Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PRION CHARACTERIZATION USING CELL BASED APPROACHES

OF DISSERTAION PRION CHARACTERIZATION USING CELL BASED APPROACHES Prions are the causative agents of a group of lethal, neurodegenerative conditions that include sheep scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Prions are derived from the conversion of a normal, primarily alpha-helical, cellular prion protein (PrP), to an infectious, beta sheet-rich conformer (PrP). Many unresolved issues surround the process of PrP conversion, and we know very little about cellular responses to these unique pathogens. Our lack of knowledge relates, in part, to the difficulty of infecting cells in vitro with prions. While expression of PrP is an absolute requirement for prion propagation, I show here that not all cells that express PrP are capable of propagating PrP. The goal of this thesis is to understand the role that host factors play in sustaining prion infection and to develop systems in which the cellular response to prion infection can be assessed. We hypothesize that cellular permissiveness to prion infectivity is co-dependent on unidentified additional cellular factors. To study the role of PrP expression in susceptibility to prion infectivity, and identify these cofactors in cell culture, we utilized cells which fail to express endogenous PrP, but become susceptible to prions following stable expression of PrP. Following transfection of a species specific PrP expression construct and isolation of single cell clones, we assessed PrP expression and susceptibility to prion infectivity by measuring accumulation of protease resistant PrP. Differential gene expression studies suggest significant transcriptional differences between susceptible and resistant clones. Using three independent gene expression databases our analyses suggest that the resistant transcriptional profile favors cell division/cycle and chromosomal regulation pathways, while the sensitive transcriptional profile is involved in protein homeostasis and quality control. The results of these studies will not only lead to a greater understanding of PrP cell biology and the mechanisms of prion pathogenesis, but should ultimately lead to sensitive and expedient methods for detecting and characterizing prion infectivity from a wide range of sources.
Heterobasidion annosum : biology, ecology, impact and control

Historical aspects - biology and infection biology of heterobasidion annosum: current taxonomy of the genus heterobasidion detection of diagnosis of heterobasidion annosum biology of heterobasidion annosum diagnosis and differentiation of intersterility groups distribution of heterobasidion annosum intersterility groups in Europe spore dispersal and primary infection spread within the tree and stand host resistance biochemistry of the host-parasite interaction molecular and genetic regulation of the host response. Disease control: modelling of disease development in stands biological methods of control chemical methods of control silvicultural control economic appraisal of the benefits of control treatments. Impact, control and management of heterobasidion annosum root and butt rot in Europe and North America: the nordic countries the UK and Ireland Germany and Austria France Italy Eastern Europe North America.
Ankistrodinium armigerum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a new species of heterotrophic marine sand‐dwelling dinoflagellate from Japan and Australia

A new heterotrophic sand‐dwelling dinoflagellate, Ankistrodinium armigerum K. Watanabe, Miyoshi, Kubo, Murray et Horiguchi sp. nov., is described from Ishikari Beach, Hokkaido, Japan and Port Botany, NSW, Australia. The dinoflagellate is laterally compressed, possessing a short triangular epicone and a large sac‐like hypocone. It possesses a right‐handed cingulum and a deeply‐incised sulcus. The sulcus descends towards the posterior of the cell where it becomes much deeper and wider, resulting in a bilobed ventral side to the hypocone, with a greater excavation of the left lobe than the right. In addition, the right lobe of the hypocone is shorter than the left lobe, which allows a partial view of the left sulcal wall when the cell is viewed from its right side. The sulcus ascends in the epicone to form an apical groove. The apical groove is linear but terminates in an ellipsoid fashion and its extremity approaches, but does not form a closed loop with the apical end of the linear portion. The dinoflagellate possesses two distinct size classes of trichocysts. The large trichocysts are located in the posterior part of the cell, while small trichocysts are distributed throughout the cell. The dinoflagellate shares morphological characteristics with the heterotrophic sand‐dwelling dinoflagellate, Ankistrodinium semilunatum, the type species of the genus. These include a laterally compressed cell, a right‐handed cingulum, a deeply‐incised sulcus and the same basic structure to the apical groove. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on small and large subunits of rDNA showed that in both trees, A. semilunatum and A. armigerum formed a robust clade, suggesting that these two species are closely related. Because no organism with the characteristics of this species exists and because this species is closely related to A. semilunatum, we concluded that this species should be described as a second species of the genus Ankistrodinium.
Etude in vitro du rajeunissement prealable a la micropropagation chez le sequoia sempervirens (endl. ) : recherche de marqueurs morphologiques, physiologiques et biochimiques

En utilisant la technique de culture in vitro, nous nous sommes attaches a etudier les modalites du rajeunissement par des subcultures reiterees d'explants miniaturises chez deuxx clones de sequoia sempervirens issus d'arbres ages de 50 et 500 ans. Le choix du traitement doit etre d'autant plus drastique que le clone est issu d'arbres ages. Parmi les nombreux criteres etudies, nous en avons determine plusieurs permettant de suivre l'evolution du rajeunissement du materiel : la hauteur des tiges, le nombre de feuilles, l'enracinnement ( pourcentage et delai) et la reactivation des meristemes caulinaires isoles
The merging of archaeological evidence and marine turtle ecology: A case study approach to the importance of including archaeological data in marine science

In “ecology through time” Jackson et al. (2001:561–748) highlight the importance of including paleoecological, archaeological and historical data in ecological research. The authors note that few modern ecological studies consider the former abundance of large marine vertebrates, and focus instead on local field studies, lasting only a few years, without including a long-term historical perspective. An historical perspective would help clarify both the underlying causes and rates of ecological change, but also the theory that ecological extinction caused by overfishing precedes all other anthropogenic disturbances to coastal ecosystems. Archaeological evidence is also required to encompass the full life histories of many important species and to document environmental disturbances such as tsunamis and cyclones, geologic events such as uplift and subsidence, and prehistoric overfishing (Jackson et al. 2001:561).
UNDERSTANDING AND PREDICTING THE FACTORS AFFECTING PURCHASE INTENTION OF LUXURY GOODS

The basic objective behind doing this project is to gain the knowledge about the Management research and to interpret its various implications. I have selected the topic of UNDERSTANDING AND PREDICTING THE FACTORS AFFECTING PURCHASE INTENTION OF LUXURY GOODS. In this project I have included the various concepts, effects and implications regarding to study of Marketing Research. Doing this project, it helped me to enhance my knowledge regarding the field work. Throughout the study I did undergo many new experiences related to people’s opinion as well as their tendencies, experience, behavior, and awareness. Through this report I come to know about importance of work and role ofdevotion towards the works.
Synthetic Study of Peptide Aldehydes

Some of the leupeptin Ac-LL analogs, in which the argininal moiety was replaced by aromatic aminoaldehydes, were synthesized starting from benzyloxycarbonyl-α-amino-aldehyde semicarbazones derived from benzyloxycarbonyl amino acid esters by the reduction with diisobutylaluminum hydride. The racemization of the aldehyde part of the purified analogs was examined using the analytical ion exchange chromatography of diastereomers produced by the condensation of L-aspartic acid with aminoalcohols, which were obtained by the sodium borohydride reduction of the synthesized peptide aldehydes followed by acid hydrolysis. The results demonstrate that racemization occurs only to a limited extent, when these starting materials are used and careful purifications of the products are carried out.
Biofilm Structure, Behavior, and Hydrodynamics

This chapter covers the major discoveries associated with biofilm architecture and to discuss some instances where they in turn may be affected by environmental hydrodynamics. Understanding the significance of hydrodynamics in the biofilm life cycle is crucial if we consider the habitats in which the most abundant biofilms tend to accumulate. In summary there are a myriad of factors that influence biofilm development and structure. However, the interaction between hydrodynamics and each of these parameters is poorly characterized. The chapter discusses the influence of hydrodynamics and shear as the major factors that are involved in biofilm architecture, and it is important to keep in mind that all of the identified and yet-to-be-discovered factors are involved in a dynamic, interrelated manner and there is no single global regulating pathway so far known to control this process. The chapter also discusses the roles of hydrodynamics and shear in biofilm structural maturation as well as how they may affect the major factors that are involved in the process. In vitro studies performed in the laboratory and the observations of biofilms growing in the natural environment demonstrate the importance of hydrodynamics and shear in biofilm structural development.
Providing a Logistic Model to Predict Individual Trading Behavior in Tehran Stock Exchange

Information is like a strategic decision-making tool in which the quality of decisions will merely depend on the information used at the time of making those decisions. The purpose of this research is to assist individual investors in Tehran Stock Exchange by providing them a logistic model enabling them to predict their trading behavior. The data in this research has been collected from the statistical population of the study through variables, believed to have effects on the investors' process of decision making. Therefore, in order to achieve the statistical data, 2400 transactions in the form of 100 transactions, including buy and sell of stock shares from March 2017 until February 2019 have respectively been collected as samples. Based on the results of the logistic regression test, the behavior of institutional investors, as well as the volume of stocks traded have a significant positive impact on the behavior of individual investors (the probability of buying shares by them) versus the Beta, earnings per share, and dividends per share that have a negative effect on the probability of purchasing shares by individual investors. The analysis of the results suggests that individual investors are mainly subject to collective behavior which in particular is the same behavior of institutional investors. On the other hand, they tend to invest in stocks with low beta (defensive stocks) along with factors such as earnings per share and dividends per share which have less impact on the probability of stock purchases by individual investors.
Lyme Disease: Serologic Assays for Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne bacterial disease in the northern hemisphere. The disease is caused by three genomic groups or genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, and B. afzelii. Only B. burgdorferi sensu stricto is known to cause Lyme disease in North America, whereas all three genospecies are responsible for the disease in Europe. Serology is the most useful type of laboratory test that is widely available to support a clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease. Positive serologic test results, however, should not be used by themselves to establish this diagnosis. Laboratory testing of samples from such patients also is not recommended, since testing will result in more false-positive results than true positives. Serum specimens first should be evaluated by a sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or immunofluorescent assay (IFA). During the first month of infection, both immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses should be determined. A strain used as an antigen in a serologic test should express appropriate amounts of the immunoreactive proteins of diagnostic interest. Positive-control serum samples from patients with well-characterized Lyme disease are required, preferably four samples that possess a range of anti-B. burgdorferi antibody levels from low to high.
SOYBEAN QTL FOR YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH GLYCINE SOJA ALLELES

U.S. soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] germplasm has a narrow genetic base. The objective of this study was to identify G. soja Sieb. and Zucc. alleles for yield and yield component quantitative trait loci (QTL). Two populations of BC 2 F 4 lines were generated from a mating between recurrent parent G. max '7499' and donor parent G. soya PI 245331 with one line in each population tracing back to the same BC 2 plant. Population A was used for the QTL identification analysis and Population B was used for the QTL verification test. The Population A lines were genotyped at 120 simple sequence repeat marker loci and one phenotypic marker locus. There were 11 putative QTL significantly associated with yield and yield component traits across three environments. One QTL for seed yield was found using the combined data. At this locus, the G. soja allele at Satt511 on LG A1 was associated with increased seed yield with an additive yield effect of 191 to 235 kg ha -1 depending on the QTL analysis method. Across environments in the validation population, lines that were homozygous for the G. soja allele at Satt511 demonstrated a 6.3% yield increase over lines that were homozygous for the G. max allele. One seed filling period QTL was identified on LG F with an additive effect of +1 d. This QTL also provided a +1 d additive effect on maturity. These results demonstrate the potential of identifying positive alleles in the exotic germplasm of soybean.
EFFECT OF PALATAL COVERAGE AND NUMBER OF MINI IMPLANTS USED TO ASSIST MAXILLARY OVERDENTURE: AN IN VITRO STUDY OF RETENTION, CYCLIC FATIGUE AND DEFORMATION OF MAXILLARY OVERDENTURE BASE

Purpose : Prosthodontic complications related to implant assisted maxillary overdentures are reported more often. This in vitro study examined the influence of implant number and palatal coverage on retention, cyclic fatigue and denture base deformation of maxillary overdentures supported by five versus seven unsplinted mini implants. Materials and methods: An edentulous model of maxillary arch with mini diameter implant dummies was fabricated. The implants were inserted into the anterior, premolar, and molar areas. Maxillary experimental dentures with complete and partial palatal coverage were fabricated. Cyclic dislodging forces were applied to assess cyclic fatigue and the resulting change in denture retention. Strain gauges were used to assess the deformation induced into the dentures when cyclic fatigue test was carried out on overdentures assisted by seven implants and five implants after excluding the posterior implants. Results: Cyclic fatigue and denture base deformation induced in overdentures with partial palatal coverage assisted by five mini implants were significantly higher than overdentures with complete palatal coverage whether assisted by seven or five implants (P < .05). Overdentures with partial palatal coverage assisted by seven mini implants exhibited non-significant changes in retention, cyclic fatigue and base deformation when compared to overdentures with complete palatal coverage assisted by five mini implants. Conclusion: Maxillary five mini implant assisted overdentures with partial palatal coverage revealed much higher cyclic fatigue and induced denture base deformation than overdentures with complete palatal coverage regardless of the mini implant number. With respect to retention, fatigue failure and denture deformation, maxillary seven mini implant assisted overdentures with partial palatal coverage exhibited no significant difference comparable to five mini implant assisted maxillary overdenture with complete palatal coverage.
Caracterización del LOCUS BOLA-DRB3 en ganadocriollo colombiano y asociación con resistencia aenfermedades

En este trabajo se genotipificaron bovinos de las razas BON (n= 140) y Cebu Brahman (n= 22) para alelos ubicados en el segundo exon del gen del complejo mayor de histocompatibilidad DRB3 (BoLA-DRB3), usando un marcador tipo PCR-RFLP. Los fenotipos de resistencia fueron determinados mediante pruebas in vitro de infeccion controlada de macrofagos con Brucella abortus. Por otro lado, un grupo de estos animales (n=80) fueron evaluados cada 45 dias por un periodo de un ano, para niveles de infestacion de ectoparasitos (miasis ocasionada por Dermatobia hominis y garrapata Boophilus microplus), y valores hematocrito. Se encontro un efecto significativo de la raza para las variables NBT 0, SOB24, y el genotipo para las variables NBT 0 e infestacion por Dermatobia hominis (p<0,05). Se encontraron asociaciones significativas entre bajos niveles de infestacion por Dermatobia hominis con los alelos DRB3*2701 y DRB3*2801 (p<0,05). Por otra parte, el alelo DRB3*0601 presento asociacion significativa con bajos valores de NBT 0, lo que indicaria una baja eficiencia fagocitica de los macrofagos de animales que poseen estos genotipos. Estos resultados dan idea de otras posibles interacciones que puedan existir en el control de la resistencia a enfermedades en bovinos.
The Fresh-Water Fishes of the Island of Trinidad: addenda, errata et corrigenda

Recently Dr. I. KRISTENSEN, Director of the Caribbean Marine-Biological Institute at Curacao, kindly donated to the Leiden Natural History Museum a small collection of fishes he collected during a 1961 visit to Trinidad. These specimens proved to be of considerable interest, providing new distributional data and even including two species not listed in my previous review of the freshwater fishes of the island (1960), and induced me to prepare the present paper. The opportunity has been taken in this paper to correct some errors and omissions in the review. The species discussed here are numbered in accordance with my 1960 enumeration, the numbers 2a and 68a being additions.
Characterization of a gene family associated with calcified structures in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

Eleven cDNAs from a family of genes were cloned from the calcified exoskeleton of the decapod crustacean Callinectes sapidus. Multiple, variant copies of a conserved 18-residue motif (xLxGPSGffxxDGxxxQf), unique to calcified crustacean exoskeleton, accounts for ~70% of the total amino acid residues. The proteins appear to be post-translationally cleaved by a trypsin-like serine protease at conserved recognition sites (RxKR). Two to six peptides, each containing either two or four copies of the 18-residue motif, are expected, depending on which pro-protein is cleaved. Expression of the CsproCP gene family begins at the onset of calcification in the hypodermis of post-ecdysial, calcified cuticle, as shown by Northern analysis. The genes are never expressed in the hypodermis of the noncalcified arthrodial membrane. Western analysis, using an antibody against the 18-residue motif, shows that accumulation of peptides with this motif begins in the calcified cuticle several hours post-ecdysis and continues to anecdysis. The size of the detected peptides agrees with the presumed post-translational cleavage. The strong antibody binding to calcified cuticle proteins and the lack of binding to arthrodial membrane proteins from anecdysial crabs is consistent with immunohistochemical staining performed by Hequembourg (2002). Interestingly, the antibody also weakly binds to proteins from the tendon, another calcified structure in the crab. These results confirm that the proteins encoded by the CsproCP gene family are associated with calcification in Callinectes sapidus.
Comparative assay of protease enzyme activity in protoscolices (Hydatid cyst) and liver tissues

Hydatidosis is a zoonosis disease caused by the larva of Echinococcus granulosus parasite in man and animals. The Proteases enzymes are necessary for nutrition, migration and evasion of immunity of parasite into host. The aim of this study was to determine the protease activity of hydatid cyst protoscolices (PSC), healthy and cystic liver tissues in order to compare of this biomarker for host and parasite in hydatid disease. In this study, PSC were collected from sheep liver tissue infected with hydatid cysts at an abattoir and washed 3 times with PBS buffer. PSC samples were freeze-thawed and sonicated while collected liver tissues were homogenized. Extract solution samples were centrifuged and stored at - 20°C. Protease enzymes activity was measured in the extract solutions of PSC and sheep liver tissue samples (healthy and cystic livers). Samples protein concentrations and protein bands were detected using Bradford and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) methods respectively. To determine significant difference between two groups, statistical t-test was performed. The values of protease enzyme activities in healthy, cystic and PSC were determined 0.0028, 0.0087 and 0.50U/ml/mg respectively. Elevation of protease enzyme activity in cystic liver as compared with healthy was not significant. Statistical T-test showed higher protease enzyme activity for PSC as compared to healthy (p<0.05). SDS-PAGE confirmed 24 kDa and 54 kDa bands for protease enzyme in PSC samples and 24 kDa band in liver samples. Protease enzyme activity and molecular weight as compared to healthy liver tissues could be concerned as a comparative metabolic biomarker for host and parasite in hydatidosis