Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Entomopathogenic Fungi for the Management of Calopepla leayana on Gmelina arborea

Entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae were isolated and identified as natural pathogens of Calopepla leayana . Both the species of fungi were effective against the larval and adult stages of C. leayana causing white and green muscardine diseases respectively. It was also found that B. bassiana was more pathogenic to the pest as compared to M. anisopliae . The susceptibility of larvae and adults was negatively associated with the age and positively associated with the fungal spore concentration. In all the stages from I instar to adult, the highest mortality was observed in 10% of 1x10 9 spores/ml concentration of B. bassiana among 1, 2.5, 5 & 10% of 1x10 9 spores/ml concentration. It was also reflected in probit analysis that the concentration of spores required to kill fifty percent of the population was ranges from 0.09% to 5.98% of 1x10 9 spores/ml concentration of B. bassiana and 1.02% to 9.72% of 1x10 9 spores/ml concentration of M. anisopliae . The larvae of I instar have shown highest mortality, which gradually decreased with the increase in age or decrease in the concentration of fungal spores. Mass production of B. bassiana using different substrates was attempted to harvest ample amount of spores. This study revealed that spore production was directly proportional to the mycelial weight and incubation period. From the seven substrates tested, wheat flour was identified as one of the suitable substrates for the mass production of B. bassiana . A field trial was conducted to test their efficacy under field conditions. 72-93% mortality was observed in field conditions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Division of Bioprospecting, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore-641002, Tamilnadu, India * Corresponding author, Email: senthilnj@hotmail.com Cite This Article As: N. Senthilkumar and S. Murugesan. 2010. Entomopathogenic Fungi for the Management of Calopepla leayana on Gmelina arborea. J. Ecobiotechnol. 2(3): 01-06
The efficiency of food utilization by the small orange tip butterfly Colotis etrida (Boisduval, 1836) (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera: Pieridae) in the Eastern Ghats of Southern Andhra Pradesh-India

In the study was described the life history of the small orange tip butterfly, Colotis etrida (Boisduval, 1836), monthly occurrence and seasonality of early stages and larval performance in terms of food consumption and utilization, and the length of the life cycle. Field study indicated that Colotis etrida was in continuous flight and reproduction, with highest densities of early and adult stages occurring during June-September, the time of the entire South-West monsoon. The occurrence of the early stages was positive, but non-significantly correlated with rainfall, relative humidity, temperature and day length. Field data on the numerical occurrence of eggs, larvae and pupae on the larval host plant Cadaba fruiticosa (L.), Druce (Brassicales: Caparidaceae) and the laboratory study on the successful development of eggs, larvae and pupae leading to the emergence of adult butterflies. The eggs are laid singly on the foliage. They hatch after 3-4 days. The larva passes through five instars and attains full growth over a period of 11-16 days. The pupal stage lasts 9-10 days. Assuming that the adult’s life for 7-12 days, the length of generation time was estimated to span over 23-30 days, and accordingly the number of broods expected are estimated to be 6-7. The fifth instar larva has a greater share of the total food consumed over the entire larval period and growth was directly related to food consumption. While growth rate, fluctuated, consumption index showed a continuous decrease with the advancing age of the larvae, and their average values are 6.6 mm; and 5.4 mg; respectively. While the efficiency of conversion of ingested food and efficiency of conversion of digested FV Decreased as the larvae aged, with the average values coming to 15.32% and 13.44%, 88.8% respectively. Colotis etrida – Cadaba fruiticosa system presents an interesting situation of the same plant serving as larval and adult host, and the butterfly serving as is an exclusive pollinator.
Occurrence of mastitis and associated pathogens with antibiogram in animal population of Peshawar, Pakistan

Mastitis is a devastating disease of dairy animals in Pakistan that occurs in clinical and subclinical forms. Various bacterial pathogens are associated with mastitis and the susceptibility of these pathogens remains inconsistent to various antibacterial drugs. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of mastitis in and around the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 2,791 milk samples (Bovine, Ovine and Caprine) were subjected to White side test and Surf field mastitis test. Positive milk samples for mastitis were cultured on different selective culture media for identification of prevalent bacterial pathogens. Antibiogram of these organisms was evaluated against different commonly used antibiotics by disc diffusion method. Out of the 2,791 milk samples, 2,253 (81%) were positive for mastitis using conventional screening tests. From all positive samples different bacterial pathogens were isolated; Escherichia coli was 54.5%, Proteus spp. 12%, Staphylococci spp. 7.5%, Klebsella spp. 6%, Pasteurella spp. 3%, Pseudomonas spp. 2.25%, Salmonella spp. 1.49% and Streptococci spp. 1.5%. Fungus was 0.75%, whereas mixed infections were 11.2%. In antibiogram studies the sensitivity of antibiotics, enrofloxacin, gentamycin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and streptomycin were found to be 69.4, 60.5, 57.5, 49.3 and 48.5 percent, respectively. It was found that Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. were the most prevalent pathogens responsible for mastitis in the animals of Peshawar and surrounding areas. Enrofloxacin and gentamicin were found relatively more effective and sensitive against mastitis, providing better outcome in the treatment of mastitis.
Mast cells and innate immunity: master troupes of the avian immune system

Mast cells (MCs) are granulated cells of haematopoietic lineage and constitute a major sensory arm of the immune system. MCs dually guard hosts and regulate immune responses against invading pathogens. This property of the MCs is attributed to their adaptability to detect stress signals and pathogens, and the production of signal specific mediators to engage immune cells for clearance of infectious agents. Pathogen-specific signals establish basis for the initiation of adoptive immune responses. These immune regulatory roles of MCs have opened avenues to engage different MCs activators which culminate in effective passive immunisation. The molecular mechanisms and dynamics of functionalities of MCs in host defences have been extensively characterised in mammals and rodents, and research on MCs in avian species is emerging. This review surveys the development, morphology and distribution of MCs in different tissues of the poultry and highlight areas that can be exploited for disease control and prevention.
Nutritional characteristics of Sorghum hybrids hay ( Sorghum sudanense vs. Sorghum bicolor )

This study evaluated the nutritional characteristics of hay of nineteen hybrids between sorghum and Sudan grass. The experimental design was a randomized block with nineteen treatments and three replications. The chemical characteristics of the respective hays were analyzed 52 days after sowing and 45 and 49 regrowth days. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, and when the F test was significant, the treatment means were compared by the Scott and Knott test at 5%. Genotypes 1013026 and 1014020 showed similar dry matter content. As for ether extract content, the highest values ranged from 2.20 to 2.66%. Higher values of minerals were observed in hybrids 1013026 and 1011005. In relation to crude protein, higher content values were reported for hybrids 1013021 and 1013020 (14.59 and 15.47% CP). When evaluating the neutral detergent fiber content, lower values varied between 56.05 and 57.07% for hybrids 1013016 and 1011009. Considering the content of acid detergent fiber, values ranged from 32.70 to 35.78%. Values of dry matter digestibility were higher than 50%. All hybrids provide quality hay, however the hybrid 1014019 showed the best nutritional value.
Characterization of aapP and nopP genes related to the biological nitrogen fixation efficiency with soybean in contrasting strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

Soybean (Glycine max) is considered one of the most economically important agricultural crops in Brazil. Due to the high protein content of its grains, this crop demands a greater amount of nitrogen (N) for production. In general, for soybean, nitrogen fertilization costs through chemical fertilizers are considered high. However, the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through the use of biological inoculants, such as the strains of Bradyrhizobium genus, a rhyzobacterium, represents a viable alternative for soybean crops in Brazil and dismisses nitrogen fertilization. Because of the need to constantly increase soybean crop productivity, it is necessary to find more efficient Bradyrhizobium genus strains for BNF. Genes related to soybean BNF have been utilized as molecular markers in selection programs that aim to obtain more efficient bacterial strains in this process. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the gens related to BNF efficiency (nopP, aapP, ilvD and bll3106) by PCR-RFLP in Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains. The nopP and aapP genes were sequenced and submitted to similarity analysis with genes deposited on the Genbank (NCBI). The results showed the presence of highly conservative sequences in nopP and aapP genes between the analyzed B. japonicum strains. The occurrence of these preserved nucleotide sequences can be related to the adaptive function that they can have during the evolutionary process of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.
Relating C-reactive Protein to Psychopathology after Cardiac Surgery and Intensive Care Unit Admission: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) are subjected to a high burden of stress, rendering them prone to develop stress-related psychopathology. Dysregulation of inflammation and, more specifically, upregulation of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) is potentially key in development of post-ICU psychopathology. To investigate the effects of state-independent CRP on symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression after ICU admission, we analysed the three leading single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of loci most strongly associated with blood CRP levels (i.e. rs2794520, rs4420638, and rs1183910) in an ICU survivor cohort. Genetic association was estimated by linear and logistical regression models of individual SNPs and genetic risk score (GRS) profiling. Mendelian Randomization (MR) was used to investigate potential causal relationships. Single-SNP analyses were non-significant for both quantitative and binary trait analyses after correction for multiple testing. In addition, GRS results were non-significant and explained little variance in psychopathology. Moreover, MR analysis did not reveal any causality and MR-Egger regression showed no evidence of pleiotropic effects (p-pleiotropy >0.05). Furthermore, estimation of causality between these loci and other psychiatric disorders was similarly non-significant. In conclusion, by applying a range of statistical models we demonstrate that the strongest plasma CRP-influencing genetic loci are not associated with post-ICU PTSD and depressive symptoms. Our findings add to an expanding body of literature on the absence of associations between trait CRP and neuropsychiatric phenotypes.
Bioprocess development for high cell mass and endospore production by Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis in semi-industrial scale

The process for high cell mass and spore production by Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti) on semi-industrial scale was developed. Cultivations were conducted in shake flask and bioreactor levels to develop a semi-industrial scale process for the production of Bti cells and spores. The composition of the most suitable cultivation medium was further optimized to enhance biomass and spore production and also to reduce the production time. Furthermore, cultivations were performed in 16-L stirred tank bioreactor to investigate the scalability of this process and to study the effect of different aeration rates. The optimization of the main three components of the cultivation medium, i.e. glucose, ammonium sulphate and phosphate, resulted in a significant increase in both cell growth and spore formation by about 32% and 119%, respectively. Scaling up the cultivation process from shake flask to 16-L bioreactor further improved the process. Maximal cell mass of 16.06 g.L-1 concomitant with a spore production of 152x107 spores.mL-1 was achieved in lv.v-1.min-1 aerated culture. In terms of cell growth and spore production, these results were 5- and 8.5-fold higher, respectively, compared with the initial un-optimized medium in shake flask culture. The results obtained in this study improved the process of Bti production in semi-industrial scale through the optimization of both the cultivation medium composition and the aeration rate in pilot scale stirred tank bioreactor.
Plot size and number of repetitions in vetch

). Each trial was divided into 36 basic experimental units (BEU) of 1 m × 1 m, totaling 1,728 BEU. In each BEU, the fresh matter was weighed. The optimum plot size was determined by the method of maximum curvature of the coefficient of variation model. The means were compared among sowing densities by the Scott-Knott’s test. The number of repetitions — for experiments with completely randomized and randomized block designs, in scenarios of i treatments
Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling and the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Clock

ii Acknowledgments . vi Vita . vii List of Illustrations. xi List of Tables. xiii List of Abbreviations . xiv Chapters 1. General Introduction . 1 1.1 Circadian Rhythm . 1 1.2 Master Circadian Clock in Mammalsthe Suprachiasmatic Nuclei. 2 1.3 Entrainment of the Suprachiasmatic Clock by Light. 3 1.4 Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling. 6 1.5Rational of Studying Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling in the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei Circadian Clock. 10 2.Photic Regulation of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling Pathway in the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Clock.12 2.
Steroidogenesis in steroid related cancers

Prostate cancer growth is androgen dependent, but can bypass treatments inhibiting androgen production and continues to grow, probably utilising the adrenal alternative dihydrotestosterone (DHT) biosynthesis pathway. In contrast, the role of steroids in ovarian cancer is not clearly defined, although it is known that progesterone and oestrogens affect this cancer proliferation. The thesis aims were to investigate steroid relation with prostate and ovarian cancers as well as characterise three adrenocortical carcinoma cell (ACC) lines derived from H295 cell line. The steroidogenesis characterisation of three ACC cell line strains indicated that they have similar steroidogenic capability to the native adrenal cortex. Another ACC cell line, H295R1, was used to investigate whether CYP17A1, a key enzyme in androgen synthesis, inhibition was sufficient to cause a shift towards the alternative DHT biosynthesis pathway. Although knockdown was achieved and affected steroidogenesis, no shift towards the alternative pathway was demonstrated. The ovarian cancer cell lines, A2780, COV434, CaOv-3 and OAW42, showed steroidogenic capabilities suggesting that the tumours are probably transformed with steroidogenic capability. The results obtained indicate that the adrenal gland might have a role in prostate cancer resistance to treatment. They also demonstrate that ovarian cancer might be steroid-producing and/or dependent.
Molecular characterization of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance among fecal Escherichia coli isolated from surface water of Wadi Shueib-Jordan

Objective: Contamination of surface water with pathogenic organism is highly dangerous for people who used it for drinking or for domestic activities. Detection of Escherichia coli in water can be used as a general important indicator of fecal contamination. This study investigated the occurrence of fecal E. coli, two important toxigenic types of E. coli isolates and their antimicrobial resistance in water samples collected from the surface running source of Wadi Shueib in Jordan. Methods: A total of 51 water samples were collected from three different locations of wadi shueib over a three month, July through September, 2016. For each sample, 200 ml of water was collected in sterilized containers. All samples which were positive for fecal E. coli were subcultured on Eosin Methylelne Blue Agar and incubated at 37 oC for 24 hours. E. coli isolates were identified by API20 E test, and all isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and for the presence of virulence genes of enterotoxigenic E.coli (ETEC) and enterohaemorrhagic E.coli (EHEC). Results: A total of 46/51 (90%) of water samples were contaminated with fecal E. coli. The 46 E. coli isolates were resistant in the range between 4%-76% to commonly used antibiotics in the treatment of infection in Jordan. Multidrug resistant isolates to at least three antibiotics accounted for 17/46 (37%) of the isolates. Out of 46 fecal E. coli isolates, 4 (8.7%) were ETEC and 2 (4.3%) were EHEC as detected using PCR. Conclusion: This study indicated that the surface running water of Wadi Shueib is contaminated with potential enteropathogenic E. coli, Molecular characterization of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance among fecal Escherichia coli isolated from surface water of Wadi Shueib-Jordan Shereen Z. Burjaq1, Saeid M. Abu-Romman2, Moawya A. Haddad3 1 Department of Medical Analysis, Faculty of Science, Al-Balqa' Applied University, Salt, Jordan. 2 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University Salt, Jordan. 3 Department of Nutrition and Food Processing, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University Salt, Jordan. Contact information:
Plantation age, understory vegetation, and species‐specific traits of target seedlings alter the competition and facilitation role of Eucalyptus in South China

The Chinese government is considering ways to reconstruct Eucalyptus plantation monocultures in order to improve their ecosystem services. However, the effects of competition or facilitation of Eucalyptus on native species during the reconstruction have not been identified, especially during the formation of novel ecosystems. To better understand these relationships, in this study we tested the effects of competition and facilitation of Eucalyptus on three target species (Schima superba, Michelia macclurei, and Castanopsis fissa), in Eucalyptus plantations with different ages and understory vegetation. The results showed that the survival and growth of S. superba and M. macclurei were not sensitive to plantation age and understory removal treatment. The survival of C. fissa in understory removal was significantly higher and the growth of C. fissa increased gradually with increasing plantation age. The relative neighbor effect (RNE) index for growth indicated that the relationship between Eucalyptus and target species switched from competition to facilitation with an increase in plantation age. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that survival was positively correlated with soil water content and soil phosphorus. Growth was positively correlated with soil organic matter and soil nitrogen and negatively correlated with soil bulk density. Our results indicate that plantation age, understory vegetation, and species‐specific traits of target seedlings could change the competition and facilitation roles of Eucalyptus. Higher survival and growth rates indicated that C. fissa was an appropriate species for the reconstruction of mature Eucalyptus plantations and understory removal will benefit the process.
Soybean (Glycine Max) Tolerance and Sicklepod (Cassia Obtusifolia) Control with AC 263,222

In field studies conducted under weed-free conditions, soybean yield was not adversely affected with POST applications of AC 263,222 at 18 g ha−1. At 36 g ha−1, soybean height at maturity was reduced in three of five studies and soybean yield in two of five studies. Application of 9 g ha−1 of AC 263,222 to sicklepod at cotyledon to four-leaf (early POST) or at a maximum size of five-leaf (late POST) provided 30 to 48% control. Control was 54 to 73% with AC 263,222 at 9 g ha−1 applied early POST followed by late POST. Regardless of application rate or timing, sicklepod control with AC 263,222 generally was inferior to the standard treatments of pendimethalin plus imazaquin PPI followed by imazaquin late POST or pendimethalin PPI and metribuzin PRE followed by chlorimuron late POST. Compared with the weed-free check, soybean yield was reduced when AC 263,222 was applied at 9 g ha−1 early POST followed by late POST in one of two studies and in two of three studies when applied at 18 g ha−1 early POST.
Attraction of Bactrocera cucurbitae and Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) to Beer Waste and Other Protein Sources Laced with Ammonium Acetate

Abstract Adult tephritid fruit fly females require protein sources for adequate egg production, and ammonia and its derivatives serve as volatile cues to locate protein-rich food. The attractiveness of beer waste and the commercially available baits Nu-Lure® Insect Bait, Buminal®, and Bugs for Bugs® Fruit Fly Bait with and without ammonium acetate or ammonium carbonate to males and females of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and B. cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) was quantified in semi-field cage studies in Hawaii. Evaluations also compared the relative attractiveness of the baits to that of the standard bait GF-120® NF Naturalyte® Fruit Fly Bait. Our findings indicate that ammonium carbonate did not exert any effect on the response of B. cucurbitae or B. dorsalis to the protein baits evaluated and that the addition of ammonium acetate to beer waste and to the commercially available bait Bugs for Bugs® can improve bait attractiveness in particular to females of B. cucurbitae. Beer waste laced with ammonium acetate performed as well as the standard fruit fly bait GF-120®. There were variations in the level and type of response between B. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis, and such variability was dependent upon the type of bait being evaluated. For example, there were several instances where baits lacking ammonium acetate (e.g., beer waste and Nu-Lure® for B. cucurbitae; Buminal® for B. dorsalis) were as attractive as GF-120®. Results are discussed in light of potential applications associated with the use of beer waste as a low-cost, readily available material for fruit fly monitoring and suppression.
Abiotic Habitat Assessment for Arctic Grayling in a Portion of the Big Manistee River, Michigan

AbstractArctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus were once the dominant salmonid in the Big Manistee River, Michigan, but were extirpated from the watershed around 1900 and from the state of Michigan by 1936, likely due to overfishing, biotic interactions with introduced fish species, and habitat loss occurring largely around the turn of the 20th century. An interest in reestablishing native species by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians led to an assessment of environmental conditions in a portion of the watershed encompassing 21 km of the Big Manistee River to determine whether suitable Arctic Grayling habitat remains. During summer in 2011–2013, abiotic habitat metrics, including water characteristics, substrate composition, channel profile, channel geomorphic unit, and stream velocity, were assessed across eight tributaries within the watershed. To assess whether abiotic conditions in these tributaries might support Arctic Grayling, the environmental conditions were compared to literature values from ri.