Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progress achieved by breeding open-pollinated cultivars as compared with landraces of sorghum

SUMMARY To assess the progress made in modern breeding of open-pollinated sorghum cultivars, 24 contemporary and improved sorghum cultivars from ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India) were compared with 40 sorghum landraces collected in Ethiopia. The experiment was performed at Bet Dagan, Israel, in 1988 under near-potential (dripirrigated) and dryland (stored soil moisture) growing conditions. Data on phenology, biomass, harvest index, grain yield and its components were collected. ‘Drought susceptibility index’ (S) was calculated for each genotype as the reduction in yield from irrigated to dryland conditions relative to the mean reduction for all genotypes. On average, cultivars produced about three- to fourfold more grain than landraces. Cultivars had the same mean growth duration and biomass but were 40% (irrigated) to 27% (dryland) shorter in mean plant height than landraces. This yield advantage was fully accounted for by a proportionately greater mean kernel number per panicle and harvest index, irrespective of the water regime. ‘Drought susceptibility index’ was near average for all cultivars and much more variable among landraces. Dryland yield became progressively dependent on the yield potential as the yield potential was genetically improved in the cultivars. It was concluded that, irrespective of the water regime, the large yield improvement in modern open-pollinated cultivars of sorghum, as compared with landraces, has been achieved only through greater dry matter partitioning to the panicle accompanied by a reduction in plant height. The genetic improvement of yield in open-pollinated cultivars and hybrids of sorghum is discussed.
Effect of diets fortified with garlic organic extract and streptomycin sulphate on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers

An experiment was carried out to study the comparative effects of garlic organic extract and streptomycin sulphate on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. Forty-eight Hubbard line day-old chicks with equal numbers of males and females were randomly allocated to eight (8) treatment combinations to conduct a 4×2 factorial experiment in a completely randomised design. The diets were supplemented with: no supplement (control), garlic organic extract at 40 ppm/kg (GOE 40 ppm), garlic organic extract at 60 ppm/kg (GOE 60 ppm) and streptomycin sulphate at 30 ppm/kg (SS 30 ppm) administered by oral gavages from day 13 to day 47 of experiment. The results showed that the growth performance attributes of birds on supplementation with streptomycin sulphate and garlic organic extract did not differ, but were significantly better (P<0.05) than the values obtained from birds on control. The same observation was made for the carcass characteristics. Male broilers yielded heavier (P<0.001) carcasses (1748.50 vs 1533.50 g), higher (P<0.05) relative heart weight (0.43 vs 0.40% body weight), and deposited less (P<0.001) abdominal fat compared with the females (0.27 vs 0.76% body weight). Treatment and sex interaction significantly affected all the parameters studied except for the heart, pancreas and head. In summary, diets supplemented with garlic organic extract at 40 ppm could be used as an alternative to antibiotic additives for broiler production. Key words: Broilers, carcass characteristics, garlic organic extract, growth performance, streptomycin sulphate, supplementation.
Antibody response of immunodeficient (xid) CBA/N mice to Escherichia coli 0113 lipopolysaccharide, a thymus-independent antigen

CBA/N mice, which possess an X-linked immunodeficiency (xid), produce a convincing antibody response to lipopolysaccharide derived from Escherichia coli 0113 (LPS 0113), a thymus-independent antigen. The antibody response produced was shown to be specific for the O- polysaccharide moiety of LPS 0113, rather than lipid A or lipid-A- associated protein. The relevance of this finding to the nature of the genetic defect of xid-mice is discussed.
The Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Different Levels of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Essential Oils on Performance, Hematological, Biochemical and Immunological Parameters of Broiler Chickens

2 Abstract: This trial was conducted to monitor the effects of dietary supplementation of thyme and ginger oils on performance, hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters of broilers. The study was carried out on 105 one day-old commercial Ross 208 broiler chicks classified into seven groups each of 15. The control group received only the basal diet. The other experimental groups received plus the basal diet, the experimental diets including thyme oil at levels of 100 (T100), 200 (T200) and 300 (T300) mg/kg and ginger oil at levels of 100 (G100), 200 (G200) and 300 (G300) mg/kg. The results showed that the dietary thyme and ginger essential oils did not result in any significant effects on performance parameters. The hematological data implicated a significant increase in packed cell volume and hemoglobin in T200 and in total leukocytic count and heterophil percent in T200 and G100. Total protein and globulin significantly increased in T200 and decreased in groups G200 and G300. Groups T100 and G100 demonstrated the best effect on lipid profile. Immunologically, there was a significant increase in phagocytic activity of heterophils and antibody titers against Newcastle disease (ND) and Infectious Bursal disease (IBD) viruses in T200 and G100. It could be concluded that thyme and ginger oils at levels of 200 and 100 mg/kg respectively are the best treatments in improving the immunological profile of broiler chickens throughout stimulation of innate immunity by increasing phagocytic capacity of heterophils and humoral immunity by increasing antibody production.
Prevalence and intensity of intestinal nematodes in goat (Capra hircus) from oriental region, Province of Figuig, Morocco

This study was conducted between December 2009 and November 2010 in oriental region, and 120 local goats were examined by helminthological autopsy for the identification of parasitic nematode. Six species of parasites were identified as follows: Trichostrongylus colubriformis (52.50%), Teladorsagia circumcincta (48.33%), Skrjabinema ovis (42.50%), Trichuris ovis (23.33%), Haemonchus contortus (19.16%) and Nematodirus spathiger (18.33%). The absence of liver flukes was noted, and parasite intensities were very high for species H. contortus (63), N. spathiger (62.37) and S. ovis (51.5). Overall, the mean parasite intensity was higher in female hosts than in male hosts. Seasonal dynamics of parasites indicated that the season has no significant influence on the parasitism prevalence.
ADDITIONS TO THE SYSTEMATICS AND BIOLOGY OF THE CADDISFLY FAMILY UENOIDAE (TRICHOPTERA)

Abstract A description is given for the male, female, and larva of Farula praelonga sp. nov. and for the female and larva of Neothremma genella Denning. Farula praelonga sp. nov. is distinctive in having an exceptionally long internal branch of segment X. The female of Neothremma genella is the only female yet known in that genus to have greatly reduced ventrolateral lobes of sternum IX. Modifications are made to the keys previously published for adults of Farula and Neothremma to incorporate this new information. These two species occur together in abundance; they are univoltine and have emergence periods 6 months apart.
Insulin Requirements in Relation to Insulin Pump Indications in Type 1 Diabetes

The purpose of the current research was to assess changes in daily insulin requirements in type 1 diabetic patients transitioning from multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) using an external insulin pump, according to clinical indications for changing therapy. The charts of 70 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) initiating insulin pump therapy were retrospectively reviewed before CSII and after optimization of glycaemic profile with CSII during hospital admission. Daily insulin doses, basal/bolus distributions, dose changes during treatment transition and glycaemic outcomes with MDI and optimized CSII according to insulin pump indications were evaluated. Daily insulin doses were not significantly different among indication groups, with both MDI and CSII; likewise, the overall daily distribution of basal/rapid insulin ratio was similar, around 40/60. With optimized CSII, significant differences were found only in basal/bolus distribution in patients initiating CSII for recurrent hypoglycemia, who had a significantly lower basal (6.4% lower) and a complementary higher bolus requirement, compared to patients initiating CSII for HbA1c ≥ 8.5%. At transition, basal insulin needs declined similarly in the high HbA1c and impractical/inflexible MDI groups by approximately 20%, and up to 30% in the recurrent hypoglycaemia group; bolus doses decreased by 20% when the indication was high HbA1c and by approximately 15% for the other indications. Glycaemic control was significantly improved only in patients initiating CSII for high HbA1c (≥8.5%). Insulin pump indication should be considered when starting T1D patients on CSII. These findings may support clinicians in decision making regarding insulin dose changes when initiating insulin pump therapy.
Coconut: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century

Coconuts play a unique role in the diets of mankind because they are the source of important physiologically functional components. These physio logically functional components are found in the fat part of whole coconut, in the fat part of desiccated coconut, and in the extracted coconut oil. Lauric acid, the major fatty acid from the fat of the coconut, has long been recognized for the unique properties that it l ends to nonfood uses in the soaps and cosmetics industry. More recently, lauric acid has been recognized for its unique properties in food use, which are related to its antiviral, antib acterial, and antiprotozoal functions. Now, capric acid, another of coconut's fatty acids has b een added to the list of coconut's antimicrobial components. These fatty acids are fou nd in the largest amounts only in traditional lauric fats, especially from coconut. A lso, recently published research has shown that natural coconut fat in the diet leads to a nor malization of body lipids, protects against alcohol damage to the liver, and improves the immun e system's anti-inflammatory response. Clearly, there has been increasing recognition of h ealth- supporting functions of the fatty acids found in coconut. Recent reports from the U.S . Food and Drug Administration about required labeling of the trans fatty acids will put coconut oil in a more competitive position and may help return to its use by the baking and sn ack food industry where it has continued to be recognized for its functionality. Now it can be recognized for another kind of functionality: the improvement of the health of mankind.
Isolation, Cloning and In silico Study of Hexon Gene of Fowl Adenovirus 4(FAV4) Isolates Associated with Hydro Pericardium Syndrome in DomesticFowl

Hydropericardium syndrome is an important emerging disease of domestic fowl caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAV-4). The full length hexon gene was isolated by PCR from the three virus isolates and it has been possible to clone hexon gene from all the three isolates into pGEM-T Easy vector, sequenced and analyzed using online bioinformatics tools (ExPASy server). The sequences were submitted to NCBI Gen Bank. These sequences showed significant homology with FAV-4 hexon gene sequences available in the NCBI Gen Bank and also found to be clustered with FAV-9 and FAV-10 serotypes. Probable secondary structures were also studied and compared using on line ExPASy servers. Possible B-cell epitopes were also predicted using on line ABCpred server and their position on the 3D structure of the proteins were also studied.
FACTORS INFLUENCING COOKING LOSSES FROM MEAT

Cooking losses from cold-shortened muscle samples with normal (5.4-5.8) pH, cooked at 80°C are significantly (P < 0.001) greater than those obtained from stretched muscle samples of the same fiber length. Cooking losses increased in samples as length of muscle fibers decreased. The effect of muscle fiber length on cooking losses decreased with longer cooking times. Samples of nearly identical dimensions but different fiber lengths showed significantly greater losses when fibers were less than 4 cm long. The crosssectional area of muscle samples was shown to have nearly as large an effect on cooking loss as muscle fiber lengths. From measurements of internal temperatures it was shown that sample size determined rate of heating and thus had a major effect on cooking loss.
Nutritional factors affecting the production of -amylase in Lasiodiplodia theobromae Pat.

Lasiodiplodia theobromae Pat. grew and sporulated at 27 °C and at pH 6.0 in a synthetic medium containing potassium nitrate as sole nitrogen source. �-amylase activity was detected in the growth medium. Bread, starch, maltose, sucrose, lactose, glucose and gala ctose supported growth and �-amylase production, indicative of constitutive production of the enzyme. Bread see med to be most supportive with optimum activity expressed as approximately 29 units per mg protein within 216 and 240 hr. Extracted crude enzyme, with bread as carbon source and potassium nitrate as sol e nitrogen source, was partially purified by ammoni um sulphate precipitation and dialysis. Specific activ ity of the enzyme increased 70% and 0.7 fold with a yield of 57.4% on dialysis. Bread as carbon source of growth of this organism is recommended for large scale production of this enzyme, industrially.
Progress in breeding perennial forage grasses for temperate agriculture

Breeding of temperate forage grasses is aimed at improving the economic and environmental sustainability of production from cattle and sheep. The primary objective is to ensure that forage can be the main source of feed for ruminants. This requires consistent production of herbage with a high feeding value, usually under nitrogen-limiting conditions. The most important traits affecting the feeding value of herbage are in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD), the ratios of crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrate and fibre, and the concentration of alkaloid toxins. Improvements in these primary quality traits must be combined with good plant persistency, adequate tolerance to a range of environmental stresses, adequate resistance to a large number of different pathogens and invertebrate pests, and adequate seed yield. Forage grasses also have considerable potential to produce material for refining, to provide protein extracts for feeding to monogastric animals and carbohydrate for fermentation into fuel or into feedstocks for other industries.
Visual predators impose correlational selection on prey color pattern and behavior

Several lines of indirect evidence suggest that selection imposed by predators may favor certain combinations of prey coloration and behavior at the expense of other combinations, but this hypothesis has never been tested experimentally. We manipulated color pattern and behavior of pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrix subulata) and exposed them to predation from domestic chickens. We painted grasshoppers either uniformly black or striped and manipulated their behavior by changing the ambient temperature. We found that the striped pattern enhanced grasshopper survival when reaction distance was short and jumping performance poor, but it decreased survival when reaction distance was long and performance high, relative to uniformly black individuals. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration that selection mediated by visual predator* acts on the combination of prey color pattern and behavior. Further studies are necessary, however, to clarify how widespread correlational selection is in coevolved predator-prey relationships. Correlational selection may result in genetic coupling between traits, influence the dynamics of polymorphisms, and promote the evolution of sexual dichromatism in animal* exhibiting sexual differences in behavior. Our results also illustrate the potential importance of visual illusions created by moving objects and suggest that it may be dangerous to make inferences about the relative survival value of different color patterns from the outcome of experiments that do not take into account prey behavior. Key words: animal coloration, antipredator behavior, grasshopper, polymorphism, predation, sexual dichromatism, survival, Tetrix subulaia. [Bthav Ecol 9:409-^413 (1998)]
Survey of Raphia swamp forest, Republic of Congo, indicates high densities of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla

Abstract The Critically Endangered western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla is found at high density in the swamp forests of Lac Télé Community Reserve, northern Republic of Congo. Preliminary surveys for apes on the Reserve periphery in the 1990s indicated that this area may also contain high densities of apes and we wished to verify this. Using distance sampling methodology we surveyed 1,029 km2 of the south-eastern Reserve periphery including Raphia swamp forests. We recorded 1,021 ape nests along 21 2-km transects. Results indicated that ape density estimated from nest group density, excluding old and very old Raphia nests (which may decay slowly), was very high: 6.81 weaned apes km-2 (95% confidence interval 3.93–11.84). Gorillas built most of the nests recorded: their density was estimated at 5.25 individuals km-2 (2.70–10.19). Most nests were constructed in Raphia swamp forest despite it covering only 25% of the study area. These are among the highest recorded densities of apes in Central Africa but, as nest decay rates in swamps are unstudied, we also estimated densities based on hypothetically slow nest decay rates and published data from other habitats. Gorilla densities may be linked to availability of monocotyledons as food and the natural protection from hunting offered by Raphia swamps. Gorilla density in swamp forest is spatially and temporally variable and surveys are required to estimate ape populations elsewhere in this habitat. Most Raphia swamps in Congo are unprotected, including the periphery of Lac Télé Community Reserve; protection and management are required to assure their continued availability for apes.
GENETIC VARIATION AMONG EUROPEAN MAIZE VARIETIES FOR NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY UNDER LOW AND HIGH NITROGEN FERTILIZATION

In order to characterize the genetic variation for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in European maize vari- eties, a set of 23 hybrids including both old and modern varieties was evaluated during two years, at four locations and at two levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization (200 kg ha-1 and 90 kg ha-1), with three harvesting stages: silking, silage and grain maturity. At each stage NUE and its com- ponents: N-uptake, N-utilization efficiency (NUtE) and N- remobilisation, were estimated. At low N-input there was a 12% and 23% reduction in silage and grain yield respec- tively. Kernel number was the most affected grain yield component. The amount of postsilking N-uptake was de- creased by 31% whereas the rate of N-remobilisation was slightly increased by 5%. Genotype x N interactions were significant for silage and silage N yield and traits related to postsilking N dynamics but not for grain and grain N yield. Despite some common traits related to NUE at low and high N-input, such as grain NUtE and postsilking N- uptake, the expression of genotypic variability, shown by the correlation studies, was not the same at high and low N inputs. At low N-input, N-uptake at silking and during the silking-silage period, and N-utilisation efficiency were more crucial whereas N-remobilisation and post-silage N- uptake were determinant at high N-input. Improvement of NUE in recent hybrids has been mainly due to an in- crease in postsilking N-uptake at both low and high fertil- ization. Modern high yielding varieties generally have a lower N content than old varieties. However, some mod- ern varieties combine high dry-matter yield and high N content for silage or grain production. In conclusion, it appears that ideotypes for NUE at silage and grain harvest must be different. For silage NUE, critical traits were N- uptake at silking and between silking; for grain NUE, be- sides postsilking N-uptake during the entire grain filling period, especially after the silage stage, N-remobilisation was also determinant.
Protein Dynamics in Mammalian Genome Maintenance

textabstractThe integrity of the genome, carrier of the blueprint for each organism, is under constant attack from environmental as well as endogenous DNA damaging agents. An agent with substantial impact on our DNA is the UV-fraction of sunlight. It inflicts bulky DNA lesions, which can interfere with vital cellular functions, such as DNA replication and transcription of genes, by simply blocking these processes. This can lead to cell death or to mutations, which in higher organisms can in turn lead to inborn diseases and cancer. To counteract these deleterious effects, the specialized multi-component nucleotide excision repair (NER) machinery has evolved which removes and replaces the damaged oligonucleotide in a multi-step process. Defects in this repair pathway are the underlying cause for the inherited UV-sensitive diseases xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome, and trichothiodystrophy. In association with these disorders it has been demonstrated that repair deficiencies do not only lead to mutations and cancer, but also to developmental difficulties, (neuronal) degeneration and premature ageing. In rapidly dividing cells, not all DNA lesions can be repaired by the time a new DNA replication round has begun, even if the corresponding repair pathway is fully functional. Therefore, cells have also evolved specialized lesion-bypass polymerases. Translesion polymerases are capable of resolving DNA polymerase complexes stalled at DNA damage sites by inserting a nucleotide opposite an altered base, enabling the cell to continue to replicate. Importantly, polymerase eta can insert the correct nucleotide opposite UVinduced pyrimidine-pyrimidine adducts such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD), enabling mutation-free replication of DNA past these UV lesions. Without a functioning polymerase eta, unrepaired UV injuries blocking the replication process can only be resolved by mutational translesion synthesis performed by other lesion bypass polymerases. This leads to a highly elevated risk of skin cancer in patients exhibiting a special form of xeroderma pigmentosum due to lack of polymerase eta.