Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ALPINIA SPECIOSA: A GOLD ORNAMENTAL PLANT - A REVIEW

For many centuries, several health disorders have been treated by using plant extracts from medicinal plants. In the last decade, the study of plant extract has attracted attention in curing various challenging diseases. Alpinia speciosa is widely used in the indigenous system of medicine. It is also known as Alpinia zerumbet. Different parts of the plant root, rhizome, seed and flower have medicinal values. The flower of the plant is specifically used as an ornamental plant. The therapeutic action of the plant is due to presence of major chemical constituent flavonoids. The herb is beneficial in treating digestive, spleen, liver and abdominal pains. Many pharmacological activities viz., antiulcer, myorelaxant, antispasmodic, anti inflammatory, anti emetic, antioxidant, and cytoprotective and spasmolytic activity had been reported in different plant extracts. Based on many scientific researches this article is reviewed to reveal the therapeutic aspects of the herb for the beneficial for further research.
Prospecção de genes de interesse biotecnológico : uma abordagem metagenômica

The total number of prokaryotic cells on Earth has been estimated at 4 to 6x10 and only about 1% of microorganisms present in the environment can be cultivated by standard techniques of cultivation and plating. Therefore, it is a huge biological and genetic pool that can be exploited, for the identification and characterization of genes with biotechnological potential. Within this perspective, the metagenomics approach was applied in this work. Functional screening methods were performed aiming to identify new genes related to DNA repair and / or oxidative stress resistance, hydrocarbon degradation and hydrolytic activities (lipase, amylase and protease). Metagenomic libraries were built utilizing DNA extracted from soil samples collected in Joao Câmara RN. The libraries were analyzed functionally using specific substrate containing solid medium (hydrolytic activity), supplemented with H2O2 (DNA repair and / or resistance to oxidative stress) and liquid medium supplemented with light Arabian oil (activity, degradation of hydrocarbons). After confirmation of activity and exclusion of false-positive results, 49 clones were obtained, being 2 positive for amylase activity, 22 resistant to oxidative stress generated by H2O2 and 25 clones active for hydrocarbons degradation. Analysis of the sequences showed hypothetical proteins, dienelactona hydrolase, DNA polymerase, acetyltransferase, phosphotransferase, methyltransferase, endonucleases, among other proteins. The sequence data obtained matched with the functions tested, highlighting the success of metagenomics approaches combined with functional screening methods, leading to very promising results.
Anatomical and histological aspects of the tonsils in sheep

Depuis le premier avril 2002, une directive de l'Union Europeenne contraint la Belgique a tester les chevres et les moutons, en plus des bovins, dans le cadre de la recherche d'encephalopathies spongiformes transmissibles. Chez les petits ruminants, la presence de l'agent de l'encephalopathie spongiforme bovine a ete demontree au niveau des tonsilles (ou amygdales); ces dernieres sont donc consideres comme matieres a risque specifie. Cet article donne un apercu de la localisation anatomique et de la structure histologique des tonsilles chez les petits ruminants. D'un point de vue anatomique, on peut distinguer 6 tonsilles, dont trois se trouvent au niveau de l'oropharynx (tonsille palatine, tonsille linguale, tonsille velaire), deux au niveau du nasopharynx (tonsille pharyngienne et tonsille tubaire) et une au niveau du laryngopharynx (tonsille paraepiglottique). Certaines tonsilles sont pourvues d'un epithelium de recouvrement qui montre de nombreuses invaginations (amygdales cryptiques), alors que d'autres amygdales ne montrent pas ces invaginations (amygdales non cryptiques). Quelques aspects immunologiques des tonsilles sont egalement decrits.
A computational framework for transcriptome assembly and annotation in non-model organisms: the case of venturia inaequalis

In this dissertation three computational approaches are presented that enable optimization of reference-free transcriptome reconstruction. The first addresses the selection of bona fide reconstructed transcribed fragments (transfrags) from de novo transcriptome assemblies and annotation with a multiple domain co-occurrence framework. We showed that selected transfrags are functionally relevant and represented over 94% of the information derived from annotation by transference. The second approach relates to quality score based RNA-seq sub-sampling and the description of a novel sequence similarity-derived metric for quality assessment of de novo transcriptome assemblies. A detail systematic analysis of the side effects induced by quality score based trimming and or filtering on artefact removal and transcriptome quality is describe. Aggressive trimming produced incomplete reconstructed and missing transfrags. This approach was applied in generating an optimal transcriptome assembly for a South African isolate of V. inaequalis. The third approach deals with the computational partitioning of transfrags assembled from RNA-Seq of mixed host and pathogen reads. We used this strategy to correct a publicly available transcriptome assembly for V. inaequalis (Indian isolate). We binned 50% of the latter to Apple transfrags and identified putative immunity transcript models. Comparative transcriptomic analysis between fungi transfrags from the Indian and South African isolates reveal effectors or transcripts that may be expressed in planta upon morphogenic differentiation. These studies have successfully identified V. inaequalis specific transfrags that can facilitate gene discovery. The unique access to an in-house draft genome assembly allowed us to provide preliminary description of genes that are implicated in pathogenesis. Gene prediction with bona fide transfrags produced 11,692 protein-coding genes. We identified two hydrophobin-like genes and six accessory genes of the melanin biosynthetic pathway that are implicated in the invasive action of the appressorium. The cazyome reveals an impressive repertoire of carbohydrate degrading enzymes and carbohydrate-binding modules amongst which are six polysaccharide lyases, and the largest number of carbohydrate esterases (twenty-eight) known in any fungus sequenced to date
The Degree of Financial Literacy as a Deterministic Factor in Investment Decisions: Evidence from Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) of Sri Lanka

Local retail investors at the CSE are not gaining the optimum benefits out of the market whereas, the foreign investors are gaining high profits through trading stocks. In addition, the financial literacy level of Sri Lankans is low compared to other countries. The main target of the researcher is to determine “The Impact of Behavioral Finance on Investment Decision-Making in the Stock Market and the Moderating Role of Financial Literacy: with special reference to local individual investors at the CSE of Sri Lanka”. The findings of the study revealed that a significant relationship exists between behavioral finance and investment decision-making. It was also established that financial literacy moderates the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The qualitative findings resulted in a final thematic analysis which gave rise to additional independent variables and moderating variables which were suggested for future research by the author.
Bovine mastitis, distribution of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the Southern Dairy Basin of Uruguay.

1 Laboratorio Regional Noroeste DILAVE “Miguel C. Rubino”, MGAP CC 57037, CP 60000, Paysandú, Uruguay. 2 Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. 3 Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), EE La Estanzuela, Colonia, Uruguay. 4 Departmento de Ciencias Microbiológicas, Área de Bacteriología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Regional Norte, Salto, Uruguay. 5 Departmento de Salud en los Sistemas Pecuarios, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Uruguay.6 Departmento de Bioestadística, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Regional Norte, Salto, Uruguay. *Autor de correspondencia: mailto:egianneechini@mgap.gub. uy RESUMEN Cincuenta y tres establecimientos lecheros del sur de Uruguay fueron seleccionados para determinar la prevalencia de mastitis subclínicas, la incidencia de mastitis clínica, distribución de los patógenos y su susceptibilidad antimicrobiana. La prevalencia de mastitis subclínica fue determinada en base al recuento de células somáticas en 9.016 muestras de leche obtenidas de 2.254 vacas de acuerdo a un umbral >300.000 células/ mL. La prevalencia media fue de 54,2% animales afectados, siendo Staphylococcus aureus (21,4%) el principal patógeno aislado de muestras positivas. Durante un año fueron registrados SUMMARY A total of 53 farms were selected in Southern dairy region of Uruguay, in order to estimate the prevalence of subclinical mastitis, the incidence of clinical mastitis, distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of mastitis pathogens. The prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis was determined in base on somatic cell counts in quarter’s milk samples and a threshold value of > 300,000 cells/ mL. ; 9,016 milk quarters samples were collected from 2,254 dairy cows and the mean prevalence at herd level was 54.2% of affected cows. The main pathogen isolated from positive samples was Staphylococcus aureus (21.4%). During one
The Distribution of Larval Sea Lampreys, Petromyzon marinus, and Their Nutritional Sources in the Hudson River Basin

Abstract We studied the distribution and food sources of larval Petromyzon marinus (Sea Lamprey) in the Hudson River basin, NY, and found ammocoetes of Sea Lampreys in four tributaries of the Hudson River: 1) Cedar Pond Brook, 2) Catskill Creek, 3) Roeliff Jansen Kill, and 4) Rondout Creek. The largest numbers of Sea Lampreys in the Hudson River basin appears to come from Catskill Creek. Sea Lampreys could increase their range in the Hudson River basin in the near future as barriers to migration are removed. Isotopic analysis demonstrated that Sea Lamprey larvae depended on both terrestrial plant material (i.e., allochthonous) and aquatic primary production (i.e., autochthonous), but that site characteristics influenced the importance of each to nutrition. Larval lampreys from the Kaaterskill Creek depended on allochthonous sources for about half of their nutrition, while those at Cedar Pond Brook obtained only ∼1% of their nutrition from these same sources. Gut contents of larval Sea Lampreys were isotopically distinct from filter-feeding macroinvertebrates, suggesting that they exploit food resources differently.
Théorie des grandes déviations en physique statistique : quelques aspects théoriques et numériques

Cette these s’interesse a differents problemes de grandes deviations en rapport avec la physique statistique, qu’elle aborde sous l’angle theorique aussi bien que numerique. La premiere partie concerne l’etude de grandes deviations en temps long pour les processus de diffusion. Tout d’abord, de nouveaux resultats d’ergodicite sont montres pour les dynamiques de Feynman-Kac, en temps discret et en temps continu. Ceci conduit a de nouveaux resultats fins (au sens de la topologie consideree) sur les grandes deviations de mesures empiriques de processus de diffusion. Divers aspects numeriques sont ensuite abordes. Tout d’abord, des estimees d’erreur precises sont fournies pour les discretisations de processus de Feynman-Kac, la non-linearite de la dynamique demandant le developpement de nouveaux outils. Afin de reduire la variance des estimateurs classiques de grandes deviations, un algorithme adaptatif est ensuite presente, qui utilise les techniques dite d’approximation stochastique. Enfin, nous abordons une probleme numerique concernant les systemes a basse temperature, et presentons une methode pour construire une approximation du controle optimal a partir de la theorie du chemin de reaction. La derniere partie de cette these porte sur un sujet legerement different, celui des gaz de Coulomb, qui apparaissent en physique mais aussi dans la theorie des matrices aleatoires. Nous presentons d’abord une methode efficace pour la simulation de tels gaz, avant de nous tourner vers l’etude des gaz sous contrainte. Pour ceux-ci, nous prouvons de nouveaux resultats de concentration dans la limite d’un grand nombre de particules, sous certaines conditions sur la contrainte. Nous presentons egalement un algorithme de simulation qui confirme les attentes theoriques
The Mostly Male Theory of Flower Evolutionary Origins: from Genes to Fossils

Abstract The two recent theories of flowering plant evolutionary origins—the Anthophyte and Neo-Pseudanthial theories—are based on phylogenies (from morphological data) that show Gnetales as extant sister to angiosperms or as paraphyletic to angiosperms. Gnetales figured prominently in homology assessments and evolutionary scenarios of these theories. Several recent studies, including ours, provide strong evidence that extant gymnosperms are monophyletic, so Gnetales are most closely related to other gymnosperms, not to flowering plants. This removes the basis for both recent theories, leaving earlier theories that relate flowering plants to fossil “seed-fern” gymnosperms as the only active contenders. Our data from the homeotic gene Floricaula/LEAFY imply that the lineage leading to flowering plants originally had two copies of this gene, but that one copy was lost in flowering plants, which suggests a new theory: that developmental control of flower organization derives more from systems active in the male reproductive structures of the gymnosperm ancestor, rather than from the female, with ovules being ectopic in the original flower. This theory was based entirely on data from living plants, but the fossil group Corystospermales has both male and female structures that fit the theory. Corystosperms could include ancestors of the flowering plants. Communicating Editor: Paul Wilson
Effects of dietary phytase supplementation on performance of broilers fed on low phosphorous and low protein barley-based diets.

In the purpose to reducing excretion of nitrogen and phosphorous without the influence of growth performance in broiler chicks, a feeding trial were conducted. Two hundred and forty day-old Ross chicks of both sexes were housed in 40 floor pens and allocated to ten replicates of four iso-caloric corn-barley-soybean based diets. Treatments were based on: two different concentrations of crude protein (CP) and non-phytate P (NPP) with or without phytase (Ronozyme ). Decreasing dietary CP or NPP negatively influenced BW. The adverse effects were not overcome by the addition of phytase. There were no significant differences in FI between C and L diets during 0 to 21 and 43 to 49 days of age. In addition, there were no significant differences in FI between C and LP diets during 43 to 49 days of age. Decreasing dietary CP or NPP had no negative effects on FCR during 0 to 21 days of age. However, phytase supplementation did not improve FCR of birds fed on low protein and low P diets. In general, dietary inclusion of phytase could partially ameliorate the adverse effects of decreasing P on FI or FCR, but not in case of low CP and NPP diets.
The value of migration information for conservation prioritization of sea turtles in the Mediterranean

Aim: Conservation plans often struggle to account for connectivity in spatial prioritization approaches for the protection of migratory species. Protection of such species is challenging because their movements may be uncertain and variable, span vast distances, cross international borders and traverse land and sea habitats. Often we are faced with small samples of information from various sources and the collection of additional data can be costly and time-consuming. Therefore it is important to evaluate what degree of spatial information provides sufficient results for directing management actions. Here we develop and evaluate an approach that incorporates habitat and movement information to advance the conservation of migratory species. We test our approach using information on threatened loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean. Location: The Mediterranean Sea. Methods: We use Marxan, a spatially explicit decision support tool, to select priority conservation areas. Four approaches with increasing amounts of information about the loggerhead sea turtle are compared, ranging from (1) the broad distribution, (2) multiple habitat types that represent foraging, nesting and inter-nesting habitats, (3) mark-recapture movement information to (4) telemetry-derived migration tracks. Results: We find that spatial priorities for sea turtle conservation are sensitive to the information used in the prioritization process. Setting conservation targets for migration tracks altered the location of conservation priorities, indicating that conservation plans designed without such data would miss important sea turtle habitat. We discover that even a small number of tracks make a significant contribution to a spatial conservation plan if those tracks are substantially different. Main conclusions: This study presents a novel approach to improving spatial prioritization for conserving migratory species. We propose that future telemetry studies tailor their efforts towards conservation prioritization needs, meaning that spatially dispersed samples rather than just large numbers should be obtained. This work highlights the valuable information that telemetry research contributes to the conservation of migratory species.
Adipogenic gene expression and regulation pattern in adipose tissues located on mammary, inguinal and renal fat pad of Korean black goat (Capra hircus).

Received: Revised: Accepted: September 29, 2013 May 11, 2014 July 05, 2014 Development of new fat cells appears to be a permanent event throughout the life process of both humans and animals. Though, this process appears to be similar all over the body, but whether their anatomical location keeps them distinct in their genetic makeup is quite uncertain. Therefore, to investigate the difference in the adipogenic gene expression and their regulation pattern at the molecular level, we collected adipose tissues surgically from prepubertal Korean black goat reared in stall fed system and with high fat rich diet. Perirenal fat, inguinal fat and mammary fat pad adipose tissues were collected and cyropreserved in LN2 for mRNA isolation subsequently. Reverse transcriptase PCR revealed significant (P<0.05) down-regulation of adipo Q in mammary fat pad and inguinal fat, but no change was observed in renal fat in the high fat rich diet fed group as compared to the control group. Significant down-regulation in LPL and resistin gene was noticed in parallel in all the tissues in the treatment group. However, PPAR-γ was observed to be significantly down-regulated only in perirenal fat and whereas CEBP-α was down-regulated in both inguinal and perirenal fat in the high fat rich diet fed goats as compared to the control. Down-regulation of specific adipogenic gene clearly shows that optimization of high fat rich diet in dairy goat management is highly essential. This further suggests that adipose tissue participates more directly than previously thought in metabolic activities and energy balance. ©2014 PVJ. All rights reserved
Enhancement of Growth Performance and Bone Mineralization in Market Broilers through Dietary Enzymes

Four research experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary enzyme inclusion (phytase and NSPase) on broiler performance parameters, processing yields, and bone mineralization. In Experiment 1, a 35-day grow out trial was conducted to investigate the effect of three commercially available phytase enzymes on growth performance and bone mineralization in phosphorus deficient corn/soy based diets. Increasing the level of available phosphorus (aP) in the control diets resulted in improved bird performance and bone ash data. The presence of dietary phytase in phosphorus deficient diets resulted in improvements in growth parameters and bone mineralization. Regression analysis confirmed that phytase supplementation can potentially increase the bioavailability of phosphorus in broiler diets up to 0.15 to 0.20 percent, however, the responses varied according to the enzyme used and inclusion level. In Experiment 2, a 42-day grow out trial was conducted to analyze the effects of NSPase inclusion on broiler performance and processing parameters when supplemented in diets with varying protein and energy concentrations. Reduced protein and energy levels reduced bird performance throughout the trial. The inclusion of both NSPase enzymes resulted in improvements in feed conversion throughout the starter and grower periods (day 26 of age). The results from this trial showed that NSPase inclusion can improve broiler performance and processing parameters. In Experiments 3 and 4, a battery trial and a floor trial were conducted to determine the effects of phytase and NSPase enzyme co-administration on growth and bone ash in low phosphorus diets. Increasing the level of available phosphorus resulted in increased bird performance and bone ash. The inclusion of phytase enhanced bird performance and bone mineralization. NSPase inclusion in diets containing low levels of phytase had improvements in bird performance during early stages of growth. The enhanced effects associated with dual administration of phytase and NSPase were not observed in a full grow out trial during later stages of growth. These four experiments indicate that phytase and NSPase enzyme inclusion in broiler diets have the ability to enhance bird performance, processing yield, and bone mineralization.
SHORT COMMUNICATION Occurrence of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

ZHENGWEN LIU*, DONAT P. HADER AND RUBEN SOMMARUGA 1 NANJING INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND LIMNOLOGY, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 73 EAST BEIJING ROAD, NANJING 210008, RESEARCH CENTER OF HYDROBIOLOGY, JINAN UNIVERSITY, GUANGZHOU 510632, CHINA, DEPARTMENT OF ECOPHYSIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF ERLANGEN, STAUDTST. 5, 91058 ERLANGEN, GERMANY AND LABORATORY OF AQUATIC PHOTOBIOLOGY AND PLANKTON ECOLOGY; INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY AND LIMNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK, TECHNIKERSTRASSE 25, 6020 INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA
AVALIAÇÃO QUALITATIVA DA ATUAÇÃO DO COMITÊ DE BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA DO RIO DAS VELHAS

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar de maneira qualitativa a atuação de uma instituição participativa envolvida na gestão de uma bacia hidrográfica: o Comitê de Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio das Velhas, em Minas Gerais. A metodologia, baseada em um trabalho amplamente aceito pelos teóricos da participação social, parte da revisão bibliográfica para a análise dos aspectos citados por Silva (2011). Os resultados dessa avaliação mostram que há vários aspectos positivos relacionados à efetividade desse Comitê, como sua composição paritária, sua importância no processo de outorga da água, sua atuação larga no ciclo de políticas públicas e sua capacidade de articulação. No entanto, persistem entraves a uma maior efetividade, como a ambiguidade na legislação atinente à gestão de águas no Brasil, que abre espaço para a participação social, mas dá primazia ao conhecimento técnico.