Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Salt Stress on the Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in Spinach

The growth, betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphatase and peroxidase of spinach have been measured over a range of salinities. A slight decrease in fresh weight of the shoot was found with increasing salinity above 100mM NaCl; at 300mM NaCl, the fresh weight growth of the root, or the cotyledon was drastically inhabited. Tissue enzyme activities were stydies throughout the experimental range. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase was restricted to the shoot of spinach, not detected in the root or the cotyledon. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase increased significantly at 150mM NaCl, and 3-fold increase at 300mM NaCl. However, fresh weight growth, malate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase showed the similar inhibition at a salinity higher than 150mM NaCl. Peroxidase of salinized spinach was stimulated slightly.It was suggested that the increased betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase of salinized spinach may reflect the betaine biosynthetic pathway accelerated somehow by an incremental salt stress.
DETERMINANTS OF SMALL SCALE DAIRY SHEEP PRODUCERS’ DECISIONS TO USE MIDDLEMEN FOR ACCESSING MARKETS AND GETTING LOANS IN DRY MARGINAL AREAS IN SYRIA

SUMMARY The paper describes value chain actors and institutional arrangements along value chains, and identifies major determinants of farmers’ decision making to work with middlemen/traders ‘jabbans’ (or cheese makers), and based on those identify short implications for research, development and policy processes. We hypothesize that small-scale sheep producers are more dependent on middlemen for market and loans than larger holders, leading to welfare losses. Our empirical findings based on a Heckman model applied for 120 farming households conducted in Khanasser region (Syria) show that despite unequal benefits, local arrangements are more blessing than curse for the poor. Small-scale sheep producers and middlemen developed intricate institutional arrangements that are mutually beneficial. Producers act collectively to pool sufficient quantity of milk to be attractive to traders (jabban) while gaining access to market and cash loans mainly for feed. This provides the middlemen needed supplies with reduced transaction costs. This suggests that development organizations should support local capacity of producing organizations to work together, small-scale producers to organize, develop small scale dairy processing workshops for pooling and possibly processing milk, support training for direct market access and facilitate access to loans. Finally, supporting organizations such as rural financial services and micro-finance need to ensure up-to-date market information is available to ensure fair prices are paid. They should also be able to negotiate favourable conditions for loans and reach out to these resource-poor rural populations where formal credit systems are absent.
Quantifying Asthenospheric and Lithospheric Controls on Mafic

19 African basin-and-swell morphology is often attributed to the planform of sub-plate 20 mantle convection. Across North Africa, the coincidence of Neogene and Quaternary (i.e. 21 < 23 Ma) magmatism, topographic swells, long wavelength gravity anomalies, and slow 22 shear wave velocity anomalies within the asthenosphere provides observational constraints 23 for this hypothesis. Admittance analysis of topographic and gravity fields corroborates the 24 existence of sub-plate support. To investigate quantitative relationships between intraplate 25 magmatism, shear wave velocity, and asthenospheric temperature, we collected and an26 alyzed a suite of 224 lava samples from Tibesti, Jabal Eghei, Haruj, Sawda/Hasawinah 27 and Gharyan volcanic centers of Libya and Chad. Forward and inverse modeling of ma28 jor, trace, and Rare Earth elements were used for thermobarometric studies and to deter29 mine melt fraction as a function of depth. At each center, mafic magmatism is modeled 30 by assuming adiabatic decompression of dry peridotite with asthenospheric potential tem31 peratures of 1300–1360◦C. Surprisingly, the highest temperatures are associated with the 32 low-lying Haruj volcanic center rather than with the more prominent Tibesti swell. Our 33 results are consistent with earthquake tomographic models which show that the slowest 34 shear wave anomalies within the upper mantle occur directly beneath the Haruj center. 35 This inference is corroborated by converting observed velocities into potential tempera36 tures, which are in good agreement with those determined by geochemical inverse mod37 eling. Our results suggest that North African volcanic swells are primarily generated by 38 thermal anomalies located beneath thinned lithosphere. 39
Potential for Real-Time Ingredient Quality Control Procedures

Abstract Current systems of feed and ingredient quality control are often useful in providing only historical data after feed has been prepared and delivered to the farm. There is a need for real-time analyses which likely will have to involve measurements of physical characteristics correlated with chemical composition. The situation is further confounded by the fact that nutritionists now need information on available or digestible nutrients, rather than total levels along. This article discusses various systems, including Near-Infrared Reflectance Analysis (NIRA), various in vitro systems, X-ray fluorescence, and other systems that measure electrical or optical properties of feed. Development of these is very expensive and time-consuming, and their success will likely depend upon genuine cooperation across all segments of the feed industry.
Reproductive system and population structure in three arctic Saxifraga species

Manipulative field experiments were used to investigate the reproductive system of individuals and populations of saxifraga cespitosa, S. tenuis and S. cernua in the Abisko area of norther Sweden. Populations of S. cespitosa were gynodioecious. Hermaphrodite individuals showed a high selfing efficiency and low pollen: ovule ratios―consistent with a low outbreeding rate. Saxifraga tenuis was hermaphrodite with some indication of sexual asymmetry. Pollen: ovule ratios were low, as in S. cespitosa, but the ability to set seed by autodeposition was lower in S. tenuis than in S. cespitosa (.)
Quantification and distribution of Anisakis simplex sensu stricto in wild, one sea winter Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, returning to Scottish rivers

Red vent syndrome (RVS) has previously been reported in returning wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar from Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Norway and the UK. Affected fish show reddening and swelling in the perianal/vent area, with scale loss, ulceration and bleeding in severe cases. Studies in the UK and elsewhere report the condition to be induced by Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.) larvae. This parasite, commonly reported in several marine fish species, is typically found in the body cavity and the skeletal muscle, but has recently been reported within the vent tissues of salmon. This latter finding may reflect greater efforts in examining this body portion due to current awareness of the parasite presence in this atypical location. Based on clinical observations, affected fish are classified into three categories according to the severity of the external lesions, but quantification of the vent parasite numbers in relation to the categories, and assessment of the relative importance of this area as a site of infestation, are missing to date. This investigation aimed to provide data on parasite number and distribution in the viscera, skeletal muscle, peduncle and vent area and to confirm the identity of the larvae found in the vent and the viscera. The study showed the perianal/vent region harbours the highest total number of A. simplex larvae per fish and, proportionally to fish biomass, is the most heavily infested body location irrespective of external severity levels of RVS.
Immunoproteomic Analysis of Chinese Brucella Vaccine Strain M5 and New Immunogenic Proteins

Brucellae are facultative intracellular gram-negative bacteria that cause human disease and significant worldwide economic loss due to infection of livestock. Available vaccines against Brucella spp. are live attenuated Brucella strains. In order to engineer a better vaccine to be used in animals and humans, our laboratory aims to develop an innocuous subunit vaccine. Particularly, we are interested in Brucella membrane proteins (MPs). In this study, an immunoproteomic approach was utilized to identify novel antigenic candidate proteins from Chinese Brucella vaccine strain M5 membrane proteins. The membrane proteins were separated by 2-DE and analyzed by western-blotting for their reactivity with the antiserum obtained from goats naturally infected by Brucella. Of a total of 9 immunogenic proteins identified, 7 were shown to be the novel antigens for Brucella spp. Some of the major protein components include outer-membrane protein OMP25, OMP31, and several new immunogenic proteins were identified, such as isovaleryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase, nitroglycerin reductase, succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit and S- adenosine -L- homocysteine hydrolase. Comparing these gene sequences revealed that 8 out of 9 immunoreactive protein genes were found in all 5 different Brucella strains. The elucidation of the immunome of Brucella vaccine strain M5 MPs identified a number of candidate proteins for developing vaccines against Brucella infection in livestock.
Pareto Assessment of Quality Control in Poultry Processing Plants

Abstract The problems associated with carcass quality of broilers after processing and chilling was analyzed by Pareto analysis. Pareto analysis is a tool which can help identify problems by visually arranging defect in order of importance. Data obtained from a commercial poultry processing plant described 19 defects in carcass quality. The original data were divided into 15 lots, over 18 h of processing, with an average of 6,200 chickens per lot (range 5,600 to 8,200). The number of defects noted for a sample of 50 birds from each lot was averaged to use in Pareto analysis. A Pareto diagram was then plotted using a computer spreadsheet (Quatro Pro®). Three defect categories accounted for fifty percent of the total defects: breast trims (due to tears, blisters, etc.), wing and drum bruises. A Pareto analysis based on monetary loss attributed to the selected defects altered the order of priority. The highest value defects on a monetary basis were breast trims, breast bruises, and wing bruises. After corrective measures are made, an update Pareto diagram can be used to document improvements.
Chemically Defined Medium for Optimization of Proteolytic Activity of Lactobacillus bulgaricus 761N

casein content. CaCl2 and CoCl2 were found to enhance the proteolytic activity at 1mM, while CuSO4 and FeSO4 were found to be needed in fewer amounts at 0.5mM and 0.1mM, respectively. The antibacterial activity of these bioactive peptides produced in the cell free supernatant was investigated against some human pathogenic bacteria. It was found that it impose a high antibacterial capacity on tested pathogens reaching 89% inhibition.
Studies on Taxonomy and Distribution of the Freshwater Snails, Genus Semisulcospira in the Three Islands inside Lake Biwa

A freshwater snail, genus Semisulcospira was studied in the three islands inside Lake Biwa, Japan. A large and pronouncedly nodulated form of S. niponica was found off Takeshima and Shiraishijima Islands as well as off Chikubujima Island from which this form was described. Among the three islands, the snails become larger and nodes on the whorls become more intense with the decreasing area of the islands. A new species, S. morii, is described from Chikubujima and Takeshima Islands. This species coexists with S. niponica, and is abundant on a rather deeper bottom according to the monthly survey of vertical distribution. Three unknown types of Semisulcospira were also found off Takeshima and Shiraishijima Islands. All of the types live on the rocky bottom there, but in adult and embryonic shell characteristics they resemble the decipiens group which live on the sandy or muddy bottom of the coastal zone of Lake Biwa. From the above survey, several ecological and evolutionary problems are presented on Semisulcospira in these islands.
Population trends of common breeding and wintering birds in Hungary, decline of longdistance migrant and farmland birds during 1999–2012

Abstract Based on the Hungarian common bird monitoring scheme (MMM), which is the longest running country-wide monitoring using formal sampling design with representative data for the main habitats in Central-Eastern Europe, we investigated the population trends of common breeding and wintering species. Habitat preference and occupancy of the common breeders, migration strategies and relationships among these characteristics could act behind the population trends. We pointed out that long distance migrant bird species had strong decreasing trends in Hungary and very probably in the entire Pannonian biogeographical region, whereas the partial and short migrant species has increasing trends. Farmland birds had declining trend, which trend became more obvious since the joining of Hungary to the EU. The negative changes in the farmland habitat could influence bird species nesting/foraging mainly in this habitat independently from their migration strategies. Our investigations let us to develop indicators on the basis of migration strategy and habitat usage of common birds to provide regular information about condition of groups of species and their habitats in Hungary and the Pannonian region. The MMM database provide unique opportunity for further investigations of several species, habitats and area specific in a part of Europe where this kind of information is rare yet. Összefoglalás A Mindennapi Madaraink Monitoringja (MMM) a leghosszabb ideje futó országos léptékű olyan monitorozó program Közép-, Kelet-Európában, amely random mintavételi stratégia alkalmazásával reprezentatív adatokkal szolgál a régió madárállományairól és főbb élőhelyeiről. Munkánkban a gyakori fészkelő és telelő fajok állomány trendjeit, a gyakori fészkelők élőhely preferenciáját és használatát, valamint vonulási stratégiáját vizsgáltuk az állományváltozások hátterében zajló folyamatok feltárása érdekében. Kimutattuk, hogy a hosszútávon vonuló madárfajok esetében jelentős állománycsökkenés van Magyarországon és feltehetően az egész Pannon biogeográfi ai régióban. Ugyanakkor a részlegesen és rövidtávon vonuló madárfajoknál növekedő állomány a jellemző. A mezőgazdasági élőhelyekhez kötődő fajoknál csökkenő állományok vannak, amely jelleg különösen Magyarország EU tagsága után erősödött fel. A mezőgazdasági élőhelyeken zajló kedvezőtlen változások az ott fészkelő/táplálkozó madárfajok helyzetét jelentősen befolyásolhatják e fajok vonulási stratégiájától függetlenül. Vizsgálatunk lehetőséget ad a gyakori madárfajok vonulási és élőhelyi jellemzőin alapuló olyan indikátorok fejlesztésére, amelyek rendszeres információval szolgálnak adott fajcsoportok és az azok által használt élőhelyek állapotáról Magyarországon és a Pannon régióban. Az MMM adatbázis egyedülálló lehetőséget ad nagyszámú faj, élőhely és terület további részletes vizsgálatára Európa olyan részén, ahol ezen információk még igen ritkák napjainkban.
Biosensors based on molecular beacons

A fundamental molecular beacon (MB) consists of a special short nucleic acid strand with a fluorophore-quencher pair attached to its ends. It provides a unique framework that is susceptible to conformational transitions between a hairpin (closed) conformation and an extended (open) conformation. These two conformations are readily discernible because of their differing fluorescence emission characteristics. The broad applicability of the robust MB sensing platform has attracted widespread interest, resulting in extensive research studies ranging from theoretical and bioanalytical chemistry to molecular biology and biomedical applications. In this paper, the principles of MB design and the modes and mechanisms of MB operation are reviewed, including MB modifications based on the utilisation of a thymidine-thymidine mismatch in hybridised MB stem, aptamers, peptides and locked nucleic acid strands in an MB loop, as well as plasmonic quenchers, quantum dots and interactions with graphene and graphene oxide. Specific applications of MBs in the analysis of enzymes, DNA mutation, phosphorylation, methylation and ligation, followed by the detection of pathogens and applications in cancer and other disease diagnostics and therapeutics are also reviewed. Molecular beacon-based sensing platforms are expanding rapidly and offer a promising bioanalytical tool for inexpensive and reliable analysis for research and field diagnostics.
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) observed during land-based surveys in The Minch, north-west Scotland

The waters off north-west Scotland are known to provide important habitat for the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Between October 2008 and April 2011, systematic land-based surveys were carried out to assess the seasonal occurrence, group size and group behaviours of both species in a study area located off Melvaig, near Gairloch. Data were collected on 47 separate days, with a total of 4543 minutes of survey effort (in sea states ≤3) recorded during the spring months and 8204 minutes of effort during the autumn. A total of 189 sightings of marine fauna were recorded, comprising 126 cetacean sightings, 50 seal sightings and 13 sightings of basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus). Six species of cetacean were identified, with most sightings comprising harbour porpoise (N = 72) or minke whale (N = 38). Harbour porpoise abundance was higher in autumn than in spring and there was a variation between years in numbers of minke whales sighted. In porpoises, sea state and cloud cover both influenced sightings and increasing sea state influenced survey area. Foraging behaviour was exhibited in 13% of harbour porpoise sightings and 34% of minke whale sightings. Results demonstrate a regular occurrence of harbour porpoises and minke whales in nearshore waters off Gairloch. Densities are comparable to boat surveys in the region and so support the use of land-based watches as a potential longer-term monitoring method for these species in coastal waters. Given the regular use of this area by these two European Protected Species, as well as the occurrence of a range of human activities potentially affecting them in the region, it may be appropriate to consider protecting this area for their conservation.
Efficacy of high-dose ambroxol for paraquat poisoning: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Paraquat (PQ) poisoning is characterized by rapidly progressive acute poisoning with high mortality and no specific antidote. Although some clinical studies have been conducted to investigate the benefits of high-dose ambroxol as an adjuvant treatment for PQ poisoning, the efficacy is controversial. Materials and Methods: After searching for relevant articles in English and Chinese databases from 1978 to 2019 according to the keywords (paraquat poisoning/methy viologen/gramoxone, and ambroxol/mucosolvan/Bromhexine), we found seven articles that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was performed using fixed-effects model and random-effects model according to the I2 value in Stata software (version 15.0). Four outcome indicators (hospital mortality, partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), and survival time of the deceased patients) were of interest to us. Results: The meta-analysis showed that adjuvant treatment with high doses of ambroxol increased PaO2 (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 13.73 [mmHg], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.68–18.79, Z = 11.80, P < 0.001), PaO2/FiO2 (WMD = 38.81 [mmHg], 95% CI: 29.85–47.76, Z = 8.49, P = 0.000), and survival time of the deceased patients (WMD = 2.58 [d], 95% CI: 0.97–4.18, Z = 3.15, P = 0.002) compared with usual treatment. Treatment with high doses of ambroxol also appeared to reduce the hospital mortality (relative risk = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55–0.86, Z = 3.25, P = 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that high-dose ambroxol is an effective therapy for PQ poisoning and may reduce the in-hospital mortality.
The relationship of integrin alpha-2 gene polymorphism with cerebral infarction

Objective To study the relationship of integrin alpha-2(ITGA2) gene C807T polymorphism with cerebral infarction and the effect of integrin gene polymorphism on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels. Methods 150 patients with cerebral infarction were selected as the cerebral infarction group and 170 healthy subjects as the control group. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) was used to detect the genotype of the ITGA2 gene in the two groups. The plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were measured by routine method. Resuits Compared with the control group,plasma total cholesterol,triglyceride and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C) levels in the patients with cerebral infarction were significantly higher (P0.05). The difference of distribution of ITGA2 gene C807T polymorpbism between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P0.05). The relative risk for cerebral infarction in subjects carrying T allele was 1.690 times of that in the C allele carriers (OR = 1.690, 95% CI: 1.219-2.341). The level of plasma lipid in cerebral infarction patients carrying T allele was significantly higher than that in not carriers (P0.05). Conclusions ITGA2 gene C807T polymorphism was associated with cerebral infarction. 807 T allele may be the genetic susceptibility gene for cerebral infarction. ITGA2 gene C807T polymorphism may affect cerebral infarction through plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels.
A corn seedling assay for resistance to Fusarium moniliforme

Fusarium moniliforme, mating population A, causes various disease symptoms and produces several mycotoxins on corn. This fungus is one of the causal agents of seedling blight of corn. A test was designed to determine the pathogenicity of F. moniliforme isolates and to test for resistance in corn against this pathogen. The test is conducted conveniently under laboratory conditions. After a 21-day period, either a fungal isolate or a corn cultivar can be tested for pathogenicity or seedling resistance, respectively. The results, obtained from a limited number of corn cultivars, established that there is resistance to the fungus at the seedling stage. Inbreds were more resistant than parental types used in the initial crosses