Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of Forest Edges by Free-Ranging Cats and Dogs in an Urban Forest Fragment

Abstract Free-ranging Felis catus (Domestic Cat) and Canis familiaris (Domestic Dog) can greatly impact native prey populations, but little is known about their occurrence in urban forest fragments. In this study, we used camera traps to photograph (capture) cats, dogs, and native wildlife in a 409-ha urban forest in Birmingham, AL from Jan–Apr 2007. Habitat treatments included forest interior and forest edges by industrial lands, neighborhoods with higher house values, and neighborhoods with lower house values. We employed both conservative (n = 31) and liberal (n = 64) methods of tallying the number of individual dogs, cats, and native mammals captured. Dogs and cats combined comprised 19% (conservative) and 26% (liberal) of all photographic captures. Procyon lotor (Raccoon) were the most abundant of the 7 native species at 32% (conservative) and 53% (liberal) of all captures. Dogs were more abundant in neighborhood edges, and cats were more abundant in the forest interior. Cats and dogs combined were 75% (conservative) and 86% (liberal) of captures from the forest interior. Captures of native species were far more frequent in neighborhood edges (conservative = 86.9%, and liberal = 92.3%) than in other treatments. These findings demonstrate that exotic predators can be an important ecological presence in certain portions of urban forest fragments, and more extensive studies of their impact are needed.
Intratracheal Inoculation with Brucella melitensis in the Pregnant Guinea Pig Is an Improved Model for Reproductive Pathogenesis and Vaccine Studies

Reproductive failure is the hallmark of brucellosis in animals. An uncommon but important complication in pregnant women who become acutely infected with Brucella melitensis is spontaneous pregnancy loss or vertical transmission to the fetus. Unfortunately, the mechanism behind reproductive failure is still obscure, partially due to the lack of a proper study model. Recently, it was demonstrated that intratracheal (IT) inoculation of nonpregnant guinea pigs would replicate features of clinical disease in humans. ABSTRACT Reproductive failure is the hallmark of brucellosis in animals. An uncommon but important complication in pregnant women who become acutely infected with Brucella melitensis is spontaneous pregnancy loss or vertical transmission to the fetus. Unfortunately, the mechanism behind reproductive failure is still obscure, partially due to the lack of a proper study model. Recently, it was demonstrated that intratracheal (IT) inoculation of nonpregnant guinea pigs would replicate features of clinical disease in humans. To determine if IT inoculation would induce reproductive disease, guinea pigs were infected at mid-gestation and monitored daily for fever and abortions. Fever developed between day 14 to 18 postinoculation, and by 3 weeks postinoculation, 75% of pregnant guinea pigs experienced stillbirths or spontaneous abortions mimicking natural disease. Next, to investigate the guinea pig as a model for evaluating vaccine efficacy during pregnancy, nonpregnant guinea pigs were vaccinated with S19, 16MΔvjbR + Quil-A, or 100 μl PBS + Quil-A (as control). Guinea pigs were bred and vaccinated guinea pigs were challenged at mid-gestation with B. melitensis IT inoculation and monitored for fever and abortions. Vaccination with both vaccines prevented fever and protected against abortion. Together, this study indicates that pregnant guinea pigs are an appropriate animal model to study reproductive disease and offer an improved model to evaluate the ability of vaccine candidates to protect against a serious manifestation of disease.
Diet flexibility and growth of the early herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns sea star, implications for its boom-bust population dynamics

The ecology of the early herbivorous juvenile stage of the crown-of-thorns sea star (COTS, Acanthaster spp.) is poorly understood, yet the success of this life stage is key to generating population outbreaks that devastate coral reefs. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) has been considered to be the main diet of herbivorous juveniles. In this study, we show that COTS can avail of a range of algal food. Juveniles were reared on CCA, Amphiroa sp. , and biofilm, and survived for 10 months on all three diets. The juveniles fed CCA and Amphiroa sp. reached 15–16.5 mm diameter at ~ 6 months and maintained this size for the rest the experiment (an additional ~4 months). Juveniles fed biofilm grew more slowly and to a smaller maximum size (~3 mm diameter). However, when juveniles were switched from biofilm to CCA they resumed growth to a new asymptotic size (~13.5 mm, 13–20 months). In diet choice experiments, juveniles did not show a preference between Amphiroa sp. and CCA, but generally avoided biofilm. Our results show that juvenile COTS grew equally well on CCA and Amphiroa sp. and can subsist on biofilm for months. Some juveniles, mostly from the biofilm diet treatment, decreased in size for a time and this was followed by recovery. Flexibility in diet, growth, and prolonged maintenance of asymptotic size indicates capacity for growth plasticity in herbivorous juvenile COTS. There is potential for juvenile COTS to persist for longer than anticipated and increase in number as they wait for the opportunity to avail of coral prey. These findings complicate our ability to predict recruitment to the corallivorous stage and population outbreaks following larval settlement and the ability to understand the age structure of COTS populations.
Effects of storage temperature and water activity on the survival of bifidobacteria in powder form

Effects of water activity and storage temperature on survival of bifidobacteria in powder form were investigated and kinetic analyses were performed to reveal characteristics of the stability. A significant positive correlation was observed between water activity and natural logarithm of the inactivation rate constant of bifidobacteria powder, indicating that higher water activity induced lower stability of bifidobacteria in powder form. Also, higher temperature condition induced lower survival rate, which was supported by that the stability was followed the Arrhenius theory. These findings constructed a prediction model for bifidobacteria survival in powder form.
Eligibility for PCSK9 inhibitors based on the 2019 ESC/EAS and 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines.

AIMS The 2018 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) and 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) lipid guidelines recently updated their recommendations regarding proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 inhibitors (PCSK9i). We assessed the potential eligibility for PCSK9i according to the new guidelines in patients with acute coronary syndromes. METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed a contemporary, prospective Swiss cohort of patients hospitalised for acute coronary syndromes. We modelled a statin intensification effect and an incremental ezetimibe effect on low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels among patients who were not on high-intensity statins or ezetimibe. One year after the index acute coronary syndrome event, treatment eligibility for PCSK9i was defined as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 1.4 mmol/l or greater according to ESC/EAS guidelines. For ACC/AHA guidelines, treatment eligibility was defined as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 1.8 mmol/l or greater in the presence of very high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, defined by multiple major atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events and/or high-risk conditions. Of 2521 patients, 93.2% were treated with statins (53% high-intensity statins) and 7.3% with ezetimibe at 1 year, and 54.9% had very high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels less than 1.8 mmol/l and less than 1.4 mmol/l at 1 year were observed in 37.5% and 15.7% of patients, respectively. After modelling the statin intensification and ezetimibe effects, these numbers increased to 76.1% and 49%, respectively. The proportion of patients eligible for PCSK9i was 51% according to ESC/EAS criteria versus 14% according to ACC/AHA criteria. CONCLUSIONS In this analysis, the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines rendered half of all post-acute coronary syndrome patients potentially eligible for PCSK9i treatment, as compared to a three-fold lower eligibility rate based on the 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines.
Breeding systems in New Zealand plants

Summary Pentachondra pumila (Epacridaceae) has small white salverform flowen in which the stamens and stigma are included in the tube. Although autogamous self-pollination is the rule. it was found that the fruit set on four plants self-pollinated by hand was only 0, 0, 3, and 16.6%, and some fruits had a reduced seed number. In contrast experimental croSSeS between plants were highly fertile. The results are consistent with control of fertility by an S-allele system. Insects are probably the natural crossing agents, but the process remains un-observed.
The landscape of tooth shape: Over 20 years of dental topography in primates

Diet plays an incontrovertible role in primate evolution, affecting anatomy, growth and development, behavior, and social structure. It should come as no surprise that a myriad of methods for reconstructing diet have developed, mostly utilizing the element that is not only most common in the fossil record but also most pertinent to diet: teeth. Twenty years ago, the union of traditional, anatomical analyses with emerging scanning and imaging technologies led to the development of a new method for quantifying tooth shape and reconstructing the diets of extinct primates. This method became known as dental topography.
A first record of Isistius plutodus in the north-eastern Atlantic

The genus Isistius (Dalatiidae, Squaliformes; Shirai, 1992) consists of two recentspecies, the cookiecutter shark Isistius brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard) and thelargetooth cookiecutter shark Isistius plutodus Garrick & Springer (Compagno,1984). Bite marks ofsome 5–7cm diameter in large fishes and marine mammalsare indicators ofthe presence ofIsistius spp. Isistius brasiliensis is a frequentlycaught shark in tropical and subtropical regions in all oceans. No fresh ‘craterwounds’ on potential prey have been found north of 33 50
Salt tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.): the role of sodium exclusion

The influence of NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 on growth of two maize cultivars (Zea mays cv. Pioneer 3906 and cv. Across 8023) differing in Na + uptake was investigated in two greenhouse experiments. Na + treatment with different accompanying anions (Cl - /SO 4 2- ) showed that ion toxicity was caused by Na + . While shoot growth of the two cultivars was markedly affected by salt in comparison to the control during the first 2-3 weeks, there were only slight differences between the cultivars. The shoot Ca 2+ concentration was reduced in both cultivars, and the youngest leaves contained an even lower concentration compared with the rest of the shoot. During this first phase, Across 8023 tended to have higher concentrations of Ca 2+ than Pioneer 3906. The Na + -excluding cultivar Pioneer 3906 showed continuous, although reduced, growth compared with the control, while the Na + concentration in the shoot decreased until flowering. Cultivar Across 8023 accumulated Na + until flowering: the reduction in the growth of stressed plants was greater than that for Pioneer 3906. Leaves of cultivar Across 8023 showed clear toxic symptoms, while those of the more salt-tolerant cultivar Pioneer 3906 did not. It is concluded that Na + exclusion contributes to the salt tolerance of maize.
Tracing pathogens in the food chain.

Part 1 Foodborne pathogen surveillance and outbreak investigation: Surveillance for foodborne pathogens in humans Systems for real-time, linked foodborne pathogen surveillance Detection, investigation and control of outbreaks of foodborne disease Attributing the burden of foodborne disease to specific sources of infection Determining the economic costs and global burden of foodborne disease. Part 2 Subtyping of foodborne pathogens: Phenoytypic subtyping Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and other commonly used molecular methods Emerging bacterial subtyping methods Development, validation and quality assurance of subtyping methods. Part 3 Molecular methods, genomics and other emerging approaches in the surveillance and study of foodborne pathogens: Sample preparation for detection by molecular biological methods A comparison of molecular technologies and genomotyping for tracing and strain characterization of Campylobacter isolates Investigating foodborne pathogens using comparative genomics Protein-based analysis and other new and emerging non-nucleic acid based methods Virulotyping Using ribotyping to trace foodborne aerobic sporeforming bacteria in the factory: a case study Biotracing: a novel concept in food safety integrating microbiology knowledge, complex systems approaches and probabilistic modeling. Part 4 Tracing pathogens in particular food chains: Red meat and game production chains and the abattoir Fish production chains Poultry and egg production chains Dairy production Molluscan shellfish production chains Fruit and vegetable production chains.
The leading edge: Emerging neuroprotective and neuroregenerative cell‐based therapies for spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are associated with tremendous physical, social, and financial costs for millions of individuals and families worldwide. Rapid delivery of specialized medical and surgical care has reduced mortality; however, long‐term functional recovery remains limited. Cell‐based therapies represent an exciting neuroprotective and neuroregenerative strategy for SCI. This article summarizes the most promising preclinical and clinical cell approaches to date including transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, Schwann cells, and olfactory ensheathing cells, as well as strategies to activate endogenous multipotent cell pools. Throughout, we emphasize the fundamental biology of cell‐based therapies, critical features in the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury, and the strengths and limitations of each approach. We also highlight salient completed and ongoing clinical trials worldwide and the bidirectional translation of their findings. We then provide an overview of key adjunct strategies such as trophic factor support to optimize graft survival and differentiation, engineered biomaterials to provide a support scaffold, electrical fields to stimulate migration, and novel approaches to degrade the glial scar. We also discuss important considerations when initiating a clinical trial for a cell therapy such as the logistics of clinical‐grade cell line scale‐up, cell storage and transportation, and the delivery of cells into humans. We conclude with an outlook on the future of cell‐based treatments for SCI and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in the field.
Structure-activity relationships of daptomycin lipopeptides.

Daptomycin is a calcium-dependent cyclic lipodepsipeptide derived from the soil saprotroph Streptomyces roseosporus and its antibiotic properties make it a key agent for treatment of drug-resistant Gram-positive infections. It is most commonly used clinically for the treatment of Gram-positive skin and skin structure infections (SSSI), Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia, and right-sided endocarditis infections associated with S. aureus, including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). It has also been used 'off-label' for Enterococcal infections. There has been a tremendous amount of research investigating its mode of action (which has yet to be fully elucidated), resistance mechanisms and biosynthesis of this clinically important antimicrobial agent. Although we cover the latter aspects in detail, the primary focus of this review is to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference for the medicinal chemist on the structure-activity-toxicity of this important class of lipopeptide antibiotics.
The reality of LAMAs for adult asthmatic patients

ABSTRACT Introduction The use of tiotropium is approved for the treatment of asthma. There are several studies completed or currently ongoing with the long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) umeclidinium and glycopyrronium as an add-on asthma treatment. Adding a second bronchodilator with a different mechanism of action for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma may be a suitable therapeutic approach, although several issues still under discussion. Areas covered The reality of LAMA plus long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) treatment for adult asthma. A systematic search was conducted on March 2020, and included 6 electronic databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Expert opinion A growing body of evidence generated from several randomized clinical trials is supporting the use of LAMA in adulthood asthma always in association with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). Currently, only tiotropium has been approved and included in the guidelines. Other LAMAs are under evaluation in clinical trials. Several clinical trials are supporting the use of a triple therapy (ICS/LABA/LAMA) in uncontrolled asthmatic patients under ICS/LABA
Nonhuman Primate Milk Composition: Relationship to Phylogeny, Ontogeny, and Ecology

This dissertation provides a comprehensive and systematic examination of anthropoid primate milk composition and its relationship to a species’ evolutionary history, ecological context, and life history strategy. Milk samples from 14 species of anthropoid primate (Alouatta paliatta, Callithrix jacchus, Cebus apella, Gorilla beringei beringei, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, Hylobates lar, Leontopithecus rosalia, Macaca mulatta, Macaca sinica, Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Pongo pygmaeus, Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis, and Symphalangus syndactylus) were analyzed for proximate composition (fat, protein, lactose, dry matter, and minerals) and milk fatty acid composition. The objectives of this study were identification of primitive features in anthropoid milks, shared-derived features of anthropoid families or superfamilies, and unique-derived features of species, including Homo sapiens. Results did not support the null hypothesis of a generalized anthropoid milk composition. Variation among anthropoids in milk fatty acid profiles and proximate milk composition was influenced by phylogeny and the life history strategy of the species, as well as the diet and environment (captive or wild living) of the mother. Maternal diet had a direct influence on fatty acid profiles and created distinct groupings of wild and captive living individuals. Phylogenetic patterns were identified within captive and wild groups, particularly a distinction between milk fatty acid profiles of hominoids (including humans) and monkeys. Significant variation in proximate milk composition was identified at the level of the superfamily. Cercopithecoid milk was highest in mean fat, dry matter, the proportion
T cell suppression of contact sensitivity in the mouse. II. The role of soluble suppressor factor and its interaction with macrophages

Contact sensitivity in the mouse is assessed by the increase of ear thickness 24 hours after challenge with antigen and can be passively transferred by T cells in the lymph nodes and spleen of immunized mice. The lymph node cells of mice pretreated with picrylsulfonic acid specifically depress the passive transfer of contact sensitivity to picryl chloride by immune cells.
Long-term incidence of relapse and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis after three different visceral leishmaniasis treatment regimens in Bihar, India

Background Few prospective data exist on incidence of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) relapse after different treatment regimens. Methodology/Principal findings A Phase IV trial included 1761 VL patients treated between 2012–2014 with single dose AmBisome (SDA; N = 891), miltefosine-paromomycin (Milt-PM; n = 512), or AmBisome-miltefosine (AmB-Milt; n = 358). Follow-up for PKDL and VL relapse was scheduled for 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment, lasting until 2017. Patients with lesions consistent with PKDL were tested by rK39 rapid test, and if positive, underwent skin-snip sampling, smear microscopy and PCR. Probable PKDL was defined by consistent lesions and positive rK39; confirmed PKDL required additional positive microscopy or PCR. PKDL and relapse incidence density were calculated by VL treatment and risk factors evaluated in Cox proportional hazards models. Among 1,750 patients who completed treatment, 79 had relapse and 104 PKDL. Relapse incidence density was 1.58, 2.08 and 0.40 per 1000 person-months for SDA, AmB-Milt and Milt-PM, respectively. PKDL incidence density was 1.29, 1.45 and 2.65 per 1000 person-months for SDA, AmB-Milt and Milt-PM. In multivariable models, patients treated with Milt-PM had lower relapse but higher PKDL incidence than those treated with SDA; AmB-Milt rates were not significantly different from those for SDA. Children <12 years were at higher risk for both outcomes; females had a higher risk of PKDL but not relapse. Conclusions/Significance Active surveillance for PKDL and relapse, followed by timely treatment, is essential to sustain the achievements of VL elimination programs in the Indian sub-continent.
Rifampicin Transport by OATP1B1 Variants

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the OATP1B1 transporter have been suggested to partially explain the large interindividual variation in rifampicin exposure. HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type (WT) or OATP1B1 variants *1b, *4, *5, and *15 were used to determine the in vitro rifampicin intrinsic clearance. For OATP1B1*5 and *15, a 36% and 42% reduction in intrinsic clearance, respectively, compared to WT was found. We consider that these differences in intrinsic clearance most likely have minor clinical implications. ABSTRACT Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the OATP1B1 transporter have been suggested to partially explain the large interindividual variation in rifampicin exposure. HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type (WT) or OATP1B1 variants *1b, *4, *5, and *15 were used to determine the in vitro rifampicin intrinsic clearance. For OATP1B1*5 and *15, a 36% and 42% reduction in intrinsic clearance, respectively, compared to WT was found. We consider that these differences in intrinsic clearance most likely have minor clinical implications.