Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aislamiento y caracterización de Pseudomonas y Bacillus provenientes de la rizósfera de diferentes variedades de quinua (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) y su uso como potenciales promotoras del crecimiento vegetal

Internationally, the demand of native organic products is acquiring greater interest (attention) due to high nutritional values and their active principles. Quinoa is well known because of its high protean value (12-18%) and its great biological diversity. Currently, Peru is the second greatest producer of quinoa worldwide, reaching 114.3 thousand tons until December 2014. In the agricultural sector, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is acquiring greater relevance, both as biofertilizers and as phitopatogens controllers. However, there are only few studies addressing their application to quinoa crops. Thus, the present work aims to evaluate the application of bacterial bioinoculants of Pseudomonas, Bacillus and other strains as a biotechnological alternative, increasing the productivity and the nutritional content in quinoa crops. A presumptive isolation of Pseudomonas and Bacillus strains was carried out from the native rizhosphere of quinoa crops under two temperatures: 28 °C and 10 °C. These bacteria have a rhizospheric origin from three varieties of quinoa crops from the region of Puno. Strains were characterized phenotypically and for their ability as PGPR. The production of indol acetic acid (IAA) was evaluated, being Pseudomonas strains the ones that stood out, with values up to 36. 23μg/mL of IAA (PS13) and the solubilization of dicalcic and tricalcic phosphates with an efficiency of up to 259% (PS12). The effects of the temperature on the strains’ growth and their PGPR capacity was also evaluated. In vitro assays were developed with the selected strains based on their PGPR traits, which were applied on seeds from Salcedo variety. At this level, the percentage of seeds’ germination, the presence of pubescence at the roots and the dry weight of the seedlings were evaluated. The greenhouse stage assay was carried out in La Molina – Lima, the strains PS43 and PS44 were selected and their emergence, height, volume of the panicle, dry weight and nutritional content of the obtained grains were evaluated. Seedling inoculated with the PS44 strain (Pseudomonas) had better values in terms of height, with an increase of 26.3% compared to the control from the Salcedo variety. In terms of nitrogen content of the grain, better results were achieved with all the inoculated treatments compared to the control, with values up to 38.2% (PS44)
Enhancing The Efficacy And Thermotolerance Of Selected Beauveria Bassiana Isolates For Management Of Sunn Pest, Eurygaster Integriceps, Using Electrofusion Techniques

Wheat is an important food crop that provides over 40% of the per capita dietary supply of calories and proteins in many developing countries. Wheat production has a crucial role in food security and the global economy. With the world's population estimated to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the demand for wheat is expected to increase 60%. Sunn Pest, Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae), is one of the major constraints to wheat production in Central and West Asia, Eastern Europe and North Africa. The economic impact of Sunn Pest is around 42 million USD for the region and that is only the cost of the chemicals used for its management. Application of chemical insecticides has been the main strategy for management of Sunn Pest. However,
Guatemala articles in the Science Citation Index Expanded: bibliometry of subjects, collaboration, institutions and authors

Guatemala, with 16 million inhabitants, is the largest economy of Central America and should have the largest scientific output of the region. To assess its productivity and impact, we analyzed the 3380 Guatemala articles included in the SCI-expanded in June, 2017. Most Guatemala documents are articles in English, deal with nutrition and health problems, and have a mean of 7.4 authors per article. Also in this particular database, citation lifespan is 40 years, and citations are higher for articles in English (twice more than those in Spanish), for reviews (mean 24 citations per review) and for studies resulting from international collaboration, which is done mostly with the USA and Mexico. The most productive institutions are the Center for Studies of Sensory Impairment CESSIAM, the universities of San Carlos and El Valle, and the Central American Nutrition Institute INCAP (but the INCAP has decreased productivity in recent years). The most productive researchers are N.W. Solomons, R. Bressani, L.G. Elias, C. Rolz and A. Caceres. Guatemala represents a particular case in Central America because its high quality research is dependent on particular researchers rather than on institutions, and because the total output is well under the expectation. The productivity and citation of Guatemalan science in the 18 journals published in the country, and in other journals also not covered in the in the SCI-expanded, remain unknown. Nevertheless, the historical trend is positive, with a clear growth of international collaboration, productivity and citation.
Molecular epidemiology and comparative genomics of Chlamydia pecorum infecting livestock and koalas

While globally published data suggests that chlamydial species are essentially ubiquitous in livestock, little is known about the epidemiology of livestock C. pecorum infections, particularly in Australia. Although C. pecorum infections are regularly reported across most of Australia’s mainland koala populations, the genetic diversity of infecting C. pecorum strains is not well understood. The encroachment of koala habitats by sheep and cattle farming along the east coast of Australia is common and raises serious questions over the relationships and potential role that cross-host transmission may have in the epidemiology of chlamydial disease in these hosts. Infections in wild ruminants (e.g. ibex and chamois) and domesticated pigs have also been reported, yet almost nothing is known about the genetic diversity of C. pecorum in these animal hosts and their relationships to livestock and koala strains either. Previous typing studies for C. pecorum utilised highly polymorphic genes, however the derived phylogenies and genotyping schemes were often in contrast to each other. In order to evaluate the overall C. pecorum genetic diversity in various hosts, I developed a C. pecorum-specific Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme. This scheme was then applied to a range of samples from koalas, Australian sheep and cattle, as well as C. pecorum livestock isolates from Europe and the USA and wild ruminants from Switzerland. C. pecorum-specific MLST provided the first molecular epidemiological data on infections in sheep and cattle in Australia, and in characterising novel C. pecorum genotypes, highlighting an unexpected level of diversity for this pathogen. ; Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2016.
Bayesian Method Predicts Belowground Biomass of Natural Grasslands

ABSTRACT Belowground biomass accounts for most of the carbon fluxes between biosphere and atmosphere. However, the relative importance of geographical, climatic, vegetation, and soil factors to belowground biomass at the regional scale is not well understood. To improve our understanding and estimations of belowground biomass, we used multilevel regression modeling to estimate the primary productivity of natural grasslands and determine the effects of the above-mentioned factors on belowground biomass. Mean annual precipitation (MAP), longitude, soil bulk density (SB), and soil moisture content (SMC) explained 22.4% (highest density interval, HDI: 12.6–32.5%), 10.5% (HDI: 0.6–20.6%), 10.2% (HDI: 1.9–18.8%), and 13.1% (HDI: 1.5–25.2%) of the variation in regional belowground biomass, respectively. Our results clearly demonstrate that belowground biomass values of ecological communities exhibited the pattern meadow > steppe > desert steppe. MAP was the most important driver of productivity, and SMC was a goodpredictor of variations in productivity at the regional scale. Our results show that multifunctionality indices that appropriately account for the comprehensive responses of the multiple drivers of grassland ecosystems are important at the regional scale.
Sombreamento de colmeias de abelhas africanizadas no Semiárido Brasileiro

In Northeast Brazil, beekeeping has an enormous growth potential, however, in most of this region, the climate is considered semi-arid with high levels of solar radiation, high temperatures and low rainfall intensity. This type of environment has caused many losses in honey production and generated enormous growth difficulties in the sector. Every year beekeepers lose many of their bee colonies because of the abandonment of hives (absconding behaviors), causing discouragement for beekeepers and thus the withdrawal of the practice of beekeeping. This study attempts to show through literature information that despite the negative influence of adverse environmental conditions in the Brazilian semiarid region, the shading of the hives is potentially effective to soften the harsh environmental conditions of the region. Swarms installed in beehives protected from direct sunlight perform the internal thermoregulation of the nest more easily, which would reflect a lower energetic cost of the bees and, therefore, higher yield of the colony. As result, it becomes the more productive and profitable process of rational creation of Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in arid and semiarid regions. Shading can be considered a simple, efficient, and low cost technique for beekeepers, representing an economically viable alternative and cost-effective.
The Role of the Second Heart Field in Zebrafish Heart Development

The vertebrate heart forms from two distinct progenitor populations called the First Heart Field (FHF) and Second Heart Field (SHF). FHF progenitors differentiate first to form the initial beating heart tube. SHF progenitors differentiate later than FHF progenitors and contribute to distinct parts of the developing vertebrate heart. Heart structures derived from the SHF are perturbed in congenital heart defects, which affect approximately 0.5% of newborns. Here I provide data pertaining to the identification, visualization, and regulation of the SHF in the vertebrate teleost zebrafish (Danio rerio). I developed a photoconversion assay to observe and quantify SHF cell addition to the developing heart. I discovered that SHF cell addition occurred continuously between 20 hours post fertilization (hpf) and 48hpf to both the atrium and the ventricle. I identified a transgenic, nppa:EGFP, as a novel marker of SHF progenitors, allowing us to visualize the SHF progenitors before differentiation and addition to the developing heart. FGF signaling was required for SHF progenitor establishment and SHF cell addition to the heart tube. mef2cb was shown to be required for zebrafish SHF development. mef2cb expression marked SHF cells fated to be added to the ventricle, with inhibition of mef2cb resulting in a strong reduction in SHF cell addition. I also identified hey2 as a novel negative regulator of the zebrafish SHF. hey2 expression was observed in candidate SHF progenitors and hey2 inhibition iii resulted in an increase of SHF progenitors and SHF cell addition. My studies demonstrated that the SHF is an integral part of zebrafish heart development and that zebrafish SHF development shows many similarities this process in mammals. This places the zebrafish as a new and strong model system for the study of SHF development and its role in congenital heart disease.
Investigation of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and their agarose gel electrophoresis patterns from plants extracts

Background: Many kinds of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play an essential role in both physiological and pathological conditions. Most of them are obtained from animal sources, and used as nutraceuticals or therapeutic applications. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to screen for the presence of sulfated GAGs from 8 locally available plants, including ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), star fruit (Averrhoa carambola), Namwa banana (Musa ABB ‘Kluai Namwa’), bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), purple-fruited pea eggplant (Solanum trilobatum), noni (Morinda citrifolia), and finger root (Boesenbergia rotunda). Materials and methods: All plants were extracted, and sulfated GAGs from the extracts were investigated by dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) dye-binding assay, uronic acid assay, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: DMMB dye-binding and uronic acids assays revealed the presence of sulfated GAGs in all extracts with various degrees of sulfated GAGs levels. These results correlated to UV-Vis spectrophotometry that showed the maximum absorbance peaks from all extracts at 190-210 nm, which was similar to sulfated GAGs standard absorption. Interestingly, agarose gel electrophoresis suggested that sulfated GAGs in all extracts exhibited diverse patterns in alcian blue, toluidine blue and safranin O staining. Conclusion: Our results indicate that all plant extracts contain sulfated GAGs at certain levels, which could be a new approach for future study in bioprospecting.
Environmental Systems Optimization

This book is described as a Symposium in Print. It contains five papers on vertical drains which were printed initially in the March 198 1 issue of Geotechnique. In May 1981, a half-day meeting was jointly organized by the British Geotechnical Society and the Institution of Civil Engineers to discuss vertical drains using the papers as a basis. The Institution subsequently published the five papers, together with their discussions in this book entitled Vertical clrains. Of the 160 pages, 90 are devoted to the papers and 70 to the discussions. With the development of new types of prefabricated drains and installation equipment and the economies associated with them, there has been renewed interest in the use of vertical drains to improve soil conditions. The various papers deal with the many aspects of the subject, from the types of field and laboratory investigations required to the practical aspects of drain installation, design methods, and costs. A number of case histories are also presented, including some describing unsuccessful examples. In the discussion section, some of the authors provided additional performance data that was not available at the time of preparing the original papers. The discussions deal with all aspects of the subject and provide a valuable addition. For anyone interested in the application, design, and installation of vertical drains, this book provides an excellent state-of-the-art coverage of the subject and should be considered as "must" reading for the practising foundation specialist.
Screening of FDA-approved Drugs and Identification of Novel Lassa Virus Entry Inhibitors

Lassa virus (LASV) belongs to the Mammarenavirus genus (family Arenaviridae) and causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. At present, there are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs or vaccines specific for LASV. Herein, high-throughput screening of an FDA-approved drug library was performed against LASV entry using a pseudo-type virus enveloping LASV glycoproteins. Two hit drugs, lacidipine and phenothrin, were identified as LASV entry inhibitors in the micromolar range. A mechanistic study revealed that both drugs inhibited LASV entry by blocking low-pH-induced membrane fusion. Moreover, lacidipine irreversibly bound to the LASV glycoprotein complex (GPC), resulting in virucidal activity. Adaptive mutant analyses demonstrated that replacement of T40, located in the ectodomain of the stable-signal peptide (SSP), with lysine (K) conferred LASV resistance to lacidipine without apparent loss of the viral growth profile. Furthermore, lacidipine showed antiviral activity and specificity against both LASV and the Guanarito virus (GTOV), which is also a category A new world arenavirus. Drug-resistant variants indicate that the V36M in ectodomain of SSP mutant and V436A in the transmembrane domain of GP2 mutant conferred GTOV resistance to lacidipine, suggesting that lacidipine might act via a novel mechanism other than calcium inhibition. This study shows that both lacidipine and phenothrin are candidates for LASV therapy, and the membrane-proximal external region of the GPC might provide an entry-targeted platform for inhibitors.
Effect of Nest Characteristics on Thermal Properties, Clutch Size, and Reproductive Performance for an Open-Cup Nesting Songbird

Maintaining avian eggs and young at optimum temperatures for development can increase hatching success and nestling condition, but this maintenance requires parental energetic demands. Bird nests, which often provide a structure to safely hold the eggs and nestlings and protect them from predators, can additionally be designed to help maintain eggs’ optimum temperatures by minimising heat loss, especially in climates where eggs cool rapidly when unattended. We collected and measured Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) nests in western Massachusetts, U.S. in 2009 and conducted a climate-controlled, nest-cooling experiment to determine how nest characteristics affect thermal properties for small, open-cup nesting birds. We then assessed if nests with better insulation properties resulted in any fitness benefits, and also tested if nest structural characteristics affected birds’ fitness. We found that nest characteristics influenced their thermal properties, with thicker, heavier, and larger nests having slower cooling rates and higher predicted equilibrium egg temperatures. Both nest cup depth and clutch size significantly declined over the breeding season, and we observed a trend, although non-significant, that nests with shallower cups had smaller clutches. Contrary to studies on cavity-nesting birds, we found no significant effects of nest thermal properties or nest structure on hatching and fledging success, nestling condition, brood parasitism, or nest survival. Prairie Warblers in our study site may already be adapted to build nests within a range that maximises their fitness. Furthermore, studies have shown that open-cup nests of other species are relatively thicker and more insulated in colder environments at higher latitudes than our study. Instead of building nests to solely minimise heat loss, open-cup nesting birds in temperate climates may also be driven by opposing selection pressures when building their nests, such as to prevent nestlings from overheating during hot days.
Cell-Cell communication in Streptococcus mutans – From a global view to the single cell perspective

The LuxS protein is responsible for the synthesis of the autoinducer-2 (AI-2) signaling molecule. A luxS mutant was complemented genetically, physiologically by heterologous expression of the S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SahH) and chemically by the addition of pure AI-2. Differences due to the lack of luxS became only obvious using a comparative transcriptome analysis showing differences in the glutamate and sulfur metabolism, which could be complemented by expression of SahH. An influence of AI-2 on the transcriptome and various phenotypes could not be shown. In a previous study it was shown that the transcriptional regulator MleR was induced upon addition of AI-2. This could not be confirmed. It was shown that MleR is a positive regulator for the genes involved in malolactic fermentation. These genes belonged to the early acid tolerance response in S. mutans and were shown to protect against acid stress. To understand the role of the CSP (Competence Stimulating Peptide) peptide in more detail a comparative transcriptome analysis of competent and non-competent cells, which were sorted using flow cytometry, was carried out. A strong enrichment of transcripts of all regulators, transformasome genes and the mutacin immunity protein CipI was achieved, whereas expression of mutacin related genes was similar in all cells. Using microscopy it was shown that a part of the competent subpopulation lysed. This study demonstrates that the expression of the spxB gene was induced upon addition of CSP and that the histidine kinase HK9 was necessary for that induction. Furthermore it was shown that SpxB is a repressor of the CSP mediated competence development since a reduction in the expression of ComX and DNA-uptake was caused by SpxB.
Automation of Single Cell Manipulation for Embryo Biopsy

Automation of Single Cell Manipulation for Embryo Biopsy Christopher Yee Wong Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering University of Toronto 2017 Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are a host of technologies and procedures related to fertility and reproduction. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a procedure within ART, is a form of embryo biopsy in which a single cell, called a blastomere, is non-destructively extracted from the embryo for genetic analysis. PGD procedures are currently performed manually with low success rates, potentially caused by operator performance variability and contamination through handling, and are financially, physically, and psychologically taxing for the patient. The automation of PGD can increase the procedure repeatability and hence improve overall success rates. This thesis presents novel methods for the automation of certain PGD embryo biopsy procedures using robotic micromanipulators, computer vision and automation algorithms. This dissertation is separated into three main chapters, each pertaining to the automation of the three main phases of PGD biopsy: The first step in PGD biopsy automation is automated embryo position and orientation control using independently controlled parallel plates. Computer vision algorithms are used for tracking the embryo position and orientation. A novel 3D mapping technique for use with Hoffman modulation contrast microscopy is described and used for ablation zone optimization. Open and closed loop position and orientation control is demonstrated using the parallel plates. The second step of PGD biopsy automation performs a novel two-stage optimization for laser zona drilling to reduce embryo heating. The first stage uses computer vision algorithms to identify embryonic structures and determines the optimal ablation zone