Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Avizyme Improves Performance of Broilers Fed Corn-Soybean Meal-Based Diets

SUMMARY Although several enzymes have been shown to be beneficial when added to diets based on wheat or barley, few studies have demonstrated consistent response when corn-soybean mealbased diets are treated with enzymes. A study was conducted in which nutritionally adequate diets were fed with or without the addition of 0.1% Avizyme 1500. Avizyme contains xylanase, protease, and amylase activity and is designed to improve the nutritional value of poultry diets based on low-viscosity grains, such as corn and sorghum, and containing significant levels of soybean meal. Each diet was fed to 48 pens of 65 male broilers. Body weights and feed conversions were obtained at 16, 35, 42, and 49 d of age. At 35, 42, and 49 d, five birds per pen were processed to determine dressing percentage and parts yield. Birds fed the diets supplemented with Avizyme had significantly higher body weights at 16, 35, and 49 d as compared to birds fed the unsupplemented diets. Response in feed conversion was inconsistent. Mortality at 16, 35, and 42 d was significantly less among birds fed the diets supplemented with Avizyme. Addition of Avizyme had no consistent effect on dressing percentage or yield of breast, thigh, or wing components. Abdominal fat, expressed as percentage of the carcass, was consistently increased by Avizyme supplementation, the differences being statistically significant at 42 and 49 d. This result suggests that birds fed the diets containing Avizyme obtained a greater amount of net energy from their diets.
Latitudinal distribution of diazotrophs and their nitrogen fixation in the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific

Latitudinal distribution of diazotrophs and their nitrogen (N2) fixation activity were investigated in the western North Pacific in winter (Nov to Dec 2004) and summer (May to Jun 2005) along meridional transects from 37°N to the equator. N2 fixation activity in whole seawater and seawater passed through a 10‐µm filter was assayed by acetylene reduction. The whole‐water N2 fixation was markedly elevated in winter throughout the study area compared to that in summer, probably due to the increased upward supply of phosphate as a result of deeper mixed layer in winter. During both periods a distinct latitudinal variation was observed in N2 fixation of the whole‐water samples at the surface; further, higher activity was observed between the Kuroshio Extension and the salinity front in the North Equatorial Current than in the neighboring areas. The elevated N2 fixation was primarily ascribed to ≪10‐µm diazotrophs during both seasons. Flow cytometry conducted in summer revealed that distribution of nanoplanktonic cyanobacteria was closely correlated with that of N2 fixation activity in the ≪10‐µm fraction, indicating that nanoplanktonic cyanobacteria were the major diazotrophs in that area. In contrast, microplanktonic diazotrophs, Trichodesmium spp. and Richelia intracellularis exhibited different latitudinal distributions from that of nanoplanktonic cyanobacteria, with maximum numerical abundance of R. intracellularis around 8°N and 30°N, and that of Trichodesmium spp. at 26.5°N. Few microplanktonic diazotrophs occurred in the winter. The distribution of the diazotrophs and their N2 fixation activity may be controlled by the supply of phosphate and aeolian dust deposition.
Emissions of N2O and NO and net nitrogen mineralization in a boreal forested peatland treated with different nitrogen compounds

Fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured on a drained and forested peatland in 1992-1995. Net mineralization and nitrification were studied in situ in 1993-1994. Nitrogen additions in 1992 as KNO3, NH4Cl, or urea (100 kg N ·ha-1) were used to study the fate and transformations of N in peat. The mean N2O emissions during the growth season in 1993 were 1.9, 2.6, 3.3, and 3.5 mg N ·m-2 ·day-1 in the control soil, KNO3, NH4Cl, and urea-treated soils, respectively. Mean NO fluxes during the growth season in 1993 averaged 0.3, 0.4, 0.7, and 0.6 mg N ·m-2 ·day-1 in the control soil, KNO3, NH4Cl, and urea treatment, respectively. Annual net N mineralization was 87 kg N ·ha-1 in the control soil and 107, 129, and 91 kg ·ha-1 in the KNO3, NH4Cl, and urea-treated soils, respectively. Added N increased the fluxes of N oxides at least for a year after the treatments. The study showed that forests on drained N-rich peat soils may be significant sources of N2O and NO and that their production of.
Factors for the success of early childhood inclusion & Related studies in Turkey

This paper was designed in two phases. The first phase determines the important aspects playing role in the successful early childhood inclusion. Based on related literature, teachers, school administrators, children with and without special needs, parents of children with and without special needs and physical environment were considered as the important aspects and discussed in the paper. In the second phase, some research studies conducted in Turkey about early childhood inclusion and opinions and attitudes of teachers and other people regarding inclusion were examined. The results of the research studies were also discussed.
Antioxidant Nobiletin Enhances Oocyte Maturation and Subsequent Embryo Development and Quality

Nobiletin is a polymethoxylated flavonoid isolated from citrus fruits with wide biological effects, including inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell cycle regulation, important factors for oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM). Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of nobiletin during IVM on matured bovine oocyte quality (nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation; oocyte mitochondrial activity; intracellular ROS and glutathione (GSH) levels) and their developmental competence, steroidogenesis of granulosa cells after maturation, as well as quantitative changes of gene expression in matured oocytes, their cumulus cells, and resulting blastocysts. Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes were in vitro matured in TCM-199 +10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and 10 ng/mL epidermal growth factor (EGF) (Control) supplemented with 10, 25, 50, or 100 μM of nobiletin (Nob10, Nob25, Nob50, and Nob100, respectively) or 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (CDMSO: vehicle for nobiletin dilution). A significantly higher percentage of matured oocytes in metaphase II was observed in Nob25 and Nob50 compared to other groups. Similarly, cleavage rate and cumulative blastocyst yield on Days 7 and 8 were significantly higher for Nob25 and Nob50 groups. Oocytes matured with 25 and 50 μM nobiletin showed a higher rate of migration of cortical granules and mitochondrial activity and a reduction in the ROS and GSH content in comparison with all other groups. This was linked to a modulation in the expression of genes related to metabolism (CYP51A1), communication (GJA1), apoptosis (BCL2), maturation (BMP15 and MAPK1), and oxidative stress (SOD2 and CLIC1). In conclusion, nobiletin offers a novel alternative for counteracting the effects of the increase in the production of ROS during IVM, improves oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation, and subsequent embryo development and quality in cattle.
Deubiquitination Reactions on the Proteasome for Proteasome Versatility

The 26S proteasome, a master player in proteolysis, is the most complex and meticulously contextured protease in eukaryotic cells. While capable of hosting thousands of discrete substrates due to the selective recognition of ubiquitin tags, this protease complex is also dynamically checked through diverse regulatory mechanisms. The proteasome’s versatility ensures precise control over active proteolysis, yet prevents runaway or futile degradation of many essential cellular proteins. Among the multi-layered processes regulating the proteasome’s proteolysis, deubiquitination reactions are prominent because they not only recycle ubiquitins, but also impose a critical checkpoint for substrate degradation on the proteasome. Of note, three distinct classes of deubiquitinating enzymes—USP14, RPN11, and UCH37—are associated with the 19S subunits of the human proteasome. Recent biochemical and structural studies suggest that these enzymes exert dynamic influence over proteasome output with limited redundancy, and at times act in opposition. Such distinct activities occur spatially on the proteasome, temporally through substrate processing, and differentially for ubiquitin topology. Therefore, deubiquitinating enzymes on the proteasome may fine-tune the degradation depending on various cellular contexts and for dynamic proteolysis outcomes. Given that the proteasome is among the most important drug targets, the biology of proteasome-associated deubiquitination should be further elucidated for its potential targeting in human diseases.
Progress in biopulping of non-woody materials: Chemical, enzymatic and ultrastructural aspects of wheat straw delignification with ligninolytic fungi from the genus Pleurotus

During screening of basidiomycetes for wheat straw delignification, considerable lignin degradation with a limited attack to cellulose was attained with Pleurotus eryngii. Straw solid-state fermentation (SSF) was optimized, and the enzymatic mechanisms for lignin degradation were investigated. No lignin peroxidase was detected under liquid or SSF conditions, but high laccase and aryl-alcohol oxidase levels were found. The latter enzyme has been fully characterized in PI. eryngii and it seems to be involved in a cyclic redox system for H202 generation from aromatic compounds. Results obtained using homoveratric acid suggest that Pleurotus laccase could be involved in degradation of phenolic and non-phenolic lignin moieties. Histological and ultrastructural studies provided some general morphological characteristics of the fungal attack on wheat straw. Whereas a simultaneous degradation pattern was observed in straw treated with Phanerochaete chrysosporium, PI. eryngii caused partial degradation of middle lamella and separation of individual sclerenchymatic fibers. When these straw samples were subjected to refining tests, energy saving after biological treatment was the highest in the case of straw treated with PI. eryngii, which also produced the lowest substrate loss. From these results, a correlation between preferential removal of lignin, separation of sclerenchymatic fibers and pulping properties was provided during fungal treatment of wheat straw.
The Links between Cardiovascular Diseases and Alzheimer's Disease

The root cause of non-inherited Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains unknown despite hundreds of research studies performed to attempt to solve this problem. Since proper prophylaxis remains the best strategy, many scientists have studied the risk factors that may affect AD development. There is robust evidence supporting the hypothesis that cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may contribute to AD progression, as the diseases often coexist. Therefore, a lack of well-defined diagnostic criteria makes studying the relationship between AD and CVD complicated. Additionally, inflammation accompanies the pathogenesis of AD and CVD, and is not only a consequence but also implicated as a significant contributor to the course of the diseases. Of note, АроЕε4 is found to be one of the major risk factors affecting both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. According to genome wide association and epidemiological studies, numerous common risk factors have been associated with the development of AD-related pathology. Furthermore, the risk of developing AD and CVDs appears to be increased by a wide range of conditions and lifestyle factors: hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, gut/oral microbiota, physical activity, and diet. This review summarizes the literature and provides possible mechanistic links between CVDs and AD.
Different conditions for drying of beech lumbers in Kosovo.

The aim of the study is to present the coefficients of swelling and shrinkage for the beech wood. Mostly, the values of swelling and shrinkage, obtained from of heart of red wood, are higher than white beech wood. The swelling is smaller in naturally drying lumbers than in kiln drying. Because of calculated values of over dimensions needed for swelling, there was calculated also the coefficient of partial swelling, during the relative humidity from 30 to 10%. The coefficient of shrinkage increases in white wood of beech, but it remains nearly the same in heart red wood of beech.
Methodological considerations in designing and implementing the harmonized diagnostic assessment of dementia for longitudinal aging study in India (LASI–DAD)

ABSTRACT The Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI–DAD) is a population-representative, prospective cohort study of late-life cognition and dementia. It is part of an ongoing international research collaboration that aims to measure and understand cognitive impairment and dementia risk by collecting a set of cognitive and neuropsychological assessments and informant reports, referred to as the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP). LASI–DAD provides nationally representative data drawn from a subsample of the ongoing Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI). One of LASI–DAD’s distinctive features is its rich geriatric assessment, including the collection of venous blood samples and brain imaging data for a subsample of respondents. In this paper, we discuss the methodological considerations of developing and implementing the HCAP protocol in India. The lessons we learned from translating and applying the HCAP protocol in an environment where illiteracy and innumeracy are high will provide important insights to researchers interested in measuring and collecting data on late-life cognition and dementia in developing countries. We further developed an innovative blood management system that enables us to follow the collection, transportation, assay, and storage of samples. Such innovation can benefit other population surveys collecting biomarker data.
The Potential of Immune Modulation in Therapeutic HIV-1 Vaccination

We discuss here some of the key immunological elements that are at the crossroads and need to be combined to develop a potent therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine. Therapeutic vaccines have been commonly used to enhance and/or recall pre-existing HIV-1-specific cell-mediated immune responses aiming to suppress virus replication. The current success of immune checkpoint blockers in cancer therapy renders them very attractive to use in HIV-1 infected individuals with the objective to preserve the function of HIV-1-specific T cells from exhaustion and presumably target the persistent cellular reservoir. The major latest advances in our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for virus reactivation during therapy-suppressed individuals provide the scientific basis for future combinatorial therapeutic vaccine development.
Enhanced activity of glycolytic enzymes in Drosophila and human cell models of Parkinson’s disease based on DJ-1 deficiency

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodenerative debilitating disorder characterized by progressive disturbances in motor, autonomic and psychiatric functions. The pathological hallmark of PD is the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, which causes striatal dopamine deficiency. Although most PD cases are sporadic (iPD), approximately 5-10% of all patients suffer from monogenic PD forms caused by highly penetrant rare mutations segregating with the disease in families (fPD). One of the genes linked to monogenic PD is DJ-1. Mutations in DJ-1 cause autosomal recessive early-onset forms of fPD; however, it has been shown that an over-oxidized and inactive form of the DJ-1 protein is found in the brains of iPD individuals. Valuable insights into potential PD pathogenic mechanisms involving DJ-1 have been obtained from studies in cell and animal PD models based on DJ-1 deficiency such as Drosophila. Flies mutant for the DJ-1β gene, the Drosophila ortholog of human DJ-1, exhibited disease-related phenotypes such as motor defects, increased reactive oxygen species production and high levels of protein carbonylation. In the present study, we show that loss of DJ-1β function significantly increased the activities of several regulatory glycolytic enzymes. Similar results were obtained in DJ-1-deficient SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, thus suggesting that loss of DJ-1 function in both PD models produces an enhancement of glycolysis. Our results also show that FDA-approved compounds such as meclizine and dimethyl fumarate, which have different clinical applications, are able to attenuate PD-related phenotypes in both models. Moreover, we found that they could exert their beneficial effect by increasing glycolysis through the activation of key glycolytic enzymes. Taken together, these results are consistent with the idea that increasing glycolysis could be a potential disease-modifying strategy for PD, as recently suggested. Besides, they also support further evaluation and potential repurposing of meclizine and dimethyl fumarate as modulators of energy metabolism for neuroprotection in PD.
Influence of Hypoxic and Hyperoxic Preconditioning on Endothelial Function in a Model of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury with Cardiopulmonary Bypass (Experimental Study)

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of preconditioning based on changes in inspiratory oxygen fraction on endothelial function in the model of ischemia-reperfusion injury of the myocardium in the condition of cardiopulmonary bypass. The prospective randomized study included 32 rabbits divided into four groups: hypoxic preconditioning, hyperoxic preconditioning, hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning, and control group. All animals were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. We provided preconditioning, then started cardiopulmonary bypass, followed by induced acute myocardial infarction (ischemia 45 min, reperfusion 120 min). We investigated endothelin-1, nitric oxide metabolites, asymmetric dimethylarginine during cardiopulmonary bypass: before ischemia, after ischemia, and after reperfusion. We performed light microscopy of myocardium, kidney, lungs, and gut mucosa. The endothelin-1 level was much higher in the control group than in all preconditioning groups after ischemia. The endothelin-1 even further increased after reperfusion. The total concentration of nitric oxide metabolites was significantly higher after all types of preconditioning compared with the control group. The light microscopy of the myocardium and other organs revealed a diminished damage extent in the hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning group as compared to the control group. Hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning helps to maintain the balance of nitric oxide metabolites, reduces endothelin-1 hyperproduction, and enforces organ protection.
Protease-activated receptor 1 inhibitor improves brain edema in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage.

AIM To investigate the changes of water content in brain tissue, the expression of AQP4mRNA after cerebral hemorrhage in rats, and the intervention effect of Protease activated receptor 1 inhibitor (PAR1 inhibitor) on both. METHODS Establish sham operation group (Sham group), ICH group, ICH+PAR1 inhibitor high-dose group (PI(H)group), ICH+PAR1 inhibitor low-dose group (PI(L)group), 25 in each group. Neural dysfunction scores were performed at 1d, 3d, 7d, 14d, and 21d after surgery, and brain water content and AQP4mRNA content were measured. RESULTS Results: The neurological dysfunction and cerebral edema of rats with cerebral hemorrhage reached the peak at 3 days after operation. With the increase of time, the water content and AQP4mRNA content in the PL(H)group were higher than those in the PI(L)group. The differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate inhibition of PAR1 can alleviate cerebral edema around the hematoma and play a role in improving the function of nerve defects. The mechanism may be realized by down-regulating the expression of AQP4mRNA in brain tissue (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 25).
Application of Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Assay on a Portable Sequencing Platform for Culture-Free Detection of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis from Clinical Samples

Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) has emerged as a comprehensive alternative to existing methods for drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patient sputum samples for clinical diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). However, the complexity of sequencing platforms has limited their uptake in low-resource settings. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of the tNGS-based DST solution Genoscreen Deeplex Myc-TB, for use on the compact, low-cost Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION sequencer. ABSTRACT Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) has emerged as a comprehensive alternative to existing methods for drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patient sputum samples for clinical diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). However, the complexity of sequencing platforms has limited their uptake in low-resource settings. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of the tNGS-based DST solution Genoscreen Deeplex Myc-TB, for use on the compact, low-cost Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION sequencer. One hundred four DNA samples extracted from smear-positive sputum sediments, previously sequenced using the Deeplex assay on an Illumina MiniSeq, were resequenced on MinION after applying a custom library preparation. MinION read quality, mapping statistics, and variant calling were computed using an in-house pipeline and compared to the reference MiniSeq data. The average percentage of MinION reads mapped to an H37RV reference genome was 90.8%, versus 99.5% on MiniSeq. The mean depths of coverage were 4,151× and 4,177× on MinION and MiniSeq, respectively, with heterogeneous distribution across targeted genes. Composite reference coverage breadth was >99% for both platforms. We observed full concordance between technologies in reporting the clinically relevant drug-resistant markers, including full gene deletions. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the workflow and sequencing data obtained from Deeplex on MinION are comparable to those for the MiniSeq, despite the higher raw error rates on MinION, with the added advantage of MinION’s portability, versatility, and low capital costs. Targeted NGS on MinION is a promising DST solution for rapidly providing clinically relevant data to manage complex DR-TB cases.
Biocompatible exosomes nanodrug cargo for cancer cell bioimaging and drug delivery

Therapy against cancer remains a daunting issue for human health, despite remarkable innovations in many areas of pathology. In situ biosynthesized nanoclusters bestow a novel remedy for carcinogenic cell imaging. Exosomes have received special attention as an efficient tool for the diagnosis of various diseases, including cancers. All types of cells (healthy or diseased) generate exosomes, making them significantly unique for relevant disease diagnosis and treatment. In this contribution, we exploit the possibility of utilizing the exosomes to facilitate chemotherapeutics, viz. the combination of doxorubicin (Dox) and biosynthesized silver nanoclusters in cancer cells. Our study showed a new facile way for bioimaging of cancer cells using biosynthesized silver-DNA nanoclusters, and thus further targeting cancer cells using the relevant cancer exosomes as drug delivery cargo. After isolating exosomes from neoplastic cells, i.e. HeLa, loaded with the drug, and treating other neoplastic cells with cargo-loaded isolated exosomes, we found that cargo-loaded isolated exosomes can readily enter into the targeted cancer cells and efficiently kill these neoplastic cells. This raises the possibility of acting as a novel facile modality for target cancer theranostics with high efficiency and biocompability.