Product Yield Research Articles

Rapid and accurate quantification of trypsin activity using integrated infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy with data fusion techniques

Proteases play a crucial role in industrial enzyme formulations, with activity fluctuations significantly impacting product quality and yield. Therefore, developing a method for precise and rapid detection of protease activity is paramount. This study aimed to develop a rapid and accurate method for quantifying trypsin activity using integrated infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy combined with data fusion techniques. The developed method evaluates the enzymatic activity of trypsin under varying conditions, including temperature, pH, and ionic strength. By comparing different data fusion methods, the study identifies the optimal model for accurate enzyme activity prediction. The results demonstrated significant improvements in predictive performance using the feature-level data fusion approach. Additionally, substituting the spectral data of the samples in the validation sets into the best prediction model resulted in a minimal residual difference between predicted and true values, further verifying the model's accuracy and reliability. This innovative approach offers a practical solution for the efficient and precise quantification of enzyme activity, with broad applications in industrial processes.

Study on Data Preprocessing for Machine Learning Based on Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes.

Various data types generated in the semiconductor manufacturing process can be used to increase product yield and reduce manufacturing costs. On the other hand, the data generated during the process are collected from various sensors, resulting in diverse units and an imbalanced dataset with a bias towards the majority class. This study evaluated analysis and preprocessing methods for predicting good and defective products using machine learning to increase yield and reduce costs in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The SECOM dataset is used to achieve this, and preprocessing steps are performed, such as missing value handling, dimensionality reduction, resampling to address class imbalances, and scaling. Finally, six machine learning models were evaluated and compared using the geometric mean (GM) and other metrics to assess the combinations of preprocessing methods on imbalanced data. Unlike previous studies, this research proposes methods to reduce the number of features used in machine learning to shorten the training and prediction times. Furthermore, this study prevents data leakage during preprocessing by separating the training and test datasets before analysis and preprocessing. The results showed that applying oversampling methods, excluding KM SMOTE, achieves a more balanced class classification. The combination of SVM, ADASYN, and MaxAbs scaling showed the best performance with an accuracy and GM of 85.14% and 72.95%, respectively, outperforming all other combinations.

Glycerol as Reaction Medium for Sonogashira Couplings: A Green Approach for the Synthesis of New Triarylamine-Based Materials with Potential Application in Optoelectronics.

This study focuses on the design, eco-friendly synthesis, and characterization of several novel three-legged triphenylamine derivatives. By performing Sonogashira couplings of functionalized aryl iodides with tris(4-ethynylphenyl)amine in glycerol, a readily available bio-derived solvent, we achieved the synthesis of target products in short times and high yields, up to 94 %, with consistently lower E-factors and reduced costs compared to standard conditions using toluene as the reaction medium. The target molecules possess a D-(π-A)₃ or D-(π-D)₃ structure, where an electron-donating core connects to three electron-donating (D) or electron-accepting (A) peripheral aromatic subunits through an acetylene spacer. Their main optical and electronic properties have been determined experimentally and by DFT simulations and suggest a possible implementation in energy conversion technologies such as luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Ecosystem Services’ Supply–Demand Assessment and Ecological Management Zoning in Northwest China: A Perspective of the Water–Food–Ecology Nexus

The coordinated development of the water–food–ecology (WFE) nexus is a practical issue that has to be addressed urgently for northwest China’s (WTL) sustainable development. Optimizing the linkage relationship and accomplishing the rational distribution of resources from the perspective of the supply and demand for ecosystem services (ESSD) are imperative. Thus, in this study, a numerical indicator system for ESSD from the perspective of the WFE nexus was constructed with the incorporation of the water and carbon footprint. Based on this premise, the ecological management zoning method was enhanced by integrating supply and demand risks, and optimization suggestions were proposed for various zones. The results showed that (1) carbon sequestration (CS), food production (FP), and water yield (WY) supply and demand significantly increased between 2000 and 2021. High ESSDs were concentrated in the west side of northwest China. Maize, wheat, cotton, vegetables, and garden fruits had a higher demand for ecosystem services (ESs). (2) The three ESSDs were bound in a synergistic relationship. The synergy between supply exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, while the synergies between demand showed similar distribution patterns. (3) Regarding quantity matching, the supply for FP and CS surpassed demand, while the WY supply could not meet the demand. The three ESs’ supply and demand deficits rose. Ecological supply–demand ratio (ESDR) regional differentiation for the three ESs was apparent. Regarding spatial matching, FP and CS concentrated on low supply–low demand, while WY focused on high supply–high demand. FP risk was concentrated in Qaidam Basin, whereas WY risk was mostly in Hexi inland river basin (HX), the Yellow River Basin area (HH), and both sides of the “Qice line”. (4) The ecological management zones were formed by integrating WTL’s three dominant weak functional zones, four categorized strategy regions, and four governance models. This study can serve as a scientific benchmark for regional ecological management, which is significant in ensuring northwest China’s water, food, and ecological safety.

Removal and monitoring of residual nucleic acids from core streptavidin inclusion bodies for increased refolding yield

Commercial production of recombinant streptavidin (SAV) using soluble expression route is cost-prohibitive, resulting from its inherent toxicity toward commercially available Escherichia coli hosts (such as BL21) and low productivity of existing manufacturing processes. Quality challenges can also result from binding of streptavidin in the host cells. One way to overcome these challenges is to allow formation of inclusion bodies (IBs). Nevertheless, carried-over cellular contaminants during IBs preparation can hinder protein refolding and application of SAV in nucleic acid-based applications. Hence, removing associated contaminants in recombinant IBs is imperative for maximum product outcomes. In this study, the IBs isolation method from our group was improved to remove residual DNA found in refolded core SAV (cSAV). The improvements were attained by incorporating quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) for residual DNA monitoring. We attained 99 % cellular DNA removal from cSAV IBs via additional wash and sonication steps, and the addition of benzonase nuclease during lysis. A 10 % increment of cSAV refolding yield (72 %) and 83 % reduction of residual DNA from refolding of 1 mg cSAV IBs were observed under extensive sonication. Refolding of cSAV was not affected and its activity was not compromised. The optimized process reported here highlights the importance of obtaining cSAV IBs with minimal contaminants prior to refolding to increase product yield, and the usefulness of the qPCR method to monitor nucleic acid removed from each step of the process.

Enhancement of pair production in oscillated overlapped fields

The electron-positron pair production has been investigated in two overlapped potential wells with varied widths and frequencies. Notably, specific multiphoton absorption processes exhibit distinct changes, the total number of created pairs increases linearly, and appears in periodic oscillation with the spatial extends of the potential wells. Furthermore, the investigation revealed the crucial impact of the smaller frequency on the pair production yield. The optimal combination of frequencies was determined to enhance the creation of pairs in overlapped fields. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of multiphoton absorption processes and offer a pathway toward maximizing pair creation in complex potential landscapes. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Synthesis and evaluation of palladium-functionalized biochar-supported magnetic nanoparticles for efficient nitro reduction

This study investigated the catalytic activity of the magnetic Fe3O4@Bio-R-Pd (Bio = biochar, R = epichlorohydrin and guanidine) for the reduction of nitro compounds. The structural and magnetic properties of the synthesized nanocatalyst were characterized using a suite of techniques including inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The recyclability of the synthesized nanocatalyst was confirmed by its complete reversibility upon testing with a vibrating magnetometer, further supporting its paramagnetic nature. Analysis of the SEM images revealed the presence of spherical magnetite particles within the composite. Using these optimized conditions, various aromatic nitro compounds were successfully reduced in the presence of the Fe3O4@Bio-R-Pd catalyst. The results demonstrate the advantageous properties of the synthesized nanocatalyst, including high product yield, stability and resistance at high temperatures, easy separation from the reaction medium, high efficiency with short reaction times, and economic viability. Notably, the synthesized sample exhibited nearly the same initial efficiency after 5 reuses, indicating almost complete recovery and minimal change in its catalytic activity.

GFP Chromophore Integrated Conjugated Microporous Polymers toward Bioinspired Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CO.

The development of highly active, durable, and low-cost metal-free catalysts for the photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is an efficient and environmentally friendly solution to address significant problems like global warming and high energy demand. In the present study, we have demonstrated the design and synthesis of a donor-acceptor based conjugated microporous polymer (CMP), TPA-GFP, by integrating an electron donor, tris(4-ethynylphenyl)amine (TPA), with a green fluorescent protein chromophore analogue (Z)-4-(2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzylidene)-1-(4-iodophenyl)-2-methyl-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-one (o-HBDI-I3) (GFP). In comparison to nondonor 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene (TEB) based TEB-GFP CMP, photocatalytic CO2 reduction using donor-acceptor based TPA-GFP CMP displays a 3-fold increment of CO production yield with a maximum CO yield of 1666 μmol g-1 at 12 h. Further, the CO selectivity increases significantly from a mere 54% in TEB-GFP to an impressive 95% in TPA-GFP. The impressive CO2 reduction efficiency and selectivity for TPA-GFP can be attributed to the efficient light-harvesting capability and facile charge separation and migration through donor-acceptor building units of the CMP. The mechanistic aspect of the photocatalytic CO2 reduction process is explored using in situ DRIFTS and DFT calculation, and a plausible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed.

The effect of the combined application of elicitors to Salvia virgata Jacq. under salinity stress on physiological and antioxidant defense

Salinity stress is one of the most important stress barriers to crop production worldwide. Developing and implementing new strategies against salinity stress is critical for increasing agricultural productivity and supporting sustainable farming. Elicitors such as nanoparticles and Salicylic acid have recently been used potentially for better product yield. Therefore, in our research the Salvia virgata plant was exposed to salinity (NaCl) stress, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP), salicylic acid (SA), and the ZnONP + SA combination were applied to plants divided into different groups. While salinity stress decreased the amount of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid pigments, SA, ZnONP, and SA + ZnONP elicitors combined with salinity stress enhanced the content of all three pigments. While salt stress raised MDA, H2O2, total phenolic, total flavonoid, soluble sugar and proline content, elicitor applications enhanced proline, soluble sugar, total phenolic and total flavonoid content more. Additionally, the application of NaCl + SA + ZnONP increased proline content by 21.55% and sugar content by 15.73% compared to NaCl application, while decreasing MDA content by 42.28% and H2O2 levels by 42.34%, thereby alleviating the plant's salt stress. It was revealed that DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC antioxidant activity sequence used to determine the total antioxidant activity displayed similarities, and it was found as NaCI + ZnONP > NaCI + SA > NaCI + SA + ZnONP > NaCI > Control. Furthermore, all elicitor applications increased CAT, GR, APX, and SOD enzyme activities while reducing oxidative stress in S. virgata plants. When all the data were evaluated, it was confirmed that SA and ZnONP had a synergistic effect and that SA and ZnONP have the potential to support plant development and growth under salinity. SA and ZnONP applications may have the capacity to least the detrimental impacts of salinity stress on plants. However, further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of SA and ZnONPs in ameliorating salinity or different stress factors in various other plants.

Influence of the Structure of Hydrothermal-Synthesized TiO2 Nanowires Formed by Annealing on the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 in H2O Vapor.

The present study investigates the photocatalytic properties of hydrothermally synthesized TiO2 nanowires (NWs) for CO2 reduction in H2O vapor. It has been demonstrated that TiO2 NWs, thermally treated at 500-700 °C, demonstrate an almost tenfold higher yield of products compared to the known commercial powder TiO2 P25. It has been found that the best material is a combination of anatase, TiO2-B and rutile. The product yield increases with increasing heat treatment temperature of TiO2 NWs. This is associated with an increase in the degree of crystallinity of the material. It is shown that the best product yield of the CO2 reduction in H2O vapor is achieved when the TiO2 NW photocatalyst is heated to 100 °C.

Elusive Arylalkylcarbenes in Solution and in Crystals: Facile 1,2-R (R = H, Ph) Migrations of 1,2,2-Triphenylethylidene.

Highly reactive arylalkylcarbenes generated in solution by photolysis of their aryldiazoalkane precursors tend to undergo competing inter- and intramolecular reactions to yield a complex mixture of products. Having previously shown the use of crystals to effectively control the reactivity of arylalkylcarbenes to afford high yields of a single product, it was of interest to investigate whether the crystalline environment could also enable spectroscopic detection of these intermediates en route to the photoproduct. Using 1,2,2-triphenyldiazoethane (3) as a model substrate to probe the effect of alternative reaction trajectories that yield triphenylethylene (5) by competing 1,2-H shift or 1,2-Ph migration, we report selectivities consistent with reaction from a spin-equilibrated carbene 4 in solution, while reactions in crystals primarily afford alkene 5 via a lattice-controlled 1,2-H shift. Attempts to detect 1,2,2-triphenylethylidene 4 in crystals by nanosecond laser-flash photolysis or by triplet-triplet fluorescence at 77 K were unsuccessful, indicating that arylalkylcarbenes possessing α-H substituents undergo facile 1,2-H shifts both in solution and in the solid state. However, related tert-butylphenylmethylene with no α-H substituents could be observed by triplet-triplet fluorescence at 77 K in glassy matrices.

Novel regioselective sulfamidomethylation of phenols: Synthesis, characterization, biological effects, and molecular docking study

Studied the reaction of sulfamidomethylation of phenols in the presence of a catalytic amount of hydrochloric acid (0.001 mol per 1 mol of sulfamide), which accelerates the reaction and increases the yield of the target product to 75–85 %. The study of the direction of the reaction showed that the attack of the carbocation is directed mainly towards the ortho position with respect to the hydroxyl group of phenol. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the enzymes α-glycosidase, aldose reductase, and α-amylase are blocked by novel regioselective sulfamidomethylation of phenols L(1–4). With an IC50 value of 4.41 μM, compound L4 in this series exhibited the least inhibitory impact on aldose reductase (AR), whereas compound L1 displayed the most inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 3.28 μM. These chemicals also readily inhibited the enzymes α-amylase and α-glycosidase. The ability of each material to inhibit the α-glycosidase enzyme was tested; the IC50 values ranged from 3.53 to 9.33 μM and the Ki values ranged from 4.25 ± 0.43 to 11.70 ± 0.87 μM. Furthermore, the α-amylase's effective inhibition percentage (IC50) ranges from 0.27 to 1.46 μM. The inhibition potential of novel regioselective sulfamid compounds L(1–4) on α-glycosidase and α-amylase was assessed using p-NPG and starch as the substrates, according to Tao et al. and Xiao et al. techniques. Since the results are meaningful, they may be used for drug design.

Green and Enantioselective Synthesis via Cascade Biotransformations: From Simple Racemic Substrates to High-Value Chiral Chemicals.

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral chemicals in high enantiomeric excess (ee) is pivotal to the pharmaceutical industry, but classic chemistry usually requires multi-step reactions, harsh conditions, and expensive chiral ligands, and sometimes suffers from unsatisfactory enantioselectivity. Enzymatic catalysis is a much greener and more enantioselective alternative, and cascade biotransformations with multi-step reactions can be performed in one pot to avoid costly intermediate isolation and minimise waste generation. One of the most attractive applications of enzymatic cascade transformations is to convert easily available simple racemic substrates into valuable functionalised chiral chemicals in high yields and ee. Here, we review the three general strategies to build up such cascade biotransformations, including enantioconvergent reaction, dynamic kinetic resolution, and destruction-and-reinstallation of chirality. Examples of cascade transformations using racemic substrates such as racemic epoxides, alcohols, hydroxy acids, etc. to produce the chiral amino alcohols, hydroxy acids, amines, and amino acids are given. The product concentration, ee, and yield, scalability, and substrate scope of these enzymatic cascades are critically reviewed. To further improve the efficiency and practical applicability of the cascades, enzyme engineering to enhance catalytic activities of the key enzymes using the latest microfluidics-based ultrahigh-throughput screening and artificial intelligence-guided directed evolution could be a useful approach.

Impact of deficit irrigation and planting density on grain yield and water productivity of maize grown under temperate continental climatic conditions

Variable frequent drought periods in Vojvodina region (the southeastern part of the Pannonian Plain, Serbia), severely limit maize (Zea mays L.) production under rainfed conditions. A four-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sprinkler deficit irrigation and plant density on yield and water use efficiency of maize grown on silty clay loam soil under temperate continental climate. The experiment included fully irrigated crop (I1), three deficit irrigation treatments (I2, I3 and I4 corresponding to 80, 50 and 40 % of crop evapontranspiration, respectively) and non-irrigated treatment (I0), and three plant densities (LPD: 54,900 plants ha–1; MPD: 64,900 plants ha–1; HPD: 75,200 plants ha–1) in four replicates. The results showed that grain yield, CWP (crop water productivity) and IWP (irrigation water productivity) varied significantly with irrigation amounts, plant densities and seasons. The irrigation rates and plant density interact significantly. MPD and HPD differed significantly from LPD in almost all seasons. With increasing irrigation and plant density, yield and CWP showed an increasing trend. The relative values of IWP increased with the rise of plant density and decreased with the amount of irrigation. The highest four-year average yield (15.03 t ha–1) was obtained in the I1-HPD treatment, while the lowest (9.30 t ha–1) was obtained in the I0-HPD treatment. The highest average values of CWP and IWP were recorded at I3-HPD or/and I2-HPD. The lowest CWP and IWP values were determined for I4-HPD and I4-MPD, respectively. In the pedo-climatic conditions of Vojvodina and similar regions, we recommend growing maize under the I1-HPDtreatment to achieve high yields. Under the water shortage conditions, the application of I2-HPD treatment is a favorable strategy saving 37 % of irrigation water, while reducing maize grain yield by ∼10 %.

Observation of the antimatter hypernucleus .

At the origin of the Universe, an asymmetry between the amount of created matter and antimatter led to the matter-dominated Universe as we know it today. The origins of this asymmetry remain unknown so far. High-energy nuclear collisions create conditions similar to the Universe microseconds after the Big Bang, with comparable amounts of matter and antimatter1-6. Much of the created antimatter escapes the rapidly expanding fireball without annihilating, making such collisions an effective experimental tool to create heavy antimatter nuclear objects and to study their properties7-14, hoping to shed some light on the existing questions on the asymmetry between matter and antimatter. Here we report the observation of the antimatter hypernucleus , composed of a , an antiproton and two antineutrons. The discovery was made through its two-body decay after production in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider15,16. In total, 15.6 candidate antimatter hypernuclei are obtained with an estimated background count of 6.4. The lifetimes of the antihypernuclei and are measured and compared with the lifetimes of their corresponding hypernuclei, testing the symmetry between matter and antimatter. Various production yield ratios among (anti)hypernuclei(hypernuclei and/or antihypernuclei) and (anti)nuclei(nuclei and/or antinuclei) are also measured and compared with theoretical model predictions, shedding light on their production mechanisms.

Spatial heterogeneity in the properties of hydroponic wheat fodder and its sustainability

This study was conducted to determine the heterogeneity of the quantitative and qualitative properties of fodder growth in cultivated hydroponic wheat fodder (HWF) in the growth tray area and to evaluate the impact on the environment. HWF was grown using nutrient film technique. Yield productivity (YP) of HWF in the growth tray area was divided into four characteristic zones (A, B, C, and D). The most fertile zone A accounted for only 22.3 ± 4.2% of the entire growth tray area, while zone B accounted for 44.7 ± 4.0%. Zones C and D, which accounted for 28.0 ± 1.3% and 5.0 ± 0.3% area, respectively, pose various problems for forage production, i.e., they negatively impact the quantity and quality of HWF, as well as the environment. If all areas in the growth tray support the highest fodder YP (zones A and B), then one kg of dry wheat grains will yield about 6–7 kg of HWF (consisting of 10.7–12.4% dry matter, 17.3–17.5% crude protein, 1.8–2.3% starch, 13.1–14.4% crude fiber, and 4.5–4.6% ether extract). Results of life cycle assessment show that HWF with YPs of 3–5 kg from one kg of dry grains (zones C and D) has the most adverse impact on the environment (150 and 220 kg CO2eq t−1). Under optimum conditions (zone A), CO2eq varied from 94 to 115 kg CO2eq t−1 of feed. Environmentally, HWF production had the most impact on marine aquatic ecotoxicity, abiotic depletion, global warming potential, and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity.

Activity of Streptomyces globosus OPF-9 against the important pathogen Alternaria longipes and biocontrol mechanisms revealed by multi-omic analyses

Plant diseases caused by fungal pathogens represent main threats to the yield and quality of agricultural products, and Alternaria longipes is one of the most important pathogens in agricultural systems. Biological control is becoming increasingly prevalent in the management of plant diseases due to its environmental compatibility and sustainability. In the present study, a bacterial strain, designated as OPF-9, was shown to effectively inhibit the pathogen A. longipes, which was identified as Streptomyces globosus. The culture conditions for OPF-9 were optimized through a stepwise approach and the fermentation broth acquired displayed an excellent inhibitory activity against A. longipes in vitro and in vivo. Further investigations suggested that the fermentation broth exhibited strong stability under a range of adverse environmental conditions. To reveal the molecular bases of OPF-9 in inhibiting pathogens, the whole-genome sequencing and assembly were conducted on this strain. It showed that the genome size of OPF-9 was 7.668 Mb, containing a chromosome and two plasmids. Multiple clusters of secondary metabolite synthesis genes were identified by genome annotation analysis. In addition, the fermentation broth of strain OPF-9 was analyzed by LC-MS/MS non-target metabolomic assay and the activity of potential antifungal substances was determined. Among the five compounds evaluated, pyrogallol displayed the most pronounced inhibitory activity against A. longipes, which was found to effectively inhibit the mycelial growth of this pathogen. Overall, this study reported, for the first time, a strain of S. globosus that effectively inhibits A. longipes and revealed the underlying biocontrol mechanisms by genomic and metabolomic analyses.

Synthesis and photooxygenation of 3-(p-substituted phenyl)-3a,8a-dihydro-4H-cyclohepta[d]isoxazoles: facial selectivity.

Two 3-(p-substituted phenyl)-3a,8a-dihydro-4H-cyclohepta[d]isoxazoles were synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the corresponding nitrile oxides with cycloheptatriene. Two endoperoxides were synthesized as facially selective and single products in high yields (93%-95%) from the reactions of isoxazole derivatives with singlet oxygen. The exact configurations of the endoperoxide with a methyl group in the phenyl ring and the diol synthesized from it were confirmed by X-ray analysis. To elucidate the mechanism, the formation energy of the endoperoxide was investigated by simulations using the software package Gaussian 09 and density functional theory calculations via the M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level method in dichloromethane. The results were consistent with experimental findings showing the formation of isoxazole products.

The impact of NUMB on chicken abdominal adipogenesis: A comprehensive analysis

Excessive abdominal fat deposition negatively impacts poultry meat production and carcass yield. Identification of novel adipogenesis regulators may help improve production performance declines caused by excessive fat deposition. NUMB Endocytic Adaptor Protein (NUMB) typically functions as a cell fate determinant and plays a significant role in cell development and various diseases. Here, we found that NUMB is abundantly expressed in chicken abdominal fat depots and is induced in cultured adipocytes following adipogenic treatment. The gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that NUMB promotes the proliferation and G1/S transition of chicken adipocytes, enhances adipocyte differentiation, and increases the expression of PPARγ1 transcript. Through mRNA-seq analysis and molecular experiments, we further confirmed that NUMB inhibits the transcriptional activation of the NOTCH1 pathway and the expression of the downstream transcription factor HES1 by inducing NOTCH1 degradation. Nevertheless, the inhibition of the NOTCH1/HES1 axis alone cannot fully explain NUMB's role in adipogenesis, as NUMB also regulates the expression of multiple adipogenic transcription factors such as E2F1, EGR2, and NR4A3. Our data suggest that NUMB is a potent activator of adipogenesis and enhances our understanding of its regulatory mechanisms in chicken abdominal fat deposition.

Effect of Seed Rate on Forage Yield, and Nutritional Value of Sudan Grass and Vetch Mixtures in Ethiopia: A Review

The livestock feed resources in Ethiopia are classified as natural pasture, crop residues, improved pasture and forage, agro-industrial by-products, and also hay production of which the first two feed resources are the major feed contributors for the livestock production in Ethiopia but they are lacking in protein and minerals. Natural pastures contribute about 80-85 of animal feed in Ethiopia, including naturally occurring grasses, legumes, shrubs, hurbs, and tree foliages. Crop residue is one of the feed resources used for animal production in Ethiopia and is available in those areas in which livestock and crop production are practiced. Around 30 million tonnes of DM of agricultural crop residues are produced annually on the national scale, of which 70% are used as animal feed. The major agro-industrial by products commonly used in Ethiopia are obtained from different agro-industries. The nutritional values of agro-industrial by products are excellent but their productivity is small, limited, and limited to few farms in urban and peri-urban areas and they contribute much less to livestock feed. Furthermore, traditional livestock feed supply mainly depends upon natural pasture and crop residues, which have low crude protein and other chemical composition. However, there is tremendous potential to alleviate feed shortages using improved forage production. To fulfill this gap, producing a stable improved forage in the livestock sector is mandatory. For that reason, the legume and grass intercropping system are important to increase biomass production and forage yield. Hence, Sudan grass (Aden gode) known with its plant height than other cultivars and vetch (<i>Vicia dasycarpa</i>) have greater plant height and creeping growth habit that enable compatible to larger grass species and they are selectable forages to enhance the forage yield and quality under similar times.