Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infrared Thermal Imaging as a Rapid Tool for Identifying Water-Stress Tolerant Maize Genotypes of Different Phenology

The main task of this research was to evaluate canopy temperature and Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) by assessing genotype variability of maize performance for different water regimes. To that end, three hundred tropical and subtropical maize hybrids with different phenology in terms of date of anthesis were evaluated. The influence of phenology on the change in canopy temperatures and CWSI was not equal during the three dates of measurement. At the end of vegetative growth (82 days after sowing, DAS) and at the blister stage (DAS 97), a high significant difference in temperatures and CWSI (P < 0.001) were obtained between the early- and late-maturity genotypes. During anthesis (DAS 89), phenology had a significant effect (P < 0.01) only for the well-watered genotypes, while under water-stress conditions, no differences were found between early and late genotypes in terms of canopy temperature and CWSI. High significant differences (P < 0.001) in stomatal conductance (gs) between early and late genotypes for different treatments were observed. A relationship (R2 = 0.62) between gs and canopy temperature was obtained. Under a water-stress canopy, temperature was measured at anthesis, which was negatively correlated with grain yield of the early (r = −0.55)- and late (r = −0.46)-maturity genotypes in the water-stressed condition.
Flower colour variations in gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) population using image analysis

Image analysis was performed on ligules of 211 progenies and seven parental accessions of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus ex. Hooker F), to quantify colour variation. The colour variations were assessed based on mean values of (1) red, green, blue (RGB), (2) hue and saturation (HS) colour channels of ligule colour. Multivariate clustering of genotypes based on RGB and HS colour variables determined the relative position of genotypes in the paired group cluster. The genotypes grouped into different clusters representing distinct colour sub-groups which could be distinguished from each other based on Student’s ‘t’ test. Two major clusters were observed which correspond to the flavonoid and carotenoid pigments which contribute to flower colour variations in gerbera. Analysis of variance among genotypes within each colour cluster revealed significant variations for ligule colour implying high degree of polymorphism for the trait but the extent of variation was lower compared to variations among clusters. Ten pairs of genotypes were identified with similar colour expression, which have potential use in breeding for homogeneous colour expression of gerbera populations.
The Toleration of Solar Heat in Desert Reptiles

Desert lizards have a remarkable reputation as animals seemingly immune to the terrific heat of the desert sun. Buxton ('23, p. 98), states that animals " manage to exist on the desert soil even in the middle of the day in summer. Good examples among the reptiles are the Agama lizard . and the Chuckwalla (Sauromitalus), . which sits upon rocks when they are too hot for the hands to touch (Camp, '16). " Thomas ('32, p. 148) tells of a lizard which " delights to sit on the most glaring eminences in the face of the tropical sun towards which it nods its head. This creature alone of all the steppe life that I met, scorns refuge from the sun." Werner ('13, p. 189) reports that Acanthodactylus scutellatus of the Sahara Desert shuns not even the noon heat in summer; he found it abroad in southern Morocco as the only animal besides a grasshopper, in the furnace heat of the afternoon in midsummer. Mosauer and Lazier ('33), reporting on death from insolation in desert snakes, stated: " It is interesting to note the extreme sensitivity to sunlight of these nocturnal desert reptiles which so sharply contrasts with the tolerance of certain diurnal reptiles, such as Uina notata, which, in exactly the same habitat, plays and thrives on sand at 550-600 C. " All these statemnents would lead one to believe that lizards actually possess a greater tolerance to the desert sunshine, and the heat produced by it, than most other animals. But how could that be? Snakes are killed by a short exposure to the desert heat (Mosauer and Lazier, '33) and the lacertilians, belonging to the same order Sq-uamnata. could not be expected to have a fundamentally different mechanism for heat regulation. As poikilothermous animals, they cannot prevent their body temperature from assuming the same value, within a few degrees, as that of their environment. The mid-day temperatures of the desert soil, be it sand or not, frequently exceed 600 during spring, and the air within an inch of the surface is heated by radiation from the hot ground to a temperature considerably above the air temperature as conventionally registered. Since the field observations of the authors quoted above and of many others, and the conditions just outlined seemed inconmpatible, the author decided to put the problem to experimental test.
Invited Review: Ethanol co-products for dairy cows: there goes our starch … now what?

Paz, H. A. , Castillo-Lopez, E. , Ramirez-Ramirez, H. A. , Christensen, D. A. , Klopfenstein, T. J. and Kononoff, P. J. 2013. Invited Review: Ethanol co-products for dairy cows: there goes our starch … now what? Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 407-425. The rise of the grain-ethanol industry has resulted in a dramatic increase in the availability of feed co-products namely, distillers' grains with solubles (DG). The cost of feeds that have traditionally been used for energy continues to increase and there is a need to understand the potential impact of replacing these feeds with DG on milk yield and composition. Using the Dairy National Research Council (2001) model and data from a total of 25 published studies (81 observations), we used a meta-analytical procedure to evaluate the impact of feeding corn milling co-products on lactating dairy cows. Based on our model, the inclusion of DG did not affect dry matter intake (P=0.35) but a trend for an increase in milk yield was observed (P=0. 10). Additionally, the percentages of milk fat and protein in the milk were not affected (P=0.24 and 0.25, respectively). The modeled daily rumen outflow of Lys in grams was significantly (P<0.01) reduced and Met was not affected (P=0.79) when DG were included. The error associated with net energy of lactation allowable milk averaged 5.0±1.0 kg d-1 and was not affected by DG (P=0.79) but the error associated with metabolizable protein allowable milk tended (P=0.10) to be higher for cows consuming DG by 1.4±1.2 kg d-1.
Use of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea treatment of fertilized egg cells for saturation mutagenesis of rice

The efficiency of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) treatment of fertilized egg cells at the single-cell stage in rice (Oryza sativa L.) was about twice that of dry seeds. The proportion of recessive iso-chlorophyll mutants in the segregating progeny of M1 plants decreased remarkably with treatment at later stages of embryonic development, perhaps because of the presence of diplontic selection and chimera formation when older, multicellular embryos were mutagenized. Panicle sterility of the M1 plants showed a linear relationship with the frequency of chlorophyll mutations in the progeny. The mutagenicity of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea was similar to that of MNU, but N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and N-ethyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine were less effective. Several thousand rice mutants affecting endosperm, culm length, heading date, and chlorophyll were obtained by MNU mutagenesis. The frequency of certain types of endosperm mutants seemed to differ according to the precise timing of treatment. The mutation rate was calculated as 7.4 × 10−6 per nucleotide, and the mutations were evenly distributed over the gene regions examined. These results indicate that our rice mutant library, generated by MNU mutagenesis, is a promising resource for identifying mutations in any rice gene.
Characterizing the Human Dimensions of a Hidden Fishery: Riverine Trotline Fishers

Hidden fisheries include catfish harvesters who use trotlines and are seldom surveyed. We examined trotline fishers to describe fishing habits and techniques, trotline fishing knowledge, recreational motivations, and opinions of the fishery, regulations, and conflicts with other river users. Trotline fishers on the New River, Virginia, were secretive and solitary, and some were socioeconomically disadvantaged. They placed high importance on catch- and harvest-related factors, in contrast to many other angler groups who use highly specialized methods. They relied on harvesting catfish for varying degrees of sustenance to their diet or income. Trotline fishing appears to be part of a larger “way of life” for some rural individuals, who may also hunt, trap, and garden as part of activities to supplement their diet or income. New River trotline fishers strongly believed that participation in trotline fishing had declined significantly in the New River Valley due to improving socioeconomic status of the region.
Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of human Na, K-ATPase β–subunit

Abstract We have isolated a cDNA clone for the beta-subunit of HeLa cell Na,K-ATPase, containing a 2208-base-pair cDNA insert covering the whole coding region of the beta-subunit. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the amino acid sequence of human Na,K-ATPase exhibited 61% homology with that of Torpedo counterpart (Noguchi et al. (1986) FEBS Lett. in press). A remarkable conservation in the nucleotide sequence of the 3' non-coding region was detected between the human and Torpedo cDNAs. RNA blot hybridization analysis revealed the presence of two mRNA species in HeLa cells. S1 nuclease mapping indicated that they were derived from utilization of two distinct polyadenylation signals in vivo. Total genomic Southern hybridization indicated the existence of only a few, possibly one set of gene encoding the Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit in the human genome.
Alternative explanations for rising dissolved organic carbon export from organic soils

Since 1988, there has been, on average, a 91% increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of UK lakes and streams in the Acid Waters Monitoring Network (AWMN). Similar DOC increases have been observed in surface waters across much of Europe and North America. Much of the debate about the causes of rising DOC has, as in other studies relating to the carbon cycle, focused on factors related to climate change. Data from our peat‐core experiments support an influence of climate on DOC, notably an increase in production with temperature under aerobic, and to a lesser extent anaerobic, conditions. However, we argue that climatic factors may not be the dominant drivers of DOC change. DOC solubility is suppressed by high soil water acidity and ionic strength, both of which have decreased as a result of declining sulphur deposition since the 1980s, augmented during the 1990s in the United Kingdom by a cyclical decline in sea‐salt deposition. Our observational and experimental data demonstrate a clear, inverse and quantitatively important link between DOC and sulphate concentrations in soil solution. Statistical analysis of 11 AWMN lakes suggests that rising temperature, declining sulphur deposition and changing sea‐salt loading can account for the majority of the observed DOC trend. This combination of evidence points to the changing chemical composition of atmospheric deposition, particularly the substantial reduction in anthropogenic sulphur emissions during the last 20 years, as a key cause of rising DOC. The implications of rising DOC export for the carbon cycle will be very different if linked primarily to decreasing acid deposition, rather than to changes in climate, suggesting that these systems may be recovering rather than destabilising.
Giardia duodenalis arginine deiminase and its role in host-parasite interplay

D i s s e r t a t i o n zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades d o c t o r r e r u m n a t u r a l i u m topic in his group at the Robert Koch-Institute. In terms of encouragement and help he was always available with constructive advices during my PhD studies. teaming up scientifically and amicably in the laboratory and on other occasions. my family and friends for their untiring support. last and most important my husband André.
Inferring plastid metabolic pathways within the nonphotosynthetic free-living green algal genus Polytomella

ii Co-Authorship Statement . iii Acknowledgments . iv Table of Contents . v List of Tables . viii List of Figures . ix List of Appendices . x List of Abbreviations . xi Chapter 1 . 1 1 The evolutionary loss of photosynthesis: from parasites to Polytomella . 1 1.1 Photosynthesis . 1 1.2 The origins and spread of photosynthesis . 2 1.2. 1 Cyanobacteria to Eukarya . 2 1.2. 2 Integration and the rise of Archaeplastida . 3 1.2. 3 Plastid Evolutionary Origins . 5 1.3 The Loss of Photosynthesis . 5 1.3. 1 The general loss of photosynthesis . 5 1.3. 2 Loss of photosynthesis yet plastid retention hypotheses . 9 1.4 Metabolic Pathways in Nonphotosynthetic Species . 10 1.5 Polytomella . 12 1.6 Thesis Rationale and Hypothesis . 14 1.7 References . 16 Chapter 2 . 22 2 The Starch Metabolic Pathway . 22
Pegylated liposomal anti-eIF3c shRNA-vinorelbine formulation (SEVINA-V) inhibits oncogenic protein translational initiation and oncogene addiction inducing apoptosis in HRBC chemoresistant to taxanes

C26 Introduction: eIF3c is required for the initiation of protein translation, and directly interacts with mTOR activating eIF4e, which is overexpressed in breast cancer. mTOR activates the PI3K/AKT signal transduction pathway, which mediates cell proliferation through activation of growth and survival factors. Furthermore, bcl-2 overexpression inhibits apoptosis causing oncogene addiction and chemoresistance. Materials and Methods: We developed xenograft animal models from taxane-chemoresistant hormone refractory breast cancer (HRBC) overexpressing eIF3c, 4EBP1, and bcl-2. We formulated pegylated liposomal anti-eIF3c shRNA vinorelbine (SEVINA-V). Pegylation circumvented RES elimination. The human HRBC xenograft animal models were treated with SEVINA-V. Results: Post-treatment, triggering the RNAi pathway through the expression of small hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules has efficiently silenced the RNA helicase activity of eIF3c disabling cellular cap-dept scanning/initiation. There was subsequent inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway blocking binding of IGFR, PDGFR, EGFR, and HER family receptors in the tumor cell membrane. Inhibition of mTOR prevented downstream activation of mRNA translation and blocked ribosome biogenesis inhibiting S6K1 and 4E-BPI, which led to inhibition of ribosomal protein, elongation factors, and ODC/cyclinD1, respectively. Thus, 4E-BPI-- which was induced by taxanes causing chemoresistance-- was inhibited. There was upregulation of p53 and cycline/CDK2-p27 inhibiting CDK1/2 and cyclinD1 activity. Signal transduction initiated by VEGF was inhibited, and translation of c-myc and anti-apoptotic FLIPs was blocked. Vinorelbine phosphorylated bcl-2, leading to its inactivation and subsequent circumvention of oncogene addiction. Also, vinorelbine blocked cell cycle at G2/M. Transmission electron microscopy exhibited PCD type I, II, and III leading to a bystander killing effect. Conclusion: With administration of SEVINA-V, we have achieved oncogene transcriptional intervention in HRBC resistant to taxanes via protein translational inhibition of eIF3c downstream of mTOR dependent pathways, which led to apoptosis in synergy with the chemotherapeutic agent vinorelbine and circumvented oncogene addiction.
Role of PTEN in the Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract : Recent scientific advances have revealed that a malignant tumor can be viewed as an organ consisting of different types of interacting cells. Different tumor cell types play different roles in the growth and development of the tumor and thus in the end, all cells within the tumor may help pave the way for further tumor growth in a patient with cancer. Current work in the field indicates that fibroblasts surrounding breast cancers are particularly important for cancer progression, but no one knows why. Our experimental approach to this problem is a direct one; we targeted the mutation of genes in stromal fibroblasts surrounding the tumor in order to learn whether these genes are important for cancer progression. Using this approach, we have shown that the PTEN gene in fibroblasts is a major gene involved in suppressing epithelial breast cancers. In order to understand how PTEN works in fibroblasts, we measured the immediate and long-term consequences of PTEN mutation on the biology of all the cells surrounding the tumor, including the tumor cells themselves, as well as the matrix that holds these cells together. Because the entire system is so complex, we studied how the PTEN gene behaves as a tumor suppressor by developing extremely detailed three dimensional images of tumors where each image is annotated with detailed cancer related molecular information. From this work we were able to quantify major and minor changes in the extracellular matrix and cells in the microenvironment. We showed that Pten function in stromal fibroblasts is involved in reprogramming the entire tumor microenvironment to suppress mammary epithelial tumors. We anticipate that this work will lead to the design of novel therapeutic strategies that target fibroblasts and that could be used in combination with current therapies that target epithelial cells to stop tumor growth and prevent reoccurrence of metastasis.
Mandatory private health insurance; the effect of the level of insurance coverage on an individual’s health and income in the Netherlands. By

Originating from a policy perspective, it has been discussed extensively whether health insurance has a positive effect on health. This paper elaborates further on this topic and analyses the effect of health insurance on health and income. In this paper use is made of data of the DNB Household Survey as panel data ranging from 2008 to 2018. Three measures are considered: The number of days absent from work per year, the number of visits to the GP per year, and personal net total income. The empirical results imply a positive relationship between health insurance and the number of visits to the GP. This is interpreted as a positive relationship between health insurance and health, due to improved access to medical care. Furthermore, the empirical results imply a positive relationship between health insurance and income. Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Integrated analysis of serum and intact muscle metabonomics identify metabolic profiles of cancer cachexia in a dynamic mouse model

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial metabolic syndrome characterized by a severe loss of body weight and lean body mass. Metabolic dysfunction is the primary hallmark of muscle atrophy. Herein, we studied dynamic metabolic profiles in serum and intact muscle. High-resolution magic angle spinning was employed for intact gastrocnemius muscle analysis and a dynamic metabolic model was established using C26 colon carcinoma-bearing mice from procachexia to the refractory cachexia period. When an integrated analysis of the 13 metabolites from the intact muscle gastrocnemius and 43 metabolites from the serum was performed, five distinguishable metabolic features were identified, including low blood glucose, elevated ketone bodies, decreased branched-chain amino acids, increased neutral amino acids, and high 3-methylhistidine and creatine. The metabolic hubs reveal potential biomarkers for the early detection of cachexia and indicate the underlying metabolic pathway reprogramming of muscle atrophy.
Advances in genetic and statistical models to predict breeding values.

INTRODUCTION Even with the tremendous advances that have been made in molecular genetics, it is still not possible to directly observe breeding values. Thus, observable information must be used to statistically predict breeding values. One of the components of this prediction problem is the use of genetic and statistical models to relate observable information to unobservable breeding values. An important aspect of this component is the development of models that are realistic and yet lend themselves to statistical methods of prediction that are computationally feasible.
Study of the Macro Faunal Associates of the Littoral Zoanthid Palythoa mutuki (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from Saurashtra Coast, Gujarat, India

The macrobenthic community associated with the encrusting zoanthid Palythoa mutuki was studied in the littoral zone of four different sites situated along the coasts of Saurashtra (Gujarat, India). A total of 20 random quadrates (0.25 m 2 ) were laid in the lower littoral zone where Palythoa mutuki was abundant. All the animals present in the quadrate area were collected or photographed and brought to the lab for species identification. A total of 67 different species belonging to 6 phyla were identified. The most abundant taxa were Arthropoda (44.8%), Mollusca (38.7%), Cnidaria (4.5%), Annelida (4.5%), Porifera (4.5%) and Echinodermata (3%). The maximum diversity of associates amongst the studied sites varied between 31 and 53 species, with the highest value recorded at Sutrapada followed by Dhamlej, Kodinar and Veraval. The diversity and species composition of associated community with P. mutuki , tested with MDS, PCA and Bray Curtis Similarity, is significantly homogeneous in all sites, with the exception of Veraval probably as a consequence of the habitat heterogeneity.
Enhanced Defence Responses of Chickpea Plants Against Rhizoctonia solani by Pre-Inoculation with Rhizobia

The aim of this work was to study the antagonist effect of two Rhizobium strains Pch Azm and Pch S.Nsir2 to Rhizoctonia solani and for an evaluation of the relative impact of rhizobia on the expression of the plant's defence response against Rhizoctonia. First, these strains reduced fungal growth observed in vitro using the same or separately Petri dishes. Moreover, these isolates led to reduced chickpea infection by R. solani, resulting from the direct effect of rhizobia on pathogens and possible induced resistance in chickpea. Concomitantly, reduction in infection was accompanied by enhanced level of defence-related enzymes, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POX). An increased level of phenol content was recorded in the roots of bacterized plants grown in the presence of pathogen. The results promise the use of rhizobia for protection of chickpea against R. solani.
Microclimate and Stream Noise Predict Geographic Divergence in the Auditory Signal of a Threatened Poison Frog

According to the acoustic adaptation hypothesis, abiotic noise generated by streams should promote the evolution of high‐pitched signals in acoustically communicating animals. The putatively selective effect is best demonstrated by studying trait–environment correlations across recently or currently diverging lineages, and when we understand the ecological interactions that underlie the selective pressures. We studied microclimate, frog distribution, abiotic noise, and the frequency of the advertisement call of the Andean poison frog Andinobates bombetes across variable environmental clines at five localities. Our general hypothesis involves three steps: microclimatic clines determine frogs’ distribution, which in turn is associated with different levels of abiotic noise that select for differentially pitched calls. Microclimate changed more abruptly with distance to streams in comparatively dry localities. There, frogs were more aggregated alongside streams and, in turn, experienced higher levels of abiotic noise. As predicted, frogs living alongside streams in dry forests called at higher frequencies, and thus attained comparable signal‐to‐noise ratios, compared with stream‐away frogs. Our data support a role for microclimate in determining frog distribution and thereby the noise conditions that promoted a divergence in a mate‐recognition signal.