Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial activity of AOT-isooctane reverse micelle as a bioseparation and biocatalysis tool

Abstract The antimicrobial activity of different reverse micelles on microorganisms is been compared using the disc diffusion method. The bis (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelle showed a more significant inhibitory effect than do other reverse. micelles, and it had an antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microorganisms. Results from an antimicrobial activity test of isooctane and a forward extraction containing soybean protein suggest that the surfactant was chiefly responsible for inhibiting microbes in AOT/isooctane reverse micelle, while isooctane hardly inhibited the microbial growth. The properties of S. aureus, cultured in the TSB with AOT reverse micellar solution, were identified by the SEM and SDS-PAGE fingerprinting of cell-wall proteins. It is concluded that the cell-wall of the S. aureus decreased in the TSB with AOT reverse micellar solution, and some cell protein subunits of the S. aureus did not occurr, especially between 14.4 and 42.7 kDa, while one new protein subunit at near 97.4 kDa occurred
Évaluation et comparaison de la qualité de suivi de patients diabétiques de type 2 entre une maison de santé pluridisciplinaire ASALEE et un cabinet de groupe classique

Introduction : le diabete de type 2 est une pathologie chronique aux multiples complications necessitant un suivi regulier. L’education therapeutique est en pleine expansion avec notamment le dispositif ASALEE. L’objectif de ce travail est de comparer la qualite de suivi de diabetiques de type 2 entre une structure adherant au protocole ASALEE et un cabinet de groupe classique. Materiel et methodes : etude descriptive retrospective multicentrique menee sur la periode du 1er juillet 2017 au 1er juillet 2018. La qualite de suivi etait evaluee principalement sur les recommandations etablies par la Haute Autorite de Sante et sur des criteres secondaires. Resultats : 120 patients ont ete inclus, repartis en deux groupes equivalents. Le nombre moyen annuel d’HbA1c etait significativement superieur dans le groupe ASALEE (m=3,58 vs m=3,25 ; p=0,010). Il existait une difference statistiquement significative concernant le taux de realisation de la microalbuminurie en faveur des patients du groupe ASALEE (n=88,33% vs n=66,33% ; p=0,0014). Le taux de realisation du test au monofilament etait egalement superieur (n=73,33% vs n=15% ; p<0,001). Les patients suivis en structure adherant au protocole ASALEE pratiquaient une activite physique reguliere de facon superieure statistiquement (p=0,010) et semblaient moins traites pharmacologiquement que les patients de l’autre groupe. Conclusion : ce travail demontre une qualite de suivi superieure pour les patients suivis en structure adherant au protocole ASALEE sur plusieurs criteres de suivi recommandes par la HAS (nombre HbA1c, microalbuminurie, test au monofilament). Il met aussi en evidence une plus grande pratique d’une activite physique reguliere ainsi qu’un traitement de fond antidiabetique moins lourd.
High-content assay for CFTR monitoring: simultaneous quantification of channel function and biogenesis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, encoding a plasma membrane anion-selective channel. Because CF-causing mutations affect both CFTR permeation/gating and biogenesis, multi-assay approaches have been implemented in drug development, sequentially screening for channel function and membrane density. Here we present the first assay capable of simultaneous assessment of both CFTR characteristics. To validate our assay, we investigate F508del-CFTR, the most common disease-causing mutant, confirming rescue by incubation at low temperature, treatment with CFTR-targeting drugs and introduction of second-site revertant mutation R1070W. In addition, we characterize a panel of 62 CF-causing mutations and profile effects of acute treatment with approved drug VX-770 (ivacaftor). Measurements using the rare mutation panel correlate well with published results, further validating the assay. Furthermore, mapping the potentiation profile on CFTR structures raises mechanistic hypotheses on drug action, suggesting that VX-770 might allow an open-channel conformation with an alternative arrangement of domain interfaces around site 1. The assay is a powerful tool for investigation of CFTR ion channel biophysics, allowing rapid and accurate inferences on gating/permeation properties and on how these are affected by mutations and compounds. By providing a two-dimensional molecular characterization of mutant CFTR proteins, our assay can better inform development of therapies tailored for individual CFTR variants. Finally, the integrated assay boosts the potential for discovery of dual-acting compounds, simultaneously repairing both biogenesis and function. Summary CFTR mutations cause cystic fibrosis by affecting how many channels reach the membrane, and/or how well they work. This study presents an assay that simultaneously measures CFTR biogenesis and function. A screen of 62 disease-causing mutations provides clues on how approved drug VX-770 works.
The Physiological Ecology of Woody Plants

How Woody Plants Grow. Physiological and Environmental Requirements for Tree Growth. Establishment and Growth of Tree Stands.Radiation. Temperature. Soil Properties and Mineral Nutrition. Water Stress. Soil Aeration, Compaction, And Flooding. Air Pollution. Carbon Dioxide. Fire. Wind. Cultural Practices. Each Chapter Includes References. Index.
Arrhythmia susceptibility in senescent rat hearts

Cardiovascular disease increases with age as well as alterations of cardiac electrophysiological properties, but a detailed knowledge about changes in cardiac electrophysiology relevant to arrhythmogenesis in the elderly is relatively lacking. The aim of this study was to determine specific age-related changes in electrophysiological properties of the ventricles which can be related to a structural-functional arrhythmogenic substrate. Multiple epicardial electrograms were recorded on the ventricular surface of in vivo control and aged rats, while arrhythmia vulnerability was investigated by premature stimulation protocols. Single or multiple ectopic beats and sustained ventricular arrhythmias were frequently induced in aged but not in control hearts. Abnormal ventricular activation patterns during sinus rhythm and unchanged conduction velocity during point stimulation in aged hearts suggest the occurrence of impaired impulse conduction through the distal Purkinje system that might create a potential reentry substrate.
Mathematical modelling of coating film application onto pharmaceutical solid dosage forms

Information related to spray impingement onto tablets, coating film drying and water absorption in tablet cores under pharmaceutical coating process conditions is limited. In this work, we therefore investigate the fundamental phenomena that are taking place at the point of contact between the tablet and the coating in an effort to reduce the number of defective tablets, to maximize tablet shelf-life and to enable a more accurate selection of the optimal process conditions. Recent models, which simulate coating behavior on tablets, have been mainly focused on single droplet impact cases. On the contrary, the current model is able to predict film formation on tablets during spray impingement while accounting for spray droplet-film interactions. Thus, the model developed in this work provides useful insight into coating spreading efficiency that can indicate defect formation. Main outputs of this work include predictions of the amount of water and polymer that penetrate into the porous tablet core and the percentage of water that evaporates from within the tablet. Knowledge of the amount of water and polymer in the tablet core can be used to optimize the shelf-life of the tablet and control the adhesion of the dry coating film. The current model assumptions, which are solely based on physics and are specific to the tablet coating process, allow one to solve coating flow problems much faster than equivalent models in commercial CFD software. The mathematical model is implemented in gPROMS employing the Modelbuilder modeling platform and it is validated against experimental data taken from the literature.
The correlation between iron sulfide precipitation and hypolimnetic phosphorus accumulation during one summer in a softwater lake

During late summer, 1992, the water immediately overlying the sediment in the anoxic hypolimnion of Crystal Lake, Conn. , was saturated with ferrous sulfide (FeS). The average solubility product (pKsp) at the bottom of the hypolimnion was 3.25, which is consistent with other lake and laboratory studies and is in the range of both amorphous FeS and mackinawite. The precipitation of iron sulfide removed Fe2+ and HS− from the water column, and acid volatile sulfide (AVS) accumulated in the top 6–8 cm of the sediment. Pyrite was formed at deeper depths and did not increase during the study. The accumulation of AVS in the sediment was correlated with an increased accumulation of phosphorus in the water column. The rate of accumulation of phosphorus in the hypolimnion was greatest when iron was lost to the sediment as AVS. The statistically significant link between iron storage in the sediment and phosphorus accumulation in the overlying water suggests that reoxidation of ferrous iron to ferric (hydr)oxides is d.
Life history theory and evolutionary anthropology

Life‐history theory has been developed in biology to explain the variation in timing of fertility, growth, developmental rates, and death of living organisms, as well as events directly tied to these parameters. The theory is useful in explaining variations in age‐specific human fertility and mortality patterns, as well as understanding how the human life course evolved to patterns so divergent from those that characterize our close primate relatives. Surprisingly, this same theory can also be used to explain why people often ignore the long‐term consequences of behaviors that produce short‐term gain.
Heterologous Activation of Protein Kinase C Stimulates Phosphorylation of δ-Opioid Receptor at Serine 344, Resulting in β-Arrestin- and Clathrin-mediated Receptor Internalization*

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of opioid-independent, heterologous activation of protein kinase C (PKC) on the responsiveness of opioid receptor and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our result showed that removing the C terminus of δ opioid receptor (DOR) containing six Ser/Thr residues abolished both DPDPE- and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced DOR phosphorylation. The phosphorylation levels of DOR mutants T352A, T353A, and T358A/T361A/S363S were comparable to that of the wild-type DOR, whereas S344G substitution blocked PMA-induced receptor phosphorylation, indicating that PKC-mediated phosphorylation occurs at Ser-344. PKC-mediated Ser-344 phosphorylation was also induced by activation of Gq-coupled α1A-adrenergic receptor or increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Activation of PKC by PMA, α1A-adrenergic receptor agonist, and ionomycin resulted in DOR internalization that required phosphorylation of Ser-344. Expression of dominant negative β-arrestin and hypertonic sucrose treatment blocked PMA-induced DOR internalization, suggesting that PKC mediates DOR internalization via a β-arrestin- and clathrin-dependent mechanism. Further study demonstrated that agonist-dependent G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) phosphorylation sites in DOR are not targets of PKC. Agonist-dependent, GRK-mediated receptor phosphorylation and agonist-independent, PKC-mediated DOR phosphorylation were additive, but agonist-induced receptor phosphorylation could inhibit PKC-catalyzed heterologous DOR phosphorylation and subsequent internalization. These data demonstrate that the responsiveness of opioid receptor is regulated by both PKC and GRK through agonist-dependent and agonist-independent mechanisms and PKC-mediated receptor phosphorylation is an important molecular mechanism of heterologous regulation of opioid receptor functions.
REGULAR ARTICLES / ARTICLES RÉGULIERSFactors affecting the distribution and transmission of Elaphostrongylus rangiferi (Protostrongylidae) in caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of Newfoundland, Canada

Elaphostrongylus rangiferi was introduced to caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of Newfoundland by infected reindeer (R. t. tarandus) from Norway and has caused at least two epizootics of cerebrospinal elaphostrongylosis (CSE), a debilitating neurologic disease. In an attempt to understand the conditions necessary for such outbreaks, we examined the effects of herd density and climatic factors on parasite abundance. The abundance of E. rangiferi was represented by counts of first-stage larvae in feces collected from young caribou (calves and yearlings) in 7 distinct caribou herds in Newfoundland. Abundance of E. rangiferi was highest in February and in the Avalon (632 ± 14 (mean ± SE)) and St. Anthony (526 ± 145) herds, the 2 herds in which CSE was most frequently reported. Mean abundance in February samples from young animals correlated positively with mean annual minimum temperature (rS = 0.829, df = 6, P = 0.04) and the number of days per year above 0°C (rS = 0.812, df = 6, P = 0.05) and negatively wi.
Identification and description of larval Anisakis simplex and Pseudoterranova decipiens (Anisakidae: Nematoda) from New Zealand waters

Abstract Larval stages of A. simplex (Rudolphi, 1809, det. Krabbe, 1878) and P. decipiens (Krabbe, 1878), infecting marine teleosts from New Zealand waters are described and compared morphometrically to pre‐adult and adult stages. A. simplex larvae were positively identified using adults obtained from in vitro cultivation. Some morphometric variations compared to overseas descriptions are noted; the main differences being the small size of A. simplex larvae and the long intestinal caecum in P. decipiens larvae and adults from New Zealand waters.
Phylogeography of Ophryotrocha labronica (Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) along the Italian coasts

Species of the genus Ophryotrocha are a well-studied group of organisms but, despite the relatively large body of biological studies, little is known about their intra-specific patterns of genetic diversity. In the present study, we analysed the patterns of genetic variation in samples of Ophryotrocha labronica (Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) collected along the Italian coasts within three regions with different thermal regimes: the Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS), the Ligurian Sea (LS), and the South/Southeast Sicilian Sea (SS). A partial sequence of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was used as a genetic marker. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant genetic differentiation between the NAS and the other regions. Conversely, little or no genetic structuring was found between the LS and the SS or amongst locations within a given region. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree and a median-joining network provided evidence for the occurrence of two highly divergent genetic lineages characterized by a high average sequence divergence (17.2%, Kimura two-parameter distance). The spatial patterns of genetic variation found in O. labronica may reflect the signature of past expansion events of the two genetic lineages. Although the high sequence divergence suggested that cryptic speciation within O. labronica may have occurred, other traits such as the absence of reproductive isolation, pattern of phenotypic variation and habitat specificity prompted us to regard the two groups as distinct COI lineages of O. labronica .
Tolerância e potencial fitorremediador de Stizolobium aterrimum associada ao fungo micorrízico arbuscular Glomus etunicatum em solo contaminado por chumbo

Heavy metal pollution of soils has increased significantly in the last years owing to anthropic action. Several techniques can be used to revert or to minimize soil contamination, although many of these techniques are harmful to the soil. An alternative is to use a new technique, called phytoremediation, based on the ability of plants to take up elements from soils with excessive high levels of metals or of other potentially toxic elements and thus contribute to soil decontamination. The inoculation of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can influence the absorption of these elements. The phytoremediation potential of Stizolobium aterrimum plants with or without AMF in soils with increasing lead concentrations was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment, in a 4 x 2 factorial design. The treatments consisted of the addition of four Pb rates (0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg dm-3) to the soil where black velvet bean plants associated or not with Glomus etunicatum AMF where grown. The results showed that black velvet bean was Pb tolerant at the tested rates. The association with AMF did not influence the Pb plant uptake. However, the mycorrhiza influenced biological nitrogen fixation by increasing the activity of the enzyme nitrogenase in mycorrhizal plants. Despite the good results obtained in relation to Pb tolerance of black velvet bean, further studies on the uptake of this element are needed, above all in the case of multicontaminated soils, as actually observed in polluted systems.
Development of the Multiplex PCR Detection Kit for Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7

This review describes the development of the multiplex PCR detection kit for Salmonella spp. , Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food samples. To develop a detection assay, our research team evaluated the optimization of the pre-enrichment broth, the simple DNA extraction method, and the multiplex PCR settings. When this detection protocol was used to detect the above pathogenic bacteria, one cell per 25 g of inoculated sample was detected within 24 h. Moreover, there was excellent agreement between the multiplex PCR assay and the conventional culture method. The multiplex PCR detection assay system was confirmed to be a reliable and useful method for the rapid screening of food products for foodborne pathogens. The assay system was commercialized as a “[TA10] Pathogenic Bacterial Multiplex PCR Detection Kit”. When this kit was provided to four different laboratories for an extensive validation study, there were no significant differences in detection sensitivity among the laboratories. The detection kit will be valuable as a screening method for foods contaminated with these pathogens, and it will also be useful for identifying the sources of outbreaks of foodborne illness.
The microbiological safety of minimally processed vegetables

Summary Demand for fresh, convenient, minimally processed vegetables has led to an increase in the quantity and variety of products available to the consumer. Modified atmosphere packaging, in combination with refrigeration, is increasingly being employed as a mild preservation technique to ensure quality and storage-life. The fresh nature of these products, together with the mild processing techniques and subsequent storage conditions, have presented indigenous and pathogenic microorganisms with new ecosystems and potential infection vehicles; a number of outbreaks of foodborne disease being attributed to their consumption. Psychrotrophic pathogens and pathogens which are capable of maintaining an infectious potential under mild preservation regimes are of particular concern; Listeria monocytogenes, Aeromonas hydrophila and Clostridium botulinum being amongst the most notable. This review describes the processing, packaging and storage procedures involved in the production of minimally processed vegetables, and details their impact upon the survival and growth of associated pathogens. Gaps in our current understanding of the consequences of this novel technology for microbiological safety are highlighted.
The limitations of using kiore (Rattus exulans) diet‐sampling to determine woodrose (Dactylanthus tay/ori, Balanophoraceae) distribution on Hauturu (Little Barrier Island), New Zealand

Abstract We tested the use of a vertebrate diet‐sampling technique to assess its suitability for detemining woodrose (Dactylanthus taylorii) distribution on Haum (Little Barrier Island). Gore (Rattus exulans) is the only suitable vertebrate occurring on the island. Populations of kiore varied between three years of comparison and were not predictable during flowering periods of D. taylorii. Stains of presumed D. taylorii colouring were recorded in guts, but no confirmed D. taylorii bracts or flowers were recorded. Furthermore, no signs of D. taylorii were recorded in the gut of an animal six hours after it was observed eating a D. taylorii specimen. We concluded that the technique has limited application with kiore as a sampling animal.
Butterfly Pollination of the Dryland Wildflower Gloriosa minor

ABSTRACT Gloriosa minor (Colchicaceae) is a showy dryland wildflower species of northern Kenya. The pollination ecology of G. minor was investigated by direct observation. Gloriosa minor relies on pollinators for fruit-set, but natural fruit set appears to be low. Gloriosa minor was found to have a specialised pollination system, with butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) being the only pollinators/flower visitors observed at South Turkwel, Turkana. Pollinators of Gloriosa minor in northern Kenya were all butterflies from the family Pieridae. Five different species of butterfly were observed visiting the flowers: Belenois aurota, Colotis protomedia, Colotis phisadia, Colotis halimede and Catopsilia florella. Gloriosa minor relies on butterfly pollinators for seed production and hence survival in its arid environment.
An in-situ baiting bioassay for detecting Phytophthora species in irrigation runoff containment basins

Experiments were conducted in irrigation runoff containment basins to assess the effects of bait species (Camellia japonica, Ilex crenata or Rhododendron catawbiense), bait type (whole leaf vs. leaf disc), baiting duration (1, 2, 7 or 14 days), baiting depth and growth media (modified PARP-V8 or PARPH-V8) on the recovery of Phytophthora species. A two-rope, flexible bait-deployment system was compared with a one-rope fixed system for bait stability at designated locations and depths. A total of 907 Phytophthora isolates were subjected to PCR-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis to identify to species level. Seven distinct SSCP patterns representing six morphospecies: P. citricola (Cil I), P. citrophthora (Cip I), P. hydropathica (Hyd), P. insolita (Ins), P. megasperma (Meg I & II) and an unidentified Phytophthora species were identified. Irrespective of culture medium, 7 days of baiting with rhododendron leaves consistently resulted in the recovery of the greatest diversity and populations of Phytophthora species with minimum interference from Pythium species. The flexible bait-deployment system was superior to the fixed system, minimizing the risk of bait loss and dislocation of baiting units and allowing baits to remain at designated depths from the surface under inclement weather.