Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Balancing effector lymphocyte formation via CD27-CD70 interactions

In vivo priming of antigen-specific CD8 T cells results in their expansion and differentiation into effector T cells followed by contraction into a memory T cell population that can be maintained for life. Recent evidence suggests that after initial antigenic stimulation, the magnitude and kinetics of the CD8 T cell response are programmed. It is however unclear to what extent CD8 T cell instruction in vivo is modulated by costimulatory signals. Here, we have found that constitutive ligation of the TNF receptor family member CD27 by its ligand CD70 quantitatively augments CD8 T cell responses to influenza virus infection and EL-4 tumor challenge in vivo by incrementing initial expansion, protracting the contraction phase and maintaining higher numbers of antigen-specific T cells in the memory phase. Concomitantly, the quality of antigen-specific T cells improved as evidenced by increased IFN-y production and a greater cytotoxic potential on a per cell basis. As an apparent consequence, the superior effector T cell formation induced by CD70 protected against a lethal dose of poorly immunogenic EL4 tumor cells in a CD8 T cell and IFN-y dependent manner. Thus, CD70 costimulation, even when not presented in direct context of viral or tumor antigens, enhances antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses. Introduction In response to viruses, intracellular bacteria and a wide range of tumors, antigen-specific CD8" T cells have to expand for host defense (1,2). Characteristically, an antigen-specific CD8" T cell response consists of three phases. In the expansion phase antigen-specific T cells rapidly increase in numbers by cell divisions and effector functions are acquired. Following viral clearance about 90% of the effector T cells are eliminated by apoptosis. This contraction phase gradually converts into the maintenance phase in which the surviving antigen-specific T cells form the long-lived memory CD8 T cell population (3,4). After initiation, the transition through these stages of CD8 T cell development is directed by an instructional program that commits CD8" T cells to proceed with their differentiation (5-8). The duration of antigenic stimulation appears to determine whether clonal expansion is abortive or extensive (9). The fine-tuning mechanisms on the phases and quality of this program are poorly investigated. Thus far, it has been shown that the cytokine IL-2 delays the contraction phase (10) whereas the opposite has been found for IFN-y(11). Although it can be assumed that signals transmitted via costimulatory receptors also influence this instructional program, for many costimulatory interactions the nature of these changes has not been established.
Relative efficiency of the maize- and Imperata cylindrica-mediated chromosome elimination approaches for induction of haploids of wheat-rye derivatives

With 1 table Abstract Backcrosses were attempted of F1 hybrids of spring wheat genotypes (HS 375 and C 306) and winter wheat genotypes (Saptdhara and Tyari) with the Indian rye (Secale cereale L.) landrace ‘Lahaul Local’. Intergeneric hybridizations using pollen of maize and Imperata cylindrica (2n = 20), a wild and weedy species, were conducted in the wheat-rye-derived backcross BC1F1 and BC1F2 generations to study the relative efficiency of the two chromosome elimination approaches in the induction of haploid plants. Although seed formation was similar with both pollen sources, the relative frequency of embryo-carrying seeds ranged from 8% to 30% with I. cylindrica, whereas with maize, no embryo-carrying seed was obtained. Comparisons of induction of haploid plants in the wheat-rye backcross derivatives showed that the wheat × I. cylindrica system was superior to the wheat × maize system and was also cost effective as it shares the flowering season with wheat in sub-temperate conditions.
ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL AND DNA DAMAGE PROTECTING ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT FROM ARMILLARIA MELLEA

In this study, the antioxidant activities of hot-water extract from cultured mycelia of Armillaria mellea were assessed in different in vitro systems. The extract showed strongly inhibitory effect on microsomal liposome oxidation with an inhibition rate over 85% at 1.0–2.0 mg/mL. The extract was effective in scavenging superoxide radical in a concentration dependent fashion with IC50 value of 1.03 mg/mL whereas that in scavenging abilities of hydroxyl radical was 0.66 mg/mL. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the extract reached more than 77.2% at the concentrations of 4–8 mg/mL. Moreover, phenanthroline-copper complex-mediated chemiluminescent emission of DNA damage was both inhibited and delayed by the extract. The extract at 1.25–5.0 mg/mL also protected supercoiled DNA strand in plasmid pBR322 against scission induced by Fenton-mediated hydroxyl radical. Both mannitol (34.91%, w/w) and polysaccharides (26.94%, w/w) were major naturally occurring components found in the extract to have scavenging activity on hydroxyl radical. In addition, the polysaccharide from the extract displayed both strong scavenging activity on free radical (DPPH and superoxide radicals) and antioxidant effects against microsomal lipid peroxidation, hydroxyl radical-induced supercoiled DNA damage, which suggested that the activity might be derived partly from the polysaccharide of the extract. The results obtained indicated that A. mellea extract may be useful for preventing oxidation and DNA damage in pharmaceutical and food industries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Armillaria mellea, one of the best known traditional Chinese medicine and health edible mushroom, is a symbiotic fungus isolated from the underground tubers of wild orchid Gastrodia elata. It is reported that A. mellea has diverse pharmacological properties, such as anticonvulsant, antibacterial and immunostimulating activities. However, the antioxidant activity has never been studied systematically thus far in A. mellea. From the result of this paper, A. mellea showed the notable free radical-scavenging activities, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and DNA damage protecting activities in vitro. Therefore, A. mellea might be very useful for the development of functional food and raw materials of medicine for antioxidants preventing oxidative stress-related diseases.
The Effects of Different Storage Temperatures on the Microbial, Physicochemical and Organoleptic Quality Changes in the Shellfish "Ngolo" (Thais califera) from Nigeria

Aims: To investigate the effects of different storage temperatures (-15±2°C; 4±2°C and 29±2°C) on quality changes in ‘Ngolo’ (Thais califera) to evaluate the potential enhancement or otherwise of its domestic and global trade. Study Design: “Ngolo” samples were subjected to different temperatures and evaluated for microbiological, physico-chemical and organoleptic changes during short and long-term storage. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology (Food and Industrial Division), University of Port Harcourt and Research and Development Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Nigeria between January 2006 and December 2008. Original Research Article Oruwari and Efiuvwevwere; BMRJ, 16(2): 1-11, 2016; Article no.BMRJ. 27698 2 Methodology: Freshly shucked “Ngolo” samples were divided using sterile polyethylene bags into sub-samples of 150 g per bag and stored at (-15±2°C; 4±2°C and 29±2°C) respectively and analysed at daily or weekly intervals for microbial, physico-chemical and organoleptic quality attributes. Results: Variations in quality attributes of “Ngolo” samples were induced by the temperatures resulting in significant (P=.05) minimum total viable counts (2.12 log CFU/g) in samples stored at 15±2°C compared with 8.72 log CFU/g in samples stored at 29±2°C. Little or no change in pH occurred within two weeks in samples stored at -15±2°C and 4±2°C respectively but decrease in pH within 24h occurred in samples stored at 29±2°C. Total volatile nitrogen (TVN) and trimethylamine (TMA) contents remained low (32 mgN/100 g TVN and 25 mgN/100 g TMA) in samples stored at -15±2°C and were acceptable throughout storage while the contents of those stored at 29±2°C increased significantly (P=.05) from day 0 to 72 mgN/100 g and 48 mgN/100g respectively on day 4 and were rejected within 24h. Significant (P=.05) positive correlations between TVCs and TVN occurred indicating their usefulness for prediction of quality changes in “Ngolo” (and could be applied to other related seafoods). Conclusion: Overall, the quality attributes of samples stored at -15±2°C remained significantly (P =.05) acceptable throughout storage thereby enhancing their potential for international food trade.
Marine sponges from Curaçao and other Caribbean localities Part II. Haplosclerida

The present paper deals with the West Indian marine Haplosclerida incorporated in the collections of the Zoological Museum of Amsterdam. A total of 36 species is described and fully illustrated. Part of the material consists of the Duchassaing & Michelotti collection housed in Amsterdam; of all the Haplosclerid types of this collection an extensive redescription and a photographic illustration is given. Most of the type specimens are designated (para-)lectotypes. Eight new species are erected, viz. Reniera curacaoensis, R. carmabi, Sigmadocia piscaderaensis, Niphates alba, Xestospongia wiedenmayeri, X. portoricensis, Petrosia weinbergi, and Strongylophora hartmani. The follwing new combinations are used: Niphates amorpha (for N. digitalis forma amorpha Wiedenmayer, 1977), Cribrochalina spiculosa (for Siphonochalina spiculosa Dendy, 1887), Pellina nodosa (for Phloeodictyon nodosum George & Wilson, 1919), and Pachypellina podatypa (for Haliclona podatypa De Laubenfels, 1934). Several new combinations are suggested for species not represented in the present collection, but studied for comparative reasons. A new classification of marine Haplosclerid families is proposed, based on the study of the present collection, and on the study of many type species of Haplosclerid genera. The new classification comprises five families, viz. Haliclonidae, Niphatidae (n.), Callyspongiidae, Petrosiidae (n.) and Oceanapiidae (n.). The proposed classification is discussed and some phylogenetic ideas are presented. The zoogeography of the West Indian sponges is studied and some ecological data are given.
Biogeochemical interrelations between the Çayırhan oil shales and some plants growing on them (Turkey)

Oil shales are exposed in wide areas around the town of Cayirhan (Beypazari-Ankara). It is known that some elements are enriched in oil shales and similar organic-material rich rocks. The purpose of this study was to understand the possible relations between the element abundances found at the Cayirhan oil shales (COS) and those of some plant types growing on these rocks. The results of chemical analysis of selected plants (8 species) were compared with each other and with element abundances from the COS. The plant types examined were divided into 2 groups with respect to enrichment factors. The first group contained 6 plant species: Eryngium campestre L. var. virens Link, Echinophora tournefortii Jaub. & Spach, Sideritis gulendamiae H.Duman & Karavel. , Euphorbia macroclada Boiss. , Reichardia glauca V.A. Matthews, and Centaurea virgata Lam. In this group of plant types, almost all of the same elements (Na, Si, V, Cr, Rb, Y, Zr, Mo, Sn, Sb, Tl, Bi, Th, and U) were found to be enriched. The second group was represented by Echinops pungens Trautv. var. pungens and Reseda lutea L. var. lutea. In these plants, only 6 elements (U, Zr, Si, V, Cr, and As) were enriched. Some elements (e.g., Si, V, Rb, Y, Cr, Zr, Mo, Sb, Bi, and U) were enriched in both groups. Among these 10 elements, Si, Cr, Zr, and U showed enrichment in all plant species. Considering the enrichments of world oil shale averages, all of the major elements and the trace elements of Co, Ni, Cu, As, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Ba, Pb, and U were found to be enriched in the COS to varying extents. The data indicate that element enrichments in the plants are not related to the enrichments in rocks. Out of several elements enriched in the COS, only 6 of them (Si, V, Cr, Zr, U, and Mo) showed enrichment in all of the studied plants. Although major elements Mg, P, S, K, Ca, Fe, and Mn and trace elements Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb were enriched in the COS, they were not seen to be enriched in any of the plants. The elements Tl, Sb, Rb, and Na, not enriched in world oil shale averages, were determined to be enriched in the first group of plants. Results reveal that, in addition to rock geochemistry, biologic factors are still more dominant behind the observed element accumulations in plants.
Characterisation of T cell responses to bovine viral diarrhoea virus proteins and its applications towards the development of improved vaccines

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an important pathogen that causes infectious disease of cattle worldwide and results in significant economic losses. Vaccination has long been used as a tool for control of BVDV but inadequacies of existing vaccines have hampered eradication efforts. Attempts to develop sub-unit vaccines have focused on the structural envelope protein E2, which is a dominant target of neutralising antibodies and as well as CD4 T cell responses. This study aimed to rationally address the development of more efficacious vaccines by characterising the kinetics and specificity of T cell responses to a BVDV type 1 peptide library in calves rendered immune to BVDV following recovery from experimental infection. Upon identification of E2 and NS3 as the dominant targets of CD4 T cell responses, we assessed whether T cells induced by one virus genotype were capable of responding to a heterologous virus genotype and to identified E2 and NS3 as targets of genotype-specific and genotype transcending responses, respectively. This finding strengthened the argument for inclusion of both antigens in a subunit vaccine formulation. A nanoparticulate formulation of E2 and NS3 adjuvanted with poly(I:C) was shown to induce protective responses comparable to a commercial available BVDV vaccine in a vaccination and challenge experiment. It is hoped that the data generated will have implications for the design of improved vaccines against BVD.
POLLEN VIABILITY AND GERMINATION CAPACITY OF SOME NEW SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS

Pollen of 16 new sweet cherry cultivars (â€˜Carmenâ€™, â€˜Katalinâ€™, â€˜Veraâ€™, â€˜Bigarreau Burlatâ€™, â€˜Starking Hardy Giantâ€™, â€˜Early Redâ€™, â€˜Giant Redâ€™, â€˜Lapinsâ€™, â€˜Canada Giantâ€™, â€˜Earliseâ€™, â€˜Kordiaâ€™, â€˜Karinaâ€™, â€˜Merchantâ€™, â€˜Sylviaâ€™, â€˜Reginaâ€™, â€˜Summitâ€™) was collected and investigated microscopically in laboratory for viability and germination capacity. Pollen viability was determinated by applying the colorimetric method, and germination capacity by cultivating pollen on solid medium with 1.5 g agar + 15 g sucrose + 100 ml distilled water. It was noticed that fertile pollen varied from approximately 32 % to 80 %, and the pollen germination percentages after 3 hours of incubation at temperature of 10 o C, varied between 15.53 % and 82.75 %. After 24 hours of incubation under the same temperature of 10 o C, germination capacity ranged between 23.07 % and 84.51 %. Germination capacity increased with increasing incubation temperature and period, and the highest germination was obtained at the temperature of 20 o C after 24 hours of incubation, with 90.09 % capacity of germination in case of â€˜Carmenâ€™ cultivar, and the lowest capacity in case of â€˜Canada Giantâ€™ cultivar, with 42.39 % germination capacity.
Distinct patterns of changes in surface energy budget associated with forestation in the semiarid region

Land use and land cover changes greatly influence surface energy balance and consequently climate, and are likely to be associated with the persistent predictions of warming and drying throughout the Mediterranean and other regions. We specifically address the question of how the high radiation load and suppressed latent heat flux, intrinsic to dry regions, interact with land use changes and climate in these environments. We use for this purpose a detailed 6‐year (2003–2008) study of the redistribution of the radiation load in an open‐canopy pine forest. The results show that compared with the background shrubland, there was a 23.8 W m−2 increase in shortwave radiation load on the forest (to a mean annual net solar radiation of 211 W m−2) associated with a decrease in albedo of 0.1. Surface (skin) temperature in the forest was lower than in the shrubland (by ∼5 °C on average) due to an efficient ‘convector effect’ and the production of a large sensible heat flux (up to 926 W m−2 in summer), which effectively shifted heat from the canopy to the overlying boundary layer. The cooler forest skin temperature resulted in suppression of upwelling longwave radiation (by 25 W m−2, annual average), further increasing the forest radiation load (mean annual net radiation of 116 and 67 W m−2 for forest and shrubland, respectively). This suppression also resulted in a local ‘canopy greenhouse effect’, where upwelling longwave radiation from the ground to the canopy was larger than from the canopy to the atmosphere (by up to 150 W m−2 in summer) and was associated with ∼3 °C warming below the canopy. The ability of the dry productive forest to deal with the high radiation load indicates the potential for afforestation in dry areas.
Extracellular ATP functions in alleviating the decrease of PSII photochemistry caused by the infection of Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli

Extracellular ATP (eATP) can function as a signalling molecule to regulate a wide range of cellular processes. This present work investigated the role of eATP in mediating the change of PSII (photosystem II) photochemistry of the tissues of Phaseolus vulgaris leaves infected with Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli (Xcp). Infection of the leaves with Xcp caused a significant decrease in the the PSII maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry at illumination (Fv′/Fm′), the PSII operating efficiency (ΦPSII), the rate of non-cyclic electron transport through PSII (ETR), photochemical quenching (qP), and eATP level in the tissues of the infected leaves. At the same time, the levels of non-photochemical quenching (qN) and the quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation of PSII (Y(NPQ)) were significantly increased. Application of exogenous ATP at 0·2 mm to uninfected leaves had no significant effect on any of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters being measured. However, in the tissues of infected leaves, the application of exogenous ATP alleviated the decreases of the Fv/Fm, Fv′/Fm′, ΦPSII, ETR, qP and eATP level, and also abolished the increases of qN and Y(NPQ). These results suggest that the change of PSII photochemistry by pathogen infection could be mediated by eATP.
Quantitative Analysis of DNA Repair and p53 in Individual Human Cells

The goal of my research was to obtain a quantitative understanding of the mechanisms of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, and the activation of the tumor suppressor p53 in response to DSBs in human cells. In Chapter 2, we investigated how the kinetics of repair, and the balance between the alternate DSB repair pathways, nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR), change with cell cycle progression. We developed fluorescent reporters to quantify DSBs, HR and cell cycle phase in individual, living cells. We show that the rates of DSB repair depend on the cell cycle stage at the time of damage. We find that NHEJ is the dominant repair mechanism in G1 and in G2 cells even in the presence of a functional HR pathway. S and G2 cells use both NHEJ and HR, and higher use of HR strongly correlates with slower repair. Further, we demonstrate that the balance between NHEJ and HR changes gradually with cell cycle progression, with a maximal use of HR at the peak of active replication in mid-S. Our results establish that the presence of a sister chromatid does not affect the use of HR in human cells.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Heat Shock Protein Induction Is Related to Stabilization of IκBα Through Preventing IκB Kinase Activation in Respiratory Epithelial Cells1

Heat shock protein (HSP) induction confers protection against diverse forms of cellular and tissue injury. However, the mechanism by which HSP exerts cytoprotective effects is unclear. Because HSP induction inhibits genetic expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the transcription of which is dependent on NF-κB activation, we explored the relationship between the anti-inflammatory effect of HSP induction and the NF-κB/IκBα pathway. Both HS and sodium arsenite treatment increased HSP70 expression time dependently at mRNA and protein levels. Prior induction of HSP suppressed cytokine-induced IL-8 and TNF-α expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Although HSP induction did not affect total cellular expression of NF-κB, TNF-α-induced increase in NF-κB-DNA binding activity and nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB were inhibited by prior HSP induction, suggesting that activation of NF-κB was blocked. Cytokine-induced IκBα phosphorylation and its degradation were blocked in HSP-induced cells. Immune complex kinase assays demonstrated that TNF-α induced increase in IκB kinase activity was suppressed by prior HSP induction. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of HSP induction in respiratory epithelial cells is related to stabilization of IκBα, possibly through the prevention of IκB kinase activation, which thereby inhibits activation of NF-κB.
On the Tails of Birds

rations in some sexually dimorphic species (Andersson 1994, Balmford et al. 1993a, 1994, Evans and Thomas 1992, Norberg 1995, Winquist and Lemon 1994). For example, the long-tailed widow bird Euplectes progne, a bird a little larger than a starling, has a tail more than 1 m long; the lyre-tailed nightjar Uropsalis lyra has a tail eight times as long as its body, giving it-in relative terms-the largest tail of any bird; and the marvelous spatule-tailed hummingbird Loddigesia mirabilis has a tail that is elongated into bizarre crossed wirelike structures with "flags" at the ends that are as long as its body (Figure 1). Other species, such as the spinetail swifts (Neafrapus cassini), have tails consisting of just a few spiny barbs. Between these extremes, bird tails exhibit a wide range of morphologies (Figure 2; Norberg 1989, Thomas 1993a, Thomas and Balmford 1995). In this article, I describe recent work that uses aerodynamic analyses to investigate the evolutionary forces responsible for the morphologies of birds' tails.
The Propulsion of Sea-Urchin Spermatozoa

1. The general theory of flagellar propulsion is discussed and an expression obtained whereby the propulsive speed of a spermatozoon can be expressed in terms of the amplitude, wave-length and frequency of the waves passing down the tail of a spermatozoon of Psammechinus miliaris . 2. The expression obtained is applicable to waves of relatively large amplitude, and allowance is made for the presence of an inert head. 3. The calculated propulsive speed is almost identical with that derived from observational data. Unless the head of a spermatozoon is very much larger than that of Psammechinus , its presence makes relatively little difference to the propulsive speed. Most of the energy of the cell is used up in overcoming the tangential drag of the tail. 4. Although the amplitude may change as a wave passes along the tail, the propulsive properties of the latter may be expected to be closely similar to those of a tail generating waves of the same average amplitude.