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The aim of this study was to determine the extent of the hormonal response of Arctic fox females exposed to two types of stress: short-term and long-term, combined with adaptation to new environmental conditions. Short-term stress (20 min) was investigated in 34 females on farm A in the Wielkopolska province. The testing procedure involved capturing of the animals, their immobilisation, phenotype evaluation, and placing in target cages. Blood for laboratory examinations was collected from the vena cephalica antebrachii three times: on the day of the test, directly after the procedure and after three days. Long-term stress (8 h), combined with adaptation to new environmental conditions, was examined in 30 females which were purchased from a farm in the Lodzkie province (farm B). The testing procedure involved selection and capture of the animals, immobilisation and transfer from the pavilion, blood collection and placing of animals in a transport cage. Transport of the animals to the target farm (farm A) lasted approximately 8 h. Blood was collected five times in total, i.e. before transport (on farm B), after the transport to farm A, and then after three days, whereas the last two samplings were conducted at a 5- and 15-day interval from the third blood collection. The control group consisted of 20 randomly selected females from farm A. Blood from these animals was collected twice - at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Changes in hormone concentrations (cortisol and testosterone) were adopted as a measure of sensitivity to a stressor. Blood hormones were analysed using a radio-immunological method. The course of stress reaction was affected by exposure time and stressor intensity, and significant changes in cortisol (P ≤ 0.01) and testosterone (P ≤ 0.05) concentrations were noted among individuals subjected to both short-term and long-term stress. Increased cortisol concentrations were maintained for a longer time in the group of Arctic fox females exposed to a long-term stress. In conclusion, the course of a stress reaction is affected by the duration of exposure and intensity of the stressor, and the strong stress reaction to zootechnical treatments and transport confirms the lack of complete domestication of this species.

A total of 140 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight (b.w.) of 6.75 ± 1.48 kg were used in a six-week trial. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of four experimental treatments according to their initial b.w. (seven pens per treatment with five pigs per pen). Dietary treatments were: CON = control diet, T1 = CON + 0.05% bromelain, T2 = CON + 0.10% bromelain, T3 = CON + 0.20% bromelain. The experiment was divided into two phases (Days 1 to 14 and Days 15 to 42). All diets, in mash form, were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirements (NRC, 2012) for weanling pigs. Feed intake and b.w. were monitored at the end of each phase. T3 treatment had greater (342 vs. 305 g; 409 vs. 387 g; P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) than CON treatment in Phase 1. In Phase 2, the ADG was improved (from T1 to T3: 612, 616, 637 vs. 583 g; P < 0.05) in all bromelain treatments compared with CON treatment, ADFI and growth efficiency (G : F) ratio of T3 treatment were higher (833 vs. 803 g; 0.765 vs. 0.726 g; P < 0.05) compared with CON treatment. Overall, T3 treatment showed greater (539 vs. 490 g; 691 vs. 664 g; P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI than CON. Moreover, pigs fed bromelain diets exhibited increased (0.769, 0.770, 0.780 vs. 0.738; P < 0.05) G : F ratios compared with those fed CON diet. Pigs fed bromelain diets exhibited increased (two weeks: 79.06, 79.97, 79.42 vs. 77.98%; 78.51, 78.86, 78.43 vs. 75.69%; six weeks: 74.49, 74.67, 75.02 vs. 72.70 %; 69.43, 70.78, 71.32 vs. 73.39%; P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter and nitrogen compared with those fed CON diet at Week 2 and Week 6. On Day 42, the blood creatinine in the CON group was higher (1.30 vs. 1.04, 0.97, 0.88 mg/dl; P < 0.05) compared with the bromelain treatment groups. Faecal E. coli counts were decreased (6.22 vs. 6.41 log₁₀ cfu/g; P < 0.05) in T2 treatment compared with CON treatment. The faecal ammonia (NH₃) gas emission in T2 and T3 treatments decreased (17.72, 17.33 vs. 22.95 ppm; P < 0.05) compared with CON. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.2% bromelain has here been shown to improve the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and N and to decrease E. coli and faecal NH₃ gas emission in weanling pigs.

The content of lipophilic vitamins A and E was determined in samples of sheep and goat milk of different breeds coming from 9 farms in central, eastern, and southern Bohemia. Samples were collected throughout the period of lactation (from April to September). Vitamins A and E were determined by HPLC using DAD and FLD detectors. Vitamin A was determined in all samples but only α-tocopherol (out of various forms of vitamin E) was detected in all samples. The total average content of vitamins A and E in raw milk of all sheep breeds during lactation was 0.93 ± 0.07 and 2.93 ± 0.87 mg/kg, levels of these vitamins in goat milk were 0.79 ± 0.08 and 1.29 ± 0.35 mg/kg, respectively. The results showed a significantly medium and strong correlation between the content of vitamin A and E and the content of fat (R² = 0.57 and 0.75, respectively). The year did not have any statistically significant influence on the content of monitored vitamins. The content of both vitamins is dependent on the phase of lactation. The levels of vitamins A and E were significantly lower in the early phase and significantly higher in the late phase of lactation. The amount of monitored vitamins slightly decreased during pasteurisation. A strong decrease in the content of both vitamins was observed during the first two weeks after milk storage in a freezing box at the temperature of -20°C (about 11-55%).

To better understand how water stress and availability affect the enzyme activity and microbial communities in soil, we measured the changes of organic carbon (OC), bacteria and fungi populations, and endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities in a semiarid soil treated with air-dried primary sewage sludge at a rate of 20 g/kg. The water potentials established for soil incubation were: saturation (SA, 0 bar), field capacity (FC, -0.3 bar), and permanent wilting point (PWP, -15 bar). An irrigation treatment was a drying-rewetting cycle (DWC) between -0.3 to -15 bars. After 0, 20, 60 and 90 days of incubation soils were sampled for analysis. The addition of sewage sludge increased soil OC, endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities significantly. The effects of soil moisture, incubation time and their interactions on OC, and endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities in soil were significant. During 20 days of incubation, OC, endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities decreased significantly. Soils incubated in DWC and FC compared to soils incubated in SA and PWP had lower OC contents due to organic matter mineralization. Organic C, exoglucanase and endoglucanase activities significantly increased with increasing soil water potential. The activities of exoglucanase and endoglucanase in soils incubated in SA were significantly higher than those in soils incubated in PWP.

The present study investigated the adsorption-desorption behaviour of triazophos on Indian soils at 10, 20 and 40°C using batch equilibrium technique. Results revealed that adsorption isotherms were explained better by Freundlich model and adsorption coefficient (K_f) decreased with increase in temperature indicating that adsorption was affected strongly by temperature. Moreover thermodynamic analysis showed that triazophos adsorption onto soil was spontaneous, exothermic and might have occurred through chemisorptions, hydrogen bonding or ligand-exchange interactions. Desorption results depicted that nearly 90% of the pesticide amount adsorbed by soil was retained by it at 10°C and the amount decreased with increase in temperature. Thus, the pesticide has a potential to contaminate surface and ground water at higher temperature due to weak adsorption on tested soils and release of more adsorbed pesticide during desorption with water. At temperature below 20°C, pesticide became almost immobile and therefore soil remediation may be required. The study highlights the importance of temperature in regulating the application of triazophos in soil.

The study is focused on the microbial and chemical parameters of green compost in which composites based on acetylated wheat B-starch and maltodextrin (patented procedure) were biodegraded and also on the parameters of lettuce grown on this compost before and after the biodegradation. With a load of up to 1 g of composites per 1 l of compost, and with a storage period of 0, 7-14, 15-20 and 21-147 days, mixture of compost wiped off the surface both of well-preserved composites and of the immediate surroundings of their residues was evaluated. Microbial biomass, basal respiration (BR), metabolic quotient, dehydrogenase and arylsulfatase activity (ARS) and the parameters of the lettuce growth on this compost did not show any negative changes. On the contrary acetylated wheat B-starch and maltodextrin stimulated both ARS and BR. ARS showed the most rapid onset among all tests. The height of the aboveground parts of the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) grown on green compost was significantly better, compared to commercial peat-based substrates.

The net energy (NE) system takes into account the metabolic utilisation of energy and has been proposed as a superior system for characterising the energy value of feeds. In growing pigs, the inefficiency of ME utilisation for NE (or the heat increment, HI) is dependent on many factors, among them the genotype, which implies that published NE prediction equations may not apply across all genotypes. We conducted a study to investigate the effect of two genotypes (Yorkshire-Hampshire♀ × Duroc♂; YH × D) and Large white♀ × Landrace♂; LW × LR) on heat production (HP) and NE value of a corn soybean meal-based diet fed to growing pigs. The diet met or exceeded the nutrient specifications of 20-50 kg b.w. pigs according to NRC (1998). A total of sixteen barrows were used, eight of each genotype (initial b.w. of 20.1 ± 1.1 and 19.0 ± 0.9 kg for YH ×D and LW × LR, respectively). Pigs were initially fed at 550 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day (high ME intake) for determination of DE and ME in metabolism crates. Thereafter, HP was measured using an indirect calorimeter at either high ME or 330 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day (low ME intake) to estimate fasting HP (FHP) by regression. Pigs were allowed a 3-d adaptation period at low ME intake before measurement of HP. Irrespective of the genotype, a reduction of ME intake resulted in a decrease (P < 0.0001) of HP (352 for high ME vs. 292 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day for low ME). Pigs of LW × LR tended (P = 0.07) to have higher HP than those of YH× D and their estimated FHP was 175 and 103 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day, respectively. The determined diet NE value was lower for the YHxD genotype (2,307 vs. 2633 kcal/kg DMI, P = 0.01) than for the LW × LR genotype. Pigs of LW × LR genotype showed lower (179 vs. 226 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day, P = 0.003) HI than YH × D genotype and were determined to retain less energy as protein (100 vs. 123 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day, P =0.04) and more energy as fat (73 vs. 42 kcal/kg b.w.^-0.60/day, P = 0.04). The diet NE value was 96% (LW × LR) and 81% (YH × D) of the predicted NE from published equations. In conclusion, a corn-soybean meal fed at equal amounts resulted in different HP and NE value depending on genotype.

The objective of this paper is to clarify the impacts of straw covering method on runoff and soil erosion in summer maize field on the Loess Plateau of China. A field experiment was conducted (2012-2014) in the artificial raining hall of the State Key Laboratory, with three soils and five straw covering methods. Three soils were Heilu soil (Calcisols), Huangmian soil (Fluvisols) and Lou soil (Anthrosols). Five straw covering methods were CK - no straw mulching and no stubble standing on the surface of the plot; T30 - 30 cm of winter wheat (WW) stubble standing above ground; M30 - 30 cm of WW stubble was harvest and mulched on the surface of the plot; M10T20 - 20 cm of WW stubble standing and 10 cm WW straw mulching on the surface of the plot; M20T10 - 10 cm of WW stubble standing and 20 cm of WW straw mulching on the surface of the plot. The results showed that (1) straw covering method not only impacted ITRP (initial time of runoff producing), but also affected runoff volume in summer maize field on the Loess Plateau of China. M10T20 was the best to postpone ITRP and to reduce runoff volume in summer maize field. (2) Different covering methods produced different sediment yield in summer maize field. M30 was the best to reduce soil erosion in summer maize field on the Loess Plateau of China. (3) When one covering method was used to reduce runoff or soil erosion, bulk density and soil mechanical composition (silt content, clay content and sand content) should be considered seriously.

The bioaccumulation of lead in selected tissues of Prussian carp kept in pond condition during 12 and 24 months of exposure to different doses (8, 13, 24, and 49 mg/kg) of this metal in feed and its elimination from tissues during the following 12-month depuration period was studied. Additionally gonadosomatic index and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, as the effect of exposure to Pb, were examined. The concentration of lead in all the studied tissues, except for the gonads, correlated positively with the metal concentration in the diet, and the maximum level was usually achieved after 3 months of the exposure. The highest levels of lead, i.e. 2.1 ± 0.14 mg/kg, were found in the posterior intestine in the 15^th month of the exposure, followed by bones, scales and kidneys, in which the level of lead amounted to 1.8 ± 0.20, 1.22 ± 0.07, and 1.17 ± 0.17 mg/kg, respectively. The negative effect of chronic exposure to lead was manifested by a significantly higher spontaneous LH secretion in groups exposed to 24 and 49 mg/kg of lead and a higher LH secretion level 6 h after the stimulating secretion. After 12 months of exposure and 12 months of depuration, as well as after 24 months of exposure, the effects of lead on LH secretion were not observed. Environmental lead can be a potent endocrine disruptor, which may have an adverse impact on fish reproduction. Prussian carps become resistant to the negative effects of lead with age and their organisms cope by reaching a state of homeostasis.

From a total number of 62 apple samples included in this study, 42 cultivars or selections were evaluated after storing in standard conditions, and the remaining 20 in ultra low oxygen (ULO) storing conditions. The top leader regarding total taste quality was cv. Meteor, which obtained the highest total scoring value, and also in the mean sequence it was the number one cultivar. In the following position with regard to the total fruit quality was cv. King Jonagold. In a decreasing sequence of total fruit quality, the cultivars were classified in the following order: Rosabel, Andera, Angold, Berta and Meteor stored in ULO. In the case of fruit taste alone, Gold Bohemia was the total leader. Followed by cvs Rubinola and Andera. Regarding the character of the taste, cv. King Jonagold was relatively the sweetest, closely followed by cvs Pinova and Goldstar. On the opposite spectrum, with relatively the most acidic taste, were cvs Jonagold, Topaz and Rubin, all of which were stored in ULO conditions. Regarding fruit appearance cv. Melrose was evaluated as the most attractive looking apple. It was followed in this characteristic by the novelty cv. HL 212. Next in sequence were cvs Šampion (ULO), Benet, Gala Must (ULO), Angold and Andera.

Two probiotic (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) supplementation strategies (continuous and cyclic) were evaluated for their ability to enhance resistance of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to Aeromonas salmonicida infection. Neither of these strategies improved post-challenge survival. Instead, cyclic administration resulted in a significantly higher mortality rate (73%) compared with continuous supplementation (52%) and the control group (46%). One week post-challenge, most haematological, plasma biochemical, and immune parameters showed no significant difference between treatments, though fish receiving cyclic supplementation did exhibit a reduced lymphocyte count. However, three weeks post-challenge, this same group showed a significant decrease in total phagocyte number and in the proportion of phagocytes within white blood cells. IgM concentrations were significantly lower in both probiotic-supplemented groups than in the control group. In the cyclic group, reductions in interleukin-10 and elevations in total protein levels were also observed. Microbiome analysis of gut content three weeks post-challenge revealed a marked decline in microbial diversity in both probiotic-treated groups. These findings indicate that, under the experimental conditions, probiotic supplementation did not provide protection against A. salmonicida infection and that cyclic administration may disrupt immune homeostasis and intestinal microbial stability, ultimately compromising host resilience.

In this study, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, an iron (Fe)-reducing bacterium, was inoculated to a red soil, which was then incubated. Soil samples were taken regularly to analyse the variation of iron oxides and phosphorus (P) fractions. The results showed that the MR-1 inoculation increased the content of the free iron oxides, but decreased the activity of the iron oxides in the soil, and had no significant influence on the amorphous iron oxides. The MR-1 inoculation increased the resin-P and residual-P, decreased the NaHCO₃-extracted inorganic P (NaHCO₃-P_i) and NaOH-extracted inorganic P (NaOH-P_i), but did not significantly influence the diluted HCl-extracted inorganic P (D.HCl-P_i) and concentrated HCl-extracted inorganic P (C.HCl-P_i). The presence of MR-1 influenced the correlation between the free iron oxides and NaOH-P_i. In the CK where deactivated MR-1 was applied, there was a significant positive correlation between the free iron oxides and the NaOH-P_i; in the treatment with the live MR-1 inoculation, there was no correlation between them. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the free iron oxides and the C.HCl-P_i, and there was a significant negative correlation between the NaHCO₃-P_i, resin-P, and residual-P. Therefore, the MR-1 inoculation improved the P availability by decreasing the activity of the iron oxides and consequently improved the P use efficiency in the red soil.

Two-year experiments were conducted on two different soil types during 2021/22 and 2022/23 to study the impact of microbiological preparations, Mycor-FAZOS and Vitality-FAZOS, on the yield and quality elements of winter wheat cultivar Maja (Agrigenetics). The experiment was set up in a split-block design with four repetitions across two soil types, with 12 different variants on each soil type. The base plot area was 40 m2, and the effective plot area was 27 m2. The research factors included: A (soil type): A1 – gley soil; A2 – eutric cambisol; B (disease control): B1 – control; B2 – chemical pesticides; B3 – biopreparates (seed treatment + foliar treatment) and C (nitrogen fertilisation): C1 – based on soil analysis; C2 – 70% of recommended application. Variables included grain yield (t/ha), grain protein content (%), hectoliter weight (kg), and plant height (cm). The highest average grain yield was achieved with variant B3C2, with a 12.50% increase compared to variant B2C1. Differences between these variants included 6.0% for protein content, 5.97% for hectoliter weight, and 7.93% for plant height. It was observed that Mycor-FAZOS seed treatment promoted root development, resulting in healthier, taller, more robust plants with a more uniform growth and darker colour than untreated seed variants (indicating increased photosynthesis index). The protection achieved with Vitality-FAZOS biopreparations (fungicidal microorganisms synthesising growth hormones) ensured healthier wheat plants, leading to higher seed yield and better quality parameters.

Diagnostic morphological traits distinguishing Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos are not always apparent. Precise species identification is crucial for conservation management and for establishing genetic resources of forest reproductive material. In this study, we employed fifteen microsatellite (SSR) markers to identify diagnostic loci for reliable species discrimination between T. cordata and T. platyphyllos species and to evaluate the genetic diversity. A total of 250 trees were sampled from eight natural autochthonous populations of T. cordata and T. platyphyllos in the Czech Republic, and additional ten individuals of T. tomentosa were included for comparison. Markers Tc8 and Tc918 were identified as diagnostic, exhibiting species-specific alleles for T. cordata and T. platyphyllos. Contrary to the previously published results, we obtained PCR amplicons at locus Tc918 with an allele size of 226 bp in T. cordata. An analysis of the fifteen SSR loci revealed a high level of genetic variability in both the T. cordata and T. platyphyllos populations. No clonally identical genotypes were detected across the eight study sites. The genetic differentiation (Fst) was higher between T. platyphyllos and T. tomentosa (0.316) than between T. platyphyllos and T. cordata (0.205). Bayesian clustering further revealed distinct genetic structures for T. cordata, T. platyphyllos, and T. tomentosa.

Disturbing the remaining forest ecosystem in the Cibodas Botanical Garden (CBG) has affected the dynamics of the soil macroarthropod communities. This study was conducted in three remaining forest locations in the CBG with different levels of disturbance. Soil macroarthropod samples were collected using the pitfall trap method with 30 traps and analysed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou's evenness, Simpson's dominance, and Margalef's species richness to assess the dynamics of the soil macroarthropod community. This study analysed how these communities respond to different levels of disturbance in the garden, namely Jalan Akar (JA; low), Wornojiwo (WJ; moderate), and Ciismun (CI; high), which were influenced by tourism activities and local environmental conditions. The results showed that individuals from the Hymenoptera group accounted for 60.05% of the total number of soil macroarthropods found. Site WJ, which experienced moderate disturbance, had the highest number of individuals and species richness of soil macroarthropods. In contrast, site CI, which experienced high levels of disturbance, had a lower number of individuals and lower species richness, diversity and evenness indices. Site JA, which experienced low levels of disturbance, exhibited higher diversity and evenness indices. These results demonstrate that disturbance affects the presence of soil macroarthropods at their respective levels of disturbance. However, analysing the spatial distribution of soil macroarthropods in each studied taxon using the Morisita index revealed that they were dominantly clustered and exhibited varied distribution patterns. The study concludes that maintaining minimal disturbance is essential to preserve soil biodiversity and ecological balance in managed forest ecosystems such as the Cibodas Botanical Garden.

Membranous structures within the right atrium (RA), such as the Chiari network, eustachian valve, Thebesian valve, and cor triatriatum dexter (CTD), can present with overlapping imaging features and complicated diagnoses. A 17-year-old male Maltese presented with a cardiac murmur, cough, anorexia, and exercise intolerance. Echocardiography revealed a mobile membrane in the RA, dividing it into two chambers. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed this finding, demonstrating differential attenuation of contrast between the chambers. The vascular connections and anatomical relationships of the structure differed from those of previously reported CTD types. Although other sinus venosus valve remnants were considered, the findings supported a provisional diagnosis of atypical CTD. This case highlights the utility of multimodal imaging for the characterisation of right atrial membranous structures. In human medicine, a detailed anatomical comparison of sinus venosus valve remnants aids in the differential diagnosis. Applying a similar approach in veterinary medicine, especially in geriatric patients, may improve diagnostic accuracy. Comprehensive imaging evaluations, including echocardiography and CT, are recommended to assess RA membranes that may be misinterpreted as variants of the CTD or other embryological remnants.

The domestication process has had a substantial and varied impact on animals in terms of anatomy, physiology, and behaviour. Poultry species are particularly important for humans, with the most significant being chickens, geese, and ducks. However, it is not well understood whether, or to what extent selection influences the eggshell structure compared to wild ancestors. In the present study, we compared eggshells from three species: Red junglefowl and its four domesticated forms: Green-legged partridge, Lohmann Brown, Ko-Shamo, meat type breeder (Cobb 500); Greylag goose, and two domesticated breeds: Bilgoraj goose and White Koluda goose, as well as Mallard duck and domesticated crossbred KhO-01. The analyses revealed significant differences in the eggshell structure both between species (P < 0.001) and between breeds (P < 0.001 for chickens and geese, and P = 0.039 for ducks). Domesticated forms tend to have fewer mammillary knobs per mm² (P = 0.004), which were larger (P < 0.001) and they show the smaller coverage of the mammillary knobs (P < 0.001). Analyses showed significant correlations of the body mass and egg size with eggshell characteristics (P < 0.001). Considering that domesticated forms are usually larger, it cannot be conclusively determined whether changes in structure result from the domestication process itself or are physiologically linked to body mass and egg size. The relatively high similarity between the eggs of the wild ancestor and the Ko-Shamo breed, which exhibits substantial morphological changes but has a body mass similar to that of the Red junglefowl, supports this interpretation.

Rice paddy fields serve as an important source of stable food supply and a notable contributor to atmospheric methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Rice cultivar selection acts as a pivotal factor in regulating greenhouse gas (GHGs) of CH₄ and N₂O emissions from rice paddy fields. However, little is known about how different types of rice cultivars affect CH₄ and N₂O emissions. In the study, three types of rice cultivars, including Japonica-type Indica-Japonica hybrid rice (JHR: ZJY1578 and JHY5), Indica-type hybrid rice (IHR: ZZY8 and JFY2), and inbred rice (IR: J67 and XS121), were selected to evaluate differences in mitigating GHGs. Results showed that the total CH₄ and N₂O emissions of two Japonica-type Indica-Japonica hybrid rice cultivars were 49.81–60.01 kg/ha and 0.67–0.83 g/ha, respectively, which were lower than those of the other two rice cultivar types. The total equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions of CH₄ and N₂O (TCO₂-eq) of two Japonica hybrid rice significantly reduced by 16.7–46.9%, compared with the other two types of rice cultivars (IHR and IR). CH₄ contributed 85.5–89.9% to the GWP, while 65.6–80.4% in the field of planting inbred rice. The reduction in GHGs emissions is mainly attributed to yield, available carbon and nitrogen contents, root morphological characteristics, and functional genes. Consequently, GHGs emissions in paddy fields could be mitigated by selecting or breeding cultivars with high yield, lower root exudates, and greater root porosity.

The need of vernalisation, controlled by the gene VRN-1, impacts wheat adaptation and yield stability, yet field evidence on the plasticity of VRN-1 homoeologs expression is limited. We quantified VRN-1 homoeolog dynamics across two sites and two seasons in seven cultivars, by sampling their apex and leaf. VRN-A1 varied with genotype (P < 0.001***), tissue (apex > leaf; P < 0.001***), apex development (P < 0.001***), day length (P < 0.001***), and to a lesser extent, on short-term freezing exposure, quantified as a 5-day freezing-degree sum (FDS; P = 0.019*). Photoperiod class (Ppd-D1a vs Ppd-D1b) added an additional effect (P = 0.001***). VRN-B1 showed strong genotype effects (P < 0.001***), a modest effect of site on its expression (P = 0.025*), and pronounced associations with microclimate variables (day length, thermal sums, freezing exposure; all P < 0.001***). Directionally, Ppd-D1a backgrounds tended to advance the development while showing earlier apex VRN-A1 peaks. Overall, VRN-A1 expression mainly reflected developmental stage and seasonal forcing, whereas VRN-B1 might be more microclimate-responsive, indicating complementary roles for timing and stress-response plasticity. To isolate causal effects and to further explain these dynamics, targeted sequencing and tests in near-isogenic lines will be needed in future work.

Extensive research studies worldwide have discussed and analysed the effect of processing conditions on the nutritional aspects of Western types of bread; however, the literature on Arabic bread processing is very limited. This study aims to determine the effect of baking temperature and time on the retention of B vitamins in a pocket-forming Arabic flatbread model system. High-crumb flat Arabic bread (Thick Kmaj) was prepared by the straight dough method from three types of flour (patent, straight grade, and whole wheat) fortified with B vitamins. Doughs were fermented and proofed for 0, 30, 60, and 90 min and baked at five temperatures (250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 °C) for three different baking times (1, 2, and 3 min). Baking at lower temperatures (i.e. < 300 °C) resulted in higher B-complex vitamin retention values (more than 90%). Vitamin B6 showed exceptional retention values (about 100%), though these decreased by increasing the baking temperature. Vitamin retention levels in the produced Arabic bread samples are similar to those found in pan and other high-crumb bread types when baked at lower temperatures. Results are expected to positively impact the output and economics of the flour fortification process, as it can be helpful material for upcoming micronutrient survey studies to assess fortification process outcomes.

A choice experiment (CE) is a stated preference method to elicit the respondent's preference. The CE can predict consumer valuation for a hypothetical product's attributes. Many scholars have discussed the CE's design, analysis, reliability, and validity. Still, no scientific papers reviewed its application in agri-food studies in a broad spectrum, particularly in investigating food product categories and their attributes. Additionally, this review emphasises the technical aspects of CEs, such as the sample size, software, data analysis, and research implications. The result discovered that most CE studies are relevant to developed countries. Most reviewed studies observed wine and meat as objects in the CE studies, in the theme of health, food safety, origin, and sustainability. The future research trend was related to health benefits and natural ingredients. Thus, this review provides recommendations for future studies to explore consumer preference using CE in agri-food research.

Based on strip-tillage technology, this study explores the optimal seedbed environment for maize growth through a three-year field agronomic experiment. A comparative analysis of two planting modes, flat planting and ridge planting, was conducted, and a two-factor, three-level experimental design was implemented (furrow-breaking width: 8, 10 and 12 cm; furrow-breaking depth: 2, 3 and 4 cm), with manual soil covering without furrow breaking as the control group. Analysis of the averaged data over three years indicates that furrow-breaking treatment significantly increased maize yield under both flat and ridge planting modes, highlighting the importance of furrow breaking for maize growth. Ridge planting increased yield by an average of 7.58% compared to flat planting. The optimal yield was achieved at a furrow-breaking width of 10 cm and a depth of 4 cm, where ridge and flat planting yields were 10.37% and 10.43% higher than the average values at each level, respectively. Additionally, at the optimal yield level, the chlorophyll soil-plant analysis development (SPAD) values for ridge and flat planting were 15.36% and 17.06% higher than the average values. The emergence rates of ridge and flat planting maize were 5.43% and 4.93% higher than the average values, respectively. This not only enhanced crop stress resistance but also improved overall economic benefits.

Solanum commersonii shows tolerance to low temperatures, a key target trait for potato breeding. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CIPKs) play a significant role in plant defence response to several stresses, including cold. In this study, we observed the expression of ScCIPK1, ScCIPK3, ScCIPK23 and ScCIPK24 in S. commersonii exposed to 4 °C at multiple time intervals. Initial findings revealed that these genes were under-expressed after 10 and 30 minutes of cold stress, except ScCIPK3. Notably, after 24 hours, all genes displayed higher expression levels compared to the non-stressed controls. These findings highlight the role of ScCIPK3 in the early stages of cold response and indicate a coordinated regulatory mechanism across CIPKs that likely contributes to the cold stress tolerance observed in S. commersonii. In this work, we introduce a model to elucidate the signalling crosstalk under cold stress in S. commersonii, providing insights that could facilitate the development of cold-resistant potato cultivars.

We studied sessile oak (Quercus petraea) growing on six dry sites to understand adaptability responses to drought stress. Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) on a moderately dry site was tested in parallel. We analyzed accessions from mostly dry sites that were less sensitive to soil drought and found that the growth performance ranking was not the same before and after treatment. We used phenological plasticity approaches to study seed development and plant development before and after drought: the treatments included stem length, root length, and collar diameter, as well as dry above- and below-ground biomass performance. Additionally, after drought treatment, osmolytes and root surface were tested in Q. petraea. According to the analyses and results, the ranked sites did not maintain their ranking status, with Q. petraea exhibiting different rates of growth during each developmental stage from seed development until the end of the treatment of plant material. The smallest seeds came from the driest site, which may indicate more adaptability to drought stress. After drought treatment, large differences were found between the dry biomass performance, stem length, root length, and collar diameter of oaks grown on different sites. The osmolality of Q. petraea on most of the dry sites was higher under the reduced treatment than under the optimal treatment, but not significantly. After drought treatment, all accessions - and especially those from the driest site - showed large differences in growth performance between the treatments. The relationship between seed weight and seedling development before and after drought treatment differed according to the developmental stage.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in western Algeria between February and October 2024, aimed at determining the prevalence of bovine mastitis, Gram-negative bacilli, and their associated risk factors. A total of 524 cows were sampled using clinical examination and the California mastitis test. Milk samples from the affected quarter were subjected to bacteriological assays. Three generalised linear mixed models were used to identify the risk factors for clinical mastitis (CM) and subclinical mastitis (SCM), as well as Gram-negative bacilli isolates associated with bovine mastitis. Model selection was performed using the Akaike information criterion. The prevalence of mastitis was 59.7% at the cow level, of which 12.6% was CM and 47.14% SCM. Overall, 65.5% of the mastitis cows showed a positive culture for Gram-negative bacilli. The most commonly isolated bacteria were Escherichia spp. (44%), Klebsiella spp. (23.1%), and Pseudomonas spp. (11.6%). The parity, contact with visitors, and daily milk yield (l/day) were identified as risk factors for SCM in dairy cows. However, foremilk discarding reduced the risk of developing SCM. A history of mastitis, udder injuries, udder and leg hygiene scores, and parity were identified as risk factors for CM. Nevertheless, none of the variables examined were risk factors for an udder infection by the Gram-negative bacilli isolates.

Methods used to control insect pests have been mainly chemical. Given the irritations associated with the use of pesticides, a search for alternatives is required, particularly through the use of plant extracts. The present study focused on comparing the insecticidal power of the aqueous extracts of the whole plant Dittrichia viscosa (commonly known as false yellowhead), the aqueous extract ratio of D. viscosa, and the bio-adjuvant Silene fuscata (1 : 1), as well as the synthetic pesticides Thiamethoxam/Lambda-cyhalothrin. Abundance, fecundity, demographic parameters, and biochemical parameters (lipid-glucidic biomarkers) of the winter phenotype of the black poplar leaf aphid Chaitophorus leucomelas were considered variables to assess the effectiveness of different approaches. The results show a strong effect of the aqueous extracts of D. viscosa (A.E. Plant) on abundance, with pronounced insecticidal activity from the aqueous extract ratio (A.E. Ratio) (P < 0.05). The lipid and carbohydrate energy of sexuparae undergo significant changes depending on the products used, with a disturbing effect of the synthetic product compared to aqueous extracts (P < 0.05). Fecundity shows a remarkable disturbance under the action of the active ingredient compared to the extracts. The results confirm that the products applied cause a disturbance in the growth rate (r_m) and net reproductive rate (R₀) of sexuparae, with the chemical treatment having the strongest effect (P < 0.05). The full dose of the active ingredient causes remarkable disturbances in the multiplication rate (λ) and the mean generation time (T) of the sexuparae compared to the other applied molecules. Some stability is reported for the doubling time (DT) of treated females compared to the control ones.

Biochar-based fertiliser (BF) is beneficial to improve yield and quality, but the effect of BF on open field tomato remains unclear, especially in karst mountainous areas. The objective of this study was to identify the application effect and optimum application rate of BF. A field experiment was carried out in Southwestern China from 2019 to 2020 to study the effects of different application amounts of BF on the yield, quality, nutrients accumulation and fertiliser utilisation of open field tomatoes. The results showed that compared with the traditional fertilisation practice, BF can significantly increase the yield of open field tomato by 5-9% (2019) and 12-23% (2020), and significantly reduce nitrate content and increase vitamin C content of fruits. Meanwhile, nutrient accumulations, agronomic efficiency, and recovery efficiency of BF treatments were all significantly improved. In conclusion, the BF rate of 2 326 kg/ha improves yield and fertiliser utilisation in open-field tomatoes and could be recommended for tomato production in karst mountainous areas.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of human neurodevelopmental disorders with significant global prevalence. Deficits in social communication and interaction and repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behaviour characterise ASD. The aetiology of ASD is unclear, but several genetic and environmental risk factors, either alone or in combination, are implicated in its development. To date, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of ASD remain incompletely understood due to its heterogeneity. To better understand the pathogenesis of ASD, various animal models have been developed. The use of animals in ASD research allows the exploration of the biological substrates of social behaviour, cognition, and reward sensitivity, which are key components of ASD symptoms. This review outlines the commonly employed animal models in ASD research and explores their applications and the associated challenges.

Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a bactericidal agent used as a common disinfectant since the 1950s. However, its effectiveness may have diminished over the time due to the rise of microbial resistance even among nonantibiotics. In this study, we evaluate the response of 46 Staphylococcus aureus isolates to CHXdihydrochloride according to their origin and phenotype (haemolysis induction, coagulase production, methicillin resistance and biofilm formation). Following classification, the influence of seven CHX concentrations (10.00–0.50 mg·L–1) on planktonic cell growth and biofilm formation was evaluated spectrophotometrically at 620 nm and 595 nm (24 h). Even though the effect of CHX was strain-specific irrespective of origin or phenotypic profile, concentrations above 2.50 mg·L–1 were almost uniformly determined as bactericidal. Although the non-bactericidal concentrations did not indicate any statistically significant differences, they did promote biofilm formation in some cases. Overall, our results suggest that CHX is still an effective disinfectant and an antimicrobial agent against S. aureus.

Oedema disease of weaned piglets is caused by shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC), typically harbouring the stx2e gene and F18 adhesins. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a commercially available oedema disease vaccine on the zootechnical performance, mortality and individual antibiotic treatment in a herd, in which non-typical STEC strains without F18 adhesin have been identified. The zootechnical performance (average daily gain, total weight gain), mortality and individual antibiotic treatment were compared between vaccinated and non-vaccinated control piglets in a monocentric field efficacy study, which was performed using two groups in a parallel, randomised design. A significantly higher average daily gain and total weight gain were recorded in the vaccinated piglets in comparison to the controls. The lower morbidity, mortality and antibiotic treatment in piglets in the vaccine group were not statistically significant. As a conclusion, the positive effect of the vaccination was confirmed in the herd with prevalent STEC not harbouring F18 adhesin. The vaccine was, therefore, also effective against oedema disease caused by such unusual STEC isolates, under the conditions of this study.