Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Adapter Molecule Gab2 Regulates FcεRI-Mediated Signal Transduction in Mast Cells

The recently cloned scaffolding molecule Gab2 can assemble multiple molecules involved in signaling pathways. Bone marrow-derived mast cells isolated from Gab2−/− mice have defective signaling probably due to the lack of the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-kinase). In this study, we investigated the role of Gab2 using the rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cell line mast cells. FcεRI aggregation induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of Gab2 and translocation of a significant fraction of it from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. As in other cells, Gab2 was found to associate with several signaling molecules including Src homology 2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2, Grb2, Lyn, and phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ). The association of Gab2 with Lyn and PLCγ were enhanced after receptor aggregation. Overexpression of Gab2 in rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cell line cells inhibited the FcεRI-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the subunits of the receptor, and the phosphorylation and/or activation of Syk and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Downstream events such as calcium mobilization, degranulation, and induction of TNF-α and IL-6 gene transcripts were decreased in Gab2 overexpressing cells, although Akt phosphorylation as a measure of PI3-kinase activation was unaffected. These results suggest that in addition to the positive effects mediated by PI3-kinase that are apparent in Gab2−/− mast cells, Gab2 by interacting with Lyn and PLCγ may have negative regulatory effects on FcεRI-induced mast cell signaling and functions.
A NEW METHOD FOR ESTIMATING EXTERNAL, CARBONIC ANHYDRASE ACTMTY IN MACROALGAE 1, 2

The effects of external carbonic anhydrase (CA, E.C. 4.2.1.1) on HCO−3and CO2use under disequilibnum conditions were examined in 14 species of macroalgae. CO2 was added to the algae in synthetic seawater free from inorganic carbon and buffered to pH 8.7. This resulted in a transient O2 evolution, which was similar for most of the species tested: an initial rapid increase in the rate was followed by a gradual decrease, approaching a steady state within 10 min. The initial high rate of O2evolution was attributed to diffusive entry of CO2into the cells and the steady state to use of HCO−3. An enhancement of CO2diffusive entry was obtained with acetazolamide, an inhibitor of external CA activity. Using this enhancement, a variable was developed to quantify the degree to which CO2entry into the cell was prevented by the external CA. This variable, CA (%), was used as a measure of the external CA activity of the alga. Comparative measurements of the external CA activity using a potentiomtric method revealed that the new method was able to detect low levels of external CA activity, where the potentiometric method failed. These two different methods could be used together to increase the reliability of the measurements. The new method was useful for red and brown macroalgae and for those green macroalgae that lacked direct HCO3uptake. Thus prominent external CA activity was found for Valonia utricularis (green), Halopteris scoparia (brown), and Osmunda pinnatifida (red), where the potentiometric method failed, or nearly failed, to indicate any external CA activity. Direct uptake of HCO−3interfered with the new method and the degree of this interference was dependent on the magnitude of the uptake.
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Patients Diagnosed With Cancer: An Integrative Review of Healthcare Utilization.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION The impact of mental health disorders (MHDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) on healthcare utilization (HCU) in patients with cancer is an understudied phenomenon. LITERATURE SEARCH A literature search of studies published prior to January 2018 that examined HCU in patients with preexisting MHDs or SUDs diagnosed with cancer was conducted. DATA EVALUATION The research team evaluated 22 studies for scientific rigor and examined significant trends in HCU, as well as types of the MHD, SUD, and cancer studied. SYNTHESIS The heterogeneity of HCU outcome measures, MHD, SUD, sample sizes, and study settings contributed to inconsistent study findings. However, study trends indicated higher rates of HCU by patients with depression and lower rates of HCU by patients with schizophrenia. In addition, the concept of HCU measures is evolving, addressing not only volume of health services, but also quality and efficacy. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Oncology nurses are essential to improving HCU in patients with MHDs and SUDs because of their close connections with patients throughout the stages of cancer care. Additional prospective studies are needed to examine specific MHDs and different types of SUDs beyond alcohol use, improving cancer care and the effectiveness of HCU in this vulnerable population.
Distribution of breeding sites and food constrains size and density of yellow-legged gull colonies

Abstract In this study, we aimed to identify the factors determining the size and density of yellow-legged gull colonies (Larus michahellis) on rocky islands. We considered both island geography and topography, as well as food resources availability, as potential constraining factors. Our censuses conducted on 43 islands and islets along 80 km of the French Mediterranean coastline contained the largest French yellow-legged gull populations (20 914 breeding pairs). Multiple linear regression models determined that colonization history and island area primarily determine colony size population density was also associated to colonization history, island characteristics, anthropogenic food resource availability, and human activities (R 2 = 63.7%). We conclude that breeding site selection by yellow-legged gulls seems to fulfill the known topographic requirements for the breeding sites of this species while minimizing the distance to its known foraging habitat in the area (landfills).
Development of external sexual characters of deep sea Bythocaris shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Hippolytidae)

The development of sex-specific characters is described for the deep sea North Atlantic/Arctic shrimp genus Bythocaris. A number of species were examined in the collections of Russian institutions including B. biruli, B. curvirostris, B. irene, B. leucopis and B. payeri. The pattern of size-specific variation in the masculine characters, i.e. the development of the modified appendix interna on the endopodite of the first pleopod and the appendix masculina do not indicate the presence of sex change (protandric hermaphroditism) in the life history.
Effects of Heat Pretreatment on Lipid and Pigments of Freeze‐Dried Spinach

: Heat pretreatment resulted in decreases in drying yield and glycolipids (GL) and an increase in neutral lipids (NL). Triacylglycerol and free sterols in NL and sterylglycosides and monogalactosyldiglycerides in GL were more stable during heat pretreatment. Phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidic acid among phospholipid subclasses were more susceptible. There was no large difference in fatty-acid composition of spinach lipids by heat pretreatment. However, a significant decrease in linolenic acid and increases in oleic and hexadecenoic acids were observed in NL. Contents of chlorophyll, lutein, and β-carotene in spinach decreased by heat pretreatment, with the least decrease in lutein.
Lactobacillus casei Zhang stimulates lipid metabolism in hypercholesterolemic rats by affecting gene expression in the liver

In this study, we show that administration of Lactobacillus casei Zhang evokes a significant reduction in the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from the serum and liver of hypercholesterolemic rats. After administration of L. casei Zhang, there was 31.5 and 30.8% reduction in the levels of serum TG and LDL-C. DNA microarray results revealed that 755 genes, mainly involved in biological regulation, and cellular and metabolic processes, were differentially expressed in the liver from rats treated with probiotic bacteria, wherein, 324 genes were up-regulated and 431 were down-regulated, respectively. In the up-regulated group, we characterized genes including Acsl1, Hadh, Acaa2, Acads, and gcdH, which are involved in β-oxidation of fatty acids and encodes enzymes catalyzing critical steps for CoA synthesis and dehydrogenation. It is possible that Lactobacillus could accelerate the fatty acid catabolism by enhancing β-oxidation step, thus reducing the level of free fatty acid and TG in the serum and liver. Subsequently, it may trigger lipid homeostasis that converts TGs, which are the main storage form of fatty acids, into free fatty acids, and lower TG concentrations both in the serum and liver. Practical applications:Lactobacillus casei Zhang has the ability to reduce cholesterol level in the blood by stimulating gene expression related to lipid metabolism, particularly through β-oxidation of fatty acids in liver, thereby, making it an effective candidate probiotic to treat hypercholesterolemia. The findings of this study should provide very useful information in understanding the molecular mechanism of the hypocholesterolemic effect of the strain in an animal model.
Swallow tail streamer is a mechanical device for self-deflection of tail leading edge, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency and flight manoeuvrability

In some birds, sexual selection, owing to female preference for long tails in mate choice, has led to tails large enough to constitute serious handicaps in flight, incurring a cost in terms of natural selection. Elongated tails also occur among species that depend heavily on flight for foraging, but then usually only the outer tail feathers are long, often being drawn out into narrow streamers. Apart from their role in mate choice, no functional explanation has ever been given of these tail streamers. Based on high-speed motion-picture films of swallows, Hirundo rustica, in free foraging flight and wind-tunnel experiments, I here report on a mechanical and aerodynamic function of the tail streamers in the swallow. Owing to the aeroelastic properties of the outer tail feather, the streamer causes an automatic and instantaneous downward deflection of the tail’s leading edge when the swallow spreads and lowers the tail. Thus flow separation on top of the tail may be delayed to higher angles of attack, enabling much higher aerodynamic lift to be elicited from the tail before stall sets in. This improves manoeuvrability by allowing tighter turns, and the development of tail streamers is therefore governed largely by natural selection.
A single-pass grid-based algorithm for clustering big data on spatial databases

The problem of clustering multi-dimensional data has been well researched in the scientific community. It is a problem with wide scope and applications. With the rapid growth of very large databases, traditional clustering algorithms become inefficient due to insufficient memory capacity. Grid-based algorithms try to solve this problem by dividing the space into cells and then performing clustering on the cells. However these algorithms also become inefficient when even the grid becomes too large to be saved in memory. This thesis presents a new algorithm, SingleClus, that is performing clustering on a 2-dimensional dataset with a single pass of the dataset. Moreover, it optimizes the amount of disk I/0 operations while making modest use of main memory. Therefore it is theoretically optimal in terms of performance. It modifies and improves on the Hoshen-Kopelman clustering algorithm while dealing with the algorithm's fundamental challenges when operating in a Big Data setting. Thesis Supervisor: Samuel R. Madden Title: Professor
A new species of marine Dactylospora and its phylogenetic affinities within the Eurotiomycetes, Ascomycota

Abstract An apparently undescribed lignicolous Dactylospora species was collected on a rocky shore in northern Taiwan. The ascomatal morphology of this fungus is similar to other marine Dactylospora species, whereas the unique feature of the new fungus is a distinct perispore forming an ascospore appendage, which comprises a thick and hyaline sheath connected at the septum that opens at both ends. Dactylospora vrijmoediae is described and illustrated as new to science. On the basis of a phylogenetic analysis of the partial 18S and 28S rRNA and RPB2 genes, D. vrijmoediae occurs with other marine species, D. haliotrepha, D. mangrovei, and the terrestrial Sclerococcum sphaerale in an unnamed clade within the Eurotiomycetes, Ascomycota. The marine Dactylospora species are distantly placed and are separated from the terrestrial Dactylospora species included in the analysis (D. lobariella, D. imperfecta).
The calibration of a photo-electric absorptiometer for the rapid estimation of counts of spermatozoa in bull semen

1. An EEL mains-operated colorimeter has been calibrated to obtain rapid estimates of the concentration of spermatozoa in bull semen. 2. A general linear calibration relationship has been calculated giving h, the estimated concentration of spermatozoa per ml. of the original semen, as where d is the dilution factor and Pd is the absorptiometer reading. 3. Under the circumstances of the experiments described, the accuracy of estimates from the above relation was about 1%, and it is considered that the instrument may be effectively used in semen determinations for artificial insemination and in most cases where a rapid determination is required. 4. Attention is drawn to the desirability of using standards and occasional check calibrations, and to the possibility that in routine use results may be slightly less accurate than those given above, which were obtained with laboratory determinations.
Effects of Moringa oleifera (Lam.) Leaves Meal Incorporation in Diets on Growth Performances, Carcass Characteristics and Economics Results of Growing Indigenous Senegal Chickens

The purpose of this study carried out from July to October 2010 was to assess the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves meal inclusion in diets on growth performances, carcass and organs characteristics and economics results of growing indigenous Senegal chickens. Ninety six (96) indigenous Senegal chicks of 5 weeks old were randomly allocated into four groups of 24 chicks each with similar body weight. Each group subdivided in two repetitions of 12 birds, corresponded to each of the four (4) dietary treatments MO0, MO8, MO16 and MO24 containing respectively 0, 8, 16 and 24% of Moringa leaves meal in substitution of groundnut cake meal. During the experiment (6-17th week old), zootechnical parameters of birds and economical data were recorded and analyzed per dietary treatment. At the end of the 12 weeks trial, the final Live Body Weights (LBW) were 721.60 g, 911.70 g, 812.85 g and 720.05 g/bird, the average daily weight gain (ADWG) were 6.49 g, 8.77 g, 7.61 g and 6.50 g/day, the Daily Feed Intake (DFI) of 39.10 g, 39.76 g, 36.28 g and 34.24 g/bird and the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) of 7.58, 5.75, 6.11 et 7.24 respectively for birds fed MO0, MO8, MO16 and MO24 diets. The Moringa leaves meal inclusion in the diets up to 24% had not caused any adverse impact on LBW, ADWG, FCR, mortality, carcass and organs characteristics in birds compared to their controls. Except the significantly decrease of DFI obtained in birds of MO16 and MO24 treatments, significantly better growth performances, feed costs and economic margins were recorded in birds fed MO8 and MO16 diets. Thus these two dietary treatments were the only most economically profitable (respectively 357 and 206 FCFA/kg carcass of additional profit) compared to the control.
Effects of two finishing diets on growth performance, carcass characteristics and feeding behaviour of Slovenian Cika and Simmental young bulls

This study aimed at comparing the effects of a traditional finishing roughage-based diet and a higher energy diet, on growth, carcass characteristics, and feeding behaviour of Slovenian Cika and Simmental bulls (20 per breed). The experimental diets were: extensive (EXT) based on grass silage, and semi-intensive (S-INT) in which a part of the roughage was replaced with maize silage and sunflower meal. Each diet was fed ad libitum to 10 Cika (547 days old) and 10 Simmental (442 days old) bulls housed in group pens of five animals each. Growth performance was similar in both breeds, but Cika reached commercial finishing 1 month earlier than Simmental (139 vs 167 days; P = 0.016). Bulls fed S-INT had higher final weight (645.3 vs 590.1 kg; P = 0.05), average daily growth (1.05 vs 0.83 kg; P = 0.026), and feed intake (11.7 vs 10.6 kg dry matter (DM)/day; P < 0.001) than EXT bulls. Regardless of breed and diet, bulls ate 77–80% of the daily DM in the first 8 h after feed delivery. Bulls fed EXT showed longer standing (406.4 vs 355.8 min; P < 0.001) and eating (217.2 vs 155.3 min; P < 0.001) and shorter ruminating (77.5 vs 92.9 min; P < 0.001) times than S-INT bulls during the first 8 h of feed delivery. Cika bulls had lower full reticulo-rumen weights relative to slaughter weights (8.7 vs 10.7%; P = 0.002) than Simmental. The positive findings obtained with Cika cattle should encourage farmers to finish their young Cika male stocks for beef production, thus contributing to the maintenance of this animal genetic resource, and also to increase the energy density of the grass-based finishing diets by feeding supplements.
The effect of aluminium on enzyme activities in two wheat cultivars

In order to study the effect of different aluminum (Al) concentrations on the enzyme activities of wheat seedlings and the effect of malate and citrate treatments as chelates for reducing the noxious effect of Al in medium culture, the seedlings of two wheat cultivars, Darab (Al-sensitive) and Maroon (Al-tolerant) were grown on hydroponic solution (non modified Hoagland solution) containing AlCl 3 (0-100-200-300 M). Factorial experiment was realized in a complete randomized design with three replications. The activity of different enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in root and shoot were measured. Analysis of variance revealed that, the activity of studied enzymes (APX, CAT, GR and SOD) in root and shoot were affected by the main effects of Al concentration. However, in the case of catalase activity in root, the main effect of genotypes as well as genotype´Al concentration was also significant. APX activity in root was not significantly differed between Maroon and Darab in all Al concentrations. But by increasing Al concentration in root medium APX activity was significantly decreased. In the case of SOD activity, we did not find any difference between the studied genotypes in all Al concentrations but its content in roots was affected by the amount of Al applied in medium. So that by increasing the amount of Al, SOD content increased in the genotypes similarly. The same trend was observed for catalase activity in root. In the case of GR activity, we did not find any difference between the genotypes in all Al concentrations but its content in root was affected by applying Al in medium compared with control medium, so that GR content increased in both genotypes similarly. The activity of investigated enzymes showed the same trend in the shoot. The effect of malate and citrate was also studied on reducing the noxious effect of Al in root. Analysis of variance revealed that, there were significant differences within the treatments on the enzymes activity in root (not in the shoot) except for catalase. However, some interaction effects were significant. This means that malate or citrate application was effective in some Al concentrations. Key words : Maroon (Al tolerant), Darab (Al sensitive), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD).
Energetics of calling in the male treefrog Hyla arborea: when being large means being sexy at low cost

Female mate choice is often thought to be based on signals that honestly reflect male quality as a potential mate. However, while particularly costly acoustic signals have often been studied, the existence of differences in energetic costs among males has rarely been considered. These differences may be decisive in many ‘income breeding’ species in which males face a trade-off between calling in order to attract females and foraging to renew their energetic reserves. We thus examined calling energetic costs in an income breeder, Hyla arborea (L.), known to produce costly energetic calls, in order to explore the sources of inter-individual variability. After an arginine vasotocin injection, we determined the relationships between energetic costs (via oxygen consumption), call characteristics and male morphology. We found a strong variation in male calling energetic costs. For the same call rate, some males consumed oxygen at a rate four times greater than others. This difference was mainly explained by male size, bigger males consuming less oxygen per gram of tissues than smaller ones during calling. In addition, an acoustic parameter, within bout call rate, also influenced the energetic cost of emitted signals. These findings highlight the importance of calling energetic cost in income breeding species which have strong consequences on sexual selection processes. Indeed, energetic constraints are key parameters to understand the inter-individual variation in call characteristics. Males with a reduced cost may increase their chorus tenure and/or the attractiveness of their calls. Regarding female mate choice, choosing a big male may involve indirect benefits linked both to male size and to calling cost.
Effect of growth hormone on the liver transcriptome profile during established lactation in the dairy cow.

Milk production involves a coordinated metabolic response from multiple tissues. Administration of growth hormone (GH) to lactating cows provides an endocrine signal that redirects nutrients towards milk production. Hepatic responses to GH define the nutrient supply to peripheral organs both directly and indirectly, through processes such as gluconeogenesis and endocrine modulation. However, the mechanisms controlling these processes in the liver itself have not been completely elucidated. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of GH on gene expression in the liver of lactating dairy cows. Using a 22,690 expressed sequence tags (EST) bovine cDNA microarrays, we examined differences in liver mRNA transcript profiles between four cows treated with a slow-release formulation of GH and four control cows treated with saline solution. We identified 38 unique transcripts in liver that met the criteria of having expression changes greater than +/- 1.2 fold and false discovery rates <0.05. Of these genes affected by GH, 29 were down-regulated and nine were up-regulated. The pathways most affected by GH were carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, molecule transport and small molecule biochemistry. This preliminary study provides further insights into the molecular changes involved in the effects of GH on liver gene expression in the lactating dairy cow.