Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abstract. Treatment with Panax notoginseng saponin (PnS) can prevent neurological damage in middle cerebral artery occlusion model rats to promote recovery after a stroke

Treatment with Panax notoginseng saponin (PnS) can prevent neurological damage in middle cerebral artery occlusion model rats to promote recovery after a stroke. However, the exact molecular mechanisms are unknown and require further study. in the present study, mrna sequencing was employed to investigate differential gene expression between model and sham groups, and between model and PnS-treated groups. enrichment of gene data was performed using Gene ontology analysis and the Kyoto encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. Hub genes were identified and networks were constructed using Cytoscape that were further verified by reverse transcription‐quantitative Pcr. a total of 1,104 genes of interest were found, which included 690 upregulated and 414 downregulated genes that were identified when the model was compared with the sham group. additionally, 817 genes of interest, which included 390 upregulated and 427 downregulated genes, were identified when the PNS‐treated group was compared with the model group. There were 303 overlapping genes of interest between the analysis of model to sham groups, and the analysis of model to PnS-treated groups. The top 10 genes from the 303 aberrantly expressed genes of interest included ubiquitin conjugating enzyme e2 variant 2, small ubiquitin‐related modifier 1, small RNA binding exonuclease protection factor la, Finkel-Biskis-reilly murine sarcoma virus (FBr-MuSV) ubiquitously expressed, centrosomal protein 290 kda, dna-directed rna polymerase ii subunit K, cullin-4B, matrin-3 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. in conclusion, these genes may be important in the underlying mechanism of PnS treatment in ischemic stroke. additionally, the present data provided novel insight into the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.
hCG attenuates hyperglycosylated hCG-driven growth and invasion.

Objective: To determine the role of the hormone hCG in pregnancy, choriocarcinoma and cancer cell growth and invasion. Methods: Third trimester placenta cytotrophoblast primary cultures, two choriocarcinoma cell lines, and one trophoblastic cancer and 5 non-trophoblastic cancer cell lines. Results: Hyperglycosylated hCG promotes growth and invasion of normal pregnancy, 2 of 2 choriocarcinoma cell lines and 6 of 6 cancer cell lines. The hormone hCG attenuates or blocks growth and invasion in normal pregnancy, 2 of 2 choriocarcinoma and 6 of 6 cancer cell lines. Discussion: Cancer cells seemingly have adopted the hCG/LH receptor system. All cancers may be treated with hormone hCG to block and attenuate cancer growth, invasion and progression.
Volatile compounds released by maize grains and silks in response to infection by Fusarium verticillioides and its association with pathogen resistance

&NA; Many plants respond to fungal infections by producing and/or emitting a specific blend of oxylipins, some of them through the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway. In vitro bioassays revealed that volatiles from silks and grains of a set of six maize genotypes with variable resistance to Fusarium verticillioides affected fungal growth in different ways. Analyses by solid phase microextraction and GC‐MS showed different volatile profiles in silks and grains of each genotype. Susceptible genotypes with higher concentrations of precursor polyunsaturated fatty acids produced more volatiles, mainly C9 compounds, in comparison to moderately resistant ones. Real‐time PCR from several lipoxygenase transcripts revealed that levels of gene expression depended on the genotype and the inoculation level and suggested that F. verticillioides could use compounds from the 9‐LOX pathway to promote infection in grains. On the other hand, volatiles produced by the 13‐LOX pathway were more important in moderately resistant genotypes and could be associated to field resistance. Results from this set of genotypes indicate that LOX‐regulated volatile compounds might be important in F. verticillioides infection and should be targeted in further research to understand disease resistance.
Impact of the interplay between bile acids, lipids, intestinal Coriobacteriaceae and diet on host metabolism

Coriobacteriaceae are dominant members of the human gut microbiome and can metabolize cholesterol-derived metabolites. However, their impact on host metabolism is unknown. The present thesis demonstrates that Coriobacteriaceae in combination with bile acid supplementation to diet modulates lipid metabolism in mice, and that dietary fat source plays an important role in the regulation of host metabolism.
Flushing Responses of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) In Response To Recreation

ABSTRACT. — Disturbance because of human activity, including recreation on wildlands, can affect bird behavior which in turn can reduce breeding success, an important consideration for species of management concern. We observed Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) during the breeding season to determine whether the probability of flushing was affected by the type of recreationist, distance to encounter, eagle nest attendance, or date. We monitored eagles in 23 nesting territories from distant (600–1,200 m) observation points and recorded recreation activity within 1,200 m of eagles in the Owyhee Front of southwestern Idaho. In most (86%, n = 270) encounters, eagles did not flush in response to recreationists; however, whether an eagle flushed was affected by the type of recreationist and whether an eagle was at or away from the nest. Eagles were 60 times more likely to flush in response to recreationists that stopped a motor vehicle and transitioned to walking (11 of 17 passes) and 4.5 times more likely to flush in response to off-road vehicle (ORV) riders (17 of 121 passes) than during encounters with road vehicles (7 of 107 passes). Flushing was 12 times more likely for eagles away from nests (23 of 87 passes) than eagles at nests (13 of 183 passes). Eagles flushed at greater distances in response to recreationists that transitioned from motor vehicles to walking (lsmean = 620 m) than when responding to either ORV riders (lsmean = 525 m) or road vehicles (lsmean = 318 m). Flushing distances tended to decline throughout the breeding season to suggest seasonal changes in the costs and benefits of responding to disturbance. After flushing from nests, most eagles (77%) spent <40 mins away, but some (23%) spent >90 mins away from nests. Limiting recreational activities within 650 m and 1,000 m of nest sites may decrease nest-site flushing events by 77% and 100%, respectively. Because eagles seem most sensitive to humans transitioning between motorized and non-motorized recreation, land managers may strike a balance between access needs of recreationists and buffering eagles from disturbance by using a mix of trail closures and no-stopping zones that prevent transitions from motorized to walking activities.
Ontogenetic Niches and the Development of Body Shape in Juvenile Sea Turtles

Abstract Many marine organisms (invertebrates, fishes) produce large numbers of small offspring (larvae) that differ in appearance and behavior from adults. That outcome occurs because larvae as they grow occupy one or more ontogenetic niches that select for phenotypes that differ from those that promote adult survival. Our purpose in this study was to determine whether similar associations also occur in marine turtles. To find out, we examined relationships between juvenile appearance (body shape) and the ontogenetic niches occupied by 3 species of marine turtles: leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) and 2 cheloniids (green turtles, Chelonia mydas; loggerheads, Caretta caretta). Our measurements indicate that juvenile body shape differs the least from adult body shape in leatherbacks and the most from adults in the 2 cheloniid species. We present evidence from other studies showing that juvenile leatherbacks occupy ontogenetic niches that resemble adult niches, whereas during their ontogeny, both juvenile green turtles and loggerheads make radical niche shifts as they transition between oceanic and neritic habitats. These results are thus consistent with the hypothesis that many morphological and behavioral characteristics expressed by juvenile marine turtles, like those of other larval forms, are best understood as evolved responses shaped by the characteristics of their ontogenetic niches.
Influence of device accuracy and choice of algorithm for species distribution modelling of seabirds: a case study using black‐browed albatrosses

Species distribution models (SDM) based on tracking data from different devices are used increasingly to explain and predict seabird distributions. However, different tracking methods provide different data resolutions, ranging from 100km. To better understand the implications of this variation, we modeled the potential distribution of black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris from South Georgia that were simultaneously equipped with a Platform Terminal Transmitter (PTT) (high resolution) and a Global Location Sensor (GLS) logger (coarse resolution), and measured the overlap of the respective potential distribution for a total of nine different SDM algorithms. We found slightly better model fits for the PTT than for GLS data (AUC values 0.958±0.048 vs. 0.95±0.05) across all algorithms. The overlaps of the predicted distributions were higher between device types for the same algorithm, than among algorithms for either device type. Uncertainty arising from coarse-resolution location data is therefore lower than that associated with the modeling technique. Consequently, the choice of an appropriate algorithm appears to be more important than device type when applying SDMs to seabird tracking data. Despite their low accuracy, GLS data appear to be effective for analyzing the habitat preferences and distribution patterns of pelagic species.
The Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory facilitating transformative astrophysical science

The next major advancement in astronomy and cosmology will be driven by deep observations using very sensitive telescopes with high spatial and spectral resolution capabilities. An international consortium of astronomers, including Indian astronomers are building the Thirty Meter Telescope to achieve breakthroughs in different areas of astronomy starting from studies of the solar system to that of the early universe. This article provides a brief overview of the telescope, science objectives and details of the first light instruments.
Olfactory and Vomeronasal Receptor Feedback Employ Divergent Mechanisms of PERK Activation

Mutually-exclusive chemoreceptor expression in olfactory and vomeronasal sensory neurons (OSNs and VSNs) enables odorant discrimination. This configuration involves chemoreceptor mediated activation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident kinase PERK. PERK drives translation of the transcription factor ATF5 to preclude additional chemoreceptor expression. ATF5 translation is transient in OSNs but persistent in VSNs, suggesting chemoreceptor-specific modes of PERK activation. Herein, we showed that the ER-lumenal domain (LD) of PERK recognized vomeronasal receptor (VR)-derived peptides, suggesting direct PERK activation drives persistent ATF5 translation in VSNs. In contrast, PERK LD did not recognize olfactory receptor (OR)-derived peptides in vitro, and facilitating OR maturation in vivo prevented PERK activation, suggesting that ORs activate PERK indirectly through a failure to exit the ER. Importantly, impairing or prolonging ATF5 expression drove specific chemoreceptor repertoire biases. Together, these results demonstrate mechanistic divergence in chemoreceptor feedback and establish that differences in PERK activation promote qualitatively different gene regulatory results.
Phylogenetic factorization of mammalian viruses complements trait-based analyses and guides surveillance efforts

Predicting which novel microorganisms may spill over from animals to humans has become a major priority in infectious disease biology. However, there are few tools to help assess the zoonotic potential of the enormous number of potential pathogens, the majority of which are undiscovered or unclassified and may be unlikely to infect or cause disease in humans. We adapt a new biological machine learning technique - phylofactorization - to partition viruses into clades based on their non-human host range and whether or not there exist evidence they have infected humans. Our cladistic analyses identify clades of viruses with common within-clade patterns - unusually high or low propensity for spillover. Phylofactorization by spillover yields many clades of viruses containing few to no representatives that have spilled over to humans, including the families Papillomaviridae and Herpesviridae, and the genus Parvovirus. Removal of these non-zoonotic clades from previous trait-based analyses changed the relative significance of traits determining spillover due to strong associations of traits with non-zoonotic clades. Phylofactorization by host breadth yielded clades with unusually high host breadth, including the family Togaviridae. We identify putative life-history traits differentiating clades’ host breadth and propensities for zoonosis, and discuss how these results can prioritize sequencing-based surveillance of emerging infectious diseases.
Hierarchy, Morphology, and Adaptive Radiation: a Test of Osborn’s Law in the Carnivora

Henry Fairfield Osborn’s law of adaptive radiation was intended to explain the early proliferation of morphological and functional variation in diversifying clades. Yet, despite much theoretical development and empirical testing, questions remain regarding the taxonomic levels at which adaptive radiation occurs, the traits involved, and its frequency across the tree of life. Here, we evaluate support for this “early burst” model of adaptive radiation in 14 ecomorphological traits plus body mass for the extant mammalian order Carnivora. Strong support for an early burst adaptive radiation is recovered for molar grinding area, a key proxy for diet. However, we find no evidence for early burst–like dynamics in body mass or multivariate trait data, suggesting a decoupling of evolutionary modes among traits driven by dietary specialization. Furthermore, the signal of an early burst is only recovered for Carnivora, and not in family–level clades. The lack of support for the early burst model of morphological adaptive radiation in previous phylogenetic studies may be a consequence of focusing on the wrong traits at the wrong taxonomic levels. Osborn’s law predicted that adaptive radiation should be hierarchically structured, and the search for its signature and understanding of its prevalence will require a renewed focus on functional traits and their evolution over higher-level clades.
Body size shapes inter‐specific migratory behaviour: evidence from individual tracks of long‐distance migratory shorebirds

Migration is a common phenomenon across many animal taxa. Understanding how migration scales with body size across species is fundamental in the development of migration theory and in making size-related predictions. Although aerodynamic theory and ecophysiological scaling laws have assisted greatly in generating such predictions, their verifications have been limited by a lack of empirical data across a range of body sizes. The recent development of ultra-light tracking devices and its rapid application to migration now allows us to put theory to the test. We used tracking data of seven closely related migratory sandpiper species (family Scolopacidae) along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to compare their migratory behaviour when migrating towards the breeding grounds as a function of size (50-750g). We found that besides a marked decline in migration speed (migration distance divided by total migration duration, including time at stopover sites and in flight) with size, departure date from the non-breeding (i.e. wintering) ground and arrival date at the breeding ground also scaled negatively with size. Total migration duration, migration distance, total staging duration (the number of days staying at stopover sites plus days preparing, i.e. fuelling, prior to initial migration) and step length (distance covered within one migratory leg) were not significantly related with size. Correction for phylogeny showed consistent results for all variables. Besides improving our fundamental understanding of inter-specific variation in migration behaviours, the finding of a clear scaling with size in migration speed and migration timing highlight differential size related capabilities and constraints of migrants. Migratory birds, including sandpipers, are declining on a global scale and particularly along the EAAF. This notion of size-dependency in migratory traits may have a bearing on their vulnerability to specific environmental disturbances along their flyways. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
New insight into the cradle of the grey voles (subgenus Microtus) inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences

Abstract Our aim in this study was to further the understanding of the taxonomic relationships and the evolutionary history of grey voles (subgenus Microtus, or arvalis species group) by establishing a cytochrome b (cytb) phylogeny with special emphasis on three species occupying Southwest Asia: Microtus mystacinus (levis is a synonym), Microtus obscurus and Microtus transcaspicus. Phylogenetic trees yielded a sister position of Microtus arvalis+M. obscurus against M. mystacinus while, M. transcaspicus emerged as their closest relative. Microtus ilaeus hold a basal position in the subgenus. The only sample from Afghanistan was classified into M. transcaspicus, therefore expanding the known geographic range for the species and questioning the presence of Microtus ilaeus in the country. Deep sub-structuring was typical of all the well-sampled species: M. mystacinus, M. obscurus and M. arvalis. Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) genetic divergence of 4.1% between the two main clades of M. mystacinus [the European (EU) and our new Iranian (IR)] was nearly identical to a distance (4.2%) between M. arvalis and M. obscurus, therefore suggesting undetected cryptic species in M. mystacinus. Our results reflect the importance of the Caspian-Altai zone for a speciation of the grey voles and of the Ponto-Caspian region for the intraspecific diversity of M. obscurus and M. mystacinus. M. arvalis is the only grey vole which diversified outside Asia.
Ditches as species‐rich secondary habitats and refuge for meadow species in agricultural marsh grasslands

Questions Can drainage ditches in agricultural marsh grassland provide a suitable habitat for the persistence of fen meadow species? How does the ditch margin vegetation develop as a function of regular dredging? Is ornithologically oriented management also beneficial for plant biodiversity? Location Riparian marshes, Eider-Treene-Sorge lowland, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Methods We performed vegetation surveys of drainage ditches along with their water body, slope and margin structures annually for 3 yr. The data were analysed with respect to date and means of ditch dredging. In addition, we recorded vegetation of the surrounding agricultural grassland, measured nutrient status of the soil and the water body and sampled seed bank of the ditch slopes. We used ANOVA and multivariate methods to describe the development of the ditch vegetation and the persistence of target meadow species. Results Vegetation re-development of ditch margins proceeds quite rapidly after disturbance from dredging. Dominance of mudbank species was observed only in the first year, followed by an increase of reed species and reduction of phytodiversity. Target species of wet meadow communities reach highest abundance in the second and third year and build a significant seed bank before being suppressed by reeds. Conclusions In heavily eutrophicated, intensively used marsh grassland, regularly disturbed ditch margins are important secondary habitats for pioneer and subdominant wetland species, which have nearly disappeared in a larger area. Current management cycles of ditch dredging every 3–4 yr comply with the successional development, allowing the mudbank and wet meadow species to persist in the vegetation and seed bank. In contrast to the frequency, the form of dredging (ditch profile), which is crucial for bird protection, plays a minor role for plants. We recommend moderate disturbance (mowing of ditch margins) to suppress strong competitors in the years between dredging for additional support to target plant species.
Sightings of cetaceans in the Western Antarctic Peninsula during the first joint Turkish-Ukrainian Antarctic Research Expedition, 2016

Bayram ÖZTÜRK*, Mehmet Arda TONAY, Melike İdil ÖZ, İzzet Noyan YILMAZ, Halim Aytekin ERGÜL, Ayaka Amaha ÖZTÜRK Faculty of Fisheries, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV), İstanbul, Turkey Gökçeada School of Applied Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey
Comparison of hematological parameters in two different high altitudinal populations of Batrachuperus pinchonii (Amphibian: Urodela)

Hematological parameters are key to reflect the health status of animals and their physiological adaptation to the environment. However, few studies focused on the inter- and intra-specific variations of hematological parameters in hynobiid salamanders. Here, we examined the hematological parameters of the stream salamander, Batrachuperus pinchonii , originating from two different altitudinal populations to explore their intra-specific variation. Sexual dimorphism is only present in the erythrocyte count and males have higher mean values than females. The morphometric values of erythrocyte, hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte count of the high altitudinal (Jiajin) population were smaller than those of the lower altitudinal (Sandaoping) population; however, a significant difference between two populations was only revealed in the case of erythrocyte length via ANOVA. The results of linear regression showed that a significant relationship was present between body condition and erythrocyte length as well as the erythrocyte length to erythrocyte width ratio. Our findings suggest that the features of hematological parameters in B. pinchonii are reflected in the size of erythrocyte, and neither in erythrocyte count nor in hemoglobin concentration. These results provide a foundation for assessing and monitoring the health status of this salamander species, and furthermore, for understanding the physiological basis of altitudinal adaptation.