Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Cell Division Pattern and Global Shape of Young Fern Gametophytes. I. A Model Study

We have investigated the relationship between cell division and shape in mathematical models of fern gametophyte development. In particular, we attempted to infer what properties of cell division patterns are responsible for the development of heart-shaped thalli. We focused on those types of gametophytes that develop from an initial cell, splitting off segments alternately to the left and to the right. Computer simulations showed that a heart shape developed when the ratio between the rates of anticlinal and periclinal divisions in segments (the division ratio) was below a certain threshold. In the computer simulations we used map L-systems for the generation of cell division patterns and a center-of-gravity algorithm for the computation of cell shapes. The division ratio provided a quantitative characterization of the tendency of the cell division pattern to develop a heart shape. Together with map DOL-systems it can be applied to real gametophytes to investigate their morphogenesis.
Design and Development of Mg(OH)2 NP-based gene delivery platform

Compared with traditional MgAl-LDH, Mg(OH)2 based nanoparticles are easier to prepare and they have more alkalinity. The preparation of MgAl-LDH requires hydrothermal treatment [1] while hexagonal layered Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles can be synthesised by the simple mixing of magnesium salt solution with base solution [2]. Furthermore, more alkaline nanoparticles may enhance the effectiveness of genes/drugs for cancer treatment [3]. However, it should be determined that Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles have good stability in vivo and have a suitable gene/drug loading capacity. As the zeta potential of pure Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles is smaller than MgAl-LDH, Al doping has been considered (Step 1, Figure 1). The Al doped Mg(OH)2 may have the similar zeta potential to MgAl-LDH, so it may have similar gene drug capacity. The particles can be kept colloidally stable in vivo after coating with BSA (Step 2) [4]. The dsDNA or siRNA can also be loaded onto Al doped Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles (Step 3). We have finally tested the cellular uptake of these nanoparticles by cancer cells, which may involve in endocytosis.
Grape pomace: a potential sustainable resource for natural bioactive compounds recovery

The goal of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant properties in terms of total phenolics content and total antioxidant capacity of winery pomace coming out from red grape varieties Burgundy (B) and Pinot Noir (PN), as well as from white grape varieties Italian Riesling (IR) and White Maiden (WM). The B and WM grape pomace was used fresh, while the PN and IR grape pomace was used fresh and also conditioned by drying at 60°C for 24 h, three days in a row for 8 hours. The antioxidant properties were evaluated within whole grape pomace samples and their main fractions, seeds and skins. Our data revealed that the total phenolics content and the antioxidant capacity, expressed by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value, of fresh grape pomace samples decreased in the following order: IR >PN >B >WM. As regards the investigated fractions, the highest antioxidant properties were recorded in seeds, especially those coming out from IR and B grape varieties. The conditioning of grape pomace by drying at a moderate temperature of 60°C for 24 h led to the loss of antioxidant properties in a proportion of 17-21% reported to the initial values. These results are useful for the selection of grape pomace to obtain valuable ingredients for developing of high value-added products. Thus, the grape pomace can be used as a sustainable resource for the recovery of high-quality polyphenolic compounds.
Shared paternity among non-relatives is a result of an egalitarian mating system in a communally breeding bird, the pukeko

With extra-pair paternity now known to be common among many species of birds, it is not surprising that males of most species exhibit behaviour that minimizes the risk of losing paternity. The most common form of paternity assurance is mate guarding whereby the male closely follows his mate during her fertile period and attempts to prevent other males from copulating with her. Even in communal or cooperative breeding species where two or more males collaborate in defending a breeding territory, mate guarding by the alpha male still occurs. Here we report that within communally breeding groups of pukeko (.Porphyrio porphyrio) dominant males do not guard their mates and rarely interrupt the copulations of unrelated rival males. This population of pukeko meets the conditions of a model that predicts that unrelated individuals who form breeding coalitions should interact in an egalitarian manner. DNA fingerprinting revealed a tendency for alpha males to father the majority of offspring in a brood, but frequent, uninterrupted copulations by subordinate birds assured that most males within the group had at least some paternity. Because the timing of ovulation is difficult to predict in female pukeko, individual males may be unable to estimate the proportion of eggs that they have fertilized, which could explain why most males participate more or less equally in parental care.
Reliability and Validity of Scales for Assessing Child Dental Fear and Anxiety

Introduction Children with high dental anxiety display uncooperative behavior during dental procedures. Different self-assessment questionnaires are in use to estimate the prevalence of dental fear and anxiety (DFA) in children but they need to be tested for reliability and validity in different populations. Objectives The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of two scales for the assessment of child dental fear and anxiety in a sample of Croatian children. Material and Methods The sample comprised 202 pairs consisting of children and their mothers (97 boys and 105 girls) aged 5 - 12 years. Two scales were used to assess children’s DFA: the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule – Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale - face version (MCDAS-f). The Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) was used in the sample of children’s mothers. The average scores of cooperative children and children with behavior management problem (BMP) were compared. Results Cooperative children displayed significantly lower CFSS-DS scores than children with BMP (M = 28. 46 vs. M = 39. 36; P < 0.001). The average MCDAS-f score was significantly higher in children with BMP than in cooperative children (M = 28. 07 vs. 20. 01; P < 0.001). The CFSS-DS showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0. 90), while internal consistency of MCDAS-f was good (α = 0. 73). The maternal CDAS showed good internal consistency (α = 0, 89). The correlations with other self-report measurements of DFS show good validity of all scales. The correlations between CFSS-DS and MCDAS-f were highly significant (r = 0.482; P < 0. 01) as well as the correlations of CFSS-DS and MCDAS-f with CDAS scores (r = 0.223; P < 0. 01 and r = 0.198; P < 0. 01, respectively. Conclusion The obtained results suggest that both the CFSS-DS scale and the MCDAS-f scale are reliable and valid scales for measuring dental fear and anxiety in children in a sample of Croatian children. The MCDAS-f scale has shown slightly lower internal consistency but it is suitable for use in young children. In addition, the MCDAS-f scale is simple to administer.
Effects of sodium chloride on the fatty acids composition in Boekelovia hooglandii (Ochromonadales, Chrysophyceae)

Composition of fatty acids in Boekelovia hooglandii Nicolai et Baas Becking (Chrysophyceae) was investigated as a function of salinity. It was confirmed by gas chromatography that the composition of fatty acids in cells cultured in a 50 mmol L−1 NaCl medium consisted of C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, C18:4, C20:0, C20:4, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6, in which C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:4, C20:0, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6 were main constituents. When the cells were cultured in a medium with different concentrations of NaCl ranging from 50 to 800 mmol L−1, the mole percentage of fatty acids such as C14:0, C16:0 and C16:1 decreased with increases in the salinity, while the mole percentage of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids such as C18:4, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6 increased. When the cells were transferred from a 200 mmol L−1 NaCl medium to a 600 mmol L−1 NaCl medium, a decrease in mole percentage of C14:0, C16:0 and C16:1, and an increase in C18:4, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6 were observed within 4 h. However, no change in the compositions of fatty acids was observed within 4 h when the cells were transferred from a 600 mmol L−1 NaCl medium to a 200 mmol L−1 NaCl one. The increase in the content of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids was considered to reflect the rapid response to upshock and to be the characteristic of salt tolerance in B. hooglandii.
Biophysical-chemistry Characterization of Alginate in Brown Algae Species Sargassum dupplicatum

Alginate is a high-value biopolymer, exists in brown algae, and applied widely in numerous fields, for example, food, functional foods, and pharmaceutics. The study focused on the biophysical-chemistry characterization of alginate in brown algae species Sargassum dupplicatum grown commonly in Vietnam under the effect of NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, chitosan, carrageenan, and ethanol in different physical condition. Antioxidant activity of alginate and their compound was also studied. The results showed that Na_Alg, K_Alg, and Mg_Alg disperse the net style in the water. Ca_Alg, chitosan_Alg, and Carrageenan_Alg absorbed water and swelled for forming a sphere, yarn, and yarn in the water, respectively. Chitosan_Alg and carrageenan_Alg precipitated faster in ethanol, compared to Na_Alg, K_Alg, and Mg_Alg. 20% of ethanol did not cause the precipitation of Alginate salt, Chitosan_Alg, and carrageenan_Alg for 30 minutes. Alginate salt, Chitosan_Alg, and Carrageenan_Alg were full precipitated for 30 minutes when using ethanol concentration was more than 80%. Chitosan_Alg and Carrageenan_Alg occurred the precipitation in 20% of ethanol for 30 minutes. Total antioxidant activity and reducing power activity of chitosan_Alg got the highest value (a and b, respectively), compared to Carrageenan_Alg, Na_Alg, K_Alg, and Mg_Alg. The antioxidant activity difference in a group of Na_Alg, K_Alg, and Mg_Alg, and a group (Chitosan_Alg and Carrageenan_Alg) did not happen. The difference only occurred between the two groups.
Relationships among Fat Weight, Body Weight, Water Weight, and Condition Factors in Wild Atlantic Salmon Parr

Abstract We investigated the relationship between fat content and condition indices in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr sampled from a wild population on a seasonal basis. Condition of individual fish was indexed by residuals from the least-squares regressions of fat weight, dry weight, wet weight, and water weight (separately on fork length) as well as by relative condition factor, Fulton's condition factor, percent fat, and percent water. For all fish analyzed in the study (n = 284), residualized fat weight accounted for 81% of the variation in percent fat, for 58% of the variation in residualized dry weight, for 46% of the variation in residualized wet weight and relative condition factor, for 41% of the variation in Fulton's condition factor, for 35% of the variation in residualized water weight, and for 28% of the variation in percent water. All indices except Fulton's condition factor, residualized water weight, and percent water were significantly correlated with fat weight for all combinations of .
On the Organization of the Naked Filose Amoeba, Nuclearia moebiusi Frenzel, 1897 (Sarcodina, Filosea) and Its Implications†

The ultrastructural organization of Nuclearia moebiusi is described. The organism has filose pseudopodia without supportive microtubules; it has mitochondria with flattened cristae, lacks extrusomes, microtubule-organizing centers, and cytoplasmic microtubules. During cell division, microtubules appear only within the nucleus, and reorganization of the nuclear envelope occurs late in the nuclear division cycle. Ultrastructural studies reveal that Nuclearia spp. have a pattern of cellular organization distinct from that of other amoebae. Comparison of ultrastructural features suggests that this organism is only distantly related to other rhizopod amoebae (including other filose amoebae) and to the heliozoa.
Comparison of commercial European wheat cultivars to Fusarium infection of head and seedling tissue

Susceptibility of eight commercial European wheat cultivars to fusarium head blight (FHB) disease caused by Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, F. poae and Microdochium nivale (formerly known as Fusarium nivale) was compared under controlled environment conditions (16°C). FHB did not differentially affect cultivars in terms of disease symptoms, fungal DNA content of grain or deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination. However, the Hungarian-grown cultivars GK-Othalom and Fatima 2 (of Romanian origin) showed greater type V resistance (yield tolerance) to FHB than did the others. Also, nivalenol was produced by F. poae in these two cultivars and in Italian cultivar Norba, but not in other cultivars. Overall, significant relationships were found between the FHB and seedling blight resistance in vitro of these eight cultivars, but such relationships were generally highly dependent on cultivar, and therefore it is likely that the in vitro test is at best measuring components of FHB resistance and/or genotype-specific resistance components.
Effects of Spatial Pattern and Economic Uncertainties on Freshwater Habitat Restoration Planning: A Simulation Exercise

Evaluating alternative future scenarios using simulation models is an emerging approach to conservation planning over large spatial and temporal extents. Such an approach is useful when predictions cannot be validated empirically; however, evaluating the sensitivity of scenario‐based approaches to key uncertainties is necessary so that managers understand how real‐world constraints might impact results. We used a simulation approach to investigate the sensitivity of freshwater habitat restoration plans to spatial pattern (e.g., project locations) and economic uncertainties (e.g., budget level and project costs) in a case study on Pacific salmon in the Lewis River Basin (WA, U.S.A.). We found that some evaluation metrics performed better when restoration was distributed randomly, whereas others improved more when restoration occurred on contiguous stretches of river. Subwatersheds responded differently to restoration, suggesting that intrinsic characteristics limit restoration potential. Changes in budget usually caused proportionate improvements in habitat but disproportionate fish responses, suggesting a cumulative benefit for fish. Most per‐dollar benefits increased as project cost decreased; therefore, model predictions are sensitive to project cost. Simulation analyses provided increased information about how economics and spatial pattern might affect habitats and salmon; these insights can help policymakers identify an appropriate restoration strategy.
MULTI-EXPOSURE IMAGE FUSION BASED ON STRUCTRUE CONSISTENSY

Multi-Exposure image Fusion (MEF) is a widely used technique to enhance the quality of images with different exposure times by fusing them. In recent years, some people proposed different MEF algorithms, and other people devoted themselves into evaluating the quality of images generated by those algorithms, that is, they proposed some Image Quality Assessment (IQA) algorithms for MEF images. The IQA model proposed by Kede Ma [1] is based on some considerable agreement among human subjects on the quality of MEF images. Inspired by their observation and method. , we would like to propose a novel weighting function which is also based on patch structure consistency.
Discrimination by Coptera haywardi (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) of hosts previously attacked by conspecifics or by the larval parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract Coptera haywardi (Oglobin) is an endoparasitoid of fruit fly pupae that could find itself in competition with other parasitoids, both con- and heterospecific, already resident inside hosts. In choice bioassays, ovipositing C. haywardi females strongly discriminated against conspecifically parasitised Anastrepha ludens (Loew) pupal hosts. They also avoided pupae previously attacked by Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), a larval–prepupal koinobiont endoparasitoid, and the degree of larval-parasitoid superparasitism had no effect on this avoidance. There was no difference in the number of ovipositor insertions when hosts previously parasitised by a conspecific and D. longicaudata were exposed simultaneously. As females aged the degree of host discrimination declined. An ability to discriminate against pupae previously attacked as larvae suggests low levels of both conspecific and heterospecific competition in the field.
RNA-DNA ratio as an index to growth in salmonid fishes in the laboratory and in streams contaminated by carbaryl

Free nucleotides, RNA, and DNA were extracted from fish white muscle and analysed by a two-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) absorbance technique to determine their relation to growth rates in brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, and Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. In the laboratory, fish given ample feed had higher growth rates than fish on restricted rations, and these growth rates were significantly correlated with RNA-DNA ratios. Wild brook trout from natural streams had higher average RNA-DNA ratios than those in the laboratory. Exposure of brook trout in one of the streams to low levels of the insecticide carbaryl (Sevin) that drifted from the spraying of nearby forests did not reduce RNA-DNA ratios.
Nucleoside Transport Inhibitors: Structure-Activity Relationships and Potential Therapeutic Applications

A survey of structure-activity relationships and potential therapeutic applications of nucleoside transport inhibitors is presented. Among the two equilibrative (facilitated diffusion), and five concentrative (sodium-dependent) nucleoside transporters identified in mammalian cells, only the equilibrative transporters (es and e1) and one concentrative transporter (cs) can be effectively blocked by one or more of the nucleoside transport inhibitors discovered to date. A structurally diverse array of compounds have been shown to exert nucleoside transport inhibitory activity to varying degrees. The most important of these are i) nucleoside analogs of which s6-(4-nitrobenzyl)mercaptopurine riboside (NBMPR, nitrobenzylthioinosine) is the prototype, ii) pyrimidopyrimidine and pteridine derivatives of which dipyridamole (Persantine) is the prototype, and iii) alkyl- and cycloalkyldiamine and piperazine calcium channel antagonists of which dilazep and lidoflazine are the representatives, respectively. All of these are effective inhibitors of the es transporter, but dipyridamole is also a potent inhibitor of the ei transporter with variable activity depending on the cell type. Surprisingly, NBMPR and dipyridamole are also potent inhibitors of the newly identified cs concentrative transporter in fresh leukemia cells from patients. Not only does the es inhibitory potency of these compounds depend on tissue type, but it also varies widely among different mammalian species. Nucleoside transport inhibitors have potential for therapeutic uses in 1) adenosine potentiation in cardioprotection and cerebroprotection in ischemic heart disease and stroke, respectively, 2) the modulation of the effects of antimetabolite anticancer and antiviral agents, and 3) host tissue protection in chemotherapy with cytotoxic nucleosides. Additional areas of potential therapeutic application of NT inhibitors include kidney transplantation, analgesia and hypertension. Most of the compounds in the present repertoire of potent NT inhibitors do not meet the requisite pharmacological profiles for successful clinical application, which calls for the discovery of better inhibitors. Advances are being made in the molecular cloning and functional expression of nucleoside transporters that augur well for future drug design efforts.
Genetic relationships among six Korean Rana species (Amphibia; Ranidae) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

Genetic relationships among six species of the genus Rana from Korea were investigated by complete nucleotide sequence analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1143 bp). Based on Kimura‐2‐parameter distance, the interspecific sequence differences of cytochrome b gene within the genus Rana were ranged from 7.83% to 25.00%. The genetic distances were 7.83% between R. nigromaculata and R. plancyi, 8.47% between two types of R. rugosa (type A and B), 16.42% between the brown frogs (R. amurensis and R. dybowskii), 16.11% between R. dybowskii types 1 and 2 and 12.36% between pond frogs (R. nigromaculata and R. plancyi) and R. catesbeiana. In the neighbor‐joining and parsimony trees, R. catesbeiana was more closely related to pond frogs than brown frogs. R. dybowskii types 1 and 2 were considered to be at a distinct and specific level of differentiation (16.11%), while two types of R. rugosa were suspected to be at a sub‐specific level (8.47%).
Properties of Extracts from Wheat Bran by Subcritical Water Treatment

Wheat bran was extracted with water and subcritical water from 50°C to 260°C for 5 min. The highest extracted yield of ca. 53% on a weight basis was achieved at 200°C, at which the maximum saccharide content was also obtained. The protein, total phenolic, hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural contents were the highest at 240°C. The radical scavenging activity was also the highest at 240°C. It was demonstrated that the extract prepared at 250°C had the ability to suppress the autoxidation of linoleic acid by lengthening the induction period. The bran extracts prepared from 50°C to 200°C exhibited emulsifying activity.
Advanced Imaging in Biology and Medicine: Technology, Software Environments, Applications

This article reviews Advanced Imaging in Biology and Medicine: Technology, Software Environments, Applications by Christoph W. Sensen, Benedikt Hallgrimsson , Berlin, Heidelberg, Germany, 2009. $249.00. ISBN: 9783540689928, 445 pp. (hardcover).