Comparative study of two Rift Valley fever virus field strains originating from Mauritania.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is one of the major viral arthropod-borne diseases in Africa. In recent decades, RVF virus (RVFV), the causative agent of RVF, has been responsible for multiple outbreaks in West Africa with important consequences on human and animal health. In particular, an outbreak occurred in 2010 after heavy rains in the desertic region of Adrar, Mauritania.

Acerola Cherry and Rosemary Extracts Improve Color and Delay Lipid Oxidation in Previously Frozen Beef.

Extending the shelf life of exported beef could increase international demand and producer profits. The objective was to evaluate the effects of topically applying combinations of acerola cherry powder and rosemary extract on the shelf life of frozen-thawed bone-in beef short rib and chuck roll steaks. Chuck rolls (IMPS 116A; = 9) and bone-in short ribs (IMPS 123A; = 18) were aged (7 d; 0 °C), frozen (30 d; -20 °C), and thawed (60-72 h; 0 °C).

Intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of brain microstructure and perfusion in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI parameters and clinical changes post-tap test (TT) in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients.

Methods: Forty-four probable iNPH patients underwent 3 T MRI before and after TT. IVIM parameters were calculated from eight different bilateral regions of interest in basal ganglia, centrum semiovale, and corona radiata.

Identification of QTL associated with resistance to Phytophthora fruit rot in cucumber ( L.).

Phytophthora fruit rot (PFR) caused by the soilborne oomycete pathogen, , can cause severe yield loss in cucumber. With no resistant variety available, genetic resources are needed to develop resistant varieties. The goal of this work was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to PFR using multiple genomic approaches and populations.

Water binders in beef patties increase yield and extend shelf life.

Identifying nonallergenic, natural water binders to increase beef patty juiciness and extend shelf life would be beneficial to the beef industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of integrating water binders into beef hamburger patties on cooking yield, shelf life, and pH. Five water binder treatments were added at 2% of the meat block.

Advanced Skeletal Ossification Is Associated with Genetic Variants in Chronologically Young Beef Heifers.

Osteogenesis is a developmental process critical for structural support and the establishment of a dynamic reservoir for calcium and phosphorus. Changes in livestock breeding over the past 100 years have resulted in earlier bone development and increased physical size of cattle. Advanced skeletal maturity is now commonly observed at harvest, with heifers displaying more mature bone than is expected at 30 months of age (MOA).

Evaluation of growth, meat quality, and sensory characteristics of wool, hair, and composite lambs.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the growth rates, carcass quality, shelf-life, tenderness, sensory characteristics, volatile compounds, and fatty acid composition of wool, hair, and composite (wool × hair) lambs. Twenty-one wether lambs [wool (Suffolk × Polypay/Targhee; n = 7), hair (Dorper × Dorper; n = 7), and composite (Dorper × Polypay/Targhee; n = 7)] were fed from weaning to finishing at the University of Idaho Sheep Center and subsequently harvested under United States Department of Agriculture inspection at the University of Idaho Meat Lab. At 48 h postmortem, carcass measurements were taken to determine the percent boneless closely trimmed retail cuts, yield grade, and quality grade.

Clinical applicability of arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging in patients with possible idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: A prospective preliminary study.

Purpose: idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients have a global reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and Arterial Spin Label (ASL) MRI allows a global evaluation of CBF without the injection of contrast agents. This work aims to assess the qualitative evaluation agreement of ASL CBF colored maps between different neuroradiologists and by correlating these data to the Tap Test.

Methods: Thirty - seven patients with the diagnosis of possible iNPH were consecutively submitted to a diagnostic MRI on a 1.

Resting-state functional-MRI in iNPH: can default mode and motor networks changes improve patient selection and outcome? Preliminary report.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a progressive and partially reversible form of dementia, characterized by impaired interactions between multiple brain regions. Because of the presence of comorbidities and a lack of accurate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, only a minority of patients receives disease-specific treatment. Recently, resting-state functional-magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has demonstrated functional connectivity alterations in inter-hemispheric, frontal, occipital, default-mode (DMN) and motor network (MN) circuits.

Protein composition of pulses and their protein isolates from different sources and in different isolation pH values using a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method.

The objective of this study was to compare the composition of pulse proteins isolated from lentils and green and yellow peas at two isolation pH values (9 and 11) and determine the effect of this variability on protein functionality. Chromatogram peaks obtained from reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography were identified by isolation of albumin-, vicilin- and legumin-rich fractions for the three pulses. Protein composition was obtained for each isolate and compared against that of the originating pulse flour.

Dissociations in white matter tracts and neuropsychological findings in a 17 years old patient with Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

The present multimodal diffusion tensor imaging and neuropsychological study investigated the integrity of the white matter fascicles in a 17 years-old patient diagnosed with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). A brief neuropsychological testing showed that word and pseudoword repetition, naming, semantic and phonological fluency, long-term memory, working memory were impaired. A review of the literature on Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) evidenced that, studies investigating the integrity of white matter in this condition being a rare disease, are very few.

Classification of Beef Muscle Tenderness Using Hyperspectral Imaging and Chemometrics.

Nowadays, the meat industry requires non-destructive, sustainable, and rapid methods that can provide objective and accurate quality assessment with little human intervention. Therefore, the present research aimed to create a model that can classify beef samples from muscle according to their tenderness degree based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI). In order to obtain different textures, two main strategies were used: (a) aging type (wet and dry aging with or without starters) and (b) aging times (0, 7, 13, 21, and 27 days).

Cortical activation and motor body representations in a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

The current neuroimaging study investigated the sensorimotor maps during hand, feet and lips movements at one year after diagnosis of of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in a 17 years-old patient. A lesion prediction algorithm showed that the posterior thalamic radiations, the splenium of the corpus callosum, the posterior and superior corona radiate, and the cingolum, showed a high lesion probability. Comparing the fMRI activations of the left and right hemisphere, we found that the representation of the left hand movement was more inferior/anterior and less represented than the representation of the right one; and the representation of the right foot movement was more superior, less represented than the representation of the left one and poorly activated at the predefined statistical threshold.

A Study of Treatment of Industrial Acidic Wastewaters with Stainless Steel Slags Using Pilot Trials.

Different stainless steel slags have been successfully employed in previous experiments, for the treatment of industrial acidic wastewaters. Although, before this technology can be implemented on an industrial scale, upscaled pilot experiments need to be performed. In this study, the parameters of the upscale trials, such as the volume and mixing speeds, are firstly tested by dispersing a NaCl tracer in a water bath.

A multimodal approach to the study of children treated for posterior fossa tumor: A review of the literature and a pilot study.

Objective: The aims of the present study were: (1) to review the literature on long-lasting cognitive sequelae in children treated for Posterior Fossa Tumor and (2) to investigate anatomic functional relations in a case series of 7 children treated for PFT using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) post-processing methods.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed MRIs of children who underwent complete surgical resection of PFT and performed extensive neuropsychological evaluation. Tumor, ventricular volumes, and VPS insertion site were drawn on T1 volumetric MRI scans and normalized to a pediatric template.

Volatile Compounds, Odour and Flavour Attributes of Lamb Meat from the Navarra Breed as Affected by Ageing.

This study aimed to assess the influence of ageing on the volatile compounds, as well as odour and flavour attributes of lamb meat from the Navarra breed. Twenty-one male lambs were fed a commercial concentrate diet after weaning and were harvested at 101 ± 6.5 days of age.

Genetic and genomic resources to study natural variation in .

The globally important crop a close relative of Arabidopsis, is an excellent system for modeling our current knowledge of plant growth on a morphologically diverse crop. The long history of domestication across Asia and Europe provides a unique collection of locally adapted varieties that span large climatic regions with various abiotic and biotic stress-tolerance traits. This diverse gene pool provides a rich source of targets with the potential for manipulation toward the enhancement of productivity of crops both within and outside the Brassicaceae.

Impact of beef carcass size on chilling rate, pH decline, display color, and tenderness of top round subprimals.

Beef carcass weights in the United States have continued to increase over the past 30 yr. As reported by the United States Department of Agriculture, grid-based carcass weight discounts begin when carcasses exceed 408 kg. Despite weight discounts, beef carcass weights continue to increase.

Allele-Specific Detection Methods for QoI Fungicide-Resistant in Vineyards.

Grapevine powdery mildew (GPM), caused by the fungus , is a constant threat to worldwide production of grape berries, requiring repeated use of fungicides for management. The frequent fungicide applications have resulted in resistance to commonly used quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides and the resistance is associated with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mitochondrial gene (). In this study, we attempted to detect the most common SNP causing a glycine to alanine substitution at amino acid position 143 (i.

Developmentally regulated activation of defense allows for rapid inhibition of infection in age-related resistance to Phytophthora capsici in cucumber fruit.

Background: Age-related resistance (ARR) is a developmentally regulated phenomenon conferring resistance to pathogens or pests. Although ARR has been observed in several host-pathogen systems, the underlying mechanisms are largely uncharacterized. In cucumber, rapidly growing fruit are highly susceptible to Phytophthora capsici but become resistant as they complete exponential growth.

Assessing outcomes of genetic selection panels to predict marbling in crossbred beef cattle.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of genetic panel marbling indexes [Igenity (IT) and PredicGEN (PG)] to predict marbling and tenderness of crossbred cattle. Steers ( = 23) were harvested at the University of Idaho Meat Science Laboratory, and blood samples were submitted to Neogen and Zoetis for genetic panel analysis. Forty-eight hours postharvest, one boneless strip loin was collected from each carcass, and six 2.