Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studies on recipes of bael (Aegle marmelos Correa) beverages and their storage

The investigation was carried out in the postharvest technology laboratory of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal, Haryana. Bael beverages viz RTS (with recipes 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0% pulp and 10.0 and 12.5oB TSS) and squash (with recipes 35.0, 37.5 and 40.0% pulp and 45.0 and 47.5oB TSS) were prepared and studied for changes in their chemical constituents and organoleptic rating during storage period of three months. Total soluble solids (TSS), sugars (total sugars and reducing sugars) and non-enzymatic browning were increased however acidity, phenols and organoleptic scores were decreased during storage period. Among different recipes RTS prepared with 12.5 per cent pulp and 12.5oB TSS recorded highest acceptability of 8.21 and 8.02 at initial stage and three months after storage respectively. The squash prepared with 35 per cent pulp and 47.5oB TSS recorded highest acceptability of 8.28 and 8.12 at initial stage and three months after storage respectively. Overall acceptability of bael RTS and squash was slightly decreased during storage period but remained above the acceptability level.
Response of rice leaves to low temperature. I. Changes in basic biochemical parameters.

It has been reported that, in rice plants, the growth rate and metabolism are markedly inhibited at temperatures above the chilling temperature, in the range between about 15-20°C. Nevertheless, there are few reports on the mechanism of the effects of low-temperature stress on growth and the accompanying metabolic changes. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of low temperature on the rate of growth and increases in levels of chlorophyll and proteins, the most basic biochemical parameters of cellular functions, in the developing green leaves of two rice cultivars with different sensitivities to low temperatures, namely, a low-temperature sensitive variety, Indica type IR8, and a low-temperature tolerant variety, Japonica type Somewake
Yield and quality of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) in dependence on variety and foliar application of Atonik and Polybor 150.

The influence of variety and foliar applications of Atonik and Polybor 150 on root yield and inulin content in root of chicory (Cichorium Intybus L.) plant were observed in field polyfactorial experiment. The field trials were established on experimental station Dolna Malanta in warm maize production area in 2005 and 2006 years. The root yield and inulin content were statistically high significantly influenced by year’s weather conditions. In term of obtained root yield and inulin content in root the combination of foliar preparations on variant B (Atonik: 0.4 l ha-1 in 2nd post-emergence herbicide application; Atonik + Polybor 150: 0.6 + 2.5 l ha-1 in 3rd post-emergence herbicide application; Polybor 150: 2.5 l ha-1 in 1st fungicide treatment) was shown to be optimal in given agri-ecological conditions. Biological material affected the formation of yield parameters very differently. The highest yield of root was observed at variety Fredonia Nova and inulin content in root at variety Maurane (both statistically significant).
Leaf micromorphology in Buxus sempervirens L. during the ontogenesis.

Ultrastructural aspects of leaf epicuticular waxes were investigated in Buxus sempervirens by scanning electron microscopy. The leaves were hypostomatic and stomata were surrounded with a cuticular thickening that formed a rim. The most prominent epicuticular wax structures of B. sempervirens leaves included granules and platelets.
Measures of Handedness

Previous handedness research focused on comparing left-handers (LH) and right-handers (RH). Recently, researchers have compared consistent-handed and inconsistent-handed people, as defined by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). Consistent-handers (CH) typically use their dominant hand for nearly all manual activities whereas inconsistent-handers (IH) do not necessarily have a dominant hand or have no preference in hand use across several daily, manual activities. Degree of handedness is consistently found as the more robust variable in handedness research. Additionally, relying solely on self-reports to identify and categorize handedness instead of longer assessments of handedness, may not able a researcher to capture the subtle individual differences between handedness groups. 164 undergraduate Montclair State University psychology students completed a packet containing three handedness questionnaires. Results indicated that CH, as defined by the EHI, that chose either “left-handed” or “righthanded” were categorized as such by the EHI, but IH, as defined by the EHI, were more inconsistent with their hand preference choices depending on the number of choices available. A higher percentage of LH, compared to RH, all of whom were categorized as inconsistent-handed by the EHI, chose “ambidextrous” when provided a third choice. Degree of handedness and longer assessments of handedness able a researcher to find subtle differences between handedness groups that would otherwise not be identified when using direction of handedness (left vs right). Additionally, going beyond the traditional dichotomy of LH and RH in handedness research will allow researchers to more accurately predict cognitive and behavioral differences between handedness groups. HANDEDNESS MEASURES 2 MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY Measures of Handedness j
Membrane stretch and angiotensin II type 1a receptor: causes and role in the myogenic response

The ligand-independent activation of Angiotensin II type 1 receptors following vascular stretch plays very important (patho) physiological roles. Indeed, recent studies have implicated this mechanism in cardiac hypertrophy under conditions of pressure overload and it has shown to be indispensable in the regulation of the myogenic response in smooth muscle cells of small resistance arteries, as well as mesenteric and renal resistance arteries. The information discussed in here will highlight the involvement of the mechanoactivation of the Angiotensin II type I receptors in the development of the myogenic response and the molecular mechanisms modulating them following activation.
The Association of Negative Energy Balance, Sub-Clinical Hypocalcemia, and Periparturient Disease with Rate of Weight Loss and 30-Day Milk Production in Dairy Cattle

The objective of this study was to analyze the association of abnormal blood metabolite levels (prepartum and postpartum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and calcium) and periparturient diseases (clinical ketosis, mastitis, displaced abomasum, retained placenta, metritis, lameness and periparturient paresis) with rate of weight loss and milk yield during a cow’s first thirty days in milk. A total of 105 Holstein cows from three dairy farms in central New York State were analyzed in the study. Blood samples, back fat measurements, body condition scores, lameness assessments, and records for body weight, milk yield, and disease occurrence were collected at different time points beginning approximately a week before parturition until thirty days in milk. Back fat and body condition scores were not correlated with each other and were not included in the final analysis. The associations between the interaction of each blood metabolite with disease and change in body weight and milk yield were stratified by parity and evaluated with the MIXED procedure in statistical software. All cows which developed disease experienced a higher rate of weight loss and produced less milk than their healthy herd mates. Each parity group had a different indicator metabolite for predicting faster weight loss (parity 1 = prepartum NEFA, parity 2 = BHB, parity 3 = postpartum NEFA), but calcium was not a reliable indicator for any group. Elevated prepartum NEFA and BHB levels were associated with reduced milk production for cows of parity > 2, while blood metabolites were only useful for heifers which concurrently developed disease. Through the use of these tests, farmers can intervene early to optimize animal health and economic return.
TGF-β Regulation of Focal Adhesion Proteins and Motility of Premalignant Oral Lesions via Protein Phosphatase 1

Premalignant oral lesions have a high incidence of recurrence and progression to malignant disease and, although studies have shown the contribution of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) to cancer progression, none have been conducted with premalignant oral lesion cells to determine the impact of TGF-β in stimulating properties that are characteristic of more invasive cells. The present study focused on TGF-β-modulation of paxillin and the serine/threonine protein phosphatase PP-1, and the impact on cellular motility. These studies show that TGF-β stimulates premalignant lesion cell motility and up regulates expression of paxillin, as well as its co-localization with PP-1, while concurrently diminishing the level of paxillin serine phosphorylation. The TGF-β-mediated up regulation of paxillin and co-localization with actin, as well as the TGF-β-stimulated motility of premalignant lesion cells, were all blocked by inhibiting PP-1, indicating their dependence on PP-1 activity. These studies suggest interplay between TGF-β and PP-1 in promoting a more malignant phenotype in premalignant oral lesion cells.
Transmission of Xylella fastidiosa through Pecan Rootstock

Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., the pathogen that causes pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch] bacterial leaf scorch disease, was demonstrated to be highly transmissible through graft unions from infected rootstock into new growth developing from scions. Infected rootstocks were obtained by inoculation of pecan seedlings in pots with in vitro cultures of the pathogen. If rootstock infection occurs in nature, transmission of the pathogen into tissue growing from scions could serve as a significant source of introduction of the disease into pecan orchards. Because symptom development in infected trees typically begins in midsummer and grafting takes place in the early spring, it would be difficult to identify infected rootstock before grafting. Commercial pecan growers sometimes attempt to eliminate bacterial leaf scorch from trees by regrafting to other cultivars. The high rate of transmission from infected rootstocks observed in this test and the lack of knowledge of cultivars with resistance to the disease makes this practice ineffective.
Investigation of the role of toll-like and interleukin-6 receptors in peritoneal inflammatory responses to infection

Bacterial infection is a feature of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) and a cause of loss of peritoneal function and treatment failure. Understanding how local inflammation is initiated and peritoneal host defence mechanisms are activated in PD patients is key to reducing the detrimental consequences of peritonitis. The capacity of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) to ingest bacteria has been described, and the ability of the Toll-like family of innate immune receptors (TLR) to trigger inflammatory responses to pathogens has been demonstrated. However, the pathogen recognition ability, the potential role of TLRs, the specific role in the early inflammatory response, and the regulation of HPMC’ putative ability for pathogen recognition have not been fully investigated. To address these issues, the present study aimed at characterising TLR expression and responses in HPMC and evaluating the capacity of modulators of pro-inflammatory responses, namely soluble TLR2 (sTLR2) and the IL-6/sIL-6R complex, to regulate TLR-mediated HPMC and peritoneal responses in vitro and in vivo. HPMC were found to respond to an array of bacterial pathogens via expression and function of a specific set of TLRs. HPMC responses were susceptible to modulation by sTLR2 and sIL-6R, resulting in inhibition of TLR2-driven HPMC responses. In vivo, sTLR2 and IL-6/sIL- 6R reduced neutrophil influx partly by inhibiting NF-κB activation in stromal cells of the peritoneum. IL-6 signalling counteracted TLR2-mediated responses by reducing peritoneal leukocyte recruitment and chemokine production. Notably, following the establishment of a mouse model of peritoneal bacterial infection, IL-6 signalling was confirmed to be beneficial to bacterial clearance. The results of this thesis confirm and extend the knowledge of the pivotal role that HPMC play in peritoneal responses to infection. The capacity of sTLR2 and IL-6/sIL-6R to modulate peritoneal responses demonstrated in this study may inform the design of new therapeutic strategies to reduce PD-associated peritonitis and thus improve treatment outcomes.
Validation of molecular markers for wheat breeding

Five sets of markers were assessed for their usefulness in breeding, two linked to wheat stem rust gene Sr2, several markers linked to a chromosome segment conferring Yr17/Lr37/Sr38 resistance, two reported markers for the linked genes Lr35 andSr39, one for Lr28, and one linked to flour colour. The gene for Sr2 confers adult plant resistance to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici) and was originally transferred to bread wheat from the tetraploid emmer (‘Yaroslav’) to the cultivars Hope and H-44. The gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 3B and confers a durable adult plant resistance to stem rust usually expressed only in the field. The chromosome segment carrying the Lr37, Sr38, Yr17 resistance genes is located on 2AS and was originally introduced into wheat through an Aegilops ventricosa Triticum persicum cross, followed by a cross to the cultivar Marne (VPM1). The flour colour quantitative trait locus was originally described in a Yarralinka Schomburg cross and is located on chromosome 7A. The primers as originally developed required optimisation for more routine use in a breeding program.
Interleukin-1α modulates luteinizing hormone stimulated cyclic AMP and progesterone release from human granulosa cells in vitro

Abstract This study examines the possible direct effect of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) upon human granulosa cells. The cells were isolated from follicles of stimulated cycles in women undergoing oocyte retrieval for in-vitro fertilization. Purified cell preparations were cultured for different time periods in the presence of IL-1 alpha and human luteinizing hormone (LH) or follicle stimulating hormone. IL-1 alpha stimulated basal as well as LH-induced progesterone accumulation. The response in terms of cyclic AMP was more complex, there was no effect of IL-1 alpha on basal cyclic AMP accumulation. However, at the highest concentration tested (50 IU/ml), IL-1 alpha enhanced cyclic AMP accumulation over that seen with LH alone. At a lower concentration, IL-1 alpha either had no effect or was slightly inhibitory to the LH-induced cyclic AMP accumulation, depending on the culture period. Our results, taken together with other findings, are compatible with the view that IL-1 alpha has a potential regulatory role in the granulosa-luteal cell transition in the human ovary.
Morphology of the Pancreas in Normal and Diabetic States

The islets of Langerhans form 5% of the pancreatic mass and are distributed throughout the pancreatic exocrine tissue. Islets are composed of cells containing insulin (β-cells), glucagon (α-cells), somatostatin (δ-cells), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP-cells) and have secretory granules with different characteristic morphologies. In type 1 diabetes, autoimmune destruction of β-cells is associated with insulitis in the acute phase of the disease; other islet cells remain unaffected in islets of reduced size. Islets in type 2 diabetic subjects are not reduced in size and there is no evidence for a reduction in islet numbers or changes in the proportion of endocrine cells in most affected patients. Islet amyloid deposits formed from islet amyloid polypeptide are found in a proportion of islets (0.1–90% of islets) in more than 90% of patients at postmortem but these deposits are not a causal factor for type 2 diabetes in humans. Severe islet amyloid deposition is related to a reduction of islet cell mass and requirement for insulin therapy. Reduced islet cell mass is associated with genetically determined diabetes involving genes regulating metabolism and transcription factors (e.g. MODY, mitchondrial diabetes, Wolfram syndrome). Exocrine diseases such as pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and calcific pancreatitis lead to diabetes, indicating the functional association of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas. Keywords: pancreas; diabetes; islets; insulin; insulitis; islet amyloid; pancreatitis; exocrine; endocrine; cystic fibrosis
Changes in the Buffering Capacity of Model Solutions of 40 mM Tartaric or Malic Acids in Relation to Amino Acids

The contribution of some amino acids (i.e., arginine, proline, serine, alanine, threonine) to the buffering capacity of wine using model solutions is established. Although amino acids have no buffering capacities at the pH of wine (2.9 to 4.0), they increase the buffering capacity of a 40 mM tartaric acid solution, even at concentrations found in champagne wines. In contrast, when they are added to a 40 mM malic acid solution, they induce no changes in the buffering capacity. It appears that the changes in the buffering capacity depend on the nature of the amino acid used, its concentration, and the medium used. For a 40-mM tartaric acid solution, additions of 400 mg/L of each amino acid increase the buffering capacity from 21% in water to 36.8% in an hydroalcoholic medium (11%, v/v).
L’émergence des tospovirus

Les tospovirus constituent le seul genre de phytovirus au sein des Bunyavirides, famille de virus dont le genome est constitue de trois ARN simple brin dont deux possedent une organisation ambisens. Leur emergence semble resulter de la conjonction de facteurs anthropiques, de la dispersion prealable de thrips vecteurs et de l’adaptation recente de ce groupe viral a des hotes vegetaux. Actuellement, ces virus limitent fortement la production de nombreuses cultures dans de vastes zones geographiques alors que les methodes de lutte montrent une efficacite restreinte. Les insectes vecteurs sont difficiles a controler et les resistances naturelles ou artificielles sont rares. Des mesures prophylactiques sont necessaires pour limiter la dispersion de ces viroses.
Bioefficacy of the triterpenoid friedelin against Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) and Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

BACKGROUND The triterpenoid friedelin isolated from hexane extract of Azima tetracantha leaves was evaluated for its antifeedant, larvicidal and pupicidal activities against Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura at 125, 250, 500 and 1000 ppm concentration. RESULTS Friedelin exhibited antifeedant (84.57 and 75.28%), larvicidal (72.88 and 66%) and pupicidal (76.18 and 66.66%) activities against H. armigera and S. litura respectively. The homogeneity of variances (Levene statistic) showed significant deviation for the antifeedant, larvicidal and pupicidal activities of friedelin against H. armigera and S. litura. It exhibited LC50 values of 130.47 and 226.41 ppm for antifeedant and 509.56 and 607.99 ppm for larvicidal activities against H. armigera and S. litura respectively. In linear regression analysis, significant and high correlation was noted between concentration and antifeedant activity with R2 = 0.84 and 0.79 and between concentration and larvicidal activity with R2 = 0.81 and 0.76 against H. armigera and S. litura respectively. CONCLUSION Regression between antifeedant and larvicidal activities also showed significant activity (P = 0.00) with R2 = 0.79 for H. armigera and R2 = 0.70 for S. litura. Friedelin showed good activity against both the pests. Friedelin did not show any toxicity against freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio at 100 mg L−1. Friedelin could be used to prepare a botanical formulation to control the agricultural pests. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Permeability of a heterogeneous urban landscape to the movements of forest songbirds

Summary 1. Urbanization represents a major threat to biodiversity world-wide because it causes permanent degradation and fragmentation of biologically rich natural communities. This is particularly acute in coastal plains and river valleys, where cities are typically located. Although movement is essential to the persistence of populations in fragmented landscapes, little is known about how development and transportation corridors affect the movements of wildlife in the urban context. 2. We conducted a series of translocation experiments within the urban landscape of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to assess the permeability of selected landscape elements for two species of forest songbirds with contrasting adaptabilities to urban development and migratory behaviours: the black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus, an urban-adaptable year-round resident, and the yellow warbler Dendroica petechia, an urban-sensitive Neotropical migrant. 3. Birds were caught in riparian habitats and translocated either within the riparian corridor of origin or across the urban matrix. Riparian treatments included continuous forest, one or several transportation bridges and a major river. In the urban matrix, birds were translocated across a single major road, well- or poorly-treed developed areas, or multiple gaps. 4. Using Cox regression we found that the presence of gaps in forest cover explained more variation in return time than the amount of forest cover for both species. Multiple gaps, in particular, resulted in significantly longer return times compared with continuous forest. Chickadees exhibited longer return times when translocated across linear gaps associated with bridges or roads. In contrast, yellow warbler movements appeared to be more constrained by urban development. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that improving the permeability of urban landscapes for songbirds can be achieved by preserving connectivity along riparian corridors and other major swaths of natural vegetation while minimizing gaps in vegetation throughout the urban matrix. Our study also demonstrated a cumulative effect of multiple barriers, species-specific response thresholds to canopy cover and gap width, and an important effect of distance-to-territory on movement behaviour. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of ‘most forested route’ as a new, animal-based approach for quantifying the permeability of heterogeneous landscapes.