Preference of intake of different tree leaves preserved with drying and ensiling by nyala antelope (Tragelaphus angasii)

It is recommended that browse should be an important part of diets for browsing and intermediate feeding type ruminants. However, provision of browse in winter time is problematic for many zoos located in the temperate climate. Drying or freezing of branches are commonly practiced solutions to this problem, but ensiling of tree leaves could also be an attractive option. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of drying and ensiling of different tree leaves on preference of their intake by nyala antelope (Tragelaphus angasii), an intermediate feeding type ruminant. A study was conducted on five nyala fed a standard diet (meadow hay, dehydrated chopped lucerne and limited concentrates) before and during the study. Preference of intake of five feeds was tested: dried maple (A. platanoides), oak (Q. robur), willow (S. alba), and ensiled maple and lime (T. cordata) leaves. Each day two tested feeds were offered to each animal. After 4 h of presentation, feed refusals were weighed and preference ratio for each tested feed and animal was calculated. Then, preferences were ranked using a pairwise comparison chart. Dried maple and oak leaves were preferred more than other leaves whereas ensiled lime leaves were the least preferred. On the other hand, ensiled and dried maple leaves were equally preferred. Results of this study showed that palatability of ensiled tree leaves should not be a concern when feeding nyala, and likely also other browsing or intermediate feeding type ruminants, but palatability of silage may depend on the species of tree.     

Coordinating Anions “to the Rescue” of the Lithium Ion Mobility in Ternary Solid Polymer Electrolytes Plasticized With Ionic Liquids

Lithium salts with low coordinating anions such as bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) have been the state-of-the-art for polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based “dry” polymer electrolytes for 3 decades. Plasticizing PEO with TFSI-based ionic liquids (ILs) to form ternary solid polymer electrolytes (TSPEs) increases conductivity and Li⁺ diffusivity. However, the Li⁺ transport mechanism is unaffected compared to their “dry” counterparts and is essentially coupled to the dynamics of the polymer host matrix, which limits Li⁺ transport improvement. Thus, a paradigm shift is hereby suggested: the utilization of more coordinating anions such as trifluoromethanesulfonyl-N-cyanoamide (TFSAM), able to compete with PEO for Li⁺ solvation, to accelerate the Li⁺ transport and reach a higher Li⁺ transference number. The Li–TFSAM interaction in binary and ternary TFSAM-based electrolytes is probed by experimental methods and discussed in the context of recent computational results. In PEO-based TSPEs, TFSAM drastically accelerates the Li⁺ transport (increases Li⁺ transference number by a factor 6 and the Li⁺ conductivity by 2–3) and computer simulations reveal that lithium dynamics are effectively re-coupled from polymer to anion dynamics. Last, this concept of coordinating anions in TSPEs is successfully applied in LFP||Li metal cells leading to enhanced capacity retention (86% after 300 cycles) and an improved rate performance at 2C.     

DeCompress: tissue compartment deconvolution of targeted mRNA expression panels using compressed sensing

Targeted mRNA expression panels, measuring up to 800 genes, are used in academic and clinical settings due to low cost and high sensitivity for archived samples. Most samples assayed on targeted panels originate from bulk tissue comprised of many cell types, and cell-type heterogeneity confounds biological signals. Reference-free methods are used when cell-type-specific expression references are unavailable, but limited feature spaces render implementation challenging in targeted panels. Here, we present DeCompress, a semi-reference-free deconvolution method for targeted panels. DeCompress leverages a reference RNA-seq or microarray dataset from similar tissue to expand the feature space of targeted panels using compressed sensing. Ensemble reference-free deconvolution is performed on this artificially expanded dataset to estimate cell-type proportions and gene signatures. In simulated mixtures, four public cell line mixtures, and a targeted panel (1199 samples; 406 genes) from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, DeCompress recapitulates cell-type proportions with less error than reference-free methods and finds biologically relevant compartments. We integrate compartment estimates into cis-eQTL mapping in breast cancer, identifying a tumor-specific cis-eQTL for CCR3 (C–C Motif Chemokine Receptor 3) at a risk locus. DeCompress improves upon reference-free methods without requiring expression profiles from pure cell populations, with applications in genomic analyses and clinical settings.     

Exposure to (1?→?3)-β-D-glucans in swine farms

The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to organic dust and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans in the buildings where an intensive breeding of swine is going on and evaluation of the impact of the breeding technical conditions on the observed levels of bioaerosols. The study was carried out in 30 swine farms differentiated by the size of the herd and technical conditions of breeding. In 35 randomly selected buildings, air samples were collected by stationary measurements to determine the concentrations of organic dust and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans in inhalable and respirable fractions. Furthermore, each of the investigated buildings was precisely characterized by means of a questionnaire for technical conditions and type of breeding. In each of the points, the microclimate parameters were measured, i.e., temperature, relative humidity, CO₂ concentration and air velocity. The analyzed levels of organic dust and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans were characterized by a wide range of concentrations. For inhalable fraction, they reached respectively: organic dust (0.43–11.8 mg/m³), (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans (14–3,594 ng/m³). For respirable fraction, the results were as follows: organic dust (0.01–4.69 mg/m³), (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans (1–703 ng/m³). The concentrations of (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans were positively correlated with organic dust (r = 0.68; p < 0.001). The most significant factor increasing the concentrations of organic dust and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans was the use of bedding in the form of cut straw. Additionally, the levels of (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans were affected by manual forage feeding, mechanical manure disposal and the lack of the liquid manure container in breeding buildings. In view of the hazardous effects of biological agents on the health of swine-breeding workers, the swine management systems without beddings should be used, along with automated dosing techniques.     

The microbiological hydroxylation of patchoulol in Absidia coerulea and Mucor hiemalis

Patchoulol was subjected to transformation by Absidia coerulea AM93 and Mucor hiemalis AM450 strains. Both micro-organisms, which displayed differing vulnerability to the fungistatic action of the patchoulol, were capable of selective hydroxylations of the substrate. The major constituents of the mixtures after transformation were (8S)-8-hydroxypatchoulol and (9R)-9-hydroxypatchoulol; the transformation carried out by M. hiemalis resulted in the additional formation of (3R)-3-hydroxypatchoulol. The mixture of (8S)-8-hydroxypatchoulol and (9R)-9-hydroxypatchoulol can be used in the synthesis of patchoulenol, a compound with an odour very similar to that of a valuable fragrance, norpatchoulenol.     

In vitro acclimation to prolonged metallic stress is associated with modulation of antioxidant responses in a woody shrub Daphne jasminea

Comparative effect of meta-topolin and other cytokinins was assessed to develop an efficient and reliable regeneration protocol for Tecoma stans, using mature nodal explants. The morphogenic effect of benzyl adenine (BA), kinetin (Kin), meta- topolin (mT) and 2-iP (2-iso pentenyl adenine) at various concentrations (1.0–10 µM) was studied individually or in combination with auxins (IAA, IBA or NAA). Superior multiplication rates were achieved on MS medium supplemented with mT and NAA. Of the tested combinations, maximum shoot regeneration (95%), mean shoot number (19.6?±?0.60) and length (5.26?±?0.73 cm) was recorded on MS medium supplemented with 7.5 µM mT?+?0.5 µM NAA after 8 weeks of incubation. Among the different auxins employed for in vitro root induction, 92.5% microshoots rooted on MS medium enriched with 1.0 µM IBA with 10.8?±?0.20 mean root number and 5.62?±?0.17 cm length after 4 weeks of incubation. The acclimatized plants grew well in green house with 90% survival rate. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of ethanol leaf extract of in vitro-raised plants yielded a higher number of compounds than control plant. The assessment of genetic fidelity among regenerants, using ISSR markers did not reveal any somaclonal variation. Therefore, the protocol developed appears to be simple and reliable for mass production of clones with higher diversity of secondary metabolites.