Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Production and consumption of carbon monoxide in a eutrophic lake1

CO concentrations were measured in the water of a eutrophic lake by a technique which allowed the detection of greater than or equal to 0.5 nl CO x liter/sup -1/ of water. In spring, when the lake was aerobic to the bottom, CO distribution was relatively homogeneous with concentrations of 40-130 nl x liter/sup -1/. In summer, CO concentrations ranged between 20 and 615 nl x liter/sup -1/ in the aerobic epilimnion and metalimnion, but reached values of >8000 nl x liter/sup -1/ in the anaerobic hypolimnion. CO increased during the morning and decreased during the afternoon in the upper water layers as well as in the dark hypolimnion. Incubation of lake water samples from different depths under daylight conditions resulted in a strong CO production. The light-dependent CO production was stimulated by the high numbers of Oscillatoria rubescens in the metalimnion, but also by material from the lake sediment. Incubation of lake water samples in darkness resulted in CO consumption under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
TRANSCRITOS DO GENE PITX1 EM CARCINOMAS EPIDERMÓIDES DE BOCA: AMPLIFICAÇÃO POR RT-PCR E LOCALIZAÇÃO POR HIBRIDIZAÇÃO IN SITU

Homeobox genes have functions on morphogenesis and cell differentiation and have been related with cancer in humans. PITX1 was one of the genes found in the Head and Neck Cancer Genome Project. It is known that PITX1 gene is related with anterior structures of the developing embryo, although its relation with neoplasm is not we ll established. In this study we proposed to verify the presence of PITX1 gene transcripts in oral squamous cell carcinoma and adjacent non-tumoral tissues, analyzing its possible relation with the morphology of neoplastic cells. For such study, gene transcripts were amplified by RT-PCR and its cellular localization determined by in situ hybridization with specific riboprobes. Results showed that the transcript was amplified in 86,2% of the cases; 28% were only in the tumors, 16% non-tumoral tissues and 56% were amplified in both tissues. Statistics analysis by Z-test showed there was no significant difference between amplification and the type of tissue analyzed. In situ hybridization reactions showed transcripts mostly expressed in the epithelium component in a heterogenic manner sometimes intense and others discrete in several cells populations in both tumoral and non-tumoral adjacent tissues, with no apparent relationship to cell morphology. In general, signal was more intense in the non-tumoral epithelium when compared to the neoplasia. These results suggest that PITX1 gene can be involved with oral carcinogenesis and that its expression is reduced in most of the oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the Cardamom region of southwestern Cambodia

An up-to-date checklist of the herpetofauna of the Cardamom region of southwestern Cambodia is provided which includes new records for one species of caecilian, one species of frog, two species of lizards, and seven species of snakes. These include an undescribed species of the caecilian Ichthyophis and the gecko Cnemaspis and a new record for Cambodia of the snake Coelognathus flavolineatus. The frog Micryletta inornata and the turtle Cyclemys atripons are reported for the first time from Bokor National Park, in the southeastern Cardamoms.
Mori Cortex Radicis Attenuates High Fat Diet-Induced Cognitive Impairment via an IRS/Akt Signaling Pathway

Present study was conducted to investigate ameliorating effects of Mori Cortex radicis on cognitive impair and neuronal defects in HFD-induced (High Fat Diet-Induced) obese mice. To induce obesity, C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD for 8 weeks, and then mice were fed the HFD plus Mori Cortex radicis extract (MCR) (100 or 200 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Prior to sacrifice, body weights were measured, and Y-maze test and oral glucose tolerance test were performed. Serum lipid metabolic biomarkers (TG, LDL, and HDL/total cholesterol ratio) and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase), malondialdehyde (MDA), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels were measured in brain tissues. The expressions of proteins related to insulin signaling (p-IRS, PI3K, p-Akt, and GLUT4) and neuronal protection (p-Tau, Bcl-2, and Bax) were examined. MCR suppressed weight gain, improved serum lipid metabolic biomarker and glucose tolerance, inhibited AChE levels and MDA production, and restored antioxidant enzyme levels in brain tissue. In addition, MCR induced neuronal protective effects by inhibiting p-Tau expression and increasing Bcl-2/Bax ratio, which was attributed to insulin-induced increases in the expressions p-IRS, PI3K, p-Akt, and GLUT4. These indicate MCR may reduce HFD-induced insulin dysfunction and neuronal damage and suggest MCR be considered a functional material for the prevention of T2DM-associated neuronal disease.
COMPARISONS OF NITRIFICATION AND DENITRIFICATION IN PRAIRIE AND AGRICULTURALLY INFLUENCED STREAMS

Whole-stream nitrification and denitrification rates were calculated from field incubation studies of representative substrata in Kings Creek and Shane Creek watersheds at the Konza Prairie Biological Station, Kansas, USA. Substrata from a relatively pristine upstream and an agriculturally influenced downstream reach were measured in both watersheds. Rates were scaled to the whole stream by the mass of each substratum in the stream reach. Substrata sampled included epilithon, leaf packs and wood (coarse benthic organic matter, CBOM), filamentous green algae, bryophytes, fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), and suspended particulate organic matter. Upstream sites had significantly lower nitrification and denitrification rates than downstream sites. Nitrification rates were dominated by nitrification associated with epilithon and filamentous green algae. Downstream sites had a higher proportion of nitrification occurring in the water column relative to upstream sites. Whole-stream denitrification was dominat.
A Cost-Effective In Situ Zooplankton Monitoring System Based on Novel Illumination Optimization

A cost-effective and low-power-consumption underwater microscopic imaging system was developed to capture high-resolution zooplankton images in real-time. In this work, dark-field imaging was adopted to reduce backscattering and background noise. To produce an accurate illumination, a novel illumination optimization scheme for the light-emitting diode (LED) array was proposed and applied to design a lighting system for the underwater optical imaging of zooplankton. A multiple objective genetic algorithm was utilized to find the best location of the LED array, which resulted in the specific illumination level and most homogeneous irradiance in the target area. The zooplankton imaging system developed with the optimal configuration of LEDs was tested with Daphnia magna under laboratory conditions. The maximal field of view was 16 mm × 13 mm and the optical resolution was 15 μm. The experimental results showed that the imaging system developed could capture high-resolution and high-definition images of Daphnia. Subsequently, Daphnia individuals were accurately segmented and their geometrical characters were measured by using a classical image processing algorithm. This work provides a cost-effective zooplankton measuring system based on an optimization illumination configuration of an LED array, which has a great potential for minimizing the investment and operating costs associated with long-term in situ monitoring of the physiological state and population conditions of zooplankton.
PERSPECTIVE A statistical theory for sampling species abundances

The pattern of species abundances is central to ecology. But direct measurements of species abundances at ecologically relevant scales are typically unfeasible. This limitation has motivated a long-standing interest in the relationship between the abundance distribution in a large, regional community and the distribution observed in a small sample from the community. Here, we develop a statistical sampling theory to describe how observed patterns of species abundances are influenced by the spatial distributions of populations. For a wide range of regional-scale abundance distributions we derive exact expressions for the sampled abundance distributions, as a function of sample size and the degree of conspecific spatial aggregation. We show that if populations are randomly distributed in space then the sampled and regional-scale species-abundance distribution typically have the same functional form: sampling can be expressed by a simple scaling relationship. In the case of aggregated spatial distributions, however, the shape of a sampled species-abundance distribution diverges from the regional-scale distribution. Conspecific aggregation results in sampled distributions that are skewed towards both rare and common species. We discuss our findings in light of recent results from neutral community theory, and in the context of estimating biodiversity.
From Orai to E-Cadherin: Subversion of Calcium Trafficking in Cancer to Drive Proliferation, Anoikis-Resistance, and Metastasis

The common currency of epithelial differentiation and homeostasis is calcium, stored primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum, rationed according to need, and replenished from the extracellular milieu via store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). This currency is disbursed by the IP3 receptor in response to diverse extracellular signals. The rate of release is governed by regulators of proliferation, autophagy, survival, and programmed cell death, the strength of the signal leading to different outcomes. Intracellular calcium acts chiefly through intermediates such as calmodulin that regulates growth factor receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), actin polymerization, and adherens junction assembly and maintenance. Here we review this machinery and its role in differentiation, then consider how cancer cells subvert it to license proliferation, resist anoikis, and enable metastasis, either by modulating the level of intracellular calcium or its downstream targets or effectors such as EGFR, E-cadherin, IQGAP1, TMEM16A, CLCA2, and TRPA1. Implications are considered for the roles of E-cadherin and growth factor receptors in circulating tumor cells and metastasis. The discovery of novel, cell type-specific modulators and effectors of calcium signaling offers new possibilities for cancer chemotherapy.
Student Support Services Program.

The TRiO Student Support Services (https://www.creighton.edu/trio) Program at Creighton seeks to provide academic, emotional, cultural, and financial support for students who meet established Federal and program guidelines. Enrolled participants receive academic advising, personal and career counseling, tutorial assistance, and assistance in applying for financial aid. A limited number of scholarships are available to program participants based on unmet financial need. Student Support Services’ academic and financial services assist participants with persisting yearto-year, maintaining good GPA standing, and graduating on-time. A limited number of scholarships are issued based on program participation and unmet need.
Multiple Potential Regulatory Elements in the 5′ Flanking Region of the Human al,-Adrenergic Receptor:Short Communication

In spite of their critical importance in myocardial hypertrophy and benign prostatic hyperplasia, nothing is known about mechanisms underlying transcriptional regulation of αla-adrenergic receptors (αl, ARs). Therefore we cloned 6.2kb of novel sequence upstream of the initiator ATG in the human αlaAR gene. Sequence analysis reveals a TATA-less promoter, the presence of several initiator (Inr) consensus sequences, multiple GC rich regions consistent with Sp-1 binding, and consensus sequences for AP-1 and AP-2 as well as putative cis transcriptional regulatory elements for binding of CREB (cyclic-AMP response element binding protein), glucocorticoids, estrogen, and insulin. Compared to the αlbAR, the αlaAR has several more cis regulatory elements, suggesting more complex regulation. The importance of αlaARs in human disease makes it imperative to determine mechanisms underlying transcription and ultimately expression of this receptor. These studies can now be undertaken with the availability of human αlaAR .
Number of Regularly Prescribed Drugs and Intrapatient Tacrolimus Trough Levels Variability in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients

High intra-patient variability (IPV) of tacrolimus levels is associated with poor long-term outcome after transplantation. We aimed to evaluate whether the number of regularly prescribed medications is associated with the tacrolimus IPV. We have studied 152 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with mean post-transplant time of 6.0 ± 3.1 years. The coefficient of variation (CV) as a measure of IPV was calculated in each individual patient. Data concerning the type and number of currently prescribed medications were collected. The participants were divided into four groups, based on the number of regularly prescribed drugs (≤3, 4–6, 7–9, ≥10 drugs, respectively). There was an increasing trend for median CV, proportional to the increasing number of medications [group 1: 0.11 (interquartile range, 0.08–0.14), group 2: 0.14 (0.01–0.17), group 3: 0.17 (0.14–0.23), group 4: 0.17 (0.15–0.30); p value for trend = 0.001]. Stepwise backward multivariate regression analysis revealed that the number of medications [partial correlation coefficient (rpartial) = 0.503, p < 0.001] independently influenced the tacrolimus IPV. Concomitant steroid or diuretics use increased IPV only in Advagraf-treated KTRs, whereas proton-pump inhibitor or statin use increased IPV in the Prograf group but not in the Advagraf group. A large number of concomitant medications significantly increases the tacrolimus IPV in stable KTRs.
Functionalized Cannabinoid Subtype 2 Receptor Ligands: Fluorescent, PET, Photochromic and Covalent Molecular Probes

Abstract Cannabinoid subtype 2 receptors (CB2Rs) are G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) belonging to the endocannabinoid system, a complex network of signalling pathways leading to the regulation of key physiological processes. Interestingly, CB2Rs are strongly up‐regulated in pathological conditions correlated with the onset of inflammatory events like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, CB2Rs represent an important biological target for therapeutic as well as diagnostic purposes. No CB2R‐selective drugs are yet on the market, thus underlining a that deeper comprehension of CB2Rs’ complex activation pathways and their role in the regulation of diseases is needed. Herein, we report an overview of pharmacological and imaging tools such as fluorescent, positron emission tomography (PET), photochromic and covalent selective CB2R ligands. These molecular probes can be used in vitro as well as in vivo to investigate and explore the unravelled role(s) of CB2Rs, and they can help to design suitable CB2R‐targeted drugs.
The Pathogen Profile of a Honey Bee Queen Does Not Reflect That of Her Workers

Throughout a honey bee queen’s lifetime, she is tended to by her worker daughters, who feed and groom her. Such interactions provide possible horizontal transmission routes for pathogens from the workers to the queen, and as such a queen’s pathogen profile may be representative of the workers within a colony. To explore this further, we investigated known honey bee pathogen co-occurrence, as well as pathogen transmission from workers to queens. Queens from 42 colonies were removed from their source hives and exchanged into a second, unrelated foster colony. Worker samples were taken from the source colony on the day of queen exchange and the queens were collected 24 days after introduction. All samples were screened for Nosema spp. , Trypanosome spp. , acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Lake Sinai virus (LSV), and deformed wing virus master variants (DWV-A, B, and C) using RT-qPCR. The data show that LSV, Nosema, and DWV-B were the most abundant pathogens in colonies. All workers (n = 42) were LSV-positive, 88% were Nosema-positive, whilst pathogen loads were low (<1 × 106 genome equivalents per pooled worker sample). All queens (n = 39) were negative for both LSV and Nosema. We found no evidence of DWV transmission occurring from worker to queen when comparing queens to foster colonies, despite DWV being present in both queens and workers. Honey bee pathogen presence and diversity in queens cannot be revealed from screening workers, nor were pathogens successfully transmitted to the queen.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing: Where We Are Today

Background: Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is widely used today in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) centers over the world for selecting euploid embryos for transfer and to improve clinical outcomes in terms of embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates. Methods: We report the current knowledge concerning these procedures and the results from different clinical indications in which PGT is commonly applied. Results: This paper illustrates different molecular techniques used for this purpose and the clinical significance of the different oocyte and embryo stage (polar bodies, cleavage embryo, and blastocyst) at which it is possible to perform sampling biopsies for PGT. Finally, genetic origin and clinical significance of embryo mosaicism are illustrated. Conclusions: The preimplantation genetic testing is a valid technique to evaluated embryo euploidy and mosaicism before transfer.
Zeolin. A New Recombinant Storage Protein Constructed Using Maize γ-Zein and Bean Phaseolin1

The major seed storage proteins of maize (Zea mays) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), zein and phaseolin, accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and in storage vacuoles, respectively. We show here that a chimeric protein composed of phaseolin and 89 amino acids of γ-zein, including the repeated and the Pro-rich domains, maintains the main characteristics of wild-type γ-zein: It is insoluble unless its disulfide bonds are reduced and forms ER-located protein bodies. Unlike wild-type phaseolin, the protein, which we called zeolin, accumulates to very high amounts in leaves of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). A relevant proportion of the ER chaperone BiP is associated with zeolin protein bodies in an ATP-sensitive fashion. Pulse-chase labeling confirms the high affinity of BiP to insoluble zeolin but indicates that, unlike structurally defective proteins that also extensively interact with BiP, zeolin is highly stable. We conclude that the γ-zein portion is sufficient to induce the formation of protein bodies also when fused to another protein. Because the storage proteins of cereals and legumes nutritionally complement each other, zeolin can be used as a starting point to produce nutritionally balanced and highly stable chimeric storage proteins.
Technique and Circuit for Contactless Readout of Piezoelectric MEMS Resonator Sensors

A technique and electronic circuit for contactless electromagnetic interrogation of piezoelectric micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator sensors are proposed. The adopted resonator is an aluminum-nitride (AlN) thin-film piezoelectric-on-silicon (TPoS) disk vibrating in radial contour mode at about 6.3 MHz. The MEMS resonator is operated in one-port configuration and it is connected to a spiral coil, forming the sensor unit. A proximate electronic interrogation unit is electromagnetically coupled through a readout coil to the sensor unit. The proposed technique exploits interleaved excitation and detection phases of the MEMS resonator. A tailored electronic circuit manages the periodic switching between the excitation phase, where it generates the excitation signal driving the readout coil, and the detection phase, where it senses the transient decaying response of the resonator by measuring through a high-impedance amplifier the voltage induced back across the readout coil. This approach advantageously ensures that the readout frequency of the MEMS resonator is first order independent of the interrogation distance between the readout and sensor coils. The reported experimental results show successful contactless readout of the MEMS resonator independently from the interrogation distance over a range of 12 mm, and the application as a resonant sensor for ambient temperature and as a resonant acoustic-load sensor to detect and track the deposition and evaporation processes of water microdroplets on the MEMS resonator surface.
Dietary n-6/n-3 Ratio Influences Brain Fatty Acid Composition in Adult Rats

There is mounting evidence that diets supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can impact brain biology and functions. This study investigated whether moderately high-fat diets differing in n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio could impact fatty acid composition in regions of the brain linked to various psychopathologies. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats consumed isocaloric diets (35% kcal from fat) containing different ratios of linoleic acid (n-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (n-3) for 2 months. It was found that the profiles of PUFA in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus reflected the fatty acid composition of the diet. In addition, region-specific changes in saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were detected in the hypothalamus, but not in the hippocampus or prefrontal cortex. This study in adult rats demonstrates that fatty acid remodeling in the brain by diet can occur within months and provides additional evidence for the suggestion that diet could impact mental health.
Obesity and COVID‐19: The mTOR pathway as a possible culprit

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by a single-stranded RNA virus, has demonstrated considerable variations in rate and mortality globally. These variations have been explained by several factors, including age, data accuracy, and obesity. The mechanisms by which obesity increases the rate/mortality of COVID-19 need to be comprehensively understood. Possible mechanisms include associated comorbidities and enhanced virus entry through the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is the putative receptor for coronavirus entry into host cells. In adipose tissues, ACE2 expression levels exceed those expressed in the lung. Individuals with obesity present an increased volume of adipose tissues, and consequently higher ACE2 levels, which could increase their susceptibility to COVID-19. Researchers are still exploring other possible explanations. Viruses largely rely on the host cell translation machinery, exploiting the translational apparatus of the infected cell to express viral proteins. Certain pathways/molecules, hyperactivated in obese hosts and shared with those in coronaviruses, could further rationalize the association of obesity with COVID-19.
Selenium yeast: Composition, quality, analysis, and safety

Abstract Selenium yeast, produced by growing select strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Se-rich media, is a recognized source of organic food-form Se, but the determination of its exact composition with respect to the Se species present produced conflicting results. Improved methods of analysis have since revealed it to contain 90+ % of its Se in the form of selenomethionine, the principal organic nutritional form of Se for higher animals and humans. The safety record of Se yeast is excellent: During the three decades of its world-wide use as a source of supplemental Se, no cases of Se poisoning have occurred due to dosage or formulation errors.