Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New insights into the quality characteristics of milk from Modenese breed compared with Italian Friesian

Abstract This study examined the milk quality of the autochthonous cattle breed Modenese (MO) in comparison with Italian Friesian (IF), at peak and mid lactation, with the aim to support the interest in sustainability of the local cattle breeds in Europe. Forty-eight individual milk samples were collected from 11 MO and 14 IF pluriparous cows, housed in a free stall barn under similar conditions of feeding and management, at 8 and 21 weeks post-calving; daily milk yield (MY) and body condition score (BCS) were individually recorded. Breed differences were observed, being MY lower in MO cows, but BCS, titratable acidity, freezing point, casein (MC), total calcium (Ca), total phosphorus (P) and colloidal P contents were higher compared to IF cows. Time affected BCS, MY, milk protein (MP), MC, urea, casein P and the micellar content of colloidal Ca and colloidal inorganic P. A factorial analysis was performed and four common factors were obtained with a cumulative explained variance of 77.7% of the total original. MO milk showed a nutritionally interesting mineral profile and processing properties suitable for the production of typical cheese that could be interesting for improving the interest in the conservation of animal genetic resources.
Harvest growth stages in soybean cultivars intended for silage

This study aimed to characterize the harvest phenological stages of soybean cultivars intended for silage. Cultivars were evaluated for dry weight of the composite sample, branches, leaves and pods; wet mass of branches, leaves, pods and ground natural matter. This experiment was a 3 x 2 factorial randomized block design, with four replications each, where the first factor corresponds to the harvest stage: R4, R5 and R6; and the second factor refers to two soybean maturity groups (8.0 and 8.1). A significant interaction was detected only for ground natural matter. Higher values of most traits evaluated were observed for the R6 harvest phenological stage. The cultivar with maturity group 8.0 showed higher values for ground natural matter.
Diurnal Activities of the Brown Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in and near Tasseling Corn Fields

Abstract The demand for effective management of the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), in corn and other crops has been increasing in recent years. To identify when and where the stink bugs are most likely to occur for targeted insecticide application, diurnal activities of stink bugs in and near the fields of tasseling corn plants were monitored using pheromone traps. Trap capture of the brown stink bugs in the corn field showed that the number of females was greater at corn field edges than in the interior, but there was no difference in male capture between the edge and interior. Stink bug dispersal within corn fields was further monitored using a mark–release–recapture technique, but the technique was not effective because only one of 158 marked individuals was recovered in the pheromone trap. To further understand the movement pattern among host plants, brown stink bugs were monitored continuously for 6 d near the tasseling corn fields using the pheromone traps. The number of females caught in pheromone traps near the corn fields in early mornings and evenings was greater than in the midafternoon. Within each sampling time across the 6-d monitoring period, total number and number of each sex caught in early mornings were greater on the first 2 d when compared to the remaining 4-d monitoring period. The implications of the findings for brown stink bug management are discussed.
Mayfly (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) assemblages of a regulated perennial Mediterranean river system in the Western Balkans

Abstract The influences of river regulations on aquatic biota are insufficiently investigated. We assessed the level of ecological disturbance of the mayfly assemblages through the damming and flow alterations at two highly regulated Mediterranean rivers in Croatia: the Cetina River and its tributary, the Ruda. Contrary to our hypotheses, species richness, abundance and diversity of mayflies increased along the river’s course. At the sites directly influenced by the river regulations, mayfly assemblage changed: it was less diverse and less abundant. However, no obvious influence of the river regulation on the mayfly assemblages was detected for the sites that were indirectly influenced by these alterations. This was most likely due to specific karst hydrology, i.e., the presence of lateral springs along the course of the river. Multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS) revealed grouping of sites according to the similarity in physico-chemical water properties. The pH and water temperature were the most important environmental variables influencing mayfly assemblages. The data on ecology and distribution of mayflies presented in the current study represent a valuable background for further research and conservation practices in the Mediterranean region.
The contribution of species–genetic diversity correlations to the understanding of community assembly rules

Community genetics aims at understanding how within-species variation, species diversity and environmental factors interact to shape community assembly. An approach that emerged a few years ago has been to quantify the correlation between the neutral genetic diversity of a focal species and species diversity of the surrounding community (species–genetic diversity correlations, or SGDCs). We here review this approach and discuss its interpretative framework in a community ecology context. First, we show that the case for mostly positive SGDCs is probably overstated due to publication bias – only 11% are significantly positive, a fraction comparable to the significantly negative ones. This suggests that variation in area and connectivity among habitat patches, theoretically leading to positive SGDCs, is not the only factor affecting SGDCs. Second, building upon previous contributions, we propose a general framework to identify the multiple factors underpinning SGDCs, and argue that it will help deepen our understanding of community assembly, especially with regard to the ecological factors playing at metacommunity scale. Our framework distinguishes between site and community factors which can affect SGDCs either positively or negatively, depending on whether the focal species and the rest of the community are similar or dissimilar, in terms of realized niches and dispersal abilities. Empirical studies should thus go beyond simply computing SGDCs, and we provide statistical methods (e.g. structural equation modelling) to decompose SGDCs into the multiple contributions of site and community factors. As an example, we use a published dataset (freshwater snail metacommunity), and show how the role of focal population size on SGDCs had hitherto not been detected. We further discuss how considering several focal species and various delimitations of the community may help one to identify clusters of ecologically similar species. We eventually highlight the benefit that SGDC studies would get from integrating β-diversities.
Community Analysis Of Southern Appalachian Fens, And Characterization And Isolation Of A Novel Bacterium And Order

Peatlands of all latitudes play an integral role in global climate change by serving as a carbon sink and a primary source of atmospheric methane; however, the microbial ecology of mid-latitude peatlands is vastly understudied. Herein, next generation Illumina amplicon sequencing of small subunit rRNA genes was utilized to elucidate the microbial communities in three southern Appalachian peatlands. In contrast to northern peatlands, Proteobacteria dominated over Acidobacteria in all three sites. Members of the Proteobacteria, including Alphaproteobacteria are known to utilize simple sugars and methane among other substrates. However, results described here and in previous studies, indicate that bacteria of the candidate order, Ellin 329, may also be involved in poly- and di-saccharide hydrolysis. Additionally, a novel isolate strain CS4 is proposed as a novel genus and species, Micropepsia pineolensis within the proposed novel family and order Micropepsiaceae and Micropepsiales.
Multi-Drug Resistant Aerobic Bacteria Associated with Pneumo-Enteritis in Small Ruminants in Three Egyptian Provinces a field Study

To assess the most common bacterial causes of pneumo-enteritis in small ruminants in three Egyptian provinces, a total of 248 rectal and nasal swabs and 19 tissue samples were collected from diarrheic and dead lambs and goat kids and examined by the standard bacteriological techniques. All the isolates were examined for their antibiotic sensitivity. Finally, the virulence genotyping of E coli serogroups was carried out by PCR. The data showed that 90.34% and 73.79% of the rectal and nasal swabs were bacteriologically positive respectively, with the highest percentage of positive samples were observed in neonates (85%) comparing with 80% in adult samples. Escherichia coli was the highest percentage followed by Staph. aureus and then Salmonella (70.99%, 5.34%, and 3.82% respectively). While, in the case of tissue samples, the highest percentage of bacteria were isolated from the liver with E. coli is predominant (31.58%). The isolated aerobic bacteria showed a multi-drug resistance. The common E . coli serotypes are O114, O103, O8, O26, O108, O148, O86, O78, O111, O18. These serotypes were further examined for the presence of Shiga toxin (Stx1) and attaching effacing (eaeA) encoding genes. The data showed that Stx1 and eaeA genes were produced by 64.85% (9/14) of and 42.85% (6/14) of these serogroup respectively. The production of both was noticed in only 35.71% (5/14) of E. coli serogroups, while 21.43% (3/14) serogroups did not contain any of these genes. The data collectively showed that E. coli is the main cause of pneumo-enteritis amongst small ruminants and severity of infection mainly depends on the production of certain virolence encoding genes including Stx1 and eaeA genes. Further investigations are still required to verify their precise role in pneumo-enteritis pathogenesis.
The effectiveness of antibiotics against a major uropathogen- Escherichia coli and its biofilm assay by phenotypic methods -

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI), an inflammatory disease occurs to a high multiplication of pathogenic microbes in the urinary system. Escherichia coli , a major uropathogen accounting for up to 80% UTI. Activity of antibiotics against E.coli is decreasing due to enzymatic, genetic and various other factors resulting in multidrug resistance. Biofilm is a great threat as it interferes antibiotic therapy, undergoes gene transformation, making the bacteria more virulent. Objectives of the study were to isolate the E. coli from the urine sample of symptomatic UTI patients, to study the effectiveness of antibiotics against E.coli by antibiotic susceptibility pattern, ESBL detection and to biofilm phenotype assay by four different methods. Methods: A total of 400 urine samples from symptomatic UTI patients, October 2015 to March 2016 and processed. E.coli was isolated and antibiotic susceptibility was done as per CLSI guidelines. Biofilm detection by a) Congo red agar (CRA), b) Modified Congo red agar (MCRA), c) Tube adherence assay, d) Microtitre plate method. Results: A total of 100 E. coli (69%) was obtained from 400 samples, 49% were ESBL producers and 84% shows multi drug resistant. Biofilm positive isolates shows 70% positivity by CRA, 91% by MCRA, 57% in tube adherence assay and 99% via microtitre plate method. Conclusions: Resistance to antibiotics ladder is increasing and it’s necessary to take actions to reduce its hindrance in the future. Advanced studies in biofilm will help to prevent the more virulence without any critical complications in therapy.
Analysis of mineral in date palm fruit under different nitrogen fertilization

Quatre niveaux d'azote, de 0 a 900 g/an, ont ete utilises sous forme de nitrate d'ammonium (33,5% N), repartis en quatre ou six applications par an pendant deux cycles de production. La composition en elements mineraux de dattes Khasab a alors ete etudiee a differents stades du developpement du fruit. Par rapport a un temoin non fertilise, l'apport d'azote a augmente significativement la teneur du fruit en N pendant la deuxieme saison de production etudiee, mais il n'a eu aucun effet sur d'autres elements tels que P, K and Zn. De plus, lors de la premiere saison de production, l'apport de 600 g N/arbre/an a augmente significativement la teneur des fruits en Mn et Fe, lors du premier stade de leur developpement. Par ailleurs, les taux en P, K, Mn and Fe de la date Khasab ont diminue avec l'âge. Les taux en N et Zn ont eu le meme comportement lors de la premiere periode de production, mais lors de la seconde, ces elements ont evolue differemment.
Water quality characteristics of dengue vectors breeding containers

Dengue fever is an infectious mosquito borne disease and continues to be one of the most important public health problem. To date, the most widely used method to prevent dengue outbreak is attacking the mosquitoes breeding site. This study was to assess the water quality conditions of the breeding containers which may affect the oviposition preferences of dengue vectors (DVs) mosquitoes. An ecological study was conducted on the species distribution of the DVs mosquitoes with the water quality condition of the breeding containers. The most efficient container types for DVs mosquitoes are container identity 9 (CID9 = Le: 12.98) and followed by the groups of tyres (CID6 = Le: 11.21), which are the most productive container types. Both efficient breeding container types had moderately turbid water, and contaminated with the manifestation of algae. All water samples (n=91) collected were tested for physicochemical parameters and was further analyzed using water quality index (WQI) in order to assess the water quality of the breeding containers. The adaptation to poor and polluted water quality in dengue vectors mosquito larval habitat is related to pollutant from domestic and industrial exposure. Most mosquito species examined appear to breed effectively from this kind of habitat and further research on their adaptation must be done in the future.
Can the pharmaceutical drug keppra (levetiracetam) be used as a therapeutic agent for patients with butterfly glioblastoma

Keppra (Levetiracetam, LEV) represents a new class of antiepileptic drugs (AED) that modulates seizure-activity in epilepsy. Serving as an option for brain tumor patients suffering from seizures, LEV can be used to treat symptoms in patients with brain tumors and increase the sensitivity of Glioblastoma tumors to the chemotherapy drug, Temozolomide (TMZ). Aggressive treatments of TMZ chemotherapy present benefits toward butterfly glioblastoma (bGBM) patients. Patients diagnosed with bGBM, contain a high grade astrocytoma that crosses the midline via the corpus callosum and is considered to have a dismal prognosis that leads to no attempt of a curative resection. We predict that if LEV has the ability to sensitize glioblastoma behavior toward TMZ chemotherapy treatment, then LEV can serve as a chemotherapeutic agent in order to reach a differential diagnosis to cure bGBM patients. In this review, we discussed whether LEV can be used as a therapeutic agent for patients with bGBM, if so what are the pros and cons of this specific gene therapy and are we able to assess if there is a cross relationship between TMZ and LEV, which in turn provides potential benefits. Overall, it is evident that in connection to TMZ, LEV increases TMZ induced cytotoxicity in patients with bGBM, thus causing a sensitizing effect that provides advantageous and disadvantageous options for LEV as a therapeutic agent in bGBM patients.
PHYLLOSOMAS OF SCYLLARID LOBSTERS FROM THE ARABIAN SEA

IN an earlier paper (1957) the authors described a few phyllosomas of scyllarids collected from the Gulf of Mannar near Mandapam and so far this seems to be the only account of the larvae of these lobsters from Indian waters. The difficulty in establishing the specific identity of the various types of phyllosomas has been experienced by all workers. Only in a few instances, such as Scyllarus arctus (ref. Stephensen, 1928 and other earlier workers referred to by him), the monospecific Thenus orientalis (ref. Prasad and Tampi, 1957), and lbacus ciliatus (ref. Harda, 1958) has it been possible to obtain the larvae hatched from the eggs and thus establish identity beyond doubt while at present identification of many other scyllarid larvae will necessarily have to be based on circumstantial evidence. The problem is particularly difficult in the case of Indian scyllarids. Meanwhile it has been possible to obtain some scyllarid phyllosomas and nisto stages from the region around the Laccadive islands (Fig. 1) during the cruises of the research vessel KALAVA in 1958 and 1959. A brief account of these phyllosomas is given in the present paper while the natant stages will be described at a later date along with similar material collected along our coast.
Fatty acids profile of oil from nine varieties of Macadamia nut

ABSTRACT The fatty acids profile and lipids content of the Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla varieties and interspecies hybrids, M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla were analyzed. Total lipids content ranged from 70.9 to 79.7 g of oil per 100 g−1 dry-solids. Gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry identified 20 fatty acids, the most abundant of which were oleic acid (40 to 51%), palmitoleic acid (24 to 36%), and palmitic acid (8.4 to 13.1%). Fatty acids concentration differed between varieties and hybrids (Multivariate analysis of variance, F = 13.89, p < 0.0001). A ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids:saturated fatty acid values ranged from 2.8 to 4.6. The Huatusco variety (M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla) exhibited the highest percentage of lipids (79.7 g of oil per 100 g−1 DS) and the highest monounsaturated fatty acids:saturated fatty acid (4.6), thus highlighted its potential applications within the food industry. The Cate variety (M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla) had the lowest monounsaturated fatty acids:saturated fatty acid, suggesting potential uses in the cosmetics industry.
ECUACIONES ALOMÉTRIC AS PARA ESTIMAR BIOMASA AÉREA DE Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) M.C. Johnst. ALLOMETRIC EQUATIONS FOR ESTIMATING ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS OF Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) M.C. Johnst.

RESUMEN La medicion y evaluacion de la biomasa aerea de arboles juega un papel importante en el manejo de los recursos forestales. Existen muchos modelos alometricos para especies tropicales y subtropicales, pero muy pocos para las zonas semiaridas. Un total de 144 arboles de Prosopis laevigata, de siete rodales naturales localizados en el noreste de Mexico, fueron muestreados por un metodo destructivo con la finalidad de desarrollar ecuaciones para la prediccion de la biomasa total. La seleccion de los individuos cubrio varios intervalos de diametro basal (5.2 a 41.8 cm) y de altura (1.4 a 9.7 m). Se contrastaron procedimientos de ajuste no-lineal y lineal de la ecuacion alometrica y = a·x b + e, para estimar la biomasa aerea de P. laevigata. Aunque, el procedimiento no-lineal tuvo el mejor ajuste (R 2 = 0.95 y P < 0.001) vs el lineal (R = 0.84 y P < 0.001), los resultados demuestran que la transformacion logaritmica y el uso de un factor de correccion en alometria mejora de forma significativa la prediccion de la biomasa. Se concluye que los modelos de regresion obtenidos al usar el diametro basal pueden ser aplicados para la estimacion de biomasa total, en arboles de Prosopis laevigata . Asi mismo, el numero minimo de observaciones necesarias para calcular los parametros a y b, con varianza minima es de 40 ejemplares.
Performance of some Table Grape Cultivars Grafting on Different Rootstocks in El-Nubaria Region

This study had made in El-Nubaria region at the desert street Alex, Cairo 75 km during 2012 and 2013 seasons. Three different scions from Europe grape vine on three different rootstocks are used in this study, their age is six years old in private orchard, sandy clay loom soil on spaced at 2×3 m and irrigated by drip. The results showed that, Flame seedless scion grafted on different rootstocks gave the earliest time for bud burst time, flowing time, time of cluster flower setting, berry coloring time and time of berry ripening comparing with Superior and Thompson scions and ungrafted cultivars. Moreover, data showed that Superior seedless and Thompson seedless cultivars scions on Freedom, Polcin1103 and salt Greek rootstocks gave the better number for internodes/cane per vine comparing to Flame seedless cultivars grafted on Freedom, Polcin1103 and salt Greek rootstocks in both seasons. Flame seedless and Superior seedless cultivars grafted on Freedom, Polcin 1103 and salt Greek rootstocks gave the better berry adherence strength per vine, yield and yield components in contract to Thompson seedless cultivars grafted on Freedom, Polcin 1103 and salt Greek rootstocks in two seasons. Leaf mineral contents in scions understudy did not clearly affected with type of rootstocks comparing with ungrafted scions, Polcin1103 rootstock increased all leaf mineral contents understudy followed by Freedom, salt Greek stock and finally ungrafted scion. Also, leaf of Superior seedless contained the highest values of elements followed by Thompson seedless and Flame seedless regardless the type of rootstocks.
The Effect of Color Light and Stocking Density on Some of External and Internal Egg Traits of Layers

The study was conducted in the poultry farm of Veterinary Medicine College-University of Basra. This study was designated to investigate the effect of color light and stocking density on some productive performance of layers including external and internal characteristics of produced eggs. A total of 180 Isa Brown layers were used in this study with an average of 36 birds in each of five separated treatments were exposed to white light (WL) as a control, red light (RL), blue light (BL), green light (GL) and Blue-Green mix light (BGL) by a light-emitting diode system (LED) applied according to light intermittent program (16 h light-8 h dark) for 12 weeks with light intensity 5 watt/m . In each treatment birds were randomly housed into 6 2 wooden sealed pens of 1 m in three replicates for each density 5 and 7 birds/m . The results of the present 2 2 study recorded significant interactions on accumulative egg production (Hen House) HH%, egg weight and egg mass in layers reared under RL at level of density 5 birds/m . The results also revealed that light color 2 and stocking density had no effect on egg shell weight, thickness, shell percentage, yolk weight, yolk ratio and albumin weight and ratio.
Antibody response of broilers to cell culture adapted thermostable Newcastle disease I-2 strain vaccine.

The efficacy of cell culture adapted thermostable Newcastle disease virus vaccinal strain I-2 was evaluated at various commercial poultry (broiler) farms. Day-old chicks (n=360/6 farms) were vaccinated (oral route) and blood sample from each bird was collected for serum separation. Antibody response was monitored through haemagglutination inhibition test (HI) and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) on 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days post-vaccination (DPV). Maximum geometric mean anti-NDV-HI (Log27.83) and anti-NDV-ELISA (6017) antibodies titers were observed, respectively on 14th DPV. It was observed that administration of NDV I-2 strain vaccine in broilers birds is feasible and was found to induce more protective antibody response. Thermostable NDV I-2 strain can be a preferred choice against NDV in developing countries.