Search Results (39)

In this review, we explore the underlying molecular biology of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and its interplay with the host immune system. MTC is consistently driven by a small number of specific pathogenic variants, beyond which few additional genetic events are required for tumorigenesis. This explains the exceedingly low tumour mutational burden seen in most MTC, in contrast to other cancers. However, because of the low tumour mutational burden (TMB), there is a correspondingly low level of tumour-associated neoantigens that are presented to the host immune system. This reduces tumour visibility and vigour of the anti-tumour immune response and suggests the efficacy of immunotherapy in MTC is likely to be poor, acknowledging this inference is largely based on the extrapolation of data from other tumour types. The dominance of specific RET (REarranged during Transfection) pathogenic variants in MTC tumorigenesis rationalizes the observed efficacy of the targeted RET-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in comparison to multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs). Therapeutic durability of pathway inhibitors is an ongoing research focus. It may be limited by the selection pressure TKI treatment creates, promoting survival of resistant tumour cell clones that can escape pathway inhibition through binding-site mutations, activation of alternate pathways, and modulation of the cellular and cytokine milieu of the tumour microenvironment (TME). Full article

The uses of precision oliviculture have increased in recent years to improve the quality and quantity of extra virgin olive oil. In traditional and intensive systems, biennial pruning is often applied to balance and maintain plant vigour, aiming at reducing management costs. This study presents the results of a three-year experiment with the objective of quantifying the effects of biennial pruning on the vegetative vigour of olive trees, investigating the geometric and spectral characteristics of each canopy determined with multispectral images acquired by UAV. The experiment was carried out in an olive orchard located in western Sicily (Italy). Multispectral images were acquired using a UAV in automatic flight configuration at an altitude of 70 m a.g.l. The segmentation and classification of the images were performed using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) based on the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and orthomosaic to extract the canopy area, height, volume and NDVI for each plant. This study showed that the technology and image analysis processing used were able to estimate vigour parameters at different canopy densities, compared to field measurements (R² = 0.97 and 0.96 for canopy area and volume, respectively). Furthermore, it was possible to determine the amount of removed biomass for each plant and vigour level. Biennial pruning decreased the number of plants initially classified as LV (low-vigour) and maintained a vegetative balance for MV (medium-vigour) and HV (high-vigour) plants, reducing the spatial variability in the field. Full article

Conventional breeding involves considerable genetic recombination. To maximize breeding efforts, it is necessary to increase seed yield. This study proposes to improve seed yield by using tetraploid bananas as part of a genetic improvement programme for cooking varieties. To this end, the female fertility (seeding rate and embryo sac maturity) of tetraploid banana plants was characterised. The pollen potential of tetraploids was then assessed at anthesis and at the end of meiosis, as well as during crosses with seminiferous diploids, leading to a phenotypic characterisation of the value of an offspring. This study highlighted the low seed production rate of tetraploid genitors. At best, 7% of seeds are produced per fruit, but 57% of the ovules per fruit have mature embryo sacs. The use of tetraploids as male parents, free from any source of sterility associated with the domestication process, did not generally improve the seed rate, except in the case of FHIA 21 (2930 seeds). Its pollen potential was used in a cross with Banksii 0623 (♀). This resulted in progeny with interesting vigour and phenotypic characteristics. This latter combination has the potential to transfer its “cooking” genetic structure. Full article

Seed saving is crucial to ensure seed and food security, especially in developing countries. In Ghana, about 90% of pearl millet farmers utilise farmer-saved seed for production. Such seeds usually have a low germination rate, and may carry important seed-borne pathogens. In this study, the quality of farmer-saved seeds and the potential of botanicals to control seed-borne fungi were examined. A structured questionnaire was administered to 120 farmers from Garu, Bongo and Kassana-Nankana districts in Ghana. During the survey, 60 samples of farmer-saved seed were obtained for seed quality evaluation. Aqueous extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica) and citrus (Citrus sinensis) were prepared as seed treatments compared with a control. Fourteen (14) fungal species were associated with the seed samples, but the four dominant ones were Curvularia spp. (62%), Talaromyces spp. (53%), Aspergillus spp. (52%) and Exserohilum spp. (42%). The application of citrus extract inhibited fungal incidence (15–31.7%) compared to neem extract (33.3–93.3%) and the control (96.7–98.3%). The application of citrus extract resulted in a higher (74.7–82.8%) field germination rate compared to neem extract (62.3–73.2%) and the control (65.5–69.2%). The citrus extract was the most efficient treatment in reducing the incidence of fungi and enhancing the seed germination and vigour of pearl millet. Full article

Since the end of the 20th century, the Czech Republic has been developing an ecological network. Areas of ligneous greenery are being established throughout the landscape. The projects use different sizes of planting material: forestry seedlings and landscaping seedlings. In the South Moravian Region, in the vicinity of the village of Šardice, a series of measurements was carried out in 2016–2019 to compare the vitality of the greenery elements established by each of the methods. The height of the seedlings and trunk diameter were measured for the young trees while the shrubs were monitored for the seedling height only. Mortality was recorded successively for all the seedlings. The forestry method demonstrated greater growing vigour as indicated by the ratio of the trunk diameter increment to height while the landscaping method had lower mortality. In the forestry plantations, high mortality was found especially in poplars, oaks and hornbeams while in the landscaping plantations the poplars and oaks had the highest mortality. Elm, sycamore and poplar trees had the highest increments in the forestry plantations (but the latter was planted at different size). In the landscaping plantations, poplar trees (planted at a different size) delivered the best results, followed by maple, elm and lime trees. Shrub mortality was similar in both types of plantings. Hazel had a very high mortality while ivy, privet and honeysuckle had low mortality. Shrub height gain was higher in fenced forestry plantations. In unfenced landscaping plantations, damage by game was evident. Full article

Germination of castor seeds of seven dwarf hybrid genotypes, compared to a ‘Local’ genotype, selected from a Tunisian population by the University of Catania well adapted to the Mediterranean environment, were studied at six different temperatures (8, 12, 16, 25, 32, and 40 °C). The results indicate that the optimal temperature (25 °C) and near-optimal temperature (32 °C) are the best temperatures for ensuring castor germination (final germination percentage (FGP) ≥ 82.81%). Furthermore, these temperatures positively influenced the vigour index (VI) and the radicle elongation. At a temperature of 8 °C, no germination occurred, while temperatures of 12 and 40 °C negatively affected the seed germination, which, in some genotypes, was null or negligible (<21.25%). A temperature of 16 °C allowed good results to be reached for the FGP and the other considered parameters. Overall, the dwarf hybrids performed better at high temperatures than at low temperatures, thus, making them suitable for late sowings, with the exception of the genotype ‘C1020’, which resulted the best performance at 16 and 40 °C, being suitable for both early and late sowings. On the other hand, the ‘Local’ castor genotype, being the best-performing genotype at 12 and 16 °C, and the most tolerant to low temperature (base temperature (Tb) 12.1 °C), could be used in the early sowing in spring. Full article

When used for ornamental purposes, the herbaceous peony is usually propagated by root ramets, but the replanting of divided seedlings in the original planting area results in poor growth and development. No research has reported on a compound microbial agent used for herbaceous peony. The purpose of this experiment is to provide a reference for low–cost soil improvement in production, promote the growth and development of herbaceous peony, and solve the problem of planting back obstacles. In this study, 3–year–old seedlings of herbaceous peony ‘Zifengyu’ were selected and planted into an ordinary garden and replanted soils. Four root irrigation treatments were conducted using the compound microbial agent ‘Junzhongjun’ to determine the physicochemical properties of rhizosphere soil, root physiology, and growth and development of ‘Zifengyu’ under different soil conditions. The growth and development of the aboveground parts of herbaceous peony were promoted by the treatment of the compound microbial agent in the following order: garden soil > sieved–root soil > unsieved–root soil. Root vigour was enhanced in the following sequence: sieved–root soil > unsieved–root soil > garden soil. The organic matter and available potassium in the rhizosphere soil of herbaceous peony increased, and the promotional effect in the sieved–root soil was significantly better than that in the other two soils. The results show that the compound microbial agent is low in cost and has a stimulating effect on the growth and development of herbaceous peony. In the process of production, the residual broken roots in the soil can be sieved and combined with the application of the compound microbial agent to further alleviate the barriers of replanting. The concentration and frequency of agent application should be further optimized at a later stage. Full article

Tokaj botrytized sweet wines are traditionally aged for several years in wood barrels or bottles. As they have significant residual sugar content, they are exposed to microbial contamination during ageing. Osmotolerant wine-spoilage yeasts are most commonly found in the Tokaj wine-growing region in the species Starmerella spp. and Zygosaccharomyces spp. For the first time, Z. lentus yeasts were isolated from post-fermented botrytized wines. Our physiological studies confirmed that these yeast strains are osmotolerant, with high sulphur tolerance and 8% v/v alcohol tolerance, and that they grow well at cellar temperature in acidic conditions. Low β-glucosidase and sulphite reductase activities were observed, whereas protease, cellulase, and α-arabinofuranosidase extracellular enzyme activities were not detected. Molecular biology analyses carried out by RFLP analysis of mtDNA revealed no remarkable differences between strains, while microsatellite-primed-PCR fingerprinting of the (GTG)₅ microsatellite and examination of chromosomal pattern revealed considerable diversity. The fermentative vigour of the tested Z. lentus strains was found to be significantly lower compared to the control Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Lalvin EC1118). It can be concluded that Z. lentus is a potential spoilage yeast in oenology which may be responsible for the initiation of secondary fermentation of wines during ageing. Full article

Permanent dryland pastures are the basis of animal feed in extensive grazing systems. Seasonality and inter-annual climatic variability, associated with shallow, acidic, and not very fertile soils, result in low productivity and rapid degradation of pasture quality, which requires the supplementation of animal feed. In this study, carried out in a biodiverse pasture field in the Mediterranean region of southern Portugal, the vegetation index (NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) obtained from measurements performed by a proximal optical sensor (PS) and satellite images (RS) was used to assess pasture quality parameters (pasture moisture content, PMC, crude protein, CP, and neutral detergent fiber, NDF). The monitoring was carried out throughout the 2021/2022 pasture growing season. Significant correlations were obtained between the NDVI obtained by PS and RS (R² of 0.84) and the reference values of pasture parameters obtained in laboratory protocols: PMC (R² of 0.88 and 0.78, respectively), CP (R² of 0.67 and 0.63, respectively), and NDF (R² of 0.50 and 0.46, respectively). This case study also demonstrated the spatial and temporal variability of vegetative vigour and, consequently, of pasture quality in the Montado, the characteristic Mediterranean ecosystem. These results show the pertinence of these technologies in supporting the decision-making process of the farm manager, namely, to estimate the supplementation needs of animals in critical phases, especially after the spring production peak and before the autumn production peak. Full article

Low energy availability may precede or be caused by cognitive disturbances in professional athletes. Related psychological problems include disordered eating patterns, body shape preoccupation, depression or anxiety. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of different personalised dietary plans on psychological factors in young professional female handball players with low energy availability. This 12-week randomised clinical trial involved 21 female players aged 22 ± 4 years, 172.0 ± 5.4 cm and 68.4 ± 6.7 kg divided into three groups (FD: free diet; MD: Mediterranean diet; HAD: high antioxidant diet). Eating behaviour (Eating Attitude Test, EAT-26: diet, bulimia and oral control subscales), body image (Body Shape Questionnaire, BSQ) and mood state (Profile of Mode State, POMS: tension, vigour, anger, depression, fatigue) were assessed. All participants showed low energy availability (<30 kcal/lean mass per day). The different plans showed no significant differences between them but significant differences over time within groups for the variables: body image, Tension, Vigour and Depression (p < 0.05). Eating behaviour improved slightly but did not show statistically significant changes. Following an adequate nutritional planning for athletes seems to improve the mood and body perception of young female handball players. A longer intervention period is required to assess the differences between diets and improvement of other parameters. Full article

This work was conducted on the use of the RE (radicle emergence) test to estimate the seedling emergence (SE) and quality (seedling shoot weight (SSW), seedling root weight (SRW) and seedling height (SH)) of twelve hybrid cucumber seed lots with high germination (>95%) at low temperature conditions, high salt conditions and a combination of the two. The percentages of RE, which is a 2 mm radicle protrusion at 25 °C in the dark, were counted between 18 h and 32 h. The seeds were sown in peat moss in trays and kept at 15 °C (low temperature stress), or salty water was applied as 100 mM NaCl at 25 °C (salt stress) for three days, and both were applied in a combined-stress environment. Seedling emergence and quality parameters were reduced by both stress environments and their combination. SE, SSW, SRW and SH values ranged between: 91–100%, 614–844 mg, 102–143 mg, 6.8–8.8 cm at low temperature; 90–98%, 598–904 mg, 101–154 mg, 6.5–7.8 cm at salt stress; and 76–92%, 464–608 mg, 97–133 mg, 5.8–6.9 cm at their combination. The RE values with great differences seen among the lots (20–28 h) were regressed with seedling emergence and quality values. RE 24 h had the highest R² and significant values in all stress environments as R² = 0.596–0.858, p < 0.05–0.001 at low temperature; R² = 0.620–0.827, p < 0.05–0.001 with salt; and R² = 0.686–0.842, p < 0.05–0.001 with combined stresses. We concluded that RE as a vigour test can be used successfully to estimate the seedling quality of highly germinating hybrid cucumber seed lots. Use of the RE test in hybrid cucumber seeds and its influence on high-quality seedling production were discussed. Full article

Underutilized crops, such as okra, have the potential to alleviate stress on crop production imposed by climate change and farming conditions, but their production is greatly hindered by poor seed quality. Insect pollination and seed coating with organic substances (biochar) may improve okra’s seed performance, but the beneficial effects of biochar seed coating and pollination on the seed quality of okra grown under stressful conditions is unknown. We examined the impact of pollination and biochar seed coating on okra seed performance under varying temperatures. Seeds were obtained from plants grown under complete insect pollination and exclusion. A factorial experiment was conducted in growth chambers with three factors: seed type, seed coating and temperature conditions. Insect-pollinated seeds with biochar coating had the highest chlorophyll content, seedling vigour index, shoot, and root growth and the heaviest seedling mass, but with a reduced speed of germination and emergence. The insect-pollinated seed without biochar coating had a lighter seedling mass (33% lower) than insect-pollinated, coated seed. Low temperature conditions during germination were ameliorated by biochar seed coating but biochar coating could not alleviate high temperature (35/30 °C) stress. Harnessing the pollinator’s benefits and biochar seed coating are possible sustainable solutions to enhance seed quality. Full article

Work environments can interfere with the mental health of workers as generators or reducers of psychological distress. Work engagement is a concept related to quality of life and efficiency at work. The aim of this study was to find the relationship between work environment factors and work engagement among the Ecuadorian general population during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess their levels of psychological distress. For this purpose, a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a set of questionnaires was performed. Sociodemographic and work environment data, work engagement (UWES-9 scale) scores, and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) scores were collected. The variables that predicted 70.2% of psychological distress during the first phase of the pandemic were being female, with a low level of vigour (work engagement dimension), being stressed at work, and low job satisfaction. The sample showed an intermediate level of engagement in both the global assessment and the three dimensions, being higher in those without psychological distress. With effective actions on work environment factors, mental health effects may be efficiently prevented, and work engagement may be benefited. Companies can reduce workers’ psychological distress by providing safe and effective means to prevent the risk of contagion; reducing the levels of work conflict, work stress, or workload; and supporting their employees with psychological measures in order to maintain ideal working conditions. Full article

A thoracic squeeze has been observed to cause low-vigour neonates of various farmed mammal species, including calves, to enter a state of reduced responsiveness. The removal of the squeeze causes rapid recovery and the expression of normal, healthy behaviours. However, the responses of healthy calves to a thoracic squeeze have not yet been characterized. The responses of 16 healthy newborn calves to a thoracic squeeze are described, along with the effect of the squeeze’s application method on the response. Calves aged between 12 and 36 h were subjected to the squeeze using a rope (n = 8) or an inflation cuff (n = 8). In total, 13 of the 16 calves were induced into a state of reduced responsiveness, though neural reflexes persisted in nearly all of them. The squeeze was discontinued for nearly half of those induced before the end of the 10-min period, either due to spontaneous arousal or physiological instability. Both methods of application were equally effective at inducing reduced responsiveness, though responses to the cuff appeared to be more rapid than those to the rope. These findings support previous research on piglets and foals, and suggest that the behavioural responses to a thoracic squeeze are generalised across neonates of precocial farmed mammals; the findings provide a foundation for further research exploring the mechanisms underlying the response and the benefits that its application may bring for the performance of husbandry procedures. Full article

Push–pull technology (PPT) is one of the most viable low-cost agroecological practices that reduces the effects of insect pest infestations (e.g., stemborer) and parasitic weeds (e.g., Striga) in croplands. PPT was evaluated in low-fertility soils and two farming practices, minimum-tilled conservation agriculture practice (CA), and conventionally tilled practice (CP), in contrasting agroecological zones at the Chitedze, Mbawa, and Chitala stations in Malawi. Stemborer and Striga infestations were also investigated and the suitability levels of two Desmodium species. Farmers’ perceptions of PPT were gathered through a focus group discussion. The performance of PPT varied significantly between treatments, sites, and years on grain yields and the number of cobs that could be assigned to soil attributes. Significant variations were found in the number of exit holes, stemborer damage severity, and the number of Striga-affected plants with severe infestation. In Chitedze, CP recorded significantly shorter maize plants by 14.1, 11.6, and 5.8 cm than CP–PP, CA, and CA–PP, respectively, in 2016–2017. There were no significant differences in plant height between CP–PP, CA, and CA–PP. Similar results were also found in 2017–2018. Focus group discussions among farmers attested to up to 70% reductions in Striga weed and stemborer pests under PPT over the two seasons. Farmers who used push–pull technology reported a 45–50% yield increase. Push–pull was also perceived as a technology that improves soil fertility and controls soil erosion. The study presented the importance of soil physicochemical properties in the performance of the technology, as supported by the high occurrence of Striga asiatica in the country and the low suitability of Greenleaf Desmodium. Results reaffirmed the technology’s agronomic benefits in productivity, pest management, plant vigour, and Striga control. The cost of labour was described as a challenge, and research to identify more suitable Desmodium species is needed. The current study suggests the release of the technology in Malawi, emphasizing the inclusion of Desmodium and Brachiaria as animal fodder for the adoption of the technology. Full article