Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolving dispersal and age at death

Traditional, and often competing, theories on ageing agree that a programmed age at death must have arisen as a side effect of natural selection, and that it can have no adaptive value of its own. However, theoretical models suggest that ageing and programmed death can be adaptive. Travis J. M. J. suggested that if fecundity declines with age, a programmed age of death evolves through kin selection and that the nature of dispersal is crucial as it determines the degree of spatial structure and hence the strength of kin selection. Here, using a similar model, we consider the interplay between dispersal and age of death. We incorporate more realistic dispersal kernels and allow both dispersal and age of death to evolve. Our results show each trait can evolve in response to the other: earlier age of death evolves when individuals disperse less and greater dispersal distances evolve when individuals are programmed to die later. When we allow dispersal and age of death to evolve at the same time we typically find that dispersal evolves more rapidly, and that ageing then evolves in response to the new dispersal regime. The cost of dispersal is crucial in determining the evolution of both traits. We argue both that ageing is an overlooked ecological process, and that the field of gerontology could learn a lot from evolutionary ecology. We suggest that it is time to develop the field of ecological gerontology and we highlight a few areas where future work might be particularly rewarding.
Polymorphism of MMP1 and MMP3 promoter regions and HR-HPV infection in women from Burkina Faso and Côte d‘Ivoire

Abstract The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the promoter region of MMP-1 (at 1607 bp) and MMP-3 (at 1171 bp) create Ets binding sites. Correlations between these SNPs and sensitivity to several biological processes such as metastasis and recurrence of cancer have been reported in several studies. In this case-control study, we looked for these SNPs in women infected with or not with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV). The frequency, distribution and correlation of these SNPs with the presence or absence of HR-HPV infection were evaluated. Genotypes 1G1G, 1G2G and 2G2G for MMP1 and genotypes 5A5A, 5A6A, 6A6A for MMP3 were found in our study population. In general, we noted that the 1G (40.8%) and 2G (64.8%) alleles were more frequent in non-infected women and infected women, respectively, and more specifically this difference was significant in women from Côte d‘Ivoire. These results, although yet to be reaffirmed with assays for quantifying the mRNA of these genes, suggest that the SNP of the MMP-1 promoter could promote infection with HR-HPV.
Detection of QTLs for genotype × environment interactions in tomato seeds and seedlings

Abstract Seed quality and seedling establishment are the most important factors affecting successful crop development. They depend on the genetic background and are acquired during seed maturation and therefor, affected by the maternal environment under which the seeds develop. There is little knowledge about the genetic and environmental factors that affect seed quality and seedling establishment. The aim of this study is to identify the loci and possible molecular mechanisms involved in acquisition of seed quality and how these are controlled by adverse maternal conditions. For this, we used a tomato recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 100 lines which were grown under two different nutritional environmental conditions, high phosphate and low nitrate. Most of the seed germination traits such as maximum germination percentage (Gmax), germination rate (t50) and uniformity (U8416) showed ample variation between genotypes and under different germination conditions. This phenotypic variation leads to identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) which were dependent on genetic factors, but also on the interaction with the maternal environment (QTL × E). Further studies of these QTLs may ultimately help to predict the effect of different maternal environmental conditions on seed quality and seedling establishment which will be very useful to improve the production of high‐performance seeds.
Molecular Understanding of Severe Cases of β-Thalassemia in the Nablus Region, West Bank, Palestine

Abstract Hemoglobinopathies are common inherited monogenic diseases that are likely to remain a serious regional health problem where thalassemias and sickle cell disease are prevalent. In regions where recessive alleles for hemoglobinopathy disorders are present with high consanguinity rates, such as in Palestine, coinheritance of two different genetic defects becomes anticipated and prevalent. In this report, we characterize the molecular variants of the HBB gene for 16 patients with transfusion-dependent anemia registered at the Thalassemia Patient Friends Society in Nablus governorate, West Bank, Palestine. Analysis revealed that 63.0% (10/16) of the patients were homozygous for β-thalassemia (β-thal), IVS-I-6 (T>C) (HBB: c.92+6T>C) or IVS-I-110 (G>A) (HBB: c.93-21G>A); 19.0% (3/16) homozygous for sickle cell disease or Hb S (HBB: c.20A>T, p.Glu6Val); 13.0% (2/16) were double heterozygotes for Hb S/β-thal, (HBB: c.20A>T/HBB: c.92G>C) and HBB: c.20A>T/HBB: c. 321_322insG; and one case was a compound heterozygote for β-thal, codon 39 (C>T) (HBB: c.118C>T) and IVS-I-110. The most common mutation reported in the 16 patients was IVS-I-6 (0.38), followed by IVS-I-110 (0.28) Hb S (0.25) and 0.03 each for codon 39, codons 106/107 (HBB: c.321_322insG) and Hb Monroe (HBB: c.92G>C). In conclusion, in Palestine, a variety of intricate inheritance patterns are encountered in clinical practice.
ENDANGERED FISH SPECIES OF THE DANUBE RIVER IN AUSTRIA

The ecological affinity of fish species to different habitat types in the course of their life cycles is investigated in the free-flowing sections of the Austrian Danube. The results point to the great significance of the degree of hydrological integration between the river and its adjoining waters. In the breeding and fry stage, rheophilic species are bound to the river itself, but the preferred zones show great variations according to both fish age and species. A highly structured shoreline is important in providing a gradient of water current and a spectrum of food sources. Regulated embankments are characterized by an extremely reduced fauna with low population densities of eurytopic species. These results give evidence that the conservation of the characteristic species association is incompatible with the planned hydroelectric power dams in the remaining, free flowing zones of the Danube. The importance of the fish fauna as an indicator group for the condition of large river systems is discussed from the conservation point of view.
Osteoarticular involvement of brucellosis in pediatric patients: clinical and laboratory characteristics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of osteoarticular involvement in children with brucellosis. METHODS A total of 202 pediatric brucellosis patients were evaluated from April 2012 to August 2013. RESULTS Among the 202 patients, 53 (26.2%) had osteoarticular involvement. In patients with osteoarticular involvement, the mean values of estimated sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (C-RP) were significantly higher than in patients without osteoarticular involvement (p = 0.001, p = 0.01, respectively). The majority of patients with osteoarticular involvement (n = 48, 90.6%) had a higher standard tube agglutination (STA) test titer (≥ 1/640) than patients without osteoarticular involvement (n = 69, 46.3%) (p = 0.001). The most commonly found osteoarticular involvement was peripheral arthritis. The second most commonly found osteoarticular involvement was sacroiliitis (n = 5, 9.4%). Three patients (5.7%) had spondylitis. Only one patient (1.9%) had osteomyelitis. CONCLUSIONS Osteoarticular involvement was detected in nearly one of every four childhood brucellosis patients in our study. Brucellosis should be considered as a pre-diagnosis in children with osteoarticular complaints, especially in regions where the disease is endemic.
Novel SCN9A missense mutations contribute to congenital insensitivity to pain: Unexpected correlation between electrophysiological characterization and clinical phenotype

Congenital insensitivity to pain (OMIM 243000) is an extremely rare disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in SCN9A encoding Nav1.7. Although the SCN9A mutations and phenotypes of painlessness and anosmia/hyposmia in patients are previously well documented, the complex relationship between genotype and phenotype of congenital insensitivity to pain remains unclear. Here, we report a congenital insensitivity to pain patient with novel SCN9A mutations. Functional significance of novel SCN9A mutations was assessed in HEK293 cells expressing Nav1.7, the results showed that p.Arg99His significantly decreased current density and reduced total Nav1.7 protein levels, whereas p.Trp917Gly almost abolished Nav1.7 sodium current without affecting its protein expression. These revealed that mutations in Nav1.7 in this congenital insensitivity to pain patient still retained partial channel function, but the patient showed completely painlessness, the unexpected genotypic-phenotypic relationship of SCN9A mutations in our patient may challenge the previous findings “Nav1.7 total loss-of-function leads to painlessness. ” Additionally, these findings are helpful for understanding the critical amino acid for maintaining function of Nav1.7, thus contributing to the development of Nav1.7-targeted analgesics.
SOME PROPERTIES OF CELL-SULFUR ADHESION IN THIOBACILLUS THIOOXIDANS

The process of oxidation of elemental sulfur by Thiobacillus thiooxidans involves at least two steps; an instant adhesion of bacterial cell to solid sulfur particles, and subsequent steady state sulfur oxidation by the cells attached to sulfur granules. Some properties of the first step, namely, sulfur-cell adhesion process, were elucidated as follows:1) The process exhibited pH dependency which was identical to that in sulfur oxidation and an optimum pH was at 2-5.2) Treatment of the cells with SH-binding reagents brought complete loss of adhesion ability and this blocking of adhesion was released by the addition of SH-donor. Consequently the thiol groups, which may exist in the cell envelope, must be essential for the adhesion process.3) Both the adhesion ability and oxygen uptake activity were significantly affected in the presence of 2, 4-DNP, HOQNO, and some heavy metal chelators, and anoxia also had a fairly potent inhibitory action on the attachment of bacteria to solid sulfur particles. Therefore, the adhesion process must be energy-dependent.
Effect of dietary raw and fermented sour cherry kernel (Prunus cerasus L.) on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality in broiler chickens

Sour cherry kernels are waste products of the fruit juice industry. Solid-state fermentation has great potential for recycling the agro-industrial residues. In the present study, the effect of raw sour cherry kernel (RC) and fermented sour cherry kernel (FC) by Aspergillus niger on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality in broiler chickens was investigated. A total of 343 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to 7 treatments with 7 replicates for each treatment and 7 birds in each replicate. The chicks were fed on a basal diet (control) and basal diet supplemented with RC or FC at the 1, 2, and 4% level. Dietary RC improved (P < 0.001) the feed conversion ratio (FCR) at the 1% inclusion level although chicks fed 2 and 4% RC had lower (P < 0.01) body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed intake (FI) from day 1 to 42, compared with that of the birds in the control group. Dietary FC with 1% inclusion level increased (P ≤ 0.05) BWG from day 22 to 42 and also enhanced (P < 0.001) the FCR from day 1 to 42. However, 4% dietary FC had an adverse effect (P < 0.01) on BW, BWG, FI, and the FCR, compared with the control group. The bursa of Fabricius weight was raised (P < 0.01) as the supplemental FC level increased. Dietary RC and FC elevated gut weight (P < 0.01) and length (P ≤ 0.05). Broilers fed on 2% FC had a higher (P ≤ 0.05) ash level and a lower (P ≤ 0.05) b* value in thigh meat, compared with the 2% RC group. The results indicate that FC can be used in broiler nutrition up to 2% level although RC can be added to broiler diets up to 1% level without a detrimental effect on growth performance. Dietary inclusion of 1% RC or FC can be recommended due to the positive effects on broiler chickens.
Contributions to a chromosome atlas of the New Zealand flora ‐ 38. Counts for 50 families

Abstract Documented chromosome numbers are reported for 187 taxa (170 species, 9 subspecies, 8 varieties), 5 hybrids (four putative, one artificial), and 18 of uncertain rank from 50 families (84 genera; 2 lycophyte, 11 pterophyte and 71 anthophyte). Of these, 189 counts are new for the New Zealand flora (167 of these are from named taxa). Many of the counts reported are from more poorly investigated families (e.g., Cyperaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Pota‐mogetonaceae) and genera (e.g., Desmoschoenus, Freycinetia, Lycopodiella, Lycopodium, Potamo‐geton, Schoenus), indigenous to New Zealand, or from nationally uncommon and/or threatened taxa (e.g., Eleocharis neozelandica, Hebe societatis, Myriophyllum robustum, and Pittosporum dallii), and/or newly described plants (e.g., Gingidia gri‐sea, Olearia adenocarpa), while three counts are from naturalised species (Alternanthera sessilis, Nephrolepis cordifolia, and Senecio skirrhodon), and one from a cultivated plant of Metrosideros nervulosa. In the majority of genera the numbers follow established patterns. Counts have now been obtained for all known New Zealand representatives of the Alseuosmiaceae, Chloranthaceae, Dryopteri‐daceae, Elatinaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Geraniaceae, Hydatellaceae, Lauraceae, Linaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Nephrolepidaceae, Nyctagina‐ceae, Pandanaceae, Polypodiaceae, Sapotaceae, and Thelypteridaceae.
Development of the ‘People–Processes–Paradigm’ critical analysis tool for mortality and morbidity reviews: improving understanding of systems factors

The impact of systems problems and human factors on delivering safe, high‐quality patient care is well recognized. In the surgical setting, mortality and morbidity reviews (MMRs) are the key forum for reviewing and analysing adverse events in patient care yet there is a paucity of simple tools for undertaking such analyses. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot a new tool for analysing mortality and morbidity cases incorporating human factors and systems analysis.
Distribution of estrogen receptor α and β in the mouse central nervous system: In vivo autoradiographic and immunocytochemical analyses

Although the distribution of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) immunoreactivity in the rat central nervous has been reported, no such data are available in the mouse. The present study used in vivo autoradiography utilizing a 125I‐estrogen that has equal binding affinity for both receptors as well as immunohistochemistry for ERβ and ERα, to investigate and compare the distribution of the two ERs in the mouse CNS. The use specific antisera against ERα and ERβ allowed us to evaluate the contribution of these receptors to the binding detected with autoradiography. In addition, data were collected in ovariectomized wildtype and ERα KO (knockout) mice to examine developmental regulation of ERβ expression by ERα. These studies revealed that in the mouse CNS, combining immunoreactivity for ERα with that for ERβ accounted for all regions where binding was seen using autoradiography. Therefore, these data strongly suggest that the major contributors of estrogen binding in the mouse CNS are ERα and ERβ. Together, these data provide an anatomical foundation for future studies and advance our understanding of estrogen action in the CNS. Moreover, since the immunocytochemical images were similar in wildtype and ERα KO mice, these studies suggest that the lack of ERα does not influence the expression of ERβ in the central nervous system. J. Comp. Neurol. 473:270–291, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Post-stroke depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and their associated factors: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Individuals post-stroke are subject to increased levels of mental health symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study explored levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and identified their predictors among Jordanian individuals with stroke. Outcome measures included Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Fugl-Meyer assessment, goniometry, hand-held dynamometry, nine-hole peg test, Ashworth scale, Motor Activity Log, ten-meter walk test, and 12-item Short-Form health survey (SF-12). Descriptive analyses were used to describe prevalence of mental health symptoms and multiple variable linear regression models were used to identify their predictors. A total of 153 individuals participated in the study. Proportions of participants with mental health symptoms were 74.5% for depression, 52.9% for anxiety, and 68% for stress. Significant predictors of post-stroke mental health symptoms were SF-12 Mental Composite Score and grip strength for depression, anxiety, and stress. Depression and stress symptoms were significantly associated with discontinuation of rehabilitation services. Furthermore, self-reports of fewer sleep hours was significantly associated with anxiety and stress. Finally, Gender and self-reported physical diseases other than stroke were significantly associated with depression symptoms. We conclude that high proportions of Jordanian individuals’ post-stroke have suffered mental health symptoms. Future studies are required to design effective interventions to improve post-stroke mental health.
Serum IL-23, E-selectin and sICAM levels in non-small cell lung cancer patients before and after radiotherapy

Objective The functions of E-selectin, interleukin (IL)-23, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients before and after radiotherapy (RT) are poorly understood. The purpose of our study was to investigate serum IL-23, E-selectin and sICAM levels in NSCLC patients before and after RT. Methods Forty-four patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC and 30 healthy individuals were included in the study. All patients received 66.6 Gy of concurrent RT. Results Significant differences were observed between serum IL-23, E-selectin and sICAM levels in controls and NSCLC patients both before and after radiotherapy. Inverse correlations were detected between serum IL-23 and E-selectin levels in NSCLC patients before and after RT. Positive correlations were detected between serum sICAM levels of NSCLC patients before and after RT and RT dose. No associations were observed between RT dose and IL-23 or E-selectin levels in patients before and after RT. Conclusion Serum IL-23, E-selectin and sICAM levels were elevated in NSCLC patients. While our results demonstrate the prognostic value of these parameters, further molecular studies of NSCLC patients are warranted.
Differentiation between vasculoprotective and uterotrophic effects of ligands with different binding affinities to estrogen receptors α and β

Estrogen-based drug therapy in cardiovascular diseases has been difficult because it has not been possible to separate the wanted vasculoprotective effect from the unwanted effects of the hormone to the reproductive system. Here, we demonstrate that, after endothelial denudation of rat carotid artery, the mRNA of the classical estrogen receptor (ERα) is constitutively expressed at a low level whereas the expression of the novel ERβ mRNA increases >40-fold. Under in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, ERβ mRNA and protein colocalize with the smooth muscle cells in the media and neointima. Treatment of ovariectomized female rats with the isoflavone phytoestrogen genistein, which shows 20-fold higher binding affinity to ERβ than to ERα, or with 17β-estradiol, which does not differentiate between the two receptors, provides similar dose-dependent vasculoprotective effect in rat carotid injury model. In addition in concentrations <10 μM, both ligands are equally inhibitory to the replication and migration of smooth muscle cells in vitro. However, only treatment with 17β-estradiol, but not with genistein, is accompanied with a dose-dependent uterotrophic effect. The results suggest that preferential targeting to ERβ will provide vasculoprotective estrogen analogs devoid of effects to the reproductive system.
MeCP2 in cholinergic interneurons of nucleus accumbens regulates fear learning

Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) encoded by the MECP2 gene is a transcriptional regulator whose mutations cause Rett syndrome (RTT). Mecp2-deficient mice show fear regulation impairment; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this abnormal behavior are largely uncharacterized. Here, we showed that Mecp2 gene deficiency in cholinergic interneurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) dramatically impaired fear learning. We further found that spontaneous activity of cholinergic interneurons in Mecp2-deficient mice decreased, mediated by enhanced inhibitory transmission via α2-containing GABAA receptors. With MeCP2 restoration, opto- and chemo-genetic activation, and RNA interference in ChAT-expressing interneurons of the NAc, impaired fear retrieval was rescued. Taken together, these results reveal a previously unknown role of MeCP2 in NAc cholinergic interneurons in fear regulation, suggesting that modulation of neurons in the NAc may ameliorate fear-related disorders.
Reply to A Salari-Moghaddam et al.

We read the letter by Salari-Moghaddam et al. on our paper “Dietary patterns in relation to low bone mineral density and fracture risk: a systematic review and metaanalysis” (1). We partly agree with the criticisms raised by the authors on the variability in composition of the dietary patterns selected for combining in the meta-analysis. Indeed, in the discussion of our manuscript we suggested that the high heterogeneity observed could be a result of the wide variability in dietary data collection and analysis, and in the identification of the dietary patterns. However, some points deserve further consideration. Firstly, the “Western” dietary pattern reported in the study of Fung and Feskanich (2), which was associated with the “fracture risk” (Figure 2B of the article), was not combined with the “Western” dietary patterns reported in the studies of Park et al. (3), Denova-Gutierrez et al. (4), and Shin and Joung (5), which instead were associated with the “bone mineral density” (Figure 3 of the article). Secondly, to conduct the metaanalysis we selected dietary patterns more similar to each other by examining factor loading scores and excluding the dietary patterns whose composition varied considerably across the studies. Some differences in dietary patterns do exist, but these are less evident than as highlighted by SalariMoghaddam et al. This point is supported by Table 1. It