Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Diagnostic Value of Ret-He among Sickle Cell Disease Children with Iron Deficiency Anaemia on Haematinics

Introduction: The determination of the amount of hemoglobin in reticulocytes provides a more realtime assessment of the iron status of the bone marrow. Ret-He, the iron molecule found in reticulocytes, unlike most biochemical markers is not affected by inflammation. Hence its determination provides a better way of detecting the presence or absence of iron for erythropoiesis. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of Ret-He and to compare it with serum ferritin and Red Blood Cell (RBC) indices: haemoglobin (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Original Research Article Ofosu et al.; AHRJ, 1(4): 1-7, 2018; Article no.AHRJ. 47124 2 Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) in detecting iron deficiency among Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) children. Materials and Methods: 89 SCD children attending KATH sickle cell clinic were enrolled in the study. Complete Blood Count (CBC), Reticulocyte haemoglobin content (Ret-He) and biochemical tests [ferritin and C reactive protein (CRP)] were performed from venous blood samples. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) was diagnosed when subject’s Hb, MCV, MCH, RDW, serum ferritin and Ret-He were below cut-off values. Results: Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis showed the following results: RBC indices (AUC=0.953, sensitivity=90.7%, specificity=100%, p <0.05), Ret-He (AUC=0.647, sensitivity=34.9%, specificity=94.4%, p > 0.05) and serum ferritin (AUC=0.476, sensitivity=90.2%, specificity=11.1%, p > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the red cell indices is the most accurate, sensitive and specific among the three diagnostics tools used in this study to detect IDA in SCD children on hematinics.
Características agronômicas, morfogênicas e estruturais do capim "Panicum maximum" cv. Mombaça sob desfolhação intermitente

The effect of rest periods during seasons was evaluated on morphogenetic and structural characteristics and herbage accumulation of Panicum maximum cv. Mombaca established in Amazonia. We used a completely randomized design, with four replicates per treatment. Rest periods were 36 and 48 days, and height of cut was 25 cm. Leaf blade dry matter production did not increase as rest period increased. Dry matter production did not modify between rest periods, showing that in the lowest rest period lower production was compensated by higher number of cuts. Rest period did not influence the morphogenetic variable evaluated, except phyllocrono as higher average was obtained in lower rest period. For structural characteristics, effect of rest period was observed for leaf blade length, death leaves number and leaf-stem ration.
Psychological Implications of Indirect Media Exposure to Collective Traumas

The dissertation examines the impact of indirect media exposure to stressful life events. Prior research suggests that exposure to trauma-related media content is associated with negative mental health outcomes. This relationship is further explored in three studies. Study 1 assesses how prior acute stress responses and media consumption influence subsequent psychological responses to a public health crisis, more specifically, the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Psychological distress, functional impairment, and worry about the Ebola crisis were measured in a nationally representative sample; the relationships of these variables with media exposure to the crisis were assessed. Results suggest that individuals with higher Boston Marathon bombing (BMB)-related acute stress and who consumed more Ebola-related media were later more worried about contracting Ebola. Study 2 assesses whether prior life events, prior media exposure and responses to events, and fears of future events may prospectively predict consumption of trauma-related media in the future and acute stress responses. Exposure and responses to the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre (PNM) were assessed in the same representative national sample as was utilized in Study 1. Path analyses revealed that media exposure to the BMB was associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms six months later, which was in turn associated with worry about future events, which predicted hours of media exposure and acute stress responses to the PNM. Additionally, BMB-related media exposure indirectly predicted PNM-related acute stress through BMB posttraumatic stress symptoms, worry about future events, and PNM-related media exposure. Study 3 explores the role of anticipated posttraumatic stress as a mediator of the relationship between media exposure to collective trauma and mental health outcomes in the context of a natural disaster. A probability sample of adults in Florida was recruited and assessed in the days prior to Hurricane Irma’s landfall, then reassessed approximately one month later (N=1,427). Path analyses revealed that media exposure to the hurricane partially mediated the relationship between anticipated PTS responses and subsequent PTS, general distress, anger, functional impairment, and worry, controlling for demographics and hurricane exposure. Implications for the media, mental health professionals, and public health across all three studies are discussed.
Metabolic Detoxification of Phenmedipham in Leaf Tissue of Tolerant and Susceptible Species

Phenmedipham metabolism in leaf tissue of sugarbeet (tolerant) and rapeseed (sensitive) was compared. Sugarbeet leaf discs metabolized phenmedipham much more rapidly than rapeseed leaf discs, forming two metabolites of relatively low polarity. The less polar of these (metabolite 21) was a precursor to the other (metabolite 11), and its properties indicate derivation from phenmedipham by a single hydroxylation and monoglycosylation. Synthetic N-hydroxyphenmedipham was converted by both species into a compound that cochromatographs with metabolite 21. Purified metabolite 21 was much less inhibitory to light-driven oxygen evolution by isolated thylakoids of both species than was phenmedipham. Hydroxylation/glycosylation without prior carbamate hydrolysis appears to be a major factor in the tolerance of sugarbeet to phenmedipham.
NKG2D-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

NKG2D (nature killer group 2, member D) is a C-type lectin-like activating receptor expressed by all human nature killer (NK) cells, most NKT cells, subsets of γδ T cells, and CD8 T cells. In mouse, NKG2D is also expressed by all NK cells and subsets od splenic γδ T cells and NKT cells, but only expressed by activated mouse CD8 T cells and activated mouse macrophages. NKG2D is located on a syntanic region of human choromosome 12 and on mouse chromosome 6, clustered with other NKG2 family members (Glienke et al., 1998; Ho et al., 1998) (Figure 1). NKG2D serves as an invariant immune activating receptor upon engagement by ligands expressed on target cells, transformed or viral infected cells. Engagement of NKG2D by its ligands can activate NK cell and co-stimulate CD8 and γδ T cells (Bauer et al., 1999; Groh et al., 2001; Wu et al., 2002). The activation signals transmitted by NKG2D can override inhibitory signals transmitted by other NK receptors. NKG2D is therefore referred as the master activating receptor for NK cells to sense cells under abnormal physiological stress. The ligands for NKG2D are not commonly present in normal tissues but can be induced under abnormal physiological condition, such as cellular transformation or viral infection. The expression pattern of NKG2D ligands in tumor cells has been extensively studied. Emerging experimental evidence have indicated that NKG2Dmediated immunity can be very effective for tumor clerance by activating NK cells, and in some cases CD8 T cells. However, it is widely accepted that NKG2D function is subverted in cancer patients, due to mechanisms of tumor immunoediting and immune suppressive effect of tumor microenvironment (Figure 2). Thus, inventions are in need to overcome tumor immune evasion of NKG2D immunity as an effective cancer treatment. In this chapter, we will review the basic understandings of NKG2D function in anti-tumor immunity and the challenges and advances in NKG2D-based cancer treatment.
Effect of Elevated Temperature on Development Time of Rice Yellow Stem Borer

Insects, as cold-blooded animals are directly under the control of temperature for their growth and they cannot sustain living below and above certain thresholds. Therefore, temperature is probably the single most important environmental factor influencing insect behavior. Current estimates of changes in climate indicate an increase in global mean annual temperatures of 1°C by 2025 and 3°C by the end of the next century. Such increases in temperature may decrease the developmental time and increase the number of generations per year. An investigation was adopted to understand the effect of five different constant temperatures (28.3°C, 30.6°C, 32.7°C, 34.3°C and 36°C) on the development time of Yellow Stem Borer (YSB). The results revealed that the number of eggs laid by YSB increased at higher temperatures while egg hatching was reduced. Egg hatching was higher (90.6%) in 30.6°C followed by 28.3°C. The development time taken by different stages of the YSB revealed that there was an inverse relationship with development time and incubation temperature level. Insects develop faster which may oviposit early and hence the population was likely to grow earlier than expected.
The Phylogeny of the Genera in the Tribes Deltocephalini, Paralimnini , and Their Allies (Homoptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae)

The phylogenetic relationship among the genera of the subfamily Deltocephalinae and its allies occurring in Japan is studied, and the tribes Deltocephalini and Paralimnini are redefined. The phylogenetic analyses were based upon the maximum-parsimony method by the manual and computer-aided reconstruction with the Fitch characters and Wagner characters (non-weighted or weighted). Sixty-four characters were used for the phylogenetic analyses. Deltocephalini s. str. was concluded to be paraphyletic and includes 2 lineages. The DeEtocephaZus clade consists of Alobaldia, Deltocephalus, Endria, Recilia, and Paramesodes. Contrary, Futasujinus, Hengchunia, Takagiella, and Yanocephalus belong to the Paralimnus lineage with Paralimnus, Paralaevicephalus, Psnrmlotrttis, Metalimnus, Diplocolenus, Jassus, Sorhoanus, Doratura, and Aco~~~~wlla. The Deltocephalus clade was referred to the tribe Deltocephalini and the Paralimnus clade to the tribe Paralimnini.
Dietary Strategies to Combat Deficiencies of Iron, Zinc, and Vitamin A in Developing Countries: Development, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation

In many developing countries, staple diets are plant-based and consumption of animal products is low. As a result, the intake and bioavailability of iron, zinc, and vitamin A are often poor. Deficiencies of these micronutrients can be prevented by using dietary diversification and modification, a strategy involving changes in food production practices, food selection patterns, and traditional household methods for preparing and processing indigenous foods. Strategies at the food production level include the use of fertilizers, plant breeding, and genetic engineering to enhance the content and bioavailability of micronutrients in plant-based staples and increase the yield of indigenous edible wild plants. Household strategies involve small-livestock production, aquaculture, gardening projects, and changes in certain food preparation and processing practices designed to alter the content of absorption modifiers in the diet, such as soaking, germination, fermentation, and enrichment. This review also describes how these household strategies can best be incorporated into existing food consumption patterns, and how their impact on the nutrient adequacy of the diets can be assessed. the steps necessary to test the acceptability of the modified recipes, to identify potential barriers to their adoption, and to implement them in the community are discussed, using an example from rural Malawi. Finally, methods of monitoring the progress and evaluating the impact of the dietary strategies in short- and long-term studies are included.
Desempenho produtivo de codornas japonesas ( Coturnix coturnix japonica ) submetidas a diferentes densidades e tipos de debicagem - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v27i1.1263

This experiment evaluated the effects of beak-trimming in japanese quail pullet phase development; and of beak-trimming combined to different housing densities on their laying performance. For the pullet phase, the experiment had a randomized design with three treatments (absent, soft and severe debeaking), each with sixteen-birds repetition. For the laying phase, the experiment had randomized design with factorial scheme, with six treatments: three beak trimmings (absent, soft and severe), two densities (75 cm 2 /bird or 103 cm 2 /bird) and four repetitions, with 16 or 22 birds per cage. The results in pullet phase showed that quails submitted to absent or soft beak trimming had better weigh at the pullet phase’s end, but hard beak trimming did not affect sexual maturity. During the laying phase, hard beak-trimming resulted in low mortality and better feed conversion, independently of density. This work results showed the advisability of beak trimming
Indução e identificação de tetraplóides em Dendrobium nobile Lindl. (Orchidaceae)

A inducao da duplicacao cromossomica em orquideas e uma importante ferramenta em programas de melhoramento genetico, pois, geralmente, promove aumento no tamanho da flor, a intensificacao da cor e perfume, bem como a restauracao da fertilidade de hibridos raros. Este trabalho objetivou a inducao e identificacao de poliploides em Dendrobium nobile Lindl. Para a poliploidizacao, plantas com altura media de 5,0 cm foram completamente imersas, no escuro, em solucao de colchicina a 0,05% e 0,1% por 24; 48; 72 e 96 horas. Sete meses apos o inicio do tratamento, foram avaliados a taxa de sobrevivencia, a altura e o diâmetro do pseudobulbo, o comprimento e a largura das folhas e os niveis de ploidia. A determinacao do nivel de ploidia foi feita por meio da contagem do numero de cromossomos em celulas metafasicas mitoticas. Verificou-se que o tratamento com colchicina, ate um periodo maximo de imersao de 96 horas, nao afetou a sobrevivencia das plantas tratadas em relacao a testemunha. Tetraploides induzidos (2n = 4x = 76 cromossomos) foram obtidos apos imersao das plantas por 72 e 96 horas, nas duas concentracoes de colchicina testadas. A imersao das plantas de D. nobile em solucao de colchicina a 0,1% por 96 horas induziu maior numero de plantas tetraploides (29,17%). Plantas mixoploides nao foram observadas.
Organizational Culture and Performance: An Empirical Study of SMEs in Pakistan

This study aims to identify the prevailing type of culture and its relationship with performance in SMEs operating in Pakistan. Using competing value framework, the cultural profile and dominant characteristics of SMEs are identified and investigated to ascertain their implied relationship with organizational performance on the basis of certain self-assessment variables. For this purpose, primary data was collected form SME employees through a self-administered survey questionnaire. The results revealed that ‘hierarchy’ culture is the prevailing type of culture and a statistically significant relationship exists between organizational culture and performance among the sampled SMEs. The study concludes with certain important insinuations for theory and practice especially concerned with SMEs.
Studies on flowering phenology, pollinator diversity, supplemented pollination and their impact on fruit set in apple under changing climatic scenario in Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh

Pollinators are considered key-stone species in many situations not only because they support humanity but also maintain diversity in ecosystem. Climate change has the potential to alter the phenological synchrony between interacting mutualists such as plants and their pollinators. The data on the impacts of climate change on crop pollination-pollinator interaction are still limited. In the present studies data on apple flowering phenology and weather parameters (average maximum and minimum temperature and rainfall) from 2004 to 2013 have been correlated to visualise the impact of climatic variations on flowering in apple. The data on first flowering date in apple showed that the apple flowering date varied from March 16 to March 29. However when this date of flowering was put to rank correlation with temperature variations showed non-significant trend. Diversity and density of different pollinators viz honey bees, bumble bees, other wild bees, syrphids, drone flies and other insects were recorded using scan sampling and sweep net method which revealed that the diversity of the groups remained same. The investigations also indicated that advancement of flowering in apple did not show any significant impact on population of insect pollinators during these years being 0.67 in 2012 and 1.31 in 2013.The role played by honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) on fruit set when supplemented to apple orchards has been evaluated. Data on fruit set (on spur basis) at 60 to 200 meter from bee colonies varied between 34.13 and 49.88 per cent and 79.5 and 71.76 per cent in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The data on fruit set irrespective of the year were maximum (59.7) in apple trees near to hive bee colonies while less (31.78) were recorded 200 m away from the bee colonies.
Application of dairy-derived ingredients in food intake and metabolic regulation.

This chapter discusses the role of milk and dairy products, and their ingredients in obesity and the regulation of food intake and components of metabolic syndrome. In addition to protein (whey and casein), fat (saturated, mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids) and carbohydrate (lactose), milk contains biologically active substances such as immunoglobulins, enzymes, antimicrobial peptides, oligosaccharides, hormones, cytokines and growth factors. Each of these may affect food intake and metabolic regulation through a large number of physiologic mechanisms. Thus, their actions may explain the positive health associations between more frequent dairy consumption, a healthier body weight, and decreased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.
Genetic divergence studies in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) germplasm lines

Ninety safflower genotypes representing diverse geographic regions were studied for genetic divergence using Mahalanobis D2 static. The genotypes were grouped into 12 clusters. Seed yield contributed maximum to the total divergence. The maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster VIII and cluster XI whereas minimum distance between the clusters IV and XII. The accession 41 is the distinct one which can be highly utilized in further breeding programme. Selection of the genotypes from these clusters for hybridization programme may result in good recombinants.
Habitat use and movement patterns for a fluvial species, the Arctic grayling, in a watershed impacted by a large reservoir: evidence from otolith microchemistry

Summary 1 Fluvial environments are lost following construction of dams and flooding of river valleys. Rivers flowing into newly created reservoirs are still connected, but whether fluvial species of fish use or migrate through the newly formed lacustrine habitat is not known. We determined chemical composition of otoliths using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to assess patterns of movement in Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) from a fluvial system flooded by dam construction to assess the reservoir impact on fish populations. 2 Rivers examined within the upper Peace River watershed in British Columbia had considerable differences in water chemistry. Elemental signatures measured in grayling otoliths were highly correlated to the stream chemistries where the fish were captured. Shifts between chemically distinct environments could be detected for grayling; some fish experienced significant changes in water chemistry while others did not. 3 Discriminant function analyses for otolith chemistry suggested that Arctic grayling formed four main populations: Parsnip watershed, Nation watershed, Omineca watershed and Ingenika watershed. There also appeared to be groupings according to smaller watersheds (subpopulations) within these systems. 4 Synthesis and applications. Construction of the WAC Bennett hydroelectric dam and formation of the Williston Reservoir may have created a barrier for migration of fluvial Upper Peace River Arctic grayling. Populations that were thought to have remained healthy into the 1980s were likely impacted immediately but this was not obvious due to the presence of residual ‘prereservoir’ fish. Natural chemical markers in otoliths revealed that Arctic grayling in our study did not move into the reservoir and may now be restricted only to a number of tributary systems with no interconnectivity. Future management must take account of this new, fragmented distribution.
Effects of chemicals from longline baits on the biting behaviour of loggerhead sea turtles

The biting behaviour of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta, a high bycatch species by longline fishing gear, was studied on 30 wild specimens held temporarily at rescue centres. To account for repeated measures, the data were analysed using mixed-effects models. Chemicals from squid baits elicited significantly more biting behaviour than those from mackerel baits. Smaller turtles were more likely to bite than larger turtles. The findings add increasing evidence in support of the idea that the use of fish baits instead of squid baits could be a conservation measure to protect this endangered species from bycatch.
Effects of Wheel Traffic Porosity and Compaction of Soil Profile

The aim of this experimental study was to determine the effect on soil porosity and compaction of the number of the tractor passes on the soil surface. The soil has a sandy loam texture. A tractor passed once, twice, and four times while the water content of soil was near field capacity. Numbers of tractings increased soil bulk density and compaction, and decreased total porosity, void ratio, air porosity and drainage porosity. One and two tractor passes did not markedly affect the percentage of porosity kept at field capacity porosity, but four tractor passes improved it.
Phenological changes in six Australian subalpine plants in response to experimental warming and year‐to‐year variation

1. The likely phenological responses of plants to climate warming can be measured through experimental manipulation of field sites, but results are rarely validated against year‐to‐year changes in climate. Here, we describe the response of 1–5 years of experimental warming on phenology (budding, flowering and seed maturation) of six common subalpine plant species in the Australian Alps using the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) protocol.
Orientation de l'attention visuelle par des stimulations chemosensorielles intra-nasales

Cette these decrit comment une odeur peut automatiquement orienter l'attention visuo-spatiale. En effet, i) il existe une banque commune de ressources attentionnelles partagees a travers les modalites sensorielles, ii) le systeme olfactif et trigeminal permettent aux humains de differencier une stimulation delivree dans la narine gauche ou droite, et iii) les stimulations trigeminales sont particulierement susceptibles de capter l'attention d'un individu. Nous avons utilise le dioxide de carbone (CO2) et l'eucalyptol comme indices exogenes intranasaux lateralises dans une variante du paradigme d'indicage spatial (tâche de Posner). Nous avons fait varier l'intervalle de temps entre l'apparition de l'indice (l'amorce) et de la cible, appelee « Stimulus Onset Asyncrony » (SOA), dans chacune des sept etudes. Nous avons trouve des effets d'amorcages avec un SOA de 610 ms pour l'eucalyptol, et avec un SOA de 680 ms et de 1160 ms pour le CO2. Les resultats suggerent que le type de molecule utilise pour l'amorcage pourrait influencer la fenetre temporelle de l'apparition de l'effet.