Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological study of the upper, lower and third eyelids in the African black ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus L., 1758) (Aves: Struthioniformes) during the embryonic and postnatal period

Abstract The upper, lower and third eyelids are accessory organs of the eye. The aim of this study was to describe the development of the upper, lower and third eyelids in ostriches in the embryonic and postnatal period and to characterise the conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in the eyelids. The study was performed on 59 African black ostriches from the 28th day of incubation up to 3 years of age. Hematoxylin and eosin, Azan trichrome, van Gieson trichrome and Mallory’s trichrome stainings were used to demonstrate the structure of the eyelids. The connective tissue structure transformed from loose connective tissue into dense connective tissue during the development of the eyelids. In the third eyelid, the network of collagen fibres was rebuilt and the density of the collagen fibres decreased with age. As the animals grew, there were clearly visible changes in the structure of the upper and lower eyelids, especially in the stratified squamous epithelium of the skin surface, the conjunctival epithelium and the tarsal plate. The lymphatic follicles were observed only in the lower eyelid of adult ostriches. A diffuse CALT system with scattered lymphatic cells was observed within the connective tissue of the third eyelid, mostly under the conjunctival epithelium in the group of adult birds.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae : Bacterial genetic variation and colonization of the respiratory tract of children

textabstractM. pneumoniae is regarded as a common cause of community acquired pneumonia. We posed the hypothesis that M. pneumoniae is able to colonize the human respiratory tract and, assuming that our hypothesis could be confirmed, we also set out to study whether possible asymptomatic carriage could be distinguished from infection. In the first part of the thesis we described the findings of bacterial genetic variation. M. pneumoniae subtype 1 and 2 strains represent genetically distinct lineages with a high potential for homologous DNA recombination. The second part of the thesis describes the prevalence of M. pneumoniae detected by PCR, which is just as high in symptomatic as in asymptomatic children but changes over time and season. The M. pneumoniae strains found in asymptomatic and symptomatic children do not seem to differ genetically. In the Netherlands we have not found Macrolide resistant M. pneumoniae strains. Finally the consequences of the findings in this thesis are described and we discuss that diagnostic tests for an alleged M. pneumoniae respiratory tract infection should be interpreted with caution.
Seasonal upper ocean heat budget of northern part of Somali current area

Seasonal variability ofupper ocean thermal structure and heat budget of a selected area in the northern part of Somali current region are studied using long term data. Thermal structure variations are mainly influenced by the complex dynamics, characterised by the presence of anticyclonic eddies and their movements, encountered in this region. Consequent to the intense up and down movements of isotherms during different phases of southwest monsoon, semi-annual fluctuations are observed in the thermal characteristics. In the upper 200 m, maximum heat depletion (∼ 500 W.m -2 ) and maximum storage (∼ 600 W.m -2 ) are noticed during June-July and in September respectively. Annual cycle of heat advection and heat distribution on a seasonal basis are also presented. Heat export from this area prevails for about 8 months in an year. Error estimates in the components of heat budget have been presented.
Born to be wild: effects of rearing density and environmental enrichment on stress, welfare, and smolt migration in hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon

Hatchery-reared salmonids released into the wild generally have poor survivability compared with wild conspecifics. To assess potential hatchery rearing improvements, behavioral and physiological effects of reducing animal density and adding in-tank shelter were investigated. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr were placed in barren or shelter-enriched tanks at high or low density up until release as smolts. Lowered density rendered positive effects on growth and intestinal barrier function, and both lowered density and shelter decreased conspecific aggression, as inferred by fin damage. Furthermore, while the presence of shelter decreased stress hormone levels following human disturbance, it also decreased growth and smolt migration success, an effect particularly pronounced at high densities. Therefore, we suggest that this type of structural enrichment should be avoided for Atlantic salmon smolts held at high densities and conclude that a lowered animal density with or without shelter has the highest po.
Factors Associated with the Presence of Escherichia coli O157 in Feces of Feedlot Cattle.

Fecal samples were collected from pens of cattle in a total of 100 feedlots in 13 states. Fecal samples were cultured for Escherichia coli O157. E. coli O157 isolates were probed for the genetic coding for verotoxin production. At the time of sample collection, data were collected on the type of cattle present in the pen, as well as the length of time these cattle were in the feedlot, ingredients for the current ration, and cattle health history since arriving in the feedlot. Factors associated with increased likelihood of a pen being positive (one or more samples probe-positive for E. coli O157) included feeding of barley (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75) and cattle being on feed less than 20 days (OR = 3.39). Factors associated with a reduced likelihood of a pen being positive included feeding soy meal (OR = 0.50), a cattle entry weight of at least 700 lb (ca. 317.5 kg) (OR = 0.54), and at least 85% of the cattle in the pen being beef-type heifers (OR = .33).
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALTERATION OF REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL EGG LAYING CHICKENS INFECTED WITH F-STRAIN MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM

The F-strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (FMG) is commonly used in vaccination programs to displace infections by more virulent natural or wild type Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains. However, a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for altered egg production (EP) and egg quality in commercial layers infected with FMG is important, as these alterations can cause economic loss to the United States layer industry. This study was designed to examine potential mechanism(s) responsible for alterations in EP and egg quality by FMG-inoculation. The effects of FMG on production parameters and physiological characteristics of commercial laying hens were evaluated. In isolation units, 12 wk FMG inoculation delayed onset of lay approximately one wk, decreased overall EP, and decreased EP 34 wk post-inoculation. A 12 wk FMG inoculation also resulted in a higher incidence of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome, ovarian follicular regression, and decreased isthmal and vaginal proportions of the reproductive tract. Ovarian regression may be related to retarded production (liver), transport (blood), and/or uptake (ovary) of yolk particles. Changes in blood characteristics (i.e. lipid composition) with FMG colonization of the liver may become manifest through changes in egg constituents. As evidenced through changes in the relative weights of various reproductive organs, colonization of these organs by FMG, in addition to the liver, may also be a cause of the effects observed on EP. Increases in hematocrit, serum triglycerides, and plasma protein between 8 and 10 wk post FMG-inoculation, suggest that the initial weeks of EP are stressful. Post-peak decreases in these same variables suggest a more chronic inhibition on lipid and protein synthesis in the liver. Decreased blood lipid concentration may be directly responsible for the reductions in yolk lipid, cholesterol, and fatty acid deposition in 12 wk FMG-inoculated hens. Dual adverse effects in the caged layer facility on feed conversion and egg mass were realized in 22 wk FMG-inoculated birds. In contrast, a 12 wk FMG inoculation delayed onset of lay without a loss in total EP or egg mass. Therefore, inoculation with FMG at 12 wk is more practical and cost effective. Higher degrees of physiological stress experienced by hens in a caged layer facility may exacerbate the effects of FMG inoculation seen in the isolation units. These data demonstrate that alterations in performance and egg characteristics of commercial layers inoculated with FMG at either 12 or 22 wk of age and housed in either isolation units or caged layer facilities are related to mutual functional disturbances in the blood, liver, ovary, and oviduct without concomitant intestinal changes.
Isolation and Primary Cell Culture of Mouse Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

[Abstract] We here provide a detailed protocol for the isolation and culture of primary mouse sensory neurons. The cell bodies of sensory afferent pseudounipolar neurons are located in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) along the vertebral column. Dissected mouse DRGs can be dissociated into single cells by enzymatic digestion to obtain primary cultures of mouse sensory neurons as performed in the studies reported by Khaminets et al. (2015).
Characterization of the Unique Flagellar Hook Structure of the Spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi and Treponema denticola

Characterization of the Unique Flagellar Hook Structure of the Spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi and Treponema denticola Kelly Ann Heintzelman Miller The long-term goal of this project is to better understand Borrelia burgdorferi and Treponema denticola motility as it relates to pathogenesis. The structure of the spirochete periplasmic flagella is unique when compared to externally located flagella. One unusual characteristic is the flagellar hook, which serves as a universal joint coupling rotation of the membrane bound motor complex to the flagellar filament. The hook is composed of approximately 120 FlgE monomers, and in bacteria with externally located flagella, these structures readily disassociate into monomers (~50 kDa) when treated with heat and detergent. However, in spirochetes the FlgE monomers form a large mass of over 250 kDa. We hypothesize that this high molecular weight complex (HMWC) is the result of covalent cross-linking of FlgE proteins. Cross-linking of bacterial flagella proteins has not been examined previously. Our goals are to thoroughly characterize the cross-linking in the B.burgdorferi and T. denticola hook proteins. We anticipate that once we have this information, new drugs could be developed to inhibit this cross-linking, which we anticipate will severely affect the spirochetes' motility and virulence capability. Thus, the proposed project’s long-term goal is centered on developing new drug treatments for Lyme disease as well as other spirochetal diseases, including syphilis. We found that the HMWC of both B. burgdorferi and T. denticola are stable to a variety of denaturants and is not an artifact of boiling. Previously, western blot analysis was the sole indication that spirochetes crosslink their flagellar hook proteins. By making several modifications to the published procedure for isolating periplasmic flagella, I was able to obtain enough hook protein of both B. burgdorferi and T. denticola for mass spectrometry analysis. The mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that the spirochete HMWC is composed of FlgE, identified FlgE as the sole protein in these complexes, and that in specific regions the mass spectrometry patterns are different for the monomer and HMWC. We observed that T. denticola FlgE over-expressed in Escherichia coli forms a stable HMWC in vitro, and used the in vitro HMWC to study the effects of both chemical treatments and point mutations on HMWC formation. Finally, I propose a mechanism of cross-linking that is consistent with the mass spectrometry, biochemical, and mutational analyses. We hypothesize that FlgE cross-linking strengthens the hook structure for optimal spirochete motility.
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXCESS SALT INGESTION

Using the genetic technique of selective inbreeding, it has been possible to quickly develop two statistically separable populations from one unselected strain of Sprague-Dawley rats. One of these is very sensitive, the other very resistant, to the development of experimental hypertension from a high salt diet. It was suggested that similar genetic factors operate in man.
Detection of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli in minced beef and raw hamburgers : comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunomagnetic beads

By means of a PCR designed for the detection of verotoxin 1 and 2 genes, 363 market samples of minced beef and raw hamburgers were examined. As for minced beef, 2.4 % of the samples were found to be positive and raw hamburgers were contaminated on a level of 4.1 %. The highest frequency of contamination was found with raw and frozen hamburgers where 27.8 % of the examined selling units contained at least one positive sample. This result gives reason to postulate that the industrial processing of minced beef favourizes the spread of EHEC-contaminations. The analysis of 9 PCR-positive beef samples with immunomagnetic beads directed to E. coli O157 :H7 allowed twice the isolation of this serotype. Two other strains were shown to be E. coli 0157. The 5 remainig samples were supposed to be contaminated with other EHEC-serotypes. Furthermore, spiking experiments have shown that immunomagnetic beads have the potential to trace E. coli O157 :H7 with the high sensitivity of 1-6 target cells per gram of meat. For the general detection of EHEC, the applied PCR-system departing from cultures on McConkey agar was found to be a fast, specific and robust diagnostic instrument. In consequence of the obtained results, the enactment of an official limit for EHEC in raw meat products is postulated and discussed.
La matière grasse laitière et ses fractions

Les proprietes physiques de la matiere grasse de lait anhydre (MGLA ) et de ses fractions ont ete etudiees par analyse enthalpimetrique differentielle (AED) et diffraction des rayons X en fonction de la temperature (DRXT). Les fractionnements successifs a sec par le procede Tirtiaux de deux MGLA representatives des matieres grasses d'ete et d'hiver a permis d'obtenir 32 fractions. Ces dernieres et les matieres grasses de depart ont ete etudiees a plusieurs vitesses de balayage comprises entre 0,1 et 5°C/minute par AED et DRXT et en fonction de leurs traitements thermiques. Les differentes compositions en triacylglycerols (TG) de ces fractions et des MGLA de depart ont ete reliees aux profils de fusion et de cristallisation, ainsi qu'aux diagrammes de diffraction correspondants. Cette etude a permis d'etablir que les tres nombreux triacylglycerols constitutifs de la MGLA s'organisent en trois grandes familles de cristaux dont les plages de fusion sont differentes. Chacune de ces familles de cristaux est decrite en termes de composition en triacylglycerols, proprietes thermiques (T, ΔH) et structurales (grandes distances, sous-cellule cristalline). Les comportements observes mettent en evidence une insolubilite relative de ces fractions entre elles a l'etat solide, partiellement compensee par une solubilite elevee des triacylglycerides mono-insatures dans les triacylglycerides trisatures. Les evolutions des proprietes physiques (thermiques, cristallographiques et rheologiques) de certains melanges de fractions en fonction de leur composition, de la temperature ou de traitements mecaniques obtenus sur une unite pilote composee d'echangeurs thermiques a surface raclee et d'un texturateur sont etudiees et comparees. Le present article resume les principaux resultats de cette etude qui fera l'objet de communications ulterieures.
Recent evolution of extreme cestode growth suppression by a vertebrate host

Parasites can be a major cause of natural selection on hosts, which consequently evolve a variety of strategies to avoid, eliminate, or tolerate infection. When ecologically similar host populations present disparate infection loads, this natural variation can reveal immunological strategies underlying adaptation to infection and population divergence. For instance, the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus persistently infects between 0% to 80% of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in lakes on Vancouver Island. To test whether these heterogeneous infection rates are due to evolved differences in immunity, we experimentally exposed lab-reared fish from high-and low-infection populations, which are not known to differ in natural exposure risk, to controlled doses of Schistocephalus. We observed heritable between-population differences in several immune traits: fish from the naturally uninfected population initiated a stronger granulocyte response to Schistocephalus infection, and their granulocytes constitutively generated threefold more reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite these immunological differences, Schistocephalus was equally successful at establishing initial infections in both host populations. However, the low-infection fish dramatically suppressed tapeworm growth relative to high-infection fish, and parasite size was intermediate in F1 hybrid hosts. Our results show that stickleback recently evolved heritable variation in their capacity to suppress helminth growth. Comparative data from many from natural populations indicate that growth suppression is widespread but not universal and, when present, is associated with reduced infection prevalence. Host suppression of helminth somatic growth may be an important immune strategy that aids in parasite clearance, or in mitigating the fitness costs of persistent infection. Significance Large parasites remain a persistent source of morbidity and mortality in humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife. Hosts are subject to strong natural selection to eliminate or tolerate these parasite infections. Here, we document the recent evolution of a striking form of resistance by a vertebrate host (threespine stickleback) against its cestode parasite (Schistocephalus solidus). After Pleistocene glacial retreat, marine stickleback colonized freshwater lakes, encountered Schistocephalus, and evolved varying levels of resistance to it. We show that a heavily-and a rarely-infected population of stickleback have similar resistance to Schistocephalus colonization, but rarely-infected fish suppress parasite growth by orders of magnitude. These populations represent ends of a natural continuum of cestode growth suppression, which is associated with reduced infection prevalence.
Encoding of odour blends in the moth antennal lobe

Encoding of Odour Blends in the M oth Antennal Lobe, Kwok Ying Chong Olfaction is a vital sense that informs moths of their environment, and as such moths are adept at chemical sensing. Natural odours are often com­ plex mixtures of different compounds. These mixtures can be perceived to have qualities that are different from their components, sometimes making components difficult to distinguish within a blend. Thus, odour components can interact along the olfactory pathway in a nonlinear fashion such that the mixture is not perceived simply as the sum of its components. Here an investigation is made into possible nonlinear interactions in the olfactory system of moths at two stages along the olfactory pathway. These are the input to and the output from the antennal lobe, the region of the insect brain responsible for the first neural processing of odour information. The input to the antennal lobes is the neural representation of odours car­ ried by the receptor neurons. By use of a calcium sensitive dye, this activity was observed optically as odour-evoked changes in Ca2+ concentration in the moth Spodoptera littoralis. This reveals the input pattern to functionally distinct neuropil in the antennal lobes, the so-called glomeruli. Such a cal­ cium imaging analysis requires the identification of the glomeruli, and a novel method was developed to facilitate the automatic identification of olfactory glomeruli. By applying unsupervised clustering analysis to sets of calcium images, glomeruli were functionally identified. Binary odour blend responses were then analysed for nonlinear interactions, but no strong interactions were found. The output from the antennal lobe, the projection neuron responses, was assessed by computational models. It was demonstrated in pheromone pro­ cessing models that a spatiotemporal odour code is better able to encode for blend ratios than a spatial code. And it was shown that a spatiotemporal general odour model produces nonlinear component interactions, despite the data-motivated input having none. For my wife. I met you because I started this, but I finished it because of you. Now, you are my life.
The Role of Genotype and Phenotype Based Risk Factors in Patients Suffering from Acute Coronary Syndrome

Abtsrcat In this paper we apply statistical classification techniques to a case-control study. The data analysed relates to Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). We discuss an adaptation of the Naive Bayes method, and assess the results using an analysis of deviance based approach. Analysis of deviance is used to rank the driver variables, such as phenotype and genotype variables to their relative contribution to classify a new case into one of ACS or non-ACS group. Results from the case-study reveal that a combination of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) 2 and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism 4 is the most important, and the aggregation of platelets on addition of Adenosine-di-phosphate along with nano particles the next most important factors in classifying an unseen patient into one of the two groups. Some limitations and future analyses are also discussed.
Asociación entre el arbusto Capparis retusa (Capparidaceae) y las hormigas Camponotus blandus y Acromyrmex striatus (Hymenoptera: Formiddae)

The hypothesis that the nectivore ant Campollotus blandus operates as an altemative defense of the shrub Capparis retusa against the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex striatus was tested. Data were obtained in a forest reserve of the Argentinean subtropical dry Chaco (250 55' S, 62005' W) during the spring of 1986. C. refusa is abundant, but it is not a pan of the leaf-cutting ant diet « 1 %), has a high proportion of nectivore ant visits. and low levels of chemical and physicaldefenses. Shrubs without C. blalldus were intensively harvested by A. striatus , which suggests that the nectivore ant is an altemative defense for the shrub against the leafccutting ant.