Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immunological and biochemical properties of egg allergens

Food allergies or food intolerances affect nearly everyone at some point. “Food Allergy” refers to all interactions between molecules derived from the food supply and the immune system. Food allergies can be sub-divided into IgE (Immunoglobulin E) -mediated hypersensitivities and cell mediated hypersensitivities, but in most of the cases is IgE mediated. There has been an increased prevalence of food allergy reactions in the last decade. Approximately 2–3% of adults and 5–7% of children are affected by food allergy. Hen's egg is one of the most common causes of food allergic reactions, particularly in children. The prevalence of egg allergy is about 35% of food allergic children. It usually disappears by age five to seven years, but may sometimes be lifelong. Egg white, which is generally considered more allergenic than egg yolk, has four major allergenic proteins namely, ovomucoid (Gal d 1), ovalbumin (Gal d 2), ovotransferrin (Gal d 3), and lysozyme (Gal d 4) which are defined as immuno dominant proteins of egg white in egg allergic patients. Detailed characterization of the biochemical, immunological and structural properties of the major two allergens of the egg white, the ovalbumin and the ovomucoid have been studied. Studies of the B cell and T cell epitopes of these allergens have been summarized and mechanisms to reduce allergic reactions of these proteins at their molecular level has been evaluated in detail.
Molecular ecology and diversity in gut microbial ecosystems.

The earliest convincing evidence for life derives from 3.8 billion-year-old rock forma-tions which have yielded microfossils including cellular ﬁlamentous forms andsheathed colonies resembling blue–green bacteria (Schopf, 1993). Also, all basic evolu-tion in terms of biochemistry and types of energy metabolism must have occurred ear-lier than 3.5 billion years ago during periods for which we have no direct evidence.Early evolution took place on earth in which most habitats (the atmosphere andoceans) were anaerobic. Thus, bacteria are nearly as old as the planet earth and eventssuch as the oxygen forming atmosphere and even the age of dinosaurs are compara-tively recent (Woese, 1994). Also, anaerobic habitats have existed continuouslythroughout the history of the earth, the gastrointestinal tract being a contemporarymicroniche (Fenchel and Finlay, 1995). The most obvious impact of fermentation inthe modern world is on human and animal nutrition. The annual cellular productionof prokaryotes based on population size (4.3· 10
Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci for Meat Quality on Pig Chromosome 3, 4 and 7

The objective of this study was to localize QTL affecting meat quality in a pig family of three generations. All animals were genotyped for twenty-four microsatellites on SSC3 (Sus scrofa chromosome 3), SSC4 and SSC7. One hundred and forty F2 offsprings were scored for eleven meat quality traits. Least square regression interval mapping revealed quantitative trait loci (QTL) effect for meat pH (m. Semipinalis Capitis, SC) on SSC4 and SSC7; for moisture (m. Longissimus Dorsi, LD) on SSC3. Furthermore, there was suggestive evidence for a QTL on SSC4 affecting intramuscular fat (IMF) content that nearly approached the chromosome- wise (p=0.05) significance threshold. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 3 : 320-324)
The Effects of Enzyme Supplementation of Corn- and Wheat-Based Diets on Nutrient Digestion and Cecal Microbial Populations in Turkeys

SUMMARY Growing turkeys (hens) were fed diets comprised of wheat or corn as their primary cereal grain with or without added enzymes to study the effects of these ingredients on energy availability, starch disappearance along the intestinal tract, and cecal microflora populations. There was considerable starch disappearance (80%) occurring distal to the ileocecal junction, which was independent of enzyme supplementation and cereal source. Hens fed the wheat-based diets had improved feed utilization compared with those fed the corn-based diets and this was further improved with the addition of exogenous enzyme (Avizyme 1500). In hens fed the wheat-based diet supplemented with enzyme, there was also a significant reduction in the concentration of starch-degrading bacteria in the ceca. The data suggest that supplemental enzymes may be a tool for the dietary manipulation of intestinal microflora.
Trangie wallaby grass [Austrodanthonia caespitosa (Gaudich.) H.P. Linder]

Trangie wallaby grass, Austrodanthonia caespitosa (Dc1), is a composite of wild ecotypes collected from western New South Wales. A. caespitosa is a widespread native grass adapted to a broad range of environmental conditions but is particularly suited to low rainfall (300–450 mm) areas of south-eastern Australia. In this region, this cultivar has a demonstrated superior persistence to its close relative A. richardsonii (Cashmore) H.P. Linder cv. Taranna and the widely used pasture species, phalaris (Phalaris aquatica cv. Sirolan) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata cv. Currie). This superior persistence was apparent in its ability to recruit new seedlings, even under summer drought conditions. Trangie wallaby grass was maintained under seed increase for 5 years at Trangie Agricultural Research Centre and subsequently at Dareton Agricultural and Advisory Station for 3 years.
Architectural analysis of plant root systems 1. Architectural correlates of exploitation efficiency

summary In order to determine whether variation in root system architecture can be said to be adaptive, it is necessary' to be able to define the costs and benefits of particular architectures. A simulation model of root growth is described that allows the development of root systems varying in several important architectural features, including topology, link lengths and radii, and branching angles. The program also estimates the exploitation efficiency of each root system, as the ratio of the volume of soil occupied by depletion zones (allowing for overlaps between competing roots) and the volume of tissue required to construct the system. Output from the model shows that high exploitation efficiency is associated with a herringbone topology (where branching is predominantly on the main axis) and with long interior and exterior links, although all these characteristics are associated with large tissue volumes and hence high construction cost, We predict, therefore, that such ‘expensive’ root systems will occur mainly in nutrient-poor soils and on plants characteristic of such soils.
Terpene glucoside production: Improved biocatalytic processes using glycosyltransferases

Terpenoids are one of the main classes of natural products. In plants, a large fraction of the terpenoids is present as nonvolatile glycosides. The terpene glycosides have attracted much attention as antimicrobials, flavor precursors, and detergents. They are either extracted from plant materials or are synthesized by chemical and biocatalytic methods. Up to now, biotechnological production of terpene glycosides is based on reversed hydrolysis performed by glycosidases. However, this method suffers from low yields as a matter of principle. Recently, the first uridine diphosphate‐glucose:monoterpenol β‐d‐glucosyltransferase (GT) genes were cloned and characterized from grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa). Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli yielded promiscuous GT enzymes that efficiently glucosylated primary monoterpenols, simple alcohols, and phenols. The GT enzymes differed in substrate preference and activity toward their terpenoid substrates. Biotransformation experiments confirmed the applicability of the novel GTs in biocatalytic processes for the production of these novel compounds. In the near future, terpene glucosides will become commercially available for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industry due to improved biocatalytic processes involving GT enzymes.
Increased Growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorophyta) in Response to Substances from the Rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus

ABSTRACT We assessed the response of Chlorella pyrenoidosa to substance(s) from the rotifer Brachionus calyciforus using flow cytometry and PHYTO-PAM fluorometry. The cell density of C. pyrenoidosa in the rotifer water treatment was significantly higher than that in the control, suggesting that substance(s) from the rotifer stimulated the alga to grow faster. Additionally, the cell size of C. pyrenoidosa in the rotifer water treatment was consistently smaller than that in the control. Esterase activity and chlorophyll fluorescence of C. pyrenoidosa cells in the rotifer water treatment increased and were higher than those in the control but were not significantly different. The maximal efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and the effective quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII) of C. pyrenoidosa in the rotifer water were also consistently higher than those in the control, although these differences also were not significant. The pattern, however, does seem to support the idea that C. pyrenoidosa responded to infochemical produced by the rotifer.
First report of pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana RBL1034 to the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera; Culicidae) in Cameroon

Malaria vector control has been successfully achieved by the use of chemical insecticides. However, the evolution of insecticide resistance is rendering the standard approaches unsustainable. Biological control agents such as entomopathogenic fungi are being considered for adult African malaria vectors. In the present study, laboratory trials were carried out to determine the pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana RBL1034 to adult Anopheles gambiae s.l. Both male and female A. gambiae were exposed to targets inoculated with dry conidia of B. bassiana RBL1034 and the infection/mortality rates and relationship with concentration of conidia per inoculated target were determined. B. bassiana RBL1034 was observed to be pathogenic to both male and female A. gambiae with an average mortality of 80% in the treated compared to 10% in the untreated group. The median lethal time (MLT50) in treated and untreated groups was 8 days and >10 days, respectively. Mosquito mortality increased as conidial concentration increased. Fungal sporulation was observed in 87% of the mosquito cadavers in the treated group while no sporulation was observed in the control. This study indicates that dry conidia of B. bassiana RBL1034 are pathogenic to adult A. gambiae and could be a potential biological control agent for these mosquitoes.
12. CROSS-CULTURAL VALIDATION OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS USED IN CAREER COUNSELLING AND GUIDANCE IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

The cross-cultural application and research on assessment instruments used in career counselling and guidance in the Nordic countries is discussed. Three examples where etic and emic approaches to establish the cross-cultural validity of American instruments in Finland and Iceland are described. These are the Career Thoughts Inventory, vocational interest inventories and a measure of career adaptability. These efforts show that contextual factors influence the responses to imported measures. Emic approaches are needed to fully test the applicability of assessment instruments as well as theoretical constructs developed in other cultures, but used in career counselling in the Nordic countries.
Sodium alginate plus modified tapioca starch improves properties of low-fat beef patties

Sodium alginate (A) in combination with modified tapioca starch (T) was evaluated in low-fat beef patties cooked by broiling or grilling to 68 or 74°C. Added water was used with AT formulations at 7% (AT7) or 14% (AT14) levels. In comparisons with all-beef patties (8 and 20% fat), AT provided improvements in tenderness, juiciness and cooking yields without increasing fat retention or affecting beef flavor. In sensory comparisons with 14 commercially processed, low-fat beef patties, AT7 and 14 patties received the highest ratings. Combined use of A and T would provide improved acceptability of low-fat patties over that from using single fat replacers.
Longitudinal sliding articulations in pipid frogs

The fused sacrum and urostyle of the pipid frog Xenopus laevisl/Ig is a familiar object. It has, for instance, been found at archaeological sites and used to identify the animal in the gut contents or excreta of predators. Yet it exhibits a striking feature which appears to have been mentioned or illustrated very rarely, namely, fluted articulating facets. The fluting, in the longitudinal direction, limits lateral turning and vertical bending between vertebrae. Longitudinal movement also occurs between the ilia and the sacral vertebra, but investigations in the latter half of the twentieth century have not included documentation of earlier work, nor reference to longitudinal fluting of vertebral articulations. In this account, previously unconnected data on the functional anatomy of this familiar animal and its fossil relatives on both sides of the South Atlantic are brought together, and taxonomic implications are indicated.
A rational roadmap for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pharmacotherapeutic research and development

In this review, we identify opportunities for drug discovery in the treatment of COVID-19 and in so doing, provide a rational roadmap whereby pharmacology and pharmacologists can mitigate against the global pandemic. We assess the scope for targetting key host and viral targets in the mid-term, by first screening these targets against drugs already licensed; an agenda for drug re-purposing, which should allow rapid translation to clinical trials. A simultaneous, multi-pronged approach using conventional drug discovery methodologies aimed at discovering novel chemical and biological means targetting a short-list of host and viral entities should extend the arsenal of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. This longer-term strategy would provide a deeper pool of drug choices for future-proofing against acquired drug resistance. Second, there will be further viral threats, which will inevitably evade existing vaccines. This will require a coherent therapeutic strategy which pharmacology and pharmacologists are best placed to provide.
Adaptation and Evolution in Heliconius: A Defense of NeoDarwinism

The neoDarwinian theory of evolution (or "modem synthesis") may not explain evolution in the long term. In particular, it has been suggested that it explains neither the discontinuities in the fossil record [see reports on the recent conference in Chicago (68, 71a)], nor the origin of complex, integrated adaptations (49, 90). To study such matters we must find a group in which we can investigate the genetics and ecology of present day populations, as well as evolutionary trends extending over as long a period as possible: In the absence of a mimetic drosophiloid snail with polytene chromosomes and an extensive fossil record, and until molecular evolutionists can resolve the controversy over just which amino acid substitutions are selected and which are neutral, we must make do with organisms that have only some of the required properties. The extensive study of the Hawaiian Drosophila is well known, but has not yet directly addressed the question posed here; however, an elegant study (34) showed that changes over a period of around 8000 years in populations of the snail Cepaea (as revealed by semi-fossilized shells) could be well accounted for by (a) the selective effects of temperature known to act on the forms in present day populations, and (b) the independently known fluctuations of the British climate during that time. In the genus Heliconius, the passion flower or passion vine butterflies, we can also investigate such matters, for our combined knowledge of their adaptation, ecology, genetics, and phylogeny and of the history of the South American rain forests where they live allows us to bridge the gap between population genetics and long-term evolution. In this review, I address pri
Evaluation of Punica granatum Peel Against Diabetic Wound Infection

Background: Foot infections are a common and serious problem in diabetic patients. Objectives: To investigate the antibacterial activity of some medicinal plants used by traditional healers for diabetic wounds and to examine in-vivo wound healing activity of active extracts. Materials and Methods : An experimental study in which fifteen plant extracts subjected to preliminary antibacterial screening against six standard organisms ( Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus ) using cup-plate agar diffusion method and the result was compared with activity of commonly used antibiotics. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for active extracts using agar plate dilution method. The two extracts was screened against 180 clinical isolates obtained from diabetic wound infection. In this study the wound healing effect of methanolic extracts of Punicagranatum peels was tested on open skin wound model on Swiss Wistar Albino rats. Results: Fourteen extracts (93.3%) exhibited inhibitory activity against one or more of the six organisms. The MICs of the methanolic and aqueous extracts of Punica granatum were very low against all organisms. 180 clinical isolates were obtained from diabetic wound infection, the results of identification showed that 30 were Escherichia coli , 15 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 45 Proteus spp, 15 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 60 Staphylococcus aureu s and 15 Staphylococcus epidermidis . The methanolic extract of Punica granatum peels had inhibitory effect against 99.4% of the isolates at concentration 100mg/ml. The aqueous extract has inhibitory effect against 91.7% of the isolates. Results were obtained by measuring the wound healing percentage. In the first group, healing was completed in 15 days. In the second group and third group, 13 days were required for the completion of healing. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the methanolic extract of Punica granatum had high antibacterial activity and have wound healing activity. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, wound healing, Punica granatum .
Electron Microscopic Studies on Skin Fibroblasts of the Mouse, with Special Reference to the Fibrillogenesis in Connective Tissue

Fibrillogenesis is a very important subject in the studies of connective tissue. In spite of the great number of past investigations on this subject, it has not yet been learned conclusively whether collagen fibrils are produced within the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, or in extracelluIar matrix by precipitation of a precursor extruded from the cells. Recently, the problem has been attacked with the electron microscope at the submicroscopic level. In the examination of materials cultured in vitm, PORTER"^' has reported that fibrils having bands of a period of 200A are formed at the surface of fibroblasts. There are, however, some difficulties in determining with such a shadowed preparation definitely whether the fibrils are produced inside or outside the cells. An improvement in sectioning technique for electron microscopy has thrown a light on the problem, because sections of tissue reveal in greater detail the topographical relationship between cytoplasmic structure and fibrils. By means of this method, fibrillogenesis has been studied so far in regenerating rat tendon (WASSER-
The dynamics of seed mortality

The shape of seed mortality curves in dry storage, and the dynamics of seed ageing are discussed as they help to define the rate-controlling processes. Emphasis is placed on distinguishing between two types of survival curves: those which show an initial period of relative stability preceding a dynamic rate of cumulative mortality, and those in which an initial period of relative stability is lacking. The fact that the survival curves had to be modelled separately for the initial plateu phase and for the sigmoid phase, support the contention that there are two phases of seed ageing. The factors operating in these two sectors are discussed and the glassy state in seeds is suggested to serve as a stabilizer, particularly as it may contribute to the period of relative stability. The rapid progress of deterioration during the dynamic period may represent a weakening of the glassy state, combined with a facile hydrolysis of sugar components and the unleashing of an array of oxidative processes. A recognition of the distinction between the period of relative stability and the period of dynamic deterioration may provide new insights about seed longevity and deterioration.
Aquatic invertebrates in riverine landscapes

1. Riverine systems consist of a mosaic of patches and habitats linked by diverse processes and supporting highly complex communities. Invertebrates show a high taxonomic and functional diversity in riverine systems and are in several ways important components of these systems. Their distribution patterns, movements and effects on ecological flows, testify to their importance in various landscape ecological processes. This paper reviews the invertebrate literature with respect to patterns and processes in the riverine landscape. 2. The distribution of invertebrates in riverine habitats is governed by a number of factors that typically act at different scales. Hence, the local community structure can be seen as the result of a continuous sorting process through environmental filters ranging from regional or catchment-wide processes, involving speciation, geological history and climate, to the small-scale characteristics of individual patches, such as local predation risk, substratum porosity and current velocity. 3. Dispersal is an important process driving invertebrate distribution, linking different ecological systems across boundaries. Dispersal occurs within the aquatic habitat as well as into the terrestrial surrounding, and also over land to other waterbodies. New genetic techniques have contributed significantly to the understanding of aquatic invertebrate dispersal and revealed the importance of factors such as physical barriers, synchrony of emergence and taxonomic affiliation. 4. Invertebrates affect the cycling of nutrients and carbon by being a crucial intermediate link between primary producers, detritus pools or primary consumers, and predators higher up in the trophic hierarchy. Suspension feeders increase the retention of carbon. The subsidies of aquatic invertebrates to the terrestrial ecosystem have been shown to be important, as are reciprocal processes such as the supply of terrestrial invertebrates that fall into the water. 5. Future studies are needed both to advance theoretical aspects of landscape ecology pertaining to the invertebrates in riverine systems and to intensify the experimental testing of hypotheses, for example with respect to the scaling of processes and to linkages between the terrestrial and aquatic systems. Another promising avenue is to take advantage of naturally steep environmental gradients, and of systems disturbed by humans, such as regulated rivers. By comparison with unimpaired reference sites, the mechanisms involved might be identified. The use of `natural' experiments, especially where environmental gradients are steep, is another technique with great potential.
The Future of Animal Wildlife and Its Habitat in Botswana

To conserve its wildlife, Botswana has set aside more than 17% of its total land area as game reserves, national parks, and wildlife management areas. Despite this generous allocation to wildlife, the fauna of the country is declining in both absolute numbers and species diversity. Lack of permanent water-sources in some game reserves, obstruction of fauna migration routes by cattle fences, and a poorly-developed tourist industry, are partly responsible for this decline. In a developing country such as Botswana, tourism should yield sufficient funds for the maintenance of game reserves and national parks. But currently the tourist industry accounts for less than 2% of the gross national product. Unless the industry is encouraged to flourish and expand into dormant reserves such as the Gemsbok National Park and Mabuasehube Game Reserve, animals in those sanctuaries are likely to be driven by drought into South Africa.