Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF GANODERMA LUCIDUM PEPTIDES AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED LIVER INJURY IN MICE

Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional Chinese medicinal mushroom, has been widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatopathy of various etiologies. Our previous study showed that peptides isolated from G. lucidum (GLP) possessed potent free radical-scavenging capacities. Here, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of GLP, using mice with CCl4-induced liver injuries. Results showed that the serum aminotransferase (ALT/AST) activities and numbers of necrotic and pathological hepatocytes were reduced in a dose-dependent manner in GLP-treated groups. At the dose of 260 mg/kg·bw GLP, the serum malondialdehyde, ALT and AST were statistically significant different to that of positive control groups (P < 0.05). CCl4-induced liver damage was largely prevented as suggested by histopathological examination. In conclusion, our study for the first time demonstrated that GLP showed preventive effects against CCl4-induced liver damage in mice, suggesting that GLP also plays a role for the hepatoprotective effects of G. lucidum extracts. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Liver is one of the major organs actively involved in metabolic functions and frequently targeted by toxicants. Hepatitis is a severe disease with the highest incidence rate around the world. Thus, interest in liver protection drugs has never been higher. Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional Chinese medicinal mushroom, has been widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatopathy of various etiologies with little or no side effects. A group of peptides from G. lucidum (GLP) was isolated with potent free radical-scavenging capacities and immune system regulation ability. In general, GLP could be used as a tonic for health, energy and longevity. GLP could be manufactured into various forms, such as powder, tinctures, tablet, capsule and syrup. The future applications of GLP would be mostly as a medicine, supplement or functional foods.
Review

Abstract Release of hatchery‐reared lobsters is often suggested for enhancing recruitment‐limited populations. Because of lack of ecological considerations ahead of the releases and the unsuccessful efforts to find juvenile lobsters in the sea, little has been known about survival rates, ecological impacts of the releases, and how to improve the performance of releases. Recent studies of morphology and behaviour in hatchery‐reared Homarid lobsters demonstrate that qualitative, small‐scale laboratory experiments, in combination with larger‐scale field studies can yield such information. This is a review of studies of rearing conditions, transportation, and handling during release that aimed to diminish the occurrence of conspicuous morphology and behaviour in the reared juveniles, causing reduced competitive ability, slow sheltering speed, and thereby high mortality rates in the sea. We need to combine small‐scale studies with field studies to be able to confirm the significance of the laboratory results. Based on significant results from the laboratory, we should be able to design field studies with focus on expected ecological “bottlenecks” instead of the trial‐and‐error‐type field studies known from the past, thereby reducing time and investment in the development of viable stock enhancement/sea ranching activities.
Survival and Activity of Probiotic Lactobacilli in Skim Milk Containing Prebiotics

ABSTRACT: Seven strains were cultured anaerobically at 37 °C for 48 h in 12% (w/v) reconstituted skim milk containing 5% (w/v) Hi-maize, lactulose, inulin, or raftilose. Their viability was determined before and after 4 wk of storage at 4 °C. Doubling time (Td) was also determined. Concentrations of acetic and lactic acids produced during fermentation and storage were determined. The Td ranged from 301 to 751 min. In general, the viability of lactobacilli after storage was greatest with inulin. The pH after storage in skim milk ranged from 4.34 (for ASCC 1520 with raftilose) to 4.10 (for ATCC 15820 with inulin). Survival of lactobacilli in prebiotic was strainspecific but in general their survival was enhanced.
Effects of cage systems and feeding time on the morphological structure of female genital organs in pharaoh quails (Coturnix coturnix pharaoh)

YILDIZ, H. , B. YILMAZ, I. ARICAN, M. PETEK, A. BAHADIR: Effects of cage systems and feeding time on the morphological structure of female genital organs in pharaoh quails (Coturnix coturnix pharaoh). Vet. arhiv 76, 381-389, 2006. ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different cage systems and feeding time on female genital organs in 40 pharaoh quails (Coturnix coturnix pharaoh). The birds were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups (2 levels of feeding time × 2-cage system) consisting of 10 quails per treatment. Quails were trained on feeding time (09 00 to 17 00 , or continuous - full day), cage (multiple-bird cage or colony cage) conditions. Body mass, ovary and oviduct mass and their ratio to body mass and oviduct length was measured. Number of follicles was calculated and classified as small, medium and large, based on their diameter. The cage system did not significantly affect reproductive organs, but this was not the case for oviduct length (P<0.01). Feeding time also did not significantly affect follicle numbers, except medium follicle numbers (P<0.05). The medium number of follicles in the full day feeding was more than that of the 09 00 to 17 00 feeding. Total numbers of follicles in multiple-bird cage were higher than those of colony cage birds.
DEMOGRAPHICS OF A RINGED SALAMANDER (AMBYSTOMA ANNULATUM) BREEDING MIGRATION

Abstract Breeding migrations of the ringed salamander (Ambystoma annulatum) occur in autumn during rainy nights, when adults move in phalanxes toward small, fishless ponds. We intercepted ringed salamanders on their breeding migration in 1997 and 1998 as they crossed a paved road close to their 0.11-ha breeding pond. In 1997, we measured over 100 salamanders and found larger individuals of both sexes moved earlier in the migration, and females averaged larger than males in both weight and length. In 1998, we counted 1,096 salamanders moving towards the pond and 135 post-breeding animals as they emigrated back to their woodland habitat. Males dominated the first migration event of the 1998 season (73%) and females the last major phalanx (72%), but by the end of the migration season sex ratios were equal. A model predicted 9,848 ringed salamanders crossed the road to breed in this pond in 1998. Our sampling accounted for only 12% of post-breeding salamanders moving away from the pond, suggesting emigration is less directed than immigration. We found 61 ringed salamanders dead on the highway in 1998, indicating a 0.62% mortality due to vehicles.
Genetic Diversity in U.S. Hatchery Stocks of Crassostrea ariakensis (Fujita, 1913) and Comparison with Natural Populations in Asia

ABSTRACT Although several different U.S. hatchery stocks of the Asian Suminoe oyster Crassostrea ariakensis were used in laboratory and field trials assessing performance, and in comparative studies with the native oyster Crassostrea virginica, the genetic composition of these hatchery stocks has not yet been examined comprehensively. Using eight microsatellite markers we investigated the genetic variability among five hatchery stocks and compared the genetic makeup of these stocks with 8 wild populations from Asia. Results showed significant genetic differentiation among the 5 hatchery stocks that was 6-fold larger than that observed among wild populations. A significant reduction in genetic diversity was observed in hatchery stocks compared with wild source populations, indicating a genetic bottleneck. Two long-established stocks showed significant decreases in both allelic diversity and heterozygosity compared with the wild Japanese source population, whereas three recently established stocks showed less severe reductions in allelic diversity and a nonsignificant change in levels of heterozygosity compared with their source Chinese populations. These microsatellite markers also proved useful for assignment of hatchery individuals back to their source stocks with a high degree of confidence. Although assignment of wild individuals back to their population of origin proved less reliable, approximately 70% of wild individuals could be assigned either to their source population or to geographically proximal populations. Our results suggest that results obtained from experiments that used hatchery animals of a single C. ariakensis stock for biological and ecological studies should be interpreted cautiously, because they may not always accurately reflect the behavior of wild populations or of other hatchery stocks.
Chemical Composition, in Vitro Digestibility and Gas Production of Brachiaria Managed Under Different Forage Allowances

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, gas production and fermentation kinetics of three Brachiaria cultivars: Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraes, and hybrid Brachiaria cv. Mulato, subjected to different levels of forage allowance (4, 7, 10 and 13% of the animal body weight), under rotational grazing cycles. Cultivar Xaraes presented higher contents of neutral detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein, acid detergent fibre and lignin, and lower production of gases in 96 h in the component leaf blade. There was a decrease of non-fibrous carbohydrates and fraction B2 and an increase in the fraction C of the carbohydrates in the components stem and leaf blade over the grazing cycles in all the cultivars. Cultivar Marandu presented higher digestibility values (in vitro organic matter digestibility and in vitro dry matter digestibility) in the components stem and leaf blade. Cultivar Mulato demanded a shorter time of colonisation, according to the calculations of fermentation kinetics. Regardless of the level of forage allowance and of the grazing cycles, the three Brachiaria cultivars were characterised by great fermentation quality due to the relations of the gas production potential and the gas production after 48 and 96 h.
Constraining the Sheffield dynamic global vegetation model using stream‐flow measurements in the United Kingdom

The biospheric water and carbon cycles are intimately coupled, so simulating carbon fluxes by vegetation also requires modelling of the water fluxes, with each component influencing the other. Observations of river streamflow integrate information at the catchment scale and are widely available over a long period; they therefore provide an important source of information for validating or calibrating vegetation models. In this paper, we analyse the performance of the Sheffield dynamic global vegetation model (SDGVM) for predicting river streamflow and quantifying how this information helps to constrain carbon flux predictions.
Methoprene accelerates age polyethism in workers of a social wasp (Polybia occidentalis)

Abstract. Topical applications of the Juvenile Hormone (JH) analogue methoprene to 1‐day‐old adult workers of the highly eusocial wasp Polybia occidentalis (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) accelerate the rate of age polyethism. Longevity of laboratory‐reared wasps is negatively correlated with dose of topically applied methoprene. Doses of 25 μg methoprene or greater are lethal. Untreated wasps show marked age polyethism in the field. Age of first performance of acts in seven behavioural categories (in‐nest, transition to outside, non‐task on nest envelope, nest maintenance, foraged material handling, defence, and foraging) is negatively correlated with methoprene dose. Topical applications of methoprene accelerate age polyethism of highly eusocial bee and wasp workers, but do not have this effect on primitively eusocial bees and wasps, suggesting that JH control of age polyethism evolved independently in advanced species of Apidae and Vespidae.
Asian American Women's Retrospective Reports of Their Sexual Socialization

This study used qualitative research methods to investigate the sexual socialization experiences of young Asian American women, a group often overlooked in psychological research on sexuality. Focus group interviews were conducted with 30 ethnically diverse young Asian American women to explore their perceptions and interpretations of the direct and indirect sexual communication they received from parents during adolescence. Interviews were analyzed using open and focused coding techniques based on principles of grounded theory. Although most participants initially reported that sexuality was a closed or taboo topic of discussion in their family, they described several indirect, implicit, and nonverbal strategies their parents used to clearly convey their sexual attitudes and expectations, most of which were restrictive in nature. Women interpreted parents' silence and restrictiveness about sexuality as tied to their upbringing and cultural heritage and as a feature characterizing Asian parents more broadly.
ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF AN UNDERUTILIZED CROP – A CASE STUDY USING BAMBARA GROUNDNUT

Using experience with bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), this paper examines how local knowledge, genetic evaluation, research in fields, glasshouses and laboratories, and crop simulation modelling might be linked within a methodological framework to assess rapidly the potential of any underutilized crop. The approach described is retrospective in that each activity was not clearly defined and structured at the outset. However, the experience gained may help to establish a methodology by which growers, researchers and international agencies can integrate their knowledge and understanding of any particular underutilized crop and apply similar principles to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge on other underutilized species. The use of a methodological framework provides a basis for activities that maximize knowledge, minimize duplication of effort, identify priority areas for further research and dissemination, and derive general principles for application across underutilized crops in general. It also allows policy makers and planners to make comparative decisions on the nutritional, economic and research importance of different underutilized and more-favoured species. In particular, the incorporation of a generic crop simulation model within the methodological framework may assist growers, extension agencies and scientists to refine general recommendations for any particular crop to local conditions. Also, the incorporation of information gathered from the field, laboratory or market can be used to update rapidly the predictive capacity of the model for each crop.
Principles of the Atmospheric Pathway for Invasive Species Applied to Soybean Rust

Abstract Aerial transport alone is seldom responsible for the introduction of nonindigenous species into distant regions; however, the capacity to use the atmospheric pathway for rapid spread in large part determines the invasive potential of organisms once they are introduced. Because physical and biological features of Earth's surface influence the routes and timing of organisms that use the atmospheric pathway, long-distance movement of aerobiota is largely regular and thus predictable. Soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi), potentially the most destructive foliar disease of soybean, recently invaded North America. The concepts presented in this article form the basis of the soybean rust aerobiology prediction system (SRAPS) that was developed to assess potential pathogen movement from South America to the United States. Output from SRAPS guided the scouting operations after the initial discovery of soybean rust in Louisiana. Subsequent observations of P. pachyrhizi in the southeastern United States provide validation of the modeling effort.
RESPONSES OF REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS TO SHORT-TERM ARTIFICIAL WARMING IN A DECIDUOUS ALPINE SHRUB GEUM PENTAPETAL UM (ROSACEAE)

We examined the effects of short term artificial warming from 4 July to 19 September 1996 (78 days) in an open top chamber (OTC) on fruit production of a deciduous alpine shrub Geum pentapetalum (L.) Makino (Rosaceae) in the Tateyama Range, Toyama, Japan. Daily maximum temperature in the growing period significantly increased ca. 3.6T inside the OTC as compared to outside the chamber, while daily minimum temperature significantly decreased ca. 1.3T inside the OTC. Daily mean temperature was not significantly different inside and outside the OTC. There were not any significant differences of shoot characteristics such as the number of leaves, total leaf mass and current stem weight inside and outside the OTC. Dry weight of the main body of the achene (including seed) and individual achene size (IAS) were significantly increased by OTC treatment, while the plume was not. Seed ripening, estimated number of achenes (ENA) and estimated total achene mass per shoot (EAM) slightly increased inside the OTC, but they were not significantly different between the shoots affected by OTC and the unaffected. EAM was sig- nificantly positively correlated with current basal stem weight both in OTC-affected and -unaffected shoots. Analysis of covariance showed that EAM in a given stem size was significantly higher in OTC affected shoots than in the -unaffected shoots. These results imply an importance of interaction between fruit production and shoot size when we assess the effects of artificial warming on reproductive traits. Thus, we found that short-term artificial warming first affected the size rather than the number of seeds and fruits, and the reproductive organs were more sensitive to warming than vegetative organs of Geum pentapetalum, at least according to the dry weight based analysis.
Analytical and Sensory Assessment of Hoppy Aroma and Bitterness of Conventionally Hopped and Advanced Hopped Pilsner Beers

Analytical and sensory aspects of hoppy aroma of conventionally hopped and advanced hopped pilot Pilsner beers were investigated. Linalool and several sesquiterpenoids were used as analytical markers for the hoppy aroma of the beers. Levels of linalool and sesquiterpenoids in the fresh beers, as well as sensory characteristics of hoppy aroma (intensity and attributed aroma descriptor(s)) clearly depended on the applied hop aromatisation technology and on the type of hop oil fraction used in advanced hopping. The most pronounced hoppy aroma was observed for the advanced bittered beers, either aromatised post-fermentation using a polar hop essence or at the end of wort boiling using pellets (late-hopping). However, all refined hop oil fractions used in this study for advanced aromatisation clearly affected the hoppy aroma impression. Analytical data on staling indicators, combined with sensory evaluations, further suggest that hop oil preparations may also affect flavour stability of the resulting beers in a positive way. In general, it can be concluded that hop aromatisation, whether performed in the advanced or conventional way, appears to mask beer staling, as demonstrated by lower overall sensory ageing scores.
Competition between maize and Echinochloa crus-galli analysed by a hyperbolic regression model.

Summary Yield reduction of maize in relation to naturally established populations of Echinochloa crus-galli and Chenopodium album was studied in field experiments over 2 years in which the maize was grown at a wide range of weed densities. Both the crop and the weeds were harvested at intervals during the season. The competitive relations were described accurately by a model based on a hyperbolic relation between yield and plant density. The model can be linearised by considering the reciprocals of the average weight per plant. However, estimating the regression coefficients by linear regression introduced a severe bias due to heterogeneity of variances. Estimation was improved by applying non-linear regression, using a logarithmic transform of the yield equation. Fitted regressions were used to interpolate the yield data to standard weed densities. At a density of 100 Echinochloa plants m-2, maize yields were reduced by 8% and 82% in 1982 and 1983, respectively, illustrating the problems in generalising the results of one competition experiment to the other. Three possible fields of application of the competition model are discussed, i.e. adjustment of experimental plot yield for variation in weed population, prediction of expected crop yield losses, and prediction of long-term changes in weed seed populations.
Collectivistic versus individualistic cultures: a comparison of American, Australian and Chinese music education students' self‐esteem

Self‐esteem is often cited as an important personal competency for teachers. However, most self‐esteem research, particularly within teacher education and music teacher education, is framed exclusively within a European–American context. Since individuals from different cultures may tend to think about themselves in diverse ways, and given the importance of self‐esteem in the development of a music teacher, the purpose of this study was to compare levels of self‐esteem of 141 music education majors from America, Australia and China. Findings of this study reinforce those of previous studies showing that cultural groups diverge in their perceptions of self. In particular, Chinese music education students show a statistically significant lower level of self‐esteem than their western counterparts do. In addition to identifying different levels of self‐esteem, this study raises issues for further consideration by music teacher educators within a variety of cultural contexts.
Polypeptides ofaLight-Harvesting Complex oftheDiatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum AreSynthesized intheCytoplasm of

A light-harvesting fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a/c-protein complex has beenisolated fromthediatom Phaeodactylum tricornstmm bydetergent extraction ofthylakoid membranes coupled with sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Theisolated complex wasdevoid ofphotochemical activity anddisplayed spectral characteristics consistent withlight harvesting function. Ithasthree major polypeptides ofapparent molecular weights 18,000, 19,000, and19,500 asdetermined bysodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis. Using protein synthesis inhibitors, these polypeptides wereshowntobesynthesized on80Scytoplasmic ribosomes. Antibodies raised toa mixture ofthe19,000 and19,500 dalton components ofthecomplex wereusedtodemonstrate structural similarity amongthethree polypeptide components. Immunoprecipitation fromprimary translation products synthesized inareticulocyte lysate system primed withP.tricornutum poly(A) RNA,indicates thatthe polypeptide components aresynthesized asprecursors 3,000 to5,000 daltons larger thanthematurepolypeptides.
Simulation and Measurement of Dielectric Charging in Electrostatically Actuated Capacitive Microwave Switches

Simulations of the effects of dielectric charging on the operation of electrostatically actuated capacitive microwave switches have been performed. The simulations are unique in that they incorporate fixed charges into the calculation of the beam deflection. These simulations show that fixed charges in the dielectric layer cause a shift in the capacitance-voltage curve of the switch. The shift in the curve is proportional to the magnitude and depth of the charge, while the direction of the shift is determined by the polarity of the charge. Further, it is shown that sufficient charge can result in a failure of the switch to release from the dielectric layer. The simulation is confirmed by comparison with measured data.