Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of interleukin-22 in the mouse model of malaria infection, Plasmodium chabaudi

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene for the cytokine, interleukin-22, have been associated with severe malaria infection. This cytokine is known to have roles in protecting various tissues from the damaging effects of inflammation as well as by up-regulating the production of antimicrobial peptides. This thesis aims to investigate where IL-22 is produced in the mouse model of malaria infection, Plasmodium chabaudi in C57BL/6 mice, and whether this production provides protection from associated pathology. IL-22 expression was analysed through qRT-PCR and the use of an IL-22 cre x R26R eYFP fate reporter mouse. In the liver, there were increases in mRNA until day 5, when they decreased, and a similar pattern was observed in eYFP+ cells. In the lungs, there was also a decrease in il22 mRNA as well as eYFP+ cells after day 5 and this was shown to result from changes in the population of IL-22 producing γδ T cells. Decreases were observed in il22 mRNA in the small intestine with no change in eYFP+ cells in the small or large intestine. These eYFP+ cells were mostly comprised of innate lymphoid cells and a possibility may have been that a proportion of them had switched to producing IFN-γ due to increased IL-12 expression in malaria infection. C57BL/6 mice deficient in IL-22 (il22-/- mice) that were infected with P. c. chabaudi AS and P. c. chabaudi CB showed a decreased survival with increases in the liver enzymes. However changes in histopathology were not observed in the lungs, liver and intestine in the absence of IL-22 in malaria infection, suggesting the role of this cytokine may be subtle. Future work would need to further investigate whether the importance of IL-22 in malaria infection is due to its roles in protecting the integrity of the epithelia especially within the intestine and lung or its influences on the intestine microbiota.
IRS proteins and β-cell function

Insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins mediate a variety of the metabolic and growth-promoting actions of insulin and IGF-1. After phosphorylation by activated receptors, these intracellular signaling molecules recruit various downstream effector pathways including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Grb2. Ablation of the IRS-2 gene produces a diabetic phenotype; mice lacking IRS-2 display peripheral insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction characterized by a 50% reduction in β-cell mass. In contrast, deletion of IRS-1 retards somatic growth and enhances β-cell mass. IRS1 -/- mice are 50% smaller than controls but have a twofold increase in pancreatic β-cell mass. Thus, observations from these recently developed animal models implicate the IRS signaling systems in the response of classical insulin target tissues, and they suggest a critical role for these proteins in the regulation of β-cell function. In humans, type 2 diabetes generally occurs when insulin-secretory reserves fail to compensate for peripheral insulin resistance. Study and identification of the signals downstream of IRS proteins in β-cells may provide unique insights into the compensatory mechanisms by which these cells respond to insulin resistance. Therefore, the intent of this review is to summarize recent observations regarding the regulation of β-cell function by members of the IRS protein family.
A Model of the Leaf Extension Rate of Tall Fescue in Response to Nitrogen and Temperature

The leaf extension rate (LER) of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb,) was studied in the field under various nitrogen and temperature regimes. The LER was closely related to temperature when N was not limiting plant growth. Two distinct relationships between the LER and the temperature were obtained, one for vegetative growth and one for the reproductive period. These relationships, described by a Gompertz function, were exponential at temperatures below 8 o C and linear at temperatures above 8 o C. They made possible the calculation of an optimal LER corresponding to non-limiting N conditions for plant growth
The Uptake of Orthophosphate and Its Incorporation into Organic Phosphates Along Roots of Pinus Radiata

An automatic scanning-recording method showed that relative incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate along sterile pine roots into both the nucleic acid fraction and the phospholipid-phosphoprotein fraction was usually much greater in the apical 1-and 2-cm segments than in the remainder of the root. Relative incorporation into phosphate fractions was modified considerably by the phosphate uptake and phosphate status at different parts of the root_ Relative incorporation into the readily acid-soluble fraction was greatest at sites of greatest phosphate uptake along the root, and was less with phosphate-deficient plants than with high-phosphate plants. Description of root behaviour as an average of the entire root is inadequate and is likely to lead to erroneous interpretation of nutrient uptake and use by roots_
Hepatoprotective Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Bacopa monnieri Linn. Aerial Parts Against $CCl_4-induced$ Hepatotoxicity in Rats

The ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri Linn. aerial parts were studied far its hepatoprotective effect on hepatotoxic rats. The extract was found to decrease significantly elevation of SGOT, SGPT, ALP, bilirubin and total cholesterol. But, it increased HDL-cholesterol level and liver weight with respect to toxic rats. The extract was also found to decrease significantly the elevation of lipid peroxidation and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and GSH level in the liver of extract treated rats when compared with induced rats. Histopatholosical profiles showed that the extract had significant protective effect against liver injury, which corroborates the above findings. Hence it may be possible that the mechanism of hepatoprotection of the extract is due to its antioxidant effect.
Relationship Between High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Uric Acid, and Metabolic Syndrome

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) usage has reached an all-time high with a 2,000% increase in products consumed in a Western diet (Bomback et al., 2010). HFCS is made up of 55% fructose and 45% glucose and is widely used because of its inexpensive cost (Johnson et al., 2009). The increase in HFCS has also paralleled the increase in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease (Johnson et al., 2013). Fructose varies fromother sugars because of its ability to cause intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion and nucleotide turnover and promote the generation of uric acid. Uric acid is the by-product of purine metabolism made by the enzyme xanthine oxidase and is excreted in the kidneys. Diets high in purine, HFCS, and sucrose can all cause an elevation in uric acid levels within the body (Johnson et al., 2013). As stated above, fructose metabolism is very different compared with the other sugars. When fructose is metabolized, hepatic adenosine triphosphate is depleted, which causes the promotion of uric acid formation as well as the breakdown of nucleotides. Fructose is absorbed in the intestines and undergoes metabolism primarily in the liver but also in the kidneys and adipocytes. The key enzyme responsible for this is fructokinase. This enzyme uses ATP to phosphorylate fructose to fructose-1-phosphate. Fructokinase is poorly regulated; therefore, the fructose is rapidly phosphorylated and, in the meantime, causes depletion of ATP. This mechanism of action causes the ATP to act like a
Role of barrier crops in reducing the incidence of mosaic disease in chilli

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) is affected by a large number of viruses causing mosaic disease. Since the viruses are non-persistent and are retained only for a short period by the aphid vector after acquisition, a field trial was conducted to know the role of barrier crops in reducing its spread. All the three barrier crops tested, viz., maize, sorghum and sunflower, whether they were sprayed with insecticide (Metasystox) or not, significantly reduced the disease spread and increased the yield over control. Among them, maize barrier with insecticidal spray was found to be the most effective in reducing the disease spread and increasing the yield.
Züchtungsbiologische Bewertung der Leistungsselektion beim Milchrind

Abstract. Title of the paper: Breeding and biological evaluation of yield selection in dairy cattle In the course of natural selection metabolic pathways has been improved with regard to reproductive fitness. Yield selection, however, aimes at specific alterations in favour of other traits. The directed reorganization of the genotypic and metabolic constellation leads to an increasing number of individuals, disturbed in their biological balance. This fact has been proved on the example of milk selection in cattle.
Contributions Of DNA Sequence Elements, Plasmid-Encoded Proteins And Host Proteins To Maintenance Of The Yeast 2-Micron Plasmid

x List of Abbreviations Used . xi Acknowledgements . xiii Chapter 1 Introduction . 1 1.1 The Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2μm Plasmid . 1 1.1.1 2μm Plasmid Amplification . 1 1.1.2 2μm Plasmid Partitioning . 3 1.1.3 Plasmid-Encoded Rep1 And Rep2 Proteins . 4 1.1.4 Transcriptional Regulation Of 2μm Plasmid Promoters . 6 1.1.5 Host Toxicity Associated With 2μm Plasmid Hyperamplification And Rep Protein Overexpression . 6 1.2 Interface Of 2μm Plasmid With Host . 7 1.2. 1 Host Proteins Required For 2μm Plasmid Partitioning . 7 1.2. 1.1 Kip1 . 8 1.2. 1.2 RSC2 Complex . 9 1.2. 1.3 Cse4 . 11 1.2. 1.4 Cohesin . 14 1.2. 1.5 Timeline Of Protein Association With STB . 15 1.2. 2 Similarities And Differences Between Chromosome Segregation And 2μm Plasmid Partitioning . 16 1.2. 3 Localization Of The 2μm Plasmid . 16 1.2. 4 Model Of 2μm Plasmid Partitioning . 17 1.3 The STB Partitioning Locus . 17 1.3. 1 The STB Locus Of The 2μm Plasmid Of S. cerevisiae . 17 1.3. 2 STB Loci Of 2μm Plasmid Variants . 18 1.3. 3 Partitioning Loci Of 2μm-Like Plasmids . 20 1.3. 4 Theory Of Common Evolutionary Origin For STB And Budding Yeast Centromere . 22
Copulation duration in three species of anthocoris (Heteroptera : Anthocoridae) at different temperatures and effects on insemination and ovarian development

We compared duration of copulation among three species of predatory bugs: Anthocoris tomentosus Pericart, A. whitei Reuter, and A. nemoralis (Fabricius). Copulation duration at room temperatures (22-24° C) was longest in A. whitei (x = 89.3 min), of intermediate length in A. tomentosus (x = 40.0 min), and shortest in A. nemoralis (x = 12.7 min). By interrupting mating pairs we showed that long duration copulations were more likely than short copulations to result in insemination and in ovarian maturation in the female. Probability of ovarian development following a shortened copulation was often lower than probability of insemination, suggesting that insemination alone was not always enough to prompt ovarian development. Size of the sperm reservoir in the female increased with increasing duration of copulation. Males of all species transferred seminal products for most of the copulation period, suggesting that the longer copulations noted for A. whitei and A. tomentosus (relative to duration in A. nemoralis) were not due to post-insemination mate-guarding by A. whitei or A. tomentosus. Copulation duration was longer at 15° C (range: 25-181 min) than at 25° C (range: 13-102 min). We interrupted mating pairs at both temperatures in all species to determine how the combined factors of temperature and copulation duration affect insemination rates and probability of oocyte maturation. For a given copulation duration, probability of insemination and oocyte maturation were higher at 25° C than at 15° C. Species' differences in copulation duration may reflect differences among species in how rapidly males transfer sperm, and that lower temperatures may make it physically more difficult for the male to force seminal products through the aedeagus.
Habitat-use and specialisation among coral reef damselfishes

[Extract] The high diversity of fishes found on coral reefs is traditionally attributed to the high complexity and large number of distinct microhabitats available within reef habitats (e.g., Ross 1986). Habitat complexity is important in facilitating the co-existence of species across a broad range of size classes (Beukers and Jones 1998), largely by moderating predation. The diversity of microhabitats meanwhile, may lead to increased diversity of reef associated fishes (Messmer et al. 2011), especially in case of sympatric fishes that exhibit highly specialised and complementary patterns of habitat use. One striking example of this is the very high levels of habitat specialisation and clear partitioning of anemone species by anemonefishes (e.g., Allen 1972, Fautin and Allen 1997, Elliot and Mariscal 2001).
Developmental cell-specific regulation of Na+-K+-ATPase α1-, α2-, and α3-isoform gene expression

Na + -K + -activate adenosine triphosphatase (Na + -K + -ATPase) is the integral membrane protein that maintains the Na + -K + electrochemical gradient across the plasma membrane. Because of the importance of the Na + -K + electrochemical gradient to fundamental and specialized cell functions, we investigated the cell-specific modulation of Na + -K + -ATPase α-subunit isoform (α 1 , α 2 , and α 3 ) gene expression in different stages of postimplantation mouse embryos and neonatal rat tissues by in situ hybridization with use of isoformspecific rat-derived antisense RNA probes
Ecosystem approaches to fishery management through essential fish habitat

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act recognizes that fish stocks depend on healthy ecosystems and requires that fishery managers expand their management regimes to include the very basis of healthy fisheries-the habitat itself. The 1996 amendments to this primary United States marine fishery-management law include a new mandate to identify habitats essential to managed living marine resources and to take steps to ensure that those habitats remain healthy and can support sustainable fisheries. Until now, the legislative mandate for protecting habitat for marine and anadromous stocks came through statutes not specifically focused on the needs of commercial and recreational fish species. Now, there is explicit linkage between fishery-management programs, traditionally designed to manage the harvesting activity itself, and efforts to ensure that fishing and nonfishing activities do not undermine the productivity of the stocks. This emphasis on habitat health and productivity brings a broader ecosystem perspective to traditional fishery management.The insertion of essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions into fisheries management has been an enormous undertaking. The agency and the regional fishery management councils, working with other partners, completed the first stage of the process within very tight statutory deadlines. The councils have made use of all of the tools provided them under the act and the EFH regulations, such as designating habitat areas of particular concern (EFH-HAPCs), recommending fishing restrictions within special areas, defining priority research and information needs, and documenting threats and conservation measures appropriate for federal actions that may adversely affect EFH. This effort has entailed a great deal of scientific as well as policy analysis. We are currently implementing the federal consultation process to address threats to fish habitat in a consistent and timely manner.This new habitat thrust will align fishery managers and scientists with new allies in the habitat arena, increasing benefits to marine resource-management programs and fishery management. As suggested by the theme of this issue, an understanding and consideration of marine reserves and other special-area management concepts can benefit federal fishery management. This article gives an overview of how the fishery-management councils are fulfilling the essential fish habitat mandate by using a broader ecosystem approach to conservation that considers the ecological role of managed species, analyzes species' habitat needs from state waters to the high seas, and examines shifts in population health and sustainability over the course of decades.
Response of ‘Captiva’ St. Augustinegrass to Shade and Potassium

The effects of potassium (K) on stress tolerance of turfgrass have been documented for some environmental stresses but not for shade tolerance. 'Captiva' st. augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze) was evaluated in this research project to determine the effects of K and shade on turf performance. The study was conducted at the University of Florida Envirotron Turfgrass Research Laboratory in Gainesville, FL. Grasses were planted in 15.2-cm plastic pots in a climate-controlled glass house. Two consecutive studies were conducted, the first from 20 May to 24 Oct. 2009 and the second from 18 Jan. to 20 June 2010. Grasses were placed in either full sun or under shade structures covered with woven black shadecloth to provide 30%, 50%, or 70% shade. Potassium was applied as potassium chloride (KCl) (0-0-62) at four rates (0, 0.6, 1.2, or 2.4 gm -2 ) every 30 days. In both trials, turf visual quality and color scores and dry weight (DW) of shoot and root were lowest at 70% shade and highest at 30% shade. Turf visual quality score increased as K rate increased. Leaf length increased and leaf width decreased as shade level increased. Leaf tissue total Kjedahl nitrogen (TKN) and K concentration increased as shade level increased from 0% to 70%. Thatch DW was greatest at 70% shade and lowest at 30% shade. In the first trial, turf treated with a higher K rate had longer leaf length and greater root DW. Results from this study showed that 'Captiva' could maintain acceptable visual quality at up to 50% shade and that K at 2.4 gm -2 may help turfgrass grow in a shaded environment by improving turf visual quality score, root growth, and leaf tissue K concentration. Additional field plot research should be conducted to verify these responses.
Changes in Lipid Oxidation, Fatty Acid Profile and Volatile Compounds of Traditional Kazakh Dry‐Cured Beef during Processing and Storage

In the present study, changes in lipid oxidation, fatty acid profile and volatile compounds of traditional Kazakh dry-cured beef were investigated during its processing and storage. The moisture content decreased from 740.77 to 587.41 g/kg during processing, and the fat content increased from 21.03 to 35.69 g/kg. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by processing and storage time. The proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) decreased during processing, whereas the saturated fatty acids (SFA) increased. Solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME–GC/MS) was used to identify and quantify 38 volatile compounds. Aldehydes were the most abundant volatile compounds in the final product. Principal component analysis results showed that the first principal component was dominated by fat, SFA, TBARS, furans, PUFA, moisture and hydrocarbons; the second principal component was dominated by esters, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and pH. Practical Applications Flavor is one of the most valuable quality characteristic for Kazakh dry-cured beef. Knowledge of the effect of lipid oxidation on development of flavor will allow producers to control flavor quality for this product. This study is significantly practical for industrial development of traditional dry-cured beef.
On species occupancy-abundance models

Abstract One of the most pronounced generalizations in macroecology is the positive interspecific relationship between the distribution and abundance of species. Understanding of this relationship comes in two forms: statistical descriptions and insight into the biological mechanisms. Several statistical and mathematical models have been used to describe, to summarize, to interpret, and to predict the positive relationship, e.g., the Poisson, negative binomial, Nachman’s, power, and logistic models. In this study we derive a three-parameter model of which others are special cases. The unified model describes how occupancy depends on the density and the spatial distribution of species. It is shown that the unified model can be generalized from the balance between the colonization and extinction processes of a metapopulation, which provides a mechanistic basis for the model. A maximum likelihood procedure is developed to estimate the parameters, and several occupancy-abundance models are applied to data on bird and tree species distributions. It is concluded that the general model gives the best fits to the two data sets although Nachman’s model is recommended for the bird species and the logistic model for the tree species because these models have only two parameters. We further discuss how to quantify occupancy-abundance patterns and to define species-area curves in terms of occurrence.
All roads lead to Iran: Predicting landscape connectivity of the last stronghold for the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah

Effective conservation solutions for small and isolated wildlife populations depend on identifying and preserving critical biological corridors and dispersal routes. With a worldwide population of ≤70 individuals, the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus venaticus persists in several fragmented nuclei in Iran. Connectivity between nuclei is crucial for the survival of this subspecies, but detailed information to guide conservation actions is lacking. We developed a resistance surface that predicted cost of cheetah movement as functions of topographical complexity, human development, surface water and landscape protection level. We predicted alternative models for the landscape connectivity of Asiatic cheetahs, considering the combination of relative landscape resistance and different dispersal ability scenarios. We predicted that core connected habitat patches are concentrated in three sub‐regions, and within these sub‐regions, populations were predicted to be broken up into two to eight isolated patches, depending on the dispersal ability scenario. Despite the achievements of recent conservation initiatives, long‐term survival of the Asiatic cheetah in Iran is threatened by the combination of its small population size and fragmented distribution. We propose that conservation of the Asiatic cheetah urgently requires integrated landscape‐level management to reduce mortality risk, protect core areas and corridors, and ultimately establish stepping‐stone populations to integrate this fragmented population.
Formulations PLNE pour le problème du p-Centre non déterministe

Etant donne un graphe G= (V, E) oriente, on appelle distance la longueur d’un plus court chemin entre 2 sommets de V. Le probleme du p-Centre, note pCP, consiste a trouver un sous-ensemble de sommets C⊆V,|C|=p, qui minimise la distance maximum entre un sommet v∈V et un sommet dans C [2].
Yield and yield traits of durum wheat (Triticum durum desf.) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes under drought stress

Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of water stress on yield and yield traits of durum wheat and bread wheat genotypes. Water stress caused significant reduction in plant height (PH), peduncle length (PL), spike number/m2(SN), spike length (SL), spike width (SW), spikelets number/spike (SNS), spike mass (SM), grain number/spike (GNS), grain mass/spike (GMS), biological yield (BY), thousand kernel mass (TKM), grain yield (GY) and harvest index (HI). Wheat traits such as SN, SM, BY, TKM, GY were more vulnerable to drought stress. Positive significant correlation of GY with SN, BY and HI under rain-fed condition was found. Genotypes of durum wheat were more sensitive to drought than that bread wheat genotypes. The significant and positive correlation of GY with Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Mean Productivity (MP) and Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP) indicated that these indices were more effective in identifying high yielding, drought tolerance genotypes.