Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metal hyperaccumulation in Brassicaceae mediates defense against herbivores in the field and improves growth

Several Brassicaceae species are able to hyperaccumulate extraordinarily high levels of heavy metals in their aboveground tissues. This rare and complex trait named metal hyperaccumulation may offer effective protection against antagonists. Several laboratory studies provide evidence that metal hyperaccumulation acts as an elemental defense. Here, we investigated whether this elemental defense can be confirmed in the field and whether plant growth is affected when plants can hyperaccumulate metals from the soil. Plants of Arabidopsis halleri (L.) O'Kane & Al‐Shehbaz, which can hyperaccumulate cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn), were cultivated in pots in unamended (control) or metal‐amended soil (test) for 2 months. The pots containing the plants were then transferred to a common garden. Leaf‐damaging insect visitors were monitored over a period of 3 months. Plant size and shoot mass were measured directly before and at the end of the field exposure. Furthermore, before and at the end of the field exposure we determined leaf concentrations of Cd and Zn, as well as glucosinolates, which are characteristic secondary metabolites of the Brassicaceae that are known to act potentially as organic defense compounds. Growth of the test plants on metal‐amended soil led to a significant increase in leaf Cd and Zn concentrations when compared to control plants on unamended soil. After two initial months of growth under standardized greenhouse conditions, plants grown on different soils did not differ in size or biomass. In contrast, by the end of the 3‐month field exposure, test plants were larger than control plants. During field exposure, control plants were visited by more herbivores, suggesting that plants growing on metal‐amended soil were well defended against herbivores. Total glucosinolate concentrations were significantly higher in test compared to control plants only after the initial growth period under standardized conditions, but not by the end of the field exposure, pointing to joint effects of defenses particularly in young plants. Our results demonstrate that metal hyperaccumulation affords an effective elemental defense and enables increased growth under field conditions.
Dose Concomitant Use of Ketamine During Prostate Brachytherapy Augment Anti-Neoplastic Effects Reducing Prostate Specific Antigen?

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated Ketamine to induced apoptosis in various cellular lines. Ketamine is commonly utilized during total intravenous anesthesia in patients undergoing brachytherapy for prostate cancer. The primary aim of this study was to determine if concomitant ketamine exposure during prostate brachytherapy improved outcomes evaluate through follow prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 91 prostate brachytherapy performed at our institution from 2014-2016 was done identifying 31 procedures in which ketamine was administered during the procedure. Measured outcomes were the comparison reduction of PSA levels at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months post procedural visits. Results: No statistical significant reduction in the prostatic specific antigen or the corresponding percent reduction of PSA levels were demonstrated between ketamine and non-ketamine exposed patient undergoing prostate brachytherapy. Conclusions: Concomitant ketamine exposure does not appear to enhance the therapeutic effect of prostate brachytherapy. When comparing the overall percent reduction of PSA levels between the two groups (ketamine exposed/ no exposure), the ketamine patients did have greater decrease in PSA levels, but was not statistically significant. With the limitation of our retrospective analysis, further double blinded prospective trials may be warranted. Case Report Citation: Larry M. Manders, Matthew Villerot, Sean Ohanian. Dose Concomitant Use of Ketamine During Prostate Brachytherapy Augment Anti-Neoplastic Effects Reducing Prostate Specific Antigen? Anesth Pain Res. 2018; 2(1): 1-3.
Analysis of microsatellite DNA from old scale samples of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar: a comparison of genetic composition over 60 years

Microsatellite analysis was applied to scale samples of Atlantic salmon collected up to 60 years ago. Samples from the 1930s, from a now endangered Danish population, were compared with recent samples (1989), to test if the present population consists of descendants from the original one. Allele frequencies had changed over time, but individuals from the two samples caught about 60 years apart clustered together when compared with the closest neighbouring population and another reference population. However, fewer alleles were detected in the recent sample from the endangered population, most likely due to a population bottleneck or sampling artefacts.
Evaluation of Sida acuta subspecie acuta leaf/flower combination for antimicrobial activity and phytochemical constituents

Sida acuta subspecie acuta Ieaf/flower combination was evaluated for antimicrobial activity and phytochemical constituents using methanol, hexane, chloroform and aqueous method of extractions. The antibacterial activities were exhibited by the four extracts on E. coli, S pyogenes, P.multocida and S. typhumrium as there was no activity exhibited on S. tyhi, S. pneumoniae and K. phneumoniae . Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of alkaloid, tannin, flavonoid and saponin whereas steroid and glycoside were absent. Keywords : evaluation, sida, acuta, leaf, flower, antimicrabial, phytochemical, constituents African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 7(2) 2006: 83-88
How healthcare professionals in acute settings construct identities for people with dementia.

BACKGROUND Healthcare professionals working in acute settings lack education and training in dementia care, resulting in people living with dementia receiving a reduced quality of care. Discourses are ways of communicating through written and spoken language, and healthcare professionals often adopt ageist discourses when constructing the identities of people living with dementia. AIM To explore how healthcare professionals working in acute settings construct the identities of people living with dementia. METHOD Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants working in acute settings in the Republic of Ireland. FINDINGS Participants adopted two main discourse areas to construct the identities of people with dementia. The first discourse area related to the act of caring and the second discourse area, described as 'identity discourses', centred on the everyday language used by healthcare professionals. While participants strived to be person-centred the culture of acute settings was often task orientated. CONCLUSION Caring for people with dementia is challenging in the acute healthcare setting. There is a need for ongoing training and effective continuing professional development strategies.
THE MOVEMENTS AND POPULATION DENSITIES OF ROACH (RUTILUS RUTILUS (L.)) AND GUDGEON (GOBIO GOBIO (L.)) IN THE RIVER MOLE

The movements of coarse (i.e. non-salmonid) fish have been little studied, although recently Williams (1965) has produced evidence to show that in the Thames most of the roach, perch (Percafluviatilis L.) and dace (Leuciscus leuciscus (L.)) ranged over a limited area. Lelek (1962) tentatively concluded that gudgeon were not tied to one part of a river, being free to move into any area where food was available, but he subsequently formed the opinion (Lelek, private communication) that the sections of river in which he worked were perhaps too small to satisfy the requirements of the species. His colleague, Lusk (1963), who worked on a larger section of river, found that 770 of the gudgeon he marked were still in the same area 100 days later and concluded that they occupied a 'home range' (Gerking 1953). Other evidence also points to the restricted movements of native fish; Worthington (1950) quotes marking experiments carried out by Le Cren in Windermere which indicated that perch showed little movement along the shore line and that there was a strong tendency for artificially displaced fish to return to their original locations. Catches taken in a trap for upstream migrants (Fishery Officer's report to Lancashire River Board, 1951) show that, apart from an occasional chub (Squalius cephalus (L.)) which appeared to move in response-to increases in water flow, very few coarse fish travelled upstream from spring to early winter except between 17 and 30 May, when there was a marked movement of roach which might have been associated with spawning. Roach spawning migrations are mentioned by Yarrel (1841) and, according to Svardson (1952), they migrate into shallow water before spawning. Hartley (1947) reported a similar phenomenon although he regarded it as unproven because his data came from traps whose catching power was possibly dependent on an activity factor in the fish. The present investigation was carried out partly in the River Mole and partly in a convoluted channel built in the laboratory to conduct experiments in an attempt to explain the field observations. A preliminary analysis of the movements of roach in the river has already been published (Stott 1961) and these data are further examined in this paper together with data for gudgeon. Mark-recapture estimates of population densities have also been made from the movement data.
Different responses to root infection with endophytic microorganisms of vitis vinifera L. cv. pinot blanc grown on calcareous soil

Abstract One‐year‐old rooted cuttings of Vitis vinifera L. cv. “Pinot blanc”; grafted on “Kober 5BB”; hybrid rootstock were grown in pots containing a calcareous soil. Before potting, the roots were treated by a suspension of the siderophore producing bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, other Pseudomonas spp. , and some unidentified microorganisms. The tested bacteria were endophytic microorganisms from maize and they were chosen according to their ability to produce fluorescent pigments. The shoot growth was checked every ten days, and leaf blades, sampled about 80 days after bud burst, were analyzed for chlorophyll and mineral element concentration. Chlorosis rating was checked by visual screening in order to control the effect of the treatments on the chlorosis. At the end of the growing cycle dry matter and iron (Fe) partitioning were analyzed. The most significant findings of the trial were: a) the tested microorganisms did not improve significantly lime‐tolerance of the tested plants; b) the microorganisms were able to modify phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and Fe mineral nutrition of the vines.
Effects of Carbon Source and Inorganic Phosphate Concentration on the Production of Alginic Acid by a Mutant of Azotobacter vinelandii and on the Enzymes Involved in its Biosynthesis

The specific activities of the key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the exopolysaccharide alginic acid by Azotobacter vinelandii were determined in extracts of batchcultured organisms grown with different carbon sources in the presence of limited and excess inorganic phosphate. Alginic acid production was also measured. Glucose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, glycerol and gluconate resembled sucrose in supporting much greater alginate production in media containing growth-limiting amounts of inorganic phosphate. Mannose supported only poor growth with no alginate formation, and growth did not occur on acetate. Increases in the specific activities of phosphomannose isomerase, GDPmannose pyrophosphorylase and GDPmannose dehydrogenase were accompanied by increased alginic acid production. Our results accord with the suggestion that alginate formation is controlled by derepression of key biosynthetic enzymes.
Genetic diversity and association analysis of protein and oil content in food‐grade soybeans from Asia and the United States

With 1 figure and 3 tables Abstract Food-grade soybean has generated tremendous public interests in various soyfoods including tofu, soymilk, natto and edamame because of their nutritional value and health benefits. In this study, genetic diversity and association analysis were performed among 105 food-grade soybean genotypes using 65 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers distributed on 20 soybean chromosomes. Based on the SSR marker data, the 105 soybean genotypes were divided into four clusters with six sub-groups. A negative correlation was obtained between protein and oil content (r = −0.67). Thirteen SSR markers distributed on 11 chromosomes were identified to be significantly associated with oil content (P = 0.001 and R2% = 14.4–43.5) and 19 SSR markers distributed on 14 chromosomes with protein content (P = 0.001, R2% = 14.3–45.6). Twelve of the SSR markers were associated with both protein and oil QTL (quantitative trait loci). Results from this research will be facilitatory for breeders to select parents for crossing and use marker-assisted selection in food-grade soybean breeding and to map QTL for protein and oil content in soybean.
Relationships between wild bees, hoverflies and pollination success in apple orchards with different landscape contexts

Pollination is an important ecosystem service because many agricultural crops such as fruit trees are pollinated by insects. Agricultural intensification, however, is one of the main drivers resulting in a serious decline of pollinator populations worldwide. In the present study, pollinator communities were examined in 12 apple orchards surrounded by either homogeneous or heterogeneous landscape in Hungary. Pollinators (honey bees, wild bees, hoverflies) were surveyed in the flowering period of apple trees. Landscape heterogeneity was characterized within a radius of 300, 500 and 1000 m around each orchard using Shannon's diversity and Shannon's evenness indices. We found that pollination success of apple was significantly related to the species richness of wild bees, regardless the dominance of honey bees. Diversity of the surrounding landscape matrix had a marginal positive effect on the species richness of hoverflies within a radius of 300 m and a positive effect on the species richness of wild bees within a radius of 500 m, whereas evenness of the surrounding landscape enhanced the abundance of wild bees within a radius of 500 m. Flower resources in the groundcover within the orchards supported honey bees. Therefore, the maintenance of semi‐natural habitats within 500 m around apple orchards is highly recommended to enhance wild pollinator communities and apple production.
Heterosis for Flowering Time and Agronomic Traits among Early Open-pollinated Sweet Corn Cultivars

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Zea mays, maize, maturity, combining ability ABSTRACT. Heterosis in corn (Zea mays L.) usually results in earlier flowering, larger plants, and increased yield. In extremely early sweet corn the effect of heterosis on flowering time may be reduced or eliminated due to developmental and physiological requirements for vegetative growth before the transition to reproductive phase. The objective of this study was to determine the level of heterosis and the combining ability for flowering time and other agronomic traits in a diallel cross of six very early open-pollinated sweet corn cultivars. The diallel was grown in 1995 and 1996. Hybrids and parents averaged over hybrids differed for silk date, plant height, ear height, 10-ear weight, ear length, and 100-kernel weight but did not differ for row number and ear width. Heterosis for silk date was significant, but the difference between parents and hybrids was very small, 0.5 day. No hybrids were earlier than the earliest parent, and average midparent heterosis was -0.8%. In contrast midparent heterosis was significant and relatively high for 100-kernel weight (10.0%), ear length (12.9%), ear height (8.6%), plant height (9.0%), and 10-ear weight (28.2%). The traits with low heterosis had very high general combining ability/specific combining ability ratios while these ratios were much smaller in traits with high heterosis. Heterosis for many of the traits, including 10-ear weight, was higher than published values. Conversely, heterosis for flowering time was small, compared to other traits in this study and to published values for silk date, indicating that this extremely early germplasm may be at or near the limit for flowering time under the photoperiod and temperatures typical of summer in Madison, Wis. (43.05°N, 89.31°W).
First records in Tanzania of the Vulnerable Jackson's mongoose Bdeogale jacksoni (Herpestidae)

New records in Tanzania of the Vulnerable Jackson's mongoose Bdeogale jacksoni expand its distribution by over 900 km to the south. During two independent camera-trap surveys over 3 years B. jacksoni, one of Africa's most cryptic small carnivores and previously thought to be endemic to Kenya, was recorded in forests of the Udzungwa Mountains. All records were highly localized within Matundu forest, at a maximum of 2.65 km apart. Most of the records (73%) were between 19.00 and 00.00, confirming that the species is primarily nocturnal. Conservation recommendations include further ecological research, genetic analyses, surveys in other Eastern Arc and ground-water dependent forests, and greater protection for Matundu.
Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus) increase vigilance near their nest with the perceived risk of brood parasitism

ABSTRACT Brood parasites typically impose costs on their hosts, which select for host defenses. However, where defenses are costly, hosts can benefit by facultative expression of defenses in relation to the risk of parasitism. The results of our model-presentation experiments show that Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus) mediate vigilance around their nest according to their perceived risk of brood parasitism; when the risk of parasitism is high, they increase the time they spend in the vicinity of their nests. In combination with previous studies, these data suggest that Superb Fairy-wrens have a plastic defense portfolio that can be acquired rapidly and deployed facultatively to prevent parasitism while minimizing wasteful investment in defenses in the absence of parasitism.
Prevalence and risk factors associated with faecal shedding of cryptosporidium oocysts in piglets, Kaduna, Nigeria

Cryptosporidiosis is predominant in piglets and other young farm animals and the infection can be severe resulting in financial loss to producers. Faecal samples from one hundred and thirty-two piglets were examined for Cryptosporidiumoocysts using formol-ether concentration method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 18(13.6%) of the faecal samples and the prevalence were higher among males (20.0%) than females (5.3%), younger (19.0%) than older (8.7%) piglets, piglets raised under intensive (16.7%) than from under semi-intensive/extensive systems (0%), piglets with loose faeces (28.6%) than from well formed faeces(10.8%) and piglets that drank bore hole water (13.8%) than from those that drank well water (13.3%). There were associations between prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and sex of piglets (OR = 0.22; 95% CI on OR: 0.05 0.05). This study shows that sex, faecal consistencies and management systems influence the prevalence ofCryptosporidium oocysts in faeces of piglets in Kaduna metropolis. Key words: Cryptosporidium, piglets, faeces.
Evaluation of the Shade Tolerance of Moth Bean (Vigna aconitifolia) and Two Tropical Legume Species

This study aimed to evaluate the shading tolerance ability in moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) in two experiments. In experiment 1, moth bean, Centrosema pascuorum cv. Cavalcade and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Tha pra (Tha pra stylo) were grown under different sunlight shading levels by covering these plots with a black net. In Experiment 2, moth bean was intercropped with sunflower (Helianthus annuus) synthetic variety (Suranaree (S) 471). Both experiments were conducted in a field trial from May to August in 2011 at Agricultural Practice Farm of Faculty of Animal Science and Agricultural Technology, Silpakorn University, Phetchaburi Information Technology Campus, Phetchaburi, Thailand. In Experiment 1, the results showed that shading reduced almost all plant growth characteristics, except plant height. All of legume species had possessed different tolerant capacity to shading, but these plants were dead at 90% of the shading level. In Experiment 2, the agronomic traits of sunflower were not affected by intercropping with moth bean. Fresh and dry weight per plant of moth bean intercropping with sunflower was decreased, comparing with those of a moth bean monoculture. However, there was no significant difference in crude protein content of moth bean between monoculture and intercropping with sunflower. Key Words: Vigna; Moth bean; Shading; Intercropping; Forage crop
Analysis on Cracked Commuter Aircraft Wing Under Dynamic Cruise Load By Means of XFEM

In this paper, a new investigation of crack propagation on a commuter aircraft wing is discussed. The aircraft is a 19-seater multi-purpose commuter aircraft designed for a mission on the remote area. The dynamic load acting on the wing is assumed as harmonic load considering aerodynamic lift at a particular excitation frequency. A 3D wingbox CAD model is developed for the numerical simulation. Extended finite element (XFEM) is applied to analyse the crack propagation on the aircraft wing. The crack growth simulation is successfully done, and the results are shown in some details. These results provided a novel insight on the computational simulation of cracked wing structure under dynamic flight load.
Complement mediated phagocytosis induces the activation of the NALP3 Inflammasome (INC5P.331)

The Complement System is an important component of innate immunity, whose activation has been associated with acute inflammation. Activation of complement leads to the generation of a Membrane Attack Complex (MAC) composed of C5b-C9. The function of the MAC has been primarily associated with target cell death though the polymerization and insertion of C9 on the surface of the activating particle. In this study we provide evidence that MAC assembled on the surface of complement activating particles, can be transferred to host macrophages during the process of phagocytosis. This “bystander activation” onto macrophages causes potassium efflux and ROS production, which can induce the activation of the NALP3 inflammasome. The activation of caspase-1 then induces the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 to regulate both innate and adaptive immunity. We show that macrophages activated by MAC, can induce T cell differentiation into Th17 cells when used as APCs. This study demonstrates that the phagocytosis of complement-opsonized particles can induce inflammasome activation by a novel mechanism involving MAC mediated “bystander” activation of host macrophages. This work provides another mechanism whereby complement activation can lead to acute inflammation and it emphasizes the importance of a previously undescribed function of the MAC to activate inflammasomes on phagocytic macrophages.