Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early-Season Applications of the FungusBeauveria bassianaand Introduction of the Hemipteran PredatorPerillus bioculatusfor Control of Colorado Potato Beetle☆

Abstract Unformulated conidia of the fungusBeauveria bassianawere applied to potato plots, with and without the hemipteran predatorPerillus bioculatus,in an attempt to reduce field populations of Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata,and to compare their efficacy to currently utilized methods of chemical insecticide control. Dry conidia were mixed in a water/0.01% Silwet suspension and applied with a backpack sprayer, at a rate of 5 × 1013viable conidia/ha. Small nymphs (first and second instars) of the predator were released at the rate of one nymph/plant. Four rapid (at 3- to 4-day intervals) early-season (at the green row and touch in row growth stages of potato) foliar applications of the fungus and four releases (at weekly intervals) of the predator were made. The observed rate of mycosis in the treated larval populations was >90% 2 days after the last fungal application. The seasonal treatment effects on small (first and second instars) and large (third and fourth instars) larvae were examined. There were no differences in densities of small larvae in any of the treatments. However, the seasonal densities of large larvae were 41.4, 9.7, 20.7, and 9.1/plant in the control,Beauveria,chemical insecticides (esfenvalerate plus piperonylbutoxide and oxamyl plus carbofuran), andBeauveria–Perillustreatments, respectively. The respective seasonal percent efficacies (control corrected) of the treatments in reducing populations of large larvae were 76.6, 50.2, and 78.0% with theBeauveria,insecticide, andBeauveria–Perillustreatments. Large larvae cause most of the defoliation of potato plants;B. bassianaapplied at 3- to 4-day intervals to early instars eliminated most of this pressure. Applications of the fungus provided substantial foliar protection and proved to be significantly more effective than parallel insecticide treatments and much more effective than no treatment. The role of the predator in limiting defoliation through predation on egg masses and small larvae was unclear. Although yields of marketable tubers showed no treatment differences, the significant reductions in larval densities, the prevalence of infection in field collections, and the substantial foliage protection confirmed the potential ofB. bassianaconidia to infect and kill Colorado potato beetle for crop protection.
The Vascularization of the Kidneys in Bufo bufo (L.), Bombina variegata (L.), Rana ridibunda (L.) and Xenopus laevis (D.) (Amphibia, Anura) as Revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy of Vascular Corrosion Casts

The vascular patterns of the ventral side of the kidneys in Bufo bufo and Rana ridibunda is similar. Strong venulae renales revehentes dominate. In Bombina variegata and Xenopus laevis, however, also many superficially located glomeruli are found at the ventral side. In Xenopus further branching of the renal arteries into afferent arterioles attracts attention. Bundles of delicate afferent arterioles originate within circumscribed areas of the renal artery. The glomerular layer of the kidney is tightest in Bombina, and has its maximal extension in Rana. It covers up to 2/3 of the thickness of the kidney while in the other species studied the glomeruli are restricted to the ventral third of the kidney. Glomeruli with double afferent or efferent arterioles were rarely found in Xenopus. The vascularization of the dorsal side of the kidneys is characterized by the presence of large (Bufo, Rana, Xenopus) or small (Bombina) venulae renales advehentes.
Synthesis and characterization of Mannich bases of lawsone and their anticancer activity

Abstract Natural and synthetic naphthoquinones are known for a large number of biological activities. Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone) is a simplest naturally occurring compound obtained from dried henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaves. In literature, some lawsone derivatives have been reported to exhibit anticancer activity. Hence, a clean and facile one-pot protocol was developed for the synthesis of new aminonaphthoquinones derived from lawsone by three-component Mannich reaction, at room temperature for potential anti-cancer application. Herein we present a small library of Mannich bases with different amines and aromatic aldehydes with moderate to high yield. Synthesized compounds were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques. The anticancer activity (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay) along with nuclear morphology assessment (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole or DAPI staining), apoptosis assessment (acridine orange/ ethidium bromide staining), hemolysis and DNA ladder assay evaluated on human liver carcinoma cell line HepG2 are presented. Graphical Abstract
Preparation and evaluation of glycyrrhetic acid‐containing microparticles as an anti‐hepatotoxic system

Microparticulate dosage forms for liver‐specific delivery of a liver‐protective drug, glycyrrhetic acid (GLA), were prepared and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Poly(DL‐lactic acid‐co‐glycolic acid (7:3, mol/mol)) microparticles, produced by the combination of emulsification‐solvent evaporation and sonication and washed using the mixture of methanol‐phosphate buffered saline pH 7.4 (3:7, v/v), showed a diameter of approximately 1.0 µm, moderate drug content, and prolonged drug release, and were used for in vivo analyses. The long‐term pharmacokinetic profiles in plasma and liver were investigated after i.v. administration. The microparticles gave much higher GLA concentration in the liver than did GLA solution, and maintained plasma and liver concentrations of GLA at levels of >1 and 3 mg/mL, respectively, for at least 6 days. Furthermore, therapeutic effect against consecutive carbon tetrachloride‐induced murine hepatitis was evaluated based on the plasma level of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) after i.v. administration. The microparticles with 10 mg GLA maintained liver‐protective effect for approximately 1 week, while the GLA solution with the same dose was scarcely effective from 3 days after the administration. These data suggest that the microparticles should be useful as a prolonged liver‐protective system. Drug Dev. Res. 66:189–199, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ácidos graxos voláteis no rúmen de vacas alimentadas com diferentes teores de concentrado na dieta

The influence of concentrate levels from the diet on the content of volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid of cattle was evaluated. Four rumen fistulated crossbred cows, weighting around 442.15kg, were distributed in 4x4 Latin square schedule, divided into four periods of 14 days, 11 for adaptation and three for data collection. Corn silage was used as roughage, and corn, sorghum, soybean meal, soybean hulls, protected fat and urea, as concentrate. Diets were formulated with 13% crude protein (CP), using the proportions of 30, 40, 50 and 60% concentrate. There was no influence of treatment for the following acid concentrations: acetic, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric and valeric. The propionic acid content and the ratio acetate: propionate showed values of 8.44 and 8.14 hours after feeding, respectively. The total fatty acids were not affected by treatments, with maximum concentration at 7.68 hours after feeding, with minimum pH values between six and nine hours. Diets containing up to 60% of concentrate in dry matter did not influence the concentrations of rumen volatile fatty acids.
Diversity of double-stranded RNA viruses within populations of entomopathogenic fungi and potential implications for fungal growth and virulence

Naturally occurring isolates as well as sev- eral culture collection isolates of the entomopatho- genic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassi- ana, and Metarhizium flavoviride were assessed for the presence of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). DsRNA was present in the mycelium of 28 of 73 iso- lates (38.4%) of M. anisopliae and 2 of 12 isolates (16.7%) of B. bassiana collected from southern On- tario soil samples. DsRNA was also present in myce- lium of 2 of 3 isolates of M. anisopliae and 5 of 6 isolates of M. flavoviride obtained from culture col- lections. DsRNA banding patterns were variable and, in total, eighteen dsRNA banding patterns were iden- tified, containing from one to eight bands ranging from 5.2 to 0.5 kbp in size. Partially purified virion preparations from selected dsRNA-containing isolates provided similar banding patterns to dsRNAs extract- ed from mycelium. Comparison of 12 dsRNA-con- taining isolates with 10 dsRNA-free isolates indicated dsRNAs were not responsible for the large variation in growth rate, conidiospore production, and insect virulence observed in M. anisopliae. However, a com- parison between two isogenic strains, one with ds- RNA and one without, showed a significantly in- creased growth rate and conidiospore production on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with dodine, as well as significantly increased virulence, in the dsRNA-free isolate. These results indicate that dsRNA
Wing wear, aerodynamics and flight energetics in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris): an experimental study

I. Previous work has shown that wing wear increases mortality rate in bumblebees. Two proximate explanations have been suggested to account for this: increased energy flight costs and increased predation risk due to reduced manoeuvrability. 2. Wing wear was mimicked by experimentally clipping the forewing distal trailing edge, causing a 10% wing area reduction. Experimental and sham control bumblebees were induced to hover in a flight respirometry chamber for measuring metabolic rate of hovering. Simultaneous video and sound recordings were taken for wingbeat kinematic data required for an aerodynamic analysis. 3. In the experimental group with reduced wing area we measured increased wingbeat frequency, lift coefficient and induced power, but a reduced profile power. The mechanical power output, assuming perfect elastic storage in the flight system, remained largely unchanged after the wing-trimming treatment. 4. Metabolic flight costs (CO2 production rate) did not increase significantly in the reduced wing area group, which is in line with the aerodynamic power output. 5. Our results indicate that an increase of flight cost due to wing wear is not a likely explanation for increased mortality rate in bumblebees. Wing wear may, however, affect escape performance from predators. (Less)
A comparative study of misoprostol oral versus vaginal route for induction of labour

Induction of labour is the intentional initiation of labour before spontaneous onset, for delivery of the fetoplacental unit. Induction of labour at term is a common obstetric intervention and cervical ripening in these cases is of importance. Systematic review and meta-analysis have shown there are advantages in using vaginal prostaglandins when compared with oxytocin alone in the presence of an unripe cervix, with regards to shorter induction of delivery time and lower operative delivery rate.
Produção de enzimas extracelulares por Crinipellis perniciosa

Strains of Crinipellis perniciosa isolated from cocoa (Theobromae cacao), cupuassu (T. grandiflorum) and wild solanaceous were tested for their ability to produce extracellular enzymes which degrade cellulose, starch, lipids and lignin. The production of all enzymes was examined in solid media and was estimated based on the intensity of color or on the diameter of halos formed on the media. Variability was detected among the isolates in their capacity to produce cellulolytic enzymes, amylase, lypase, phenol-oxidase, peroxidase and esterase. All isolates presented high level of activity, regarding proteolytic enzymes. On the other hand, none of the isolates produced pectinase, urease and acid phosphatase. The roles of lytic enzymes of C. perniciosa on pathogenesis and on basidiome production are discussed.
Mode of action of linear amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptides

The increasing resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics resulted in a strong effort to develop antimicrobial compounds with new mechanisms of action. Antimicrobial peptides seem to be a promising solution to this problem. Many studies aimed at understanding their mode of action were described in the past few years. The most studied group includes the linear, mostly alpha-helical peptides. Although the exact mechanism by which they kill bacteria is not clearly understood, it has been shown that peptide-lipid interactions leading to membrane permeation play a role in their activity. Membrane permeation by amphipathic alpha-helical peptides can proceed via either one of the two mechanisms: (a) transmembrane pore formation via a "barrel-stave" mechanism; and (b) membrane destruction/solubilization via a "carpet-like" mechanism. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent studies aimed at understanding the mode of action of linear alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides. This review, which is focused on magainins, cecropins, and dermaseptins as representatives of the amphipathic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides, supports the carpet-like rather the barrel-stave mechanism. That these peptides vary with regard to their length, amino acid composition, and next positive charge, but act via a common mechanism, may imply that other linear antimicrobial peptides that share the same properties also share the same mechanism.
Biofilm and Virulence Regulation in the Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Pathogens, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal, incurable genetic disease that affects over 30,000 people in the United States alone. People with this disease have a homozygous mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) which causes defects in chloride transport and leads to build up of mucus in the lungs and disruption of function in various organs. CF patients often suffer from chronic bacterial infections within the lungs, wherein the bacteria persist as a biofilm, leading to poor prognosis. Two of these pathogens, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are often found in the lungs of patients with CF and are an increasing medical concerns due to their intrinsic antimicrobial resistance. Both species can readily form biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces such as intravascular devices, glass, plastic, and host tissue. Biofilm formation starts with bacterial attachment to a surface and/or adjacent cells, initiating the acute infection stage. Chronic, long-term infection involves subsequent or concurrent altered genetic regulation, including a downregulation of virulence factors, resulting in the bacteria committing to a sessile lifestyle, markedly different from the planktonic one. Many of these genetic switches from an acute to chronic lifestyle are due to pressures from the host immune system and lead to permanently mutated strains, most likely an adaptive strategy to evade host immune responses. Biofilms are extremely problematic in a clinical setting because they lead to nosocomial infections and persist inside the host causing long-term chronic infections due to their heightened tolerance to almost all antibiotics. Understanding the genetic networks governing biofilm initiation and maintenance would greatly reduce consequences for CF and other biofilm-related infections and could lead to the development of treatments and cures for affected patients. This study showed that in S. maltophilia, isogenic deletion of phosphoglycerate mutase (gpmA) and two chaperone-usher pilin subunits, S. maltophilia fimbrae-1 (smf-1) and cblA, lead to defects in attachment on abiotic surfaces and cystic fibrosis derived bronchial epithelial cells (CFBE). Furthermore, Δsmf-1 and ΔcblA showed defects in long-term biofilm formation, mimicking that of a chronic infection lifestyle, on abiotic surfaces and CFBE as well as stimulating less of an immune response through TNF-α production. This study also showed that in P. aeruginosa, the Type III secretion system (T3SS), an important virulence factor activated during the acute stage of infection, is downregulated when polB, a stress-induced alternate DNA polymerase, is overexpressed. This downregulation is due to post-transcriptional inhibition of the master regulatory protein, ExsA. Taken together, this project highlights important genes involved in the acute and chronic infection lifestyle and biofilm formation in S. maltophilia and genetic switches during the acute infection lifestyle in P. aeruginosa.
Refusing Reform, Reworking Pity, or Reinforcing Privilege? The Multivalent Politics of Young People’s Fun and Friendship within a Volunteering Encounter

This paper analyses initiatives which took British young people from ethnic minority and disenfranchised backgrounds to volunteer in sub-Saharan Africa. It asks whether decolonial possibilities can be seen in the politics of youthful fun and friendship amid a practice undeniably driven by interpenetrating neocolonial logics, where enrolment in helping “needy” others is seen as a means to “improve” working-class and racially marked youth. The paper argues that volunteers’ investments in leisure constituted a politics of refusal towards how they were acted upon as objects of concern. More ambivalently, playful, friendly interactions between British and African youth disrupted relations of charitable pity and signalled desires for solidarity and equality, but cannot be claimed as fully decolonial. At times, fun also re-entrenched neocolonial and other oppressive relations. Overall, the paper demonstrates that a close reading of the multivalent, affective politics of young people’s fun and friendship can reveal much about the reproduction or subversion of contemporary neocolonial logics that operate both within and beyond the borders of postcolonial Britain.
Effect of High Iodine Intake on Selected Parameters of Immunity in Sheep

Abstract The study aimed at defining the immunity risks connected with high iodine supplementation in ewes and their lambs. The feed ration for control group (C) of ewes (n=6) contained 3.1 mg of iodine per kilogram of dietary dry matter and for experimental group (E) of ewes (n=6) 5.1 mg of iodine per kilogram of dietary dry matter. The animals were fed the diets for 8 months. Parallelly with different iodine supplementation, some immunological parameters (percentage of γ-globulins, concentration of immunoglobulin G, and white blood cell count) were examined in ewes and their lambs. The difference in the average concentration of immunoglobulin G between the ewes of group C and E was not significant during the experiment. A significant decrease (P<0.01) in the concentration of immunoglobulin G from 19.6 mg/mL before the experiment to 9.8 mg/mL on day 60 of the experiment was demonstrated in the ewes of group E. The average percentage of γ-globulins in the whole period after parturition was lower in the ewes of group E than in group C. The concentration of immunoglobulin G and the percentage of γ-globulins in lambs from dams in group E was continually lower (P<0.01) for the entire period of 1-30 d and demonstrated immunological risks of the excessive intake of iodine. The obtained results document a dangerous influence of high iodine intake on immunity in the prenatal period in ewes and mainly in the postnatal period in their lambs.
Human Eosinophils Regulate Human Lung- and Skin-Derived Fibroblast Properties in vitro: A Role for Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β)

Eosinophils have been associated with fibrosis. To investigate their direct role in fibrosis, human peripheral blood eosinophil sonicate was added to human lung or dermal fibroblasts, and proliferation ([3H]thymidine) and collagen synthesis ([3H]proline) were evaluated. Proliferation was enhanced significantly in the monolayers in a dose-dependent manner. The activity of the eosinophil fibrogenic factor(s) remained unaltered when heated (56°C, 30 min). Supernatants of cultured eosinophils (20 min or 18 hr) also enhanced lung fibroblast proliferation, indicating that the preformed mitogenic factor(s) can be released both promptly and with a long kinetic. Eosinophils significantly decreased collagen production in lung fibroblasts while increasing it in dermal fibroblasts. However, eosinophils containing matrix metalloproteinase 9 (zymography) in latent form and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (reverse zymography) did not influence either fibroblast matrix metalloproteinases or tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases. Eosinophil sonicate added to skin and lung fibroblasts in tridimensional collagen lattices significantly enhanced lattice contraction. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a major fibrogenic cytokine produced by eosinophils. Therefore, to assess its role, eosinophil sonicate was preincubated with anti-TGF-β neutralizing antibodies. This treatment partially inhibited proliferation of lung and collagen synthesis of dermal fibroblasts and suppressed the stimulation of lattice contraction, indicating the fibrogenic role of eosinophil-associated TGF-β. In conclusion, we have shown that eosinophils act as direct modulatory cells in fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis, and lattice contraction, in part, through TGF-β. These data corroborate the importance of eosinophils in skin and lung fibrosis.
Small-Scale Covariability in the Abundance of Fish Larvae and Their Prey

We studied the covariability in the abundance of larval fish and rnicrozooplankton at a fixed station of the St. Lawrence upper estuary. Hourly sampling during 129 h combined with net and tidal circulations allowed us to resolve spatial scales of approximately 2 km to several tens of kilometres. Low-frequency fluctuations in the abundance of larval capelin (Mallotus villosus) and larval Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) reflected the advection past the station of successive cohorts. Large-scale horizontal gradients in abundance and length were apparently formed at the emergence of the larvae from the spawning beds. The majority of capelin larvae we sampled had not yet completely exhausted their yolk reserves. There was no indication that differential mortality or active swimming had produced a concordance between the distribution of this species and the distribution of microzooplankton. Herring larvae resorbed their yolk sac and began mandatory exogenous feeding during the period of sampling. Ti.
Angiogenesis and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer

Several preclinical studies suggested a potential benefit from combined treatment with inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and angiogenesis, both effective in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In pretreated patients with advanced EGFR wild type NSCLC, bevacizumab plus erlotinib improved progression-free survival as second-line therapy in the BeTa study and as maintenance therapy in the ATLAS trial, although the benefit was modest and did not translate into an advantage in overall survival. Disappointing results were reported with oral VEGF inhibitors plus erlotinib in pretreated patients with EGFR wild type NSCLC. On the contrary, erlotinib plus bevacizumab or ramucirumab showed a clinically relevant improvement of progression-free survival in naïve patients with EGFR mutations, leading to the approval of these two regimens as first-line treatment of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutant tumors. Several clinical studies are evaluating the feasibility and activity of osimertinib plus bevacizumab or ramucirumab. However, limits that could affect its use in clinical practice are the need of an intravenous infusion for angiogenesis inhibitors, the increased incidence of treatment associated adverse events, the exclusion of patients with tumors located in central position or at risk of hemorrhage. The identification of predictive biomarkers is an important goal of research to optimize the combined use of these agents.