Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TRPM8 Mediates the Anti‐inflammatory Effects of Eucalyptol in a Mouse Model of LPS‐Induced Pulmonary Inflammation

Eucalyptol (1,8‐cineol), the major ingredient in the essential oil of the eucalyptus leaves and other medicinal plants, has long been known for its anti‐inflammatory properties. Eucalyptol interacts with Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channels among other targets, but it is unclear which of these mediates its anti‐inflammatory effects. In this work, the effects of eucalyptol were compared in WT and TRPM8‐deficient mice in a model of pulmonary inflammation following intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS, a component of Gram‐negative bacterial cell walls, plays a major role in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 24 hours after LPS intranasal instillation lungs and bronchoalvelolar lavage (BAL) were collected and analyzed for leukocyte infiltration, enzyme activities and cytokine/chemokine levels by qPCR, Luminex and cell counting among other techniques.
Population density and habitat associations of the Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) on Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Cameron County, Texas

ABSTRACT In 2000, a resident population of Texas Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) was identified at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge on the lower Texas coast, extending its known breeding distribution farther south than previously described. We studied this breeding population of Texas Seaside Sparrows from April 2012–January 2013 on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge to obtain population density estimates and describe habitat associations. We estimated seasonal density during one year using a distance sampling approach. We described plant community characteristics and estimated percent ground cover. Density estimates of Seaside Sparrows by season were 3.49/ha (CV = 8.27) for spring, 3.59/ha (CV = 18.16) for summer, 4.07/ha (CV = 9.69) for fall, and 1.91/ha (CV = 21.92) for winter. The dominant plant species along the intertidal zone transect where Seaside Sparrows were detected included turtleweed (aka saltwort; Batis maritima), saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), and bushy seaside tansy (aka sea oxeye daisy; Borrichia frutescens). Previous studies indicated cordgrasses (Spartina spp.) to be a dominant plant species strongly associated with Seaside Sparrows and a predictor of nest success. However, cordgrasses were absent from the intertidal zone where Seaside Sparrows were detected during our study. Habitat associations and conservation plans for Seaside Sparrows should be revised to include the plant community found in this study.
The complete mitochondrial genomes of the higher termites Labiotermes labralis and Embiratermes neotenicus (Termitidae: Syntermitinae)

Abstract The complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of two higher termites were reconstructed from the metagenomes of individual gut compartments with more than 2000-fold coverage. The circular mitogenomes of Labiotermes labralis (accession number KY436201) and Embiratermes neotenicus (accession number KY436202) have a length of 15,935 and 15,868 bp and an overall G + C content of 30.7 mol% and 33.7 mol%, respectively, and both have an asymmetric nucleotide composition. Genome structure and orientation are the same as in other termites and in the ancestral insect mitogenome. These data further expand arthropod mitogenome databases, which have become an important resource in ecological, phylogenetic and evolutionary studies.
Effects of biofertilizer enriched vermicompost on the growth parameters of Vigna unguiculata (L.)

The present study aimed to identify the productivity of cow pea plant with biofertilizer enriched vermicompost. The values of maximum root length, shoot length, number of root nodules, internodes, number of appeared flowers, number of pods appeared, pod length, pod wet weight and number of seeds found higher on 70th day with VC (TP + CA) + MI × 10 8 treated plants. The level of C/N and C/P ratio found maximum in leaf litter of GS+CD (1:1) and Leaf litter of (CA+GS)+CD (1:1:2) treated vermicompost. The total numbers (140.16) and total biomass (61.36 g) of the recovered worms found higher in leaf litter of (TP+ CA) +CW (1:1:2) in treated litters. The microbial counts found higher in leaf litter of (TP+CA) +CD (1:1:2) treatments. The percentage occurrence of nutritional factor, chlorophyll content and biochemical parameter found higher in (TP+CA) +CD (1:1:2) treated plants. It has concluded that, the enrichment of vermicompost with biofertilizer has enhanced the various physiological properties in Vigna unguiculata.
Effects of dried citrus pulp and fermented medicinal plants on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and meat quality in growing–finishing pigs

Abstract: The present experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dried citrus pulp and fermented medicinal plants in growing–finishing pigs. A total of 96 pigs (62.34 ± 1.96 kg body weight) were randomly allotted into three dietary treatments: (1) control, basal diet (CON); (2) diet containing 10% dried citrus pulp (DCP); (3) diet containing 10% dried citrus pulp supplemented with 0.1% fermented medicinal plants (DCPFMP). From weeks 0 to 5 and 0 to 10, pigs fed the DCPFMP diet had significantly decreased (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake and increased (P < 0.05) gain:feed ratio compared with those fed the CON diet. The apparent total tract digestibility of gross energy was greater (P < 0.05), and serum total cholesterol concentration was decreased (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the DCPFMP diet compared with those fed the DCP diet in week 10. In addition, an increase (P < 0.05) in Longissimus muscle area was observed for pigs fed the DCPFMP diet compared with those fed the CON diet. In conclusion, supplementation with fermented medicinal plants in a diet containing 10% dried citrus pulp improved growth performance and Longissimus muscle area and lowered serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol concentrations.
Patchiness and scale-free correlations: characterising criticality in ecosystems

Diverse ecosystems exhibit clusters that follow scale-free size distributions and lack a characteristic scale. In phase-transition theory, it is well known that scale-free behaviours arise at critical points. Scale-free behaviours, therefore, typically indicate a lack of resilience. Yet, many ecological studies associate loss of scale-free clustering with reduced resilience, presenting an intriguing inconsistency with the physics literature. Our synthesis of literature on cluster sizes in physics and ecology reveals that empirically observed scale-free clustering in ecosystems can be parsi-moniously explained by facilitative interactions. Our synthesis of theory, aided by analyses of a minimal spatial model, shows that scale-free clustering may occur far away from, near or at the critical point of ecosystem collapse depending on the strength of local facilitation. Thus, contrary to current thinking in the literature, we conclude that clustering patterns are unrelated to critical points of ecosystem collapse. Scale-free clustering, instead, indicates a different threshold called a percolation point, which signifies the onset of spanning clusters in the landscape. Finally, we suggest that ecosystem criticality can be characterized by scale-free spatial correlations in the system. Our synthesis resolves subtle links between local facilitative interactions and macroscopic patterns of scale-free clustering, scale-free correlations and ecosystem resilience, and offers future directions to investigate these phenomena.
Optimization of Dietary Nutrient Inputs for Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

This study was conducted to determine the digestible protein (DP) and digestible energy (DE) requirement for maintenance and growth of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) using a factorial method and to propose a bioenergetics model to determine daily feed allowance for optimal production of shrimp. Two experiments were conducted with juvenile shrimp L. vannamei. In a first trial, juvenile shrimp (2.2 g ± 0.2, n=30) were stocked in an outdoor semi-closed recirculating system at a density of 30 shrimp/tank. Five feeding regimes or treatments (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/shrimp/week) were assigned to 3 replicated tanks per treatment. The second trial was conducted under the same conditions and in the same system as trial 1, but with sub-adult shrimp (11.1 g ± 0.4, n = 30). The feeding treatments for this trial were: 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g/shrimp/week. For juvenile shrimp, significant differences were observed between the final weight and weight gain of shrimp under the different treatments. Increased feeding input produced significantly higher final weight and weight gain for each feeding level.
The Functional Studies of Human Lysozyme-like Protein 6 and Characterization of Its Physiological Properties

The aim is to identify the possible performance of human lysozyme-like protein 6 (LYZL6) in fertilization and to characterize its physiological properties. Immunofluorescent staining with a specific antiserum localized the LYZL6 protein on the postacrosomal membrane of mature spermatozoa, which was secreted by testis and epididymis as demonstrated by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). No significant decrease of LYZL6 after capacitation was observed by Western blot analysis. Immunoneutralization of LYZL6 showed no effect on the binding of spermatozoa to the hemizona, but significantly decreased the numbers of human spermatozoa fused to zona-free hamster eggs in a dose-dependent manner. The Pichia expression system was utilized to produce recombinant LYZL6 (rLYZL6). After induction with methanol, rLYZL6 was purified from the fermentation supernatant by chitin affinity in combination with gel-filtration chromatography. In vitro assays indicated that rLYZL62 possessed no hyaluronan-binding ability, hyaluronidase activity and free radical scavenging activity, but peptidoglycan-binding ability and isopeptidase activity. In conclusion, we report here that LYZL6, a human sperm-related protein, not only plays a role in sperm-egg fusion but also has peptidoglycan-binding ability and isopeptidase activity, suggesting it might contribute to diverse sperm
Detection of presumptive Bacillus cereus in the Irish dairy farm environment

Abstract The objective of the study was to isolate potential Bacillus cereus sensu lato (B. cereus s.l.) from a range of farm environments. Samples of tap water, milking equipment rinse water, milk sediment filter, grass, soil and bulk tank milk were collected from 63 farms. In addition, milk liners were swabbed at the start and the end of milking, and swabs were taken from cows’ teats prior to milking. The samples were plated on mannitol egg yolk polymyxin agar (MYP) and presumptive B. cereus s.l. colonies were isolated and stored in nutrient broth with 20% glycerol and frozen at -80 °C. These isolates were then plated on chromogenic medium (BACARA) and colonies identified as presumptive B. cereus s.l. on this medium were subjected to 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing. Of the 507 isolates presumed to be B. cereus s.l. on the basis of growth on MYP, only 177 showed growth typical of B. cereus s.l. on BACARA agar. The use of 16S rRNA sequencing to identify isolates that grew on BACARA confirmed that the majority of isolates belonged to B. cereus s.l. A total of 81 of the 98 isolates sequenced were tentatively identified as presumptive B. cereus s.l. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was carried out on milk and soil isolates from seven farms that were identified as having presumptive B. cereus s.l. No pulsotype was shared by isolates from soil and milk on the same farm. Presumptive B. cereus s.l. was widely distributed within the dairy farm environment.
Prokaryotic Diversity from Extreme Environments of Pakistan and its Potential Applications at Regional Levels

Extremophiles, the microorganisms thriving in extreme environments, provide valuable resources for practicing novel biotechnological processes. Pakistan homes a wide spectrum of extreme environments which harbor various biotechnologically significant microorganisms. This review gauges the structural and functional bacterial diversity of several extreme environments, emphasizing their potentials as a source of extremozymes, and in bioleaching, bioremediation, and bioenergy production at regional level. Further, this review highlights a panoramic account of the local natural conservatories of extremophiles. The inadequacies of current fragmental research are discussed with suggestions to quantitatively define the structural and functional diversity of unexplored extreme localities.
Genetic diversity affects seedling survival but not growth or seed germination in the Bornean endemic dipterocarp Parashorea tomentella

Background: Logging and habitat fragmentation of tropical rain forests may disrupt patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity. Consequently, inbreeding in tree populations may reduce fitness and increase extinction risks, especially among species that are predominantly outcrossing, dependent on biotic pollination and/or display limited seed dispersal such as species of the Dipterocarpaceae. Aims: To test the hypothesis that heterozygosity of individual progeny affects their likelihood of germination and the growth and survival of seedlings. Methods: Standardised measure of multilocus heterozygosity (sMLH) was estimated from seven microsatellite loci for individual progeny collected from 18 mother trees of the large dipterocarp Parashorea tomentella. The relationships among sMLH, germination and seedling growth and survival were determined for the progeny. Results: Seedling survival over 18 months increased with greater sMLH and fresh fruit weight. This result was expressed under all experimentally controlled combinations of light and nutrient availability in the nursery and in the shaded understorey of primary forest where survival overall was much lower than in the nursery. sMLH did not affect the probability of germination or seedling growth rate in any experimental treatment. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that reduced heterozygosity is associated with reduced seedling survival in a tropical forest tree species.
Aflatoxin B1 exposure and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Iranian carriers of viral hepatitis B and C

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known as one of the common and fatal cancers in the Asian and African countries. Two significant factors could cause this type of cancer including having diets contaminated with aflatoxin and chronic viral hepatitis infections. This study aimed to compare the level of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in those who had viral hepatitis B- and C-related HCC as a case group and a group of patients with chronic hepatitis B or C infections as the control group. This case-control study was conducted on 82 patients including 41 patients with viral hepatitis-related HCC and 41 patients with chronic hepatitis B or C infections. Level of AFB1 was measured using ELISA and compared between groups. Most of the patients in both groups were male and infected with HBV. The patients with HCC with mean age 57.5 years were significantly older than those in the control group with mean age 44.8 years (p < .05). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 32 (78%) samples in HCC group and 28 (68.3%) samples in non-HCC group (p > .05). The median (IQR) for AFB1 levels in HCC group was 3.87 (3.46) pg/mL, while it was 2.63 (3.14) pg/mL in the control group (p = .018). Our results demonstrate for the first time the exposure to high levels of AFB1 in Iranian patients with HCC which indicate the possible involvement of AFB1 as a major risk factor in the etiology of HCC in patients with hepatitis B and C.
Studies In Animal Locomotion: VII. Locomotory Reflexes In The Earthworm

1. In the absence of longitudinally applied tension, an intact or decapitated earthworm only exhibits peristalsis so long as its ventral surface is in contact with the substratum. 2. The reflex response of a decapitated earthworm to mechanical tension depends upon the precise conditions under which the stimulus is applied. When the muscles of a segment are responding to stimuli which reach them from the efferent tracts in the nerve cord, they are simultaneously being exposed to mechanical tension (due to movements of the muscles of anteriorly situated segments) of such a nature as to cause a reflex response identical in nature to that induced directly by the nerve cord. It is suggested that tension reflexes are chiefly of functional significance when the animal is moving over an irregular surface. 3. During normal peristalsis the nerve cord of an earthworm exhibits an electrical rhythm whose frequency is identical with that of the muscular rhythm. The isolated nerve cord may exhibit an electrical rhythm for prolonged periods, but it is uncertain how far this phenomenon bears any relationship to the muscular rhythm displayed by the intact animal. 4. Peristalsis can be elicited in an inactive decapitated preparation by making the anterior end electropositive to the posterior end. Peristalsis is inhibited by reversing the direction of flow of the current.
Development and Utilization of a Novel In vivo Multi-modal Non-invasive Platform for Detecting Ocular Toxicity of Sustained Drug Delivery Systems

This study describes the development and early utilization of a novel in vivo multi-modal noninvasive ocular toxicity platform to evaluate the compatibility of materials suitable for sustained intra-ocular drug release, using electroretinography (ERG), confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) and slit lamp examination. First, normally occurring variants of a commonly used rat strain were identified, and then followed by proof-of-principle experiments asking if ocular toxicity could be detected in vivo following challenge with systemic injection of sodium iodate (NaIO3) and intravitreal injection of the biomaterial chitosan, two known ocular toxins. Five novel biomaterials were then tested: 594 eyes were investigated by in vivo testing and of these, 70 eyes, were studied by traditional terminal histology using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). We concluded that the in vivo toxicity platform offers an efficient approach to identify potential ocular toxicity that augments and guides H&E examination and reduces the number of animals required.
Why is Cardiac Cancer Rare: Contractility by Epigenetic Regulations?

Copyright: © 2016 Çelik-Uzuner S. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Cancer is one of the most common disease and known to have a lethal risk. The most common cancers worldwide in 2012 were diagnosed in lung, breast, intestines, prostate, stomach, liver, cervix, esophagus and bladder, respectively [1]. In theory, carcinogenesis can occur in each organ/tissue of the living organism. However, heart cancer likely appears the rarest cancer seen in a vital organ and even has a low incidence in people with heart problems as reported that only 9% of those people who had open-heart surgery showed malignant cardiac tumor [2]. Besides, heart cancer is not the only, such paraganglioma and retinoblastoma are also the rare cancers. Their existence/incidence can be rather reasonable, whereas life ends immediately when heart fails.
METHANOL PLANT EXTRACT OF RUMPUT TEKI (CYPERUS ROTUNDUS L.) CAUSING FETAL SKELETON RETARDMENT IN MICE

Rumput teki (Cyperus rotundus L.) is a weed plant possesses biological and pharmacological activities and commonly used in treatment of various disease in many folk remedy systems. However, scientific studies on the safety and biological side effects of this plant use is still limited. This study aimed to investigate the possible effects of crude extract of nut grass (Cyperus rotundus L.) on the skeletal development of mice (Mus musculus L) during organogenesis period. Pregnant females (n=24) divided into four groups consisted of six mice each. Group 1 treated orally with distilled water (as control), whereas group 2, 3 and 4 were consecutively given extract at the dose of 45 mg/40g BW, 90 mg/40g BW and 135 mg/40g BW. After being treated for 12 days (day 6 to day 17), on the day 18 the fetuses were taken by caecarean section. The fetus count, fetal weight and length, and fetal tibial epiphyseal cartilage zones thickness namely the zone of reserve, proliferation, maturation, and calcification were assessed as the study parameters. The results showed the number, weight and length of fetus, the thickness of reserve, proliferation and maturation zones significantly lower by the higher dose of extract. In contrast, the thickness of calcified cartilage zone was increased by the increase of the dosage. Thus, it can be concluded that methanolic plant extract of rumput teki causing fetal skeleton retardation in mice.
Productive performance and egg quality of laying hens fed diets supplemented with garlic and onion extracts

Abstract The study was aimed at evaluating the effect of supplementing a diet for laying hens with onion and garlic extracts on their productive performance and egg quality. Two‐hundred‐sixteen laying hens were divided into 3 groups: standard diet, diet with a 0.0032% addition of onion extract, and diet with a 0.0032% addition of garlic extract. The egg production rate, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio were monitored within the first 17 wk of the laying period. In wk 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 of the laying period, eggs were analyzed for: weight, weight to yolk ratio, yolk color, albumen quality, and eggshell quality. In wk 7 and 15 of the laying period, analyses were conducted for: yolk color, consistency, aroma, and taste of boiled eggs. The addition of a garlic extract had a positive effect on the production rate in the initial and peak egg‐laying period, and significantly determined the aroma and, in the further stage of the production process, also taste of boiled eggs. Administration of the diet with onion extract to hens caused them to begin the egg‐laying period later but laying heavier eggs, with a higher content of egg yolk and better quality of albumen. The analysis of the productive performance of hens and quality of eggs indicates the advisability of applying the extract from garlic in commercial flocks of laying hens. In the future, it seems substantiated to analyze the effect of extract supplementation at the end of the laying period.