Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of water infusion of medicinal plants on larvae of Strongyloides papillosus (Nematoda, Strongyloididae)

One of the most common nematodes of ruminants is Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856). Disease caused by these parasites brings economic losses to livestock operations. Therefore it is necessary to control their numbers. The eggs and three larval stages of S. papillosus live in the environment, while the fourth, fifth and mature individuals live in host organisms. Control of these parasites is necessary at all stages of development, including the free-living stage. An experiment on changes in the number strongiloids under the influence of environmental factors was carried out using aqueous extracts of medicinal plants. In the laboratory experiment we researched the effect on the survival of invasive and noninvasive types of S. papillosus larvae of 24 hours exposure at different doses to Artemisia absinthium Linnaeus, 1753, Artemisia annua Linnaeus, 1753, Echinacea purpurea (Linnaeus, 1753) Moench, 1794, Matricaria chamomilla Linnaeus, 1753, Tanacetum vulgare Linnaeus, 1753, Salvia sclarea Linnaeus, 1753, Levisticum officinale W.D. J. Koch, 1824, Petroselinum crispum (Miller, 1768) Nyman ex A.W. Hill, 1925. The death of 50% of S. papillosus invasive larvae was registered at 464 ± 192 mg/l concentration of aqueous extract of S. sclarea inflorescences. The greatest effect up-on the non-invasive larvae was caused by aqueous extracts of inflorescences of S. sclarea, M. chamomilla and seeds of P. crispum : at concentrations of 327 ± 186, 384 ± 155 and 935 ± 218 mg/l, respectively, 50% of non-invasive larvae died. According to the results of the research, we suggest further study of the nematocidal activity of combinations, contained in the aboveground parts, of clary sage ( S. sclarea ), camomile ( M. chamomilla ) and seeds of parsley ( P. crispum ), and also experimental usage of these species in the fodder compound for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs on experimental farms.
Assessing the bibliometric productivity of forest scientists in Italy

Since 2010, the Italian Ministry of University and Research issued new evaluation protocols to select candidates for University professorships and assess the bibliometric productivity of Universities and Research Institutes based on bibliometric indicators, i.e. scientific paper and citation numbers and the h-index. Under this framework, the objective of this study was to quantify the bibliometric productivity of the Italian forest research community during the 2002-2012 period. We examined the following productivity parameters: (i) the bibliometric productivity under the Forestry subject category at the global level; (ii) compared the aggregated bibliometric productivity of Italian forest scientists with scientists from other countries; (iii) analyzed publication and citation temporal trends of Italian forest scientists and their international collaborations; and (iv) characterized productivity distribution among Italian forest scientists at different career levels. Results indicated the following: (i) the UK is the most efficient country based on the ratio between Gross Domestic Spending (GDS) on Research and Development (RD (ii) Italian forest scientist productivity exhibited a significant positive time trend, but was characterized by high inequality across authors; (iii) one-half of the Italian forest scientist publications were written in collaboration with foreign scientists; (iv) a strong relationship exists between bibliometric indicators calculated by WOS and SCOPUS, suggesting these two databases have the same potential to evaluate the forestry research community; and (v) self-citations did not significantly affect the rank of Italian forest scientists.
Localization, Solubilization and Characterization of Plant

Membrane fractions from mature silver beet (Beta vulgaris) deveined leaf and leaf stem homogenates have associated Ca2"-dependent protein kinase. The Ca2"-dependent protein kinase activity is associated with plasma membranes (density 1.14-1.18 grams per cubic centimeter) as determined from copurification on isopycnic centrifugation with plasma membrane markers such as 0-glucan synthetase, eosin-5-maleimidelabeling, and specific naphthylphthalamic acid-binding. The Ca2+-dependent protein kinase is not specifically associated with chloroplasts or mitochondria. The membrane-bound Ca2"-dependent protein kinases were solubilized with 0.8% (volume/volume) Nonidet P40. The solubilized enzymes were extensively purified by a protocol involving binding to diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (Whatman DE-52), Ca2"-dependent binding to phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B, gradient elution from diethylaminoethylSephacel (resolving two distinct Ca2"-dependent protein kinases), and gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 44. These two membrane-derived enzymes have similar molecular weights but differ in protein substrate specificity, in Km values for ATP, and in Ca2"-independent activation by unsaturated fatty acids. The membrane-bound enzymes correspond closely in these properties to two Ca2"-dependent protein kinases present in the soluble phase.
Effect of raspberry ketones and l-carnitine on oxidative stress and body weight in Iraqi obese patients

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two natural products; raspberry ketones (RK) and L-carnitine on oxidative stress parameter and body weight in Iraqi obese patients. Sixty obese women aged 2040 with a BMI ≥ 30 were randomly divided into three groups twenty patients in each; group one received raspberry ketones 500 mg capsule , the second received L-carnitine 1000 mg hard capsule and the third was control without treatment. All patients were informed about Standard diet advice (low calorie diet) the physical activity needed. The treatment course was 12 weeks. For each group, the body weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks; oxidative stress markers (MDA, GSH and 8-isoprostane f2α) were measured at the same manner. The percent of reduction in body weight was highest with L-carnitine group (7.38 %) and lowest with control group (3.79%), although, RK was (5.10%). The effects of the two drugs on changes in oxidative stress parameter were as follows: the RK was most effective in increasing glutathione activity (37.85%) comparing to Lcarnitine (26.15 %) and control group (23.92 %). While the percent of MDA reduction parameter were sorted as RK (56.57 %) more than L-carnitine (43.31 %) and L-carnitine more than control (26.95 %) groups. However, 8-isop f2α was (8.71%) for L-carnitine,(4.32 %) for RK and (2.49%) for control group respectively. Raspberry ketones is the most potent anti oxidant herbal treatment among two groups and can reduce the oxidative stress in obese patients.
Field Experiment on Long-Term Application of Chemical Fertilizers and Farmyard Manure in Floodplain Soil of Bangladesh

Field experiment on long-term application of chemical fertilizers and farmyard manure is ongoing in a floodplain soil of Bangladesh since 1978. The treatments are application of N, NP, NK, NPK, NS, NZn, NSZn, NPKSZn, and N+FYM (cowdung as farmyard manure), along with control (no addition), and have been executed in every cropping. Forty-five times of paddy-rice cropping was done before soil sampling in July 2002. Among chemical properties of soil, the organic matter and total N concentrations, clay mineralogical composition, and the heavy metal concentration were assessed. The organic matter and total N concentrations of surface soil were increased from those in the initial state, although this was ascribed to continuous cropping of paddy-rice rather than the direct effect of chemical fertilizers and farmyard manure. Clay mineralogical change, such as fixation of K in the vermiculite interlayer to be transformed into clay mica, was not detected. Accumulation of heavy metals in soil was not noticed.
Identification of Earliness Per Se Flowering Time Locus in Spring Wheat through a Genome-Wide Association Study

Identification of earliness per se (Eps) flowering time loci in spring wheat are troublesome due to confounding effects of vernalization and photoperiod responses. The Wheat Association Mapping Initiative panel of 287 elite lines was assessed to identify genomic regions associated with Eps and to understand the effects of vernalization and photoperiod treatments in spring wheat. The panel was grown under field conditions with four different treatments: (i) vernalization, where 1-d germinated seeds were kept at 4°C for 6 to 8 wk; (ii) extended photoperiod treatment, from seedling emergence to 10 d after anthesis in the field; (iii) treatments (i) and (ii) in combination; and (iv) a control treatment without either (i) or (ii). The combined vernalization and photoperiod treatments had the greatest effect in advancing the flowering time (4 d). Genome-wide association study in this panel on treatment (iii) detected a locus for Eps in chromosome 1D at 163 to 167 cM. An analysis of the flowering time data on this panel from 19 international environments did not show the presence of Eps in chromosome 1D, indicating the possible masking effect of vernalization and photoperiod genes. This study also validated the diagnostic marker—a transcription factor in the circadian clock input pathway called Triticum aestivum EARLY FLOWERING 3—that is associated with Eps in chromosome 1D and can be used for marker-assisted selection.
Screening Cucumber Plant Introduction Accession Lines for Resistance against Cucumber Strain of Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV)

Cucumber is a popular fruit vegetable widely cultivated in Odukpani and Akamkpa local government areas of Cross River State, Nigeria, supplying the consumption needs of the nearby metropolitan Calabar City dwellers. However, its cultivation is threatened by infection by Papaya ringspot virus watermelon strain (PRSV-W). This study provides the result of screen house evaluation of USDA Plant Introduction (PI) accessions lines of cucumber for resistance to a Nigerian cucumber strain of PRSV-W. The response of the lines showed a spectrum of reactions to the virus strain from the extremely susceptible ones, that could not withstand the virus infection to the immune that were uninfected by the virus. Out of the 187 accession lines screened, 22 immune lines (PI 391570, PI 419010, PI 419017, PI 432873, PI 432877, PI 432878, PI 432895, PI 489752, PI 137845, PI 211979, PI 211984, PI 605924, PI 606010, PI 227207, PI 390253, PI 223437, PI 118279, PI 422200, PI 525152, PI 406473, PI 390952 and PI 357867) were identified. Besides, 17 others (PI 118807, PI 163217, PI 165509, PI 175121, PI 177364, PI 179263, PI 212985, PI 215589, PI 217644, PI 220791, PI 234517, PI 249562, PI 267746, PI 271326, PI 344384, PI 358813 and PI 358814) showed high tolerant and eight others were moderately tolerant to the virus. The remaining 140 PI lines were very susceptible to the virus. The identification of completely immune and highly tolerant PI accession cucumber lines in this study points the availability at the USDA germ plasm collections of potential materials that could be included in breeding programs to develop high resistant varieties of cucumber to PRSV-W.
Comparative responses of dominant and subordinate periphytic diatom species to environmental gradients in Donghu Lake, China

An annual investigation on periphytic diatoms and physicochemical parameters was performed in Donghu Lake, China, to explore a suitable method to differentiate the dominant and subordinate taxa, and how they responded to the change of environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) a combined consideration of species frequency of occurrence and relative abundance for defining the dominant index was more appropriate than using solely relative abundance; (2) the dominant taxa Fragilaria capucina var. vaucheriae (Kutzing) Lange-Bertalot and Melosira varians Agardh responded insensitively to the environmental factors, whereas the subordinate species Fragilaria capucina Desmazieres var. capucina, Nitzschia amphibia Grunow, Achnanthidium exiguum (Grunow) Czarnecki and Melosira italica (Ehrenberg) Kutzing showed the potential to be indicators; F. capucina var. radians (Kutzing) Lange-Bertalot increased along the gradient of higher water temperature (WT) and nutrients concentration, however, Fragilaria bidens Heiberg and Cymbella affinis Kutzing were affected in the opposite direction. Our findings revealed that periphytic diatoms varied seasonally and were useful for assessing water quality of different trophic status. Especially the subordinate species showed the potential to be better indicators than the dominant species in Donghu Lake.
Etude de la fixation du carbone inorganique chez la levure pour la production industrielle de molécules d’intérêt

Ces dernieres annees ont vu un grand developpement des biotechnologies blanches et de l'ingenierie metabolique avec l'objectif de remplacer les procedes de synthese de molecules d’interet de l’industrie chimique classique par des voies de synthese biologique. Dans ce contexte, les reactions anaplerotiques, qui produisent les acides dicarboxyliques, sont particulierement interessantes puisqu'au dela de la production de ces molecules d’interet elles permettent une fixation nette de carbone, reduisant ainsi l’impact environnemental des procedes. Ce travail de these a donc porte sur l'elaboration d'une strategie d'ingenierie metabolique faisant appel a des reactions de fixation de carbone inorganique chez la levure pour la production d'acide malique, une molecule plateforme ayant de nombreuses applications industrielles. La levure Saccharomyces cerevisiae a ete choisie comme hote pour sa commodite d’utilisation dans les procedes industriels et ses nombreux outils genetiques. L'approche developpee repose sur la mise en place d'une voie de production d'acide malique par surexpression de la phosphoneolpyruvate carboxylase d'Escherichia coli (PEPC), de la malate deshydrogenase peroxysomale de S. cerevisiae relocalisee dans le cytosol (MDH) et du transporteur d'acides dicarboxyliques de Schizosaccharomyces pombe. La souche de levure recombinante obtenue a ete caracterisee lors d'essais en fioles, en presence notamment de carbonate de calcium pour assurer un apport de carbone inorganique. Ces essais ont permis de mettre en evidence un effet stimulant de l'apport de carbone inorganique sur la production de malate et d'obtenir des concentrations de malate de l'ordre de 2,5 g/L a partir de 50 g/L de glucose, pour un rendement maximal de 0,046 gramme de malate par gramme de glucose. Des essais en bioreacteur de 5 L en presence d'air ou d'air enrichi a 5% de CO2 ont montre un effet positif de l'apport de carbone inorganique sous forme de dioxyde de carbone sur la production de malate. La concentration maximale de malate obtenue est de 1,46 g/L a partir de 50 g/L de glucose, soit un rendement de 0,029 gramme de malate par gramme de glucose. Des souches intermediaires exprimant la PEPC et la MDH obtenues pour la production de malate ont egalement ete caracterisees pour la production d'ethanol, car elles semblaient presenter une augmentation du rendement de production d'ethanol par effet transhydrogenase par rapport a la souche sauvage. Les essais n'ont cependant pas permis de confirmer cette augmentation de rendement.
Production of Enterotoxin by Yersinia Species Isolated from Milk.

A total of 70 Yersinia strains, comprising 40 Y. enterocolitica , 21 Y. intermedia , 8 Y. frederiksenii , and 1 Y. aldovae , isolated from Northern Ireland milk supplies, were tested for their ability to produce a heat-stable enterotoxin (YeST) when grown in a broth medium (incubated at 25°C for 48 h). Only Y. enterocolitica strains produced detectable levels of YeST. Of these, enterotoxin was detected with 76.9% and 55.5% of strains identified as biotypes 1 and 2, respectively, and YeST was produced by all serotypes tested. Enterotoxin was detected when a single Y. enterocolitica strain was grown at 25°C for 48 h in culture media containing either lactose, butterfat, or milk proteins at levels approximating those found in milk. Also, YeST was detected when this strain was grown in skimmed and full-fat UHT milks. When grown at 4°C for up to 7 d, however, enterotoxin was not detected in any of these media.
Functional analysis of a Drosophila clock gene

The period (per)gene of Drosophila encodes a fundamental part of the circadian clock. The PER protein interacts with other proteins in a negative feedback loop which induces cycling of PER and other clock proteins. These proteins subsequently act as transcriptional regulators of other proteins in the loop. It is assumed therefore that they also act at the transcriptional level to affect the production of downstream genes which then control rhythmic phenotypes such as circadian activity patterns, pupal eclosion and lovesong cycle. The work presented here concentrates on a polymorphic '(Thr-Gly)7 region of per, part of which encodes for a series of threonine-glycine (Thr-Gly) repeats. Clock genes from orders as diverse as mammals, fungi and cyanobacteria have identifiable (Thr-Gly) regions albeit encoding for smaller (Thr-Gly) repeats, therefore the possibility exists that the region has some fundamental importance to clock function. The role o f the the repeat and its interaction with sequences immediately 5' to it, is investigated with D.pseudoobscuralD.melanogaster interspecific chimaeric per transgenes. These molecular manipulations reveal a ‘coevolved’ functional unit which consists of the repeat and the approximately 60 amino add upstream flanking sequence. Using these interspecific chimaeric per genes also allowed the subsequent mapping of species-specific behavioural differences between D.pseudoobscura and D.melanogaster to discrete regions o f the per gene. The role o f the polymorphic (Thr-Gly) repeat in temperature compensation (the process whereby clock function is maintained over a range of temperatures) is investigated with a series of (Thr-Gly) invitro mutated transgenes, and the results suggest a selective explanation for the latitudinal cline in (Thr-Gly) length variations in European populations of D.melanogaster. These (Thr-Gly) variants are also shown to affect the behavioural patterns displayed in light/dark cycles. Finally, novel responses to combined light/dark and temperature cycles in per mutants suggest that per may have pldotropic functions
Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteriafrom Milk and Yoghurts

Nineteen samples of freshly drawn raw milk, pasteurized milk, locally and commercially manufactured yoghurts samples were evaluated for total viable count of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) using selective media under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Yoghurt samples showed higher LAB count ranged from 1.0 × 106 to 5.6 × 107 cfu/mL and 2.2 × 107 to 5.4 × 108 cfu/mL in comparison to milk samples varied from 1.1 × 105 to 7.2 × 106 cfu/mL and 6.1 × 105 to 5.3 × 107 cfu/mL respectively both at aerobic and anaerobic condition. In general, anaerobic LAB growth (6.1 × 105 to 5.4 × 108 cfu/mL) counted higher than the aerobic growth (1.1 × 105 to 5.6 × 107 cfu/ mL). One hundred ninety-one (191) distinct colonies of LAB were isolated and categorized into13 groups on the basis of their colony morphology and microscopic features. These isolated and selected 13 LAB strains were identified on the basis of phenotypic, physiological and biochemical properties. Seven isolates (53.8%) were found to belong to the genus Lactobacillus while the remaining six isolates (46.2%) were under the genus Streptococcus. Identified Lactobacillus species includes L. cellobiosus, L. delbrueckii, L. hilgardii, L. coryniformis subsp. coryniformis, L. salivarius, L. leichmanni and L. plantarum. On the other hand, Streptococcus species were identified as S. faecalis, S. lactis, S. thermophilus, S. faecium, S. sanguis and S. uberis. Individual LAB were characterized for their ability to produce the high quality yoghurt in consideration to color, consistency, amount of curd, whey as well as presence or absence of gas. Considering every aspect, mixture of S. lactis and S. uberis were found to produce the better organoleptic characteristic yoghurt. Isolated LAB were also screened for the top acid producer. Among the identified all isolates, S. uberis produced the highest acid (w/v) 0.18% and L. cellobiosus and L. delbrueckii among Lactobacillus species produced highest quantity 0.15% after 6 hours of incubation period. While after prolong incubation period of 72 hours, S. lactis and S. uberis were the utmost producer of acid (w/v) 0.46% and 0.47% equivalent to 360 mg and 370 mg of lactate respectively. These two species in combination and with other all the species produced 0.50% and 0.60% acid equivalent to 394 mg and 472 mg of lactate respectively.
The effects of constraint-induced movement therapy on early stage upper limb function recovery in patients with subacute stroke

Objective To investigate the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on the function of hemiplegic upper extremity in the early subacute stroke patients.Methods A prospective,single-blinded,randomized controlled study was conducted.Forty-seven stroke patients with hemiplegic upper limb dysfunction were randomly divided into 2 groups:a CIMT group and a control group.The CIMT group received constraintinduced movement therapy and the control group was treated with conventional rehabilitation therapy.Both groups were treated 3 h daily,5 d a week for 2 weeks.The Wolf motor function test (WMFT) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) were used to evaluate upper extremity motor function,and motor activity log (MAL) was used to assess upper extremity ability in activities.WMFT,FMA and MAL were measured before and after 1 day and 6 months of treatment.Results After 1 day of treatment,FMA,WMFT,MAL-AU and MAL-HW were 53.81 ± 2.59,66.68 ± 3.54,1.89 ± 0.88 and 3.26 ± 0.65,respectively,in the CIMT group,and 48.61 ± 4.48,62.10 ± 7.97,1.25 ± 0.64 and 2.65 ± 0.93,respectively,in the control group.After 6 months of treatment,FMA,WMFT,MAL-AU and MAL-HW were 57.53 ±2.01,69.57 ± 3.00,3.00 ±0.82 and 3.84 ±0.69,respectively,in the CIMT group,and 53.30 ± 2.88,66.20 ±3.59,2.20 ± 1.06 and 3.25 ±0.64,respectively,in the control group.The scores of FMA,WMFT,MAL in the CIMT group were all higher than those in the control group at 1 day and 6 months post-treatment,and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Constraint-induced movement therapy can significantly improve the patients' hand function in the early stage of subacute stroke,which maintain up to 6 months of follow-up. Key words: Constraint-induced movement therapy; Stroke; Upper extremity