Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functions of peroxisomal citrate synthase and peroxisomal malate dehydrogenase in lipid catabolism in Arabidopsis

In Arabidopsis, peroxisomal carbon metabolism to break down lipid reserves is known to be essential for germination and seedling growth. However, the metabolic pathways underlying this process remain to be elucidated. It is proposed that peroxisomal citrate ynthase (CSY) is required for carbon transfer from peroxisomes to mitochondria during respiration of fatty acids in Arabidopsis seedlings. Two genes encoding peroxisomal CSY are expressed in Arabidopsis seedlings. Double mutant seeds in which both genes are knocked out are dormant, and unable to utilise their stored lipid. Germination can be achieved by removing the seed coat and supplying sucrose. The seedlings are resistant to 2,4-dichlorophenoxybutyric acid (2,4-DB), indicating a defect in peroxisomal oxidation. Beyond nd the seedling stage, double mutants also show an arrested growth phenotype, and crucially are unable to produce seeds. The double mutant phenotypes can be restored by complementation with a cDNA encoding CSY with either its native PTS2 targeting sequence or a heterologous PTS1 sequence. These results suggest that peroxisomal CSY is not just a glyoxylate cycle enzyme but is also required for fatty acid respiration and to break seed dormancy. It is hypothesised that peroxisomal malate dehydrogenase (PMDH) serves to oxidise NADH produced by 13-oxidation, and does not oxidise malate to provide oxaloacetate for the glyoxylate cycle. The Arabidopsis genome encodes eight putative NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase enzymes, two of which are predicted to be PIVIDHs. Double mutant seeds in which these two PMDH genes are knocked out are unable to establish as seedlings unless exogenous sucrose is supplied. In this respect the double mutant is similar to a range of 13-oxidation mutants. Seedlings are impaired in breakdown of stored lipid and insensitive to 2,4-DB, showing that 13-oxidation is defective. The metabolism of [2-' 4C]-acetate into sugars and organic acids is normal in double mutant seedlings, indicating that the glyoxylate cycle is still active. The phenotypes observed in the double mutant can be recovered by complementation with cDNAs encoding PMIDHs with either authentic PTS2 or heterologous PTS1 sequences. In particular, PIVIIDH is not required for the glyoxylate cycle, but appears to be required for fatty acid 13-oxidation. Thus, critical roles in fatty acid 13-oxidation are implied for peroxisomal CSY and IVIDH.
Association of White Matter Hyperintensities and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases are currently the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide. Both the heart and brain display similar vascular anatomy, with large conduit arteries running on the surface of the organ providing tissue perfusion through an intricate network of penetrating small vessels. Both organs rely on fine tuning of local blood flow to match metabolic demand. Blood flow regulation requires adequate functioning of the microcirculation in both organs, with loss of microvascular function, termed small vessel disease (SVD) underlying different potential clinical manifestations. SVD in the heart, known as coronary microvascular dysfunction, can cause chronic or acute myocardial ischemia and may lead to development of heart failure. In the brain, cerebral SVD can cause an acute stroke syndrome known as lacunar stroke or more subtle pathological alterations of the brain parenchyma, which may eventually lead to neurological deficits or cognitive decline in the long term. Coronary microcirculation cannot be visualized in vivo in humans, and functional information can be deduced by measuring the coronary flow reserve. The diagnosis of cerebral SVD is largely based on brain magnetic resonance imaging, with white matter hyperintensities, microbleeds, and brain atrophy reflecting key structural changes. There is evidence that such structural changes reflect underlying cerebral SVD. Here, we review interactions between SVD and cardiovascular risk factors, and we discuss the evidence linking cerebral SVD with large vessel atheroma, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and heart valve disease.
Interaction between bone, the neuroendocrine system and metabolism

Classically, the skeleton is defined by its mechanical properties, as a site for hematopoiesis and in mineral homeostasis. In recent years, a further-reaching role has been suggested for the skeleton. In this thesis, we investigate three novel aspects of human bone metabolism. In the first part we performed a series of experiments to investigate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in human bone remodeling. There was no effect of a beta-adrenergic agonist and an antagonist on bone turnover in healthy, postmenopausal women in a randomized controlled trial. Next, we showed that bone resorption is increased in healthy volunteers receiving a selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist (clonidine). In vitro osteoclast formation and activity was not affected by clonidine. Furthermore, we did not find an association between polymorphisms in the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor and fracture risk or bone mineral density in a large international consortium. In the second part of this thesis we focused on the humoral control of bone. We described the variation in bone marrow fat during the menstrual cycle and we showed a large decrease in bone marrow fat during two weeks of estradiol treatment in postmenopausal women. In addition, we showed that an eucaloric high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet decreases, while an eucaloric low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet increases bone resorption. Finally, we investigated the role of osteocalcin, a bone-specific protein synthesized by osteoblasts, in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and testosterone levels in humans, but could not find an endocrine or metabolic role for bone.
Chloroplast DNA barcoding of Spathoglottis species for genetic conservation.

Spathoglottis is one of the most popular terrestrial orchids because it is attractive, easy to cultivate and continuously blooms throughout the year. It is a native orchid of Malaysia and listed as an endangered species. Therefore, this species needs to be conserved for commercial and environmental purposes. DNA barcoding is a technique for species identification, which uses a short DNA sequence from a standard and agreed-upon position in the genome. This technique plays an important role in biodiversity conservation for animals but is not yet well established in plants. Chloroplast DNA was chosen for this study aimed at building a DNA barcoding of Spathoglottis species. Seven species of Spathoglottis were used to carry out this study. They were Spathoglottis plicata, Spathoglottis gracilis, Spathoglottis aurea, Spathoglottis plicata alba, Spathoglottis unguiculata, Spathoglottis kimbaliana and a Spathoglottis hybrid. Eight regions (i.e., accD, matK, ndhJ, rpoB, rpoC1, ycf5, rbcL-a and trnH-psbA) in the chloroplast genome and two regions (i.e., ITS1 and ITS2) in the nuclear genome were selected and screened in order to define a universal barcoding region across all the seven selected species. The study found that the four chloroplast regions (i.e., matK, rbcL-a, rpoB and rpoC1) were successfully amplified from all the tested species. The DNA sequencing from each chloroplast region was compared among the species and analyzed to differentiate the intra- and inter-genetic variations. The analysis of chloroplast regions was done for single regions and as a combination of the four regions. The haplotypes for the multiple analyses showed sufficiently high resolution to enable differentiation between the selected Spathoglottis species. In conclusion, this study showed that the chloroplast DNA regions had high potential to be developed for DNA barcoding of Spathoglottis species. This is the first step towards the development of universal DNA barcoding technique for all native orchids in Malaysia.
Optical properties of atmospheric aerosols over the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean: North-South contrast across the ITCZ

Extensive estimates of aerosol spectral optical depths are made over the Arabian Sea and south-western Indian Ocean, using a 10-channel multi-wavelength solar radiometer (MWR) and a 4- channel hand held EKO sun-photometer (ESP) on-board the cruise # 133 of ORV Sagar Kanya during the First Field Phase (FFP- 98) of the Indian Ocean experiment (INDOEX) in February and March 1998. High values of optical depths, particularly in the visible wavelengths, are encountered in the coastal areas, with a gradual increase from Goa to Male, The optical depths decrease sharply as the ship moves out to the south western Indian Ocean across the equator; the effect is more significant at shorter wavelengths. Over the pris-tine environment south of the ITCZ, extremely low optical depths appear at the visible wavelengths, while at the NIR wavelengths, the optical depths remain nearly the same as on the northern side. On the return Ieg, again higher optical depths are encountered north of the ITCZ with those at the visible wavelengths sharply increased. Over the north-western Arabian Sea, higher optical depthvalues occur farther away from the coast, suggesting additional input of aerosols over mid ocean, possibly transported by various wind trajectories from the west Asian deserts. Comparing air trajectories both at the surface and 850 h Pa reveals that in addition to those advected from continental India, winds transporting aerosols from various north/west Asian regions contribute significantly to the aerosol optical depths over the Arabian Sea.
Feeding Value of Hydrolyzed Vegetable Fats in Broiler Rations

Abstract SINCE Scott et al. (1947) reported that a high energy diet for growing chickens out-performed rations of lower energy content, nutritionists have looked for new ways of increasing the energy content of feeds. Lillie et al. (1952), Pepper et al. (1953), Siedler and Schweigert (1953), and others have shown that added fat is efficiently utilized by poultry. The greatest benefit of added fat has been improved feed utilization with some workers reporting an improvement in growth rate. Most research on the value of added fat in feeds has involved the use of triglycerides, either inedible animal fats or edible vegetable oils. The principal byproduct of the refining of vegetable oil is acidulated soapstock which is primarily free fatty acids. Acidulated soapstock is defined (Rule 196) by the National Cottonseed Products Association (1954) as the product of complete acidulation and thorough settling of soapstock. Soapstock is the by-product obtained from the …
Reproduction of Brevoortia aurea (Spix & Agassiz, 1829) (Actinopterygii: Clupeidae) in the Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Reproductive biology of the Brazilian menhaden, Brevoortia aurea (Clupeiformes), was studied in Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon. Its abundance was analysed in relation to environmental variables, and the main biological-reproductive parameters were estimated: size at first maturity, batch and relative fecundity, frequency distribution of oocyte diameters and gonadosomatic index (GSI). Moreover, its reproductive cycle was analysed histologically. Samples were collected from May 2012 to April 2013. Once the spawning period was detected, extra samples were added (October and November 2013). The specimens were caught with gillnets, at a distance of 2,300 meters from the mouth of the lagoon. The highest abundances were observed in the months of October and November. Both macroscopic and microscopic analysis allowed to confirm that in these months the saraca spawn in the mixo-eurihaline area of the lagoon. Females were recorded in the five phases of ovarian development. Histological and frequency distribution of oocyte diameters characterized this species as a batch spawner with undetermined fecundity. The fecundity varied between 19,900 and 178,508 oocytes/female. Relative fecundity ranged between 41 and 381 oocytes/g female ovary free. The size at first maturity was estimated on 277 and 265 mm total length for females and males, respectively.
The depth distribution of organic carbon in the soils of eastern Australia

Subsurface soil organic carbon (SOC) is a large but still poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. We investigated the depth distribution of SOC in eastern Australia, testing the hypotheses that SOC content near the surface is linked with water availability, whereas the distribution of SOC with depth is linked with land use, site factors and temperature. To do this, we measured SOC concentration to 1 m at 100 sites across eastern Australia, and fitted three parameter exponential depletion models to the results. Three machine learning algorithms were used to identify predictors important to the model parameters. Multiple regression models were then created based upon the machine learning results using bootstrapped stepwise regressions and the relative importance of the selected variables was assessed using proportional marginal variance decomposition. Surface SOC concentration was influenced predominantly by climate variables, of which seasonal rainfall was by far the most important. At depth, SOC storage was most influenced by site factors (mainly bulk density and soil type), and both land use and climate contributed similar amounts to model explained variance. The depth distribution of SOC was most influenced by land use, which accounted for ~60% of model explained variance, with site and climate factors being approximately equally important. These results support our hypotheses regarding the drivers of SOC depth distribution in eastern Australia and can be used to identify regions with the potential for additional subsurface soil carbon storage.
Effect of agronomic practices on the performance of aerobic rice (Oryza sativa) and associated weeds under Alfisols of eastern dry zone of Karnataka

An experiment was conducted during the rainy season (kharif) of 2011 and 2012 at Bengaluru, Karnataka to evaluate the effect of integrated package of agro-techniques on weeds and aerobic rice (Oryza sativa L.). The ex- periment was set up in a randomized complete-block design replicated thrice, consisting of 10 treatment combina- tions of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), FYM, FeSO and biofertilizers along with pre-emergence herbi- 4 cide pyrazosulfuron ethyl at 25 g a.i./ha alone and with integrated weed-management practices. Along with this, site-specific nutrient management for targeted yield of 6.5 and 7.5 t/ha, respectively, + integrated weed manage- ment practices were also tried. Treatments receiving integrated weed management practices (pre-emergence her- bicide pyrazosulfuron ethyl at 25 g a.i./ha + hand-weeding at 20 days after sowing + first intercultivation 25 days after sowing and subsequent intercultivations at 15 days interval up to panicle-initiation stage) recorded signifi- cantly lower weed population, weed dry weight and nutrient uptake by weeds than pre-emergence application of pyrazosulfuron ethyl alone. Application of RDF + FYM + biofertilizers + FeSO + integrated weed management re- 4 sulted in significantly higher grain and straw yields, water productivity and nutrient uptake (N,P,K, Zn and Fe) by crop than that with RDF + FYM + pyrazosulfuron ethyl at 25 g a.i./ha. Similar trend was also observed for net re- turns and benefit: cost ratio.
Information systems management and culture : experiences from a Chinese perspective

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Landscape spatial analysis as a base for dendrochronological sampling: The case of the Biosphere Reserve of Monarch Butterfly, México

Landscape spatial analyses using Remote Sensing ( RS) and Geographic Information Systems ( GIS) has been scarcely used to indentify sites with dendrochronological potential. For this study, we designed a protocol to identify areas with climatically sensitive trees, based on the spatial analysis of landscape biophysical features. The protocol included the analyses of slope angles, slope aspect, and the distribution of Land Cover and Land Use ( LCLU) using RS and GIS tools. The protocol was validated through dendrochronological sampling in two adjacent sites. Analyses of tree ring widths were done using and dplR. Results suggest that sensitive trees grow in 18% of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Trees from the two sites differed in age, diameter, and mean ring width. Our protocol allowed us to identify sites with long-lived and sensitive trees as represented by the high inter-annual variation found in tree ring widths. The spatial analysis of biophysical variables prior to sampling enables the identification of sites with sensitive trees implying the elimination of less samples. Our proposed protocol is efficient and can be used in other areas.
Phytochemical Analysis and In-vitro Antitrypanosomal Activity of Selected Medicinal Plants in Niger State, Nigeria

Trypanosomiasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasite belonging to the genus Trypanosoma. The disease affects both humans and animals. In this study, phytochemical analysis and in-vitro antitrypanosomal screening of crude methanol extracts of the leaves of Waltheria indica, Vernonia amygdalina, Albizia ferruginea, Camellia sinensis, Chamaecrista mimosoides and Hyptis suaveolens were carried out using standard methods. Highly parasitized blood from infected donor rats was diluted with glucose phosphate buffered saline solution and incubated with varying concentrations (1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml and 4 mg/ml) of the extracts in Eppendorf tubes for 60 minutes. Aliquots from the mixtures were removed and observed under microscope for parasite motility at 5 minutes interval. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, Original Research Article Madaki et al.; IJBCRR, 11(3): 1-7, 2016; Article no.IJBCRR. 24955 2 phenols and glycosides in all the plants’ extracts. Saponins were absent in H. suaveolens while steroids and phlobatannins were absence in C. mimosoides and H. suaveolens. All the plants’ extracts showed significant cessation of parasite motility with increase in incubation time and concentration of the extract. Complete cessation of the parasite motility was observed for all the extracts within 60 minutes of the study. The most active extract was W. indica at 4mg/ml which caused complete cessation of the parasite motility within 5 minutes whereas the least active plants C. mimosoides and H. suaveolens. Both caused complete cessation of the parasite motility within 25 minutes. Berenil, the standard drug, however, caused cessation of trypanosomal motility within 5 minutes even at 1 mg/ml. These results showed that methanol l extracts of the plants leaves screened especially Waltheria indica and Vernonia amygdalina have significant in vitro antitrypanosomal activity and may be potential source for the in vivo treatment of trypanosomiasis.
Sasa veitchii extracts suppress 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity in mice

ABSTRACT We examined the therapeutic effect of the extract from Sasa veitchii leaves (Sasa extract: SE) on the allergic skin inflammation model. SE derived from 0.141 g (low dose) or 0.562 g (high dose) of the leaves was administered orally for 15 days. High dose of SE suppressed ear swelling response induced by repeated 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) paintings, and both low and high doses of SE reduced infiltration of immune cells into the ear dermis. Although the number of T cells, Treg, CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) was not changed by SE, IFN-γ secretion from dLN induced by concanavalin A or 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid was suppressed by a high dose of SE while IL-10 levels remained unchanged. These results suggest that SE suppresses allergic skin inflammation via reducing IFN-γ secreted from immune cells, especially T cells.
Quinolone and fluoroquinolone resistance in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from hospitalised and community patients in Cameroon

Quinolones and fluoroquinolones are frequently used for the presumptive treatment of suspected enterobacterial infections in Cameroon and other resource-limited settings. This study aimed at describing patterns of resistance to quinolones and fluoroquinolones (QFR) in Enterobacteriaceae and thus allow for a better management of patients in these settings. During a 10-month period, a total of 300 enterobacterial strains were isolated from 13 different clinical specimens from hospitalized patients (HP) and community patients (CP). Identification was done using the API 20E. The sensitivity to antibiotics was tested using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to Clinical Lab. Standard Institute criteria. Out of the 300 isolates identified as Enterobacteriaceae, 58% were from HP while 42% were from CP. The prevalence of each genus was: Escherichia 36%, Klebsiella 33%; Enterobacter 8%, Proteus 8% and others 15%. QFR was detected in 25.7% of all isolates, with a significantly higher prevalence in HP (31.8%) compared to CP (17.3%), p-value=0.0069. Genus-specific resistance rates in HP and CP were respectively: Escherichia 33.3% and 16.7%; Klebsiella 39.7% and 16.7%; Enterobacter 25% and 37.5%; Proteus 9% and 7.7%. Resistance to pipemidic acid and ciprofloxacin was present in 38% and 28% of all isolates respectively. Resistance to more than one quinolone/fluoroquinolone was observed in 36.7% of isolates. QFR resistance was high in this population of Enterobacteriaceae isolates from Cameroon. Resistance was highest in hospital patients and in Klebsiella isolates. Guidelines for presumptive treatment should be implemented for this resistance pattern.
Structural Changes And Models Of Inflation In South Africa

Abstract In the past three decades South Africa has undergone a number of structural changes in the economy, which may have contributed to parameter instability in inflation equations. In this study the out-of-sample forecasting performance of three single equation models for inflation in South Africa is examined without imposing the restriction that coefficients are fixed over time. A time-varying parameter regression (VPR) technique based on the recursive application of the Kalman filter is used to evaluate the stability of the models using South African quarterly data from 1971.1 to 1998.3, with 1998.4 to 2001.3 excluded from the estimated sample period in order to do an ex post forecast evaluation. It is found that the parameters of the expectations-augmented Phillips curve and the traditional monetarist models for inflation are fairly stable over the sample period, whereas the money demand model for inflation shows signs of changing parameters over time. This is in accordance with some changes in monetary policy during the 1980s and a degree of financial liberalisation since 1994. It is furthermore shown that, under conditions of structural instability, the VPR money demand model can substantially reduce out-of-sample forecasting errors compared to its fixed-coefficient counterparts.