Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A polymorphism at the FADS2 gene is associated with the content and composition of intramuscular fat in Duroc pigs

The arachidonic acid (C20:4, n6) is related to a wide range of biological effects including lipid homeostasis. The fatty acid desaturase-2 (FADS2) gene encodes for the delta-6desaturase that is involved in the biosynthesis of C20:4. In Duroc pigs, there are some known polymorphisms in the promoter region of FADS2 that can be potentially associated with fat mass. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of one of them (FJ263685.1:g.7468A>G) with C20:4 and to investigate its correlated effects on lean growth and fat distribution. A total of 1,086 Duroc barrows with records on carcass traits and intramuscular fat (IMF) content and composition were genotyped. The polymorphism was found to be associated with C20:4 content both in m. gluteus medius (GM) and m. longissimus (LM), with pigs carrying the G allele showing a lower level of C20:4 in muscle. No association was detected with lean growth, although the analysis evidenced a positive effect of the G allele on IMF in GM, in line with the negative correlation observed between C20:4 and IMF. Taken together, the results indicate that the FJ263685.1:g.7468A>G SNP at the FADS2 gene could be a useful marker to increase IMF without altering lean growth in Duroc.
Angiosperm diversity in Doaba region of Punjab, India

The angiosperms diversity was studied in Doaba region of Punjab, India. A total of 464 species belonging to 337 genera and 99 families were recorded during this study. Of these, 88% are dicots and the remaining (12%) are monocots. The data contain wild, cultivated and ornamental species. Fabaceae is the most dominant family with 60 species followed by Asteraceae (33), Poaceae (29), Euphorbiaceae (20), Amaranthaceae (18), Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae (17 each). Amongst all the recorded species, 255 were herbs, 65 shrubs, 85 trees and 59 climbers. Six species have been added to the flora of Punjab. Present investigation has indicated that, Doaba region of Punjab has rich angiosperm diversity and need of the hour is its documentation and conservation.
Cationic lipid composition angiogenic endothelial cells targeted

(57) Abstract: angiogenic endothelial cells are selectively targeted by lipid / DNA complexes or cationic liposomes containing substance to affect the target cells by inhibiting or promoting the growth. Site of neovascularization by administering cationic liposomes containing a detectable label, can be accurately specified. Complexes may comprise a nucleotide construct comprising a promoter which is selectively activated by and only under the environment in an environment of angiogenic endothelial cells.
Review Article: Understanding the Infectious Bronchitis Virus Immunity and Evolution.

Corona viruses were usually classified into three groups based on genetic makeup and antigenicity (Brian and Baric, 2005; Lai and Cavanagh, 1997; Masters, 2006; Ziebuhr, 2004). However, the Coronavirus Study Group of the International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses recently classified coronaviruses into 4 genera: Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Gammacoronavirus, and Deltacoronavirus (Wang et al., 2014; Woo et al., 2010). IBV is a member of the genus Gammacoronavirus, subfamily Coronavirinae, family Coronaviridae, in the order Nidovirales (World Organisation for Animal Health, 2013). The virus is a single stranded RNA virus, round to pleomorphic in shape, and possesses an envelope of about 120 nm in diameter with club shaped surface projections or spikes of about 20 nm in length (Cavanagh and Gelb, 2008).
Research Progress in Dinoflagellate Prevention and Control Through Algae-lysing Bacteria

As environmental pollution intensifies, the frequency of dinoflagellates incidents gradually increases at home and abroad in recent years. It causes serious harm to aquatic ecological environment, aquatic animals, tourism industry and human health. This paper introduces the features and harm of dinoflagellates, and related methods to prevent and control dinoflagellates. Among them, the prevention and control of dinoflagellates by algae-lysing bacteria, including species and dissolve mechanisms of algae-lysing bacteria, and the prospect of algae control through algae-lysing bacteria, are mainly introduced.
Metabolic rewiring in response to genetic and environmental preturbations in cancer

Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to supply biosynthetic and bioenergetic demands of rapid proliferation. Microenvironmental changes, such as hypoxia, further influence tumour metabolism, driving malignancy. Recent identification of cancer-associated mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), fumarate hydratase and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) have shown that genetic alterations can directly alter tumour cell metabolism, and may be required for malignant transformation. Mutations in these metabolic enzymes promote tumorigenesis by hijacking the adaptive response to hypoxia. Understanding the metabolic vulnerabilities associated with these mutations may therefore elicit the design of more selective therapies. Employing a combination of analytical approaches to study metabolism, the research objectives were to characterise metabolic vulnerabilities associated with cells mutated in SDHB and IDH1. Results show that cells deficient in SDH activity maintain proliferation and viability by increasing dependency on pyruvate carboxylase for de novo aspartate synthesis. Mutations in IDH1 have a complex role in the metabolic adaptation to hypoxia, partially compromising this hypoxic response, yet also demonstrating aspects of pseudohypoxia, such as increased proline anabolism. This thesis reveals a metabolic vulnerability that could be therapeutically targeted to treat SDH-mutated tumours, and a novel redox-sensitive metabolic pathway, exhibited by both pseudohypoxic SDH and IDH1 mutated tumours, used to retain metabolic plasticity.
GPseudoRank: MCMC for sampling from posterior distributions of pseudo-orderings using Gaussian processes

A number of previous approaches to pseudotime estimation have provided point estimates of the ordering of cells for scRNA-seq data, while more recently, Gaussian process latent variable models and MCMC methods have been applied to understand the uncertainty associated with the pseudotemporal ordering. We present a new type of Gaussian process latent variable model for pseudotemporal ordering, which samples a distribution on the probability space of the orderings, that is on the group of permutations, rather than on the hugely high-dimensional vector space of possible pseudotimes, as done by previous models. We determine the best proposal distribution for our Metropolis-Hastings sampler for different types of data in an extensive simulation study, and show on a microarray data set that it is both able to capture complicated posterior distributions with modes close to pseudotime estimates found by state-of-the-art methods for point estimation of pseudotime orderings, and identify a global maximum of the distribution close to the true order. Finally, in an application to scRNA-seq data we demonstrate the particular potential of our method to identify phases of lower and higher pseudotime uncertainty during a biological process. Software in the form of Matlab code, together with sample input data sets, is available on request from the first author.
Conus bonus! Facilitation of Conus gastropods by invasive mangroves in Mo'orea, French Polynesia

Background. Ecosystem engineers are organisms that modify habitats and in many cases community assemblages. Mangroves (Rhizophora stylosa) on Mo’orea displace native marsh grass habitats and affect the distribution of native and non-native gastropod species. This study aimed to determine the effect of mangrove facilitation on the expansion of geographic distribution of certain cone snail species (Conus eburneus,C. frigidus C. leopardus, C. miliaris, and C. pulicaris).
Calcium and phosphorus metabolism and nutrition of poultry: are current diets formulated in excess?

Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are important nutrients in poultry diet formulations. In the present review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the metabolism of Ca and P in poultry. Recent data are provided in support of the proposition that current poultry diets are formulated in excess for Ca and P. The quantities of Ca and P available for metabolism reflect rates of intestinal absorption, bone accretion and resorption, glomerular filtration, renal tubular reabsorption, and intestinal endogenous losses. Ca and P homeostasis is largely under endocrine control. Parathyroid hormone and the hormonal form of vitamin D-3 are the two hormones credited with this role. However, a novel hormonal axis involving Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Klotho has been recently delineated, which, in conjunction with parathyroid hormone and vitamin D-3, tightly regulates Ca and P homeostasis. Recent studies have suggested that current commercial diets for both broilers and layers contain excess Ca and P, the content of which could be reduced without affecting production or bird welfare. The challenge in reducing Ca and P concentrations in poultry diets is the uncertainty about what concentrations of Ca and P can be fed without compromising bird welfare. This is because there are limited data on the available P and Ca concentrations in poultry feedstuffs determined biologically. This is further complicated by the need for agreement on evaluation systems for evaluation of Ca and P bioavailability. We conclude that direct ileal or pre-caecal digestible Ca and P values are preferred.
An Improved Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm Suitable for Photovoltaic Power Tracking Under Partial Shading Conditions

The partial shading of a photovoltaic array repeatedly occurs in the natural environment, which can cause a failure of a conventional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. In this paper, the convergence conditions of the standard particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm are deduced by the functional analysis, and then the influence of the random variables and inertia factor of the algorithm on the trajectory in the particle swarm optimization is analyzed. Based on the analysis results, an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm, which adopts both global and local modes to locate the maximum power point, is proposed. Compared to the standard PSO algorithm, in the improved PSO algorithm, many random and interfered variables are removed, and the structure is optimized significantly. The proposed algorithm is first simulated in MATLAB to ensure its capability. The feasibility of the approach is validated through physical implementation and experimentation. Results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has the capability to track the global maximum power point within 3.3 s with an accuracy of 99%. Compared with five recently developed Global MPPT algorithms, the proposed IPSO algorithm achieved better performance in the maximum power tracking in the partial shading conditions.
Identification of a novel regulator of stalk synthesis in Caulobacter crescentus

CAULOBACTER CRESCENTUS BY SREELEKHA N REVUR A thesis submitted to the Graduate School-Camden Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Science Graduate Program in Computational and Integrative Biology Written under the direction of Eric A. Klein And approved by _________________________________________ Dr. Eric Klein ______________________________________ Dr. Nir Yakoby _______________________________________ Dr. Benedetto Piccoli
The Effect on Oxidative Stress of Aflatoxin and Protective Effect of Lycopene on Aflatoxin Damage

Aflatoxin (AF) is polysubstituted bifuranocoumarins that are secondary fungal metabolites produced by parasiticus/flavus group of the genus Aspergillus. AF is hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, genotoxic, and immunotoxic, so the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified AF as class I human carcinogen. AF-mediated cell injury may be associated with the release of free radicals, and these radicals initiate lipid peroxidation and a damaging process in biological systems since all cell membranes contain the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are substrates for such a reaction. One of the causes for AF-induced toxicity is the oxidative stress, which leads to the improved generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the oxidative DNA damage. Lycopene, a naturally occurring carotenoid, has drawn a particular attention in recent years because of its high antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging capacity and has been shown to be effective against oxidative stress due to AF. Lycopene blocks Phase 1 metabolic enzymes of AFB such as 3A4, 2A6, and 1A2.
Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) Depredate Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) at a Migratory Roost

ABSTRACT We describe a new predator-prey relationship between Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) at a communal roost in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada. In a season-long study in 2015, we document 38 instances of predation, an estimate which likely underestimates the extent of total predation pressure. Chimney Swifts were captured on-the-wing by Herring Gulls.
Growing food pyramids in the sand: how sustainable are Qatar’s self-sufficiency and foreign agro-investment policies?

Achieving food security in the Arabian Gulf is no easy task. Fuelled by petrodollars, the countries largely rely on imports to feed their burgeoning population, making them susceptible to price and supply shocks. This paper begins by examining why food security is so important to the Gulf, narrowing the focus down to Qatar. Its almost absolute dependence on food imports and water desalination make it a distinct and appropriate case study. The two most important strategies through which Qatar plans to achieve its food security- domestic production and foreign agro-investments will be assessed and weighed against their financial, political and environmental costs. Lastly, broader implications including the need to address rampant food waste and poor nutrition will be discussed, issues that are currently side-lined but without which no true sustainable food security can be achieved.
Gonotrophic cycle duration, fecundity and parity of Anopheles gambiae complex mosquitoes during an extended period of dry weather in a semi arid area in Baringo County, Kenya

An entomological longitudinal survey was carried out over a 22 month period in two semi-arid villages in Baringo District in Kenya to study how adult malaria vectors survive under semi-arid conditions and during extended periods of dry weather. Methods: Wild caught female mosquitoes were dissected to examine ovarian lobes for parity status and to determine number of gonotrophic cycles they had undergone. Duration of the first and second gonotrophic cycles were estimated using cage-reared F1 females. Blood-fed females were kept individually in plastic vials and percent oviposition incidence recorded. Results: Significantly fewer mosquitoes laid eggs during the dry than the wet season. The average duration of the first gonotrophic cycle in the wet season was 4.1 d after blood feeding, 1.1 d (36%) longer than the dry season (3.0 d). The average duration of the second gonotrophic cycle in the wet season was 2.9 d after second blood meal, 0.7 d (31.8%) longer than those in the dry season. Chi-square tests showed the gonotrophic cycle duration was significantly shorter during the dry than the wet season. Both gonotrophic cycle duration and physiological age varied significantly between wet and dry seasons. Conclusion: These findings suggest the duration of gonotrophic cycle among Anopheles gambiae in dry lands with scarce breeding sites is shorter during the dry than wet season. Low fecundity rates during the dry season could be a sign of reduced reproductive activity. However lack of variation in seasonal mating frequency is a clear indication that oviposition and mating kinetics are influenced differently even under the same environmental conditions. It is likely that the results of this study will shed an understanding on spatial and temporal heterogeneities experienced in malaria transmission in semi-arid regions of the world where malaria and indeed mosquito-borne diseases are a public health menace.
Linking spring phenology with mechanistic models of host movement to predict disease transmission risk

1Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA; 2U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, MT, USA; 3Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Pinedale, WY, USA; 4National Elk Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jackson, WY, USA; 5Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Jackson, WY, USA; 6Grand Teton National Park, Moose, WY, USA and 7U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
Emulsified films produced with proteins extracted from whitemouth croaker byproducts: Development and characterization

This study aimed to develop and characterize biodegradable films from myofibrillar proteins from whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) using stearic acid (SA) to improve its technological properties. The proteins extracted were lyophilized, characterized, and used to prepare the films. The filmogenic solutions were dried on a silicone stand at 35 °C for 14 h in an incubator oven according to the casting method. The region with the best mechanical, physical, and barrier properties in the films was defined by a full factorial design. The lyophilized myofibrillar proteins (LMP) had protein content of 96.03%. The analysis of the experimental design results indicated the best conditions to prepare the optimized film were 2.84% LMP, 3.18% SA, and 78.41% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate). The control films were prepared with 2.84% LMP and 30% plasticizer. The optimized film had significantly lower water vapor permeability (5.87E-11 g m m-2 s-1 Pa-1), higher tensile strength (6.35 MPa), and lower elongation (235.60%) compared with control (p≤0.05). It also had lower transparency values and excellent UV barrier property, which indicates a tendency to opaque. Thermal stability was good and the microstructure revealed a structural change in the filmogenic matrix, confirmed by x-ray diffraction, which indicates influence of SDS and SA on film crystallinity. Solubility increased by 22% and swelling decreased slightly in the optimized film compared to the control. The results obtained represent a positive contribution with the use of fish byproducts by applying alternative, sustainable technologies.
Functional segregation of the human basal forebrain using resting state neuroimaging

The basal forebrain (BF) is poised to play an important neuromodulatory role in brain re-gions important to cognition due to its broad projections and complex neurochemistry. While significant in vivo work has been done to elaborate BF function in nonhuman rodents and primates, comparatively limited work has examined the in vivo function of the human BF. In the current study we used multi-echo resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) from 100 young adults (18-34 years) to assess the potential segregation of human BF nuclei as well as their associated projections. Bottom-up clustering of voxel-wise functional connectivity maps yielded adjacent functional clusters within the BF that closely aligned with the distinct, hypothesized nuclei important to cognition: the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and the me-dial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MS/DB). Examining their separate functional connections, the NBM and MS/DB revealed distinct projection patterns, suggesting a conservation of nuclei-specific functional connectivity with homologous regions known to be anatomically innervated by the BF. Specifically, the NBM demonstrated coupling with a widespread cortical network as well as the amygdala, whereas the MS/DB revealed coupling with a more circumscribed net-work, including the orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampal complex. Collectively, these in vivo rs-fMRI data demonstrate that the human BF nuclei support functional networks distinct as-pects of resting-state functional networks, suggesting the human BF may be a neuromodulatory hub important for orchestrating network dynamics. Highlights The basal forebrain NBM and the MS/DB support two distinct functional networks Functional networks closely overlap with known anatomical basal forebrain Basal forebrain networks are distinct from known resting-state functional networks
Dissecting the Molecular Mechanisms of Motor Neurone Disease in Yeast and Worms

Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is an enzyme responsible for intracellular breakdown of toxic reactive oxygen species in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Mutations in SOD1 are linked to the motor neurone disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with around 20% of familial (fALS) cases and, it is proposed, a significant proportion of sporadic cases caused by SOD1 mutations, however the mechanism of neuronal death remains unknown. Misfolding and aggregation of SOD1 leading to a ‘toxic gain of function’ is the most widely accepted mechanism, but further work is needed. To gain new insights into the underlying mechanism of cell toxicity, I am using two model systems: the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans. One hypothesis being tested was proposed by Ghadge et al. (2006) who reported that truncated forms of SOD1 (both wild type and fALS–linked mutants) form toxic aggregates in spinal cords of chick embryos, hypothesising that proteolytic digestion of unstable mutant SOD1 creates these toxic fragments. My project aims to elucidate how fALS–linked SOD1 mutants and SOD1 truncations exert toxicity on S. cerevisiae and C. elegans. In S. cerevisiae, SOD1 truncations do not specifically localise to, or disrupt the functioning of, mitochondria nor reduce viability of yeast although cell growth is slowed. Conversely, a motor-defective phenotype is exhibited in transgenic fALS–linked SOD1 mutant (G85R) C. elegans accompanied by vulval defects, which lead to reduced lifespan. My findings suggest that amino acid supplementation of G85R C. elegans mutants improves their motor function and vulval defects, implicating a role of amino acid signalling in mutant SOD1-mediated toxicity.
Mechanisms controlling ureteral motility

i DECLARATION . iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v PUBLICATIONS . vii TABLE OF CONTENTS . xi CHAPTER 1: General introduction . 1 1.1 Ureteric Calculi . 3 1.2 Structure and Function of the Ureter . 22 1.3 Innervation of the Ureter . 27 1,4 Intracellular Signalling Pathways . 38 1.5 Summary . 48 1.6 Research Aims . 49 CHAPTER 2: Methods optimization . 51 2.1 General Methods . 53 2.2 Optimization of Responses of Ureteral Tissue . 58 2.3 Optimization of Tissue Strips Orientation . 62 2.4 Reproducibility of Concentration-Response Curve . 68 2.5 Effect of Age on Ureteral Responses . 73 2.6 Regional Differences in Responses of the Ureter . 86 2.7 Effect of Indomethacin on Contractile Responses . 95 2.8 Effect of L-NG-Nitroarginine (L-NNA) on Responses . 104 CHAPTER 3: Characterization of the 5-HT receptor subtype in the porcine ureter . 115 3.
Past levels of canopy closure affect the occurrence of veteran trees and flagship saproxylic beetles

Open woodlands are biologically highly diverse habitats, and veteran (i.e., old, senescent) trees are key structures supporting their biodiversity. Open canopy structure had been maintained by both natural‐ and human‐induced disturbances. In the past two centuries, suppression of such disturbances, together with forestry intensification, has turned most lowland woodlands into closed‐canopy forests. We investigated the effect of increased canopy closure on veteran trees and several threatened beetles associated with them.