Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hidrografía en la Boca Norte de la Bahía de La Paz, Baja California Sur, México Hydrography at the North Mouth of La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico

To describe the hydrographical variability at the North Mouth of La Paz Bay, its main point of communication with the Gulf of California, CTD data were analyzed from four sampling surveys conducted during an annual cycle (May, July and October 2001, and February 2002). The results showed an absence of the mixed layer and intense temperature and salinity stratification in spring and summer. In autumn a 30-m mixed layer was registered, with a temperature of 28.5oC, while in winter an unusual 100-m mixed layer was detected, with a temperature of 17.9oC. Particular noteworthy is the similarity of the structure between the surface and subsurface layers of the bay and gulf. The most significant difference was the presence of Pacific Intermediate Water (PIW) in the gulf, which does not intrude into the bay due to the barrier created by the sill at the mouth. The T-S diagrams revealed the presence of Gulf of California Water (GCW), Subtropical Subsurface Water (SSW) and PIW in May. In July, however, four water masses were identified: GCW, Equatorial Surface Water (ESW), SSW and PIW. In October, a significant amount of ESW and a considerable decrease in GCW were detected, but in February only GCW and SSW were found. This study shows important hydrographic seasonal variability in the area of the North Mouth, with marked differences between the bay and the gulf, contributing to the understanding of the regional oceanography.
Cultura, crescimento e identificação de bactérias do gênero Staphylococcus aureus em leite de cabra.

O leite de cabra é um alimento que fornece importantes nutrientes para a alimentação humana. Quando produzido sem os cuidados necessários pode ser capaz de permitir o desenvolvimento de interferentes indesejáveis, como microrganismos patogênicos. Tais problemas causam grandes prejuízos aos produtores (bactérias causadoras da mastite causam diminuição na produção de leite), a indústria (diminuição do rendimento e sabor desagradável nos produtos) e aos consumidores (doenças transmitidas por alimentos – DTAs).
Changes in methane emission and rumen fermentation parameters induced by refaunation in sheep

Elimination of protozoa or defaunation is known to reduce methane emission by ruminants. However, the long-term efficacy of this practice is not well documented. In this work methane and other end products of fermentation were monitored in five adult, rumen-cannulated wethers that had been kept defaunated for two years (Def1) and successively refaunated (Fau, 12 weeks) and defaunated (Def2) during a 6-month-long experiment. Methane was measured for periods of 4 days at about 4-weekly intervals using the SF6 tracer technique, and rumen content samples were taken regularly throughout the experiment. Refaunation was performed by single administration of a mixed protozoal inoculum (103 cells). A noticeable protozoal population was observed at 12 days after inoculation, which was followed by an exponential increase that peaked at 12 ± 3 × 105 cells/mL rumen fluid at 4 weeks and decreased thereafter to 8 ± 4 × 105 cells/mL at the end of the 12-week Fau period. Production of methane, which was 33 ± 8 L/animal.day in Def1, increased (P 0.05). Even though protozoal numbers were comparable to conventional animals 20 days after inoculation, the increase in methane production was observed later, at 8 weeks, suggesting that protozoa are not the only microbial factor favouring methanogenesis and that the ecosystem needs a relatively long adaptation time following protozoal introduction to optimise this function. The presence of protozoa did not affect total volatile fatty acids and acetate concentration in the rumen but increased butyrate, while decreasing propionate concentration (Fau v. Def1, Def2, P < 0.05). These results show that the decrease in methane emissions induced by defaunation in sheep was stable for a period of up to 2 years. In the absence of protozoa, methane decreased by ~20% in both short- and long-term defaunated animals.
Cost-effectiveness of Poison Bait Trails for Control of House Mice in Mallee Cereal Crops

Damage by house mice (Mus domesticus) to a maturing wheat crop was controlled by laying thin trails of poisoned wheat through the crop. Mouse population densities at treatment were about 70 mice ha-1. Mouse numbers were reduced by 100% within 1 week; at harvest, 9 weeks later, mouse numbers were still reduced by 46% relative to 3 untreated crops. That level of mouse control reduced damage to the crop by more than 808, but treatment was barely cost-effective because of the moderate level of damage in untreated crops and the low wheat prices in that year. Treatment is likely to be costeffective given mouse densities of at least 100 mice ha-1 or higher wheat prices, but cost-effectiveness depends greatly on the cost of rodenticide used.
Structural Analysis of the Core Oligosaccharide and the O‐Specific Polysaccharide from the Plesiomonas shigelloides O33:H3 (Strain CNCTC 34/89) Lipopolysaccharide

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS, endotoxin) with different core oligosaccharide glycoforms from the same species are common, but diversity among glycoforms reported to date has been related to terminal residues only. In this work, contrary to the variety of known LPS structures, we observed a 30 % replacement of glucosamine to glucose in the middle of the outer core region of the Plesiomonas shigelloides serotype O33:H3 (CNCTC 34/89) lipopolysaccharide. Such atypical modification within the same serotype raises questions about the biosynthesis of core structures. The core oligosaccharide was an undecasaccharide with a high level of O-acetylation on the residue linked to the O-specific polysaccharide. The core oligosaccharide, the O-specific polysaccharide, and the linkage between them were determined by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chemical analysis. The presence of the O-specific polysaccharide on the bacterial cell surface was confirmed by 1H high-resolution magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy.
The integrated stress response effector ATF4: Characterization of a small molecule modulator of its expression and investigation of the role of ATF4 in metastasis

The Integrated Stress Response (ISR) and the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) are signaling programs that enable cellular adaptation to stressful conditions like hypoxia and nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment. An important effector of these pathways is ATF4, a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in redox homeostasis, amino acid metabolism and transport, autophagy, and angiogenesis. However, prolonged activation of the UPR/ISR and resultant ATF4 expression can be cytotoxic under certain conditions. In these studies, we characterized a small molecule compound, E235, which activated the ISR and dose-dependently increased levels of ATF4 in transformed cells. A dose-dependent decrease in viability was observed in several mouse and human tumor cell lines, and knockdown of ATF4 significantly increased the anti-proliferative effects of E235. Interestingly, low μM doses of E235 induced senescence in many cell types. E235-mediated induction of senescence was not dependent on p21 or p53; however, p21 conferred protection against the growth inhibitory effects of E235. Treatment with E235 resulted in an increase in cells arrested at the G2/M phase. E235 also activated DNA damage response signaling, although E235 did not appear to cause physical DNA damage. Induction of γ-H2AX was abrogated in ATF4 knockdown cells. Together, these results suggest that modulation of the ISR pathway with the small molecule E235 could be a promising anti-tumor strategy. We also investigated the potential role of ATF4 in tumor metastasis. Constitutive knockdown of ATF4 expression in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells completely prevented the lung colonization of these cells when injected intravenously in mice. This phenomenon may be tumor type specific however, as ATF4 ablation in mouse mammary carcinoma cells had no effect on the ability of these cells to colonize various organs of the mice. In addition, we generated HT1080 cells with an inducible knockdown of ATF4 and demonstrated an increased tumor growth rate upon downregulation of ATF4 expression. However, ATF4 knockdown did not affect the migration of HT1080 cells. This, together with results from a colleague showing that ATF4 protects cells from anoikis, led us to propose that ATF4 may be facilitating metastasis by protecting tumor cells during detachment and circulation. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Pharmacology First Advisor Constantinos Koumenis This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/edissertations/692
Orchidaceous rhizoctonias from roots of nonorchids: mycelial and cultural characteristics of field and pot culture isolates

This paper reports the field isolation of orchidaceous rhizoctonias similar to those found recently in pot cultures of vesicular–arbuscular endophytes. The paper describes the morphology and growth of field and pot-culture isolates on different natural and synthetic media and reports light microscope observations on the nuclei and septal pores of hyphal cells. All isolates were the same in regard to the utilisation of simple and complex carbohydrates and different forms of nitrogen. They were all multinucleate and had an inconspicuous septal pore. Consistent differences were found among isolates in the morphology and frequency of chlamydospores and monilioid hyphae and in the rate of growth, shape, type of margin, and colour of colonies. By using these criteria, the fungi were segregated into 10 entities. The observations are discussed in relation to the natural distribution of the fungi and their resemblance to other fungi in the form-genus Rhizoctonia.
Identifying isolated shark teeth of the genus Carcharhinus to species : relevance for tracking phyletic change through the fossil record. American Museum novitates ; no. 3109

Most sharks can be identified to genus on the basis of a combination of their tooth shapes and tooth counts. Some sharks can even be identified to species by this means. The requiem sharks (genus Carcharhinus) are one such group. This group also has a dense and relatively continuous fossil record ofisolated teeth extending from the Eocene to the present day. If a means could be developed to identify their isolated teeth to species, it would be possible to trace directly their evolutionary history through the fossil record. This would provide an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the tempo and mode of evolutionary change. In this study we investigated the extent to which the isolated teeth of extant Carcharhinus can be correctly assigned to species using discriminant function analysis of linear measurements. We measured 12,647 extant teeth representing shape variation due to species, ontogeny, sexual dimorphism, jaw, and tooth position. Observations were split into a "training" data set used to establish the discriminant functions and a "test" data set used to evaluate their efficiency. We found that excellent discrimination could be achieved for teeth from certain parts of the dentition. Results indicate that teeth from the upper jaw are correctly assigned to species more often than are teeth from the lowerjaw and that teeth from central positions within a tooth series (half-way between the symphysis and the angle of the jaw) are correctly assigned to species more often than are teeth from other positions. Quadratic discriminant analysis was used to assess whether or not thejaw and tooth positions of isolated Carcharhinus teeth could be determined. While classification accuracy varied across species, results indicate that upperjaw teeth I Research Associate, Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History; present address: Department of Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1048. 2 Research Associate, Department of Invertebrates, American Museum of Natural History; Professor, Queens College at the City University of New York, Flushing, NY 1 1367. 3To whom correspondence should be addressed. Copyright © American Museum of Natural History 1994 ISSN 0003-0082 / Price $6.50 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES can be readily distinguished from lower jaw teeth and that "maximally distinctive teeth" can be distinguished from teeth at less distinctive positions within the jaw. These findings are used to propose an objective and quantitative protocol for the interpretation of phyletic change in fossil Carcharhinus teeth.
Neurodegeneration in toxin-mediated demyelinating animal models of Multiple Sclerosis

Myelin is produced by a specialized membrane of oligodendrocytes in the CNS. This multilayered structure enwraps axons, providing them with trophic support and facilitates the fast transmission of electric signals. To study the short-term impact of demyelination, histological analysis was performed in a mouse model where myelinating oligodendrocytes are ablated by the expression of diphtheria toxin receptor in mature oligodendrocytes and systemic diphtheria toxin injection. We observed that it results in a fatal disease where demyelination of white matter tracts is accompanied by microglia activation and axonal damage. We demonstrated that this model is therefore well suited for studying demyelination-mediated axonal injury and myelin degradation in the short term. To investigate the impact of episodes of reversible demyelination on long-term locomotor performance and neuro-axonal integrity, cuprizone-treated animals were monitored using motor skill sequence (MOSS), to observe whether a functional recovery was attained and maintained in the long-term. Despite complete apparent recovery, treated animals exhibited late-onset motor impairment and ongoing acute axonal damage. This model mimics many of the aspects of axonal pathology observed in chronic progressive MS and might therefore be useful in studying the factors initiating, sustaining or compensating axonal damage. Finally, since myelin neuroprotection most likely involves a direct communication between axons and oligodendrocytes, proteomic analysis of myelin fractions enriched in axo-glial regions was performed to identify novel candidates involved in axo-glial interaction in the context of myelin biogenesis. A battery of functional assays was established and use to evaluate identified candidates to determine their role in axoglial communication and myelin formation. We identified that some members of the IgLON family bound to both oligodendrocytes and axons. We observed that these proteins have no effect on the migration, proliferation, differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells. However, we observed that one member, Ntm negatively impacts the early stages of myelination.
Expression and characterization of Edg-1 receptors in rat cardiomyocytes

Recent evidence indicates that sphingolipids are produced by the heart during hypoxic stress and by blood platelets during thrombus formation. It is therefore possible that sphingolipids may influence heart cell function by interacting with G-protein-coupled receptors of the Edg family. In the present study, it was found that sphingosine 1-phosphate (Sph1P), the prototypical ligand for Edg receptors, produced calcium overload in rat cardiomyocytes. The cDNA for Edg-1 was cloned from rat cardiomyocytes and, when transfected in an antisense orientation, effectively blocked Edg-1 protein expression and reduced the Sph1P-mediated calcium deregulation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that cardiomyocytes express an extracellular lipid-sensitive receptorsystem that can respond to sphingolipid mediators. Because the major source of Sph1P is from blood platelets, we speculate that Edg-mediated Sph1P negative inotropic and cardiotoxic effects may play important roles in acute myocardial ischemia where Sph1P levels are probably elevated in response to thrombus.
Amphipathic, α‐helical antimicrobial peptides

Gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides are an important component of host defense in animals ranging from insects to mammals. They do not target specific molecular receptors on the microbial surface, but rather assume amphipathic structures that allow them to interact directly with microbial membranes, which they can rapidly permeabilize. They are thus perceived to be one promising solution to the growing problem of microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics. A particularly abundant and widespread class of antimicrobial peptides are those with amphipathic, alpha-helical domains. Due to their relatively small size and synthetic accessibility, these peptides have been extensively studied and have generated a substantial amount of structure-activity relationship (SAR) data. In this review, alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides are considered from the point of view of six interrelated structural and physicochemical parameters that modulate their activity and specificity: sequence, size, structuring, charge, amphipathicity, and hydrophobicity. It begins by providing an overview of how these vary in peptides from different natural sources. It then analyzes how they relate to the currently accepted model for the mode of action of alpha-helical peptides, and discusses what the numerous SAR studies that have been carried out on these compounds and their analogues can tell us. A comparative analysis of the many alpha-helical, antimicrobial peptide sequences that are now available then provides further information on how these parameters are distributed and interrelated. Finally, the systematic variation of parameters in short model peptides is used to throw light on their role in antimicrobial potency and specificity. The review concludes with some considerations on the potentials and limitations for the development of alpha-helical, antimicrobial peptides as antiinfective agents.
The effect of B2 agonists on the immune function

This project investigated the effect of β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) stimulation on the function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. Catecholamines have been previously shown to increase efflux of these cells into the blood, but the effects on cell function are unclear. In this thesis three aspects of function have been addressed. The results of the studies presented in this thesis showed that: (1) β2-adrenergic stimulation by salmeterol reduced the percentage of IFN-γ producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells activated by Staphylococcus Aureus enterotoxin type B (SEB) superantigen, cytomegalovirus lysate (CMV) or CMV pp65 (pp65) recombinant protein. (2) salmeterol, at high concentrations, increased rolling behaviour and decreased stationary behaviour of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) on human microvascular cell line (HMEC-1) and on vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), in both flow and static assays. (3) adrenergic stimulation impaired the activation and cytotoxic function of CD8+ T and NK cells, as indicated by lower expression of CD107a (a marker of CD8+ T and NK cell activation and function) following incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia (K562) cell line or MHC class I chain-related gene A (MICA*009) transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells (T-CHO) was analysed. The results presented in this thesis showed that adrenergic stimulation influences a number of cellular functions, such as those related to migration, cytokine production and cytotoxic function. Together the above studies may contribute to our understanding about how stress affects the ability of the cytotoxic cells.
Listeria species in retail smoked fish at Jos, Nigeria

The prevalence of Listeria species in 65 samples of smoked fish at the retail markets in Jos, Nigeria, is reported. The experimental samples which included 30 catfish (Clarias species) and 35 Tilapia were screened for Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species using a two-step enrichment method. Total Listeria species demonstrated were 14(21.5%), out of which 6(9.2%) were Listeria monocytogenes . There was no statistical difference (p>0.05) between the prevalence rates of L. monocytogenes in the catfish (13.3%) and Tilapia (5.7%). The prevalence rates at Bukuru, K-Vom and Vwang retail markets were 6.9%, 5.6% and 16.7% respectively for L. monocytogenes , and 13.8%, 11.1% and 11.1% respectively for other Listeria species. These rates were not significantly different across the different sites (p>0.05). This study yields valuable baseline information on the prevalence of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species in cold-smoked fish in Nigeria. Continual surveillance for possible fish-borne listeriosis and other foodborne diseases in the area is recommended. Keywords Listeria species, foodborne disease, smoked fish, retail market, Nigeria > Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 231-234
Survival in wild‐living mice*

The survival of a mouse in the wild depends on its reaction to the environment (food, climate, social conditions, cover, disease and predation), and this depends on the condition or ‘vigour’ of the animal itself. In general an animal increases in vigour until adulthood, and then begins to decrease, in House mice, at an age of approximately 100 days. These changes can be described as ageing; they lead to the characteristic U-shaped mortality curves deduced from life-tables in a wide variety of mammalian species. Another factor that has to be taken into consideration is genotype, since animals of different genotype may respond differently to environmental stresses. A large number of deaths in wild-living House mouse populations in Britain are temperature-dependent. Animals may respond to cold either physiologically or behaviourally, but it is possible to distinguish between winter survivors and non-survivors with a fair degree of accuracy on the basis of physiological measurements made in the autumn (i.e. before the time of environmental stress). Nevertheless, any general survival model must incorporate environmental, ontogenetic, and genetic factors and their interactions. A simple model is proposed. Animals are not always struggling for existence. They spend most of their time doing nothing in particular. But when they do begin, they spend the greater part of their lives eating (Charles Elton).
Molecular evidence for variation in polyandry among praying mantids (Mantodea: Ciulfina)

Estimating paternity patterns provides insights into the importance of competing evolutionary forces on mating systems. The number of sires contributing to a female’s offspring is mostly influenced by her relative promiscuity. However, in a postcopulatory context, it will also be affected by sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Here, we describe the paternity patterns of two species of praying mantis from the genus Ciulfina, the agile praying mantid. This study is the first to describe patterns of paternity in the Mantodea. We found a variation in paternity in these two closely related species. Ciulfina rentzi exhibited single paternity, with a single male siring all offspring within a clutch. By contrast, Ciulfina klassi displayed multiple paternity, with the minimum number of fathers contributing to a clutch ranging from one to four. Differences in copulation duration and reproductive output between these two species may help to explain these paternity patterns.