Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RNA-Sequencing analysis from the triceps muscle of normal and myostatin-deficient mice using various tools

RNA-Sequencing technologies are being used to determine the single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertions, deletions and gene expression. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of myostatin in the triceps muscles of mice using 65 bases single-end RNASequencing data from the Illumina platform. Another aim was to analyze alternat ive splicing events for differentially expressed genes in the above data. Finally, commercially available and open source software packages were compared for their splice junction detection abilities. CASAVA was used for determining the exon, gene and splice junction counts. Partek Genomic Suite was used to perform a two-way analysis of variance followed by the identification of differentially expressed genes. The splicing events were identified using the software packages CASAVA, TopHat, MapSplice and SpliceMap. The results of splice junction detection were viewed in the UCSC genome browser. The performance and features of the above software were compared. The results revealed that myostatin deficiency significantly alters gene expression. This study provides an unbiased view towards commercial and open source RNA-Sequencing software using a very significant dataset. The results show that a preliminary inspection for alternative splicing can be performed; however, currently no software alone can fully analyze the RNA-Seq data and needs complementary software to assist in the complete analysis. The results of this study would benefit researchers in choosing the right software for their purposes considering the resources like time, man-power and money available.
Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia

Four new species of rare scyliorhinid catsharks are provisionally assigned to the genus Parmaturus : P. lanatus sp. nov. from Indonesia, P. albimarginatus sp. nov. and P. albipenis sp. nov. from northern New Caledonia, and P. bigus sp. nov. from northeastern Australia. These species differ from each other by a combination of body morphology, denticle shape, dentition, colour and vertebral counts. An identification key to the Indo–Pacific Parmaturus species is provided. Comments on the diagnostic features separating the genera Halaelurus and Parmaturus are given.
Effect of different grain media on sporulation, germination and virulence of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin against Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae.

A laboratory experiment was carried out to study the influence of different grain based media on sporulation, germination and virulence of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin against third instar larvae of Spodoptera litura Fabricius. Among the six grain based media, viz. barley, finger millets, maize, sorghum, soybean and wheat, highest spore production (5.39 x 10 7 conidia ml −1 ) and spore viability (86.6 %) was observed in conidia produced from finger millet. The production and viability of conidia increased which ranged from 5.0 to 11.5 per cent and 1.70 to 4.65 per cent, respectively, when the media was supplemented with sucrose. The conidia produced from finger millet showed highest virulence against third instar larvae of S. litura with LC 50 value of 1.56 x 10 6 conidia ml −1 while soybean was lowest with LC 50 value of 4.98 x 10 6 conidia ml −1 . However, conidia produced from SDA medium showed highest spore production (6.36 x 10 7 conidia ml −1 ), viability (93.75 %) and virulence (0.95 x 10 6 conidia ml −1 ) against third instar larvae of S. litura .
A structural perspective on the dynamics of biochemical systems. (Une perspective structurelle sur la dynamique des systèmes biochimiques)

In recent years Systems Biology has become a rich field of study, trying to encompass all the information that has become available thanks to the new high-throughput techniques of biologists. Fifteen years ago, a fundamental breakthrough was the publication of Kurt Kohn’s map of the cell cycle control in mammals. Its similarity with electronic circuits was crucial in both making it impossible for humans to comprehend fully, and in prompting the use of formal methods. Since then however, the networks built by biologists and modellers have continued growing bigger, filled with more and more mechanistic details, especially recently acquired post-transcriptional information, but lacking most of precise kinetic data. Because analysis techniques providing dynamical insights mostly rely on complete kinetic information, what was challenging for the human ten years ago is now a challenge even for computers, In this manuscript we will try to give an account of our work of the last twelve years, centered around the question of model. We will define more precisely what this object is, formally, and try to handle the challenges raised by the ever growing amount of data, and corresponding size of models developed in Systems Biology. Our main focus will be the links between the structure and dynamics of those models, seen as means to use several formal methods, like Constraint Programming, to reason on their dynamics. Because of the size issue we will also discuss the question of model reduction, and the related relationships between models, formalisms and interpretations. The discrete nature of the structure underlying a model might seem opposed to the continuous dynamics often associated via differential equations to that model. Nevertheless, we hope to demonstrate that the gap between those two views is quite artificial, and that recent results offer very promising perspectives to bridge it.
Сytomegalovirus Infection in Children

The article is devoted to the actual problem of childhood — cytomegalovirus (CMV). The urgency of CMV research is caused by its wide spreading among children. Many scientists used to consider CMV relatively low-hazard, opportunistic. The authors prove its exceptional dangerousness, emphasizing that it imperceptibly suppresses and exhausts immunity, in this respect ranking second after the human immunodeficiency virus. Currently, there is a growth of infection spreading worldwide and a high death rate caused by this infectijn. The article presents a contemporary view of CMV, its various clinical manifestations related to late diagnosis. Experts attention to this problem is caused not only by the possibility of the progress of severe forms with newborns and infants, but also the potential risk of formation of prognostically unfavorable consequences.
Inheritance of ozone resistance in tall fescue

Ozone is considered the most important air pollutant affecting vegetation. With progressive urbanization, ozone levels have steadily escalated. Reports suggest that ozone tolerance is a highly heritable characteristic and that the selection of resistant plants and breeding for ozone resistance should be possible. This study was undertaken to gain information on the inheritance of ozone resistance in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Progenies from a diallel among six tall fescue genotypes of diverse origin were evaluated for ozone resistance in a fumigation-chamber. Sixteen-day-old seedlings were exposed to 0.5 ppm ozone for 3 hours and scored for injury after 3 days. General combining ability (GCA) and reciprocal effects were both highly significant; however, GCA constituted a major portion of the genotypic variation. Specific combining ability was not significant. The predominance of additive genetic variance observed indicates that breeding for ozone resistance in this tall fescue population should be possible.
The Evolution of Social Behavior in Insects and Arachnids: Demography and sociality in halictine bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

ABSTRACT I propose two hypotheses regarding the relationships between halictine bee demography and social behavior and the environment: the ‘Mating Limitation Hypothesis’ (MLH), that a female's social role (‘caste’) is dependent on whether she mates while young (and thus dependent on male demography); and the ‘Environmental Control Hypothesis’ (ECH), that the decision to lay eggs of one sex or another (thus defining male demography) is dependent upon the temperature and/or photoperiodic conditions experienced at the time the egg is laid, in temperate species. Published demographic and behavioral data typically lack the precision needed for truly conclusive analysis and review, and there are some important recently discovered phenomena that were historically overlooked, and extremely difficult to document. Nonetheless, a review of the available data reveals many notable features that can help evaluate the proposed hypotheses, and offers some guidance for future research. An older hypothesis that is also addressed here is that sexual selection is expected to promote protandry, for many reasons, yet the data on halictine bees suggests that protandry is absent in social populations, although it is characteristic of solitary populations. Geographic variation in demography and behavior is common, and this variation appears to correlate with the seasonality of the habitat, in a manner consistent with the predictions of the two proposed hypotheses.
Facteurs de variation de la biodisponibilité du zinc, ajouté sous forme organique ou inorganique, chez deux espèces monogastriques en croissance (poulet et porcelet)

Le zinc est un element essentiel, un metal polluant et une ressource non renouvelable. Les phytates sont identifies comme facteur alimentaire principal qui limite la biodisponibilite du Zn chez le monogastrique. Le Zn sous forme organique (DZNO) est suppose moins interagir avec les phytates que celui de forme inorganique (DZNI). La biodisponibilite du Zn alimentaire a ete etudiee en fonction des phytates chez le rat, le poulet et le porcelet pour mieux comprendre les mecanismes lies a cette interaction. Les experiences in vivo et les meta-analyses ont permis de mettre en evidence que : 1) L'absorption de DZNO est amelioree par rapport a DZNI, en presence de phytate de sodium qui suggere une protection, de DZNO contre cet antagoniste. 2) La biodisponibilite de DZNO n'est pas amelioree par rapport a DZNI chez le poulet et le porc nourri avec des aliments contenant des phytates d'origine vegetale. L'antagonisme des phytates vegetales agit sur le Zn natif seulement. 3) L'antagonisme des phytates vegetales sur la biodisponibilite du Zn est plus prononce chez le porc que chez le poulet. Contrairement au porc, le pH gastrique faible chez le poulet serait capable de valoriser le Zn natif, initialement lie aux phytates. 4) Pour une supplementation optimale du Zn chez le porc, nous suggerons, en plus de la teneur en Zn native, la prise en compte d'une nouvelle variable " P phytique non hydrolyse ". Celle-ci tient compte de l'activite phytasique vegetale et microbienne de l'aliment. La supplementation en Zn peut ainsi etre adaptee en fonction du potentiel antagoniste des phytates non hydrolysees. La capacite naturelle du poulet a valoriser le zinc natif limite la marge de progres.
Cardiomyopathies: When the Goliaths of Heart Muscle Hurt

Cardiomyopathy, a primary cause of human death, is defined as a disease of the myocardium, which results in insufficient pumping of the heart. It is classified into four major forms; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RMC), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyop‐ athy (ARVC) [1]. These are characterized by extensive remodeling of the myocardium initially manifested as hypertrophy, evidenced by an increase in the thickness of the left ventricular wall and interventricular septum due to interstitial fibrosis and enlarged myocyte size. Following hypertrophy the heart muscle reverts to a dilated state, characterized by a profound expansion of the intraventricular volume and a modest increase in ventricular wall thickness [2]. These changes, initially compensatory, eventu‐ ally become maladaptive.
A New Cytotoxic Sterol Produced by an Endophytic Fungus from Castaniopsisfissa at the South China Sea Coast

A new sterol,ergosta-8(9),22-diene-3,5,6,7-tetraol(3β,5α,6β,7α,22E)(A) together withthree known sterols:3β,5α,6β-trihydroxyergosta-7,22-diene(B),3β-hydroxy-5α,8α- epidioxyergosta-6,22-diene (C) and ergosterol (D) were isolated from the mycelia of an unidentified endophytic fungus separated from Castaniopsis fissa (chestnut tree). Compound A exhibited potent selective cytotoxicity against Bel-7402,NCI4460 and L-02 cell lines with IC50 values 8.445,5.03,13. 621μg/mL,respectively.
Mechanisms of Pathogenesis in Tuberculosis

In the 1890s, Robert Koch observed that a primary infection of guinea pigs with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the skin produced a nonhealing lesion and that reinoculation of the animals after several weeks produced only a firm, red nodule that necrosed and finally healed. These observations first suggested the existence of immunity to tuberculosis infection. While T-cell-derived lymphokines and the activated macrophage represent a necessary condition for protection, it is certainly not the whole story even in the mouse. A large proportion of human peripheral blood γδ T cells, even from PPD-negative donors, will proliferate in response to mycobacteria. Recent experiments involving M. tuberculosis infection of transgenic mice are providing new and interesting information on the role of some lymphokines and cytokines. In many chronic infections or inflammatory diseases, there is a permanent or transient switch from a Th1 pattern of response to Th2. Such a switch appears to occur, for example, in schistosomiasis and syphilis patients. The tissue-damaging responses are evoked by tuberculin, which is a very crude culture supernatant from old autolysing bacterial cultures precipitated by trichloroacetic acid or ammonium sulfate. Such supernatants contain fragments of essentially all the antigens of M. tuberculosis. The known capacity of mycobacterium containing adjuvants (Freund's complete adjuvant) to facilitate experimental induction of autoimmunity and evidence that mycobacterial disease can be accompanied by a sterile arthropathy have reawakened speculation that some autoimmune syndromes may be cryptic infections or may be triggered by past encounters with mycobacterium-like organisms.
HISTOCHEMICAL RESPONSE OF NONHOST RESISTANCE IN PEPPER TO THE STRIPE RUST FUNGUS (PUCCINIA STRIIFORMIS f. sp. TRITICI)

Nonhost resistance (NHR) confers plants immunity to most microbial pathogens. Resistance responses in nonhost pepper cv. A11 and the incompatible host wheat cv. Suwon 11 against the stripe rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) were studied histochemically. Similarly high germination rates of Pst were observed on both nonhost and resistant host. However, the majority of germ tubes failed to form substomatal vesicles and fewer haustoria formed in the nonhost interaction, while the ratio of H2O2 accumulation was considerably high in pepper. During a further incubation period, no secondary hyphae were found in nonhost pepper-Pst. In contrast, significantly higher proportion of haustoria and a much lower production of H2O2 and secondary hyphae were detectable in the incompatible host resistance deployed by wheat. The incidence of hypersensitive cell death was found to be slightly higher in the nonhost interaction. These results indicate that H2O2 and hypersensitive cell death play important roles in the NHR of pepper to Pst, and nonhost and host resistance may share similar mechanisms.
Effects of heat stress on energetic metabolism in growing pigs

To delineate differences between heat stress (HS) and decreased feed intake on energetic metabolism we utilized crossbred gilts (n=48; 35±4 kg BW) which were housed in constant climate controlled rooms in individual pens and exposed to 1) thermal neutral (TN) conditions (20°C; 35–50% humidity) with ad libitum intake (n=18), 2) HS conditions (35°C; 20–35% humidity) with ad libitum intake (n=24) or 3) pair‐fed (PF in TN conditions [PFTN], n=6: to eliminate confounding effects of dissimilar feed intake). Pigs were sacrificed at 1, 3, or 7d of environmental exposure. Pigs exposed to HS had an increase in rectal temperature (39.3 vs. 40.8°C). On d1, HS pigs had a 67% increase in plasma NEFA, but NEFA concentrations rapidly declined and did not differ from TN pigs on d3 or 7. PFTN pigs had a 157% increase in plasma NEFA on d7 compared to TN and HS counterparts. On d7, HS pigs had increased (86%) plasma insulin concentrations compared to PFTN pigs. Subcutaneous adipose tissue FAS activity tended (P<0.11) to be increased on d7 in HS compared to PFTN pigs but G3PDH activity did not differ between treatments. On d7, adipose tissue HSL gene expression tended to be decreased (P<0.11) in HS compared to PFTN pigs, but LPL mRNA abundance did not differ between treatments. Our data indicate HS markedly alters post‐absorptive carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and many of these physiological changes are independent of reduced nutrient intake.
The Nature of Emerging Digital Business Models in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study of Cameroonian Cases

Digital business models are increasingly being created in Sub-Saharan Africa, thanks to the digital revolution currently taking place across the continent. Whilst academic efforts in understanding such business models is still nascent, we use the explicit case of Cameroon in this paper to provide in-depth qualitative evidence of the nature of business models from the perspective of digital entrepreneurs. We note that although there is a considerable success in developing digital business models capable of creating both economic and societal value, these entrepreneurs face major challenges for value capture as they rely on weak notions of sustainable business models. By uncovering the type of value created and the value capture issues, we develop a framework that accommodates the managerial and policy implications for encouraging successful digital business models in SSA.
Bones and cartilage : developmental and evolutionary skeletal biology

Bones and Cartilage provides the most in-depth review and synthesis assembled on the topic, across all vertebrates. It examines the function, development and evolution of bone and cartilage as tissues, organs and skeletal systems. It describes how bone and cartilage develop in embryos and are maintained in adults, how bone is repaired when we break a leg, or regenerates when a newt grows a new limb, or a lizard a new tail. The second edition of Bones and Cartilage includes the most recent knowledge of molecular, cellular, developmental and evolutionary processes, which are integrated to outline a unified discipline of developmental and evolutionary skeletal biology. Additionally, coverage includes how the molecular and cellular aspects of bones and cartilage differ in different skeletal systems and across species, along with the latest studies and hypotheses of relationships between skeletal cells and the most recent information on coupling between osteocytes and osteoclasts All chapters have been revised and updated to include the latest research. * Offers complete coverage of every aspect of bone and cartilage, with updated references and extensive illustrations* Integrates development and evolution of the skeleton, as well a synthesis of differentiation, growth and patterning* Treats all levels from molecular to clinical, embryos to evolution, and covers all vertebrates as well as invertebrate cartilages* Includes new chapters on evolutionary skeletal biology that highlight normal variation and variability, and variation outside the norm (neomorphs, atavisms)* Updates hypotheses on the origination of cartilage using new phylogenetic, cellular and genetic data* Covers stem cells in embryos and adults, including mesenchymal stem cells and their use in genetic engineering of cartilage, and the concept of the stem cell niche
Factors contributing to behavioral variation in two species of Alouatta and their hybrids

Social differences between primate species may result from both flexible responses to current conditions or fixed differences across taxa, yet we know little about the relative importance of these factors. Here, we take advantage of a naturally occurring hybrid zone in Tabasco, Mexico to characterize the variation in social structure among two endangered howler monkey species, Alouatta pigra and A. palliata, and their hybrids. Work in pure populations has suggested that A. pigra females maintain closer proximity, exhibit higher rates of affiliation, and lower rates of agonism than A. palliata females, but we do not know what accounts for this difference. Using identical data collection and analysis methods across three populations, we first seek to confirm previously reported interspecific differences in social structure across all sexes. We next examine: 1. how female social relationships changed with ancestry (by comparing pure and hybrid individuals), 2. how female social relationships changed with group size (A. pigra have smaller groups than A. palliata), and 3. whether female social relationships differed between two taxonomic groups within a single forest fragment (thus controlling for ecological variation). We confirmed previously described species differences, including closer proximity among females than among males in all populations. We also found that smaller groups maintained closer proximity. However, even after accounting for variation in group size, A. pigra
News story aggregation and perceived credibility

The practice of aggregating news content—repurposing content created by other news organizations—raises questions about credibility. This experimental study suggests that news organizations can boost credibility of aggregated content by more clearly identifying originating sources than by increasing or decreasing the use of aggregation. Relationships between levels of aggregation and credibility showed little or no significance, while relationships between credibility and receivers’ confidence in identifying originating sources were significant.