Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Salinity tolerance of the South African endemic amphipod Grandidierella lignorum (Amphipoda: Aoridae)

The endemic amphipod Grandidierella lignorum is an organism potentially suited to the toxicity testing of coastal water and sediment in South Africa. The ranges of salinity and temperature at which G. lignorum can be used for toxicity testing were investigated under laboratory conditions, in order to avoid potential confounding effects induced by these non-contaminant factors on test data interpretation. The data are discussed in the context of the known ecology of this amphipod. Amphipods were exposed to salinities of 0–56 for 96 h. Salinities were prepared using natural seawater and synthetic sea salt. Grandidierella lignorum tolerated all salinities, but showed highest survival at salinities of 7–42. Salinity tolerance was modified by temperature, with highest survival occurring between 10 and 25 °C. These represent the range of conditions at which toxicity testing can be performed. Salinity tolerances to natural and synthetic seawater did not differ significantly. Synthetic sea salt can thus be used to manipulate the salinity of media for toxicity testing without it acting as a confounding variable. The tests performed also highlight the importance of resting laboratory-cultured G. lignorum for up to six weeks between the harvesting of individuals for use in experiments.
Structural defence is coupled with the leaf economic spectrum across saplings of spiny species

Given that the rate of resource capture constrains plant growth and defence, understanding the linkage between the leaf economic spectrum (LES) and defence and how it contributes to growth is central to predicting species performance. In spite of the prevalence of spiny plants in many plant communities, little is known about how the LES relates to defence and growth rate across these species. We grew 42 spiny species, from diverse environments, under common garden conditions for 15 weeks and measured LES (leaf N, SLA and assimilation rate), defence and growth traits. We assessed general relationships between LES and growth rate and tested whether structural defences (spines, leaf fibre and lignin content) and quantitative chemical defences (condensed tannins) are linked to the LES and growth and if different spine types (i.e. leaf spines, stipular spines, prickles and thorns), with distinct anatomical origins, partition out across the LES. We observed two independent trait axes that together explained ~68% of trait variation across species. The first axis showed that structural defences (spines, leaf fibre and lignin content) trade off with leaf productivity along the LES. Axis 2 revealed that condensed tannins is orthogonal and less integrated with the LES-structural defence axis. Bivariate trait analyses disclosed positive covariations between LES traits and sapling growth rate. All structural defence traits were negatively related to sapling growth. Across spine types, species with leaf spines were associated with the conservative end of the LES, characterized by high structural defences and lower leaf productivity relative to other spine types. Synthesis: Our study shows that the LES and structural defences are coupled in spiny species such that constitutive growth – defence strategies range from fast-growing species with low allocation to defences to slow-growing species that invest heavily in structural defences (dominated by leaf spiny species).
Evaluation of the Biological Efficiency of Silver Nanoparticles Biosynthesized Using Croton tiglium L. Seeds Extract against Azoxymethane Induced Colon Cancer in Rats

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is considered as the most common type of gastrointestinal cancers. Chemotherapy became limited due to the adverse side effects. Therefore, the most effective Croton tiglium extract was selected to be incorporated by silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) then evaluated against colon cancer induced by azoxymethane (AOM) in rats. Methods: Different hematological and biochemical measurements were quantified in addition to markers of oxidative stress. Specific tumor and inflammatory markers were assayed. Colonic tissues were examined histopathologically in addition to immunohistochemistry (IHC). Native proteins and isoenzymes patterns were electrophoretically assayed beside expression of Tumor Protein P53 (TP53) and Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) genes in colonic tissues. Results: It was found that AOM caused significant (P≤0.05) elevation in the hematological and biochemical measurements. C. tiglium nano-extract restored these measurements to normalcy. Tumor and inflammatory markers elevated significantly (P≤0.05) in sera of AOM induced colon cancer group in addition to increasing peroxidation products with decline in antioxidant enzymes activities in colon tissues. Nano-extract restored these measurements to normalcy in post-treated group. Histopathological study revealed that nano-extract minimized severity of inflammatory reactions in all nano-extract treated groups and prevented anti-Keratin 20 antibody expression in post-treated group. The lowest similarity index (SI%) values were noticed with electrophoretic protein (SI=71.43%), lipid (SI=0.00%) and calcium (SI=75.00%) moieties of protein patterns, catalase (SI=85.71%), peroxidase (SI=85.71%), α-esterase (SI=50.00%) and β-esterase (SI=50.00%) isoenzymes in colon cancer group. Furthermore, AOM altered the relative quantities of total native bands. The nano-extract prevented the alterations that occurred qualitatively in nano-extract post-treated group and quantitatively in all nano-extract treated groups. Levels of TP53 and APC gene expression increased in AOM injected group and nano-extract restored their levels to normalcy in the post-treated group. Conclusion: C. tiglium nano-extract exhibited ameliorative effect against the biochemical and molecular alterations induced by AOM in nano-extract post-treated group.
ESTIMATIVAS DE PARÂMETROS GENÉTICOS DE POPULAÇÕES DE SOJA EM SOLOS CONTRASTANTES NA SATURAÇÃO DE ALUMÍNIO

This paper reports results from the evaluation of 900 F7:6 inbred lines of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], derived from 45 diallel crosses, 20 of each one, and ten parental genotypes: FT-Cristalina, EMGOPA-301, IAC-4, IAC-5, IAC-6, IAC-8, IAC-9, IAC-11, Santa Rosa, and SS-1. The experiments were carried out in two localities (Anhembi and Areao Experimental Stations, Piracicaba county, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil), contrasting for aluminium saturation; Anhembi showed high aluminium saturation (>Al) whereas Areao showed low saturation (<Al). Four traits were evaluated: seed yield (PG), days to maturity (NDM), plant height at maturity (APM) and agronomic value (VA). The VA character was evaluated through a visual score considering: pod number, plant height, vigor, lodging, leaf retention, pod dehiscence, and disease symptoms. It was used an augmented design with 20 blocks, each one with 45 lines (regular treatment) and the ten parental genotypes as checks (common treatment); the experimental plot consisted of one row with length of 2.0 m x 0.5 m between row. The augmented design proved to be easily implemented in this phase, where many progenies were tested but few seeds were available. The effect of aluminium saturation on the means of the genetics parameters was dependent on the genotype and the character considered. The heritability estimates for the set of 900 lines were respectively in Anhembi and Areao: 0.58 and 0.84 for NDM; 0.64 and 0.62 for APM; 0.50 and 0.36 to VA; 0.38 and 0.38 to PG. Three crosses involving EMGOPA-301 with FT-Cristalina, IAC-4 e Santa Rosa, exceeded by having superior values of heritability for PG, in both localities, relatively to the set of 900 lines tested. In Anhembi, the genotypic correlations between number of days to maturity (NDM), plant height (APM), agronomic value (VA) and grain yield (PG) at F7:6 inbred lines level varied from 0.54 to 0.95 and they were superior in relation to phenotypic ones. The VA/PG genotypic correlation was distinguished (0.82), indicating that VA could be used for indirect selection of seed yield. Thus, for initial tests, the VA is of advantage, specially when having many entries in evaluation.
Development and Disappearance of Wavy Ribs Caused by Azose‐mide in the Mouse Fetus

ABSTRACT Treatment of gravid mice (day 13 of gestation) with azosemide induces wavy ribs in their fetuses. The present study examined the morphological sequence of azosemide‐induced wavy ribs, from their appearance through disappearance, by means of cartilage‐bone double stain, hematoxylin and eosin stain, von Kóssa's stain for calcium salts and alkaline phosphatase stain. Both endochondral and intramembranous ossifications of the ribs were inhibited in day 14 azosemide‐treated fetuses. A curvature of the ribs occurred on day 15 of gestation, and excessive uncalcified osteoid was present on the outer surfaces of the bent region. In the region of curvature, endochondral and intramembranous ossification, which is remarkable in normal, was not observed. Calcification, which began on day 14 in untreated fetuses, started including the bent region on day 16 of gestation. However, ribs in azosemide‐treated fetuses exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity like in the control, during days 14–16 of gestation. These observations suggest that the defective ossification in azosemide‐treated fetuses is caused by inhibition of calcium salts deposition on the uncalcified osteoid. During the lactation period, the bend of ribs was gradually normalized, and the bend was disappeared on day 9 postpartum.
Isolation of the MLS-type Flagellar Apparatus from the an-1 mutant of Fern Lygodium japonicum and Its Preliminary Immunological Analysis

The basal apparatuses preserving the multilayered structure (MLS) were isolated from sperm of the an-1 strain of fern Lygodium japonicum by detergent extraction and DNase digestion, followed by Percoll discontinuous density centrifugation. Isolated basal apparatuses retained the spiral shape as that of the intact sperm and was consisted of the broad flagellar root (spline), MLS, crest, basal bodies and electron-dense material embedding the basal bodies (embedding material). In the isolated basal apparatus fine filaments were found between the basal bodies and the spline by electron microscopy. Three monoclonal antibodies (mAb h1c, 1C7 and 13D10) raised against the purified basal apparatuses were used to explore novel proteins in the MLS-type basal apparatus. A 42 kD protein recognized by mAb h1c was localized in the crest by immunogold electron microscopy. mAb 1C7 reacted with a 41 kD protein and 13D10 with a 43 kD in western blotting, though both antibodies uniformly decorated the embedding material by immunoelectron microscopy.
Heme extract from horseradish peroxidase to use as nanomedicine for porphyria

Porphyria is a group of autosomal metabolic disorders which is characterized by genetic defects in heme biosynthesis pathway enzymes. The symptoms of the porphyria occur almost due to excess amount of heme precursors. Heme is a prosthetic group of hemoproteins including hemoglobin and essential enzymes such as peroxidase. It is illustrated that the heme molecule in horseradish peroxidase has a remarkable similarity to the one in human hemoglobin. In this hypothesis, we suggested that heme molecules extracted from horseradish peroxidase as a substitutional plant source, will be effective in heme deficiency disorders such as porphyria. So, heme derivatives could be regarded as a drug in order to regulate the excess heme production. It is also hypothesized that in order to maintain the heme molecules in an intact form and prevent from intestinal degradation, it could be conjugated with nanoparticles such as polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA).
INTEGRATION OF GLOBAL RICE MARKET AFTER THE AGRICULTURAL TRADE LIBERALIZATION

Japan and Korea partially opened its rice market through the Uruguay Round Agreement implemented in 1995, and widened it through tariffication in 1999 and 2014, respectively. To this day, however, they are considered protective markets in the global trade. This is because these countries have implemented several protective measures, such as price and income support programs as well as a diversion program in rice farming. Therefore, an attempt was made in this study to determine if the two aforementioned markets have actually been separated from the global rice market since after the implementation of the UR agreement. In this study, cointegration and causality tests were mainly performed to examine the existence and direction of market integration among rice markets. Especially, the Korean and Japanese rice markets for the periods before and after the implementation of the UR agreement in 1995 were focused on. Three main study results were obtained. First, there is a long-run relationship among global rice prices (prices of Thailand, Arkansas and California in the United States). Second, the Korean and Japanese wholesale rice prices were found to have no longrun relationship with other global rice prices in both periods. Third, it may be expected that the Korean rice market will be temporarily isolated from global market based on the Japanese rice market case. In the long-term perspective, however, the border protection measures will be continuously reduced. Therefore, it may be inevitable for the Korean rice market to compete with the global rice markets.
Clinical outcomes of intraarticular PRP and corticosteroid combination in advanced osteoarthritis

Mehmet Cenk Turgut1, Erhan Okay2, Kutsi Tuncer1,3, Ömer Selim Yıldırım3 1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Erzurum Atatürk University, Erzurum 2Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul Medeniyet University Goztepe Education and Training Hospital, Istanbul 3Anesthesiology Clinical Research Office, Erzurum Ataturk University, Erzurum,Turkey PRP and corticosteroid combination Clinical outcomes of intraarticular PRP and corticosteroid combination in advanced osteoarthritis
Quality Changes of Different Sweet Cherry Cultivars at Various Stages of the Supply Chain

Transportation of sweet cherry fruits to distant markets and further marketing processes often takes approximately 2-3 weeks. The present study investigates the quality changes during this time period at three stages for three sweet cherry cultivars: â€˜Early Burlatâ€™, â€˜Napoleonâ€™, and â€˜0900 Ziraatâ€™. Following pre-cooling, the sweet cherries were placed in modified atmosphere packages and exposed to the following stages for the indicated durations: transportation (T) [8 days at 2 Â°C and 85% relative humidity (RH)]; distribution center (DC) (4 days at 6.5 Â°C and 80% RH), and shelf-life (SL) (2 days at 19 Â°C and 70% RH). Weight losses at the end of the SL stage were 3.11, 3.18, and 2.74%, respectively in â€˜Early Burlatâ€™, â€˜Napoleonâ€™ and â€˜0900 Ziraatâ€™. Fruit firmness decreased after SL as compared to that at other stages and was more remarkable in â€˜0900 Ziraatâ€™. Decreased Chroma values which indicates, the intensity or color saturation were observed in all cultivars, whereas decreased hue angle values colours expressed in degrees were observed in the â€˜Early Burlatâ€™ and â€˜0900 Ziraatâ€™. In addition, a decrease was noted in the titratable acidity of all cultivars at the end of SL. The total soluble solids, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activities were similar for all cultivars at all stages. The visual appearance scores of â€˜Early Burlatâ€™ cherries decreased at the end of SL, because of development of pitting on the fruit surface. The fruit quality changes were limited at T and DC stages; however, these changes became more distinctive during the SL period. It was thus concluded that the SL duration and conditions were of the highest significance with regard to maintenance of the sweet cherry fruit quality.
Porta-enxertos para a produção de mudas de cajueiro

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar clones de cajueiro como porta‑enxertos para quatro genotipos‑copa. Foram avaliados como porta‑enxertos os clones CCP 06, CCP 09, CCP 76, CCP 1001, Embrapa 50, Embrapa 51, BRS 189, BRS 226, BRS 253, BRS 265, BRS 274 e BRS 275 e, como copas, os clones CCP 76, BRS 189, BRS 226 e BRS 274. Aos 60 dias apos a semeadura, os porta‑enxertos foram avaliados quanto as caracteristicas biometricas e quanto as taxas de germinacao e de aptidao a enxertia. Aos 80 dias apos a enxertia, foram avaliadas as taxas de sucesso da enxertia, a aptidao para o plantio e as caracteristicas biometricas das mudas. Houve correlacao negativa entre massa de semente e taxas de germinacao e de aptidao a enxertia. BRS 226, BRS 253 e BRS 274 apresentaram taxas insatisfatorias de germinacao e de aptidao a enxertia. As maiores taxas de plantas aptas ao plantio, para a copa CCP 76, ocorreram nos porta‑enxertos CCP 06, CCP 76 e CCP 1001; para BRS 189, destacou-se o CCP 06; para BRS 226, destacaram-se CCP 06, Embrapa 50, Embrapa 51, BRS 189 e BRS 265; e, para BRS 274, os porta‑enxertos CCP 06, CCP 76, CCP 1001, Embrapa 50, Embrapa 51 e BRS 189.
Effect of Heat Treatments and Containers on Physiochemical Properties and Microbial Content of Cow Milk

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of heat treatments by water path without cover (A), water path with cover (B), direct flame without cover (C) and direct flame with cover (D) in two containers Steel (S) and Aluminum (M) on chemical, physical and microbial content of cow milk sample. Proximate analysis for milk sample was performed and physicochemical properties (pH, SNF and density), minerals content (P, Ca, Mg, Na and K) and microbiological analysis (Total viable count of bacteria, Total coli forms and E. coli) were examined for heated milk samples. Heating was increased for all the proximate analysis of milk. The results showed that there were significant differences (p≤0.05) between raw milk sample and all heated milk samples in the two types of containers. Method of heat treatment and containers type significantly (p≤ 0.05) increased the SNF and density, but decreased pH. Heating also significantly increased Ca, Mg, Na and K but decreased P. The microbiological content of raw milk was significantly decreased by the four methods of heating in two types of containers. In the sensory evaluation of heated milk samples, the panelists preferred the colour, taste, texture and generally accepted the sample that was heated in aluminum container by direct flame with cover and the odour of sample that heated in steel container by direct flame without cover. The sensory evaluation results showed there were no significant differences (P≤ 0.05) between milk samples heated in the two types of containers.
Seek COVER: Development and validation of a personalized risk calculator for COVID-19 outcomes in an international network

Abstract Importance COVID-19 is causing high mortality worldwide. Developing models to quantify the risk of poor outcomes in infected patients could help develop strategies to shield the most vulnerable during de-confinement. Objective To develop and externally validate COVID-19 Estimated Risk (COVER) scores that quantify a patient's risk of hospital admission (COVER-H), requiring intensive services (COVER-I), or fatality (COVER-F) in the 30-days following COVID-19 diagnosis. Design Multinational, distributed network cohorts. Setting We analyzed a federated network of electronic medical records and administrative claims data from 13 data sources and 6 countries, mapped to a common data model. Participants Model development used a patient population consisting of >2 million patients with a general practice (GP), emergency room (ER), or outpatient (OP) visit with diagnosed influenza or flu-like symptoms any time prior to 2020. The model was validated on patients with a GP, ER, or OP visit in 2020 with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis across four databases from South Korea, Spain and the United States. Outcomes Age, sex, historical conditions, and drug use prior to index date were considered as candidate predictors. Outcomes included i) hospitalization with pneumonia, ii) hospitalization with pneumonia requiring intensive services or death, and iii) death in the 30 days after index date. Results Overall, 43,061 COVID-19 patients were included for model validation, after initial model development and validation using 6,869,127 patients with influenza or flu-like symptoms. We identified 7 predictors (history of cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and kidney disease) which combined with age and sex could discriminate which patients would experience any of our three outcomes. The models achieved high performance in influenza. When transported to COVID-19 cohorts, the AUC ranges were, COVER-H: 0.73-0.81, COVER-I: 0.73-0.91, and COVER-F: 0.82-0.90. Calibration was overall acceptable, with overestimated risk in the most elderly and highest risk strata. Conclusions and relevance A 9-predictor model performs well for COVID-19 patients for predicting hospitalization, intensive services and death. The models could aid in providing reassurance for low risk patients and shield high risk patients from COVID-19 during de-confinement to reduce the virus' impact on morbidity and mortality.
Weed Community Dynamics in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and the Efficacy of Mechanical Cultivation and Competitive Rice Cultivars for Weed Control in Indonesia

ABSTRACT The system of rice intensification (SRI) prescribes the use of young seedlings, planted at reduced densities and managed using reduced irrigation and frequent mechanical weeding, as a means of optimizing rice yields and reducing input costs. Such changes in management practice have been known to result in prominent shifts in weed flora, which if anticipated could help refine future weed control strategies. This study, conducted at four locations in West Java, Indonesia, examines the effects of two complimentary control tactics, mechanical cultivation and competitive rice cultivars, on individual weed species, broader weed classes and entire weed communities. Relative dry weights of individual weed species ranged widely from site-to-site. Differences in dry weight among weed classes were observed, with sedges accumulating greater biomass than either broadleaved weeds or grasses in nonweeded plots across all sites and cultivars. Mechanical cultivation was effective in reducing the dry weight, density, and species number of all weed classes. Effective weed control by mechanical cultivation also resulted in weed communities with lower species richness, greater dominance by fewer species, and hence lower overall diversity. The weed competitive cultivar (Sarinah) more effectively suppressed the dry weight of sedges and grasses than did the control variety (IR64), but had no influence on the dry weight of broadleaved weeds. Despite reducing total weed dry weight by 32%, use of a competitive cultivar had no effect on the density and species number of weed classes or any of the community-scale measures of diversity. Although competitive cultivars may have little effect on the relative abundance of resident weed species from an ecological standpoint, this should not diminish the practical potential such cultivars may have in reducing the number and intensity of weeding operations.