Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal treatment assignment of multiple treatments with analysis of variance decomposition

Personalized medicine to identify individualized treat-ment assignment rules has received increasing interest. When there are more than two treatments, the outcome weighted learning framework builds an optimal assignment rule via the skill of reproducing kernel Hilbert space. One main challenge is that the interpretation of covariates is diﬃ-cult since the solution is a black-box classiﬁer. Consequently, we establish a structured optimal treatment assignment rule with the functional analysis of variance decomposition. The method promotes the sparsity of the ﬁnal solution by using structured kernel function and an l 1 penalty term. Mean-while, we propose an easy-handling iterative procedure to overcome the calculation problem. Convergence of the risk function for resulting estimator is shown in the paper. The ﬁnite sample performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulation studies and a real data analysis.
Expression and characterization of α-Amylases from penicillium citrinum with bread as growth substrate

In an attempt to enhance the industrial production of α-amylases in the tropics, sterile fresh bread was inoculated with spore suspensions of Penicillium citrinum at 25 o C. Extracellular α-amylases were produced and subjected to partial purification by ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis. Further purification by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography was engaged. The molecular weights of the α-amylase fractions obtained and estimated by gel filtration using Sephadex G-100 were approximately 56,234 Daltons, 53,089 Daltons and 11,885 Daltons. The apparent Michalis-Menten constant (K m ) values for the hydrolysis of starch by the purified α-amylase fractions were approximately 8.3 mg/ml, 10 mg/ml and 7.14 mg/ml respectively. Optimum activities were at 30 o C for one of the fractions and 35 o C for the other two fractions and were at pH 5.5 and pH 6.0. The activities of the α-amylase fractions produced by the fungus were stimulated at varying degrees by NaCl, KCl, CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 but inhibited by Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA), mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 ) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). The α-amylase fractions were sensitive to heat, losing all their activities within twenty minutes of heating at 80 o C. The industrial production of α-amylases should be encouraged in the tropics using bread as a cheap source of substrate. Keywords : α-Amylase, expression, bread, purification, characterization.
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHYTOCHEMICALS IN MARSILEA MINUTA LINN.

The objective of the present study was to find out the presence of phytochemicals in the petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Marsilea minuta Linn (Marsileaceae), a common aquatic medicinal fern by both qualitative and quantitative screening methods. In qualitative analysis, the phytochemical compounds such as steroids, reducing sugars, triterpenoids, sugars, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, anthroquinones and amino acids were screened in five solvent extracts. The methanol extract of the fern showed positive results for 10 phytochemical tests. The benzene extract exhibited positive results for 9 tests. In chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of the plant showed positive results for 7 tests and in aqueous extract of the fern 5 phytochemical tests were positive. In quantitative analysis the important secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins and tannins were tested in all the extracts of the fern. The methanol extract showed highest amount of phytochemicals when compared with other solvent extracts. KEY WARDS: Marsilea minuta, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins and tannins *Corresponding author A. JOHN DE BRITTO Plant Molecular Biology Research Unit, Post Graduate and Research Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai 627 002, Tamil Nadu, India. Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2013 Jan; 4(1): (P) 800 805 This article can be downloaded from www.ijpbs. net P 80
Partial Inventory of ABCB and ABCC Transporter Genes Responding to Cadmium and Zinc Contamination in Zebrafish Danio Rerio

ABC transporters belonging to the subfamilies ABCB (MDR/TAP) and ABCC (CFTR/MRP) are likely to play a role in the detoxification of metallic pollutants. We made an inventory of the transcriptional response of 10 abcb and 9 abcc gene members in zebrafish Danio rerio exposed for 7 days to ionic cadmium (89 nM), zinc (7.3 μM), or a blend of both metals. These concentrations correspond to those found in a polluted tributary of the Lot River, France. The general trend was that cadmium is rather an up-regulator (but for high accumulation factors only) whereas zinc is rather a repressor. In muscles the expression pattern of ABC genes in response to metals appeared unpredictable since there was no relationship between differential expression and metal accumulation. Although no increase of zinc burden was observed in fish muscles and gills exposed to zinc, that metal repressed 9 and 4 ABC genes in muscles and gills, respectively. Despite a 3-fold increase in zinc burden in brain, it triggered the down-regulation of 3 ABC genes. Also, despite an accumulation factor of 7 in muscles, cadmium repressed 2 ABC genes in muscles. However, in gills and liver cadmium exposure caused the up-regulation of 4 and 6 ABC genes linked to accumulation factors of 33 and 25, respectively. Beside MDR- and MRP-transporter encoding genes, metals up regulated other genes encoding zebrafish homologues of TAP2 (abcb3 and abcb3L1), ATM1 (abcb7), M-ABC1 (abcb8), TAPL (abcb9), SUR1 (abcc8) and SUR2 (abcc9) transporters.
TESTICULAR FOCAL NECROSIS INDUCED BY hCG IN RATS

Testicular necrosis induced by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) was examined in rats with respect to the time-course of the histopathologic changes and to the differences in the sensitivity among ages and strains of rats. A single subcutaneous injection of hCG at a dose of 2, 000IU/kg produced focal necrosis of the seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue in the frontal lower part of the testis of adult F344 rats followed by testicular weight changes. Degeneration or multinucleated giant cells at the seminiferous epithelium or edema and neutrophil infiltration in the interstitium were also observed in the necrotic area 1 day after treatment and thereafter, but no changes were noticed in the upper part of the testis. The necrotic change was induced in F344 rats at the ages of 11 weeks or older, but not at 5 weeks, indicating no susceptibility in the younger age. The sensitivity to hCG was highest in F344/Jcl rats followed by Sprague-Dawley, LEW, WKY, and Wistar rats in descending order. The maximum strain difference in sensitivity was approximately 300 times in hCG dose. These results indicate that hCG induces an acute focal necrosis in the seminiferous tubules that is age-dependent, with a great strain difference in sensitivity.
Honey bees: the queens of mass media, despite minority rule among insect pollinators

Pollination is a critical ecosystem function with high ecological and economic value. Conservation initiatives aimed at protecting diverse pollinator communities in natural and agricultural habitats are essential, but the implementation and success of such initiatives often depends on public support. Mass media play an important role in building public awareness around environmental issues, and biased coverage can have damaging effects. Here, we present the first analysis of how Australian mainstream media present the ‘pollinator’ paradigm. We gathered insect pollinator and pollination related articles from major Australian online newspapers published over a period of 9 years, and performed a qualitative content analysis using deductive coding to record information on the pollinator species or groups discussed in the story. We found 151 stories, and demonstrate that within these, there was a disproportionate focus on introduced European honey bees as the most important, or only, pollinator insect relevant to Australia. Only 15% of stories mentioned native bees as pollinators and 17% mentioned non‐bee pollinators. There is potential that the trend we report here for pollinators may be indicative of a larger overall simplification and neglect of biodiversity concepts in mainstream media, both in Australia and globally. As public awareness of science and environmental issues partly depend on disseminating accurate information beyond the scholar network, it is imperative that the broader effects of inaccurate science communication are fully understood.
Effects of giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) venom on renal failure in rats (Rattus norvegicus)

In recent decades, massive attacks with several hundred bee stings causing severe injury and inducing acute renal failure have been reported in many countries including Thailand. However, there have been no studies of the effects of giant honey bee Apis dorsata stings on animal tissue. This study thus aimed to investigate the effects of A. dorsata venom on renal failure in male rats (Rattus norvegicus) using three dosages of venom prepared by dissolving the venom in . 85% NaCl (normal saline): 30.0 μg/g body weight (high dose, HD); 20.0 μg/g body weight (low dose, LD); and . 0 μg/g body weight for the control (CO). The rats were injected with 200 μl of each dose. After 24 h, renal tissues were collected and processed by paraffin technique, stained with periodic acid-Schiff’s reagent and Masson’s trichrome stain for histological structure analyses. The findings showed that Bowman’s space of HD rats was significantly narrower than those of LD and CO (F2 = 3.94, p ≤ .0201). Moreover, the percentage of destructural glomeruli of HD was significantly higher than those of LD and CO, these were 44.14 ± 2.41%, 29.65 ± 1.20%, and 10.76 ± 1.74%, respectively (F2 = 676.02, p ≤ .0001). In addition, the HD rats also showed the highest injury of brush borders of proximal convoluted tubules (F2,4 = 848.09, p ≤ .0001). The impaired tubular cell nuclei were observed in the dosed groups. These results indicate that experimental doses of bee venom can cause signs of renal failure in the rat model.
Susceptibility of Oblong Rockfish Sebastes oblongus to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus

Susceptibilities of the oblong rockfish Sebastes oblongus to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) were examined by experimental infections via an intramuscular route with an isolate KRRV-9822 from Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Mortalities for these fish injected with doses of 10, 10 and 10 TCID50/fish occurred rapidly, and took 10, 5 and 3 days to reach 90, 100 and 100%, respectively, compared with 10 days to reach 100% even for Japanese flounder injected with 10 TCID50/fish. The cumulative mortalities for oblong rockfish maintained at 15 and 20°C for 16 days following a viral injection of 10 TCID50/fish were significantly different, being 70 and 13%, respectively. When oblong rockfish, which had survived a VHSV natural outbreak, received a viral injection of 10 TCID50/fish, the mortality for 16 days at 15°C was 17%. In comparison, other oblong rockfish, which were previously naïve to a VHSV infection, had a 70% mortality following the same viral infection. These results revealed that the viral susceptibility of oblong rockfish is much higher than that of Japanese flounder and it depends on lower temperature. In addition, it is likely that oblong rockfish develops a protective immunity against VHSV infection.
Käfigversuche zur Freiland-Prüfung der biologischen Wirksamkeit von Pheromonpräparaten zur Paarungsstörung

Mit einem im Weinbau entwickelten Bio-Test zur Wirksamkeitsprufung von Pheromonpraparaten im Freiland wurde erstmalig ein Praparat gepruft, dessen Wirkungsmechanismus von jenen der traditionellen Paarungsstorung abweicht (Autokonfusionsverfahren). Daruber hinaus wurde festgestellt, ob sich die Methode auch fur die Mittelprufung in Spalierobstanlagen eignet. In Feldkafigen wurden dabei Mannchen des Bekreuzten Traubenwicklers Lobesia botrana Den. und Schiff. sowie des Apfelwicklers Cydia pomonella L. in definierter Anzahl freigelassen und mit Fallen zuruck gefangen, in denen sich lebende Weibchen befanden. Die Anzahl der Ruckfange kann als Mas fur die Effektivitat der Paarungsstorung gewertet werden. Stichworter: Cydia pomonella; Lobesia botrana ; Paarungsstorung; Kafigtest;, Pheromon; biologische Wirksamkeit Bio-assays with field-cages to study the efficacy of pheromone products for mating disruption in vineyards and apple ochards An alternative way of mating disruption (autoconfusion) was tested for the first time using a bio-assay which was developed to study the efficacy of mating disruption pheromone products. Furthermore this bio-assay was proofed to study mating disruption in espalier fruit ochards. Efficacy of mating disruption was measured by releasing reared males of the Tortricid moths Lobesia botrana Den. und Schiff. and Cydia pomonella L. in field cages and recapturing them with traps containing living females. The more males where recaptured the lower the efficacy of mating disruption. Keywords: Cydia pomonella ; Lobesia botrana ; mating disruption; bio-assay; pheromone; efficacy
Semiselective medium for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and occurrence of three Colletotrichum spp. on pepper plants

Inhibition of mycelial growth of Colletotrichum capsici and C. gloeosporioides was significantly (P = 0.01) less than that of Alternaria sp. and Fusarium spp. when grown on a semiselective medium, C. gloeosporioides pepper isolate medium (CGPIM) containing one-quarter strength potato-dextrose agar amended with fenarimol and vinclozolin at 5 micrograms/ml each, chloramphenicol and erythromycin at 6.5 micrograms/ml each, iprodione at 15 micrograms/ml, neomycin sulfate at 20 micrograms/ml, and tetracycline hydrochloride at 25 micrograms/ml. Fenarimol enhanced the detection of C. gloeosporioides as cream-yellow sporulating colonies formed around infected and/or infested pepper (Capsicum spp.) seeds. When pepper seeds were placed on CGPIM and wet filter paper, C. capsici occurred at equal frequencies, but the frequency of C. gloeosporioides was significantly (P = 0.01) higher on CGPIM than on wet filter paper. C. capsici was detected on 14.5% of the seeds from var. LSU Sport, while C. gloeosporioides detection was less frequent. C. gloeosporioides was isolated from 30 and 1% of diseased fruits harvested and stored for 130 and 225 days, respectively. CGPIM and wet filter paper were equally effective in evaluating the occurrence of C. capsici but the occurrence of C. gloeosporioides and Glomerella cingulata appressoria was significantly (P = 0.01) higher on CGPIM than on wet filter paper. C. capsici was recovered more frequently than either C. gloeosporioides or G. cingulata on inoculated leaves.
First results about micropropagation of Anacardium occidentale by tissue culture

The true to type propagation of Anacardium occidentale in vitro starting from nodes has been studied. Establishing culture has been difficult for certain clones due to the presence of phenolic compounds. The nodes were induced on a Lepoivre medium containing 2iP and GA 3 . Proliferation was stimulated by the two phase technique which includes adding BAP to the growth medium for three days. Elongation is obtained in a shaked liquid medium. IBA-shoot pretreatment followed by a 10-days period of darkness allows rooting. Acclimatation has not caused problems
Molecular Models of Sweet Taste Receptors Provide Insights into Function

The heterodimer of T1R2 and T1R3 is a broadly acting sweet taste receptor (STR) responsive to natural sugars, artificial sweeteners, D-amino acids, and sweet-tasting proteins. T1Rs are characterized by a large extracellular Venus flytrap module (VFTM), which is linked by a cysteine rich domain (CRD) to the 7-TM-domain (TMD). Although crystal structures are not available for the sweet taste receptor, useful testable homology models can be developed based on appropriate templates. The VFTM, CRD and TMD of T1R2 and T1R3 have been modeled based on the crystal structures of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1, tumor necrosis factor receptor, and bovine rhodopsin, respectively. We have used homology models of the STR, molecular docking of sweet ligands to the receptors, and directed mutagenesis of the receptors to identify potential ligand binding sites of the STR.
Morfología larval de Pseudodoros clavatus (Díptera: Syrphidae) y su eficiencia depredadora del pulgón Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The larvae of aphidophagous hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphinae) have bly sclerotized mouthparts that allow them to capture and eat their prey. To consider the larvae of the syrphid Pseudodoros clavatus as efficient predators, the morphology of larval mouthparts was analyzed and larvae were evaluated as potential biological control of Aphis craccivora. As a result, mouthparts are composed by two groups of dental sclerites, corresponding to the tento pharyngeal and hypopharyngeal sclerite. Mouthparts have two outer elements or triangular sclerites which are absent in the first instar, appear in the second and remains in the third instar. This structure probably works to anchor the front part of the predator in the dam that prevents its scape. Suction is characterized by an active movement of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton and a peristaltic movement of the abdomen. In assessing the functional response of the species, the breeding of this predator was established departing from the larvae and adults obtained in the field, test were done with different prey density (10, 20, 30 aphids) and different predator densities (1, 2, 3 third-instar larvae). The results of predation assays were observed on 24 hours showing that a bigger the presence of aphids, bigger the consumption of the larvae. A 100% of predation was observed when two or more individuals were used.
Expression of a maize proteinase inhibitor gene is induced in response to wounding and fungal infection: systemic wound-response of a monocot gene

Summary The isolation and characterization of cDNA and genomic clones encoding a proteinase inhibitor prorein (MPI) in maize is reported. Accumulation of the MPI mRNA is Induced in response to fungal infection in germinating maize embryos. The expression pattem of the MPI gene, in healthy and fungal infected maize tissues, was examined and compared with the expression pattern of a gene that codes for a pathogenesis-related protein (the PRms protein) from maize. These two genes are induced by fungal infection, however different signals trigger their activation. Accumulation of the proteinase inhibitor mRNA is more a consequence of the wound produced by the penetration and colonizetion of the host tissues by the pathogen, than the result of a direct molecular recognition of the pathogen by the plant, as is the case for the induction of the PRms gene. Wounding, or treatment with abscislc acid or methyl jasmonete, stimulate MPI mRNA accumulation, but not PRms mRNA accumulation. Local and systemic induction of the MPI gene expression in response to wounding occurs in maize plants. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first example of a gene from a monocotyledonous species that clearly shows a systemic wound response. The possible functional implications for the existence of different signal traneduction pathways that simultaneously activate a battery of defense mechanisms against potential pathogens are discussed.
Formulating Smart Commitments on Biodiversity: Lessons from the Aichi Targets

The world is currently not on course to achieve most of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Targets to address biodiversity loss. One challenge for those implementing actions to achieve them may be the complexity and lack of clarity in the wording of the targets, which also make it difficult to stimulate and quantify progress. Drawing on experience in developing and measuring indicators to assess progress toward targets, we identify four key issues: ambiguity, quantifiability, complexity, and redundancy. The magnitude of required commitments under some targets is rendered ambiguous by the use of imprecise terms (e.g., “substantially”), while many targets contain poorly defined operational terms (e.g., “essential services”). Seventy percent of targets lack quantifiable elements, meaning that there is no clear binary or numeric threshold to be met in order for the target to be achieved. Most targets are excessively complex, containing up to seven different elements, while one‐third of them contain redundancies. In combination, these four issues make it difficult to operationalize the targets and to ensure consistent interpretation by signatories. For future policy commitments, we recommend the adoption of a smaller number of more focused headline targets (alongside subsidiary targets) that are specific, quantified, simple, succinct, and unambiguous.
Variabilidade fisiolÓgica de Puccinia psidii: GTerrugem do Eucalipto

The physiologic variability of Puccinia psidii was assessed by cross inoculation on Eucalyptus grandis, South Africa provenance, Psidium guajava (guava), Pirassunga Vermelha variety, and Syzygium jambos (rose apple), withthirteen single pustule isolates from E. cloeziana, E. grandis, E. phaeotricha, P. guajava, S. jambos and Myrcia itambensis. Three groups of physiologic specialization were detected through the host reactions. The first group was compatible with Eucalyptus and S. jambos, the second with Eucalyptus and P. guajava and the third only with P. guajava. No differences between the incubation period and the mean latent period among the groups were observed. However, the number of sori per unit area was different among the groups, showing that this component of resistance is helpful to distinguish the virulence of the isolates.
Investigating the Effects of 17α-Ethynylestradiol on Mitochondrial Genome Stability

i Dedication.iii Acknowledgements.iv List of Tables.vi List of Figures.vii Chapter I: Overview and Background 1 Chapter II: Preliminary study on trout Introduction 13 Methods 15 Results and Conclusions 17 Figures and tables 19 Chapter III: Acute treatment study and baseline comparison Introduction 22 Methods 24 Results and Conclusions 31 Figures and tables 41 Chapter IV: Chronic treatment study Introduction 65 Methods 66 Results and Conclusions 70 Figures and tables 75 Chapter V: Discussion 83 References 85
Genetic viability of Nabugabo lakes (LVR satellite lakes) fish species

Natural populations of fish species in Lake Victoria Region (LVR) have under gone dramatic changes including severe reduction in sizes, division of original stocks into disjunct subunits, and segregation into several isolated population units either within a single water body or even worse into separate waters. In addition, these changes have been either preceded or precipitated by introductions of non-indigenous species that out competed the native forms and in case of closely related species genetically swamped them through hybridisation. The latter is especially the case in Nabugabo lakes. Such events lead to fragmentation of populations, which results in reduction in genetic diversity due to genetic drift, inbreeding and reduced or lack of gene flow among independent units. Such phenomena make the continued existence of fisheries stocks in the wild precarious, more so in the face of the competition from exotic species. Species introductions coupled with growing exploitation pressure of the fisheries of these lakes have put the native stocks at risk. Nabugabo lakes harbor cichlid species that are unique to these lakes more so species of the cichlid complex. In this paper the ecological status and genetic viability of key Nabugabo lakes fish species is examined and management options are discussed.