Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Energy-dependent plasticity of Grey Mouse Lemur social systems: lessons from field and captive studies

Energy management triggers many life history traits. Due to sex-specifi c differences in reproductive investment, spatio-temporal distribution of food has been suggested to influence social organization and mating systems. Within primates, this hypothesis has rarely been tested in Malagasy lemurs. This study reviews the relationships between energy saving strategies and social systems in the nocturnal mouse lemur Microcebus murinus. Comparing data from fi eld and captive studies, I propose an integrative hypothesis of energy-dependent plasticity in mouse lemur social systems. Short photoperiod-induced fattening is observed in captive animals of both sexes. In contrast, fattening observed in the fi eld in the early dry season occurs in most females but only in some rare males. Fat reserves are used during periods of decreased activity, food shortage, and torpor bouts have been interpreted as facultative hibernation. I suggest that most males are excluded from female population nuclei and/or local resources, explaining male dispersal during the dry season, and the lack of fattening observed in most wild males. The model of Local Resource Enhancement may explain the bias in natal sex ratio observed in captivity, according to the size of female groups. The spatial distribution and abundance of resource trees fi ts with the size of matrilines revealed by sleeping associations. Young erratic males flock into female population nuclei in the late dry season, taking advantage of female inactivity. Therefore, seasonal fattening may be used by females to prepare for hibernation and by males to prepare for mating. Light males seem to use an opportunistic mating tactic resulting in scramble promiscuity. In captivity and probably in a few resident males, fat reserves may allow mate guarding and dominance resulting in polygyny. M. murinus appears particularly plastic in response to both seasonal and unpredictable changes in food availability, controlling group size, operational sex ratio, population dynamics and alternative mating tactics
Hippocampal Neurotoxicity of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

Marijuana consumption elicits diverse physiological and psychological effects in humans, including memory loss. Here we report that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of marijuana, is toxic for hippocampal neurons. Treatment of cultured neurons or hippocampal slices with THC caused shrinkage of neuronal cell bodies and nuclei as well as genomic DNA strand breaks, hallmarks of neuronal apoptosis. Neuron death induced by THC was inhibited by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including indomethacin and aspirin, as well as vitamin E and other antioxidants. Furthermore, treatment of neurons with THC stimulated a significant increase in the release of arachidonic acid. We hypothesize that THC neurotoxicity is attributable to activation of the prostanoid synthesis pathway and generation of free radicals by cyclooxygenase. These data suggest that some of the memory deficits caused by cannabinoids may be caused by THC neurotoxicity.
Salt tolerance enhancement in indica rice ('Oryza sativa' L. spp. indica) seedlings using exogenous sucrose supplementation

Salt-affected soil is an abiotic stress which is an acute problem, interrupting the metabolic processes of plants, resulting in reduced growth and productivity. The objective of this study was to enhance the salt tolerance ability of Pathumthani 1 (PT1) sensitive rice cultivars using exogenous sucrose. Fourteen-day-old seedlings of PT1, along with Homjan (HJ), salt-tolerant (positive control), were cultured in MS liquid medium supplemented with 0.0, 29.2, 58.4 or 116.8 mM sucrose, then exposed to 0.0 or 342.0 mM NaCl. An osmotic potential (Ys) in the leaf tissues of rice seedlings dropped significantly when subjected to 342 mM NaCl. Exogenous sugar application in the culture medium was directly absorbed and enriched in rice seedling, leading to soluble sugar accumulation and played a key role as osmoregulation of salt defense mechanism. The increase in Ys in the leaf tissues of salt stressed seedlings directly caused damage to the ultrastructure of chloroplstic organelles, as well as to photosynthetic pigments i.e. chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll. Chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were stabilised in salt-stressed rice seedlings pre-treated with 58.4 mM sucrose, resulting in enhanced growth performance. A positive correlation between photosynthetic pigment degradation and chlorophyll fluorescence diminution was demonstrated. Exogenous application of 58.4 mM sucrose to the culture medium may play a role as an alternative way to enhance salt tolerance in rice, especially in PT1, a saltsusceptible cultivar.
Dna Glycosylases Remove Oxidized Base Damages From G-Quadruplex Dna Structures

The G-quadruplex DNA is a four-stranded DNA structure that is highly susceptible to oxidation due to its G-rich sequence and its structure. Oxidative DNA base damages can be mutagenic or lethal to cells if they are left unrepaired. The base excision repair (BER) pathway is the predominant pathway for repair of oxidized DNA bases. DNA glycosylases are the first enzymes in BER and are responsible for removing base lesions from DNA. How DNA glycosylases remove base lesions from duplex and singlestranded DNA has been intensively studied, while how they act on G-quadruplex DNA remains to be explored. In Chapter II of this dissertation, we studied the glycosylase activity of the five mammalian DNA glycosylases (OGG1, NTH1, NEIL1, NEIL2 and mouse Neil3) on Gquadruplex DNA formed by telomere sequences that contain a single base lesion. We found that telomeric sequences that contain thymine glycol (Tg), 8-oxo-7,8dihydroguanine (8-oxoG), guanidinohydantoin (Gh) or spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) all formed the basket form of an antiparallel G-quadruplex DNA structure in Na + solution. We also showed that no glycosylase was able to remove 8-oxoG from quadruplex DNA, while its further oxidation products, Sp and Gh, were good substrates for mNeil3 and NEIL1 in quadruplex DNA. In addition, mNeil3 is the only enzyme that removes Tg from quadruplex DNA and the glycosylase strongly prefers Tg in the telomere sequence context in both single-stranded and double-stranded DNA. In Chapter III, we extended our study to telomeric G-quadruplex DNA in K + solution and we also studied quadruplex DNA formed by promoter sequences. We found that 8-oxoG, Gh and Sp reduce the thermostability and alter the folding of telomeric quadruplex DNA in a location-dependent manner. Also, the NEIL1 and NEIL3 DNA glycosylases are able to remove hydantoin lesions but none of the glycosylases, including OGG1, are able to remove 8-oxoG from telomeric quadruplex DNA in K + solution. Interestingly, NEIL1 or NEIL3 do not efficiently remove hydantoin lesions at the site that is most prone to oxidation in quadruplex DNA. However, hydantoin lesions at the same site in quadruplex DNA are removed much more rapidly by NEIL1, NEIL2 and NEIL3, when an extra telomere TTAGGG repeat is added to the commonly studied four-repeat quadruplex DNA to make it a five-repeat telomere quadruplex DNA. We also show that APE1 cleaves furan in selected positions in Na + -coordinated telomeric quadruplex DNA structures. We use promoter sequences of the VEGF and c-MYC genes as models to study promoter G-quadruplex DNA structures, and show that the NEIL glycosylases primarily remove Gh from Na + -coordinated antiparallel quadruplex DNA but not from K + coordinated parallel quadruplex DNA containing VEGF or c-MYC promoter sequences. Taken together, our data show that the NEIL DNA glycosylases may be involved in both telomere maintenance and gene regulation.
Chloroquine resistance status a decade after: Re-emergence of sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strains in malaria endemic and epidemic areas in Kenya

Development and spread of chloroquine (CQ) resistance led to its withdrawal in most malaria endemic countries. In Kenya, this occurred in 1998 when clinical efficacy dropped below 50%. Less than a decade after CQ was removed from routine use in Malawi, the drug has reversed to activity and is again effective for first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria. There is a probability of a similar reversed activity in Kenya for more 10 years of its absence in uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria treatment. The present study was aimed at establishing the CQ resistance status in the country, 10 years after its withdrawal, by looking at high malaria transmission zone, Mbita, a malaria endemic area and some malaria epidemic areas of the Kenyan highlands. The prevalence of T76 and Y86 P. falciparum molecular markers for CQ resistance in Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 genes were investigated by PCR-RFLP and dot blot analysis in 64 samples collected in March to May 2007 in the endemic area and 38 samples collected in April to July the same year in the epidemics. The study shows that 67.3% of field isolates from the endemic site still harbor Y86 mutation in Pfmdr1 while 32.7% have the wild type allele N86 compared to the 94% and 6 % prevalence observed in Mwea, an endemic area, in 2004 (χ 2 =10.08, P=0.00015, 95% CI=2.085-27.8). In the epidemics 75% of field isolates from the epidemic sites still harbor Y86 mutation in Pfmdr1 while 25% have the wild type allele N86 compared to the 91.6% and 8.4% prevalence observed in an epidemic area in 1997 (χ 2 =1.585, P=0.208, 95% CI=0.701-19.176). From the study there is a significant change in the proportions of the resistant genotypes in the endemic areas while in the epidemics, there was also a noticeable shift though not significant. This therefore indicates a slow but steady re-emergence of P. falciparum CQ sensitive strains in the country. Though does not warrant the reintroduction of CQ for malaria treatment.
Mammalian Atypical E2Fs Link Endocycle Control to Cancer

ii Dedication . iv Acknowledgments . v Vita . vi List of Tables. xii List of Figures . xiii Chapter 1: General Introduction . 1 1.1. Role of E2Fs in Cell Cycle Regulation: The Classic Paradigm.1 1.2. The Endocycle: Variant Cell Cycle with a Purpose . 15 Chapter 2: Role of Mammalian E2F Activators in Endocycle Control . 22 2.
Acceptability and digestibility by tilapia Oreochromis niloticus of feeds containing cocoa husk

The acceptability, digestibility and nutrient utilization of feeds containing cocoa husk were determined for tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings reared in a recirculation system. Three semipurified isonitrogenous diets formulated to contain 0, 100 and 200 g kg−1 of cocoa husk were fed to satiation three times daily. Although the feeds containing cocoa husk were acceptable to the fish, as indicated by their voracious consumption and positive weight gains, there were significant (P 0.05) by the 100 g kg−1 cocoa husk feed treatment. The consumption of the cocoa husk feeds could compensate for their low digestibility under acceptable fish yields and returns.
distruct: a program for the graphical display of population structure

In analysis of multilocus genotypes from structured populations, individual coefficients of membership in subpopulations are often estimated using programs such as STRUCTURE . DISTRUCT provides a general method for visualizing these estimated membership coefficients. Subpopulations are represented as colours, and individuals are depicted as bars partitioned into coloured segments that correspond to membership coefficients in the subgroups. DISTRUCT , available at www.cmb. usc.edu/∼ noahr/distruct.html, can also be used to display subpopulation assignment probabilities when individuals are assumed to have ancestry in only one group.
Factors Affecting Mortality and Resistance to Damage Following Hurricanes in a Rehabilitated Subtropical Moist Forest 1

The ability to resist hurricane damage is a property of both individuals and communities, and can have strong effects on the structure and function of many tropical forests. We examined the relative importance of tree size, species, biogeographic origin, local topography, and damage from previous storms in long‐term permanent plots in a rehabilitated subtropical moist forest in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Georges in order to better predict patterns of resistance. Severe damage included uprooted trees, snapped stems, or crowns with greater than 50 percent branch loss. Hurricane induced mortality after 21 mo was 5.2 percent/yr, more than seven times higher than background mortality levels during the nonhurricane periods. Species differed greatly in their mortality and damage patterns, but there was no relationship between damage and wood density or biogeographic origin. Rather, damage for a given species was correlated with mean annual increment, with faster growing species experiencing greater damage, suggesting that growth rate may reflect a variety of life history tradeoffs. Size was also predictive of damage, with larger trees suffering more damage. Trees on ridges and in valleys received greater damage than trees on slopes. A strong relationship was noted between previous hurricane damage and present structural damage, which could not solely be explained by the patterns with size and species. We suggest that resistance of trees to hurricane damage is therefore not only correlated with individual and species characteristics but also with past disturbance history, which suggests that in interpreting the effects of hurricanes on forest structure, individual storms cannot be treated as discrete, independent events.
Recombinant Rhipicephalus appendiculatus gut (Ra86) and salivary gland cement (Trp64) proteins as candidate antigens for inclusion in tick vaccines: protective effects of Ra86 on infestation with adult R. appendiculatus

Rhipicephalus appendiculatus gut protein Ra86 (variants Ra85A and Ra92A) and the salivary gland cement protein (Trp64) were expressed in the baculovirus-insect cell system. The recombinant gut proteins expressed as soluble proteins and the recombinant cement protein, as insoluble inclusion bodies, were used to immunize rabbits, which were then chal- lenged with larval, nymphal, and adult stages of R. appendiculatus ticks. High tick mortality (23.3%) occurred on adult ticks that fed on rabbits vaccinated with the gut proteins, compared with 1.9% mortality in ticks that fed on unvaccinated naive control rabbits. The mean weight of engorged female ticks was significantly reduced by 31.5% in rabbits vaccinated with the Ra86 recombinant protein compared with controls, as was egg production. Marked effects on these parameters were also observed in adult ticks as a result from vaccination using Trp64, but these were not statistically significant. For both antigens, there was no demonstrable effect on larval or nymphal ticks. This study demonstrates for the first time the protective efficacy of a homolog of Boophilus microplus Bm86 in reducing tick infestation by the adult stage of the three-host tick R. appendiculatus. The results demonstrate the potential of Ra86 for vaccine development against this tick and for the control of East Coast fever.
Environmentally driven variation in ancient populations of turritellids: evaluating the causal link

Abstract Understanding the response of a species or lineage to long-term environmental change is a critical aspect of evolutionary paleoecology. In order to do this, paleobiologists must have an excellent fossil record of a lineage and an independent source of environmental data in the same region. This situation occurs in the San Pedro area of southern California, where relatively new paleotemperature and paleoproductivity records enhance the well-known fossil gastropod record. We quantified shell morphology of late Pleistocene and Recent turritellid gastropods from this area and compared the timing of changes with temperature and productivity reconstructions for the region. Our results indicate that warm temperatures and moderate to high productivity are associated with larger shells and wider whorls. Cold temperatures and lower productivity are associated with smaller, narrower shells. We propose that warm temperatures and moderate productivity result in higher growth rates in turritellid gastropods. Our work also suggests that below a certain threshold temperature, productivity appears to have no influence on shell morphology. In other words, growth rate is unaffected by high productivity unless average temperatures are above a certain level. These results are consistent with models of shell deposition and with experimental results from living gastropods and bivalves reported in the literature.
Sodium Bicarbonate Application as an Alternative Control of Postharvest Decay of Blood Orange Fruits

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) as an effective alternative to the use of chemicals to control postharvest decay of blood orange fruits was studied alone or in combination with curing exposure against decay inc idence of t wo strains (A and B) o f b lood orange fruits during cold storage. F ull colored fruits were immersed in 3 % SB at 20 C for 2 min, after t hat exposed to curing t emperatures at 30 or 35 C and oo o effect values d ue to SB and cur ing treatments. Throughout cold s torage per iod, ascorbic a cid cont ent was decreased significantly in all treated and control fruits due SB and curing application and storage duration. Moreover, orange fruits of strain A kept higher ascorbic acid content than those of fruits of strain A. On the other sid e, an thocyanine concentrations sh owed higher c ontent i n fruits of strain B than that o f stra in B, with more effective response i n c uring at 35 C either fo r 4 8h than 30 C and 72 h. Although u ntreated oo fruits had the highest physiological decay percent, and fruit quality characteristics, non-cured fruits showed intermediate values in blood orange fruits of b oth str ains. It can be concluded that t he response of all treatments examined under s torage periods tested was more ef fective i n bloo d orange fruits of strain B than tho se o f strain A, especially i n a scorbic a cid and anthocyanine contents.
Epidemiology and Control of Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus in Thailand

The HPAI epidemic in Asia in 2003 has caused serious losses through severe morbidity and mortality in poultry and through losses in human life. In addition, control measures and loss of life hood within the large backyard farming community caused large economic losses both on the national and community level. The recurrence of HPAI worldwide in various poultry industry systems in the last decade asks for more research effort on the effect of monitoring and control options, specific for the situation of each poultry system. Optimal control options are of more vital importance for HPAI than for various other infectious animal diseases, because of the zoonotic potential of HPAI. The next human Influenza pandemic might originate from a next HPAI outbreak. The overall objective of this thesis was to investigate epidemiological features, risk factors, and transmission dynamics of H5N1 avian influenza in Thailand. The specific objectives of the studies described in this thesis are: - To perform a descriptive analysis of the 2004 HPAI epidemic in Thailand, - To quantify the within-flock transmission of HPAI H5N1 virus in infected poultry flocks in Thailand, - To investigate ecologic risk factors of the clusters of HPAI H5N1, and - To study risk factors associated with HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in poultry units Knowledge gained from this thesis emphasized that epidemiological analysis provides insight information of past epidemics which can be used for improving control measures and preventing the future epidemic.
Resource use, cattle performance and output patterns on different farm types in a mountainous province of northern Vietnam

This study compares the use of resources, cattle performance and outputs on three different cattle-keeping farm types (mixed small farms, mixed medium farms with a collective use of natural pastures, and specialised large farms). The purpose was to evaluate the potential for beef production on household farms, where cattle keeping is integrated with cropping, compared with specialised large beef cattle farms. Data were collected by using farmer interviews, participatory rural appraisal tools and cattle body measurements, and analysed by linear models using SAS software. Household farms raised cattle at very low input levels. Medium farms had lower costs for cattle keeping than small farms in the lowlands (0.11 Vietnamese Dong × 106/farm.year compared with 1.20 Vietnamese Dong × 106/farm.year). High inputs were observed on all large farms. Only the local Yellow cattle was found in the highlands. Yellow cattle was less fertile in the highlands than in the lowlands (age at first calving of 3.2 years and calving interval of 16.3 months compared with 2.8 years and 12.6 months, respectively). Performances of exotic breeds varied according to feeding and breeding management of large farms. Crossbred Laisind cattle had a better productive adaptability than exotic beef breeds. Cattle were used mainly for working and manure by small farms. The stock value was highest on medium farms. Low outputs on large farms were a result of high feed costs, inappropriate management and the failure of markets. Results from simulations identify the medium mixed farms with access to natural pasture showing a potential for the development of beef production, provided that access to markets and cattle management is improved.
Antioxidant activities and polyphenol contents of six folk medicinal ferns used as "Gusuibu"

In the traditional Chinese system of medicine, the folk remedy ”Gusuibu,” renowned for its therapeutic effects on bone is sourced from six different ferns. However, no scientific investigation has been carried out so far, to evaluate the comparative values of these sources. In the present report, ethanol and aqueous extracts of these six sources were characterized for their antioxidant, scavenging activities, reducing power, total polyphenols, flavonols, flavonoids, condensed tannins, and proanthocyanidin contents. Results showed wide variation among the six sources. Most samples in aqueous extracts had higher antioxidant potencies and polyphenol contents than the ethanol extracts, indicating that the aqueous preparation of ”Gusuibu” is more potent than the ethanol one. EC50 values of reducing capacities, and scavenging activities against DPPH radicals showed significant variation among the six sources, within ethanol or aqueous extracts and between the two solvents. The maximum (1.27) Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was recorded in aqueous extract of fern Davallia mariesii. The correlation coefficient (R^2) values of TEAC and total polyphenol contents showed a higher correlation (aqueous extract, R^2=0.971; ethanol extract, R^2=0.981).
Effect of elevated NaCl concentration to the photosynthesis and activity of catalase in Dunaliella salina cells

The effect of elevated NaCl concentration (from 0.5 to 4.0 M) to the pigment content, O 2 exchange and activities of some oxidative stress enzymes in the green alga Dunaliella salina was investigated. The optimum NaCl concentration (2.0 M) for the intensive biosynthesis of green pigments and function of the photosynthetic apparatus were established. The catalase activity increased up to 5.8 times and reached 0.5703 µmol min -1 mg -1 protein after 7 days of exposure to high salt concentration (3.0 and 4.0 M). The activity of catalase can be used as an indicator of alga cells’ resistance to salinity stress.