Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
1/f Neural Noise and Electrophysiological Indices of Contextual Prediction in Normative Aging

Prediction during language comprehension has increasingly been suggested to play a substantive role in efficient language processing. Emerging models have postulated that predictive mechanisms are enhanced when neural networks fire synchronously, but to date, this relationship has been investigated primarily through oscillatory activity in narrow frequency bands. A recently-developed measure proposed to reflect broadband neural activity – and thereby synchronous neuronal firing – is 1/f neural noise extracted from EEG spectral power. Previous research (Voytek et al., 2015) has indicated that this measure of 1/f neural noise changes across the lifespan, and these neural changes predict age-related behavioral impairments in visual working memory. Using a cross-sectional sample of young and older adults, we examined age-related changes in 1/f neural noise and whether this measure would predict ERP correlates of successful lexical prediction during discourse comprehension. 1/f neural noise across two different language tasks revealed high within-subject correlations, indicating that this measure can provide a reliable index of individualized patterns of neural activation. In addition to age, 1/f noise was a significant predictor of N400 effects of successful lexical prediction, but noise did not mediate age-related declines in other ERP effects. We discuss broader implications of these findings for theories of predictive processing, as well as potential applications of 1/f noise across research populations.
Spatial and Temporal Expression of the b1D Integrin During Mouse Development

The b1D protein is a recently char- acterized isoform of the integrin b1 subunit that is present in cardiac and skeletal muscles. In this study, we have examined the expression of b1D in different types of skeletal muscle and in cardiac muscle and studied its distribution during mouse development, using new monoclonal antibodies specific for b1D. Immunoprecipitation studies revealed that, while b1A is strongly expressed in proliferating C2C12 myoblasts, b1D is only ex- pressed after their differentiation to myotubes. In these myotubes, b1D is associated with different a subunits, namely a3A, a5, a7A, or a7B. Initially, during embryogenesis, the b1A subunit is the only b1 variant expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle. The b1D subunit is first detected in skeletal muscle at E17.5, whereas in cardiac muscle its expression begins around the time of birth. Later the expres- sion of b1A in skeletal and cardiac muscle be- comes restricted to capillary cells, whereas b1D eventually becomes the only variant expressed in adult cardiac and skeletal muscle cells. The switch from the b1A to the b1D subunit in cardiac muscle cells coincides with the expression of a7. In adults there is a distinct concentration of b1D at the myotendinous junctions of muscle fibers and at costameres in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. In addition, b1D is present at intercalated discs in cardiac muscle and at neuromuscular junc- tions in skeletal muscle cells. The amount of b1D in different types of skeletal muscle (fast, slow, and mixed-type) was similar, but cardiac muscle ex- pressed almost five times as much of this protein. We suggest that b1D plays a role in the mainte- nance of the cytoarchitecture of mature muscle and in the functional integrity of the muscle cells. Dev. Dyn. 1997;210:472-486. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In-vitro characterization and biological properties of polyphenols extract of ripe garden egg (Solanum gilo)

This study sought to investigate and compare the HPLC/DAD characterization, nutrient composition of ripe and unripe garden egg fruits to see its potentials for use in animal feed and in industrial processes. Analyses were carried out on Solanum gilo ripe (SGR) and Solanum gilo unripe (SGU) dried samples. Proximate analysis and minerals such as (Ca, Na, K, Mg, Zn) as well as some anti-nutritional factors (phytates, tannins) were carried out on the powdered samples. Polyphenols content were identified and quantified using HPLC-DAD. Total phenols, total flavonoids and vitamin C content was determined, while its antiradical assay was examined as typified 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] and 2,2Azinobis (3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonate [ABTS]. Results of the study revealed an increased in fat and crude fibre content while a slight reduction was reported in protein content but no significant changes was reported in the total carbohydrate content. HPLC-DAD analysis showed that gallic acid was the most abundant phenolics present. There was increased in some of the flavonoids due to ripening such as Ellagic acid, Isoquercitrin, Quercetrin and Kaempferol. The total phenols, flavonoids increased in SGR, there was no change in DPPH scavenging ability while ABTS scavenging ability increased with the SGR. It can be concluded that ripe garden eggs which is usually discarded could be of use as an excellent livestock feed source/additives NWANNA Esther Emem 1,2,* and ADEDAYO Bukola Christiana 1
Gaucher's disease: a case report

Gaucher's disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by lack of acid β-glucosidase (glucocerebrosidase) enzyme resulting in accumulation of glucosylceramide in different organs. This enzyme is encoded by a gene on chromosome 1. Accumulation of glucosylceramide in tissues leads to multisystem organ involvement viz. liver, spleen, bone marrow, lungs and central nervous system. It is common in Ashkenazi Jews but rare in India. Around five hundred cases are identified and diagnosed in India. Serum β-glucosidase levels <15% of mean normal activity confirms the diagnosis, enzyme replacement being the only definitive treatment. Here we report a case of Gaucher’s disease.
Metal(loid)s Accumulation and Interactions in Tetrahymena thermophila

ABSTRACT Metal(loid)s' accumulation and interactions were studied in Tetrahymena thermophila after 24 h exposure to 100 µM CuI, 20 µM CdII, 1 µM of AgI, HgII, PbII, AsIII, AsV, SbIII, SbV, SeIV, or SeVI, and once to Cu deprivation. More than 80% of elements adopted to the cells (except Ag) were found in water-insoluble form. Cu exposure led in co-accumulation of Cu with zinc, iron and selenium. In cell lysates the studied elements, particularly Cd, Hg, Pb, and Sb, were more or less associated with metallothioneins. Most exposures had a negative impact on cellular consumption and content of essential metals Cu, Zn, and Fe.
Trends in Chemometrics: Food Authentication, Microbiology, and Effects of Processing.

In the last decade, the use of multivariate statistical techniques developed for analytical chemistry has been adopted widely in food science and technology. Usually, chemometrics is applied when there is a large and complex dataset, in terms of sample numbers, types, and responses. The results are used for authentication of geographical origin, farming systems, or even to trace adulteration of high value-added commodities. In this article, we provide an extensive practical and pragmatic overview on the use of the main chemometrics tools in food science studies, focusing on the effects of process variables on chemical composition and on the authentication of foods based on chemical markers. Pattern recognition methods, such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis, have been used to associate the level of bioactive components with in vitro functional properties, although supervised multivariate statistical methods have been used for authentication purposes. Overall, chemometrics is a useful aid when extensive, multiple, and complex real-life problems need to be addressed in a multifactorial and holistic context. Undoubtedly, chemometrics should be used by governmental bodies and industries that need to monitor the quality of foods, raw materials, and processes when high-dimensional data are available. We have focused on practical examples and listed the pros and cons of the most used chemometric tools to help the user choose the most appropriate statistical approach for analysis of complex and multivariate data.
Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of 1,2-propanediol using glycerol as a carbon and energy source

Biodiesel production via transesterification generates approx. 10% (w/w) glycerol, which is considered as a glut and needs to be valorized. The production of 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) could prove to be one interesting valorization route. 1,2-PDO is an important commodity chemical used in food, drug, and cosmetic industries. Beside these applications, its frequent use as a less-toxic (compared to ethylene glycol) antifreeze, as a favorable solvent in photographic industries, in polyester resin preparation, and in preparation of biodegradable plastics makes it a chemical in high demand. S. cerevisiae is one of the favored platforms for metabolic engineering and a popular microbial host to produce high-value chemicals. In this study we attempt engineering S. cerevisiae for 1,2-PDO production from glycerol. As a starting point we used a previously selected S. cerevisiae strain (CBS 6412-13A) naturally able to grow on glycerol with μmax of ∼0.13 h-1. First, the glycerol growth of CBS6412-13A on glycerol was further improved by ∼39%, reaching to a μmax of ∼0.18 h-1 by expressing a heterologous glycerol facilitator (Fps1p from Cyberlindnera jadinii). In order to produce 1,2-PDO in the latter strain, three heterologous 1,2-PDO pathway enzymes were co-expressed. As the 1,2-PDO pathway enzyme need redox equivalent in the form of NADH, the native glycerol catabolic pathway was replaced by an NADH generating pathway. To further enhance the 1,2-PDO production in such an engineered strain, the triose phosphate isomerase that competes with 1,2-PDO pathway for dihydroxyacetone phosphate was down-regulated by replacing the native TPI1 promoter by the weak promoter TEFmut2. Additionally, the key genes encoding the heterologous 1,2-PDO pathway enzymes were overexpressed by introducing their second copies into the genome. The reduction of Tpi1p activity in combination with NADH-generating glycerol catabolic pathway and overexpression of key 1,2-PDO enzymes resulted in a remarkable improvement of 1,2-PDO production from glycerol and a titer of ~3.7 g/L was achieved. This concentration of 1,2-PDO is the highest ever achieved (~70% more than previously reported) in engineered S. cerevisiae using glycerol as a carbon source.
Characterization of Coa Gene and Antimicrobial Profiles of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from Bovine Clinical and Subclinical mastitis

| Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the major pathogens involved in bovine mastitis. Monitoring of antibiotic use could assess the hazard of S. aureus in cow’s milk. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of S. aureus in mastitic dairy cows in some localities in Dakahlia and Damietta Governorates, Egypt and to phenotypically characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility of the obtained isolates. In that context, a total of406 milk samples were collected from dairy cows suffering from clinical (n=100) and subclinical (n=306) mastitis from four different dairy farms. Milk samples were subjected to conventional bacteriological isolation techniques, and confirmed as S.aureus by using PCR assay targeting nuc (S. aureus-specific thermonuclease) and coa (coagulase) genes. Interestingly, 28 S. aureus strains tested negative to coagulase enzyme phenotypically were positive for Cao gene. The prevalence rate of S. aureus in clinical and subclinical mastitic milk samples was 66% (66/100) and 30.72% (94/306) respectively with an overall prevalence of 39.40% (160/406). All S.aureus isolates were tested against 10 different antimicrobials belonged to 7 antimicrobial classes. S.aureus strains exhibited a high rate of resistance to vancomycin (93.75%), penicillin (86.25%), trimethoprim (60%), and oxacillin (58.75%). A medium rate of resistance was observed to clindamycin (41.25%), ciprofloxacin (41.25%) and erythromycin (37.5%). On the other hand; S.aureus isolates displayed a low frequency of resistance to gentamicin (21.25%), ampicillin/sulbactam (20%) and chloramphenicol (18.75%). The multidrug-resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobials was detected in 108isolates (67.5 %). In conclusion, antimicrobial resistance of S.aureus was prevalent in dairy herds in the study area which represents a public health hazard. Hence, control and prevention policies should be implemented to minimize the dissemination of resistance trend.
People’s Perceptions of the Benefits of Natural Beekeeping and Its Positive Outcomes for Forest Conservation

Natural beekeeping is an alternative livelihood for poor people in rural areas with poor accessibility and important for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. We set out to answer the following two questions: (a) Can beekeeping really provide a significant contribution to local people’s income generation? (b) Do beekeepers have a strong willingness to protect natural forest? To do this, we systematically sampled and interviewed 60 beekeepers and 60 nonbeekeepers from 12 villages in three districts of Oudomxay Province, Lao PDR. We found that beekeeping households have a significant marginally higher income compared with nonbeekeeping households. Meanwhile, beekeepers also showed a significant concern for forest protection. Factors constraining the sustainability of beekeeping include chemical pesticide use, lack of technology, and several others. Governmental agencies and conservation organizations thus could promote natural beekeeping in rural areas for both a partial income source and regional biodiversity conservation.
Bacillus subtilis, essential oil, chromium and glucose as sow pack alters the performance, immune and stress on pregnant sows and piglets

A total of 26 (Landrace × Yorkshire) sows were randomly allotted to two experimental dietary treatments: 1) basal diet (CON); 2) CON plus 0.28% sow pack (SP) to determine the effect of Bacillus subtilis, essential oil, chromium and glucose as sow pack supplementation on sows and piglets. During the overall study, sows fed the SP diet increased body weight of sow after weanling and farrowing, sow back-fat thickness on d 110 , average daily gain of piglets, the level of immunoglobulin-G (IgG) and insulin on d 14 lactating and after weanling and decreased body weight loss, the level of cortisol and glucose on d 14 lactating as well as the level of cortisol after weanling 3 d (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results indicated that supplementation of sow pack diet increased performance of sows and piglets, IgG, insulin of blood and decreased the cortisol and glucose in the blood profiles of sows.
Diet Composition of Four Vulture Species in Azerbaijan

We studied the diet of four avian scavenger species, the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, Black Vulture Aegypius monachus, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in Azerbaijan, in the South Caucasus region, from 2008–2012. During these years, a total of 1861 remains were collected between May and July at nests of each of the four vulture species. The collected food remains belonged to 45 different animal species, including at least 24 species of wild mammals and eight species of domestic mammals. Diet composition of Griffon and Black Vultures differed greatly between years, consisting mainly of Domestic Sheep Ovis aries in 2008 and 2009, carnivores such as Grey Wolf Canis lupus, Golden Jackal Canis aureus and Red Fox Vulpes vulpes in 2010, and Domestic Horses Equus ferus caballus in 2011 and 2012. The diet of Egyptian Vultures was less variable across years, but generally consisted of a larger variety of wild animals, including Red Fox, Brown Hare Lepus europaeus caucasicus, reptiles and several species of birds, and only a small fraction of domestic mammals (<5%). The diet of Bearded Vultures consisted mostly of Daghestan Tur Capra cylindricornis, a wild goat species. The variation in diet between years observed in Griffon and Black Vultures coincided with changes in the availability of carcasses in the environment.
Characterization of tissue-resident CD8+ T cell memory formation upon skin infection with the viral vector MVA

Tissue-resident memory (TRM) cells are cytotoxic CD8+ T cells that populate the epithelia of non-lymphoid organs and mediate rapid protection from local infection. This study shows that antigen recognition in MVA (modified vaccinia virus Ankara)-infected skin critically contributes to local TRM cell formation. The data further indicate that T cells of different specificities compete in situ for antigenic signals, which directly impacts the composition of the local TRM pool. The findings extend our mechanistic understanding of T cell memory generation at portals of pathogen entry.
Prevalence and Drug-Resistance Patterns of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Shigella Species among Children with Diarrhea in Merida City, Mexico

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shigella are two of the leading causes of diarrhea among children in developing countries. The prevalence of ETEC and Shigella species resistant to antimicrobial agents is increasing. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of ETEC and Shigella species among under-five children with diarrhea in an urban region of southeastern Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted among under-five children with acute diarrhea from January 2013 to January 2014 at Merida city. Isolation, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test of ETEC and Shigella species were performed using standard bacteriological protocols. Of 200 stool samples collected, 18 (9.0%) ETEC and 12 (6.0%) Shigella strains were isolated. Among 12 Shigella species Shigellaflexneri founded as 8 (66.7%), followed by Shigellaboydii 4 (33.3%). One hundred percent of ETEC and Shigella isolates showed resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin and cephalothin. Also, high frequency of resistance for both ETEC and Shigella isolates was observed to nitrofurantoin (100%, 83.3%), respectively. However, when we analyzed the resistance patterns of Shigella by species, S. boydii showed more resistance (8 of 12 antimicrobials tested) in comparison to S. flexneri isolates. Multidrug resistance (MDR) (≥3 drugs) was observed among all ETEC and Shigella isolates, being the aminoglycosides the more effective drugs against these pathogens. In conclusion, these findings indicate that ETEC and Shigella spp. are important etiological agents of diarrhea among under-five children and a high rate of drug resistance, including MDR, to the commonly used drugs was observed in our region.
Genetic analysis of carotenoid accumulation in tropical maize inbred lines using molecular tools and field tests for accelerating the biofortification of maize with provitamin A

xii Chapter 1: General Introduction . 1 1.1 Micronutrient undernutrition . 2 1.2 Vitamin A, its diatry sources, metabolism and functions . 2 1.3 Vitamin A deficiency . 5 1.4 Traditional intervention alternatives against vitamin A deficiency. 8 1.5 Biofortification: agriculture’s response to micronutrient undernutrition . 8 1.6 Maize as a vehicle for provitamin A biofortification . 10 1.7 Prospect of success and efficacy in maize biofortification . 12 1.8 Carotenoids and the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in maize endosperm . 14 1.9 Yellow maize germplasm under IITA’s maize improvement program . 18 1.10 Target research areas of the PhD thesis project: . 19 1.11 Research Objectives . 20 Chapter 2: Evaluation of allele specific DNA markers for key genes involved in regulation of provitamin A accumulation in maize endosperm . 22 2.0 Abstract . 23 2.
Chemical characterization and quantification ofsiderophores produced by marine and terrestrialaspergilli

Ten aspergilli (five each from marine and terrestrial habitats) were screened for siderophore production. All test isolates produced siderophores as indicated by a positive reaction in the FeCl3 test, chrome azurol sulphonate assay, and chrome azurol sulphonate agar plate test. Further, the test isolates were compared for their siderophore production potential and chemical characteristics. Examination of the chemical nature of the siderophores revealed that all test isolates produced hydroxamate siderophores that were trihydroxamate hexadentates. Wide-spread occurrence of siderophores in marine isolates indicate their functional role in maintaining overall productivity of coastal waters. Among all test aspergilli, marine Aspergillus versicolor was found to be the largest siderophore producer (182.5 μg/mL desferrioxamine mesylate equivalent), least siderophore production was recorded in a marine strain of Aspergillus niger (3.5 μg/mL desferrioxamine mesylate equivalent).
The Y chromosome contributes to sex-specific aging in Drosophila

Heterochromatin suppresses repetitive DNA, and a loss of heterochromatin has been observed in aged cells of several species, including humans and Drosophila [1-3]. Males often contain substantially more heterochromatic DNA than females, due to the presence of a large, repeat-rich Y chromosome, and male flies generally have shorter average life spans than females [4,5]. Here we show that repetitive DNA becomes de-repressed more rapidly in old male flies relative to females, and repeats on the Y chromosome are disproportionally mis-expressed during aging. This is associated with a loss of heterochromatin at repetitive elements during aging in male flies, and a general loss of repressive chromatin in aged males away from pericentromeric regions and the Y. By generating flies with different sex chromosome karyotypes (XXY females; X0 and XYY males), we show that repeat de-repression and average lifespan is directly correlated with the number of Y chromosomes. Thus, sex-specific chromatin differences contribute to sex-specific aging in flies.
Diversidade das algas calcárias crostosas do Brasil baseada em marcadores moleculares e morfologia

187 Introduction 188 Material and methods 190 Results 193 Discussion 198 Conclusions 200 References 201 Chapter 3. Molecular and Morphological Diversity of Lithothamnion spp. Rhodoliths (Hapalidiaceae, Hapalidiales) from Deepwater Rhodolith Beds in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico 225 Abstract 226 Introduction 227 Material and methods 230 Results 235 Discussion 251 References 266 Conclusões gerais* 314 Appendix I List of samples collected along the Brazilian coast. CD Appendix II List of sequences downloaded from Genbak. CD Appendix III Distance matrix UPA CD Appendix IV Distance matrix – rbcL-3P CD Appendix V Distance matrix – COI-5P CD226 Introduction 227 Material and methods 230 Results 235 Discussion 251 References 266 Conclusões gerais* 314 Appendix I List of samples collected along the Brazilian coast. CD Appendix II List of sequences downloaded from Genbak. CD Appendix III Distance matrix UPA CD Appendix IV Distance matrix – rbcL-3P CD Appendix V Distance matrix – COI-5P CD * Por exigência do programa de pós-graduação, como a tese foi redigida em Inglês, a introdução geral e conclusões gerais foram redigidas em português. Appendix VI Distance matrix – psbA CD Appendix VII UPA alignment matrix CD Appendix VIII rbcL-3P alignment matrix CD Appendix IX COI-5P alignment matrix CD Appendix X psbA alignment matrix CD Appendix XI Distance matrix UPA CD Appendix XII Distance matrix psbA CD Appendix XIII Distance matrix COI CD CD with pdf files Back cover
Returning to the roots: Morphology, molecular phylogeny and classification of the Olivoidea (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda)

1A.N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninski prospect 33, 119071 Moscow, Russian Federation 2Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité ISYEB – UMR 7205 – CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP26, F-75005 Paris, France 3UMS 2700 OMSI, Service de Systématique Moléculaire, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 43, Rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris, France