Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determining ovulation frequency in individually penned lactating sows using a faecal 'progestin' assay

Contents Trials were performed to evaluate the validity of a modified faecal ‘progestin’ assay for monitoring ovarian activity (Trial 1) and to determine the occurrence of ovulation among individually housed lactating sows by repeated measurements of faecal ‘progestins’ (Trial 2). In trial 1 faecal and plasma samples were collected from six multiparous sows, from the day after weaning until oestrus occurred in the third oestrous cycle. A progesterone radioimmunoassay was applied to skimmed milk extracts of the faecal samples, and plasma progesterone concentrations were determined with a chemiluminescent assay. In addition, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed on faecal extracts and the immunoreactivity in the different fractions was determined. In Trial 2, faecal samples were collected from 88 multiparous sows at weekly intervals from the day of farrowing until 2 weeks after breeding. Samples were subjected to ‘progestin’ analysis. Trial 1 showed that the excretion patterns of faecal ‘progestins’ and plasma progesterone were significantly correlated (r = 0.79, p < 0.05) during the oestrous cycles. Parallelism was obtained in the assay, but recovery was low (11.4%). The HPLC analysis revealed one major peak of immunoreactivity in a fraction, which corresponded with progesterone. This finding suggests that intact progesterone was a source for immunoreactivity in the assay. In Trial 2, a 10-fold decrease in mean ‘progestin’ concentrations was noted from the day of farrowing to day 7 of lactation. The mean ‘progestin’ values remained low throughout lactation and started to increase 2 weeks after breeding. Large individual variations in luteal phase values were noted. Only 1.1% (one) of the sows ovulated during lactation.
Development of a protein nanoparticle platform for targeting EGFR expressing cancer cells

BACKGROUND: A range of protein-based nanoparticles has been developed for cancer drug delivery and diagnostics. This includes the E2 protein derived from the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in Geobacillus stearothermophilus which assembles into a 60-subunit protein cage structure that is capable of encapsulating cancer therapeutics. In this study antibody fragments targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were tethered to the surface of E2 protein nanoparticles to determine whether the protein nanoparticles could be specifically targeted to EGFR overexpressing cancer cells. RESULTS: Variants of the anti-EGFR antibody fragment and the E2 protein containing specific cysteine residues (E2ΔN17A186C) were conjugated using a maleimide-specific crosslinker. Electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis indicated that the cysteine modified E2 protein correctly assembled into a 25-30nm particle. The conjugation of the anti-EGFR antibody fragment (26 kDa) with a subunit of the E2 protein (26 kDa) was confirmed by mass spectrometry with an estimated molecular weight of 52 kDa. The binding of the conjugated E2 particle to native EGFR on MDA MB 231 cells and recombinant EGFR was confirmed using flow cytometry and biolayer interferometry, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, proof-of-principle that an EGFR-targeting scFv can be stably conjugated to the cysteine variant E2ΔN17A186C protein nanoparticle without loss of targeting capability has been demonstrated. Conceptually scFv antibody fragments reactive with other important cancer targets could be utilized and presents the opportunity for generation of multi-targeted protein nanoparticles by conjugating various scFvs with different specificities on the same particle.
The Response of Desulfotomaculum reducens MI-1 to U(VI) Exposure: A Transcriptomic Study

Desulfotomaculum reducens is the first Gram-positive sulfate- and metal- reducing bacterium for which the transcriptomic response to uranium exposure has been evaluated. The genes upregulated during fermentative growth in the presence of U(VI) as compared to its absence included those encoding for proteins involved in respiration such as NADH quinone oxidoreductase and heterodisulfide reductase. This finding suggested that electrons were shuttled to the electron transport chain during fermentation and points to the reduction of U(VI) as a metabolic process. Although U(IV) is typically insoluble and readily removable by filtration, U(IV) produced during active growth was not retained by a 0.2 μm pore size filter and filtration was not sufficient to differentiate between U(VI) and U(IV). In addition, genes involved in iron homeostasis were upregulated in the presence of uranium, which was consistent with the upregulation of genes involved in c-type cytochrome biogenesis. Despite the upregulation of cytochrome biosynthesis genes, the sole c-type cytochrome encoded in the genome was not differentially expressed. Finally, genes encoding metal efflux pumps were also upregulated indicating the toxic nature of uranium. Analysis of the time-dependent gene expression showed that sporulation was the dominant process at the early stationary phase and that the presence of U at that stage did not impact expression.
AVALIAÇÃO DA ESCALA DE AUTO-ESTIMA DE ROSENBERG MEDIANTE O MODELO DE RASCH

O objectivo deste estudo consistiu em avaliar as caracteristicas psicometricas da versao portuguesa da escala de Rosenberg mediante o modelo de Escalas de Classificacao, uma extensao para itens politomicos do modelo de Rasch. Foi recolhida uma amostra de 510 estudantes universitarios, 223 do sexo masculino e 287 do sexo feminino, com uma media etaria de 21.7 anos (DP = 3.80). As analises indicam que o ajuste dos dados ao modelo e aceitavel. Conclui­? se que tanto o formato de resposta da versao portuguesa (tipo Likert com quatro categorias) como a fiabilidade dos dados resultam adequados. No entanto, de um ponto de vista substantivo e, em concordância com estudos previos, constata­? se que a escala nao permite distinguir as pessoas com niveis medio e alto de auto­? estima. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.17575/rpsicol.v25i2. 289
A behavioural test of the sensitivity of a nocturnal mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, to dim white, red and infra‐red light

Abstract. A behavioural test was used to determine the light sensitivity of the nocturnal mosquito Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. to low intensities of ‘white’ light (tungsten filament), ‘red’ light (white light filtered by a darkroom safelight filter) and ‘infra‐red’ light) of two types (white light filtered by a λ>700 nm filter, and light‐emitting diodes with λ>900 nm). Mosquitoes were placed in a 20 cm diameter flight‐tunnel and their ‘optomotor’ response to a pattern of stripes moving across their visual field (at 14.5 cm s‐1) was recorded with infra‐red‐sensitive video. In free‐flight, with ample light, the mosquitoes controlled their flight speed and direction in relation to the stripe movement, so that the stripes always appeared to move across their visual field from front to back. They did this by flying either with the moving stripes fast enough to overtake them (19.5 ± 0.7 cm s‐1), or against them more slowly (10.3 ± 0.7 cm s‐1)‐ The net ground speed of the mosquitoes was thus c. 4–5 cm s‐1. This response was significant down to 10‐5 W m‐2 in ‘white’ light, and 10‐3 W m‐2 in ‘red’ light. At light intensities below threshold and in infra‐red light, however, they appeared to fly at random with respect to the stripe movement. The assumption commonly made, that mosquitoes do not ‘see’ in red light, may thus have to be revised.
Factors regulating urea-nitrogen recycling in ruminants

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv DEDICATION. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS . vii LIST OF TABLES . xii LIST OF FIGURES . xv LIST OF ABBREVIATION . xviii 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION . 1 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 3 2.1 Nitrogen Metabolism in the Rumen . 3 2.1.1 Mechanism of Dietary Protein Degradation in the Rumen . 5 2.1.2 Ammonia Absorption across the Ruminal Epithelium . 6 2.2 Ammonia Detoxification in the Liver . 9 2.3 Urea-N Recycling . 11 2.4 Sites of Urea-N Recycling to the GIT . 13 2.4. 1 Urea-N Entry into the Rumen . 13 2.4. 1.1 Urea-N Entry into the Rumen via Transfer Across the Ruminal wall 13 2.4. 1.2 Urea-N Entry into the Rumen via Salivary Secretions . 15 2.4. 2 Urea-N Entry into the Small Intestine . 16 2.4. 3 Urea-N Entry into the Large Intestine . 16 2.5 Magnitude of Urea-N Recycling to the GIT . 16 2.6 Factors Regulating Urea-N Recycling to the GIT . 18
Cyclosporin A, FK-506, and Rapamycin: Pharmacologic Probes of Lymphocyte Signal Transduction

CsA, FK-506, and rapamycin are microbial products with potent immunosuppressive properties that result primarily from a selective inhibition of T lymphocyte activation. Although chemically unrelated, CsA and FK-506 affect a similar subset of calcium-associated signaling events involved in the regulation of lymphokine gene expression, activation-driven T-cell death and exocytosis. Rapamycin has structural similarity with FK-506 but suppresses T-cell activation at a different level, mainly through inhibition of proliferation induced by growth-promoting lymphokines. CsA interacts with an abundant 17 kDa protein, termed cyclophilin, that possesses peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) activity. Additional, minor cyclophilin-like molecules have been identified. Both FK-506 and rapamycin interact with FKBP, a 12 kDa protein, which, although unrelated to cyclophilin, is also abundant and ubiquitous, has a similar enzymatic activity, and is a member of a larger family of FKBPs. All three immunosuppressants inhibit the PPIase activity of their respective binding proteins. However, nonimmunosuppressive analogs of CsA and FK-506 are also inhibitory, indicating that inhibition of PPIase activity is not directly implicated in immunosuppression. Moreover, only a small fraction of the cellular pool of the major forms of cyclophilin or FKBP needs to be occupied by the drugs in order to achieve maximal immunosuppression. These observations suggest that complexes formed between the drugs and their major binding proteins may affect the function of other, unidentified, molecules or, alternatively, that minor binding proteins may play a role in the drugs' action. Further characterization of the biochemical processes altered by CsA, FK-506, and rapamycin should yield important insights into the signal transduction pathways involved in T-cell activation and should help in the development of novel immunosuppressive agents.
Natural fragmentation in river networks as a driver of speciation for freshwater fishes

Although habitat fragmentation fosters extinctions, it also increases the probability of speciation by promoting and maintaining divergence among isolated populations. Here we test for the effects of two isolation factors that may reduce population dispersal within river networks as potential drivers of freshwater fish speciation: 1) the position of subdrainages along the longitudinal river gradient, and 2) the level of fragmentation within subdrainages caused by natural waterfalls. The occurrence of native freshwater fish species from 26 subdrainages of the Orinoco drainage basin (South America) was used to identify those species that presumably arose from in-situ cladogenetic speciation (i.e. neo-endemic species; two or more endemic species from the same genus) within each subdrainage. We related subdrainages fish diversity (i.e. total, endemic and neo-endemic species richness) and an index of speciation to our two isolation factors while controlling for subdrainages size and energy availability. The longitudinal position of subdrainages was unrelated to any of our diversity measures, a result potentially explained by the spatial grain we used and/or the contemporary connection between Orinoco and Amazon basins via the upstream Casiquiare region. However, we found higher neo-endemic species richness and higher speciation index values in highly fragmented subdrainages. These results suggest that habitat fragmentation generated by natural waterfalls drives cladogenetic speciation in fragmented subdrainages. More generally, our results emphasize the role of history and natural waterfalls as biogeographic barriers promoting freshwater biodiversity in river drainage basins.
The effect of polythene colour container and three spawn rates on production of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom

To study the effect of polythene colour container and spawn rates on mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), experiment was carried out to investigate the cultivation on barely straws substrate. This cultivation system can improve the economic status of the farmer. Field experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture, University of Zabol during 2011 growing season. Experiment was carried out as factorial and based on completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Factors were different colour of polythene container (blue, yellow, transparent and green) and various levels of spawn (2.5, 4 and 5% wet weight substrate bases). There was significant difference in the yields from different spawn and colour of container maximum yield (weight of fresh mushrooms harvested at maturity) was obtained in 5% spawn rate (1248 g/2 kg wet substrate). Between colour polythene containers; maximum yield was obtained in green colour polythene (1366 g/2 kg wet substrate). The least of yield mushrooms were obtained from 2.5 % spawn rate and cultivation of mushroom in blue polythene container. It was concluded that the mushroom should be cultivated in green polythene bags under 5% spawn rate to achieve higher productivity. Key words : Mushroom, spawn rates, yield, colour bags.
Costs of the major endemic diseases of sheep in Great Britain and the potential benefits of reduction in disease impact

The costs of three major endemic sheep diseases in Great Britain, gastro-intestinal (GI) parasites, footrot and scab, were estimated and compared with costs for other diseases from another study. Disease costs include lost performance, preventive measures and treatment of affected animals. The most costly disease, of those studied, for the British sheep industry is infestation with GI parasites, with estimated annual costs of £84 million. Annual costs for the other two diseases are £24 million for footrot and £8 million for sheep scab. This compares with literature estimates of £20 million for Chlamydial abortions and £12 million for toxoplasmosis. For sheep scab most costs are for preventive measures, therefore, short of eradication, a reduction in incidence will have a limited effect on costs. For GI parasites, costs are linearly related to the severity of the infestation and a reduction of the disease will have a proportional effect on the costs to the industry. For footrot about half the costs are for preventive measures, the other half is for lost production and treatment. A reduction in the incidence of footrot has a proportional effect on the £10 million associated with loss of production and treatment of infected animals. It is concluded that gastro-intestinal parasites and footrot are two sheep diseases in Britain for which a reduction of severity or incidence will have a large impact on costs of production.
Muscular anatomy of a whipspider, Phrynus longipes (Pocock) (Arachnida: Amblypygi), and its evolutionary significance

Skeletal muscles in the whipspider Phrynus longipes are surveyed and compared with those of other chelicerates to clarify the evolutionary morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the arachnids. Representatives of 115 muscle groups are described and illustrated, and their possible functions are proposed. Principal results of this analysis include new functional models for the operation of the pharyngeal and sternocoxal mechanisms in Amblypygi and a greatly expanded list of apparently unique synapomorphies supporting the monophyly of Pedipalpi (=Amblypygi, Schizomida, Thelyphonida).
Outerstring graphs are $\chi$-bounded

An outerstring graph is an intersection graph of curves lying in a halfplane with one endpoint on the boundary of the halfplane. It is proved that the outerstring graphs are $\chi$-bounded, that is, their chromatic number is bounded by a function of their clique number. This generalizes a series of previous results on $\chi$-boundedness of outerstring graphs with various restrictions of the shape of the curves or the number of times the pairs of curves can intersect. This also implies that the intersection graphs of $x$-monotone curves with bounded clique number have chromatic number $O(\log n)$, improving the previous polylogarithmic upper bound. The assumption that each curve has an endpoint on the boundary of the halfplane is justified by the known fact that triangle-free intersection graphs of straight-line segments can have arbitrarily large chromatic number.
Resistance of cold‐hardened winter rye leaves (Secale cereale L.) to photo‐oxidative stress

Catalase and photosystem II (PSII) were strongly inactivated during exposure to 4 °C and moderate light in 22 °C-grown non-hardened leaves (NHL) of winter rye (Secale cereale L.), but highly resistant to photo-inactivation at low temperature in 4 °C-grown cold-hardened leaves (CHL). Resistance of CHL to chilling-induced photo-inactivation of catalase and PSII depended partially on more efficient de novo synthesis at 4 °C and partially on improved protection. Lower rates of chloroplast-mediated inactivation of catalase in vitro indicated that less reactive oxygen was released by chloroplasts from CHL than by chloroplasts from NHL. The contents of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids, α-tocopherol, ascorbate, glutathione, the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase, and the tolerance against paraquat-induced photo-oxidative damage were greatly increased in CHL, relative to NHL. Zeaxanthin-related thermal energy dissipation was only of minor importance for paraquat-tolerance and protection of catalase in CHL. When CHL were transferred to a higher temperature of 22 °C the increased resistance to photo-inactivation of catalase and PSII and the increased paraquat-tolerance were largely lost within 3 d, whereas most non-enzymic and enzymic antioxidants retained higher levels than in NHL. The decline of resistance to photodamage during dehardening was not related to concomitant changes of antioxidants or antioxidative enzymes.
Characterization of Receptors for α-Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone on Human Melanoma Cells

Abstract Receptors for α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on human malignant melanoma cell lines were investigated with a specific binding assay and characterized with structural analogues of α-MSH and adrenocorticotropic hormone and by photoaffinity cross-linking of the hormone-receptor complex. Specific binding of high-performance liquid chromatography-purified, monoiodinated α-MSH in the presence of 1 mm 1,10-phenanthroline as protease inhibitor was highest after a 2-h incubation at 37°C. The nonspecific binding was
Evaluation of the Knowledge Management Mechanisms of Brazilian Northeast Universities Hospital Portals

Hospital portals that manage health related data are becoming increasingly popular since they play an important role to provide, acquire and exchange information to its users. This study aims to verify how the hospital portals are contributing to the expansion of users knowledge by the analysis of interactive features associated with three mechanisms of knowledge management: Knowledge Access (KA); Knowledge Creation (KC); and Knowledge Transfer (KT). The study is exploratory, descriptive and qualitative, classified as a survey, and involves the standardization of data collection instruments (questionnaires and interviews) applied directly to people of a particular population to evaluate the knowledge management the portals present on the university hospitals from northeastern of Brazil. The results indicated that the proceeds of access to knowledge (AK) prevailed over other confirming the results found on the Asians and Americans hospital portals.
UROLOGICAL ONCOLOGY: RENAL, URETERAL AND RETROPERITONEAL TUMORS Molecular Profiling and Classification of Sporadic Renal Cell Carcinoma by Quantitative Methylation Analysis

Clin Cancer Res, 10: 7276 –7283, 2004 Purpose: Preoperative histologic classification of solid renal masses remains limited with current technology. We determine the utility of molecular profiling based on quantitative methylation analysis for characterization of sporadic renal cell carcinoma. Experimental Design: Primary renal cell carcinomas representing three different histologic subtypes were obtained from a total of 38 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for suspected malignant disease. Genomic DNA was isolated from tumors and was subjected to sodium bisulfite modification. The normalized index of methylation (NIM) for each sample was determined by quantitative realtime methylation-specific PCR at 17 different gene promtoers. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed by using an unsupervised neural network with binary tree topology. Results: The majority of gene promoters that were analyzed in this study demonstrated very low levels of methylation (NIM 1.0). The RASSFIA gene promoter, however, was methylated. In 30 of 38 (79%) cases. The frequency of RASSFIA methylation in papillary, clear-cell, and oncocytoma subtypes was 100, 90, and 25%, respectively. The highest levels of RASSFIA methylation were observed in the papillary (mean NIM 78.9) and clear-cell (mean NIM 13.4) subtypes. The vast majority of oncocytomas were completely unmethylated, and none demonstrated 1% methylation (mean NIM 0.11). Hierarchlcal cluster analysis based on quantitative methylation levels resulted in stratification of sporadic renal cell carcinomas into their discrete histologic subtypes. Conclusions: Classification of sporadic renal cell carcinomas into histologic subtypes can be accomplished via multigene quantitative methylation profiling. Validation of this approach and selection of appropriate methylation markers may ultimately lead to use of this technology in the preoperative assessment of suspicious renal masses.
Urea production by Thiosphaera pantotropha and by anaerobic enrichment cultures from marine sediments

The production of urea by Thiosphaera pantotropha was studied. Batch cultures were grown on acetate as energy source and with NO3− or O2 as terminal electron acceptor. Urea accumulated in the media during exponential growth in aerobic and anaerobic cultures of T. pantotropha. Urea production continued after the cells had entered the stationary growth phase. Bacterial ability to produce urea was supported by studies of cultures enriched for denitrifying, sulphate-reducing and fermenting bacteria. The results implied that urea production was common among bacteria normally considered to be important in marine sediments.
UV-induced carbon monoxide emission from living vegetation

The global burden of carbon monoxide (CO) is rather uncertain. In this paper we address the potential for UV-induced CO emission by living terrestrial vegetation sur- faces. Real-time measurements of CO concentrations were made with a cavity-enhanced laser spectrometer connected in closed loop to either a chamber on a field of grass or a plant-leaf scale chamber. Leaves of all plant species that were examined exhibited emission of CO in response to ar- tificial UV radiation as well as the UV component of natural solar radiation. The UV-induced rate of CO emission exhib- ited a low dependence on temperature, indicating an abiotic process. The emission of CO in response to the UV compo- nent of natural solar radiation was also evident at the natural grassland scale.