Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic parameters for body weight in beef cattle in Britain.

Data on 8890 calves for 200 day weight and 5890 calves for 400 day weight for the Simmental cattle obtained from the Meat and Livestock Commission in Britain were used to estimate variance components and heritabilities. There were 2259 sires and 2720 head-year-season represented in the 200 day weight data. Corresponding figures for 400 day weight were 1910 and 2116. Variance components and heritabilities were estimated usind Restricted Maximum Likelihood fitting an animal model. Data were subdivided into 3 populations for computational convenience. Heritability estimates for both traits were about 0.31 in model fitting only additive genetic effects. Including direct maternal effect resulted in a decrease o f 41 and 13 percent in heritability estimate for additive genetic effects in 200 and 400 days weight respectively. Materal effects accounted for 7 percent o f total variance in 200 day weight and was not important in 400 days weight. Models fitting direct effects and permanent environmental effects fitted better with similar estimates o f direct genetic variances and permanent environmental variances accounting for 8 % o f variation in 2 0 0 day weight and 5% in 400 day weight. Fitting direct, maternal and permanent effects gave similar estimates for direct and permanent variances with maternal variances close to zero. Estimates of genetic covariances between direct and maternal effects were close to zero.
Cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death in cultured human gastric carcinoma cells mediated by arsenic trioxide

AIM: To investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide on human gastric cancer cell line MKN45 with respect to both cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis in vitro. METHODS: MKN45 cells were treated with arsenic trioxide(As2O3) at the concentration of 1, 5, and 10 μmol/L,respectively, for three successive days. Cell growth and proliferation were observed by cell counting and trypanblue exclusion. Cytotoxicity of As2O3 was determined by MTT assay. Morphologic changes were studied with light microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to assay cell DNA distribution and apoptotic cells were confirmed with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nickend labeling (TUNEL) and DNA electrophoresis.RESULTS: The growth of MKN45 cells was significantlyinhibited by As2O3 which was confirmed by colony-forming assay. After 7 d of culture with various concentrations of As2O3, colony-forming capacity of MKN45 cells decreased with As2O3 increment in comparison with that of control group. The inhibitory rate of colony-formation was 38.5%, 99.1%, and 99.5% when the concentration of As2O3 was1, 5, and 10 iμmol/L in culture medium, respectively. The cell number of a single colony in drug treatment groups was less than that of control group. The cell-killing rate of As2O3 to MKN45 cells was both dose- and timedependent with an IC50 of (11.05±0.25) μmol/L. After incubation in 10 μmol/L As2O3 for 24 h, the cell-killing rate was 27.1%, and it was close to 50% after 48 h. The results showed that As2O3 induced time- and dosedependent apoptosis in MKN45 cells, blocked at G2/M phase. The apoptotic peak (sub-G1 phase) appeared and cell apoptotic rate in MKN45 cells was 18.3-32.5% aftertreatment by 10 μmol/L As2O3 for 48 h. The percentage of G2/M cell of the experimental groups was 2.0-5.0 times than that of the control group. Gel electrophoresis of DNA from cells treated with each concentration of As2O3 for 48 h revealed a "ladder" pattern, indicating preferential DNA degradation at the internucleosomal, linker DNA sections. TUNEL also
Managing the developing gut microbiota of growing piglets - novel probiotic and prebiotic strategies

Keywords: creep feeding, weaning, intestinal microbiota, Lactobacillus sobrius, prebiotics, daidzein, probiotics, 16S rRNA, DGGE, cloning, real-time PCR Nursing is a major critical period in the life of piglets. On one hand maternal antibodies are not able to cross the placenta, thus piglets are born without circulating antibodies and consequently lack maternal passive protection. On the other hand, creep-feeding and weaning increase susceptibility to gut disorders, infections and diarrhea. Therefore clarification of the composition and function of the normal gut microbiota of piglets is pivotal as a knowledge base for the design of innovative nutritional strategies based on pre- and probiotics to keep piglets healthy. The objectives of this study were to describe the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota of piglets during the nursing period through creep feeding and weaning, to in vivo and in vitro evaluate the effect of daidzein on composition and function of intestinal microbiota of nursing piglets in order to evaluate its prebiotic function, and to investigate the probiotic effect of Lactobacillus sobrius S1 on composition and function of intestinal microbiota of nursing piglets. The porcine intestinal microbiota development and diversity, the in vivo and in vitro evaluation of prebiotic effect of daidzein and the investigation of probiotic effect of Lactobacillus sobrius S1 on composition and function of intestinal microbiota of piglets during nursing period through creep feeding and weaning was described using real-time PCR, and PCR analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and cloning, in combination with analysis of gas production, lactate and VFA yield. The data obtained during the course of the study indicated that 1) Early creep-feeding stabilizes the microbiota of piglets around the weaning period. 2) Lactobacillus communities follow a successional change associated with piglet growth and diet shifting. Creep feeding stabilizes the Lactobacillus community of weaning piglets. Within the Lactobacillus community, some members like L. reuteri and L. amylovorus / L. sobrius might be permanent colonizers, while L. delbruckii, L. acidophilus and L. crispatus are more likely to be transient members of the Lactobacillus communities in the piglet´s GI tract. 3) Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations indicated that daidzein has the potential for use as a prebiotic additive in animal feed. 4) Lactobacillus sobrius S1 has the potential of promoting beneficial bacteria and inhibiting pathogens.
Inhibiting phenylalanine ammonia lyase and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase suppresses Mla1 (HR) but not mlo5 (non-HR) barley powdery mildew resistances

Abstract The effects of AOPP, an inhibitor of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and of OH-PAS, an inhibitor of cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) on the barley powdery mildew resistances conditioned by the dominant Mla1 (hypersensitive cell death based) and the recessive mlo5 (conditioning penetration resistance without cell death) major gene alleles were determined in leaf and coleoptile tissues. The inhibitors were applied either by uptake through cut ends of detached leaves or directly to monolayers of epidermal cells dissected from coleoptiles. In leaves, both inhibitors decreased localized autofluorescence in epidermal cell walls directly beneath primary germ tubes and appressoria. With the Mla1 resistance allele both inhibitors strongly suppressed race-specific hypersensitive epidermal cell death (as indicated by whole cell autofluorescence in leaves or by cell collapse in the coleoptile epidermis). AOPP was effective at 1 mM in tissues of both leaves and coleoptiles. OH-PAS was effective at 1 mM in leaves and at 1-11 μM coleoptile tissue. Concomitant with the reduction in hypersensitive cell death in the coleoptile epidermis was an increase in average haustorium size and percentage of germlings producing hyphae. OH-PAS was effective when applied to the coleoptile epidermis as late as 16 h after inoculation, approximately 2 h before the onset of hypersensitive cell death. Results strongly suggest that the products of CAD activity play a direct role in stimulating events (like peroxidase activity and free radical formation) leading to programmed hypersensitive epidermal cell death conditioned by Mla1 . In contrast, the recessive mlo5 resistance, which is expressed by failure of the fungus to fully penetrate barley epidermal cells and form haustoria, was unaffected in either leaves or monolayers of colcoptile epidermis by OH-PAS or AOPP. With mlo5 , localized autofluorescence was reduced at attack sites by inhibitor treatment, but treatment had no effect on rates of penetration based on observations of haustorium formation. These results indicate that mlo5 resistance docs not require PAL or CAD activity for its effectiveness. Therefore barley resistances due to the major Mendelian resistance alleles Mlal (HR resistance) and mlo5 (non-HR) differ in their respective mechanisms and in the physiological bases that underlie these mechanisms.
Biological activity of Hyptis suaveolens Poit (Lamiaceae) and Melochia chorcorifolia L. (Sterculiaceae) on cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Studies on bioefficacy of various solvent extracts of Hyptis suaveolens and Melochia chorcorifolia in terms of their effects as, oviposition deterrent and ovicidal and insecticidal activity against the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus indicated that it was maximum at higher concentrations irrespective of the solvents. Reduction in oviposition was significant (p<0.05) in ethylacetate and methanol extracts of H. suaveolens (59.02% and 61.40%) and M. chorcorifolia (50.11% and 49.80%). Maximum ovicidal activity was observed in dichloromethane extract of these two plants (35.96% and 30.76%). Adult mortality was significant (p<0.05) in methanol extract of H. suaveolens (53.23%) and M. chorcorifolia (42.74%).
Morfologia polínica de Passifloraceae Juss. ex Kunth. no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

In Rio Grande do Sul, Passiflora is represented by 15 species that are found mainly in edge of woods. This paper presents a comparison between the pollen morphology of the studied material and information available in the literature, identifying and discussing the main characters of diagnostic value, such as types of pollen aperture and sculpture of its walls, in order to provide grants for studies taxonomic and contribute to the knowledge of pollen diversity. In preparing the plant material was used acetolysis. The pollen material was analyzed with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and photographed using both techniques. The species presented pollen grains of medium to large size, exine heterobrochate showing differences in the dimensions of their walls and lumens. There were two groups regarding the pattern of openings: I. P. alata, P. amethystina, P. caerulea, P. edulis (6 syncolpate), P. foetida (6-14 syncolpate), P. actinia (6-8 syncolpate), P. elegans, P. tenuifila (6-10 syncolpate) and P. eichleriana (6-14 syncolpate). II. P. misera, P. morifolia, P. organensis, P. suberosa (6 colporate), P. capsularis and P. urnifolia (12 colporate). The results showed variability of pollen morphology characterizing the Passiflora genus as eurypalynous.
PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION BY USING TENDER LEAF PART OF GREWIA TILIIFOLIA VAHL.

This study was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical potential of different extracts of tender leaf part of Grewia tiliifolia Vahl which are commonly used in Ayurveda drug preparations. Tender leaf part of G.tiliifolia subjected to analyze the phytochemical constituents by using qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the present investigation revealed that the presence of flavonoid, phenol, tannin glycoside, resin, steroids, terpenoids and triterpenoids in different solvent extract like petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. Tender leaves of the species which exhibited well marked potential activity and rich in secondary metabolite contents (flavonoids and phenols).
Molecular Characterization and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Clinical and Environmental Sources

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen causing skin and soft-tissue infections, systemic infections and toxemic syndromes. In order to have adequate information for treatment of S.aureus infections, it is important to understand trends in the antibioticresistance patterns as well as clonal identities across geographical regions. A total of 297 non-duplicate S. aureus isolates (209 clinical, 84 carrier and 4 environmental) were characterized by phenotypic and genomic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion and the automated VITEK-2 system. PCR was used to amplify genes for accessory gene regulator (agr); capsular polysaccharide (cap) 5 and 8, exfoliative toxins (eta and etb), the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1(tst) and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL). Typing of isolates was by the staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing. High level resistance was observed against penicillin and ampicillin (97.3%); trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (80%) and tetracycline (17.5%). Azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, linezolid, vancomycin, nitrofurantoin, fusidic acid, mupirocin and rifampicin recorded 100% activity against the isolates. Ninety-five percent of all strains (n=281) harboured the β-lactamase (blaZ) gene and 2.7% (n=8) possessed the mecA gene. The methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were resistant to at least 10 antibiotics including all penicillins, penicillin/penicillinase inhibitor combinations, carbapenem and cephalosporins. The staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing of MRSA strains detected only SCCmec types I and IV in two strains (Y260: type I and Y59: type IV). The eta and tst genes were present in 0.7% (n=2) and 1.7% (n=5) of S. aureus isolates respectively. A high prevalence of PVL genes was noted in clinical isolates (79.4%; n=166); carrier isolates (56%; n=47) and environmental isolates (75%; n=3). The PVL protein was expressed in vitro by 68.5% of strains harboring lukS-PV and lukF-PV gene. All strains carried either the cap8 (91.9%; n=273) or cap5 locus (7.7%; n=23) while one MRSA strain was untypeable. A Single agr allele was detected in each S. aureus isolate with the majority in agr-2 (73.4%; n=218). Thirty-seven spa types were identified; predominant spa types among the methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) were t084 (65%), t2304 (4.4%) and t8435 (4%). Prevalent spa types in MRSA were t002, t008, t064, t194, t8439, t8440 and t8441. Eleven novel spa types (t8435, t8436, t8437, t8438, t8439, t8440, t8441, t8442, t8952, t8953, t8953) were identified. The pT181 plasmid was successfully used to confer tetracycline resistance in S. aureus strains A56 and Y1. The use of phenotypic and molecular methods in this study provided useful information on antibiotic resistance and genetic diversity of S. aureus isolates from Ogun and Lagos States of Nigeria. The information provided could help in monitoring the evolution of S. aureus strains in Nigeria over time.
Predicting the impact of changing nutrient load and temperature on the phytoplankton of England’s largest lake, Windermere

1. Climate change and eutrophication will be two of the largest threats to lake ecosystems this century. Therefore, the effect of changing water temperature (+0 to +4oC) and nutrient load (0.5-2.0 proportional change) on the phytoplankton of Windermere was assessed using the phytoplankton community model, PROTECH. 2. The following metrics were used for the analysis: annual, spring, summer and autumn mean chlorophyll a concentrations for total phytoplankton, diatoms and Cyanobacteria. Also, the timing of the spring diatom bloom was assessed and the number of days when the World Health Organisation (WHO)-derived risk threshold of 10 mg m-3 Cyanobacteria chlorophyll a was exceeded. 3. The diatoms in Windermere produced their largest amount of chlorophyll a in the spring. Whilst the quantity of diatom biomass produced was relatively unaffected by the simulated changes in temperature and nutrient load, the timing of the bloom peak was 2-3 days earlier per 1 oC. 4. The modelled Cyanobacteria dominated in the summer and autumn, and generally responded positively to both increasing nutrients and temperature illustrating a synergistic relationship between these two drivers. However, in the autumn this relationship was sometimes disrupted due to variations in the length of stratification. 5. Temperature as a factor alone seemed to act in two ways: it affected phenology (e.g. bloom peak timing) mainly in the early part of the growing season and enhanced the dominance of Cyanobacteria in the late growing season. Furthermore, these effects were greatly reduced under the lower nutrient scenarios, suggesting that local management of nutrient inputs to the lake potentially offers a solution to the effects caused by the increase in temperature.
Las vocalizaciones de machos cabríos no estimulan la secreción de la LH ni la ovulación en las cabras anovulatorias

The objective was to determine if the reproduction of goat buck vocalizations stimulate the secretion of LH and ovulation of anoestrus female goats. Forty multiparous Creole goats, isolated from male goats three months before the onset of experiment, were allocated to four groups (n = 10 each). The first group was exposed to one sexually active male. The second group was exposed to vocalizations of males reproduced by compact discs. The third group was exposed to the blank noise produced by a virgin compact disc. The females of the fourth group remained isolated. LH was measured 4 h before and 4 h after the onset of stimulus, while progesterone was determined during the next 28 d. The introduction of the male in the corresponding group increased (P 0.05) in LH pulsatile secretion was observed in vocalization (before 1.0 ± 0.1, after 0.8 ± 0.2), blank noise (before 1.0 ± 0.1, after 0.8 ± 0.1), or isolated (before 0.6 ± 0.2, after 1.1 ± 0.2), groups. All females in the first treatment (exposed to buck) ovulated, whereas none in the other three groups did. These results show that in anovulatory female goats, reproduction of buck vocalizations recorded during sexual courtship, do not stimulate either frequency of LH pulses or ovulation.
Non-financial defined contribution pension schemes in a changing pension world

Pensions and social insurance programs are an integral part of any social protection system. Their dual objectives are to prevent a sharp decline in income and protect against poverty resulting from old age, disability, or death. The critical role of pensions for protection, prevention, and promotion was reiterated and expanded in the new World Bank 2012-2022 social protection strategy. This new strategy reviews the success and challenges of the past decade or more, during which time the World Bank became a main player in the area of pensions. But more importantly, the strategy takes the three key objectives for pensions under the World Bank's conceptual framework coverage, adequacy, and sustainability and asks how these objectives and the inevitable difficult balance between them can best be achieved. The ongoing focus on closing the coverage gap with social pensions and the new outreach to explore the role of matching contributions to address coverage and/or adequacy is part of this strategy. This comprehensive anthology on nonfinancial defined contribution (NDC) pension schemes is part and parcel of the effort to explore and document the working of this new system or reform option and its ability to balance these three key objectives. This innovative, unfunded individual accounts scheme provides a promising option at a time when the world seems locked into a stalemate between piecemeal reform of ailing traditional defined benefit plans or their replacement with prefunded financial account schemes. The current financial crisis, with its focus on sovereign debt, has enhanced the attraction of NDC as a pension scheme that aims for intra and intergenerational fairness, offers a transparent framework to distribute economic and demographic risks, and, if well designed, promises long-term financial stability. Supplemented with a basic minimum pension guarantee, explicit noncontributory rights, and a funded pillar, the NDC approach provides an efficient framework for addressing poverty and risk diversification concerns.
Relationship between Characters of Vaginal Discharges and Uterine Bacterial Isolates Recovered from Repeat Breeding Female Camels (Camelus dromedarius)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the characters of vaginal discharges and the prevalence of uterine bacterial isolation in repeat breeding female camels and to determine the sensitivity of these isolates to antimicrobial and antiseptic agents. Forty five repeat-breeding dromedaries were grouped according to the characters of vaginal discharges into those with no discharges (D0, n=7), those with gelatinous (D1, n=11), those with mucopurulent (D2, n=11) and those with purulent discharges (D3, n=16). Uterine swabs were collected for culture, and bacterial isolates were identified. The obtained isolates were tested against a panel of antibiotics and three antiseptic solutions. A total of 78 isolates were obtained from 39 of the animals investigated, the other 6 animals had no bacterial isolates. The prevalence of bacterial isolation did not differ significantly among groups (85.7% in D0, 90.9% in D1, 81.8% in D2, and 87.5% in D3). Staphylococcus aures, Arcanobacterium pyogenes and Streptococcus pyogenes, and Arcanobacterium pyogenes were the most prevalent bacteria in female camels with D1, D2 and D3, respectively. Gram positive isolates were highly susceptible to Chloramphenicol, Gentamicin, and Cotrimoxazole, while Gram negative isolates were most sensitive to Gentamicin and Cefotaxime. Concerning antiseptics, bacterial isolates were more sensitive to Acriflavine 0.1% than Lotagen 4% (92.9% vs. 53.6%, P=0.004). None of the isolates was susceptible to Povidone-iodine in concentrations of 1%, 0.5%, and 0.1%.
Heat tolerance of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Mainland China.

This study assessed the effects of high temperature on the survival of the fire ant in the laboratory. Workers were placed in incubators of varied temperatures (40°C, 40.5°C, 41°C, 41.5°C,42.0°C, 42.5°C,43.0°C, 44.5°C and 45°C), and the number of the dead and survivingworkers were counted and recorded after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8,10 and 12h. fhe results showed that the susceptible lethal temperature of the fire ant was higher than 41.48°C when exposure time was no longer than 4 h. The survival variation of the fire ant workers was regular when they were exposed to different high temperatures in a certain range of time, i.e. there was a close relationship between the temperatures and the number of surviving workers, as the Logistic equation described. Under the heat stress, regression of exposure time and survival rate of the workers was consistent with Logistic and Weibull distribution equations. Heat tolerance of the fire ant workers could be improved if they were pre-exposed to non-lethal high temperatures for a short period of time, and exposure to 36°C for 1h was the optimum condition for heat acclimation of the fire ant, with the survival rate as high as 68%. In contrast, the survival rate was just 36.7% for those untreated workers.