Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EVOLUTION OF THE NIGERIAN POLYMER AND PAPER BANK NOTES; THE CHALLENGES OF COST-BENEFIT AND STRUCTURE – PROPERTY ADVANTAGES

Synthetic polymers have become an indispensable part of our everyday life since their introduction over 100 years ago. This paper highlights the application and utilization of polymers in medicine, food and agriculture, housing and environment, engineering, electrical and electronics, particularly the use of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), a crystalline conformer that exists in monoclinic, hexagonal and trigonal shapes in the production of films for banknotes which in Nigeria today is facing photo-degradation challenges resulting to fading and brittleness. These challenges have prompted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to contemplate the scrapping of the polymer notes. The paper examines and compares cellulose, a natural polymer and a base material used for “paper” banknotes with BOPP, a synthetic polymer utilized for “polymer” banknotes in terms of physical and chemicals properties, ease of incorporation of security features amongst others in the light of the present challenges. The evolution of money in Nigeria from British West Africa to date is also highlighted.
Unifying the epidemiological, ecological and evolutionary dynamics of Dengue

In under 6 decades dengue has emerged from South East Asia to become the most widespread arbovirus affecting human populations. Recent dramatic increases in epidemic dengue fever have mainly been attributed to factors such as vector expansion and ongoing ecological, climate and socio-demographic changes. The failure to control the virus in endemic regions and prevent global spread of its mosquito vectors and genetic variants, underlines the urgency to reassess previous research methods, hypotheses and empirical observations. This thesis comprises a set of studies that integrate currently neglected and emerging epidemiological, ecological and evolutionary factors into unified mathematical frameworks, in order to better understand the contemporary population biology of the dengue virus. The observed epidemiological dynamics of dengue are believed to be driven by selective forces emerging from within-host cross-immune reactions during sequential, heterologous infections. However, this hypothesis is mainly supported by modelling approaches that presume all hosts to contribute equally and significantly to the selective effects of cross-immunity both in time and space. In the research presented in this thesis it is shown that the previously proposed effects of cross-immunological reactions are weakened in agent-based modelling approaches, which relax the common deterministic and homogeneous mixing assumptions in host-host and host-pathogen interactions. Crucially, it is shown that within these more detailed models, previously reported universal signatures of dengue's epidemiology and population genetics can be reproduced by demographic and natural stochastic processes alone. While this contrasts with the proposed role of cross-immunity, it presents demographic stochasticity as a parsimonious mechanism that integrates, for the first time, multi-scale features of dengue's population biology. The implications of this research are applicable to many other pathogens, involving challenging new ways of determining the underlying causes of the complex phylodynamics of antigenically diverse pathogens.
Cross-linking of the δ Subunit to One of the Three α Subunits Has No Effect on Functioning, as Expected if δ Is a Part of the Stator That Links the F1 and F0 Parts of the Escherichia coli ATP Synthase*

A mutant of the Escherichia coliF1F0-ATPase has been generated (αQ2C) in which the glutamine at position 2 of the α subunit has been replaced with a cysteine residue. Cu2+ treatment of ECF1from this mutant cross-linked an α subunit to the δ subunit in high yield. Two different sites of disulfide bond formation were involved,i.e. between Cys90 (or the closely spaced Cys47) of α with Cys140 of δ, and between Cys2 of α and Cys140 of δ. Small amounts of other cross-linked products, including α-α, δ internal, and α-α-δ were obtained. In ECF1F0, there was no cross-linking between the intrinsic Cys of α and Cys140. Instead, the product generated between Cys2 of α and Cys140 of δ was obtained at near 90% yield. Small amounts of α-α and δ internal were present, and under high Cu2+ concentrations, α-α-δ was also formed. The ATPase activity of ECF1 and ECF1F0 was not significantly affected by the presence of these cross-links. When Cys140 of δ was first modified with N-ethylmaleimide in ECF1F0, an α-δ cross-link was still produced, although in lower yield, between Cys64 of δ and Cys2 of α. ATP hydrolysis-linked proton pumping of inner membranes from the mutant α2QC was only marginally affected by cross-linking of the α to the δ subunit. These results indicate that Cys140 and Cys64 of the δ subunit and Cys2 of the α subunit are in close proximity. This places the δ subunit near the top of the α-β hexagon and not in the stalk region. As fixing the δ to the α by cross-linking does not greatly impair either the ATPase function of the enzyme, or coupled proton translocation, we argue that the δ subunit forms a portion of the stator linking F1 to F0.
Serological and Haematological Investigations on Bovine Leukaemia Virus Infections in Kars District

This study was carried out in order to serologically and haematologically determine the prevalance of Bovine Leukaemia Virus infection in cattle raised in Kars and environs.For this purpose a total of 443 blood samples and 383 milk samples belonging to the various breeds (Zavot, Holstein, Brown-Swiss and Native), and sexes (383 female, 60 male)were examined serologically (Agar Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID)and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA))and haematologically (lymphocyt counts, total leucocyt counts and haematocrit value). All of the 443 blood samples and 383 milk samples examined serologically by AGID and ELISA tests were found to be negative in EBL.As a result of the haematological examination of the blood samples taken from 443 cattle without coagulant, 402 were found to be within normal values, 28 to be obscure, and 13 to be positive. Since these findings were not supported by the serological data,the results were not considered as significant.
Variable selection on Eurosta's gall size, III: Can an evolutionary response to selection be detected?

Standard quantitative genetic theory predicts that when a trait is exposed to selection, the between‐generation change in the phenotypic mean, Δz̄i, will be equal to the product of the trait's heritability and the selection differential, h2S. By extension, this theory implies that if a number of replicate populations are exposed to varying intensities of selection, the between‐generation changes in means should covary with the selection differential applied. This relationship offers an opportunity for a statistical test to detect evolutionary change when selection is measured in replicate populations. If an evolutionary response to phenotypic selection occurs, the regression of over Si, where i indicates population, will have a positive slope. This statistical test was applied to data on the insect Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae). The larvae of this fly induce galls on the stems of the host plant, Solidago altissima (Asteraceae). Previous work has shown that gall size is a heritable trait of the insect. Further, size‐dependent attack on Eurosta larvae by parasitoids selects for larger gall size (Weis and Abrahamson, 1986). Long‐term data on phenotypic selection in 16 populations across 5 generations were analyzed for selection response. Apparent upward evolutionary responses were seen in 2 of the 4 between‐generation transitions. However, no response was seen when the analysis was applied to the cumulative change in gall size. Examination of the data suggested that some of the change in mean gall size was a developmental response to spatial and temporal variation in the environment. Non‐linear developmental effects of environment, when combined with non‐linear fitness functions, can induce a spurious selection response; these non‐linear relationships can account for the apparent evolutionary change gall size found in the by‐generation analysis. Thus, there is no reliable evidence for evolutionary change in Eurosta's gall size over the generations studied. Stasis of gall size in the face of ongoing selection may be due to counterbalancing selection on the gallmaker imposed by host plant resistance.
Electric Seine as a Fish‐Sampling Gear in Streams

Abstract We describe the basic design, construction, and electric field of a 9.14-m-long, AC electric seine powered by a 1,500-W generator. We determined this seine's efficiency with respect to species number and abundance of various fish taxa in streams of 3–10 m in mean width. The electric seine was fished between block nets and was followed by a rotenone treatment whose efficiency was determined through the recapture of marked fish. We repeated this calibration procedure with a 6.1-m-long, 6.4-mm-mesh minnow seine and a pulsed-DC backpack electrofishing unit at sites with physical conditions similar to those of the electric seine sites. The electric seine method was more efficient for estimating species number and the abundance of common fish taxa. We recommend the electric seine, used in a prescribed manner, for most fish-sampling situations in wadeable streams.
Use of DArT molecular markers for QTL analysis of drought-stress responses in soybean. II. Marker identification and QTL analyses

Abstract. This study applied newly developed Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) and soybean and mungbean DArT libraries for quantitative trait locus (QTL) linkage analysis in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from three soybean crosses that had previously been assessed for physiological response to severe drought stress. The phenotypic assessments had identified statistically significant genetic variation among and within the RIL populations and their parents for three drought-related responses: epidermal conductance (ge) and relative water content (RWC) during stress, and plant recovery after stress. The new linkage maps containing only DArT markers for the three populations individually contained 196–409 markers and 15–22 linkage groups (LGs), with an aggregate length ranging from 409.4 to 516.7 cM. An integrated map constructed by using the marker data from all three RIL populations comprised 759 DArT markers, 27 LGs and an expanded length of 762.2 cM. Two populations with the landrace accession G2120 as a parent, CPI 26671 × G2120 (CG) and Valder × G2120 (VG), respectively contained 106 and 34 QTLs. In each of these populations, 10 LGs harboured QTLs associated with RWC, ge and recovery ability, of which six similar LGs were associated with drought tolerance. A BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) search for sequences of 19 selected DArT markers linked to QTLs conditioning the drought-response traits indicated that 18 DArT markers were unique and aligned to 12 soybean chromosomes. Comparison of these sequenced DArT markers with other markers associated with drought-related QTLs in previously reported studies using other marker types confirmed that five of them overlapped, whereas the remaining 13 were new. Except for chromosome 15, the chromosomes with which the DArT QTLs in the CG and VG populations were associated were those that had been shown to harbour drought-related QTLs in previous studies. A BLASTx protein database search identified soPt-856602 as being associated with the gene for a probable glycosyltransferase At5g03795-like isoform X1 on chromosome 6. Although the several QTLs identified in the study were all of relatively minor effect, it was concluded that, because the DArT technology involves large numbers of markers and enables many lines to be genotyped simultaneously, it should help the process of manipulating multiple QTLs and so enhance their likely cumulative effect.
Nutritional influence on oxidative stress in global ischemia

Primary brain injury in stroke is followed by oxidative stress and further neural damage. Glutathione (GSH) is critical in antioxidant defense. Since cysteine is limiting in GSH synthesis, Phase 1 of this study investigated the effect of a dietary sulphur amino acid deficiency (-SAA) on neural damage in global hemispheric hypoxia-ischemia (GHHI). Rats were fed a -SAA or control diet for 6 days, and subjected to GHHI after 3 days. Histologically evaluated neural damage at 7 days post hypoxia-ischemia was greater in -SAA rats. Brain GSH concentration was decreased in -SAA rats 3 days after ischemia. A cysteine precursor, L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTC) administered to -SAA rats did not ameliorate neural damage. GSH is decreased by protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in some tissues. Phase 2 investigated the effect of PEM on brain oxidative stress, neural damage and behaviour after global ischemia in adult male gerbils. In a 2x2 factorial design, gerbils were fed an adequate protein (12%; C) or low protein (2%; PEM) diet for 4 weeks, then subjected to transient ischemia (I) or sham surgery (S). After 12 hours of reperfusion, brain from half the gerbils was collected for biochemical analyses. Remaining gerbils were fed pre-surgery diets for 10 more days. To assess functional consequences of ischemia, gerbils were placed in an open field on Days 3, 7 and 10 after surgery. On Day 10, viable hippocampal CA1 neurons were counted. C-I gerbils did not habituate as readily in the open field on day 3 as C-S, but normalized by day 7. PEM-I gerbils failed to habituate by day 10, traveled greater distance than other gerbils and 7 of 12 displayed thigmotaxis, a ‘wall-hugging’ preference for the outer perimeter of the open field. CA1 neuron loss in I was 61.5% of S, but unaffected by PEM. Four of 12 PEM-I gerbils had marked increases in hippocampal glia. Hippocampus protein thiols were reduced by PEM and by ischemia, consistent with oxidative stress. GSH concentration, glutathione reductase activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were not significantly affected by PEM or ischemia. Findings from these two studies suggest well-nourished but not nutritionally-deficient rodents tolerate a mild brain insult. This is clinically relevant because many elderly stroke victims suffer from PEM at the time of ischemia, which may compromise recovery.
Clustering of Full-Length cDNA Clones Based on Both End Sequences

In cDNA project which is to collect various cDNAs and determine the full-length sequences, theselectionofcloneisthemostimportantsteptoreducetime,laborandcost. cDNAlibrariesconsistsof clones derived from same loci, alternatively spliced, or some terminal sequence variants. For theselectionofclones,wehavedevelopedthesystemthatcategorizesclonesbasedonbothendsequenceswithtwokindsofcriteria. Oneisfortheselectionofallkindsoftranscripts,andtheotherisoftheclonederivedfromeachlocus.
IFN-γ Arms Human Dendritic Cells to Perform Multiple Effector Functions1

Dendritic cells (DCs) are central players in immunity and are used in immune-adoptive vaccine protocols in humans. IFN-γ, mandatory in Th-1 polarization and endowed with regulatory properties, is currently used to condition monocyte-derived DCs (MDDC) in cancer therapy and in clinical trials to treat chronic infectious diseases. We therefore performed a wide analysis of IFN-γ signaling consequences on MDDC multiple effector functions. IFN-γ itself induced IL-27p28 expression and survival but did not promote relevant CCR7-driven migration or activated Th-1 cell recruitment capacity in MDDC. Administered in association with classical maturation stimuli such as CD40 or TLR-4 stimulation, IFN-γ up-regulated IL-27 and IL-12 production, CCR7-driven migration, and activated Th-1 cell recruitment, whereas it decreased IL-10 production and STAT3 phosphorylation. CD38 signaling, which orchestrates migration, survival, and Th-1 polarizing ability of mature MDDC, was involved in IFN-γ-mediated effects. Thus, IFN-γ is a modulator of multiple DC effector functions that can be helpful in MDDC-based vaccination protocols. These data also help understand the dual role exerted by this cytokine as both an inducer and a regulator of inflammation and immune response.
Amniotes through major biological crises: faunal turnover among Parareptiles and the end‐Permian mass extinction

Abstract: The Parareptilia are a small but ecologically and morphologically diverse clade of Permian and Triassic crown amniotes generally considered to be phylogenetically more proximal to eureptiles (diapsids and their kin) than to synapsids (mammals and their kin). A recent supertree provides impetus for an analysis of parareptile diversity through time and for examining the influence of the end‐Permian mass extinction on the clade’s origination and extinction rates. Phylogeny‐corrected measures of diversity have a significant impact on both rates and the distribution of origination and extinction intensities. Time calibration generally results in a closer correspondence between origination and extinction rate values than in the case of no time correction. Near the end‐Permian event, extinction levels are not significantly higher than origination levels, particularly when time calibration is introduced. Finally, regardless of time calibration and/or phylogenetic correction, the distribution of rates does not differ significantly from unimodal. The curves of rate values are discussed in the light of the numbers and distributions of both range extensions and ghost lineages. The disjoint time distributions of major parareptile clades (e.g. procolophonoids and nycteroleterids‐pareiasaurs) are mostly responsible for the occurrence of long‐range extensions throughout the Permian. Available data are not consistent with a model of sudden decline at the end‐Permian but rather suggest a rapid alternation of originations and extinctions in a number of parareptile groups, both before and after the Permian/Triassic boundary.
Longitudinal effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour and physiology of pigs reared on an intensive-stock farm

The aim of this paper was to provide a longitudinal evaluation of the effects of physical enrichments on the behaviour and physiology of intensive stock-farming pigs. Twenty-eight crossbred pigs of both sexes, were exposed to four types of enrichments (hemp ropes, steel chains, plastic balls, rubber hoses) over a period of eleven weeks. This investigation was based on specific abnormal behaviours and physiological indicators, including hematologic parameters. For behavioural score, focal sampling was used with recording of abnormal behaviours (body-, tail- and ear-biting), belly nosing, running, and interaction with objects (for Enriched pigs). The presence of skin injuries was also recorded. In general, the frequency of abnormal behaviours was significantly reduced in the Enriched group. A time-related profile appeared in the use of the enrichments. Males showed higher occurrence of skin injuries than females. Physiological measurements, such as levels of complement system, white blood cells and neutrophils, were lower in pigs from the Enriched group. Enriched pigs, as a whole, presented much lower levels of serum DHEA-S concentration over two weeks. The findings of this study show the successful provision of appropriate enrichments to encourage behaviours which may result in satisfactory animal oral interaction with the enriching objects, preventing them biting pen-mates. In this respect, the objects proposed were strongly effective in producing changes in behaviour which could mitigate inadequate conditions, such as the relationship between animal body weight and the available space allowance.
Shrubs, granivores and annual plant community stability in an arid ecosystem.

Compensatory population dynamics among species stabilise aggregate community variables. Inter-specific competition is thought to be stabilising as it promotes asynchrony among populations. However, we know little about other inter-specific interactions, such as facilitation and granivory. Such interactions are also likely to influence population synchrony and community stability, especially in harsh environments where they are thought to have relatively strong effects in plant communities. We use a manipulative experiment to test the effects of granivores (harvester ants) and nurse plants (dwarf shrubs) on annual plant community dynamics in the Negev desert, Israel. We present evidence for weak and inconsistent effects of harvester ants on plant abundance and on population and community stability. By contrast, we show that annual communities under shrubs were more species rich, had higher plant density and were temporally less variable than communities in the inter-shrub matrix. Species richness and plant abundance were also more resistant to drought in the shrub under-storey compared with the inter-shrub matrix, although population dynamics in both patch types were synchronised. Hence, we show that inter-specific interactions other than competition affect community stability, and that hypothesised mechanisms linking compensatory dynamics and community stability may not operate to the same extent in arid plant communities.
Afforested fields benefit nutrient‐demanding fungi

Impaired ecosystems are converted back to natural ecosystems or some other target stage by means of restoration and management. Due to their agricultural legacy, afforested fields might be valuable compensatory habitats for rare fungal species that require nutrient‐rich forest soils. Using a large‐scale field experiment in Finland, we studied community composition of macrofungi (agarics and boletes) on former fields, which had been afforested as monocultures 20 years ago using native spruce Picea abies, pine Pinus sylvestris, and birch Betula pendula. We studied the effect of soil quality, tree species, and site on community composition and structure. Many nutrient‐demanding as well as rare fungal species were recorded, particularly from pine and spruce plots. Pine plots supported more nutrient‐demanding fungi than birch plots. There was no relationship between soil pH, bulk density, P, N, or Ca, and species richness of nutrient‐demanding fungi. Fungal community composition was more similar within sites than among sites for all tree species. Among sites, spruce plots had the smallest fungal species turnover, and birch plots largest. Within sites, however, fungal species turnover from plot to plot was similar among tree species. Our results indicate that tree species has a relatively mild influence on species composition of fungi after 20 years of succession. Interestingly, the results show that afforested fields can be valuable complementary habitats for rare, red‐listed, and nutrient‐demanding fungal species. Field afforestation is a potential conservation tool that could be used to complement the poor representation of rare habitat types in highly fragmented protected area networks.
AN EFFECTIVE IN VITRO SLOW GROWTH PROTOCOL FOR CONSERVATION OF THE ORCHID Epidendrum chlorocorymbos SCHLTR.

Efficient slow growth protocol for the orchid E. chlorocorymbos Schltr. was developed using in vitro conservation studies. Seedlings were placed in MS culture medium and a 2x3x3 factorial design applied to evaluate the effects of supplementing the medium with mannitol (0, 1, 2 and 3%), sucrose (0, 1, 2 and 3%) or sorbitol (0, 1, 2 and 3%). Experimental conditions were a 16:8 h photoperiod, 23 Â± 2 Â°C temperature and 50-80% relative humidity. At 6 months, the best treatment was MS medium at half ionic strength with 1% sorbitol. The culture was also free of contamination. This resulted in slow growth and normal morphology during maintenance and successful growth afterwards. Shoots were subsequently recovered, multiplied and rooted on MS medium with sucrose 3% without addition of growth regulators.