Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ensiling Process in Commercial Bales of Horticultural By-Products from Artichoke and Broccoli

Simple Summary Artichoke and broccoli crops are widespread throughout the world, mainly in the Mediterranean region. After artichoke harvests and industrial processing of artichoke and broccoli, large amounts of by-products are generated. The use of these alternative and cheaper feedstuffs in ruminants’ diets would reduce waste caused by the agri-food industry, disposal costs, and the land and natural resources used in animal feed production, contributing to the circular economy. Because of the high water content and the seasonality of these feedstuffs, ensiling might be a technology to preserve its nutritional quality for a long time, and this must be considered and studied at commercial scale. This paper looks into the viability of ensiling broccoli and artichoke by-products as commercial round bale silos (300 kg), their shelf life, and their suitability for ruminant feeding. The three silage by-products are stabilised on day 30. The high microbial quality and the appropriate nutritional composition at final stage (day 200) make them suitable for inclusion in ruminant diet, in combination with other energy and protein sources over a long period after the crop season. Abstract Wastes from artichoke and broccoli crops and cannery industries represent an environmental problem. A viable option to this problem is ensiling them for use as ruminants feed. The aim of this study was to characterise the ensiling process of broccoli and artichoke by-products and assess their suitability to be part of the ruminant diet, as well their minimum shelf life. Twenty-one commercial round bale silos (300 kg and 0.64 m3) of each by-product were made. Samples were analysed at days 0, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 200 to determine microbial populations, fermentation metabolites, nutritional components, and phytosanitary residues. Feedstuffs showed good suitability for ensiling, and stabilisation was achieved on day 30. The variables with the greatest significant differences among sampling times were microbial populations and fermentative components. There were no important dry matter losses, and some significant differences were observed in the nutritional composition, especially in crude protein and fibrous fractions, but they were not relevant for the loss of nutritional quality of silages. The phytosanitary residues determined on day 200 were below the maximum residue limits set by European legislation. So, ensiling these by-products in commercial round bale silos is a suitable and profitable technique that allows their preservation for a long time (200 days).
Natural Variation Uncovers Candidate Genes for Barley Spikelet Number and Grain Yield under Drought Stress

Drought stress can occur at any growth stage and can affect crop productivity, which can result in large yield losses all over the world. In this respect, understanding the genetic architecture of agronomic traits under drought stress is essential for increasing crop yield potential and harvest. Barley is considered the most abiotic stress-tolerant cereal, particularly with respect to drought. In the present study, worldwide spring barley accessions were exposed to drought stress beginning from the early reproductive stage with 35% field capacity under field conditions. Drought stress had significantly reduced the agronomic and yield-related traits such as spike length, awn length, spikelet per spike, grains per spike and thousand kernel weight. To unravel the genetic factors underlying drought tolerance at the early reproductive stage, genome-wide association scan (GWAS) was performed using 121 spring barley accessions and a 9K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) chip. A total number of 101 significant SNPs, distributed over all seven barley chromosomes, were found to be highly associated with the studied traits, of which five genomic regions were associated with candidate genes at chromosomes 2 and 3. On chromosome 2H, the region between 6469300693-647258342 bp includes two candidate drought-specific genes (HORVU2Hr1G091030 and HORVU2Hr1G091170), which are highly associated with spikelet and final grain number per spike under drought stress conditions. Interestingly, the gene expression profile shows that the candidate genes were highly expressed in spikelet, grain, spike and leaf organs, demonstrating their pivotal role in drought tolerance. To the best of our knowledge, we reported the first detailed study that used GWAS with bioinformatic analyses to define the causative alleles and putative candidate genes underlying grain yield-related traits under field drought conditions in diverse barley germplasm. The identified alleles and candidate genes represent valuable resources for future functional characterization towards the enhancement of barley cultivars for drought tolerance.
Cultivar Evaluation and Mega‐Environment Investigation Based on the GGE Biplot

Cultivar evaluation and mega-environment identification are among the most important objectives of multi-environment trials (MET). Although the measured yield is a combined result of effects of genotype (G), environment (E), and genotype × environment interaction (GE), only G and GE are relevant to cultivar evaluation and mega-environment identification. This paper presents a GGE (i.e., G + GE) biplot, which is constructed by the first two symmetrically scaled principal components (PC1 and PC2) derived from singular value decomposition of environment-centered MET data. The GGE biplot graphically displays G plus GE of a MET in a way that facilitates visual cultivar evaluation and mega-environment identification. When applied to yield data of the 1989 through 1998 Ontario winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) performance trials, the GGE biplots clearly identified yearly winning genotypes and their winning niches. Collective analysis of the yearly biplots suggests two winter wheat mega-environments in Ontario: a minor mega-environment (eastern Ontario) and a major one (southern and western Ontario), the latter being traditionally divided into three subareas. There were frequent crossover GE interactions within the major mega-environment but the location groupings were variable across years. It therefore could not be further divided into meaningful subareas. It was revealed that in most years PC1 represents a proportional cultivar response across locations, which leads to noncrossover GE interactions, while PC2 represents a disproportional cultivar response across locations, which is responsible for any crossover GE interactions. Consequently, genotypes with large PC1 scores tend to give higher average yield, and locations with large PC1 scores and near-zero PC2 scores facilitates identification of such genotypes
Towards patient-centred care in Ghana: health system responsiveness, self-rated health and experiential quality in a nationally representative survey

Introduction Person-centredness, including patient experience and satisfaction, is a foundational element of quality of care. Evidence indicates that poor experience and satisfaction are drivers of underutilisation of healthcare services, which in turn is a major driver of avoidable mortality. However, there is limited information about patient experience of care at the population level, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Methods A multistage cluster sample design was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of women of reproductive age in Ghana. Women were interviewed in their homes regarding their demographic characteristics, recent care-seeking characteristics, satisfaction with care, patient-reported outcomes, and—using questions from the World Health Survey Responsiveness Module—the seven domains of responsiveness of outpatient care to assess patient experience. Using Poisson regression with log link, we assessed the relationship between responsiveness and satisfaction, as well as patient-reported outcomes. Results Women who reported more responsive care were more likely to be more educated, have good access to care and have received care at a private facility. Controlling for respondent and visit characteristics, women who reported the highest responsiveness levels were significantly more likely to report that care was excellent at meeting their needs (prevalence ratio (PR)=13.0), excellent quality of care (PR=20.8), being very likely to recommend the facility to others (PR=1.4), excellent self-rated health (PR=4.0) and excellent self-rated mental health (PR=5.1) as women who reported the lowest responsiveness levels. Discussion These findings support the emerging global consensus that responsiveness and patient experience of care are not luxuries but essential components of high-performing health systems, and highlight the need for more nuanced and systematic measurement of these areas to inform priority setting and improvement efforts.
Examining the impact of COVID-19 on stress and coping strategies in individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the perceived stress levels and coping mechanisms related to COVID-19, and whether coping is related to well-being in people with self-reported chronic conditions and disabilities. Research Method/Design: A cross-sectional survey design was implemented. The total number of participants were 269 individuals with self-reported disabilities and chronic conditions (Mage = 39.37, SDage = 12.18). We examined the relationship between perceived stress and coping strategies related to COVID-19, and which COVID-19 coping strategies were associated with well-being after controlling for demographic and psychological characteristics. RESULTS Correlation analyses demonstrated that perceived stress related to COVID-19 was positively associated with coping strategies including self-distraction, denial, substance use, behavioral disengagement, venting, planning, religion, and self-blame. Further, hierarchical regression results demonstrated that active coping, denial, use of emotional support, humor, religion, and self-blame were associated with participants' well-being after controlling for demographic and psychological characteristics. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS This exploratory study findings suggest that measuring and quantifying COVID-19 related stress and coping strategies in individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities can help clinicians and researchers understand potential effects of COVID-19 among people with chronic conditions and disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Formative Research and Cultural Tailoring of a Substance Abuse Prevention Program for American Indian Youth: Findings From the Intertribal Talking Circle Intervention

Background. Substance use among American Indians (AIs) is a critical health issue and accounts for many health problems such as chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, behavioral health conditions, homicide, suicide, and motor vehicle accidents. In 2013, the highest rates of substance use and dependence were seen among AIs when compared to all other population groups, although these rates vary across different tribes. Among AI adolescents, high rates of substance use have been associated with environmental and historical factors, including poverty, historical trauma, bicultural stress, and changing tribal/familial roles. Our project, the Intertribal Talking Circle intervention, involved adapting, tailoring, implementing, and evaluating an existing intervention for AI youth of three tribal communities in the United States. Formative Results. Community partnership committees (CPCs) identified alcohol, marijuana, and prescription medications as high priority substances. CPC concerns focused on the increasing substance use in their communities and the corresponding negative impacts on families, stating a lack of coping skills, positive role models, and hope for the future as concerns for youth. Cultural Tailoring Process Results. Each site formed a CPC that culturally tailored the intervention for their tribal community. This included translating Keetoowah-Cherokee language, cultural practices, and symbolism into the local tribal customs for relevance. The CPCs were essential for incorporating local context and perceived concerns around AI adolescent substance use. These results may be helpful to other tribal communities developing/implementing substance use prevention interventions for AI youth. It is critical that Indigenous cultures and local context be factored into such programs.
Effects of Oral Procaterol for Postinfectious Cough in Adults: Single-Centre, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background Persistent cough following an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is common in clinical practice. We investigated the effects of procaterol on cough-specific quality of life (QoL) and peripheral-airway function among adults suffering from postinfectious cough (PIC). Methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial (NCT 02349919) conducted at a university hospital. Seventy-four non-asthmatic adults who had persistent post-URTI cough for ≥3 weeks were assessed by a physical examination, chest/paranasal sinus radiographs, spirometry, and impulse oscillometry (IOS) and were allocated to receive procaterol or placebo for 4 weeks. The Thai version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ-T), spirometry and IOS were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. Results Mean LCQ-T total scores for the procaterol group (10.8) and placebo group (10.9) at baseline were not significantly different (P=0.821). After adjustment for baseline Borg Cough Scale score and post-nasal drip, the mean between-group difference was not significant for LCQ-T total score (-1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.69 to 0.17), physical domain score (-0.35; 95% CI, -0.76 to 0.06), psychological domain score (-0.53; 95% CI, -1.06 to 0.01), or social domain score (-0.38; 95% CI, -0.92 to 0.16). Large improvements in LCQ-T total score were reported in both groups after 2 weeks (procaterol, 4.21±2.73; placebo, 5.34±3.2), and 4 weeks (procaterol, 5.94±3.68; placebo, 7.07±3.44). No differences between groups were found in the mean changes of spirometry or IOS parameters after 4 weeks. Conclusion Our study shows that procaterol is not effective in the treatment of PIC, in terms of improvement of cough-specific QoL or peripheral-airway function.
Underwater light field determined by water constituents in highly turbid water: the case of Taihu lake

The relationships between optical properties and water constituents in highly turbid productive water were studied on the basis of the multiple bio-optical measurements and samplings of water constituents made during five cruises from 2006 to 2008 in Taihu lake. Taihu lake is a high dynamic ratio [(square root of area)/depth] inland shallow lake. The spatial and temporal variation of water constituents and optical properties is significant. The inorganic suspended matter (ISM) has become the primary constituent in Taihu lake: its average percentage can reach 65.21%. The concentration of ISM is highly correlated to the optical properties in Taihu lake due to the sediment resuspension. Consequently, the ISM can be taken into account as an important optically-active constituent in Taihu lake. Resuspended sediments also lead to a poor correlation between scattering optical property and chlorophyll-a concentration (C Chl-a ). However, empirical relationship between the C Chl-a and phytoplankton absorption coefficient at 675 nm is still valid when the package effect is removed. The parameters of linear equation in the present study have slight temporal variation, especially for the relationship between inherent optical properties (IOPs) and concentration of total suspended matter (TSM). The relationship between apparent optical property (AOP) (diffuse attenuation coefficient of particle, K dbio ) and ISM has been examined as well. The K dbio is strongly affected by ISM, and correlates to it with linear function. The difference between specific diffuse attenuation coefficients of organic [K * dOSM (l)] and inorganic [K * dISM (l)] particles is significant. K * dOSM (l) includes the absorption property of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) at 675 nm, which is much higher than that of K * dISM (l). This indicates that the attenuation ability of OSM is stronger than that of ISM although the K dbio induced by large concentration of ISM is bigger than the K dbio induced by small concentration of OSM. Overall, the knowledge of the bio-optical properties obtained in this study extends our understanding of water optics and can be used to predict the optical properties via water constituent concentration, regardless of measurement type ( in situ or simulated by hydrodynamic model).
TRIM14 Is a Key Regulator of the Type I IFN Response during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Key Points TRIM14 interacts with TBK1 to promote STAT3 activation and limit IFNAR signaling. Loss of TRIM14 in macrophages leads to hyperinduction of Ifnb and related ISGs. Trim14−/− macrophages restrict M. tuberculosis growth by hyperinducing iNOS. Visual Abstract Tripartite motif-containing proteins (TRIMs) play a variety of recently described roles in innate immunity. Although many TRIMs regulate type I IFN expression following cytosolic nucleic acid sensing of viruses, their contribution to innate immune signaling and gene expression during bacterial infection remains largely unknown. Because Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an activator of cGAS-dependent cytosolic DNA sensing, we set out to investigate a role for TRIM proteins in regulating macrophage responses to M. tuberculosis. In this study, we demonstrate that TRIM14, a noncanonical TRIM that lacks an E3 ubiquitin ligase RING domain, is a critical negative regulator of the type I IFN response in Mus musculus macrophages. We show that TRIM14 interacts with both cGAS and TBK1 and that macrophages lacking TRIM14 dramatically hyperinduce IFN stimulated gene (ISG) expression following M. tuberculosis infection, cytosolic nucleic acid transfection, and IFN-β treatment. Consistent with a defect in resolution of the type I IFN response, Trim14 knockout macrophages have more phospho-Ser754 STAT3 relative to phospho-Ser727 and fail to upregulate the STAT3 target Socs3, which is required to turn off IFNAR signaling. These data support a model whereby TRIM14 acts as a scaffold between TBK1 and STAT3 to promote phosphorylation of STAT3 at Ser727 and resolve ISG expression. Remarkably, Trim14 knockout macrophages hyperinduce expression of antimicrobial genes like Nos2 and are significantly better than control cells at limiting M. tuberculosis replication. Collectively, these data reveal an unappreciated role for TRIM14 in resolving type I IFN responses and controlling M. tuberculosis infection.
DNA Metabarcoding as a Tool for Disentangling Food Webs in Agroecosystems

Better knowledge of food webs and related ecological processes is fundamental to understanding the functional role of biodiversity in ecosystems. This is particularly true for pest regulation by natural enemies in agroecosystems. However, it is generally difficult to decipher the impact of predators, as they often leave no direct evidence of their activity. Metabarcoding via high-throughput sequencing (HTS) offers new opportunities for unraveling trophic linkages between generalist predators and their prey, and ultimately identifying key ecological drivers of natural pest regulation. Here, this approach proved effective in deciphering the diet composition of key predatory arthropods (nine species.; 27 prey taxa), insectivorous birds (one species, 13 prey taxa) and bats (one species; 103 prey taxa) sampled in a millet-based agroecosystem in Senegal. Such information makes it possible to identify the diet breadth and preferences of predators (e.g., mainly moths for bats), to design a qualitative trophic network, and to identify patterns of intraguild predation across arthropod predators, insectivorous vertebrates and parasitoids. Appropriateness and limitations of the proposed molecular-based approach for assessing the diet of crop pest predators and trophic linkages are discussed.
Carbamazepine and levetiracetam-loaded PLGA nanoparticles prepared by nanoprecipitation method: in vitro and in vivo studies

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to develop the PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) containing carbamazepine (CBZ) and levetiracetam (LEV) combination (CBZ + LEV) for the treatment of epilepsy and to in vitro characterize the prepared NPs. Significance: LEV and CBZ, which are antiepileptic drugs, are used in the treatment of epilepsy. Nano-sized formulations are prepared to use for different purposes such as to improve the solubility/the physicochemical properties and bioavailability of drugs, to decrease their doses and frequency of administration, and to reduce side effects of drugs. Methods: CBZ + LEV-PLGA-NPs were prepared by a modified nanoprecipitation method and in vitro and in vivo characterized. Also, the antiepileptic effect of the NPs was evaluated in vivo in a rat epilepsy model. Results: The mean particle size and zeta potential of CBZ + LEV-PLGA-NPs were 180.62 ± 6.260 nm and –27.08 ± 3.110 mV, respectively. The values of encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of CBZ and LEV were 51.00 ± 5.944% and 2.05 ± 0.367%, respectively. CBZ showed a biphasic release profile with initial burst release followed by a sustained release. Ninety percent of CBZ was released from NPs within two days; however, % LEV release from NPs reached about 80% within 30 min. Conclusion: Our results showed that a decrease in seizure scores in the group treated with CBZ + LEV was observed and also, CBZ + LEV and CBZ + LEV-PLGA-NPs had similar antiepileptic activity. The NPs containing CBZ + LEV might be beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy.
Antibacterial potential of a novel Lactobacillus casei strain isolated from Chinese northeast sauerkraut and the antibiofilm activity of its exopolysaccharides.

Lactobacillus spp. , as probiotics, have shown efficacy in the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus casei NA-2, which was isolated from northeast sauerkraut in China. The results of co-culture suggested that L. casei NA-2 could inhibit the growth of Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Moreover, L. casei NA-2 could adhere to the four pathogenic bacteria potentially associated with its exopolysaccharide (EPS). EPS from L. casei NA-2 was then isolated and its activity determined. The results showed that EPS inhibited the biofilms of B. cereus, S. aureus, S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7, with the highest inhibition ratios of 95.5% ± 0.1%, 30.2% ± 3.3%, 14.3% ± 0.6%, and 16.9% ± 5.4%, respectively. Moreover, EPS was able to disperse B. cereus, S. aureus, S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 by 94.1% ± 1.2%, 31.8% ± 8.6%, 40.8% ± 3.3% and 49.6% ± 3.8%, respectively. Results showed that EPS from L. casei NA-2 have potential antibacterial properties by inhibiting biofilm formation and dispersing pathogenic bacteria. In conclusion, the antibiofilm property of the EPS on the surface of L. casei NA-2 is one of the possible reasons for antibacterial activity of L. casei NA-2.