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The purpose of this study was to investigate the feeding patten of Labeobarbus intermedius at Ribb Reservoir (Lake Tana Sub-basin, Ethiopia). A total of 498 specimens were collected using gillnets. Of these, 302 (60.6%) fish had different foods, while 196 (39.4%) were empty. The fish were dissected, their stomachs were removed, and stomach contents were preserved in a 5% formalin solution. Frequency of occurrence, volumetric method, index of preponderance, and geometric importance index were used to study the feeding pattern. Detritus was the primary food, accounting for 61.6% of the guts by volume. Mud, zooplankton, and phytoplankton were the second most important food items comprising 24.4%, 3.9%, and 2.8% by volume respectively. Feeding pattern differed with the size classes of fish. The smallest fish (17.0 cm FL) majorly consumed detritus followed by mud. The importance of mud increases when the fish grows more except (>31.5 cm FL) size class. The proportions of food items of L. intermedius significantly varied with respect to the dry and wet seasons. Detritus and mud were mostly consumed in the dry season, contributing to 47.8% and 32.4% by volume, respectively. Detritus was the most preferred food item during the wet season, contributing 97.2% of the total guts and 75.6% by volume. Generally, L. intermedius feeding pattern depending on size classes and seasonal variations this may be linked to food availability in the reservoir.

Livestock plays a significant role in the livelihood enhancement of the people, especially in rural areas. The requirement for dietary protein for people from the animal sources is expected to increase. However, due to problems of feed shortages and high costs of feed the livestock sector and its contribution to the country’s economy are threatened in many countries. To address this problem, exploration of alternative sources of cheap feed resources is imperative. Azolla is one of the cheapest feed resources grown in water bodies, mainly in tropical and sub-tropical countries. There are various species of Azolla used as a feed source for livestock. Azolla filiculoides, Azolla pinnata and Azolla microphylla are the main species of Azolla that contribute to livestock feed. Nutritionally, Azolla is a good source of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. It is commonly used for feeding poultry, sheep, and goats, and dairy cattle. Azolla is used as a supplementary feed with other feed resources to increase feed intake, growth, egg production, and milk yield, as proven by many researches. Besides animal feeding, Azolla is also used for soil fertility improvement, bioremediation, compost making, and biogas production. Therefore, the production and utilization of Azolla in an appropriate, way particularly in wetland areas will contribute to improving livestock nutrition and productivity.

AbstractThis study aimed to examine the food and feeding habits of Oreochromis niloticus at the Ribb reservoir for sustainable management. A total of 512 specimens were collected using gillnets of different mesh sizes. Of these, 348 (67.9 %) fish had different foods, while 164 (32.1%) fish had empty stomachs. Mud was the main food item that accounted for 89.1% of estimated stomachs and 55.1% of the total volume in the diet. Detritus and phytoplankton were the second most important food items contributing 25.1% and 14.1% of the total volume respectively. Prey items differed depending on the fish size (ANOVA, p

AbstractA total of 525 catfish samples were collected with various fishing equipment, including hooks, longlines, and different mesh sizes of gillnets (4–12 cm). Out of these specimens, 379 (72.2%) stomachs contained prey items, whereas 146 (27.8%) were empty stomachs. Overall, fish prey, zooplankton, detritus and phytoplankton were the four most important food items, accounting for 48.1%, 21.8%, 17.1% and 5.9% of C. gariepinus diets by volume respectively. Diet composition varied across different size classes of the fish. The smallest fish (37 cm SL) primarily fed on fish prey (14.0–74.1%) followed by zooplankton (11.2–21.3%) by volume. The relative importance of detritus, mud, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and insects decreased with increasing fish size from the Ribb Reservoir. The food and feeding habits of C. gariepinus significantly differed between dry and wet seasons. Fish prey and detritus were mainly consumed in the dry season and contributed to 63.6% and 21.9% of the total volume respectively. Zooplankton and phytoplankton were the most preferred food items during the wet season, contributing 71.8% and 22.2% of the total volume. Generally, C. gariepinus appears to be an omnivore, the species exhibits ontogenetic dietary shifts with larger specimens being more carnivorous, and the species exhibits dietary plasticity across wet and dry seasons, which may be linked to food availability from the Ribb Reservoir.

It is important to understand the biological aspects of fish for fishing management. This study was conducted from February through October 2021. A total of 1,629 fishes were collected using different fishing gears. The length-weight relationship is a power curve for all fishes and showed a significant (r2 > 0.8). All fishes revealed a negative allometric growth pattern except Labeobarbus intermedius. Oreochromis niloticus (1.714 ± 0.009) was found in better condition than other fish species (analysis of variance [ANOVA], p < 0.05). The length at maturity was 24.0 cm and 25.4 cm total length (TL), 28.9 cm and 28.2 cm fork length, and 53.2 cm and 57.5 cm TL for females and males of O. niloticus, L. intermedius and Clarias gariepinus, respectively. Fecundity was ranged between 100–947 eggs/g with absolute fecundity (AF) of 468–3,832 eggs, 200–1,000 eggs/g with AF of 2,752–136,420 eggs, and 505–900 eggs/g with AF of 2,000–6,404 eggs for O. niloticus, C. gariepinus, and L. intermedius, respectively. Their respective mean fecundity was 1,490 ± 91, 23,330 ± 5,070, and 3,096 ± 273 eggs, respectively. Mean fecundity revealed a significant variation between size classes and species (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The fecundity length and fecundity-body weight relationships except (O. niloticus) of fishes were curvilinear while the gonad weight (GW)-fecundity relationship was linear for all fish species. The fecundity was moderately associated with increasing length than body weight, and GW for all fishes (r2 > 0.6). In conclusion, a tangible management setup is required to sustain the use of fish in the reservoir.

AbstractThe abundance, distribution, and diversity of fishes in Ribb Reservoir were studied based on a total of 1629 fish samples collected from February to October 2021. Fish samples were collected using gillnets of different stretched mesh sizes. Except for temperature and pH, most physico-chemical variables revealed significant spatial variation (ANOVA, p

The RAS family GTPases are the most frequently mutated oncogene family in human cancers. Activating mutations in either of the three RAS isoforms (HRAS, KRAS, or NRAS) are found in nearly 20% of all human tumors with NRAS mutated in ~25% of melanomas. Despite remarkable advancements in therapies targeted against mutant KRAS, NRAS-specific pharmacologics are lacking. Thus, development of inhibitors of NRAS would address a critical unmet need to treating primary tumors harboring NRAS mutations as well as BRAF-mutant melanomas, which frequently develop resistance to clinically approved BRAF inhibitors through NRAS mutation. Building upon our previous studies with the monobody NS1 that recognizes HRAS and KRAS but not NRAS, here we report the development of a monobody that specifically binds to both GDP and GTP-bound states of NRAS and inhibits NRAS-mediated signaling in a mutation-agnostic manner. Further, this monobody can be formatted into a genetically encoded NRAS-specific degrader. Our study highlights the feasibility of developing NRAS selective inhibitors for therapeutic efforts.

Laccases from white-rot fungi catalyze lignin depolymerization, a critical first step to upgrading lignin to valuable biodiesel fuels and chemicals. In this study, a wildtype laccase from the basidiomycete Fomitiporia mediterranea (Fom_lac) and a variant engineered to have a carbohydrate-binding module (Fom_CBM) were studied for their ability to catalyze cleavage of β-O-4 ether and C-C bonds in phenolic and non-phenolic lignin dimers using a nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry-based assay. Fom_lac and Fom_CBM catalyze β-O-4 ether and C-C bond breaking, with higher activity under acidic conditions (pH < 6). The potential of Fom_lac and Fom_CBM to enhance saccharification yields from untreated and ionic liquid pretreated pine was also investigated. Adding Fom_CBM to mixtures of cellulases and hemicellulases improved sugar yields by 140% on untreated pine and 32% on cholinium lysinate pretreated pine when compared to the inclusion of Fom_lac to the same mixtures. Adding either Fom_lac or Fom_CBM to mixtures of cellulases and hemicellulases effectively accelerates enzymatic hydrolysis, demonstrating its potential applications for lignocellulose valorization. We postulate that additional increases in sugar yields for the Fom_CBM enzyme mixtures were due to Fom_CBM being brought more proximal to lignin through binding to either cellulose or lignin itself.

Abstract Background With a shortage of geriatricians and an aging population, strategies are needed to optimise the distribution of geriatricians across different healthcare settings (acute care, rehabilitation and community clinics). The perspectives of knowledge users on staffing geriatricians in different healthcare settings are unknown. We aimed to understand the acceptability and feasibility (including barriers and facilitators) of implementing a geriatrician-led comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in acute care, rehabilitation, and community clinic settings. Methods A qualitative description approach was used to explore the experience of those implementing (administrative staff), providing (healthcare providers), and receiving (patients/family caregivers) a geriatrician-led CGA in acute care, rehabilitation and community settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Toronto, Canada. The theoretical domains framework and consolidated framework for implementation research informed the interview guide development. Analysis was conducted using a thematic approach. Results Of the 27 participants (8 patients/caregivers, 9 physicians, 10 administrators), the mean age was 53 years and 14 participants (52%) identified as a woman (13 [48%] identified as a man). CGAs were generally perceived as acceptable but there was a divergence in opinion about which healthcare setting was most important for geriatricians to staff. Acute care was reported to be most important by some because no other care provider has the intersection of acute medicine skills with geriatric training. Others reported that community clinics were most important to manage geriatric syndromes before hospitalization was necessary. The rehabilitation setting appeared to be viewed as important but as a secondary setting. Facilitators to implementing a geriatrician-led CGA included (i) a multidisciplinary team, (ii) better integration with primary care, (iii) a good electronic patient record system, and (iv) innovative ways to identify patients most in need of a CGA. Barriers to implementing a geriatrician-led CGA included (i) lack of resources or administrative support, (ii) limited team building, and (iii) consultative model where recommendations were made but not implemented. Conclusions Overall, participants found CGAs acceptable yet had different preferences of which setting to prioritise staffing if there was a shortage of geriatricians. The main barriers to implementing the geriatrician-led CGA related to lack of resources. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Abstract Background Skeletal muscle is a highly plastic tissue crucial for many functions associated with whole‐body health across the life course. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard for measuring skeletal muscle size. However, MRI is expensive, and access to facilities is often limited. B‐mode ultrasonography (U/S) has been proposed as a potential alternative to MRI for the assessment of muscle size. However, to date, no work has explored the utility of U/S to assess disuse muscle atrophy (DMA) across muscles with different atrophy susceptibility profiles, an omission which may limit the clinical application of previous work. Methods To address this significant knowledge gap, 10 young men (22 ± years, 24.1 ± 2.3 kg/m2) underwent 15‐day unilateral leg immobilization using a knee‐brace and air boot. Cross‐sectional area (CSA) and muscle thickness (MT) of the tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) were assessed via U/S before and after immobilization, with CSA and muscle volume assessed via MRI. Results With both muscles combined, there were good correlations between each U/S and MRI measure, both before (e.g., CSAMRI vs. MTU/S and CSAU/S: r = 0.88 and 0.94, respectively, both P

The valorization and dissolution of lignin using ionic liquids (ILs) is critical for developing sustainable biorefineries and a circular bioeconomy. This review aims to critically assess the current state of computational and machine learning methods for understanding and optimizing IL-based lignin dissolution and valorization processes reported since 2022. The paper examines various computational approaches, from quantum chemistry to machine learning, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and recent advances in predicting and optimizing lignin-IL interactions. Key themes include the challenges in accurately modeling lignin's complex structure, the development of efficient screening methodologies for ionic liquids to enhance lignin dissolution and valorization processes, and the integration of machine learning with quantum calculations. These computational advances will drive progress in IL-based lignin valorization by providing deeper molecular-level insights and facilitating the rapid screening of novel IL-lignin systems.

Aim: Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) has been reported as the major pathogen that contributes to foodborne illness. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and to characterize Listeria monocytogenes isolated from ready to eat vegetables and local fermented milk (Nono) in Yola, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 162 samples of cabbage, lettuce, ready to eat salad and fermented milk were examined on PALCAM and Brilliance Listeria Agar. Results: Distribution of L. monocytogenes from the study showed that cabbage had the highest prevalence of 42.3% followed by lettuce with 26.9%. The least occurrence (11.5%) was obtained from fermented milk. Furthermore, L. monocytogenes occurrence was from vegetable obtained from shinko farm (53.9%) while least (19.2%). The total bacterial counts of the ready to vegetables and fermented milk from the study ranged from 6 x 103 cfu/ml to 1.86 x 105 cfu/g. The result also showed that cabbage had the highest contamination from all the study locations and fermented milk from all the study locations had the least total bacterial counts. Antimicrobial susceptibility screening of the isolates revealed that more than 60% of the isolates were susceptible to commonly used antibiotics. However, about 65% of the isolates demonstrated resistance to erythromycin and cotrimoxazole. Also, none of the isolates harbored any plasmids. Conclusion: Findings from this study are of public health significance as all the samples studied do not require cooking before they are consumed. Thus, there is need to exercise caution during purchase, processing and consumptions of these vegetables and milk.

Anthracnose disease is one of the major causes of yield losses around 45 to 85% in cowpea crops production in Cameroon. Synthetic fungicides are commonly used for diseases management, yet concerns exist regarding their cost effectiveness and environmental impact. This study aimed to control the development of cowpea anthracnose by using extracts from the seeds of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. The experimental design was a “split-plot” with four replicates. The varieties constituting the main plots randomly in replication with two variants: V1 (Tiligré) and V2 (Lori 24-130) and treatments represented sub-plots randomized within the main plot (T0: control; T-AqE: aqueous extract; T-AcE: acetone extract; T-ME: methanol extract; T-Fong: synthetic fungicide containing 80% of maneb) during two campaigns (2020 and 2021). As results, the plots treated with synthetic fungicide T-F: (9.78 and 9.1%), aqueous extracts (10.6 and 20.48%) and acetone extracts (12.2 and 12.3%) recorded lower severity than control plots (64.14 and 59.82%) for varieties V1 and V2, respectively. The yields were higher in plots treated with aqueous extract (794.05 and 926.63 kg ha-1) and lower in the control plots (518.03 and 545.055 kg ha-1) respectively for the varieties V1 and V2. Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) seed extracts could be used in the integrated control of cowpea anthracnose disease.