Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phytoconstituent screening and antimicrobial principles of leaf extracts of two variants of Morus alba (S30 and S54)

Efficacies of the two variants of Morus alba locally grown in Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, were investigated following the recommended procedure of analysis. Phytochemical, proximate and mineral compositions of M. alba leaves were determined using a standard procedure. Antimicrobial properties of leaf extracts of M. alba were also investigated against laboratory standards of both bacteria and fungi using the disc diffusion method. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, tannins, oxalate and flavonoids. Trypsin inhibitors, phytate and phenolic compounds were also present in appreciable quantity. Proximate analysis revealed the presence of crude protein, crude fat and crude fibre which is an indication of the plant’s nutritional value and could find an application in feed suppliments. The moisture content of M. alba (S30- 4.350% and S54- 1.050%) is indicative of its non-perishability, therefore could be stored for a long period of time. Minerals are needed for some physiological functions and some of the minerals are supplied from external sources. M. alba (S30 and S54) showed the presence of potassium, calcium, phosporus, zinc and magnesium. The minerals investigated revealed that the plant has low mineral content with the exception of potassium (S30- 32.650 mg/100 mg and S54- 31.400 mg/100 mg) which was high. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against microbes by detecting zones of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The zones of inhibition were compared with standard antibiotic discs of bacitracin for bacteria and streptomycin for fungi. The MIC values of the cold water extracts of the plant were low when compared with both hot water extracts and ethanol (99.7%) extracts. This is an indication of high potency and most suitable to combat nocosomial infection. M. albaextracts could find applications in the treatment of infections as indicated by the result of the antimicrobial screening and the whole plants can also be used in feed compounding for domestic animals. Key words: Morus alba, antimicrobial, phytoconstituents, medicine, organisms.
Women Are at Greater Risk of OCD Than Men: A Meta-Analytic Review of OCD Prevalence Worldwide.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the worldwide prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), examine whether women are at greater risk than men, and explore other potential moderators of OCD prevalence to explain variability in community-based epidemiologic studies. DATA SOURCES An electronic search of PsycINFO and PubMed was conducted until January 2017, without date or language restrictions, using the keywords OCD, epidemiology, and prevalence. The search was supplemented by articles referenced in the obtained sources and relevant reviews. STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they reported current, period, and/or lifetime OCD prevalence (diagnosed according to an interview based on DSM or ICD criteria) in representative community samples of adults aged 18 years or older. A total of 4,045 studies were retrieved, with 34 studies ultimately included. DATA EXTRACTION OCD prevalence was extracted from each study alongside 9 moderators: gender, year, response rate, region, economic status, diagnostic criteria, diagnostic interview, interviewer, and age. RESULTS The overall aggregate current, period, and lifetime OCD prevalence estimates were 1.1%, 0.8%, and 1.3%, respectively. In a typical sample, women were 1.6 times more likely to experience OCD compared to men, with lifetime prevalence rates of 1.5% in women and 1.0% in men. There was also a trend toward younger adults' being more likely to experience OCD in their lifetime than older adults. All findings demonstrated moderate heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS Women are typically at greater risk of experiencing OCD in their lifetime than men.
Integrated Weed Management in Onion (Allium cepa L.) under Himachal Pradesh Conditions

An investigation was conducted to study the effect of different levels of fluchloralin, oxyfluorfen and pendimethalin applied alone and coupled with hand weeding (HW) at 40 days after transplanting (DAT), hand weeding at 40 DAT, HW 40 and 60 DAT, weed free and weedy check on weed management in onion. The investigation revealed that oxyfluorfen applied at 0.25 kg ha−1 alongwith HW at 40 OAT as well as at 0.37 kg ha−1 were the best treatment combinations for effective weed control and maximum onion bulb yield.
Chromosome‐level genome assembly of the East Asian common octopus (Octopus sinensis) using PacBio sequencing and Hi‐C technology

The Cephalopoda are a group of highly diverse marine species in the phylum Mollusca, which are distributed worldwide. They have evolved some vertebrate‐like biological traits and exhibit complicated behavioural repertoires. Thus, they are interesting species for studying the mechanisms of evolutionary convergence, innovational functional structures and evolutionary adaptation to a highly active, predatory lifestyle in diverse marine environments. Despite the evolutionary placement and biological significance of cephalopods, genomic data on these organisms remain limited. Here, we assembled a chromosome‐level genome of a female East Asian common octopus (Octopus sinensis) by combining Pacific Bioscience (PacBio) single‐molecule real‐time sequencing, Illumina paired‐end sequencing and Hi‐C technology. An O. sinensis genome of 2.72 Gb was assembled from a total of 245.01 Gb high‐quality PacBio sequences. The assembled genome represents 80.2% completeness (BUSCO) with a contig N50 of 490.36 Kb and a scaffold N50 of 105.89 Mb, showing a considerable improvement compared with other sequenced cephalopod genomes. Hi‐C scaffolding of the genome resulted in the construction of 30 pseudochromosomes in Cephalopoda, representing 96.41% of the assembled sequences. The genome contained 42.26% repeat sequences and 5,245 noncoding RNAs. A total of 31,676 protein‐coding genes were predicted, of which 82.73% were functionally annotated. The comparative genomic analysis identified 17,020 orthologous gene families, including 819 unique gene families and 629 expanded gene families. This genomic information will be an important molecular resource for further investigation of biological function and evolutionary adaptations in octopuses, and facilitate research into their population genetics and comparative evolution.
Comparative Protective Efficacies of Novel Avian Paramyxovirus-Vectored Vaccines against Virulent Infectious Bronchitis Virus in Chickens

Viral vectored vaccines are desirable alternatives for conventional infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccines. We have recently shown that a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (rNDV) strain LaSota expressing the spike (S) protein of IBV strain Mass-41 (rLaSota/IBV-S) was a promising vaccine candidate for IBV. Here we evaluated a novel chimeric rNDV/avian paramyxovirus serotype 2 (rNDV/APMV-2) as a vaccine vector against IBV. The rNDV/APMV-2 vector was chosen because it is much safer than the rNDV strain LaSota vector, particularly for young chicks and chicken embryos. In order to determine the effectiveness of this vector, a recombinant rNDV/APMV-2 expressing the S protein of IBV strain Mass-41 (rNDV/APMV-2/IBV-S) was constructed. The protective efficacy of this vector vaccine was compared to that of the rNDV vector vaccine. In one study, groups of one-day-old specific-pathogenic-free (SPF) chickens were immunized with rLaSota/IBV-S and rNDV/APMV-2/IBV-S and challenged four weeks later with the homologous highly virulent IBV strain Mass-41. In another study, groups of broiler chickens were single (at day one or three weeks of age) or prime-boost (prime at day one and boost at three weeks of age) immunized with rLaSota/IBV-S and/or rNDV-APMV-2/IBV-S. At weeks six of age, chickens were challenged with a highly virulent IBV strain Mass-41. Our challenge study showed that novel rNDV/APMV-2/IBV-S provided similar protection as rLaSota/IBV-S in SPF chickens. However, compared to prime-boost immunization of chickens with chimeric rNDV/APMV-2, rLaSota/IBV-S and/or a live IBV vaccine, single immunization of chickens with rLaSota/IBV-S, or live IBV vaccine provided better protection against IBV. In conclusion, we have developed the novel rNDV/APMV-2 vector expressing S protein of IBV that can be a safer vaccine against IB in chickens. Our results also suggest a single immunization with a LaSota vectored IBV vaccine candidate provides better protection than prime-boost immunization regimens.
The protective effects of different compatibility proportions of the couplet medicines for Astragali Radix and Angelica sinensis Radix on myocardial infarction injury

Abstract Context Astragali Radix (AR) and Angelica sinensis Radix (ASR) combinations are used to treat cardiovascular disorders. Objectives This study investigates the protective effects of different compatibility proportions of AR and ASR on cardiac dysfunction in a C57BL/6 mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI). Materials and methods MI mice were induced by ligation of the left coronary artery and divided into six groups: sham, vehicle, 10 mg/kg/d simvastatin and combinations of AR and ASR at different ratios, including 1:1 (AR 2.5 g/kg + ASR 2.5 g/kg), 3:1 (AR 3.75 g/kg + ASR 1.25 g/kg) and 5:1 (AR 4.17 g/kg + ASR 0.83 g/kg). Both AR–ASR combinations and simvastatin were dissolved in saline solution and given daily by gavage. The left ventricle function, infarct size, heart tissue injury, apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, leukocyte infiltrates, capillary density and expression of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax, Bad, IL-1β, IL-6, VEGF, p-Akt and p-eNOS were analysed. Results Different combinations of AR and ASR improve cardiac function and reduce infarct size (61.15% vs. 39.3%, 42.65% and 45.5%) and tissue injury through different mechanisms. When AR was combined with ASR at ratio of 1:1, the inflammation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were suppressed (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). The combination ratio of 3:1 exerted effect in promoting angiogensis (p < 0.05). In the combination of AR and ASR at 5:1 ratio, angiogenesis was significantly improved (p < 0.01) and the apoptosis was inhibited (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our results reflect the regulation of multiple targets and links in herb pairs and provide an important basis for the use of AR and ASR combinations in the treatment of MI.
FERTILIZER EFFECTS ON EARLY GROWTH AND YIELD OF 'HAMLIN' ORANGE TREES

The growth response of young 'Hamlin' orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) on Carrizo citrange (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliatu L. Raf.) trees to N-P-K fertilizer rates under field conditions in southwestern Florida was studied to determine the minimum fertilizer required to bring trees into maximum early production. The highest 8N-1.8P- 6.6K fertilizer rate was 2.72,5.45, and 8.17 kg/tree in 1989,1990, and 1991, respectively. Additional fertilizer treatments equaled 50%, 25%, or 13% of the maximum rate. Fertilizer sources contained either all water-soluble N (applied more frequently) or 40% to 50% controlled-release N (applied less frequently), and they did not affect fruit yield or quality. The response of trunk cross-sectional area, tree canopy volume, and fruit yield to fertilizer rate was described by a linear plateau model. The model predicted a fruit yield of 22.6 kg/tree at the estimated critical fertilizer rate of 48% of maximum. Fruit yield at the 50% maximum rate averaged 21.2 kg/tree. As fertilizer rate increased, total soluble solids concentration (TSS) in juice and the TSS : acid ratio decreased, but weight per fruit and TSS per tree increased. A fruit yield >21 kg/31-month-old tree indicated vigorous growth. More than 48,000 ha of new citrus groves has been established in Florida since 1988 (Florida Dept. of Agr. and Consumer Serv., 1990). Land used for citrus production in southwestern Florida increased from 21,000 ha in 1980 to 51,000 ha in 1990. New plantings are expected to continue through the 1990s, most in Florida's new citrus-producing re- gion. The effect of agricultural practices on the environment is a concern associated with this growth. The mobility of N fertilizer in sandy Florida soils presents the potential for ground- water contamination. Adopting management practices to increase fertilizer efficiency (de- fined as the proportion of applied fertilizer taken up by the plant) should minimize envi- ronmental effects andreduce production costs. An example of such practices is using fertilizer rates near the minimum required by the plant for maximum growth under an application strategy that decreases leaching. Milder winter temperatures in southwest- em Florida allow a longer growing season than in central Florida. To produce large trees quickly and accelerate fruit production, grow- ers have fertilized young trees at rates exceed- ing current N-P-K recommendations (Koo et al., 1984). These recommendations do not differentiate between central and southern Florida with respect to fertilizer rates. Most citrus fertilization studies in Florida have involved trees established in the field for
Influence of flooding duration and aeration on saplings of ten hardwood floodplain forest species

Alluvial floodplain forests have been reduced drastically in many parts of Europe, due to deforestation, the transformation to settlement and expansion of agricultural areas. Although they have been heavily modified for centuries, generalized frameworks for their management are scarce and the complex interactions between the physical environment and biological processes are often not fully understood. As the zonation of woody species in floodplains is mainly determined by hydrological conditions, flooding tolerance can be regarded as a key factor for the successful establishment of woody species. Furthermore, the oxygen level of the flooding water might affect the responses to flooding. We examined the influence of flooding duration in combination with oxygen supply by aeration on the foliar injury and growth of six-week-old saplings of ten woody species, under controlled common garden conditions. Six of them are considered to be flooding tolerant whereas four are intolerant. In addition, seven are native whereas three are non-native species. During the experiment, the saplings were exposed to partial flooding of different durations (k = 3; three, six and nine weeks) and oxygen levels (k = 2; aerated and not aerated). For comparison, we included an unflooded control. We recorded foliar injury, plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter. We also included a long-term recovery period. Whereas foliar injury decreased for most species with increasing flooding duration, the typical floodplain forest species, classified as flooding tolerant developed better. The differences in species response to flooding could be most likely explained by their ability to react to the resulting stress in morphological, physiological and metabolic terms irrespective whether they are native or not. In addition, the inclusion of a recovery period seems to be important for the assessment of flooding tolerance.
Resource allocation in Maritime cereal cultivar trials

Research funding for cooperators in the cereal cultivar testing system in Canada is declining, and cooperators are under pressure to reduce their testing effort. The impact of reducing the number of years, test sites, and replications on the standard error of cultivar means (SE), predicted response to selection (R), and the probability of accepting inferior cultivars in Maritime spring cereal registration trials was examined using variance component estimates. Reducing the number of replications increased SE less than reducing the number of sites or years of testing. Reducing replicates per site from four to two increased SE by no more than 0.02 t ha−1 when the number of sites was three or more. Reducing the number of trial sites from five to three, however, increased SE by up to 0.06 t ha−1 and reduced R by as much as 16%. The probability that a cultivar with a true yield 5% less than that of a standard would equal or exceed the standard in a 3-yr series of trials conducted at five sites ranged from 6% i.
Assessing thermal sensitivity using transient heat and cold stimuli combined with a Bayesian adaptive method in a clinical setting: A proof of concept study

Quantitative sensory testing of thermal detection abilities is used as a clinical tool to assess the function of pain pathways. The most common procedure to assess thermal sensitivity, the ‘method of limits’, provides a quick but rough estimate of detection thresholds. Here, we investigate the potential of evaluating not only the threshold but also the slope of the psychometric functions for cold and warm detection.
Waterborne Exposure of Paclobutrazol at Environmental Relevant Concentration Induce Locomotion Hyperactivity in Larvae and Anxiolytic Exploratory Behavior in Adult Zebrafish

The available arable land is unable to fulfill the food production need of rapidly the exponentially growing human population in the world. Pesticides are one of those different measures taken to meet this demand. As a plant growth regulator to block gibberellin, paclobutrazol (PBZ) is used excessively throughout the world to promote early fruit setting, and to increase seed setting which might be harmful because PBZ is a very stable compound; therefore, it can bioaccumulate into the food chain of an ecosystem. In the present study, we discovered unexpected effects of PBZ on zebrafish larvae and adult behaviors by challenging them with low dose exposure. Zebrafish larvae aged 4 days post-fertilization (dpf) were exposed for 24 h at 10 µg/L (0.01 ppm) and 100 µg/L (0.1 ppm) of PBZ, respectively, and adults were incubated at 100 µg/L (0.1 ppm) and 1000 µg/L (1 ppm) concentrations of PBZ, respectively, for fourteen days. After incubation, the locomotor activity, burst, and rotation movement for the larvae; and multiple behavioral tests such as novel tank exploration, mirror biting, shoaling, predator avoidance, and social interaction for adult zebrafish were evaluated. Brain tissues of the adult fish were dissected and subjected to biochemical analyses of the antioxidant response, oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and neurotransmitter levels. Zebrafish larvae exposed to PBZ exhibited locomotion hyperactivity with a high burst movement and swimming pattern. In adult zebrafish, PBZ resulted in anxiolytic exploratory behavior, while no significant results were found in social interaction, shoal making, and predator avoidance behaviors. Interestingly, high dose PBZ exposure significantly compromised the innate aggressive behavior of the adult fish. Biochemical assays for oxidative stress, antioxidant response, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed significant reductions in their relative contents. In conclusion, for the first time, our behavior assays revealed that chronic PBZ exposure induced behavioral alterations in both larvae and the adult zebrafish. Because PBZ is a widely-used plant growth regulator, we suggest that it is necessary to conduct more thorough tests for its biosafety and bioaccumulation.
The affinity and selectivity of α‐adrenoceptor antagonists, antidepressants, and antipsychotics for the human α1A, α1B, and α1D‐adrenoceptors

α1‐adrenoceptor antagonists are widely used for hypertension (eg, doxazosin) and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH, eg, tamsulosin). Some antidepressants and antipsychotics have been reported to have α1 affinity. This study examined 101 clinical drugs and laboratory compounds to build a comprehensive understanding of α1‐adrenoceptor subtype affinity and selectivity. [3H]prazosin whole‐cell binding was conducted in CHO cells stably expressing either the full‐length human α1A, α1B, or α1D‐adrenoceptor. As expected, doxazosin was a high‐affinity nonselective α1‐antagonist although other compounds (eg, cyclazosin, 3‐MPPI, and ARC239) had higher affinities. Several highly α1A‐selective antagonists were confirmed (SNAP5089 had over 1700‐fold α1A selectivity). Despite all compounds demonstrating α1 affinity, only BMY7378 had α1D selectivity and no α1B‐selective compounds were identified. Phenoxybenzamine (used in pheochromocytoma) and dibenamine had two‐component‐binding inhibition curves at all three receptors. Incubation with sodium thiosulfate abolished the high‐affinity component suggesting this part is receptor mediated. Drugs used for hypertension and BPH had very similar α1A/α1B/α1D‐adrenoceptor pharmacological profiles. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (antidepressants) had poor α1‐adrenoceptor affinity. Several tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline) and antipsychotics (eg, chlorpromazine and risperidone) had high α1‐adrenoceptor affinities, similar to, or higher than, α blockers prescribed for hypertension and BPH, whereas others had poor α1 affinity (eg, protriptyline, sulpiride, amisulpiride, and olanzapine). The addition of α blockers for the management of hypertension or BPH in people already taking tricyclic antidepressants and certain antipsychotics may not be beneficial. Awareness of the α‐blocking potential of different antipsychotics may affect the choice of drug for those with delirium where additional hypotension (eg, in sepsis) may be detrimental.
Physical and performance variables for talent identification in water polo.

BACKGROUND The aim of this work was to compare anthropometric and general physical performance variables in young water polo athletes of three competitive levels, to identify the characteristic qualities and, therefore, the best variables for the identification of talent. METHODS 57 young male water polo players between 12 and 14 years old were recruited for the study: 18 were recreational level (REC), 18 sub-elite level (SE) and 21 elite level (EL). To assess anthropometric characteristics the following measurements were used: body mass, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, chest circumference and arm span. Five general performance measures were used: Counter Movement Jump (CMJ), Triple Hop Jump (THJ), Push Up, Chin Up and Sit Up. Relative age was assessed. RESULTS The whole sample was homogeneous by age (REC 13.1±0.4, SE 13.2±1.0, EL 13.3±0.7 years old) but not in terms of relative age: most of the members of the SE and EL groups were born in the first half of the year. Body mass values (REC 48.2±11.6, SE 59.3±11.6, EL 69.1±4.2 kg) show statistically significant differences between all three competitive levels (RECVSSE p=0.007, RECVSEl p=0.001, SEVSEl p=0.009). As regards the other anthropometric measurements differences were mainly observed between REC and the two other groups: SE and EL had statistically significant higher values in almost all of the measurements carried out. Among the performance measures, lower limb strength (CMJ and THJ) seems to better differentiate between groups: REC group had lower values than the others and EL had the highest values. CONCLUSIONS Anthropometric characteristics are useful to distinguish the basic level of youth categories from higher competitive levels and should be used for talent selection. The performance results confirm that the subjects' capacity to be trained and sporting practice are essential to reach the elite level.