Blood groups and evolutionary relationships among domestic Sheep (Ovis aries), domestic Goat (Capra hircus), Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) and european Mouflon (Ovis musimon)

Data presented in this report are concerned with the results of blood typing of 7 aoudad (Ammotragus lervia), 20 european mouflons (Ovis musimon) and 260 domestic goats (Capra hircus). The blood samples were tested with 31 different sheep blood typing reagents to see if sheep-like blood-group antigens existed in the red cells of the three species. The polymorphism of serum transferrin and hemoglobin was analyzed by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Evidence is presented for the existence in european mouflon of blood-group antigens similar to or identical with those recognized in the eight blood group systems of deomstic sheep (i.e., the sheep blood-group systems A, B, C, D, M, R, F30 and F41 The electrophoretic pattern of the mouflon transferrin is also identical with that of domestic sheep homozygous for the transferrin D allele. Likewise, the two hemoglobin variants observed in mouflon are indistinguishable from the hemoglobins A and B of domestic sheep. On the basis of such extensive similarity in antigenic structures in the red cells and in the electrophoretic mobility of transferrins and hemoglobins, domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and european mouflon (Ovis musimon) may have close evolutionary affinity to each other. The present data also indicate that both aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) and domestic goat (Cap Hircus) have blood-group antigens related to those of the B, C, M, R, and F30 systems of sheep. With respect to serological reactions in the M and R systems, Ammotragus resembles Capra much more closely than Ovis. With respect to the A system, however, Ammotragus appears to be more closely related to Ovis than to Capra; the latter, unlike Ammotragus, apparently does not have blood-group antigens related to those recognized in the A system of sheep. On the other hand, the three genera seem to be quite distinct from each other on the basis of differences in the electrophoretic mobility of their major variants of transferrin and hemoglobin. These observations, in conjunction with those reported earlier and mentioned in the introductory remarks of this report, suggest that Ammotragus is intermediate between Capra and Ovis. But, on the basis of the data presently available, it is not possible to establish more precisely the evolutionary relationships among the three genera.Les antigènes érythrocytaires de mouflons à manchettes (Ammotragus Lervia), de 20 mouflons d’Europe (Ovis musimon) et de 260 chèvres (Capra Hircus) ont été examinés à l’aide de 31 réactifs préparés pour la détermination des groupes sanguins du mouton (Ovis aries). Le polymorphisme de la transferrine sérique et de l’hémoglobine de ces différentes espèces a été analysé par la technique d’électrophorèse en gel d’amidon. Les résultats de ces examens sérologiques ont montré que le mouflon d’Europe possède des antigènes de groupes sanguins similaires ou identiques à ceux qui font partie de 8 systèmes de groupes sanguins définis chez le mouton (systèmes A, B, C, D, M, R, F30 et F41. Ces 2 espèces du genre Ovis ne peuvent, d’ailleurs, être distinguées l’une à l’autre, sur la base de la mobilité électrophorétique de leur transferrine et de leur hémoglobine. Cette très grande ressemblance, tout au moins en ce qui concerne les caractères sanguins considérés, indique clairement que le mouflon d’Europe (Ovis musimon) et le mouton (Ovis aries) sont très proches l’un de l’autre sur l’échelle zoologique des espèces et que leur séparation doit donc être récente. Les résultats de cette comparaison ont révélé, en outre, que le mouflon à manchettes (Ammotragus) et la chèvre (Capra) possèdent également des antigènes de groupes sanguins similaires à ceux qui sont reconnus dans les systèmes B, C, M, R et F30 du mouton. Cependant, si les réactions sérologiques observées dans les systèmes M et R suggèrent que l’Ammotragus se rapproche plus du genre Capra que du genre Ovis, les données concernant le système A indiquent que l’Ammotragus paraît être plus proche du genre Ovis que du genre Capra. D’autre part, ces 3 genres semblent se différencier nettement entre eux, sur la base de la mobilité électrophorétique de leur transferrine et de leur hémoglobine. Ces observations, ainsi que celles rapportées dans la littérature et mentionnées dans ce rapport, permettent de penser que, sur l’échelle évolutive des espèces, l’Ammotragus occupe une position intermédiaire entre les genres Caprai et Ovis. Dans l’état actuel des connaissances, il n’est pas possible d’établir, avec plus de précision, les relations évolutives entre les 3 genres Capra, Ovis et Ammotragu

Environmentally Responsible Bioengineering for Spore Surface Expression of <em>Helicobacter pylori </em>Antigen

The development of genetic technologies and bioengineering are creating an increasing number of genetically engineered microorganisms with new traits for diverse industrial applications such as vaccines, drugs and pollutant degraders. However, the destiny of genetically engineered bacterial spores released into the environment as long-life organisms has remained a big environmental challenge. In this study, an environmentally responsible and sustainable gene technology solution based on the concept of thymine starvation is successfully applied for cloning and expression of a Helicobacter pylori antigen on Bacillus subtilis spore surface. As an example, a recombinant Bacillus subtilis strain A1.13 has been created from a gene fusion of the corresponding N-terminal fragment of spore coat protein CotB in B. subtilis and the entire urease subunit A (UreA) in H. pylori and the fusion showed a high stability of spore surface expression. The outcomes can open the door for developing highly safe spore vectored vaccines against this kind of pathogen and contributing to reduced potential risks of genetically engineered microorganisms released in the environment

Simultaneous adsorption of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn by an iron-coated Australian zeolite in batch and fixed-bed column studies

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Excessive levels of heavy metals in water are an environmental hazard. An Australian zeolite with (ICZ) and without (Z) iron-coating, was used to remove five heavy metals from aqueous solutions using adsorption in batch and column experiments. The batch study showed that the Langmuir adsorption capacities of heavy metals on Z and ICZ at pH 6.5 and ionic strength 10-3M NaNO3 were in the order Pb>Cu>Cd>Cr, Zn for single metal (5.0-11.2mg/g) and for mixed metals solution (3.7-7.6mg/g). The data for the kinetics of adsorption satisfactory fitted to both the pseudo-first and second order models with fits slightly better for the latter model. Data fitted to a diffusion model revealed that adsorption took place in two or more than two different stages: a fast external surface adsorption, and a gradual adsorption controlled by both film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion. The column adsorption data were fairly well described by Thomas model, with the order of Thomas adsorption capacity following a similar trend as in the batch study. In both batch and column experiments, the adsorption capacities were higher for ICZ than for Z and were generally lower in mixed metals system than in single metals system. Leaching of used ICZ columns with 0.1M HCl, resulted in 64-93% of adsorbed metals being desorbed, and 10% of Fe being dissolved from the ICZ

Digital and circular technologies for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture: The case of Vietnamese coffee

\ua9 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.This comprehensive article addresses the pressing challenges confronting the global agriculture, primarily driven by climate change and resource constraints. With a focus on promoting climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices, the study explores the transformative potential of emerging technologies, e.g., the innovative use of digital technologies like Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain, showcasing real-world examples of their benefits, and circular technologies, e.g., waste-to-value practices. The challenges of population growth, climate change, environmental impact, and the plight of smallholder farmers are elucidated. Climate-Smart Agriculture initiatives supported by the World Bank Group demonstrate practical efforts in addressing these challenges, aligning with sustainable development goals. Here, we introduce an innovative and smart agriculture (INNSA) platform for the creation and operation of sustainable coffee value chain in Vietnam as a case of study. Thought-provoking questions for future research conclude the review, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. In summary, this article provides a compelling case for adopting sustainable agricultural practices through digital and circular technologies, offering a roadmap for global agriculture\u27s transformation and resilience in the face of climate change

Trace elements in road-deposited and waterbed sediments in Kogarah Bay, Sydney: Enrichment, sources and fractionation

© 2015 CSIRO. Trace elements (TEs) in road-deposited sediments (RDS) can be transported by stormwater to neighbouring water bodies to cause aquatic pollution. A study was conducted in Kogarah Bay, Sydney, Australia, to assess the possible sources and potential mobility of TEs in RDS and the contribution to the TE load to the adjacent waterbed sediments in canals and the bay. Of the 11 TEs analysed, pseudo-total concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), and antimony (Sb) were greatly enriched in RDS over baseline soils (top 10cm depth) collected in bushlands. All TE concentrations in waterbed sediments (top 10cm depth) were similar to those in baseline soils but lower than in RDS. Correlation and principal component analyses revealed that Zn, Cu, Cr and Sb were related to each other in RDS, and probably originated from tyres and brake linings. Vanadium occurred in another component, likely to have originated mainly from road asphalt. Pseudo-total and mobile-fraction (0.1m acetic acid, pH 2.85 extraction) TE concentrations in RDS were: iron>manganese, Zn>Cu, lead>Cr, nickel, V, Sb, cadmium. The potential ecological TE risk was low to medium in RDS but low in baseline soils and waterbed sediments

Differences in the cellular response to acute spinal cord injury between developing and mature rats highlights the potential significance of the inflmmatory response

© 2017 Sutherland, Mathews, Mao, Nguyen and Gorrie. There exists a trend for a better functional recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) in younger patients compared to adults, which is also reported for animal studies; however, the reasons for this are yet to be elucidated. The post injury tissue microenvironment is a complex milieu of cells and signals that interact on multiple levels. Inflammation has been shown to play a significant role in this post injury microenvironment. Endogenous neural progenitor cells (NPC), in the ependymal layer of the central canal, have also been shown to respond and migrate to the lesion site. This study used a mild contusion injury model to compare adult (9 week), juvenile (5 week) and infant (P7) Sprague-Dawley rats at 24 h, 1, 2, and 6 weeks post-injury (n = 108). The innate cells of the inflammatory response were examined using counts of ED1/IBA1 labeled cells. This found a decreased inflammatory response in the infants, compared to the adult and juvenile animals, demonstrated by a decreased neutrophil infiltration and macrophage and microglial activation at all 4 time points. Two other prominent cellular contributors to the post-injury microenvironment, the reactive astrocytes, which eventually form the glial scar, and the NPC were quantitated using GFAP and Nestin immunohistochemistry. After SCI in all 3 ages there was an obvious increase in Nestin staining in the ependymal layer, with long basal processes extending into the parenchyma. This was consistent between age groups early post injury then deviated at 2 weeks. The GFAP results also showed stark differences between the mature and infant animals. These results point to significant differences in the inflammatory response between infants and adults that may contribute to the better recovery indicated by other researchers, as well as differences in the overall injury progression and cellular responses. This may have important consequences if we are able to mirror and manipulate this response in patients of all ages; however much greater exploration in this area is required

Artificial intelligence-based solutions for coffee leaf disease classification

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages and the quantity and quality of coffee beans depend significantly on the health and condition of coffee plants, particularly their leaves. The automation of coffee leaf disease classification using AI is an essential need, providing not only economic benefits but also contributing to environmental conservation and creating better conditions for sustainable coffee cultivation. Through the application of AI, early disease detection is facilitated, thereby reducing pest and disease control costs, minimizing crop losses, increasing coffee productivity and product quality, and promoting environmental preservation. Many studies have proposed AI algorithms for coffee disease classification. However, numerous algorithms employ classical algorithms, while some utilize deep learning, the current state-of-the-art in computer vision. The challenge lies in the fact that when using deep learning, a substantial amount of data is required for training. The design of deep learning architectures to enhance model accuracy while still working with a small training dataset remains an area of ongoing research. In this study, we propose deep learning-based method for coffee leaf disease classification. We propose the combination of different deep convolutional neural networks to further improve overall classification performance. Early and late fusion have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-trained model. Our experimental results demonstrate that the ensemble method outperforms single-model approaches, achieving high accuracy and precision in BRACOL coffee disease leaf

Genomic and vaccine preclinical studies reveal a novel mouse-adapted Helicobacter pylori model for the hpEastAsia genotype in Southeast Asia

\ua9 2024 Crown Copyright.Introduction. Helicobacter pylori infection is a major global health concern, linked to the development of various gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric cancer. To study the pathogenesis of H. pylori and develop effective intervention strategies, appropriate animal pathogen models that closely mimic human infection are essential. Gap statement. This study focuses on the understudied hpEastAsia genotype in Southeast Asia, a region marked by a high H. pylori infection rate. No mouse-adapted model strains has been reported previously. Moreover, it recognizes the urgent requirement for vaccines in developing countries, where overuse of antimicrobials is fuelling the emergence of resistance. Aim. This study aims to establish a novel mouse-adapted H. pylori model specific to the hpEastAsia genotype prevalent in Southeast Asia, focusing on comparative genomic and histopathological analysis of pathogens coupled with vaccine preclinical studies. Methodology. We collected and sequenced the whole genome of clinical strains of H. pylori from infected patients in Vietnam and performed comparative genomic analyses of H. pylori strains in Southeast Asia. In parallel, we conducted preclinical studies to assess the pathogenicity of the mouse-adapted H. pylori strain and the protective effect of a new spore-vectored vaccine candidate on male Mlac:ICR mice and the host immune response in a female C57BL/6 mouse model. Results. Genome sequencing and comparison revealed unique and common genetic signatures, antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors in strains HP22 and HP34; and supported clarithromycin-resistant HP34 as a representation of the hpEastAsia genotype in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. HP34-infected mice exhibited gastric inflammation, epithelial erosion and dysplastic changes that closely resembled the pathology observed in human H. pylori infection. Furthermore, comprehensive immunological characterization demonstrated a robust host immune response, including both mucosal and systemic immune responses. Oral vaccination with candidate vaccine formulations elicited a significant reduction in bacterial colonization in the model. Conclusion. Our findings demonstrate the successful development of a novel mouse-adapted H. pylori model for the hpEastAsia genotype in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Our research highlights the distinctive genotype and pathogenicity of clinical H. pylori strains in the region, laying the foundation for targeted interventions to address this global health burden

Resistance to experimental infections with Haemonchus contortus in Romanov sheep

International audienc