Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduced p75NTR expression delays disease onset only in female mice of a transgenic model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

hSOD1 (G93A) transgenic mice develop pathological changes similar to those in patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). In particular, the progressive degeneration of motoneurons is charactered in this mouse model. One feature of stressed motoneurons in ALS and the hSOD1 mice is the induction of the p75 neurotrophin receptor, which is thought, under certain circumstances, to be a death‐signaling molecule. We have studied disease progression of hSOD1 (G93A) mice in the absence of the p75NTR receptor and we monitored histological changes in the ventral spinal cord. Whereas female double transgenics showed prolonged survival, this effect was not observed in males. Improved survival in female mice was not correlated with increased motoneuronal survival, but with less astrocytic activation in lumbar ventral spinal cord, as shown by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry. These data suggest that p75NTR is not directly involved in the mechanism leading to motoneuron degeneration. More likely, an indirect process, presumably via regulation of astrocytes, might be responsible for the increased survival responses of female double transgenic mice.
Health benefits of dietary fat reduction by a novel fat replacer: Mimix

The primary goals of this study were to identify any health benefits of the replacement of dietary fat with a novel fat replacer, Mimix, and to assure that the consumption of this fat replacer did not convey any deleterious health effects. Male, weanling, Fischer 344 rats were fed one of six diets containing between 5 and 20% w/w as fat for 8 weeks. These diets included two high fat diets (safflower oil or lard), a low fat diet and three diets where 15% of the fat in the high fat diets was replaced with various amounts of Mimix. When animals were fed a diet rich in saturated fat they consumed significantly more energy than other diet groups. When 15% saturated fat (lard) was replaced with safflower oil animals adjusted their food intake so that no difference in energy intake was observed between the high safflower diet and the low fat and Mimix diets. When the various Mimix fat replacements were compared to animals fed a high fat lard diet there was incomplete compensation of energy intake. Animals fed the high fat lard diet also had higher glucose and total serum cholesterol than their low fat and fat replacement counterparts. Feeding a high fat safflower oil diet to rats resulted in a significantly lower total serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride than all other diets. Replacement of dietary fat with Mimix demonstrated no deleterious effects on the heart, liver and intestinal tract that were all of normal weight, morphology and colour compared to other diet groups. Body composition analysis demonstrated that animals fed high fat diets had higher body fat mass at the expense of lean body mass. This was most obvious for animals fed high fat lard diets who had heavier epididymal fat pads. These data demonstrate that the replacement of dietary fat with the novel fat replacer Mimix can convey a number of health benefits in the absence of any deleterious effects.
Molecular Markers and Their Use in Marker-Assisted Selection in Rice

Increasing world population, shrinking cultivable rice (Oryza sativa L.) land area, water scarcity and excess, evolution of new biotypes of pests and diseases, and climate change pose serious challenges to rice breeders to increase production and productivity with multiple resistances to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent advances in rice genomics research and completion of the rice genome sequence have made it possible to identify and map precisely a number of genes through linkage to DNA markers. Noteworthy examples of some of the genes tightly linked to markers are resistance to or tolerance of blast, bacterial blight, virus dseases, brown planthopper (Nilaparvata submergence, salinity, and lom temperature and improved agronomic and grain quality traits Marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be used for monitoring the presence or absence of these genes in breeding populations and can be combined with conventional breeding approches Marker-assisted back-cross breeding has been used to effectively integrate major genes or quantitative trait loci with large effect into widely grown varieties Pyramiding different resistance genes using MAS provides oppertunities to breeders to develop broad-specirum resistance for diseases and insects. The use of cost-effective DNA markers derived from the fine mapped position of the genes for important agronomic traits and MAS strategies will provide opportunities for breeders to develop high-yielding, stress-resistant, and better-quality rice cultivars.
Forage fiber effects on particle size reduction, ruminal stratification, and selective retention in heifers fed highly digestible grass/clover silages

The effects of chopping grass silage and of mixing grass silage with concentrate on feed intake and performance in pregnant and lactating ewes, and in growing lambs were studied in two experiments (Exp. 1 and Exp. 2). The three experimental diets used in both experi- ments were: (1) unchopped grass silage and 0.8 kg/d concentrate, fed separately (US); (2) chopped grass silage and 0.8 kg/d concentrate, fed separately (CS); and (3) chopped grass silage mixed with concentrate to the same forage:concentrate ratio as in the CS treatment (CM). Twin bearing/suckling ewes ( n = 7 per treatment) were individually penned and indi- vidually fed during the experiments. The lambs were penned and fed in twin pairs after weaning. The silages used in Experiments 1 and 2 contained 583 and 353 g dry matter (DM) per kg, and 10.9 and 11.4 MJ ME, 139 and 193 g CP, and 580 and 483 g NDF per kg DM, respectively. In Exp. 1, daily DM intake (DMI) by ewes and LWG of lambs were unaffected by chopping silage or mixing silage and concentrate ( P > 0.05). In Exp. 2, the daily DMI by lactating ewes was 0.6 kg higher in the mixed diet compared with the separate diets (4.4 vs. 3.8 kg; P < 0.05). Suckling lambs on the chopped diets in Exp. 2, had 38 g higher daily live weight gain (LWG) than those on the unchopped diet (424 vs. 386 g; P < 0.05), whereas suck- ling lambs on the mixed diet had 63 g higher daily LWG than those on the separate diets (454 vs. 391 g; P < 0.001) resulting in 11 days younger age at slaughter ( P < 0.01). Weaned lambs fed the chopped diets in Exp. 2, had 71 g higher daily LWG than those on the unchopped diets (444 vs. 373 g; P < 0.01) resulting in 9 days younger age at slaughter ( P < 0.05). Aver- aged over treatments, the daily silage DMI of ewes increased from 1.9 to 2.8 kg in Exp. 1 and from 2.0 to 3.3 kg in Exp. 2 from late pregnancy to lactation. It was concluded that chopping highly digestible grass silage and mixing it with concentrate can increase the DMI of ewes and improve the performance of their lambs. and BCS of the ewes, and in increased feed intake and LWG of lambs. The of the to evaluate the effects of chopping grass silage and of mixing grass with concentrate on feed BW and BCS in pregnant and lactating and on feed LWG and carcass characteristics in intensively reared The effect of in quality on feed BW and BCS of and on of their lambs also
Comparison of Failure Time Analysis and Abbott's Formula for Estimating Survival of Organisms Entrained at Power Stations

Abstract During the 1970s and 1980s, numerous studies were conducted to estimate the survival of ichthyoplankton following passage through power plant cooling systems. These studies generally used Abbott's formula to adjust the observed survival of organisms collected at the discharge for sampling mortality, as measured at the intake. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) criticized these past studies for methodological faults (including the data analysis methods) on the basis that Abbott's formula may introduce a bias if sample sizes are small or unequal at the intake and discharge locations, sampling mortality is high, the samples contain organisms that were already dead, or the organisms are heterogeneous with respect to their probability of surviving entrainment. The effects of these issues on the bias and precision of entrainment survival estimates calculated using Abbott's formula and using failure time analysis were determined from simulated samples. Failure time analysis produced estima.
ANTIBODIES TO HUMAN SPERM YLP12 PEPTIDE THAT IS INVOLVED IN EGG BINDING INHIBIT HUMAN SPERM CAPACITATION/ACROSOME REACTION

Recently, the authors reported a novel dodecamer peptide sequence, designated as YLP12, on human sperm, that is involved in binding to zona pellucida (ZP) of human oocyte [10]. This unique sequence is present on the acrosomal region of the human sperm cell and is expressed only in human testis/sperm. The aim of the present study was to examine whether YLP12 sequence is involved in capacitation/acrosome reaction. Swim-up sperm were capacitated with anti-YLP12 Fab' antibodies or control Fab's (40 and 85 µg/mL) and then the acrosome reaction was induced with calcium ionophore. An average of 64-73% sperm underwent acrosome reaction when they were capacitated in the presence of 40-85 µg/mL of bovine serum albumin or control Fab's.A significant (p <. 01 to <. 001) reduction (58-75%) in the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm was observed when the sperm were capacitated in the presence of YLP12 Fab's. These data indicate that the YLP12 peptide sequence is involved in sperm capacitation/acrosome reaction, and may find clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility and immunocontraception.
The origins of the Irish Travellers and the genetic structure of Ireland

Ireland's unique and well-documented history provides insight into the formation and origins of population subdivisions. Of particular interest, is the controversial ethnogenesis of an itinerant population of Ireland: the Travellers. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the genetic affinity of the Travellers to the general Irish population based on gene frequency data, subdivided by county, and (2) to explore the relationship between subpopulations of Ireland, given its turbulent history. The gene frequencies of standard genetic markers collected from populations residing in counties of Ireland and the Travellers were calculated and analysed using several multivariate methods. First, a relationship (R) matrix was used to ascertain the scaled variancecovariance matrix of population similarity. Second, mean per locus heterozygosity (H) was regressed on distance of the region from the gene frequency centroid (rii). The results of this study include: (1) the confirmation of Crawford's (1975, in Biosocial Interrelations in Population Adaptations, E. S. Watts et al. (eds), pp. 93-103) conclusions concerning the origins and genetic affinity of the Travellers; (2) based on several multivariate analyses, the major influence on population structure was unique historical events; and (3) Relethford and Crawford's (1995, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 96, 25-38) hypothesis concerning the distinctiveness of the midland counties was verified by this study.
Molecular and Cell Biology of TGF-β

The TGF-βs are a remarkable set of peptides consisting of three highly homologous isoforms, TGF-β 1, 2, and 3. Distinguished initially for their ability to inhibit the growth of most epithelial and hematopoietic cells and to regulate the production of extracellular matrix by mesenchymal cells, these peptides are now known to act via autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine modes to control a wide variety of developmental processes and to play key roles in the pathogenesis of many diseases including especially fibrotic diseases, parasitic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and carcinogenesis. The activity of these peptides is under tight control by processes including regulation of the expression of the isoforms and their receptors and of the trafficking and activation of their latent forms.
Immune challenge reduces reproductive output and growth in a lizard

1. A fundamental assumption in evolutionary immunology is that the immune system is costly to develop, maintain or activate. 2. Two plausible costs of activation of the immune system are decreased resources for growth and reproductive investment. However, few studies have estimated direct effects of an immune challenge, in particular in ectotherm vertebrates. We studied the consequences of an immune challenge in reproductive female dragons, Ctenophorus fordi, and in their offspring by exposing lizards to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). 3. The immune challenge led to decreased reproductive investment in terms of egg mass, but with no effect on probability of future reproduction. 4. Maternal immune challenge did not influence the response of their offspring to the same challenge. However, juveniles that were induced to mount an immune response had a higher thermal preference and showed reduced growth, but the magnitude of the growth effect was dependent on the date of oviposition, indicating maternal effects on offspring immunity. 5. Our results suggest that costs of immune activation may be important in shaping growth and reproductive strategies in ectotherms.
Variation in water-use efficiency and its relation to carbon isotope ratio in cotton

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is often exposed to drought, which adversely affects both yield and quality. Improved water-use efficiency (WUE = total dry matter produced or yield harvested / water used) is expected to reduce these adverse effects. Genetic variability in WUE and its association with photosynthetic rate and carbon isotope ratio ( 13 C/ 12 C) in cotton are reported in this paper. WUE of six cotton cultivars-G. hirsutum L. , G. barbadense L. , and an interspecific F 1 hybrid (G. hirsutum × G. barbadense, ISH), was examined under two irrigation regimes in two field trials. The greatest WUE was obtained by two G. hirsutum cultivars (2.55 g dry matter or 1.12 g seed-cotton L -1 H 2 O); the ISH obtained similar or somewhat lower values, and two G. barbadense cultivars and one G. hirsutum cultivar exhibited the lowest values (2.1 g dry matter or 0.8 to 0.85 g seed-cotton L -1 H 2 O). These results indicate that different cotton cultivars may have evolved different environmental adaptations that affect their WUE. Photosynthetic rate was correlated with WUE in only a few cases, emphasizing the limitation of this parameter as a basis for estimating crop WUE. Under both trials, WUE was positively correlated with carbon isotope ratio, indicating the potential of this technique as a selection criterion for improving cotton WUE.
Cretamerus vulloi gen. et sp. nov., the oldest bark-gnawing beetle (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) from Cretaceous amber

Cretamerus vulloi gen. et sp. nov., a fossil bark-gnawing beetle (Cleroidea: Trogossitidae), is described from the Cretaceous amber (Cenomanian) of Fouras/Bois-Vert, France. It is the oldest known record confirmed for the entire superfamily Cleroidea on the European continent. The fine state of preservation and the transparency of the amber matrix make it possible to determine certain morphological character states for the fossil and insert them into a character matrix of Trogossitidae genera to suggest an internal phylogenetic position for C. vulloi. The resulting tree reveals the basal position of C. vulloi within the lophocaterine clade and it is proposed that it may form an extinct branch of the Recent Decamerini. Some remarks on the palaeobiogeography of the Trogossitidae are also provided. Two other possible Trogossitidae from the Cretaceous amber (Albian) of Spain are also discussed and figured. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:66D7911E-E338-414B-B072-BAE0B0400201
Morphology of the Cercus in Blattella germanica (Blattaria: Pseudomopinae)

The profound morphological changes and sexual differences which occur at metamorphosis in the cercus of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), are described and illustrated. These include a marked change of position, color, and shape, and changes in the arrangement and orientation of some of the sensilla on the cercus. The number of annulations on the cercus is a good guide to the instar in most, but not in all, instars. The pattern of cuticular sculpturing differs considerably in different regions of the cercus, and also between nymph and adult. The nymphal cercus has a characteristic glandular epithelium which is absent in the adult. The cercus in B. germanica may prove useful in the bioassay of substances with juvenile hormone activity.
Abnormalities of visual search behaviour in ALS patients detected with event-related brain potentials

A number of recent reports have emphasized neuropyschological symptoms in ALS, including frontal functions, memory and attention. We investigated visual search behaviour of ALS in two types of tasks: a simple, relatively effortless parallel search task and a more complex attention-demanding serial search task. Behavioural parameters and cognitive event-related potentials (ERP) from 19 scalp channels were obtained from 13 ALS patients and 13 matched controls during task performance. ALS patients showed the same target detection rates as controls in the parallel task but were significantly impaired in the serial task. Performance was slower in the patients than in the controls. This slowing could be attributed to cognitive rather than motor impairments, by inspection of the latency of the P3 component, which was delayed by 120 ms in the patients. In addition, the ERPs in the serial task showed a grossly reduced P3 amplitude, indicating disturbed stimulus evaluation in the patients under these conditions. Changes of an early attention-sensitive ERP component suggest an attention deficit underlying the disturbances in search behaviour. (Amyot Lat Scler 1999; 1:21–27)
Nutritional and hematological impact of dietary flaxseed and defatted flaxseed meal in rats

An 8-week study was conducted to determine the impact of dietary ground flaxseed (FS) or defatted flaxseed meal (FLM) on plasma lipids, minerals, hematological parameters and vitamin E status of weanling female Sprague-Dawley rats. These rats were fed isocaloric modified AIN-76 diets supplemented with 0.0, 5.0, 10.0% (w/w) FS or 6.2% (w/w) FLM for 56 days. Total and HDL cholesterol were not influenced by any of the dietary treatments. Plasma triglyceride was significantly increased by FLM, but not affected by FS. Total RBC counts and hematocrit were significantly higher in FS groups than in the control group; however, hemoglobin was not affected by FS. Dietary FLM had no effect on any of the above hematological parameters. Plasma alkaline phosphatase, an indicator of Zn status and a marker of bone formation, was significantly lower in the FS and FLM groups than in the control group. Plasma vitamin E content was not influenced by dietary treatment. Liver vitamin E was significantly higher in groups fed 10% FS and 6.2% FLM. In summary, moderate amounts of dietary FS may have the potential to increase liver vitamin E level and improve iron status. However, FS/FLM consumption may have a negative effect on zinc status, as indicated by decreased alkaline phosphatase levels.
Darwinian Model Building

We present a way to generate heuristic mathematical models based on the Darwinian principles of variation and selection in a pool of individuals over many generations. Each individual has a genotype (the hereditary properties) and a phenotype (the expression of these properties in the environment). Variation is achieved by cross‐over and mutation operations on the genotype which consists in the present case of a single chromosome. The genotypes ‘live’ in the environment of the data. Nested Sampling is used to optimize the free parameters of the models given the data, thus giving rise to the phenotypes. Selection is based on the phenotypes.The evidences which naturally follow from the Nested Sampling Algorithm are used in a second level of Nested Sampling to find increasingly better models.The data in this paper originate from the Leiden Cytology and Pathology Laboratory (LCPL), which screens pap smears for cervical cancer. We have data for 1750 women who on average underwent 5 tests each. The data on indi.
ICSI AS AN EFFECTIVE THERAPY FOR MALE FACTOR WITH ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES

This study was conducted to evaluate if in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an effective treatment for infertility complicated by the presence in the male partner of sperm autoantibodies. Over a 1-year study period comparisons of fertilization, pregnancy, and implantation rates were made in couples where the male partner was negative or weakly positive for sperm autoantibodies (<50%) (gr 1); autoantibodies were strongly positive (>80%) (gr 2); or autoantibodies were moderately positive (50-80%) (gr 3). Only patients having oocytes fertilized by ICSI were included. The fertilization, clinical pregnancy, implantation, and miscarriage rate for group 1 (n = 67) was 56, 43, 21, and 14%. Comparable values for group 2 (n = 20) were 55, 40, 23, and 25%, and for group 3 (n = 6) were 63, 33, 23, and 0%. IVF with ICSI demonstrates comparable fertilization, pregnancy, implantation, and miscarriage rates in female partners of males with and without sperm autoantibodies.
Flow properties of oat protein dispersions

The effects of protein and salt concentrations, anions, and heating on the flow properties of oat globulin dispersions were studied. Flow properties were greatly influenced by the conformation and state of aggregation-dissociation of the oat protein polypeptides. Chemical modifications including deamidation, acylation, trypsin hydrolysis and linoleate treatment also change the flow characteristics of oat protein concentrates and isolates
Comparative study of two techniques for assessing fat intake in a Mediterranean diet. The influence of culinary oils changes

The diet usually consumed by a community of 18 normolipemic monks was studied. It included olive oil as cooking fat (basal period BP). This diet was modified by substituting olive oil for sunflower oil during a 21-day period (experimental period EP). The precise individual weighing technique was utilised for the determination of intake, and by means of the food composition tables (FCTs) the energy and nutrient of the diet were calculated. By chemical analysis of the duplicate sample (CA) of the cooked dishes the lipid intake was also determined. Total serum cholesterol HDL and LDL cholesterol, serum triglycerides, AI and B-100 apolipoproteins and Lp(a) were also analysed. Similarly the absolute and relative values for SFA, MUFA and PUFA obtained by both techniques were also different and these were maintained when the (PUFA + MUFA)/SFA ratio was calculated by both techniques and in the two periods. The correction of the lipid intake by means of the CA technique did not improve either the correlation between the intake or the plasma lipid concentration or the cholesterolemia prediction (r = 0.83 for FCT and CA).