Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relación entre la invasión de Acacia dealbata Link (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) y la riqueza de especies vegetales en el centro-sur de Chile

La invasion de arboles puede generar cambios en la composicion de las comunidades vegetales y reducciones en el numero de especies nativas. Acacia dealbata Link (aromo) fue introducida en Chile con fines ornamentales. Esta especie originaria de Australia y Tasmania, ha sido documentada como invasora en diversos ecosistemas a nivel mundial. En Chile, A. dealbata se asocia fuertemente a caminos, corredores riberenos y perturbaciones antropicas, comportandose como invasora en ecosistemas naturales y semi-naturales. Sin embargo, sus impactos a nivel comunitario han sido poco estudiados, permaneciendo aun inciertos. Con el objetivo de establecer la relacion entre la invasion de A. dealbata y la riqueza y la composicion de especies en comunidades naturales del centro-sur de Chile, se registro la composicion de plantas en tres condiciones de estudio: en un rodal invadido por aromo, en un bosque nativo contiguo y en el borde entre ambas condiciones. Para ello, se seleccionaron cinco sitios de estudio cercanos a Concepcion (37° S). En cada condicion se realizaron tres transectos de 20 x 2 m2, teniendo un total de 15 transectos para cada condicion de estudio. Los resultados mostraron que la riqueza total de especies se ve reducida significativamente dentro de rodales de A. dealbata respecto al borde y el bosque nativo. La riqueza de especies nativas es significativamente mayor en el bosque nativo y la riqueza de especies introducidas es significativamente mas alta en el borde. La composicion floristica tambien cambia en presencia de A. dealbata. Este estudio demuestra la relacion positiva entre la presencia de rodales de A. dealbata y la disminucion de la riqueza de especies en la zona centro-sur de Chile.
Research Papers: Effect of Ethoprop, Carbofuran and Aldicarb on Flue-Cured Tobacco Infected with Three Species of Meloidogyne

Ethoprop, carbofuran and aldicarb were applied at 6.7 kg a.i./ha broadcast to field microplots (76 cm diam) separately infested with Meloidogyne javanica, M. incognita or M. arenaria. Initial population densities of the three species averaged 70, 120 and 170 nematodes per 250 cm of soil, respectively. Two flue-cured tobacco seedlings ('McNair 944') were transplanted into each microplot, and each treatment was replicated six times. Aldicarb significantly increased yields of tobacco infected with all nematode species, whereas ethoprop failed to increase yields of tobacco infected with M. javanica. Carbofuran did not significantly increase yields. Numbers of nematodes of the three species taken at 11 and 15 weeks after planting were reduced by aldicarb and ethoprop, but not by carbofuran. All three nematicides increased plant heights up to 70 days after planting with the exception of carbofuran for plants infected with M. javanica. Gall index ratings at final harvest were high and did n
Phylogenetic relationships among Japanese native chicken breeds based on blood protein polymorphisms

日本鶏26集団(品種と内種を含む),外国鶏5品種の合計31集団,1,724羽の血液タンパク質多型について分析した。 分析したタンパク質と遺伝子座は,血漿アルブミン(Alb),血漿トランスフェリン(Tf),血漿ポストアルブミン(PasA),血漿アルカリ性ホスファターゼ(Akp, Akp-2),血漿エステラーゼ(Es-1),血漿アミラーゼ(Amy-1),血漿グロブリン(Glb-1),血漿スローα2グロブリン(Slo-ωα2),ならびに血球カタラーゼ(Ct),血球リンゴ酸脱水素酵素(MDH),血球グルコースホスフェイトイソメラーゼ(GPI),血球乳酸脱水素酵素(LDH-A, LDH-B),血球テトラゾリウムオキシダーゼ(To)および血球ヘモグロビン(Hb-I, Hb-II,Hb-III)である。 遺伝子頻度に基づき遺伝的距離から枝分かれ図を描き,また遺伝子頻度の主成分分析を行うことにより,第一から第三主成分得点に基づき,三次元の散布図を描いて,両図から主に日本鶏品種•内種間の類縁関係を推測した。 6内種のチャボのうち,白,黒,桂,狸々種は相互に近い関係にあったが,碁石種はこれらと遠く,達磨種は碁石種よりもさらに遠かった。 尾長鶏と東天紅は比較的かったが,小国はこれらと遠かった。 蓑曳は東天紅と,鶉尾は尾長鶏と相互に近かった。 大シャモ,薩摩鶏,声良,河内奴,地頭鶏は相互に近かったが,比内鶏はこれらと遠かった。 岐阜地鶏,土佐地鶏,岩手地鶏,対馬地鶏は相互に遠い関係にあった。 唐丸と対馬地鶏は,他の日本鶏種と遠かった。
Biodiversidad de Cantaroideos [Coleoptera: Elateroidea (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, Phengodidae, Telegeusidae)] en México

Se actualiza el conocimiento de la diversidad de coleopteros con tegumento blando (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, Phengodidae y Telegeusidae) registrados en territorio nacional. Se comenta caracteristicas morfologicas, ecologicas, fenologicas, relaciones filogeneticas, casos de endemismo y desarrollo del conocimiento taxonomico de las familias citadas.
Molecular diversity in Ligurian local races of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract Eight varieties of Ligurian common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were analysed using molecular approaches. Results were compared with two commercial cultivars (‘Cannellino’ and ‘Borlotto’). Data suggest that all Ligurian bean varieties have a low genetic variability and are very close to the commercial varieties. In particular, the three ‘Bianco’ varieties showed a molecular affinity, probably due to their common genomic origin.
Are the levels of Cdk4 and Cx43 proteins of porcine oocytes associated with follicular size

Gap junction connections are formed by proteins which play an important role in oocyte developmental competency but there is little information on the relationship between follicle size and the expression of genes encoding these proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between follicle size and the levels of Cdk4 and Cx43 proteins using western blot analysis and confocal microscopic observations. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from puberal gilts (n = 20) of large (>5 mm), medium (3-5 mm), and small (<3 mm) follicles, and stained with BCB. BCB+ COCs, which had finished their growth phase, were cultured in TCM 199 for 44 h. Western blot analysis revealed an increased level of Cdk4 protein in oocytes isolated from large follicles as compared to medium (P < 0.05) and small (P < 0.01) ones. We did not detect differences in Cx43 protein levels in oocytes collected from any follicle class. Confocal microscopic observation revealed a specific membrane and zona pellucida localization of Cdk4 protein in oocytes isolated from large follicles, but an exclusively cytoplasmatic distribution of Cdk4 in oocytes from smaller follicle categories. The effect of follicular size on Cdk4 is indicated by the higher level of Cdk4 protein in oocytes isolated from large follicles and its variable distribution – perhaps resulting from a specific translocation mechanism – in the membrane, zona pellucida, and cytoplasm. IVM may also have a significant effect on Cdk4, as seen from the considerable difference in the expression and localization of Cdk4 protein in oocytes after IVM.
Evaluation of common vetch (Vicia sativa cv. Morava) for growing pigs

The response to the inclusion of common vetch (Vicia sativa cv. Morava) at levels up to 225 g/kg diet was evaluated in growing pigs between 91 and 161 days of age. A total of 312 male pigs, selected at a liveweight of 37.6 ± 0.24 kg, were group housed in pens of 19–20 pigs, each initially in commercial grower facilities, which were then split within treatment into pens of 9–10 pigs in commercial finisher facilities. Pens were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 diets, 4 pens per diet. Vetch replaced peas in the wheat-based, protein-adequate diets at levels of 0, 75, 150 and 225 g/kg diet, with the digestible energy and lysine levels being similar for each diet. Pigs were offered the experimental grower diets for 4 weeks, followed by the corresponding experimental finisher diet for 6 weeks. Growth performance was not significantly affected by level of vetch up to 225 g/kg during the first 4 weeks of feeding with average growth rate, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency being 871.5 g/day, 1.90 kg/day, and 2.20 kg feed/kg gain, respectively. However, a significant negative linear response was observed for feed intake in pigs between 119 and 161 days of age, which resulted in voluntary feed intake decreasing from 2.62 to 2.44 kg/day when inclusion of Morava vetch increased from 0 to 225 g/kg. A significant curvilinear response was also observed in growth rate and feed conversion ratio during this period. These significant effects during the later growth phase resulted in significant decreases in voluntary feed intake and growth rate from 2.34 to 2.17 kg/day, and from 948 to 873 g/day, respectively, for the entire growth period as Morava vetch was increased from 0 to 225 g/kg diet. Thus, it is suggested that Morava vetch could be fed at rates up to 225 g/kg for pigs between 91 and 119 days of age, but should be reduced to less than 150 g/kg if feeding continues beyond 119 days of age.
INFLUÊNCIA DA DENSIDADE DE FLUXO LUMINOSO NA QUALIDADE DE PLANTAS MICROPROPAGADAS DE Gypsophila paniculata L.

O presente trabalho foi realizado com objetivo de avaliar o efeito de densidades de fluxo luminoso na multiplicacao de Gypsophila paniculata L. e sua influencia no enraizamento e aclimatizacao. Utilizou-se o meio MS, com 30 g.L-1 de sacarose, 100 mg.L-1 de mioinositol e 10 g.L-1 de agar. Como explantes foram utilizados microestacas com duas gemas axilares, as quais foram colocadas em diferentes luminosidades (15,705; 41,88 e 83,76 W.m-2), fotoperiodo de 16 horas e temperatura de 23 ± 2°C. Avaliaram-se nesta fase, o numero e comprimento dos brotos, numero de entrenos/broto, coloracao e presenca de vitrificacao. Nao houve diferenca significativa entre as densidades de fluxo luminoso para numero de brotos e numero de entrenos. Entretanto, plantas cultivadas sob menor densidade de fluxo luminoso (15,705 W.m-2) apresentaram maior comprimento. Nao foi observado a ocorrencia de vitrificacao nos brotos, independente da densidade de fluxo luminoso utilizado. Brotos cultivados em menor luminosidade apresentaram coloracao verdebrilhante, enquanto que aqueles desenvolvidos sob 41,88 e 83,76 W.m-2 eram verde-opaco. Para a fase de enraizamento, brotos com no minimo 2,0 cm foram imersos por tres minutos em solucao de 100,0 mg.L-1 de AIB e depois transferidos para substrato constituido por casca de arroz queimado, para sua aclimatizacao. Trinta dias apos a transferencia, foram avaliados a percentagem de plantas enraizadas, peso de materia fresca e seca da parte aerea e do sistema radicular. Brotos, independente da densidade de fluxo luminoso na fase de multiplicacao, apresentaram 100% de enraizamento, sendo que os oriundos de 83,76 e 41,88 W.m-2 apresentaram maior peso de materia fresca e seca.
Evolution under unpredictable environmental conditions: quantitative genetics of larval life-history traits in a myobatrachid frog Crinia georgiana

Abstract The southwestern Australian frog Crinia georgiana (Anura; Myobatrachidae) inhabits ephemeral pools in which the tadpoles often face desiccation. Under these conditions selection on tadpoles can be severe and can directly affect fitness during the aquatic as well as the terrestrial developmental stages. A quantitative genetic study using a half-sib breeding design was conducted to understand the genetic effects on larval life-history traits. We found no significant additive genetic variance in any of larval traits. Except for hatching period, heritability estimates based on females were high in egg size, larval period, snout-vent length, and weight at metamorphosis, suggesting non-additive genetic effects. These results indicate that any response to selection during hatching and larval periods should be predominately governed by non-additive genetic effects in C. georgiana.
Including chestnuts and sugar beet pulp in diets for pigs: the effects on the quality of pork meat and the sensory properties of dry-cured sausage (chorizo gallego)

ABSTRACT This research was aimed at evaluating how the inclusion of dried chestnuts and dried sugar beet pulp in diets for pigs affected the quality of pork meat and the sensory properties of dry-cured sausage (chorizo gallego). The meat from pigs that received a diet with chestnuts and sugar beet pulp (CBP) showed lower thiobarbituric acid values and higher water-holding capacity than meat from pigs fed a conventional diet (C). Significant differences were also observed between both batches in color parameters and fatty acid composition of the meat. In the sensory analysis of chorizo, the sausages manufactured with meat from pigs fed the CBP diet were significantly better rated than those with meat from pigs fed a C diet in appearance, odor, flavor, texture and overall score. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The inclusion of dried chestnuts and dried sugar beet pulp in diets for pigs during the fattening period allowed us to recover some of the ingredients more traditionally used in the feeding of pigs. This inclusion modifies some parameters of the resulting pork meat quality; (it decreases lipid oxidation and increases water-holding capacity and polyunsaturated fatty acid content) and also improves the sensory properties of any dry-cured product made with this pork meat.
Fertilisers and insect herbivores: a meta-analysis

Despite the importance of a thorough understanding of the effect of synthetic fertiliser on insect population dynamics, existing literature is conflicting and an area of intense debate. Here, a categorical random-effects meta-analysis and a vote count meta-analysis are employed to examine the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and NPK fertiliser on insect population dynamics. In agreement with the general consensus, insects were found to respond positively, overall, to fertilisers. Sucking insects showed a much stronger response to fertilisers than chewing insects. The environment in which a study is conducted can have a marked effect on insect responses to fertiliser, with natural environments showing the potential for buffering effects of nitrogen fertilisers in particular. As well as highlighting the potential shortfall in the amount of research investigating particularly the effects of potassium and phosphorus, this study provides an invaluable flag post in the ongoing research investigating fertiliser effects on ecosystems.
EFFECT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE STRESS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF TWELVE SWEET PEPPER GENOTYPES

A study on heat tolerance in sweet pepper was conducted at the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Centre (AVRDC), Taiwan from December 1999 to May 2000. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of 29/23°C and 24/18°C stress on 12 sweet pepper genotypes on growth, development, reproductive behaviour and yield potentialities and to verify the results of the phytotron study. Performance of 12 sweet pepper genotypes was evaluated under two different temperature regimes of 24/18° C and 29/23° C in the phytotron. Plant height was found higher at 29/23° C compared to 24/18° C. High temperature reduced percent fruit set as well as size of fruits. Individual fruit weight was higher (7.44-125.00 g) when grown at 24/18°C and lower (5.35-103.80 g) at 29/23°C. Out of 12 genotypes, SP00l, SP002, SP004, and SP012 performed poor in respect of per plant yield at higher temperature compared to the lower temperature. So, these four genotypes were considered to be heat sensitive than the others. Leaf proline content of the sensitive genotypes decreased under the high temperature conditions and the heat tolerant lines produced higher amount of proline indicating the role of proline in expressing the heat tolerant capability of sweet pepper genotypes concerned. Keywords: High temperature stress; performance; sweet pepper. DOI: 10.3329/bjar.v35i3. 6459 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 35(3) : 525-534
Efficiency of the utilization of the energy of food in laying hens

SUMMARY The efficiency of utilization of the energy of food in White Leghorn laying hens for egg production was measured. A ration with a gross energy of 4469 kcal/kg dry matter and 19·4% crude protein had a metabolizable energy of 80·1±1·7% of the gross energy, and 78·5±5·3% of the metabolizable energy was present as net energy. The maintenance requirement of metabolizable energy of White Leghorn hens weighing 1·723±48·5 kg and a production of 19·3±0–49 eggs per month was 125·8 kcal/kg0·75/24 hr. The energy cost per g of protein and fat synthesized by laying White Leghorn hens was estimated to be 7·20 and 12·13 kcal metabolizable energy respectively.
A long-term study on crustacean plankton of a shallow tropical lake: the role of invertebrate predation

The primary factor that governs the size and species composition of zooplankton is still a controversial issue and temperature is considered the main factor responsible for latitudinal differences. In waters with a narrow temperature range, such as in the tropics, predation may be a more important factor. Nearly three decades of intermittent studies of the crustacean plankton in a shallow tropical lake revealed that the main event that led to their restructuring was the appearance of a second predator, the water mite Krendowskia sp. The new predator and larvae of the dipteran Chaoborus brasiliensis Theobald exerted a combined, although asymmetrical effect on microcrustaceans. The period when the mite was detected was followed by the restructuring of the crustacean plankton community. Predation by these two invertebrates emerged as the factor responsible for community changes, involving an increased contribution of copepods and decreases in the relative abundance of smaller cladoceran species. In the short term, the mite caused a decrease in species richness and the annual mean instantaneous composition of cladocerans, a predominance of large-sized species ( Daphnia ambigua Scourfield and Daphnia gessneri Herbst) and the virtual disappearance of small species (e.g., Bosmina tubicen Brehm). The long-term impact resulted in increased species richness and the dominance of large and medium-sized cladocerans, such as D. gessneri and Ceriodaphnia richardi Sars. The larger body size of three cladocerans, the two Daphnia species and B. tubicen , in the long term, may be a response to the dominant predator, Chaoborus . The seasonal variation in the predator abundance, mainly Chaoborus larvae, allowed the prey to recover during the cool season. The copepods Tropocyclops prasinus meridionalis (Fischer) and Thermocyclops decipiens Kiefer were less affected by predation than the cladocerans; their contribution to the crustacean plankton increased 12-28% after the mite appeared. The top-down effect on crustacean plankton did not affect the phytoplankton, which remained dominated by chlorophyceans and the nanoplankton fraction before and after the zooplankton community restructuring.
Chemistry, technology, and nutritive value of maize tortillas

Abstract This document reviews the available literature dating from 1943 up to the present time, on the chemistry, technology, and nutritive value of tortillas, as produced by the calcium hydroxide‐cooking of maize first used by the Maya and Aztec civilizations. In 45 years significant amounts of information have been derived from basic and applied research on the different steps of the food chain, including characterization of the raw materials; the description of the process, as conducted in rural areas and at the industrial level; the significance of the processing parameters; the chemical and nutritional changes which take place; the advantages and disadvantages of the process; the improvement of the nutritional value of the product, and the improvement of the shelf‐life of the processed flour and product, and forms of consumption and other applications. Most of these studies have been conducted with common maize, but the document includes data on QPM, which gives an equally satisfactory product that .
Aurora kinases in solely estrogen-induced oncogenesis: Relation to centrosome amplification and chromosomal instability

xviii Chapter 1: Introduction and Background.1 1.1 The Relationship Between Breast Cancer and Estrogen.2 1.2 The Syrian Hamster Model in the Study of Human Breast Cancer.6 1.3 The ACI Rat Model in the Study of Human Breast Cancer.9 1.4 Estrogen Action and Estrogen Receptors.11 1.5 Overview of Aurora Kinases . 16 1.6 The Normal Centrosome Cycle . 23 1.7 The p53-MDM2 Pathway.26 1.8 Centrosome Amplification, Chromosomal Instability and Aneuploidy in Human Breast Cancer . 30 Chapter 2: Statement of Purpose.35 2.1 Significance . 36 2.2 Overall Hypothesis . 37
Effects of date of autumn closing and timing of winter grazing on herbage production in winter and spring

Growth of grass herbage in Ireland is highly seasonal with little or no net growth from November to February. As a result, feed demand exceeds grass supply during late autumn, winter and early spring. At low stocking rates [≤2 livestock units (LU) ha−1], there is potential to defer some of the herbage grown in autumn to support winter grazing. This study examined the effects of four autumn-closing dates and four winter-grazing dates in successive years on the accumulation of herbage mass and on tiller density in winter and subsequent herbage production at two sites in Ireland, one in the south and one in the north-east. Closing swards from grazing in early and mid-September (north-east and south of Ireland respectively) provided swards with >2 t DM ha−1 and a proportion of green leaf >0·65–0·70 of the herbage mass above 4 cm, with a crude protein (CP) concentration of >230 g kg−1 DM and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of >0·700. The effects of autumn-closing date and winter-grazing date on herbage production in the subsequent year varied between the two sites. There was no significant effect of autumn-closing date in the north-eastern site whereas in the south earlier autumn closing reduced the herbage mass in late March by up to 0·34 t DM ha−1 and delaying winter grazing reduced the herbage mass in late March by up to 0·85 t DM ha−1. The effects of later grazing dates in winter on herbage mass continued into the summer at the southern site, reducing the herbage mass for the period from late March to July by up to 2 t DM ha−1. The effects of imposing treatments in successive years did not follow a consistent pattern and year-to-year variation was most likely linked to meteorological conditions.
Adaptive sex allocation in relation to life‐history in the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

1. Maternal control of offspring sex remains a contentious topic in the evolutionary and behavioural ecology of vertebrates. Two models of adaptive sex allocation − the Trivers–Willard (TW) and local resource competition (LRC) hypotheses − have been supported in some studies, but in many other cases the forces shaping offspring sex ratios are unclear. One reason that past studies may not have provided clear support for either model is that the two processes interact, producing complex patterns of sex allocation in relation to the life histories of individual mothers. 2. The TW hypothesis predicts that in dimorphic, polygynous mammals, females in good condition should be more likely to produce male offspring. The LRC hypothesis predicts an independent effect of age on the offspring sex ratio; females should be more likely to produce sons early in their reproductive lives and daughters later, in order to minimize the duration and reproductive cost of mother–daughter competition. We tested these two predictions in a study of sex allocation in the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula. 3. Offspring sex was strongly dependent on maternal age: females breeding for the first time were likely to produce sons, and at subsequent breeding attempts the sex ratio of offspring was slightly biased towards females. After the first breeding season, sex of offspring was influenced more strongly by body condition than by age, and females in good condition were more likely to have sons. Individual females that showed a between-year gain in condition were also more likely to produce a male in the subsequent year. 4. Body mass of male offspring at 5 months was positively correlated with maternal condition. No relationship was found between maternal condition and mass of female offspring. 5. We conclude that patterns of change in sex allocation in relation to individual life histories of female common brushtail possums can be explained by the interaction of TW and LRC effects.