Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pathogen attack and spatial patterns of juvenile mortality and growth in a temperate tree, Prunus grayana

To examine whether the Janzen-Connell hypothesis is valid in temperate forests, we investigated the density, growth, mortality, and agents of mortality of seedlings and the density, size, and age of saplings of Prunus grayana Maxim. at three distances (0-3, 6-10, and 16-26 m) from conspecific adults in a temperate forest in Japan. An inoculation experiment was also conducted to test the host range of a leaf pathogen. The probability of mortality was highest at 0-3 m during the first 2 years of growth. Mortality mainly resulted from distance-dependent attack by two types of patho- gen that caused damping-off epidemics and spot symptoms on leaves. The leaf pathogen was identified as Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, which infected many more seedlings of Prunus grayana than of the two other tree species tested in an inoculation experiment. The vertical and diameter growth was lowest at 0-3 m and highest at 16-26 m in both seed- lings and saplings. As a result, the greatest number of large and older saplings was observed at 16-26 m. Our results dem- onstrate that the Janzen-Connell mechanism operates in a beech-dominated forest in the temperate region of Japan. Resume´ : Dans le but de verifier si l'hypothese de Janzen-Connell est valide en foret temperee, nous avons etudiela den- site´, la croissance, la mortaliteet les causes de mortalitedes semis ainsi que la densite´, la dimension et l'age des gaules de Prunus grayana Maxim. situesadifferentes distances (0-3, 6-10 et 16-26 m) d'arbres adultes de la meme espece dans une foret temperee du Japon. Des inoculations experimentales ont aussi eteeffectuees pour tester la gamme d'hotes d'un champignon pathogene des feuilles. La probabilitede mortaliteetait la plus eleveeaune distance de 0-3 m durant les deux premieres annees de croissance. La mortalitea surtout etecausee par deux types d'agents pathogenes qui causaient des epidemies de fonte des semis et des taches de feuilles et dont la severiteetait fonction de la distance. Le champignon pathogene des feuilles qui a eteidentifie´, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, infectait beaucoup plus de semis de P. grayana que ceux des autres especes d'arbre testees dans une experience d'inoculation. La croissance en hauteur et en dia- metre etait la plus faible aune distance de 0-3 m et la plus forte a une distance de 16-26 m tant chez les semis que chez les gaules. Par consequent, le plus grand nombre de gaules de forte dimension et plus agees a eteobserveaune distance de 16-26 m. Nos resultats demontrent que le mecanisme de Janzen-Connell fonctionne dans une foret dominee par le hetre dans la region temperee du Japon. (Traduit par la Redaction)
InductionofthePhaseIIDetoxificationPathwaySuppresses NeuronLossinDrosophilaModelsofParkinson'sDisease

-SynucleinaggregatesareacommonfeatureofsporadicParkinson’sdisease(PD),andmutationsthatincrease-synucleinabundance confer rare heritable forms of PD. Although these findings suggest that -synuclein plays a central role in the pathogenesis of this disorder,littleisknownofthemechanismbywhich-synucleinpromotesneuronlossorthefactorsthatregulate-synucleintoxicity. Toaddressthesematters,wetestedcandidatemodifiersof-synucleintoxicityusingaDrosophilamodelofPD.Inthecurrentwork,we focused on phase II detoxification enzymes involved in glutathione metabolism. We find that the neuronal death accompanying -synucleinexpressioninDrosophilaisenhancedbyloss-of-functionmutationsingenesthatpromoteglutathionesynthesisandglutathioneconjugation.Thisneuronallosscanbeovercomebygeneticorpharmacologicalinterventionsthatincreaseglutathionesynthesis orglutathioneconjugationactivity.Moreover,thesesamepharmacologicalagentssuppressneuronlossinDrosophilaparkinmutants,a loss-of-functionmodelofPD.Ourresultssuggestthatoxidativestressisafeatureof-synucleintoxicityandthatinductionofthephase IIdetoxificationpathwayrepresentsapotentialpreventativetherapyforPD.
S0884291418004545 360..378

Interaction of water with oxide thin filmmodel systems Martin Sterrer , Niklas Nilius, Shamil Shaikhutdinov, Markus Heyde, Thomas Schmidt, Hans-Joachim Freund University of Graz, Institute of Physics, NAWI Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Institut für Physik, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Department of Chemical Physics, 14195 Berlin, Germany Address all correspondence to these authors. e-mail: martin.sterrer@uni-graz.at e-mail: freund@fhi-berlin.mpg. de Received: 14 September 2018; accepted: 12 November 2018
Phosphorylation of SOX9 by Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase A Enhances SOX9's Ability To Transactivate aCol2a1 Chondrocyte-Specific Enhancer

Sox9 is a high-mobility-group domain-containing transcription factor required for chondrocyte differentiation and cartilage formation. We used a yeast two-hybrid method based on Son of Sevenless (SOS) recruitment to screen a chondrocyte cDNA library and found that the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP (cAMP)dependent protein kinase A (PKA-Ca) interacted specifically with SOX9. Next we found that two consensus PKA phosphorylation sites within SOX9 could be phosphorylated by PKA in vitro and that SOX9 could be phosphorylated by PKA-Ca in vivo. In COS-7 cells cotransfected with PKA-Ca and SOX9 expression plasmids, PKA enhanced the phosphorylation of wild-type SOX9 but did not affect phosphorylation of a SOX9 protein in which the two PKA phosphorylation sites (S64 and S211) were mutated. Using a phosphospecific antibody that specifically recognized SOX9 phosphorylated at serine 211, one of the two PKA phosphorylation sites, we demonstrated that addition of cAMP to chondrocytes strongly increased the phosphorylation of endogenous Sox9. In addition, immunohistochemistry of mouse embryo hind legs showed that Sox9 phosphorylated at serine 211 was principally localized in the prehypertrophic zone of the growth plate, corresponding to the major site of expression of the parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) receptor. Since cAMP has previously been shown to effectively increase the mRNA levels of Col2a1 and other specific markers of chondrocyte differentiation in culture, we then asked whether PKA phosphorylation could modulate the activity of SOX9. Addition of 8-bromo-cAMP to chondrocytes in culture increased the activity of a transiently transfected SOX9-dependent 48-bp Col2a1 chondrocyte-specific enhancer; similarly, cotransfection of PKA-Ca increased the activity of this enhancer. Mutations of the two PKA phosphorylation consensus sites of SOX9 markedly decreased the PKA-Ca activation of this enhancer by SOX9. PKA phosphorylation and the mutations in the consensus PKA phosphorylation sites of SOX9 did not alter its nuclear localization. In vitro phosphorylation of SOX9 by PKA resulted in more efficient DNA binding. We conclude that SOX9 is a target of cAMP signaling and that phosphorylation of SOX9 by PKA enhances its transcriptional and DNA-binding activity. Because PTHrP signaling is mediated by cAMP, our results support the hypothesis that Sox9 is a target of PTHrP signaling in the growth plate and that the increased activity of Sox9 might mediate the effect of PTHrP in maintaining the cells as nonhypertrophic chondrocytes.
Interaction between root rot basidiomycetes and Phytophthora species on pedunculate oak

Forest declines are usually complex multifactorial phenomena that involve interactions between different factors. The possible interaction between different types of mycelial pathogens was investigated through artificial inoculation of oak seedlings, involving two root rot basidiomycetes, Collybia fusipes and Armillaria mellea ,a nd twoPhytophthora species, P. cinnamomi and P. cambivora. These pathogens were inoculated onto young Quercus robur saplings in greenhouse conditions, either alone or combining a root rot basidiomycete with a Phytophthora species. Three out of the four Phytophthora spp. *root rot basidiomycete combinations tested resulted in significantly greater damage to the oak host than the sum of the damages induced by the individual pathogens. This positive interaction could be significant in oak decline syndrome.
Oral Colonization, Phenotypic, and Genotypic Profiles of Candida Species in Irradiated, Dentate, Xerostomic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Survivors

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate oral yeast colonization and oral yeast strain diversity in irradiated (head and neck), dentate, xerostomic individuals. Subjects were recruited from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma clinic and were segregated into group A (age, <60 years [n = 25; average age ± standard deviation {SD}, 48 ± 6 years; average postirradiation time ± SD, 5 ± 5 years]) and group B (age, ≥60 years [n= 8; average age ± SD, 67 ± 4 years; average postirradiation time ± SD, 2 ± 2 years]) and were compared with age- and sex-matched healthy individuals in group C (age, <60 years [n = 20; average age ± SD, 44 ± 12 years] and group D (age, ≥60 years [n = 10; average age, 70 ± 3 years]). Selective culture of oral rinse samples was carried out to isolate, quantify, and speciate yeast recovery. All test subjects underwent a 3-month comprehensive oral and preventive care regimen plus topical antifungal therapy, if indicated. A total of 12 subjects from group A and 5 subjects from group B were recalled for reassessment of yeast colonization. Sequential (pre- and posttherapy)Candida isolate pairs from patients were phenotypically (all isolate pairs; biotyping and resistotyping profiles) and genotypically (Candida albicans isolate pairs only; electrophoretic karyotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP], and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA [RAPD] assays) evaluated. All isolates wereCandida species. Irradiated individuals were found to have a significantly increased yeast carriage compared with the controls. The isolation rate of Candida posttherapy remained unchanged. A total of 9 of the 12 subjects in group A and 3 of the 5 subjects in group B harbored the same C. albicans orCandida tropicalis phenotype at recall. Varying degrees of congruence in the molecular profiles were observed when these sequential isolate pairs of C. albicans were analyzed by RFLP and RAPD assays. Variations in the genotype were complementary to those in the phenotypic characteristics for some isolates. In conclusion, irradiation-induced xerostomia seems to favor intraoral colonization of Candida species, particularly C. albicans, which appeared to undergo temporal modifications in clonal profiles both phenotypically and genotypically following hygienic and preventive oral care which included topical antifungal therapy, if indicated. We postulate that the observed ability ofCandida species to undergo genetic and phenotypic adaptation could strategically enhance its survival in the human oral cavity, particularly when salivary defenses are impaired.
Ultradian Growth inProchlorococcus spp

ABSTRACT Species of the widespread marine prokaryoteProchlorococcus exhibited ultradian growth (faster than 1 division per day) both in situ and in culture, even though cell division is strictly phased to the light-dark cycle. Under optimal conditions a second DNA replication and cell division closely followed, but did not overlap with, the first division. The timing of cell cycle events was not affected by light intensity or duration, suggesting control by a light-triggered timer or circadian clock rather than by completion of a light-dependent assimilation phase. This mode of ultradian growth has not been observed previously and poses new questions about the regulation of cellular rhythms in prokaryotes. In addition, it implies that conclusions regarding the lack of nutrient limitation of Prochlorococcus in the open ocean, which were based on the appearance that cells were growing at their maximal rate, need to be reconsidered.
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast

Ground counts during 1959–1968 compared with counts using high resolution (0.6 m2) satellite imagery during 2008–2012 indicated many fewer Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at two major molting areas in the western Ross Sea: Edisto Inlet-Moubray Bay, northern Victoria Land, and McMurdo Sound, southern Victoria Land. Breeding seals have largely disappeared from Edisto-Moubray, though the breeding population in McMurdo Sound appears to have recovered from harvest in the 1960s. The timing of decline, or perhaps spreading (lower numbers of seals in more places), is unknown but appears unrelated to changes in sea ice conditions. We analyzed both historic and satellite-derived ice data confirming a large expansion of pack ice mostly offshore of the Ross Sea, and not over the continental shelf (main Weddell seal habitat), and a thinning of fast ice along Victoria Land (conceivably beneficial to seals). Timing of fast ice presence and extent in coves and bays along Victoria Land, remains the same. The reduction in numbers is consistent with an altered food web, the reasons for which are complex. In the context of a recent industrial fishery targeting a seal prey species, a large-scale seal monitoring program is required to increase understanding of seal population changes.
A New Squeaker Frog (Arthroleptidae: Arthroleptis) from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Abstract A new species of squeaker frog (genus Arthroleptis) is described from Pico Basile on Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), which lies just off the coast of Cameroon in the Gulf of Guinea. A previous molecular phylogenetic study indicates that this new species is nested within a species complex—Arthroleptis poecilonotus—that comprises morphologically indistinguishable populations that represent several cryptic species. The new species from Bioko is, however, easily distinguishable from both closely related and geographically proximate Arthroleptis by a combination of its moderately large body size (approximately 25% larger than frogs in the remaining poecilonotus species complex) and unique ventral color pattern. It is further distinguished from all other Arthroleptis by the presence of spines on the crus in large males and from other populations in the poecilonotus species complex by the occasional presence of a supernumerary tubercle at the base of pedal digit II. Statistical analyses of measurement data, including a principal components analysis, demonstrate that the new species from Bioko is both larger and has relatively longer hindlimbs and toes than other populations of the poecilonotus species complex. These analyses also suggest that the poorly known A. brevipes is morphologically diagnosable, but the status of other taxa such as A. bivittatus and A. zimmeri remains unclear. This new Arthroleptis is the only frog that is unequivocally endemic to Bioko Island.
Economic and Environmental Issues Associated with Deployment of Nuclear Energy Generation

This paper presents completely comparison between generation cost analysis of nuclear power plants compared with two types of power plants that are natural gas and coal fired power plants. Also, the comparison of environmental impact between the nuclear power plants and both natural gas and coal will be regarded in this paper. Safety issues for the previously mentioned power plants are also studied in this paper. This paper aims to deliver a new type of power generation instead of these fossil fuel power generation. That’s because in last few years, the world started facing some difficulties in its energy sector. The situation has been caused by the growing demand for energy and the need for sustainable development reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The main challenge is the overdependence on coal and lignite-fuel power plants as well as single-source oil, gas and coal (despite its own resources). So, it is found that nuclear fission energy generation is the best choice for selecting a large scale clean type of energy generation. This scope of this paper study is the first constructed nuclear power plant located in El-Dhabaa City, Egypt. Egyptian government convinced to establish this nuclear power plant and started to replace its dependent on the traditional fossil fuel generation to nuclear energy and signed an Intergovernmental agreement (IGA) on 19 November 2015 with Russian Rosatom Corporation. This nuclear power plant has a capacity of 4800-MW, consists of four 1200-MW similar pressurized water nuclear reactors PWR and it is planned for nuclear share in the Egyptian energy mix to be 10% by 2030. The financial pros and cons of nuclear power are measured against its chief fossil-fuel competitors coal and natural gas. After these comparative studies, the results of these studies show that the nuclear power plants would be more cost than that from either coal or natural gas, but have the lowest cost of energy generation
Stability of TEM β‐lactamase mutants hydrolyzing third generation cephalosporins

The stability properties of six natural mutants of the TEM‐1 β‐lactamase have been studied. The glutamate to lysine substitution at positions 104 and 240 stabilize the enzyme. Conversely, the G238S mutant's decreased stability might reflect an altered conformation of the active site and thus be related to the modified substrate profile. The relative stability of the R164S and R164H mutants is explained by the formation of a hydrogen bond between these residues and Asp‐179 conferring a somewhat different structure to the omega loop and thus also explaining the extended substrate profile of these mutants. The loss of stability of the R164H mutant with increasing pH values can be explained by the titration of a hydrogen bond between the Nδ of His‐164 and the Oδ of Asp‐179. The properties of the G238S+E104K double mutant which is the most active against third‐generation cephalosporins result from a balance of destabilizing and stabilizing substitutions, and their effects seem to be additive. The behavior of the R164S + E240K mutant might be explained on the basis of a similar compensation phenomenon. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Posttrabeculectomy Endophthalmitis Caused by Moraxella nonliquefaciens

ABSTRACT Moraxella nonliquefaciens, a commensal organism of the upper respiratory tract, is generally considered to have low pathogenic potential. We report here two cases of severe endophthalmitis occurring 9 years and 2 months after glaucoma filtration surgery, respectively. Apart from sulfonamide, very low MICs were recorded for several antibiotics tested. Identification was based on phenotypic characteristics in combination with sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.
Analysis of Doppler Tomography in Circular Geometry as a Novel Method of Imaging Tissue Cross-Sections in vivo

Currently, methods such as conventional ultrasound B-mode scanning (US), computerized X-ray tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), standard X-ray diagnostics, radioisotope imaging and thermography are used to visualize the internal structure of tissue in vivo and to diagnose the patient. Doppler tomography (DT) is an innovative method of reconstructing the image of the tissue section using ultrasonic waves and Doppler effect. In contrast to the currently applied solutions (US), this method uses a continuous wave, which, in theory, allows one to operate with higher energy and to detect smaller inclusions within the examined tissue. This study focuses on the analysis of DT simulation in circular geometry, where a two-transducer ultrasonic probe circulating around the tested object is used to measure the useful signal. In this paper, the influence on the tested object’s cross-section imaging quality of both the simulated Doppler signal’s registration parameters, and the calculation algorithm’s parameters, were analyzed.
Occurrence of Bacteroides fragilisEnterotoxin Gene-Carrying Strains in Germany and the United States

ABSTRACT Ninety-three Bacteroides fragilis isolates from different geographic locations were analyzed for the presence of an enterotoxin-encoding gene. It was shown that blood culture isolates were more likely to carry this gene than strains from other sources. All enterotoxin-positive strains belonged to the PCR fingerprint group I.
A DIRECT APPROACH FOR OBTAINING STEADY-STATE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DOUBLY-FED INDUCTION MACHINE

In this paper, direct and simple expressions for the doubly-fed induction machine (DFIM) characteristics such as current, power and torque, for different operating conditions, are obtained. Using these expressions, the performance of the DFIM machine can be easily obtained when the magnitude of the rotor voltage, rotor phase angle and speed are changing. To validate the presented expressions, the results obtained from them are compared with previously published results, and the two sets of results are found to be identical.
Pastern joint arthrodesis using two paraaxial and one axial crossed lag screws: a case report.

Arthrodesis was achieved in two foals through the placement of three 4.5 mm cortical lag screws. Two screws were placed in a standard transarticular fashion from the dorsal aspect of P1 (glide hole) to the palmar aspect of P2 (thread hole). A third transarticular lag screw was placed from the dorsal aspect of P2 (glide hole) to the palmar aspect of P1 (thread hole). Both foals were comfortable and considered suitable for light work. Crossed transarticular lag screw fixation of P1 and P2 in cases of PIPJ arthrodesis in foals is a simple and useful method offering good stability for fusion and future athletic soundness.
A Strategy for Detection of Viruses in Groundwater by PCR

ABSTRACT We evaluated the use of the PCR for detection of enteric viruses in groundwater. To do this, we used an improved sample-processing technique and a large-volume amplification protocol. The objective of this study was to use advanced molecular techniques to develop a rapid and simple method which can be used by the water industry for detection of viral contamination in a variety of water samples. The strategy described here fulfills the water industry’s need for a rapid, reliable, easily performed method for analyzing groundwater for virus contamination. Viruses were detected after concentration from at least 400 gallons (1,512 liters) of water by a filter adsorption and elution method, which resulted in a concentrate containing viruses. A total of 150 samples were analyzed by performing cell culture assays for enteroviruses and by performing reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analyses for enteroviruses, hepatitis A virus, and rotavirus. Thirteen samples (8.7%) produced cellular cytopathic effects when the Buffalo green monkey cell line was used. When primers specific for enteroviruses were used in RT-PCR, 40 of 133 samples (30.1%) tested positive for the presence of enterovirus RNA. When hepatitis A virus-specific primers were used, 12 of 139 samples (8.6%) were considered positive for the presence of hepatitis A viral RNA. The RT-PCR analysis performed with rotavirus-specific primers identified 18 of 130 samples (13.8%) that were positive for rotavirus RNA sequences. Our sample-processing technique and large-volume PCR protocol (reaction volume, 300 μl) resulted in sufficient removal or dilution of inhibitors so that more than 95% of the samples could be assayed by PCR. Because of its sensitivity for detecting viral nucleic acid sequences, PCR analysis should produce more positive results than cell culture analysis. Since either cell culture analysis or PCR can reveal only a “snapshot” of the quality of the groundwater being sampled, PCR seems to be a desirable rapid initial screening tool.