Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of dietary electrolyte balance and calcium supply on mineral and acid−base status of piglets fed a diversified diet

Dietary electrolyte balance (dEB) is known to affect acid−base status and mineral metabolism, but is rarely considered in diet formulation for pigs. Yet, the use of a wide variety of local feedstuffs in Europe contributes to lowering the dEB and increasing the fibre content. Hence, mineral requirements may be modified and skeletal health affected. Therefore, the effects of a lower dEB and a higher dietary Ca level on acid−base balance and mineral status were assessed in young pigs fed a diversified diet. A total of twenty-four weaned pigs were fed a control moderate-dEB diet (C) or a diversified moderate-dEB (D), low-dEB (D-A) or low-dEB supplemented with Ca (D-CA) diet. Growth performance, venous blood gas and chemistry, urine pH, mineral balance and femur characteristics were determined. With an equivalent dEB compared with the C diet, the D diet caused an acidification of the urine and increased the excretion of P as a result of a higher dietary content of S. Low-grade metabolic acidosis occurred in piglets fed the D-A diet with changes at systemic and urine levels. A higher excretion of ammonia and P in urine was observed and some bone characteristics tended to be negatively affected. Ca supplementation partially counteracted the effects of low-grade acidosis. Urine excretion of P and ammonia was alleviated and bone characteristics improved. In conclusion, a higher Ca supply must be considered in more diversified diets to counteract the risk of evolving towards low-grade metabolic acidosis which can negatively affect bone.
Diagnostic value of microRNA panel in endometrial cancer: A systematic review

Purpose: We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the overall diagnostic accuracy of miRNAs in detecting endometrial cancer. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Cinahl and the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials was performed to identify studies reporting on the diagnostic value of miRNA in EC patients. Included were diagnostic studies looking at miRNA expression in women diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Two reviewers independently selected studies and assessed quality of studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) score system. Data extraction was completed and the vote-counting strategy was used to rank miRNAs. Results: 26 studies were included with a total number of 1,400 EC patients reporting on 106 differentially expressed miRNAs. The most frequently found up-regulated miRNA was miR-205 followed by miR-200c, -223, -182, -183 and -200a. In addition, miR-135b, miR-429, miR-141 and miR-200b were also frequently up-regulated. There was less consensus on down-regulated miRNAs. Conclusions: miRNAs yield a promising diagnostic biomarker potential in endometrial cancer, especially miR-205, the miR-200 family and miR-135b, -182, -183 and -223. However, no sufficient high quality data are available to draw hard conclusions. More research is needed to validate the diagnostic potential of these miRNAs in larger studies. In addition, the potential of urine as a non-invasive biofluid should be investigated in more detail.
It's Not Just the Song: Male Visual Displays Enhance Female Sexual Responses to Song in Brown-Headed Cowbirds

Abstract. Even though it is widely acknowledged that mate choice in female songbirds is likely to be based on multimodal cues such as those encoded in audiovisual song displays, procedural difficulties have limited studies of mate choice in songbirds mainly to acoustic signals. In the current study, we used audiovisual recordings of male Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) to test the sexual responses of females to males' song displays. Using the copulation-solicitation displays of estradiol-treated females (n = 9), we found that audiovisual playbacks of males performing wing-spread song displays were significantly more sexually stimulating for females than presentations of song accompanied by video of nondisplaying males, or song alone. Results from this study clearly showed that the visual stimulus of the wing-spread display in particular, not just the visual stimulus of a conspecific male in general, elicits the maximum observed response from females. In the Brown-headed Cowbird, females' sexual preferences for song as revealed by studies of copulation-solicitation displays have been shown to parallel males' mating success, so our results likely reflect an effect of visual displays on the mating success of wild males.
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake and demand in Agrostis capillaris: the influence of elevated CO2 and nutrient supply.

Responses to elevated CO2 have been studied using Agrostis capillaris L. , an upland grass which is abundant on nutrient-poor soils. Plants were grown in sand culture with a wide range of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentrations, and the impact of CO2 on the demand for nutrients was determined using isotopic root bioassays. Plants grown with the smallest concentrations of N and P showed typical foliar symptoms associated with deficiency of these elements. However, even when supplies of N and P were limiting to growth, additional CO2 (250 ppm above ambient) influenced neither total N nor total P in above-ground tissues, nor nutrient demands as indicated by the bioassay. The estimates of the demand of the plants for K from the 86 Rb bioassay indicated an appreciable increase when plants were raised in elevated CO2 . For plants of the same size with the same nutrient supply, those grown in elevated CO2 consistently displayed an increased internal demand for K. Uptake of K was not however, enhanced by elevated CO2 even in non-limiting conditions and it might therefore be limited by a factor other than K supply. The overall conclusion from the experiments is that when A. capillaris is grown in elevated CO2 , uptake of N, P and K fails to increase proportionally with dry mass. This was true even when nutrient supplies were adequate, and it appears that nutrient-use-efficiency might increase to enable the plants to maintain growth in elevated CO2 .
Foliar Spray of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Raised Bed Increases Yield of Transplanted Aman Rice over Conventional Method

Bed planting with foliar nitrogen fertilizer application of rice production systems is very new, and research on it is still at introductory phase. Influence of foliar application of nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield of transplanted aman rice and evaluation of water and fertilizer application efficiency of rice-fallow-rice cropping system were investigated under raised bed cultivation method. Results showed that foliar spray in bed planting method increased grain yield of transplanted aman rice up to 9.33% over conventional method. Foliar nitrogen fertilizer application in bed planting method increased the number of panicle m−2, number of grains panicle−1, and 1000-grain weight of rice than the conventional method. Sterility percentage and weed infestation were lower at foliar nitrogen fertilizer application in bed planting method than the conventional method. Thirty-nine percent of irrigation water and time for application could be saved through foliar nitrogen spray in bed planting than conventional method. Water use efficiency for grain and biomass production was higher by foliar nitrogen fertilizer application in bed planting than conventional method. Likewise, agronomic efficiency of foliar nitrogen fertilizer application in bed planting method was higher than the conventional method. This study concluded that foliar nitrogen spray in bed planting method is a new approach to get fertilizer and water use efficiency as well as higher yield compared to existing agronomic practice in Bangladesh.
Simply InGEN(E)ious! How Creative DNA Modeling Can Enrich Classic Hands-On Experimentation†

Innovative 21st-century methods for teaching biology should provide both content knowledge and diverse scientific competencies. The Curriculum Guidelines of the American Society for Microbiology highlight the importance of developing scientific thinking skills, which include the abilities to formulate hypotheses, to communicate fundamental concepts effectively, and to analyze and interpret experimental results. Additionally, contemporary science education should enhance creativity and collaboration as key student assets in its bid to overcome negative perceptions and learning difficulties. In recent years, the expanding movement for so-called “STEAM” approaches (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) has increased in STEM curricula. The movement seeks to integrate the arts into science classes to transfer enthusiasm, support individual self-sufficiency, and encourage creative solutions. To meet all these demands, we developed an inquiry-based approach that actively engages students in hands- and minds-on activities on the topic of “decoding the DNA structure” in an outreach laboratory. Since teaching abstract molecular phenomena is a challenge in biology classes, we combine classical experimental tasks (DNA isolation, gel electrophoresis) with creative modeling. The experiments are linked by the modeling phase: immersed in the story of the discovery of the DNA structure, our participants independently construct a DNA model from a box filled with inexpensive craft supplies (e.g., glue, straws, pipe cleaners, beads). After initial pilot testing, the implementation of our approach clearly produced short- and mid-term learning effects among the students, providing a successful example of a STEAM-based approach in a laboratory setting.
Some Histological Effects of 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Applied to Mature Apricot Leaves

Apricot trees were sprayed with 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 ppm on May 22, 1965, when spur leaves were fully expanded. Some effects of 2, 4,5-T were studied in leaves collected up to October 2. Increase in petiole diameter resulted from enlargement of cells of the ground tissue and from greatly stimulated development of secondary xylem and phloem. Increase in leaf blade thickness was caused primarily by increased depth of palisade tissue and bundle sheaths and their extensions, but evidence of limited induced cell division in both mesophyll tissues contributed in some leaves; in a few leaves from the 50-ppm treatment, much cell division without cell enlargement in mesophyll tissues accounted for all the increase in leaf thickness between vascular bundles. In the mesophyll of leaves treated with the higher concentrations, many cells and nuclei were larger than in controls. Distributions of frequencies of cell widths and of nuclear diameters in palisade cell populations indicated that the general degree of endopolyploidy increased following 2,4,5-T treatment and that some of the comparable cells in controls were also polyploid. The number of stomata per unit length of the lower epidermis was almost one-half less in leaves given the highest 2,4,5-T concentration than in the controls. The immediate causes were (a) a great increase in treated plants in the cell size in bundle sheath extensions and correspondingly of some epidermal cells, and (b) stretching, or (c) a few cell divisions of other epidermal cells. Tyloses in control petioles and midveins were not numerous until October, but in petioles of treated leaves many developed early. It is suggested that the actions of 2,4,5-T in stretching cell walls and in stimulating endopolyploidy combined to cause tylosis formation, the stretched pit membranes of the vessels not having been able to withstand the pressure of enlarging polyploid xylem parenchyma. Aside from exceptional instances of limited cell proliferation in phloem ray cells, no abnormalities were induced. The general effects of 2,4,5-T as applied here were concluded to have been acceleration or stimulation of processes occurring normally in untreated leaves.
Computational detection of natural selection in gene family expansion and contraction.

Researchers have generally attributed ostensibly large differences in family size to the effects of natural selection in promoting either the expansion or contraction of families along specific lineages, without a strong statistical basis. Here we use a model of stochastic birth and death for mapping gene family evolution onto a phylogeny, and show that it can be efficiently applied to multispecies comparisons. The model offers the opportunity for researchers to make stronger inferences regarding the role of natural selection and changing duplication and deletion rates in gene family expansion or contraction. The work is performed as a part of the first author’s MS thesis under the second author’s supervision. Tóm tắt. Thông thu.̀o.ng các nhà nghiên cú. u gắn su. khác nhau ló . n theo ve’ bè̂ ngoài cu’a ḱıch cõ. gia d̀ınh vó. i su. a’nh hu . o. ’ ng cu’a viê. c lu . a cho.n tu . nhiên trong quá tr̀ınh thúc dâ’y su . mo . ’ rô. ng hay thu he.p cu’a gia d̀ınh trong nhũ . ng thế hê. sau mà không du . a trên mô. t co . so. ’ thống kê chắc chắn. Trong bài báo này, chúng tôi su. ’ du.ng mô. t mô h̀ınh thống kê sinh-tu . ’ dê’ ánh xa. su . tiến hoá cu’a các ho. gien tó. i mô. t cây phân loài, và chı’ ra rằng mô h̀ınh này có thê’ du . o. c áp du. ng mô. t cách có hiê. u qua’ cho su . so sánh da loài. Mô h̀ınh du.a ra mô. t co . hô. i cho các nhà nghiên cú . u thu. . c hiê. n nhũ . ng suy diẽ̂n ch́ınh xác ho.n liên quan tó. i vai trò cu’a su. lu . a cho.n tu . nhiên và tốc dô. nhân dôi hay loa. i bo’ trong su . mo . ’ rô. ng và thu he.p ho. gien. Kết qua’ nghiên cú . u này là mô. t phà̂n trong luâ. n văn tha.c sỹ cu’a tác gia’ thú. nhất du. ́o.i su. hu . ́o.ng dẫn cu’a tác gia’ thú. hai.
Comparative Study of Antioxidant Activity of the Food Flowers of West Bengal, India

In India, many flowers are consumed as food. During the present study, 37 flowers have been analyzed for their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity. The flowers were found to have different levels of antioxidant properties in the systems tested. On the basis of the activity and availability, a few flowers were further studied for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, lipid peroxidation prevention, and DNA damage prevention properties. The correlations suggest that the total phenol contents of the flowers were responsible for the antioxidant properties of the aqueous extracts. The unweighted-pair group average dendrogram showing interrelationships between the investigated species grouped them into two high level clusters based on activity.
Soybean maturity and pubescence color genes improve chilling tolerance

Exposure of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] to chilling temperatures (10-18 degrees C) at flowering reduces seed yield and induces browning around the hilum region and cracking of the seed coats. Previous studies revealed that alleles at maturity loci E1 to E5 and E7 were associated with the intensity of pigmentation and cracking, and that genotypes with the pubescence color allele T are associated with less seed yield reduction under low temperature conditions. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the combination effect of maturity genes between E1 and E3E4 on the intensity of seed coat pigmentation and cracking. The second objective was to evaluate the combination effects of E1, E3E4, and T on weight of seed per plant under chilling treatments. For the seed quality experiment, soybean cv. Harosoy (e1e2E3E4e5E7t) and its near-isogenic lines (NILs), Harosoy-E1, Harosoy-e3e4, and Harosoy-E1e3e4, were exposed to 15 degrees C for 2 wk beginning 8 d after flowering. Harosoy-E1e3e4 had an intermediate degree of pigmentation and cracking relative to Harosoy-E1 and Harosoy-e3e4, suggesting that the effects of E1 and E3E4 may be additive. For the yield component experiments, Harosoy, Harosoy-T, Harosoy-E1e3e4, and Harosoy-E1e3e4T were exposed to 15 degrees C in 2002 and 18/13 degrees C with 55% shading in 2003 for 4 wk from flowering. Weight of seed per plant in NILs with E1e3e4 was higher than NILs with e1E3E4 under chilling treatments. Further, NILs with T produced higher weight of seed per plant compared with NILs with t under chilling treatments. The above results suggest that allelic combination of E1e3e4 is preferable to e1E3E4 to enhance quality and yield of seeds under chilling conditions. The dominant T allele may also be useful to further improve chilling tolerance.
β‐Adrenergic receptor stimulation of L‐type Ca2+ channels in rabbit portal vein myocytes involves both αs and βγ G protein subunits

1 Previous studies have shown that purified G protein αs and βγ subunits stimulate vascular L‐type Ca2+ channels through protein kinase A and C (PKA and PKC), respectively. The present study tested whether activation of endogenous G proteins via β‐adrenergic receptor binding also stimulates vascular Ca2+ channels through both Gαs and Gβγ and the subsequent activation of PKA and PKC. 2 Peak Ba2+ current (IBa) in freshly isolated rabbit portal vein smooth muscle cells was significantly increased by bath application of 0.5 μm isoproterenol (isoprenaline; ISO) when measured using the whole‐cell patch clamp method (53 ± 3 % increase, n= 15). Stimulation of IBa by ISO was partially reversed by a PKA inhibitor, KT 5720, or a PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, and completely blocked when cells were pretreated with both KT 5720 and calphostin C. 3 Dialysis of cells with polyclonal antibody to Gαs significantly reduced but did not completely eliminate ISO‐induced stimulation of IBa. The remaining stimulation was abolished by calphostin C. Dialysis of cells with a polyclonal antibody to Gβ also significantly reduced ISO‐induced stimulation and the remaining stimulation was abolished by KT 5720. Dialysis of cells with both antibodies completely prevented the stimulation of IBa by ISO. 4 ISO‐induced stimulation of IBa was reversed by ICI‐118,551, a specific β2‐adrenoceptor antagonist, but not by CGP 20712A, a specific β1‐adrenoceptor antagonist. In addition, the β2‐adrenoceptor agonist zinterol significantly increased peak IBa while the β1‐adrenoceptor agonist dobutamine and β3‐adrenoceptor agonist BRL 37344A had little effect on peak IBa. 5 These data suggest that β‐adrenergic receptor stimulation of vascular L‐type Ca2+ channels involves both αs and βγ G‐protein subunits, which exert their effects through PKA and PKC, respectively.
Food plant selection by the wild Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) with reference to the traces eaten

Vegetation and plants eaten by the serow were investigated once a month from spring to autumn in two areas with different vegetative composition of deciduous broad-leaved trees and forbs. Then we calculated Ivlev's electivity indices (EI) for some plant species and six plant groups: the deciduous broad-leaved tree, the evergreen broad-leaved tree, the conifer, the forb, the graminoid and the fern. In Area 1, the frequency of deciduous broad-leaved trees and forbs was 78.2% and 1.1%, respectively. The proportion of deciduous broad-leaved trees and forbs eaten was 65.9% and 33.1%, respectively. In Area 2, the frequency of deciduous broad-leaved trees and forbs was 32.4% and 23.1%, respectively. The proportion of deciduous broad-leaved trees and forbs eaten was 46.9% and 52.0%, respectively. In Area 1, the deciduous broad-leaved tree was eaten in proportion to its frequency in the habitat (EI, 0.06–0.05) except in May (−0.32) and June (−0.11). The deciduous broad-leaved tree was a little selected in Area 2 (0.02–0.46) except in June (−0.41) when serows selected some forb species. In Area 2, forbs were selected throughout the observational period (0.16–0.97), except during July (−0.05) when serows fed mainly on deciduous broad-leaved trees (0.46).
Deciding Without Intending

According to a consensus view in philosophy, “deciding” and “intending” are synonymous expressions. Researchers have recently challenged this view with the discovery of a counterexample in which ordinary speakers attribute deciding without intending. The aim of this paper is to investigate the strengths and limits of this discovery. The result of this investigation revealed that the evidence challenging the consensus view is strong. We replicate the initial finding against consensus and extend it by utilizing several new measures, materials, and procedures. Together this evidence strongly suggests that “deciding” is not synonymous with “intending” in ordinary language and that the consensus view should be rejected.
KASL clinical practice guidelines: management of hepatitis C

* Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee of KASL for the Management of Hepatitis C Sook-Hyang Jeong (Committee Chair, Seoul National University College of Medicine), Jung Il Lee (Yonsei University College of Medicine), Young Seok Kim (SoonChunHyang University Bucheon Hospital), Kyung-Ah Kim (Inje Unversity Ilsan Paik Hospital), Sang Hoon Park (Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital), Byung Seok Lee (Chungnam National University College of Medicine), Jun Yong Park (Yonsei University College of Medicine), Ki Tae Yoon (Pusan National University School of Medicine), Young Kul Jung (Korea University College of Medicine), Chang Wook Kim (Catholic University College of Medicine), Eun Young Cho (Wonkwang University School of Medicine), Geum-Youn Gwak (Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine), Woo Jin Chung (Keimyung University School of Medicine), Jeong Han Kim (Konkuk University School of Medicine) Abbreviations:
Assessing service and treatment needs of young people who use illicit and non-medical prescription drugs living in Northern Ontario, Canada

Background: The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Methods/Design: A mixed-methods study design will be used to assess the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults (aged 14-25) who have used one or more illicit drug (excluding cannabis) and/or psychoactive prescription drug for non-medical purposes for at least 3 months and on at least 10 days in the last month. Participants will be recruited from approximately ten Northern, remote and rural communities across Northern Ontario using a mobile research lab. Eligible study candidates from each community will be asked to partake in a focus group and questionnaire exploring service and treatment utilization and needs. We will additionally collect basic socio-demographic information as well as examine patterns of problematic drug use. Interviews with service providers and community organizers will also be conducted in each community. Discussion: Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Assessing the needs of young people who use drugs will allow service providers, community organizers and health policymakers to improve addiction-related services and treatment centers in Northern Ontario.