Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Little Fire Ant Invasion (Wasmannia auropunctata) as a Threat to New Caledonian Lizards: Evidence from a Sclerophyll Forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Here we present results of an assessment of the threat that is represented by the spread of the introduced little fire ant for the lizard fauna in sclerophyll forest. The lizard fauna comprises nine endernlc lizard species and one introduced, three of which are very scarce, and one is only known from the study site. As such, this ecosystem is of high conservation value for native lizards. However. a quantitative sampling of lizards, at both ground and canopy levels indicates threats from the invasive little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Ro"ger). During a quantitative field survey 51 specimens belonging to 7 insectivorous species were captured. Between invaded and non-invaded plots, there Is a sharp decrease In the overall abundance of.this insectivorous guild (38 specimens versus 13). This decrease Is especially marked for the two dominant species, Bavayia cyclura and Caledoniscincus austrocaledonicus (respectively from canopy and ground level). Their abundance Is approximately one third of that encountered In forest without Invasive ants. The means by which W. auropunctata impacts upon this vertebrate fauna remains uncleare ,~ssibllitles include: direct predation, monopolisation of resources (food or sheltering) or both. Nevertheless, these results represent the first quantitative assessment of an Impact by W, auropunctata on higher trophic levels In a New Caledonian context. It also highlights the stgnlflcant changes Induced by W. auropunctata In the functional structure of native ecosystems. The spread of this exotic ant represents a major and immediate threat to the rich endemic New Caledonian herpctofauna, and more generally for the whole native fauna.
Consumers Demands on Organic Aquaculture Product in Bangladesh: A review from an Emerging Market perspective

The main purpose of this paper is to review the performance of fisheries sector and consumers demand on Organic Aquaculture Product in an Emerging Market perspective of Bangladesh. Data and information were sourced from the several types of publications related to fisheries sector. Bangladesh being a lowland country have rich water resources in and around the country, is predominantly an agrarian economy, and is naturally endowed with a huge sweet water resources and the world’s longest continuous sea beach. Bangladesh is considered as one the most suitable region for aquaculture and fisheries in the world. The country has an inland water area of about 45,000 km and about 710 km long coastal belt. Given this extensive water resource, it is evident that fisheries play an important role in the economy and the diet of the population. Major portion (97%) of the total harvested fish is marketed internally for domestic consumption. About 50% of the inland fish production are consumed in fresh form due to the strong consumer preference. The fish marketing system in Bangladesh is traditional, complex, and less competitive but plays a vital role in connecting the fish producers, and consumers, thus contributing significantly in "value add" process of the fish which otherwise would have been unused or underused and consequently in the earnings of the fisherfolk. Hence, this study was conducted to understand the salient feature of fish marketing system and consumers demand in Bangladesh.
Heat-stable Enterotoxin Activation of Immunopurified Guanylyl Cyclase C

We studied the activation and inactivation of recombinant guanylyl cyclase (GC) C stably expressed in human kidney 293 cells. Activation of GC-C by heatstable enterotoxin (STa), Cd2+, hemin, or the detergent Triton X-100 was followed by a rapid inactivation of the enzyme. Adenine nucleotides were found to prevent the inactivation process in native membranes, as well as following enzyme solubilization and immunopurification. Inactivation of GC-C was not associated with dephosphorylation. However, the phosphorylation of GC-C was promoted by phorbol esters, known activators of protein kinase C. The activation of purified GCC by STa required the presence of a nonspecific factor as exemplified by bovine serum albumin. When immunopurified GC-C, stabilized by ATP and bovine serum albumin, was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions, proteins with almost twice the molecular mass (220 and 245 kDa) of the monomer were observed. The mobility of these high M, GC-C forms was reduced by STa, suggesting that STa induces a conformation change in a preexisting GC-C dimer. These results indicate that ATP interacts directly with GC-C, stabilizing its active conformation and that the activation of GC-C may occur in the absence of other specific regulatory factors.
Economical Sweating Function in Africans: Quantitative Sudomotor Axon Reflex Test

People in tropics have the ability to tolerate heat by residential permanence in the tropics. Previously, we have shown that African and Thai subjects who lived for whole their lives in only their respective countries sweat less under hot conditions than South Koreans who also lived whole their lives in Korea. The difference in sweating responses was attributed to the dissimilar central and peripheral sweating mechanisms operating in people from both groups. In the present study, acetylcholine (ACh), the primary transmitter for the sudomotor functions, was iontophoretically administered to South Koreans and Africans to determine the characteristic sudorific responses of their acclimatized biologic make-up to their respective environments. Using quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART), direct (DIR) and axon reflex (AXR) responses were evaluated. The findings revealed that the sweat onset-time among South Koreans was 0.91 min earlier than among Africans (P
Applying Boosting Techniques to the training of RBMs and VAEs

Boosting algorithms have shown much success in the realm of supervised learning. As a natural next step, various papers have presented boosting-style algorithms for the unsupervised problem of density estimation [8] [9] [2]. However, they only learn simple models. In this paper, we apply the techniques used in [2] to the training of more complicated generative models, including restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs) and variational autoencoders (VAEs)
Effect of a dual inoculation with endomycorrhizae and Trichoderma harzianum on the growth of date palm seedlings

The dual inoculation with endomycorrhizae and Trich oderma harzianum had a significant effect on the growth of date palm plants. In fact, the average va lues of aerial fresh weight (38.99g), number of lea ves (6.7), the plant length (38cm), and the stem diamet er (1.2 cm) of the plant inoculated with AMF and Trichoderma harzianum, were higher than those inocu lated only with AMF, respectively, 32g, 5.2 , 38 cm et 1.2cm. or just with Trichoderma harzianum 30g, 3 . 75, 46cm et 0.8cm. by contrast, the mycorrhizal intensity of roots inoculated only with AMF (82%) w as higher than that of plants inoculated with AMF and T. harzianum (60%). thus it seems that T. harzi anum reduced root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi . Otherwise, 25 endomycorrhizal species were isolated in the rhizosphere of the inoculated plant after n ine months of inoculation. These species belong to the genera Glomus (55%), Acaolospora (22%), Scutellospora (12%), Entrophospora (5%) and Gigaspo ra(2%).
On the Vestimentifera, new phylum: six new species, and other taxa, from hydrothermal vents and elsewhere

Les differences dans les segments cœlomiques, la configuration de la corde nerveuse ventrale de l'opisthosome, la presence ou l'absence de mesentere median dans l'opisthosome conduisent a elever le sousphylum obturata (phylum des Pogonophora) au rang d'un nouveau phylum les Vestimentifera, l'autre sous phylum des pogonophores Perviata est restaure dans son statut original comme phylum Pogonophora
Akrotiri Aetokremnos and the Cypriot Pygmy Hippopotamus: An Interdisciplinary Look at a Late Pleistocene Large Mammal Extinction

The pygmy hippopotamus of Cyprus, Phanourios minutus, became extinct near the end of the Late Pleistocene (~12,000 cal. B.P.), during a period of dramatic climate change and about the time of first human presence on the island. In order to discuss the potential impacts of both climate and humans on this extinction event, we need to better understand the paleoecological context of this species. Here, I evaluate the skeletal morphology of Phanourios minutus in comparison with two extant hippopotami (H. amphibius and C. liberiensis; the modern hippo and modern pygmy hippo) and two extinct pygmy hippopotami from Madagascar (H. lemerlei and H. madagascariensis) to infer the paleoecological context and subsistence strategy of the insular Cypriot species as it evolved on the island. Showing that the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus was adapted to terrestrial browsing in closed environments. I then evaluate the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes of the faunal remains at Akrotiri Aetokremnos, the earliest well-dated archaeological site on the island and the latest well-dated occurrence of this species. Through the isotopic studies, I infer subsistence and, by proxy, climate and habitat selection of the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus near the time of extinction—suggesting that diet is shifting in a way that reflects increasing aridity in the region. This adaptive morphological view, combined with the isotopic data near the timing of the species extinction, is then placed within the larger context of regional climate change during the Late Pleistocene. Overall, this evidence shows climatic change in the Late Pleistocene may have dramatically impacted the survivability of the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus.
Effect of exogenous application of salicylic acid on antioxidative enzymes in black gram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) irrigated with saline water

Black gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is one of the most important pulse crops grown in India. India is the largest producer and consumer of black gram in the world. Salt stress is one of the most serious limiting factors for growth and production in most of the crops and salicylic acid an important phenolics known to alleviates its adverse effect. Thus, the green house experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) under salt stress on physiological, biochemical parameters and enzymatic activities of black gram. The experimental design was factorial completely randomized design with four salicylic acid concentrations (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM), four level of irrigation to induce salinity stress (< 2 EC-tap water, 4.0 EC, 6.0 EC and 8.0 EC). The pots were irrigated with different concentration of saline water and plants were sprayed with salicylic acid after 20 and 40 DAS (Days after Sowing), samples were withdrawn after 21, 41 and 61 DAS for the analysis. The observations were recorded for the antioxidant enzymes viz, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and catalase. Antioxidant enzymes activities like peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase in leaf was increased with higher concentration of salt stress however, the catalase activity was decreased. Antioxidant enzymes activity showed similar trends. Higher dose of salicylic acid decreased the catalase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity.
Mangrove sponges from Bangka Island (North Sulawesi, Indonesia) with the description of a new species

Mangroves create unique ecological environments, furnishing a habitat opportunity for many species. The majority of published information on mangrove sponges comes from the Caribbean while few data are available from Indo-Pacific mangrove sponges. In general, species diversity of sponges in mangroves is lower than adjacent subtidal habitats in both the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. The aim of this study is to report the first data about sponge species diversity of two mangrove forests from Bangka Island (North Sulawesi, Indonesia) and to describe a new sponge species associated with the mangroves. The survey found 19 species, belonging to 11 families and 15 genera; the samples were collected on mangrove trunks, on the roots or on the surrounding bottom. The majority of the species are typical of coral reef but two of them have been previously found only in lagoons or in mangrove habitats. These new data enlarge our knowledge about Indonesian sponges diversity and suggest the urgency to consider Indonesian mangroves as an important but underestimated element in coral reef ecological dynamics.
Grateloupia doryphora et Grateloupia filicina var. luxurians (Rhodophyta, Halymeniaceae) sur les côtes de Bretagne (France)

Grateloupia doryphora (Montagne) Howe et G. filicina (Lamouroux) C. Agardh var. luxurians A. & E.S. Gepp sont deux especes introduites et actuellement installees sur les cotes bretonnes. Les thalles sont decrits et la discussion aborde le probleme de leur introduction, compare a celui d'autres especes marines. Leur situation au voisinage de sites aquacoles, fait penser a une introduction par les echanges commerciaux de mollusques. L'importance d'un suivi des sites cotiers est soulignee.
Clinical variation in foot and mouth disease: cattle.

En general, les signes cliniques de la fievre aphteuse s'observent dans les troupeaux de bovins non vaccines, dans les pays ou la maladie survient uniquement de facon sporadique. En revanche, la maladie peut diffuser sans etre depistee dans les troupeaux d'animaux vaccines et chez quelques races indigenes des regions enzootiques.
Metabolic disturbances in blood from patients with senile cataracts accompanied by somatic diseases

The results of metabolic parameters determination, which characterize the state of protein's metabolism, membranes stability, cell s system of antioxidant deficiency at the patients with senile cataract are presented with the purpose to make clear the differences between biochemical mechanisms of lenses clouding progress at the elderly persons without and on the background of different somatic pathology. Our results have shown that disturbances of membranes structural-functional parameters and the lowering of activity glutathione metabolic system is more expressed at the patients with accompanying diseases of cardio-vascular system, gastro-intestinal tract, liver and chronic alcohol intoxication. The exhaustion of antioxidant system is observed at the patients with senile cataract in the cases of accompanying disease of liver and chronic alcohol intoxication unlike the patients without accompanying somatic diseases. Diseases of cardio-vascular's system, gastrointestinal tract and liver effort the metabolic disturbances in blood of the patients with senile cataract.
Images in Clinical Tropical Medicine Prototheca wickerhamii Cutaneous and Systemic Infections

Prototheca wickerhamii, an environmental alga, rarely causes human infections. We present a case of Prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections in an 85-year-old male with adrenal insufficiency. This organism was identified by morphological features and microbiological tests. The patient was successfully treated with ketoconazole.
Microfilariae of Brugia malayi contain a T cell mitogen.

: We investigated the mechanisms that lead to polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia in persons exposed to or infected with lymph-dwelling filarial parasites. Extracts of microfilariae of Brugia malayi induce the in vitro proliferation of lymphocytes from nonsensitized donors. The mitogenic factor(s) responsible for this effect is of low molecular weight (Mr) and acts on T4+ cells but not on T8+ T lymphocytes or on B cells. T4+ lymphocytes stimulated with filarial mitogen augment the in vitro production of immunoglobulins by autologous B lymphocytes.
T cell receptor Vβ gene bias in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE To explore the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by studying the expression of T cell receptors (TCRs). METHODS T cell receptor Vbeta (TCR Vbeta) gene usage and expression were analyzed from synovial membrane and peripheral blood of 8 RA patients, 2 osteoarthritis patients and 2 accident amputees. The complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) of 25 TCR Vbeta subfamily genes in unselected T cell populations were amplified semi-quantitatively by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The products were further studied by genescan for frequency of Vbeta usage. RESULTS The numbers of Vbeta subfamilies expressed by T cells from RA peripheral blood and synovial membrane were not significantly restricted. More importantly, biased Vbeta gene expression in RA synovium was observed and Vbeta6, Vbeta17, and Vbeta22 genes were the predominant subfamilies. It was noteworthy that the expression of Vbeta17 in RA synovium was significantly increased. CONCLUSION Our data were consistent with the hypothesis that several antigen or superantigen-driven processes may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA.
Effect of dissolved oxygen concentration and pH on the mass production of high molecular weight pullulan by Aureobasidium pullulans

The effects of DO and pH on the mass production of pullulan with high molecular weight and the morphology of A. pullulans ATCC 42023 were evaluated. A. pullulans showed a maximum production of pullulan (11.98 g/l) when the initial pH of the culture broth was 6.5 in a shake-flask culture. In a batch culture, the mixture of a yeast-like and mycelial cell forms was found at a pH of 4.5, and the maximum production of pullulan (13.31 g/l) was obtained. However, a high proportion of high molecular weight pullulan (M.W. >2,000,000) was produced at a pH of 6.5, with a yeast-like morphology. The maximum pullulan production yield (51%) was obtained at a pH noncontrol (initial pH 6.5) and DO control (above 50%) condition. Pullulan degrading enzyme was activated when the pH of the broth was lower than 5.0 and the portion of low molecular weight pullulan was increased. The formation of a black pigment was observed at an initial stationary phase, at 40 h of fermentation. Therefore, the fermentation should be carried out in a pH noncontrol (initial pH of 6.5) and DO control (above 50%) condition, and should be harvested before reaching the stationary phase (around 40 h) for the production of high molecular weight pullulan.
Expression and Characterization of Amylomaltase Gene Involved in the Large-Ring Cyclodextrin and Isomalto-Oligosaccharide Production

Amylomaltase catalyzes a cyclization reaction to produce large-ring cyclodextrins (LR-CDs) from starch, which can be used in pharmaceutical industry. In this study, the amylomaltase gene was sub-cloned from p17bAMY recombinant plasmid into a pET-19b vector containing an NH 2 -terminal His-tag. The maximum expression was obtained when the recombinant cells were cultured at 37 o C for 4 h with 0.8 mM IPTG. The amylomaltase was purified up to 47-fold by Ni-NTA column and the specific activity of enzyme was 122 units/mg protein with a 44% yield. The relative molecular mass of purified enzyme was 60 kDa by 10% SDS-PAGE. In addition, the enzyme prefers to use pea starch as a substrate in the production of LR-CDs with degrees of polymerization from 23-37 glucose units. Besides LR-CD production, amylomaltase when used in co-action with transglucosidase could also produce long chain isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs) from pea starch for serving as prebiotic substance.
ON SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATIONS OF ALUMINIUM

Aluminium oxide Nanoparticles have been considerable research interest due to large number of applications of these nanoparticles. It improves commercial demand of Aluminium oxide nanoparticles. In this review article, we have investigated different methods of synthesis of Aluminium oxide nanoparticles. We try to search the cheap and eco – friendly method to synthesize Aluminium oxide nanoparticles so that the best method can be used for commercial synthesis of these nanoparticles. In the present review article, we concluded that green synthesis of Aluminium oxide nanoparticles is better than other chemical methods. By this method Aluminium oxide nanoparticles with high yield rate can be synthesized at very low cost and there is no harm to environment. Further, Applications of Aluminium oxide nanoparticles are summarized in this review article.
The effect of dietary lipids on colitis

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are a major concern in the developed world such as North America and Europe. It has been speculated that diet is an important risk factor in triggering IBD, as well as in inducing symptoms in IBD patients. However, to date no single nutrient has been confirmed empirically as either a contributing factor, or conversely, a preventative factor, that can protect against the disease. The main objective of this project was to determine the effects of dietary lipids on intestinal inflammation in vivo and in vitro before and during colitis. To achieve this, I studied high fat diets (HFD): n-6 PUFA, MUFA and SFA and studied each of these HFD supplemented with n-3 PUFA. The mice, after 5 weeks of eating the lipid diets, were orally gavaged with an enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium commonly used to induce intestinal inflammation found during colitis. I determined the effects of different dietary oils on the intestinal immune responses by quantifying infiltration of immune cells and examining colonic, serum cytokine and chemokine responses. Since I had previously found that intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) played a role in survival during infection induced colitis, I examined expression and activity of IAP in vivo and in vitro using 264.7 RAW (Mouse leukaemic monocyte macrophage) and Caco-2 (human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma) cells stimulated with various fatty acids and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Overall my results showed that mice fed MUFA rich diets and inflicted with colitis were the most protected, whereas mice fed n-6 PUFA and SFA had exacerbated colitic responses compared to uninfected mice. Mice fed SFA diets and inflicted with colitis had increased compensating protective homeostatic responses such as: IL-10, IL-33, Reg3γ and T regulatory cells. The n-6 PUFA supplemented with n-3 PUFA diets resulted in a negative outcome on the host immune response in mice. In contrast, MUFA and SFA diets supplemented with n-3 PUFA had no effect on immune responses in mice. In conclusion, I recommend that people suffering from IBD should
The relationship between somatic cell count, composition and manufacturing properties of bulk milk, 6. Cheddar cheese and skim milk yoghurt

The influence of somatic cell count (as a measure of mastitic infection) on the composition and quality of Cheddar cheese and skim milk yoghurt was studied. The use of milk containing > 500000 cells/mL resulted in Cheddar cheese with higher moisture content and proteolysis breakdown products, and lower flavour and body and texture grades. During the manufacturing process rennet coagulating times were increased by 25% and there were increased losses of fines, fat and protein in the whey associated with milk of > 500000 cells/mL. Losses in the whey resulted in decreased cheese yields of approximately 8.9%. The data of one farm indicated that skim milk yoghurt manufactured from milk containing 250000 cells/mL. However, the data from the second farm indicated that there was no significant relationship between milk log somatic cell count and organoleptic grade score of yoghurt