Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pig jejunum protein profile changes in response to a porcine epidemic diarrhea virus challenge

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) negatively impacts the gastrointestinal tract, which results in high mortalities in suckling piglets and reduced growth performance in older pigs. Therefore, our objective was to determine the effect of PEDV infection on the protein profile of the jejunum using 2D-differential in gel electrophoresis (DIGE). Sixteen gilts (n = 8/treatment; 16.7 +/- 0.98 kg BW) were gastrically inoculated with PEDV (PED) or saline (CON). After 7 d of infection, pigs were euthanized, whole jejunum was collected, and proteins were analyzed using 2D-DIGE. PEDV infection resulted in severe jejunum villus atrophy and attenuated villi to crypt ratios compared to CON pigs. Compared to CON, relative abundance of 141 protein spots was significantly different (P < 0.05) in PEDV infected jejunum. Compared to the CON, the PED pigs exhibited a 21% increase in the apoptosis marker Annexin A5 (P = 0.036), 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (11%, P < 0.01), prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta polypeptide (7%, P = 0.040), and the intermediate metabolism enzyme l-lactate dehydrogenase B chain (13%, P < 0.001). PED infection resulted in a 15% decrease of the structural proteins tubulin and alpha-and beta-actin compared to the CON (P < 0.05). The immune signal transducer, TNF-receptor associated factor 6, was also decreased (23%, P < 0.05) in PED pigs. Altogether, these proteomic data on jejunum indicate that PEDV alters several intestinal proteins involved in cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and structure, as well as immune response.
CONDITIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT BASED ON SOFTWARE VULNERABILITY WITH CVSS

– Many organizations are cautious about their ICT computational task environments regardless of their sizes because computer security accidents often cause numerous financial compensations with major damages on their reputations and painful law suits. However, it is next to impossible to remove all the possible ICT security vulnerabilities completely from their workplaces. Fortunately, we still can improve the unsecure computing environments by measuring risk levels and trying to reduce the risk values one by one. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of how to measure ICT risk values based on multiple software vulnerabilities in a target organization. A final produced ICT risk value from an organization that we are considering is a specific number so that risk levels could be compared one another. It is expected that ICT department managers could utilize the result from this research to estimate potential risk levels in their workplaces
Application of predefined doses of neonicotinoid containing dusts in field trials and acute effects on honey bees

This study explored the effects of insecticidal dusts on honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.) after exposure to a priori defined dose under field conditions. For this purpose two different rates of abraded seed dust, containing active substance Clothianidin, were applied on flowering Phacelia tanacetifolia Bentham during bee-flight with a purpose-built dust applicator. We observed dose-related high acute effects on bee mortality at both application rates, 0.25 and 1.0 g a.s. Clothianidin in dust per ha, resulting in up to 4.3 and 17 fold higher mortality compared to pre-application level and an overall increase of mortality during the 7 days exposure period of 2.0 and 9.8 fold. In dead bees, residues detected between both rates applied were up to 2.6 fold higher in the 1.0 g a.s. Clothianidin dust exposure scenario. On day 7, residues up to 28 μg Clothianidin/kg were detected in bee bread of stored Phacelia pollen. The findings of high effects at chosen rates highlight the need to include specific dust drift field trials for seed treatment products with highly toxic insecticides in risk assessment used in crops with potential dust abrasion and emission from seeds. Further work is required to determine appropriate application rates in further semi-field and field testing that reflect field realistic drift exposure levels.
Physico-Chemical Characterization of the Cold Auto-Antibodies of Acquired Haemolytic Anaemia

Cold agglutinins were separated from the sera of eleven patients suffering from the cold-antibody type of acquired haemolytic anaemia by the dissociation of the specific antigen-antibody complexes. The electrophoretic mobility of the cold antibody was found to correspond to that of γ1 globulin in each case. Ultracentrifugal studies carried out on eluted cold antibodies prepared from the sera of seven patients demonstrated that the antibodies were macromolecules (S20.w∼18.1). In one instance the sedimentation coefficient of the cold antibody was demonstrated to be similar to that of electrophoretically separated `γ1 globulin' prepared from the same serum, indicating their identical physical state. The results of treating the sera of nineteen patients with the cold-antibody type of acquired haemolytic anaemia with mercapto-ethanol further confirmed that the cold antibodies were all macromolecules, whether derived from idiopathic cases or cases secondary to some other known disorder.
Fatty acids released from cream by psychrotrophs isolated from bovine raw milk

The ability of 15 psychrotrophic strains to release fatty acids C-8:0 to C-20:1 from cream by GC/MS and the substrate specificity of their lipases against selected triacylglycerols (TAG) were studied. The free fatty acids (FFAs) detected in the highest quantities were, in general, those of long (C-16; C-18) and intermediate (C-12; C-14) even-numbered carbon chain and unsaturated C-18:1 and C-18:2. The ability of lipolytic strains to release fatty acids from milk fat varies according to the bacterial genus, among species and even with the strain of a given species. TAG breakdown by psychrotrophs may occur in a greater or lesser extent, but type and amount of released FFAs are not easily predictable. Pseudomonas rhodesiae showed the highest hydrolytic resistance towards all tested fatty acid triglycerides.
Fungal entomopathogens as endophytes: can they promote plant growth?

ABSTRACT Two experimental replicates were conducted to test whether strains of Beauveria brongniartii (BIPESCO2 and 2843) and Metarhizium brunneum (BIPESCO5) can endophytically colonise Vicia faba plants and improve their growth by comparing them with an endophytic strain of B. bassiana (NATURALIS®). The plants were inoculated through foliar spray and the effect of inoculation on plant height, leaf pair number, fresh root and shoot weights was measured at 7 and 14 days post inoculation (dpi). Endophytic colonisation of different plant parts with the tested fungal strains were confirmed 7 and 14 dpi through re-isolation of inoculated fungi onto selective media and subsequent Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) marker-based genetic identification. All tested strains were able to endophytically colonise leaves, stems, and even roots of inoculated plants 7 and 14 dpi, but per cent colonisation varied significantly among strains and plant parts within each sampling date. Foliar inoculation of plants with the tested strains increased plant height, leaf pair number, fresh shoot and root weights; however the increase was not always consistent across sampling dates in both experimental replicates. This study provides the first evidence for the endophytic colonisation of plants with two strains of B. brongniartii, an important biocontrol agent of Melolontha melolontha and other scarab beetles in several European countries, and thus extends previous reports on the ability of entomopathogenic fungi to act as endophytes. It also presents possible explanations for the lack of consistency in the plant growth promotion obtained by the foliar inoculation of entomopathogenic fungi.
Biology of Sternoptychid Fishes Rockall Trough, Northeastern Atlantic Ocean

AbstractAspects of the biology of sternoptychid fishes in the Rockall Trough off northwestern Ireland were studied in a series of consecutive seasonal samples taken from July 1973 to March 1974 and from March 1975 to February 1976. Of the three species that occurred, the two most dominant, Maurolicus muelleri and Argyropelecus hemigymnus, were concluded to have breeding populations in the Trough. Seasonal abundance of larvae, duration of larval development, vertical distribution pattern of larvae, spawning season, age at maturity, and diet were studied. The possibility of geographical modification of life history strategy in M. muelleri related to its adaptability to the various water masses is considered. The third species, Argyropelecus olfersi, was concluded to be an expatriate from southern or more oceanic areas.
Calpastatin gene polymorphism is associated with rabbit meat quality traits

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms in the calpastatin (CAST) gene and to test their association with meat quality traits in Hyla, Champagne, and Tianfu Black rabbit breeds. We detected one single nucleotide polymorphism (g.16441502 C > T) located at 67 bp in intron 3 of the CAST gene in Chromosome 11. The three rabbit populations had intermediate levels of genetic diversity in the CAST gene. The statistical analysis indicated that rabbits with the TT genotype had a significantly greater yellowness at 0 and 24 h postmortem than those with the CC genotype (P < .05) in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Rabbits with CC genotype had higher intramuscular fat content than those with CT and CC genotypes in both longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles in the three breeds (P < .05). Our results indicated that the CAST gene may be used as a possible candidate for marker-assisted selection in rabbit meat breeding programmes.
Effect of zinc chloride on the bio-chemical changes in the fat body and haemolymph of the bivoltine silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Nous avons etudie l'effet de l'addition de chlorure de zinc a 30, 60 et 90 μg/ml dans l'alimentation sur les teneurs en proteines et en glycogene du corps gras et les teneurs en trehalose et en proteines du corps gras et de l'hemolymphe chez les larves de la race Nb 18 du ver a soie B. mori au quatrieme âge et au cinquieme âge. La teneur en glycogene du corps gras augmente de maniere significative chez tous les groupes nourris avec du chlorure de zinc tandis que la teneur en trehalose de l'hemolymphe n 'augmente de maniere significative que chez le groupe nourri avec 90 μg/ml de chlorure de zinc. La teneur en proteines du corps gras ne change pas tandis que celle de l'hemolymphe augmente de maniere significative chez le groupe nourri a 30 μg/ml. La teneur en proteines de l'hemolymphe augmente de maniere significative tandis que celle du corps gras baisse de maniere significative chez le groupe nourri avec 60 μg/ml de chlorure de zinc. La teneur en proteines du corps gras baisse de maniere significative tandis que celle de l'hemolymphe est inalteree chez le groupe nourri avec 90 μg/ml.
Effects of WA cytoplasm on various quality characteristics of rice hybrids.

The differences between twenty pairs of AF1 (CMS line x restorer) and BF1 (maintainer line x restorer) cross combinations were evaluated to appraise the WA cytoplasmic influence on various quality traits of rice hybrids. The cytoplasmic influence for different traits was found to be highly cross-specific, depending on the nuclear background of CMS line and fertility restorer. Most of the traits were not significantly affected by the sterile cytoplasm in majority of the cross combinations. Only in some crosses, the cytoplasm has significant influence for majority of the traits studied. Most significant effect of the sterility inducing cytoplasm was reduction in length of cooked kernel, followed by decrease in amylose content. Male sterility inducing cytoplasm had no effect on aroma.
Traditional Medicinal Uses and Natural Hosts of the Genus Ganoderma in North-Eastern Parts of Namibia

Ganoderma is a large complex genus name of polypore fungi, characterized by the presence of pores instead of gills underneath fruiting caps. This genus has very complex taxonomy occasionally resulted in multiple names for some species within this genus. The presence of Ganoderma species on hosts is noticed by the appearance of their cap shaped, hard, crusty and shiny varnished appearance of the outer surface of their fruiting bodies. Ganoderma species are one of the most commonly used ingredient in Asia‘s traditional medicine. They are also referred to as a health tonic since they are known to heal a wide range of diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the medicinal uses of Ganoderma by local people and also to determine the natural hosts of Ganoderma in the north-eastern parts of Namibia. The host identification was done to as species level in the field during sample collection. Open-ended questionnaires were used to gather traditional medicinal uses data. Of all the respondents, 64% did not know any use of Ganoderma. Ganoderma species are used for three medicinal purposes by local people in the north-eastern parts of Namibia. These are to halt nose bleeding, boost immunity and strengthen infant bones. Ganoderma extract can be taken in form of tea, smoke inhalation or ash. Thirteen natural hosts of Ganoderma were identified in the north-eastern parts of Namibia. The most common tree host was Colophospermum mopane (18%) and the least common were Ochna pulchra and Grewia bicolour (1%) Lastly Ganoderma is also found on soil with high woody debris contents or emerging from a plant root underneath the surface.
Effect of oregano extract on shelf-life, microbiological quality of chilled chicken carcasses.

The combined effect of different concentrations of oregano extract (OE) and packaging method (with air and vacuum) on microbiological quality of chicken carcasses stored at 4±2°C was studied. The microbiological parameters were monitored: (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophs bacteria (PSY), pseudomonas spp, molds and yeasts, and coliform). The results showed that carcasses samples treated with the concentrations 5% OE and vacuum packaged samples had the longest shelf-life and lowest microbial load, while the air packaged control samples was the highest in microbial load
Changes in genetic variances and heritabilities in an early white maize population following S1 selection for grain yield, Striga resistance and drought tolerance

SUMMARY Drought is a major constraint to maize production in West and Central Africa (WCA). Assessment of genetic gain from S1 recurrent selection under drought is crucial for the development of drought tolerance breeding strategies. In an early white population, 60 S1 families each derived from the base population and three cycles of selection were evaluated under drought and well-watered conditions at two locations in Nigeria for 2 years to determine genetic variability, gains from selection and predict response to selection for grain yield and other traits. Genetic variances generally decreased for yield and other traits in advanced cycles under drought and well-watered conditions except yield and ear height under well-watered conditions. Similarly, heritabilities for yield and other traits decreased in advanced cycles under drought but increased in advanced cycles under well-watered conditions. Realized gain for yield was 0·291 t/ha, corresponding to 30·5% per cycle under drought and 0·352 kg/ha with a corresponding gain of 16·7% per cycle under well-watered conditions. Predicted gain based on C3 was 0·282 and 0·583 t/ha under drought and well-watered conditions. Low genetic variances, heritabilities and predicted gain for yield and other traits suggested a need to introgress drought tolerance genes into the population.
Air Pollution alongside Bike-Paths in Bogotá-Colombia

The study we present in this paper aims at characterizing the range of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations to which bike-path users in Bogota are exposed to. Using a bike equipped with a DustTrak and a micro-aethalometer we measured PM2.5 and BC concentration levels along bike-paths corridors, during weekdays and weekends. Experiments were conducted in fours streets, representing four typical configurations of bike-paths in the city. Traffic data for workdays was also available from local mobility authority. Results indicate that bike-paths users in Bogota are exposed to air pollution levels far exceeding the threshold values established as potentially dangerous for human health. Average concentrations for PM2.5 ranged between 80 and 136 ug/m3 in workdays and between 30 and 72 ug/m3 in weekends. BC mean concentrations were between 16 and 38 µg/m3 during workdays and in the range 10 to 32 µg/m3 during weekends. A statistically significant difference exists in the levels of pollutants concentrations measured during workdays and weekends for all the considered bike paths. According to our results, both traffic volume and diffusions conditions, which are affected by many factors including street geometry, affect bike-path user’s exposure levels. Taking into account the important role that bicycling is playing as an alternative transport mode in Latin American cities, we consider these results provide useful insights to increase the appreciation of the excessive bikers´ exposure to air pollution in Bogota. Moreover, these findings contribute with technical elements that should lead to the inclusion of air quality variable when designing and planning sustainable urban mobility infrastructures.
Assessment of population and damage of pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis L. on different pulse grains

Population development and grain damage by C. chinensis was assessed on eight different host-grains viz., greengram (Vigna radiata L.), blackgram (Vigna mungo L.), Bengalgram (Cicer arietinum L.), redgram (Cajanus cajan L.), cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and pillipesara (Phaseolus trilobus L.) were estimated. Among all the host-grains, maximum oviposition was recorded in blackgram (7.75 eggs/ 5 g grain). Survival was highest in bengalgram (86.43) and mean developmental period was shortest in greengram (28.47 days) which were on par with that in pillipesara (28.77 days) whereas index of susceptibility was highest in greengram (6.09) and was followed by pillipesara (6.03). The damage in terms of percentage of grains damaged and weight loss of grains increased with increase in storage period. Among all the host-grains bengalgram recorded significantly maximum percentage of grain damage (90.65%) and weight loss of grains (58.55%).
Phenotypic Characterisation and Distribution Pattern of Listeria Species Isolated From Food Samples Retailed In Markets and Central Abattoir in Maiduguri, Nigeria -

Nigeria . A total of three hundred and fifty (350) samples of meat (Beef, Sheep, Goat, and Chicken) and vegetables (Cabbage, Carrot, Cucumber, Spinach and Lettuce) were purchased from retailers’ in Central abattoir and markets with surface swabs taken from butchers tables in Maiduguri, Nigeria were analyzed for Listeria species. Listeria species were recovered from the entire samples examined with the highest isolates observed in surface swab (100%), cucumber (81.3%) and beef (74.0%) respectively, followed by lettuce (73.3%), carrot (70.0%) and cabbage (65.4%). The least isolates were observed in goat (36.0%). Listeria species isolates was found in (60.9%) of the Meat and surface swab and (69.2%) of the Vegetable samples analyzed. Gram stain and Biochemical characterization of the Listeria isolates showed that L. seeligeri as the highest distributed , followed by L. ivannovii, L.welshimeri and L.innocua, while the least Listeria specie isolates distribution was observed in L. monocytogenes. The study therefore confirmed that there is a high distribution rate of Listeria species in the meat and vegetables retailed in the markets and central abattoir ,including surface swab of butchers table which may have resulted from fecal contamination during slaughtering, unhygienic and unsanitary practices.
Breed and heterosis effects for milk yield traits at different production levels, lactation number and milking frequencies

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of production level (PL) and lactation number (LN) on the expression of breed, and heterosis for yield traits in cows milked once (OAD) or twice daily (TAD) in New Zealand. Records were used from 35,192 Friesian (F), 31,118 Jersey (J) and 88,606 crossbred (F × J) cows that calved in spring between 2008 and 2012. With an average LN of five, F cows had a higher milk yield (592 kg in OAD and 909 kg in TAD), fat yield (2.1 kg in OAD and 6.3 kg in TAD) and protein yield (11.9 kg in OAD and 19.5 kg in TAD) compared with J cows. Expressed as a percentage, heterosis effects for milk yield traits ranged from 4.1%–7.6% for production traits, and were similar across milking frequencies. In absolute values, however, heterosis was different for fat and protein yield only in first-lactation cows, and no differences were found in milk yield. In a second analysis, breed effects, defined as F–J, increased as PL of the herd increased in both OAD and TAD systems. The highest expressions of heterosis were found at medium (5.9%–6.4%) and low (5.2%–6.8%) PL in cows milked OAD and TAD, respectively. However, in absolute values, the greatest heterosis was observed at high PL in the population milked TAD. The estimates of breed and heterosis obtained in this study can be used for simulation studies to evaluate the profitability of crossbreeding systems under OAD and TAD milking systems in New Zealand dairy farms, at different PL.
Impacts of grassland management on wader nest predation rates in adjacent nature reserves

Wetlands have undergone significant loss and degradation over the past century, primarily through agricultural development. In the UK, wet grassland habitats support important breeding wader populations, but agricultural intensification has led to severe population declines. Management on nature reserves can be successful at attracting breeding waders, but productivity has been limited by the impacts of generalist predators of nests and chicks in these relatively small areas. Targeting agri‐environment management to form buffer zones around reserves has been proposed as a potential strategy to improve landscape connectivity. However, the implications of such strategies for predator movement and activity are unknown. Here we assess whether predation rates of wader nests and predator activity within and across a wet grassland reserve are influenced by whether adjacent farmland is under agri‐environment scheme (AES) management for breeding waders. In fields adjacent to AES‐managed land, fox activity was higher and nest predation rates remained constant with increasing distance from the reserve edge into the reserve. Conversely, fox activity and wader nest predation rates were lower in fields close to the reserve edge and adjacent to commercial land, and increased with distance from the reserve edge although only to levels seen elsewhere on the reserve. This suggests that predators concentrate activity away from commercial farmland, and that the consequences for nest predation of deploying AES around nature reserves will likely depend on the extent to which they attract breeding waders and the strength of any consequent density‐dependent effects on predation rates.
Vanadium additions in new ultra high strength and ductility steels

Kinetic thermodynamic modeling has been used to optimise the process parameters for microalloying high Mn austenitic TWIP cold strips with Vanadium and Nitrogen to promote an intense precipitation of sub 10 nm intragranular V(C,N) particles during the continuous annealing step. The yield strength increase is 500 MPa / % wt. added V. A further interest lies in the amelioration of hydrogen induced delayed fracture (DF) in regions of cold formed parts with critically high residual tensile stresses. The beneficial macroscopic effect on DF is clearly demonstrated; however the physical mechanism governing the interaction between Vanadium and mobile hydrogen is still the subject of investigation.