Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histological exploration of follicular population of the Moroccan bovine (Oulmes-Zaers) breed

Follicular population and repartition in the ovarian cortex was investigated in the ovaries of the Oulmes-Zaers cattle breed and its crosses. A total of 30 ovaries were collected at slaughterhouse in Casablanca and Rabat from Oulmes-Zaers breed and its crosses (2 genotypes) of 3 age groups ( 5 years). The histological study of the ovary revealed that the ovarian cortex is composed of different areas (from the periphery to the medulla), the non stratified epithelium of the ovary, the tunica albuginea composed of two areas rich of collagen fibers directed into different ways white variable thickness. The primordial and antral follicles appear in underlying areas. Therefore, the follicles cannot appear on the ovarian surface when situated under thicker Layers. At the quantitative level, the ovary of the Oulmes-Zaears breed seems to contain less follicles in animals less than 3 years of age as compared to the crossbreed (P Key words: Ovary, Oulmes-Zaers, follicular population, bovine, age. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(5) 2004: 294-298
Opinion of adolescent school smokers about smoking cessation counseling and treatment in health services: a cross-sectional study, Goiás, Brazil, 2018*

1 Abstract Objective: To know the opinion of adolescent school smokers about smoking cessation counseling and treatment, and to investigate whether negative opinion was associated with lack of motivation to stop smoking. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Goiás state, Brazil, with an intentional sample of adolescent students, in 2018. Poisson regression was used. Results: One hundred and thirty adolescents took part. Most of them expressed a positive opinion on the three smoking cessation interventions surveyed: medical counseling (76.2%), dental counseling (70.0%), and smoking cessation treatment (66.2%). Negative opinions were more frequent among adolescents who were not motivated to stop smoking (p<0.05). Regression analyses revealed that lack of motivation to quit smoking was associated with a negative opinion about each intervention. Conclusion: The adolescents had a positive opinion about counseling and treatment for smoking cessation in health services. Negative opinion was associated with lack of motivation to quit smoking.
Is drought‐induced forest dieback globally increasing?

Recently, it has been suggested that forest mortality has been generally increasing because of increasing drought and heat stress. But it is unclear if the observations at the investigated forest sites and regions are representative of forests globally and it has not been tested whether forest models are capable of reproducing these observations. We analysed historical climate data and used a dynamic global vegetation model (LPJ‐GUESS) to assess (i) Which forests globally might have been affected by drought, (ii) If the field observations are representative for all forests and (iii) If the model can reproduce the reported mortality events. Using two climate data sets and three drought indices, we identified no general global drying trend across all forests, but a large spatial variability. We neither detected a general increase in extreme drought events. A weak drying trend and an increase in extreme drought events were only apparent for forests in already dry climates and the locations or regions for which drought‐induced mortality trends have been reported are predominantly in these dry climates. LPJ‐GUESS reproduced 66% of the reported mortality events and in 49% of the reported drought‐induced mortality events drought was apparent in any of the climatologically derived drought indices. However, only in 30% of the cases simulated increased mortality coincided with drought events. Synthesis. Our results indeed suggest that dry forests have been experiencing increasing drought‐induced mortality. However, this does not apply to forests in general and the spatial variability has been large. The poor correspondence between the simulated and reported mortality events indicates that models like LPJ‐GUESS driven by standard climatologies, and soil input data do not represent drought‐induced mortality well. But the poor detection of the reported drought events in our climate indices also suggests that drought stress might not be the main driver of all the reported drought‐mortality events.
An Overview of Postharvest Biology and Technology of Fruits and Vegetables

Harvested fresh fruits and vegetables are living products. They are characterized by high moisture content, active metabolism, and tender texture; as a consequence, significant losses resulting in senescence, desiccation, physiological disorders, mechanical injuries, and microbial spoilages occur at any point from harvest through utilization. The main objective of postharvest technology is to restrict deterioration of produce along the postharvest chain, and to ensure that maximum quality value for the produce is achieved. Temperature management and dehydration control are the essential and the two most important strategies to extend shelf life and retain quality of horticultural perishables. The other supplements such as controlled atmospheres and modified atmospheres, 1-methylcyclopropene fumigation, and heat treatments can further enhance their storability. Over the past few years, development and application of effective, safe, and environmental-friendly postharvest technology for edible horticultural commodities have become and will continue to be the number one concern by fresh produce handlers and consumers.
Kinetics of Ir (III)-catalyzed Oxidation of D-glucose by Potassium Iodate in Aqueous Alkaline Medium

The kinetics of Ir (III) chloride-catalyzed oxidation of D-glucose by iodate in aqueous alkaline medium was investigated at 45°C. The reaction follows first-order kinetics with respect to potassium iodate in its low concentration range but tends to zero order at its higher concentration. Zero-order kinetics with respect to [D-glucose] was observed. In the lower concentration range of Ir (III) chloride, the reaction follows first kinetics, while the order shifts from first to zero at its higher concentration range. The reaction follows first-order kinetics with respect to [OH−] at its low concentration but tends towards zero order at higher concentration. Variation in [Cl−] and ionic strength of the medium did not bring about any significant change in the rate of reaction. The first-order rate constant increased with a decrease in the dielectric constant of the medium. The values of rate constants observed at four different temperatures were utilized to calculate the activation parameters. Sodium salt of formic acid and arabinonic acid have been identified as the main oxidation products of the reaction. A plausible mechanism from the results of kinetic studies, reaction stoichiometry, and product analysis has been proposed.
User Perception of a Smartphone App to Promote Physical Activity Through Active Transportation: Inductive Qualitative Content Analysis Within the Smart City Active Mobile Phone Intervention (SCAMPI) Study

Background Physical inactivity is globally recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity, particularly the incidence of noncommunicable diseases. Increasing physical activity (PA) is therefore a public health priority. Engaging in active transportation (AT) is a viable approach for promoting daily PA levels. Mobile health interventions enable the promotion of AT to a larger population. The Smart City Active Mobile Phone Intervention (SCAMPI) study was a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the ability of a behavior change program delivered via a smartphone app to motivate participants to increase their PA by engaging in AT. Objective This qualitative study aims to examine the acceptance and user experience of the app promoting AT that was used in the SCAMPI trial (the TRavelVU Plus app). Methods A total of 17 residents of Stockholm County (13 women; age range 25-61 years) who completed the 3-month app-based behavioral change program (delivered through the TRavelVU Plus app) in the SCAMPI randomized controlled trial during 2018 agreed to participate in a semistructured telephone-based interview. These participants were well representative of the whole intervention group (n=127) in terms of baseline characteristics such as age, sex, and area of residence. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive qualitative content analysis. Results The content analysis revealed 2 themes and 4 subcategories. The first theme, “main motivators: monitoring and messages,” highlighted that monitoring AT and being able to set weekly goals using the app were the primary motivators reported by study participants. The second theme, “acceptable but modifiable,” reflects that the app was well accepted and effectively encouraged many participants to use more AT. Nevertheless, there were functions in the app that require modification. For example, while the semiautomated travel tracking feature was appreciated, participants found it time-consuming and unreliable at times. Conclusions This study contributes novel insight into adults’ experiences of using a mobile app to promote the use of AT. The results showed that the app was well accepted and that self-monitoring and goal setting were the main motivators to engage in more AT. The semiautomated tracking of AT was appreciated; however, it was also reported to be energy- and time-consuming when it failed to work. Thus, this feature should be improved going forward. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03086837; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03086837 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12889-018-5658-4
Strategies for the co-existence of zooplankton with the toxic cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens in Lake Zürich

Since the cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens, which dominates the phytoplankton community in Lake Zurich, is generally considered toxic to zooplankton, we addressed the question whether co-occurring zooplankton species have developed adaptive responses. Artificially shortened filaments (<30 µm in length) of P.rubescens significantly reduced survival of Thamnocephalus platyurus (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Anostraca) naturally occurring in temporary ponds. In contrast to Thamnocephalus, the survival of co-existing zooplankton was unaffected (Eudiaptomus gracilis) or enhanced (Daphnia hyalina and Cyclops abyssorum). High sensitivity to the microcystins of Plank- tothrix was coupled to strict food avoidance in Eudiaptomus, but not in Thamnocephalus. Daphnia and Cyclops exhibited higher physiological resistance to cyanobacterial toxins, and ingested Plank- tothrix. For the lake zooplankton species, the feeding rates on high-quality algae were not significantly reduced in the presence of Planktothrix. In order to separate the effects of mechanical interference (filament length) versus toxins, clearance rates on Planktothrix filaments were compared to clearance rates on filaments subjected to toxin extraction. The results show that microcystins are important feeding deterrents against grazing by Daphnia since feeding rates on Planktothrix increased signifi- cantly after an aqueous-methanolic extraction of the major part of microcystins. On the other hand, copepods persisted in food avoidance, but exhibited high clearance rates on Planktothrix after a more lipophilic extraction was applied. Both microcystins and a lipophilic, unidentified toxin may contribute to the avoidance behaviour of copepods. For both Daphnia and copepods, the grazing resistance of Planktothrix is mediated by chemical defences rather than by the large size and the rigidity of the filaments.
Multivariate analysis of the organic acids content of Gouda type cheese during ripening

Abstract Gouda cheeses from a local plant were subjected to different ripening conditions and analyzed. The effects of ripening temperature, type of packaging film and storage period before packaging on the organic acids content of Gouda cheese were studied. A factorial design of 2 3 ×5 was used, where the three factors selected in two levels were: (1) time of storage before packaging, 4 and 10 days, (2) ripening temperature, 10 and 20°C, and (3) plastic film (BK1 and BK5; Grace, Argentina). Ripening time was the fourth factor considered; sampling times were 15, 25, 35, 49 and 70 days after production. At the beginning of the experiment (4 days of ripening), mean water content of samples was 44.0±0.9%. At 70 days of ripening, humidities were 39.7±0.6 and 40.8±0.6% for cheeses stored at 20 and 10°C, respectively. Nine organic acids (formic, orotic, uric, lactic, acetic, citric, pyruvic, propionic and butyric) were analyzed in each sample by HPLC. Samples of the same batch with four days of ripening and cheeses traditionally ripened (without packaging) were also studied. None of the factors affected the orotic and uric acid concentrations and butyric acid was not detected in any sample. The remaining acids content increased linearly with ripening time. Increasing storage temperature accelerated the maturation processes. The corresponding Q 10 for each acid was calculated as the ratio between the rate of increase at 20 and 10°C, obtaining values between 1.2 and 5.8. Three PCA factors interpreted 87% of the total variation in the samples. Discriminant analysis classified cheeses according to their age.
Efficient Bark Recognition in the Wild

In this study, we propose to address the difficult task of bark recognition in the wild using computationally efficient and compact feature vectors. We introduce two novel generic methods to significantly reduce the dimensions of existing texture and color histograms with few losses in accuracy. Specifically, we propose a straightforward yet efficient way to compute Late Statistics from texture histograms and an approach to iteratively quantify the color space based on domain priors. We further combine the reduced histograms in a late fusion manner to benefit from both texture and color cues. Results outperform state-of-the-art methods by a large margin on four public datasets respectively composed of 6 bark classes (BarkTex, NewBarkTex), 11 bark classes (AFF) and 12 bark classes (Trunk12). In addition to these experiments, we propose a baseline study on Bark-101 (http://eidolon.univ-lyon2.fr/~remi1/Bark-101/), a new challenging dataset including manually segmented images of 101 bark classes that we release publicly. Bark-101: http://eidolon.univ-lyon2.fr/~remi1/Bark-101/
Effect of preslaughter feeding system on weight loss, gut bacteria, and the physico‐chemical properties of digesta in cattle

Abstract The effects of four preslaughter feeding systems on gut microflora, digesta consistency, soiling of the hide with faeces, liveweight loss, dehydration, meat stickiness, and plasma cortisol were examined in 60 Angus steers. The feeding systems were: feeding hay for 48 or 24 hours before transport to slaughter, transporting cattle directly off pasture, and fasting for 24 hours before transport. Cattle were held overnight at the processing plant after 2 hours transport. At slaughter, pasture‐fed cattle were carrying approximately 75 × 109 aerobic bacteria and 86 × 109 facultative anaerobes in their gastro‐inte:5tinal tracts. The number and type of bacteria were strongly influenced by the preslaughter feeding system. Rumen contents of the fasted animals were less acidic and more moist than the other treatments. Fasted animals had more E. coli, Enterobacter, and facultative anaerobes throughout the gut. The 48‐h hay‐fed steers had higher numbers of Enterococci and fewer E. coli. The pasture groups had runnier faeces, and were dirtier after holding overnight at the processing plant. Treatments did not affect dehydration, but urinary sodium was negatively correlated with meat stickiness, suggesting that some individuals were sufficiently dehydrated to influence this meat quality feature. It was concluded that feeding cattle hay for 48 hours before despatch for slaughter provided several advantages over other preslaughter feeding systems.
Induction of Vitelline Envelope Proteins by Estradiol-17β in 10 Teleost Species

Abstract Induction of vitelline envelope proteins by estradiol-17β was investigated in 14 teleost species from five systematic groups to assess whether estradiol-17β controls the synthesis of vitelline envelope proteins in teleost fish. Vitelline envelope proteins were detected in plasma from fish treated with estradiol-17β using three different antisera directed against vitelline envelope proteins from three teleosts. Induction of vitelline envelope proteins was demonstrated in 10 species. In 6 of these species males were available and used to demonstrate that the synthesis of vitelline envelope proteins is not restricted to the ovaries. The immunoreactivity of the proteins varied considerably within and between species. It is suggested that the synthesis of vitelline envelope proteins is controlled by estradiol-17β, in the majority of teleost species.
Physical and biological compatibility of diafenthiuron with micro/macro nutrients fungicides and biocontrol agents used in cardamom

In the context of complex field problems, compatibility of an efficacious insecticide with other agrochemicals normally used in the field is essential. In this view diafenthiuron, a novel insecticide which inhibits ATP synthesis, used widely for pest management in cardamom, was tested for its compatibility with agrochemicals viz., fungicides and nutrients normally used in the crop. The results revealed that all the chemicals tested were physically and biologically compatible with diafenthiuron by means of physical stability and phytotoxicity ratings in the field. But the bioefficacy study on Conogethes punctiferalis in the laboratory and bioefficacy studies in the field against Sciothrips cardamomi reveal that diafenthiuron is incompatible and should not be sprayed along with fungicides like mancozeb and copper oxychloride. Another study on the compatibility of diafenthiuron with antagonistic microorganisms of plant pathogens viz., Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens revealed that diafenthiuron had some inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of T. viride. Diafenthiuron did not affect the growth of P. fluorescens and thus can be used simultaneously for the control of insect pests and seed- and soil-borne diseases.
NITROGEN TURNOVER IN FOREST FLOORS OF COASTAL DOUGLAS‐FIR AT SITES DIFFERING IN SOIL NITROGEN CAPITAL

Nitrogen cycling is generally considered to be more rapid on sites with high availability of N; this is usually associated with differences in tree species composition. We tested whether N cycling in stands of a single tree species increased with increasing mineral soil nitrogen capital. Rates of N cycling in nine stands of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were estimated by measuring annual N input in litter, N content of the forest floor, and net N mineralization rate in the forest floor. Rates of C and N turnover were estimated from the litterfall:forest floor ratio. The amount of N returned in litter increased as soil N capital increased. The increase in litter N content resulted from both increased litter mass (C content) and increased N concentration in litter. Despite the greater litter input, forest floor mass was smaller at N-rich sites, indicating more rapid turnover of the forest floor on N-rich sites. There was a positive relationship between fractional annual loss of N from the forest floor and soil N capital. Therefore, even without changes in tree species composition, sites with greater soil N capital returned more N in annual litterfall and had faster turnover of N in the forest floor. Fractional annual loss of C also increased with increasing soil N capital, indicating faster decomposition on N-rich sites. The rate of net N mineralization during laboratory incubations of the forest floor was not correlated with soil N capital or N concentrations of litter, but was related to the C:N ratio of the forest floor. Net N mineralization was appreciable only at two sites where forest floor C:N ratios were <35. The rate of net N mineralization or C:N ratio of the forest floor were not good indicators of N availability at these sites. The results of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that rates of N cycling are faster on N-rich sites, and that this effect can occur in the absence of changes in tree species composition.
Effect of dietary grape pomace fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality in finishing pigs.

Fifty-six ((Duroc×Yorkshire)×Landrace) pigs with an average initial BW of 19.3±0.17 kg were used in this 15-wk growth experiment to investigate the effects of grape pomace fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii on pig growth performance, nutrient digestibility and quality attributes of pork. Pigs were allotted to 2 dietary treatments (7 replications) based on their initial BW in a randomized complete block design. The experimental treatments were: i) control (CON; basal diet), ii) FGPP (CON+30 g/kg fermented grape pomace product). Dietary FGPP improved (p<0.05) average daily gain (ADG), coefficient apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) during 35-70 d of the experiment. Similarly, pigs fed the FGPP supplemented diet had a higher N digestibility (p<0.05) in the finisher phase (day 71-105). Dietary FGPP increased (p<0.05) the marbling score, the redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values, as well as the anti-oxidative ability (lower TBARS). The inclusion of FGPP reduced palmitic acid (C:16:0), stearic acid (C:18:0), arachidic acid (C:20:0) and SFA levels (p<0.05) in subcutaneous fat. An increased (p<0.05) linoleic acid (C18:2n6), total PUFA and PUFA/SFA ratio were observed in the FGPP group. Dietary FGPP supplementation decreased the arachidic acid (C:20:0) level in longissimus muscle (LM). In conclusion, dietary inclusion of FGPP at the level of 30 g/kg improved the growth performance, nutrients digestibility and altered the fatty acid pattern in the subcutaneous fat as well as some
Statistical optimization of culture conditions by response surface methodology for synthesis of lipase with Enterobacter aerogenes

Optimization of lipase production by Enterobacter aerogenes was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM) where the statistical model was obtained by fractional factorial central composite design. The influence of various physico-chemical parameters, viz. temperature, oil concentration, inoculum volume, pH and incubation period on lipase production was examined. Optimization of physico-chemical parameters resulted 1.4- fold increase in lipase activity. The optimum levels of parameters were 34°C, oil concentration 3%, inoculum volume 7%, pH 7 and incubation time 60 h for obtaining a maximum lipase activity of 27.25 U/ml.