Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activation of Toll-like Receptors by Microbial Lipoproteins

In Drosophila, the Toll family of proteins are central to innate defense against microbial pathogens. Conserved throughout evolution, mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) participate in innate immunity. TLRs mediate activation by microbial ligands including lipoproteins, resulting in the activation of IL-12 and nitric oxide synthase. Microbial lipoproteins also induce host cell apoptosis. In this manner, the ability of microbial lipoproteins to activate TLRs can contribute to host defense and immunopathology during infection.
Pollen Deposition, Pollen Tube Growth, Seed Production, and Seedling Performance in Natural Populations of Clarkia unguiculata (Onagraceae)

In natural plant populations, pollen grain load sizes may vary greatly and have the potential to affect the intensity of pollen competition for ovules. Pollen competition can in turn, affect seed production, fruit set, and progeny vigor, with important ecological and evolutionary consequences. In this investigation, we determined the potential for pollen competition in four adjacent natural populations of Clarkia unguiculata during three growing seasons. We collected stigmas and styles after 6, 24, and 48 h of exposure to pollinators and determined pollen load sizes, the number of pollen tubes reaching the upper and lower portions of the style, and pollen tube attrition rates. We also collected mature seeds to determine the effect of pollen load size on seed set, seed germination, and seedling vigor. Pollen load sizes increased with increasing length of exposure to pollinators and varied from year to year and from population to population. In most plants, pollen loads were large enough to result in pollen competition on the stigma. The number of pollen tubes reaching the upper and lower portions of the style was affected by pollen load sizes. Pollen tube attrition rates in the style were moderate and were not affected by pollen load sizes. However, as pollen tubes completed growth in the style, the opportunity for pollen competition decreased as the number of pollen tubes became smaller than the number of ovules in the ovary. Seed production in this experiment was dependent on pollen load sizes, even though the number of seeds produced was well below the number typically recorded for this species. Our measures of seedling vigor (percentage seed germination, cotyledon length, and first foliar leaf length) were not affected by pollen load size.
A Case of Disseminated Cryptococcosis with Skin Eruption in a Patient with Acute Leukemia

Disseminated cryptococcosis is a life-threatening infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and cutaneous dissemination occurs in 10? 15% of patients. We report a case of a 49-y-old leukemic patient with disseminated cryptococcosis who presented with fever, headache, normal cerebrospinal fluid profile and multiple skin lesions mimicking molluscum contagiosum.
Action of Rennin on κ-Casein

Abstract The action of rennin on κ -casein was studied as a function of time using several methods to measure activity. The first indication of rennin cleavage of κ -casein is precipitability in . 1M acetate buffer at pH 5.2 and 5C. A longer exposure to rennin is required to alter κ -casein so that it forms a precipitate with calcium ions and loses its ability to stabilize α s -casein. The least sensitive indication of rennin activity is measurement of nitrogen soluble in 2% trichloroacetic acid. Electrophoresis experiments showed that these methods detect various stages in the conversion of κ -casein to para- κ -casein.
Effects of Middle Ear Pressure Changes on Clinical Symptoms in Patients with Ménière's Disease - a Clinical Multicentre Placebo-controlled Study

Different medical and surgical methods have been tried in attempting to reduce endolymphatic pressure in Ménière's disease. Pressure treatment has a role on the treatment staircase, after pharmacological treatment and before destructive methods. Pressure chamber treatment has shown that some patients respond well to the treatment with diminishing inner ear symptoms and also some hearing improvement. Earlier studies have shown that electrocochlear measurements improve after local pressure treatment in the ear. The present study was a prospective randomized placebo controlled, multicentre clinical trial. 56 patients with active Ménière's disease, age 20-65 years, with a hearing loss of 20-65 dB PTA participated. A total of 31 patients completed 2 weeks use with an active apparatus (Meniett) and 25 patients completed the 2 weeks with the placebo gadget. Both machines were produced by Pascal Medical, Halmstad, Sweden. Two weeks before the start of treatment a grommet was placed in the tympanic membrane. A significant improvement concerning frequency and intensity of vertigo, dizziness, aural pressure and tinnitus was reported by the active group on the visual analogue scales (VAS) questionnaire. In the placebo group no change was the most common finding, followed by worsening of the symptoms and a few improvements. The function in professional and family life improved during active treatment and did not during placebo treatment. Pure-tone audiometry did not improve after placebo treatment, but improved at the frequencies 500 Hz and 1,000 Hz after active treatment. The study showed an improvement in the inner ear symptoms after Meniett treatment. The mechanism may be explained by the influence on the round window membrane pressure receptors or an endolymphatic flow out through the pressure release points, such as the endolymphatic duct and sac, thus activating the longitudinal flow. Other mechanisms are also possible.
Biotic indirect effects: a neglected concept in invasion biology

Indirect effects involve more than two species and are defined as how one species alters the effect that another species has on a third. These complex interactions are often overlooked in studies of interactions between alien and native species, and their role in influencing biological invasions has been rarely considered. Based on a comprehensive review of the invasion biology literature, we examine the evidence for the occurrence of four of the most commonly documented indirect effects (apparent competition, indirect mutualism/commensalism, exploitative competition, and trophic cascades) in the invasion process. Studies investigating indirect effects in the context of invasion biology are relatively rare, but have been increasing in recent years, and there are sufficient examples to indicate that this kind of interaction is likely to be more common than is currently recognized. Whether indirect interactions are mediated by an alien or a native species, and whether they occur between ecologically similar or dissimilar alien and native species, depends in part on the type of interaction considered and no predictable patterns were detected in the literature. Further empirical studies will help to elucidate such patterns. At this stage, the inherent unpredictability of indirect interactions means that their impacts in relation to invasions are particularly challenging for land managers to deal with, and their role in invasions is a complex, but is a valuable area of investigation for researchers.
Micromorphology of the leaf epidermis in taxa of the Agropyron-Elymus complex (Poaceae)

WEBB, M. E. & ALMEIDA, M. T. , 1990. Micromorphology of the leaf epidermis in taxa of the Agropyron-Elymus complex (Poaceae). A comparative analysis by scanning electron microscopy was carried out on both leaf epidermes (adaxial and abaxial) of Elymus pychnanthus (Godr.) Meld, and Agropyron glaucum Roemer & Schultes. The adaxial epidermes of E.pychnanthus and A. glaucum are similar in the position and the shape of the long cells, silica bodies and costal and papillate prickles. They differ in the higher number of silica cells in E. pychnanthus and in the presence of intercostal hooks in A. glaucum. The abaxial epidermes of both species are similar in the shape of interstomatal cells, silica bodies and papillate prickles. They differ in the distribution of the stomata and in the contact zones of the long cells. Elymus pychnanthus and A. glaucum differ also in the trichomes situated along the margins of the leaf blade. These micromorphological differences, especially those of the abaxial epidermis, are useful taxonomic features.
Components of short-term invasibility in experimental Mediterranean grasslands

Troumbis, A. Y. , Galanidis, A. and Kokkoris, G. D. 2002. Components of short-term invasibility in experimental Mediterranean grasslands. – Oikos 98: 239–250.The paper reports ﬁndings of a natural invasibility study in constructed Mediter-ranean grasslands, located in the Greek site of the BIODEPTH project. Threedifferent components of invasibility, i.e. species richness, abundance and rarity ofinvaders, have been monitored in experimental plots where the resident diversityranged from monocultures to 18-species mixtures. Invaders’ richness and abundancewere negatively correlated to the resident diversity, while the occurrence of rareinvaders was strongly positively correlated to the resident diversity. Standing biomassexplained also a signiﬁcant part of the variation of communities’ invasibility. Soilnutrients and structural traits of the constructed vegetation such as the space-ﬁllingshowed no inﬂuence in the deﬁnition of the overall pattern of invasibility in thesecommunities. A verbal model of selection of invaders at the neighbourhood scale isproposed to explain these diverging trends of invasibility.
Mixed infection of grapevines in northern Italy by phytoplasmas including 16S rRNA RFLP subgroup 16SrI-B strains previously unreported in this host.

Grapevine plants of cv. Chardonnay showing symptoms like those of flavescence doree disease in the field in Piemonte, Italy, contained phytoplasmas affiliated with two phylogenetically different 16S rRNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) groups. These phytoplasmas were detected and identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 16S rDNA and by RFLP analysis of amplified DNA as strains belonging to group 16SrI (aster yellows and related phytoplasmas) and group 16SrV (elm yellows and related phytoplasmas). Thirteen of 16 tested plants contained group l6SrI strains. Twelve contained strains belonging to subgroup 16SrI-G (Italian periwinkle virescence and related phytoplasmas), and one contained only a strain belonging to subgroup 16SrI-B (Maryland aster yellows and related phytoplasmas). One plant that contained a subgroup 16SrI-G phytoplasma strains also contained a strain belonging to group 16SrV. Three plants were doubly infected by subgroup 16SrI-G strains and strains belonging to subgroup 16SrI-B. These results indicate susceptibility of grapevines to infection by three distinct phytoplasmas, and reveal for the first time grapevine infection by subgroup 16SrI-B phytoplasmas and mixed infection of single grapevine plants by strains in two different subgroups in group 16SrI.
The Effects of Genotype and the Environment on Costs of Resistance in Lettuce

It is generally believed that resistance to natural enemies must carry a physiological cost to plants. Although biochemists and physiologists have quantified this cost in terms of the energy required for the production and maintenance of plant defensive compounds (see, e.g., Mooney and Gulmon 1979; Mitra and Bhatia 1982; Smedegaard-Petersen a d Tolstrup 1985), experimentalists often have difficulty detecting any change in the performance ofresistant plants relative to their susceptible counterparts (but see Hanover 1966; Berenbaum et al. 1986). For example, Simms and Rausher (1987, 1989) failed to detect any decrease in the performance of resistant morning lory relative to more susceptible genotypes, and Windle and Franz (1979) found that differences inthe performance of resistant and susceptible barley disappeared within 7wk of emergence. Evidence regarding the costs of resistance in natural systems has been reviewed briefly by Fox (1981), Simms and Fritz (1990), and Simms (1992), who highlight the scarcity of evidence for observable costs. Unfortunately, many of the relevant studies provide only a weak test since genotypes differ in traits other than resistance. This problem is reduced in agronomic studies that compare near-isolines differing only in the presence of resistance and tightly linked genes. An inability to observe costs of resistance may be explained by a variety of factors. Since costs are expected to be small (see, e.g., Mitra and Bhatia 1982), unreasonably large sample sizes may be required before they become detectable. Alternatively, costs may be absent because of coadaptation of the genome. Such a reduction of physiological costs has been ooserved in Escherichia coli (Bouma and Lenski 1988) and in the evolution of Diazinon resistance in sheep blowflies (McKenzie et al. 1982). Finally, it has been suggested that physiological costs of resistance may depend on the quality of the environment (Fox 1981; Coley et al. 1985; Jacobs et al. 1988; Radcliffe et al. 1990), as has been observed for cyanogenesis in Trifolium repens (Foulds and Grime 1972). Under this scenario, field trials performed under inappropriate conditions might not reveal differences in the performance of resistant and susceptible individuals. In this note, I describe an experiment to measure the costs of resistance to both leaf root aphid and downy mildew Dm6 in two cultivars of lettuce. I measured costs of resistance as the difference in the production of buds between
Shelf life enhancement of fresh pears using tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) herbal edible coatings

The present research was conducted to extend the shelf life of fresh pears by using beeswax and cornstarch herbal edible coatings. The coatings were prepared from cornstarch and beeswax by incorporation of aqueous Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) extract. Cornstarch and beeswax have good moisture and gas barrier properties while Tulsi (O. sanctum) extract acted as an antimicrobial agent in this coating therefore herbal edible coated fruits have a longer shelf life as compared to uncoated fruits. Coated and uncoated fruits were stored at ambient temperature (31 ± 2 °C and 70 ± 8% RH) and low temperature (4 °C). Pears were analyzed for the quality parameters such as weight loss, firmness, TSS, titratable acidity, pH and sensory evaluation. The weight loss and firmness of coated fruits were less as compared to uncoated fruits. Beeswax herbal edible coating gave the best results in pear storage as compared to cornstarch herbal edible coating. On the other hand Cornstarch herbal edible coating also gave good results as compared to uncoated fruits, it enhanced the shelf life of pears for 45 days at ambient temperature and 60 days at low temperature (4oC), in case of beeswax herbal edible coating it increased the storage life of pears for 45 days at ambient temperature and 70 days at low temperature (4oC). Sensory evaluation of coated fruits such as color, texture, overall acceptability was better for both conditions as compared to uncoated. Therefore, it is concluded that the herbal edible coatings have the potential to extend the shelf life.
Lick use by large herbivores: a review of benefits and banes of soil consumption

It has been suggested that soil ingestion in herbivores provides an extra source of essential minerals. The present paper is a follow-up to this theory, intended to show that other soil properties, like buffering capacity and adsorption capacity, could also form major attractive reasons for soil consumption. Notably, lactic acidosis and disorders caused by forage anti-quality components (secondary compounds etc.) might be prevented or alleviated by selective soil intake. Harmful effects of soil intake are also briefly reviewed.
Apoptosis Inducing Activity of Proteins Isolated from Muntingia Calabura Plant Root on Oral Cancer Cell Line: An In Vitro Study

Now days, research studies have concentrated on complementary (alternate) medicine in treating a large number of infectious and non-infectious diseases, including cancer. The attention of research now shifted towards alternative natural medicine and is being preferred to the toxic effects of the synthetic drugs that are used to treat such diseases. Studies have shown that many natural plant products like amygdalin extracted from apricots and almonds to have shown anticarcinogen effect on many types of cancers including oral cancer. Herein we made an attempt to evaluate the anticarcinogenic property of Muntingia Calabura proteins against Oral cancer cell lines. Oral cancer cell lines (KB cell line) were used in the present study. The proteins were extracted from Muntingia Calabura roots and the antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity on KB cell line was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-YL)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The crude proteins of Muntingia Calabura roots showed cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activity on KB cell lines at a maximum efficacy at 100 μg/Ml is about 58% and maximum IC50 value is 52 μg/Ml. The crude proteins of Muntingia Calabura roots effective as an antiproliferative agent, who caused apoptosis in oral cancer cell line.
EFFECTS OF EXTRACELLULAR pH ON THE INTRACELLULAR pH AND MEMBRANE POTENTIAL OF CELLULOLYTIC RUMINAL BACTERIA, RUMINOCOCCUS ALBUS, RUMINOCOCCUS FLAVEFACIENS, AND FIBROBACTER SUCCINOGENES

The growth rates of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Fibrobacter succinogenes, which are known to be sensitive to low pH, were decreased to less than half of the maximum rates at extracellular pH (pHe) 6.0, and their growth rates were extremely low at pHe 5.6. Their intracellular pH(pHi) was decreased linearly as pHe was lowered from 6.8 to 6.0, irrespective of the presence or absence of cellobiose. However, pHi was not decreased markedly as pHe was lowered from 6.0 to 5.6 when cellobiose was given, resulting in the increased pH gradient across the cell membrane (ΔpH). On the other hand, when cellobiose was not supplied, pHi was still linearly decreased with the decrease of pHe to 5.6. These results suggest that much energy is needed to form ΔpH at pHe 5.6. Membrane potential (Δψ) and proton motive force (PMF) were not significantly affected by the change in pHe. Addition of 3% ethanol markedly decreased the ΔpH of these bacteria at pHe 5.6. In R. flavefaciens and F. succinogenes, Δψ was notably decreased by 3% ethanol, while in R. albus Δψ was slightly decreased by ethanol. Compared with Megasphiaera elsdenii, which is relatively tolerant to low pH, these cellulolytic bacteria appear to have low capacity to maintain their pHi against the decrease in pHe.
The influence of soil scarification on the turn‐over rate of slash needles and nutrient release

The effect of soil scarification on decomposition of green Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) needles and mineral nutrient release was investigated. The treatments studied were ploughing, disk trenching, mound on inverted humus and untreated control. The study was conducted on two clear‐felled sites with different ground moisture conditions, located in south Sweden. The needles decomposed and released their contents of N and Ca considerably faster on scarified areas than on untreated ones. For P, Mg and especially K, only minor differences between scarified and untreated areas were established. At the wet site, needle decomposition and nutrient mineralization were generally affected to the same extent by all three scarification methods studied. At the dry to fresh site, mounding and ploughing enhanced needle decomposition and nutrient mineralization more than disk trenching. The effect of different scarification methods on the long‐term production capacity of soil.
MID-CAREER TEACHER LEARNING IN A MATHEMATICS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: FOCUSING ON THE GROWTH OF TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

It is important to understand what and how mathematics teachers learn in mathematics professional development (MPD) programs. In this paper, we examined mid-career teachers’ learning in our program wherein participant teachers conducted lesson study and analyzed students’ learning by collecting and discussing multiple sources of data. We approached the issue of teacher learning from the aspect of broadening teachers’ perspectives on teaching and learning in a mathematics lesson. By examining the case of two teachers and focusing on their practical research activity in a lesson on transformations of geometrical figures, we identified four perspectives. These perspectives emerged and developed in different activities and at different periods between the planning of the lesson and the presentation of the final report. The process of growth was further examined using the construct of contextualization. An analysis of two sessions held immediately after the research lesson revealed that the teachers used the four perspectives to recontextualize or decontextualize several classroom situations and that dialogic interaction made it possible for the teachers to form novel interpretations of the behaviors and utterances of students and to reflect on their own instructional actions. This paper thus provides information on features of mid-career teacher learning in a university MPD program that emphasized practical research activity.
A Design for a Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain-Based Patch-Management System

An enterprise patch-management system (PMS) typically supplies a single point of failure (SPOF) of centralization structure. However, a Blockchain system offers features of decentralization, transaction integrity, user certification, and a smart chaincode. This study proposes a Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain-based distributed patch-management system and verifies its technological feasibility through prototyping, so that all participating users can be protected from various threats. In particular, by adopting a private chain for patch file set management, it is designed as a Blockchain system that can enhance security, log management, latest status supervision and monitoring functions. In addition, it uses a Hyperledger Fabric that owns a practical Byzantine fault tolerant consensus algorithm, and implements the functions of upload patch file set, download patch file set, and audit patch file history, which are major features of PMS, as a smart contract (chaincode), and verified this operation. The distributed ledger structure of Blockchain-based PMS can be a solution for distributor and client authentication and forgery problems, SPOF problem, and distribution record reliability problem. It not only presents an alternative to dealing with central management server loads and failures, but it also provides a higher level of security and availability.
Habitat use by foraging insectivorous bats

We monitored echolocation calls to measure the activity of insectivorous bats at study sites in southwestern Ontario during the summer of 1985, relying on feeding buzzes to identify foraging activity. Eptesicus fuscus was the most common and widespread species in the area, while Lasiurus cinereus and Lasiurus borealis were widespread. Species in the genus Myotis were more restricted in their distribution, being more common in an area with potential hibernacula. None of the species foraged exclusively in one habitat and all species exploited concentrations of insects around lights. Only E. fuscus made significant use of lights as foraging sites in urban areas while in town and rural areas all of the species foraged around lights.