Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy and Cattle in Enugu State of Nigeria

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is the Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) found in cattle. The disease can be transmitted by ingestion of prion infected beef. The aim of this study is to determine whether the beef consumed in Enugu area of Nigeria can transmit TSE to humans and animals. Apparently healthy cattle from abattoir of Enugu State Main Market, numbering eighty, were used in this research work. The cattle were slaughtered and their brain tissues collected and stored in 10% phosphate buffered saline respectively for tissue preservation, shortly before assay. Part of each cattle’s brain tissue was homogenized and subjected to prion protein (PrP) extraction procedure. Aliquots of the PrP extract and commercial positive PrP c control were treated with proteinase K solution to eliminate proteinase K labile proteins, especially cellular prion protein (PrP c ). An aliquot of the proteinase K treated extract was further treated with 26.8% Sodium sulfate solution and ethyl ether to remove any immunoglobulin protein which may be present thereby leaving the remnant solution with abnormal prion protein (PrP res ) if present. Aliquots of the protein extract and control without proteinase K treatment, the ones that were treated with proteinase K, the other that was treated with 26.8% Sodium sulfate solution and ethyl ether were assayed respectively for proteins using biuret method. The results showed the presence of prion protein in the aliquots without proteinase K treatment, trace of protein in the aliquot of protein extract treated with proteinase K and no prion protein in the PrP c control treated with proteinase K. The aliquot that was treated with both proteinase K and 26.8% Sodium sulfate solution / ethyl ether showed zero protein. The results suggest that there was no abnormal PrP in the eighty samples of brain tissues of cattle used for this work and they did not have BSE.
Cutting Edge: Modulation of Airway Inflammation by CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides in a Murine Model of Asthma

Asthma has been increasing in industrialized countries. Evidence suggests that asthma is caused by a Th2 immune response to inhaled environmental Ags and that childhood infections protect against this. We have shown that bacterial DNA contains motifs, centered on unmethylated CpG dinucleotides, which induce Th1-type responses. We hypothesized that the Th1 effect of these CpG motifs may oppose the Th2 type allergic response and suggest that this may account for the protective effect of childhood infection against asthma. We examined the effects of CpG-motif oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) in a murine model of asthma. Airway eosinophilia, Th2 cytokine induction, IgE production, and bronchial hyperreactivity were prevented by coadministration of CpG ODN with the Ag. Significantly, in a previously sensitized mouse, CpG ODN can prevent allergen-induced airway inflammation. These studies suggest that exposure to CpG DNA may protect against asthma.
G Protein α Subunit Genes in Octopus Photoreceptor Cells

Abstract The G protein messages in Octopus vulgaris photoreceptor were isolated and characterized with molecular biological techniques. Four classes of G protein α subunit cDNA were isolated from an octopus eye cDNA library: OvGαi, OvGαo, OvGαq and OvGαs. Northern blot analysis of octopus tissues showed abundant expression of OvGαq in the eye, and specific expression of OvGαo in neural tissues. OvGαi was expressed in all tissues studied. In situ hybridization revealed that OvGαq message was expressed in almost all photoreceptor cells. Based on these results, a possible phototransduction pathway in the octopus visual cells is discussed.
Biochemical systematics and phylogeography of the percus strictus subspecies (coleoptera, carabidae), endemic to Sardinia

Abstract Allozymic variation at 14 loci was studied in six Sardinian populations of the carabid beetle Percus strictus. These populations represent the four subspecies of P. strictus recognised on morphological grounds in the island. Clustering and multivariate analyses were able to discriminate different subspecies, supporting the morphological evidence. Genetic distance data and . P‐sta‐tistics analysis indicated a certain degree of isolation among subspecies, but not high enough to propose the splitting of the polytypic F‐strictus into different species. From molecular clock and geological data, it is inferred that the major differentiation events were due to vicariance and took place at the beginning of the Pliocene, in concomitance with sea introgressions that subdivided the island into different blocks roughly corresponding to the present ranges of the different subspecies.
LONG‐DISTANCE DISPERSAL POTENTIAL IN A MARINE MACROPHYTE

Plant populations have long been noted to migrate faster than predicted based on their life history and seed dispersal characteristics (i.e., Reid's paradox of rapid plant migration). Although precise mechanisms to account for such phenomena are not fully known for all plant species, a combination of theoretical and empirically driven mechanisms often resolves this paradox. Here, we couple a series of direct and indirect field and laboratory exercises on one marine macrophyte, Zostera marina L. (eelgrass), to measured distances between new patches and established beds in order to elucidate the long-distance dispersal and colonization potential of this marine seagrass. Detached, floating reproductive shoots with mature seeds were found to remain positively buoyant for up to 2 wk and retain mature seeds for up to 3 wk before release under laboratory conditions. Analysis of the detritus wrack along a remote shoreline found reproductive fragments with viable seeds up to 34 km from established, natural beds. A.
Índice-h genealógico expandido: Uma medida de impacto em grafos de orientação acadêmica

A genealogia academica e definida como o estudo da heranca intelectual perpetrada por meio do relacionamento entre orientador e orientado. O conjunto desse tipo de relacionamentos, ao longo de varias geracoes, e comumente abstraida por uma estrutura social que e representada por um grafo. Neste trabalho, apresentamos a definicao de uma nova metrica, denominada indice-h genealogico expandido", que pode ser usada para avaliar o impacto de um academico por meio de seus relacionamentos de orientacao e tendo sua abrangencia limitada somente pela topologia do grafo. Esta metrica baseia-se no indice-h bibliometrico e expande seu conceito para mensurar o impacto de um academico ao longo de diferentes geracoes. Para exemplificacao da nova metrica, apresentamos um estudo de caso considerando um grafo de genealogia composto por mais de 178 mil doutores em matematica registrados no Mathematics Genealogy Project. "
Pollen morphology of genus Rubus L. Part III. Studies on the Malesian species of subgenera Chamaebatus L. and Idaeobatus L.

The results of pollen morphology of Malesian Rubus species are presented. The pollen samples represented 2 subgenera; 2 species of subgenus Chamaebatus ( R. calycinus , R. pectinellus ) and 13 species of subgenus Idaeobatus ( R. acuminatissimus , R. alpestris , R. archboldianus , R. chrysogaeus , R. copelandii , R. ellipticus , R. ferdinandi-muelleri , R. fraxinifolius , R. niveus , R. lorentzianus , R. macgregorii , R. montis-wilhelmi , R. papuanus ). The examination of these species has been made by SEM for the first time and also by LM. Detailed descriptions of the pollen grains are given. As in the majority of Rubus species, pollen grains of both subgenera are isopolar and trizonocolporate. The pollen grains were small for some species of the subgenus Idaeobatus only, medium for both subgenera: Chamaebatus and Idaeobatus . The thickest exine was observed among the species of subgenus Chamaebatus and in R. macgregorii of subgenus Idaeobatus . The ornamentation of the studied pollen has shown a great variability. Except for the typical striate ornamentation of the genus, rugulate ( R. archboldianus ), striatescabrate ( R. lorentzianus ) and striate-rugulate ( R. macgregorii ) ornamentation has been observed. New Guinean morphologically similar pinnate Rubus ferdinandi-muelleri , R. montis-wilhelmi , R. papuanus , have pollen with specific type of striate pattern, which is characterised by relatively high muri with variable thickness and lumina filled with granules. Some of their muri resemble baculae typical only for R. chamaemorus . The pollen morphology analysis leads to the conclusion that Rubus montis-wilhelmi and R. papuanus of subgenus Idaeobatus are the closest related species and morphologically very close to R. ferdinandi-muelleri . Since Focke placed the latter species in section Pungentes of the subgenus Idaeobatus , and the two first species were unknown to him - the authors suggest to include them into this section. Despite of the different origin and various types of leaves R. chrysogaeus , R. acuminatissimus and R. niveus have shown similarities in pollen morphology and are grouped together. On the basis of the same criteria, R. copelandii , R. ellipticus and R. fraxinifolius could have been grouped together, as well as R. alpestris and R. macgregorii . Trifoliolate R. archboldianus and R. lorentzianus have not shown similarities of pollen ornamentation to each other and to the previous mentioned species.
Key Morphological Alterations in the Evolution of Leaves

Evolution of plant form proceeds through sequential alterations in the development of plant organs. Leaves (or fronds) are organs that have diagnostic characteristics, including definite arrangement on a stem, bilateral symmetry (abaxial/adaxial identity), and determinate growth. Evolution of those diagnostic characteristics represents a series of critical steps in plant evolution that resulted from specific developmental alterations. The fossil record reveals a transformational series in leaf evolution that highlights steps that have occurred in parallel but independently in both leptosporangiate ferns and seed plants, resulting in superficially similar frond morphologies. In this study, the fronds of the most ancient fossil fern, Psalixochlaena antiqua, and the most ancient reconstructed seed plant, Elkinsia polymorpha, are characterized and compared with leaves of modern plants in order to identify the sequence in which features of leaves in two distinct clades of euphyllophytes arose. While both fronds show a combination of characters attributable to ancestral vegetative axes and characters attributable to leaves, each plant displays different combinations of those characters. These data document dissimilar sequences of character originations and, therefore, the independent evolution of developmental mechanisms in seed plants and ferns.
Ultrastructural Studies on the Chromatin Fibers during Spermiogenesis in the Cockroach, Blattella germanica

Spermiogenesis in Blattella germanica was examined by electron microscopy with conventional fixation methods and PTA-staining. Spermiogenesis was studied morphologically over the peroid of replacement 864 Aiko Sakai-Wada and Yukiko Hikita Cytologia 49 of nuclear basic protein of somatic histone by sperm-specific arginine-rich protein. Before this time, 30nm chromatin fibers uncoil forming 10nm chromatin filaments. After the replacement, the chromatin recoils into 30nm chromatin fibers. The re coiled chromatin fibers are straight, unlike those before replacement of basic protein which are wavy. This difference in appearance may be due to the replacement of nuclear basic protein of somatic histone by arginine-rich protein or protamine, and differences in localization of these basic proteins in chromatin fibers.
A field study of Geoffroy's tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi) in Panama

A 3‐month field study was conducted in Panama to determine presence and relative abundance of Saguinus geoffroyi, the Geoffroy's tamarin, and status of its habitat (see Acknowledgments for taxonomic note). This primate has a wide geographical distribution in eastern Panama; however, local distribution is highly variable. Tropical forest habitat is rapidly being converted for agriculture and timber. Areas where human access was strictly limited showed tamarin densities significantly greater than in less protected areas. Disturbance has a distinct impact on population densities. There may also be a relationship between tamarin abundance and specific types of vegetation. Future actions regarding the conservation of S. geoffroyi and its habitat are recommended.
Estrutura e composição do componente arbóreo na Reserva Ecológica do Trabiju, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brasil

This study examined composition, structure and distribution of tree component in the montane forest in Pindamonhangaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. All trees with a trunk diameter at breast height (DBH) > 5 cm were sampled in ten 10×25 m plots stablished between 680 m and 805 m a.s. l. were recorded 517 trees. A total of 75 species, 69 genera on 40 families of vascular plants ocurred in the plots. The community structure was characterized by dominance of Euterpe edulis Mart. (51,26% of total plants), which caused a low Shannon diversity index (2,5910 nats). The forest strucutre was characterized by a high density (2,068 ind./ha) and basal area (44,36 m2/ha). This was atributed to the forest maturity, where secondary species ocurred with great trees and young individuals were absent. Species compositon varied continuously with altitude over a 125 m range, as shown by a cluster analysis. The comparison with others forest areas by use of presence × abscense data showed a higher similarity with Planalto Atlântico forests under wettest and lower mean anual temperature in the east and south of Sao Paulo State.
Growth and phenology of mature temperate forest trees in elevated CO2

Are mature forest trees carbon limited at current CO2 concentrations? Will ‘mid‐life’, 35 m tall deciduous trees grow faster in a CO2‐enriched atmosphere? To answer these questions we exposed ca. 100‐year‐old temperate forest trees at the Swiss Canopy Crane site near Basel, Switzerland to a ca. 540 ppm CO2 atmosphere using web‐FACE technology. Here, we report growth responses to elevated CO2 for 11 tall trees (compared with 32 controls) of five species during the initial four treatment years. Tested across all trees, there was no CO2 effect on stem basal area (BA) increment (neither when tested per year nor cumulatively for 4 years). In fact, the 4th year means were almost identical for the two groups. Stem growth data were standardized by pretreatment growth (5 years) in order to account for a priori individual differences in vigor. Although this experiment was not designed to test species specific effects, one species, the common European beech, Fagus sylvatica, showed a significant growth enhancement in the first year, which reoccurred during a centennial drought in the third year. None of the other dominant species (Quercus petraea, Carpinus betulus) showed a growth response to CO2 in any of the 4 years or for all years together. The inclusion or exclusion of single individuals of Prunus avium and Tilia platyphyllos did not change the picture. In elevated CO2, lateral branching in terminal shoots was higher in Fagus in 2002, when shoots developed from buds that were formed during the first season of CO2 enrichment (2001), but there was no effect in later years and no change in lateral branching in any of the other species. In Quercus, there was a steady stimulation of leading shoot length in high‐CO2 trees. Phenological variables (bud break, leaf fall, leaf duration) were highly species specific and were not affected by elevated CO2 in any consistent way. Our 4‐year data set reflects a very dynamic and species‐specific response of tree growth to a step change in CO2 supply. Stem growth after 4 years of exposure does not support the notion that mature forest trees will accrete wood biomass at faster rates in a future CO2‐enriched atmosphere.
Structural stability status as affected by long-term continuous maize and bluegrass sod treatments

ABSTRACT The effect of long-term continuous fertilized and unfertilized corn and bluegrass crops on the structural stability status of a clay loam soil was studied. Water-stable aggregates were measured with and without an ethanol pretreatment and before and after the extraction of unbound lipids and after hydrophobic lipids were extracted with chloroform. Compared to corn, sod and wooded plots had three to four times more stable aggregates associated with the dispersive and dissolution action of water and two to three times more stable aggregates associated with slaking forces. The data also indicate that the stability of aggregates associated with bound organic materials was affected by cropping history rather than fertilization. Although the unbound lipids varied significantly between treatments, the unbound lipids were responsible for a similar amount of stable aggregates when compared against dispersive and dissolution action of water and slaking forces. The results indicate that the mono- and dieste.
Physiological Response of the Crayfish, Astacus Leptodactylus to Saline Water

Crayfish can spend their whole life, including reproduction and development, in fresh water. It is considered that many advanced features, like direct development and maternal brood care, can be interpreted as adaptations to life in fresh water (Scholtz, 1995). However, crayfish may also be found in environments that are subject to variations in salinity (Holdich et al., 1997). P? queux (1995) stated that, although under natural conditions most crayfish have adapted to a stenohaline way of life, they may survive to some degree in experimentally increased salinity. Cherkasina (1975) reported that Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823 and Astacus pachypus (Rathke, 1837) live in waters of up to 14 ppt salinity in the Caspian Sea. A. leptodactylus, the only crayfish native to Turkish waters, is known from estuarine environments. K? ksal (1988) also reported A. leptodactylus from the Black Sea. Various studies have been conducted on determining the salinity tolerance of a number of crayfish species through survival and growth trials (McMahon, 1986; Austin, 1995; Holdich et al., 1997; Susanto & Charmantier, 2000). Holdich et al. (1997) have shown that juveniles and adults of A. leptodactylus are well adapted to survive in salinities of at least 21 ppt in the long term, and to being transferred directly back into fresh water. However, some researchers state that their ability to colonize the estuarine environment may be restricted to areas of low salinity (Susanto & Charmantier, 2000) due to the adverse effects of sea water on egg development and hatching. Hence, consideration of a brackish-water environment may be more realistic. The ability of A. leptodactylus to grow at relatively high salinities opens up the opportunity of culturing this species in brackish water and also provides the op
Examination of mass honey bee death at the entrance to hives in a paddy rice production district in Japan: the influence of insecticides sprayed on nearby rice fields

Summary Beekeepers in Japan have been finding as many as 1,000 dead honey bees piled up in front of hive entrances. They have observed that these mass bee deaths tend to occur at about the same time as measures are taken to control rice bugs, which appear every year during the summer in rice-producing districts. We set up and conducted controlled field studies from July to August in 2012 in a rice-producing district of northern Japan where frequent mass bee deaths are observed each summer. As had occurred in the area in previous years, and as we directly observed during our field investigations, masses of honey bees were found dead at the entrance to their hives. Samples of pollen and honey bee corpses were found to contain measurable concentrations of five active ingredients of insecticides: clothianidin, dinotefuran, ethiprole, etofenprox, and phenthoate. Insecticides containing these active ingredients are known to have been used for rice bug control in this area. Furthermore, we did not observe other known honey bee death agents in the area, such as mites and hornets. Thus, we suspected that the phenomenon of “piled honey bee death” (PD) at hive entrances is related to the influence of insecticides used to control rice bugs in paddies. The insecticide concentrations in dead honey bees were, however, extremely low compared with the median lethal dose (LD50) for honey bees. Moreover, PD was observed after rice anthesis, when bees would be collecting pollen from flowering plants other than rice. This calls into question any direct link between mass bee death and insecticides. Further study is necessary to understand insecticide exposure routes and the actual mechanism of the PD phenomenon.
Feeding and intoxication–detoxification dynamics in two populations of the mussel Mytilus chilensis (Hupé, 1854) with different histories of exposure to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)

Individuals of Mytilus chilensis with different histories of exposure to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) were exposed to a diet containing the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella. Feeding and intoxication–detoxification dynamics were evaluated over a period of 12–16 days. Feeding activity was reduced during the first days of exposure, followed by a period of recovery from day 5 to the end of the experiment. Mussels from Corral population (no history of PSP exposure) exceeded the concentration of 80 μg STX eq. 100 g−1 tissue, although filtration activity was significantly lower compared with individuals from Melinka (frequent PSP exposure). The higher feeding activity and the lower degree of toxin accumulation in the Melinka population appear be associated with frequent exposure to PSP in the natural environment. The use of A. catenella as food resource and the capacity of a rapid intoxication of both populations showed that M. chilensis is an adequate indicator for early detection of PSP.
Parâmetros demográficos de Micoureus demerarae (Didelphidae, Marsupialia) em áreas contíguas de manguezal e terra firme, Bragança, Pará, Brasil

Este estudo investigou alguns variaveis populacionais da especie Micoureus demerarae (Thomas, 1905), que incluem: densidade, recrutamento e sobrevivencia. Sendo que, os especimes coletados foram obtidos em dois ecossistemas contiguos, manguezal e terra firme da denominada Fazenda das Salinas, a qual esta localizada proxima ao municipio de Braganca, no nordeste do Estado do Para. Para tanto, foram abertas duas transeccoes em cada ambiente destinadas as coletas realizadas de novembro de 2002 a setembro de 2003. Os resultados definiram uma populacao aberta com distribuicao uniforme para os individuos do manguezal e agregada para os da terra firme, alem de evidente sazonalidade, com maior proporcao de machos na terra firme. O periodo reprodutivo foi o parâmetro mais importante para a flutuacao populacional no inicio da estacao seca. Os impactos ambientais sobre os parâmetros da dinâmica populacional de M. demerarae parecem ser determinantes na manutencao dessas populacoes da Fazenda das Salinas.