Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatic lipidosis in high-yielding dairy cows during the transition period: haematochemical and histopathological findings

The aim of this study was to assess the severity and distribution of hepatic lipidosis in high-yielding dairy cows during the transition period by the evaluation of body condition score (BCS), serum levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and histological liver lipid content (GdL). Twenty-seven dairy cows, with a milk production of ~10 000 kg per year were enrolled in an experiment. Clinical examination was performed to evaluate the health status or the presence of periparturient diseases after calving. Animals were divided into two groups: healthy (HG; n = 11) and sick (SG; n = 16). The evaluation of BCS, NEFA, BHB and liver biopsies were performed at 15 ± 5 days prepartum (T0), 10 ± 2 days postpartum (T1), 30 ± 2 days postpartum (T2) and 50 ± 2 days postpartum (T3). Two-way repeated-measure ANOVA was applied to assess statistical significance of sampling time and between groups for all variables. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between all variables. Results showed BCS loss from T0 to T3 in SG and a significant increase of NEFA and BHB at T1. The GdL began to be mild at T0 increasing and becoming moderate to severe at T1, fairly regressing, but not disappearing, at T2 and T3, in both groups. This study showed that high lipomobilisation with a mild to moderate fat infiltration does not imply that ketosis or other periparturient diseases might be present. Our results suggest that hepatic lipidosis is associated with long-term histological and metabolic changes in dairy cows.
Heterogeneity among microtubules of the cytoplasmic microtubule complex detected by a monoclonal antibody to alpha tubulin

Three monoclonal antibodies specific for tubulin were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for their ability to stain cytoplasmic microtubules of mouse and human fibroblastic cells. We used double label immunofluorescence to compare the staining patterns of these antibodies with the total microtubule complex in the same cells that were stained with a polyclonal rabbit antitubulin reagent. Two of the monoclonal antitubulin antibodies bound to all of the cytoplasmic microtubules but Ab 1-6. 1 bound only a subset of cytoplasmic microtubules within individual fixed cells. Differential staining patterns were observed under various fixation conditions and staining protocols, in detergent-extracted cytoskeletons as well as in whole fixed cells. At least one physiologically defined subset of cytoplasmic microtubules, those remaining in cells pretreated for 1 h with 5 microM colcemid, appeared to consist entirely of Ab 1-6. 1 positive microtubules. The same was not true of the microtubules that remained in either cold-treated cells or in cells that had been exposed to hypotonic medium. The demonstration of antigenic differences among microtubules within single fixed cells and the apparent correlation of this antigenic difference with at least one "physiologically" defined subset suggests that mechanisms exist for the differential assembly or postassembly modification of individual microtubules in vivo, which may endow them with different physical or functional properties.
Courtship and Mating Behaviour in Ebalia Tuberosa (Pennant) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Leucosiidae)

[Balz- und Kopulationsverhalten von Ebalia tuberosa wurden im Labor beobachtet. Das Weibchen ist "gehartet" bei der Kopulation. Das Mannchen ist der aktive Partner und sucht sich ein Weibchen aus. Die Krabben kopulieren nach einer Periode prakopulatorischer Aktivitat, wahrend der Signale ausgetauscht werden. Sie konnen bis zu 9 Stunden in Kopulationsstellung verharren. Im Freiland finden Fortpflanzungsaktivitaten wahrscheinlich nur einmal und zwar im November statt. Das Balz- und Kopulationsverhalten von E. tuberosa wird mit den anderer Leucosiiden verglichen. , Balz- und Kopulationsverhalten von Ebalia tuberosa wurden im Labor beobachtet. Das Weibchen ist "gehartet" bei der Kopulation. Das Mannchen ist der aktive Partner und sucht sich ein Weibchen aus. Die Krabben kopulieren nach einer Periode prakopulatorischer Aktivitat, wahrend der Signale ausgetauscht werden. Sie konnen bis zu 9 Stunden in Kopulationsstellung verharren. Im Freiland finden Fortpflanzungsaktivitaten wahrscheinlich nur einmal und zwar im November statt. Das Balz- und Kopulationsverhalten von E. tuberosa wird mit den anderer Leucosiiden verglichen. ]
Improvement of preservation method for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria by freeze-drying

Abstract Long-term preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria had been achieved until now by using the silica gel-freezing method. Recently, the freeze-drying method for the preservation of microorganisms has been widely used, and has been applied to the preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The 10% skim milk-l% pyruvate or glutamate ratio was optimum as a dispersion-medium, and the preservation temperature of the freeze-dried cells was effective at -80°C. This method of preservation was found to be considerably more effective than the silica gel-freezing method.
Response of the Cottonwood Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego

A standardized laboratory bioassay was used to quantify the lethal and sub-lethal responses of larval and adult cottonwood leaf beetles, Chrysomela scripta F. , to Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego, formulated as M-One standard powder (Mycogen Corporation, San Diego). The median lethal concentration (LC50) for second instars, after a 96-h exposure to B. thuringiensis var. san diego, was 21,000 Colorado potato beetle international units per milliliter water. The LC50 estimates for the third instars and adults were 20 and 40 times higher than for second instars, respectively. Larval LC, 50 estimates were halved when mortality for the entire larval period was included in the LC, 50 estimate. Adult mortality continued for approximately 14 d after initial exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego. The adult LC50 calculated at 14 d was half the 4-d estimate. Age of adults at treatment did not significantly affect the LC50. Median lethal times (LT50) were similar for larvae and adults, with overlapping confidence limits ranging from 2.1 to 3.5 d. Larvae surviving treatments as second and third instars showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in adult dry weight at eclosion and an increase in the larval developmental period.
Comparison of Conventional Plate Assays with DNA-based Screening Protocols for Protease and Cellulase Production from Putative Bacillus Isolates

Putative Bacillus isolates obtained from mud and soil samples of Mt. Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna were screened for the production of either cellulase or alkaline protease using cellulose and casein plate assays, respectively. Five out of eight isolates assayed for cellulase activity tested positive. DNA from these eight samples were extracted using the modified ROSE method for slot blot hybridization with cellulase gene probe. Out of the five samples positive for the cellulose plate assay, only three exhibited hybridization results. DNA from the eight isolates were used as templates for PCR amplification using primers specific for B. subtilis cellulase gene. Out of the eight isolates, two produced the expected 350-bp cellulose amplicon. Another set of ten putative Bacillus isolates were screened for the production of alkaline protease using casein plate assay. Four isolates exhibited protease activity. Genomic DNA extracted from ten isolates were subjected to slot blot hybridization using a fragment of alkaline protease gene from B. pumilus. Five isolates, of which four previously tested positive for protease activity, showed positive hybridization signals. PCR analysis using primers designed based on alkaline protease gene of B. pumilus showed that only one isolate produced the expected 320-bp PCR amplicon. These data suggest that biochemical plate assays may be advantageous for isolating bacteria that produce different types of cellulose and alkaline protease, while DNA-based methods are useful in detecting specific target genes but may therefore miss out on novel or variant enzymes.
A simple and rapid colorimetric method for phytate determination

A rapid colorimetric procedure is described for determination of phytate based on the reaction between ferric ion and sulfosalicylic acid. Determination of the phytate content of a variety of cereals, legumes, and oilseeds demonstrates the simplicity of this method compared to the cumbersome digestion and colorimetric method for measuring liberated phosphorus.
Characteristics of the Phytophthora infestans population in Russia

A collection of 434 Phytophthora infestans isolates, obtained during 2007-2009 from potato and tomato fields of different parts of European russia, has been assessed for several phenotypic and genotypic markers, including mtdNA haplotype, Pep1 and Pep2 loci, mating type, metalaxyl sensitivity, and the virulence. The comparison of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of P. infestans population of the Moscow region in 2008-2009 with the similar data, obtained in 19971998, has shown significant changes occurred within a 10-year period: (1) the frequency ratio of Ia and IIa MtdNA haplotypes has shifted towards the predominance of the Ia type, (2) the percent of strains belonged to the A2 mating type has increased, (3) the virulence gene 9 has appeared in the current population, which now contains all 11 virulence genes, and (4) the percent of metalaxylsusceptible strains has significantly decreased from 78 to 58%. The analysis of the studied populations has shown that the leningrad, Astrakhan, and Nizhni Novgorod populations are rather uniform, whereas the Moscow, Mariy El and kostroma populations are characterized by a high diversity. The Astrakhan “tomato” population has a unique pattern of virulence gene frequencies and seems to be monoclonal.
An Analysis and E cient Implementation of Felzenszwalb's Object Detection System

In this thesis we introduce an implementation of discriminatively trained, deformable part models, a reliable and award winning object detection system. The detector relies on a deformable structure of multiple detection lters made from histograms of oriented gradients to enable the detection of objects that appear in a wide variety of con gurations. We develop a clean C++ implementation that is faster than the code provided by Felzenszwalb et al, the creators of the system, without loosing any detection performance. We exploit the convolution theorem to speed up time critical parts and show that it is possible to signi cantly decrease computation time. Zusammenfassung In dieser Abschlussarbeit stellen wir die Implementierung eines zuverlässigen Objekterkennungsverfahrens vor. Das System baut auf einer verformbaren Anordnung von mehreren Erkennungs ltern (auch Teile lter genannt) auf, welche aus Gradientenhistogrammen zusammengesetzt sind, die in der Lage sind, Objekte mit einer groÿen Vielfalt an Erscheinungsmöglichkeiten in Bildern zu erkennen. Wir entwickeln eine saubere Implementierung, die schneller ist als der von den Er ndern des Verfahrens verö entlichte Code, ohne dabei Erkennungsleistung einzubüÿen. Dazu nutzen wir das Faltungstheorem, um zeitkritische Bereiche im Code zu beschleunigen und zeigen, dass die Berechnungszeit deutlich verkürzt werden kann.
Cattle immunology: vaccination and immunological testing

Vaccination has long been established as a preventative measure against infectious disease in both human and animal medicine and it is widely practiced in all farm animal species, including cattle. The principle behind vaccination is to expose the animal’s immune system to a pathogen without causing disease. An effective vaccine must cause the immune system to generate antibodies and T-cells directed at appropriate pathogen antigens. Whilst one pathogen will have multiple antigens against which antibodies will be generated, not all of these antibodies will protect against future infection.
Fire and Other Factors Controlling the Big Woods Vegetation of Minnesota in the Mid‐Nineteenth Century

Bearing-tree data from the original land-survey records of 1847-1850 were used to reconstruct the vegetation of the Big Woods and adjacent areas along the prairie-woodland border in south-central Minnesota. The characteristic tree taxa of the Big Woods were elm (Ulmus), basswood (Tilia americana), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), ironwood (Ostrya virginiana), bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), butternut (Juglans cinerea), and ash (Fraxinus). The most common tree was elm, which comprised 27% of the bearing trees. A buffer zone of fire-tolerant oaks and aspen generally lay between the Big Woods and prairie. The width of this zone depended on topography and on the presence of additional firebreaks, which in places formed sharp boundaries between the Big Woods and oak-aspen. The prairie-woodland border was characteristically a sharp boundary along firebreaks (water bodies and physiographic breaks). In some places very effective firebreaks formed sharp bound- aries between prairie and the Big Woods, with no intervening oak-aspen zone. The vegetation was most strongly correlated with the fire-probability pattern, which was a function of both abiotic and biotic factors. Soils influenced the probability of fire, but they also were the major factor controlling the vegetation within areas of similar fire probability. Soil drainage was the most important factor controlling vegetation within the units of the overall pattern. Because the locations of firebreaks and the existing pattern of vegetation controlled the fire prob- ability pattern, sites with virtually identical physical characteristics supported qualitatively different types of persistent or stable vegetation.
Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Marine Algae-Extracts From Korea

Among 51 marine algae distributed along the Korean coast, Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt, Ishige okamurae Yendo, Ecklonia cava Kjellman, Polysiphonia morrowii Harvey, Dictyopteris undulata Holmes, Sargassm micracanthum (Kutzing) Endlicher, and Sargassum macrocarpum C. Agarch were found to have potent antioxidant activity. Additionally, the reducing power of marine algae-extracts was consistent with diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Because little is known about Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt, Ishige okamurae Yendo, Ecklonia cava Kjellman, Polysiphonia morrowii Harvey, Dictyopteris undulata Holmes, Sargassm micracanthum (Kutzing) Endlicher, and Sargassum macrocarpum C. Agarch, these marine algae may act as candidates for potent antioxidant food materials and are expected to have functional activity for foods and pharmaceuticals for treating oxidative diseases.
Forecasting in a DSGE Model for Turkey: A Bayesian Approach

In this study, a Small Open Economy theoretical model based on Galí and Monacelli (2005) which is a version of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model will be combined with a Vector Auto Regression (VAR) model and the resulting DSGE-VAR model will be used to make long term projections through Bayesian estimations for the Turkish economy. DSGE models are generally used in the analyses of short term macroeconomic policy within the New Keynesian framework. The long term projections are made generally via the VAR models. In this study, the two approaches will be combined and projections will be made by using a VAR model starting from a structural DSGE model for Turkey. Because in literature, there are not many long term projections and estimations made within such a framework, this study will contribute the literature. The estimation and forecasting results are obtained for Turkey’s 2023 GDP and per capita GDP. The results show that those 2023 targets will not be met. So if Turkey is serious and insistent on these targets, these study may be warning to policymakers and the public to take the necessary measures when there is still enough time and opportunity.
New optimized grey derivative models for grain production forecasting in China

SUMMARY Although the grey forecasting model has been successfully employed in various fields and demonstrates promising results, the literature shows that its performance could still be improved. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to continue the investigation and derive three hybrid models to predict grain production in China by combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) with the grey linear power index model, the grey logarithm power model and the grey parabola power model. In grey modelling, the use of PSO had the ability to search optimum grey parameters to construct three improved derivative grey models. The results concluded that the improved optimization models with high precision were superior to the traditional models, and PSO contributed more to precision improvement of the three grey models. Furthermore, results from the experiments demonstrated that the optimized models were reliable and valid.
Role of abscisic acid (ABA) during persimmon maturation and in detached young fruits

The changes in endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content during ‘Hanagosho’ persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) development and maturation, as well as the effects of ABA, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) application and polyethylene film package treatment on detached young fruit during fruit softening and senescence were investigated. The results showed that the ABA content in both peel and pulp peaked at 30 and 140 days after full bloom (DAFB). Moreover, the ABA content in peel at 30 and 140 DAFB was 17 and 29 times higher than in pulp, respectively. Dehydration in detached fruits induced the production of ABA and ethylene, which further led to fruit softening, and during this process ABA peaked earlier than ethylene. Expressions of the ethylene biosynthesis gene DkACS2 and ethylene oxidase gene DkACO1 were increased by the ABA treatment and their expression peaks also appeared earlier. However, expressions of DkACS2 and DkACO1 were down-regulated by the application of NDGA and 1-MCP, and their expression peaks were delayed. The peak time of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase genes (DkNCED1) expression was not advanced under ABA, NDGA and 1-MCP treatments. In package-treated fruits, expressions of DkNCED1, DkACS2 and DkACO1 were significantly down-regulated and their expression peaks were delayed. In conclusion, we propose that dehydration could induce the expression of DkNCED1 and trigger ABA biosynthesis, while ABA could induce the expressions of DkACS2 and DkACO1, which initiates the biosynthesis of ethylene, consequently accelerating fruit softening and ripening.
Six new genus records for Turkish Pezizales from Gaziantep Province

The genera Hypotarzetta Donadini, Pseudombrophila Boud. , Pustularia Bonord. , Pyronema Carus, Tricharina Eckblad (Pyronemataceae Corda), and Thecotheus Boud. (Ascobolaceae Boud. Ex Sacc.) are recorded from Turkey for the first time based on the collections of Hypotarzetta insignis (Berthet and Riousset) Donadini, Pseudombrophila merdaria (Fr.) Brumm. , Pustularia patavina (Cooke and Sacc.) Boud. , Pyronema omphalodes (Bull.: Fr.) Fuckel, Tricharina gilva (Boud. Ex Cooke) Eckblad, and Thecotheus pelletieri (P. Crouan and H. Crouan) Boud. , respectively. Short descriptions and photographs of the taxa related to their macro- and micromorphologies are provided.
Leaf Breakdown in a Tropical Stream

The objectives of this study were to investigate leaf breakdown in two reaches of different magnitudes, one of a 3rd (closed riparian vegetation) order and the other of a 4th (open riparian vegetation) order, in a tropical stream and to assess the colonization of invertebrates and microorganisms during the processing of detritus. We observed that the detritus in a reach of 4th order decomposed 2.4 times faster than the detritus in a reach of 3rd order, in which, we observed that nitrate concentration and water velocity were greater. This study showed that the chemical composition of detritus does not appear to be important in evaluating leaf breakdown. However, it was shown to be important to biological colonization. The invertebrate community appeared not to have been structured by the decomposition process, but instead by the degradative ecological succession process. With regards to biological colonization, we observed that the density of bacteria in the initial stages was more important while fungi appeared more in the intermediate and final stages. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effects of season, age, and sex on infection with endoparasites of brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula, from a forest/farmland site, lower North Island, New Zealand

Abstract To assess fully the potential of parasites for the biological control of Australian brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in New Zealand, factors affecting the prevalence and intensity of such infections need to be determined. In this study we investigated the effects of season, sex, and age on endoparasite infection in possums from a single forest/farmland site in the lower North Island, New Zealand. Seasonal changes in prevalence and intensity of infection were found for most of the parasites, but the patterns of change varied between species. Parasite prevalences were generally similar in male and female possums, except for the Trichostrongy‐lus spp. , which were more prevalent in males. The prevalences of Parastrongyloides trichosuri, Paraustrostrongylus trichosuri and Trichostrongy‐lus retortaeformis were generally lower in young animals (0–1 year) and in animals aged 4 years and older. A body condition index and prevalence of infection showed a significant negative relationship for coccidia, and significant positive relationships for Bertiella trichosuri and Paraustrostrongylus trichosuri. Parastrongyloides trichosuri and Paraustrostrongylus trichosuri, the species of greatest interest for biological control, infected possums rapidly once they became independent from their mothers, and maintained a high and relatively constant prevalence through the year in adults.
Variation among states in rate of coronavirus spread

The corona virus, COVID-19, has been spreading rapidly across the USA since early March, but at a decreasing rate, where the rate r is defined as the exponential increase. I modeled the way the rate of increase y = ln(e^r - 1) has declined through time in each of the 51 states with the goal of determining how quickly the rate has declined, whether the decline has changed, and whether states differ. A piecewise linear regression was used, with a single break point. This model can identify whether there was a change in the rate of decline, when the change happened, and which states have shown the greatest improvement in reducing the spread of COVID-19. The piecewise model identified a significant breakpoint on 24 Mar for all states combined, and all states had nearly the same breakpoint. Prior to 24 Mar, the average change in y was -0.013 per day, meaning a reduction in the rate of spread from 23.5% per day to 19.5% per day; after 24 Mar, the average change in y was -0.070 per day, a reduction from 19.5% per day to 7.5% per day. Prior to 24 Mar there was no significant variation among states in the decline in y, but after 24 Mar there was substantial variation. Montana, Idaho, and Vermont showed the greatest improvement, while Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa the least. The improvement as measured by the reduction after 24 Mar did not correlate with case density in a state, nor state population. The next question is whether it correlates with differences among states in the health measures taken to combat the spread.