Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-related Changes in Astrocytes and Microvasculature in the Median Eminence of the Rat

Age-related changes in astrocytes, tanycytes and the microvasculature were investigated in the median eminence (ME) of the anterior hypothalamo-hypophyseal system of 2- and 24-month old rats by means of immunocytochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. A computer-assisted image processing system showed a significant increase of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in the internal layer (IL) and the perivascular region of the external layer (EL) of the ME with age. However, no remarkable changes in either layer could be detected employing vimentin immunoreactivity. An immunoelectron microscopic study revealed that the number of the GFAP-immunoreactive processes markedly increased with age in regions surrounding the capillaries of the EL. Therefore, it may be considered that, in both layers, the astrocytic cell bodies and associated glial processes exhibit a significant increase with age. Investigation of the microvasculature under a scanning electron microscope demonstrated the development and the sinusoidal progress of the external capillary plexus with age, but these changes were not observed in the internal capillary network of the ME. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed a close correlation between the increase of the GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes and the development of the external capillary plexus. In addition, there was a close correlation between the increase in the GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes and the sinusoidal progress.
Attenuation of solar ultraviolet radiation by dissolved organic matter alters benthic colonization patterns in streams

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the principle constituent in fresh water responsible for attenuation of ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280–400 nm). Previous field experiments using UVR exclusion filters have shown that UVR can inhibit accrual of lotic attached algal communities, change algal species composition, decrease benthic invertebrate abundances, and alter the trophic dynamics of stream communities. We examined the colonization of lotic assemblages in outdoor flumes exposed to a range of UVR intensities by suspending 7-cm deep water filters differing in DOM concentration above each flume to filter natural sunlight. DOM solutions of 0, 2, 5, and 8 mg/L resulted in light exposures ranging from 12–74% ambient UVB, 34–89% ambient UVA, and 80–94% ambient photosynthetically active radiation. This approach isolated the UVR-attenuating properties of DOM from potential biochemical effects. There was a sharp transition in biological effects between 2 and 5 mg/L DOM. No significant differences in algal biomass or invertebrate abundances were observed between 5 and 8 mg/L or between 0 and 2 mg/L DOM. Algal accrual was initially higher under 5 and 8 mg/L DOM treatments (i.e., lowest UVR); however, this trend was reversed following 24 d of colonization after which algal biomass was significantly greater under 0 and 2 mg/L DOM (i.e., highest UVR). Grazer abundance (predominantly chironomids) was significantly higher in the 5 and 8 mg/L treatments. The higher densities of grazers in these treatments likely reduced algal standing crops in the later part of the experiment. Blackfly (Simuliidae) and oligochaete (Naididae) abundances were also reduced in low-DOM treatments, although trends were not as pronounced as for chironomids. We predict that streams with DOM concentrations <5 mg/L could be particularly sensitive to UVR. Potentially, these streams would be most negatively affected by future increases in UVR exposure as a result of ozone depletion, or DOM decreases related to natural or human-induced factors.
The impact of herbivore type and grazing pressure on benthic microalgal diversity

Benthic microalgae and the herbivores Idothea chelipes (Isopoda) and Littorina littorea (Gastropoda) were used as an experimental model system to study the effect of herbivore type on primary producer diversity. Both herbivores enhanced diversity at intermediate grazing pressures, the enhancing effect being stronger with Littorina. This difference is explained by differences in the spatial heterogeneity of the grazed microalgal biofilm caused by behavioural differences in spatial grazing patterns. Idothea spreads its grazing pressure rather evenly in space (“lawn-mower” type), whereas Littorina creates pronounced spatial heterogeneity by moving slowly over the biofilm and decimating it within the grazing tracks (“bulldozer” type). Idothea grazing did not enhance biomass patchiness beyond the level of ungrazed controls (maximum/minimum from 1.7 to 5.5), whereas Littorina strongly increased patchiness (maximum/minimum from 45 to 850).
Reproduction in Zoanthidea (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia)

Summary The state of knowledge concerning the reproductive biology of zoanthids is reviewed. Colonies in the suborder Macrocnemina, with few exceptions, are gonochoric; those in Brachycnemina are probably basically hermaphroditic but accurate sampling in colonies that fragment is difficult and exceptions by species or populations occur. Two deepsea species of Epizoanthus breed continuously but temperate shallow water zoanthids, and those in the tropics outside ∼15° latitude are iteroparous with spawning in summer or when temperatures are rising. Oogenesis occurs over a few months but the spawning event may be very brief. Parazoanthus parasiticusin Bermuda spawns mainly on 1–2 nights in late August or September, apparently at full moon;Protopalythoa sp. 1, and probably Palythoa caesia in the Great Barrier Reef spawn 3–5 nights after full moon in November (early summer). These species with short, precisely defined spawning seasons may undergo a second, smaller-scale spawning event one month after the first.
Media coverage of management of the black bear Ursus thibetanus in Japan

Abstract Asiatic black bears Ursus thibetanus are threatened in Japan but are generally considered to be nuisance animals because of the damage they cause to agriculture and property, and because they cause human casualties. We analysed media coverage of black bears in Japan to understand social discourse and potential influences on public perceptions about conservation of bears. Content analysis of a total of 348 articles in a local and a national newspaper revealed that the number of articles regarding black bears and the proportion of negative articles that describe the risks posed by bears increased concomitant with a rise in sightings of bears. Local newspapers included more articles about the risks posed by bears than national newspapers. This potentially reflects and can amplify local residents' perceptions of risk. The proportion of thematic and episodic articles was unrelated to increases in bear appearances. More extensive communications with media representatives by biologists, government officials and police are needed to enhance public knowledge of bears and lead to broader perspectives on their management.
ANTISICKLING ACTIVITY OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA LEAVES HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH

The aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Terminalia catappa L. family Combretaceae, a fruit bearing tree, popular in folkloric medicine for the treatment of sickle cell anaemia disease were assessed for their in-vitro anti-sickling activities. Extracts were prepared from the reddish-brown freshly fallen leaves, reddish-brown leaves and green leaves of the plant by maceration in the solvents. Phytochemical examination of the extracts showed that cardiac glycosides are present in abundance in the reddish-brown freshly fallen leaves, moderate in the reddish-brown leaves and in trace amount in the green leaves. High concentration of saponin was however observed in the green leaves, while only present in trace amount in the reddish-brown leaves and absent in the reddish-brown freshly fallen leaves. Alkaloids were detected present in all the three samples of the leaves but anthraquinones and tannins were completely absent. Antisickling activities of the extracts obtained from leaves harvested at different stages of growth (green leaves, reddish-brown leaves, reddish-brown freshly fallen leaves) were evaluated using p- hydroxybenzoic acid, (5mg/ml) and normal saline as controls. The method employed involved the inhibition of sodium metabisulphite-induced sickling of HbSS red blood cells collected from confirmed non-crisis sickle cell patients. Both the aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of the reddish-brown freshly fallen leaf exhibited highest antisickling activity (78% inhibition at 180 min incubation and 77% inhibition at 90 min incubation respectively). KEY WORDS: Terminalia catappa; Combretaceae; fallen leaves; sickle cell anaemia; antisickling activity. Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol.7 2003: 30-32
Evolutionary approaches for endmember extraction in hyperspectral unmixing using genetic algorithms

Extracao de Endmembers e uma etapa critica no processo de desmistura e classificacao de imagens hiperespectrais, fornecendo a base para aplicacoes como identificacao de minerais, analise de vegetacao, levantamento geografico, gerenciamento de desastres e identificacao de objetos alvos em aplicacoes militares. A extracao de endmembers e um procedimento que possibilita determinar os materiais constituintes basicos contidos no pixel de uma imagem hiperespectral, fornecendo os requisitos para o processo de inversao de abundância usado para obter a porcentagem de ocorrencia de cada endmember em cada pixel. No entanto, a baixa resolucao espacial e o tempo de computacao sao as maiores dificuldades, a primeira devido as interacoes espaciais de diferentes fracoes de endmembers e a segunda devido a busca extensiva utilizada em metodos tradicionais. Sao propostos tres extratores de endmembers evolutivos, denominados GAEE, GAEE-IVFm e GAEEII. O primeiro e baseado na solucao de um problema de extracao de endmembers linear que se trata de uma tarefa de otimizacao evolutiva de maximizar o volume de um simplex, GAEE-IVFm representa uma variacao do GAEE com um modulo de Fertilizacao In Vitro e GAEEII aplica um algoritmo genetico multi epocas com algumas melhorias feitas no GAEE. Para demonstrar a superioridade dos metodos propostos, experimentos extensivos sao conduzidos em varias imagens hiperespectrais reais e sinteticas bem conhecidas, assim como uma possivel relacao com a distância do ângulo espectral (SAD) e o volume do simplex gerado pelo conjunto de endmembers. Os resultados confirmam que os metodos propostos melhoram consideravelmente, em ate tres vezes, a precisao em um tempo computacional escalavel quando comparado com as tecnicas de ponta da literatura, incluindo desenvolvimentos recentes.
Situational Awareness For Electric Utilities

Through direct dialogue between NCCoE staff and members of the energy sector (composed mainly of electric power companies and those who provide equipment and/or services to them) it became clear that energy companies need to create and maintain a high level of visibility into their operating environments to ensure the security of their operational resources (operational technology [OT]), including industrial control systems (ICS), buildings, and plant equipment. However, energy companies, as well as all other utilities with similar infrastructure and situational awareness challenges, also need insight into their corporate or information technology (IT) systems and physical access control systems (PACS). The convergence of data across these three often self-contained silos (OT, IT, and PACS) can better protect power generation, transmission, and distribution.
Cell Free Protein Synthesizing System of Alkalophilic Bacillus No. A-59

A cell free protein synthesizing system was established from alkalophilic Bacillus. Amino acid incorporation was dependent on ribosomes, supernatant, poly uridilic acid (poly U) and magnesium. The optimum pH for protein synthesis by poly U was about 0.5 higher than that of Bacillus subtilis. In protein synthesis directed by endogeneous mRNA, the optimum pH was also about 0.5 higher. The properties of ribosomes and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase were not remarkably different. A comparative study of alkalophilic Bacillus and B. subtilis showed that the protein synthesizing system of alkalophilic Bacillus was similar to that of mesophilic bacteria.
Quality, Decomposition and Isopod Consumption of Tree Litter Produced under Elevated CO 2

Rising atmospheric CO 2 is expected to alter plant tissue quality which in turn could affect litter quality, decomposition, and carbon and nutrient turnover. We tested this hypothesis using leaf litter of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and branchlets (wood + bark) of spruce (Picea abies) produced under contrasting CO 2 concentrations in model ecosystems. Both types of litter produced under elevated CO 2 had significantly lower N concentrations, but showed no CO 2 -related differences in carbon and lignin concentrations. Decomposition rates (mass loss) assessed in a natural temperate forest were significantly slower in litter produced at high CO 2 . However, this effect became stronger in beech leaves but gradually disappeared in spruce branchlets over the 331-d exposure period. Irrespective of CO 2 treatment beech leaf litter lost 16% of its initial N content. Spruce branchlets produced at low CO 2 lost 50% of their initial N content, and those produced at high CO 2 lost 26%. Two isopod species representing native macro-decomposers consumed 36% more of the high CO 2 -produced beech litter than they did of low CO 2 -produced beech litter. Only small, and non-significant increases in consumption of high CO 2 -produced spruce branchlets were observed. Isopods feeding on high CO 2 litter also produced more feces than those feeding litter from low CO 2 Our results indicate that CO 2 -induced litter quality changes influence only certain stages of decomposition, and that these stages differ between different litter types. Inhibitory effects of elevated CO 2 , however, may be compensated by the positive feed-back of intensified litter processing of low quality litter by macro-decomposers. Consequently, the entire cycle of litter production and decomposition must be included in the analysis of the potential effects of rising CO 2 on litter decomposition. This includes both micro- and macro-decomposer specific effects.
The Role of Body Size, Phylogeny, and Ambient Noise in the Evolution of Bird Song

Morton found that the average emphasized frequency in the songs of tropical bird species in low-forest habitats was lower than that of species in grassland or edge habitats. He suggested that this was due to a frequency window around 1585-2500 Hz in low-forest habitats, and that there was selection to produce songs with frequencies in this window in order to increase the transmission distance of the songs. In the present study, we analyze the constraints of body size and evolutionary history on the ability of avian species to respond to this selection. Also, we examine the spectral distribution of ambient noise as an additional selective factor. There is a correlation between body size and the emphasized frequency of the song for the species analyzed by Morton. Larger birds produce songs with lower emphasized frequencies. Morton's demonstration that birds in the low forest produce songs with lower frequencies is confounded by the fact that larger birds also live in this habitat. Phylogeny is also a potentially confounding factor, since the allometry of size and frequency differs among taxonomic units. Our analyses, however, control for body size and, to some extent, phylogeny, and suggest that there has been an evolutionary response to selection for low-frequency songs by birds in low-forest habitats. Our analysis of ambient noise in low-forest and grassland habitats suggests that this selection might result in part from a relatively quiet region of the ambient noise spectrum in low-forest habitat because of the comparative lack of wind-generated noise and of the abundance of insect-generated sound.
VARIABILITY IN THE PHASE COMPOSITION IN CHELYABINSK LL5 FRAGMENTS WITH DIFFERENT LITHOLOGIES: STUDY USING X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND MOSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPY.

Introduction: Five fragments of Chelyabinsk LL5 ordinary chondrite (meteorite fall was on February 15, 2013) collected by the Meteoritical Expedition of the Ural Federal University on the next day after fall were chosen for comparative study by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. These samples demonstrate different lithologies such as: light lithology (two samples marked No 1 and No 1a), mixed light and dark lithologies (two samples marked No 2 and No 2a) and black lithology (one sample marked No 3). The dark lithology of samples No 2 and No 2a was different from the black lithology of No 3. The latter lithology was similar to the dark lithology mentioned in [1]. Materials and Methods: The polished thin sections of Chelyabinsk LL5 fragments were prepared by the standard methods for optical microscopy and SEM with EDS characterization. Then powdered matter was prepared from the slice surface for XRD and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Optical microscopy was done using an Axiovert 40 MAT microscope (Carl Zeiss) and SEM analysis was carried out using a ΣIGMA VP electron microscope (Carl Zeiss) with an X-max (Oxford Instruments) EDS device. Similar measurements were performed using an AMRAY 1830 scanning electron microscope equipped with EDAX PV9800 energy dispersive spectrometer. The XRD study was carried out using the XRD–7000 powder diffractometer (Shimadzu) while the 57Fe Mössbauer spectra were measured at 295 K using SM-2201 spectrometer with a high velocity resolution. Detailes were described in [2]. Results and Discussion: Characterization of Chelyabinsk LL5 fragments by means of optical microscopy and SEM with EDS showed the presence of silicate matrix with Fe-Ni-Co alloy grains and inclusions of troilite FeS, chromite FeCr2O4 with hercynite FeAl2O4 and ilmenite FeTiO3 which was found in fragment No 2a only. The results of the full profile Rietveld analysis of the XRD patterns and the best fits of the Mössbauer spectra of the studied Chelyabinsk LL5 fragments are collected in Table 1. The data from XRD were obtained in wt. %. Mössbauer spectroscopy permits to estimate the subspectra relative areas of the iron-bearing phases only which can be roughly considered as the relative Fe content in these phases. The results obtained for Chelyabinsk LL5 meteorite fragments demonstrated some variations in the phase composition for all fragments with the same and different lithologies studied by two techniques.
THE SPREAD OF VIRUS DISEASES TO SINGLE POTATO PLANTS BY WINGED APHIDS

Young potato plants in pots exposed in the open near plots of potatoes for limited periods at intervals during the summer, became infested with large numbers of winged aphids only during warm, calm and dry weather. Although visited by aphids during May and June, when much of the spread of viruses occurred in nearby potato crops, few of the potted plants became infected. Most potted plants became infected in July when alate aphids were leaving neighbouring potato crops. Widely different proportions of the exposed plants became infected in different years; in two of the three years, many more plants were infected with virus Y than with leaf roll virus.
Effects of quantity and frequency of irrigation on growth and nutrient uptake in Acacia nilotica seedlings in Indian dry zone

One-year old seedlings of Acacia nilotica planted in 8 m3 lysimeter were maintained by re-irrigating at 36.2 mm (I1), 26.5 mm (I2), 20.2 mm (I3), 18.1 mm (I4) and life saving (I5) when the soil water content (SWC) decreased to 7.56%, 5.79%, 4.44%, 3.23% and wilting condition in respective treatment with views to determine critical level of water use and productivity enhancement. Seedling height and collar diameter decreased (p < 0.01) with irrigation frequency from I1 to I4 level. Growth variables were lowest at I5 but increased by 1.4- and 1.6-fold at I1, 1.2- and 1.4-fold at I2, 1.1- and 1.2-fold at I3 and 1.01- and 1.1-fold at I4 levels, respectively. WUE was highest at I2. Seedlings in I1 accumulated 4-fold K and Fe, and 2-fold P, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu than those in I5. Non-linear relations of growth and nutrient uptake with water quantity indicated positive influence of supplemental irrigation. Irrigation at I3 to I4 did not indicate significant growth over I5. Whereas I2 level was the best with highest WUE. Therefore, A. nilotica may be raised for developing greenbelt/woodlots in desert cities by irrigating at I2 and above to provide SWC of ≥5.79% in the loamy sand soil.
Diversity and biomass accumulation in cultured phototrophic biofilms

In the present study, biomass development and changes in community composition of phototrophic biofilms grown under different controlled ambient conditions (light, temperature and flow) were examined. Source communities were taken from a wastewater treatment plant and used to inoculate growth surfaces in a semi-continuous-flow microcosm. We recorded biofilm growth curves in cultures over a period of 30 days across 12 experiments. Biovolume of phototrophs and community composition for taxonomic shifts were also obtained using light and electron microscopy. Species richness in the cultured biofilms was greatly reduced with respect to the natural samples, and diversity decreased even further during biofilm development. Diadesmis confervacea, Phormidium spp. , Scenedesmus spp. and Synechocystis spp. were identified as key taxa in the microcosm. While a significant positive effect of irradiance on biofilm growth could be identified, impacts of temperature and flow rate on biofilm development and diversity were less evident. We discuss the hypothesis that biofilm development could have been subject to multistability, i.e. the existence of several possible stable biofilm configurations for the same set of environmental parameters; small variations in the species composition might have been sufficient to switch between these different configurations and thus have contributed to overwriting the original effects of temperature and flow velocity.
Digenic Inheritance of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-1α and -1β With Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young, Polycystic Thyroid, and Urogenital Malformations Published ahead of print at http://care.diabetesjournals.org on 2 March 2007. DOI: 10.2337/dc06-2618. A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventi

H eterozygous mutations of the POU A/homeodomain transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-1 and -1 cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) in humans (1). HNF-1 and -1 act in a complex network of transcription factors regulating tissue-specific gene expression in the pancreas and other epithelial organs. Patients with mutations of HNF-1 (MODY5) are characterized by urogenital malformations, while extrapancreatic manifestations in patients with diabetes and HNF-1 mutations (MODY3) are not well known (2).
In situ activity metabolism of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): estimates obtained from telemetry of axial muscle electromyograms

Activity metabolism of free-swimming rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was estimated using electromyogram telemetry of the axial muscle. Estimates were obtained for five fish for temperatures ranging from 3 to 22°C. Activity metabolism was divided by standard metabolism to produce a relative metabolic cost of activity (RMA). The average diel pattern of RMA was predominantly crepuscular. RMA increased at dawn and then slowly increased to an average maximum peak of 1.8 at dusk. After dusk, RMA slowly declined to a minimum value of 1.4 just prior to dawn. The diel pattern was similar over most of the temperature range studied, but became less distinct at the upper and lower limits of the range. Changes in mean daily RMA were strongly correlated with changes in mean temperature. Mean RMA of the five fish sampled over three seasons was 1.5, with very little variation among fish. The results of this study indicate that the activity metabolism of free-swimming rainbow trout is less than twice standard.