Effects of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) and turmeric powder (curcuma) on laying hens performance, physical and nutritional eggs quality

peer reviewedSoybean meal is the main source of protein in laying hens’ diet that is generally imported. This study aims to explore the yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) “TM”, and curcuma effects on laying hens’ performances, and physical and nutritional eggs quality. One hundred laying hens were divided randomly into 4 groups. The first group (Control) received a standard commercial diet (SCD), while test groups (TM, TP, and TM-TP) received SCD with respectively 5% TM, 0.50 % curcuma, and 5% TM and 0.50% curcuma. According to the results, Control and TM reduced significantly hen’s bodyweight in the experiment end. However, the curcuma incorporation and TM (TP and TM-TP) kept the stability of bodyweight during the whole period. No effect of diet was observed on feed intake and egg laying rate. Diet had a significant effect on eggs physical parameters (weight, freshness, thickness and rupture force). The mixture of TM and curcuma permitted eggs with good physical parameters. For nutritional quality of eggs, all groups had the same content of ALA and DHA. However, eggs of group receiving a mixture of TM and curcuma had the lowest cholesterol content. Thus, TM and curcuma could reduce soybean importation dependence with improving eggs quality

Production pastorale et mode d’utilisation des parcours forestiers au niveau du Rif occidental

Extensive livestock farming plays an important socio-economic role for goat farmers in Western Rif. Silvopastoral resources are the main source of feed for herds. Actually, these resources have a strong tendency to degradation. To ensure their sustainability, setting up a monitoring and evaluation system is a necessity. The aim of this study was to assess the pastoral production and the silvopastoral areas use. This work was carried out in two forest rangelands (Ain Rami and Derdara), where dairy goat farming has been dominant for decades. For the floristic study, a total of ninety-six plant species were counted. The chemical composition and nutritional value of pastoral species varied according to the analyzed species. For phytomass, significant differences were noted according to the season and the sites, with a maximum productivity in spring of 2725 and 2465 kg DM per hectare, respectively in Ain Rami and Derdara. The degree of palatability depended mainly on the chemical composition and the season of pastoral species intake. The most grazed rangelands were overgrown by unpalatable species. Management actions of silvopastoral resources use, including a reduction of grazing pressure, should be developed to ensure the productivity and the sustainability of these resources.L’élevage extensif joue un rôle socio-économique très important pour les éleveurs caprins du Rif occidental. Les ressources sylvopastorales constituent la principale source d’alimentation pour le troupeau. Actuellement, ces ressources connaissent une forte tendance à la dégradation. Pour assurer leur durabilité, la mise en place d’un système de suivi-évaluation s’avère une nécessité. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer l’offre pastorale et le mode d’utilisation de ces espaces sylvopastoraux. Ce travail a été mené, au niveau de deux parcours forestiers (Ain Rami et Derdara), où l’élevage des chèvres laitières règne depuis des décennies. Pour l’étude floristique, un total de quatre-vingt-seize espèces végétales a été recensé. La composition chimique et la valeur nutritive varient selon l’espèce pastorale considérée. Pour la phytomasse, des différences significatives ont été relevées en fonction de la saison et des sites de prélèvement, avec un maximum de productivité enregistré au printemps de 2725 kg MS/ha et 2465 kg MS/ha, respectivement à Ain Rami et Derdara. Le degré d’appétibilité dépend essentiellement de la composition chimique et de la saison de prélèvement des espèces pastorales. Les pâturages les plus fréquentés par les caprins sont envahis par des espèces à faible intérêt pastoral. Des actions de gestion du mode d’utilisation des ressources sylvopastorales, incluant une diminution de la pression de pâturage, devraient être mises en place afin d’assurer la productivité et la durabilité de ces ressources

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Coagulation–Flocculation Treatment Using Aluminum Sulfate on a Polluted Surface Water Source: A Year-Long Study

\ua9 2024 by the authors.Safeguarding drinking water is a major public health and environmental concern because it is essential to human life but may contain pollutants that can cause illness or harm the environment. Therefore, continuous research is necessary to improve water treatment methods and guarantee its quality. As part of this study, the effectiveness of coagulation–flocculation treatment using aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) was evaluated on a very polluted site. Samplings were taken almost every day for a month from the polluted site, and the samples were characterized by several physicochemical properties, such as hydrogen potential (pH), electrical conductivity, turbidity, organic matter, ammonium (NH+4), phosphate (PO43−), nitrate (NO3−), nitrite (NO2−), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), total hardness (TH), chloride (Cl−), bicarbonate (HCO3−), sulfate (SO42−), iron (Fe3+), manganese (Mn2+), aluminum (Al3+), potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), complete alkalimetric titration (TAC), and dry residue (DR). Then, these samples were treated with Al2(SO4)3 using the jar test method, which is a common method to determine the optimal amount of coagulant to add to the water based on its physicochemical characteristics. A mathematical model had been previously created using the support vector machine method to predict the dose of coagulant according to the parameters of temperature, pH, TAC, conductivity, and turbidity. This Al2(SO4)3 treatment step was repeated at the end of each month for a year, and a second characterization of the physicochemical parameters was carried out in order to compare them with those of the raw water. The results showed a very effective elimination of the various pollutions, with a very high rate, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the Al2(SO4)3. The physicochemical parameters measured after the treatment showed a significant reduction in the majority of the physicochemical parameters. These results demonstrated that the coagulation–flocculation treatment with Al2(SO4)3 was very effective in eliminating the various pollutions present in the raw water. They also stress the importance of continued research in the field of water treatment to improve the quality of drinking water and protect public health and the environment

Efficient preparation of Arabidopsis pollen tubes for ultrastructural analysis using chemical and cryo-fixation

The pollen tube (PT) serves as a model system for investigating plant cell growth and morphogenesis. Ultrastructural studies are indispensable to complement data from physiological and genetic analyses, yet an effective method is lacking for PTs of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Methods: Here, we present reliable approaches for ultrastructural studies of Arabidopsis PTs, as well as an efficient technique for immunogold detection of cell wall epitopes. Using different fixation and embedding strategies, we show the amount of PT ultrastructural details that can be obtained by the different methods. Results: Dozens of cross-sections can be obtained simultaneously by the approach, which facilitates and shortens the time for evaluation. In addition to in vitro-grown PTs, our study follows the route of PTs from germination, growth along the pistil, to the penetration of the dense stylar tissue, which requires considerable mechanical forces. To this end, PTs have different strategies from growing between cells but also between the protoplast and the cell wall and even within each other, where they share a partly common cell wall. The separation of PT cell walls in an outer and an inner layer reported for many plant species is less clear in Arabidopsis PTs, where these cell wall substructures are connected by a distinct transition zone. Conclusions: The major advancement of this method is the effective production of a large number of longitudinal and cross-sections that permits obtaining a detailed and representative picture of pollen tube structures in an unprecedented way. This is particularly important when comparing PTs of wild type and mutants to identify even subtle alterations in cytoarchitecture. Arabidopsis is an excellent plant for genetic manipulation, yet the PTs, several-times smaller compared to tobacco or lily, represent a technical challenge. This study reveals a method to overcome this problem and make Arabidopsis PTs more amenable to a combination of genetic and ultrastructural analyses

A Novel Mouse c-fos Intronic Promoter That Responds to CREB and AP-1 Is Developmentally Regulated In Vivo

BACKGROUND: The c-fos proto-oncogene is an archetype for rapid and integrative transcriptional activation. Innumerable studies have focused on the canonical promoter, located upstream from the transcriptional start site. However, several regulatory sequences have been found in the first intron. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we describe an extremely conserved region in c-fos first intron that contains a putative TATA box, and functional TRE and CRE sites. This fragment drives reporter gene activation in fibroblasts, which is enhanced by increasing intracellular calcium and cAMP and by cotransfection of CREB or c-Fos/c-Jun expression vectors. We produced transgenic mice expressing a lacZ reporter controlled by the intronic promoter. Lac Z expression of this promoter is restricted to the developing central nervous system (CNS) and the mesenchyme of developing mammary buds in embryos 12.5 days post-conception, and to brain tissue in adults. RT-QPCR analysis of tissue mRNA, including the anlage of the mammary gland and the CNS, confirms the existence of a novel, nested mRNA initiated in the first intron. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide evidence for a novel, developmentally regulated promoter in the first intron of the c-fos gene

Characterization of callase (β-1,3-d-glucanase) activity during microsporogenesis in the sterile anthers of Allium sativum L. and the fertile anthers of A. atropurpureum

We examined callase activity in anthers of sterile Allium sativum (garlic) and fertile Allium atropurpureum. In A. sativum, a species that produces sterile pollen and propagates only vegetatively, callase was extracted from the thick walls of A. sativum microspore tetrads exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.8, and the corresponding in vivo values ranged from 4.5 to 5.0. Once microspores were released, in vitro callase activity peaked at three distinct pH values, reflecting the presence of three callase isoforms. One isoform, which was previously identified in the tetrad stage, displayed maximum activity at pH 4.8, and the remaining two isoforms, which were novel, were most active at pH 6.0 and 7.3. The corresponding in vivo values ranged from pH 4.75 to 6.0. In contrast, in A. atropurpureum, a sexually propagating species, three callase isoforms, active at pH 4.8–5.2, 6.1, and 7.3, were identified in samples of microsporangia that had released their microspores. The corresponding in vivo value for this plant was 5.9. The callose wall persists around A. sativum meiotic cells, whereas only one callase isoform, with an optimum activity of pH 4.8, is active in the acidic environment of the microsporangium. However, this isoform is degraded when the pH rises to 6.0 and two other callase isoforms, maximally active at pH 6.0 and 7.3, appear. Thus, factors that alter the pH of the microsporangium may indirectly affect the male gametophyte development by modulating the activity of callase and thereby regulating the degradation of the callose wall

Arabidopsis Qc‑SNARE genes BET11 and BET12 are required for fertility and pollen tube elongation

ORCID IDs: 0000-0003-1729-0561 (P.B.-V.); 0000-0003-3459-1331 (G.-Y.J.)Pollen tubes are rapidly growing specialized structures that elongate in a polar manner. They play a crucial role in the delivery of sperm cells through the stylar tissues of the flower and into the embryo sac, where the sperm cells are released to fuse with the egg cell and the central cell to give rise to the embryo and the endosperm. Polar growth at the pollen tube tip is believed to result from secretion of materials by membrane trafficking mechanisms. In this study, we report the functional characterization of Arabidopsis BET11 and BET12, two genes that may code for Qc-SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors). Double mutants (bet11/bet12) in a homozygous/heterozygous background showed reduced transmission of the mutant alleles, reduced fertilization of seeds, defective embryo development, reduced pollen tube lengths and formation of secondary pollen tubes. Both BET11 and BET12 are required for fertility and development of pollen tubes in Arabidopsis. More experiments are required to dissect the mechanisms involved.Academia Sinica (Taiwan)National Science and Technology Program for Agricultural Biotechnology (NSTP/AB, 098S0030055-AA), TaiwanNational Science Council (NSF; 99-2321-B-001-036-MY3), TaiwanUniversidad de Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Estación Experimental Agrícola Fabio Baudrit Moreno (EEAFBM

Railway-induced ground vibrations – a review of vehicle effects

This paper is a review of the effect of vehicle characteristics on ground- and track borne-vibrations from railways. It combines traditional theory with modern thinking and uses a range of numerical analysis and experimental results to provide a broad analysis of the subject area. First, the effect of different train types on vibration propagation is investigated. Then, despite not being the focus of this work, numerical approaches to vibration propagation modelling within the track and soil are briefly touched upon. Next an in-depth discussion is presented related to the evolution of numerical models, with analysis of the suitability of various modelling approaches for analysing vehicle effects. The differences between quasi-static and dynamic characteristics are also discussed with insights into defects such as wheel/rail irregularities. Additionally, as an appendix, a modest database of train types are presented along with detailed information related to their physical attributes. It is hoped that this information may provide assistance to future researchers attempting to simulate railway vehicle vibrations. It is concluded that train type and the contact conditions at the wheel/rail interface can be influential in the generation of vibration. Therefore, where possible, when using numerical approach, the vehicle should be modelled in detail. Additionally, it was found that there are a wide variety of modelling approaches capable of simulating train types effects. If non-linear behaviour needs to be included in the model, then time domain simulations are preferable, however if the system can be assumed linear then frequency domain simulations are suitable due to their reduced computational demand

Effect of herd mobility on the species composition and productivity of plant communities in the northern Mediterranean region of Morocco New approaches for grassland research in a context of climate and socio-economic changes Zaragoza : CIHEAM Options Méd

To cite th is article / Pou r citer cet article -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract. The study was conducted in two pasture areas in the Moroccan Rif mountains (Akoumi and Bettara) exclusively used by goat's herds to assess biomass production and botanical composition of major species. To measure plant biomass we used the method of the reference module. Breeders use pasture throughout the year, except on rainy days where they resort to limbing. The shrub, mainly Erica arborea and Arbutus unedo, is the main diet used by goats. In Bettara, breeders are becoming sedentary, where the pastures are overgrazed and dominated by unpalatable plant species, and biomass production is estimated to 934 kg DM/ha. In Akoumi, where breeders are still transhumant, plant biomass largely exceeds that of Bettara (2256 kg DM/ha). A seasonal movement alleviates anthropozoic pressure on pastoral land and allows restoration of palatable species. In fact due to climate change, silvopastoral resources will be less available and of lower quality, mobility of herds is a necessary adaptation strategy to insure sustainability of pastoral resources. Keywords. Pasture -Rif -Biomass -Mobility -Adaptation. Effet de la mobilité des caprins sur la composition et la production des espèces végétales dans l