Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PCR-Based Direct Detection of Streptococcus uberis from Subclinical and Clinical Dairy Cattle Milk Samples

Streptococcus uberis is one of the leading causes worldwide of mastitis in the dairy industry, with the most likely sources of infection attributed to environmental reservoirs such as contaminated bedding materials. Early detection of those cases most likely to progress to clinical disease would lead to improved animal welfare, a critical component of overall health and productivity. A multiplex PCR-based diagnostic test was developed for detection of S. uberis directly from milk and targeting two genes previously identified as important for intramammary colonisation and persistence in dairy cattle. Results indicated the threshold for detection directly from milk was 20,000 CFU/ml and this was achieved without the need for preenrichment. In addition, S. uberis could be identified from milk samples collected during intramammary challenge studies, prior to clinical signs of infection and at much lower detection limits. The PCR test developed for confirmation of the presence of S. uberis directly from infected milk has potential value as a diagnostic test to identify early infection and/or to confirm that antibiotic therapy has been successful.
Gibberellic Acid Modifies the Transcript Abundance of ABA Pathway Orthologs and Modulates Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) Fruit Ripening in Early- and Mid-Season Varieties

Several phytohormones modulate ripening in non-climacteric fruits, which is triggered by abscisic acid (ABA). Gibberellins (GAs) are present during the onset of ripening in sweet cherry fruits, and exogenous gibberellic acid (GA3) application delays ripening, though this effect is variety-dependent. Although an ABA accumulation delay has been reported following GA3 treatment, the mechanism by which GA modulates this process has not been investigated at the molecular level in sweet cherry. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the effect of GA3 on the fruit ripening process and the transcript levels of ABA pathway orthologs in two varieties having different maturity time phenotypes. The early-season variety had a rapid transition from yellow to pink fruit color, whereas pink color initiation took longer in the mid-season variety. GA3 increased the proportion of lighter colored fruits at ripeness in both varieties, but it produced a delay in IAD—a ripening index—only in the mid-season variety. This delay was accompanied by an increased transcript abundance of PavPP2Cs, which are putative negative regulators of the ABA pathway. On the other hand, the early-season variety had increased expression of PavCYP707A2—a putative ABA catabolic gene–, and reduced transcript levels of PavPP2Cs and SnRK2s after the GA3 treatment. Together these results show that GA modulates fruit ripening, exerting its action in part by interacting with the ABA pathway in sweet cherry.
The measurement of micro-topography surface based on wave cutting interference theory

This paper proposes the measurement of micro-topography surface based on wave cutting interference theory. This wave cutting interference system realized the differential cutting and complex polarization with beam splitter polarize prism. Math model is established based on matrix analysis. The phase distribution is obtained with equation between intensity and phase from the figure of the light intensity information, the value of micro-topography surface is obtained after data manipulation. Some technical difficulties existed in the surface microscopy are analyzed and solved.
Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life in a Sample of Cancer Survivor Female Nurses

Background and objectives: Identifying the factors affecting the Quality of Work Life (QWL) of cancer survivor female nurses is important and necessary to overcome the various challenges experienced by these professionals upon returning to work following recovery from the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors affecting the level of nurses’ QWL. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 115 registered female nurses who had survived cancer, in general hospitals and clinics in South Korea. SPSS statistics version 21 was used for ordinary least squares, and Stata version 12.0 was used for quantile regression analysis. Results: Workplace spirituality affected all quantiles of QWL except the 90% quantile; fatigue was an affecting factor in the 20%, 30%, and 70% quantiles; and job stress in the 20%, 30%, 40%, and 60%, 70%, 80% quantiles. For workplace spirituality, the effect size was 0.33 (p < 0.001) in the 10% quantile, increasing to 0.45 (p < 0.001) in the 80% quantile. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, suggestions for clinical practice include providing the mediating strategies and programs to manage fatigue and job stress as well as workplace spirituality. Job-related factors such as shift work should also be considered.
Determination of aristolochic acid by capillary zone electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA) in dietary supplements and selected herbs is described. A clear separation of AA from other sample constituents was achieved within 5 minutes without any sample clean up. A mixture of 20 mM-morpholinethanesulphonic acid+10 mM-BisTrisPropane+0.2% hydroxyethylcelullose in 10% methanol serves as a background electrolyte. The linearity, accuracy, intra-assay and detection limit of the developed method are 200–6000 ng/mL, 95–103%, 3.5%, and 50 ng/ml, respectively. Ease of use, sufficient sensitivity and low running cost are the most important attributes of the CZE method. The proposed CZE method was compared with HPLC.
The LEPR Gene Is Associated with Reproductive Seasonality Traits in Rasa Aragonesa Sheep

Simple Summary Seasonality of reproduction is one of the limiting factor of sheep production, with the leptin receptor (LEPR) gene associated with some reproductive traits in different species. Thereby, we searched for polymorphisms in the ovine LEPR gene and associated them with three reproductive seasonality traits: the total days of anoestrous (TDA) and the progesterone cycling months (P4CM), both based on blood progesterone level and related to seasonal ovarian function; and the oestrous cycling months (OCM) as an indicator of oestrous behaviour. Two non-synonymous and non-linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the LEPR gene were involved in the OCM trait (rs403578195 and rs405459906). These findings show for the first time the involvement of LEPR gene in seasonality reproduction in sheep and will help to improve genetic selection programs by implementing the genotyping of reproducers, which might increase the productivity of meat sheep. Abstract The aim of this study was to characterize and identify causative polymorphisms in the leptin receptor (LEPR) gene responsible for the seasonal variation of reproductive traits in sheep. Three reproductive seasonality traits were studied: the total days of anoestrous (TDA), the progesterone cycling months (P4CM) and the oestrous cycling months (OCM). In total, 18 SNPs were detected in 33 ewes with extreme values for TDA and OCM. Six SNPs were non-synonymous substitutions and two of them were predicted in silico as deleterious: rs596133197 and rs403578195. These polymorphisms were then validated in 239 ewes. The SNP rs403578195, located in exon 8 and leading to a change of alanine to glycine (Ala284Gly) in the extracellular domain of the protein, was associated with the OCM trait, being the G allele associated with a decrease of 12 percent of the OCM trait. Haplotype analyses also suggested the involvement of other non-synonymous SNP located in exon 20 (rs405459906). This SNP also produces an amino acid change (Lys1069Glu) in the intracellular domain of the protein and segregates independently of rs403578195. These results confirm for the first time the role of the LEPR gene in sheep reproductive seasonality.
A primer on multivariate calibration

In analytical chemistry, calibration is the procedure that relates instrumental measurements to an analyte of interest. Typically, instrumental measurements are obtained from specimens in which the amount (or level) of the analyte has been determined by some independent and inherently accurate assay (e.g., wet chemistry). Together, the instrumental measurements and results from the independent assays are used to construct a model that relates the analyte level to the instrumental measurements. The advent of high-speed digital computers has greatly increased data acquisition and analysis capabilities and has provided the analytical chemist with opportunities to use many measurements - perhaps hundreds - for calibrating an instrument (e.g., absorbances at multiple wave-lengths). To take advantage of this technology, however, new methods (i.e., multivariate calibration methods) were needed for analyzing and modeling the experimental data. The purpose of this report is to introduce several evolving multivariate calibration methods and to present some important issues regarding their use. 30 refs., 7 figs.
Insertion of isatin molecules into the nanostructure of palygorskite

Palygorskite has unique a groove-and-channel nanostructure to protect inserted molecules from ruin, and Maya blue is a perfect example of this phenomenon. In this paper, a new hybrid pigment prepared by inserting isatin into palygorskite was synthesized and analyzed. The hybrid retained its vivid color even after being boiled for 5 h in 30% H2O2 aqueous solution. Protected by palygorskite, 59% of the isatin successfully survived 72 h of CHCl3 Soxhlet extraction of the hybrid. Ultraviolet-near infrared spectroscopy (UV-NIR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) indicated that the conjugate plan of isatin might be distorted when inserted to palygorskite, just like indigo did in Maya blue. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) pointed out that palygorskite exhibited a certain degree of lattice distortion after hybridization. Thermal gravity and differential thermal gravity analysis (TG-DTG) showed further that the small-size isatin could go deeper into the channels of palygorskite and block the channel entrance better than indigo did in Maya blue. All analyses indicated that isatin inserted deeply into the clay, and the insertion is much deeper than that of indigo.
Limites críticos de densidade do solo para o crescimento de raízes de plantas de cobertura em argissolo vermelho

Soil compaction is a serious problem for the soil quality and development of sustainable agriculture, because compaction affects the flow of soil water and air and reduces crop yields. One of the possibilities to tackle this problem is the use of plants with a deep and vigorous rooting system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical quality of a Typic Hapludalf, in a no-tillage system, after the use of cover crops, and to measure the critical limit of bulk density. In the autumn/winter of 1999/00 and 2000/01 the site was cultivated with black oats (Avena strigosa) with vetch (Vicia sativa) and in 2001/02, with forage turnip (Raphanus sativus). Corn was sown (Zea mays) in the summer, and in the end of the cycle, four summer cover crops were sown (Crotalaria juncea, Cajanus cajan, Stilozobium cinereum and Canavalia ensiformes) and compared to fallow soil. Soil bulk density and penetration resistance were measured. The rooting system was evaluated by a root profile method during the cycle of forage turnip, corn and summer cover crops. No tillage increased soil bulk density to levels considered critical for plant growth. The root growth of all crops used in the rotations suffered some degree of restriction. There were no differences among species in their root growth potential in compacted soil. The cover crop root growth was normal up to a bulk density of 1.75 Mg m-3, while values between 1.75 and 1.85 Mg m-3 were restrictive, with visible deformation of the root morphology. Above 1.85 Mg m-3 these deformations were more pronounced, with increased root thickening, deviations in the vertical root growth direction and concentration of roots in the topmost soil layer. The evaluated species can be used in compacted soils, but at soil bulk density > 1.85 Mg m-3 soil mobilization through mechanical methods may be necessary to alleviate the effects on root and plant growth.
A Survey of Alzheimer’s Disease Early Diagnosis Methods for Cognitive Assessment

Dementia is a syndrome that is characterised by the decline of different cognitive abilities. A high rate of deaths and high cost for detection, treatments, and patients care count amongst its consequences. Although there is no cure for dementia, a timely diagnosis helps in obtaining necessary support, appropriate medication, and maintenance, as far as possible, of engagement in intellectual, social, and physical activities. The early detection of Alzheimer Disease (AD) is considered to be of high importance for improving the quality of life of patients and their families. In particular, Virtual Reality (VR) is an expanding tool that can be used in order to assess cognitive abilities while navigating through a Virtual Environment (VE). The paper summarises common AD screening and diagnosis techniques focusing on the latest approaches that are based on Virtual Environments, behaviour analysis, and emotions recognition, aiming to provide more reliable and non-invasive diagnostics at home or in a clinical environment. Furthermore, different AD diagnosis evaluation methods and metrics are presented and discussed together with an overview of the different datasets.
Distinguishing the influence of structural and energetic disorder on electron transport in fullerene multi-adducts

Fullerene multi-adducts offer a method to tune the open-circuit voltage of organic solar cells but generally lead to poor photocurrent generation which has been linked to poor electron transport in the fullerenes. The poor electron transport may result from the effect of multiple side chains in hindering close packing of the fullerene cages or from disorder in energy levels due to the presence of multiple isomers. Here, we present time-of-flight and field-effect transistor measurements of mobility in [6,6]-phenyl-C-61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and its higher adducts. To understand the origin of the poor electron mobility, we develop a coarse-grained molecular dynamics model to build isomeric mixes of the multi-adducts. The coarse grained model massively speeds up the simulation relative to atomistic molecular dynamics, enabling assemblies of 100 000 molecules to be studied. We simulate electron transport in the structures using a kinetic Monte Carlo method, accounting for variations in site energy using electronic structure calculations. This allows us to separate the influence of packing disorder (poorer contact between fullerenes due to steric hindrance) from the influence of energetic disorder (due to varying acceptor energies of the isomers) on electron mobility. We find that energetic disorder due to different isomers dominates the trend in charge transport. Consequently, pure isomeric samples of higher fullerene adducts should enable higher efficiency solar cells.
Post-COVID-19 Fatigue: Potential Contributing Factors

Much of the spotlight for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is on the acute symptoms and recovery. However, many recovered patients face persistent physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms well past the acute phase. Of these symptoms, fatigue is one of the most persistent and debilitating. In this “perspective article,” we define fatigue as the decrease in physical and/or mental performance that results from changes in central, psychological, and/or peripheral factors due to the COVID-19 disease and propose a model to explain potential factors contributing to post-COVID-19 fatigue. According to our model, fatigue is dependent on conditional and physiological factors. Conditional dependency comprises the task, environment, and physical and mental capacity of individuals, while physiological factors include central, psychological, and peripheral aspects. This model provides a framework for clinicians and researchers. However, future research is needed to validate our proposed model and elucidate all mechanisms of fatigue due to COVID-19.
Edible Environmental Enrichments in Littered Housing Systems: Do Their Effects on Integument Condition Differ Between Commercial Laying Hen Strains?

Simple Summary Feather pecking can occur in laying hens. It is considered a behavioral disorder and can be triggered by a variety of factors. Feather pecking leads to plumage damage, which is detrimental to the welfare and performance of the animals. The behavior of allopecking is assigned to foraging and exploration behavior. Therefore, a possible approach to reduce feather pecking is to provide manipulatable, edible objects to direct the hens’ pecking to these substrates. Previous studies could not clearly answer the question of the effects of providing such environmental enrichment materials on plumage condition and performance. In order to clarify this question and investigate possible differences between different breeding lines, 4000 pullets were kept during rearing and 2808 hens were kept during the laying period with or without additional enrichment materials (pecking stones and alfalfa bales). The results showed that the effect of enrichment materials on plumage condition and also on pecking injuries of the skin differed between genetic strains. Therefore, the recommendations for the use of enrichment materials should be revised and specified for the hybrid lines. Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of additional enrichment materials (EMs; pecking stones and alfalfa bales) on the occurrence of plumage damage, skin injuries, and toe injuries, with an emphasis on the possible differences between commercial hybrid strains of laying hens. During rearing (weeks 1–18, 16 compartments, 4000 pullets) and laying periods (weeks 21–72, 24 compartments, 2808 hens) in a littered housing system, EMs were permanently provided to the study groups (EXP), while control groups (CON) did not receive additional EM. In a two-factorial study design (two groups with four strains) with 351 hens per variant, the brown egg-laying Lohmann Brown classic (LB) and Bovans Brown (BB) strains as well as the white egg-laying Lohmann Selected Leghorn classic (LSL) and Dekalb White (DW) strains were investigated. Compared to the CON, the EXP showed reduced body mass during rearing (p < 0.001) and reduced albumen consistency in the laying period (p < 0.001). Regarding integument condition, the LSL in the EXP showed more toe injuries than in the CON (p = 0.018). Remarkably, genotype-environment interactions between strains and groups were evident (p < 0.001). In groups with an EM supply, plumage damage decreased in LB (p ≤ 0.033) and LSL (p ≤ 0.005) but increased in BB (p ≤ 0.003). Moreover, there were fewer skin injuries in LSL (p = 0.001) but more in BB (p = 0.001) in groups with access to EM. In view of the diverging effects between strains, future practical recommendations for laying hen husbandry should be strain-specific.
Advancements in the Blood–Brain Barrier Penetrating Nanoplatforms for Brain Related Disease Diagnostics and Therapeutic Applications

Noninvasive treatments to treat the brain-related disorders have been paying more significant attention and it is an emerging topic. However, overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a key obstacle to most of the therapeutic drugs to enter into the brain tissue, which significantly results in lower accumulation of therapeutic drugs in the brain. Thus, administering the large quantity/doses of drugs raises more concerns of adverse side effects. Nanoparticle (NP)-mediated drug delivery systems are seen as potential means of enhancing drug transport across the BBB and to targeted brain tissue. These systems offer more accumulation of therapeutic drugs at the tumor site and prolong circulation time in the blood. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and advancements on various nanoplatforms (NF) and discusses the use of nanoparticles for successful cross of BBB to treat the brain-related disorders such as brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
Transient and Steady-State Shear Banding in a Lamellar Phase as Studied by Rheo-NMR

Abstract Flow fields and shear-induced structures in the lamellar (Lα) phase of the system triethylene glycol mono n-decyl ether (C10E3)/water were investigated by NMR velocimetry, diffusometry, and 2H NMR spectroscopy. The transformation from multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) to aligned planar lamellae is accompanied by a transient gradient shear banding. A high-shear-rate band of aligned lamellae forms next to the moving inner wall of the cylindrical Couette shear cell while a low-shear-rate band of the initial MLV structure remains close to the outer stationary wall. The band of layers grows at the expense of the band of MLVs until the transformation is completed. This process scales with the applied strain. Wall slip is a characteristic of the MLV state, while aligned layers show no deviation from Newtonian flow. The homogeneous nature of the opposite transformation from well aligned layers to MLVs via an intermediate structure resembling undulated multilamellar cylinders is confirmed. The strain dependence of this transformation appears to be independent of temperature. The shear diagram, which represents the shear-induced structures as a function of temperature and shear rate, contains a transition region between stable layers and stable MLVs. The steady-state structures in the transition region show a continuous change from layer-like at high temperature to MLV-like at lower temperature. These structures are homogeneous on a length scale above a few micrometers.
How Minority Parents Could Help Children Develop Healthy Eating Behaviors: Parent and Child Perspectives

Minority children and children living in under-resourced households are at the greatest risk for obesity and diet-related disparities. Identifying effective strategies to reduce these risks is an important step in child obesity prevention. Parents influence the home environment and play a critical role in child obesity prevention. Eighteen parent–child dyads living in under-resourced Houston area communities participated in a mixed methods study (online surveys, telephone interviews). The purpose of the research reported here was to conduct a secondary analysis of the qualitative data to explore Black/African American and Hispanic parent and child perspectives of the ways in which parents could help their children make healthy food choices. Descriptive statistics were calculated for parent and child demographic characteristics; hybrid thematic analysis was used to code and analyze the interview transcripts. Frequencies were calculated for children’s interview responses to rating scales and the grade they gave their eating habits. Mothers’ responses were grouped into two broad categories: facilitators (modeling, availability, and teaching) as ways parents could help their child eat healthy, and barriers (lack of time, cost of healthy foods, and lack of knowledge) to helping their child eat healthy. Alternatively, child responses focused on ways in which parents could provide support: environmental support (home availability, home cooking, and introducing new foods) and personal support (providing child choice, teaching, and encouragement). Most children reported that eating healthy was easy, and most rated their personal eating habits as an A or B. These findings suggest that understanding the perspectives of Black/African American and Hispanic parent–child dyads can provide insight into the development of culturally and economically relevant healthy eating strategies and interventions for families living in under-resourced communities.