Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective study of ocular and periocular diseases in animals: 188 cases

Histopathology of the ocular and periocular tissues submitted for diagnosis and research is still incipient in Brazil, in contrast to veterinary clinical ophthalmology. In this study, ocular and periocular tissues from domestic and wild animal species, mainly from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were evaluated between February 2012 and September 2015. The samples were analyzed grossly and microscopically. Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry were performed on some of the samples. The frequency, type of ocular alteration, affected animal species, and affected ocular or periocular tissues were recorded. One hundred eighty-eight ocular and periocular tissues from domestic and, occasionally, wild animals were examined. Nine animals presented two concurrent alterations, adding up to 197 alterations. Proliferative lesions were the most frequent (92), followed by traumatic (43), inflammatory (37), degenerative (18), developmental (4) and vascular/hemorrhagic diseases (3). The globe was the most affected structure (112), followed by eyelids (52), third eyelid (17), bulbar conjunctiva (14) and retrobulbar region (2). Neoplasms arising from periocular tissues were the most frequent alteration (60), possibly related to a more active surgical service and histopathologic evaluation request. Many animals presented ocular lesions that reflected systemic diseases, which were diagnosed by necropsy and examination of other organs. Particularly in cases of neoplasia, early detection and surgical treatment can prevent systemic involvement. Ocular histopathologic evaluation can provide better characterization and prognosis of the clinical-pathological condition of the patient as well. (AU)
Intramuscular fatty acid profile of feedlot lambs fed concentrates with alternative ingredients

The effect of concentrates based on unconventional ingredients on the intramuscular fatty acid profile of lambs was evaluated. A total of 105 lambs were assigned to one of three treatments: Control (concentrate based on cereals and soybean meal like commercial concentrates), Camelina (where 50% of crude protein from soybean meal was replaced by camelina meal), and Fibrous (concentrate based on several fibrous by-products, such as soybean hulls and wheat bran, as well as camelina meal and other unconventional ingredients). After 42 days in feedlot, the lambs were sacrificed, and the fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat was determined by gas chromatography. Total meat lipids (1.25 g/100 g of meat) were not modified by the treatments. The Camelina treatment showed minor effects on the intramuscular fat composition. In contrast, the Fibrous treatment showed the highest contents of trans-11 18:1 (vaccenic acid), cis-9 trans-11 18:2 (rumenic acid) and α-linolenic acid. Thus, the non-traditional Fibrous concentrate assayed in the present study might improve the meat quality of light lambs from a nutritional point of view.
PHENOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY OF TWO MAIZE CULTIVARS TO TRINEXAPAC-ETHYL

In Brazilian agriculture there are few reports on trinexapac-ethyl (TE) effects on maize plant lodging management. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sequential application of TE sprayed on different plant growth stages of maize using the simple hybrid P30F53HR and the variety SCS 154 Fortuna. Experiments were carried out in a greenhouse in the 2013 and 2014 harvests. Plants were grown singly in 5L pots filled with 75% soil and 25% substrate. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. The following treatments were performed: (T1) control (no application of growth retardant); (T2) application at V2 (100 g a.i. ha-1); (T3) sequential application of 100 g a.i. ha-1 at V2 plus V3; (T4) sequential application of 100 g a.i. ha-1 at V2+V3+V4; (T5) single application of 300 g a.i. ha-1 at V4; (T6) sequential application of 100 g a.i. ha-1 at V2+V3+V4+V5; (T7) sequential application of 100 g a.i. ha-1 at V2+V3+V4+V5+V6 and (T8) sequential application of 100 g a.i. ha-1 at V2+V3+V4+V5+V6+V7. The some morphological characteristics of the two maize genotypes changed in response to TE treatment. From stage V4 onwards, maize plant height showed signs of sensitivity to the growth retardant. Plants in T8 (TE applied over V2 to V7) were more sensitive to TE with over 45% reduction in plant height compared with application T7 (applied from V2 to V6). This response was similar in both maize genotypes, thus indicating that plants are highly sensitive to TE after the V6 stage.
Capturing the spatiotemporal dynamics of task-initiated thoughts with combined EEG and fMRI

When at rest, our mind wanders from thought to thought in distinct mental states. Despite the marked importance of ongoing mental processes, it is challenging to capture and relate these states to specific cognitive contents. In this work, we employed ultra-high field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to study the ongoing thoughts of participants instructed to retrieve self-relevant past episodes for periods of 20s. These task-initiated, participant-driven activity patterns were compared to a distinct condition where participants performed serial mental arithmetic operations, thereby shifting from self-related to self-unrelated thoughts. BOLD activity mapping revealed selective activity changes in temporal, parietal and occipital areas (“posterior hot zone”), evincing their role in integrating the re-experienced past events into conscious representations during memory retrieval. Functional connectivity analysis showed that these regions were organized in two major subparts of the default mode network, previously associated to “scene-reconstruction” and “self-experience” subsystems. EEG microstate analysis allowed studying these participant-driven thoughts in the millisecond range by determining the temporal dynamics of brief periods of stable scalp potential fields. This analysis revealed selective modulation of occurrence and duration of specific microstates in both conditions. EEG source analysis revealed similar spatial distributions between the sources of these microstates and the regions identified with fMRI. These findings support growing evidence that specific fMRI networks can be captured with EEG as repeatedly occurring, integrated brief periods of synchronized neuronal activity, lasting only fractions of seconds. Significance We investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of large-scale brain networks related to specific conscious thoughts. We demonstrate here that instructing participants to direct their thoughts to either episodic autobiographic memory or to mental arithmetic modulates distinct networks both in terms of highly spatially-specific BOLD signal oscillations as well as fast sub-second dynamics of EEG microstates. The combined findings from the two modalities evince a clear link between hemodynamic and electrophysiological signatures of spontaneous brain activity by the occurrence of thoughts that last for fractions of seconds, repeatedly appearing over time as integrated coherent activities of specific large-scale networks.
The human cytomegalovirus ER resident glycoprotein UL148 activates the unfolded protein response

Eukaryotic cells are equipped with three sensors that respond to the accumulation of misfolded proteins within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by activating the unfolded protein response (UPR), which functions to resolve proteotoxic stresses involving the secretory pathway. Here, we identify UL148, a viral ER resident glycoprotein from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), as an inducer of the UPR. Metabolic labeling results indicate that global mRNA translation is markedly decreased when UL148 expression is induced in uninfected cells. Further, we find evidence suggesting that ectopic expression of UL148 is sufficient to activate at least two UPR sensors: the inositol requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1), as indicated by splicing of Xbp1 mRNA, and the PKR-like ER kinase (PERK), as indicated by phosphorylation of eIF2α and accumulation of ATF4 protein. During wild-type HCMV infection, Xbp-1 splicing, eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 accumulation neatly accompanied the onset of UL148 expression. However, the appearance of these UPR indicators was either markedly delayed or absent during UL148-null infections. siRNA depletion of PERK dampened the extent of eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 induction observed during wild-type infection, implicating PERK as opposed to other eIF2α kinases. A virus disrupted for UL148 showed statistically significant 2- to 4-fold decreases during infection in the levels of transcripts canonically regulated by PERK/ATF4 and by the ATF6 pathway.Taken together, our results argue that UL148 is sufficient to activate the UPR when expressed ectopically and that UL148 is an important cause of UPR activation in the context of the HCMV infected cell. IMPORTANCE The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an ancient cellular response to ER stress of broad importance to viruses. Certain consequences of the UPR, including mRNA degradation and translational shut-off, would presumably be disadvantageous to viruses, while other attributes of the UPR, such as ER expansion and upregulation of protein folding chaperones, might enhance viral replication. Although HCMV is estimated to express at least 200 distinct viral proteins, we show that the HCMV ER resident glycoprotein UL148 contributes substantially to the UPR during infection, and moreover is sufficient to activate the UPR in non-infected cells. Experimental activation of the UPR in mammalian cells is difficult to achieve without the use of toxins. Therefore, UL148 may provide a new tool to investigate fundamental aspects of the UPR. Furthermore, our findings may have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying the effects of UL148 on HCMV cell tropism and evasion of cell mediated immunity.
Genotype by environment interaction (GxE) as a measure of yield stability of Dutch potato varieties in Uganda

Twenty one (21) Dutch potato varieties were introduced in Uganda during 2015-2016 seasons for national yield performance and adaptability studies so that most stable varieties could be identified for production. The effect of genotype (G), environment (E) and their interaction (G x E) on tuber yield was assessed to establish variety adaptation in different agro ecologies. Five sites were used in the study that included; Kalegyere (2450 m/asl), Kachwekano (2225m/asl), Rwebitaba (1531m/asl), Buginyanya (1887m/asl) and Zeu-DFI (1642m/asl). The varieties that yielded highest were; El-mundo (22 t ha-1), Sarpomira (22 t ha-1), Connect (21.7T/ha), Rudolph (21.4t ha-1), Arizona (20.3 t ha-1), Voyager (20 t ha-1), Faluka (19.9 t ha-1) and Sagitta (19.9 t ha-1). GxE analysis was done using Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and results showed that GxE interaction accounted for 12.6% of the total variation, while genotypes and environments accounted for 5.7% and 59.7% of the total variation respectively. The AMMI bi-plots identified varieties Caruso, Derby, Voyager, Royal, Navigator, Manitou, Destiny, Musica and Markies to have the lowest (0.00033-0.6609) IPCA 1 score hence were most adapted. Varieties Rwagume, Sarpo Mira, Connect and Kachpot 1 were more adapted at Kalegyere site (-3.601 IPCA1 score) while Sarpo Mira, Connect, El-Mundo and Rudolph were adapted at Kachwekano site (-0.562 IPCA1 score). Varieties Arizona, Faluka, Panamera and Connect were adapted at Zeu (0.125 IPCA1 score). Varieties El-Mundo, Arizona, Rudolph and Connect were more adapted at Buginyanya ZARDI (0.498 IPCA1 score) while El-Mundo, Rudolph, Sagitta and Royal most adapted at Rwebitaba ZARDI (3.54 IPCA1 score). The most interactive genotype was Rwagume with interaction score of -2.30516 while the least interactive genotype were Caruso and Taurus with IPCA 1 score of 0.00033 and 0.01086 respectively. Key words: GXE, adaptation, yield stability, Dutch potatoes.
Negative Effects of Heat Stress on Physiological and Immunity Responses of Farm Animals

Numerous physiologic changes occur in the digestive system, acid-base chemistry, and blood hormones during hot weather. Neurons that are temperature sensitive are located throughout the animal’s body and send information to the hypothalamus, which invokes numerous physiological, anatomical or behavioral changes in the attempt to maintain heat balance. In response of farm animals to heat stress, their activity, roughage intake and rumination decrease, while their water intake increase, evaporative loss through sweating, respiration, panting and rectal temperature increase in respective order. Regarding blood metabolites and biochemical changes, exposure to heat stress is accompanied by decline in concentrations of glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, total lipids, cholesterol, red blood cells, hemoglobin and haematocrit. A decreasing in the level of blood hormones due to heat stress, especially, anabolic hormones such as growth hormone, insulin, triiodotyronine, thyroxin and aldosterone. However, the circulating blood cortisol, follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol showed conflicting results due to the duration of heat exposure, the intensity of environmental heat, species, breed and age of the farm animals.
Insights on the Sargassum horneri golden tides in the Yellow Sea inferred from morphological and molecular data

Large‐scale drifting Sargassum biomass, known as golden tides, has caused considerable damage to the local environment and economy associated with the Yellow Sea of China. To understand the reoccurrence of Sargassum horneri golden tides in the Yellow Sea, large‐scale spatio‐temporal sampling was performed across nine cruises and five coastal surveys. Morphological data indicated that the floating S. horneri thalli with differing reproductive timing coexisted in the Yellow Sea. A total of 196 S. horneri samples had identical sequences of partial cox3 and rbcL‐S spacer region, revealing very low genetic diversity in the floating biomass. A total of 19 haplotypes for partial cox3 previously found in the Yellow Sea were not detected in our large‐scale sampling. Based on four novel mtDNA markers, the 196 samples could be further distinguished into two forms, which varied in proportions at various locations, but coexisted in each of the spatio‐temporal sampling. These results indicated that the floating Sargassum biomass in the Yellow Sea came from only two dominating haplotypes. The novel findings uncovered by this work will provide further insight into the underlying mechanisms of reoccurring golden tides in the Yellow Sea, and lead to the improved management of the Sargassum biomass.
Deficiency for Piwi results in transmission of a heritable stress that promotes longevity via DAF-16/Foxo

The C. elegans Piwi Argonaute protein PRG-1 and associated piRNAs protect the genomes of germ cells by suppressing the expression of transposons and potentially deleterious foreign nucleic acids. Deficiency for prg-1 compromises germ cell immortality, resulting in normal fertility for many generations followed by progressively reduced fertility and ultimately sterility. The sterility phenotype of prg-1 mutants was recently shown to be a form of reproductive arrest, which implies that prg-1 mutants may become sterile in response to a form of heritable stress. The DAF-16 stress resistance and longevity factor can promote germ cell immortality of prg-1 mutants by activating a systemic RNAi pathway. We found that this RNAi pathway was not required for the somatic longevity function of DAF-16. Given that prg-1 mutant germ cells may transmit a form of heritable stress, we studied the somatic longevity of prg-1 mutant adults. We found that early generation prg-1 mutants had normal lifespans, but that late-generation adults that displayed reduced fertility or sterility were long lived. Germ cells of long-lived late-generation prg-1 mutants gave rise to F1 cross progeny that were heterozygous for prg-1, fertile and also long lived. However, in the absence of DAF-16, the heritable stress transmitted by prg-1 mutant germ cells was deleterious and caused lifespan to shorten. We conclude that deficiency for the genomic surveillance factor PRG-1/Piwi results in germ cells that transmit a heritable stress that promotes somatic longevity via DAF-16/Foxo, which could be relevant transgenerational regulationof aging.
Application of date palm leaves compost (DPLC) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR) for controlling faba bean root rot disease in New Valley, Egypt

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effect of date palm leaves compost (DPLC) individually and/or in combined with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR) for controlling faba bean root rot disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani under greenhouse and field conditions as well as plant growth and yield parameters. The obtained data indicate thatDPLC at different concentrations significantly decreased root rot incidence either under artificial infection in pot or natural infection in field as well as increased growth and yield parameters during growing season 2013-2014. Date palm leaves compost at 8 ton/feddan recorded the highest protection against root rot disease and gave the highest increased of plant growth and yield parameters. On the other hand, PGPR viz.Bacillus megaterium , B. cereus and Pseudomonas fluorescens individually or mixed significantly decreased root rot incidence under greenhouse and fieldconditions. The mixed of PGPR strains more than for controlling root rot disease than used alone of them. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria increased efficacy of DPLC for controlling root rot disease in faba bean more than the applied of DPLC or PGPR alone under greenhouse and field conditions during both growing seasons (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) as well as increased of nodulations, growth and yield parameters. The application mixed of PGPR strains and DPLC at 8 ton/feddanrecorded the highest reduction of root rot incidence and increase of nodulations, growth and yield parameters during both growing seasons.
Contextual Influences on Value-based Choice

Biases in choice behavior are shaped by both immediately encountered cues as well as the background context in which these cues are embedded. Here we examine the mechanisms that underlie the integration of contextual and cue information, and the manner in which these sources of information shape behavior. We demonstrate contextual influence on choice dissociated from cue information using a value-based multi-alternative choice task while recording neural activity using electroencephalography. Consistent with work on negativity biases, we show that contextual attributes related to loss, reflected along central-parietal sites in the gamma (30-59 Hz) frequency range, are prioritized and drive behavior to prevent loss. We employ a multi-alternative sequential sampling computational model to show that contextual and cue information are integrated through the decision process to shape choice responses, and link this integrative process to a neural signature in the gamma frequency band.
Flabelloporina, a new genus in the Porinaceae (Ascomycota, Ostropales), with the first record of F. squamulifera from Brazil

A new genus of lichenized fungi of the family Porinaceae is described, known from Costa Rica and Brazil. Flabelloporina Sobreira, M. Cáceres & Lücking is a thus far monospecific genus with an isolated position of its only species in the family, morphologically different from all other genera in Porinaceae. The genus is characterized by the production of numerous, flabelliform squamules on the surface of the thallus, together with black perithecia and transversally septate ascospores (with three septa in the only species). The new combination Flabelloporina squamulifera (Breuss, Lücking & Navarro) Sobreira, M. Cáceres & Lücking is proposed, based on Porina squamulifera Breuss, Lücking & Navarro, and the species is for the first time reported from Brazil.
Manual skills for food processing by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Although gorillas rarely use tools in the wild, their manipulative skills during plant processing may be similar to those of other tool-using great apes. Virunga mountain gorillas are known for the complexity in their methods of thistle and nettle plant preparation in the wild. However, there has been no comparable data on food processing in the population of mountain gorillas from the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. We investigated the manual actions and hand grips used when accessing edible parts of two hard-to-process plants defended by stinging hairs, epidermis or periderm (i.e., peel of Urera hypselodendron and pith of Mimulopsis arborescens) and one undefended plant (i.e., leaves of Momordica foetida) in 11 Bwindi wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) using video records ad libitum. Similar to thistle feeding by Virunga gorillas, Bwindi gorillas used the greatest number of manual actions for the most hard-to-process plant (U. hypselodendron), the actions were ordered in several key stages and organised hierarchically. The demands of processing plant material elicited 19 different grips and variable thumb postures, of which three grips were new and 16 grips have either been previously reported or show clear similarities to grips used by other wild and captive African apes and humans. Moreover, our study only partly supports a functional link between diet and hand morphology in mountain gorillas and suggests that the gorilla hand is best adapted to forceful grasping that is required for both manipulation and arboreal locomotion.
A Survey on Temperate Fruit Pests and their Importance in the Highland Areas of North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Temperate fruits (Apple, Pear, Plum, Peach and Almond etc.) are deciduous fruit trees that grow well in temperate climate zones where most commercial varieties fulfill their required chilling temperature. Recently though, because of the low average temperatures, these crops are found to be grown well in the highlands of Ethiopia. Amongst the areas that have greater significance in this aspect is North Shewa zone, Amhara region of Ethiopia. Accordingly, aiming to get acquainted with the distribution, incidence, and severity of temperate fruit diseases and insect pests, a systematic survey was carried out in seven districts of North Shewa (Menz Gera, Menz mama, Basonaworana, Angolela Tara, Tarmaber, Ankober and Hagere Mariam) for two consecutive seasons. As revealed by the assessment, temperate fruit trees are subjected to numerous pests. Apple trees were found to be infested with apple scab, powdery mildew, canker, apple aphid, woolly aphid, beetles, spider mite and sting bug, whereas, leaf rust was the main disease of plum and peach. In most locations, apple scab, powdery mildew leaf rust, apple aphid and beetles were very much recurring and most destructive, therefore considered as economically important pests of temperate fruits in the area. Moreover, except for few conspicuous inconsistencies, the seasonal and altitudinal variation in distribution and severity of these diseases and insect pests were comparable.