Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and properties of formulated low calories functional yoghurt cake.

The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate a formulated functional yoghurt cake using hot water extract of stevia leaves as a sweetener. The ingredients of the regular yoghurt cake were replaced by both low caloric value and functional ingredients. Sucrose was replaced by hot water extract of stevia, butter was replaced by olive oil, full cream milk was replaced by skimmed milk, whole egg was replaced by egg white and 72% extraction wheat flour was replaced by whole wheat flour. Orange peels and lemon rind were also added to the formulated yoghurt with stevia extract. Sensory evaluations for both the regular yoghurt cake and formulated yoghurt cake for diabetics were carried out using scores of the appearance, color, odor, flavor, texture and overall acceptability. The obtained results showed that the regular yoghurt cake and formulated yoghurt cake for diabetics have a good score. The biological evaluation of rat blood parameters of control and yoghurt cake for diabetics groups showed that bilirubin, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, blood glucose and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (y-GT) values (means) in yoghurt cake for diabetics group were similar to results obtained in regular yoghurt cake group. There was a slight decrease in urea and aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) (37.05 mg/dl and 86.82 U/L, respectively) values in yoghurt cake for diabetics group compared with control (43.26 mg/dl and 97.00 U/L, respectively). It was concluded that formulated functional yoghurt cake containing hot water extract of stevia, whole wheat flour, egg white, skimmed milk, yoghurt, orange peel lemon rind and olive oil would be a great meal for diabetics.
PH—Postharvest Technology: Study on Sawdust Drying Techniques in Fluidised Bed

Abstract An experimental study on sawdust particle drying is carried out using fluidized-bed equipment at a laboratory scale. The techniques considered are: drying in a conventional fluidized bed, drying using heat surfaces immersed in the bed, and drying in vibrofluidized bed. An evaluation of the process is applied, and typical parameters are determined for the design of particle drying units, such as operation velocity, drying times and specific parameters of sawdust production and energy consumption. Drying in vibrofluidized bed showed important thermal and hydrodynamic advantages. A study on drying thermal behaviour using this technique is presented. It was proved that operation temperature over 100°C together with low superficial velocities, resulted in better conditions for lower energy consumption for drying kinetics.
Biogeographic drivers of diazotrophs in the western Pacific Ocean

The global budget of marine nitrogen (N) is not balanced, with N removal largely exceeding N fixation. One of the major causes of this imbalance is our inadequate understanding of the diversity and distribution of marine N2 fixers (diazotrophs) as well as their contribution to N2 fixation. Here, we performed a large‐scale cross‐system study spanning the South China Sea, Luzon Strait, Philippine Sea, and western tropical Pacific Ocean to compare the biogeography of seven major diazotrophic groups and N2 fixation rates in these ecosystems. Distinct spatial niche differentiation was observed. Trichodesmium was dominant in the South China Sea and western equatorial Pacific, whereas the unicellular cyanobacterium UCYN‐B dominated in the Philippine Sea. Furthermore, contrasting diel patterns of Trichodesmium nifH genes and UCYN‐B nifH gene transcript activity were observed. The heterotrophic diazotroph Gamma A phylotype was widespread throughout the western Pacific Ocean and occupied an ecological niche that overlapped with that of UCYN‐B. Moreover, Gamma A (or other possible unknown/undetected diazotrophs) rather than Trichodesmium and UCYN‐B may have been responsible for the high N2 fixation rates in some samples. Regional biogeochemistry analyses revealed cross‐system variations in N2‐fixing community composition and activity constrained by sea surface temperature, aerosol optical thickness, current velocity, mixed‐layer depth, and chlorophyll a concentration. These factors except for temperature essentially control/reflected iron supply/bioavailability and thus drive diazotroph biogeography. This study highlights biogeographical controls on marine N2 fixers and increases our understanding of global diazotroph biogeography.
Influence of some factors on the fertility of hybrid sows

The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of the boar and the age category of sows as factors for the fertility of hybrid sows ((Tai Zumu x Landrace) x Large White). The mother is a reliable source of variation on the number of the alive pigs (p<0.05) and the total number of the delivered ones in a farrow (p<0.01). The difference between the gilts and the sows is significant in the number of the alive and the total number of pigs in a farrow (p<0.05). The total number of delivered pigs from the sows are within the range of 10.6±0.4 to 11.4±1.2, while with the gilts ones they are from 8.9±0.6 to 11±1.8. High positive correlation was established between the live-born pigs and the total number of pigs born by gilts (rp= 0.858 р<0.01), as well as with the next parity (rp= from 0.702 to 0.861, р<0.01). The connection between the stillborn and the total number of born pigs, we reported a moderate and reliable correlation, both with the gilts (rp= 0.381, р<0.01) and the sows (rp = from 0.408 to 0.584, р<0.01)
Auxin confers protection against ER stress in Caenorhabditis elegans

ABSTRACT Auxins are plant growth regulators that influence most aspects of plant development through complex mechanisms. The development of an auxin-inducible degradation (AID) system has enabled rapid, conditional protein depletion in yeast and cultured cells. More recently, the system was successfully adapted to Caenorhabditis elegans to achieve auxin-dependent degradation of targets in all tissues and developmental stages. Whether auxin treatment alone has an impact on nematode physiology is an open question. Here we show that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the auxin most commonly used to trigger AID in worms, functions through the conserved IRE-1/XBP-1 branch of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) to promote resistance to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Because the UPR not only plays a central role in restoring ER homeostasis, but also promotes lipid biosynthesis and regulates lifespan, we suggest that extreme caution should be exercised when using the AID system to study these and related processes. Summary: Auxin, commonly used to induce conditional protein degradation, promotes ER stress resistance in C. elegans through the unfolded protein response (UPR).
Predicting potential impacts of ocean acidification on marine calcifiers from the Southern Ocean

Understanding the vulnerability of marine calcifiers to ocean acidification is a critical issue, especially in the Southern Ocean (SO), which is likely to be the one of the first, and most severely affected regions. Since the industrial revolution, ~30% of anthropogenic CO2 has been absorbed by the oceans. Seawater pH levels have already decreased by 0.1 and are predicted to decline by ~ 0.3 by the year 2100. This process, known as ocean acidification (OA), is shallowing the saturation horizon, which is the depth below which calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissolves, likely increasing the vulnerability of many marine calcifiers to dissolution. The negative impact of OA may be seen first in species depositing more soluble CaCO3 mineral phases such as aragonite and high-Mg calcite (HMC). These negative effects may become even exacerbated by increasing sea temperatures. Here we combine a review and a quantitative meta-analysis to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about skeletal mineralogy of major taxonomic groups of SO marine calcifiers and to make predictions about how OA might affect different taxa. We consider their geographic range, skeletal mineralogy, biological traits and potential strategies to overcome OA. The meta-analysis of studies investigating the effects of the OA on a range of biological responses such as shell state, development and growth rate shows response variation depending on mineralogical composition. Species-specific responses due to mineralogical composition suggest taxa with calcitic, aragonitic and HMC skeletons may be more vulnerable to the expected carbonate chemistry alterations, and low magnesium calcite (LMC) species may be mostly resilient. Environmental and biological control on the calcification process and/or Mg content in calcite, biological traits and physiological processes are also expected to influence species specific responses.
Hydrophilic Shell Matrix Proteins of Nautilus pompilius and the Identification of a Core Set of Conchiferan Domains

Despite being a member of the shelled mollusks (Conchiferans), most members of extant cephalopods have lost their external biomineralized shells, except for the Nautiloids. Here, we report the result of our study to identify major Shell Matrix Proteins and their domains in the Nautiloid Nautilus pompilius, in order to gain a general insight into the evolution of Conchiferan Shell Matrix Proteins. In order to do so, we conducted transcriptomics of the mantle, and proteomics of the shell of N. pompilius simultaneously. Analyses of obtained data identified 61 distinct shell-specific sequences. Of the successfully annotated 27 sequences, protein domains were predicted in 19. Comparative analysis of Nautilus sequences with four Conchiferans for which Shell Matrix Protein data were available (the pacific oyster, the pearl oyster, the limpet, and the Euhadra snail) revealed that three proteins and six domains of the shell proteins are conserved in all Conchiferans. Interestingly, when the terrestrial Euhadra snail was excluded, another five proteins and six domains were found to be shared among the four marine Conchiferans. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that most of these proteins and domains were present in the ancestral Conchiferan, but employed in shell formation later and independently in most clades. Although further studies utilizing deeper sequencing techniques to obtain genome and full-length sequences, and functional analyses, must be done in the future, our results here provide important pieces of information for the elucidation of the evolution of Conchiferan shells at the molecular level.
Identification of Root Rot Resistance QTLs in Pea Using Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi-Responsive Differentially Expressed Genes

Pisum sativum (pea) yields have declined significantly over the last decades, predominantly due to susceptibility to root rot diseases. One of the main causal agents of root rot is the fungus Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi (Fsp), leading to yield losses ranging from 15 to 60%. Determining and subsequently incorporating the genetic basis for resistance in new cultivars offers one of the best solutions to control this pathogen; however, no green-seeded pea cultivars with complete resistance to Fsp have been identified. To date, only partial levels of resistance to Fsp has been identified among pea genotypes. SNPs mined from Fsp-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in a preceding study were utilized to identify QTLs associated with Fsp resistance using composite interval mapping in two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations segregating for partial root rot resistance. A total of 769 DEGs with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, and the putative SNPs were evaluated for being polymorphic across four partially resistant and four susceptible P. sativum genotypes. The SNPs with validated polymorphisms were used to screen two RIL populations using two phenotypic criteria: root disease severity and plant height. One QTL, WB.Fsp-Ps 5.1 that mapped to chromosome V explained 14.76 % of the variance with a confidence interval of 10.36 cM. The other four QTLs located on chromosomes II, III, and V, explained 5.26–8.05 % of the variance. The use of SNPs derived from Fsp-responsive DEGs for QTL mapping proved to be an efficient way to identify molecular markers associated with Fsp resistance in pea. These QTLs are potential candidates for marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding to obtain high levels of partial resistance in pea cultivars to combat root rot caused by Fsp.
EXPRESSED EMOTION AND SELECTED PATIENTS’ CLINICAL FACTORS AMONG CAREGIVERS OF SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS VISITING JIMMA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER PSYCHIATRY OUT PATIENT UNIT, SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Background Expressed emotion (EE) measures the emotion of the caregivers of persons with schizophrinia and is predictive of symptom levels in a range of medical and psychiatric conditions. It is worth to assess expressed emotion and associated factors among caregivers of patient with schizophrenia in Ethiopia since there is limited data on this issue in this part of the world. Objective To assess the status of expressed emotions and selecte patients’ clinical factors among care givers of patients with schizophrenia attending psychiatry oupatient unit of Jimma university medical center, South west, Ethiopia, 2019. Method A cross-sectional study design employed involving 422 caregivers of schizophrenic patients using consecutive sampling technique. Data was collected using structured interviewer administrated questionnaires (Family Questioners) which assess the level of expressed emotion, entered into Epidata 4.4 and analyzed by Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25. Descripitive statistics used to summerize data, bivariate logistic regression was done to identify candidate variables for multivariable logistic regressions and the association between expressed emotion and predictor variables was identified by using multiple logistic regression model. Results High expressed emotion was observed in 43.6% of respondents. Caring for schizophrenic patients for about 6-8 years, having 3-4 episodes of the illness was significantly associated with high expressed emotion. Conclusions This study revealed that there is high status of care givers expressed emotion compared to other studies. It also showed that number of episode of illnesses had significant association with high caregivers expressed emotion. Health care systems, which provide interventions for patients with schizophrenia, need to design proper strategy to address caregivers need as well.
The BEACH Domain-Containing Protein SPIRRIG Modulates Actin-Dependent Root Hair Development in Coordination with the WAVE/SCAR and ARP2/3 Complexes

Root hairs are single cell protrusions that enable roots to optimize nutrient and water acquisition. They attain their tubular shapes by confining growth to the cell apex, a process called tip growth. The actin cytoskeleton and endomembrane system are essential for tip growth; however, little is known about how these cellular components coordinate their activities during this process. Here, we show that SPIRRIG (SPI), a BEACH domain-containing protein involved in membrane trafficking, and BRK1 and SCAR2, subunits of the WAVE/SCAR (W/SCR) and actin related protein (ARP)2/3 activation complexes, display polarized localizations to root hairs at distinct developmental stages. SPI accumulates at the root hair apex via post-Golgi vesicles and positively regulates tip growth by maintaining tip-focused vesicle secretion and filamentous-actin integrity. BRK1 and SCAR2 on the other hand, mark the root hair initiation domain to specify the position of root hair emergence. Live cell microscopy revealed that BRK1 depletion coincided with SPI accumulation as root hairs transitioned from initiation to tip growth. Furthermore, double mutant studies showed that SPI genetically interacts with BRK1 and ARP2/3. Taken together, our work uncovers a role for SPI in facilitating actin-dependent root hair development through pathways that intersect with the W/SCR and ARP2/3 complexes.
Visual processing speed is linked to functional connectivity between right frontoparietal and visual networks

Visual information processing requires an efficient visual attention system. The neural theory of visual attention (TVA) proposes that visual processing speed depends on the coordinated activity between frontoparietal and occipital brain areas. Previous research has shown that the coordinated activity between (i.e., functional connectivity, ‘inter-FC’) cingulo-opercular (COn) and right-frontoparietal (RFPn) networks is linked to visual processing speed. However, evidence for how inter-FC of COn and RFPn with visual networks links to visual processing speed is still missing. Forty-eight healthy human adult participants (27 females) underwent resting-state (rs-)fMRI and performed a whole-report psychophysical task. To obtain inter-FC, we analyzed the entire frequency range available in our rs-fMRI data (i.e., 0.01-0.4 Hz) to avoid discarding neural information. Following previous approaches, we analyzed the data across frequency bins (Hz): Slow-5 (0.01-0.027), Slow-4 (0.027-0.073), Slow-3 (0.073-0.198), and Slow-2 (0.198-0.4). We used the mathematical TVA framework to estimate an individual, latent-level visual processing speed parameter. We found that visual processing speed was negatively associated with inter-FC between RFPn and visual networks in Slow-5 and Slow-2, with no corresponding significant association for inter-FC between COn and visual networks. These results provide first empirical evidence that links inter-FC between RFPn and visual networks with the visual processing speed parameter. These findings suggest a direct connectivity between occipital and right frontoparietal, but not frontoinsular, regions, to support visual processing speed. Significance statement An efficient visual processing is at the core of visual cognition. Here, we provide evidence for a brain correlate of how fast individuals process visual stimuli. We used mathematical modeling of performance in a visual report task to estimate visual processing speed. A frequency-based analysis of resting-state fMRI signals revealed that functional connectivity between the right frontoparietal network and primary and dorsal occipital networks is linked to visual processing speed. This link was present in the slowest, typical frequency of the fMRI signal but also in the higher frequencies that are routinely discarded. These findings imply that the coordinated spontaneous activity between right frontoparietal and occipital regions supports the individual potential of the visual system for efficient processing.
Genome-wide association studies reveal the complex genetic architecture of DMI fungicide resistance in Cercospora beticola

Cercospora leaf spot is the most important disease of sugar beet worldwide. The disease is caused by the fungus Cercospora beticola and is managed principally by timely application of fungicides including those of the sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) class. However, reliance on DMIs has caused an increase in resistance to this class of fungicides in multiple C. beticola populations. To better understand the genetic and evolutionary basis for resistance in C. beticola, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and selective sweep analysis were conducted for the first time in this fungal plant pathogen. We performed whole genome resequencing of 190 C. beticola isolates predominantly from North Dakota and Minnesota that were phenotyped for sensitivity to tetraconazole, the most widely used DMI fungicide in this region. GWAS identified mutations in genes associated with DMI fungicide resistance including a Regulator of G-protein Signaling (RGS) protein, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) pleiotropic drug resistance transporter, a dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase (DYRK), and a gene annotated as a hypothetical protein. A SNP upstream of CbCYP51, the gene encoding the target of DMI fungicides, was also identified via GWAS. Haplotype analysis of CbCYP51 identified a synonymous mutation (E170) in high linkage disequilibrium with the upstream SNP, and multiple non-synonymous mutations (L144F, I387M and Y464S) associated with DMI resistance. Additionally, a putative codon bias effect for the L144F substitution was identified that generated different resistance potentials. We also identified a CbCYP51 paralog in C. beticola, CbCYP51-like, with high protein homology to CYP51C found uniquely in Fusarium species but CbCYP51-like does not appear to influence DMI sensitivity. Genome-wide scans of selection showed that several of the GWAS mutations for fungicide resistance resided in regions that have recently undergone a selective sweep. Using radial plate growth on selected media as a fitness proxy, we did not find a trade-off associated with DMI fungicide resistance suggesting that resistance mutations can persist in C. beticola populations. Taken together, we show that population genomic data from a crop pathogen can allow the identification of mutations conferring fungicide resistance and inform about their origins in the pathogen population.
Eye tracking reveals expertise-related differences in the time-course of medical image inspection and diagnosis

Abstract. Purpose: Physicians’ eye movements provide insights into relative reliance on different visual features during medical image review and diagnosis. Current theories posit that increasing expertise is associated with relatively holistic viewing strategies activated early in the image viewing experience. This study examined whether early image viewing behavior is associated with experience level and diagnostic accuracy when pathologists and trainees interpreted breast biopsies. Approach: Ninety-two residents in training and experienced pathologists at nine major U.S. medical centers interpreted digitized whole slide images of breast biopsy cases while eye movements were monitored. The breadth of visual attention and frequency and duration of eye fixations on critical image regions were recorded. We dissociated eye movements occurring early during initial viewing (prior to first zoom) versus later viewing, examining seven viewing behaviors of interest. Results: Residents and faculty pathologists were similarly likely to detect critical image regions during early image viewing, but faculty members showed more and longer duration eye fixations in these regions. Among pathology residents, year of residency predicted increasingly higher odds of fixating on critical image regions during early viewing. No viewing behavior was significantly associated with diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions: Results suggest early detection and recognition of critical image features by experienced pathologists, with relatively directed and efficient search behavior. The results also suggest that the immediate distribution of eye movements over medical images warrants further exploration as a potential metric for the objective monitoring and evaluation of progress during medical training.
Combined in silico docking and in vitro antiviral testing for drug repurposing identified lurasidone and elbasvir as SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 inhibitors

The current emergency of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 urged the need for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs as the first line of treatment. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that already challenged humanity in at least two other previous outbreaks and are likely to be a constant threat for the future. In this work we developed a pipeline based on in silico docking of known drugs on SARS-CoV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase combined with in vitro antiviral assays on both SARS-CoV-2 and the common cold human coronavirus HCoV-OC43. Results showed that certain drugs displayed activity for both viruses at a similar inhibitory concentration, while others were specific. In particular, the antipsychotic drug lurasidone and the antiviral drug elbasvir showed promising activity in the low micromolar range against both viruses with good selective index.