Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rate of Decline of the Oriental White-Backed Vulture Population in India Estimated from a Survey of Diclofenac Residues in Carcasses of Ungulates

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac is a major cause of the rapid declines in the Indian subcontinent of three species of vultures endemic to South Asia. The drug causes kidney failure and death in vultures. Exposure probably arises through vultures feeding on carcasses of domesticated ungulates treated with the drug. However, before the study reported here, it had not been established from field surveys of ungulate carcasses that a sufficient proportion was contaminated to cause the observed declines. We surveyed diclofenac concentrations in samples of liver from carcasses of domesticated ungulates in India in 2004–2005. We estimated the concentration of diclofenac in tissues available to vultures, relative to that in liver, and the proportion of vultures killed after feeding on a carcass with a known level of contamination. We assessed the impact of this mortality on vulture population trend with a population model. We expected levels of diclofenac found in ungulate carcasses in 2004–2005 to cause oriental white-backed vulture population declines of 80–99% per year, depending upon the assumptions used in the model. This compares with an observed rate of decline, from road transect counts, of 48% per year in 2000–2003. The precision of the estimate based upon carcass surveys is low and the two types of estimate were not significantly different. Our analyses indicate that the level of diclofenac contamination found in carcasses of domesticated ungulates in 2004–2005 was sufficient to account for the observed rapid decline of the oriental white-backed vulture in India. The methods we describe could be used again to assess changes in the effect on vulture population trend of diclofenac and similar drugs. In this way, the effectiveness of the recent ban in India on the manufacture and importation of diclofenac for veterinary use could be monitored.
Body mass index and risk of Parkinson, Alzheimer, Dementia, and Dementia mortality: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of cohort studies among 5 million participants

ABSTRACT Objective: Inconsistent results regarding the association between the Body Mass Index (BMI) and brain disorders have been reported. We performed this study to investigate the association between BMI and risk of Parkinson, Alzheimer, Dementia and Dementia-mortality. Methods: A systematic search was conducted up to April 2019 in MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library. Results pooled with random-effects model. Results: Totally, 29 articles which were included in this study with4,978,621 participants. The pooled HR for Parkinson’s in the underweight person was 1.20 (95%CI1.10–1.30). The pooled HR for dementia in underweight and overweight category was 1.23 (95%CI = 1.05–1.45) and 0.88 (95%CI = 0.83–0.94), respectively. There is not any significant relation between each categories of BMI and Alzheimer disease. The pooled HR for dementia in underweight and overweight category was 1.36 (95%CI = 1.14–1.63) and 0.81 (95%CI = 0.49–1.33), respectively. The non-linear association between BMI and risk of Dementia-mortality was significant (p = 0.001,Coeff = 0.003). Conclusion: This study highlights underweight related to increase incidence of Parkinson, Dementia, and Dementia mortality but no on Alzheimer disease.
Neurolymphomatosis in patients with mantle cell lymphoma diagnosed by FDG PET-CT

Neurolymphomatosis (NL) is characterized by the infiltration of malignant lymphoma cells into peripheral nerves, nerve roots, plexuses, or cranial nerves. This is a very rare complication of mantle-cell lymphoma. Diagnosing NL is made difficult by cerebrospinal fluid cytology and bone-marrow biopsy results often being negative. NL can appear as the only sign of recurrence in a patient with a previous diagnosis of lymphoma. Here we present two cases of NL in patients with mantle-cell lymphoma diagnosed by positron emission tomography with deoxy-fluoro-D-glucose integrated with computed tomography.
Field Performance of Single Cultivars of Tuberose for Growth and Floral Characters under Assam Condition

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa Linn.) is one of the most important commercial bulbous ornamentals due to its potentiality for cut flower trade, long vase life, essential oil industry, attractive long spikes, high cutflower yield and nearly year round yield in tropical and subtropical climates (Benschop, 1993; Singh, 1995). Tuberose commonly known as ‘Rajanigandha’ and it belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae and native to Mexico. Polianthes genus contains three types of flowers one of them is single flower type having basic chromosome number n = x = 30 and 2n = 60, which is female fertile used in perfumery industry and breeding programme as female parent, semi-double and double type of flower 2n = 50 and generally used for cut flower (Mahawer et al., 2013). The flowers are used for making garlands, bouquets, floral ornaments and other floral arrangements. Though many cultivars of tuberose can be grown in a particular agroInternational Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 4 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Microbiological profile of different sources of drinking water offered to commercial broiler chicken during monsoon season

A study was carried out to investigate the effect of water from five different sources on the microbiological parameters of broiler chicken. Among the different sources, the total bacterial load was higher in pond water. However, after treatment, microbiological qualities (total viable count, total E. coli count and total coliform count) of all the sources of water under study were found to be reduced. The rain water was free from E. coli. The average total water consumption (l/bird) of broiler chicken offered untreated pond water was lowest (12.055) and it was highest for bore well water (14.560). However, after treatment of water the total water consumption per bird increased numerically for all the groups. The overall water/ feed consumption ratio of broiler chicken offered different sources of water ranged from 3.67-4.07 wherein, it was lowest for untreated pond water (3.67) and highest for untreated rain water (4.07).
Troglitazone, a Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) Ligand, Selectively Induces the Early Growth Response-1 Gene Independently of PPARγ

Troglitazone (TGZ) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ligand that has pro-apoptotic activity in human colon cancer. Although TGZ binds to PPARγ transcription factors as an agonist, emerging evidence suggests that TGZ acts independently of PPARγ in many functions, including apoptosis. Early growth response-1 (Egr-1) transcription factor has been linked to apoptosis and shown to be activated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). We investigated whether TGZ-induced apoptosis may be related to Egr-1 induction, because TGZ has been known to induce ERK activity. Our results show that Egr-1 is induced dramatically by TGZ but not by other PPARγ ligands. TGZ affects Egr-1 induction at least by two mechanisms; TGZ increases Egr-1 promoter activity by 2-fold and prolongs Egr-1 mRNA stability by 3-fold. Inhibition of ERK phosphorylation in HCT-116 cells abolishes the Egr-1 induction by TGZ, suggesting its ERK-dependent manner. Further, the TGZ-induced Egr-1 expression results in increased promoter activity using a reporter system containing four copies of Egr-1 binding sites, and TGZ induces Egr-1 binding activity to Egr-1 consensus sites as assessed by gel shift assay. In addition, TGZ induces ERK-dependent phosphorylation of PPARγ, resulting in the down-regulation of PPARγ activity. The fact that TGZ-induced apoptosis is accompanied by the biosynthesis of Egr-1 suggests that Egr-1 plays a pivotal role in TGZ-induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells. Our results suggest that Egr-1 induction is a unique property of TGZ compared with other PPARγ ligands and is independent of PPARγ activation. Thus, the up-regulation of Egr-1 may provide an explanation for the anti-tumorigenic properties of TGZ.
Does Board Gender Diversity Affects Dividend Payout? Evidence from a review of literature

The objective of this paper is to review the literature on how board gender diversity impacts dividend payout among public listed companies in Malaysia. Traditionally, higher-level management positions are held by men. Leadership and decision making are predominantly male, while the minority are women directors. When corporate boards show diversity, there is a significant presence of women or the addition of women to the board. In the past, present, and indeed the future, board gender diversity is the issue that is a growing trend and is getting more attention. The shareholders and investors are putting pressure on the boards of directors’ to show increased performance. The findings from this paper will provide evidence on whether board gender diversity influences the dividend payout. Board composition without gender discrimination is the new normal for corporations to thrive after the global lockdowns from Covid-19. Other relevant matters on the impact of board gender diversity will also be discussed.
Porcine somatotropin and cysteamine hydrochloride improve growth performance and reduce back fat in finisher gilts

Porcine somatotropin (pST) treatment of pigs consistently improves daily gain and feed conversion ratio but the daily injections involved can be problematic. The sulfhydryl compound cysteamine hydrochloride (CSH) increases somatotropin secretion in several species, possibly through inhibition of somatostatin secretion. Therefore, it is possible that dietary CSH supplementation may provide a dietary means of increasing pST secretion and improving growth performance in finisher pigs. Eighteen female crossbred (Large white × Landrace) gilts (59.2 kg) were allocated to one of three treatments with the respective factors being a control diet, dietary CSH (0.7 g/kg) and intramuscular pST (5 mg/day) for 5 weeks. After slaughter the whole half carcass was cut into primal cuts which were then dissected to a retail level into lean, fat, bone and rind. Over the first 2 weeks of the study daily gain was increased by both pST (+46%, P < 0.001) and CSH (+12%, P < 0.05) while feed conversion ratio was decreased by pST (–30%, P < 0.001) and CSH (–9.4%, P = 0.08) over this period. Over the entire 5 weeks there was a large and sustained increase in daily gain in pigs treated with pST (+38%, P < 0.001), while dietary CSH tended to cause a more modest increase in daily gain (+7.4%, P = 0.06). As a result, final liveweight (+10.6 and +2.0 kg, respectively) and carcass weight (+5.8 and +1.6 kg, respectively) were increased by pST and CSH. Back fat was decreased by both pST and CSH (–1.7 and 1.0 mm, respectively). Total dissectible tissue was increased by pST (+9.1%, P < 0.001) and CSH (+3.3%, P < 0.05). In pigs treated with pST, the increased tissue was primarily as lean (+11.1%, P < 0.008) and bone (+17.8%, P = 0.017), whereas an accumulation of non significant increases in lean, rind and bone was responsible for the increased dissectible tissue in the carcass of pigs supplemented with CSH. In conclusion, dietary CSH increased daily gain and carcass weight and decreased FCR and P2 backfat, with responses being most pronounced over the first 2 weeks of dietary supplementation and not as great as those caused by exogenous pST treatment.
Bioenergetics of growth of a cyprinid, Phoxinus phoxinus: the effect of ration, temperature and body size on food consumption, faecal production and nitrogenous excretion

Food consumption, faecal production and nitrogen excretion by minnows, Phoxinus phoxinus, weighing 1–5.5 g were studied at five rations ranging from starvation to ad libitum and four temperatures ranging from 5 to 15°C. The maximum rate of food consumption (Cmax) was related to body weight (W) and temperature (T) by the relationship: Cmax=aWb1Tb2. There were significant daily variations in Cmax, which tended to decline over time. Absorption efficiency increased with increasing ration size and decreasing temperature. Body weight had no significant effect on the faecal production. The equation F= aCb1eb2 T described the relationship between faecal production (F), food consumption (C) and temperature. Ammonia-N predominated over urea-N in the excreta of most experimental fish. The proportion of urea-N in the total nitrogen excreted was generally higher at lower rations than at higher rations. Rates of nitrogen excretion increased with increased ration size and were, to a lesser extent, influenced by temperature. Body weight had no significant effect on the nitrogen excretion by feeding minnows. The equation N = a+blT+b2C described the effects of food consumption and temperature on nitrogen excretion (N) other than urea-N excretion. The relationship between urea-N excretion (Nu), food consumption and temperature was described by the equation Nu= aeb1T((C+1)b2. On the average, 11 % of food energy was lost in faecal production and nitrogen excretion by minnows feeding on whiteworms, Enchytraeus spp.
Female reproductive biology and spawning periodicity of two species of King Prawns, Penaeus longistylus Kubo and penaeus latisulcatus Kishinouye, from Queensland's east coast fishery

In the coastal region of central Queensland female red-spot king prawns, P. longistylus, and the western or blue-leg king prawns, P. latisulcatus, had high mean ovary weights and high proportions of advanced ovary development during the winter months of July and August of 1985 and 1986. On the basis of insemination, both species began copulating at the size of 26-27 mm CL, but P. longistylus matured and spawned at a smaller size than P. latisulcatus. Abundance of P. longistylus was generally three to four times greater than that of P. latisulcatus but the latter was subject to greater variation in abundance. Low mean ovary weight and low proportions of females with advanced ovaries were associated with the maximum mean bottom sea-water temperature (28.5oC) for both species. Population fecundity indices indicated that peaks in yolk or egg production (a) displayed a similar pattern for both species, (b) varied in timing from year to year for both species and (c) were strongly influenced by abundance. Generally, sample estimates of abundance and commercial catch rates (CPUE) showed similar trends. Differences between the two may have been due to changes in targeted commercial effort in this multi-species fishery.
Estimation of the proportion of C3 and C4 plant species in the diet of animals from the ratio of natural 12C and 13C isotopes in the faeces

Summary The relation between the ratio of the natural 12C and 13C isotopes of carbon in the feed and resultant faeces of animals was studied to develop a technique for estimating the proportion of C3 species (tropical legumes) and C4 species (tropical grasses) selected by grazing animals. In general, theδ13C values (see text for definition) of faeces from rabbits, sheep, goats and cattle were lower (more negative) than those of the corresponding feeds by from 0·4 to 2·0. This was possibly due to contamination in the gut by tissues or fluids with lower δ13C values. When C4 and C3 feeds were alternated, cattle took about a week to fully achieve the new level (δ13C of – 28·7 on the C3 feed and – 13·1 on the C4 feed) in the faeces. This time lag is associated with the time taken for the feed to move through the digestive tract. When mixed C3 and C4 feeds were fed to rabbits, sheep, goats and cattle there was a negative linear relation between percentage legume (C3) in the feed and the δ13C of the faeces (P < 0·01). A decrease in one unit in the δ13C value was associated with an increase of 7·0–8·5% legume in the diet. Estimation of the percentage legume in the feed from the δ13C value of the faeces and of the C3 and C4 components of the diet, resulted in a consistent over estimation of the legume component because the faeces had lower values than the corresponding feeds. This bias was removed if the prediction was based on the δ13C of the feeds minus 1 unit; the legume percentage in the diets of the sheep, goats and cattle could then be estimated with a precision of about ± 5%. Differences in digestibility between the C3 and C4 components greatly bias the estimations. This bias in the diets fed to rabbits was effectively removed by using in vitro organic matter digestibility values of the two components to correct for the differences. Legume percentage in the diet could then be estimated with a RSD of ± 3%. Advantages and disadvantages compared with alternative methods of estimating the diet of grazing animals are discussed.
Ultrasonographic observation of follicular and luteal dynamics during the estrous cycle in Shiba goats.

Transrectal ovarian ultrasonography was performed to examine follicular and luteal dynamics during the estrous cycle in four adult female Shiba goats. Detectable follicles and the corpora lutea in both ovaries were monitored daily for 44 days using a B-mode scanner with a 7.5 MHz transrectal transducer. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture at the time of ultrasonography and analyzed for estradiol-17β and progesterone by radioimmunoassay to monitor ovarian activity. Three to six follicles, whose diameters ranged from 1 to 7 mm, were observed throughout the estrous cycle; a few follicles grew to more than 5 mm in diameter and most of them atrophied during the luteal phase. Ovulatory follicles appeared from 5 days before ovulation coinciding with the start of the regression of corpora lutea, and then grew rapidly into 5.5 ± l.0 mm (mean ± SD) in diameter in parallel with the increase in the plasma concentration of estradiol-17β. The corpora lutea, 6.1 ± 1.3 mm in major axis, were detected from 3.0 ± 1.6 days after ovulation and stopped growing on 6 to 8 days after ovulation, with a major axis of 8.1 ± 2.2 mm. The mean length of the major axis of fully developed corpora lutea remained constant until 14 days after ovulation and then decreased rapidly to 5.2 ± 1.7 mm on the day of the next ovulation. In the early and functional luteal phase, there was a positive correlation between mean length of the total major axis of corpora lutea and mean plasma concentration of progesterone, whereas in the late luteal phase, the mean length of the total major axis of corpora lutea decreased slower than the progesterone levels. The present study demonstrated the ovarian follicular and luteal dynamics throughout the estrous cycle, indicating that ultrasonography is a reliable means for monitoring ovarian activity in Shiba goats.
Association Of Critical Thinking And Curriculum For College Students; A Challenge For Developing Countries To Achieve Sdg Four.

BACKGROUND Present challenge for sustainable development goal four is quality of education for all. Critical thinking is the most important skill that an educational institute gives to students and it should be learning outcome at all levels of education. This study aimed to identify critical thinking and its association with curriculum among college students of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS It was cross-sectional study with 400 college students from federal and Cambridge system selected by multistage random sampling. Structured questionnaire was used with two sections, i.e., demographic and Cornell critical thinking version X. Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. Chi square test of association was used for overall and stratified data for inferential analysis. RESULTS Study showed that overall, 64% of students had high critical thinking (40.2±10.4). Chi-square test of independence showed significant relation of critical thinking with curriculum, family economic status, being first child, extracurricular activities, availability of school playground and career counselling services to the students (p-value <0.05). Stratified analysis showed gender and availability of play ground to be associated with critical thinking for federal while for Cambridge system, living with single or both parents, working status of father, sports week and school playground were significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS Overall results suggested that curriculum does have an effect on the critical thinking of students along with facilities available at school. There is need to synergize theoretical and practical approaches in all curriculums to reduce educational inequities. It is needed for growth of our students and to achieve SDG 4 (to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education) in true spirit.
MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES TO THE UTERUS OF LIZARDS WITH DIFFERENT PLACENTAL COMPLEXITIES

ABSTRACT We compared the uterine component of the placentae of each placental region of two species of lizards, Eulamprus tympanum and Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii, to identify potential routes and mechanisms of nutrient transport. We focused on the uterine epithelium because nutrients must pass though it to reach the embryo. At this point, we have only been able to study two species in detail, but each has a placenta of different complexity and quantitatively different placentotrophy. The uterine epithelium of the chorioallantoic placenta has a different morphology from the omphaloplacenta, and the chorioallantoic placenta of P. entrecasteauxii, the most placentotrophic of the two species, is further differentiated in placentomal and paraplacentomal regions. The chorioallantoic region of E. tympanum, and the paraplacentomal region of P. entrecasteauxii have morphologies indicative of gas exchange epithelia. The blood-uterine lumen distance in P. entrecasteauxii, however, is about one tenth that in E. tympanum, suggesting a greater diffusive capacity for gases in P. entrecasteauxii. The omphaloplacenta of both species has a similar structure, with hypertrophied cells, electron-dense granules in the apical cytoplasm and vesicles budding off into the uterine lumen. This result is particularly interesting because E. tympanum exhibits little net nutrient transfer to the embryo during pregnancy. Nutrient provision across the omphaloplacenta in both species occurs by histotrophy. The placentome of P. entrecasteauxii also has a morphology suggestive of nutrient provision, but by some non-histotrophic mechanism and may be very important in the evolution of substantial placentotrophy.
Chromosome studies in Andean taxa of Alstroemeria (Alstroemeriaceae)

Meiotic or mitotic chromosomes of seven Alstroemeria taxa, native in Argentina and Chile and with Andean distribution were studied: A. andina ssp. venustula, A. hookeri ssp. cummingiana, A. hookeri ssp. recumbens, A. pallida, A. patagonica, A. pseudospathulata and A. pygmaea. All were diploid with 2n = 16. Karyotypes of A. andina ssp. venustula and A. pygmaea were analysed, revealing similarity to previously analysed species. Thus, to all existing arguments for not retaining Schickendantzia as a separate genus, we can add another one which merges A. pygmaea with other Alstroemeria species, and does not support its taxonomic uniqueness. In general, the meiotic behaviour was normal, with regular formation of eight bivalents except in A. hookeri ssp. cummingiana, in one plant of which meiotic irregularities at various stages were observed. At the tetrad stage a large percentage of the cells presented micronuclei. The presence of 0–2 supernumerary chromosomes in A. hookeri ssp. recumbens is recorded. The karyotype asymmetry presented by most Alstroemeria species is discussed. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 138, 451–459.