Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase, AmpC and virulence genes in Escherichia coli isolates from vegetable salads in Morocco

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the occurrence of the extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC β-lactamase genes in 144 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from 160 vegetable salad samples. Design/methodology/approach Among the 144 E. coli isolates recovered from 160 vegetable salads, 17 (12 percent) ceftazidime-resistant isolates were screened for ESBL production with the double disk-diffusion test. The ESBL-producing isolates were characterized for antimicrobial resistance, the presence of virulence genes and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants. The isolates were also subjected to phylogenetic group typing. The existence of plasmid AmpC genes and mutations in the regulatory region of the chromosomal AmpC gene was assessed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. All β-lactamase isolates were further characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to determine the genetic relatedness. Findings Overall, 17 (12 percent) of the 144 E. coli isolates studied were ceftazidime resistant. Among the 17 isolates, 13 (77 percent) were multidrug resistant and four (23.5 percent) were ESBL producers. The bla CTX-M14 was the only gene detected. Of the 12 AmpC-producing isolates, three (18 percent) harbored plasmid-encoded AmpC and sequencing analysis of the chromosomal AmpC genes revealed mutations in the promoter/attenuator region. PMQR determinants were detected in 9 (52 percent) isolates. A was the most prevalent phylogenetic group (56 percent), followed by groups B1 (31 percent), D (6 percent), and B2 (6 percent). PCR showed that six (50 percent) ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli isolates carried one and/or two virulence genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed no epidemiological relationship between these isolates. Originality/value This study places vegetable salads within the spectrum of ecological niches that may be vehicles for antibiotic-resistant bacteria/genes with clinical interest and these findings are worthy of attention as their spread to humans by ingestion cannot be dismissed.
Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity of Rhizobia Isolated from Trifolium rubens Root Nodules

The aim of this study was to analyse the genetic and phenotypic differentiation of bacteria isolated from root nodules of Trifolium rubens, a rare clover species. The symbiotic compatibility of selected isolates was investigated using two agronomically important plants, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.). A high genetic diversity of analysed strains was shown using the Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) method. Most of the strains showed a high similarity to R. leguminosarum in the 16S rRNA sequence. Two strains were identified as Agrobacterium spp. There was a strong positive correlation between fresh clover weight and the number of root nodules and a statistically significant increase in the number of the root nodules in selected strains compared to the negative control. Phenotypic tests and BIOLOG analysis showed the ability of the analysed strains to grow in different experimental conditions (pH = 6–10, 0.5–3% NaCl, different carbon and nitrogen sources), which makes them suitable for application as an agronomically important factor.
Growth and productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under varying levels and sources of sulphur in semi-arid conditions of Rajasthan

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy research farm, S.K. N. College of Agriculture, Jobner during kharif, 2015 in order to evaluate the performance of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under varying levels of sulphur and its sources. Results of experiment revealed that CGR of crop during 0 - 35 DAS registered significant increase upto application of sulphur at 45 kg/ha. However, at later stages of growth the significant increase was noted upto 60 kg S/ha only. Application of sulphur at 60 kg/ha recorded a significant increase of 6.1 per cent in RGR over 15 kg/ha during 70 DAS – at harvest stage. Likewise, application of 60 kg S/ha also significantly enhanced the number of total and effective nodules as well as fresh and dry weight of nodules/plant and produced significantly higher pod and biological yields of groundnut (1832 and 5361 kg/ha) than 45, 30 and 15 kg/ha. Application of sulphur through gypsum recorded significant increase in plant height and dry matter accumulation/m row length at all the stages of crop over SSP and elemental sulphur treatments. The maximum CGR at all the stages of crop was recorded when sulphur was applied through gypsum. Sulphur application through SSP registered 13.9, 9.8 and 21.4 per cent increase in CGR over elemental sulphur at these stages, respectively. On the other hand, SSP and gypsum increased the RGR by 7.2 and 6.3 per cent, respectively over elemental sulphur. Gypsum as a sources of sulphur fertilization recorded the highest number of 62.30 total and 55.00 effective nodules/plant and as well as fresh and dry weight of nodules (229.87 and 102.00 mg/plant) thereby increasing to the extent of 22.1, 27.6, 23.9 and 18.9 per cent over elemental sulphur. Sulphur application through gypsum produced 13.1 and 10.2 per cent higher pod and biological yield of groundnut over elemental sulphur.
Study on S-wave propagation through parallel rock joints under in situ stress

In situ stress is an important feature of underground rock masses. This paper extends the time-domain recursive method to the study of S-wave propagation through in situ stressed rock masses containing parallel joints. A linear elastic model and hyperbolic nonlinear slip model (HNSM) are first used to establish equations for wave propagation across jointed rock masses under a combination of gravitational and tectonic stress. Then, a comparison is made of the waveforms generated using the HNSM and Mohr–Coulomb slip model. Their differences are investigated and the wave propagation equation verified. Finally, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effect of joint angle, joint number, in situ stress, and lateral pressure coefficient. The results show that the HNSM can describe the dynamic changes in the stress and their effect on the deformation behavior of the joint during the propagation of the S-wave. The effect of in situ stress on wave propagation is related to the joint angle and lateral pressure coefficient, which determine the initial stress state and contact state of the joint.
Association Between SYNTAX Score and Carotid Artery Stenosis in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)

Background: Stroke as a complication of open-heart surgery can be a cause of death and widespread disability. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the SYNTAX Score and carotid artery stenosis and evaluate patients undergoing open-heart surgery in terms of postoperative complications and mortality in a six-month to two-year follow-up period. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 113 patients with CAD who underwent open-heart surgery at our hospital from 2016 to 2017. After collecting demographic data, the SYNTAX score, and color Doppler sonography report, the data were recorded and analyzed by SPSS22. Results: In our study, most patients were male and aged between 50 and 70 years. The mean SYNTAX score was 32.667 + 13.668 in the group with significant carotid stenosis, 33.926 + 9.387 in the group with no significant carotid stenosis, and 30.868 + 9.963 in the group without carotid stenosis. The results showed no significant relationship between carotid artery stenosis and the SYNTAX score (P = 0.512) and no significant relationship between the SYNTAX score and surgical complications (P = 0.666). Conclusions: According to the results, there is no significant relationship between the SYNTAX score and various indices related to heart disease, carotid artery stenosis, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Thus, this index cannot be used to check and follow patients. However, further studies are needed to reach a definitive conclusion.
Phylogenetic and expression analysis of protein disulfide isomerase unravels good reference genes for gene expression studies in pear and peach fruits

Abstract: Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is an important enzyme for protein folding in endoplasmic reticulum. The PDI gene family has been systematically studied in Arabidopsis, barley, rice, and bread wheat; however, little is known about this gene family and their roles during fruit development and ripening in fruit trees. In this study, 63 PDI genes were isolated from 8 fruit trees. Phylogenetic trees showed that these genes were clustered into six different groups, designated as A to F. In the groups, the PDI genes had significant differences in gene structure and conserved regions. The chromosome location of each PDI gene was determined in complete genome-assembly fruit trees and the synteny of chromosome segments was detected among peach, pear, and strawberry. Expression profiles of PDI genes in peach, pear, and strawberry showed that nearly all genes in group D and E were more highly expressed in developmental and ripening fruit tissues than those in other groups, while all genes in group A and B presented the lowest levels of expression in fruits of each stage. Moreover, qRT-PCR analyses revealed that these expressed genes were stable expressed in pear and peach fruits, as well as the reported reference genes. Eventually, PbPDI.F1 presented the highest expression stability in pear fruit while PpPDI.F displayed stronger stability than other genes in peach fruit. Thus, these two genes, which were clustered in group F, are good reference genes for gene expression studies during fruit development and ripening.
Addition of Citrus Leaf Extract into Frying Oil Prevents Hypertension and Improves Vascular Reactivity in Heated Oil-Fed Rats

The use of repeatedly heated frying oil is hazardous to health, due to oxidative process that occurs in the oil. Addition of an additive with antioxidant property could lessen the detrimental effects of repeated frying in the oils. Citrus leaf extract (CLE) supplementation was reported to possess antioxidant and blood pressure-lowering properties. Our study aimed to determine the effects of CLE addition into frying oil in rats fed with repeatedly heated oil diet. Seven groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were given fresh and heated oil diets (five-time- and ten-time-heated palm oil), with and without the CLE addition for 16 weeks. CLE addition decreased peroxide value and augmented the total phenolics content in the heated oils. CLE addition reversed the negative effects of heated oil on nitric oxide level, systolic blood pressure, and vascular reactivity. In conclusion, these findings show that CLE has the ability to reduce oxidative damage caused by thermal degradation in frying oil and subsequently lowers the risk of hypertension in rats that consumed heated oil.
Renal Lymphoma with Mesenteric Lymphomatosis in a Cat

A 6-year-old castrated male Russian Blue cat was presented for evaluation of dyschezia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed hyperechoic nodules in both kidneys, heterogeneous mass in abdomen, and extensive mesenteric thickening with multiple hypoechoic nodules. Computed tomography showed multiple hypodense lesions in both kidneys and diffuse nodular infiltration around the mesentery. Fine needle aspirates (FNA) acquired under ultrasound guidance from the mesentery consisted of large lymphocytes which have round to irregular nuclei with granular chromatin, prominent nucleoli and a small amount of basophilic cytoplasm. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for antigen receptor gene rearrangement result of FNA sample revealed a T-cell malignancy. The cat died from acute renal failure after 1 cycle of modified Madison-Wisconsin L-CHOP protocol. Postmortem examination revealed bilaterally enlarged lumpy-bumpy shaped kidneys. Histopathologic examination showed an infiltration of malignant lymphocytes into the renal parenchyma and mesentery. Immunohistochemical staining of the renal sample displayed a negative expression of CD3, PAX5, MUM-1, and CD79. The clinical features and prognosis of the cat with renal lymphoma with mesenteric lymphomatosis have been described in this report.
The status of the American mink (Neovison vison) in the Netherlands

The American mink (Neovison vison) is a north American mustelid that has been farmed for its fur in Europe since the 1920s. It has been feral in the Netherlands since 1958. This paper discusses its distribution, diet, the indications for reproduction, and whether feral animals are born in the wild or are escapees. The American mink mostly occurs in areas where many mink are kept in farms. The largest distance between an observation and the nearest farm was 45 km. Sixteen animals caught by muskrat control officers were dissected. The stomach content of the 16 animals revealed a diet of amphibians, birds and small mammals. The dissections gave no clues about reproduction: one of three males was sexually active, but none of the 13 females showed placental scars, a thickened uterus or signs of lactation. Only one observation of reproduction in the wild was received. Isotope analyses of teeth and nails indicate that the animals generally only stay feral for a short period of time before being caught. The ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes of the wild caught animals were very close to the isotope ratios of ten reference animals from a fur farm, except for one adult female, whose teeth isotope values were different from the farm animals and as such she seems to have remained in the wild for longer and was possibly born in the wild. In general however most animals are caught shortly after escaping and only remain in the wild for a short period of time. It seems that feral mink stem from constant escapes and that muskrat control removes these feral animals. Thus, the existence or development of a feral population in the Netherlands is unlikely, especially since it is planned to phase out mink farming by 2024.
Farm openings and their impacts on the attitudes of the visitors towards intensive egg and poultry meat production

The growing scepticism of the public towards intensive poultry production provided the background to a joint project of the University of Vechta and the Poultry Association of Lower Saxony in 2012. The main goal of the transparency project was to provide a realistic impression on modern, market-oriented poultry production on family farms by opening poultry houses to the public. From 2012 until 2015, 36 farms in Lower Saxony opened their doors and 9,000 visitors made use of the possibility to visit layer, broiler and turkey farms. The visitors were interviewed prior to the farm visit and after they had left the poultry houses. 2,922 questionnaires of persons older than 18 years and without a former knowledge about intensive poultry production were evaluated. The results presented in this paper show that farm openings changed the attitude of the visitors considerably and that they were less sceptical towards intensive poultry husbandry than prior to their visit. The project will be continued until 2019.
Quasi-Biennial Oscillation and Sudden Stratospheric Warmings during the Last Glacial Maximum

The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) are investigated in simulations using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model version 6 (WACCM6). We find that the period of QBO, which is 27 months in the preindustrial and modern climate simulations, was 33 months in the LGM simulation using the proxy sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and 41 months using the model-based LGM SSTs. We show that the longer QBO period in the LGM is due to weaker wave forcing. The WACCM6 simulations of the LGM, preindustrial, and modern climates do not support previous modeling work that suggests that the QBO amplitude is smaller (larger) in a warmer (colder) climate. We find that SSWs in the LGM occurred later in the year, as compared to the preindustrial and modern climate, but that time of the final warming was similar. The difference in SSW frequency is inconclusive.
Anatomical studies on drought-stressed wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) treated with some bacterial strains

Pot experiments were carried out during successive winter season of 2010/2011 in the greenhouse conditions at the Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University. The aim of this study was designed to investigate the effect of two treatments of bacterial endophytes strains Azotobacter chrocoocum (E1) and Pseudomonas fluorescens. (E2) individually whether as grains soaking and foliar application on anatomical features of two wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Sakha 93 and Gmiza 9) grown under three levels of irrigation water deficit stress (drought) 75, 50 and 25% field capacity (FC). Wheat stem and flag leaf anatomical parameters were take into account were vascular bundle dimensions, xylem vessel diameters as well as epidermis tissue thickness. Moreover, mesophyll tissue thickness values in flag leaf were calculated. The obtained results that, irrigation water deficit levels (75, 50 and 25% FC) treatments decreased revealed the values of the anatomical parameters such as thickness of epidermis, ground, mesophyll and phloem tissues, diameter of xylem vessel, and dimensions of vascular bundles of the tested wheat cultivars. While, treating wheat plants with Azotobacter chrocoocum (E1) and Pseudomonas sp. (E2) significantly increased the values of the tested anatomical characters. This study suggests that the effects of the tested bacterial endophytes treatments act as protective factors against irrigation water deficit and can improve water bio-productivity.
Efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides for control of complex weed flora in transplanted rice

A field experiment was conducted at Chiplima, Sambalpur, Odisha during the rainy season of 2014 and 2015 to study the effect of sand-mix application of pre-emergence herbicides on weed population yield and economics of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.). Application of chlorimuron + metsulfuron 4 g/ha, bensulfuron 60 g/ha and pyrazosulfuron 16 g/ha alone was selectively effictive on broad-leaf weeds while pretilachlor 500 g/ha was effective on grasses. Pre-emergence application of pyrazosulfuron with pretilachlor (16 + 500 g/ha) was more effective in minimizing the density (10/m2), biomass (4.8 g/m2) of weeds and enhancing the weed control efficiency (89.3%), grain yield (6.14 t/ha), net returns (` 53.2 x 103/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.37) than pretilachlor alone.
Teacher Preparation and Employment Outcomes of Beginning Teachers in Rhode Island. REL 2020-029.

Appendix A. About this study Education policy experts continue to debate how the United States can best produce well-prepared teachers who will stay in the schools that may need them most. There are agreement and empirical support for the idea that the quality of teaching matters to student learning (for example, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2013). Students of certified teachers outperformed students of teachers who were teaching out of field or who were undercertified (teaching under an emergency, temporary, or provisional certification) in Houston (DarlingHammond et al., 2005), Arizona (Laczko-Kerr & Berliner, 2002), and North Carolina (Clotfelter et al., 2007).
Assessing the relationship between driving skill, driving behavior and driving aggressiveness

Abstract Aggressive driving is a common phenomenon with potential safety hazards. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the relationship among driving skill, driving behavior and driving aggressiveness. A questionnaire survey consisting of three subscales was conducted. Subscale 1 is about driving skill; Subscale 2 is associated with daily driving behavior, while Subscale 3 focuses on aggressive driving behaviors. A total of 239 licensed drivers completed the survey. The five-factor structure was extracted by factor analysis. Then, the correlation analysis method was used to explore the relationship between these factors and drivers’ demographic characteristics. K-means cluster was adopted to classify drivers’ driving aggressiveness into different levels using behavioral aggressiveness and emotional aggressiveness as the input features. Finally, an ordinal regression model for predicting drivers’ driving aggressiveness levels was established by driving skill factor, driving behavior factors and demographic information. The results indicated that more experienced drivers (i.e., drivers with older age, longer driving years or professional drivers) reported better driving behavior and less aggression. Male drivers were more aggressive than female drivers, especially on behavioral aggressiveness. In addition, drivers’ profession, driving years, penalty points, errors/lapses and violations can be used to predict their driving aggressiveness levels.
EFFECT OF GAMMA RADIATION AND ETHYL METHANESULFONATE (EMS) ON POTATO SALT STRESS TOLERANCE IN VITRO

An experiment was conducted in the Date Palm Research Units labs / College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad to assess the tolerance toward salinity stress in potato after two mutagens treatments in vitro. Potato cv. Arizona and Rivera nodal segments were irradiated with four dosages of gamma rays at 0, 10, 20, and 30 Gray and immersed in (EMS) with four concentrations included 0, 10, 20, and 30 mM. The survival rates after mutagenesis treatments were calculated and 449 lines were obtained. The lines were tested for salinity tolerance by growing in MS medium supplemented with four concentrations of NaCl at 0, 100, 150, and 200 mM and data were analyzed according to the CRD with 10 replicates and means were compared according to LSD at 5%. Out of 449 lines obtained, only 38 lines were showed to be tolerant to salinity stress depending on some vegetative characteristics. At the highest NaCl concentration of 200 mM, Almost all derived lines were higher when compared with their controls especially the lines that derived from Arizona in which line 262 gave the most significant plantlets height of 35 mm and line 180 gave the most significant number of nodes of 3.66 nodes.plant -1 and number of shoots of 2 shoots.plant -1 when compared with their control that gave 11.33 mm, 2 nodes.plant -1 , and 1.5 shoots.plant -1 , respectively. The resulted lines were analyzed at the molecular level utilizing the inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers and revealed that line 69 was the much distanced from its derived Rivera cultivar while lines 551, 261, 170, 262, 459, 463 were the much genetically distanced from their derived cultivar Arizona.
Atypical Peripheral Smear Findings in a Patient With Fever and Cough During Spring of 2020

FIGURE 1. Portable chest x-ray with bilateral airspace opacities. CASE HISTORY A 72-year-old man and former smoker with hypertension, obesity, and topical-steroid controlled psoriasis presented in mid April 2020 with a 2-week history of fevers, productive cough, body aches, and worsening dyspnea. His temperature was 98F; weight, 107 kg; respiratory rate, 25 breaths per minute; and room air pulse oxygen saturation, 85%. Rhonchi were appreciated at both lung bases on physical examination. A portable chest x-ray revealed bilateral airspace opacities, right greater than left, with peribronchial cuffing, worrisome for pneumonia (Fig. 1). Due to worsening hypoxemia, the patient was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. The D-Dimer was 5346 ng/mL; ferritin, 525 ng/mL; C-reactive protein, 240 mg/L; and procalcitonin, 0.17 ng/mL. The white blood cell count was 9400/mm, and the lymphocyte count was 600/mm. The peripheral smear was reviewed, and four slides are being shown (Fig. 2).