaoborine flies in their search for host animals ln nature,
Virusan Epidemic Strain of Chikungunya Increased Pathogenicity during Infection Infection of Myofibers Contributes to

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by mosquitoes that is known to cause severe arthritis and myositis in affected patients. The ongoing epidemic began in eastern Africa in 2004 and then spread to islands of the Indian Ocean, India, and Southeast Asia, ultimately afflicting millions. During this outbreak, more severe disease manifestations, including fatalities, have been documented. The reasons for this change in pathogenesis are multifactorial but likely include mutations that have arisen in the viral genome which could alter disease pathogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we used a murine model of CHIKV to compare the disease pathogeneses of two recombinant strains of CHIKV, the first derived from the La Reunion outbreak in 2006 (LR2006 OPY1) and the second isolated from Senegal in 1983 (37997). While the two strains exhibited similar growth in mammalian cells in vitro, we observed more severe clinical disease and pathology in mice infected with the LR2006 OPY1 strain of CHIKV, which included prolonged viremia and elevated viral titers and persistence in the muscle, resulting in devastating myonecrosis. Both CHIKV strains infected connective tissue fibroblasts of the muscle, but only the LR2006 OPY1 strain replicated within myofibers in vivo, despite similar growth of the two strains in these cell types in vitro. However, when the 37997 strain was administered directly into muscle, myofiber infection was comparable to that in LR2006 OPY1-infected mice. These results indicate that differences in the ability of the strain of CHIKV to establish infection in myofibers may contribute to the increased
Genetics of oil and other major biochemical components in groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L.)

(…) Larger variances due to sca observed for oil, protein and iodine value indicated predominance of non-additive gene action. Additive genetic component, on the other hand, was predominant for soluble sugar content. While Spanish bunch cultivars (GAUG 1, Pollachi 1) were good general combiners for oil, protein and soluble sugar, the Virginia bunch cultivar (TG 1) was good combiner for iodine value. A number of cross combinations involving these genotypes indicated high positive sca effect for oil but desirable negative sca effect for iodine value. The ratios of average degree of dominance were also in the range of overdominance for all the traits. Dominant and recessive alleles were not equally distributed among the parents with respect to all the characters (…)
Factors Affecting Storage and Germination of Chysalidocarpus lutescens Seeds

A series of experiments evaluated the effects of seed maturity, seed cleaning, gibberellic acid (GA3) or water presoaking, temperature, and planting depth on the percentage and speed of germination of Chrysalidocarpus lutescens H. Wendl. seed. Effects of temperature, cleaning, and storage container on the viability of stored C. lutescens seed were determined in another set of experiments. Germination was rapid and consistent when yellow to fully ripe seed was exposed to temperatures between 30° and 35°C. Cleaning seed is not essential if planting is done immediately. Presoaking seeds in 1000 ppm GA3 for 48 hr slightly accelerated germination speed, but caused excessive elongation of the resulting seedlings and was therefore not recommended. The best method for long-term storage of C. lutescens seed was to clean yellow to fully ripe seed, air-dry at 80% to 90% RH, treat with a seed protectant fungicide, and store at 23° in tightly sealed polyethylene containers. Optimum planting depth was dependent on the drying potential of the germination site.
Biocontrol Endotherapy with Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens against Phytophthora spp.： A Comparative Study with Phosphite Treatment on Quercus robur and Fagus sylvatica

Phytophthora species are particularly aggressive plant pathogens and are often associated with the decline of many tree species, including oak and beech. Several fungi and bacteria species are known as potential antagonists usable as biological control agents. Phosphonate (H3PO3), commonly branded as phosphite, has also been used in the past years to protect trees against invasive Phytophthora spp. This study aimed at comparing the effects of selected antagonist microorganisms and phosphonate, when applied by microinjection or leaf treatment. Antagonistic species were first selected for their high inhibitory activity against problematic Phytophthora species, such as Phytophthora cactorum, P. quercina and P. plurivora attacking Quercus robur and Fagus sylvatica in Polish forests. Three endophytic species Trichoderma atroviride (two strains), T. harzianum and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens showed a high control activity, and their efficacy was then assessed in comparison with a phosphonate treatment. Two application methods were experimented in this study: injection of a solution of spores or phosphonate into the sap vessels of beech or a foliar treatment on oak. Phosphonate and two strains of Trichoderma significantly reduced the necrotic area on oak leaves inoculated with P. plurivora and one strain of T. atroviride significantly reduced necrotic areas on beech branches. These results are therefore promising of a novel way to control Phytophthora spp. in forest stands and nurseries.
Coliforms Associated With Bacteriuria In Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Positive Patients Attending The Bamenda Provincialhospital

The prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of coliform associated with bacteriuria among HIV positive patients attending the Bamenda Provincial Hospital was studied. Out of the 240 urine specimens from HIV positive patients, coliforms were isolated in 49 (20.4%). HIV positive patients with CD4 counts between 1-50 cell/mm 3 had more coliforms with significant bacteriuria than those with higher counts from 151-200 (22.5% vs. 6.1%, p 0.5). Eleven different species of coliform organisms were isolated with Escherichia coli (30.6%) being the most frequently encountered. Resistance to Bacitracin (100%), Co-trimoxazole (85.7%) and Trimethoprim (77.5%) were the most common. Isolates were most sensitive to Ceftriazone (77.5%), Perfloxacin (73.5%) and Netilmicin (71.4%). Ceftriazone, Perfloxacin and Netilmicin are drug of choice in the treatment of urine infections caused by coliform organisms of HIV/AIDS patients.
Large-scale, high-efficiency production of coffee somatic embryos

The study aims to compare the efficiency of previously used liquid media for coffee, evaluating NAA concentrations in liquid medium and proline in semi-solid medium in the regeneration of somatic embryos and asses concentrations of BA and IAA in the maturation of embryos in temporary immersion bioreactors. For the regeneration of globular embryos from embryogenic aggregates and calli, we tested five concentrations (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg L-1) of NAA in liquid medium and five concentrations (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g L-1) of proline in semisolid medium. The multiplication of embryogenic aggregates was highest in culture medium MM, reaching a density 7.5 times greater than that of the initial density. NAA promoted a linear increase in embryo regeneration. The medium containing 2.0 mg L-1 BA and 0.0 mg L-1 IAA yielded the highest percentage of large cotyledonary embryos.
The life cycle of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) in laboratory culture

Le cycle de reproduction de L. terrestris a ete etudie en conditions controlees. Le poids des cocons et des jeunes vers a l'eclosion, le taux de croissance et le taux de reproduction ont ete enregistres pour differentes conditions experimentales. Il existe une relation lineaire entre le poids des cocons (60 mg en moyenne) et celui des vers a l'eclosion (53 mg en moyenne). Les eclosions de cocons les plus rapides sont observeees a 20°C (70 ± 2.9 jours). La croissance est significativement influencee par la temperature, le type de nourriture et la densite des vers. Elle est plus rapide a 15°C (20 semaines) avec pour nourriture de la pulpe de papier enrichie en azote organique par adjonction d'un extrait de levure. La production de cocons est continue tout au long de l'annee mais decline au bout de trois ans
Effect of bioregulators and moisture stress on dry matter accumulation and its partitioning in mustard

A field study was conducted during the two consecutive Rabi seasons 2001-02 & 2002-03 to study the role of bioregulators and moisture stress on partitioning of biomass in Brassica juncea. Results revealed that three irrigations (no stress) at BI + 50% flowering + 50% pod development accumulated significantly higher total dry matter per plant over no irrigation (crop under stressed) at physiological maturity. In terms of dry matter partitioning, significantly higher dry matter was allocated to pods under three irrigations. Brassinosteroid (foliar) caused accumulation of maximum total dry matter as compared to rest of the treatments at physiological maturity. Thiourea application (S+F) affected the allocation of dry matter to various organs by translocating of biomass from stem to pods significantly as the pod weight was highest and 62.5 % more compared to control at physiological maturity.
Characterization of the role of the Burkholderia pseudomallei type 3 secretion system using in vivo imaging.

V LIST OF TABLES . XII LIST OF FIGURES . XIII CHAPTER I . 1 BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI AND MELIOIDOSIS . 1 1.1 IDENTIFICATION OF BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI . 1 1.2 EPIDEMIOLOGY . 3 1.3 CLINICAL MELIOIDOSIS . 6 1.4 BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI GENETICS . 9 1.5 BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI INTRACELLULAR LIFE CYCLE . 11 1.6 BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI VIRULENCE DETERMINANTS . 12 1.6. 1 Type 3 Secretion Systems . 13 1.6. 2 Capsular Polysaccharide . 20 1.6. 3 Type 6 Secretion Systems . 22 1.7 Specific Aims . 28 CHAPTER II . 30 MATERIAL AND METHODS . 30 2.1 BACTERIAL STRAINS AND CULTURE . 30 2.2 LUMINESCENT BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI . 30