Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of leaf surface and temperature on monocyclic processes in Podosphaera aphanis, causing powdery mildew of strawberry

Powdery mildew of strawberry, caused by Podosphaera aphanis, is an important constraint to production in tunnels and greenhouses. A better knowledge of the effect of environment on the disease is needed to design efficient management methods. In diseases such as strawberry powdery mildew, the very notion of lesion is difficult to grasp, and progress in disease management has been slow because observations pertaining to the monocyclic processes are difficult and time consuming. Experiments under controlled conditions were conducted to measure the effects of leaf surface (abaxial or adaxial) and air temperature on the different monocyclic processes of the disease. The fraction of germinated spores on the lower (abaxial) leaf surface (0.51–0.84) was 10%-20% larger than on the upper (adaxial) leaf surface. Infection efficiency was 10 times lower on the upper than on the lower leaf surface. Temperature strongly influenced all monocyclic processes considered: spore germination, infection efficiency, latent period, colony size, and colony sporulation. The optimum temperature was 22 °C, and no infection occurred at 32 °C. Implications of the results on disease management are discussed. Key words: monocyclic processes, Podosphaera aphanis, powdery mildew, strawberry, Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae, temperature. L’oïdium du fraisier, causé par Podosphaera aphanis, est une importante contrainte pour la production de fraisiers en serre et sous tunnel. Une meilleure connaissance des effets de l’environnement sur cette maladie est nécessaire pour élaborer des méthodes de gestion efficaces. Comme c’est le cas pour de nombreuses maladies telles que l’oïdium du fraisier, où la notion même de lésion est difficile à appréhender, les progrès pour la gestion de cette maladie ont été lents car les observations liées aux processus monocycliques sont difficiles et laborieuses. Des expérimentations en conditions contrôlées ont été conduites pour mesurer les effets de la température de l’air et de la surface de feuille (abaxiale ou adaxiale) sur les différents processus monocycliques de cette maladie. Le taux de germination sur face inférieure (abaxiale) de feuilles (0.51–0.84) était 10 % à 20 % plus grand que sur la face supérieure (adaxiale). L’efficacité d’infection était 10 fois plus faible sur la face supérieure que sur la face inférieure de feuille. La température influençait fortement tous les processus monocycliques considérés : germination des spores, efficacité d’infection, période de latence, taille des colonies, sporulation. La température optimale était de 22 °C, et aucune infection ne s’est développée à 32 °C. Les implications de ces résultats pour la gestion de cette maladie sont discutées. Mots-clés : fraisier, oïdium, Podosphaera aphanis, Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae, processus monocyclique, température.
The effect of winery solid waste compost application on maize growth, biomass yield, and nutrient content under greenhouse conditions

ABSTRACT A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the fertilizer value and determine the optimum application rate of five winery solid waste (WSW) composts containing varied filter material (FM) mixed proportions with grape marc and pruning canes using maize. The composts comprised of 4, 10, 20, 30, and 40% FM (w/w) designated C4FM, C10FM, C20FM, C30FM, and C40FM, respectively. Application rates of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 t ha−1 were used; while unamended control and inorganic NPK fertilizer treatments were included as references. The results showed that application of composts with 20% FM or more at 80 t ha−1 significantly increased the dry matter yield more than NPK fertilizer but full potential was not reached due to inadequate nitrogen supply. Maize shoot K content from compost treatments exceeded the critical nutrient level while the shoot Zn content from compost treatments with 20% FM or less also exceeded the critical level. The results revealed that these composts could serve as potential good sources of K and Zn for maize production, particularly, in sandy soils where these nutrients are often reported to be deficient. Quantitative estimate of the optimum rate of the composts for dry matter production ranged from 75 to 307 t ha−1.
Prediction of functional longevity for dairy cows by using foot quality traits in German Holstein bulls.

INTRODUCTION In dairy cow populations traits related to longevity are of great interest, because overall profitability strongly depends on the lifetime performances of the cows (costs of replacement, higher milk yields in later lactations). In the past longevity became a problem, because the selection for increasing milk yield influenced the length of productive life in an undesired way. Changes in the environmental conditions of the cows also enforce this trend. Selection for longevity should become more important, but unfortunately precise information about this complex is only available late in the lifetime of the breeding stock. Therefore other traits which may be genetically related to longevity but are available in early selection stages should be used in a regular breeding schemes. Claw and leg quality of young Fleckvieh bulls was shown to have an important influence on longevity of their daughters (Distl 1999). The performance test of young bulls gives the possibility to record these traits in a standardized environment. The objective of the study was to analyse additive genetic variances of claw measures and scores for claw and leg quality traits and the genetic relationships between claw and leg traits on one side with traits related to longevity on the other side in German Holsteins.
Evaluation of the In Vivo Biocompatibility of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate-Containing Metals

Among the biomaterials based on calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite has been widely used due to its biocompatibility and osteoconduction. The substitution of the phosphate group by the carbonate group associated with the absence of heat treatment and low synthesis temperature leads to the formation of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA). The association of CHA with other metals (strontium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and manganese) produces amorphous calcium phosphate-containing metals (ACPMetals), which can optimize their properties and mimic biological apatite. This study aimed to evaluate the biocompatibility and biodegradation of ACPMetals in mice subcutaneous tissue. The materials were physicochemically characterized with Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Balb-C mice (n = 45) were randomly divided into three groups: carbonated hydroxyapatite, CHA (n = 15), ACPMetals (n = 15), and without implantation of material (SHAM, n = 15). The groups were subdivided into three experimental periods (1, 3, and 9 weeks). The samples were processed histologically for descriptive and semiquantitative evaluation of the biological effect of biomaterials according to ISO 10993-6:2016. The ACPMetals group was partially biodegradable; however, it presented a severe irritating reaction after 1 and 3 weeks and moderately irritating after nine weeks. Future studies with other concentrations and other metals should be carried out to mimic biological apatite.
Generation of High Yielding and Fragrant Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Lines by CRISPR/Cas9 Targeted Mutagenesis of Three Homoeologs of Cytochrome P450 Gene Family and OsBADH2 and Transcriptome and Proteome Profiling of Revealed Changes Triggered by Mutations

The significant increase in grain yield and quality are often antagonistic but a constant demand for breeders and consumers. Some genes related to cytochrome P450 family are known for rice organ growth but their role in controlling grain yield is still unknown. Here, we generated new rice mutants with high yield and improved aroma by simultaneously editing three cytochrome P450 homoeologs (Os03g0603100, Os03g0568400, and GL3.2) and OsBADH2 with the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and RNA-sequencing and proteomic analysis were performed to unveil the subsequent changes. High mutation efficiency was achieved in both target sites of each gene and the mutations were predominantly only deletions, while insertions were rare, and no mutations were detected in the five most likely off-target sites against each sgRNA. Mutants exhibited increased grain size, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) content, and grain cell numbers while there was no change in other agronomic traits. Transgene-DNA-free mutant lines appeared with a frequency of 44.44% and homozygous mutations were stably transmitted, and bi-allelic and heterozygous mutations followed Mendelian inheritance, while the inheritance of chimeric mutations was unpredictable. Deep RNA sequencing and proteomic results revealed the regulation of genes and proteins related to cytochrome P450 family, grain size and development, and cell cycle. The KEGG and hub-gene and protein network analysis showed that the gene and proteins related to ribosomal and photosynthesis pathways were mainly enriched, respectively. Our findings provide a broad and detailed basis to understand the role of CRISPR/Cas9 in rice yield and quality improvement.
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 671 COVID-19 patients in Henan Province, China

Abstract Background Despite many reports on the characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, relatively little is known about the transmission features of COVID-19 outside Wuhan, especially at the provincial level. Methods We collected epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological and occupation information, along with contact history, of 671 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 reported from January 23 to February 5, 2020, in Henan province, China. We described characteristics of these cases, compared the diagnostic accuracy and features of blood testing, computed tomography (CT) scans and X-rays, and analysed SARS-CoV-2 transmission sources and patients’ occupations in Henan province. Results The mean age of patients in this case series was 43 years, 56.2% were male and 22.4% had coexisting medical disorders. The death rate was 0.3%. Fourteen patients did not show any symptoms. Lymphocyte percentage was associated with disease severity (χ2 = 6.71, P = 0.035) but had a large variation in each sample group. The mean time from illness onset to diagnosis was 5.6 days. A total of 330 patients had ever lived in or visited Wuhan, 150 had contact with confirmed cases, 323 had been to a hospital and 119 had been to a wet market. There were 33 patients who did not have a traceable transmission source, with 21.2% of these being farmers and 15.2% being workmen. Conclusions Lymphocyte percentage was a sign of severe COVID-19 in general but was not a good diagnostic index. Longer time from illness onset to diagnosis was associated with higher COVID-19 severity, older age, higher likelihood of having coexisting cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, and being male. Farming was found to be a high-risk occupation in Henan province, China.
Effect of Education on Preventive Behaviors of Osteoporosis in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Osteoporosis is one of the diseases that can be prevented by correcting health behaviors during adolescence. Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of education on preventive behaviors of osteoporosis including physical activity, calcium intake and practice (primary outcomes) and knowledge and attitude related to osteoporosis (secondary outcomes) in adolescents. Method A search was done in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Sciences, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID and Magiran regardless of the time limit. To evaluate the quality of selected controlled trials, Cochrane collaboration' instrument was used for assessing the risk of bias. RevMan software was used to analysis and report the data. Results Of 2159 articles retrieved, 20 of them were reviewed and 18 of them entered the mete-analysis. The meta-analysis showed significant differences between the education and control groups in terms of calcium intake (SMD = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.55 to 1.02, P < 0.00001), practice (SMD = 0.54, 95%CI = 0.41 to 0.68, P < 0.0001), knowledge (SMD = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.10 to 2.42, P < 0.00001) and attitude (SMD = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.53 to 1.40, P < 0.0001) mean score in adolescents but education is not effective on average minute/week of physical activity per week (MD = 31.94, 95%CI = −6.53 to 70.40, P = 0.10), mean score of physical activity (MD = 2.66, 95%CI = −0.55 to 5.88, P = 0.10) and percent of students participated in the physical activity (OR = 1.45, 95%CI = 0.30 to 6.91, P = 0.64). Conclusion Education is effective in improving their knowledge and attitudes toward osteoporosis. It can also improve some health-related behaviors for bone health such as sufficient dairy calcium intake but it has not been effective in establishing a regular exercise program.
Updates in epidemiology, pathophysiology and management strategies of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

ABSTRACT Introduction Endogenous or exogenous (corticosteroid-induced) glucocorticoids (GCs) excess represents, together with diabetes, the most common cause of secondary osteoporosis. Areas covered We present a comprehensive overview about the pathophysiology, clinical management and treatment of GCs induced osteoporosis (GIOP). According to PRISMA guidelines, a literature search identifying articles about bone and GCs was done. Expert opinion Despite the progress over the years and the increase in therapeutic options, there still are controversial issues about the management of GIOP. These mainly include the failure of BMD or FRAX to completely account for the rapid increase in fracture risk of most GC-treated patients, the understanding about the independent contribution on bone fragility of the underlying disease requiring GCs therapy, and the necessity of clearer information about the anti-fracture efficacy and long term-safety of most therapeutic options. Moreover, there are no specific indications for the management of bone fragility in endogenous hypercortisolism. Notwithstanding the above limitations there is a general consensus to recommend an assessment of fracture risk in all individuals >40 years committed to receive (or continuing) high dose (>7.5 mg of prednisone equivalent) GCs for ≥3 months and in all patients with fragility fracture history.
Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling of Buprenorphine in Adults, Children and Preterm Neonates

Buprenorphine plays a crucial role in the therapeutic management of pain in adults, adolescents and pediatric subpopulations. However, only few pharmacokinetic studies of buprenorphine in children, particularly neonates, are available as conducting clinical trials in this population is especially challenging. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling allows the prediction of drug exposure in pediatrics based on age-related physiological differences. The aim of this study was to predict the pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine in pediatrics with PBPK modeling. Moreover, the drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential of buprenorphine with CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein perpetrator drugs should be elucidated. A PBPK model of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in adults has been developed and scaled to children and preterm neonates, accounting for age-related changes. One-hundred-percent of the predicted AUClast values in adults (geometric mean fold error (GMFE): 1.22), 90% of individual AUClast predictions in children (GMFE: 1.54) and 75% in preterm neonates (GMFE: 1.57) met the 2-fold acceptance criterion. Moreover, the adult model was used to simulate DDI scenarios with clarithromycin, itraconazole and rifampicin. We demonstrate the applicability of scaling adult PBPK models to pediatrics for the prediction of individual plasma profiles. The novel PBPK models could be helpful to further investigate buprenorphine pharmacokinetics in various populations, particularly pediatric subgroups.
The Effect of Feeding Elevated Levels of Tilapia (Oreochromus niloticus) By-product Meal on Broiler Performance and Carcass Characteristics

The tilapia industry has grown significantly. Considerable processing waste is generated by the tilapia industry because only the myomere (fillets) muscles are removed and marketed. This portion constitutes approximately 36% of the entire fish, leaving the remaining 64% of the fish as waste lost during the various processing operations. This waste recovered from the tilapia processing plant has the potential of being an alternative protein source in broiler rations. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of substituting elevated levels of tilapia by-product meal (TBM) for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets. Crude protein from TBM was substituted for SBM crude protein at a rate of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. The control and four concentrations of TBM were used in a typical corn-soybean based diet and fed to chicks from 0-42 days of age. Chicks were randomly allocated to a ration using a randomized complete block design. Body weight, cumulative feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, and mortality was determined on a weekly basis. Processing carcass weights and yields were determined on a pre-chilled basis. The results showed that chicks fed 0, 25 and 50% TBM had significantly (P < 0.01) higher body weights, feed consumption and improved feed conversion throughout the 42 d growing period as compared to the other treatments. Carcass weights were also significantly (P < 0.01) higher. No significant differences were found for mortalities or yields for any of the treatments. In conclusion, the results show that TBM can be substituted for SBM crude protein up to a 50% level without negatively affecting bird performance or carcass quality.
With eyes wide open: a revision of species within and closely related to the Pocillopora damicornis species complex (Scleractinia; Pocilloporidae) using morphology and genetics

Molecular studies have been instrumental for refining species boundaries in the coral genus Pocillopora and revealing hidden species diversity within the extensively studied global species Pocillopora damicornis . Here we formally revise the taxonomic status of species closely related to and within the P. damicornis species complex, taking into account both genetic evidence and new data on morphometrics, including fine-scale corallite and coenosteum structure. We found that mitochondrial molecular phylogenies are congruent with groups based on gross-morphology, therefore reflecting species-level differentiation. However, high levels of gross morphological plasticity and shared morphological characteristics mask clear separation for some groups. Fine-scale morphological variation, particularly the shape and type of columella, was useful for differentiating between clades and provides an excellent signature of the evolutionary relationships among genetic lineages. As introgressive hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting complicate the delineation of species within the genus on the basis of a single species concept, the Unified Species Concept may represent a suitable approach in revising Pocillopora taxonomy. Eight species are herein described ( P. damicornis , P. acuta , P. aliciae , P. verrucosa , P. meandrina , P. eydouxi , P. cf. brevicornis ), including a novel taxon – P ocillopora bairdi sp. nov. (Schmidt-Roach, this study). Citation synonyms and type materials are presented.
DIFFUSION PROCESS OF INNOVATION LEARNING SYSTEM IN THE RICE- WHEAT PRODUCTION SYSTEM OF THE PUNJAB

*Corresponding author’s e-mail: sajida78001@gmail.com A number of technological packages are introduced overtime to achieve sustainable productivity but their adoption is very low. The reason behind this is that majority of farmers still using conventional methods result in low productivity of crops. There are many ways of innovation spread adThere arincluding e formal and informal mechanisms by which specific community (i.e. farmers) accesses knowledge. Therefore there is a need to continuously assess the existing dissemination mechanism fornewfor new agricultural techniques to get the optimum benefit of the new innovations in knowledge for enhancing agricultural productivity through utilization of latest knowledge generated by the national research system. The present study is an effort to identify the prevailing agricultural innovations learning system in the Rice-Wheat area of the Punjab. A rigorous survey and analytical procedures were used to identify how the end users are learning knowledge about new agricultural technologies. It was found that irrespective of gender type, the friends & relatives, fellow/progressive farmers and radio/television are three major sources of obtaining information. The farmers’ visits/contact with fellow farmers and input dealers was found relatively stronger than other information sources.
LEF1 Induces DHRS2 Gene Expression in Human Acute Leukemia Jurkat T-Cells

Objective: T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive disease resulting from the accumulation of genetic changes that affect the development of T-cells. The precise role of lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) in T-ALL has been controversial since both overexpression and inactivating LEF1 mutations have been reported to date. Here, we investigate the potential gene targets of LEF1 in the Jurkat human T-cell leukemia cell line. Materials and Methods: We used small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology to knock down LEF1 in Jurkat cells and then compared the gene expression levels in the LEF1 knockdown cells with nontargeting siRNA-transfected and non-transfected cells by employing microarray analysis. Results: We identified DHRS2, a tumor suppressor gene, as the most significantly downregulated gene in LEF1 knockdown cells, and we further confirmed its downregulation by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in mRNA and at protein level by western blotting. Conclusion: Our results revealed that DHRS2 is positively regulated by LEF1 in Jurkat cells, which indicates the capability of LEF1 as a tumor suppressor and, together with previous reports, suggests that LEF1 exhibits a regulatory role in T-ALL via not only its oncogenic targets but also tumor suppressor genes.
Physical Activity Levels of Chilean Children in a National School Intervention Programme. A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background. Recess is a great opportunity to interrupt sedentary behaviour and increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in schoolchildren. This quasi-experimental study aimed to compare the levels of physical activity (PA) during the school day of children in a school intervention programme vs. those in a control group, and to determine compliance with MVPA recommendations. Methods. A sample of 154 schoolchildren (6–12 years old) was obtained from several schools (70 with the intervention and 84 controls). This programme was structured with a duration of 90 min/session and performed three times/week. PA levels were recorded with triaxial accelerometers during the school day: during recess, during a PA session or physical education session (PE), and during lunchtime. No pre-intervention evaluation was performed. Results. The MVPA of the control group was higher than that of the intervention group during the first recess (p < 0.001). None of the groups complied with the recommendations for steps during the PA or PE sessions. During the PA session, sedentary time was lower and MVPA was higher, in the intervention group than in the control group. Fifty percent of the children from the intervention group complied with the MVPA recommendations, vs. 22.7% of those in the control group. Conclusions. The schoolchildren in the intervention group performed more MVPA than those in the control group. Future interventions could include other periods, such as recess and lunchtime, which are opportunities for improving the MVPA levels of schoolchildren.