Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Triblock poly(lactic acid)‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(lactic acid)/paclitaxel conjugates: Synthesis, micellization, and cytotoxicity

A triblock poly(lactic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid) (PLA-PEG-PLA)/paclitaxel (PTX) conjugate was synthesized by the reaction of carboxyl-terminated copolymer PLA-PEG-PLA with PTX in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and dimethylaminopyridine. Carboxyl-terminated copolymer PLA-PEG-PLA was prepared by the reaction of the hydroxyl end groups in copolymer PLA-PEG-PLA with succinic anhydride. Its structure was confirmed by NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The PLA-PEG-PLA/PTX conjugates could self-assemble into micelles in aqueous solutions with a low critical micelle concentration. Dynamic light scattering and environmental scanning electron microscopy analyses of the PLA-PEG-PLA/PTX micelles revealed their spherical structure and size of 220 nm. The antitumor activity of the conjugate against woman Hela cancer cells, evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide method, showed that the conjugates had an antitumor activity similar to that of pure PTX. The obtained PLA-PEG-PLA/PTX conjugates are expected to be used in clinical practice.
Conservation of birds in evergreen Chilean forests: the effect of partial cutting systems

Current legislation in Chile allows two alternative regeneration methods for evergreen forest: heavy shelterwood (retaining 30% of the basal area at the time of regeneration harvest) and strip cutting. We compared bird abundance among four stands: two evergreen forest stands managed with these cutting systems, an undisturbed stand and a light shelterwood stand (with a retention level of 65%). Eight out of 15 species, in addition to total bird abundance, were affected by partial cutting. Light shelterwood tended to be the treatment with the smaller negative effect on bird abundance, reducing the abundance of only two species, possibly due to the loss of the understorey vegetation. Nevertheless, the abundance of three species of trunk and foliage gleaners, as well as total bird abundance, decreased only in the heavy shelterwood and the strip cut stands. Further, the abundance of trunk and foliage gleaners was greater in the light shelterwood stand than in the other cutting stands, indicating that these species are particularly sensitive to partial cutting with low retention levels. Therefore, in order to reduce the detrimental effect of partial cutting systems on the evergreen forest birds, we suggest the use of shelterwood cutting with a retention level higher than 50% of the standing basal area at the time of the regeneration harvest.
Studies on the biocontrol of aflatoxin in maize in Thailand

Aflatoxins in maize and peanuts remain a major cause of liver cancer and other human and animal health issues. The principal causal fungi are Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Relatively little attention has been paid to reducing aflatoxin formation before harvest. The most promising approach is biocontrol by competitive exclusion. This project aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of locally isolated strains of A. flavus for biocontrol of aflatoxin in maize in Thailand. After a rigorous process utilising molecular methods was used to select non-toxigenic A. flavus strains, field inoculum was produced by using hulled rice coated with A. flavus spores in molasses. Field experiments were conducted over two years in two districts, one of light sandy soil (Chokchai), the other a heavy, close textured, soil (Pakchong). Postharvest treatments representative of local practice were also undertaken. Crops 1 and 2 were not significantly contaminated with aflatoxin at the time of harvest, so any impact of biocontrol could not be assessed. However, wet shelling plus storage before drying resulted in increased aflatoxin contamination; biocontrol had no impact on this increase. In crops 3 and 4, biocontrol had a beneficial impact in some freshly harvested maize. Biocontrol treatments also significantly reduced aflatoxin contamination in samples from some treatments stored for two or four days after shelling, but had minimal effect in others. These experiments demonstrated that biocontrol can be highly effective in reducing aflatoxin contamination in maize in Thailand, both at harvest and during poor postharvest crop handling. However, results were inconsistent.
Diversity and Community Similarity of Arthropods in Response to the Restoration of Former Pine Plantations

Abstract Ecological restoration is becoming an increasingly important tool in humanity's attempt to manage, conserve, and repair the world's ecosystems. In the current study, the objective was to compare the effects of two restoration methods on arthropod biodiversity and community composition in two former pine plantations; these treatments included both intensive restoration effort (= cleared) and moderate restoration effort (= thinned). For the cleared treatment, vegetation was clear-cut to the soil surface, and all vegetation was removed from the plots, while the thinned treatment consisted of reducing the Pinus elliotii (Slash Pine) density to that of a native ecosystem and removing of all exotic plants from the plots as well. Arthropods were sampled by employing pitfall traps, sticky traps, and sweep netting and identified to family and morphospecies; species richness, diversity, and community similarity were compared between treatments and sites. Experimental treatments quickly reached or exceeded arthropod diversity and richness of an unmanipulated control treatment; however, the two sites produced non-overlapping ordination plots, suggesting that the diversity of the two sites are either compositionally different (alpha diversity) or community assemblage is incomplete and overall regional (beta) diversity has not reached an equilibrium across sites. Additional long-term data should reveal if these plots are proceeding along different successional trajectories in terms of community species composition, or whether treatments, while having similar richness, support different communities because the three types of plots used in this study (control, thinned, and cleared) represent various successional stages which affect arthropod species identity, but not overall richness.
NEW FOSSIL SUIDAE FROM SHANWANG, SHANDONG, CHINA

Abstract The late Early Miocene locality of Shanwang, China is known for its rich and well preserved fossils. Here new suid material is described and previously published material is revised. Hyotherium shanwangense, sp. nov. is described based on a partial skull and includes the M3 from the site that was previously assigned to Palaeochoerus cf. pascoei. A right lower jaw is referred to Sinapriculus linquensis, gen. et sp. nov., a primitive suid. The type material of Hyotherium penisulus is assigned to Listriodontinae. The Chinese Hyotherium seems to lie close to the ancestry of tetraconodonts. The more primitive suid Sinapriculus linquensis may represent a survival of an earlier suid radiation in East Asia and the Shanwang suid community as a whole could be seen as a sample of a previously unsuspected East Asian early suid diversity. Such a view would be concordant with the record of late Eocene and early Oligocene suoids from China and Thailand.
Investigations into the status of a new taxon of Salanoia (Mammalia: Carnivora: Eupleridae) from the marshes of Lac Alaotra, Madagascar

Evidence is presented from morphological observations, multivariate and molecular analyses on the taxonomic status of specimens of Salanoia newly discovered at Lac Alaotra, Madagascar, which resemble but are phenotypically highly divergent from the monotypic species S. concolor. A detailed comparative description is provided, together with information on the ecology of the region. Principal Component and Canonical Variate Analyses of craniodental morphometrics revealed high divergence supporting the status of a new species. Conversely, genetic distances from S. concolor based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b locus are small, not supporting new species status. A literature review indicates that some accepted species also exhibit low genetic distances at cytochrome b, which might be caused by rapid recent evolution, hybridization or introgression of mtDNA between lineages that otherwise might be genetically more distinct. Conflicting information from the analyses is discussed. Adaptation to highly divergent habitats might account for phenotypic plasticity, but the observed morphological difference is sufficiently great that the formal description as a new species is warranted. The biodiversity of Lac Alaotra and the importance of conservation issues are highlighted in relation to this discovery.
Heterochronic Expression of Several Adult Phenotypes in Normally Metamorphosing and Metamorphosis-Arrested Larvae of a Salamander Hynobius retardatus

Abstract Heterochronic expressions of several larval and adult phenotypes in Hynobius retardatus, which had been reported to show neotenic reproduction, were described in normally metamorphosing animals (controls) and goitrogen-induced, metamorphosis-arrested larvae. External gills, dorsal tailfins and Leydig's cells in the epidermis were completely diminished in the controls during and after metamorphosis, but fully remained in the metamorphosis-arrested larvae. Two types of dermal glands, mucous and serous glands, however, behaved differently from Leydig's cells, even though they constituted the same skin. The dermal gland cells in the controls appeared at a premetamorphic stage, gradually increased in number during the metamorphosis and fully developed after the metamorphosis. Those in metamorphosis-arrested larvae appeared much later than in the controls. Thus, aged, metamorphosis-arrested larvae had skin which consisted of larval type epidermis (Leydig's cells) and adult type dermis (mucous and serous glands). Contrary to these, a transition of globin subunits from larval to adult types occurred practically on the same time schedule in both the controls and metamorphosis-arrested larvae. These observations suggest that there are at least three types of organs or cells which behave differently during and after metamorphosis in Hynobius retardatus.
Characterization of Amylose-lipid Complexes Derived from Different Wheat Varieties and their Susceptibility to Enzymatic Hydrolysis

Starches from eight wheat varieties were analyzed for contents of dry matter, protein, pentosans, apparent and total amylose, total lipids, starch lipids, phosphorus, lysophospholipids and amylose-lipid complex (AML). Processes of starch gelatinization, reversible dissociation of AMLs and its susceptibility to degradation by α-amylase were monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Degree of crystallinity of starches were evaluated based on X-ray diffraction pattern. Starches from different wheat varieties show some slight differences in terms of chemical composition, thermal properties and susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis. Endotherms and exotherms of most starch samples obtained by DSC contained single peaks, which indicated that AML complexes existed in one polymorphic form. Only AMLs formed by amylose from Symfonia cultivar was reflected by the double-peak exotherm on cooling of starch gel. Our studies showed that there was no correlation between AML content and enthalpy of its degradation in native starch. During enzymatic hydrolysis of starch AML complex in all examined starches underwent considerable degradation. Enthalpies of dissociation of AMLs, which remained after amylolysis were significantly lowered (80—90%) as compared to that of undigested starch. The susceptibility of AMLs to degradation by α-amylase did not depend on its amount (based on calculation from LPLs), but probably on its structure.
Reproductive strategies in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Life-history strategies are means by which animals solve the problems of successful reproduction in varying environments. Their development patterns are consequences of responses to the opportunities the environment offers them. Understanding them requires an understanding of the way they evolved, their ontogenetic development, their physiological control, and their adaptive value. The present paper views the salmonids as marine fishes, which have radiated into fresh water through using river beds as protected spawning grounds. It also takes the view that the maturation process has priority over somatic growth in fish, and that it has already been initiated by the time of first feeding. Its completion is environmentally dependent, and can be arrested annually. Whether or not it will be arrested depends on the status of the energy stores of the individual at particular critical times of year. This mechanism has adaptive value both for immediate reproductive success — adequate energy to provision the next generation — and for later overwinter survival, ensuring that if energy stores are inadequate for reproduction they are spared. Atlantic salmon show variation in their reproductive patterns, and examples are given from laboratory and aquaculture experiments to demonstrate some environmental controls which result in these variations. A hypothetical model is presented to account for the operation of these controls.
Cloning and sequence analysis of glycoprotein D gene of bovine herpesvirus 1.

Received: Revised: Accepted: 2012–01–06 2014–03–12 2014–03–13 Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV1) infects mainly cattle and buffalo causing infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV) and infectious balanopostitis. It is also responsible for bovine respiratory disease complex or shipping fever along with other agents. It causes colossal economic losses due to productive and reproductive losses. Glycoprotein D is one of the most important surface glycoproteins of BoHV1. It induces strong neutralizing antibody response and it is the major protein involved in attachment, penetration and cell fusion. Glycoprotein D is a potential candidate for production of subunit vaccine. In this study amino (N) terminal 1041 bp of gD gene was amplified by using overlapping primers then the amplified fragments were cloned, sequenced and in–silico analysis was carried out. It was found that glycoprotein D of Indian isolate of BoHV1 is having 99.6% sequence identity with the reference sequence (Cooper strain, accession ID AJ004801) and less than 2% divergence with other BoHV1 strains. The deduced amino acid sequence analysis of gD showed a single amino acid change at position 313 which changed from glutamine (Cooper strain) to proline. BoHV1_IBR 216 II had divergence of 9.2%, 11.7% and 8.4% with BoHV–5, CvHV–1 and BuHV1, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this isolate under study forms same clad with other strains of BoHV1 around the world. All copyrights reserved to Nexus® academic publishers
Market competition in the downstream oil industry: is there evidence of price asymmetry?

Casual observation that domestic gasoline prices increase immediately and more than proportionately when global prices rise, while they tend to decrease slowly and less than proportionately when global prices decline, has fuelled speculation that the major oil industry players are engaging in collusion. This perception has persisted despite three independent probes into the state of market competition in the industry—none of which found direct evidence of collusion. However, the third inquiry has found some evidence of price asymmetry in a recent period. Applying a standard price asymmetry model with error correction term on weekly price data, this study finds no evidence of price asymmetry. Instead, local pump prices are confirmed to be tracking global prices symmetrically and with only a week’s lag. This finding is robust for different fuel types. JEL classification: L11, L41
Classification, natural history, and evolution of Neorthopleurinae Opitz (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Part III. The Genera Agaphalera Opitz, Allochotes Westwood, Kataspinula Opitz, Lebasiella Spinola, Loedelia Lucas, Patuleius Fairmaire, Rifkindius Opitz, and Romanaeclerus Winkler

Abstract A treatise involving eight genera that form a monophyletic group within Neorthopleurinae is presented. Three new species of the subfamily are described: Agaphalera corallina, sp. nov., A. cymatilis, sp. nov., and Loedelia westcotti, sp. nov. An intergeneric phylogeny is proposed and a key to genera is included. Keys to the species of Agaphalera Opitz 2009b and Loedelia Lucas 1920 are included.
Atividade funcional de fagócitos do sangue humano pela adsorção de IgA à microesferas de polietilenoglicol (PEG)

O polietilenoglicol (PEG) e um polimero importante em pesquisas farmacologicas atuando na modulacao e no prolongamento da acao da droga. As microesferas de PEG sao descritas na literatura por apresentarem propriedades de adsorcao de compostos orgânicos, que podem modificar e melhorar as funcoes biologicas. Varios estudos tem relatado a importância dos hormonios, plantas e ate imunoglobulinas na ativacao funcional de fagocitos. Os anticorpos sao proteinas circulantes que apresentam como principais funcoes a neutralizacao e opsonizacao de microrganismos. A IgA atua principlamente na imunidade de mucosa e na ativacao de celulas do sistema imunologico. Alguns trabalhos sugerem que a IgA possui capacidade de opsonizar particulas e potencializar a fagocitose, sendo ainda capaz de induzir os leucocitos a liberarem radicais derivados do oxigenio. O objetivo deste trabalho foi produzir e caracterizar microesferas de PEG, promover a adsorcao de IgA na superficie do PEG, verificar acao deste sistema de PEG e IgA sobre as caracteristicas reologicas do sangue e verificar a atividade funcional de fagocitos mononucleares (MN) do sangue humano, atraves da liberacao de ânion superoxido, fagocitose e atividade microbicida. Foram produzidas microesferas de PEG e estas foram adsorvidas as moleculas de IgA. A veiculacao da IgA as microesferas de PEG foram capaz de reduzir a viscosidade do sangue com taxas equivalentes as do sangue controle o que permite a atuacao da IgA nos sistemas biologicos sem promover alteracoes de viscosidade. Nanodoses de IgA adsorvidos as microesferas de PEG determinam efeitos imunomoduladores em fagocitos do sangue humano quando expostos a Escherichia coli enteropatogenica observados pela liberacao de ânion superoxido, fagocitose e atividade microbicida. Esses dados sugerem que a IgA altera atividade funcional de fagocitos do sangue periferico humano, aumentando a fagocitose e atividade microbicida dessas celulas e com isso este sistema de microesfera de PEG com IgA pode representar um possivel neomaterial para futuras aplicacoes clinicas.
Antioxidant activities of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) protein hydrolysates as influenced by thermolysin and alcalase

The hydrolysis process was performed on fish meat from Red Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by enzymes thermolysin and alcalase under optimum conditions. The hydrolysis was performed from 0 – 4 hours at 37°C. Hydrolysates after 2 hours incubation with thermolysin and alcalase had degree of hydrolysis of 76.29 % and 63.49 %, respectively. The freeze dried protein hydrolysate was tested for peptide content and characterized with respect to amino acid composition. The result of increased peptide content in Red Tilapia (O. Niloticus) hydrolysates obtained was directly proportional to the increase activities of different proteolytic enzymes. The result of amino acid composition showed that the sample used contained abundant Gly, Ala, Asp, Glu, Lys and Leu in residues or peptide sequences. Both enzymatic hydrolysates were tested for anti-oxidant activity with DPPH and ABTS assay. Alcalase yielded higher anti-oxidative activity than Thermolysin hydrolysates after 1 hour incubation, but both enzymes hydrolysates showed a significant decrease of anti-oxidant activity after 2 hours of incubation. Hydrolysates from Red Tilapia may contribute as a health promoting ingredient in functional foods to reduce oxidation stress caused by accumulated free radicals.
Waterfowl Ecology And Management

This new book represents a major revision of the first edition and addresses all aspects of waterfowl ecology and management under one cover. The second edition is expanded to 2,800 references arrayed across 11 chapters, such as classification, courtship behavior and pair-bond formation, reproduction, feeding ecology, breeding and winter periods, mortality and harvest management, wetlands and wetland management, major waterfowl habitats, and policy and administration. The new edition also includes 16 "infoboxes," which are stand-alone inserts in the various chapters. The infoboxes present information on important waterfowl people, places, and issues. Coverage also has been expanded to address important waterfowl habitats around the globe and address a broad array of issues and examples of waterfowl ecology from the international literature.
Exposure of captive feral pigeons to fonofos‐treated seed in a semifield experiment

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting risks to birds from toxic seed treatments under typical field use. Feral pigeons (Columba livia) were exposed for 2 d to fonofos‐treated wheat seeds by holding them in pens in plots sown at two depths following standard husbandry in winter sowings in English fenland. In the shallow plots, seeds were readily available to pigeons on the soil surface (8.20 seeds/0.25 m2) while in the deep plots little seed was left uncovered (0.20 seeds/0.25 m2). Serum butyrylcholinesterase analysis revealed negligible exposure to fonofos of birds from deep plots but significant exposure of those in shallow plots. Data on body weight and the availability of exposed seed showed that pigeons in the shallow plots stopped eating treated seeds without depleting those exposed on the soil even though the seed consumed was less than 26% of birds' daily food requirements. Neither mortality nor signs of poisoning were observed. Though seeds were treated at the approved rate (1,080 mg a.i./kg seed), fonofos concentration in seeds from the hopper (586.5 mg/kg) and from plots during testing (260.2 and 201.7 mg/kg for days +1 and +2 after sowing, respectively) was substantially lower. In this experiment, the avoidance of fonofos‐treated seeds together with the low concentration of fonofos in seeds prevented pigeons from ingesting a lethal dose. In the wild, however, pigeons are poisoned occasionally by fonofos, and it has yet to be determined under what conditions this occurs.
Cytological, Morphological, Genetic, and Molecular Phylogenetic Studies on Intraspecific Differentiations within Diplazium doederleinii (Woodsiaceae: Pteridophyta)

Two cytotypes, an apomictic triploid (2n=123) and an apomictic tetraploid (2n=164), were found in Japanese Diplazium doederleinii. The cytotypes are clearly distinguishable from each other in phytogeographical, ecological, and morphological characteristics. The tetraploid is smaller in relation to several morphological characteristics and occurs in more northerly regions than the triploid. The distributions of the two cytotypes do not overlap. The leaves of the triploids are evergreen, while those of the tetraploids are summer‐green. Allozyme analysis indicated that one and four multilocus genotypes are contained in the tetraploid and triploid, respectively. The nucleotide sequence of the rbcL gene did not vary within the same cytotype, except for a single triploid with the same rbcL sequence as the tetraploid. There are only two nucleotide differences between the triploid and tetraploid races. These results indicate that the apomictic triploids are of recurrent origin from an undiscovered or extinct ancestral diploid and that the apomictic tetraploid originated through autopolyploidy from the ancestral diploid or from hybridization between the triploid and the ancestral diploid.