Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Employing Chlorella protothecoides for metal bioavailability studies under acidic conditions

We report the challenges and resolutions facing the use of Chlorella protothecoides for metal bioavailability and toxicity research under acidic conditions. In our study, we found that a simplified growth medium recommended for metal bioavailability research did not support the optimum growth of C. protothecoides at pH 5.5, possibly due to nutrient deficiencies, rendering it unsuitable for bioavailability studies under acidic conditions. On the other hand, a modified Woods Hole MBL growth medium supplying all macro and micro nutrients, with chelators Tris and EDTA removed, and (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 supplemented as the source of iron, produced excellent growth of the algae under identical conditions. This medium is therefore recommended as the alternative growth medium. While a pH increase of up to 2 units a day was observed in unbuffered media during algal growth, incorporation of CO2 into the aeration stream at a fixed partial pressure stabilized the medium pH. By initiating the metal (e.g. Cu) treatment at a culture optical density (750 nm) of 0.04, where the algal population was just entering the rapid growth phase, the Chlorella assay was completed within 48 h. This minimized metal speciation changes and nutrient limitation that may occur over longer test durations. As demonstrated with the case of Cu, a cell density of 7.5 x 105 cells mL–1 at the time of metal addition, caused only 5% initial loss of solution Cu, addressing the concern that such an initial cell density might deplete the metal from solution as a result of metal binding to algal cells. Overall, this study provides a valid means of employing Chlorella for metal bioavailability and toxicity research under acidic conditions, which ensures that algal growth is not impeded by nutrient deficiency, experimental duration is short, and more importantly, solution pH and metal speciation do not change significantly over the experimental period.
QTL analysis of seed storability in rice

A double haploid population, which consists of 127 lines derived from anther culture of a typical indica and japonica hybrid 'ZYQ8'/'JX17', was used in this study. Seed storability was investigated by using the storage property measured by the difference of seed germination rates before and after treatment of the rice seeds under 40°C and 95% relative humidity for 10 days in a phytotron. Three QTLs related to rice seed storability were detected on chromosomes 9, 11 and 12, with the LOD scores 2.76, 4.83 and 2.54, respectively, together explaining 35.4% of the genetic variation. The 'JX17' allele at qLS-9 and the 'ZYQ8' alleles at qLS-11 and qLS-12 could enhance the rice seed storability. The effects of the 'ZYQ8' alleles of qLS-11 and qLS-12 were also verified using chromosome segment substitution lines.
Endothelin receptors as drug targets in chronic cardiovascular diseases: the rationale for dual antagonism

Endothelin has been described as the most potent vasoconstrictor known. Recent research shows that it is also a growth factor, a promoter of fibrosis and inflammation, and a key initiator of endothelial dysfunction. Endothelin becomes, therefore, a candidate in the pathogenesis of many chronic cardiovascular and fibrotic diseases, and inhibition of endothelin function is a potential therapeutic approach for those diseases. Endothelin receptor antagonists are now established therapy in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and present promising perspectives in diabetic nephropathy, peripheral arterial disease, hypertension, heart failure, and pulmonary diseases. Endothelin binds to two endothelin receptors, ETA and ETB, and their respective roles are actively debated. A major challenge lies in the understanding of what is the preferred profile for new drugs: selective ETA antagonism or dual ETA and ETB receptor antagonism. A number of cardiovascular diseases are characterized by an up‐regulation of smooth muscle cell ETB receptors mediating vasoconstriction and proliferation, and a down‐regulation of endothelial ETB receptors, as compared to the physiological state, creating a situation where both ETA and ETB receptors contribute to vasoconstriction and remodeling. When these two receptor subtypes co‐exist, a cross‐talk between them, probably a result of receptor heterodimerization, suggests that dual ETA/ETB receptor antagonism may be necessary to obtain maximal efficacy. Drug Dev. Res. 67:825–834, 2006. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bioactive interleukin-1α is cytolytically released from Candida albicans-infected oral epithelial cells

Oral epithelial cells are primary targets of Candida albicans in the oropharynx and may regulate the inflammatory host response to this pathogen. This investigation studied the mechanisms underlying interleukin-1α (IL-1α) release by oral epithelial cells and the role of IL-1α in regulating the mucosal inflammatory response to C. albicans. Infected oral epithelial cells released processed IL-1α protein in culture supernatants. The IL-1α generated was stored intracellularly and was released upon cell lysis. This was further supported by the fact that different C. albicans strains induced variable IL-1α release, depending on their cytolytic activity. IL-1α from C. albicans-infected oral epithelial cells upregulated proinflammatory cytokine secretion (IL-8 and GM-CSF) in uninfected oral epithelial or stromal cells. Our studies suggest that production of IL-1α, IL-8 and GM-CSF may take place in the oral mucosa in response to lytic infection of epithelial cells with C. albicans. This process can act as an early.
The Role of Transforming Growth Factor in Determining Growth Factor Independence

Growth factor independence is a hallmark of malignancy that is attributed to the development of autocrine growth factor loops in cancer cells. However, growth factor-dependent normal cells also exhibit autocrine activity, thus raising the issue of how endogenously produced activity in cancer cells differs in a manner that leads to growth factor independence. We have examined this issue by comparing growth factor-independent HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells with a growth factor-dependent subcompartment of malignant cells designated HCT116b that was isolated from the same patient tumor. Therefore, the development of the growth factor-independent phenotype represents clonal progression within the tumor in vivo. The growth factor independence of HCT116 cells was shown to be dependent on autocrine transforming growth factor (TGF)activity, yet the isoparental HCT116b subcompartment showed similar levels of TGFexpression as HCT116 when cells were in exponential growth. When both cell lines were growth arrested by nutrient deprivation, HCT116b cells required nutrient replenishment and growth factors for reinitiation of DNA synthesis, whereas HCT116 cells required only nutrient replenishment. In contrast to growth factor-dependent HCT116b cells, the HCT116 cells showed up-regulation of TGFexpression during growth arrest as a result of enhanced transcription. This increased TGFexpression in quiescent HCT116 cells was associated with constitutive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation in the growth-arrested state, whereas growth-arrested HCT116b cells did not show EGFR activation. TGFantisense transfection of HCT116 cells showed that EGFR activation was due to increased TGFexpression. Pretreatment of growth-arrested HCT116 cells with AG1478, a selective inhibitor of EGFR tyrosine kinase activity, blocked the reinitiation of DNA synthesis, demonstrating that growth factor independence was due to the increased TGFexpression and EGFR activation of these cells in growth arrest relative to growth factor-dependent HCT116b cells. Importantly, the level of EGFR activation in growth-arrested HCT116 cells was only slightly higher than that of exponential cells, indicating that it was inappropriate EGFR activation in growth arrest rather than the amplitude of activation that generated growth factor independence.
Induction of TCR Vβ-Specific CD8+ CTLs by TCR Vβ-Derived Peptides Bound to HLA-E1

Previous studies have identified murine and human regulatory CD8+ T cells specific for TCR-Vβ families expressed on autologous activated CD4+ T cells. In the mouse, these regulatory CD8+ T cells were shown to be restricted by the MHC class Ib molecule, Qa-1. In the present study, we asked whether HLA-E, the human functional equivalent of Qa-1, binds Vβ peptides and whether the HLA-E/Vβ-peptide complex induces and restricts human CD8+ CTLs. We first created stable HLA-E gene transfectants of the C1R cell line (C1R-E). Two putative HLA-E binding nonapeptides identified in human TCR Vβ1 and Vβ2 chains (SLELGDSAL and LLLGPGSGL, respectively) were shown to bind to HLA-E. CD8+ T cells could be primed in vitro by C1R-E cells loaded with the Vβ1 (C1R-E/V1) or Vβ2 (C1R-E/V2) peptide to preferentially kill C1R-E cells loaded with the respective inducing Vβ peptide, compared with targets loaded with the other peptides. Priming CD8+ T cells with untreated C1R-E cells did not induce Vβ-specific CTLs. Of perhaps more physiological relevance was the finding that the CD8+ CTLs primed by C1R-E/V1 also preferentially killed activated autologous TCR Vβ1+. Similar results were observed in reciprocal experiments using C1R-E/V2 for priming. Furthermore, anti-CD8 and anti-MHC class I mAbs inhibited this Vβ-specific killing of C1R-E and CD4+ T cell targets. Taken together, the data provide evidence that certain TCR-Vβ peptides can be presented by HLA-E to further induce Vβ-specific CD8+ CTLs.
Contributions to a Chromosome Atlas of the New Zealand Flora-17. Senecio (Compositae)

Abstract Documented chromosome numbers are provided for New Zealand representatives of Senecio (Compositae) (Table 1), except for the erechtitoid spp. which have already been dealt with (N.Z. Journal of Botany 12: 211–7, 1974). Comparative information for related genera and species and for natural hybrids is recorded in Table 2.
Nitrogen digestion in forage-fed sheep with and without intraruminal propionate infusion

SUMMARY Nitrogen balance and flow of nitrogen along the gastrointestinal tract were determined in growing wether sheep fed a dried grass pellet diet with or without intraruminal propionic acid infusion. Plasma free amino acid and glucose concentrations tended to be higher in peripheral blood of animals receiving propionate (P < 0·10). Overall total nitrogen and amino acid digestibilities and apparent digestibilities of each fraction along the digestive tract were not affected by infusion of propionic acid. The contribution of microbial amino acids to total amino acid flow in the duodenum measured using purine bases as the microbial marker averaged 0·49 and was not affected by propionic acid infusion. It is suggested that changes in circulating amino acid levels arise from reduced utilization of luminal amino acids by gastrointestinal tissues due to the increased availability of alternative energy-yielding substrates.
Integrin (α6/β4) Expression in Human Lung Cancer as Monitored by Specific Monoclonal Antibodies

In this study, the expression of the alpha 6/beta 4 integrin complex was analyzed in human lung carcinomas both in vitro and in vivo, using two monoclonal antibodies which recognize the integrin subunits alpha 6 (Mab 135-13C) and beta 4 (Mab 439-9B). Immunoprecipitation patterns obtained from established human lung carcinoma cell lines demonstrated that the alpha 6 and the beta 4 subunits were differentially expressed in carcinomas of different types. The alpha 6 subunit was expressed in all the cell lines tested (squamous cell carcinoma A431, adenocarcinoma A549, large cell carcinoma DG3, and small cell carcinoma AE2). The beta 4 subunit was expressed in non-small cell cancer lines but was not detectable in the small cell cancer line tested. Using a quantitative two-site assay, we measured the concentration of the alpha 6/beta 4 integrin in matched biopsies from primary lung tumors and from normal lung. These studies confirmed that the complex was differentially expressed in non-small versus small cell lung cancers and that it was also detectable in lysates from normal lung at low levels. The highest levels of alpha 6/beta 4 were found in moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. By immunohistochemistry, the beta 4 subunit was detectable in all the squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinomas tested (a total of 59), but not in 10 small cell cancers. The patterns of immunoreactivity were consistent with the expected distribution of membrane glycoproteins and, in some squamous cell carcinomas, were suggestive of the localization displayed by molecules involved in carcinoma-stroma interaction. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that beta 4 was also expressed in specific types of nonrespiratory pulmonary epithelial cells.
Prediction of severity of preeclampsia in Egyptian patients: role of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio and C-reactive protein

Preeclampsia (PE) is considered one of the main causes of maternal, fetal or neonatal mortality and morbidity [1]. It indicates the occurrence of a new-onset hypertension together with a new-onset proteinuria. On the other hand, some cases present with hypertension and multi-system affections which are indicative of disease severity in the absence of proteinuria [2, 3]. Many theories are suggested for development of PE. It may arise as a result of increased maternal intravascular inflammatory response with the start of pregnancy. This maternal response or stimulus might be very strong that affects the immune response whether the innate or the adaptive one [4]. Such increased inflammatory response in PE indicates increased activation of the complement system in an uncontrolled manner. This activation of the complement system will manifest inflammation, enhancing inflammatory cells chemotaxis, and release of proteolytic fragments leading to activated phagocytosis by neutrophils and monocytes [5]. Systemic inflammation in PE signifies, also manifests Th1-type immunity and the absence of Th2 tendency [6-8]. In patients with PE, the decidual lymphocytes and the mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood are prepared to synthesize increased levels of Th1 cytokines [6-8]. Such systemic inflammatory immune response could be evaluated reliably and measured easily through measuring the differential leucocytic count [9, 10]. The ratio neutrophil/ lymphocyte (NLR) signifies that the first line of defense of the active non-specific inflammatory mediator by neutrophils, while lymphocytes represent the regulatory and protective elements of inflammation [11]. This is of value regarding cases with subclinical and low-grade inflammation [12, 13]. As platelets and lymphocytes are considered blood parameters affecting the immune surveillance, the platelet/ lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has a major role in cytokine-dependent immune response [14,15]. It is suggested that such PLR marker has a high sensitivity regarding many systemic inflammatory conditions. However, there are minimal data regarding the correlation of PLR and PE [16-18]. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an annular, pentameric protein found in blood plasma, which increases in response to inflammation. It is an acute-phase protein of hepatic origin that increases following interleukin-6 secretion by macrophages and T cells. CRP might have a role in PE. CRP elevation before the onset of some clinical conditions should be considered [19, 20]. A sample size of 35 pregnant women in each group [21] is necessary to evaluate an expected difference at PLR between mild and severe PE patients with the third control group = 26.9; SD = 8.6 [22], using alpha error = 0.05, giv-
Optimum Timing of an Application of Corn Oil and Bacillus thuringiensis to Control Lepidopteran Pests in Sweet Corn

3, 4Department of Entomology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003.This material is based on work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Extension, Education Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Massachusetts Experiment Station, under project MAS00786. Funding was contributed through grants from the Organic Farming Research Foundation, USDA-CSREES NE-SARE Program, and Massachusetts State IPM funds. Use of trade names does not imply endorsement of the products named or criticism of similar ones not named. The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. Under postal regulations, this paper must be hereby marked advertisement solely to indicate this fact.
The effect of temperature differences between porometer head and leaf surface on stomatal conductance measurements.

It is generally known that instantaneous values of leaf conductance as measured with a dynamic porometer need to be corrected for the temperature difference, AT, between the porometer cup and the sampled leaf. Leaf conductances, obtained with a Delta-T AP4 dynamic porometer, with and without correction for AT are compared for a bush species (Guiera senegalensis) and two forb species (Jacquemontia tamnifolia and Mitracarpus scaber). With temperature differences predominantly varying within the ±2.5 °C recommended by the manufacturer, it appears that the differences between uncorrected and corrected conductances are very large, up to 100% on average, especially for the two forbs. Furthermore, it is shown that, using the Mitracarpus data, a relatively small error of ±0.5 °C in ΔT can cause a difference of 25-50% in the final conductance value, in particular for the high conductance range. An error of ±0.5 °C may easily occur: the accuracy of AT as measured by the thermistors in the porometer is 0.2 °C and the temperature variation within a leaf can be much larger. This result will have implications for upscaling of leaf conductances to canopy values or may explain why upscaled values appear not to correspond with down-scaled values, obtained from eddy correlation measurements and an inverted canopy transpiration model.
Species Concepts, Reticulation, and Human Evolution1

Hennig differentiated parent‐offspring, or tokogenetic, relationships among organisms within a population, which are network‐like, or reticulate, in their structure, from phylogenetic relationships between species taxa, which are hierarchical. However, some biologists have recently argued that reticulation may occur across taxa at high taxonomic levels, and Jolly, using a papionin analogy for hominin evolution, argued that fossil hominins represent a group of allotaxa that likely exhibited varying degrees of hybridization in zones of ecological overlap. Such potential reticulation among the Hominini has important implications for phylogenetic reconstruction and is likely a significant source of homoplasy in the hominin fossil record. Hybridization between taxa can lead to the merging of taxa, to the reinforcement of behavioral barriers to mating, or even to the emergence of new, hybrid species. Templeton has noted that many mammalian species appear to be grouped into higher‐level, hybridizing taxa called syngameons. Evidence for such syngameons within the Hominini is here explored in light of current species concepts.
Note. Occurrence of Listeria spp. in salmon-trout (Onchorhyncus mykiss) and salmon (Salmo salar) / Nota. Presencia de Listeria spp. en trucha asalmonada (Onchorhyncus mykiss) y salmón (Salmo salar)

Salmon-trout (Onchorhyncus mykiss) and salmon (Salmo salar) are the main raw materials in the cold-smoked fish industry. It is important to prevent the contamination of these ready-to-eat products with Listeria monocytogenes and other (Listeria spp.) because the temperature used in the cold-smoking process is not sufficient to inactivate these organisms. The presence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in the cold-smoked salmon and salmon-trout processing chains of three Portuguese factories examined was already confirmed in previous studies. Thus, it was important to ascertain the possible sources of contamination, the raw material being the most important one. All the Portuguese cold-smoking fish factories use fresh salmon-trout from two trout farms in the north of Portugal and Norwegian salmon which arrives by lorry every week under refrigeration, imported always by the same company; 88 samples of salmon and salmon-trout were analysed; 67 environmental samples from the two trout farms were also examined. The overall frequency (n = 40) of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in salmon was 12 and 0% respectively. The overall frequency (n = 48) of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in salmon-trout was 6.3 and 2.1% respec tively. Listeria was not found in the environmental samples.
The effect of age of current‐year shoots of Picea glauca on survival, development time, and feeding efficiency of 6th‐instar larvae of Choristoneura fumiferana

Diets prepared from lyophilized and powdered current‐year (1983) shoots of white spruce Picea glauca (Moench) Voss were offered to 6th‐instar larvae of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). With increasing age of current‐year shoots, time to pupation increased whereas survival, assimilation efficiency, efficiency of conversion of diet to moth biomass, and moth dry weight generally decreased. Sex of the larvae influenced amount ingested, time to pupation, and subsequent moth weight but not survival, assimilation efficiency, and efficiency of conversion of diet to moth biomass.
Partial incubation and its function in great tits (Parus major)—an experimental test

In many bird species, females incubate the eggs for short periods before clutch completion. The role of such partial incubation and the effective egg temperatures attained are controversial. Possible functions depend on whether temperatures reach the critical values required for embryogenesis and include the protection of the clutch from predators, brood parasites, and environmental factors; inhibition of bacterial growth on eggs; control of hatching asynchrony; or energy saving by parents. In this study, in a natural population of great tits, we first investigated the occurrence and extent of partial incubation, and second, we evaluated some potential functions by experimental simulation of the observed patterns of partial incubation. We found that egg temperatures during partial incubation were clearly raised above the physiological zero temperature for embryo development. Simulation of partial incubation did not affect any breeding parameters or nestling morphological traits compared with controls. It suggests that partial incubation with temperatures above the minimum temperature for embryo development does not serve to increase the variation in nestling morphology and thus competitiveness, in particular, does not increase hatching asynchrony within brood as one of its currently most discussed functions.