Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Low Levels of Dietary Protein on Growth, Protein Utilisation and Body Composition of Broiler Chicks from One to Twenty-Six Days of Age

A trial was conducted to study the effect of lowering dietary crude protein (CP) with optimal amino acids profile on growth and whole body composition of broilers from 1 to 26 days of age. Four isocaloric (Metabolisable energy = 2925 kcal/kg) experimental broiler diets with CP levels of 23 (control), 22, 21 and 20% were formulated. Digestible lysine was maintained at 1.1% of the diet. A total of 1,760 day-old, Hubbard broiler chicks were randomly divided into 16 experimental units of 110 chicks and each diet was offered to 4 experimental units at random. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significantly affected by any of the treatment groups during the experimental period. Whole body composition and protein utilisation of broilers were also unaffected by the reduction in dietary CP content. However, total protein intake was decreased (P<0.001) and protein efficiency ratio was increased (P<0.001) linearly with low CP diets. Economics of different experimental diets fed to birds revealed that maximum economic returns were observed in 20% CP diet. The results suggested that dietary CP level could be reduced to 20% during starter period without any harmful effect on broiler performance when supplemented with critical amino acids.
Maximum Profit Feed Formulation of Broilers: >2. Comparison among Different Nutritional Models

Four economic nutritional models including a constant calorie-nutrient ratio (C-E:P), a variabl e calorie-protein ratio (V-E:Pg), a constant protein-amino acid ratio (DBP) and a variable calorie-protein ratio for the finisher period (V-E:Pd) were compared in terms of relative performance, economic nutrient requirements and profitability based on relative performance expressed as a function of nutrients, relative or real prices of feedstuffs and broilers and maximum profit feed formulation. The relative body weight or feed intake in response to nutrient contents tended to increase or decrease respectively with particular differences for each model. The economic nutrient requirements were different for each model such as 3.139 Mcal/kg for C-E:P, 2.968 Mcal/kg and 20.7% of protein for V-E:Pg model, 22.44% of protein for DBP model, 3.167 Mcal/kg for V-E:Pd and 3.134 Mcal/kg for C-E:P-3.15 model. As the price of broilers or corn increased, the energy or protein content was increased for C-E:P, V-E:Pg and DBP models except the energy level of V-E:Pg model. However, as the Soybean Meal (SBM) or poultry oil price increased, the energy or protein content was reduced for the three models indicated above except the energy level of V-E:Pg model. Energy levels of the V-E:Pd model were kept almost constant as the broiler or ingredient price raised. Under relative price of feedstuffs and broilers the best profits depended on the model used, being more economical when the broiler or corn price increased for the C-E:P or DBP models respectively. The best profitability using real price of broiler, corn or SBM for twelve months came from the C-E:P model followed by the DBP model. From the two models, V-E:Pd and C-E:P-3.15 models, the V-E:Pd model had the best benefit but with a narrow range of growth response and economic conditions. These data suggest that the C-E:P model is the best method of formulation to maximize performance or profitability; however, for some corn price variation the DBP model can be more profitable though the carcass quality can be negatively affected.
Modelling the impact of the regulation of estuarine drift‐netting on the declared rod catch of Atlantic salmon Salmo salarL. in the River Usk

1. A novel method was used to determine if the statutory regulation of drift-netting at the mouth of the River Usk in Wales was associated with a significant improvement in the stock and rod catch of salmon in the river upstream. 2. A linear regression model was constructed, in which the annual rod catch of salmon declared from the Usk between 1977 and 1988 was the dependent variable and the simultaneous annual catch declared from the nearby River Wye was the independent variable. The model was extrapolated to project the annual rod catches of salmon on the Usk, relative to the Wye, between 1989 and 1995. 3. The model accurately projected the actual rod catches declared from the Usk in 1989, 1990 and 1991. However, between 1992 and 1995 the declared catches deviated significantly (P≤ 0.05) from those projected by the model. The upsurge in rod catches declared after 1992 from the Usk, relative to the Wye was concomitant with the regulation of estuarine drift-netting. 4. It was concluded that diminished estuarine exploitation had a beneficial impact on salmon angling success on the Usk. However, the utility of the model was restricted by inconsistencies in the methods used to generate the data, by changes in fishery management policies and by a lack of essential information on the interrelationships between catch, effort, stock and environmental conditions.
Toxicity evaluation of dextran-spermine polycation as a tool for genetherapy in vitro

Cationic polymers are a leading class of nonviral self-assembled nucleic acid delivery systems. Cationic polymers have been shown to condence the DNA so that the entrapped DNA is protected from contact with DNase. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of cationic dextran on the proliferation rate, morphological changes and biosynthetic activities in vitro. Cationic dextran was prepared by means of reductive-amination between oxidized dextran and the natural oligoamine, spermine. Four kinds of biological evaluations including cell proliferation assay, ultrastructural changes of cells using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), acridine orange/Propidium Iodide and cell cycle were studied. Our results clearly indicated that the toxicity of cationic dextran is dose depended and it is not toxic at low concentration and tolerable by the cells, and it can be used as a tool for gene delivery.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MICROBIAL NUMBERS AND DROPLET SIZE IN AERIAL SPRAY APPLICATIONS

Abstract Experiments were designed to determine the actual number of spores and crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) and of nuclear polyhedral virus and entomopoxvirus deposited at ground level per unit area and to determine any change in spore:crystal ration following aerial application in forested plots. The results indicate that: (1) The estimation of B.t. aerial spray deposits by the commonly used agar plate method grossly underestimates the deposit rates of active ingredient. The tracer dye method more accurately estimates deposit rates for both B.t. and entomopathogenic viruses. As a dye 0.1% Erio Acid Red XB is recommended. (2) The relationship between drop size and the number of spores and crystals or virus inclusion bodies/drop is curvilinear. This relationship probably holds true regardless of spray volume rate. All visible spray deposits at ground level contained some active ingredient. (3) With B.t. sprays the sporexrystal ratio emitted from the aircraft is not changed upon target impact.
Systèmes colloïdaux lipidiques pour l’administration par voie orale

La rectocolite hemorragique (RCH) fait partie des Maladies Inflammatoires Chroniques de l’Intestin (MICI) et reste a ce jour incurable. Au-dela de l’administration d’anti-inflammatoires, dont la curcumine (CC) en presente les effets, une des voies a explorer est la reparation de la muqueuse intestinale par un apport exogene de phosphatidylcholine (PC) et de lysophophatidylcholine, deficitaires a plus de 70% chez les patients atteints de RCH. Pour repondre a cette problematique, nous nous sommes interesses a la conception de systemes lipidiques pour la voie orale permettant le transport simultane de CC et de PC. Nous avons explore dans un premier temps la nature des interactions mises en jeu entre les deux principes actifs au sein de deux systemes membranaires modeles, les bicouches liposomales et les monocouches (ou films de Langmuir). Il en ressort que l’equilibre ceto/enolique de la curcumine et donc l’interaction avec la PC soit influencee par la concentration et le confinement. D’autre part, l’ajout d’un ceride, le palmitate de cetyle, complexant la curcumine favoriserait, pour certaines compositions, la miscibilite avec la PC tout en rigidifiant le melange ainsi obtenu. Sur la base de ces resultats, nous avons realise des suspensions de particules solides lipidiques, tout en variant la methodologie de formulation, diffusion-evaporation de solvant vs double emulsion et la nature du stabilisant, emulsifiants vs nanoparticules. La suspension obtenue par double emulsion s’avere etre la plus efficace en termes d’encapsulation, de protection en milieu gastrique simule et de liberation prolongee des principes actifs dans un milieu intestinal simule. Enfin, la capacite des nanoparticules solides a stabiliser l’interface solide/liquide des SLN, semblable a l’effet de Pickering, a aussi ete demontree. L’ensemble de cette etude est une preuve de concept quant au potentiel des suspensions de nanoparticules lipidiques solides pour l’administration orale de curcumine et de phosphatidylcholine exogene.
Assessing effects of forecasted climate change on the diversity and distribution of European higher plants for 2050

The rapidly increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases may lead to significant changes in regional and seasonal climate patterns. Such changes can strongly influence the diversity and distribution of species and, therefore, affect ecosystems and biodiversity. To assess these changes we developed a model, called euromove. The model uses climate data from 1990 to 2050 as compiled from the image 2 model, and determines climate envelopes for about 1400 plant species by multiple logistic regression analysis. The climate envelopes were applied to the projected climate to obtain predictions about plant diversity and distributions by 2050. For each European grid cell, euromove calculates which species would still occur in forecasted future climate conditions and which not. The results show major changes in biodiversity by 2050. On average, 32% of the European plant species that were present in a cell in 1990 would disappear from that cell. The area, in which 32% or more of the 1990 species will disappear, takes up 44% of the modelled European area. Individual responses of the plant species to the forecasted climate change were diverse. In reviewing possible future trends, we found that plant species, in general, would find their current climate envelopes further northeast by 2050, shifting ranges that were comparable with those ranges in other studies.
Effects of feeding varying amounts of a grain/forage diet during late gestation and lactation on the performance of Matebele goats

Individually-penned Matebele does were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments during gestation (0·66, 0·50 and 0·33 MJ ME/kg metabolic weight) and subsequently offered either 0·95 or 0·6 MJ ME/kg metabolic weight during lactation in Gwanda, south west of Zimbabwe, in 1990. The diets offered consisted of veld and lucerne hay and maize grain in proportions of 0·56, 0·24 and 0·2, respectively. Reducing the amount of energy consumed from 0·58 to 0·26 MJ ME/kg metabolic weight in the last 7 weeks of gestation resulted in does suffering a net loss in body weight (−2 kg) and body condition score, although it had no significant effect on the birth weight of single kids. Reducing feeding in the first 15 weeks of lactation from 0·95 to 0·59 MJ ME/kg metabolic body weight only had minor effects upon liveweight and body condition score change of the does and had no effect on the growth of kids. Amount of feed offered in lactation had a positive effect upon milk yield and there was a trend for yields to increase proportionally to pre-partum dietary intake. Diet had no effect upon milk composition. It was concluded that the benefits of supplementary feeding are small and may not justify the extra costs entailed in smallholder systems.
Optimization of Solvent Extraction and Direct Transmethylation Methods for the Analysis of Egg Yolk Lipids

The composition of egg yolk lipids differs greatly from most other food lipids, as it combines high contents of triglycerides and phospholipids, as well as a high proportion of cholesterol. The lipids are organized in lipoproteins and are dispersed in aqueous phase. Classical extraction methods using chloroform and methanol have not been optimized for such a matrix, therefore quantitative extraction yields of egg lipids can be inaccurate. In this study, the original method of Bligh and Dyer is evaluated and adapted for egg lipids. Furthermore, a direct extraction/derivatization method is presented. Solvent extraction resulted in a lipid yield of 31.8 ± 0.89% and total fatty acid yield was 257 ± 2 mg/g yolk whereas the direct method yielded 250 ± 7 mg/g yolk. Gas chromatographic analyses confirmed that lipid recovery was complete for triglycerides and phospholipids as well.
Honey, milk and antibiotics

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has made many microorganisms develop resistance to them. This has created immense clinical problems in the treatment of infectious diseases. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative antimicrobial agents for the treatment of infectious diseases. Non-antibiotic approaches to the treatment and prevention of infection includes the application of honey and milk. Milk naturally contains an array of bioactivities due to lysozyme, lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, growth factors, and hormones, which are secreted in their active form by the mammary gland. The combination of milk and honey may prove to be important source of nutrition and for protection against microbial infection. In this review article we discuss the importance of honey, milk and their combination in providing protection from infection.
Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis, spermatozoa and the tegument in Atriaster sp. (Platyhelminthes, Monogenea, Polyopisthocotylea, Microcotylidae)

Atriaster (Atriaster) sp. , a gill parasite in the fish Diplodus cervinus caught near Dakar, Senegal, was studied by transmission electron microscopy. Spermiogenesis is similar to the general scheme in the Cercomeridae and particularly the polyopisthocotylean monogeneans, but shows two remarkable characteristics: (a) the zone of differentiation for each spermatid is separated from the common spermatid cytoplasmic mass by a region without longitudinal microtubules but with many mitochondria, herein termed the pre‐zone of differentiation; (b) transverse sections of nuclei in late spermatids are polygonal with concave sides. These two characteristics are provisionally interpreted as autapomorphies, since observations in other species are lacking. The outer layer of the tegument is similar to that of other polyopisthocotylean monogeneans, and has microvilli and three kinds of cytoplasmic inclusions: granules with fibrous contents, granules with homogeneous contents, and elongate electron‐dense bodies.
Concentration of amino acids in wine after the end of fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

Both quantitative and qualitative differences in the utilization and release of assimilable nitrogen by two wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (cerevisiae and capensis) under different conditions of oxygen were observed. These differences were influenced by the presence of oxygen at the beginning of the fermentation, and by the strain of S cerevisiae. The release of some amino acids post-fermentation may be the result of reoxidation of NAD(P)H in order to maintain a normal redox balance. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components in feedlot native goats in the Brazilian semiarid region

The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components in Brazilian semi-arid native goats of different genotypes in feedlot system. It was used 30 non-castrated Azul, Grauna and Moxoto goats with average initial weight of 15.93 ± 2.4, distributed in a completely randomized design with 3 genotypes and 10 replicates. The experimental diet used had a roughage:concentrate ratio of 47:53. There was a significant effect for weight gain and subcutaneous fat thickness according to genotype. Retail cut yields did not differ among the studied breeds. The percentage of non-carcass components in relation to live weight and empty body weight were not different among genotypes. Grauna and Azul genotypes showed daily gain greater than Moxoto genotype. The subcutaneous fat thickness presented by Azul and Moxoto genotypes was greater than that of Grauna genotype. All genotypes have good quantitative and morphometric carcass traits in addition to satisfactory yields of cut and non-carcass components, but for subcutaneous fat thickness (carcass finishing), Azul and Moxoto genotypes stand out.
Movement and size stucture in a poulation of the blue starfish Linckia laevigata (L.) at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef

On a patch reef surrounded by sand, the movements of L. laevigata conformed to Underwood's random walkmodel in most respects except that animals navigated unidirectional paths across the reef. At the edge of the reef, animals either turned back onto the reef or moved away across the sand, and this behaviour was studied in translocation experiments. When released on sand, L. laevigata navigated randomly distributed unidirectional paths. at speeds 10-20 times faster than on the reef. In this way, animals could migrate between patch reefs inhabited by L. laevigata of different sizes. Larger animals usually lived in deep water (≥ 10 m), but significant size differences were also found between adjacent patch reefs and were tentatively ascribed to variations in availability of food. Mean arm length of 26 animals starved in an aquarium for 1 week decreased from 115.4 to 108.5 mm, indicating that body size may change when L. laevigata migrates between patch reefs.
Ascorbic Acid Oxidase Activity in Apple Buds: Relation to Thidiazuron- induced Lateral Budbreak

The activity of ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO) was studied in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) buds during dormancy and thidiazuron-induced budbreak. In dor- mant buds, activity of AAO was low compared with buds that were treated with thidiazuron and had resumed growth. An increase in AAO activity began at the time of metabolic transition from dormancy to budbreak. The highest level of activity was reached 10 days after thidiazuron induction during the expansion growth phase. In vitro AAO activity of apple bud extract was increased by addition of Cu (CuSO 4) and inhibited by Cu-chelating agents, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), sodium azide (NaN 3), and 8-hydroxyquinoiine (8-OH-Q). In vivo treatment of apple buds with Cu-chelating agents inhibited AAO activity and bud growth but not budbreak. Chemical name used: N- phenyl -N' -1,2,3-thidiazol-5-ylurea (thidiazuron).
Real-time prediction system for migration of rice planthoppers Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) and Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) (Homoptera : Delphacidae)

The white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera, and the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, are pests of rice and migrate from south China to Japan in the rainy season of early summer. In order to achieve high-precision migration prediction, a real-time prediction system was developed. In this system, the latest meteorological data are supplied online to an advanced numerical weather prediction model, MM5. The model forecasts three-dimensional atmospheric fields at one-hour intervals. In these fields, a planthopper migration simulation model, GEARN, calculates movement of a number of modeled planthoppers and predicts their relative aerial density at three-hour intervals. The results are converted to maps and become available on the Internet. The maps of relative aerial density provide information about the timing and area of migrations over the next two days. During the main migration season in June and July 2003, the system achieved a prediction quality that was comparable to that of rainfall forecasts by the Japanese Meteorological Agency.
Genetic management of small populations: A review

Abstract The genetic management of small population is reviewed with the main objective of making the endangered breeds profitable, addressing the genetic improvement aspect. The discussed methods are: optimum contribution selection; maximum avoidance of inbreeding and factorial matings, making use of the genetics of other, related breeds, integrating life and cryoconservation schemes; rotational breeding scheme; and the introduction of novel traits from conserved populations into commercial breeding populations. The use of dense marker genotyping reduces the necessity of pedigree recording, which is problematic in many conservation schemes. For the choice of breeds in across breed conservation schemes, the following selection criteria were considered: (i) Weitzman's diversity; (ii) gene diversity/expected heterozygosity; (iii) maximum total genetic variance; and (iv) a criterion that puts five times as much weight on between breed compared to within breed diversity. For several reasons, criterion (iii) was considered the criterion of choice.
A Single Amino Acid of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Capsid Affects Its Replication in the Presence of Cynomolgus Monkey and Human TRIM5αs

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) strains vary widely in their abilities to grow in Old World monkey (OWM) cells such as those of cynomolgus monkeys (CM). We evaluated eight HIV-2 isolates for their sensitivities to CM TRIM5α, an anti-HIV factor in OWM cells. We found that different HIV-2 isolates showed differences in their sensitivities to CM TRIM5α. Sequence analysis showed that TRIM5α-sensitive viruses had proline at the 120th position of the capsid protein (CA), whereas TRIM5α-resistant viruses had either alanine or glutamine. Mutagenesis studies indicated that the single amino acid at the 120th position indeed affected the sensitivity of the virus to CM TRIM5α.
Do the Female Sea Turtles Benefit from Multiple Paternity? A Review of the Frequencies of Multiple Paternity Across Sea Turtle Rookeries

Sea turtles are promiscuous breeders. Since it is very difficult to observe individuals of a marine species while mating and usually impossible to determine the successful mating, molecular studies provide a tool to make an inference about mating system of this species. Recent molecular studies on sea turtle mating systems have demonstrated that polyandry is much more common than polygyny in sea turtles. It is well known that multiple paternity (MP) is evident in all sea turtle populations with polyandrous mating system. Determination of frequency of MP is of great importance for understanding of mating system and population structure of endangered populations and contributes to the conservation efforts. The frequency of MP shows great inter- and intra-specific variability. But why does this frequency vary greatly within and among species? Why does a female sea turtle mate multiple times within a season? Do the females benefit from MP? To elucidate these questions, here I review the frequency of MP for sea turtles nesting around the world. Based on data for several rookeries throughout the world, there were significant differences in the frequency of MP among species (p 0.05). However, there was a moderate positive correlation between the frequency of MP and hatching success (defined as the rate of hatchlings emerging successfully from the eggs) (r2 = 0.45, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that MP, contrary to common belief, does not work in favour of larger females and does not result in increased clutch size, but hatching success increases with the increasing frequency of MP. It can be concluded from these evaluations that MP in sea turtle may have at least some benefits: increased genetic diversity and heightened offspring viability and variability.