CONDITIONING MICROBIAL PRODUCTS CONTAINING NITROGEN FIXING BACTERIA WITH DIFFERENT SOLID EXCIPIENTS

The stability in real time of two strains of Rhizobium (Rhizobium meliloti andRhizobium japonicum) mixed with different excipients was evaluated during a6-months period. The excipients studied were: peat, peat and calciumcarbonate, zeolite, and ceramic. Liquid cultures and excipients mixtures weredried (12-14% humidity), sealed in plastic bags and preserved at +4oC. Thecells were activated periodically by suspending aliquots from dry products in0.9% saline solution. The viability of Rhizobium cells was evaluated bycultivation of diluted suspensions in YMA plates. The number of viable cells isdecreasing during drying in all cases, increase in the first month of storage,and remains constant or decrease very slowly during storage for all obtaineddry products containing rhizobia mixed with solid dry excipients. The highestnumber of viable cells at the end of the experiment was obtained in ceramicwith Rhizobium japonicum (8x105 cells/gram), and the lowest number ofviable cells was obtained in zeolite with Rhizobium meliloti (1,1x103cells/gram)

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

Abstract The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset – with data collected between 2020 and 2022 – to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Exposure and connectedness to natural environments: An examination of the measurement invariance of the Nature Exposure Scale (NES) and Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups

Detachment from nature is contributing to the environmental crisis and reversing this trend requires detailed monitoring and targeted interventions to reconnect people to nature. Most tools measuring nature exposure and attachment were developed in high-income countries and little is known about their robustness across national and linguistic groups. Therefore, we used data from the Body Image in Nature Survey to assess measurement invariance of the Nature Exposure Scale (NES) and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). While multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) of the NES supported full scalar invariance across gender identities and age groups, only partial scalar invariance was supported across national and linguistic groups. MG-CFA of the CNS also supported full scalar invariance across gender identities and age groups, but only partial scalar invariance of a 7-item version of the CNS across national and linguistic groups. Nation-level associations between NES and CNS scores were negligible, likely reflecting a lack of conceptual clarity over what the NES is measuring. Individual-level associations between both measures and sociodemographic variables were weak. Findings suggest that the CNS-7 may be a useful tool to measure nature connectedness globally, but measures other than the NES may be needed to capture nature exposure cross-culturally

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

STABILITY IN REAL TIME OF SOME CRYOPRESERVED MICROBIAL STRAINS WITH REFERENCE TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED MICROORGANISMS

The aim of this work is to analyze the viability of microorganisms from Collection ofIndustrial Microorganisms from Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology –Timisoara, during freezing and thawing as part of cryopreservation technique. Thestability in real time of 19 strains cryopreserved in 16% glycerol was evaluatedduring a 6-months period. The strains studied were: Escherichia coli, Lactobacillusacidophilus, Rhizobium meliloti, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae,Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride, Bacillus globigii, Bacillus licheniformis, and9 strains of Bacillus subtilis. The strains cryopreserved at -20oC and -70oC wereactivated using the fast thawing protocol. A better cell recovery was achieved withthe -70oC protocol reaching an average viability for E. coli of 86,3%, comparingwith 78,6% in -20oC protocol. The cell recovery percentages for the other strainswere: 92,4% for L. acidophilus, 93,9% for A.niger, 89% for A. oryzae, 86,7% for T.viride, 94,2% for R. meliloti, 82,1% for S. cerevisiae, 89,9% for B. licheniformis.Regarding the viability of genetically modified microorganisms, the values shows agood recovering after freezing and thawing, even after 180 days of cryopreservation.With the -20oC protocol lower viability was observed due probably to the formationof eutectic mixtures and re-crystalization processe

STUDY REGARDING EFFICIENCY OF INDUCED GENETIC TRANSFORMATION IN BACILLUS LICHENIFORMIS WITH PLASMID DNA

A strain of Bacillus licheniformis was subject to genetic transformation with plasmidvectors (pLC1 and pNC61), using electroporation technique, protoplasttransformation and bivalent cations (CaCl2) mediated transformation. In the case oftransformation by electroporation of Bacillus licheniformis B40, the highest numberof transformed colonies (3) were obtained only after a 1,79 KV electric shock, for 2,2milliseconds. Using this transformation technique we have obtained six kanamycinresistant transformants. The frequency of Bacillus licheniformis B40 protoplaststransformation using pLC1 and pNC61 plasmid vectors is approximately 10% (TF =10%). As a result of pLC1 plasmid integration in Bacillus licheniformis protoplasts,six kanamycin resistant transformants were obtained. The pNC61 plasmid, whichconfers trimethoprim resistance, does not integrate in receiver cells by protoplasttransformation. The direct genetic transformation in the presence of bivalent cations(CaCl2), mediated by pLC1 and pNC61 plasmid vectors, produce a lowtransformation frequency. Using this technique, we have obtained three trimethoprimresistant colonies and four kanamycin resistant colonies. The chemical way oftransformation is the only technique, which realizes the integration of pNC61 in B.licheniformis B40 cells

Effect of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) on Mouse Embryos Preimplantational Development

It is known that the in vitro culture (IVC) of preimplantation embryos is associated with changes in gene expression. It is however, not known if the method of fertilization affects the global pattern of gene expression. We compared the development of mouse blastocysts produced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) versus blastocysts fertilized in vivo and cultured in vitro from the zygote stage (IVC). At the end of cultivation (96 hrs for blastocyst stage embryos), expanded blastocysts of each group were randomly selected, and ICM and total cells number were differentially stained. The total cell number of blastocysts was estimated by counting the total number of nuclei using DAPI staining. Cell number for inner cell mass (ICM) was estimated by counting the OCT4 (POU5FL) positive cells. Digitally recombined, composite images were analyzed using the Zeiss Axion Vision software and Zeiss Apotome. All 5–10 optical sections were divided using a standard grid over each layer to count all. Comparing the total cells and the ICM cells number, it appears that each method of fertilization has a unique pattern development. The developmental rate and the total cell number of the blastocyst were significantly lower in ICSI versus in vivo fertilized embryos which affect the embryonic developmental rate and the total cell number of blastocysts

Analysis of the Distribution of the Frozen Semen Made By Semtest BVN Targu Mures In 2010

Improvement of the animals, on an economical level, has as main effect the increase of production and reduction of the production cost per product unit. Apparently, the beneficiary is the farmer, but at the level of national economy the increase of production is made by the increase of the offer in products, and its effect is decrease of the sale price. The real beneficiary is thus the consumer. In order to achieve this amount of the zootechnical production in total agricultural production must increase, more viable and efficient exploitations must develop in order to provide the market with competitive products. The final target is for each owner to have cows that will transform efficiently the fodder into milk and meat. This desideratum can only come true if the presently existing cows are inseminated with frozen semen from the most valuable bulls that the given breed has as far as genetics is concerned is used. Only this way can the future generations of cows be better from the perspective of production and more resistant to diseases than the present generation. Romanian and Mures county's zootechnical is in a crisis first of all because of drastic decrease of the cattle in all species of zooeconomical interest- but especially in taurines