Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental parameters and parasitism in common carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) caught from Oubeira Lake (North-East of Algeria)

This study pertains to biometry and parasitism of t he common carp captured in Lake Oubeira. This invol ved collection of 360 c arp specimens, which were weighed and measured before being dissec ted to harvest the parasites. The size of the carp in Lake Oubeira varied from 11 to 51cm in length, although more than 70% did not exceed 31 cm in length. This fraction of the studied populati on exhibited isometric growth, with a condition factor that did not exceed 1.15. The appli cation of the Von Bertalanffy equation shows that Carps of Lake Oubeira have an asymptotic length of 55.65 cm and a maximum length of 53cm wit h a growth rate of about 0.22 year . The Observation of anatomical morphological characters of 869 parasites collected allowed us to identify a Monogenea ( Dactylogyrus anchoratus) a Crustacea ( Argulus foliaceus), two tapeworms ( Bothriocephalus acheilognathi and the larval form of Ligula intestinalis) and nematode (larvae Contracaecum sp.). The latter is reported for the first time in the general cavity o f C. carpio originating from Oubeira Lake. The Survey of the ev olutionary dynamic of parasitism reveals that Contracaecum sp present throughout the year; and affects over 30% of carp. The Statistical analysis showe d that the distribution of parasites is related to the season and the fish size. The use of principal component a nalysis shows that wate r temperature is correlated positively with the distribution of contracaecum sp, D. anchoratus and A.foliaceus. These pa rasites were more frequents in summer and autumn when water temperature and suspended mat rial present the highest values, in contrary; wate r temperature is correl ated negatively with the distribution of B.acheilognathi and L.intestinalis. It appears from this study that the water temperature has a great i nfluence on distribution of parasites.
Genetic diversity of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus section Nigri , using RAPD and VCG techniques

This study evaluates the genetic diversity of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus section Nigri using RAPD and VCG techniques. Results obtained revealed OPX 07 as the most informative of the tested RAPD markers generating 12 polymorphic bands while the least bands were generated by OPR 19. Of the 40 Aspergillus section Nigri (20 each of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius ), 22 VCGs and 27 RAPD haplotypes were delineated. The two techniques demonstrated similar resolution except in few cases where the RAPD technique further sub divided some VCGs into simpler haplotypes. The average percentage of variable VCG and RAPD reactions were 25 and 50% in that order of sequence while 75 and 50% of the isolates were resolved as same isolates by these techniques respectively. It was also found that the Simpson index of genetic diversity approached one for the isolates from the four geopolitical zones of Ogun State, Nigeria with the mean genetic diversity within isolates (GL) contributing significantly approximately 89% of the total diversity observed within the isolates (F=22.23, p<0.05). The remaining 11% of variation could only be allotted to diversity among isolates (GS). On the whole, the total genetic diversity (HT) was found to be approximately 48%. In conclusion, RAPD markers provided better resolution than the classical VCG typing technique. Keywords ; Genetic Diversity, Ochratoxigenic Aspergillus, RAPD and VCG
Glycogen Concentration in Freeze-Dried Tissues of Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Using Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy to Determine the Relationship Between Concentrations of the Tissues Excised for Histological Sampling and the Remaining Tissues

ABSTRACT To improve the accuracy and reproducibility of the previous near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) model for glycogen in the oyster species Crassostrea virginica, a new model using freeze-dried samples was developed. The NIRS glycogen calibration model was developed using 380 individual oyster samples collected between 2014 and 2016 from several locations in the Chesapeake Bay. Homogenized freeze-dried samples were scanned in the near infrared region between 1,000 and 2,500 nm. In parallel, glycogen concentration (GC), measured as percent dry weight, was determined using laboratory-based methods. The two sets of data allowed us to build a NIRS model based on freeze-dried oyster meats, and the model gave a strong prediction of GC [coefficient of determination for validation (R2val) = 0.96 and residual predictive deviation (RPD) = 5.2]. The second part of the study applied the model to determine GC among 39 diploid and 40 triploid C. virginica and determined the strength of the relationship between the GC of tissues excised for histological sampling to the remaining tissue (corpus) to verify assumptions made throughout the literature. There was an estimated R2 = 0.99 between the GC in the corpus and the tissues of whole oyster meat. Among the samples, two factors, ploidy and size (shell height), had a significant effect on GC.
Urban habitat restoration provides a human health benefit through microbiome rewilding: the Microbiome Rewilding Hypothesis

Restoration aims to return ecosystem services, including the human health benefits of exposure to green space. The loss of such exposure with urbanization and industrialization has arguably contributed to an increase in human immune dysregulation. The Biodiversity and Old Friends hypotheses have described the possible mechanisms of this relationship, and suggest that reduced exposure to diverse, beneficial microorganisms can result in negative health consequences. However, it is unclear whether restoration of biodiverse habitat can reverse this effect, and what role the environmental microbiome might have in such recovery. Here, we propose the Microbiome Rewilding Hypothesis, which specifically outlines that restoring biodiverse habitats in urban green spaces can rewild the environmental microbiome to a state that enhances primary prevention of human disease. We support our hypothesis with examples from allied fields, including a case study of active restoration that reversed the degradation of the soil bacterial microbiome of a former pasture. This case study used high‐throughput amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA to assess the quality of a restoration intervention in restoring the soil bacterial microbiome. The method is rapid, scalable, and standardizable, and has great potential as a monitoring tool to assess functional outcomes of green‐space restoration. Evidence for the Microbiome Rewilding Hypothesis will help motivate health professionals, urban planners, and restoration practitioners to collaborate and achieve co‐benefits. Co‐benefits include improved human health outcomes and investment opportunities for biodiversity conservation and restoration.
Long-term impact of no-till conservation agriculture on abundance and order diversity of soil macrofauna in continuous maize monocropping system

ABSTRACT Unsuitable soil management in agriculture is known to results in the deterioration of soil health and the decline of biodiversity. The experiment tested whether no-tillage with mulch (NT), could boost biological activity of soil macrofauna population in continuous maize monocropping system compared with rotational tillage with mulch (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil macrofauna was sampled at the end of the 2014/2015 growing season using 25 × 25 × 25 cm steel monoliths. The mean density of individual orders was higher (p < 0.001) under NT (46%) and RT (38%) compared with CT (16%). However, the Shannon-Weaver index revealed that the diversity and evenness of orders were similar for all treatments. Macrofauna patterns revealed that NT and RT contained higher (p < 0.001) population of Isoptera and Diplopoda. Isoptera was 51% and 17% higher in NT than CT and RT, while in Diplopoda, NT was 39% and 2% higher than CT and RT, respectively. It was concluded that NT and RT systems favoured the development of macrofauna communities in the studied maize continuous monoculture cropping system but did not favour order diversity of macrofauna. This suggests the importance of crop rotation for the development of the more diverse macrofaunal population.
Efeito in vitro do saquinavir isolado e em combinação com o itraconazol frente a cepas de histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum

PEREIRA, Juliana Fernandes. Efeito in vitro do saquinavir isolado e em combinacao com o itraconazol frente a cepas de histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum. 2012. 96 f. Dissertacao (Mestrado em Ciencias Medicas) - Universidade Federal do Ceara. Faculdade de Medicina, Fortaleza, 2012.
Temephos Resistance and Esterase Activity in Selected Laboratory Population of Culex Pipiens from Tunisia

Selection for resistance to temephos (an organophosphorus insecticide) was performed by exposing larvae of the field-collection population of Culex pipiens to increasing doses of temephos for four generations. Mosquito larval specimens were captured in Northwestern Tunisia and identified using morphological keys. Two insecticides including temephos and propoxur were used evaluating the susceptibility status of the selected population. Bioassays results showed high resistance to temephos and no esterase activity. A new esterase was first detected in one sample among 60 tested. This result will help to elucidate resistance mechanisms, which is essential for the planning of future insecticide resistance management programs. To cite this article [Tabbabi, A. , Lamari, A. , Daaboub, J., Ben Jha, I. , & Ben Cheikh, H. (2017). Temephos resistance and esterase activity in selected laboratory population of Culex pipiens from Tunisia. The Journal of Middle East and North Africa Sciences, 3(4), 14-17]. (P-ISSN 24129763) (e-ISSN 2412-8937). www.jomenas. org. 3
A Hybrid CFD-BEM Analysis of the Aerodynamic Performance of a Cut-Out Hollow Pipe Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blade

This study investigated the performance of a cut-out hollow pipe blade profile in small horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). Although this type of blade was expected to have losses in eff iciency, such blade prof ile can be easily manufactured locally, and could potentially have a lower cost compared to conventional blades with aerofoil prof iles. Numerical simulations using Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) were used to derive the aerodynamic characteristics of the cut-out hollow-pipe sections. The Blade Element Momentum (BEM) method was then used to investigate the performance of the HAWT’s rotor. Numerical results show that cut-out hollow-pipe sections have poor aerodynamic characteristics due to their simple geometry and crude design. BEM demonstrate that rotor with cut-out hollow pipe blades can still extract the kinetic energy of the wind but only at low tip speed ratios. Parametric studies show that the performance can be improved by altering the pitch of the blades and by adding additional blades to the rotor. Keywords: Wind energy, CFD, BEM, blade analysis, wind turbine, pipe blade
Parasitisme gastro-intestinal chez les animaux du parc zoologique de Hann au Sénégal

Fecal samples from 24 animals of eight different species were collected at Hann Zoological Park in Senegal. They were analyzed with the Telemann-Rivas qualitative microscopic method and Mac Master quantitative method. Of all the samples, 66.7% were positive, and each positive animal was infested with at least one helminth egg species, whereas protozoa were present in only four animals. In carnivores, the eggs of parasites such as Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati , and hookworm eggs were the most present, whereas in primates, the eggs of Trichuris sp. and Entamoeba sp. have been identified. This study provides a basis for the establishment of treat­ments in these animals.
Effects of Salt Stress on Plant Growth, Nutrient Partitioning, Chlorophyll Content, Leaf Relative Water Content, Accumulation of Osmolytes and Antioxidant Compounds in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Cultivars

The salinity of soil is among the most important abiotic stresses which limit agricultural productivity worldwide. The effects of salinity on growth, nutrient partitioning, chlorophyll, leaf relative water content, osmolytes accumulation and antioxidant compounds of pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars (‘Granada’, ‘Goliath’ and ‘Nobili’), widely used in Cameroon, were investigated. Plants were subjected to four levels of NaCl (0, 50, 100 and 200 mM) at early seedling growth stage of plant development. Application of NaCl treatment led to a significant increase in total soluble sugars, proline; soluble proteins; total free amino acids content, peroxydase and superoxide dismutase activity and total phenolic content in salt-tolerant ‘Granada’ and ‘Nobili’ compared to salt-sensitive ‘Goliath’ and untreated plants, on the contrary, decreased in root dry weight, shoot dry weight, number of leaves, shoot length, stem diameter, total leaf area, chlorophyll and leaf relative water content in ‘Goliath’ at low salinity level. Flavonoid content, K, Ca and Mg concentrations were significantly reduced with increasing salinity in all cultivars. The highest Na concentrations were detected in the leaves while the lowest were recorded in the roots of ‘Goliath’ at high salinity level. The salt sensitivity of ‘Goliath’ seems to be increased osmotic adjustment through the strongly accumulation of Na in leaves while the salt tolerance of ‘Granada’ was related to its induce of antioxidative enzyme system more efficiently, resulting in higher osmolytes accumulation under salinity. ‘Granada’ was more tolerant and stable in physiological and biochemical traits suggesting that it could be grown in salt-affected soils.
Estudo in vitro do efeito do ácido ascórbico sobre os parâmetros de ureia e creatinina

Objective: In line with this, the present work aimed to analyze the possible in vitro modifications of serum urea and creatinine biochemical parameters in blood serum samples from healthy volunteers after the presence of high L-ascorbic acid concentrations (5, 10 or 40 mg/dL). Methods: Ascorbic acid was added in vitro to the human serum and the biochemical analytes were assayed up to 1 hour after addition. Serum urea levels were determined by urease activity (UV and colorimetric assay) and serum creatinine levels were analyzed by enzymatic creatinine concentration using colorimetric assay and endpoint reaction. Results: Pool serum with vitamin C at 10 and 40 mg/dL significantly increase the values of determination of urea and creatinine when compared to pool serum control. Together, i t is possible to aff irm that vitamin C at concentrations equal or up to 10 mg/dL could promote chemical interactions with components from urea or creatinine detection colorimetric assays, leading to false-positive results. Conclusion: In addition, this study provides important information for clinical analysts to be more careful when performing exam procedures and in releasing reports from patients who have ingested high concentrations of vitamin C.
The functional analysis of NPXY motif in β integrin in vivo.

The Functional Analysis of NPXY Motif in β Integrin in vivo Jeong H. Ahn, M.S. Mentor: Myeongwoo Lee, Ph.D. NPXY (Asn-Pro-X-Tyr) is a conserved tyrosine phosphorylation motif that binds to PTB (phospho-tyrosine binding) domain of other protein. Integrins, a heterodimeric cell surface receptor for extracellular matrix (ECM), include two NPXY motifs in tandem on the cytoplasmic tails of β subunits. I generated a tyrosine to glutamate mutation mimicking constitutive phosphorylation of NPXY in βpat-3 integrin of Caenorhabditis elegans. The transgenic animals displayed disorganized muscle actin and abnormal gonad migration and tail morphology, suggesting that the phosphorylation of tyrosine causes defective phenotypes. In addition, the transgenic animals produced the high number of males, implying that the transgenic animals are similar to him-4/hemicentin alleles and that the lack of him-4 may cause the phosphorylation of NPXY. Genetic analyses revealed that tyrosine to phenylalanine mutations in both positions, βpat3(YYFF), was able to suppress high incidence in male, mating ability, and egg-laying phenotypes of him-4 mutant, suggesting that a function of him-4 is to prevent the phosphorylation of βpat-3 NPXY. Taken together, our data suggest that changes in the ECM regulate the phosphorylation of the integrin NPXY.
Broussonetia papyrifera controls nutrient return to soil to facilitate its invasion in a tropical forest of Ghana

Aims Non-native invasive plants can alter soil chemistry through litter production and decomposition to facilitate their invasion. However, the important roles of these underlying processes in plant invasion remain poorly understood, particularly in tropical forest ecosystems. Here, we compared litter production, quality and decomposition of two invasive species (Broussonetia papyrifera and Cedrela odorata) and two co-occurring native species (Celtis mildbraedii and Funtumia elastica), and soil properties under them to elucidate their roles in the invasion of a tropical forest in Ghana. Methods Leaf litter production rates were determined using 36 mesh traps installed in the study area, while litter quality and soil physicochemical properties were determined using standard protocols. A 6-month decomposition experiment using the litterbag technique was conducted to compare the decomposition rates of the species. Important Findings Litter production varied among the species and over time, with B. papyrifera producing 0.35–4.27 tons ha−1 y−1 from October to January; the other species produced 0.03–1.74 tons ha−1 y−1 over the same period. In the litterbag experiment, B. papyrifera recorded the lowest mass remaining (11–36%), followed by C. odorata (17– 51%), F. elastica (31–55%) and C. mildbraedii (48–62%) in that order. Broussonetia papyrifera had the highest nitrogen (3.91%) and phosphorus (0.24%) but lowest lignin (12.20%) concentrations and the lowest C:N (10.87) ratio, indicating higher litter quality compared to the other species. Soil under B. paprifera was richest in phosphorus and nitrogen compared to the other species. Overall, our results indicate that the production of more nutrient-rich and rapidly decomposing leaf litter by B. papyrifera may constitute an important positive feedback mechanism driving its invasion and impacts in this tropical forest.
Use of flaxseed in poultry feeds to meet the human need for n-3 fatty acids

Health benefits of fatty acids (FA) of the n-3 family have been well documented. The current consumption of n-3 FA by humans is below the recommended intake in Western countries. There are two sources of n-3 FA: α-linolenic acid (18-3 n-3, ALA) from terrestrial sources and long chain 20 and 22 carbon n-3 FA from marine oils. There is an increased interest in developing food products such as eggs and meat enriched with n-3 FA to meet the human requirement. In this context, poultry food lipids are a highly targeted and well-researched food item. Among the different feed sources, flaxseed, owing to its high fat (~40-42%) and ALA (>50%) contents along with other nutritional properties (e.g., metabolisable energy, protein content), is the most common feed ingredient explored for n-3 FA enrichment. This review attempts to bring together the use of flaxseeds in poultry feeds and its role in meeting the human requirements of n-3 FA through n-3 FA enriched foods. The antinutritional factors (ANF) present in flaxseeds and ways to mitigate the negative effects of ANF in poultry feeding are also included.
Communication between the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Peroxisomes in Mammalian Cells

Peroxisomes are important metabolic organelles found in virtually all eukaryotic cells. Since their discovery, peroxisomes have long been seen in close proximity to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The interplay between the two organelles is suggested to be important for peroxisome biogenesis as the ER may serve as a source for both lipids and peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs) for peroxisome growth and maintenance. On the other hand, various lipid molecules are exchanged between them for the biosynthesis of specialized lipids such as bile acids, plasmalogens and cholesterol. However, how proteins and lipids are transported between the two organelles is not yet fully understood. Previously, the peroxisomal biogenesis factor PEX16 was shown to serve as a receptor for PMPs in the ER and also as a mediator of the subsequent transport of these ER-targeted PMPs to peroxisomes. Here, I extended these results by carrying out a comprehensive mutational analysis of PEX16 aimed at gaining insights into the molecular targeting signals responsible for its ER-to-peroxisome trafficking and the domain(s) involved in its PMP recruitment function at the ER. I also showed that the recruitment function of PEX16 is conserved in plants. To gain further mechanistic insight into PEX16 function, the proteins proximal to
Vitamin B3 salvage and NAD\(^+\) metabolism in skeletal muscle

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD\(^+\)) is both an essential redox coenzyme and a substrate for NAD\(^+\)consuming enzymes, such as the sirtuins, which adapt transcriptional programmes to increase energy availability. Skeletal muscle is a major regulator of energy metabolism and its function is impaired with ageing. Uncovering the key routes regulating NAD\(^+\) availability may provide valuable insight into novel aspects of skeletal muscle metabolic health. Data presented here identifies a limited set of enzymes important for skeletal muscle NAD\(^+\) -biosynthesis namely; nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and nicotinamide riboside kinases (NMRK) 1 and 2, which salvage vitamin B3s nicotinamide (NAM) and nicotinamide riboside (NR) to NAD\(^+\). NAMPT was confirmed vital for recycling of NAM, with NAD+ depleted in myotubes following NAMPT inhibition. Single and double NMRK knockout mouse models found NMRK activity nonessential for maintaining basal NAD\(^+\), with activity restricted by NR availability. Exogenous NR delivery enhanced NAD\(^+\) and recovered the effects of NAD+ depletion following NAMPT inhibition. NMRK2 was determined highly muscle-specific; although energy signalling was mostly unperturbed in NMRK2KOs, \(in\) \(vivo\) data indicated impaired metabolic flexibility following high fat diet. While the muscle-specific role of NMRK2 requires further investigation, this thesis identifies NMRK1/2 as important therapeutic targets for enhancing NAD\(^+\) by NR supplementation.
Characterisation of explosive cell lysis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

xv 1 General Introduction . 2 1.1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa . 2 1.2 Biofilms . 2 1.2.1 Biofilms in natural settings . 3 1.2.2 Biofilms in clinical settings . 3 1.2.3 Laboratory models of biofilms . 4 Submerged biofilms . 4 1.2.3.1 Interstitial biofilms . 5 1.2.3.2 Colony biofilms . 7 1.2.3.3 1.3 Biofilms matrix components . 7 1.3.1 Alginate . 7 1.3.2 Psl . 8 1.3.3 Pel . 9 1.3. 4 Extracellular DNA . 10 1.4 Roles of eDNA in P. aeruginosa biofilms . 10 1.5 Mechanisms of eDNA production in bacteria . 13 1.5. 1 Lysis-independent eDNA release . 14 1.5. 2 Autolysin-mediated eDNA release . 14 Enterococcus faecalis . 15 1.5. 2.1 Staphylococcus aureus . 16 1.5. 2.2 Staphylococcus epidermidis . 17 1.5. 2.3 Neisseria meningitidis . 17 1.5. 2.4 1.5. 3 Bacteriophageand prophage-mediated eDNA release . 18 Prophage-mediated lysis in Shewanella oneidensis . 18 1.5. 3.1 Bacteriophage-mediated lysis in Streptococcus pneumoniae . 19 1.5. 3.2 1.6 eDNA release in P. aeruginosa . 20 1.6. 1 Quorum-sensing dependent eDNA release . 20