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Aging is a risk factor for many diseases, and understanding the hallmarks of aging is crucial for developing interventions to promote healthy aging. Despite the conservation of the aging hallmarks across phylogeny, the order in which these hallmarks appear and their relationship to each other remains unclear. To address these questions, we used the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism due to its short lifespan and genetic tractability. The Li lab has developed a high-throughput microfluidics device to trap and monitor individual yeast cells over time. Using cell tracking technology, we quantified tagged proteins and classified different organelle phenotypes to predict lifespan based on cellular characteristics such as protein levels and organelle morphology. Our analysis revealed that the proteasome marker Rpn11p and size scaling is a strong predictor for proteostasis stress and mitochondrial dysfunction hallmarks. We identified slope changes and areas of certain organelles as strong predictors of replicative lifespan with differences in short-lived versus long-lived cells in maintaining a stable scaling ratio. We investigated the relationship between organelle scaling and protein dilution and found certain nuclear proteins to decrease with the increasing nuclear size. Our analysis revealed the proteasome as a regulator of the scaling ratio and influencer of the mitochondrial morphology and activity. We provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying aging and potential targets for interventions to promote healthy aging.

Orchid roots have vital functions for water absorption, nutrient uptake, a place of symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi, adaptation, and survival. The aim of the present study was to investigate root traits in terms of root morphological, anatomical, and mycorrhizal features of a terrestrial orchid, Peristylus goodyeroides in relation to an ecological significance of root traits in survival of seedlings, juveniles, and adults of the orchid. Results showed that some morphological characters (root length and depth), anatomical features (cortical cell size, xylem number and diameter), and mycorrhizal features (peloton size and number) were significantly different between seedlings, juveniles, and adults. In relation to root functional traits, lowest root length, depth, xylem number and diameter, peloton size and number in seedlings can be associated with low capacity in water and nutrient acquisition that might explain low survival of seedlings relative to juveniles and adults. Present study has implication for orchid conservation suggesting high attention in low survival rate of seedlings related to specificity in some of their morphological, anatomical, and mycorrhizal features which can be associated with low capacity in water and nutrient acquisition. It is vital to ensure water availability for seedlings, particularly, during dry seasons to decrease high mortality of seedlings as such high mortality can have adverse impacts on long-term survival of the orchid population.

One of the most significant challenges associated with postharvest apple deterioration is the blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum, which leads to considerable economic losses to apple production industries. Apple fruits are susceptible to mold infection owing to their high nutrient and water content, and current physical control methods can delay but cannot completely inhibit P. expansum growth. Biological control methods present promising alternatives; however, they are not always cost effective and have application restrictions. P. expansum infection not only enhances disease pathogenicity, but also inhibits the expression of host-related defense genes. The implementation of new ways to investigate and control P. expansum are expected with the advent of omics technology. Advances in these techniques, together with molecular biology approaches such as targeted gene deletion and whole genome sequencing, will lead to a better understanding of the P. expansum infectious machinery. Here, we review the progress of research on the blue mold disease caused by P. expansum in apples, including physiological and molecular infection mechanisms, as well as various methods to control this common plant pathogen.

Background Scarce data exist on the impact of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) type on the mobilizing capacity of CD34+ cells, graft cellular composition, and outcome in myeloma (MM) patients. Patients and methods In this prospective multicenter study, 70 patients with MM received filgrastim (FIL) and 20 patients received pegfilgrastim (PEG) as a G-CSF after low-dose cyclophosphamide. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the mobilization of CD34+ cells and cellular composition of blood grafts, hematologic recovery, and survival after auto-SCT according to the G-CSF choice. Results The CD34+ cell yield of the first apheresis was higher in the FIL group (5.3 vs. 4.2 × 106 /kg, p = .025). The better mobilizing capacity was observed in the FIL group especially after bortezomib-based induction based on the higher first apheresis yield of CD34+ cells (7.5 vs. 4.4 × 106 /kg, p = .001). The median CD19+ cell count (1.0 vs. 0.4 × 106 /kg, p = .010) and the number of CD3+ T lymphocytes (43.1 vs. 31.8 × 106 /kg, p = .122) in the infused graft were higher in the patients mobilized with FIL. Both early (day +15) (56 vs. 108 × 109 /L, p = .002) and later platelet recovery at 6 months (191 vs. 226 × 109 /L, p = .026) were faster in the PEG group. Conclusion G-CSF type seems to impact on the mobilization capacity and cellular composition of infused graft and also platelet recovery post-transplant. A randomized study might be warranted to verify the effects of G-CSF choice in the mobilization field.

This study sought to determine the potential role of HBB haplotypes to predict beta-thalassemia in the Malaysian population. A total of 543 archived samples were selected for this study. Five tagging SNPs in the beta-globin gene (HBB; NG_000007.3) were analyzed for SNP-based and haplotype association using SHEsis online software. Single-SNP-based association analysis showed three SNPs have a statistically significant association with beta-thalassemia. When Bonferroni correction was applied, four SNPs were found statistically significant with beta-thalassemia; IVS2-74T>G (padj = 0.047), IVS2-16G>C (padj = 0.017), IVS2-666C>T (padj = 0.017) and 3’UTR + 314G>A (padj = 0.002). However, 3'UTR + 233G>C did not yield a significant association with padj value = 0.076. Further investigation using combined five SNPs for haplotype association analysis revealed three susceptible haplotypes with significant p values of which, haplotypes 1-2-2-1-1 (p = 6.49 × 10−7, OR = 10.371 [3.345–32.148]), 1-2-1-1-1 (p = 0.009, OR = 1.423 [1.095–1.850] and 1-1-1-1-1 (p = 1.39 × 10−4, OR = 10.221 [2.345–44.555]). Three haplotypes showed protective effect with significant p value of which, 2-2-1-1-1 (p = 0.006, OR = 0.668 [0.500–0.893]), 1-1-2-2-1 (p = 0.013, OR = 0.357 [0.153–0.830]) and 1-1-2-1-1 (p = 0.033, OR = 0.745 [0.567–0.977]). This study has identified the potential use of intragenic polymorphic markers in the HBB gene, which were significantly associated with beta-thalassemia. Combining these five SNPs defined a new haplotype model for beta-thalassemia and further evaluation for predicting severity in beta-thalassemia.

Sugars and organic acids are important factors associated with the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables, but respiratory metabolism effects the metabolite contents. The objectives of this study were to explore the affects of Fusarium proliferatum infection on the postharvest quality and respiratory metabolism of green asparagus. It was found that F. proliferatum caused the soluble sugar concentration of asparagus to increase over the first 2 d of storage and then decrease again to become significantly lower than the control at 4 d. The titratable acidity (TA) of infected asparagus also increased from day 2 to day 6 and then decreased to become significantly lower than the control. Similarly, the key enzyme activities of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) increased in pathogen-infected asparagus at the beginning of storage and then decreased to become lower than the control at the end. These findings demonstrate that F. proliferatum caused quality deterioration and an impairment of respiratory metabolism in postharvest asparagus. This research helps to clarify the relationships between pathogen infection, physiological metabolism, and asparagus quality and will provide valuable information for the control of postharvest diseases of asparagus.

Pempek is one of traditional snack food from Palembang which made from fish and very popular in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the combination of barred mackerel fish and pickhandle barracuda fish meat on sensory, chemical and physical properties and to determine the best economic formulation of pempek. This study used the Completely Randomized Design with six level treatments of combination of barred mackerel fish and pickhandle barracuda fish, respectively, 200 g-0 g (P1), 160 g-40 g (P2), 120 g-80 g (P3), 80 g-120 g (P4), 40 g-160 g (P5), and 0 g-200 g (P6). The characteristics of pempek was observed on the sensory (color, aroma, taste, texture and overall acceptance), chemical (moisture and protein content), and physical properties (hardness, cohesiveness, springiness). The result showed that the treatment only has a significant effect on color parameter of sensory properties. The higher amount use of pickhandle barracuda fish significantly reduced the panelist preference on color. The best formulation chosen was the combination of 40 g barred mackerel fish and 160 g pickhandle barracuda with the economic total raw material cost Rp 12.750. This formulation is recommended to produce pempek with best quality and economic cost. Keywords: economic, formulation, pempek, sensory properties

Background: The association between dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is well known. However, our understanding of the regulatory role of miRNAs in the cytogeneticall...

How environmental factors influence population dynamics in long-distance migrants is complicated by the spatiotemporal diversity of the environment the individuals experience during the annual cycle. The effects of weather on several different aspects of life history have been well studied, but a better understanding is needed on how weather affects population dynamics through the different associated traits. We utilise 77 years of data from pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), to identify the most relevant climate signals associated with population growth rate. The strongest signals on population growth were observed from climate during periods when the birds were not present in the focal location. The population decline was associated with increasing precipitation in the African non-breeding quarters in the autumn (near the arrival of migrants) and with increasing winter temperature along the migration route (before migration). The number of fledglings was associated positively with increasing winter temperature in non-breeding area and negatively with increasing winter temperature in Europe. These possible carry-over effects did not arise via timing of breeding or clutch size but the exact mechanism remains to be revealed in future studies. High population density and low fledgling production were the intrinsic factors reducing the breeding population. We conclude that weather during all seasons has the potential to affect the reproductive success or population growth rate of this species. Our results show how weather can influence the population dynamics of a migratory species through multiple pathways, even at times of the annual cycle when the birds are in a different location than the climate signal. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00442-020-04817-3.

A 78-year-old man was treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab for advanced renal cell carcinoma with liver and lymph node metastasis. He developed diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, and weakness of the limbs and neck, 1 month after treatment. Serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were elevated, and neck MRI revealed inflammation of the deep trunk muscles. Although anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody was negative, the edrophonium test was positive. Anti-striational antibodies such as the anti-titin and the anti-muscular voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv 1.4) antibodies (which serve as biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitors associated with myasthenia gravis and myositis) were positive (anti-titin antibody titer 11.51, normal

Most small rodent populations in the world have fascinating population dynamics. In the northern hemisphere, voles and lemmings tend to show population cycles with regular fluctuations in numbers. In the southern hemisphere, small rodents tend to have large amplitude outbreaks with less regular intervals. In the light of vast research and debate over almost a century, we here discuss the driving forces of these different rodent population dynamics. We highlight ten questions directly related to the various characteristics of relevant populations and ecosystems that still need to be answered. This overview is not intended as a complete list of questions but rather focuses on the most important issues that are essential for understanding the generality of small rodent population dynamics.

Most photosynthetic organisms are sensitive to very high light, although acclimation mechanisms enable them to deal with exposure to strong light up to a point. Here we show that cultures of wild-type Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain cc124, when exposed to photosynthetic photon flux density 3000 μmol m−2 s−1 for a couple of days, are able to suddenly attain the ability to grow and thrive. We compared the phenotypes of control cells and cells acclimated to this extreme light (EL). The results suggest that genetic or epigenetic variation, developing during maintenance of the population in moderate light, contributes to the acclimation capability. EL acclimation was associated with a high carotenoid-to-chlorophyll ratio and slowed down PSII charge recombination reactions, probably by affecting the pre-exponential Arrhenius factor of the rate constant. In agreement with these findings, EL acclimated cells showed only one tenth of the 1O2 level of control cells. In spite of low 1O2 levels, the rate of the damaging reaction of PSII photoinhibition was similar in EL acclimated and control cells. Furthermore, EL acclimation was associated with slow PSII electron transfer to artificial quinone acceptors. The data show that ability to grow and thrive in extremely strong light is not restricted to photoinhibition-resistant organisms such as Chlorella ohadii or to high-light tolerant mutants, but a wild-type strain of a common model microalga has this ability as well.

Extinction and reinstatement of morphine-induced conditioned place preference were studied in glutamate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-receptor GluA1 subunit-deficient mice (global GluA1-KO mice). In line with previous findings, both acquisition and expression of conditioned place preference to morphine (20 mg/kg, subcutaneously) were fully functional in GluA1 KO mice compared with wild-type littermate controls (GluA1-WT), thus enabling the study of extinction. With a 10-session extinction paradigm, the GluA1 KO mice showed complete extinction similar to that of the GluA1-WT mice. Morphine-induced reinstatement (10 mg/kg, subcutaneously) was detected in both mouse lines. GluA1 KO mice moved more during all the phases of the experiment, including the place conditioning trials, extinction sessions, and place preference tests. The results suggest that the GluA1 subunit may be dispensable or prone to compensation at the neural circuitries delineating extinction and reinstatement. The GluA1 KO mice show altered long-term between-session habituation, which extends longer than previously anticipated.

Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common indication for autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). Study design and methods This prospective noninterventional study aimed to evaluate the impact of mobilization characteristics and graft cellular content on hematologic recovery and outcome after auto-SCT among 68 patients with DLBCL. Results Better mobilization capacity as manifested by blood CD34+ cell count >32 × 106 /L and CD34+ cell yield of the first apheresis >2.75 × 106 /kg correlated with faster neutrophil (P = .005 and P = .017) and platelet (P = .002 and P 2.65 × 106 /kg) was associated with better 5-year overall survival (OS; 95% vs 67%, P = .012). The graft CD34+ CD133+ CD38- cell count >0.07 × 106 /kg was predictive of better 5-year OS (87% vs 63%; P = .008) and higher graft CD3+ cell count (>23.1 × 106 /kg) correlated also with better 5-year OS (80% vs 40%, P = .008). In multivariate analysis only disease status of CR I at auto-SCT was associated with better progression-free survival (P = .014) and OS (P = .039). Conclusion The mobilization capacity of CD34+ cells impacted on early hematologic recovery in patients with DLBCL after auto-SCT. Higher graft CD34+ cell count and both CD34+ CD133+ CD38- and CD3+ cells were also associated with better OS. The effect of optimal graft cellular composition on outcome in DLBCL should be evaluated in a randomized study.

In Arabidopsis, two leaf-type ferredoxin-NADP(+) oxidoreductase (LFNR) isoforms function in photosynthetic electron flow in reduction of NADP(+), while two root-type FNR (RFNR) isoforms catalyse reduction of ferredoxin in non-photosynthetic plastids. As the key to understanding, the function of RFNRs might lie in their spatial and temporal distribution in different plant tissues and cell types, we examined expression of RFNR1 and RFNR2 genes using beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter lines and investigated accumulation of distinct RFNR isoforms using a GFP approach and Western blotting upon various stresses. We show that while RFNR1 promoter is active in leaf veins, root tips and in the stele of roots, RFNR2 promoter activity is present in leaf tips and root stele, epidermis and cortex. RFNR1 protein accumulates as a soluble protein within the plastids of root stele cells, while RFNR2 is mainly present in the outer root layers. Ozone treatment of plants enhanced accumulation of RFNR1, whereas low temperature treatment specifically affected RFNR2 accumulation in roots. We further discuss the physiological roles of RFNR1 and RFNR2 based on characterization of rfnr1 and rfnr2 knock-out plants and show that although the function of these proteins is partly redundant, the RFNR proteins are essential for plant development and survival.

During the last decade, genomic selection has revolutionized dairy cattle breeding. For example, Nordic dairy cows (Denmark, Finland, and Sweden) born in 2018 were >90% sired by young genomically tested bulls. Thus, the average age of sires for Red Dairy Cattle cows born in 2018 was only 3.1 yr, whereas in 2011 it was 5.7 yr. Earlier the key driver of genetic progress was the selection of progeny-tested sires, but now it is the genomic preselection of young sires. This leads to a biased estimation of genetic progress by the traditional genetic evaluations. When these are used as input for multi-step genomic evaluations also they became distorted. The only long-term solution to maintain unbiasedness is to include the genomic information in evaluations. Although means for single-step evaluation models were introduced in 2010, they have not yet been implemented in large-scale national dairy evaluations. At first, single-step evaluations were hindered by computational cost. This has been largely solved, either by sparse presentations of the inverses of the genomic relationship (G) and pedigree relationship (A22) matrices of genotyped animals needed in the single-step evaluation models based on G (ssGBLUP), or by using the single-step marker models. Approaches for G-1 are the APY-G, where the relationships among "young" animals are completely determined by their relationship to the "core" animals, and single-step evaluations where the G-1 is replaced by a computational formula based on the structure of G (ssGTBLUP). The single-step marker models include the marker effects either directly, as effects in the statistical model, or indirectly, to generate genomic relationships among genotyped animals. Concurrently with development of the algorithm, computing resources have evolved in both availability of computer memory and speed. The problems actively studied now are the same for both of the single-step approaches (GBLUP and marker models). Convergence in iterative solving seems to get worse with an increasing number of genotypes. These problems are more pronounced with low-heritability traits and in multi-trait models with high genetic correlations among traits. Problems are also related to the unbalancedness of pedigrees and diverse genetic groups. In many cases, the problem can be solved by properly accounting for contributions of the genotyped animals to genetic groups. The standard solving approach is preconditioned conjugate gradient iteration, in which the convergence has been improved by better preconditioning matrices. Another difficulty to be considered is inflation in genomic evaluations of candidate animals; genomic models seem to overvalue the genomic information. The problem is usually smaller in single-step evaluations than in multi-step evaluations but is more difficult to mitigate by ad hoc adjustments.

Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers improve cognitive function. The authors therefore tested the primary hypothesis that preoperative use of angiotensin inhibitors is associated with less delirium in critical care patients. Post hoc, the association between postoperative use of angiotensin system inhibitors and delirium was assessed. Methods The authors conducted a single-site cohort study of adults admitted to Cleveland Clinic critical care units after noncardiac procedures between 2013 and 2018 who had at least one Confusion Assessment Method delirium assessment. Patients with preexisting dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive decline, and patients who had neurosurgical procedures were excluded. For the primary analysis, the confounder-adjusted association between preoperative angiotensin inhibitor use and the incidence of postoperative delirium was assessed. Post hoc, the confounder-adjusted association between postoperative angiotensin system inhibitor use and the incidence of delirium was assessed. Results The incidence of delirium was 39% (551 of 1,396) among patients who were treated preoperatively with angiotensin system inhibitors and 39% (1,344 of 3,468) in patients who were not. The adjusted odds ratio of experiencing delirium during critical care was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.10; P = 0.700) for preoperative use of angiotensin system inhibitors versus control. Delirium was observed in 23% (100 of 440) of patients who used angiotensin system inhibitors postoperatively before intensive care discharge, and in 41% (1,795 of 4,424) of patients who did not (unadjusted P < 0.001). The confounder-adjusted odds ratio for experiencing delirium in patients who used angiotensin system inhibitors postoperatively was 0.55 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.72; P < 0.001). Conclusions Preoperative use of angiotensin system inhibitors is not associated with reduced postoperative delirium. In contrast, treatment during intensive care was associated with lower odds of delirium. Randomized trials of postoperative angiotensin-converting enzymes inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers seem justified. Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New

It is shown that a freshly inoculated culture of the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 consumed almost all phosphate and 50% of nitrate within 6 days from the nutrient-rich BG-11 growth medium, indicating potential of cyanobacteria to purify wastewaters. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 control strain also collected nutrients efficiently from a landfill leachate wastewater KA2 (5.9–6.9 mM ammonium and 0.073–0.077 mM phosphate). Wastewaters might induce oxidative stress to microalgae, which prompted us to test growth of sigma factor inactivation strains, as ΔsigBCE and ΔsigCDE strains show superior growth in chemically induced oxidative stress. All cyanobacterial strains, including a stress-sensitive strain ΔsigBCDE, grew well in KA2 for four days, indicating that KA2 did not cause immediate oxidative stress. Completely arrested growth and bleaching of ΔsigBCDE cells after one week in KA2 wastewater point to the importance of group 2 sigma factor-mediated changes in gene expression during wastewater treatment. The growth of ΔsigBCD was arrested early in un-buffered and Hepes buffered (pH 7.5) KA2. In ΔsigBCD, all phosphate transporter genes are upregulated in standard conditions, and ΔsigBCD cells showed growth defects in low-phosphate BG-11 medium. ΔsigBCD cells removed phosphate slower from KA2 than the control strain, but phosphate supplementation of KA2 did not improve growth of ΔsigBCD. The ΔsigBCE strain showed superior growth in a laboratory-scale bioreactor in bright light and removed phosphate even slightly more efficiently than the control strain if KA2 was Hepes buffered although ΔsigBCE grew slowly in un-buffered KA2 and in low-phosphate BG-11 medium. The results indicate that engineering expression of regulatory group 2 sigma factor(s) might be useful for practical applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00284-020-01973-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Inclusion of feed efficiency traits into the dairy cattle breeding programmes will require considering early lactation energy status to avoid deterioration in health and fertility of dairy cows. In this regard, energy status indicator (ESI) traits, for example, blood metabolites or milk fatty acids (FAs), are of interest. These indicators can be predicted from routine milk samples by mid-IR reflectance spectroscopy (MIR). In this study, we estimated genetic variation in ESI traits and their genetic correlation with female fertility in early lactation. The data consisted of 37 424 primiparous Nordic Red Dairy cows with milk test-day records between 8 and 91 days in milk (DIM). Routine test-day milk samples were analysed by MIR using previously developed calibration equations for blood plasma non-esterified FA (NEFA), milk FAs, milk beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and milk acetone concentrations. Six ESI traits were considered and included: plasma NEFA concentration (mmol/l) either predicted by multiple linear regression including DIM, milk fat to protein ratio (FPR) and FAs C10:0, C14:0, C18:1 cis-9, C14:0 * C18:1 cis-9 (NEFAFA) or directly from milk MIR spectra (NEFAMIR), C18:1 cis-9 (g/100 ml milk), FPR, BHB (mmol/l milk) and acetone (mmol/l milk). The interval from calving to first insemination (ICF) was considered as the fertility trait. Data were analysed using linear mixed models. Heritability estimates varied during the first three lactation months from 0.13 to 0.19, 0.10 to 0.17, 0.09 to 0.14, 0.07 to 0.10, 0.13 to 0.17 and 0.13 to 0.18 for NEFAMIR, NEFAFA, C18:1 cis-9, FPR, milk BHB and acetone, respectively. Genetic correlations between all ESI traits and ICF were from 0.18 to 0.40 in the first lactation period (8 to 35 DIM), in general somewhat lower (0.03 to 0.43) in the second period (36 to 63 DIM) and decreased clearly (−0.02 to 0.19) in the third period (64 to 91 DIM). Our results indicate that genetic variation in energy status of cows in early lactation can be determined using MIR-predicted indicators. In addition, the markedly lower genetic correlation between ESI traits and fertility in the third lactation month indicated that energy status should be determined from the first test-day milk samples during the first 2 months of lactation.

Objectives: To investigate the protein expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-inducing transcription factors (TFs) Twist, ZEB1 and Slug in peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) and their ...

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) constitutes the lowest metabolic rate in a resting animal and is, therefore, considered to reflect the energetic cost of maintenance in endotherms. BMR is a reversible plastic trait that changes with environmental and ecological circumstances, albeit being heritable and susceptible to selection. Inter-individual variation within populations of small birds is substantial, and while many of the drivers of such variation have been identified, many remain unexplained. We studied winter BMR variation of juveniles over a 15-year period in a wild population of great tits Parus major at the northern border of their distribution. BMR during winter consistently changed between years, even after controlling for environmental factors, suggestive of a non-reversible developmental plasticity shaping the adult metabolic phenotype. BMR in cohorts of wintering great tits varied among winters as a response to minimum ambient temperatures experienced early in life, during the prehatching period. This developmental plasticity might be adaptive if temperatures experienced by growing embryos would metabolically prime them to an environment that they will likely encounter in future life. However, in line with a more unpredictable future climate, the risk of phenotype-environment mismatch is likely to lead to certain cohorts being poorly adapted to prevailing winter conditions, resulting in wider annual fluctuations in population size., Open access funding provided by Lund University. JB has been funded by the Andalucía Talent Hub Program launched by the Andalusian Knowledge Agency, co-funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program, Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (COFUND—Grant Agreement no 291780) and the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Science and Employment of the Junta de Andalucía. Supported by the Academy of Finland projects no. 102286 and 47195, and the Thule Institute of the University of Oulu (JB and EH) and by grants from the Swedish Research Council no. S-AA/F0 09677-311, B 650-19981108/2000, 629-2002-1893 and 621-2003-2912 (JÅN).

This study was conducted to identify races of wheat seed gall nematode Anguina tritici by using molecular identification for this nematode species parasitized on durum and bread wheat cultivars. Wheat seed galls of both cultivars were collected from two cities, Erbil and Duhok, from the Kurdistan Region and Iraq respectively. DNA was extracted from both nematode isolates (populations), and then PCR reactions were performed with Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region using primers TW81/AB28 with 2 µl of template DNA of A. tritici for both nematode isolates on both wheat cultivars. The bands of both amplification products of PCR reactions were visualized in position about 800 bp on agarose gel, which indicates that both isolates of A. tritici belong to the same race. On the other hand, no nucleotide differences were observed between the two nematode isolations, as revealed by the sequence alignment of DNA of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and phylogenetic tree, which emphasizes at the same time that both nematode isolates are of the same genetic structure or have the same identity and confirms their belonging to the same nematode race.

Objective Cytokine release syndrome is suggested to be the most important mechanism triggering acute respiratory distress syndrome and end organ damage in COVID-19. The severity of disease may be measured by different biomarkers. Methods We studied markers of inflammation and coagulation as recorded in 29 patients on admission to the hospital in order to identify markers of severe COVID-19 and need of ICU. Results Patients who were eventually admitted to ICU displayed significantly higher serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin. No statistical differences were found between the groups in median levels of lymphocytes, D-dimer or ferritin. Conclusions IL-6 and CRP were the strongest predictors of severity in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

The diet of an individual is a result of the availability of dietary items and the individual’s foraging skills and preferences. Behavioral differences may thus influence diet variation, but the evolvability of diet choice through behavioral evolution has not been studied. We used experimental evolution combined with a field enclosure experiment to test whether behavioral selection leads to dietary divergence. We analysed the individual dietary niche via stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in the hair of an omnivorous mammal, bank vole, from 4 lines selected for predatory behavior and 4 unselected control lines. Predatory voles had higher hair δ15N values than control voles, supporting our hypothesis that predatory voles would consume a higher trophic level diet (more animal vs. plant foods). This difference was significant in the early but not the late summer season. The δ13C values also indicated a seasonal change in the consumed plant matter and a difference in food sources among selection lines in the early summer. These results imply that environmental factors interact with evolved behavioral tendencies to determine dietary niche heterogeneity. Behavioral selection thus has potential to contribute to the evolution of diet choice and ultimately the species’ ecological niche breadth.

The diversity of native oysters in many regions is overshadowed by the global dominance of a few economically important species. Here we describe the Muar Oyster, Crassostrea (Magallana) saidii sp. nov., first reported as an established local fishery renowned for exceptional and distinctive flavour over 160 years ago by British colonial officials in Malaysia, but as yet never formally named or described as a species. This new species has a subtle but clear morphological diagnosis dependent on three-dimensional characters, which has long been recognised by local fishers to differentiate the new species from co-occurring C. (M.) belcheri (G. B. Sowerby II, 1871). The Indo-Pacific clade Magallana Salvi & Mariottini, 2016 in Salvi and Mariottini 2017 is a phylogenetically distinct group that nonetheless cannot be morphologically separated from the broader genus Crassostrea Sacco, 1897. Fossils or species known only from shell specimens, though morphologically distinct species, cannot be classified as Magallana, Talonostrea Li & Qi, 1994, or Crassostrea s.s.; therefore, we revise these groups as sub-genera within Crassostrea. Our analysis of the COI barcoding fragment from previously published sequences of all available Magallana species found that gene is not sufficient to separate several economically important species, and revealed more than 5% of sequences in GenBank represent identification errors. The new species Crassostrea (Magallana) saidii sp. nov., which is genetically, morphologically, and gastronomically distinct, is known from only one population under potential threat from urbanisation. Many more global species of Magallana remain undescribed. The systematics of this group is critical to understand the diversity of global oysters, and to understand the sustainable use of species grown worldwide for centuries as our food.

The rare myelomas, immunoglobulin (Ig)D, IgM, and non-secretory, have been associated with poorer outcomes following treatment than the common myelomas (IgG, IgA, and light-chain only). We show that even with "novel" therapies, augmented with autologous transplantation, this remains true for IgD myeloma. In contrast, IgM and non-secretory myelomas have a prognosis similar to the usual myelomas.Background: The Collaboration to Collect Autologous Transplant Outcomes in Lymphoma and Myeloma (CALM) study has provided an opportunity to evaluate the real-world outcomes of patients with myeloma. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome according to the different subtypes of myeloma using CALM data. Patients: This study compared overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and complete remission (CR) and the impact of novel versus non-novel drug containing induction regimens prior to autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) of 2802 patients with "usual" and "rare" myelomas. Results: Our data suggest that IgM and non-secretory myeloma have superior PFS and OS compared with IgD myeloma and outcomes comparable to those for usual myeloma. Patients who received novel agent induction had higher rates of CR prior to transplant. Non-novel induction regimens were associated with inferior PFS but no difference in OS. Although not the primary focus of this study, we show that poor mobilization status is associated with reduced PFS and OS, but these differences disappear in multivariate analysis suggesting that poor mobilization status is a surrogate for other indicators of poor prognosis. Conclusion: We confirm that IgD myeloma is associated with the worst prognosis and inferior outcomes compared with the other isotypes. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Background Relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with the acquisition of additional somatic mutations which are thought to drive phenotypic adaptability, clonal selection and evolution of leukemic clones during treatment. We performed high throughput exome sequencing of matched presentation and relapsed samples from 6 cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) patients treated with standard remission induction chemotherapy in order to contribute with the investigation of the mutational landscape of CN-AML and clonal evolution during AML treatment. Result A total of 24 and 32 somatic variants were identified in presentation and relapse samples respectively with an average of 4.0 variants per patient at presentation and 5.3 variants per patient at relapse, with SNVs being more frequent than indels at both disease stages. All patients have somatic variants in at least one gene that is frequently mutated in AML at both disease presentation and relapse, with most of these variants are classic AML and recurrent hotspot mutations including NPM1 p.W288fs, FLT3-ITD, NRAS p.G12D and IDH2 p.R140Q. In addition, we found two distinct clonal evolution patterns of relapse: (1) a leukemic clone at disease presentation acquires additional mutations and evolves into the relapse clone after the chemotherapy; (2) a leukemic clone at disease presentation persists at relapse without the addition of novel somatic mutations. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that the relapse-initiating clones may pre-exist prior to therapy, which harbor or acquire mutations that confer selective advantage during chemotherapy, resulting in clonal expansion and eventually leading to relapse.

The cellular architecture of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the main hub of the brain reward system, remains only partially characterized. To extend the characterization to inhibitory neurons, we have identified three distinct subtypes of somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons in the mouse VTA. These neurons differ in their electrophysiological and morphological properties, anatomical localization, as well as mRNA expression profiles. Importantly, similar to cortical Sst-containing interneurons, most VTA Sst neurons express GABAergic inhibitory markers, but some of them also express glutamatergic excitatory markers and a subpopulation even express dopaminergic markers. Furthermore, only some of the proposed marker genes for cortical Sst neurons were expressed in the VTA Sst neurons. Physiologically, one of the VTA Sst neuron subtypes locally inhibited neighboring dopamine neurons. Overall, our results demonstrate the remarkable complexity and heterogeneity of VTA Sst neurons and suggest that these cells are multifunctional players in the midbrain reward circuitry. Ministry of Education (MOE) Published version The project was funded by the Academy of Finland (1278174 and 1317399), The Finnish National Agency for Education EDUFI, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, and research grants MOE2015-T2-2-095 and MOE2017-T3-1-002 from the Singapore Ministry of Education. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

We study the solar wind-driven, nonthermal escape of O+ ions from Venus in a global hybrid simulation. In the model, a well-developed ion foreshock forms ahead of the Venusian quasi-parallel bow shock under nominal upstream conditions. Large-scale magnetosonic ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves at 20- to 30-s period are excited and convect downstream along the foreshock with the solar wind. We show that the foreshock ULF waves transmit through the bow shock in the downstream region and interact with the planetary ion acceleration, causing 25% peak-to-peak fluctuations in the O+ escape rate. These results demonstrate the importance of upstream plasma waves on the energization and escape of heavy ions from the planetary atmospheres.

Histamine/gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons of posterior hypothalamus send wide projections to many brain areas and participate in stabilizing the wake state. Recent research has suggested that GABA released from the histamine/GABA neurons acts on extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors and balances the excitatory effect of histamine. In the current study, we show the presence of vesicular GABA transporter mRNA in a majority of quantified hypothalamic histaminergic neurons, which suggest vesicular release of GABA. As histamine/GABA neurons form conventional synapses infrequently, it is possible that GABA released from these neurons diffuses to target areas by volume transmission and acts on extrasynaptic GABA receptors. To investigate this hypothesis, mice lacking extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptor delta subunit (Gabrd KO) were used. A pharmacological approach was employed to activate histamine/GABA neurons and induce histamine and presumably, GABA, release. Control and Gabrd KO mice were treated with histamine receptor 3 (Hrh3) inverse agonists ciproxifan and pitolisant, which block Hrh3 autoreceptors on histamine/GABA neurons and histamine-dependently promote wakefulness. Low doses of ciproxifan (1 mg/kg) and pitolisant (5 mg/kg) reduced locomotion in Gabrd KO, but not in WT mice. EEG recording showed that Gabrd KO mice were also more sensitive to the wake-promoting effect of ciproxifan (3 mg/kg) than control mice. Low frequency delta waves, associated with NREM sleep, were significantly suppressed in Gabrd KO mice compared with the WT group. Ciproxifan-induced wakefulness was blocked by histamine synthesis inhibitor alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (alpha FMH). The findings indicate that both histamine and GABA, released from histamine/GABA neurons, are involved in regulation of brain arousal states and delta-containing subunit GABA(A) receptors are involved in mediating GABA response.

SummaryOne of the main unsolved questions regarding photosynthetic sea slugs is how the slug plastids handle photoinhibition of Photosystem II. Photoinhibition has not been studied in detail in these animals although resilience against photoinhibition might obviously explain the longevity of plastids inside animal cytosol.Light response and action spectrum of photoinhibition were measured from the slug Elysia timida and its prey alga Acetabularia acetabulum. Plastid packing in the slugs and algae was compared with spectroscopic and microscopic methods. The importance of plastid concentration was also estimated by measuring photoinhibition from starved slugs.Compared to A. acetabulum, E. timida is highly resistant against photoinhibition. The resilience of the slugs is even more pronounced in the UV-region, as the slug tissue screens UV radiation. The plastids in the slug tissue are tightly packed, and the outer plastids protect the inner ones from photoinhibition.The sea slug E. timida protects its plastids from photoinhibition by screening UV radiation and packing the plastids tightly in its tissues. Both mechanisms enhance the longevity of the plastids in slug cytosol and ameliorate the need for repair of photoinhibited Photosystem II.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The bulb of Eleutherine bulbosa (Mill.) Urb. is an indigenous medicinal plant traditionally used among Dayak people for the management of diabetes, breast cancer, hypertension, stroke, and fertility problems in women. The bulb has been reported with a potent cytotoxic potential but with limited underlying mechanisms. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic properties of E. bulbosa ethanolic bulb extracted under optimised extraction condition on retinoblastoma cancer cells (WERI-Rb-1) through in vitro cell culture bioassays. The optimised extraction condition has been determined in the previous reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cytotoxic assay was analysed through MTT assay. Comparison between non-optimised and optimised extraction condition from E. bulbosa ethanolic bulb extract was evaluated. Morphological assessment of apoptotic cells was conducted through acridine orange propidium iodide (AOPI) staining using fluorescence microscopy. Apoptosis assay was carried out through Annexin V-FITC and cell cycle analysis through PI staining. The effect of varying concentrations (IC25, IC50, IC75) of the optimised E. bulbosa ethanolic bulb extract was observed. The mRNA expression was also conducted to confirm the underlying mechanism. RESULTS The optimised E. bulbosa ethanolic bulb extract markedly suppressed the proliferation of retinoblastoma cancer cells significantly with an IC50 value of 15.7 μg/mL as compared to non-optimised extract (p

To study the mechanism by which Pichia anomala induced with chitosan (1% w/v) controls blue mold disease in table grapes caused by Penicillium expansum, this study evaluated alterations in three yeast enzymatic activities. The changes in the five primary disease defense-related enzymes and two non-enzyme activities of table grapes were assayed. The results of the study showed that chitosan (1% w/v) significantly increased the yeast β-1,3-glucanase, catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) activities. Furthermore, P. anomala alone or induced with chitosan (1% w/v) significantly increased the table grapes enzymatic activities of Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) compared to the control. The RT-qPCR results also confirmed that the genes of these major disease defense enzymes were up-regulated when the table grapes were treated with P. anomala. The highest results were recorded when the fruit was treated by yeast induced with chitosan (1% w/v). The phenolic compounds, in addition to their nutritional value, can also increase the antimicrobial properties of table grapes. The current experiment determined that the total phenol and flavonoid contents of table grapes showed the highest results for fruits treated by P. anomala induced with chitosan compared with the control. Generally, the increment of these fruit enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities shows improved table grape defense against the pathogenic fungus. The induction of the yeast with chitosan also increases its bio-control efficacy against the pathogen. This study will enable future detailed investigation in the yeast pathogen control mechanisms and the use of yeasts as bio-pesticides.

The rarity of acute psychosis in typhoid fever can result in delayed and misdiagnosis of the condition. We report a case of a 20-year-old man who presented with fever and acute psychotic symptoms. This was associated with headache, dizziness, and body weakness. There were no other significant symptoms. Neurological examination revealed reduced muscle tone of bilateral lower limbs but otherwise unremarkable. The computed tomography (CT) scan of his brain showed no abnormality. Blood specimens for microbiological culture grew Salmonella Typhi. This isolate was susceptible to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. He was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone for one week and responded well. He was discharged with oral ciprofloxacin for another week. The repeated blood and stool for bacterial culture yielded no growth of Salmonella Typhi.

Natural product is an excellent candidate for alternative medicine for disease management. The bulb of E. bulbosa is one of the notable Iridaceae family with a variety therapeutic potential that is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia. The bulb has been used traditionally among the Dayak community as a folk medicine to treat several diseases like diabetes, breast cancer, nasal congestion, and fertility problems. The bulb is exceptionally rich in phytochemicals like phenolic and flavonoid derivatives, naphthalene, anthraquinone, and naphthoquinone. The electronic database was searched using various keywords, i.e., E. bulbosa, E. americana, E. palmifolia, E. platifolia, and others due to the interchangeably used scientific names of different countries. Scientific investigations revealed that various pharmacological activities were recorded from the bulb of E. bulbosa including anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungi, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, dermatological problems, anti-oxidant, and anti-fertility. The potential application of the bulb in the food industry and in animal nutrition was also discussed to demonstrate its great versatility. This is a compact study and is the first study to review the extensive pharmacological activities of the E. bulbosa bulb and its potential applications. The development of innovative food and pharma products from the bulb of E. bulbosa is of great interest.

Transcriptome analysis (TA) was conducted to characterize the transcriptome changes in postharvest disease-related genes of table grapes following treatment with Pichia anomala induced with chitosan (1% w/v). In the current study, the difference in the gene expression of table grapes after treatment with P. anomala induced with chitosan and that of a control group was compared 72 h post-inoculation. The study revealed that postharvest treatment of table grapes with P. anomala induced with chitosan could up-regulate genes that have a pivotal role in the fruit’s disease defense. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results also confirmed that GO terms and the KEGG pathways, which have pivotal roles in plant disease resistance, were significantly enriched. The up-regulated genes of the treatment group have a unique function in the fruit’s disease resistance compared to the control group. Generally, most genes in the plant–pathogen interaction pathway, the plant Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, the pathway of glutathione metabolism, the pathway of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, and the pathway of flavonoid biosynthesis were all up-regulated. These up-regulations help the fruit to synthesize disease-resistant substances, regulate the reactive oxygen species (ROS), enhance the fruit cell wall, and enrich hormone signal transduction during the pathogen’s attack. This study is useful to overcome the lags in applying transcriptomics technology in postharvest pathology, and will provide insight towards developing other alternative methods to using bio-pesticides to control postharvest diseases of perishables.

Paphiopedilum javanicum (Reinw. ex Lindl.) Pfitzer known as slipper orchid is an endemic terrestrial orchid from Indonesia. This orchid is threatened with extinction and listed under CITES Appendix I. In-vitro propagation of P. javanicum has been done in Bali Botanic Garden (BBG) for last six years but acclimatization stage has not given satisfied result. The purpose of this study was to know the ef-fect of liquid fertilizer on vegetative growth of P. javanicum planlet during acclimatization stage. Beyonic StarTmik liquid fertilizer ap-plied by five different doses considered as treatment of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 mL. They were 10 planlets for each treatment considered as replication. In this research we observe vegetative growth of P. ja-vanicum by quantitative and qualitative parameter. Quantitative data were analysis by ANOVA. Result showed, high percentage of planlet survival was observed of 98% and liquid fertilizer dose for 30 mL gave the optimal vegetative growth of P. javanicum planlet with aver-age height of 2.2 cm and leaves number of 13 pieces. There were no differences on qualitative parameter in all treatment that all leaves color was dark green and leaves tessellation appearance was obvious

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to study the genetic variability, heritability, heat tolerance indices and phenotypic and genotypic correlation studies for traits of 250 elite International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) bread wheat genotypes under high temperature in Wad Medani, Center in Sudan.Design/methodology/approachBread wheat is an important food on a global level and is used in the form of different products. High temperature associated with climate change is considered to be a detrimental stress in the future on world wheat production. A total of 10,250 bread wheat genotypes selected from different advanced yield trials introduction from ICARDA and three checks including were grown in two sowing dates (SODs) (1st and 2nd) 1st SOD heat stress and 2nd SOD non-stress at the Gezira Research Farm, of the Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad Medani, Sudan.FindingsAn alpha lattice design with two replications was used to assess the presence of phenotypic and genotypic variations of different traits, indices for heat stress and heat tolerance for 20 top genotypes and phenotypic and genotypic correlations. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. A wide range, 944-4,016 kg/ha in the first SOD and 1,192-5,120 kg/ha in the second SOD, was found in grain yield. The average yield on the first SOD is less than that of the secondnd SOD by 717.7 kg/ha, as the maximum and minimum temperatures were reduced by 3ºC each in the second SOD when compared to the first SOD of the critical stage of crop growth shown.Research limitations/implicationsSimilar wide ranges were found in all morpho-physiological traits studied. High heritability in a broad sense was estimated for days to heading and maturity. Moderate heritability estimates found for grain yield ranged from 44 to 63.6 per cent, biomass ranged from 37.8 to 49.1 per cent and canopy temperature (CT) after heading ranged from 44.2 to 48 per cent for the first and secondnd SODs. The top 20 genotypes are better than the better check in the two sowing dates and seven genotypes (248, 139, 143, 27, 67, 192 and 152) were produced high grain yield under both 1st SOD and 2nd SOD.Practical implicationsThe same genotypes in addition to Imam (check) showed smaller tolerance (TOL) values, indicating that these genotypes had a smaller yield reduction under heat-stressed conditions and that they showed a higher heat stress susceptibility index (SSI). A smaller TOL and a higher SSI are favored. Both phenotypic and genotypic correlations of grain yield were positively and significantly correlated with biomass, harvest index, number of spikes/m2, number of seeds/spike and days to heading and maturity in both SODs and negatively and significantly correlated with canopy temperature before and after heading in both SODs.Originality/valueGenetic variations, heritability, heat tolerance indices and correlation studies for traits of bread wheat genotypes under high temperature

Oryzias sp. from Tunda Island, Indonesia has the potential as a model organism in laboratories and also ornamental fish. Basic information regarding maintenance during adaptation post-transportation from its habitat in nature, embryo incubation and maintenance of larvae is needed as a basis for breeding activities. The results showed that Oryzias sp. from Tunda Island can adapt, spawning and produce a total 262 eggs (diameter 0.88-1.02 mm) in a controlled environment. Eggs from spawning in nature begin to hatch on the 11th incubation day, the hatching peak occurs on the 13th day with a hatching process 4-9 days at 25-27oC. The hatching rate ranges from 57.14-100% and the survival of 5 days old lavae after hatching is 72.72-100.00%. The transportation technique in this study has not been able to suppress fish mortality during post-transportation rearing.

The inclusion of feed intake and efficiency traits in dairy cow breeding goals can lead to increased risk of metabolic stress. An easy and inexpensive way to monitor postpartum energy status (ES) of cows is therefore needed. Cows' ES can be estimated by calculating the energy balance from energy intake and output and predicted by indicator traits such as change in body weight (Delta BW), change in body condition score (Delta BCS), milk fat:protein ratio (FPR), or milk fatty acid (FA) composition. In this study, we used blood plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentration as a biomarker for ES. We determined associations between NEFA concentration and ES indicators and evaluated the usefulness of body and milk traits alone, or together, in predicting ES of the cow. Data were collected from 2 research herds during 2013 to 2016 and included 137 Nordic Red dairy cows, all of which had a first lactation and 59 of which also had a second lactation. The data included daily body weight, milk yield, and feed intake and monthly BCS. Plasma samples for NEFA were collected twice in lactation wk 2 and 3 and once in wk 20. Milk samples for analysis of fat, protein, lactose, and FA concentrations were taken on the blood sampling days. Plasma NEFA concentration was higher in lactation wk 2 and 3 than in wk 20 (0.56 +/- 0.30, 0.43 +/- 0.22, and 0.13 +/- 0.06 mmol/L, respectively; all means +/- standard deviation). Among individual indicators, C18:1 cis-9 and the sum of C18:1 in milk had the highest correlations (r = 0.73) with NEFA. Seven multiple linear regression models for NEFA prediction were developed using stepwise selection. Of the models that included milk traits (other than milk FA) as well as body traits, the best fit was achieved by a model with milk yield, FPR, Delta BW, Delta BCS, FPR x Delta BW, and days in milk. The model resulted in a cross-validation coefficient of determination (R(2)cv) of 0.51 and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.196 mmol/L. When only milk FA concentrations were considered in the model, NEFA prediction was more accurate using measurements from evening milk than from morning milk (R(2)cv = 0.61 vs. 0.53). The best model with milk traits contained FPR, C10:0, C14:0, C18:1 cis-9, C18:1 cis-9 x C14:0, and days in milk (R(2)cv = 0.62; RMSE = 0.177 mmol/L). The most advanced model using both milk and body traits gave a slightly better fit than the model with only milk traits (R(2)cv = 0.63; RMSE = 0.176 mmol/L). Our findings indicate that ES of cows in early lactation can be monitored with moderately high accuracy by routine milk measurements.

The potential of a wastewater treatment and biomass production process with the green microalgae Neochloris oleoabundans in a 45-L tubular photobioreactor was tested. In a stable and reliable alga-based process, wastewaters should undergo pre-treatment to remove colored substances. Our data show that further optimization steps may be required, such as adjustment of the N:P ratio and addition of essential metals. As a final result, parameters were established for a continuous-mode photobioreactor run with optimized wastewater for five times the hydraulic retention time (157 h) at the dry biomass concentration of 0.47 ± 0.03 g L−1. During that period, 75% and 99.6% removal efficiencies for NH4+ and PO43−, respectively, were achieved.

Reversibility is a mental process to construct two-way correlation from an initial condition to the result, and from result reverse to initial state. The concept of reversibility is a key aspect of the development of mathematics which is often problema for student. Reversible thinking is the primary requirement to solve mathematical problems. The importance of reversibility is one of the reasons in this study. The aimed of this study was to identify student’s reversibility in solving algebaic problems. The subject consisted of 32 junior high school student’s, especially at the eight grade. In this qualitative study, data were collected by a reversibility task and interview. The reversibility task contained simple equation. The result of this study indicate that reversibility aspect of solving algebaic problem can identified were reciprocity and negation, in this case reciprocity was more prominent. This could be seen from 32 junior high school students were able to make equation according to the reversibility aspect, but there were only five students are be able to fulfill two aspect of reversibility, described as negation and reciprocity, the others only fill reciprocity. The result showed that the problem related reversibility on junior high school still exist, especially in the aspect of negation.

Purpose Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has made genetic testing of patients with epileptic encephalopathies easier – novel variants are discovered and new phenotypes described. Variants in the same gene – even the same variant – can cause different types of epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Our aim was to identify the genetic causes of epileptic encephalopathies in paediatric patients with complex phenotypes. Methods NGS was carried out for three patients with epileptic encephalopathies. Detailed clinical features, brain magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography were analysed. We searched the Human Gene Mutation Database for the published GABRG2 variants with clinical description of patients and composed a summary of the variants and their phenotypic features. Results We identified two novel de novo GABRG2 variants, p.P282T and p.S306F, with new phenotypes including neuroradiological evidence of neurodegeneration and epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS). One patient carried previously reported p.P83S variant with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotype that has not yet been described related to GABRG2 disorders and a more severe epilepsy phenotype than reported earlier. In all, the literature search yielded twenty-two articles describing 27 different variants that were divided into two categories: those with self-limiting epilepsies and febrile seizures and those with more severe drug-resistant epileptic encephalopathies. Conclusion This study further expands the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of epilepsies associated with GABRG2 variants. More knowledge is still needed about the influence of the environment, genetic background and other epilepsy susceptibility genes on the phenotype of the specific GABRG2 variants.

Daerah dataran tinggi dan gunung merupakan daerah yang cocok untuk pertanian tanaman kopi yang mana tanaman kopi yang akan menghasilkan kualitas baik ditanam diketinggian 1000 meter diatas permukaan laut. Gunung Sago yang memiliki ketinggian 2571 Mdpl yang terletak di Kabupaten 50 Kota tepatnya di daerah situjuah merupakan tempat penghasil kopi di kawasan Sumatera Barat. Biji kopi hijau atau disebut juga green bean coffee merupakan biji kopi yang tidak melalui proses penyangraian atau roasting. Kopi hijau memiliki banyak khasiat untuk kesehatan tubuh terutama orang yang ingin menurunkan berat badan karena khasiat kopi hijau dapat membakar lemak karena mengandung asam kloregenat yang lebih tinggi dibanding kopi hitam yang sudah disangrai. Pada alat penghancur green bean coffee ini menggunakan load cell sebagai pembaca berat hasil penghancuran green bean coffee dan keypad sebagai masukan input data berapa penghancuran yang diinginkan, modul relay sebagai on / off motor 1 phasa sebagai penggerak penghancur green bean coffee dan LCD sebagai penampil hasil berat green bean coffee.