Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extraction, purification and determination of Solasodine in cultures of Solanum mauritianum Scop.

Solasodine, a steroidal alkaloid, is used by the pharmaceutical industry in certain parts of the world, as a raw material in the synthesis of steroid drugs. The compound is contained in many members of the genus Solanum, including S. mauritianum Scop. , a common weed in South Africa. The levels of solasodine in three culture systems of S. mauritianum under various cultural conditions were examined. A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the detection of solasodine. In order that low-cost, fixed wavelength ultra-violet detectors could be used, which would make the technique more widely applicable, a derivatization step, namely benzoylation, was included in the sample preparation. An extraction and purification protocol was then established, that complemented the HPLC technique and allowed successful detection of solasodine levels in a whole range of different sample types, including callus, suspension cultured cells, roots, stems and leaves. The three culture systems examined were callus , suspension and hairy root cultures. The callus system was used to establish which cultural parameters affected solasodine content in vitro to the greatest extent. A control culture was grown on a MURASHIGE and SKOOG (1962) medium (excluding glycine) supplemented with 3 % sucrose, 0. 1 g I-I myo-inositol and lacking hormones. This culture contained an average of 9.2 Jig g-IDW of solasodine. Many factors, including alteration of the carbon : nitrogen ratio and substitution of Gelrite for agar as the
Compatibility of the parasitoid Aphidius matricariae with BotaniGard for the control of greenhouse aphids

The simultaneous use of multiple biological control agents can be effective in suppressing pest populations, but the intraguild interactions that occur between biological control agents can disrupt biological control. I hypothesized that the combined use of the parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae, and the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (in the form of commercialized product, BotaniGard) for controlling the greenhouse aphid pest, Myzus persicae, would have a positive effect on pest control. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory over short periods and in greenhouses over multiple generations. Although BotaniGard had negative interactions with the parasitoids in short time scale experiments, over an extended time the combined use of BotaniGard and parasitoids had synergistic effects on aphid suppression. The number of parasitoids present at the end of the experiments in longer-scale experiments was higher in treatments with BotaniGard application than in treatments with parasitoids alone.
Changing Constellations of Southeast Asia : From Northeast Asia to China

Acknowledgements Contributors Editors Introduction 1 Southeast and Northeast Asia 1 Jan Nederveen Pieterse ; What happened to the Miracle Eight? Looking East in the twenty-first century 2 Andrew Kam Jia Yi; Dynamics of trade and value added in Factory Asia 3 Fazal Rizvi ; Higher education in Southeast Asia 4 Zawiah Yahya; The rise of global English and language policies of China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand 2 Institutions 5 Terence Gomez and Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux; Diversity of Southeast Asian Capitalisms: ; Evolving State-Business Relations in Malaysia 6 Marc Saxer; How to escape the transformation trap: Building social consensus for sustainable development 7 Tim Rackett ; Thailand: Exception to the rule, or rule by exception? 3 Southeast Asia and China 8 Jan Nederveen Pieterse ; Changing constellations of Southeast Asia 9 Abdul Rahman Embong; The charms of China’s New Silk Routes: Connecting the dots in Southeast Asia 10 Siew Yean Tham; Examining the shift to services: Malaysia and China compared 11Sufian Jusoh; Economic diplomacy in ASEAN: the case of Myanmar and China investment relations 12 Rashila Ramli; Southeast Asia and China relations: Desecuritizing the South China Sea 20% Discount with this Flyer!
Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms from Abattoir Effluents from Oyo, Oyo state, Nigeria

Effluent samples from three points (discharge point, upstream and downstream) were collected from Akunlemu abattoir in Oyo town, Nigeria. Physicochemical parameters and microbiological analyses of the samples were carried out. Total viable count was by pour plate technique and the most probable number (MPN) by the multiple tube fermentation technique. The temperatures of the samples were between 31.0-33.3 0 C and pH range between 5.83-6.80. The total viable count for all the samples exceeded the limit of 1x10 2 cfu/ml which was between 8.3x10 5 -10.2x10 5 cfu/ml, with sample C recording the highest value. All the samples exceeded the limits for Total dissolved solid (TDS), Total solid (TS), Total suspended solid (TSS), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and Chemical oxygen demand (COD) with sample B having the highest values – BOD 2765 mg/L, COD 5185 mg/L TSS 2981 mg/L, TDS 550 mg/L and TS 3528 mg/L. Microorganisms isolated included Proteus sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp Pseudomonas sp, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Fusarium sp and Penicillium sp.
MHC Class I Sequence Polymorphism in Horses and Donkeys

This study investigated the number of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I genes in donkeys, their polymorphism, and their phylogenetic relationship to MHC class I genes of the horse. It has been found through bioinformatic analysis of MHC class I sequences of horses of different haplotypes that classical MHC class I alleles commonly fall within four loci, with additional individual genes that do not fit within any of the four loci. Conserved regions of horse and donkey MHC class I sequences were used to design PCR primers that amplified donkey class I genes. RTPCR amplifications were carried out on donkey lymphocyte cDNA. The MEGA 3 program was used to cluster related sequences and to assign them to individual loci. Donkey sequences followed a similar pattern to that of the horse, having a few loci that contain many of the alleles and additional MHC class I loci that may be unique to one or only a few MHC haplotypes. The donkey alleles fell into either previously established horse loci or loci unique to donkeys. Loci shared between horses and donkeys are probably older loci, having evolved before the split of hoses and donkeys, while loci detected in only one species may be younger. Comparing the allelic variation between horses and donkeys will lead to a better understanding of the evolution of the highly variant MHC region.
A comparative study of the conducting tissue of evergreen and deciduous trees of the Northern Territory

The climate of the top end of the Northern Territory is dominated by alternating wet and dry seasons. Trees of the Northern Territory have developed a variety of responses to this seasonal climate, including a range of leaf phenologies (evergreen, semi-deciduous, brevi-deciduous and deciduous). These phenological groups differ in their anatomical and physiological characteristics. This study investigated the relationship between vessel anatomy and susceptibility to drought induced xylem cavitations. Xylem vessel characteristics were compared among deciduous and evergreen species growing in seasonally dry forests near Darwin. Vessel diameter, vessel length, vessel element length, vessel density and pit membrane pore dimeters were measured in six evergreen and six deciduous species and one coniferous species. This study also examined the linkage between hydraulic conductance, vulnerability to xylem embolism and vessel diameter in deciduous and evergreen species. Deciduous species had a greater proportion of vessels with large diameters than did evergreen species. The mean vessel diameters in (branches, petioles and mid-ribs) were larger in deciduous species (50 μm ±1.7, 28 μm ± 1.56, 28 μm ± 2.1) than evergreen species (32 μm ± 0.6, 18 μm ± 1.2, 18 μm ± 1.1). The mean pit membrane pores diameter in deciduous species (0.49 μm± 0.34) was larger than in evergreen species (0.24.μm ± 0.15). The average hydraulic conductivity in branch of deciduous species (0.03 g m s-1 MPa-1) was larger than in evergreen species (0.01 g m s-1 MPa-1). These results support the conclusion that since deciduous species only have to conduct water during the wet season, their large xylem vessels with large pit membrane pores, which confer relatively larger hydraulic conductivity do not expose the canopy to an unacceptably high risk of xylem cavitation. By contrast, evergreen trees must transport water during more extreme dry season conditions, when they would potentially be more susceptible to xylem embolism. To protect against this, they have developed vessels with generally smaller diameters and with small pit membrane pores or vestured pits.
Change Management in Nonprofit Organisationen: Das Beispiel von Kindertageseinrichtungen auf dem Weg zur Inklusion

Changeprozesse gehören heute zum Tagesgeschehen, mit dem sich Organisationen auseinander setzen müssen. Die bisherige Forschung zum Change Management bezieht sich zum überwiegenden Teil auf privatwirtschaftliche Organisationen und es ist nicht abschließend klar, inwiefern die beforschten Zusammenhänge auf den Bereich der Nonprofit Organisationen (NPO) übertragbar sind. NPO unterscheiden sich grundlegend von privatwirtschaftlichen Unternehmen und auf ihre Besonderheiten nimmt der vorliegende Beitrag Bezug. Hierbei wird eine ganzheitliche Sichtweise gewählt, die sowohl gesellschaftliche, organisationale als auch individuelle Dimensionen miteinbezieht. Am Beispiel von NPO im Kindertagesstättenbereich, als typisches Beispiel für Drittleistungs-NPO, welche von einem radikalen Wandel in der deutschen Bildungslandschaft betroffen sind, und deren Beschäftigten testen wir die aus der Literatur entwickelten Zusammenhänge anhand eines Mehrebenenmodells. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen die positive Wirksamkeit von strategischer Personalentwicklung auf die Arbeitszufriedenheit der Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter.
Disease processes in marine bivalve molluscs

No wonder you activities are, reading will be always needed. It is not only to fulfil the duties that you need to finish in deadline time. Reading will encourage your mind and thoughts. Of course, reading will greatly develop your experiences about everything. Reading disease processes in marine bivalve molluscs is also a way as one of the collective books that gives many advantages. The advantages are not only for you, but for the other peoples with those meaningful benefits.
Preliminary characterisation of FAM129C, a novel protein identified from proteomic screening of CLL samples

ii Preliminary Characterisation of FAM129C, a Novel Protein Identified From Proteomic Screening of CLL Samples Renata Walewska, MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, LE1 9HN The principal aim of this thesis was to begin to determine the possible functions of a novel and B-cell specific protein, FAM129C, identified from proteomic screening of purified CLL plasma membrane fractions. Bioinformatic analysis showed that FAM129C contained a pleckstrin homology domain that probably causes the protein to be associated with the plasma membrane but lacked any other obvious domains. Using quantitative RT-PCR, I showed that FAM129C was expressed from early stages of B-cell differentiation. It was expressed at high levels in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and in the activated subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, where it may be a useful diagnostic marker. FAM129C was also expressed at high levels in normal B-cell populations including both naïve pre-germinal centre and memory cell populations but interestingly was rapidly down-regulated following stimulation to proliferation. Similar down-regulation was also observed in CLL cells stimulated to proliferation in vitro. Similar down-regulation was also observed in CLL cells stimulated to proliferate in vitro. Subcellular fraction studies of FAM129C showed wide expression in many different cell fractions, but mainly in the cytoplasm. The pattern of FAM129C expression was similar to that of CXCR4 and, therefore I have speculated that there is a potential association between these two proteins in B cell development and in B cell maturation during germinal centre reaction.
Evaluating the use of resistant starch as a beneficial dietary fiber and its effect on physiological response of glucose, insulin, and fermentation

Resistant starches (RS) are complex partly indigestible carbohydrates that have shown promise in improving digestive health, lowering postprandial blood glucose (PPG) and insulin (PPI) concentrations among other beneficial health effects. There are four types of RS and a fifth type is emerging; although there is very little experimental data on the physiological responses of RS type V. Three experiments were constructed to test the overarching hypothesis that RS (type II and V) can favorably impact human physiological responses of PPG, PPI, and microbial fermentation in the colon with minimal gastrointestinal distress. Two of the three experiments were randomized blind crossover human feeding studies. Study one, restricted to PPG response, was conducted using conventional and novel crossbred corn starches (type II) fed to 11 participants in pudding product. Study two investigated the effects of stearic acid-modified RS and its parent high amylose starch in crackers on PPG, PPI, and microbial fermentation in 30 participants. The third experiment was an in vitro batch-fermentation of human fecal microbiota from lean and obese individuals. Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) fermentation patterns and shifts in pH were assessed with RS type V, type IV, and type II starch residues (SR) inoculated in brain heart infusion broth, brain heart infusion broth without dextrose, and a basal nutrient growth medium. Overall in vivo results supported the use of RS type II and type V to lower PPG, RS type II to lower PPI, and for type II and V to be more fermentable than type II, based on breath hydrogen production at 8 h after RS intake. Both types of RS were very well tolerated by participants based on gastrointestinal symptom scores after RS-containing meals. In vitro analysis of human fecal batch anaerobic fermentations showed no differences in SCFA production by SR of RS types V and II or body mass index (BMI) of fecal donors. More investigation on the fermentability of RS type V is needed, but so far results support the role of both types of starches in lower PPG with favorable implications for people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Understanding craniofacial anomalies : the etiopathogenesis of craniosynostoses and facial clefting

Forward. Preface. Contributors. SECTION I: CLASSIFICATION AND TERMINOLOGY. Overview and Introduction (M. Mooney & M. Siegel). Terminology and Classification of Craniosynostosis (M. Jones). Terminology and Classification of Facial Clefting (R. Shprintzen). SECTION II: EMBRYOGENESIS AND ETIOLOGY. Craniofacial Embryogenesis: Normal Developmental Mechanisms (G. Sperber). Johnston and Bronsky. Genetic Etiologies of Craniosynostosis (E. Jabs). Genetic Etiologies of Facial Clefting (M. Marazita). Environmental Etiologies of Orofacial Clefting and Craniosynostosis (V. Shashi & T. Hart). SECTION III: ANIMAL MODELING. Animal Models and Craniosynostosis: Experimental, Congenital, and Transgenic Models (M. Mooney, et al.). Aniaml Models of Facial Clefting - Experimental, Congenital, and Transgenic (V. Diewert & S. Lozanoff). SECTION IV: CRANIAL VAULT AND CRANIAL BASE DYSMORPHOLOGY AND GROWTH DISTURBANCES. Evolutionary Changes in the Cranial Vault and Base: Establishing the Primate Form (M. Mooney, et al.). Cranial Base Dysmorphology and Growth in the Craniosynostoses (A. Burdi). Cranial Base Dysmorphology and Growth in Facial Clefting (T. Smith, et al.). Cranial Vault Morphology and Growth in Craniosynostosis (J. Richtsmeier). SECTION V: MIDFACIAL AND MANDIBULAR DYSMORPHOLOGY AND GROWTH DISTURBANCES. Evolutionary Changes in the Midface and Mandible: Establishing the Primate Form (J. Siebert & D. Swindler). Facial Dysmorphology in the Craniosynostoses: Clinical Implications (K. Vig). Midfacial and Mandibular Dysmorphology and Growth in Facial Clefting: Clinical Implications (B. Ross). SECTION VI: REGIONAL DYSMORPHOLOGY AND GROWTH DISTURBANCES. Dental Development and Anomalies in Craniosynostoses and Facial Clefting (E. Harris). Vocal Tract Anatomy and Functional Concequences in Cleft Lip/Palate and Syndromes of Craniosynostosis (S. Peterson-Falzone & P. Monoson). SECTION VII: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY STUDIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS. Molecular Studies of Craniosynostosis: Factors Affecting Cranial Suture Morphogenesis and Patency (L. Opperman & R. Ogle). Molecular Studies of Facial Clefting: From Mouse to Man (M. Melnick & T. Jaskoll). Molecules and Faces: What is on the Horizon? (H. Slavkin). Index.
The pharmacology and cardiovascular function of TMEM16A channels

Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are ubiquitously expressed in a plethora of cell types and, consequently, are involved in numerous cellular processes as diverse as epithelial secretion, regulation of cardiac excitability and smooth muscle contraction. Current pharmacology of CaCCs is limited to compounds with low potency and poor selectivity. The lack of knowledge surrounding the molecular identity of the CaCC has greatly hindered the development of more specific drugs and has impaired our understanding of the channel physiology and biophysics. The recent discovery that the TMEM16A gene codes for CaCCs has offered hope for new developments in these areas. CaCCs have been suggested as possible targets to treat a variety of conditions including asthma as well as pulmonary and systemic hypertension. Due to the ubiquitous expression of CaCCs and the ability of the channel to interact with a number of pharmacological compounds with diverse chemical structures however, it was hypothesised that TMEM16A could be a possible source for off-target drug effects and may represent a concern for safety pharmacology. The principal aim of this thesis was to assess the functional significance of TMEM16A in the cardiovascular system, as this is one of the major systems of concern for safety pharmacology and accounts for the largest number of post-market drug withdrawals. The main findings of this study can be summarised as follows: 1) RT-PCR analysis revealed a ubiquitous expression of TMEM16A in tissues of the rat and human cardiovascular systems, including systemic and pulmonary arteries as well as cardiac tissue. Analysis also revealed the presence of multiple TMEM16A splice variants in all rat tissues examined, in addition to a number of other TMEM16x family members. 2) Myography experiments using the ? classical? CaCC blocker niflumic acid and newly identified TMEM16A blockers confirmed a functional role for TMEM16A in phenylephrine-induced vascular smooth muscle contraction. 3) The suitability of currently available Cl- channel blockers for use as pharmacological tools for TMEM16A research was assessed using conventional whole-cell patch clamp and high-throughput electrophysiology techniques to respectively compare their potencies and selectivity over other cardiovascular ion channels. Of the compounds tested, DIDS and T16Ainh-A01 appeared the most suitable blockers; however all compounds had a degree of non-selectivity, raising concerns for their use in functional studies. In conclusion, these findings provide evidence for the ubiquitous expression and functional significance of TMEM16A within the cardiovascular system and support the hypothesis that TMEM16A is a concern for safety pharmacology and should be included into future pre-clinical safety assays. The inadequacy of current inhibitors however highlights the urgency for the development of novel potent and selective channel modulators for future TMEM16A research.
Enrichment Value of Wooden Blocks for Farmed Blue Foxes (Alopex Lagopus)

The barren housing conditions of farmed blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) provide few stimuli to motivate exploration and interaction with the physical environment. In the present study, wooden blocks (30x7 cm [lxdia]) were employed to clarify how such inanimate objects might serve to enrich the barren wire-mesh cages. Two separate experiments were carried out. In experiment 1, behavioural reactions of eight male blue foxes to wooden blocks were videotaped between January and May. In experiment 2, 16 male blue foxes were housed singly in cages with wooden blocks and 16 without between January and June. Pencil, confrontation, feeding and open field tests were carried out. Furthermore, 50 female blue foxes were kept singly in cages with wooden blocks and 49 without from January to July. Both groups were bred and the whelping result was recorded. In-cage behavioural tests were performed three times. Results showed that interactions with the wooden blocks were frequent, averaging 77 interactions fox’1 day1. Interactions with blocks decreased slightly with time. Blocks were mainly used for carrying, chewing, poking and sniffing. In the confrontation test, male foxes housed without blocks were more passive than those with blocks. No differences were found between the groups in the pencil, feeding or open field tests. Whelping success tended to be better for vixens housed with than without blocks. It can be concluded that wooden blocks have enrichment value by providing more choices for foxes in a barren cage and stimulating more variable behaviour.
Charakterisierung zellulärer Immunantworten von mit SIV immunisierten und infizierten Makaken

The infection with HIV and the resulting AIDS-disease are a global challenge for mankind. The infection of macaques with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is the most important animal model for the development of a vaccine against this viral infection and for studies of pathogenesis in preclinical studies.In this thesis three prime-boost immunization regimes, varying in vector combinations and application route, were analyzed for their immunogenicity and efficiency against SIV-infection in this animal model. One particular focus was on the comparison between the cell- and cytokine-discriminating ICS-technology and the commonly used ELISPOT-technology for the detection of virus-specific immune responses. Furthermore, different blood T-cell populations and their variations after SIV-exposure were characterized with polychromatic flow cytometry. None of the three immunization regimes protected from SIV-infection, but the vaccinees had tenfold lower viral loads and better conserved their memory T-cells during the acute phase of infection compared to control animals. The direct comparison of ELISPOT- and ICS-technology in the second and third experiment displayed an increased secretion of IFNγ by virus-specific T-lymphocytes compared to control animals after infection. In addition, polyfunctional T-lymphocytes, secreting multiple cytokines simultaneously, could be detected in vaccinees of the third experiment after SIV-infection. In chronically SIV-infected animals, controlling viral replication for more than 70 weeks, virus-specific proliferating and polyfunctional T-cells were observed, whereas these cells were absent in animals with high viral loads.The results of this thesis allow us to characterize cellular immune responses in future animal studies of prophylaxis and pathogenesis in a more sophisticated way and analyze for potential immune correlates.