Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How do Farming Systems Cope with Marketing Channel Requirements in Organic Horticulture? The Case of Market-Gardening in Southeastern France

Organic market-gardening farming systems are extremely diverse, ranging from the extensive to the very intensive, although all follow organic standards. This study aimed to analyze the extent to which the diversity of farming systems in southeastern France may be explained by the marketing channels adopted by growers. Eighteen organic market gardeners were surveyed. Three types of growers were identified, differentiated by the way they combine farming and marketing systems: (1) growers selling a diversity of food products through local marketing channels, which allows them to increase plant species biodiversity and enhance natural regulations in accordance with agro-ecology principles; (2) specialized growers selling a limited number of food products through long marketing channels at the few periods most economically favorable with regard to the export-market, a questionable strategy in terms of environmental sustainability; and (3) intermediate growers combining short and long marketing channels, who potentially may reconcile environmental and economic components of sustainability. The study confirmed the importance of better understanding the relationships between farming practices and marketing channels so that commercialization does not to become an impediment to sustainability in organic farming.
Fungi from water, soil and air polluted by the industrial effluents of Manquabad superphosphate factory (Assiut, Egypt)

One hundred and one species in addition to three varieties appertaining to 53 genera of zoosporic (25 species and 15 genera) and terrestrial (76 species + 3 varieties and 38 genera) fungi were isolated during this investigation. The water and submerged mud directly exposed to industrial effluents were the poorest in terrestrial fungi whereas zoosporic fungi were completely missed. These samples were highly acidic, low content of oxygen and relatively high contents of total soluble salts, phosphate, sulphate, calcium and magnesium. Dictyuchus sterilis and Aphanomyces laevis were the most common zoosporic species using baiting technique whereas Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus, Alternaria alternata, Gibberella fujikuroi and Stachybotrys chartarum were the most prevalent terrestrial fungal species using glucose‐ and cellulose‐CZAPEK's agar media. Tripospermum sp. (aquatic hyphomycetes) was isolated from the phyllosphere of Myriophyllum spicatum and is new record to Egypt. There are some variations concerning the fungal diversity frequencies and populations with regard to the test sources and media used.
Susceptibility of Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) to permethrin in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract Background: Insects control using insecticides is used extensively and intensively in vector control programs in many countries including Malaysia. Because of this, mosquito species have been found to develop various levels of resistance towards these insecticides, leading to failure in vector control activities. Objectives: We determined permethrin resistance status in laboratory susceptible, permethrin-selected, and field strains of Aedes albopictus. Methods: The susceptibility status of laboratory susceptible strain, permethrin-selected strain, and four field strains of Aedes albopictus collected from Kuala Lumpur were determined using three standard laboratory tests, WHO larval bioassay, WHO adult mosquito bioassay, and microassay of mixed function oxidases (MFOs). Results: The LC50 values of permethrin-selected strain and field strains obtained from the WHO larval bioassay were almost two times higher (0.38-0.44 mg/L) than the LC50 value of the laboratory strain (0.20 mg/L). In the WHO adult bioassay, the susceptibility of permethrin-exposed of both permethrin-selected strain, and field strains (LT50 = 19.39 to 20.65 min) were reduced for 1.31 to 1.72 times after been exposed to the synergist, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) prior to permethrin. Complete mortalities were also recorded in both permethrin-exposed and PBO + permethrin-exposed Ae. albopictus of all strains, twenty-four hours post-exposure. For the MFOs enzyme microassay, a significant difference (p <0.05) in the mean absorbance of elevated oxidase activity at 630 nm was observed between all strains of both the non-exposed and PBO-exposed Ae. albopictus. Strong and significant positive correlations were also observed between LT50 values of permethrin-exposed and PBO + permethrinexposed with oxidase level in Ae. albopictus tested (r = 0.943; p <0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate the association of oxidase activity with permethrin resistance development in Ae. albopictus.
Reproductive biology of captive alpine ibex (Capra i. ibex)

We studied the reproductive biology of alpine ibex bred at the Peter & Paul Wildlife Park, St. Gallen, Switzerland, from 1930 through 1943 and 1968 through 1983. Peter & Paul Wildlife Park had supplied most of the original stock used to reestablish ibex populations in the European Alps after they had become extinct. Ibex females were seasonally polyestrous. Their estrous cycle averaged 20 days, and their gestation period averaged 167 days. Females between 1 and 15 years of age on average produced 0.78 young per year; females between 3 and 13 years of age produced 0.99 young per year. The average age at which captive ibex females gave birth was 8.44 years. Sex ratio at birth was unbiased. More singletons than twins were born, but the proportion of twins born during the years 1968 through 1983 was higher than during the earlier study period. There were no differences in the survival rates of male or female and single or twin offspring.
The Effects of Vitamin E on the Antioxidant System, Egg Production, and Egg Quality in Heat Stressed Laying Hens

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of vitamin E on the metabolic impact of heat stress in hens. The study included 150 Leghorn laying hens, which were assigned to 2 groups and initially subjected to the same environmental conditions. Diets were based on standard layer rations with 30, 80, or 105 mg of vitamin E/kg. All birds were kept in 45% relative humidity (RH) and at a room temperature of 21 °C for first 3 weeks for adaptation. In the fourth week the temperature and RH were increased to 35 °C and 65%, respectively, in the experimental group. Before, during, and after exposure to heat stress blood samples were taken from both groups. Vitamin E analyses were determined by HPLC. Biochemical parameters were analyzed spectrophotometrically. Statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) increases in plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocyte MDA, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and egg yolk MDA concentration, and a decrease in plasma vitamin E were seen in the experimental group during heat stress. Egg quality parameters also decreased in the experimental group during heat stress. Dietary supplementation with higher levels of vitamin E alleviated some of the metabolic consequences of heat stress; there was no evidence of a beneficial effect on egg production during heat stress within the dietary range investigated.
Temperature extremes and butterfly fitness: conflicting evidence from life history and immune function

Global warming and its associated increase in temperature extremes pose a substantial challenge on natural systems. Tropical ectotherms, living close to their (upper) critical thermal limits, may be particularly vulnerable to global warming, yet they are as a group understudied. Most studies assessing fitness effects under global warming focused on life‐history correlates such as body size and largely neglected immune function. Furthermore they did not consider to what extent temperature effects may be modulated under resource‐based trade‐offs. Against this background we here investigate effects of temperature extremes on fitness‐related adult traits (viz. body mass, fat content, and two key parameters of arthropod immune function: phenoloxidase (PO) activity and haemocyte numbers) at different levels of larval and adult food stress in the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Body mass and PO activity decreased after short‐term larval food stress, but not fat content and haemocyte numbers (probably owing to compensatory mechanisms during further development). Longer‐term food deprivation in the adult stage, in contrast, diminished performance throughout, confirming that the feeding treatments chosen imposed stress. Temperature manipulations yielded contrary responses between life‐history correlates and immune function: while body mass and fat content increased by increasing temperatures, PO activity and haemocyte numbers decreased. The latter was particularly pronounced under adult food stress, suggesting a resource‐allocation trade‐off. Our data suggest that global warming will not only reduce performance through direct effects of thermal stress, but also through secondary effects on adult immune function, which may be missed when exclusively focussing on other life‐history correlates.
Ant pollination of the perennial herb Blandfordia grandiflora (Liliaceae)

Blandfordia grandiflora plants are self-compatible, but do not self-pollinate autonomously. Worker ants of an unidentified Iridomyrmex sp. self-pollinated flowers. Seed-set was about 17%, which was significantly greater than autonomous self-pollination (< 1%), but less than experimental self-pollination (40%). Seed-set of emasculated flowers visited by ants was only 0.1%, indicating that ants do not cross-pollinate flowers. Differences in anther-stigma seperation did not affect seed-set ; seed-sets of flowers with exserted or included stigmas were 1% for autonomous self-pollination and 21% for ant-pollination treatments. Ants possessed thoracic metapleural glands, suggesting that antibiotic secretions that inhibit pollen function are produced. Although significantly fewer pollen grains germinated after thoracic contact compared to control pollen, the difference was only 6% (72.7% vs 78.7%). Seed-set of flowers that were cross-pollinated with pollen that either had been in contact with ants or had not did not differ significantly (78.3% vs 76.3%), suggesting that, if secretions are produced, they only marginally affect pollen function. Pollen loads of ants were small ; individual ants carried about 28 pollen grains, 50% of which were carried on the legs and, hence, away from potential metapleural gland secretions. Ants were observed more often on bagged flowers from which introduced honeybees were excluded than on unbagged flowers ; honeybees probably removed floral nectar from unbagged flowers before ants could recruit to them. In B. grandiflora, avian pollinators infreqeuntly visit flowers. By assuring reproduction, ant-mediated self-pollination may have been an important factor in the evolution of self-compatibility, and may have reduced selection for autonomous self-pollination.
Osteology of Rauisuchus tiradentes from the Late Triassic (Carnian) Santa Maria Formation of Brazil, and its implications for rauisuchid anatomy and phylogeny

As the eponymous type species for rauisuchians, Rauisuchus tiradentes von Huene, 1938 represents an important but inadequately known specimen. The revision of the type material from the Upper Triassic (Carnian) Santa Maria Formation of Brazil reveals new anatomical data and previously unrecognised characters, including three new possible autapomorphies: a knob-like thickening on the base of the posterior process of the premaxilla; short and ventrally keeled cervicals lacking postzygodiapophyseal laminae; and mid-caudal vertebrae with an accessory neural spine and a postspinal lamina. Several elements are re-identified, including a postorbital (originally identified as postfrontal) and a pterygoid (originally identified as a prefrontal), and additional material from a secondary fossil site, originally assigned to R. tiradentes, including a left ilium, is excluded. Based on the recovered information and new morphological data, the systematic position of R. tiradentes is tested in a comparison of two phylogenetic reanalyses. Both analyses differ in respect to the phylogenetic position of R. tiradentes, and recover ‘rauisuchians’ as a paraphyletic assemblage of non-crocodylomoprh archosaurs. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London
Produção de pinhão na região de Caçador, SC: aspectos da obtenção e sua importância para comunidades locais

The present study had as objective to characterize aspects of the attainment and commercialization of the Brazilian-pine nut, as a resource capable to contribute for attainment of income and conservation of FOM. For this, studies were carried out aiming at: checking Brazilian-pine production on a natural population (RGFC – Genetic and Forest Reserve of Cacador) and on a reforestation with Brazilian-pine (Flona- Cacador’s National Florest); identifying the profile of the Brazilian-pine nut’s collectors in the District of Taquara Verde, Cacador-SC – its knowledge about the resource and the importance of this resource as an income source. For this, 36 female Brazilian-pines were target in Flona and 25 in RGFC. Brazilian-pine nut production was estimated based on the number of female plants, number of cones per plant, number of nut per cone and nut weight. To the other objectives, interviews with the nut’s collectors were made. The production found at RGFC was 44.3kg. ha -1 and at Flona was 24.6kg. ha -1 , the difference was attributed to the higher density found at Flona. About the importance of Brazilian-pine nut to the community, it could be found out that this resource is very important both as an income source and food, allowing us to separate the collectors in four kinds of profile. The families which were more dependent on this resource as income, more often they collect and more people in the family are involved in the collection of the Brazilian-pine nut, but not necessary they know more about it. The results of this study indicate a good potential of this resource to increase the household of poor communities, emphasizing the importance of natural areas to the exploration of Brazilian-pine nut and bringing subsidies for the establishment of politics that can effectively join a valuation of the forest resources, the communities’ development together with nature conservation.
Description and Model of the Architecture of Four Genotypes of Determinate Autumn-sown White Lupin ( Lupinus albus L.) as Influenced by Location, Sowing Date and Density

Abstract The structure of four new autumn-sown determine genotypes of white lupin, grown with a combination of sowing dates and plant densities at four locations in France was studied in 1990/91 and 1991/92. Plant architecture was characterized in terms of the number of first-order branches produced and the distribution of leaves on these branches and how they varied with the number of mainstem leaves and the position of the branch on the mainstem. The variation in the number of mainstem leaves on determine genotypes was satisfactorily described by an earlier model developed for indeterminate genotypes using the intensity of vernalization relative to accumulated temperature above 3°C as input. However the architecture of the first-order branches, defined by their number and the total number of leaves per branch at each subtending position on the mainstem, differed and was influenced by genotype, location and sowing date. In four determinate genotypes, these two characters were positively correlated, and correlated with the number of leaves on the mainstem. Increasing density from 10 to 40 plants m -2 reduced the number of branches and their total number of leaves. Pruning 15 leaves from the mainstem at the beginning of stem elongation did not influence the development of the first-order branches. There appeared to be a functional relationship between the number of leaves on the mainstem and the number of branches established very early in the growing season. The profiles of number of leaves on the first-order branches on the mainstem with branch position were modelled using two sub-models, one describing the mean number of leaves on the branches actually present, and the second describing the frequently of occurrence of a branch at a particular position on the mainstem. Of the five model parameters, one, representing the minimal number of branches present on the plant, was correlated with the number of first-order branches. Genotype, location, sowing date and density affected the shape of the profiles.
Effects of time of application of Ethrel on male sterility and ear emergence in wheat Triticum aestivum

SUMMARY The induction of male sterility in wheat by application of Ethrel at different concentrations and times was investigated in glasshouse-grown Triticum aestivum cv. Sirius. The results obtained agree with our previous findings, that to induce full sterility, Ethrel must be applied before meiosis is initiated in the oldest florets of the ear. However, to ensure full emergence of sterilized ears, the application has to be made as close to this stage as possible using a concentration of between 1000 and 2000 ppm. Ethrel application thus shows promise as a method for detecting heterotic combinations by producing sufficient F1 seed for small-scale field trials.
EFFECT OF DIETARY CORN GLUTEN FEED AND PHYTASE SUPPLEMENTATION TO LAYING HENS DIETS

This trial was conducted to evaluate the use of corn gluten feed (CGF) as a feed ingredient in laying hens diets in terms of chemical composition, amino acids content, metabolizable energy (ME). In addition, the productive performance and economical efficiency of Hy-Line White Laying hens (W-36) were also determined. A total of 144 hens were distributed into six equal groups of 24 birds in 6 replicates of 4 hens each. Hens were housed in similar environmental, managerial and hygienic conditions. The first group was fed on basal diet (control), whereas other groups were fed on diets containing dietary CGF at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20% with phytase addition, which was incorporated at 300 FTU/kg. Diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous (18.5% CP) and iso-caloric (2,850 kcal/kg).
Relationships Between Somatic Cell Count and Udder Traits in Jersey Cows

Abstract Kul, E. and Erdem, H. 2008. Relationships between somatic cell count and udder traits in Jersey cows. J. Appl. Anim. Res, 34: 101–104. To determine the relationships between some udder traits and somatic cell count (SCC), 107 Jersey cows raised at Karakoy State Farm, Samsun, Turkey, were used. Milk samples and udder measures were taken from cows at 70±14, 140±14 and 210±14 days in milk. SCC was determined by direct microscopic somatic cell counting (DMSCC). SCC values increased with advancing lactation. Significant correlations (P<0.05, P<0.01) were estimated between udder traits, udder scores with SCC, overall or at different lactation stages. Thus, it was concluded that front udder attachment and udder depth can be effectively used for reducing SCC.
Estimation of Electrocardiographic Values in Healthy Karabash Dogs

The aim of this study was to determine the normal electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic values of healthy Karabash dogs, a breed unique to Turkey, in order to provide information for other interested researchers. A total of 50 healthy Karabash dogs, ranging in age from 1 month to 10 years, and 5-40 in kg weight and of which 19 were female and 31 were male constituted the study material. From the tracings recorded, the calculated heart rate was 142.7±26.83 beats/min, and mean QRS electrical axis was 73.92±19.01 degrees. Duration of the P wave was 0.03-0.06 mm/s, the PR interval ranged from 0.06 to 0.12 mm/s, the QT interval was 0.13-0.23 mm/s and the amplitude of the QRS complex was 0.2-2.9 mV in lead II. The P wave was generally upright in leads I, II, III, aVF, V1, V2, V3 and V10, though frequently (14 dogs) isoelectric in lead I. It was inverted in leads aVR and aVL. T wave was isoelectric in lead I in 7 dogs, in lead V10 it was negative, in leads aVR and aVL generally negative, and sometimes diphasic, and in the others positive or diphasic. In the electrocardiographic results, 15 different QRS shapes in three separate morphologic groups were determined. It was observed that diphasic QRS complexes (n=392; qr, qR, Qr, QR, rS, rs, RS, Rs) were dominant over triphasics (n=67; qRs, qrs, rSr, rsr) and monophasics (n=35; r, R, qs). In two dogs in only one derivation and one dog in two derivations R wave or QRS complex notching was observed. In conclusion, it was detected that there was no relationship between electrocardiographic values and heart rate for Karabash dogs of different age, sex and weight. However, it was determined that heart rate was faster and QT interval was shorter but other electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic parameters were within normal reference values reported for various dog breeds.
Physiological and biochemical traits of drought tolerance in Argania spinosa

The objective of this study was to understand and characterize the physiological and biochemical tolerance mechanisms of Argania spinosa under drought stress for selection tolerant ecotypes. Significant differences were observed among ecotypes in indices of leaf water status studied: stomatal conductance (gs), predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) and leaf relative water content. There was a significant decrease in these physiological traits with increasing degree of drought stress in all ecotypes. Drought stress significantly increased endogenous H2O2 and lipid peroxidation. Moderate and severe drought stress increased significantly the catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase and lipoxygenase activities, depending on time. Their constitutive activities were higher in inland ecotypes than in coastal ecotypes. According to canonical discriminant analysis, the inland ecotypes were essentially distinguished from the coastal ecotypes by the following physiological and biochemical traits: Ψpd, gs, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase and malonyldialdehyde. Inland ecotypes seem to be more tolerant to drought stress than coastal ecotypes.
A review of colour phenotypes of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus , in North America

The Eastern Red-backed Salamander ( Plethodon cinereus ) is the most abundant salamander species in many forests of northeastern North America. It is well-known for its colour polymorphism, which includes eight colour phenotypes: the red-backed (striped), lead-backed (unstriped) and erythristic morphs, as well as the iridistic, albino, leucistic, amelanistic and melanistic anomalies. Here we review the various colorations of P. cinereus , with the objective of facilitating the identification of these different phenotypes and of generating interest among field herpetologists and scientists reporting on this species. We also list six previously unpublished occurrences of colour variants in this species (1 case of erythrism, 3 of iridism, 1 of leucism, and 1 of partial leucism). To our knowledge, these cases include the first documented occurrence of iridism in the red-backed morph of P. cinereus , and the first two mentions of this colour anomaly in the lead-backed morph from Canada.
Pattern Formation in Plant Tissues

Preface 1. Introduction 2. Interactions of developing organs 3. Hormones as correlative agents 4. Callus and tumour development 5. The polarization of tissues 6. The canalization of vascular differentiation 7. Cell lineages 8. Stomata as an example of meristemoid development 9. Expressions of cellular interactions 10. Apical meristems 11. The localization of new leaves 12. A temporal control of apical differentiation 13. Generalizations about pattern formation.