Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interference of a synthetic rep protein to develop resistance against cotton leaf curl disease.

Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) associated with a complex of begomoviruses is an important agricultural issue of cotton. One of the reasons for breakdown of resistance against these viruses is gene silencing (GS) that come out as a problem while developing transgenic resistance in plants. This study is providing a strategy to manage CLCuD by controlling diverse begomoviruses and circumventing GS. A truncated Rep protein (Repsyn130) of a begomovirus optimized for plant expression and avoiding virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) was designed using bioinformatics tools and commercially synthesized. Nterminus 390 nucleotides encoding 130 amino acids of Reps of nine different begomoviruses involved in CLCuD were aligned with Repsyn130 and confirmed no chances of GS. Resistance evaluation of Repsyn130 against Cotton leaf curl Khokhran virus (CLCuKoV) and Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMuB) was performed by Agrobacterium-mediated transient assay in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Agroinoculation of CLCuKoV/CLCuMuB along with Repsyn130 resulted in 65% resistance by visual observation of symptoms severity along with 5-6 days delayed and milder symptoms development. PCR of 20 experimental plants confirmed the presence of CLCuKoV/CLCuMuB in 90% plants however, Southern analyses showed decreased viral load. These findings showed the potential of the synthetic Rep gene for resistance against CLCuD complex. © 2013 Friends Science Publishers
The Geographic Mosaic of Coevolution

Coevolution - reciprocal evolutionary change in interacting species driven by natural selection - is one of the most important ecological and genetic processes organizing the earth's biodiversity: most plants and animals require coevolved interactions with other species to survive and reproduce. The Geographic Mosaic of Coevolution analyzes how the biology of species provides the raw material for long-term coevolution, evaluates how local coadaptation forms the basic module of coevolutionary change, and explores how the coevolutionary process reshapes locally coevolving interactions across the earth's constantly changing landscapes. Picking up where his influential The Coevolutionary Process left off, John N. Thompson synthesizes the state of a rapidly developing science that integrates approaches from evolutionary ecology, population genetics, phylogeography, systematics, evolutionary biochemistry and physiology, and molecular biology. Using models, data, and hypotheses to develop a complete conceptual framework, Thompson also draws on examples from a wide range of taxa and environments, illustrating the expanding breadth and depth of research in coevolutionary biology.
The biological function of microRNA195 and its relationship with angiogenesis

MicroRNA participates in multiple biological activities by combining with target genes, degrading target mRNA or suppressing its translation which regulates the expression of genes. MicroRNA-195 is an important member of microRNA-15/161/195/424/497 family. miRNA-195 exerts its significant biological function in regulating cell cycle, apoptosis, cell metabolism, cell proliferation and metastasis by targetedly modulating MYB, CCND1, CCND3, CCNE1, E2F3, CDK6, Bcl-2, APP, BACE1, GLUT, SRC-3, Vav2, and CDC42. Recent studies have shown that miRNA-195 regulates angiogenic factors such as FGF1, VEGF and signaling pathways such as TGF-β1/ Smads and that miRNA-195 participates in the restoration of intima, tumour, the remodling of angiocarpy.
Biological impediments to measures of competition among introduced honey bees and desert bees

Foraging behaviors, host plant breadth, and vagilities of social and solitary bee species differ dramatically. We illustrate how these phenomena can obscure the effects of floral re source competition from our studies on a species-rich, native bee fauna that visit the flowers of cre osote bush (Larrea tridentata Coville (Zygophyllaceae)), a widespread dominant perennial plant species in the warm deserts of North America. The potential for competition among the solitary bees that visit creosote bush and honey bees was investigated by two methods; one that is widely used asks if solitary bee abundance and species diversity is less at sites with greater honey bee abun dance; and a second, more novel approach that asks if pollen availability is limiting at sites with high bee biomass. We found no relationship among number of honey bees at sites and species rich ness and abundance of all native bees combined or of pollen specialist species considered alone. Protein represented in the pollen of the primary host plant greatly exceeded the biomass of bees present at a site. We suggest bee populations are rarely pollen limited in this system or that com petition, when it occurs, is highly episodic. Future studies of bee competition will need to assess long-term population variation among solitary and introduced bees in habitats where floral resources can be measured for multiple flowering plant species, and where bee colony/nest dynamics can be documented. Studies of bee faunas in temperate areas are needed. This paper demonstrates some of the possible pitfalls for studies of competition among highly eusocial and solitary bees. We conclude that basic data on bee biology and population dynamics are needed before these questions can be satisfactorily answered and, at present, little hard data are available to evaluate the competing hypotheses.
Conditioned feeding responses of sheep towards flavoured foods associated with casein administration: the role of long delay learning.

The objective of two experiments was to investigate whether a delayed type of learning could account for the conditioned feeding responses of sheep towards novel food flavours associated with post-ingestive consequences (PIC) created from the administration at different points in time of a nutritive stimulus (casein). The doses of casein were low (15 g) and high (75 g) for experiments 1 and 2, previously known to result in positive and negative PIC respectively. Each experiment consisted of three conditioning periods, during which sheep were trained to associate one of two novel flavours with either casein or water (placebo) administration. During each conditioning, a novel flavoured food low in protein and relatively high in energy, was offered for 3 h (08:00 to 11:00 h) and was followed by an unflavoured, nutritionally similar food for the rest of the feeding time (11:00 to 17:00 h). Sheep were randomly assigned to one of three treatments that were defined by the time when casein or water doses were administered, in relation to the presence of the flavoured food (A= 08:30 and 10:00, B= 11:30 and 13:00 and С = 14:30 and 16:00 h respectively). At the end of each conditioning period preference tests were performed, where sheep were offered a choice between the two flavoured foods. There was no effect of time of casein administration on the conditioned responses towards flavoured foods in either experiment. In both experiments, the proportion of the flavoured food selected was significantly affected by the interaction between preference tests and casein association. For experiment 1 this was due to an increasing preference for the casein associated food accompanied by a decreasing preference for the water associated flavoured food as a result of repeated conditioning. The degree of such preference was different between flavours used for association with casein or water. For experiment 2 avoidance of the casein and preference for the water associated food were established after the completion of the second and reinforced by the third conditioning period. Flavours used had a lesser effect on the conditioned responses of this experiment. The results support the view that sheep develop conditioned responses towards novel food flavours associated with the administration of a nutritive stimulus, even when the PIC resulting from its administration are significantly disassociated in time from the presence of the flavoured food.
Investigations of Bacteria Viability on Surfaces Using ω-functionalized Alkanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers

The structure/function relationship between bacteria and biocidal molecules in the vapor or solution phase is well-understood. However, the fundamental structure/function relationship between covalently-bound biocidal surface molecules and bacteria is not. While a number of antibacterial surfaces have been reported, detailed analysis of the molecular scale surface structure has not been performed. The lack of structural knowledge makes it difficult to determine how alterations to the surface affect the viability of the bacteria. Most of the antibacterial surfaces reported to date are composed of polymer systems. Controlling the properties of large surface-bound molecules like polymers is difficult. Self-assembled monolayers, or SAMs, of alkanethiols on gold have been used extensively in the past 20 years as model surfaces for investigation of a large breadth of surface phenomena. SAMs allow for control of the molecular scale surface structure and are amenable to a great number of characterization techniques. The primary objective of the work in this study is to establish the use of SAMs as a tool to investigate the fundamental relationship between surface structure and bacteria viability. The surfaces were characterized before interaction with bacteria by reflectionabsorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Determination of the viability of Escherichia coli on the surfaces was performed via the antibacterial assay. In the assay, a culture of E. coli was sprayed onto the surfaces using a chromatography sprayer. After addition of growth agar and overnight incubation, the number of colony forming units on the surface were counted. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the number of colony forming units on different surfaces. Surfaces were characterized after the assay by RAIRS. The RAIR spectra indicated that no significant change to the well-ordered alkane chain configuration was evident. The
Jerome Bruner: un secolo di idee che resteranno per sempre

Jerome Bruner non è più con noi. Forse era ragionevolmente atteso, visto i suoi quasi 101 anni, ma nonostante questo la notizia ha lasciato tutti un po’ sgomenti e in tanti hanno provato quello strano sentimento del sentirsi un po’ più soli che sempre ci inonda quando qualcuno che ha infl uenzato profondamente le nostre vite ci lascia. In questo caso, però, non abbiamo avuto bisogno di aspettare che non ci fosse più per comprendere la sua grandezza. L’infl uenza di Bruner per la psicologia è profonda non solo perché ha prodotto idee per un secolo, quanto perché è un autore che da sempre è stato capace di accendere passioni e visioni, e rappresenta “cibo” per la mente per tutti coloro che cercano e credono in una psicologia non troppo pragmatica, non troppo comportamentista, non troppo cognitivista, non troppo di laboratorio, non troppo mentalista né meccanicistica. Nell’impegnarsi nei “non troppo”, Bruner ha dato alla psicologia un “nuovo look”, non tanto nel senso di una nuova veste, ma piuttosto nel fornire nuove
An Eschatological Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of Business as Mission Companies

This paper attempts to address the following question: “What metric or indicator is most useful for assessing the effectiveness of BAM (Business as Mission) companies? ” Several books have provided evaluative tools for assessing ministry viability and business effectiveness, but there are currently none that explicitly deal with a BAM measuring stick for holistic BAM effectiveness. This study thus will seek to offer several possible outlets for the emergence of a relational metric that can be used by BAM practitioners in a variety of different contexts. Specific avenues that will be explored include the business world, economic theory, the Christian canon, as well as church history.
Older adults’ interaction with mobile devices in Ireland: a survey

Mobile Devices can be beneficial for older adults (OAs) if used effectively. Yet current research suggests a low level of take-up. We investigated the extent to which OAs use mobile devices to identify their likes, dislikes and expectations in order to find new ways to increase their interaction. We conducted a survey with 202 OAs (aged 50-86). Many OAs are using mobile phones for communication and information seeking technology. However, without asking a direct question, privacy concerns were raised as a potential barrier towards adoption. When designing mobile apps, privacy must be a primary consideration and built in feature. Author
Human Glutaminase Interacting Protein (GIP): a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Drug Design

ii Acknowledgments . iv List of Tables . x List of Figures . xi Chapter 1 Literature Review . 1 1.1 PDZ domains . 1 1.2 PDZ domains distributions . 2 1.3 Classification of PDZ domains . 4 1.4 Structure and mechanism of interaction of PDZ domains . 6 1.5 Mechanism of ligand recognition by PDZ domains . 10 1.6 Protein-protein interactions detection methods . 13 1.7 Phage display technology . 15 1.8 PDZ domains are drug targets . 23 1.9 Basics of NMR . 24 1.9. 1 Protein NMR . 28 1.10 NMR as a tool for mapping protein-ligand binding interfaces . 33 1.11 Protein dynamics and PDZ domain . 34 1.11.1 15 N longitudinal relaxation (T1) . 34 1.11.2 15 N transverse relaxation (T2) . 36
The Blanching Effects on the Drying Rates and the Color of Hot Red Pepper

To examine the effects of blanching treatments on the drying of hot red pepper, the pilot scale hot-air dryer equipped with the weight sensor using strain gauge type load cell and strain amplifier was designed and manufactured. The drying characteristic curves of cut hot red pepper showed a settling down period followed by a constant rate period and falling rate period, but blanched hot red pepper showed only falling rate period. According as the blanching time and temperature rises, the drying rates and the capsanthin contents of hot red pepper fairly increased. Considering the drying rates and the color values of dried hot red pepper, we suggest the desirable blanching condition of hot red pepper should be water blanching at for 3 mins.
Self-incompatibility in flowering plants : evolution, diversity, and mechanisms

Part I Evolution and Population Genetics of Self-Incompatibility 1- New Insights on Heterostyly and Functionally Related Stylar Polymorphisms: Comparative Biology, Ecology and Genetics. Spencer Barrett and Joel Shore 2- Genetic and environmental causes and evolutionary consequences of variations in self-fertility in self-incompatible species. Sara V. Good-Avila, Jorge I. Mena-Ali, Andrew G. Stephenson 3- On the evolutionary modification of self-incompatibility: Trends and mechanisms Mario Vallejo-Marin and Marcy K. Uyenoyama 4- Evolution and phylogeny of self-incompatibility systems in Angiosperms. Alexandra Allen and Simon J. Hiscock 5- What Genealogies of S-alleles Tell Us Josh Kohn 6- Self incompatibility and evolution of mating systems in the Brassicaceae. Sue Sherman-Broyles and June B. Nasrallah Part II Molecular and Cell Biology of Self-Incompatibility Systems 7- Milestones identifying self-incompatibility genes in Brassica species - From old stories to new findings. Masao Watanabe, Go Suzuki, and Seiji Takayama 8- Self' pollen rejection through the intersection of two cellular pathways in the Brassicaceae: Self-incompatibility and the compatible pollen response. Marcus A. Samuel, Donna Yee, Katrina E. Haasen and Daphne R. Goring. 9- Molecular Biology of S-RNase-based Self-Incompatibility Yijing Zhang and Yongbiao Xue 10- Comparing models for S-RNase-based Self-incompatibility. Bruce McClure 11- Self-incompatibility in Papaver rhoeas: progress in understanding mechanisms involved in regulating self-incompatibility in Papaver. Vernonica E. Franklin-Tong 12- Molecular genetics of sporophytic self-incompatibility in Ipomoea, a memberof the Convolvulaceae. Yasuo Kowyama, Tohru Tsuchiya and Katsuyuki Kakeda 13-Self-incompatibility in the grasses. Peter Langridge and Ute Baumann 14- Heteromorphic self-incompatibility in Primula: 21st Century tools promise to unravel a classic 19th Century model system Andy McCubbin
Phytochemical Studies on Seeds of Styrax japonica Sieb. et Zucc.

Methanolic extract of Styrax japonica seeds was fractionated with hexane, dichloromethane, EtOAc, and BuOH. The hexane and dichloromethane-soluble fractions exhibited the strongest cytotoxic activities in brine shrimp lethality test. These fractions were further separated to yield five known benzofuran compounds, egonol, demethoxy egonol, egonol 2-methyl butanoate, demethoxyegonol 2-methyl butanoate, and egonol acetate. Among these, the latter four compounds were the first to be reported in S. japonica.
Heat Acclimation Procedures: Preparation for Humid Heat Exposure

Abstract : Thermal homeostasis is rigorously challenged under extremely hot conditions, particularly during prolonged exercise, with even highly trained individuals failing to maintain thermal homeostasis. As a consequence, the incidence of heat illness increases, particularly during the first five days of heat exposure. This report summarizes the physiological changes accompanying heat adaptation and critically reviews heat adaptation procedures. Finally, recommendations are made concerning the implementation of heat adaptation procedures for military personnel. These recommendations include: specification of the thermal environment; the level of thermal strain; the use of exercise; exposure duration; and the subsequent maintenance of heat adaptation.
The contribution of isopods in the feeding of Sympterygia spp (Pisces: Rajidae) with a description of Ancinus gaucho sp. n. (Isopoda: Sphaeromatidae)

The present paper deals with the isopods present in the stomach content of Sympterygia acuta and S. bonapartei, two species of Rajidae frequently found along Rio Grande do Sul coast. Eight species of isopods were found in the stomachs analysed, and Ancinus gaucho sp.n. showed to be an important food resource for the fishes, especially for S. bonapartei. The difference found in the diet composition of both species of skates seems to reflect a non selective feeding of the fishes on distinct benthic communities. The description of Ancinus gaucho is also furnished herein as well as a key to the known species of the genus.
Systemic infection induced by Campylobacter jejuni : Development of a mouse model and elucidation of molecular mechanisms

Campylobacter jejuni clone SA has emerged as the predominant cause of Campylobacter-associated ovine abortion in the U.S., and this clone is highly pathogenic in pregnant sheep and guinea pigs. To induce abortion, orally ingested Campylobacter must be able to translocate across the intestinal epithelium and spread systemically. To understand the pathogenic mechanisms and immune protection of C. jejuni-induced abortion, it is necessary to develop a cost-effective animal model to evaluate systemic infection induced by this pathogenic clone. In this study, two different breeds of female mice (BALB/c and CD-1) were orally inoculated with C. jejuni IA3902, a clinical clone SA isolate whose complete genome sequence has been determined, to evaluate the induction of bacteremia and hepatic infection. Our results revealed that CD-1 mice were more susceptible than BALB/c mice to infection by IA3902. In CD-1 mice, C. jejuni IA3902 induced bacteremia and hepatic infection within 1 hour after oral inoculation, and bacteremia peaked at 8 and/or 12 hours after inoculation. Compared with IA3902, the magnitude and duration of bacteremia and hepatic infection induced by C. jejuni strains NCTC 11168 and 81-176 were significantly less prominent, indicating that IA3902 is more virulent than the other strains tested with regard to systemic spread. Mutagenesis in IA3902 showed that the loss of the capsule (ΔkpsS) completely prevented the organism from causing bacteremia and hepatic infection, while the loss of pVir plasmid did not affect systemic spread. These findings indicate that the CD-1 mouse model is suitable for examining critical steps of Campylobacter pathogenesis and identify the capsule as a key virulence factor of this pathogenic organism to
FUSARIUM VERTICILLIOIDES IN MAIZE: HOW ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC FACTORS CAN INFLUENCE GROWTH AND FUMONISINS PRODUCTION IN FIELD AND DURING STORAGE

The aim of this work was to collect missing information about critical point related to abiotic and biotic factors that can influence the growth of Fusarium verticillioides in maize and the consequent production of fumonisins in kernels. Fumonisins are secondary metabolites reported as toxigenic in humans and animals. Issues treated are: variables influencing growth and toxin accumulation during post-harvest and storage; the relationship between aw, relative humidity and type of hybrids; chemical and biological control of F. verticillioides e A. flavus in field and in vitro.
Rubrofusarina, um policetídeo natural inibidor da topoisomerase II-α humana

This work describes the inhibitory effect of rubrofusarin (5,6-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-2-methylbenzo[g]cromen-4-one, 1) against human DNA topoisomerase II-α. The results for relaxation assays showed total inhibition of topisomerase II-α by rubrofusarin at 120 µM. This result is comparable to the one observed with etoposide as positive control. For this study, rubrofusarin was isolated from Senna macranthera var. nervosa (Voguel) Irwin & Barnebyem and characterized by spectral data, including 2D NMR, as well as its acetylated derivative.
Removal of attached nymphs and adults of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Chemical and mechanical methods of removing Ixodes ricinus (L.) attached to the skin of pigs and sheep were tested experimentally. Three frequently advocated chemical treatments (gasoline, fingernail polish, and methylated spirit) failed to induce self-detachment of the ticks within 30 min. Also, the success of the subsequent mechanical removal was not influenced by chemical treatment. Two methods of mechanical removal of the ticks also were compared: (1) pulling straight out with a blunt forceps and (2) rotation of the tick around its body axis, using a "Tick Solution" forceps (Instruments of Sweden, Stamford, CT). Pulling frequently resulted in the complete removal of the tick, but fragments of the mouthparts that remained in the skin were often quite large. In contrast, if the tick was removed by rotation without pulling, the tip of the hypostome usually broke off and remained in the skin, but this portion was generally quite small.
Online Mechanism Design for Information Acquisition

We study the problem of designing mechanisms for \emph{information acquisition} scenarios. This setting models strategic interactions between an uniformed \emph{receiver} and a set of informed \emph{senders}. In our model the senders receive information about the underlying state of nature and communicate their observation (either truthfully or not) to the receiver, which, based on this information, selects an action. Our goal is to design mechanisms maximizing the receiver's utility while incentivizing the senders to report truthfully their information. First, we provide an algorithm that efficiently computes an optimal \emph{incentive compatible} (IC) mechanism. Then, we focus on the \emph{online} problem in which the receiver sequentially interacts in an unknown game, with the objective of minimizing the \emph{cumulative regret} w.r. t. the optimal IC mechanism, and the \emph{cumulative violation} of the incentive compatibility constraints. We investigate two different online scenarios, \emph{i.e.,} the \emph{full} and \emph{bandit feedback} settings. For the full feedback problem, we propose an algorithm that guarantees $\tilde{\mathcal O}(\sqrt T)$ regret and violation, while for the bandit feedback setting we present an algorithm that attains $\tilde{\mathcal O}(T^{\alpha})$ regret and $\tilde{\mathcal O}(T^{1-\alpha/2})$ violation for any $\alpha\in[1/2, 1]$. Finally, we complement our results providing a tight lower bound.