Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Standardized Outcome Measurement for Children With Cleft Lip and Palate

Objective: Identify facilitators and barriers to implementing standardized outcome measurement in cleft care. Design: Cross-sectional, qualitative study. Setting/Participants: Participants included 24 providers and staff from a large, multidisciplinary cleft team in the southwest United States, 5 caregivers of children with cleft palate (with or without cleft lip) treated by this team, and 3 experts involved in implementing a cleft-specific standardized outcome measurement in the United Kingdom. Interventions: Semistructured, qualitative interviews were conducted exploring perceived facilitators and barriers to implementing standardized outcome measurement in cleft care. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for content. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to guide the interviews and analysis. The analysis focused on the characteristics of standardized outcome measurement that directly influence its adoption. Results: Participants identified both facilitators and barriers to implementing standardized outcome measurement. Facilitators included the strength and quality of evidence supporting improvements in cleft care delivery following implementation of standardized outcome measurement and the relative advantage of standardized outcome measurement over continuing the status quo. Barriers included the difficulty adapting standardized outcome measurement to meet local context and patient-specific needs and the complexity of implementing standardized outcome measurement. Conclusions: Providers, staff, and caregivers involved in cleft care perceive multiple benefits from standardized outcome measurement, while also recognizing substantial barriers to its implementation. Results from this study can be used to guide development of an implementation strategy for standardized outcome measurement that builds upon perceived strengths of the intervention and reduces perceived barriers.
Formation of the ligno‐suberized barrier zone and wound periderm in four species of European broad‐leaved trees

Summary The development of wound periderm after mechanical wounding was examined in the barks of Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica and Sorbus aucuparia. Following the initial necrosis of cells immediately surrounding the wounds, development of the ligno-suberized barrier zone was detected within 7 days. Suberin deposition was observed in this tissue in A. pseudoplatanus, S. aucuparia and B. pendula 7 days after wounding, but not in F. sylvatica until day 14. By 28 days after wounding, extensive thickening of the walls of these cells had occurred. Differentiation of the wound periderm was detected immediately abutting the ligno-suberized barrier-zone tissues in all species, with extensive development by 28 days. Fifty-six days after wounding, the wound periderm was fully formed and completely confluent with the original periderm. Development of the wound response was similar in all species, with differences only in the timing of first detection of suberin.
Phosphorus utilization in domestic animals

Two experiments were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of Solanum malacoxylon (Sg) as an inexpensive source of l,25(OH)2D3 on P utilization in broilers. In Experiment 1, three levels of Sg leaf powder :lg, 2.5g, 5g and 15 ug l,25(OH)2D3 were added per kilogram to a basal diet. The basal diet contained 0.6%Ca, 0.5% P, and adequate vitamin D. Treatments were fed to broilers from 7-day-old to 28-day-old. Growth performance and bone ash were used to compare the effect of Sg to synthetic l,25(OH):D-t on P utilization. Addition of 5g Sg and 15ug l,25(OH)2D3 increased weight gain, plasma Ca and P concentrations, bone ash and bone density. No hypercalcemia was observed in birds in the Sg treatments. Bone density and mineral content were normalized by 15ug l,25(OH):Dv In experiment 2, the additive effect of Sg with phytase was tested by chicks fed 0.6% Ca. 0.45% P basal diet. Two levels of Sg (7.5g and 10g), phytase (1200FTU) and the combination of Sg (7.5g) and phytase (1200FTU) were added per kilogram basal diet. Sg and phytase respectively increased weight gain, plasma Ca and P concentrations, bone ash and density as well as bone Ca and P content. The greatest weight gain was shown in the phytase treatment. There was no significant difference between the effect of two levels of Sg. No additive effect was observed by the Sg/phytase combination when compared with the phytase treatment alone. We concluded that Solanum glaucophyllum could be used as an
Egg mortality of northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)

to be 0.17 d 21 (95% CI: 0.15 – 0.19), which is significantly higher than that for haddock, 0.09 d 21 (95% CI: 0.07 – 0.12). Interannual variability in egg mortality ranges from � 0.12 to � 0.22 d 21 for cod and from � 0.04 to � 0.12 d 21 for haddock. The accuracy of these estimates was evaluated by the analysis of synthetic data constructed from a coupled physical –biological model, suggesting that mean mortality and the magnitude of interannual variability were estimated reliably, but not mortality for any given year.
Memory-Enhancing Activity of Thespesia populnea. in Rats

Abstract Thespesia populnea. Soland ex. Correa (Malvaceae) is a large tree found in the tropical regions and coastal forests of India. Various parts of Thespesia populnea. are found to possess useful medicinal properties such as antifertility, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, purgative, and hepatoprotective activities. The current study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Thespesia populnea. bark on memory in rats. Elevated plus-maze and Hebb-Williams maze served as the exteroceptive behavioral models for testing memory. Diazepam-, scopolamine-, and ageing-induced amnesia served as the interoceptive behavioral models. The ethanol extract of Thespesia populnea. (TPE) was administered orally in three doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) for 7 successive days to different groups of young and aged rats. TPE (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) resulted in significant improvement in memory of young and aged rats. TPE also reversed the amnesia induced by scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) and diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Cholesterol-lowering, anticholinesterase, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of Thespesia populnea. may favorably contribute to its memory-enhancement effect. Therefore, Thespesia populnea. bark appears to be a promising candidate for improving memory, and it would be worthwhile to explore the potential of this plant in the management of Alzheimer patients.
Phylogenomics of polyploid Fothergilla (Hamamelidaceae) by RAD‐tag based GBS—insights into species origin and effects of software pipelines

Fothergilla (Hamamelidaceae) consists of Fothergilla gardenii (4x) from the coastal plains of the southeastern USA, F. major (6x) from the piedmont and mountains of the same region, and a few allopatric diploid populations of unknown taxonomic status. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships of the polyploid species with the diploid plants. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was applied to generate genome‐wide molecular markers for phylogenetic and genetic structure analyses of 36 accessions of Fothergilla. Sanger sequencing of three plastid and one nuclear regions provided data for comparison with GBS‐based results. Phylogenetic outcomes were compared using data from different sequencing runs and different software workflows. The different data sets showed substantial differences in inferred phylogenies, but all supported a genetically distinct 6x F. major and two lineages of the diploid populations closely associated with the 4x F. gardenii. We hypothesize that the 4x F. gardenii originated through hybridization between the Gulf coastal 2x and an extinct (or undiscovered) 2x lineage, followed by backcrosses to the Atlantic coastal 2x before chromosome doubling, and the 6x F. major also originated from the “extinct” 2x lineage. Alternative scenarios are possible but are not as well supported. The origins and divergence of the polyploid species likely occurred during the Pleistocene cycles of glaciation, although fossil evidence indicates the genus might have existed for a much longer time with a wider past distribution. Our study demonstrates the power of combining GBS data with Sanger sequencing in reconstructing the evolutionary network of polyploid lineages.
OPTIMIZATION OF AN IMMUNOFLUORESCENT ASSAY OF THE INTERNAL ENZYME RIBULOSE‐1,5‐BISPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE (RUBISCO) IN SINGLE PHYTOPLANKTON CELLS 1

Immunochemical probes are widely used to identih different species and to quantify and understand the role that different antigens play within cells. We optimized a single‐cell immunofluorescent assay for the carbon fixation enzyme ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) in order to quantify the enzyme by flow cytometry in phytoplankton cells. The criteria for optimization of the immunofluorescent assay for Rubisco in single cells included maximization of Rubisco immunogenicity, minimization of Rubisco diffusion out of the cells, minimization of cell breakage, and maximization of the cell labeling. Several fixatives (cross‐linkers and denaturing) and permeabilizing agents were tested on 26 species of phytoplankton. The only fixative / permeabilizing agent that fulfilled the criteria established for the assay was 96% ethanol. Phytoplankton cells collected from the field needed further treatment with a strong oxidant to permeabilize ethanolfixed cells and thus allow the antibody probe to access the Rubisco antigen. This study should have a general applicability to the study of other soluble photosynthetic antigens in single phytoplankton cells.
Effect of Fall Tillage and Cover Crop Strategies on Wild-Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum) Emergence and Interference in Snap Beans

Abstract Direct-seeding of cover crops is often promoted to reduce potential soil loss during the winter, enhance soil fertility, and reduce energy use and equipment traffic on fields. The impact of direct-seeding of cover crops on wild-proso millet seedling emergence in subsequent crops is unknown. In this study, a pulse–chase experiment determined the effect of five fall soil management strategies, two spring primary tillage levels, and two herbicide programs on wild-proso millet emergence in a subsequent crop of snap beans. Wild-proso millet seeds were sown following sweet corn harvest in two commercial production fields to simulate seed rain at a density of 500 and 1,000 seeds m−2 in the fall of 2004 and 2005, respectively. The experimental design was a split–split plot. Five fall treatments were applied to main plots and included direct drilling of cover crops, conventionally tilled and drilled cover crops, a winter fallow treatment, and two additional treatments that were direct-drilled and conventionally tilled in the fall but that were not seeded with cover crops to separate the effects of tillage and cover crops on wild-proso millet emergence. Main plots were split in the spring and snap beans planted without primary tillage or conventionally planted after the soil was tilled. Tillage and cover crop treatments applied in the fall influenced emergence in the spring but with slightly different outcomes at the two sites. Direct drilling without a cover crop produced more wild-proso millet seedlings in snap beans than the winter fallow plot; tillage before cover crop planting in the fall produced recruitment levels less than or equal to densities in the winter fallow plots, with one exception. At one site, cover crops increased emergence compared to plots without cover crops. Spring tillage did not alter the affect of the five fall management treatments on wild-proso millet emergence. Direct-seeding of cover crops should be done with equipment or methods that minimize soil disturbance to prevent movement of wild-proso millet seeds into protected and favorable zones of emergence in the soil. Nomenclature: Wild-proso millet, Panicum miliaceum L. ; snap beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L. ‘OR91G’ and ‘Medinah’
Use of plasmid vectors to show that the uracil and cytosine permeases of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are electrogenic proton symports

Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae bearing the structural gene for either the uracil permease or the cytosine permease on a multicopy plasmid adsorbed uracil or cytosine at several times the rate exhibited by the wild-type. The basal rate of proton absorption by the yeast increased by at least a factor of 3 in the presence of uracil and a factor of 2 with cytosine. Assays with a voltage-sensitive carbocyanine dye showed that substrate uptake depolarized the plasma membrane. Amplification of the uracil permease activity led to uracil being concentrated about 2000-fold in comparison with 25-fold in the wild-type system. Enhanced cytosine permease activity produced a similar but smaller effect.
High fertilization and implantation rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Previously reported better fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic single sperm injection (ICSI) than after subzonal insemination of several spermatozoa was confirmed in a controlled comparison of the two procedures in 11 patients. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was carried out in 150 consecutive treatment cycles of 150 infertile couples, who had failed to have fertilized oocytes after standard in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures or who were not accepted for IVF because not enough motile spermatozoa were present in the ejaculate. A single spermatozoon was injected into the ooplasm of 1409 metaphase II oocytes. Only 117 oocytes (8.3%) were damaged by the procedure and 830 oocytes (64.2% of the successfully injected oocytes) had two distinct pronuclei the morning after the injection procedure. The fertilization rate was not influenced by semen characteristics. After 24 h of further in-vitro culture, 71.2% of these oocytes developed into embryos, which were transferred or cryopreserved. Only 15 patients did not have embryos replaced. Three-quarters of the transfers were triple-embryo transfers. High pregnancy rates were noticed since 67 pregnancies were achieved, of which 53 were clinical, i.e. a total and clinical pregnancy rate of 44.7% and 35.3% per started cycle and 49.6% and 39.2% per embryo transfer. A total of 237 supernumerary embryos were cryopreserved in 71 treatment cycles.
HUMAN INTERFERON ALPHA 2B POSITIVELY AFFECTS PLANT GROWTH IN BOTH ASEPTIC NON-STRESSED AND WATER DEFICIT CONDITIONS

In order to investigate the influence of exogenous human interferon (INF) application and the effect of human INF alpha 2b (HuINF-α2b) gene expression to physiological parameters of wild-type plants, treated by INF, as well as transgenic canola (Brassica napus) plants the fresh weight (FW), total soluble protein (TSP) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, photosynthetic pigment content, and membrane permeability were evaluated under normal and osmotic stress conditions. In transgenic and INF treated plants, SOD activity was higher by 16-33% and 13 % above controls (initial plants and wild-type plants treated by inactivated INF) in non-stressed growth. FW increased by 18-20 and 11 % in transgenic and wild-type plants treated by water INF solution (10 3 IU/mL), respectively. TSP content and leaf membrane permeability were not influenced neither transgenic nor exogenous INF. Chlorophyll a, Chl b, and carotenoid contents were stronger in INF plants. Under water deficit SOD activity and FW retained higher in plants with transgenic and exogenous INF, although the latter was decreased in all plants by 8-11 %. TSP content declined in control plants by 19 %, but it was not affected in INF treated and transgenic ones. Contents of Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoids were up to 1.83-, 1.77-, and 1.54-fold higher in transgenic lines compared with wild-type plants and similar to plants after exogenous INF application. Electrolyte leakage was stronger in the control plants. Exogenous and transgenic INF caused growth improvement in aseptic normal and water deficit conditions and it may be via SOD activity regulation.
Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in Three Species of the C4 Genus Portulaca

The putative existence of Crassulacean acid metabolism was investigated in three succulent species of the C4 genus Portulaca: P. grandiflora (a widely cultivated species), P. oleracea (a cosmopolitan weed), and P. mundula (found on rock outcrops throughout the southwestern United States). Patterns of diurnal conductance and CO2 exchange, as well as diurnal tissue malic acid fluctuations, were measured in plants under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. Net CO2 uptake in both treatments occurred only during the day, although small amounts of nighttime CO2 uptake occurred in a few individuals. Stomatal conductances in well-watered and drought-stressed P. mundula and drought-stressed P. oleracea were higher during the night than during the day, though these higher conductances were generally not accompanied by net CO2 assimilation. No significant diurnal malic acid fluctuations occurred under well-watered conditions in any species; however, under drought stress, significant diurnal malic acid fluctuations occurred in the three species. The primary source of carbon for nocturnal malic acid production is presumed to be respiratory CO2, as occurs in C3 plants that undergo CAM-cycling. This study confirms past reports of CAM acid fluctuations in P. grandiflora and P. oleracea and marks the first report of CAM activity in P. mundula
Habitat selection by a focal predator (Canis lupus) in a multiprey ecosystem of the northern Rockies

Abstract Large predators respond to land cover and physiography that maximize the likelihood of encountering prey. Using locations from global positioning system–collared wolves (Canis lupus), we examined whether land cover, vegetation productivity or change, or habitat-selection value for ungulate prey species themselves most influenced patterns of selection by wolves in a large, intact multiprey system of northern British Columbia. Selection models based on land cover, in combination with topographical features, consistently outperformed models based on indexes of vegetation quantity and quality (using normalized difference vegetation index) or on selection value to prey species (moose [Alces americanus], elk [Cervus elaphus], woodland caribou [Rangifer tarandus], and Stone's sheep [Ovis dalli stonei]). Wolves generally selected for shrub communities and high diversity of cover across seasons and avoided conifer stands and non-vegetated areas and west aspects year-round. Seasonal selection strategies were not always reflected in use patterns, which showed highest frequency of use in riparian, shrub, and conifer classes. Patterns of use and selection for individual wolf packs did not always conform to global models, and appeared related to the distribution of land cover and terrain within respective home ranges. Our findings corroborate the biological linkages between wolves and their habitat related to ease of movement and potential prey associations.
Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Cotula coronopifolia (Asteraceae) growing in Tunisia

The in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the Petroleum extract, and two fatty acids (hexadecanol and pentanol) isolated from the plant Cotula coronopifolia were investigated. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested against bacteria and fungi using Disc diffusion method and Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC). The fatty acids were confirmed using 1D NMR experiments ( 1 H and 13 C). Total antioxidant capacities were assessed by ABTS (2,2’Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl). Total phenolic contents were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Petroleum extract showed promising antibacterial and antifungal activity and isolated fatty acids showed moderate activity against bacteria and fungi and reasonable antioxidant properties, and they can therefore be used as a natural additive in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Book Reviews

Long and Freese’s Regression Models for Categorical Dependent VariablesUsing Statawill prove indispensable as a guide for analyzing categorical data using Stata. This book is suitable for new users and seasoned programmers alike and is certain to inspire researchers to move beyond reporting effects toward uncovering and elaborating important aspects of the relationship between independent variables and outcomes in models for categorical data. The book is also an excellent resource for students and instructors in courses on categorical data modeling. All of the examples used in this book, as well as examples from Long (1997), can be downloaded from the authors’ Web site. Stata is well known for being a state-of-the-art statistical package, due in part to a growing number of contributions from a large and diverse user base. In fact, many current Stata estimation procedures for categorical datamodels are implemented as user-contributed “macros” in the formofadofiles.The authors augment Stata’s rich set of existing procedures with a suite of new tools known collectively as SPost, which perform postestimation analysis and ancillary explorations that form the basis of many of the book’s examples. As the authors claim, “These commands make sophisticated, post-estimation analysis routine and even enjoyable. ” Chapter 1 outlines the models to be covered in later chapters includingmodels for binary outcomes, ordinal outcomes, nominal outcomes, and counts. Readers will also learn how to install the authors’ postestimation routines, which carry over to the installation of other addon packages. Chapter 2 provides an introduction to Stata. The authors offer many practical insights into the rudiments of data analysis
Biodegradation of mononucleotides to nucleosides and free bases

An intracellular phosphate, non repressible alkaline phosphate found in extracts of Penicillium brevicompactum NRC829 could catalyze dephosphorylation of ribonucleotides AMP, GMP, CMP, UMP and phenyl disodium orthophosphate (phph) optimally at pH 9.0 and 60°C. The extracts contain also hydrolytic deamination activities with adenosine, cytidine and cytosine out of the tested ribonucleotides, ribonucleosides and bases. While the optimum activity of deamination of adenosine or cytidine was achieved at pH 7.0 and 50°C. Neither cleavage of the N-glycosidic linkages of these nucleotides nor those of the corresponding nucleosides could be affected by the extracts. Heating the extracts at 80°C for 10 min, in absence of the substrate, inactivated the two enzymes. The extracts catalyzed hydrolytic cleavage of phosphate esters of different phosphorylated compounds with different rates. Hence, the enzyme appears to have abroad substrate specificity and the highest relative rate of hydrolysis was with UMP. No evidence for the involvement of specific nucleotidases in ribonucleotide dephosphorylation was recorded.