Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kanatlılarda Maternal Antioksidanların Embriyo Gelişimi İçin Önemi

Egg yolk is source of maternal effect in birds, and antioxidants are transferred to egg yolk from maternal plasma during yolk development. In fact, maternal antioxidant system affects antioxidant level of the egg yolk. Antioxidants, are not synthesized in the organism in birds, are taken into the body through feed. Therefore, maternal's consumed feed and feed components influence the yolk antioxidant level and antioxidant/pro-oxidant balance in the embryo tissue. Maternal antioxidants in yolk are lipidsoluble antioxidants (vit-A, vit-E and carotenoids) and phosvitin which is in the protein granules of yolk. Maternal antioxidants have the main role on embryo development and prevention of oxidative stress. Egg yolk contains high level of fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to provide energy and normal development of the embryo. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) via this high level of fat and PUFA can lead to damage in embryo tissues. For that reason, embryo tissues need to contain effective antioxidants which protect to embryo against LPO. Natural antioxidant resources in embryo tissues are not sufficient to protect the embryo which is under risk due to the increase LPO and PUFA and use of oxygen in embryo tissues on the day 19th of embryo development. Maternal antioxidants are also important in reducing the harmful effects of free radicals on the efficiency of the immune system,because newly hatched chick's immune system is not functional. In addition, maternal antioxidants protect newly hatched chick against reactive oxygen species (ROS). The purpose of this review was to evaluate the importance of maternal antioxidants in egg yolk during embryo development.
pH and Ionic Conditions in the Apoplast

IONIC PROPERTIES OF THE APOPLAST . 104 The Apoplast as an Ion Exchanger . 104 The Apoplast as a Diffusion Barrier. 107 Ion Diffusion in the Apop/aSl as Affected by Fixed Charges . 108 Electrostatic Interactions Between the Fixed Charges and the Membrane Transporters . 109 Apoplastic pH (pHew) . 110 Solutes in the Apoplast . 111 PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES. 112 The Apop/ast as an Ion Reservoir. 112 H+ -Cotransports . 114 Extracellular Enzyme A ctivity . 116 Apop lastic pH and Acid-Growth . 117 Cell Expansion and Water Transport . , 119 Apoplastic Ca2+ and Mechanical Properties of the Cell Walls . 120 CONCLUSION . 121
Temporal and spatial variability and pattern of soil respiration in loess grassland

Remnants of the former semiarid forest-steppe vegetation of Hungary are suspected to undergo degradation processes because of recent land-use changes. Secondary succession towards closing of the vegetation starts with shrub invasion, mainly with species of the shrub layer of loess steppe oak forest. Soil respiration (SR) activity of the intercanopy loess grassland community was followed occasionally along of six years period, as well as the spatial patterns of SR and soil water content (SWC) with three direct measuring campaigns. Dependence of SR on SWC-soil temperature was statistically significant for the six years period, but the rest of the variance should be explained by other factors, as found for normalized difference vegetation index. In the spatial analysis, significant differences were found in the ranges of semivariograms according to the seasonal variation of soil moisture content. Larger scale patches were found under summer water stress (4 m for SR, 2.6 m for SWC) and autumn senescence (3.8 .
Isolation and Characterization of Organic Phosphorus-Mineralizing Bacteria in Sediment of a Chinese Large Shallow Eutrophic Lake (Lake Taihu)

The organic phosphorus mineralizing bacteria (OPB) play an important role in phosphorus cycling in lake sediment, to which less attention has been paid. Monthly sediment samples in 2009 ending in October, together with the samples from different seasons (May, July, October, and December) in 2008, were collected at 6 sites in a Chinese large shallow eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu). The sediment OPB numbers ranged from 2.2 × 106 to 1.79 × 108 cells g−1 (dry weight) at different sampling sites and in different seasons, with the average being 3.88 × 107 cells g−1 (dry weight). Its number was highest at the most polluted site and peaked in spring and summer, which can be explained by the enrichment of organic matter in sediment. Furthermore, there existed a significant positive relationship between the OPB numbers and alkaline phosphatase activities in the sediment. The 6 OPB strains isolated from the sediment were distinct in terms of their colony morphology on the yolk agar, biochemical characteristics and phosphorus release abilities. According to the 16S rDNA sequences, these OPB belong to Bacillus cereus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Stenotrophomonas sp. , Bacillus cereus, Xanthomonas sp. , Pseudomonas sp. They were distinguished from the OPB species recorded in a Chinese small shallow eutrophic lake whose sediment organic content was remarkably higher. Taken together, organic matter shaped the OPB community not only quantitatively but also qualitatively, which in concert facilitated the enzymatic hydrolysis of organic phosphorus in lake sediment.
Developmental toxicity of estrogenic alkylphenols in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Estrogenic alkylphenols have been identified in the aquatic environment, and concern has arisen over the ability of these compounds to interact with and potentially disrupt vertebrate endocrine systems. Here we report that waterborne nonylphenol (NP) and 4‐tert‐octylphenol (4‐t‐OP) are toxic to the embryos and larvae of Fundulus heteroclitus, an estuarine teleost, causing both lethal and sublethal developmental abnormalities. Hatch success in surviving embryos is also adversely affected by alkylphenol exposure. Correlation analysis has indicated that decreased hatch success is strongly correlated to deformities in the torso/abdomen and tail of embryos. Larval exposure to the alkylphenols demonstrates that NP and 4‐t‐OP are lethal at concentrations an order of magnitude less than those lethal to embryos (NP larval 96‐h LC50 = 0.95 μM [204 μg/L]; NP embryo 96‐h LC50 = 24 μM [5 mg/L]). In evaluating the role of estrogenicity in developmental toxicity of the alkylphenols, we have found that tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor antagonist, can prevent embryo‐lethality for NP and 4‐t‐OP While these embryos survive, some sublethal abnormalities are still evident, particularly in the torso and tail. The results of these studies suggest that the alkylphenols have the potential to cause developmental toxicity in aquatic organisms and that this may occur through disruption of estrogen‐based signals.
Landscape patterns of phenotypic variation and population structuring in a selfing grass, Elymus glaucus (blue wildrye).

Source-related phenotypic variance was investigated in a common garden study of populations of Elymus glaucus Buckley (blue wildrye) from the Blue Mountain Ecological Province of northeastern Oregon and adjoining Washington. The primary objective of this study was to assess geographic patterns of potentially adaptive differentiation in this self-fertile allotetraploid grass, and use this information to develop a framework for guiding seed movement and preserving adaptive patterns of genetic variation in ongoing restoration work. Progeny of 188 families were grown for 3 years under two moisture treatments and measured for a wide range of traits involving growth, morphology, fecundity, and phenology. Variation among seed sources was analyzed in relation to physiographic and climatic trends, and to various spatial stratifications such as ecoregions, watersheds, edaphic classifications, etc. Principal component (PC) analysis extracted four primary PCs that together accounted for 67% of the variance in measure.
Emerging therapeutic targets in caspase-dependent disease

Caspases are cysteine proteases which serve as the central executioners of apoptotic pathways induced by a wide variety of stimuli. Deregulation of apoptosis and caspase activity contributes to a large number of pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, autoimmune disease, disorders involving chronic inflammation, and cancer. Thus, caspases are prime targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at treating these conditions. This review will examine the structure and function of caspases and highlight the findings of applications that inhibit or promote caspase activity in animal models in order to illuminate potential avenues for caspase-regulating drug development.
Solution structure of two xenoantigens: αGal-LacNAc and αGal-Lewis X

Organ hyperacute rejection, a phenomenon occurring during discordant xenotransplantation, is due to the recognition of an oligosaccharide epitope by human xenoreactive natural antibodies. In addition to the alpha Gal(1-3)beta Gal(1-4)GlcNAc trisaccharide, a fucosylated structure, alpha Gal-Lewis X, has been shown to be recognized by the antibodies. Both the trisaccharide and the tetrasaccharide have been synthesized by chemical methods. A complete nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of the two compounds has been performed, including the measurements of two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy data. Molecular dynamics simulations were run for several ns in the presence of explicit water molecules. The combination of experimental and theoretical approaches revealed the effect of an additional fucose residue on the conformational behavior of the xenoantigen. This branched fucose strongly rigidifies the N-acetyllactosamine. The effect on the alpha Gal(1-3)Gal fragment is less marked. In the presence of fucose, the terminal alpha Gal residue can still adopt two different conformations, but the equilibrium populations are modified.
Cutting Edge: IL-23 Cross-Regulates IL-12 Production in T Cell-Dependent Experimental Colitis1

Although IL-12 and IL-23 share the common p40 subunit, IL-23, rather than IL-12, seems to drive the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and arthritis, because IL-23/p19 knockout mice are protected from disease. In contrast, we describe in this study that newly created LacZ knockin mice deficient for IL-23 p19 were highly susceptible for the development of experimental T cell-mediated TNBS colitis and showed even more severe colitis than wild-type mice by endoscopic and histologic criteria. Subsequent studies revealed that dendritic cells from p19-deficient mice produce elevated levels of IL-12, and that IL-23 down-regulates IL-12 expression upon TLR ligation. Finally, in vivo blockade of IL-12 p40 in IL-23-deficient mice rescued mice from lethal colitis. Taken together, our data identify cross-regulation of IL-12 expression by IL-23 as novel key regulatory pathway during initiation of T cell dependent colitis.
Mir1 is highly upregulated and localized to nuclei during infectious hyphal growth in the rice blast fungus

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe grisea, is a devastating disease of rice throughout the world. Many recent molecular studies have focused on the early infection stages, but our knowledge about molecular events at the infectious hyphae stage is limited. In this study, 750 hygromycin-resistant transformants were isolated by transforming M. grisea Guy11 with a promoterless enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) construct. In one of the transformants, L1320, EGFP signals were observed in the nuclei of infectious hyphae. The transforming vector was inserted in a predicted gene named MIR1 and resulted in a Mir11–107-EGFP fusion. Mir1 is a low-complexity protein with no known protein domain and has no homolog in GenBank or other sequenced fungal genomes. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis and expression assays of MIR1-EGFP fusion constructs indicated that the expression of MIR1 was highly induced during plant infection. Deletion analyses identified a 458-bp regio.
Pedestrian Density Influences Flight Distances of Urban Birds

Birds inhabiting urban areas have to cope with novel conditions. Unlike natural habitats, birds in urban environments are exposed to an increased human presence which often induces stress. Urban birds with reduced sensitivity to human disturbance can obtain benefits such as longer foraging time or decreased energy costs for escape. Here, I tested the hypothesis that the decrease in flight initiation distance (FID) to a potential predator (an approaching human) reflects adaptation to the level of disturbance expressed as pedestrian density. Moreover, I studied the Influence of habitat type and species on observed FIDs. I analysed 2117 flight distances (20 species of European birds) located in ten localities in Prague. I found that species and pedestrian density play a more important role in determining FIDs than the type of habitat. Moreover, urban populations exposed to increased pedestrian density had consistently shorter flight distances. This study provides empirical documentation of changes in anti-predator behaviour, which strongly correlate with the pedestrian density gradient. It could support the idea that the establishment of FID can be highly plastic process depending on local conditions, as it is highly affected by a bird's individuality and its ability to adapt to the local level of disturbance by learning.
Butyltins and calmodulin: which interaction?

Tributyltin (TBT), widely used as an antifouling biocide, is the most abundant pesticide in coastal environments. One of its main toxic effects is immunosuppression in both vertebrates and invertebrates. At sublethal doses of TBT, phagocytes lose their ability to move towards and ingest foreign particles. For short-term cultures of haemocytes (60 min at 25 °C) of a marine invertebrate, the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri, exposed to 10 -5 M TBT, we previously reported dose- and time-dependent impairment of yeast phagocytosis and changes in cell morphology related to cytoskeleton disorganization. These effects are Ca 2+ -dependent, since inactivation of Ca 2+ -adenosine triphosphatase and a sustained increase in cytosolic Ca 2+ occurred. As TBT can antagonize the effect of chlorpromazine, a specific calmodulin (CaM) inhibitor, and the co-presence of exogenous CaM and TBT in the incubation medium resulted in the absence of effects, we hypothesized an interaction between TBT and CaM. TBT may remove endogenous CaM from cell proteins, thus inactivating them and causing alteration of Ca 2+ homeostasis. With the aim of confirming the hypothesis of a direct TBT-CaM interaction, we first studied the effects of co-incubation of TBT with other exogenous proteins on restoring the ability of phagocyte morphology. Although bovine serum albumin was never able to restore cell morphology, the effect of human spectrin was similar to that described for CaM, suggesting a common non-specific mechanism of action based on the interaction of TBT with exposed hydrophobic pouches. We also analysed the conformational changes of pure CaM (10 -5 M) in the presence of various concentrations (10 -4 to 10 -3 M) of TBT and its degradation products, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), by circular dichroism. Results indicate the dose- and time-dependent interaction of TBT with CaM. This interaction is a non-covalent interaction, probably hydrophobic in nature, between the aliphatic chains of TBT and the hydrophobic regions of Ca 2+ -activated CaM. DBT and MBT turned out to be less active in inducing CaM conformational changes, without any significant differences between the two compounds.
Vibrations mediate prudent resource exploitation by competing larvae of the bruchid bean weevil Callosobruchus maculatus

Larvae of the bean weevil C. maculatus feeding in a single bean apparently respond to vibrations from each other's chewing: one larva feeds normally, the other is inhibited. If the burrows of the larvae intersect, the inhibited larva dies. If the dominant larva pupates or dies without the burrows intersecting, the inhibited larvae then feeds and matures if enough food remains. Since females add second eggs to the largest beans after most beans carry a single egg, competition is most common in the largest available beans, precisely where inhibited larvae can benefit from avoiding a contest.
Determination of the effective traits on essence percent and dry flower yield in German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) populations

Seeds of Isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk) were divided into three sub-samples, one of which was kept as control (unprimed), a sub-sample was soaked in 0.8% NaCl solution and another sub-sample was pretreated with 0.8% KNO3 solution for 4 h in an incubator adjusted to 15°C. In laboratory, the highest germination rate and seedling dry weight were obtained by seeds primed with KNO3. In the greenhouse, means of plant biomass, grain and mucilage yields per plant decreased with increasing salinity. The highest grain andmucilage yields were produced by the plants from seeds primed with KNO3, which were not significantly different from those primed with NaCl. Neither salinity nor salt-priming had significant effect on turgidity coefficient and mucilage percentage. No significant interaction of salinity × salt-priming on Isabgol performance suggested that salt-priming can improve grain and mucilage yields of this medicinal plant under both saline and non-saline conditions. Therefore, salt-priming can be used to promote seed germination rate, seedling dry weight and grain yield of Isabgol which ultimately can enhance mucilage production. Key words: Germination rate, Isabgol, mucilage yield, salt-priming, seedling dry weight.
Cryptic species of Nereididae (Annelida : Polychaeta) on Australian coral reefs

Abstract. We investigate the presence of cryptic species among three highly variable nereidid polychaetes commonly found in Australian coral reefs − Nereis denhamensis Augener, 1913, Perinereis suluana (Horst, 1924) and Pseudonereis anomala Gravier, 1901 − based on morphological and molecular data (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI, and nuclear histone H3). DNA extracted and sequenced from 70 specimens from northern Australia and the Philippines indicated the existence of eight species: three matched the types of existing species; four are newly described (Nereis heronensis, sp. nov., N. lizardensis, sp. nov., Perinereis pictilis, sp. nov. and Pseudonereis anomalopsis, sp. nov.) from NE Australia, and one species is described but not named due to lack of material. Nereis denhamensis, N. heronensis, sp. nov. and N. lizardensis, sp. nov. are distinguished from each other by proboscidial paragnath number and morphology of the metamorphosed female. Perinereis suluana can only be separated from P. pictilis, sp. nov. by colour pattern, while Pseudonereis anomala, P. anomalopsis, sp. nov. and P. sp. differ in colour pattern and the number and arrangement of paragnaths. Nereis (Lycoris) tydemani from Maluku, Indonesia, is newly synonymised with P. anomala. Divergence times estimated using COI indicated that speciation in all three groups occurred in the mid Miocene (20–17 ± 7 mya), which corresponds to a period of restricted east–west dispersal as Australia collided with the Indo-Malay archipelago, followed by range expansion opportunities in NE Australia as a result of flourishing coral reefs responding to warming seas and rising sea levels.
Crab spiders show mixed effects on flower-visiting bees and no effect on plant fitness components

ABSTRACT Predation on flower-visiting insects can potentially reduce pollination levels and hence plant fitness. We tested this prediction in a field experiment with 10 matched pairs of milkweed patches in which one patch in each pair contained crab spiders and the other patch was predator free. Significantly fewer honeybees were observed in the spider than no spider patches, but there was no spider effect on the two species of bumblebees. A possible explanation for this difference is that the honeybees suffered three times higher predation rates than the bumblebees. There were no spider effects on either the rate of pollinia removal from milkweed flowers or the number and mass of seeds produced. The results suggest that crab spiders may have only small effects on bees and plant fitness, at least where bees are abundant.
The influence of land-use history on roadside conservation values in an Australian agricultural landscape

We investigated the influence of land-use history on roadside conservation values in a typical agricultural landscape of southern New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Historical information on the development of rural road reserves was collated from recently digitised 19th and 20th century pastoral and parish maps, such as road-reserve age and original survey width, as well as data relating to locations of old fence lines, county or parish boundaries, previous reserves, stock routes and road re-alignments. Ordinal regression statistics showed that road-reserve age and road width were significant predictors of roadside conservation values. Importantly, analyses showed that the first roads surveyed during the pastoral era (1840–1860s) were often of lower conservation value than roads surveyed in the 1870s, when major clearing of these landscapes commenced. Most roads were surveyed at one-chain width (20.12 m); however, pre-1870s historic roads, traveling stock routes (TSRs) and county or parish boundaries were significantly wider, decisions that have indirectly led to higher present-day conservation values. In separate analyses, historical data also formed a useful model to predict the absence of short-lived shrub species. These results highlight the influence and prevailing imprint of historical land-use on current roadside conservation values.
Microbiological quality control study of some processed fruit juices by conventional approach

Whilst consumption may occur throughout the year, production and processing of the fruits is seasonal. This necessitates storage and blending of the juices to produce uniform products. The pH range of the apple (3.05), pineapple (3.30), and orange (3.50) juice are within the recommended range (3.0-3.9). The bacteria isolated from the examined fruit juices were Micrococcus spp, Flavobacterium, Streptococcus spp, Staphylococcus sp. , and Bacillus spp. The same type of bacteria Bacillus sp, Streptococcus spp, Staphylococcus spp and Micrococcus spp are persistent isolates throughout the period of this study. This indicated that the bacteria are fruit borne rather than contaminants from air water and utensils alone. The isolates could be used as indicators of microbial quality. Further research is necessary to adequately characterise the bacteria isolated. This complex problem of liability of fruit juices to deterioration can be solved by use of healthy fruits for juices processing and proper product storage. (Babalola Olubukola O, Fagade Obashola E, and Gopane Ramokoni E. Microbiological quality control study of some processed fruit juices by conventional approach. Life Science Journal. 2011; 8(S2):18-24) (ISSN: 1097 - 8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com.
Immunoregulatory effects and therapeutic potential of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis

Initially recognised as an important factor for bone health, vitamin D is now known to have a range of effects on the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic immune‐mediated demyelinating disease of the CNS. In this review, we explore the links between vitamin D deficiency, MS risk, and disease activity. We also discuss the known immune effects of vitamin D supplementation and the relevance of these observations to the immunopathology of MS. Finally, we review the existing evidence for vitamin D supplementation as an MS therapy, highlighting several recent clinical studies and trials.