Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Condition‐dependent dispersal and ontogeny of the dispersal behaviour: an experimental approach

Summary 1 Although little investigated, developmental processes that generate dispersal condition evolution of this behaviour. We have shown previously prenatal and postnatal influences on dispersal in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). The observation of these developmental processes was based on independent experiments; our primary goal in this paper is to test their interactions. Interactions could indeed be a source of inconsistencies in studies because they can mask, or even reverse, effects of factors treated additively. 2 We studied dispersal of juveniles released in natura from 416 pregnant females captured in the field. We used a factorial design to test interactions among the maternal habitat (dry vs. humid), prenatal conditions (temperature, humidity), and postnatal environments (dry vs. humid). 3 We found that juvenile dispersal was dependent on the humidity level at different developmental stages, but with varying and sometimes opposite effects. Dispersal was also influenced by the temperature during gestation and by populational differences not related to humidity (differences between replicated populations for the maternal and postnatal habitats). 4 These results confirm our previous findings that dispersal of the common lizard is condition-dependent and has multiple causation. In addition, most of the effects exhibited interactions, and the ontogeny of dispersal appeared as a sequential process where the maternal habitat conditioned prenatal influences, and the prenatal environment modulated postnatal influences. 5 The robustness of our results is supported by the finding of the same interactions in independent tests on both juvenile males and females. This militates in favour of future studies on the multiple causation of dispersal because the same dispersal status might originate from different causes, and different dispersal outcomes might be due to the same factor.
Annual patterns of phytoplankton density and primary production in a large, shallow lake: the central role of light.

Summary 1. We studied the seasonal dynamics of suspended particulate matter in a turbid, large shallow lake during an annual period (2005–06). We relate the patterns of seston concentration (total suspended solids), phytoplankton biomass and water transparency to the seasonal pattern of incident solar radiation (I0). We also report the seasonal trends of phytoplankton primary production (PP) and photosynthesis photoinhibition due to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) (Iβ and UV50). 2. We first collected empirical evidence that indicated the conditions of light limitation persisted during the study period. We found that the depth-averaged irradiance estimated for the time of the day of maximum irradiance (Imean–noon) was always lower than the measured onset of light saturation of photosynthesis (Ik). 3. We then contrasted the observations with theoretical expectations based on a light limitation scenario. The observed temporal patterns of seston concentration, both on a volume and area basis, were significantly explained by I0 (R2 = 0.39 and R2 = 0.37 respectively). The vertical diffuse attenuation coefficient (kdPAR) (R2 = 0.55) and the depth-averaged irradiance (Imean) (R2 = 0.66), significantly increased with the I0; while the irradiance reaching the lake bottom (Iout) significantly decreased with the incident irradiance (R2 = 0.49). However, phytoplankton biovolume maxima were not coincident with the time of the year of maximum irradiance. 4. A significant positive relationship was observed between PP estimated on an area basis and I0 (R2 = 0.51, P < 0.001). In addition, the parameters describing the photosynthetic responses to high irradiances displayed marked seasonal trends. The photosynthesis photoinhibition due to PAR as well as to UV were significantly related to incident solar radiation (PAR: R2 = 0.73; UV: R2 = 0.74). These results suggest adaptation of the phytoplankton community in response to changes in incident solar radiation.
Simultaneous Midface Advancement and Orthognathic Surgery: A Powerful Technique for Managing Midface Hypoplasia and Malocclusion

Background: Midface hypoplasia dramatically affects the normative facial cascade. Simultaneous Le Fort III and Le Fort I procedures (Le Fort III/I) provide a powerful tool for achieving significant midface advancement. This study presents the authors’ approach for addressing midface hypoplasia in the setting of class III malocclusion using Le Fort III/I advancement. Methods: This was an institutional review board–approved retrospective review of patients who underwent Le Fort III/I advancement at the authors’ institution from 2009 to 2019. Demographic, surgical, and postoperative data were recorded. The authors’ operative technique and surgical pearls are described. Results: Twenty-five patients met inclusion criteria, 15 male patients (60 percent) and 10 female patients (40 percent). Patient age ranged from 14.9 to 21.6 years. Diagnoses included Crouzon syndrome, nonsyndromic developmental skeletal dysplasia, cleft lip/palate, Klippel-Feil syndrome, Apert syndrome, Van den Ende-Gupta syndrome, and Pfeiffer syndrome. Le Fort III advancements averaged 6.18 ± 1.38 mm and Le Fort I advancements averaged 6.70 ± 2.48 mm. Thirteen patients underwent simultaneous bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with average movement of 5.85 ± 1.21 mm. Average follow-up was 1.3 ± 1.0 years. One patient experienced intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak that resolved with expectant management. Three patients experienced major complications (12 percent) postoperatively necessitating repeated orthognathic operations. Ten patients experienced minor complications (40 percent). Average length of stay was 10 days, with all patients achieving improvement of their facial profile. Conclusions: The authors’ experience reaffirms the relative safety of simultaneous Le Fort III/I advancement. This technique should be considered in select patients with global midface retrusion and class III malocclusion. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.
MACROECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF BANK NIFTY: AN APPLICATION OF GLM REGRESSION METHOD

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the movement of National Stock Exchange’s bank sectorial index –Bank Nifty and the macroeconomic factors such as GDP growth rate, Index of Industrial Production, Interest Rates and Inflation Rate. The study uses annual time series data spanning the period from 2010 to 2016 is used. The Generalized Linear Model is used to examine the macroeconomic determinants of Bank Nifty. The findings of the study establish that there is a high degree of association between the movement of macroeconomic variables and Bank Nifty. This study emphasizes on the impact of macroeconomic variables on the stock market performance of a developing economy, whose performance is measured by these variables.
ALLOPOLYPLOID SPECIATION IN TRAGOPOGON: INSIGHTS FROM CHLOROPLAST DNA

Tragopogon mirus and T. miscellus are classic examples of recent allopolyploid speciation. Previous studies documented that the diploid parents of T. mirus are T. dubius and T. porrifolius and those of T. miscellus are T. dubius and T. pratensis. Restriction fragment analysis of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) provided additional evolutionary information regarding the origin of the allotetraploids. We analyzed 39 populations of the three diploid and two allotetraploid species with 18 restriction endonucleases. Six restriction site mutations and three length mutations were identified; these unambiguously differentiated the parental diploids. Previous morphological, cytological, and electrophoretic analyses indicated that T. mirus arose independently at least three times. Chloroplast DNA data suggest that T. porrifolius has consistently been the matemal parent of T. mirus. Chloroplast DNA data also document a minimum of two independent origins of T. miscellus: 1) populations from Pullman, Washington, have T. dubius as the matemal parent; 2) all other populations have T. pratensis as the matemal parent. Two restriction site mutations implicate certain populations of T. dubius in the formation of the Pullman populations of T. miscellus. The two rare diploid species, T. porrifolius and T. pratensis, typically appear as matemal parents of the allotetraploids; the widespread and common T. dubius is the matemal parent only for two populations of T. miscellus. These data suggest that pollen load may be an important factor in determining the male and female parents of allopolyploid angiosperms.
Efficacy of manufactured PIGOUT® baits for localised control of feral pigs in the semi-arid Queensland rangelands

Conservative population declines of 73% were recorded in three independent feral pig populations in Welford National Park, Queensland, when PIGOUT® baits containing 72 mg of sodium fluoroacetate were used in a baiting program following prefeeding. Declines were measured using a prebaiting population census with remote cameras, followed by carcass recovery. The knockdown of susceptible feral pigs may have been higher than this, since any carcasses not recovered reduced the recorded efficacy. In addition, feral pigs know to have left the baiting area after trapping and telemetry-tagging, and subsequently not exposed to toxic baits, were included in the analysis. The use of remote cameras and carcass recovery appears to be a relatively accurate means of recording localised declines in feral pig populations. This method is applicable only when carcass recovery is possible, such as in open areas in the semi-arid rangelands. A decline of 86% of radio-tagged feral pigs attending bait stations was also recorded. Camera observations revealed no non-target consumption of baits. Measurement of sodium fluoroacetate–contaminated tissues from feral pigs showed that residues were too low to present a significant risk to recorded scavenging animals in the area. Some feral pigs vomited before death, with vomitus containing sodium fluoroacetate poison at high concentrations. No vomitus was consumed by non-target species. Almost all feral pigs were killed relatively rapidly after ingestion of sodium fluoroacetate and the signs observed in a small number of poisoned feral pigs did not indicate a significant welfare concern.
Effects of Visible Recessive Alleles on Vigor Characteristics in a Maize Hybrid 1

Present knowledge of the control of heterosis and various vigor characteristics on a single gene or locus basis is inadequate. Information on this subject was obtained by producing a number of mutant recessive alleles in a maize (Zea mays L.) inbred line and selecting 31 for study. It was obvious from observation that most of the recessive alleles exhibit numerous pleiotropic effects affecting various vigor characteristics in the homozygous background of the inbred. Five of the recessive alleles were selected for this study to ascertain if pleiotropic vigor effects may also be expressed in the heterozygous background of a hybrid. Each allele produced an array of pleiotropic effects, either positive or negative, affecting various vigor characteristics in the hybrid. Considering pleiotropic effects in the context of single gene differences, the effects on individual vigor characteristics range from small to large. One allele increased the grain yield by three percent. The genetic nature of the pleiotropic effects is not clear at this time; however, it is proposed that pleiotropic effects associated with recessive alleles provide a genetic basis for heterosis.
Physical and kinetic properties of acetohydroxyacid synthase from wheat leaves

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS, EC 4.1.3.18; also known as acetolactate synthase), which catalyses the first reaction common to the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids, L-valine, L-leucine and L-isoleucine, and is the target of several classes of herbicides, has been studied in hydroponically-grown seedlings of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Vulcan). Enzyme activity was greater in leaves than roots, reaching a maximum between 4 and 6 days after germination. AHAS was associated with the chloroplasts after centrifugation in a density gradient. A preparation of the enzyme was obtained from wheat leaves which gave a single band after electrophoresis in native gels but was resolved by denaturing sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into three polypeptide bands of molecular mass 58, 57 and 15 kDa. The native molecular mass was approximately 128 kDa. AHAS had optimum activity at pH 7 and did not require the addition of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and MgCl 2 for activity. The enzyme did not display typical hyperbolic kinetics, in that the double reciprocal plot of activity against pyruvate concentration was non-linear. The concentration of pyruvate that gave half of the maximum activity was 4 mM. Sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides were potent inhibitors of wheat leaf AHAS, with 50% inhibition being observed at concentrations of 0.6 and 0.3 μM for chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron methyl, respectively, and at 2.5, 5 and 10 μM for imazaquin, imazethapyr and imazapyr. Inhibition by both classes of compounds was reversed by removal of the inhibitor. Progress curves of product formation against time in the presence of the herbicides were non-linear, and based on the assumption that inhibition by the sulfonylureas was of the slow, tight-binding type, estimates of 0.17 and 0.1 nM were obtained for the dissociation constants of chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron methyl, respectively, from the steady-state enzyme-inhibitor complex.
Bone Density Reduction in Patients with Crohn Disease and Associations with Demographic and Disease Variables: Cross-sectional Data from a Population-based Study

Background: The extent of bone density reduction in patients with Crohn disease is still being debated. The aim of this study was to examine bone mineral density (BMD) and factors associated with reduced BMD in a representative population of patients with Crohn disease aged between 20 and 70 years. Methods: BMD (using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) was measured in spine and hip in 55 patients with Crohn disease recruited from the entire Crohn population (n = 96) in a defined area of southern Norway. Demographic and clinical data were also collected. The patients were compared with 52 ageand gender-matched healthy controls. Potential demographic and disease-related factors associated with BMD reduction were statistically tested with bi- and multivariate analyses. Results: The BMD reduction in patients with Crohn disease was 7.1% (P = 0.02) in spine L1-4, 6.1% (P = 0.08) in femoral neck and 8.4% (P = 0.02) in total hip as compared with the controls. In total hip and femoral neck, age, body weight and gender were independently associated with reduced BMD, but in the spine only body weight. Among the disease-related variables, only ever use of prednisolone was independently associated with reduction in BMD but this only in the femoral neck. Conclusions: The spine and hip BMD reduction of 6%-8% is similar to that found in a comparable population-based study performed in another area in Norway. Among the disease-related variables tested for, only the use of prednisolone was independently associated with BMD reduction. However, the BMD reduction measured in this study indicates that disease-related mechanisms are involved.
Outcrossing rate of barley genotypes with different floral characteristics in drought-stressed environments in Jordan

The flowering characteristics of a highly inbreeding species such as barley might influence the extent of outcrossing that can be expected. Increased outcrossing is a prerequisite to exploit heterosis in inbreeding species, which can lead to considerable yield increase as has been demonstrated for barley grown under marginal conditions. Anther extrusion (AE) in barley has been demonstrated to be a genetically controlled, quantitative trait with intermediate to high heritability. Some authors consider AE and open flowering in barley as identical. The present study was conducted to investigate whether barley genotypes with increased AE exhibit increased outcrossing rates under field conditions in comparison with genotypes showing no AE. Field experiments were conducted in three contrasting environments in Jordan in the 2001/02 growing season using six adapted barley genotypes, three with high AE and three with no AE. Outcrossing rates were investigated employing codominant DNA markers (microsatellites). No significant difference in outcrossing rates was detected between anther-extruding and non-extruding barley genotypes. Results indicate that high AE is not a sufficient condition to cause increased outcrossing rates and thus cannot be termed open flowering.
Simultaneous Inhibition of MEK and CDK4 Leads to Potent Apoptosis in Human Melanoma Cells

ABSTRACT Deregulation of RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK and p16INK4A-cycylin D:CDK4/6-RB pathways is important for melanoma development. Chemotherapeutic agents targeting both pathways were developed but results of clinical studies with monotherapies were disappointing. We examined the effect of cotargeting both pathways with MEK inhibitor PD98059 and CDK4 inhibitor 219476 on human melanoma cells lines, and found that combinatorial treatment dramatically increased apoptosis compared to the single agent treatment. The apoptosis was associated with downregulation of BCL2, BCL2L1, BIRC5, and upregulation of BIM. Our results indicate that simultaneously targeting ERK and RB pathways is a promising strategy for melanoma treatment and should encourage further in-depth investigations.
Helicobacter pylori Infection Is a Major Risk Factor for Gastric Carcinoma in Young Patients

Background: Helicobacter pylori has been established as a risk factor for gastric carcinoma (GCa). Since before the discovery of H. pylori, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia have been linked to GCa, especially the intestinal-type tumor. The prevalence of H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis increase with age. Thus, analysis of H. pylori infection in young patients with GCa could help clarify the role of this bacterium in the development of GCa. Accordingly, we investigated the relationship between H. pylori infection, GCa, and histologic gastritis in patients less than 30 years old. Methods: Fifty GCa patients less than 30 years (mean, 26.4 years) and 100 sex- and age-matched controls (mean, 26.8 years) were examined for the presence of H. pylori infection and histologic gastritis. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly higher in GCa patients than in controls (94% versus 40%, P < 0.01). Its prevalence was not associated with tumor location, tumor stage, or histologic type. Gastritis, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia significantly increased the risk of GCa. By means of multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for the risk of GCa in H. pylori-positive subjects was found to be 23.5 (95% confidence interval, 6.84-80.7). Conclusions: We confirmed a strong association between H. pylori infection and GCa in young patients. Along with H. pylori infection, histologic gastritis might play an important role in the pathogenesis of GCa in these patients.
Extracorporeal Ultrasound is an Effective Diagnostic Alternative to Endoscopic Ultrasound for Gastric Submucosal Tumours

Background: Although endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is the best modality in the diagnosis of gastric submucosal tumours (G-SMT), it is still invasive and expensive. We evaluated the usefulness of transabdominal ultrasonography (US) as an alternative to EUS in the assessment and clinical management of G-SMT. Methods: This is a prospective study of 156 successive patients who had been diagnosed with G-SMT by direct endoscopic visualization. For each patient, US was performed prior to EUS by an examiner who had not been informed about the site or the size of the patient's G-SMT beforehand. US diagnoses were compared with those ascertained by EUS. Diagnostic grade by US was divided into three groups: diagnosed (G-SMT was clearly demonstrated including location, site and type), detected (G-SMT was demonstrable but the type was not clear) and undetected (G-SMT was not demonstrated by US). Results: We found that US can be an alternative to EUS for: 1) diagnosis of extramural compression, 2) diagnosis of G-SMT with size > 30 mm in diameter, 3) detection and measurement of the size of a G-SMT from 21 to 30 mm in diameter, and 4) detection and measurement of the size of a G-SMT at both the gastric angle and cardia, regardless of the size of the tumour. Overall sensitivity and specificity for the detection of G-SMT were 82.5% and 100%, respectively. The diagnostic rates of G-SMT in each group were 60.1% (86/143) for diagnosed, 22.4% (32/143) for detected and 17.5% (25/143) for undetected. Approximate 95% (21/22) of G-SMT over 20 mm in diameter were at least detected, and 97% (30/31) of G-SMT over 30 mm in diameter were diagnosed by US. Conclusion: US can be an alternative method in the assessment of G-SMT, especially in the follow-up of patients already diagnosed.
Relationship between Serologically Diagnosed Chronic Atrophic Gastritis, Helicobacter pylori, and Environmental Factors in Japanese Men

Background: Whereas chronic atrophic gastritis is known to be an intermediate stage in gastric carcinogenesis, information is sparse about factors associated with this precancerous lesion except for Helicobacter pylori. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 566 men aged 50-55 years in the Japan Self-Defense Forces, we examined the relation of H. pylori infection, smoking, alcohol use, and dietary factors to the prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis as determined by serum pepsinogen I and pepsinogen II (I/II ratio < 3.0, and pepsinogen I < 70 ng/ml). Chronic atrophic gastritis was classified as severe when the pepsinogen I/II ratio was <2.0, and as moderate otherwise. Results: The overall prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis was 35.7% (202 of 566). The seropositivity of H. pylori was associated with a 10-fold increase in the risk of chronic atrophic gastritis, and the association was much stronger for moderate atrophic gastritis. Neither cigarette smoking nor alcohol consumption was related to the overall risk of chronic atrophic gastritis. Consumption of vegetables and fruits was each unrelated to chronic atrophic gastritis whether examined as a whole or separately for moderate and severe atrophic gastritis. Green tea was related to decreased risk of severe atrophic gastritis, although not statistically significant, whereas garlic consumption showed no protective association. Conclusions: The findings corroborate that H. pylori infection has an important role in the development of chronic atrophic gastritis in middle-aged Japanese men. Green tea consumption may be protective against the advance of atrophic gastritis. Vegetables, fruits, or garlic had no protective effect against the development of atrophic gastritis in the study.