Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Presence of Toxigenic Aspergillus spp. in Commercial Poultry Feeds in Ilaro, Nigeria

Background: Several health problems may be occurred due to consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated foods and feeds. The maize and oilseeds, as the main components of poultry feeds are susceptible to mould contamination and mycotoxin production. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of toxigenic Aspergillus spp. in poultry feeds from Ilaro, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 60 poultry feed samples were collected from five (A-E) feed millers in Ilaro, Nigeria. The feeds were classified into four groups, including broiler super starter, broiler starter, boiler grower mash, and broiler finisher mash. Moulds were isolated by spread plate technique and were identified using the conventional morphological method. The toxigenic potentials of the isolates were determined by ammonia vapor test. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20. Results: The results showed that all feed samples (100%) were contaminated with Aspergillus spp. Out of 93 Aspergillus spp. isolates, A. flavus (40 of 93) had the most prevalence, while A. parasiticus (8 of 93) was the least. Totally, 15 out of 93 (16.1%) Aspergillus spp. strains showed toxin production potentials. Conclusion: The presence of toxigenic Aspergillus in the feed leads to the secretion of hazardous toxins especially aflatoxins which can contaminate poultry meat endangering food chain. Consequently, there is an urgent need to create more awareness on the health implications of feeding poultry with mycotoxins-contaminated feeds in this region of Nigeria. © 2018, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Plasma Membrane Recruitment Patterns of Glucose Transporters (GLUT) 1, 2, 3, and 5 in Response to Feeding in the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris.

Hummingbirds, among the smallest vertebrate endotherms, have high resting and active metabolic rates and subsist almost exclusively on nectar sugar; they face extreme challenges to energy homeostasis and blood sugar regulation. Transmembrane sugar transport, and thus some control over energy flux, is mediated by facilitative glucose transporters, GLUTs. I determined relative protein abundance and subcellular localization via Western Blot for several GLUTs in flight muscle and liver from fed or fasted ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). I observed GLUT5 protein in flight muscle PM, consistent with its hypothesized uniquely high flux of fructose. GLUT1 protein was absent in hepatocytes, contradicting previously observations of transcript. Finally, glucose-specific GLUT1 abundance was increased in flight muscle PM of fed birds, while liver PM was increased in GLUT3 and glucose/fructosetransporting GLUT2. This suggests muscle glucose uptake capacity is dynamically regulated in response to feeding, while both glucoseand fructose-uptake capacity respond in the liver.
Balancing Economic and Environmental Performance for Small-Scale Rice Farmers in Peru

Integrated research efforts are needed to provide insights for simultaneously achieving food production and environmental goals in rice production systems. In this study we evaluated eight Sustainable Rice Platform performance indicators (net profit, labor productivity, grain yield, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphorus use efficiency, pesticide use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions) for 65 rice farmers in Peru. The aim was to (1) identify the major management factors influencing profitability, (2) evaluate potential tradeoffs between economic and environmental sustainability, and (3) understand farmer perceptions and decision-making processes related to profitability. For data analysis, farmers were grouped into profitability categories based on net profit: top (top 20%), middle (middle 60%), and bottom (bottom 20%). Our results indicate that rice yields, grain sale price, and total spending drive profitability in this region of Peru. An important finding is that the top profitability group achieved higher yields while using lower inputs of labor, pesticides, elemental P, and irrigation hours, resulting in improved environmental performance (e.g., higher nutrient and water use efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions). Results from focus group discussions highlighted that rice production has changed in recent decades, and there is a need for improved extension support to cope with increasing pests, disease, and water scarcity. Moreover, farmers indicated they are vulnerable to exploitation from vendors along the rice supply chain, with limited access to credit facilities and market channels and little negotiating power over the cost of inputs and rice sale price. Our results suggest that rice productivity and profitability can be improved in this region without negatively influencing environmental footprint per unit production, yet this is unlikely to occur unless key agronomic and socio-economic challenges are addressed, such as improved access to crop management recommendations, alternative financing and credit options, and technologies that decrease the costs of production.
Higher-Order Statistics in Compressive Solar Wind Plasma Turbulence: High-Resolution Density Observations From the Magnetospheric MultiScale Mission

Turbulent density fluctuations are investigated in the solar wind at sub-ion scales using calibrated spacecraft potential. The measurement technique using the spacecraft potential allows for a much higher time resolution and sensitivity when compared to direct measurements using plasma instruments. Using this novel method, density fluctuations can be measured with unprecedentedly high time resolutions for in situ measurements of solar wind plasma at 1 a.u. By investigating 1 h of high-time resolution data, the scale dependant kurtosis is calculated by varying the time lag τ to calculate increments between observations. The scale-dependent kurtosis is found to increase towards ion scales but then plateaus and remains fairly constant through the sub-ion range in a similar fashion to magnetic field measurements. The sub-ion range is also found to exhibit self-similar monofractal behavior contrasting sharply with the multi-fractal behavior at large scales. The scale-dependent kurtosis is also calculated using increments between two different spacecraft. When the time lags are converted using the ion bulk velocity to a comparable spatial lag, a discrepancy is observed between the two measurement techniques. Several different possibilities are discussed including a breakdown of Taylor’s hypothesis, high-frequency plasma waves, or intrinsic differences between sampling directions.
NHBA is processed by kallikrein from human saliva

Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein and a component of the Bexsero vaccine. NHBA is characterized by the presence of a highly conserved Arg-rich region involved in binding to heparin and heparin sulphate proteoglycans present on the surface of host epithelial cells, suggesting a possible role of NHBA during N. meningitidis colonization. NHBA has been shown to be cleaved by the bacterial NalP protein, a meningococcal protease and by human lactoferrin (hLF), a host protease present in different body fluids (saliva, breast milk and serum). Cleavage occurs upstream or downstream the Arg-rich region. Since the human nasopharynx is the only known reservoir of infection, we further investigated the susceptibility of NHBA to human proteases present in the saliva to assess whether proteolytic cleavage could happen during the initial steps of colonization. Here we show that human saliva proteolytically cleaves NHBA; and identified human kallikrein 1 (KLK1) as the main protease responsible for this cleavage. Kallikrein is an important enzyme present in blood plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, pancreatic juices, and other body fluids that catalyze the proteolysis of several human proteins. We report the in vitro characterization of NHBA cleavage by kallikrein; the identification of the cleavage in the recombinant NHBA protein and, on the native protein, when expressed on live bacteria. Overall, this findings provide new insights on NHBA as target of host proteases, highlights a potential role of NHBA in the Neisseria meningitidis nasopharyngeal colonization, and of kallikrein as a defensive agent against meningococcal infection.
Effect of Aqueous Extracts of Indian Spices on Inoculated Listeria Monocytogenes in Chicken Breast Muscle

In normal healthy animal, most of the tissues which ultimately become meat and meat products, including muscle, fat and various edible organs are sterile. During slaughter and processing all potential edible tissues are subjected to contamination from a variety of sources within and outside the animal (Ayres, 1995). Due to high nutrient content and poor hygienic conditions during handling, collection and processing, meat is considered to be highly perishable commodity. Owing to their nature and possessing favourable intrinsic factors, meat is frequently subject to microbial contamination. Such contamination of meat is a major economic loss and may lead to public health problems when utilized as an ingredient in processed products.
Thermoneutrality-Induced Macrophage Accumulation in Brown Adipose Tissue Does Not Impair the Tissue’s Competence for Cold-Induced Thermogenic Recruitment

Brown adipose tissue from mice living under conditions approaching human thermal and nutritional conditions (prolonged exposure to thermoneutral temperature and to an energy-rich (high-fat, high-sugar) diet) — referred to as “physiologically humanized” mice, displays morphological and molecular characteristics significantly different from those observed in young, chow-fed mice maintained at room temperature — referred to as “standard” mice. Here, we further examined brown fat from physiologically humanized and standard mice, as well as from mice exposed to thermoneutrality for a long time but not to an energy-rich diet - referred to here as “long-term thermoneutral” mice. Global transcriptome analysis of brown fat revealed that genes that were the most upregulated in brown fat of thermoneutral mice (both physiologically humanized and long-term thermoneutral) were those related to inflammatory processes, including genes expressed selectively in macrophages. Cellular and molecular analyses confirmed that brown fat from thermoneutral mice was heavily infiltrated by macrophages, predominantly organized into crown-like structures. However, despite this, the brown fat of thermoneutral mice retained full competence to attain the greatest possible recruitment state and became macrophage-depleted during the process of cold acclimation. Thus, profound macrophage accumulation does not influence the thermogenic recruitment competence of brown fat.
Credible Threat: Perceptions of Pandemic Coronavirus, Climate Change and the Morality and Management of Global Risks

Prior research suggests that the pandemic coronavirus pushes all the “hot spots” for risk perceptions, yet both governments and populations have varied in their responses. As the economic impacts of the pandemic have become salient, governments have begun to slash their budgets for mitigating other global risks, including climate change, likely imposing increased future costs from those risks. Risk analysts have long argued that global environmental and health risks are inseparable at some level, and must ultimately be managed systemically, to effectively increase safety and welfare. In contrast, it has been suggested that we have worry budgets, in which one risk crowds out another. “In the wild,” our problem-solving strategies are often lexicographic; we seek and assess potential solutions one at a time, even one attribute at a time, rather than conducting integrated risk assessments. In a U.S. national survey experiment in which participants were randomly assigned to coronavirus or climate change surveys (N = 3203) we assess risk perceptions, and whether risk perception “hot spots” are driving policy preferences, within and across these global risks. Striking parallels emerge between the two. Both risks are perceived as highly threatening, inequitably distributed, and not particularly controllable. People see themselves as somewhat informed about both risks and have moral concerns about both. In contrast, climate change is seen as better understood by science than is pandemic coronavirus. Further, individuals think they can contribute more to slowing or stopping pandemic coronavirus than climate change, and have a greater moral responsibility to do so. Survey assignment influences policy preferences, with higher support for policies to control pandemic coronavirus in pandemic coronavirus surveys, and higher support for policies to control climate change risks in climate change surveys. Across all surveys, age groups, and policies to control either climate change or pandemic coronavirus risks, support is highest for funding research on vaccines against pandemic diseases, which is the only policy that achieves majority support in both surveys. Findings bolster both the finite worry budget hypothesis and the hypothesis that supporters of policies to confront one threat are disproportionately likely also to support policies to confront the other threat.
Application Timing and Degradation Rate of Sulfosulfuron in Soil Co-Affect Control Efficacy of Egyptian Broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca) in Tomato

Abstract Egyptian broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca Pers.) is a root-parasitic weed that severely damages many crops worldwide, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). In Israel, the management protocol used for P. aegyptiaca in open-field tomato includes PPI sulfosulfuron at 37.5 g ai ha − 1 to the top 10-cm soil layer. The objective of this study was to investigate the co-effect of sulfosulfuron application timing and variable degradation rate in soil on the control efficacy of P. aegyptiaca in tomato. Degradation of sulfosulfuron (80 ng g − 1 soil) at a temperature of 15 C, measured in soil samples from three farms using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, followed a first-order kinetics with variable degradation rate constant among sites (0.008 to 0.012 d− 1). Incubation at 25 C increased sulfosulfuron degradation rate constant by a factor of 2 to 2.7 in soils from the different sites, with a similar degradation rate order among soils. A higher degradation rate in the soil resulted in a shorter period of residual activity, measured using a sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. ] bioassay. Phelipanche aegyptiaca management in open-field tomatoes was investigated in five independent field experiments. Sulfosulfuron soil concentration throughout the growing season (following preplant incorporation of 37.5 g ha − 1) was calculated from laboratorymeasured degradation rates, which were corrected to represent the effect of recorded temperatures at each field. At the end of the tomato growing season, control efficacy of P. aegyptiaca varied among experiments (70.4% to 100%) and positively correlated with predicted sulfosulfuron concentration at the critical period for seedling control (R2=0.67). The current study confirms that sulfosulfuron is degraded in soil to nonphytotoxic metabolites and that rapid degradation rates would result in reduced injury to P. aegyptiaca seedling and, consequently, lower control efficacy.
COVID-19 and Skin Manifestations: An Overview of Case Reports/Case Series and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Studies

Background and Aim: Since the onset of the 2019-nCoV disease (COVID-19), many skin manifestations have been reported in COVID-19 patients. This study aims to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of various skin manifestations among patients with COVID-19 through case reports/case series and prevalence studies. Methods: A systematic literature search strategy was conducted by reviewing original research articles published in Medline, Web of Science, and Embase databases in 2020. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA software, version 14.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) to report the global prevalence of skin manifestations among patients with COVID-19. Results: Forty-three studies (35 articles were case reports/case series, and 8 articles were prevalence studies) were included in our study. A meta-analysis of prevalence studies showed that skin manifestations among patients with COVID-19 were reported in four countries (China, Thailand, France, and Italy), with an overall prevalence of 1.0% [(95% CI) 0.1–1.9] among 2,621 patients. Evaluation of the results of the case reports/case series revealed that, out of 54 patients with COVID-19, 48 patients (88.8%) showed skin manifestations. Erythematous rash (59.1%) and urticaria (14.8%) were the most common skin manifestation reported in studied patients. Conclusion: Infection with 2019-nCoV may lead to skin manifestations with various clinical symptoms. These clinical features combined with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 may aid in the timely diagnosis of patients with COVID-19.
Elucidating metabolic and genetic regulators of phosphate uptake and utilisation in brassica

Phosphorus (P) is one of the six essential macronutrients in plants. Plants only assimilate P in the form of phosphate (Pi). Plants have developed various adaptations to enhance Pi acquisition and its efficient use. The low availability of Pi in the soil, means many crop plants rely on Pi fertilisers to maintain their growth and development. The overuse of fertilisers pollutes the environment. To overcome this problem, it is crucial to understand the physiological and molecular mechanism of plant Pi uptake and use. Revealing candidate genes underlying trans e-QTL hotspots on chromosome A06 of B. rapa, Phosphate transporter PHO1 (PHO1) genes provide insights on the putative genes which are responsible for Pi transportation and remobilisation in plants. DNA sequencing of five Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) clones of B. rapa ssp. pekinensis cv. Chiifu revealed the occurrence of four PHO1 paralogues in tandem in the genome sequence. However, only three PHO1 paralogue transcripts could be confirmed by cloning. Membrane lipid remodelling occurred in 24 cultivars of Brassica napus and Brassica rapa R-o-18 photosynthetic membranes under Pi deficient conditions. Plants change their phospholipid compositions to non-phosphorus galactolipid and sulfolipid to release Pi for other cellular functions. Analysis of lipid profiles and expression of lipid metabolism genes in Brassica rapa R-o-18 grown under Pi starvation showed highly responsive lipid metabolism genes are Glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 1 (GDPD1), Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase 3 (MGD3) and Sulfoquinovosyl transferase 2 (SQD2). Analysis of transcript abundance in leaf samples of B. rapa R-o-18 under Pi deficiency through qPCR showed increased transcript abundance for Aluminium activated malate transporter 1 (ALMT) by 7.6-fold, which is involved in organic acid (OA) exudation to improve phosphorus uptake efficiency (PUpE). Whole transcriptome sequencing using RNA-seq revealed 630 transcripts whose expression changed during Pi deficiency across five investigated B. napus lines; 481 genes were upregulated, and 148 genes were down-regulated in response to Pi deficiency. High throughput RNA-seq contributed to molecular identification and regulation underlying biochemical and physiological adaptations to Pi deficiency. These advances provide information of on candidate genes which might be useful in developing future crops with tolerance to low Pi availability.
Physical and chemical characterization of sweet passion fruits genotypes in Sao Mateus, Espírito Santo State, Brazil

In Brazil 95% of the passion fruit marketed comes from the species Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (yellow passion fruit), the remainder are Passiflora edulis f. edulis (purple passion fruit) and Passiflora alata (sweet passion fruit), considered market niches. Because of the wide genetic variability the genus Passiflora, it is of fundamental importance to identify superior genotypes to improve the quality of fruit for the fresh market. The objective is to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits of 33 genotypes P. alata Curtis, evaluated in a randomized complete block design with two replicates of four plants, from native matrices, located at the experimental farm of the University Center of the North of Espírito Santo, Federal University of Espírito Santo, in the Northern Region of the state of Espírito Santo, São Mateus -ES. Thirty-two mature fruits were collected in each replicate, eight per plant and the following characteristics were analyzed: fruit weight (g); equatorial and polar diameter of fruit (cm); peel thickness (mm); mass of the pulp (g); pulp volume (mL); pulp yield (%); number of seeds per fruit, pH; soluble solids (SS); titratable acidity (TA) and ratio (SS/TA). There is a wide genetic variability among P. alata genotypes as to the traits assessed. Genotypes 4, 6, 8, 11, 15, 18, 21, 25 and 26 stood out among the rest, and is therefore recommended for new plantings and future breeding programs.
5HTTLPR Genetic Variant and Major Depressive Disorder: A Review

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a disease that involves biological, psychological, and social interactions. Studies have shown the importance of genetics contribution to MDD development. The SCL6A4 protein (5HTTLPR) functions transporting serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood and emotion, to the synaptic cleft. Hence, this study seeks, through a literature review, a better comprehension of the 5HTTLPR genetic variant association with MDD. For this purpose, a search was performed on the Virtual Health Library Portal for articles that related 5HTTLPR to MDD. Most of the articles found were conducted in the American continent, with one (1) study implemented in Brazil. 5HTTLPR associations were found regarding changes in the nervous system, pharmacology, and risk factors seen in MDD patients. When verifying the allelic distribution, the S allele had a higher frequency in most of the studies analyzed. Despite not finding a commonality in the different studies, the tremendous genetic variation found demonstrates the MDD complexity. For this reason, further studies in diverse populations should be conducted to assist in the understanding and treatment of the disease.
Cue-related phase reset accounts for age differences in phasic alerting

Alertness is fundamental for the efficiency of information processing. A person’s level of alertness refers to the system’s state of general responsiveness, and can be temporarily increased by presenting a neutral warning cue shortly before an event occurs (Posner & Petersen, 1990). However, effects of alerts on subsequent stimulus processing are less consistent in older than in younger individuals. In this study, we investigated the neural underpinnings of age differences in processing of auditory alerting cues. We measured electroencephalographic power and phase locking in response to alerting cues in a visual letter report task, in which younger but not older adults showed a cue-related behavioral advantage. Alerting cues evoked a significant increase in power as well as in inter-trial phase locking, with a maximum effect in the alpha frequency (8–12 Hz) in both age groups. Importantly, these cue-related increases in phase locking and power were stronger in older than in younger adults and were negatively correlated with the behavioral alerting effect in the older sample. Our results are in accordance with the assumption that older adults’ neural responses may be more strongly driven by external input and less variable than younger adults’. A stronger resetting of the system in response to the auditory cue may have hindered older adults’ effective use of the warning signal to foster processing of the following visual stimulus.