Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Modification of the Heart Mouse models of mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure

Mitochondria in the adult mammalian heart have a tremendous capacity for oxidative metabolism, and the conversion of energy by these pathways is critical for proper cardiac function. This review describes mouse models relating mitochondrial metabolism to cardiac function through gain- or loss-of-function approaches that manipulate mitochondrial energy transduction orATP synthetic pathways. Mouse models of mitochondrial defects are relevant to genetic and acquired forms of human cardiomyopathy. Examples include inborn errors in mitochondrial metabolism or end-stage heart failure. Conversely, chronic reliance on energy production via mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, such as occurs in the diabetic heart, likely leads to maladaptive sequelae including cellular lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, these model systems have allowed us to begin to dissect the relationship between mitochondrial metabolism and the development of cardiomyopathy and to define the molecular pathways regulating cardiac mitochondrial number and function. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Physicochemical parameters, bioactive compounds and microbial quality of sonicated pear juice

Summary This study was carried out to investigate the effect of sonication on physicochemical parameters and microorganisms of pear juice. Ultrasound processing of fresh pear juice was done at fixed amplitude [70% (500 W) and frequency (25 kHz) for 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min at 25 °C. Total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity and Ca and Mn remained stable, while the cloud value, ascorbic acid, total phenols, total flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity, sugar contents and Na, K, Fe and Mg showed a significant increase. Decreases in microbial population and P and Cu were also observed. It may be inferred that ultrasound processing for 60 min exhibited optimum results in terms of physicochemical and microbial quality.
The main cannabinoids content in hashish samples seized in Israel and Czech Republic

Cannabis, both herbal and resin, has been the most popular illicit drug in Israel in recent years. Until 2005, the main sources of cannabis resin (known also as hashish) to the Israeli drug market were Lebanon and India. Hashish from these sources can be distinguished by its external appearance. The aim of this study was to determine if there is any difference in the quality of the hashish from each source. For this purpose, we quantified the main cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and cannabinol (CBN) of hashish from different police seizures of known origins, Lebanon, India and Morocco, that had been submitted to the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory of the Division of Identification and Forensic Science at the Israeli National Police Headquarters and subsequently to the Hebrew University for quantitative analysis. The results, based on many different seizures, showed that the average CBD content of hashish from Lebanon varied from 5.69% to 12.79% (an average 8.98 ± 0.59%),.
The Economics and Ecology of Biodiversity Decline: The Forces Driving Global Change

List of contributors Preface Acknowledgement 1. Why does biodiversity decline? The analysis of forces for global change Timothy M. Swanson Part I. Diversity Decline as Choice of Development Path: 2. Incentives, development and population: a growth-theoretic perspective Jeffrey A. Krautkraemer 3. Biodiversity, economic growth and the discount rate Bob Rowthorn and Gardner Brown 4. Uniformity in development and the decline of biological diversity Timothy M. Swanson Part II. Diversity Decline as Institutional Failure: 5. Decline in biodiversity and risk-adjusted net national product John M. Hartwick 6. Biodiversity conservation as insurance Charles Perrings 7. Property rights, externalities and biodiversity Roger A. Sedjo and R. David Simpson Part III. Diversity Decline as Policy Failure: 8. Economic progress and habitat conservation in Latin America Douglas Southgate 9. Prudence and profligacy: a human ecological perspective Madhav Gadgil 10. Tropical deforestation: population, poverty and biodiversity Norman Myers Part IV. Diversity Decline as Consequence of Development: 11. Human population dynamics and biodiversity loss Fraser D. M. Smith, Gretchen C. Daily and Paul R. Ehrlich 12. Scale and the feedback mechanism in market economics Colin W. Clark 13. Can economics protect biodiversity? Jonathan Roughgardern Index.
Identification of Food Degrading Fungi by Using FT-IR Spectroscopic Analysis of Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities

Fungi show remarkable flexibility in adapting to different culturing environments. They can alter their metabolism to make use of different substrates. Penicillium and Aspergillus are the most economically important genera among filamentous fungi. Much of their economic impact is deleterious, with food spoilage, mycotoxin production and biodeterioration. The objective of this study was to identify and compare hydrolysis properties of various food contaminating fungi (Penicillum ssp. and Aspergillus niger.) based on the whole extracellular hydrolytic product profiles obtained by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The spectra of metabolites produced by microorganisms in a sole carbon or nitrogen substrate of dextrose, pepton, agar, starch (rice, corn, wheat), cellulose, and pectin were registered with a Golden Gate FT-IR Bruker IFS-55 spectrophotometer in the classical range of 4000–400 cm−1. The results were analyzed with GRAMS/AI software and metabolite profiles were tested for mathematical models. Phylo-spectral analysis based on the number and the location of the spectral bands revealed further homologies among fungal cultures tested.
新疆冰川、积雪对气候变化的响应(I)：水文效应

新疆是我国冰川、积雪资源最为丰富的地区,冰川和积雪融水在水资源构成中占有重要的地位,其对气候变化的响应使得河流水文过程发生明显的变化,对新疆干旱区的水资源利用和管理产生重大影响. 新疆高山流域产流占地表径流的80%以上,其中冰川和积雪融水径流在总径流中的比例可达45%以上,积雪和冰川融水是河流的主要补给来源. 在新疆北部的阿尔泰山和天山北坡河流主要以融雪径流补给为主,而在天山南坡、昆仑山、喀喇昆仑山和天山北坡的伊犁河流域的河流以冰川融水补给为主;以融雪径流为主要的河流主汛期在春季到夏初,而冰川融水补给的河流夏季是主汛期. 随着新疆气候向暖湿转变,高山流域的水文过程对气候变暖和积雪增加产生明显的响应:以积雪为主补给的河流,水文过程对气候变暖的响应表现为最大径流前移,夏季径流减少明显;以冰川融水补给的河流,径流响应表现为6-9月汛期径流量明显增大,汛期洪水增多,年流量增加. 由于不同补给类型河流的水文过程发生变化,其相应对下游的水资源供给和洪水安全管理产生了重大影响,在水资源管理方面需要适应气候变化对水文过程的调整,减缓气候变化对水资源安全的影响.
Household Energy Consumption Patterns in Tanzania

Tanzanian households depend primarily on wood fuel as a source of energy. However, the consumption patterns and intensities remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was therefore to provide a better understanding of households’ fuel consumption. Stratified random sampling design was used in order to capture fuel consumption patterns between rural, peri-urban and urban populations and across household wealth categories. Households in each randomly selected site were stratified into low, medium and high wealth categories. Data was collected using pre-tested and pilot-tested questionnaires, direct measurements, direct observations, interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 568 households were sampled: rural (258); peri-urban (177) and urban (133). This sample was drawn from across all wealth categories: low-198 households (34.9%); medium-255 households (44.9%) and high-115 households (20.2%). Several hypotheses were found to be true: (1) Socio-economic and demographic factors have effects on household fuel choice; (2) There is significant household preference to miombo woodlands as source of wood fuel. Factors which were found to be important in influencing choice of fuel are: location of household, residence ownership, dwelling category, household income, and education level of household head; (3) Household survey revealed a sizeable preference towards miombo woodlands as a source of wood fuel. Household dependency on wood fuel is overwhelming and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Promotion of improved wood fuel stoves and improved charcoal making kilns, electrification, and promotion of alternative sources of fuel are shown to alleviate the problem.
Soil application of silicon reduces yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) damage in rice

The effect of soil application of rice husk ash (RHA), a cheap renewable source of silicon, and imidazole (a silicon solubilizer and carrier) on yellow stem borer (YSB), Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker), and its damage to rice plants were investigated. Treatments included soil application of RHA (T1), imidazole (T2), RHA + imidazole (applied once at vegetative stage, T3) and RHA + imidazole (applied twice at both vegetative and booting stages of crop growth, T4) with an untreated control (T5). The effect was tested in five varieties, viz., BPT 5204, KRH2, Pusa Basmati 1, MTU1010 and Vandana. All the soil treatments reduced damage by YSB at vegetative and reproductive phases across five varieties as compared to untreated control. Scanning electron micrograph and electron‐dispersive X‐ray spectrum analysis of stem tissue of rice variety BPT 5204 treated with silicon revealed the enhanced deposition of silicon in cell walls and 2.1‐ to 5.3‐fold increase in silicon content across treatments. Larvae collected from the silicon‐treated plants had worn mandibles, and the histological studies showed rupture of the peritrophic membrane, increased vacuolation, disintegration of columnar cells and discharge of cellular contents into the gut lumen due to abrasion of midgut epithelium, as compared to untreated control where the columnar cells and midgut lining were intact. Although all the treatments were effective, T4‐imidazole applied twice along with RHA was more effective in reducing YSB damage followed by T3‐imidazole applied once with RHA at tillering stage, T2‐imidazole alone and T1‐RHA in the descending order of efficacy.
Construction of yeast strains containing genetically marked transposons.

: Haploid yeast cells contain approximately 35 Ty (transposon yeast) elements. To facilitate the study of these elements, we have constructed yeast strains in which one of these transposons carries a genetic marker. The elements that we have modified are Ty912 and Ty917, elements originally detected at the HIS4 locus in spontaneously occurring his4- mutants. The strain constructions took place in three stages: 1) cloning of the mutant HIS4 genes containing the Ty elements; 2) introduction of a HindIII restriction fragment containing the yeast URA3 gene into the cloned transposons; and 3) replacement of the chromosomal HIS4 gene with the modified genes constructed in vitro. These strains will be extremely useful in the study of Ty transposition and other Ty-promoted DNA rearrangements.
Phagocyte-generated oxygen metabolites and cellular injury

Phagocytic leukocytes are motile cells capable of inducing damage and lysis of a wide variety of biologic targets. Recent insights into the mechanisms of phagocyte-mediated destruction have derived from the observation that these cells can consume and metabolize oxygen to generate an impressive array of reactive oxygen intermediates. The role of oxygen metabolites in antimicrobial defense mechanisms has been the subject of intensive study, but only recently has attention focused on the potential importance of oxygen in phagocyte-mammalian cell interactions. In this review we will examine evidence obtained in a variety of in vitro model systems demonstrating the ability of intact phagocytes to generate oxygen metabolites capable of destroying normal or neoplastic cells. A basic understanding of the biochemistry of phagocyte-mediated oxygen-dependent events should allow us to elucidate and potentially modulate immunologic defenses against neoplastic invasion, the destruction of normal tissue in pathogenic states, and the course of the inflammatory response. The role of phagocyte-derived oxygen metabolites in microbicidal activity will not be the subject of this report, and the reader is referred to recent comprehensive reviews.
Feed Intake and Digestion by Beef Cows Fed Prairie Hay with Different Levels of Soybean Meal and Receiving Postruminal Administration of Antibiotics 1

Six cannulated beef cows (one Angus, two Hereford and three Angus x Hereford; 405 kg) were used in a 6 x 6 latin square experiment with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Prairie hay (.77% N, 73% neutral detergent fiber [NDF] and 7% acid detergent lignin) was fed ad libitum from d 1 through 14 and at 90% of ad libitum intake from d 15 through 21 during digesta collection. Periods lasted 21 d. Soybean meal (SBM) was offered at 0 (control, C), . 12 (low, L) or . 24% of body weight (high, H; dry matter basis). Cows received daily doses of an antibiotic mixture (1 g neomycin and .125 g bacitracin) or saline in the duodenum. Prairie hay dry matter (DM) intake increased (P less than .05) linearly with SBM supplementation, being 25 and 40% greater for L and H than for C, respectively. Ruminal fluid concentrations of NH3-N and total volatile fatty acids increased (P less than .05) linearly as SBM was added to the diet. Ruminal fluid dilution rate increased linearly and particulate passage rate increased (P less than .05) quadratically with increasing SBM. True ruminal digestibilities of organic matter, NDF and N increased (P less than .10) quadratically with increasing SBM (organic matter; 50.3, 57.9 and 58.3%; NDF: 54.7, 60.4 and 59.8%; N: 17.5, 45.1 and 51.4% for C, L and H, respectively). Main effects of antibiotic administration were not significant. Increases in DM intake when SBM was given were large compared with the small elevations in ruminal digestion, implying that metabolic regulation was modifying intake of low-quality forage.
Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern and Virulence Genes in Enterococcus spp. Isolated From Clinical Samples of Milad Hospital of Tehran, Iran

Background: Enterococcus spp. are part of the normal flora of humans and animals. The nosocomial pathogenicity of Enterococcus spp. has emerged in recent years and has caused great concern due to developing of resistance to many antimicrobial agents. Objectives: The current study aimed to determine the resistance pattern and the type of virulence genes in Enterococcus spp. isolated from Milad hospital of Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: The current observational study was conducted from Apr 2014 to Feb 2015 on a total of 149 Enterococcus species isolated from Milad hospital in Tehran, Iran. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the bacteria was determined by the disc diffusion method for eight antibiotics. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin was also done using agar-dilution assay by clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) recommendations. The sodA, esp, cyl, ace and gelE genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Results: About 37.5%, 73%, 86.6%, 35.8%, 69%, 60.8%, 45% and 79% of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, penicillin, ampicillin and erythromycin, respectively. MIC on 38% of the isolates was 256 g/mL. Although, the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) strains belonged to two species, E. faecium showed high resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. In total, 94 isolates were positive for esp, and 59, 48 and 3 isolates were positive for ace, cylA and gelE, Respectively. Conclusions: The results of the current study designate the important role of medical samples as reservoirs of resistance inducing elements. Early detection of VRE with their virulence trait will help to prevent the spread of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus species. Supervision for antibiotic usage in hospitals, especially for last option antibiotics, can prevent the spread of resistant isolates and losing all treatment options in the future.
Weed Suppression by Live and Desiccated Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa)

Hairy vetch was grown as a winter annual cover crop and evaluated for weed suppression when desiccated by paraquat or left alive until natural senescence in a 3-yr field experiment. Total weed density and biomass were variable in the desiccated hairy vetch treatment relative to a bare soil treatment but were consistently lower in the live hairy vetch treatment relative to the desiccated or bare soil treatments. An average of 87% of sites under live hairy vetch compared to 8% of sites under desiccated hairy vetch transmitted less than 1% of unobstructed sunlight. The red (660 nm) to far-red (730 nm) ratio of transmitted light was reduced by 70% under live hairy vetch compared to 17% under desiccated hairy vetch. Daily maximum soil temperature and diurnal soil temperature amplitude were reduced by live hairy vetch > desiccated hairy vetch > bare soil. Soil moisture content was greater under both live and desiccated hairy vetch compared to bare soil during droughty periods. Changes in light extinction, red to far-red ratio, and diurnal soil temperature amplitude were sufficient to explain greater weed suppression by live than desiccated hairy vetch.
Reaction of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes to trauma and implantation. A combined autoradiographic and immunohistochemical study.

: Small excision wounds were made in the parietooccipital cortex of adult mice, and in some of the animals a variety of fetal and adult tissues were implanted into the defect. The response of the oligodendrocytes to trauma and implantation was studied autoradiographically and immunohistochemically and compared to that seen in other glia. The results following trauma alone resembled those seen following implantation. Within 3 days of the surgery a marked proliferative response was seen in mature oligodendrocytes, as judged by uptake of tritiated thymidine in the nuclei, both around the wound and at distant sites extending even into the opposite hemisphere. Labeled astrocytes, microglia (macrophages), and endothelial cells were also found in the same distribution. Immunohistochemical examination using the myelin proteins, myelin basic protein and myelin-associated glycoprotein, failed to show any difference in staining characteristics from normal, in contrast to the marked increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein accompanying the division of astrocytes. The results of this experiment demonstrate that mature oligodendrocytes can proliferate and undergo mitosis in response to nonspecific damage to the central nervous system, in a manner similar to that seen with other glia. This response is, however, not linked to a nonspecific production of myelin proteins, which obviously require some other stimulus for their production.
GENETIC EVALUATION AND ACTIVITY OF ANTIFUNGAL AGAINST CLINICAL ISOLATES CANDIDA ALBICANS BIOFILMS

Candida yeasts are common in the oral cavity and can cause candidosis in the presence of predisposing factors, especially diabetes. The manifestation of the disease is related to this set of local factors such as the presence of dental prostheses, salivary pH, salivary flow and tobacco and the ability to form biofilms. Biofilms are specific and organized communities of cells under the control of signaling molecules rather than random accumulations of cells resulting from cell division and frequently are drugs resistance. Aim: The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic patterns of these C. albicans isolates and to evaluate the in vitro activity amphotericin B and caspofungin against C. albicans biofilms. Methods: Microbial samples were collected from subgingival sites and seeded in CHROMagar for subsequent identification of C. albicans by PCR. Genotypes were defined based on the identification of the transposable introns in the 25S rDNA by PCR. Results: In this study, 6 strains were identified as C. albicans and of these, 3 strains were genotype A and 3 were genotype B. The results showed that both amphotericin B and caspofungin exhibited strong antifungal activities against C. albicans biofilm formation and inhibiting the biofilm formation ranging from 70.8 – 95.3% and 77.7 - 88.7%, respectively. The antifungals studied had low inhibitory effect on preformed biofims, ranging from 39.5 - 50.8% for amphotericin B and from 23.1 - 36.9% for caspofungin at the same concentration. The activity of the two drugs was most effective in inhibit biofilm formation.
Current anesthetic protocols used in obtaining leporidae experimental models: a review

Rodents and lagomorphs were used as laboratory animals since experiments concerning the effect of different substances were done on animals. They have the advantage of early sexual maturity, short pregnancy period and a high rate of fecundity, all leading to an increased rate of multiplication. All these features and easy growing in lab conditions make them the most common laboratory animals. From all common used laboratory rodents and lagomorphs; the rabbit has the advantage of having the biggest size. In most of the cases, rabbits should be anaesthetized for biological sampling. Therefore, the anesthetic protocols must not change in any way the samples or influence the results. So, depending on the aim of the experiment, a specific anesthetic protocol must be chosen. This review summarizes and compares different anesthetic protocols, used in rabbits for different experiments. Thus, the researchers will now have a set of anesthetic protocols in order to achieve the desired level of anesthesia and unaffected experimental results. Each protocol produces a certain degree of anesthesia and analgesia and different physiological effects on the experimental models.
Molecular Characterization of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Type O from Wild Pig in Bangladesh

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a disease of all non-avian livestock animals which costs direct and indirect economic burden of 6.5-21 billion USD per year worldwide in endemic countries. In Bangladesh, FMD is endemic and mainly caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes O, A and Asia1. Among FMD susceptible animals cattle, sheep and goat were reported to be more susceptible to this virus, whereas, pig was reported as amplifier of the virus. To date there is no epidemiological data in Bangladesh defining the circulation of FMDV in pig population. This investigation first reports the circulation of FMDV in wild pigs of Bangladesh, its molecular characterization and genotyping. To pursue this, tissue sample from ruptured vesicles of mammary gland was collected from wild pig suspected to be infected with FMD followed by RT-PCR amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic study of the VP1 gene, which is the most variable region of FMDV genome. The virus was identified as FMDV serotype O and phylogenetically clustered together with India 2001 (Ind2001) lineage under middle-east, south Asia (ME-SA) topotype. Within the clade of Ind2001 lineage, FMDV from pig formed a sub-clade with 2013 sequences of cattle which indicates the phylogenetic relatedness of the virus from pig with circulatory virus in cattle population of Bangladesh in 2013. Pair-wise local alignment of the FMDV type O VP1 sequence of pig with other local cattle FMDV type O VP1 sequences of 2012 and 2013 supported the phylogenetic affiliation of the pig FMDV with the circulatory virus in cattle population of Bangladesh in 2013, whereas nucleotide sequences of cattle FMDV VP1 of 2012 were found to be 7-8% divergent compared to pig FMDV VP1. Phylogenetic and pair-wise alignment data conclusively revealed that (i) homologous circulation of the FMDV type O (Ind2001 lineage) occurs in both animal traits; and (ii) FMDV type O VP1 sequence of pig origin is distantly related to 2012 local FMDV type O VP1 sequences of cattle origin, but closely related to 2013 local cattle FMDV type O VP1. Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 31, Number 1-2,June-Dec 2014, pp 41-45