Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mucosal and Systemic γδ+ T Cells Associated with Control of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

γδ T cells act as a first line of defense against invading pathogens. However, despite their abundance in mucosal tissue, little information is available about their functionality in this compartment in the context of HIV/SIV infection. In this study, we evaluated the frequency, phenotype, and functionality of Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells from blood, rectum, and the female reproductive tract (FRT) of rhesus macaques to determine whether these cells contribute to control of SIV infection. No alteration in the peripheral Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio in SIV-infected macaques was observed. However, CD8+ and CD4+CD8+ Vδ1 T cells were expanded along with upregulation of NKG2D, CD107, and granzyme B, suggesting cytotoxic function. In contrast, Vδ2 T cells showed a reduced ability to produce the inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ. In the FRT of SIV+ macaques, Vδ1 and Vδ2 showed comparable levels across vaginal, ectocervical, and endocervical tissues; however, endocervical Vδ2 T cells showed higher inflammatory profiles than the two other regions. No sex difference was seen in the rectal Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio. Several peripheral Vδ1 and/or Vδ2 T cell subpopulations expressing IFN-γ and/or NKG2D were positively correlated with decreased plasma viremia. Notably, Vδ2 CD8+ T cells of the endocervix were negatively correlated with chronic viremia. Overall, our results suggest that a robust Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cell response in blood and the FRT of SIV-infected macaques contribute to control of viremia.
Nonlethal Effects in the Ecology of Predator-Prey Interactions What are the ecological effects of anti-predator decision-making?

P ]redator-prey interactions have long captured the attention of ecologists, and with good reason. Predation leads inevitably to the removal of prey individuals from ecological systems, which can have major impacts on prey population dynamics and on entire ecosystems. Interest in predator-prey interactions can be traced to the foundations of modern ecology, from early work on predator-prey population dynamics by historical figures such as Lotka, Volterra, and Gause (Taylor 1984) to classic work on the role of predation in regulating species diversity (e.g., Paine 1966). Ecologists continue to be greatly interested in predation and its effects on populations, communities, and ecosystems (Crawley 1992, Carpenter and Kitchell 1993). A perusal of any recent textbook on ecology will not only confirm the importance of predation in modern ecology, but also illustrate the preeminence of the "lethal" perspective on predation-that is, predation is seen as important only insofar as it results in the death of prey and their removal from the system. However, the obvious and sometimes dramatic lethal aspects of predation can obscure the nonlethal effects of the mere presence of predators in an ecological system. In the presence of predators, prey may alter their behavior so that they are more difficult
Preliminary screening of Achillea millefolium, Cichorium intybus and Capparis spinosa for antihepatotoxic activity

The aqueous extracts of three plants, aerial parts of A. millefolium, seeds of C. intybus and aerial parts of C. spinosa, are the common components of polyherbal formulations used in liver disorders. Some extracts of these plants were screened for their ability to protect the CCl 4 and paracetamol intoxicated liver in rats and were found active as antihepatotoxic agents.
An assessment of support provided to smallholder farmers: A case study of the Vhembe District, South Africa

This paper assesses some support strategies provided to randomly selected smallholder irrigation farmers in Vhembe District, South Africa. Although irrigation farmers were selected as units of study, the focus is on all smallholder farmers. In particular the study investigates the extent to which smallholder farmers benefited from the new government policy of redressing injustices in South Africa by providing support to the previously disadvantaged in the country’s rural areas. The study established the dominance of men and the elderly, less educated members, poor access to credit, nonmembership to cooperatives, and substantial access to irregular extension services, and dependence on other farmers for market information. Inferential statistical analyses detected a negative impact of educational achievement and investment in production costs (inputs) to accessing credit. Amongst others the study recommended planned exit strategies for elderly farmers, support to new entrants (graduates), exposure to beneficial effects of cooperation and dependence on traditional market information sources, rather than ill-informed colleagues in the smallholder farming sector.
The behavioural consequences of sex reversal in dragons

Sex differences in morphology, physiology, and behaviour are caused by sex-linked genes, as well as by circulating sex-steroid levels. Thus, a shift from genotypic to environmental sex determination may create an organism that exhibits a mixture of male-like and female-like traits. We studied a lizard species (Central Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps), in which the high-temperature incubation of eggs transforms genetically male individuals into functional females. Although they are reproductively female, sex-reversed dragons (individuals with ZZ genotype reversed to female phenotype) resemble genetic males rather than females in morphology (relative tail length), general behaviour (boldness and activity level), and thermoregulatory tactics. Indeed, sex-reversed ‘females’ are more male-like in some behavioural traits than are genetic males. This novel phenotype may impose strong selection on the frequency of sex reversal within natural populations, facilitating rapid shifts in sex-determining systems. A single period of high incubation temperatures (generating thermally induced sex reversal) can produce functionally female individuals with male-like (or novel) traits that enhance individual fitness, allowing the new temperature-dependent sex-determining system to rapidly replace the previous genetically based one.
Revision du sous genre paraphlebotomus (phlebotomus, phlebotominae, psychodidae, diptera) ; approches morphologique et moleculaire

Une revision systematique du sous-genre Paraphlebotomus, un groupe de phlebotomes renfermant de nombreux vecteurs de leishmanioses, est proposee. L'etude morphologique s'appuie sur l'examen microscopique des types accessibles et sur celui d'exemplaires provenant d'origines diverses. Le statut taxinomique de chaque espece est revise. La mise en synonymie de P. marismortui avec P. alexandri est proposee et la validite de P. mofidii est provisoirement retablie. Les taxons P. sergenti et P. similis sont clairement differencies. Une espece nouvelle pour la Science est decrite: P. riouxi. L'unicite du taxon P. saevus est discutee. Deux phylogenies moleculaires basees sur les analyses de sequences d'ADN ribosomique sont bâties. La premiere utilise le domaine D2 de la sous unite 28 S. Elle revele la tres grande parente existant entre les sous-genres Paraphlebotomus et Phlebotomus, la vraisemblable paraphylie du genre Phlebotomus et la position en groupes freres des genres Sergentomyia et Lutzomyia. La seconde porte sur l'ITS 2. Elle met en evidence le caractere informatif du gene a l'interieur du sous-genre etudie.
A Comparison of Herbivore Damage on Three Invasive Plants and Their Native Congeners: Implications for the Enemy Release Hypothesis

ABSTRACT One explanation for the success of exotic plants in their introduced habitats is that, upon arriving to a new continent, plants escaped their native herbivores or pathogens, resulting in less damage and lower abundance of enemies than closely related native species (enemy release hypothesis). We tested whether the three exotic plant species, Rubus phoenicolasius (wineberry), Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed), and Persicaria perfoliata (mile-a-minute weed), suffered less herbivory or pathogen attack than native species by comparing leaf damage and invertebrate herbivore abundance and diversity on the invasive species and their native congeners. Fallopia japonica and R. phoenicolasius received less leaf damage than their native congeners, and F. japonica also contained a lower diversity and abundance of invertebrate herbivores. If the observed decrease in damage experienced by these two plant species contributes to increased fitness, then escape from enemies may provide at least a partial explanation for their invasiveness. However, P. perfoliata actually received greater leaf damage than its native congener. Rhinoncomimus latipes, a weevil previously introduced in the United States as a biological control for P. perfoliata, accounted for the greatest abundance of insects collected from P. perfoliata. Therefore, it is likely that the biocontrol R. latipes was responsible for the greater damage on P. perfoliata, suggesting this insect may be effective at controlling P. perfoliata populations if its growth and reproduction is affected by the increased herbivore damage.
Identification of sixteen grapevine rootstocks by RFLP and RFLP analysis of nuclear DNA extracted from the wood

Sixteen rootstocks of the Vitis genus have been identified by the RFLP analysis methodology with the restriction enzyme Hinf I. Uniques or moderately repeated DNA sequences of the nuclear genome of the Chardonnay V. vinifera variety were used as probes. RFLP analysis of 5 clones of SO 4 ( V. berlandieri x V. riparia ) and of 3 clones of 41 B Mgt ( V. berlandieri x V. vinifera ) with 4 probes and Hinf I did not lead to any polymorphism. This is not surprising because of the vegetative origin of the clones. A simple method of nuclear DNA extraction of wood is described for the grapevine. We propose now the RFLP analysis methodology to complement or to replace in certain cases the ampelographical methods of identification of the rootstocks. The extension of this application to the V. vinifera varieties is considered. Identification de 16 porte-greffes de vigne par analyse RFLP, et analyse RFLP d'ADN nucleaire extrait a partir du bois Nous avons identifie 16 porte-greffes du genre Vitis par la methodologie d'analyse du polymorphisme de longueur des fragments de restriction (RFLP) de l'ADN avec l'enzyme de restriction Hinf I. Pour cela, nous avons utilise comme sondes des fragments d'ADN uniques ou peu repetes du genome de la variete Chardonnay de Vitis vinifera . L'analyse RFLP de cinq clones de SO 4 ( V. berlandieri x V. riparia ) et de trois clones de 41 B Mgt ( V. berlandieri x V. vinifera ) avec quatre sondes RFLP et l'enzyme Hinf I n'a pas permis de differencier les clones d'un meme hybride, dont les genomes sont extremement proches puisqu'ils sont obtenus de facon vegetative. Nous presentons aussi une methode simple d'extraction d'ADN nucleaire a partir du bois de vigne. Les analyses RFLP de cet ADN ont donne des resultats identiques a ceux obtenus avec l'ADN des feuilles. Nous sommes maintenant en mesure de proposer que la methodologie d'analyse RFLP complete ou remplace dans certains cas les methodes ampelographiques d'identification des portegreffes du genre Vitis. L'elargissement de cette application est envisage pour les varietes de Vitis vinifera .
Salting Yolks Directly Using Fresh Duck Egg Yolks with Salt and Maltodextrin

This study demonstrates a novel concept of salted yolk processing using fresh duck egg yolk. Salted yolks are produced to comply with good agricultural practice and allow better traceability of the raw materials. This methodology also prevents the curing of albumin as in the normal whole-egg brining protocol, and the spare egg whites can be used as raw material for other food products. This new brining process accelerated the curing time from 4 weeks to 4 days. The brining solution was a mixture of sodium chloride and maltodextrin. The sensory results suggested that this novel separated yolk brining process generated salted yolks of similar quality to those using the traditional shell egg brining protocol.
Root system morphology of Oregon white oak on a glacial outwash soil

Oregon white oak is reportedly a deeply rooted species, but its rooting habit on coarse-textured soils is undocumented. In the Puget Trough of western Washington, Oregon white oak grows in coarse-textured glacial outwashsoils on lowland sites. Our objective was to quantify the gross root system morphology of Oregon white oak in these soils, thereby improving our understanding of its belowground resource acquisition on these sites. Study trees were located on a Spanaway gravelly sandy loam soil near Olympia, Washington. Root systems of 27 oak trees (age 3-95 yr) were excavated and measured. Root systems of seedlings and small trees had prominent taproots, but root systems of larger trees were structurally dominated by shallow lateral roots. Vertical penetration of roots, including the taproot, was restricted by gravelly and cobbly layers within the C horizon, which began at a depth of about 70 cm. Although most roots were located in the finer-textured A horizon, some small roots penetrated to depths greater than 150 cm, where soils remain moist in summer. The predominance of shallow roots suggests that management of understory vegetation or overstory conifers, which both have a similar rooting zone, will likely influence growth and survival of oak. Activities, such as vehicular traffic, that significantly disturb surface soils may adversely affect oak trees.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene C677T Polymorphism and Its Association with Ovary Cancer

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a vital enzyme involved in folate metabolism; a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) C677T has been reported to be linked with altered incidences of several diseases. The association between ovary cancer and the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism has been investigated in several case-control studies. These studies rendered contradictory results, to shed light on these inconclusive findings, a meta-analysis of all available studies relating the C677T polymorphism to the risk of ovary cancer was conducted. The following electronic databases were searched without language restrictions: Pubmed, Google Scholars, Elsevier and Springer Link up to December, 2014. Odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. Meta-analysis was performed using Mix version 1.7. Eleven studies were finally included in present meta-analysis, which contained 5922 individuals with ovary cancer and 5235 healthy controls. There was not significant relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ovary cancer under allele contrast (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99-1.11), dominant (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.91-1.13), recessive (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.90-1.08), homozygous (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.86-1.14) and co-dominant/heterozygous (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.91-1.14) genetic models. Subgroup analysis also reached similar results. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the overall result were dependable. In conclusion, results of present meta-analysis showed that MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism is not a risk factor for Ovary cancer.
Detection of macrophages infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in a cow with clinical stage IV of Johne's disease. A case report

espanolAnamnesis: una vaca Holstein de 6 anos de edad (Bos taurus taurus) presento sintomatologia de la fase IV de la enfermedad de Johne. Hallazgos clinicos y de laboratorio: la vaca presento diarrea intermitente durante 6 meses sin respuesta al tratamiento con antibioticos. En consecuencia, la vaca fue sometida a eutanasia. Esquema de tratamiento: muestras de leche y de sangre periferica se tomaron ante-mortem; muestras de la mucosa del intestino, bazo y linfonodos mediastinico y mesenterico, se tomaron post-mortem, todas para aislamiento de macrofagos. El ADN total de los macrofagos fue usado para la amplificacion del segmento IS900 de Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) por PCR en tiempo real. Conclusion: los macrofagos de vacas con la enfermedad de Johne pueden ser usados para la amplificacion del segmento IS900 de MAP. EnglishAnamnesis: a six-year-old milking Holstein cow (Bos taurus taurus) was diagnosed with stage IV Johne's Disease (JD). Clinical and Laboratory findings: the cow suffered intermittent diarrhea during 6 months with no response to antibiotic treatment. Consequently, the cow was subjected to euthanasia. Treatment approach: antemortem milk and peripheral blood samples and postmortem colon, mediastinic, mesenteric lymph nodes, and spleen samples were processed for macrophages isolation. Total DNA was extracted from macrophages and used to diagnose IS900 of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) through real time PCR. The MAP IS900 segment was successfully amplified from cells of all samples, indicating that these cells were MAP-infected macrophages. Conclusion: macrophages of cows suffering from JD can be used for amplification of the MAP IS900 segment. portuguesAnamnese: uma vaca Holstein com 6 anos de idade (Bos taurus taurus) apresentou os sintomas da fase IV da doenca de Johne. Achados clinicos e laboratoriais: a vaca teve diarreia intermitente por seis meses sem resposta ao tratamento com antibioticos. Por conseguinte, a vaca foi submetida a eutanasia. Abordagem de tratamento: amostras de leite e de sangue periferico foram retiradas ante-mortem, enquanto as amostras da mucosa intestinal, baco e linfonodos mesentericos e mediastinais foram tomadas todas post-mortem para o isolamento de macrofagos. O ADN total de macrofagos foi utilizado para amplificacao do segmento IS900 do Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) por PCR em tempo real. Conclusao: macrofagos isolados a partir de vacas com doenca de Johne podem ser utilizados para a amplificacao da segmento IS900 do MAP.
Minireview Primary and secondary oxidative stress in Bacillus

Summary Coping with oxidative stress originating from oxidiz- ing compounds or reactive oxygen species (ROS), associated with the exposure to agents that cause environmental stresses, is one of the prerequisites for an aerobic lifestyle of Bacillus spp. such as B. subtilis, B. cereus and B. anthracis. This minireview highlights novel insights in the primary oxidative stress response caused by oxidizing compounds including hydrogen peroxide and the secondary oxi- dative stress responses apparent upon exposure to a range of agents and conditions leading to environ- mental stresses such as antibiotics, heat and acid. Insights in the pathways and damaging radicals involved have been compiled based among others on transcriptome studies, network analyses and fluores- cence techniques for detection of ROS at single cell level. Exploitation of the current knowledge for the control of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria is discussed.
Proximity shapes similarity in epiphytic composition of Neotropical ant gardens

Abstract: Ant gardens (AGs) are specialized ant-plant associations where arboreal ants build their carton nests in association with epiphytes that use the carton as a substrate. Most of the epiphytes are planted by ants; therefore, seed selection by ants is a key driver of the epiphyte composition of AGs. However, deterministic post-dispersal factors, such as the surrounding environmental conditions and plant succession, may also influence epiphyte composition. Here we ask whether epiphyte composition on a local scale is associated with dispersal constraints, local environmental conditions (light availability, number of branches and nest height) or AG successional stage. We sampled all epiphyte species in 18 AGs formed by Camponotus femoratus and Crematogaster levior in Central Amazon, Brazil. AGs were located within a range of 1 km and at a maximum of 20 m from the edges of a dirt road within a primary forest. Epiphytic composition showed strong spatial structure, decreasing in similarity with increasing distance. Environmental conditions and AG successional stage were not related to AG floristic composition, suggesting a key role of stochastic processes related to seed dispersal. A combination of seed abundance and attractiveness in neighbouring AGs seems to drive the higher similarity in epiphyte composition among closer AGs.
Diagnostic de la pleuropneumonie contagieuse caprine : améliorations récentes

Due to the difficulty in isolating Mycoplasma sp. type F38, two techniques for rapid detection are proposed in order to identify the presence of mycoplasmas of the mycoides group in samples of pleural fluid. A modification in the composition of isolation media promotes the growth of type F38 mycoplasmas and inhibits the growth of M. ovipneumoniae strains.
DOES LARVAL GROWTH HISTORY DETERMINE TIMING OF METAMORPHOSIS IN ANURANS? A FIELD EXPERIMENT

The effect of recent growth history on the timing of metamorphosis and body mass at metamorphosis was examined in a field experiment with Bufo calamita tadpoles where we manipulated growth rates by shifting tadpoles between environments with high and low food levels. Body size varied depending on recent growth history. Covariation between body size at meta- morphosis and timing of development also depended upon recent growth pattern. Time of devel- opment response was, however, a function of the direction of the shift in the growth pattern. Tadpoles grown initially at low growth rates and then shifted to a rich resource environment with high growth rates had shorter larval periods than tadpoles raised with slow growth rates throughout the larval period. However, tadpoles raised at high growth rates only during 40% of the total larval period and then shifted to a low food environment with slow growth rates did not differ in timing of metamorphosis from tadpoles grown at high growth rates throughout the larval period. Therefore, tadpoles in this treatment were not using growth history as a cue to metamorphic timing. Moreover, it appears that the early growth pattern set developmental rates only when tadpoles were grown in a rich environment. This result meshes well with the model of Smith-Gill and Berven (1979) which predicts that developmental rate and growth rate are uncoupled to each other but seems inconsistent with the model of Wilbur and Collins (1973) that postulates that developmental rates should adjust to growth rates. The observed asymmetric response mediated through food levels suggests that energy accumulated during periods of optimal growth rates or certain differentiation inertia may be responsible for these different responses.
On the Optimality of a Normal Forest with Multiple Land Classes

We analyze a discrete time forestry model with nonlinear utility and any number of forest age and land classes. It is shown that under discounting, this model possesses a cyclical stationary state instead of an even flow of timber. The cycle length in timber flow equals the least common multiple of the rotation lengths of the various land classes. The cycle structure is dependent on the initial age-class allocation. As the discount factor approaches unity, the cyclicality in total timber harvest vanishes, but the forest age-class structure may not approach a normal forest in any land class. An aggregate even timber flow is associated with a normal forest in each land class only if there does not exist any pair of land classes with rotation periods having a common divisor greater than one. FOR. Sci. 48(3):530-542.