Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smooth brome invasion increases rare soil bacterial species prevalence, bacterial species richness and evenness

Plant and soil communities are tightly linked, but the mechanisms by which the invasion of an exotic plant and the resulting shifts in plant diversity and productivity influence soil bacterial community structure remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of invasive smooth brome (Bromus inermis) on grassland soil bacterial community structure using massively parallel sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to determine bacterial community richness, evenness, composition and beta diversity (UniFrac indices) of soils collected along a gradient of smooth brome abundance. We evaluated several hypotheses including: (a) that the declines in native plant diversity associated with smooth brome invasion would cause declines in bacterial community diversity and (b) that mechanisms driving smooth brome effects on bacterial community structure involved altered soil edaphic properties rather than preferential invasion in areas of high soil nitrogen and distinct soil microbial communities. Smooth brome invasion led to increased soil nitrogen, soil carbon and root biomass. Bacterial evenness and bacterial richness increased with increasing smooth brome cover, while bacterial beta diversity declined. We found no evidence of a dominant direct link between the alteration of soil edaphic properties by brome and the changes in the soil bacterial community. Rather, the main controls on the soil bacterial community were direct effects of pH and smooth brome that could not be linked to the edaphic changes. The most important effect of brome on the bacterial community was the selective suppression of dominant bacterial species, which allowed rarer bacteria to increase in relative abundance. Synthesis. Here, we show that plant community composition influences bacterial community structure at a very fine scale, but that these changes are not due to altered soil total nitrogen or carbon content. The dominant direct effect of smooth brome invasion on soil communities suggests non‐edaphic, that is inter‐ and intratrophic, interactions among smooth brome and non‐bacterial components of the soil ecosystem are key drivers of soil community structure.
Strongly Stable and Responsive Cost Sharing Solutions for Minimum Cost Spanning Tree Problems

On the cost sharing solutions to a minimum cost sharing problem, we define a strong stability property absence-proofness that implies stand alone core stability. We show that the well-known Bird and Dutta Kar solutions fail this property as well as all non-separable solutions while all population monotonic solutions are strongly stable. We also propose a family of strongly stable solutions that are easy to compute and more responsive than the well-known folk solution to the asymmetries in the cost data.
Differential larval age susceptibility of the medfly, Ceratitis capitata Wied. (Dipt., Tephritidae) to cyromazine

Ceratitis capitata Wied. larvae reared on an artificial diet supplemented with a range of concentrations of the IGI cyromazine, suffered severe developmental disruption depending on larval age. 100% mortality was recorded when young larvae (1‐ and 2‐day‐old) were exposed to a 10 mg/kg cyromazine‐treated diet, whereas later‐stage larvae (6‐ to 9‐day old larvae; L6 to L9) were able to pupate with 25 to 100 mg/kg concentrations. Moreover the adult emergence rate was severely affected in these cases (less than 7 % for L6 to L8, and just 36 % for L9). Larval mobility (measured as popped pupae) was drastically reduced except for L9. A significant larval growth inhibition at 3 days was observed in L2, L4 and L6, in a dependent dose manner: the median inhibitory concentration being near 1 mg/kg for young larvae, but reaching 100 mg/kg for the older ones.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Hydrocortisone Ameliorate Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction and Improve Survival in a Rat Model of Cecal Ligation and Puncture-Induced Sepsis

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text ABSTRACT Introduction: Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome which can progress to multiple organ dysfunction with high mortality. Intestinal barrier failure exerts a central role in the pathophysiological sequence of events that lead from sepsis to multiple organ dysfunction. The present study investigated the role of hydrocortisone (HC) administration and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in several parameters of the gut barrier integrity, immune activation, and survival, in a model of polymicrobial sepsis in rats. Methods: Forty adults male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham (group I), cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) (group II), CLP + HC (2.8 mg/kg, intraperitoneally single dose at 6 h) (group III), and CLP + FMT at 6 h (group IV). At 24 h post-CLP, ileal tissues were harvested for histological and immunohistochemical analyses while endotoxin, IL-6, and IL-10 levels in systemic circulation were determined. In a second experiment the same groups were observed for 7 days for mortality, with daily administration of hydrocortisone (group III) and FMT (group IV) in surviving rats. Results: HC administration and FMT significantly reduced mortality of septic rats by 50%. These interventions totally reversed intestinal mucosal atrophy by increasing villous density and mucosal thickness (μm, mean ± SD: Group I: 620 ± 35, Group II: 411 ± 52, Group III: 622 ± 19, Group IV: 617 ± 44). HC and FMT reduced the apoptotic body count in intestinal crypts whereas these increased the mitotic/apoptotic index. Activated caspase-3 expression in intestinal crypts was significantly reduced by HC or FMT (activated caspase-3 (+) enterocytes/10 crypts, mean ± SD: Group I: 1.6 ± 0.5, Group II: 5.8 ± 2.4, Group III: 3.6 ± 0.9, Group IV: 2.3 ± 0.6). Both treatments increased Paneth cell count and decreased intraepithelial CD3(+) T lymphocytes and inflammatory infiltration of lamina propria to control levels. In the sham group almost the total of intestinal epithelial cells expressed occludin (92 ± 8%) and claudin-1 (98 ± 4%) and CLP reduced this expression to 34 ± 12% for occludin and 35 ± 7% for claudin-1. Administration of HC significantly increased occludin (51 ± 17%) and claudin-1 (77 ± 9%) expression. FMT exerted also a significant restoring effect in tight junction by increasing occludin (56 ± 15%) and claudin-1 (84 ± 7%) expression. The beneficial effects of these treatments on gut barrier function led to significant reduction of systemic endotoxemia (EU/mL, mean ± SD: Group I: 0.93 ± 0.36, Group II: 2.14 ± 1.74, Group III: 1.48 ± 0.53, Group IV: 1.61 ± 0.58), while FMT additionally decreased IL-6 and IL-10 levels. Conclusion: Fecal microbiota transplantation and stress dose hydrocortisone administration in septic rats induce a multifactorial improvement of the gut mechanical and immunological barriers, preventing endotoxemia and leading to improved survival.
Effect of full-fat hemp seed on performance and tissue fatty acids of feedlot cattle

Gibb, D. J., Shah, M. A. , Mir, P. S. and McAllister, T. A. 2005. Effect of full-fat hemp seed on performance and tissue fatty acids of feedlot cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 85: 223‐230. Sixty individually penned steers (380 ± 39 kg) were fed barley-based finishing diets containing 0 (control), 9 or 14% full-fat hemp seed (HS) and effects on performance and tissue fatty acid profiles were assessed. At harvest, samples of pars costalis diaphragmatis (PCD) and brisket fat were collected from each carcass. Feeding HS did not affect (P > 0.25) dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), or gain feed ‐1 . Carcass traits were also unaffected (P > 0.35) by treatment. Feeding HS linearly increased (P < 0.001) proportions of C18:0, C18:3 and C18:1 trans-9 in PCD, and 18:2 trans, trans in both PCD and brisket fat. As well, HS linearly increased cis-9 trans-11 CLA (P < 0.001), total saturates (P = 0.002) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (P = 0.01) in PCD. The presence of C20:4, C20:5 and C22:5 was detected only in tissues of cattle supplemented with HS (P < 0.06). Linear reductions (P < 0.002) in C16:1 cis, C17:1, C18:1 cis-9, C20:1, and total unsaturates in PCD, as well as linear decreases in C17:0 (P = 0.04) and C17:1 (P < 0.001) in brisket fat were observed when HS was fed. Levels of HS up to 14% of dietary DM exerted no detrimental effect on the growth or feed efficiency of cattle as compared to cattle fed a standard barley-based finishing diet. Including HS in the diet had both positive (increased CLA content) and negative (increased trans and saturated fats) effects on fatty acid profiles of beef tissues.
DEHYDRATION OF DORMANT APPLE BUDS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF COLD ACCLIMATION TO INDUCE CRYOPRESERVABILITY IN DIFFERENT CULTIVARS

Survival in liquid nitrogen of dormant vegetative buds from several cold-hardened apple cultivars was greater with buds which were dehydrated prior to cryopreservation than with nondehydrated buds. Buds collected early in the cold-acclimating period suffered injury as a result of dehydration, but the percent survival of the dehydrated buds, after storage in liquid nitrogen, was greater than that of nondehydrated buds. As cold acclimation progressed, buds became more resistant to the dehydration stress and survival in liquid nitrogen increased following dehydration for all cultivars. Survival in liquid nitrogen of nondehydrated buds increased for LN2-hardy but not for LN2-tender cultivars, as cold acclimation progressed. The magnitude of the dehydration-induced increase in survival in liquid nitrogen was cultivar dependent.Key words: Malus domestica, apple, cryopreservation, gene resources, cold hardiness
Executive perks and performance of quoted consumer goods firms in Nigeria

This study examined the effect of executive perks on performance of quoted consumer goods firms in Nigeria using secondary data obtained from the annual reports of such firms. A sample of (15) selected consumer goods firms were used for the period of 10years spanning 2010 to 2019. The study was predicated on Ex-post facto and longitudinal research design and used secondary data for the analysis. Four objectives and hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Correlation Matrix and Panel Least Square regression. The result revealed that social cost and health care cost have positive and significant effect on performance of consumer goods firms which was statistically significant at 1% and 5% level of significant respectively while a negative and insignificant relationship was documented against executive perks in form of staff loan and performance of Nigerian consumer goods firms. The finding shows that about 41.7% approximately of the system variation in performance of consumer goods firms were jointly explained by all the independent variables of our sampled firms over the 10 years period while about 58.3% of the total variations were unaccounted for, hence captured by the stochastic error term. The study therefore recommends among others that consumer goods firms should pay attention to social cost and healthcare cost in order to boost the morale of both the management and the staff and should not do executive perks activities only when they have made extra normal profit. Rather it should be approached from humanitarian perspective knowing that there are also financial benefits accruable from these expenditures. In addition, consumer goods firms should be mindful of the fact that they owe duty of care to employee and not only the business owners. They should dearth from parochial objective of only owners’ welfare.
α1-Adrenoceptor Activation Increases Ecto-5′-Nucleotidase Activity and Adenosine Release in Rat Cardiomyocytes by Activating Protein Kinase C

Background Adenosine is an important regulator of many cardiac functions and is synthesized primarily by ecto- and cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase. We have previously reported that α 1 -adrenoceptor blockade attenuates adenosine release from ischemic myocardium, raising the possibility that α 1 -adrenoceptor activation activates 5′-nucleotidase. This study tested whether activation of protein kinase C by α 1 -adrenoceptor activation increases 5′-nucleotidase activity and augments adenosine release. Methods and Results Cardiomyocytes were isolated from adult male Wistar rats and suspended in modified HEPES-Tyrode’s buffer solution. After stabilization, the cardiomyocytes were incubated with and without an exposure to norepinephrine (10 −9 to 10 −5 mol/L) while being treated with propranolol and yohimbine or with and without an exposure to methoxamine (10 −9 to 10 −5 mol/L). Ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity was increased by norepinephrine and methoxamine during 30 minutes in a dose-dependent manner, whereas cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase was not activated. These increases in ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity were inhibited by GF109203X, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, and mimicked by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C. The increase in ecto-5′-nucleotidase was not prevented by cycloheximide. When ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity increased, adenosine release was augmented in methoxamine- and PMA-treated cardiomyocytes (1299±252% and 1372±149%, respectively) compared with the untreated group (578±26%). The increase in adenosine release was blunted by GF109203X and α,β-methyleneadenosine 5′-diphosphate, an inhibitor of ecto-5′-nucleotidase. Conclusions Thus, we conclude that α 1 -adrenoceptor–mediated increases in ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity are attributed to activation of protein kinase C in rat cardiomyocytes.
Development and Characterization of Liquisolid Tablets Based on Mesoporous Clays or Silicas for Improving Glyburide Dissolution

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of mesoporous clays or silicas to develop fast-dissolving glyburide tablets based on a liquisolid approach. Selected clay (Neusilin®US2) and silica (Aeroperl®300) allowed preparation of innovative drug liquisolid systems containing dimethylacetamide or 2-pyrrolidone as drug solvents, without using coating materials which are necessary in conventional systems. The obtained liquisolid powders were characterized for solid-state properties, flowability, compressibility, morphology, granulometry, and then used for directly compressed tablet preparation. The developed liquisolid tablets provided a marked drug dissolution increase, reaching 98% dissolved drug after 60 min, compared to 40% and 50% obtained from a reference tablet containing the plain drug, and a commercial tablet. The improved glyburide dissolution was attributed to its increased wetting properties and surface area, due to its amorphization/solubilization within the liquisolid matrix, as confirmed by DSC and PXRD studies. Mesoporous clay and silica, owing to their excellent adsorbent, flow, and compressibility properties, avoided use of coating materials and considerably improved liquid-loading capacity, reducing the carrier amount necessary to obtain freely flowing powders. Neusilin®US2 showed a superior performance than Aeroperl®300 in terms of the tablet’s technological properties. Finally, simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the proposed approach make it particularly advantageous for industrial scale-up.
The Characterization of Ground Raspberry Seeds and the Physiological Response to Supplementation in Hypertensive and Normotensive Rats

This study aimed to evaluate the protective role of ground raspberry seeds (RBS) as a source of polyphenols and essential fatty acids on blood plasma enzymatic antioxidant status, lipid profile, and endothelium-intact vasodilation during physiological and pathological conditions. Young normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKYs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) at ten weeks of age were fed with either a control diet or were supplemented with added 7% RBS for six weeks (n = 6). The main component of RBS was dietary fiber (64%) and the main polyphenols were ellagitannins (1.2%) and flavan-3-ols (0.45%). Irrespective of the rat model, ground RBS decreased liver enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (0.9-fold) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity (Catalase, 0.9-fold). In supplemented SHRs, preincubation with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor 1400W, nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin, selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398, prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis inhibitor tranylcypromine (TCP), thromboxane receptor (TP) antagonist SQ-29548, thromboxane synthesis inhibitor furegrelate, and 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor HET0016 induced the same relaxant response to acetylcholine as in the nonsupplemented control group. In supplemented WKYs, atherogenic index was decreased (0.8-fold), while iNOS and COX-2-derived PGI2 increased acetylcholine-induced vasodilation. These effects of ground RBS may constitute a potential mechanism for preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt without Hair Shaving Using Absorbable Suture Materials

Objective Infection is one of most devastating complications in ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery. Preoperative hair removal has traditionally been performed to reduce infectious complications. We performed VP shunt surgeries and evaluated the prevalence of infection in patients who were shaved and those who were unshaven. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted of 82 patients with hydrocephalus of various pathologies who underwent VP shunt surgery, with or without having the head shaved, between March 2010 and March 2017. For patients in the non-shaved group (n=36), absorbable suture materials were used for wound closure, and Nylon sutures or staples were used in the shaved group (n=46). We evaluated the infection outcomes of patients in the two groups. Results There was no difference in the average age of patients in the two groups. In the non-shaved group, there were no infections, while two patients in the shaved group required revision because of shunt infection. Conclusion Non-shaved shunt surgery may be safe and effective, with no increase of infection rate. We recommend that shunt procedures could be performed without shaving the hair, which may increase patients’ satisfaction without increasing infection risk.
Inbred line versus Ft hybrid breeding in swedes (Brassica napus L. var. napobrassica Peterm)

SUMMARY In 1989 seven F[hybrid swedes were produced in polythene tunnels. The female parent was an inbred line derived from cv. Ruta 0tofte, and made self-incompatible with an S-allele introduced by backcrossing. Three more hybrids were produced in 1990 in a similar way with an inbred line from cv. Criffel as female parent. In trials in Dundee over the period 1990 to 1992, better parent heterosis for dry matter yield in the hybrids ranged from 1.9% to 19.2%. There was no such heterosis for dry matter percentage nor for mildew resistance. The highest yielding hybrid was the one between the Criffel line and an inbred line from cv. Magres. It averaged 9.9% heterosis over the two years 1991 and 1992, outyielded seven commercial cultivars, but had a lower yield (12.3 t/ha) than an F6 line SS5 (13.3 t/ha) derived from the cross between the Criffel and Magres lines by pedigree inbreeding with selection. It is concluded that high yielding heterotic F/s should be the starting point rather than the finishing point of swede breeding programmes, and that research into breeding methods should concentrate on improving the efficiency of pedigree inbreeding following hybridisations, rather than on ways of producing Fj hybrids.
LUZP1 and the tumor suppressor EPLIN modulate actin stability to restrict primary cilia formation

Gonçalves et al. show that LUZP1 is an actin-stabilizing protein localizing to the centrosome/basal body. LUZP1 and its interactor, EPLIN, restrict early steps of ciliogenesis through the modulation of actin regulators and actin at the centrosome.
Analysis of FGF20‐regulated genes in organ of Corti progenitors by translating ribosome affinity purification

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate hair cell (HC) differentiation in the organ of Corti (OC) is essential to designing genetic therapies for hearing loss due to HC loss or damage. We have previously identified Fibroblast Growth Factor 20 (FGF20) as having a key role in HC and supporting cell differentiation in the mouse OC. To investigate the genetic landscape regulated by FGF20 signaling in OC progenitors, we employ Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification combined with Next Generation RNA Sequencing (TRAPseq) in the Fgf20 lineage.
Cost-Effectiveness of the Manchester Approach to Identifying Lynch Syndrome in Women with Endometrial Cancer

Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary cancer syndrome responsible for 3% of all endometrial cancer and 5% in those aged under 70 years. It is unclear whether universal testing for LS in endometrial cancer patients would be cost-effective. The Manchester approach to identifying LS in endometrial cancer patients uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency, incorporates testing for MLH1 promoter hypermethylation, and incorporates genetic testing for pathogenic MMR variants. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the Manchester approach on the basis of primary research data from clinical practice in Manchester. The Proportion of Endometrial Tumours Associated with Lynch Syndrome (PETALS) study informed estimates of diagnostic performances for a number of different strategies. A recent microcosting study was adapted and was used to estimate diagnostic costs. A Markov model was used to predict long-term costs and health outcomes (measured in quality-adjusted life years, QALYs) for individuals and their relatives. Bootstrapping and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were used to estimate the uncertainty in cost-effectiveness. The Manchester approach dominated other reflex testing strategies when considering diagnostic costs and Lynch syndrome cases identified. When considering long-term costs and QALYs the Manchester approach was the optimal strategy, costing £5459 per QALY gained (compared to thresholds of £20,000 to £30,000 per QALY commonly used in the National Health Service (NHS)). Cost-effectiveness is not an argument for restricting testing to younger patients or those with a strong family history. Universal testing for Lynch syndrome in endometrial cancer patients is expected to be cost-effective in the U.K. (NHS), and the Manchester approach is expected to be the optimal testing strategy.
Are Consumers Ready to Adopt Highly Automated Passenger Vehicles? Results from a Cross-national Survey in Europe

: Automated vehicles are currently being developed by major car manufacturers planning to be available in market diffusion the next years. This disruptive technology is expected to provide an alternative type of transportation services by positively affecting road safety, traffic congestion, more individual comfort and convenience for drivers/users. However, besides the aforementioned societal benefits, researches on the predictors influencing individuals’ attitudes and willingness to adopt automated vehicles in the future are crucial requirements for their successful diffusion in international market. In this way, the current study aims to investigate the factors that may hinder or facilitate consumers’ acceptance and adoption of Highly Automated Passenger Vehicles (HAPVs). A research model through extending the original Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was developed and accordingly an online survey was conducted among the general public in Europe; 811 valid answers were collected and analyzed. The results indicate that the constructs of perceived driving enjoyment, perceived financial cost, perceived reliability/trust, social influence and performance expectancy were all useful predictors of behavioural intentions to drive/use HAPVs. The findings derived from this study will contribute to car manufacturers towards HAPVs in order not only to develop better driving automation technology systems for them, but also to develop proper implementation strategies that will lead to widespread deployment in international market.