Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Litter Moisture and Footpad Dermatitis as Affected by Diets Formulated on an All-Vegetable Basis or Having the Inclusion of Poultry By-Product

SUMMARY Chicken feet (paws) are valuable products in the Asian market. Foot dermatitis, mostly caused by litter condition, can affect the foot skin tissue leading to downgrades and reduced market value. In this study, a diet having animal by-products was compared with 2 all-vegetable diets formulated with corn, soybean meal, and toasted soybean with or without corn gluten meal. A total of 1,200 birds were placed in 24 pens with new pine shavings as litter. Each treatment had 8 replications. Birds were fed the experimental diets up to 40 d of age. Starting at 21 d of age, 10 birds per replication were labeled and submitted to weekly evaluations of foot dermatitis. Litter samples were also collected weekly to determine percentage of moisture. In general, litter moisture and incidence and severity of foot dermatitis increased as broilers aged. Inclusion of corn gluten meal consistently reduced the incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis, which occurred in parallel with the reduction in litter moisture. Litter moisture from birds fed a diet with the inclusion of poultry by-product was similar to that obtained with corn gluten meal; however, benefits from reductions in foot dermatitis were not seen. It is concluded that feed formulation can affect litter moisture and the incidence and severity of foot dermatitis. Birds fed all-vegetable diets based exclusively on corn and soybean meal have an increased potential to develop footpad dermatitis as well as to produce excreta with greater percentages of moisture when compared with those fed diets with inclusions of poultry by-product or corn gluten meal.
Timing of growth reductions in black spruce stem and branches during the 1970s spruce budworm outbreak11This article is one of a selection of papers from the 7th International Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests.

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)) defoliation is known to regularly produce radial growth decrease in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. ) in the boreal forest of Quebec. Some studies have already shown that the first year of defoliation does not induce growth losses in the stem but could occur in other tree parts. We therefore examined the timing and duration of the growth reduction caused by the last outbreak in black spruce by also considering the branches. More than 79% of branches and 65% of stems exhibited a >40% growth decrease.The reduction was first registered in the upper part of the stem before being detected lower in the stem in 87% of the trees. Probabilities of growth reduction in the upper part of the stem were highest in 1976 and 1977. In the lower stem, the probabilities were highest in 1978. An interesting finding was that in 69% of the studied stands, the probability of growth reduction started earlier (1–2 years) in the branches than in the .
Role of Nucleotide Excision Repair or Base Excision Repair in Movement of Various n-Alkylated Bases, Investigated by the Comet Assay

2014 Although nucleotide excision repair (NER) removes bulky adducts upon exposure to various chemicals, base excision repair (BER) removes altered bases that cause rela-tively minor disturbances to the helical DNA structure. We have shown that the action of BER can be distinguished from that of NER by the enhancement of a comet-positive response by 2 ? ,3 ? -dideoxythymidine (ddT). Furthermore, in this study, the action of NER is shown to be distinguish-able from that of BER by the reduction of a comet-positive response by a -amanitin (AMN). To study how bulky alkylated bases can be removed by NER or BER, we studied the reduction of a comet-positive response by AMN and its enhancement by ddT forn-alkyl methanesulfonates having an n-alkyl group with 1–7 carbons. For this pur-pose, n-alkyl methanesulfonates having an n-alkyl group with 3–7 carbons (n-propyl methanesulfonate, n-butyl methanesulfonate, n-pentyl methanesulfonate, n-hexyl methanesulfonate, and heptyl methanesulfonate) were synthesized. AMN reduced the comet-positive response forn-alkyl methanesulfonates having ann-alkyl group with ≧ 4 carbons and ddT enhanced it for n-alkyl methanesulfonates having an n-alkyl group with ≦ 5 carbons. There-fore, it is considered that NER acts to remove bases alkylated by n-alkyl groups with ≧ 4 carbons, BER acts to remove bases alkylated by n-alkyl groups with ≦ 5 carbons, and both NER and BER act to remove bases alkylated by n-alkyl groups with 4 and 5
A biometric study of the Arenaria ciliata L. complex (Caryophyllaceae)

morphological characters were recorded for 178 herbarium specimens belonging to the Arenaria ciliata L. complex. Multivariate analysis suggested that they be referred to three species, A. ciliata L. , A. norvegica Gunnerus and A. gothica Fries. A. moehringioides 1. Murr was included as a subspecies of A. gothica. A. gothica subsp. moehringioides (1. Murr) M. B. Wyse lackson & 1. Parnell. comb. novo Plants of A. gothica subsp. gothica from Sweden and Switzerland were found to be morphologically distinct and were treated as varieties i.e. A. gothica subsp. gothica var. gothica for the Swedish plants and A. gothica subsp. gothica var. fugax (Gay ex Gren.) M. B. Wyse lackson & 1. Parnell, comb. novo for the Swiss plants. Four of the five subspecies of A. ciliata recognized by lalas & Suominen (1983) were maintained, as was the variety A. ciliata subsp. ciliata var. hibernica (Ostenf. & O. C. Dahl) G. C. Druce. Multivariate analysis confirmed the inclusion of A. ciliata subsp. bernensis in A. ciliata sensu stricto and not A. gothica subsp. moehringioides as had been previously suggested. A. ciliata subsp. polycarpoides (Rouy & Fouc.) Br. -BI. was seen to intergrade with A. gothica subsp. moehringioides and does not warrant separate status.
Identification and probiotic characteristics of Lactococcus strains from plant materials

Probiotics are viable microorganisms that exhibit beneficial effects on the health of the host when they are ingested. In Asian areas including Japan, various fermented vegetable foods are produced and actively consumed in our meals. In the present study, we isolated lactococci from plant materials (fermented vegetables, silage and plants) and investigated their probiotic activities, such as tolerance to bile and the ability to remove cholesterol. A total of 411 lactic acid bacteria strains were isolated from plant materials. Out of the strains, 27 strains were identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis by phenotypic tests and a PCR-based method. Among them, 12 strains were subjected to further study. All lactococci tested could grow in broth containing 0.3% bile, and removed cholesterol from media during growth. These results showed that the lactococcal strains isolated from plant materials had probiotic activities.
Isolation, screening and identification of lactic acid bacteria from traditional food fermentation processes and culture collections

Abstract This study describes a search for lactic acid bacteria capable of exo‐polysaccharide production or exhibiting antimicrobial or proteolytic activities. About 400 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from traditional fermented foods (sour dough, sausages, table olives, cheese and other dairy products). Together with almost 200 lactic acid bacterial strains obtained from culture collections, these strains were screened for exo‐polysaccharide production, bacteriocin production and proteolytic activity. Thirty strains producing exo‐polysaccharide (EPS) and 8 Lactococcus lactis strains producing a nisin‐like bacteriocin were selected. The proteolytic activities of all strains were determined, using a test based on the degradation of casein. As a result a division was made into 4 groups with increasing proteolytic activities. Among the EPS‐producing strains, 14 were isolated from various olives fermentations, all identified as Lactobacillus paracasei. EPS‐producing strains isolated from Belgian salami wer.
Effects of the metal pollutants cadmium and nickel on soybean seed development

Abstract The chloride salts of Cd or Ni were added to the nutrient solution in which soybean (Glycine max) plants were grown and the response of the plants to these pollutants examined. Both metals markedly reduced plant biomass and seed production. Accumulation was mostly in the roots. Nickel was more mobile than Cd, reaching higher levels in all plant parts, especially seeds. Within the tissues of mature seeds, the highest concentrations of Ni were found in the axis and testa. The highest concentrations of Cd were in the testa and cotyledon, and the lowest in the axis. When expressed on a per seed basis, metal contents of these organs increased with developmental age. Nickel amounts were lower in the pods than the seeds for all growth stages, however there was no significant difference for Cd. Cadmium reduced mature seed mass. This effect was mostly due to decreased yields of lipids, protein and carbohydrates. Although the number of seeds per pod declined as a response to Ni, seed mass was unaffected and there was no apparent effect on storage reserves.
Effects of Single and Split Doses of Cobalt-60 Gamma Rays and 14 MeV Neutrons on Mouse Stem Cell Spermatogonia1

Abstract Hacker-Klom, U. B. , Köhnlein, W. and Göhde, W. Effects of Single and Split Doses of Cobalt-60 Gamma Rays and 14 MeV Neutrons on Mouse Stem Cell Spermatogonia. The long-term effects of ionizing radiation on male gonads may be the result of damage to spermatogonial stem cells. Doses of 10 cGy to 15 Gy 60Co γ rays or 10 cGy to 7 Gy 14 MeV neutrons were given to NMRI mice as single or split doses separated by a 24-h interval. The ratios of haploid spermatids/2c cells and the coefficients of variation of DNA histogram peaks as measures of both the cytocidal and the clastogenic actions of radiation were analyzed by DNA flow cytometry after DAPI staining. The coefficient of variation is not only a statistical examination of the data but is also used here as a measure of residual damage to DNA (i.e. a biological dosimeter). Testicular histology was examined in parallel. At 70 days after irradiation, the relative biological effectiveness for neutrons at 50% survival of spermatogonial stem cells was 3.6 for single doses and 2.8 for split doses. The average coefficient of variation of unirradiated controls of elongated spermatids was doubled when stem cells were irradiated with single doses of approximately 14 Gy 60Co γ rays or 3 Gy neutrons and observed 70 days later. Split doses of 60Co γ rays were more effective than single doses, doubling DNA dispersion at 7 Gy. No fractionation effect was found with neutrons with coefficients of variation.
Impact of Prebloom and Fruit Set Basal Leaf Removal on the Flavonol and Anthocyanin Composition of Tempranillo Grapes

The influence of timing and method of basal defoliation on the profile and content of anthocyanins and flavonols in Tempranillo grapes was investigated. Basal leaf removal was manually and mechanically performed at two phenological stages, prebloom and fruit set. Phenolic composition was determined in grape extracts by HPLC-UV-Vis and 13 anthocyanin and flavonol compounds were identified and quantified. Regardless of the timing and method of defoliation, basal leaf removal led to more ripened fruit in terms of higher soluble solids and reduced acidity and favored the accumulation of flavonols and anthocyanins, which was related to the increase in total leaf area per yield observed in defoliated vines. For anthocyanins, there was a significant relationship between their concentrations and the larger relative skin mass observed in berries of defoliated vines. In general, the enhancement in flavonols and anthocyanins observed in berries from basal-defoliated vines tended to be greater when defoliation was conducted mechanically; yet overall, no evident differences between prebloom and fruit-set defoliation were found.
A 12600 Year Perspective of the Acidification of Lilla Oresjon, Southwest Sweden

The pH history of Lilla Oresjon was studied by using diatom analyses of a 3.5 m long sediment core (700 contiguous 0.5 cm samples). Four pH periods were distinguished; (i) an alkaline period (12600-7800 BP) following deglaciation, (ii) a naturally acidic period (7800-2300 BP) when pH decreased from 6.0 to 5.2, (iii) a period with higher pH (greater than 6) (2300 BP-1900 A.D.), which started at the same time as agriculture expanded, and (iv) the recent acidification period that began with a deterioration phase around 1900 A.D. and developed into an acute acidification phase during the 1960s (pH 4.5). This post-1960 phase has no similarity with any of the previous periods identified.
LIVESTOCK WATER PRODUCTIVITY IN A WATER STRESSED ENVIRONMENT IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA

SUMMARY Agricultural systems of Northern Ethiopia are under pressure from demographic expansion leading to land degradation and increasing water scarcity. Livestock water productivity (LWP) is an important component in improving overall productivity in mixed crop-livestock systems. The objective of the study was to characterize the existing farming system in a typical water stressed environment in the Ethiopian highlands in terms of crop and livestock production and to assess LWP at household level. To this end, the characteristic watershed of Lenche Dima watershed was chosen. An exploratory assessment of LWP variables and potential differences between farmers' wealth classes was conducted based on a survey of 54 sample households and focus group discussions. LWP was determined as the ratio of beneficial outputs over used water. We used market values of livestock products and services to unify the livestock outputs. Water used to produce the livestock outputs was determined based on water consumption to produce the feed. The overall water used per household for livestock production ranged from 3079 ± 2335 (s.d.) m3 per year to 11 975 ± 4080 (s.d.) m3 per year for poor and better-off households, respectively. If fully valued as fuel and fertilizer, manure contributed an overall 34% of the total financial livestock output, followed by draught power (22%), transport (17%) and milk production (16%). LWP ranged from 0.07 to 0.09 US$ m−3 and was not significantly different between farmers' wealth classes. The small differences were an indication that all farmer types had very limited access to potential LWP improvements through increased feed quality and quantity, improved animal husbandry and better veterinary care.
Effect of enzyme and vitamin supplementation on physio-biochemical parameters in broiler chickens

The present research was carried out on broilers to study the effect of oral administration of enzymes and vitamins on growth, haematological parameters and biochemical parameters in the Department of Physiology, Bangladesh Agricultural University for the period of 21 days from 15 th January to 5 th February 2007. A total of 20 broiler birds of 20 day old were divided into four equal groups as A, B, C and D. Group A was maintained as control and was fed only with commercial broiler ration through out the experimental period. Group B was treated with enzymes @ 1 gm per litre of drinking water, group C was treated with vitamins @ 0.5 gm per litre of drinking water and group D was treated with enzymes and vitamins combinedly at the rate of above mentioned dose. Body weight was recorded at 7 days interval up to the end of the 21 days of experimental period and the birds were sacrificed on the final day of experiment to collect blood sample for haematological (TEC, Hb, PCV and ESR) and biochemical study (SGOT and SGPT). Body weight was increased significantly (p < 0.01) in all the treated groups compared with the control group and highest was recorded in group D. TEC, PCV and Hb content increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the treated groups as compared to that of control group but ESR, SGOT and SGPT values decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in all the treated groups as compared to that of control group. The result reveals that use of enzymes and vitamins is an effective way of getting best result in terms of body weight gain and haemato-biochemical profiles in broiler birds.
Analysis of expressed sequence tags derived from a compatible Plasmodiophora brassicae–canola interaction

Abstract The infection of plants by pathogenic microbes and the subsequent establishment of disease involve substantial changes in the biochemistry and physiology of both partners. Analysis of genes that are expressed during these interactions represents a powerful strategy to obtain insights into the molecular events underlying these changes. Clubroot of canola (Brassica napus), caused by the obligate parasite Plasmodiophora brassicae, has considerable economic impact but has not been characterized extensively at the molecular genetic level. Here we have used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis to investigate gene expression during the early stages of colonization of canola roots by P. brassicae. A cDNA library was constructed by SSH which consisted of 797 clones that represented 439 unigenes. Thirty-two of these genes were demonstrated to be of a P. brassicae origin, and of these, 24 had not been previously reported. The remaining 407 genes, which were of a canola origin, were subjected to gene ontology and in silico analyses. Real-time PCR analysis of ten P. brassicae and seven canola genes indicated that seven of the former and five of the latter were upregulated at 7 days after infection, suggesting the importance of these genes in pathogenesis or host resistance.
Haplotype diversity for Sub1QTL associated with submergence tolerance in rice landraces of Sundarban region (West Bengal) of India.

Breeding for enhancement of tolerance to submergence in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the major objective in development of varieties for flood prone, rainfed ecologies. A cluster of three ethylene response factor (ERF) like genes at the Sub1 locus on chromosome 9 are known to confer tolerance to complete submergence for about two weeks. With an objective to identify superior alleles, haplotyping of Sub1 locus in fifty selected rice accessions using a set of gene specific markers for Sub1A and Sub1C genes were conducted. In these accessions, ten haplotype patterns having different combinations of genes were identified. The results of the study revealed that Sub1A is not the only principal determinant for conferring tolerance to submergence, as highly tolerant genotypes like Auspachali and Palbeda, (H9 haplotype) and moderately tolerant ones like Gitanjalipatnai, Lathipatnai, Gopalbhog, Katrangi and Darsal III do not possess the tolerant allele Sub1A of FR13A suggesting that novel genes other than Sub1A, present in these accessions, can also contribute to submergence tolerance in rice. Samal R 1 , Reddy J N 1 , Rao G J N 1, *, Roy P S 1 , Subudhi H N 1 and Pani D R 2
A Multifaceted Approach to the Characterization of an Intergeneric Hybrid Manakin (Pipridae) from Brazil

Abstract A new intergeneric hybrid manakin is characterized using morphological characters and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Many morphological traits suggest the bird is intermediate between Ilicura militaris and Chiroxiphia caudata. Sequences of the maternally inherited mitochondrial ND2 gene demonstrate the female parent to be Chiroxiphia caudata, and the nuclear beta-fibrinogen intron 5 sequences can not eliminate Chiroxiphia and Ilicura as parents. Therefore, DNA sequence data lead to the conclusion that Ilicura is the male parent of this unusual bird. This study is important because it highlights the significance of using multiple character systems in diagnosing unusual bird specimens.
Metabolites, water and mineral exchanges across the rumen wall: mechanisms and regulation

Chez les ruminants, les preestomacs, et plus particulierement le reticulo-rumen, ont une paroi dont les caracteristiques anatomo-histologiques permettent les echanges de differents metabolites, d'eau et de mineraux entre le contenu ruminal et le sang. Le developpement des papilles de la paroi et l'importance de l'irrigation sanguine favorisent cette absorption et sont plus ou moins dependants des apports alimentaires et de la concentration en acides gras volatils produits par le catabolisme microbien des polysaccharides. L'absorption des acides gras volatils et de l'ammoniaque s'effectue essentiellement selon un processus de diffusion passive de leur forme non ionisee a travers les membranes des cellules epitheliales. Pour chacune de ces substances, l'existence d'un systeme de transport pour les formes ionisees est egalement suspectee, mais on ne connait pas l'importance relative de cette voie de passage transmembranaire. Les modifications a court terme de l'absorption de ces deux molecules sont donc en premier lieu determinees par des variations de concentration intraruminales et des variations de pH. D'autres facteurs peuvent egalement intervenir et on sait notamment que l'absorption d'ammoniaque est accrue lorsque la concentration intraruminale en acides gras volatils ou la teneur de CO 2 augmente. Le passage d'uree a travers la paroi s'effectue du sang vers le contenu ruminal en fonction du gradient de concentration. L'uree etant rapidement et totalement hydrolysee dans le rumen, les principaux facteurs susceptibles de faire varier ce flux transepithelial d'uree semblent etre l'uremie et les facteurs agissant sur la surface de contact entre le compartiment sanguin et l'epithelium (CO 2 , acides gras volatils). La concentration ruminale en ammoniaque joue egalement un role dans la regulation du transfert d'uree; son mode d'action n'est cependant pas clairement determine. L'absorption d'eau a travers la paroi du rumen resulte d'un gradient de pression osmotique entre le rumen et le plasma; elle est modifiee, non seulement, par les facteurs qui modifient le debit sanguin au niveau de la paroi, mais egalement par les concentrations en electrolytes. Les mineraux peuvent egalement etre absorbes a travers la paroi du rumen (Mg, Ca, Na, Cl, K, soufre et certains metaux); cette absorption s'effectue par des mecanismes plus ou moins complexes et son intensite est variable selon l'element considere.
Study of Calotropis gigantea R. Br. Extracts on Growthand Survival Dynamics of Selected Pathogenic Microorganisms

The aqueous, methanol and ethanol extracts of Calotropis gigantea leaves, apical buds and flowers were prepared and used to study the effect of Calotropis gigantea extracts on growth & survival dynamics of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicansandXanthomonascampestris. Microbial growth and survival dynamic profiles in the presence of solvent extracts in broth cultures were obtained and in most of the cases the flowers and apical buds ex- tracts have also shown the maximal growth reduction in addition to the leaves, but in some cases growth was rapid and accelerated than the control growth curves. Calotropis gigantea containing active metabolites such as mudarin, antho- cyanins, calactin, calotropin, 18, 20-epoxy-cardenolides, non-protein amino acids, protease inhibitors, constitutive α-amylase inhibitors, lectins etc. may be the ones responsible for the obtained growth and survival dynamics in microbial broth culture. Over all the study has provided the potential of Calotropis gigantea as a source for biopesticides and future antibiotics.