bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Whole pearl millet feeding does not impair performance and nutrient digestibility in 28‐day‐old broiler chickens
Authors: Adeleye Oluwafunmilayo Oluwanifemi , Ogunwole Olugbenga Adeniran , Olumide Martha Dupe , Ojediran Tawakalt Temitope 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe effects of varying inclusion levels of whole grain millet in millet–soya bean‐based diets on growth performance, gizzard development, digesta characteristics and nutrient digestion in broiler chicken were investigated. Starter (0–14 days) and grower (15–28 days) broiler chicken diets containing pearl millet at 500 and 540 g/kg diet, respectively, were formulated. The diets comprised of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of millet incorporated as whole grain. One‐day‐old unsexed Arbor Acres Plus chicks (n = 540) were allotted to the experimental diets in a completely randomized design with the diets and water provided ad libitum for 28 days. Each treatment was replicated seven times, and each replicate had 12 chicks. Results showed that daily live weight gain and feed conversion ratio of chickens on the whole millet grain diets compared favourably with chicken on the control in both starter and grower phases, while feed intake reduced quadratically (p < .05) with increased whole grain millet levels in the starter phase. Morphological and structural characteristics of the gizzard and small intestine and intestinal digesta pH and viscosity were also unaffected (p > .05) by whole grain millet inclusion levels. However, the weight of intact millet grain in gizzard increased linearly (p < .001) with whole grain millet inclusion in the diets. Dietary whole grain millet inclusion also consistently lowered (p < .05) jejunal and ileal maltase and sucrase activities, but did not influence (p > .05) pancreatic amylase activity. Ileal crude protein and starch digestibility increased, while ileal energy digestibility decreased significantly (p < .05) with whole grain millet inclusion. Whole grain millet inclusion in broiler starter and grower diets up to 500–540 g/kg did not negatively impact on broiler chicken performance.
Effect of dietary Moringa oleifera leaves on the performance, ileal microbiota and antioxidative status of broiler chickens
Authors: Abu Hafsa Salma H. , Ibrahim Salam A. , Eid Yahya Z. , Hassan Ayman A. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn this study, we investigated the effect of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) supplements on the performance, ileal microbiota carcass traits and biochemical and antioxidant parameters of broiler chickens. MOL was added to starter, grower and finisher diets at four levels (0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 5.0%). A total of 320 one‐day‐old mixed‐sex Cobb‐500 broiler chicks were divided equally into four treatment groups, with 5 replicates of 16 chicks each until 42 days of age. Compared to the control group, chicks fed 0.5% and 1% MOL exhibited a higher final body weight (FBW), greater weight gain (BWG), and better average daily gain (ADG). Feed intake (FI) gradually decreased as the inclusion rate of MOL in the broilers' diet increased to 5%. The best feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and performance index (PI) were observed in broilers that were fed the MOL diet. The percentage of abdominal fat in broilers decreased significantly in response to dietary supplementation with MOL. The haematological profile in the MOL group revealed a lower WBC count and lymphocyte percentage but higher heterophil and H/L ratio without affecting haemoglobin and RBC count. The inclusion of MOL increased total serum protein, Ca and P levels but decreased glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, AST and ALT concentrations. Moreover, dietary MOL increased the activities of GSH, CAT and SOD, GPx and GST while decreasing the TBARS level. The pH value decreased in the ileum of broilers fed the 1% and 5% MOL diet compared to the other treatments. Decreased ileal counts of E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus spp. were observed whereas the total ileal Lactobacillus spp. count increased in broilers fed the MOL diet. In conclusion, the MOL supplement can enhance growth performance and antioxidant status, alter ileal microbiota and protect against enteropathogens with no deleterious effects on the broiler chickens.
Species richness and phylogenetic diversity of different growth forms of angiosperms across a biodiversity hotspot in the horn of Africa
Authors: Zhou Ya‐Dong , Boru Biyansa Hirpo , Wang Sheng‐Wei , Wang Qing‐Feng 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWoody and herbaceous plants are differentially influenced by the environment, with non‐random association with the evolutionary history of these taxa and their traits. In general, woody plants may have climate‐dominated niches, whereas herbaceous plants may have edaphic and microhabitat‐dominated niches. Here, we explored and mapped how the patterns of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and structures of total, woody, and herbaceous plants vary across the geographical regions and with respect to 12 environmental variables across Ethiopia and Eritrea, in the horn of Africa. Our result showed that both richness and phylogenetic diversity had almost the same tendency in total woody and herbaceous plants, in which they showed positive relationships with annual precipitation, precipitation annual range of climate, all the three variables of topography, and total nitrogen and total extractable phosphorus of soil, and negative relations with mean annual temperature. Compared with the total and herbaceous plants, the environmental variables explained greater variance both in the standardized effect size phylogenetic diversity and net relatedness index for woody plants. Our results highlight that, on the large spatial scales, the environmental filtering process has played a greater role in structuring species into local communities for woody plants than for herbaceous plants.
Autophagy‐related protein PfATG18 participates in food vacuole dynamics and autophagy‐like pathway in Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Agrawal Palak , Manjithaya Ravi , Surolia Namita 
Published: December 2019

AbstractPlasmodium falciparum has a limited repertoire of autophagy‐related genes (ATGs), and the functions of various proteins of the autophagy‐like pathway are not fully established in this protozoan parasite. Studies suggest that some of the autophagy proteins are crucial for parasite growth. PfATG18, for example, is essential for parasite replication and has a noncanonical role in apicoplast biogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate the conserved functions of PfATG18 in food vacuole (FV) dynamics and autophagy. Intriguingly, the P. falciparum FV is found to undergo fission and fusion and PfATG18 gets enriched at the interfaces of the newly generated multilobed FV during the process. In addition, expression of PfATG18 is induced upon starvation, both at the mRNA and protein level indicating its participation in the autophagy‐like pathway, which is independent of its role in apicoplast biogenesis. The study also shows that PfATG18 is transported to the FV via the haemoglobin trafficking pathway. Overall, this study establishes the conserved functions of Atg18 in this important apicomplexan.
Variation for heterodimerization and nuclear localization among known and novel oil palm SHELL alleles
Authors: Singh Rajinder , Low Eng‐Ti Leslie , Ooi Leslie Cheng‐Li , Ong‐Abdullah Meilina , Ting Ngoot‐Chin , Nookiah Rajanaidu , Ithnin Maizura , Marjuni Marhalil , Mustaffa Suzana , Yaakub Zulkifli , Amiruddin Mohd Din , Manaf Mohamad Arif Abdul , Chan Kuang‐Lim , Halim Mohd Amin Ab , Sanusi Nik Shazana Nik Mohd , Lakey Nathan , Sachdeva Mohit , Bacher Blaire , Garner Peggy A. , MacDonald Jill D. , Smith Steven W. , Wischmeyer Corey , Budiman Muhammad A. , Beil Melissa , Stroff Clayton , Reed Jerry , Van Brunt Andrew , Berg Howard , Ordway Jared M. , Sambanthamurthi Ravigadevi 
Published: December 2019

Summary

Oil palm breeding involves crossing dura and pisifera palms to produce tenera progeny with greatly improved oil yield. Oil yield is controlled by variant alleles of a type II MADS‐box gene, SHELL, that impact the presence and thickness of the endocarp, or shell, surrounding the fruit kernel.

We identified six novel SHELL alleles in noncommercial African germplasm populations from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. These populations provide extensive diversity to harness genetic, mechanistic and phenotypic variation associated with oil yield in a globally critical crop. We investigated phenotypes in heteroallelic combinations, as well as SHELL heterodimerization and subcellular localization by yeast two‐hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and gene expression analyses.

Four novel SHELL alleles were associated with fruit form phenotype. Candidate heterodimerization partners were identified, and interactions with EgSEP3 and subcellular localization were SHELL allele‐specific.

Our findings reveal allele‐specific mechanisms by which variant SHELL alleles impact yield, as well as speculative insights into the potential role of SHELL in single‐gene oil yield heterosis. Future field trials for combinability and introgression may further optimize yield and improve sustainability.
Fertility‐related interplay between fungal guilds underlies plant richness–productivity relationships in natural grasslands
Authors: Chen Wenqing , Wang Jianyu , Meng Zexin , Xu Ran , Chen Jun , Zhang Yingjun , Hu Tianming 
Published: December 2019

Summary

The plant richness–productivity relationship is a central subject in ecology, yet the mechanisms behind this pattern remain debated. Soil fungi are closely associated with the dynamics of plant communities, however empirical evidence on how fungal communities integrate into the richness–productivity relationships of natural environments is lacking.

We used Illumina high‐throughput sequencing to identify rhizosphere fungal communities across a natural plant richness gradient at two sites with different fertility conditions, and related the subsequent information to plant richness and productivity to elucidate the role of fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of both plant components.

Saprotrophs, mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens interacted differently between the sites, with saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungal abundances being positively correlated at the high‐nutrient site and abundances of mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens being negatively correlated at the low‐nutrient site. The synergistic associations between these fungal guilds with plant richness and productivity operated in concert to promote positive richness–productivity relationships.

Our findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of soil fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of plant richness and productivity, and suggest that future work incorporating soil fungal communities into richness–productivity relationships would advance our mechanistic understanding of their linkages.
Host‐specific competitiveness to form nodules in Rhizobium leguminosarum symbiovar viciae
Authors: Boivin Stéphane , Ait Lahmidi Nassima , Sherlock David , Bonhomme Maxime , Dijon Doriane , Heulin‐Gotty Karine , Le‐Queré Antoine , Pervent Marjorie , Tauzin Marc , Carlsson Georg , Jensen Erik , Journet Etienne‐Pascal , Lopez‐Bellido Raphael , Seidenglanz Marek , Marinkovic Jelena , Colella Stefano , Brunel Brigitte , Young Peter , Lepetit Marc 
Published: December 2019

Summary

Fabeae legumes such as pea and faba bean form symbiotic nodules with a large diversity of soil Rhizobium leguminosarum symbiovar viciae (Rlv) bacteria. However, bacteria competitive to form root nodules (CFN) are generally not the most efficient to fix dinitrogen, resulting in a decrease in legume crop yields. Here, we investigate differential selection by host plants on the diversity of Rlv.

A large collection of Rlv was collected by nodule trapping with pea and faba bean from soils at five European sites. Representative genomes were sequenced. In parallel, diversity and abundance of Rlv were estimated directly in these soils using metabarcoding. The CFN of isolates was measured with both legume hosts. Pea/faba bean CFN were associated to Rlv genomic regions.

Variations of bacterial pea and/or faba bean CFN explained the differential abundance of Rlv genotypes in pea and faba bean nodules. No evidence was found for genetic association between CFN and variations in the core genome, but variations in specific regions of the nod locus, as well as in other plasmid loci, were associated with differences in CFN.

These findings shed light on the genetic control of CFN in Rlv and emphasise the importance of host plants in controlling Rhizobium diversity.
Preventing frailty in older people: An exploration of primary care professionals' experiences
Authors: Obbia Paola , Graham Clair , Duffy F. J. Raymond , Gobbens Robbert J. J. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundAn increasing number of the ageing population worldwide is at risk of becoming frail and incapacitated. This has the potential to impact not only on the well‐being of individuals but also on the sustainability of healthcare systems.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of frailty from the perspective of primary care professionals, including nurses, who work directly with older people within the community.MethodsA qualitative approach with a descriptive phenomenological methodology was used, which focused on exploration of primary care professionals' current experiences of early detection and prevention of the onset of frailty. Four multi‐professional focus groups were held with a total of thirty‐three primary care professionals who worked with older people as part of their daily role. Participants included district nurses, general practitioners, home care workers, physiotherapists and social workers.ResultsProfessional views encompassed typical patterns of ageing, loneliness, presence of comorbidity, disability and end of life, with social conditions prevalent in most frailty they encountered. Three main themes emerged: the psychosocial nature of frailty, late detection of frailty and barriers to the feasibility of prevention. Physical frailty was considered a constituent part of ageing, which recognised the presence of a skills gap related to the detection of the early signs of frailty. Present health and social care systems are not designed to prevent frailty, and the competencies required by health and social care professionals are not usually included as part of their training curricula. This may hinder opportunities to intervene to prevent associated decline in ability of older adults.ConclusionsTo enhance the early assessment of frailty and the planning of preventive multi‐factorial interventions in primary care and community settings, training and effective detection strategies should be incorporated into the role and daily care activities of primary care professionals.Implications for practiceUsing a multidimensional assessment instrument can help primary care professionals to identify older people who are frail or may become frail. In order to be able to carry out this properly strong inter‐professional collaboration is needed. In addition, interventions aimed at preventing frailty or adverse outcomes of frailty should be tailor‐made and thus should meet the needs and wishes of an older person.
Effects of longleaf pine planting density and other factors on stand structure and associated wildlife habitat
Authors: Wheeler Evan A. , Gulsby William D. , Kush John S. , Gitzen Robert A. 
Published: December 2019

The primary objective of many longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration programs is to enhance or restore habitat for wildlife dependent on herbaceous plant communities. Because herbaceous cover is inversely related to canopy cover, restoration programs often place restrictions on longleaf pine planting density. However, the influence of planting density on understory plant communities has been inadequately evaluated. Therefore, we initiated a study to examine the relative influences of planting density and other factors on overall understory composition and forage availability for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in nine longleaf pine stands throughout the Coastal Plain of Alabama during 2017–2018. We found that coverage of herbaceous plants decreased 3.5%, coverage of woody plants decreased 2.4%, and coverage of northern bobwhite forage plants decreased 1.9% for each 1 m2/ha increase in longleaf pine basal area. However, planting density was not a significant predictor of current basal area, nor coverage of any functional group of plants we examined, likely because current longleaf pine density averaged only 46% (range = 30–64%) of seedling planting density. We did not detect an effect of prescribed fire on stand condition or understory plant communities, likely due to variability in fire timing and frequency. Our findings related to planting density were likely a function of low longleaf pine survival, which is not uncommon. Because of this and the inherent variability in growth rates for young longleaf pine stands, restoration programs should consider placing greater emphasis on post‐planting monitoring and management than planting density.
Data jurisdictions and rival regimes of algorithmic regulation
Authors: Johns Fleur , Compton Caroline 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThis article aims to characterize and compare some approaches to regulation manifest in distinct yet intersecting domains of data assemblage and algorithmic development and to explore some implications of their operating in concert. We focus on three such types of domain, each oriented toward different purposes: market jurisdictions, public science jurisdictions, and jurisdictions of humanitarianism. These domains we characterize as data jurisdictions because they tend to propagate distinct normative claims and concerns, and authorize particular types of speech and action, through algorithmic operations and data formatting. In this article, we focus on the intersection of these archetypal data jurisdictions in two related initiatives of the United Nations (UN): Haze Gazer and CycloMon. In the context of these projects, the market domain is represented by their incorporation of Twitter and social media data; the public science domain by their use of NASA Earth Observatory data, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data, and Air Quality Index China (AQICN) air quality data; and the humanitarian domain by their status as UN projects designed to serve the aims and enlarge the capacities of development and humanitarian professionals. We analyze how, and with what ramifications, these domains of algorithmic regulation intersect in Haze Gazer and CycloMon. In so doing, we advance two main arguments. First, we argue that certain normative commitments regarding data, data use, and data users circulate and gain ground through their embeddedness in seemingly benign infrastructures and formats of data handling and representation. Particular (contentious) norms are prioritized, spread, and imbibed as much through day‐to‐day data usage as through explicit argument or endorsement. Second, we argue that blind spots tend to emerge from the intersection of different jurisdictions over, or approaches to, the challenge of responsible algorithmic regulation. The data jurisdictions that we analyze in this article demand quite divergent normative commitments, but the conflicts among these are hard for users to discern in day‐to‐day interactions with the platforms that we describe. We contend that jurisdictional analysis of projects in operation may help data contributors and users take account of, and potentially take a stand on, these important differences.
Relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Berlanga‐Macías Carlos , Álvarez‐Bueno Celia , Martínez‐Hortelano José Alberto , Garrido‐Miguel Miriam , Pozuelo‐Carrascosa Diana P. , Martínez‐Vizcaíno Vicente 
Published: December 2019

BackgroundExclusive breastfeeding has been examined as a determinant factor of cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents; however, previous research has reported certain gaps and controversial conclusions related to the real effect of breastfeeding on cardiorespiratory fitness. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to assess the relationship between breastfeeding, in terms of duration and exclusivity, and cardiorespiratory fitness in schoolchildren and adolescents aged four to 18 years.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched systematically from their inception to December 2019. Observational studies addressing the association between breastfeeding and cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents were included. The random‐effects method was used to estimate the pooled effect sizes and their respective 95% confidence intervals for all exclusive breastfeeding categories and cardiorespiratory fitness. Positive values indicated a direct relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and cardiorespiratory fitness.ResultsEight published articles were included (a total of 16 862 children and adolescents, aged from seven to 15 years). The pooled effect sizes for exclusive breastfeeding categories on cardiorespiratory fitness were as follows: 0.01 (−0.07 to 0.09) for less than 3 months; 0.09 (0.00 to 0.19) for 3‐6 months; 0.07 (−0.01 to 0.16) for less than 6 months; and 0.14 (0.02 to 0.27) for more than 6 months.ConclusionsThe best current evidence indicates that longer exclusive breastfeeding is positively associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness during childhood and adolescence.
MAPK‐like protein 1 positively regulates maize seedling drought sensitivity by suppressing ABA biosynthesis
Authors: Zhu Dan , Chang Ying , Pei Ting , Zhang Xiuyan , Liu Lan , Li Yuan , Zhuang Junhong , Yang Hailian , Qin Feng , Song Chunpeng , Ren Dongtao 
Published: December 2019

SummaryMitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play vital roles in regulating plant growth, development, and stress responses. MAPK‐like (MPKL) proteins are a group of kinases containing the MAPK signature TxY motif and showing sequence similarity to MAPKs. However, the functions of plant MPKL proteins are currently unknown. The maize (Zea mays) genome contains four genes encoding MPKL proteins, here named ZmMPKL1 to ZmMPKL4. In this study, we show that ZmMPKL1 possesses kinase activity and that drought‐induced ZmMPKL1 expression, ZmMPKL1 overexpression and knockout maize seedlings exhibited no visible morphological difference from wild‐type B73 seedlings when grown under normal conditions. By contrast, under drought conditions, ZmMPKL1‐overexpressing seedlings showed increased stomatal aperture, water loss, and leaf wilting and knockout seedlings showed the opposite phenotypes. Moreover, these drought‐sensitive phenotypes in ZmMPKL1‐overexpressing seedlings were restored by exogenous abscisic acid (ABA). ZmMPKL1 overexpression reduced drought‐induced ABA production in seedlings and the knockout showed enhanced ABA production. Drought‐induced transcription of ABA biosynthetic genes were suppressed and ABA catabolic genes were enhanced in ZmMPKL1‐overexpressing seedlings, while their transcription were reversely regulated in knockout seedlings. These results suggest that ZmMPKL1 positively regulates seedlings drought sensitivity by altering the transcription of ABA biosynthetic and catabolic genes, and ABA homeostasis.