Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DETERMINATION OF SOME PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THREE GROUNDNUT VARIETIES

The determination of physical properties of some groundnut varieties is of paramount importance in the design and development of systems and machines for the shelling of groundnuts. Three varieties of groundnuts namely ICGV-SM-93523, RMP-9 and RMP- 12 were collected and some of the physical properties, such as weight, angle of repose, coefficient of friction, bulk density, size, shape and moisture content were determined. The angle of repose for the three varieties was found to range from 27.5 - 29.5 0 f or tire pods, 20.3 - 20.8 0 for the seeds and 33.7 - 36.0 0 for the shells. Coefficient of friction averaged 0.56 on wood and 0.41 on galvanized steel for the three varieties of groundnut pods. The moisture contents of the pods, seeds and shells were found to be 7.4%, 6.4% and 11.3% (wet basis) on the average respectively. The results also showed that groundnut pods and seeds were neither round nor spherical, but may be oblong in shape. Statistical single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) carried out to compare the mean values of the physical properties of the three varieties of groundnuts showed that there were no significant varietal differences at p £ 0 . 5 probability level. Tire implication of no significant varietal difference at p £ 0 . 5 is that one machine can conveniently handle the shelling operation for the three varieties of groundnuts.
Altered Bcl-2 and Bax expression and intracellular Ca[2+] signaling in apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells and the impairment of glucoseinduced insulin secretion

Apoptosisistheprocessofcellularself-destruction,andgenessuchas bcl-2 and bax are known to inhibit and promote apoptosis, respectively. In this study, we show that apoptosis can be induced in pancreatic b -cell lines, and we investigate the apoptotic pathways through the bcl-2 and bax genes and intracellular Ca 2 1 . Serum deprivation induces apoptosis in the MIN6 and RINm5F pancreatic b -cell lines, and alters the bcl-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein. KCl, BayK, A23187, and ionomycin elicit an elevation of cytosolic/nuclear Ca 2 1 , which, however, is insufficient to evoke apoptosis or to alter bcl-2 or bax mRNA expression in MIN6 cells. The extracellular Ca 2 1 chelators, EGTA and 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane- N,N,N 9 ,N 9 -tetraacetic acid, tetrapotassium salt, hydrate, evoke apoptosis and also alter the ratio of bcl-2 to bax mRNA and protein concomitantly with the depletion of cytosolic/nuclear Ca 2 1 . This indicates that there are at least two apoptotic pathways in pancreatic b -cells: through serum deprivation and through a decrease in cytosolic/nuclear Ca 2 1 . MIN6 cells exhibit reduced insulin secretion induced by glucose regardless of the molecular pathway of apoptosis. Ap- optosis in pancreatic b -cells, therefore, Our results show that glucose-induced insulin secretion is decreased in b -cell lines during apoptotic changes induced by serum deprivation (for 96 h) or extracellular Ca 2 1 chelators (for 36 h), whereas cell viability remains at more than half the basal level and no significant leakage of lactate dehydrogenase from cells was observed. Basal insulin secretion (by 3.3 m m glucose) is significantly decreased, but not com-pletely abolished. We also found that the glucose responsiveness of insulin secretion to a high concentration (16.7 m m ) of glucose was remarkably diminished. This is consis-tent observations that
Desempenho produtivo e viabilidade econômica de juvenis de tilápia-do-Nilo cultivados na região oeste do Paraná sob diferentes densidades de estocagem

It was aimed at with this work to evaluate the effect of the stocking density on the performance parameters, survival and economic viability of the production of juvenile of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Chitralada strain in half-intensive system, using twelve tank nurseries. 2700 juvenile sexually reverted with initial average weight of 0.65 g were distributed in an entirely randomized experimental design with four treatments (different stocking densities: 1, 2, 3, 4 peixes/m3) and three repetitions. During the tracking of the physical-chemical variables of the water, the pH (6.6 to 7.1) and the conductivity (24 μS/cm) had presented satisfactory average values. However, the transparency (47 to 87 cm), the dissolved oxygen (3.09 to 4.60 mg/L) and the temperature (19 to 24oC) had been outside of the normal standards recommended for the tropical fish culture. At the of the 84 days of culture the average daily mean weight (0.61 to 1.02 g/day) and the specific growth (5.22 to 5.82%) of the juveniles had presented a negative linear relationship (p<0.05) and the alimentary conversion (0.98 to 1.84) a quadratic relationship (p<0.01) in function to the stocking density. It was concluded that, in the conditions where these studies had been carried through, the stocking densities had influenced in the productive performance the juvenile of Nile tilapia, providing an increase in the ration consumption and consequently in the production cost. Through an economical analysis of the production the best economical viability is verified when used a density of up to 3 fish/m3.
OLIVE YIELDS FORECASTS AND OIL PRICE TRENDS IN MEDITERRANEAN AREAS: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE LAST TWO DECADES

SUMMARY The main objective of this research was to utilize pollen monitoring methodology to predict olive yields in three Mediterranean olive cultivation areas (Spain, Italy and Tunisia) and their relationships with the olive oil price dynamics. Moreover, olive yield and olive oil production compared with olive oil price trends in the last two decades was evaluated. The statistical analyses confirmed that biological parameters such as the pollen emission, the pollen season start (Pss), the full flowering (Ff) date or the pollen season length (Psl) showed positive correlation values with productive parameters, especially the Pollen Index (Pi). However, the difficulty to define clear relationships with oil price for optimizing the marketing strategies can be due to the olive sector European policy and to the complex international olive oil market situation. The occurrence of unharvested trees was increased and the reduction in agricultural operations as well as non-harvesting could become more widespread above all in traditional extensive systems.
Physiological responses of banana (Musa) AAA; Cavendish sub-group) in the subtropics. I. Influence of internal plant factors on gas exchange of banana leaves

SummaryGas exchange measurements on photosynthesis rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs) and internal CO2 concentration (Ci) of banana leaves were taken to describe the physiological responses of the banana plant to internal plant factors under subtropical climatic conditions. Field measurements were made with portable photosynthesis measuring equipment on the proximal, medial and distal part of the leaf. The leaf area enclosed in the chamber (6.2 cm2) was exposed to direct sunlight and records were taken when steady state conditions were reached. Soil moisture was always returned to field capacity the day before measuring. Standard plants of ± 1.1 m height in the vegetative growth phase showed highest A, E and gs from leaf 2 to leaf 5, with leaves 6–9 showing progressively reduced activity. No differences in A, E and gs were measured between the proximal, medial and distal third of banana leaves 2–5. Overcast conditions in summer reduced A of leaves 1–9 by 34% compared with sunny co.
Effects of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilization in Trickle Irrigation on Yield of Pepper and Polebean

Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L. cv. Hot Hungarian Yellow Wax) and polebeans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Dade) were grown in an intensive production system with film mulch, broad-spectrum soil fumigation and trickle irrigation. Nitrogen was applied through the trickle irrigation tubes at 0.56, 1.12, 2.24, and 4.48 kg/ha per day for the pepper and 0.56, 1.12, 2.24, and 3.36 kg/ha per day (doubled 6 weeks after seeding) for polebeans. Potassium was applied at 0.83 times the N rate. The N and K were applied twice weekly for the polebean and with every irrigation for the pepper. Marketable pepper yields ranged from 59.6 MT/ha with the low fertilizer rate to 96.0 MT/ha with high fertility. Yield increases with increasing fertilizer rates were not as great with polebeans as with peppers but there was a trend for higher yields with increasing fertilizer rates.
Moderate indoor exercise: effect on production and carcass traits, muscle enzyme activities and meat quality in pigs

The effects of moderate indoor exercise (running/walking up to 735 m, 5 days/week) on performance, muscle enzyme activities, carcass traits and technological meat quality were studied in 20 crossbred slaughter pigs during the fattening period. Non-exercised pigs were kept only in their pens and consisted of littermates (no. = 20). Blood samples for lactate analysis and muscle samples from m. longissimus dorsi (LD) and m. biceps femoris (BF) for analyses of the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS), 3-OH-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and hexokinase were collected at exsanguination. The initial pH was measured approximately 1 min after exsanguination in LD and BF. The carcasses were partially cut and then the back and ham were dissected into individual muscles. Carcass length and presence of osteochondrosis were recorded. Technological meat quality parameters measured were: surface reflectance, water-holding capacity, intramuscular fat (IMF), crude protein, dry matter, ash content, shear force, ultimate pH, pigment content and extractability of muscle proteins. In comparison with the non-exercised pigs, the exercised pigs had slightly shorter carcasses, paler meat and higher drip loss values in LD and, in BF, a lower proportion of IMF and dry matter and higher pigment content. The CS and LDH activities differed between LD and BF muscles, as also did many of the technological meat quality traits.
Effects of tree canopies on soil characteristics of annual rangeland

In the central California region of annual rangeland, herbage production beneath blue oak (Quercus douglasii Hook & Arn.) canopies is greater and production beneath the canopies of interior live oak (Quercus wislizenii DC) and digger pine (Pinus sabiniana Dougl.) is less than that in adjacent open grassland. The objective of this investigation was to assess the impact of these major overstory species on soil-associated characteristics in an effort to explain this tree-herbage production relationship. Greater amounts of organic carbon (OC), greater cation exchange capacity (CEC), lower bulk density, and greater concentrations of some nutrients were found beneath blue oak canopies than in open grassland. This explains, at least in part, the increased herbage production beneath blue oak canopy.
The effect of clutch size errors on fitness: a hypothesis

I propose the hypothesis of errors in clutch size to conciliate two apparent contradictions: 1) females adjust clutch size to particular conditions, 2) the largest clutch sizes have lower fitness and larger variance in fitness than smaller clutch sizes. If erroneous clutch sizes occur, clutch size will not always reflect parental quality. Erroneously enlarged clutches will be more frequent in the largest clutches, while the opposite occurs for erroneously reduced clutches. Thus fitness in relation to clutch size will be greater for intermediate rather than large clutches. Fitness in relation to parental quality is, however, only dependent on the probability of clutch size error; therefore a linear positive relationship would be expected between parental quality different optimal clutch sizes
Comportamiento hidraulico de los aliviaderos escalonados en presas de hormigon compactado

Stepped spillways are hydraulic structures that have regained a recent renewal in interest, that is associated with the development of new construction methods like the roller compacted concrete (RCC) and gabions. An important number of stepped spillways have been observed in RCC dams, these hydraulic structures are compatible with the construction method and allow much higher energy dissipation along the chute, reducing the size of the downstream energy dissipator. The macro-turbulent flow over the stepped spillway causes hydrodynamic loads on the steps that are of interest to study and affect the design and safety of the structure. The present study is based on a significant set of experimental data gathered in three different 1v:0.8h sloped stepped chutes. The developing flow region is characterised with the growth of the boundary layer being focused. The mean and turbulent velocity field is studied. Also the dynamic pressures on the steps are investigated. Pressure field on the horizontal and vertical faces are studied for skimming and transition flow regimes. The scale effects on the pressure field are evaluated by comparing the results from geometrically similar models with different scales. The risk of cavitation on stepped spillways is analysed. Some design guidelines are presented for stepped spillways over RCC dams. Key-words: stepped spillways; RCC dams; skimming-flow; velocity; turbulence; pressure; cavitation; air entrainment.
Original article. Correlation of FcγRIIIa polymorphisms and responses to rituximab in Thai population

Abstract Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody against CD20, approved for the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) has been suggested to be an important mechanism of rituximab via binding to the Fc gamma IIIa receptor (FcγRIIIa) on natural killer (NK) cells. FcγRIIIa has two expressed alleles that differ at amino acid position 158 in the extracellular domain, valine (V158) and phenylalanine (F158). These allelic variants have been demonstrated to differ in IgG1 binding and ADCC. V/V homozygotes and V/F heterozygotes bind to IgG with higher affinity than F/F homozygotes. Objectives: We identified the frequencies of FcγRIIIa polymorphism and investigate the correlation between FcγRIIIa polymorphism and rituximab responses, both in vitro and in vivo in Thai population. Methods: The RFLP-Nested PCR and allele specific amplification was used to identify the FcγRIIIa polymorphism in the study. The correlation between FcγRIIIa polymorphism and rituximab responses, both in vitro and in vivo, was also studied. Results: The distributions of FcγRIIIa-158 polymorphism in these subjects are V/V 40.26%, V/F 16.88%, and F/F 42.86%. Higher rituximab-induced Ramos cell cytotoxicity (mean 33.16%, 36.87%) was observed in the subjects with VV and VF genotypes, respectively. However, the lower cytotoxicity (mean 20.07%) was determined in subjects with FF genotype. As for the in vivo study, the NHL patients with V/V or V/F genotypes had a primary response as complete response; whereas, the NHL patients with F/F genotype had partial response. Conclusion: FcγRIIIa polymorphism and the primary response in NHL patients tend to correlate. The higher number of patients is necessary for further study. These results provide useful information to understand beneficial response of rituximab as well as other IgG1 therapeutic antibody in Thai patients.
Economics of indigenous fruit tree crops in Zimbabwe

Poverty is a common problem in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. Rural households frequently rely on indigenous fruits (IF) and other wild food resources during times of food and income shortages in order to supplement their nutrition and income. However, the availability of indigenous fruit tree products is declining as a result of deforestation. In order to conserve biodiversity, the Domestication of Indigenous Fruit Trees Programme of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF, formerly the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry) aims to increase farm household income through farmer-led indigenous fruit tree planting. Lack of quantitative data hampers the progress of the programme insofar as the role of indigenous fruit tree products in the rural household economy is not clear. This study is part of ICRAF’s ‘Domestication Programme’. Its objective is to fill in some of the knowledge gaps. Specifically, this study assesses the contribution of indigenous fruit trees towards rural incomes and reduction of (seasonal) vulnerability to poverty. It further assesses the degree to which indigenous fruit trees have to be improved or the natural resource base has to decline so that on-farm planting is rendered economically attractive. Data were collected by means of farm household surveys in two locations of Zimbabwe from August 1999 to September 2000. Data collection consisted of monthly household monitoring of income, expenditure and labour data of 39 households and a random sample of 303 households to determine factors that are related to indigenous fruit use. Additionally, farmer workshops were conducted to gather general information and biophysical data of the indigenous fruit tree species. Surveys targeted the three most popular indigenous fruit tree species as previously determined by ICRAF. Results indicate that the majority of rural households benefit from consumption and sale of IF, although the extent varies amongst households. Within the household, children are the main consumers of the fruits. Marketing of IF is carried out by women, who use the receipts to purchase household goods. While Uapaca kirkiana fruits are more important in generating cash income than others, fruits of Parinari
The contribution from shipping emissions to air quality and acid deposition in Europe.

A global three-dimensional Lagrangian chemistry-transport model STOCHEM is used to describe the European regional acid deposition and ozone air quality impacts along the Atlantic Ocean seaboard of Europe, from the SO 2 , NO x , VOCs and CO emissions from international shipping under conditions appropriate to the year 2000. Model-derived total sulfur deposition from international shipping reaches over 200 mg S m -2 yr -1 over the southwestern approaches to the British Isles and Brittany. The contribution from international shipping to surface ozone concentrations during the summertime, peaks at about 6 ppb over Ireland, Brittany and Portugal. Shipping emissions act as an external influence on acid deposition and ozone air quality within Europe and may require control actions in the future if strict deposition and air quality targets are to be met.
Nutrient uptake into navel oranges during fruit development

Summary Changes in the nutrient content of oranges from young and mature ‘Bellamy’ navel orange trees were measured throughout fruit development. Calculated net influxes of the macronutrients, K, Ca, Mg, P and S, and the micronutrients, Fe, B, Zn, Mn and Cu increased during Stage I of fruit development and reached a maximum 8–10 weeks after flowering (ca. two weeks after the end of Stage I). There was little temporal variation of flux maxima between fruit from young and mature trees, but flux maxima were higher for most nutrients in fruit from mature trees compared with fruit from young trees. During early growth (fruit dry weight <10.g) the contents of K and B (phloem mobile), and of Ca and Cu (phloem immobile) increased linearly in relationship to fruit dry weight. In contrast to K and B, the Ca and Cu content plateaued at a fruit dry weight of 15.g. During Stage I of fruit development the K influx, normalized to fruit dry weight, was the same in fruit from young and mature trees but the normalized Ca flux was higher in fruit from young trees than from mature trees. There was comparatively greater influx of Ca into the albedo than the pulp during Stage I of fruit development. During Stage I of fruit development, normalized Ca fluxes into whole fruit and albedo tissue were higher in fruit from young trees than in fruit from mature trees. The latter have a history of high incidence of rind crease. The results are discussed in relation to the relative mobility of nutrients in phloem and xylem during fruit growth.
The Connections between Language and Reading Disabilities

Contents: G.R. Lyon, Foreword. H.W. Catts, A.G. Kamhi, Preface. Part I: Behavioral Connections Between Language and Reading. H.S. Scarborough, Developmental Relationship Between Language and Reading: Reconciling a Beautiful Hypothesis With Some Ugly Facts. H.W. Catts, T.P. Hogan, S.M. Adolf, Developmental Changes in Reading and Reading Disabilities. K. Nation, Connections Between Language and Reading in Children With Poor Reading Comprehension. M.J. Snowling, Literacy Outcomes for Children With Oral Language Impariments: Developmental Interactions Between Language Skills and Learning to Read. F.R. Manis, P. Keating, Speech Perception in Dyslexic Children With and Without Language Impairments. Part II: Genetic and Neurological Basis of Language and Reading. P.E. Turkeltaub, J. Weisberg, D.L. Flowers, D. Basu, G.F. Eden, The Neurobiological Basis of Reading: A Special Case of Skill Acquisition. J.R. Booth, D.D. Burman, Using Neuro-Imaging to Test Developmental Models of Reading Acquisition. C.M. Leonard, L.J. Lombardino, W.M. King, S.A. Giess, Behavioral and Anatomical Distinctions Between Dyslexia and SLI. R. Olson, B. Byrne, Genetic and Environmental Influences on Reading and Language Ability and Disability. A.G. Kamhi, Finding Beauty in the Ugly Facts About Reading Comprehension.
The Relation between Investor Uncertainty and Market Reactions to Earnings Announcements: Evidence from the Property-Casualty Insurance Industry in the USA

This paper investigates the relationship between investor uncertainty, gauged by properties of analysts' forecasts, and the stock market response to earnings. We find that uncertainty is best characterized by a comprehensive measure recently proposed by Barron, Kim, Lim and Stevens (1998) , BKLS. The BKLS measure is related to uncertainty-inducing events, as well as factors that affect the difficulty faced by analysts in forecasting earnings. We conclude that, first, pre-disclosure uncertainty is a significant determinant of the price reaction to the earnings release, and second, BKLS is a more comprehensive measure of uncertainty than simple dispersion. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2005.
Animal Model Hippocampal Neuron Loss Exceeds Amyloid Plaque Load in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

From the Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology,* Division of Cellular Neuroscience, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands; the Department of Anatomy, Neuroembryonic Research Laboratory, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany; the European Graduate School of Neuroscience, EURON, Maastricht, The Netherlands; the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology, University of Saarland Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany; Aventis Pharma S.A. , Neurodegenerative Group and Functional Genomics, Centre de Recherche de Paris, Vitry sur Seine, France; Institut für Chemie/ Biochemie,** Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; and the Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Psychiatry, KCL, London, United Kingdom
Borehole Calibration of PS-waves For Fracture Characterization: Pinedale Field, Wyoming

A31 BOREHOLE CALIBRATION OF PS-WAVES FOR FRACTURE CHARACTERIZATION – PINEDALE FIELD WYOMING Summary 1 J. E. GAISER AND R. R. VAN DOK WesternGeco 1625 Broadway Suite 1300 Denver Colorado 80202 USA Converted-wave (PS-wave) 3D surveys where downgoing compressional (P) waves convert to upgoing shear (S) wave reflections provide a practical means to obtain S-wave anisotropy attributes for characterizing fractures. This is particularly important for delineating naturally fractured reservoirs by exploiting the unique characteristics of S-wave splitting in azimuthally anisotropic media. An important aspect of this process that is often missing is to use borehole fracture information for calibrating the anisotropy.