Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIALS OF COMBINED AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM AND OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM ON ALLOXAN- INDUCED DIABETIC RATTUS NOVERGICUS

The effect of combined aqueous leaves extracts of Ocimum gratissimum and Gongronema latifolium on alloxan-induced diabetic Rattus norvegicus was investigated for 28 days. Lethal dose (LD50) and phytochemical compositions were determined by standard methods. Phytochemical analyses to determine the levels of alkaloid, flavonoid, tannin and saponin content of O. gratissimum and G. latifolium were done using standard methods. A total of 90 rats were divided into six groups (1 – 6) of fifteen rats per group, with each group comprising of three replicates of five rats each. Diabetes was induced in the rats by injection of 150 mg/kg of crystalline powdered alloxan monohydrate. Treatment groups 2, 3 and 4 had diabetic rats administered 100, 250 and 350 mg/kg of combined extracts respectively. Group 1(normal control, nondiabetic rats), 5 (standard control, diabetic rats) and 6 (negative control, diabetic rats) were administered distilled water, standard drug (glibenclamide) and distilled water respectively. All the administration was done by oral intubation. Changes in body weight blood glucose levels, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were determined using standard methods on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The lethal dose (LD50) of the mixed extract was estimated to be ≥ 5000 mg/kg of body weight of rat. The aqueous extract of O. gratissimum had high presence of reducing sugars, tannin, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenol. Soluble carbohydrates, hydrogen cyanide, terpenoid and saponins were slightly present. The aqueous extract of G. latifolium contains tannin and alkaloids in proportionate abundance, followed by reducing sugars, soluble carbohydrates, flavonoids and phenol. A non-significant decrease (p>0.05) was recorded in the body weight of rats. Significant decreases (p<0.05) were recorded in the blood glucose levels of rats. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the lipid profiles. The result therefore, suggests that G. latifolium and O. gratissimum have hypoglycaemic, effects on alloxan– induced diabetic rats. Generally, they are non-toxic even at high dose of 350 mg/kg body weight.
Effect of Celery (Apium Graveolens) Against Cisplatin Induced Kidney Injury in Rats

Numerous studies have been performed to cisplatin is a potent antineoplastic drug used in the treatment of solid tumors however this cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity. 60 male albino rats weighing 130±5 g, were divided into 6 groups which were group one received normal saline (2 ml/day, i.p) acted as control –ve group. Group two received a dose of cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg bwt, i.p), fed on standard diet and acted as control +ve group. From groups three to six received a dose of cisplatin at first and 30 day and administered celery powder, juice, seeds, and extract all over period of the experiment, respectively. After 60 days, rats were sacrificed to collect blood and kidneys samples. The results showed that the administration of celery powder, juice, seed and extract showed significant increase in nutritional results with normal values of total protein and globulin compared to control +ve group and normal values of antioxidant enzymes, haemoglobin and packed cell volume compared to control -ve group. The administration of celery seeds and extract could lower the increase of creatinine but administration of celery juice, seeds and extract showed normal values of rennin, erythropoiten and vitamin D compared to control –ve group. These results suggest that administration of celery powder, juice, seed and extract has improvement effects against cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Keyword: cisplatincelerynephrotoxicityrats.
The trend of the oxidants in boreal forest over 2007–2018: comprehensive modelling study with long-term measurements at SMEAR II, Finland

Abstract. Major atmospheric oxidants (OH, O3 and NO3) dominate the atmospheric oxidation capacity, while H2SO4 is considered as a main driver for new particle formation events. Although numerous studies have investigated the long-term trend of ozone in Europe, the trend of OH, NO3 and H2SO4 at specific sites are to a large extent unknown. In this study, we investigated how the trends in major atmospheric oxidants (OH, O3 and NO3) and H2SO4 changed in southern Finland during the past 12 years and discuss how these trends relate to decreasing emissions of regulated air pollutants in Europe. The one-dimensional model SOSAA has been applied in several studies at the SMEAR II station, and has been validated by measurements in several projects. Here, we ran the SOSAA model for the years 2007–2018 to simulate the atmospheric chemical components, especially the atmospheric oxidants and H2SO4 at SMEAR II. The simulations were evaluated with observations at SMEAR II for several shorter and longer campaigns. Our results show that OH increased by +1.56 (−0.8; +3.17) % yr−1 during daytime and NO3 decreased by −3.92 (−6.49; −1.79) % yr−1 during nighttime, indicating different trends of the oxidants during day and night. Sulphuric acid decreased during daytime by −5.12 (−11.39; −0.52) % yr−1, which correlated with the observed decreasing concentration of newly formed particles in the size range 3–25 nm by 1.4 % yr−1 at SMEAR II during the years 1997–2012 (Nieminen et al., 2014). Additionally we compared our simulated OH, NO3 and H2SO4 concentrations with proxies, which are commonly applied in case limited amount of parameters are measured and no detailed model simulations are available.
Effect of Trichoderma harzianum on perithecial production of Gibberella zeae on wheat straw

Abstract Conidial suspensions and cell-free filtrates of Trichoderma harzianum isolates were evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing perithecial and ascospore production of Gibberella zeae on wheat straw. Isolate T-22, which is registered in the US as a biological control agent (Plant Shield™), was included in the study as a positive control. When co-inoculated with G. zeae all 11 isolates of T. harzianum significantly reduced perithecial numbers on wheat straw. Five T. harzianum isolates, including T-22, reduced perithecial formation by 70% or greater. All isolates of G. zeae, varied in their ability to produce perithecia. Isolate 192132 produced the greatest number of perithecia and was used to further evaluate the effect of application time of the T. harzianum isolates. Perithecial reduction was highest (96–99%) when T. harzianum conidial suspension or cell-free filtrate was applied to straw 24 h prior to inoculation with G. zeae. Control was less effective when T. harzianum was applied at the same time (co-inoculated) or 24 h after G. zeae. Treatments which reduced perithecial numbers also reduced ascospore numbers; however, the average numbers of ascospores per perithecia were not significantly lowered. Field trials showed significant reduction of perithecia on residues treated with T. harzianum prior to placement on the soil surface. Both T. harzianum and G. zeae were re-isolated from residues sampled in July and August after 30 and 60 days of exposure to the environment.
Utilisation de la méthode des captures successives (De LURY) pour l'évaluation des peuplements piscicoles

La methode des captures successives ( De Lury ) a ete utilisee pour l'evaluation de trois types de peuplements piscicoles. Les resultats obtenus avec deux peches et trois peches sont compares entre eux; la methode des captures-recaptures (Petersen) a egalement ete comparee avec la methode De Lury deux peches. D'une maniere generale , il ressort de ce travail que la methode Peters en doit etre utilisee dans le cas de faibles efficacites et de peuplements peu importants . Etant donne les conditions statistiques draconiennes devant etre realisees lors de l'emploi de la methode des captures successives (De Lury), il semble preferable de reserver son emploi au cas de fortes efficacites ou de peuplements importants. On propose l'emploi d'une strategie, basee sur l'importancerelative des captures, pour l'execution des inventaires piscicoles par la methode De Lury.
VARIATION IN THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF SPORES, BASIDIA AND CYSTIDIA IN BASIDIOMYCETES

The rudiments of basidiospores are generally subglobose. Either they remain so by swelling outward from the tip of the sterigma, or, more commonly, they become ellipsoid in a direction practically parallel with the long axis of the basidium. In many species with ellipsoid spores there is a great range in length of the mature spores but comparatively little in width. Such spores continually change shape as they grow, becoming more and more elongate; and one would expect, therefore, that closely related species, differing mainly in spore size, should have differently shaped spores. The tendency is to classify species according to the shape of the spore and to separate species according to its size. The method seems unnatural and, as it may seriously affect systematy, I have studied the problem in groups of very closely related species. The initial difficulty has been to discover such groups because local floras do not necessarily contain very closely related species. Thus, Amanita muscaria and A. rubescens, Paxillus involutus and P. atrotomentosus, or Clavaria argillacea and C. vermicularis are not very closely related, for each has much closer tropical allies. For the purpose of discovering affinities and, so, of arriving at truly mycological comparisons, I have monographed the species of Clavaria and allied genera. The results suggest a fundamental law of hyphal growth, and I have accordingly abstracted a few illustrations and added some examples from other groups in order to give a general account.
Long-term retention and detection of oxytetracycline marks applied to hatchery-reared larval striped bass, Morone saxatilis

Hatchery-reared larval striped bass, Morone saxatilis, destined for stocking in the Savannah River, Georgia, were immersed in oxytetracycline (OTC) to mark bony structures for later identification. Approximately 170 000 of these fish were raised to larger sizes and tagged with micromagnetic coded-wire tags (CWT). Recaptures of OTC-marked (OTC only) and marked and tagged (OTC and CWT) fish allowed us to determine retention of the OTC mark in otoliths to 3 years of age and to evaluate reader ability to detect those marks. The estimated retention rate was 80.2% for the first year, with no detectable change in additional years. Detection of OTC was age independent and estimated at 72.6% when one otolith was examined versus 92.5% when both otoliths were examined. Only 74.2% (retention x detection) of recaptures in this study would have been correctly identified as stocked fish if OTC alone was used as the marking method.
Peptide‐β2‐microglobulin‐major histocompatibility complex expressing cells are potent antigen‐presenting cells that can generate specific T cells

Adoptive T‐cell therapy represents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer. Successful adoptive immunotherapy depends on the ex vivo priming and expansion of antigen‐specific T cells. However, the in vitro generation of adequate numbers of functional antigen‐specific T cell remains a major obstacle. It is important to develop efficient and reproducible methods to generate high numbers of antigen‐specific T cells for adoptive T‐cell transfer. We have developed a new artificial antigen‐presenting cell (aAPC) by transfection of major histocompatibility (MHC) class I negative Daudi cells with a peptide‐β2‐microglobulin–MHC fusion construct (single‐chain aAPC) ensuring presentation of the peptide–MHC complex of interest. Using this artificial antigen‐presenting cell, we could generate up to 9·2 × 108 antigen‐specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells from 10 ml blood. In vitro generated T cells lysed endogenously presented antigens. Direct comparison of the single‐chain aAPC with autologous monocyte‐derived dendritic cells demonstrated that these cells were equally efficient in stimulation of T cells. Finally, we were able to generate antigen‐specific T cell lines from perpheral blood mononuclear cells of patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy. The use of single‐chain aAPC represent a promising option for the generation of antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells, which could be used for adoptive T‐cell therapy.
Paired cloning of the T cell receptor α and β genes from a single T cell without the establishment of a T cell clone

T cell receptors, which recognize antigen peptides on MHC molecules, are essential probes for the analysis of T cell antigen specificity. The identification of paired T cell receptor (TCR) chains, α/β or γ/δ, usually requires the establishment of T cell clones, which is not always available. In this study, we tried, as an alternative method, the paired cloning of TCR α/β genes directly from a single T cell. T cells were sorted as a single cell from which RNA was extracted. Then, TCR α/β CDR3 regions were amplified from the single cell‐derived cDNA by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction to determine their sequences. We successfully identified pairs of TCR α/β genes, and reconstructed the TCR molecule by a bacterial expression system. This strategy makes it possible to obtain recombinant TCR molecules from a single T cell without cellular cloning and promotes the investigation of T cell antigen specificity.
Colonizing Abilities, Island Size, and the Number of Species on Archipelagoes

The major conclusion of this paper is that larger refuges or islands generally will preserve more species than a series of small refuges of equivalent total area. The claim of Simberloff and Abele (1976) that several small refuges may contain more species than a single large refuge is valid only for islands which contain a very small fragment of the total available species pool. Such areas are inappropriate as permanent wildlife refuges. A system of small tracts of land, such as a series of small urban parks, may be designed specifically to preserve only a small fraction of the total fauna in each park, but a large diversity among parks. Two small islands may contain more species than a single island of equivalent area as the result of one or both of two effects: (1) a sampling phenomenon or (2) a faunal exchange with a "mainland" source pool. Both effects are reduced with increasing island size and as a result of realistic assumptions about the relative colonizing abilities of species. Arguments presented in this paper suggest that the results obtained by Simberloff and Abele are not the result of taxonomic idiosyncracy of arthropods; rather, their findings reflect the fact that the archipelago they studied contained only a small fraction of the total mangrove arthropod fauna.
On linking interannual tree ring variability with observations of whole‐forest CO2 flux

We used a 10‐year record of the CO2 flux by an old growth boreal forest in central Manitoba (the Northern Old Black Spruce Site (NOBS)), a ∼150‐year‐old Picea mariana [Mill. ] stand) to determine whether and how whole‐forest CO2 flux is related to tree ring width. We compared a 37‐year ring width chronology collected at NOBS to a second chronology that was collected at a nearby Black Spruce stand with a different disturbance history, and also to three measures of annual whole‐forest photosynthesis [gross ecosystem production (GEP)], two measures of annual respiration (R), and one measure of annual carbon balance [net ecosystem production (NEP)]. The year‐to‐year ring width fluctuations were well correlated between the two sites; increasing our confidence in the NOBS chronology and implying that ring width variation is driven and synchronized by the physical environment. Both chronologies exhibited serial correlation, with a fluctuation in ring width that had an apparent periodicity of ∼7 years. Neither chronology was correlated with variation in annual precipitation or temperature. Ring width and NEP increased, while R decreased from 1995 to 2004. GEP either remained constant or decreased from 1995 to 2004, depending on which measure was considered. The lack of relationship between ring width and GEP may indicate that ring growth is controlled almost entirely by something other than carbon uptake. Alternative explanations for the ring width chronologies include the possibility that wood production varies as a result of shifts in respiration, or that an unidentified aspect of the environment, rather than the balance between GEP and respiration, controls wood production. The serial correlation in ring width may be related to increases and decreases in carbohydrate pools, or to gradual changes in nutrient availability, pathogens, herbivores, soil frost or soil water table. The cause or causes of serial correlation, and the controls on the allocation of photosynthate to wood production, emerge as critical uncertainties for efforts in predicting the carbon balance of boreal ecosystems and inferring past climate from tree rings.
Can Surface Adhesion Drive Cell-rearrangement? Part I: Biological Cell-sorting

Abstract We explore the dynamical effects of surface adhesion on biological cell-sorting. We start with the simple idea that cell—cell adhesion is associated with an energy per unit area and define the total adhesion energy as a function of the cell configuration. We discuss whether deterministic cell motion, following the gradient of this position-dependent energy, can successfully explain cell-sorting in biology. We conclude: (i) Adhesion alone could be the source of cell movement. Internal cell activity is not necessary, although not excluded. (ii) For mixtures of two cell types, differential adhesion suffices to make clusters of the more cohesive cells coalesce and round. (iii) The presence of stable or metastable configurations, reached by relaxation of cell—cell adhesion energy, can explain why cell movement stops in biological experiments. (iv) Free boundaries, temperature and cell shapes affect cell-sorting. (v) Adhesion can also drive rearrangement in an homogeneous collection of cells.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENZYME‐LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY (ELISA) FOR ANALYSIS OF LISTERIOLYSIN O PRODUCED BY LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES 1

Listeriolysin O (LLO) is a heat‐labile hemolysin produced by Listeria mono‐cytogenes. Its hemolytic activity has been evaluated qualitatively by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) electrophoresis and immunoblotting. In this experiment, an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for quantitative analysis of LLO by using Streptolysin O (SLO) and antistreptolysin O (ASO) as the reagents. The selected coating and blocking buffers were 0.05 M Tris buffer (pH 8.5) and 0.25% casein solution with phosphate‐buffered saline solution + 0.05% Tween 20 (PBS‐T), respectively. A relationship between ASO and antibody was achieved with 5 mg/ml ASO and a 1:1,000 dilution of conjugate. The heat stability of LLO at 48, 62, 72, and 80C was examined by using this method and compared with a traditional hemolysis assay. Although the LLO is inactivated easily at those temperatures, the protein structure was not affected at temperatures lower than 80C for 3 min, pointing to a need for both hemolysis and ELISA to be conducted in determining both the activity and presence of LLO in foods.
A Municipality-Based Approach Using Commuting Census Data to Characterize the Vulnerability to Influenza-Like Epidemic: The COVID-19 Application in Italy

In February 2020, Italy became the epicentre for COVID-19 in Europe and at the beginning of March, in response to the growing epidemic, the Italian Government put in place emergency measures to restrict the movement of the population. Human mobility represents a crucial element to be considered in modelling human infectious diseases. In this paper, we examined the mechanisms underlying COVID-19 propagation using a Susceptible-Infected stochastic model (SI) driven mainly by commuting network in Italy. We modelled a municipality-specific contact rate to capture the disease permeability of each municipality, considering the population at different times of the day and describing the characteristic of the municipalities as attractors of commuters or places that make their workforce available elsewhere. The purpose of our analysis is to provide a better understanding of the epidemiological context of COVID-19 in Italy and to characterize the territory in terms of vulnerability at local or national level. The use of data at such a high spatial resolution allows highlighting particular situations on which the health authorities can promptly intervene to control the disease spread. Our approach provides decision-makers with useful geographically detailed metrics to evaluate those areas at major risk for infection spreading and for which restrictions of human mobility would give the greatest benefits, not only at the beginning of the epidemic but also in the last phase, when the risks deriving from the gradual lockdown exit strategies must be carefully evaluated.
Visual statistical learning and integration of perceptual priors are intact in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Deficits in statistical learning and predictive processing could in principle explain inattention and distractibility in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To test this, we evaluated whether adults diagnosed with ADHD (n = 17) differed from controls (n = 30) in implicitly learning and using low-level perceptual priors to guide sensory processing. We used a visual statistical learning task in which participants had to estimate the direction of coherently moving dots. Unbeknown to the participants, two directions were more frequently presented than the others, creating an implicit bias (prior) towards those directions. This task had previously revealed differences in autistic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Both groups acquired the prior expectations for the most frequent directions and, except for some subtle differences over time, there were no group difference in how much the priors influenced performance. This suggests that ADHD symptoms do not stem from difficulties in developing and/or using perceptual priors.
Characterization of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Arizona from 2010-2017

This study aimed to characterize the population of newborn infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and mothers who were opioid dependent at the time of giving birth, in Arizona. We analyzed approximately 1.2 million electronic medical records from the Arizona Department of Health Services Hospital Discharge Database to identify patterns and disparities across socioeconomic, ethnic/racial, and/or geographic groupings. In addition, we identified comorbid conditions that are differentially associated with NAS in infants or opioid dependence in mothers. Our analysis was designed to assess whether indicators such as race/ethnicity, insurance payer, marital status, and comorbidities are related to the use of opioids while pregnant. In this paper, we describe a population of mothers who are opioid dependent at the time of giving birth and infants who experience withdrawal due to opioid exposure in utero. While there have been studies of national trends in this population (see Patrick et al.), regional trends and issues are less well understood. Using data from the Arizona Department of Health Services Hospital Discharge Database, we find that women and infants who are non-Hispanic White and economically disadvantaged, tend be part of our populations of interest more frequently than expected. Additionally, we find that women who are opioid dependent at the time of giving birth are unmarried more often than expected, and we suggest that marital status could be a proxy for support. Finally, we report comorbidities, some of which have not been previously reported, associated with infants who have NAS and mothers who are opioid dependent.