Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estabilidade aeróbica de silagens de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum) emurchecido e tratado com inoculante microbiano

An experiment was carried out at UNESP, Jaboticabal Campus to evaluate the effect of a microbial inoculant on aerobic stability of wilted grass silage (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum). The grass was cut with 96 days of growing, remaining under sun action 5 hours to wilt. Silages were made in plastic silos, 0.2m3 capacity, that received (CI) or not (SI) inoculant at the ensilage time. For the study of aerobic deterioration, each silo was subdivided in three levels and the silages were exposed in a system, used to evaluate CO2 production, for 2 (T2), 4(T4), 6(T6) and 8(T8) days. Surface silage had higher pH value, lower NH3-N content, and higher yeast count than middle and bottom silages. The significant interaction between inoculation and aeration stage, shown that at earlier stages (T0, T2 and T4) there was no difference between treated and control silages in pH, N-NH3 and mold count, but at later stages (T6 and T8), inoculated stages had lower pH value, mold count and tended to a lower CO2 production, showing a lower deterioration speed after 6 days of aerobic exposure.
Diversity indices based on angle count sampling and their interrelationships when used in forest inventories

Summary Sampling procedures within stands for species and diversity indices have been widely discussed. However, little attention has been paid to the assessment of such indices within the framework of forest inventories on the management district level. This study deals with such an inventory comprising 245 angle counts in a 750-ha forest management district at the northern fringe of the Austrian Alps. To calculate spatially explicit indices, the nearest neighbours of the angle count in-trees have to be assessed. The distributions of the indices, their correlations and their ability to discriminate between different stand classes are discussed. It is concluded that these indices are meaningful, because they describe the species composition and the structure of the forest district in the expected way and differ signifi cantly and meaningfully among stand classes which have been classifi ed for silvicultural purposes.
Microstructural Analysis of the Capture Thread Spinning Apparatus in Orb Web Spiders

The microstructural characteristics of the capture thread production from silk glands in the orb web spiders were analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Sticky and gluey capture threads of the web are originated from the silks of two flagelliform glands and four aggregate glands. They supply precursors of the secretory silks to a pair of characteristic “triad” spinning units on the posterior spinnerets. The aggregate gland is composed of large and multi‐lobed secretory region and thick excretory duct surrounded by large irregular nodules. The excretory duct of this gland basically consists of three superposed types of cells which are inner columnar epithelium, nodule forming cells and outer connectives. The nodules contain numerous mitochondria and glycogen particles within their cytoplasm and they are surrounded by the same sheath of thin connective tissues. Secretory region of the aggregate gland which produce water‐soluble components of the capture thread comprises discrete secretory vesicles and extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum. Characteristically, secretory droplets are formed without involvement of the Golgi complexes, suggesting that they do not play an important role in the processing of the capture threads. However the electron densities and internal textures of the granules are observed with diverse according to their maturation level. Finally, the secretory products are released by the mechanism of apocrine secretion losing part of their cytoplasm during this process.
Do patterns of helminth parasitism differ between groups of wild-living cats in Scotland?

Differences in the prevalence and abundance of helminth parasites amongst host populations may result from variations in resistance to infection, differences in habitat preferences, diet or social behaviour. The use of helminth parasites as ‘ecological markers’ for determining differences between morphological groups of wild-living cats in Scotland was investigated, in light of the debate over the definition of a wildcat. The prevalence and abundance of the tapeworm Taenia taeniaeformis did not differ significantly between cats designated as ‘wild’ and ‘feral’ types. The prevalence of both helminths was high (94% and 69%, respectively) and there was significant variation in worm abundance related to season and geographical area. Also, prevalence of infection with Toxocara cati was significantly higher in female cats. Cats which harboured large numbers of one worm species were also likely to harbour large numbers of the other. However, a possible relationship with cat condition was only found for T. taeniaeformis for which there was a significant negative correlation between an index of cat condition and worm abundance amongst ‘wild type’ cats, but not amongst ‘feral type’ cats. Variations in worm burdens could not be attributed to differences in the diet of the cats as there was no significant relationship between the presence of any individual prey type and either the presence or abundance of T. cati or T. taeniaeformis. There was a significant negative correlation between density and biomass of individual worms in infections of T. taeniaeformis, suggestive of a density-dependent constraint on tapeworm growth.
Carcass Characteristics of Goats Fed Ammoniated Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seed Kernel Cake

The present investigation was carried out to study the affect of feeding urea ammoniated neem kernel meal on carcass characteristics and organoleptic properties of the meat in goats. Eight local weaned kids of 3-4 months age with mean body weight of 7.85±0.42 kg were assigned to two groups of four each in a completely randomised design and were offered diets containing isonitrogenous concentrate mixtures containing either peanut meal or urea ammoniated neem (Azadirachta indica) seed kernel meal (UANSKM) along with ad libitium oat hay or green sorghum as roughage for 13 fortnights. The animals were slaughtered at the end of the experimental period and the carcass characteristics and organoleptic evaluation of the meat was carried out. The carcass characteristics in terms of dressing percentage, meat bone ratio, percent edible and inedible did not differ between the treatments. Similarly the organoleptic characteristics and cooking loss were comparable between the treatments implying that UANSKM can be substituted for peanut meal in goat diets to alleviate the shortage and high cost of peanut meal without affecting meat quality. (Asian- Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 10 : 1451-1454)
Effect of adding phytase to broiler diets containing low and high phytate phosphorus: 1. performance, phytate P hydrolysis, tibia ash, litter phosphorus and Ca and P digestion and retention.

2 Abstract: A 42 d broiler experiment was conducted to determine the effect of added Escherichia coli phytase (Phyzyme-XP 5000G) to low and high phytate P (PP) diets on performance and nutrient digestibility. The experiment consisted of 12 treatments with 2 levels of PP: Low-Phytate (LP) group-0.24% and High-Phytate (HP) group-0.32%. Both LP and HP groups had respective Positive Controls (PCs) with 0.39% in the starter and 0.29% NPP in the grower, respectively and 5 basal diets with graded levels (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 FTU's/kg diet) of added phytase. The HP diets contained additional PP because canola and rice bran were substituted for part of the corn and soybean meal. A significant (p 0.05) to comparable respective PCs. Supplementing 500 FTU's phytase/kg diet in both LP and HP groups resulted in a comparable (p>0.05) % tibia ash to respective PC groups. The litter Total Dissolved P (TDP) and Water-Soluble P (WSP) of pens from broilers fed either the LP or HP basal diets with increasing concentrations of phytase were not significantly different (p>0.05) compared to the respective PCs. The research shows that adding feed phytase does not necessarily mean that TDP and WSP will be reduced. The P equivalency determined from 42d ileal digesta for added phytase with the LP and HP diets showed that broilers fed the HP diet with 1000 FTU phytase provided 0.17% digestible P compared to 0.13% digestible P from the LP diet. In order to decrease P excretion in broilers, added feed phytase should be considered equal to feed phosphates for providing available P in the gastrointestinal tract and the combination needs to be low enough for optimum performance and retention.
The Long and Short Side of Real Estate, Real Estate Stocks, and Equity

textabstractThis thesis consists of three studies in the investments field, which examines the interaction between long and short positions and their impact on market participants, prices and portfolio allocations. In chapter 2, I examine the optimal portfolio composition for institutional investors when considering liabilities. Institutional investors, by taking into account their short positions, which in effect are their liabilities, make different asset allocation decisions (long positions). Important in the optimization in excess of liabilities is the role of the asset classes in hedging the market value of liabilities. In chapter 3, I turn to the impact of short positions of market participants on prices by showing that limits to shorting lead to biased prices. In particular, I find that the presence of short sale constraints can explain the existence of a premium to Net Asset Value for Real Estate Investment Trusts. Miller (1977) argues that as short-sale constraints keep more pessimistic investors out of the market, prices tend to reflect a more optimistic valuation than they otherwise would. The results of 4 suggest that overpricing caused by the presence of short sale constraints is not solely due to restriction on negative information but also partly a result of capitalized lending income. I show that revenue associated with security lending is capitalization in prices, as investors are willing to pay a premium associated with lending fees.
The influence of sward height and vegetation composition in determining the habitat preferences of three Chorthippus species (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Chelmsford, Essex, UK

Abstract This paper investigates the habitat preferences of Chorthippus albomarginatus, Chorthippus brunneus and Chorthippus parallelus in relation to sward height and vegetation composition. using 2 X 2-m quadrats, the grasshopper fauna of 15 sites was surveyed in July and August of 2000 and 2001. The results obtained highlight the importance of sward height and vegetation composition in determining grasshopper abundance. The three Chorthippus species were found to favor sward heights between 100 to 200 mm. C. brunneus and C. parallelus in particular, were positively associated with fine-leaved grass species such as Agrostis spp. or Festuca spp. (p < 0.05) and negatively associated with Lolium perenne L. and Poa trivialis L. (p < 0.01). Both C. parallelus and C. brunneus were found to be in significantly higher abundance at heathland sites than in agricultural habitats. This may have been because the farmland sites were dominated by L. perenne, which may not be a suitable food resource for grasshoppers, whereas heathland swards tended to be composed of fine-leaved grass species such as Agrostis capillaris, which might be more favorable for adult feeding. The lack of suitable swards on agricultural land may severely restrict the occurrence of these grasshopper species. This could have important conservation implications for rare farmland bird species, such as Emberiza cirlus which utilise grasshoppers as a food source.
STUDIES ON INDIAN ECfflNODERMS-6. REDESCRIPTION OF TWO LITTLE KNOWN HOLOTHURIANS WITH A NOTE ON AN EARLY JUVENILE OF HOLOTHURIA SCABRA JAEGER FROM THE INDIAN SEAS

A detailed description of two little known holothunans viz., Havelockia versicolor (Semper) and Pseudocolochirus violaceus (Theel) are given with notes on their synonymy. Notes on early juvenile of Holothuria scabra Jaeger is also given at the end of the paper.
Characterization of plant growth promoting Bacillus strains and their potential as crop protectants against Phytophthora capsici in tomato

Bacillus spp. are well known rhizosphere residents of many crops and usually show plant growth promoting (PGP) activities that include biocontrol capacity against some phytopathogenic fungi. A total of 20 PGP rhizobacterial strains belonging to the genus Bacillus, previously isolated from the rhizosphere of several crops, were evaluated for their efficacy against Phytophthora capsici causing root and crown rot of tomato. These isolates were characterized for their PGP traits and in vitro antibiosis. Based on their in vitro antibiosis, liquid based formulations of four isolates – S21 and S25 from tomato, B6 from apple and A10 from turmeric rhizosphere were used for in planta evaluation against P. capsici under net house conditions singly and in conjoint applications. Liquid based culture of strain S25 was found to be the most promising biocontrol treatment and reduced the disease severity by 83.3%. Conjoint application of four strains also had significant effect in achieving biocontrol efficacy of 66.7%. Inoculation with strain S25 and consortium of the four strains resulted in significant increase in most plant parameters including root length, shoot length, plant fresh weight and plant dry weight over uninoculated control. 16S rDNA and phylogenetic analysis showed that strain S25 exhibits 99% level of similarity with Bacillus subtilis. Therefore it was designated as B. subtilis strain CKTR. Hence liquid based culture of strain S25 can be used as a promising antagonistic agent for management of Phytophthora blight. The effectiveness of the strain under field conditions and modes of action at the molecular level needs to be explored.
Tillage and growth of a wheat crop in a loamy sand

In the fourth consecutive year of a long-term tillage trial in a loamy sand in Western Australia above- and below-ground growth of a wheat crop (cv. Gamenya) was monitored. The grain yield was nearly 20% greater in the crop sown after ploughing than in those crops sown by direct drilling. A similar trend had been noted in each preceding year. Cumulative water use was 15 and 9 mm less with zero and minimum tillage than with ploughing. The ploughed treatment had lower soil strengths, not only in the seedbed but also to 50 cm in the subsoil, until 8 weeks after seeding. These lower soil strengths coincided with more-rapid wetting of the subsoil under ploughing, and faster root extension rates. Dry matter production was significantly greater in the ploughed crop from the initial sampling date, and direct-drilled crops were not able to compensate in the later part of the season, despite using slightly more water during that period. The slower wetting of the profile under direct drilling was a persistent feature over several seasons in this soil type. It was considered responsible for the increased soil strength and slower root extension rates. The implications of direct-drilled sandy soils for crop productivity, and drainage control of recharge soils in saline catchments, are discussed.
Comparative nesting biology of two species of Australian lithocolous ants: Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) turneri Forel and P. (Hagiomyrma) thusnelda Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae)

The nests of both Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) thusnelda and P. (Hedomyrma) turneri are restricted to the sides of rock walls (lithocoly), but, despite the similar nesting localities, the nests differ in the types of construction material used. The walls of nests of P. thusnelda are constructed of carton material without any silk, while those of P. turneri are comprised of a thick and diffuse mass of fluffy silk with very little carton. However, unlike other species of Polyrhachis that live in silk nests, the silk material in nests of P. turneri is produced entirely by spiders and not their own larvae. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the silk strands found in natural P. turneri nests resembled those of nearby spider egg sacs rather than the strands found in the cocoons of their own larvae, and captive brood-right colonies of P. turneri failed to produce silk nests in the absence of an external silk source. These results: confirm the existence of an additional nesting habit within the genus, lithocoly; suggest there are at least two ways by which lithocolous nesting habits can evolve, carton vs. silk; and indicate that the presence of silk within a nest need not imply that ant larvae are the source. Studies of the distribution and evolution of nest-weaving within the genus Polyrhachis may need to be reassessed, now that the presence of silk nests could actually represent the origin of two independent behavioural traits (silk from larvae vs. silk from external sources such as spiders).
Stability analysis in sweet potato (Ipomea batatas L.)

The twenty sweet potato genotypes were evaluated for stability parameters for the characters viz., number of tubers per plant, length of tuber (cm), girth of tuber (cm), weight of tuber (g), volume of tuber (ml) and yield of tubers per hectare (t/ha) over four environments with a view to identify sweet potato genotypes with reasonable degree of stability for yield. The results for pooled analysis of variance for stability revealed that the variance due to genotypes was significant for all the traits justifying the selection of genotypes for the study. Environmental variance component was also significant for all the six characters. Genotype x environment interaction was also detected significant for all the characters, which suggested varying responses of genotypes to different environments. Genotype S 56-2 almost satisfied all the three parameters of stability i.e. overall mean (22.28 t/ha), non-significant 'bi' (0.98) and 'S2di' value (4.67) and could be considered as stable. In addition, the genotypes Sree Vardhini, IB 90-15-9, IB 700, IB 90-11-1 and Doorshet Khandala also fulfill parameters of stability. Thus, these genotypes could also be considered as stable genotypes. Hence, these four genotypes can be recommended for general cultivation in the Konkan region of Maharashtra after detailed and further testing.
Drosophila Exhibit Divergent Sex-Based Responses in Transcription and Motor Function After Traumatic Brain Injury

Every year, millions of people in the US suffer brain damage from mild to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that result from a sudden impact to the head. Despite TBI being a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, sex differences that contribute to varied outcomes post-injury are not extensively studied and therefore, poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore biological sex as a variable influencing response to TBI using Drosophila melanogaster as a model, since flies have been shown to exhibit symptoms commonly seen in other mammalian models of TBI. After inflicting TBI using the high-impact trauma device, we isolated w1118 fly brains and assessed gene transcription changes in male and female flies at control and 1, 2, and 4 hr after TBI. Our results suggest that overall, Drosophila females show more gene transcript changes than males. Females also exhibit upregulated expression changes in immune response and mitochondrial genes across all time-points. In addition, we looked at the impact of injury on mitochondrial health and motor function in both sexes before and after injury. Although both sexes report similar changes in mitochondrial oxidation and negative geotaxis, locomotor activity appears to be more impaired in males than females. These data suggest that sex-differences not only influence the response to TBI but also contribute to varied outcomes post-injury.
Mint Water - the Science Behind the Tradition !

When cultures of three common pathogens, namely Salmonella infantis, Salmonella hadar and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were added individually to a commercial sample of Mint Water at levels of ~ 500 colony-forming units ml , no viable cells could be detected after 10 minutes exposure. It is suggested that -1 D-carvone is the active ingredient and that there is a sound scientific basis for the use of this traditional Middle Eastern remedy for bacterial infections.
Conjugated α-Linolenic Acid Isomers in Bovine Milk and Muscle

Abstract Conjugated linolenic acids (CLnA) are octadecatrienoic fatty acid isomers with at least 2 conjugated double bonds. Various CLnA isomers occur naturally, and some isomers could be formed by ruminants from dietary α -linolenic acid. Ruminant biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids gives rise to the formation of numerous metabolites having conjugated or nonconjugated structures. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize CLnA isomers in milk fat and muscle lipid extracts from cattle fed a high-forage diet. The analysis of total fatty acid methyl esters revealed levels of total CLnA of 0.39% in a single milk lipid extract and 0.34% in a single muscle lipid extract. Fatty acid methyl esters were fractionated by argentation thin-layer chromatography. A fraction containing dienoic fatty acids as well as CLnA isomers was isolated and analyzed. The double bond positions of CLnA isomers ( cis -9, trans -11, cis -15 and cis -9, trans -13, cis -15 18:3) were confirmed by mass spectrometry of their 4,4-dimethyloxazoline derivatives. Mass spectra of the cis -9, trans -13, cis -15 18:3 isomer was characterized by an intense ion at m / z 236 attributable to the formation of 2 stabilized allylic radical fragments, whereas this intense ion corresponding to the stabilized radical fragments was located at m / z 262 for the cis -9, trans -11, cis -15 18:3 isomer. The gap of 12amu between m / z 250 and 262 confirmed the occurrence of a double bond in position Δ 13 . Configuration of the double bonds of standards having similar mass spectra and gas-liquid chromatographic retention times was confirmed by 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance. We also showed that both CLnA isomers were found in the muscle lipid extract, whereas only the cis -9, trans -11, cis -15 18:3 isomer was identified in the milk lipid extract. This study appears to be the first to identify 2 CLnA isomers in bovine muscle lipid extract.