Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oocyte Yield and the Consequences of Puncture of All Follicles Larger Than 8 Millimeters in Mares

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration was used to study oocyte yield and sub sequent ovarian response in mares. In experiment 1, weekly puncture of follicles a 8 mm (an average of 4.3 follicles per mare) produced an average of 0.8 oocytes per mare per week. More follicles were found in saddle mares (5.8) than in pony mares (2.9), and thus saddle mares yielded more oocytes (1.0 vs. 0.6). Compact cumulus surrounded 95% of oocytes recovered from follicles s 20 mm but only 57% of those recovered from follicles > 20 mm. During 11 successive attempts, saddle mares had a linear decrease in the number of follicles. In addition to this general tendency, individual mares showed, from one week to the other, an alternating pattern of either a large follicle (> 20 mm) with several small follicles > 10 mm or no follicle > 20 mm with fewer small follicles. This could be explained by waves of follicular growth. In experiment 2, the puncture in midluteal phase of an average of 5.4 follicles in saddle mares and 3.5 in pony mares produced an average of 1.7 and 1.0 oocytes, respectively. In experiment 3, where succes sive punctures were performed at 2-5-day intervals, 97% of oocytes obtained at the first punc ture had a compact cumulus, but only 74% of those obtained at subsequent punctures did. The percentage of compact cumulus was lower (41% vs. 90%) with a shorter interval (2 days vs. 4— 5 days). The suspected cause of this altered morphology was the successive punctures of a follicle, followed by recovery of the oocyte on the second puncture. In experiment 4, the replace ment of follicular fluid with PBS, followed 48 h later by oocyte collection, produced oocytes with an expanded cumulus and resumed meiosis, confirming the interpretation of experiment 3.
Assessment of the Release Profile of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2-Load Mesoporous Calcium Silicate/Poly-ε-caprolactone 3D Scaffold for Regulate Bone Regeneration

Recent advances in three-dimensional printing technology enable facile and on-demand fabrication of patient-specific bone scaffolds. However, there is still an urgent need for printable biomaterials with osteoinductivity. In the present study, we propose an approach to synthesize fibroblast growth factor-2 loaded-mesoporous calcium silicate nanoparticles. The growth factor loaded-nanoparticles served as fillers of polycaprolactone and then the composite scaffolds with a controlled pore structure were obtained through a fused deposition modeling technique. To evaluate the feasibility of the composite scaffolds in bone tissue engineering, drug release kinetic, bioactivity, cell proliferation, differentiation, and animal study were conducted. Our findings illustrate that utilization of mesoporous calcium silicate allowed the introduction of fibroblast growth factor-2 into the composite scaffolds through a simple soaking process and then gradually released from the scaffold to facilitate proliferation and osteogenesis differentiation of human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells. Additionally, the in vivo femur defect experiments also indicate that the co-existence of calcium silicate and fibrous growth factor-2 synergistically accelerated new bone formation. These results demonstrate that the fibroblast growth factor-2-loaded mesoporous calcium silicate nanoparticles/polycaprolactone composite scaffolds may serve as potential bone grafts for facilitating repair of defected bone tissues.
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. in equids from three municipalities in Pará, Brazil

This study presents a survey of the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. in equids in three municipalities in Para, a Brazilian state with the Amazonian rainforest and the Amazon River as dominating features. Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. are two closely related parasitic protozoans not separated as different genera until 1988. Neospora spp. includes two species, N. caninum and N. hughesi, that are impossible to distinguish between based solely on serology. Seroprevalence in previous studies from other areas of Brazil has presented a prevalence ranging from 5.9% to 43.2% for T. gondii and 0% to 15.9% for Neospora spp. Blood samples from a total of 440 horses, mules and donkeys from three different categories were sampled; urban horses, farm horses and sport horses. The samples was screened for antibodies using indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), using a cut-off value of 1:16 for T. gondii and 1:50 for Neospora spp. The samples were tested in two-fold titrations until reaching end-point titer. Overall prevalence for T. gondii in the present study was 6.4% (28/440) and for Neospora spp. 4.5% (20/440), results that are among the lowest compared to prevalence studies made in other areas of Brazil. The end-point titers for T. gondii were in the lower end of the spectra, with 32.1% (9/28) of the positive samples having an end-point titer of 1:16 and the highest end-point titer being 1:1024. Analysis for Neospora spp. resulted high end-point titers, only 5.0% (1/20) of the seropositive individuals having an end-point titer of 1:50 and the highest titer being 1:2800. The prevalence on the basis of different determinants gave statistically significant difference in frequencies in several determinant groups. For T. gondii, the prevalence in sport horses was higher than in urban horses. The prevalence of Neospora spp. was higher in males than females, in urban horses compared to farm horses and the prevalence in the municipalities of both Santarem and Obidos was significantly higher than in Brasil Novo. Additional research is necessary to determine whether these statistically significant differences are reflecting reality or if they are a consequence of the study design. More studies are also needed to be able to estimate the true prevalence in Para and in Brazil in general. This knowledge is of importance when calculating the risk of meat from infected horses causing clinical disease in humans.
Reproductive performance in goats and causes of perinatal mortality: a review

Goat meat production is an expanding industry in Australia. However, there is limited data quantifying the levels of reproductive performance, particularly under extensively grazed rangeland conditions, which would inform interventions to improve performance. This review aimed to quantify the levels of reproduction, time and causes of reproductive wastage in goats. It considers the levels of fertility, fecundity, embryonic loss, fetal loss and post-natal survival reported under Australian conditions, and comparisons are made with international reports. Key management factors that may contribute to reproductive performance include breed, seasonality, nutritional conditions, and weather conditions at kidding. While goats are potentially prolific breeders, in Australia, the variation in weaning rate (kids/doe joined) among properties is large (51–165%), although the causes of this variation are not well defined. Generally, conception and kidding rates are high, although fetal loss associated with undernutrition is more likely in goats than sheep. As with sheep, perinatal losses are generally the largest source of wastage, with an average 20% kid mortality, but this level is influenced by litter size and appears to be higher under extensive rangeland systems. The causes of perinatal kid loss under Australian conditions are similar to those in sheep, with starvation–mismothering–exposure and dystocia or stillbirth the key causes. Studies are needed to accurately quantify the level and causes of reproductive wastage in commercial herds, including a range of management situations, to enable effective interventions to be developed.
The response of xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation in Alocasia brisbanensis to sunflecks in a subtropical rainforest

The photosynthetic responses of leaves of Alocasia brisbanensis (F.M. Bailey) Domin (Araceae) to sunflecks were monitored via chlorophyll fluorescence beneath the canopy of a subtropical rainforest in Australia. Additionally, the size and conversion state of the xanthophyll cycle were determined. Acclimation to understory environments that regularly experienced sunflecks involved small increases in the size of the xanthophyll cycle pool in comparison to understory plants that never received sunflecks. In understory plants that regularly experienced sunflecks the rate of photochemistry and the level of xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation closely tracked changes in incident PFD. Subsequent to the first sunfleck plants tended to retain their pool of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids as the deepoxidised forms (antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin) throughout the day. Retention of these deepoxidised forms apparently allows the trans-thylakoid membrane proton gradient to engage and disengage dissipation rapidly in response to a sunfleck, thereby mitigating photooxidative damage and ensuring a rapid return to efficient light utilisation via photosynthesis in limiting light. Our results were also in agreement with previous studies that demonstrated a requirement for light activation of photosynthesis.
Macro-Economic Determinants of High Technology Exports

DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.24018/ejbmr.2020. 5.5. 506 Vol 5 | Issue 5 | September 2020 1 Abstract — An evaluation of the outcome of research and development is intrinsic for building a long-term foundation for economic development. The high technology exports are one indicator that can access the outcome of research and development of the economy. This study employed the data of high tech exports of 15 developed and developing economies during 2007-2018. The fixed effect regression estimates were analysed upon, validation of which is enumerated by the Hausman test. Two significant findings that the study implicates are, first, the benefits of an outward-oriented policy that has fewer tariff burdens will result in the promotion of high-tech exports. Secondly, the study is intrigued by the role of financial market development, which in turn is exportoriented, thereby reducing the foreign exchange burden. The enhanced access to financial markets and increased depth has proven to be congenial for high tech exports.
Pathogenic role of macrophages in intradermal infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in thermally injured mice

Intradermal infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in burned mice was pathogen-ically analyzed. An abscess was formed in normal mice intradermally infected with 10 8 CFU/mouse of MRSA, and all of these mice survived after the infection; however, abscess formation was not demonstrated to occur in burned mice similarly exposed to the pathogen, and all of these mice died within 5 days of infection. In burned mice, MRSA infected at the burn site intradermal tissues spread quickly throughout the whole body, while in normal mice, the pathogen remained localized at the infection site. Macrophages (M (cid:1) ) isolated from the infection site tissues of normal mice produced interleukin-12 (IL-12) but not IL-10 and were characterized as M1M (cid:1) . These M1M (cid:1) were not isolated from the infection site tissues of burned mice. When normal-mouse infection site tissue M (cid:1) were adoptively transferred to burned mice at the MRSA infection site, an abscess formed, and the infection did not develop into sepsis. In contrast, an abscess did not form and sepsis developed in normal mice that were inoculated with burned-mouse infection site tissue M (cid:1) . These M (cid:1) produced IL-10 but not IL-12 and were characterized as M2M (cid:1) . These results indicate that abscess formation is a major mechanism of host resistance against intradermal MRSA infection. M1M (cid:1) in the tissues surrounding the infection site play a pivotal role in abscess formation; however, the abscess is not formed in burned mice where M2M (cid:1) predominate. M2M (cid:1) have been described as inhibitor cells for M (cid:1) conversion from resident M (cid:1) to M1M (cid:1) .
DETERMINACY OF ACTUAL USAGE THROUGH BEHAVIORAL INTENTION CIMB NIAGA AIR ASIA BIG CARD

Since its launched in 2014, the number of CIMB Niaga AirAsia BIG Card’s users increased continually. Now, the number of users has reach millions of consumers. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, compatibility, personal innovativeness and social influence to behavioral intention and the effect of behavioral intention to actual usage. The results of this study can be used by Cimb Niaga to develop the best strategy in order to increase the number of users and actual usage of CIMB Niaga AirAsia BIG Card. This study uses quantitative approach with (SEM) technique and AMOS 20.0 program. Questionnaires were distributed to 180 respondents who used as a sample in this study using non probability sampling and snowball sampling’s method. The result of this study shows that perceived usefulness, personal innovativeness and social influence have positive and significant effects on behavioral intention. Perceived ease of use and compatibility has positive but insignificant effects on behavioral intention. In addition, this study also found that behavioral intention has positive and significant effects on actual usage of CIMB Niaga AirAsia BIG Card in Surabaya.
Impact of Salinity Stress on Membrane Status, Phytohormones, Antioxidant Defense System and Transcript Expression Pattern of Two Contrasting Sorghum Genotypes

SALINITY stress significantly impacts the growth, development and yield of sorghum. Knowledge about the productivity of sorghum under salinity stress condition is lagging, due to the marginally limited information about the physio-biochemical and molecular mechanisms underpinning salinity stress tolerance. The study aimed to investigate the physio-biochemical and molecular mechanisms associated with the differential responses under salinity stress condition in sorghum. To achieve our objectives, the physiological and biochemical salinity stress parameters, including membrane stability index, enzyme antioxidant activities, proline and chlorophyll contents, measured at the seedling stage, were elucidated to identify the salinity stress response status of the genotypes. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was perform to elucidate the expression pattern of different categories of genes under salinity stress in sorghum genotypes. From our results, enhanced enzyme antioxidant activities, membrane status, increased proline content and lower K+/Na+ concentration under 300mM NaCl stress identified PI 585451 to be the most salinity stress-tolerant genotype. Nevertheless, increased MDA and Na+/K+ level, lower proline, chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activities in PI 585454 marked it to be sensitive to salinity stress. Besides, the transcript expression analysis of different genes, showed an upregulation in PI 585451 than in PI 585454. The results highlighted the differences in metabolic response to salinity stress that may play an important role in the provision of information, required for breeding and development of sorghum genotypes that are tolerant to salinity stress.
Assessment of genetic diversity among pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R Br.] cultivars using SSR markers

DNA based markers have emerged as a robust genomic tool for the estimation of genetic diversity and cultivar identification. We are reporting genetic diversity among 20 commercially released pearl millet cultivars comprising of hybrids and open pollinated varieties. Twenty one polymorphic SSR primer pairs, selected after initial screening of 60 were used to study the diversity which amplified 64 alleles. The number of amplified alleles among the cultivars ranged from 2–6 per locus with a mean value of 3 alleles per locus. UPGMA cluster analysis differentiated all the cultivars and eighteen of them were found to be clustered into three major groups at similarity coefficient of 0.43 while two, JBV-3 and BAIF Bajra-1 remained ungrouped and were quite distinct from others. Interestingly, all the cultivars developed at IARI, New Delhi, were present in a subgroup within group I. Similarly, majority of hybrids developed at HAU, Hisar were grouped in the another subgroup within the group 1. BAIF Bajra 1 an exclusive forage purpose variety was genetically most diverged. Besides, a set of five polymorphic primers were found to differentiate all the cultivars. The results have demonstrated presence of moderate level of genetic diversity among the pearl millet cultivars.
EFFECT OF FEEDING BUFFALOES ON DIETS CONTAINING VEGETABLE OILS RICH IN UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS ON ITS PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND MILK QUALITY

Four lactating buffalos with an average weight of 515 kg were randomly assigned to four experimental groups in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design experiment with repeated measures in time for 16 weeks (4 treatments and four experimental periods). Each group received one of the following four dietary treatments:1- Control ration(fed a basal diet of berseem clover and concentrates (60:40 DM basis), 2- flax group (fed the control diet +2% flaxseed oil), 3- soya group (fed the control diet +2% soybean oil) and 4- flax & soya group (fed the control diet +2% soybean oil plus flaxseed oil (1:1 v/v)). The results showed that the supplementation of buffaloes’ diets with soybean, flaxseed oils or mix-oils had no negative effects on total dry matter intake. Concerning blood serum parameters, flax group had highest values of serum TP, albumin, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol (HDL, LDL), creatinine, and GOT, while soybean oil treated group recorded the highest values of serum cholesterol, AG ratio, (GPT) and urea-N followed by flax group then flax+soya group. The flax group recorded the highest values of daily milk yield (8.55 kg/h/d), F C M yield (12.71 kg/h/d) and fat content (7.24%), while soya oil treatment recorded the highest values of total solids (19.10%), solids not fat (12.04%), protein (4.91%), lactose (6.16%) and ash content (1%). Control group revealed the lowest values of total solids (17.73%), fat content (6.64%), solids not fat (11.09%), lactose (5.71%). Flaxseed group recorded the highest values of all milk constituents yield except total protein yield followed by soya group, then flax + soya group, while control group recorded the lowest values. Fatty acids in milk showed that C16:0 was higher in control diet than treated diets. Stearic acid (C18:0), C18:4, C20:0 and C20:1 revealed higher values with treated diets than control. At the same time, treatment with soya or mixture of soya and flax oil showed higher values for C18:2 than control or flax treated animals. It could be concluded that adding vegetable oils to buffaloes diet enhanced milk yield and fat content and C18:0, C18:4, C20:0 and C20:1, however, treatment with soya or mixture of soya and flax oil showed higher values for C18:2 than control or flax treated animals.
Influência da metileno-tetrahidrofolato redutase na patogênese das leucemias agudas infantis Influence of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in the pathogenesis of the childhood acute leukemia

As leucemias resultam de uma interacao adversa entre gene-ambiente, com susceptibilidade condicionada, pelo menos em parte, por polimorfismos de multiplos genes. Como a metilenotetrahidrofolato redutase (MTHFR) possui papel chave no metabolismo do folato, alteracoes na sua atividade (resultante de polimorfismos) ou alteracoes na suplementacao de folato, podem influenciar na sintese, reparo e metilacao de DNA. Neste estudo, determinamos a frequencia dos polimorfismos 677C maior que T e 1298A maior que C do gene MTHFR em 177 criancas menores de 16 anos com leucemias agudas (LA) de diversas regioes brasileiras e em 249 amostras de individuos normais como o grupo controle. O metodo utilizado para genotipagem foi PCR-RFLP. As frequencias dos genotipos 677CC, 677CT e 677TT foram 51 por cento, 40 por cento e 9 por cento nos controles, 57 por cento, 33 por cento e 10 por cento para os casos de leucemia linfoblastica aguda (LLA), e 49 por cento, 39 por cento e 12 por cento para os casos de leucemia mieloide aguda (LMA), respectivamente. Ja as frequencias dos genotipos 1298AA, 1298AC e 1298CC foram respectivamente 62 por cento, 31 por cento e 7 por cento nos controles, 51 por cento, 41 por cento e 8 por cento nos casos de LLA e, 67 por cento, 31 por cento e 2 por cento nos casos de LMA, respectivamente. Quando comparamos casos de LLA com os controles, para o polimorfismo 677C maoir que T, encontramos um OR igual a 0,7 (0,5 - 1,2) e OR igual a 1,0 (0,4 - 2,1) para os genotipos CT e TT, respectivamente. Para o polimorfismo 1298A maior que C, o OR foi 1,6 (1,0 - 2,5) e 1,3 (0,6-3,0) para os genotipos AC e CC, respectivamente. Para os casos de LMA, o OR foi 1,0 (0,5 - 2,1) para o genotipo CT, e 1,3 (0,5 - 3,9) para o genotipo TT. Para o genotipo AC, encontramos um OR igual a 0,9 (0,4 - 1,9); para o genotipo CC, o OR foi 0,3 (0,04 - 2,3). Nao houve diferencas entre as frequencias do MTHFR 677C maior que T e1298A maior que C em ambos os grupos na analise global. Os resultados indicam que MTHFR 677C maior que T e 1298A maior que C nao conferem efeito protetor contra a LA infantil. (AU)
Relationship between hope and psychological well-being among male and female students of Farhangian University of Zanjan province

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between hope and psychological well-being among the students of Farhangian University using a descriptive correlational research method. All students of Farhangian University of Zanjan province in the academic year of 2018-19 were considered and 324 of them were selected as the research sample. Hope scale Schneider (1991) and psychological well-being scale of Ryff (1989) were used as research tools. using SPSS 21 software, Pearson correlation coefficient test, stepwise regression, ANOVA and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between hope and psychological well-being and this includes their components too (p <0.01). There is no significant difference between hope and psychological well-being among students based on gender (P> 0.05). Also, the results of stepwise regression indicated that hope and motivational hope could predict psychological wellbeing (p <0.01). Therefore, it can be concluded that in order to improve the psychological well-being of students, their hope should be increased in a way.
THE RATIO OF CO2–C EMISSION TO GRAIN YIELD IN SUMMER MAIZE CULTIVATED UNDER DIFFERENT SOIL TILLAGE AND STRAW APPLICATION CONDITIONS

SUMMARY The relationship between climate, crop growth and crop yield is complicated. This study aimed to determine the ratio of CO2–C emission to grain yield, the field treatments were initiated in 2003, but the measurements for this analysis were collected during the summer maize-growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 in the North China Plain. The experiment showed that conventional tillage with straw application significantly increased grain yield and the ratio of CO2–C emission to grain yield of summer maize. The mean soil CO2–C emission rate with no tillage was significantly lower than that when conventional tillage was used; however, straw application significantly increased the soil CO2–C emission rate, irrespective of whether tillage was performed or not. This was mainly because straw application changed the soil total porosity and organic carbon content. In conclusion, the results of this study support the hypothesis that the ratio of CO2–C emission to grain yield in the North China Plain can be increased by straw application, whereas no tillage decreases this ratio.