Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atractividad de diferentes cebos sobre Trógidos (Coleoptera) en el Bosque Autóctono "El Espinal", Río Cuarto (Córdoba, Argentina)

RESUMEN. Se efectuo un estudio para determinar la atractividad de cebos sobre las especies de Trogidae presentes en el Bosque Autoctono "El Espinal" en la ciudad de Rio Cuarto (Cordoba, Argentina). Se usaron trampas de caida cebadas con carne de vacuno (3), carne de porcino (3), menudo de pollo (3), excremento humano (3), excremento de perro (3) y trampas testigo (sin cebo) (3) sumando un total de 18. Se recolectaron cuatro especies de Trogidae: Omorgus suberosus (Fabricius), Polynoncus aeger (Guerin – Meneville), Polynoncus gemmingeri (Harold) y Polynoncus pilularius (Germar), que mostraron una preferencia hacia los menudos en descomposicion de pollo y carne de cerdo seguido por excremento de perro; sugiriendo un comportamiento necrofagico – coprofagico con una tendencia a la necrofagia. Adicionalmente se utilizaron trampas de luz capturandose ejemplares de Omorgus ciliatus (Blanchard)
TWO SPECIFIC CAUSES OF CELL MORTALITY IN FREEZE‐THAW CYCLE OF YOUNG THALLI OF PORPHYRA YEZOENSIS (BANGIALES, RHODOPHYTA) 1

Porphyra yezoensis Ueda is an important marine aquaculture crop with single‐layered gametophytic thalli. In this work, the influences of thallus dehydration level, cold‐preservation (freezing) time, and thawing temperature on the photosynthetic recovery of young P. yezoensis thalli were investigated employing an imaging pulse‐amplitude‐modulation (PAM) fluorometer. The results showed that after 40 d of frozen storage when performing thallus thawing under 10°C, the water content of the thalli showed obvious effects on the photosynthetic recovery of the frozen thalli. The thalli with absolute water content (AWC) of 10%–40% manifested obvious superiority compared to the thalli with other AWCs, while the thalli thawed at 20°C showed very high survival rate (93.10%) and no obvious correlation between thallus AWCs and thallus viabilities. These results indicated that inappropriate thallus water content contributed to the cell damage during the freeze‐thaw cycle and that proper thawing temperature is very crucial. Therefore, AWC between 10% and 40% is the suitable thallus water content range for frozen storage, and the thawing process should be as short as possible. However, it is also shown that for short‐term cold storage the Porphyra thallus water content also showed no obvious effect on the photosynthetic recovery of the thalli, and the survival rate was extremely high (100%). These results indicated that freezing time is also a paramount contributor of the cell damage during the freeze‐thaw cycle. Therefore, the frozen nets should be used as soon as time permits.
Bittersweet success: Glass ceilings for Britain’s ethnic minorities at the top of business and the professions

The rise of the ethnic minority middle class has been an important success story of British society in the past generation, indicating that this is a more open society than is often assumed. A cohort of talented, academically successful young people from minority backgrounds - especially Indian and Chinese - have been pouring into the upper tiers of the professions, above all the law and medicine. This report describes this success story but also looks at those corners of business and the higher professions that remain characterised by the so-called 'snowy white peaks' - in particular the very top of business (in the [Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index] FTSE100), the [National Health Service] NHS and the civil service.
Malaria mosquito resistance to agricultural insecticides: risk area mapping in Thailand

Research Reports IWMI's mission is to improve water and land resources management for food, livelihoods and nature. In serving this mission, IWMI concentrates on the integration of policies, technologies and management systems to achieve workable solutions to real problems—practical, relevant results in the field of irrigation and water and land resources. The publications in this series cover a wide range of subjects—from computer modeling to experience with water user associations—and vary in content from directly applicable research to more basic studies, on which applied work ultimately depends. Some research reports are narrowly focused, analytical and detailed empirical studies; others are wide-ranging and synthetic overviews of generic problems. Although most of the reports are published by IWMI staff and their collaborators, we welcome contributions from others. Each report is reviewed internally by IWMI's own staff and Fellows, and by external reviewers. The reports are published and distributed both in hard copy and electronically (www.iwmi.org) and where possible all data and analyses will be available as separate downloadable files. Reports may be copied freely and cited with due acknowledgment. for general support and help. The author acknowledges the UNEP, FAO, and WHO for use of material in an unpublished training compendium for helping countries develop action plans to replace POP insecticides in pest and disease vector control in accordance with the Stockholm Convention. The author also wishes to acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, which greatly improved the manuscript. Cover photograph by Simen Sandve shows insecticide application in a tangerine fruit orchard in a malaria endemic area in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. shows an Anopheles minimus mosquito, a malaria vector of the Orient, as she was feeding on a human host. Please send inquiries and comments to: iwmi@cgiar.org IWMI receives its principal funding from 58 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
Food habits of the silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis (Müller & Henle, 1839) off the western coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico

The objective of this study was to establish the trophic niche of the silky shark and to determine the ecological role of this predator in the ecosystem close to Baja California. The trophic spectrum was analyzed from samples taken during summer and autumn (2000–2002) from the fishing camps of Punta Lobos and Punta Belcher on the western coast of Baja California Sur. A total of 263 stomach contents were analyzed (143 with food; 120 empty). The index of relative importance (IRI) showed that at Punta Lobos, silky sharks fed mainly on red crabs Pleuroncodes planipes (%IRI = 83%), whereas at Punta Belcher the main food item was the jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas (%IRI = 41%), followed by chub mackerel Scomber japonicus (%IRI = 33%). According to the Levin Index (Bi), the trophic niche breadth in silky sharks is low (Bi = <0.6), which means that silky sharks are specialist predators because they mainly consume three prey types: red crab, chub mackerel, and jumbo squid. The Shannon-Wiener Index indicated that all trophic categories at Punta Belcher (0.85–1.22) had lower diversity than at Punta Lobos (0.50–1.6), because the silky shark feeds more on tropical prey found close to Punta Lobos. The Morisita-Horn Index (C
Estimation of breeding values of first lactation 305-day milk yield from single and multi-trait animal models in Karan Fries cattle

First lactation data on 528 cows sired by 98 sires maintained at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal over a period of 26 years (1986–2011) were used to estimate heritability and breeding value of the first lactation 305- day or less milk yield and 4 fertility traits like age at first calving (AFC), first service period (FSP), first calving interval (FCI) and cow pregnancy rate (CPR) using single and multi-trait models with the help of WOMBAT software. The heritability of FL305DMY was 0.235 using single trait animal models, 0.223, 0.213, 0.196 and 0.147 from 2 trait analysis with FCI, FSP, AFC and CPR respectively. In 3 trait analysis (FL305DMY-FCI- AFC) heritability FL305DMY was 0.199. There were marginal deviations in heritability estimates of fertility traits also, from single trait to multiple trait estimation combining milk production. The Spearman’s rank correlations between rankings based on estimated breeding values (EBVs) of FL305DMY from single trait (only FL305DMY) animal model with 2 traits (FL305DMY-AFC, FL305DMY-FCI and FL305DMY-FSP) and 3 traits (FL305DMY-AFC-FCI) animal models were 0.86, 0.92, 0.94 and 0.82 respectively. It was inferred that if the Karan Fries cows are culled exclusively on the basis of EBVs estimated from single trait analysis, the culling decision will be erroneous. Further, the study on lowest ranking 100 cows (20% of data) which are generally culled from the herd revealed that 59 - 65% of the cows which were poor only in FL305DMY would be culled irrespective of their superiority in reproductive traits.
Immuno-regulatory dynamics of non-structural protein 1 of avian influenza A viruses

The type I interferon (IFN-α/β) system represents the first line of defense against influenza A viruses, and is mainly mediated by the interferon regulatory factors 3/7 (IRF3/7), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factors. Therefore, the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of influenza A viruses has intrinsic abilities to disarm the host cell IFN system, and as a consequence is deeply connected to influenza virus pathogenicity and virulence. Based on differences in the amino acid sequence of the NS1 genes, the influenza A viruses are divided into two distinct gene pools, named allele A and B. This division is strictly based on genetic characterization, and their functional consequences are largely unknown. The results in this thesis provide novel structural and functional insights, indicating that allele A NS1 proteins of various avian influenza A viruses have a stronger capacity to inhibit the activation of IFN-β production than allele B proteins from corresponding subtypes. This claim was further confirmed by measurement of IFN stimulatory response element (ISRE) promoter activation, IFN-β mRNA transcription and IFN-β protein expression. Intriguingly, the allele-specific levels of inhibition correlated with the nature of the disease, where for example allele A influenza virus appeared to be more pathogenic than allele B viruses in minks (Mustela vison). Further investigations demonstrated that allele B NS1 protein resembles to its IFN antagonistic nature in exerting similar effect in preventing double stranded RNA (dsRNA) induced NF-κB and AP-1 promoter activation, which subsequently results in an overall inhibition of IFN-β production. In an effort to understand the structural basis of IFN inhibition, it was revealed that inhibitory activities for ISRE, NF-κB and AP-1 promoters and subsequent inhibition of IFN-β were mapped to the C-terminal effector domain of the NS1 protein. Genetic characterization of a reassortant H9N2 influenza virus revealed that the virus acquired the NS segment from a H5N1 of genotype Z, clade 2.2. Screening the IFN antagonist abilities of both NS1 proteins (H5N1 and H9N2) demonstrated a high degree of functional homology at IRF3, ISRE, NF-κB and AP-1 levels, which resulted in strong inhibition of IFN-β production in cell culture system. Taken together, these studies expand the information concerning the versatile nature of the NS1 protein and highlight its indispensible role in reassortant influenza A virus pathogenesis
Quantum computation, entanglement and state reduction

Some general foundational issues of quantum mechanics are considered and are related to aspects of quantum computation. The importance of quantum entanglement and quantum information is discussed and their curious acausal properties are addressed. The question of quantum state reduction is also considered, and a specific suggestion for a gravitational state–reduction scheme is put forward. A general proposal for an experiment to test this scheme is also suggested.
Multiple Wolbachia infections in Rhagoletis pomonella

Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a model species for sympatric speciation through host race formation on apple and hawthorn. The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, a manipulator of arthropod reproduction, has been considered to contribute to speciation in several species. A potential role of Wolbachia in sympatric speciation of R. pomonella remains to be tested despite an earlier detection by PCR. In this study, we isolated Wolbachia from R. pomonella individuals from both host species using multi‐locus sequence typing (MLST) and the surface protein wsp. By cloning and sequencing of 311 plasmids, we found sequence types of at least four wPom strains. A complete MLST profile was obtained only for wPom1, whereas MLST loci of the other putative strains were difficult to assign because of multiple infections and low sample numbers. wPom1 occurs in both host races, whereas different sequence types were found at low frequencies only in apple‐infesting R. pomonella. This warrants further investigation as it cannot be excluded that Wolbachia plays a part in this model of sympatric speciation.
Do Viral Proteins Possess Unique Features

Many proteins (or protein regions) are intrinsically disordered. They lack unique 3D structures in their native, functional states under physiological conditions in vitro (Wright and Dyson, 1999; Uversky et al., 2000; Dunker et al., 2001, 2002a,b; Tompa, 2002, 2003; Uversky, 2002a,b, 2003; Minezaki et al., 2006). The major functions of such proteins and regions are signaling, recognition, and regulation activities (Wright and Dyson, 1999, 2009; Dunker et al., 2002a,b; 2005; 2008a,b; Dyson and Wright, 2005; Uversky et al., 2005; Radivojac et al., 2007; Dunker and Uversky, 2008; Oldfield et al., 2008; Tompa et al., 2009). Owing to these crucial functional roles, intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are highly abundant in all species. According to computational predictions, typically 7–30% prokaryotic proteins contain long disordered regions of more than 30 consecutive residues, whereas in eukaryotes the amount of such proteins reaches 45–50% (Romero et al., 1997, 2001; Dunker et al., 2001; Ward et al., 2004; Oldfield et al., 2005a,b; Feng et al., 2006). Furthermore, almost 70% of proteins in the PDB (which is biased to structured proteins) have intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), which are indicated by missing electron density (Obradovic et al., 2003). Numerous disordered proteins have been shown to be associated with cancer (Iakoucheva et al., 2002), cardiovascular disease (Cheng et al., 2006), amyloidoses (Uversky, 2008a), neurodegenerative diseases (Uversky, 2008b), diabetes, and other human diseases (Uversky et al., 2008), an
Evaluating the impact of osmopriming varying with polyethylene glycol concentrations and durations on soybean.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of osmo and hydro-priming on phenology, yield components and biomass yield of soybean (Glycine max) cv. William-82. After a laboratory experiment to determine the optimum combination of priming duration and polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG 8000) concentration, field experiment was conducted in 2003 and 2004 with three priming durations (6, 12 and 18 h) and five different concentrations of PEG 8000 solution (0, -0.2, -0.5, -1.1, -1.8 , -3.0 and -4.2 MPa), together with a dry seed (non primed) control. Primed and non-primed seeds were sown in the field. During both years, plants from primed seed flowered and matured faster than plants from non-primed seed. Primed seed gave taller plants. Averaged over all treatments, priming for 6 h or with -1.1 MPa, were the most beneficial treatments. It is concluded that priming with PEG was much effective but priming with water alone was also better than control.
Efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum, Poultry manure and Yeast on the Growth and Yield of Soybean Grown on Nematode Infested Soil

Field experiments were carried out during 2010 and 2011 planting seasons in order to assess the effect of Trichoderma harzianum , cured poultry manure and palm wine yeast, singly and in combination, on the growth and yield of soybean, variety TGx 536-02D, grown on nematodes infested soil. The treatments were control, T. harzianum T22 isolate, cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast, T. hazianum T22 isolate + cured poultry manure, T. hazianum T22 isolate + palm wine yeast, cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast and T. hazianum T22 isolate + cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast. Control experiment did not receive cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast or T. hazianum T22 isolate. In each trial, there were 8 treatments replicated 5 times fitted into randomized complete block design. The results indicated that application of T.hazianum T22 isolate, cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast, T. hazianum + cured poultry manure, T. hazianum + palm wine yeast, cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast and T. hazianum T22 isolate + cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast significantly (p<0.05) increased the growth and yield of soybean, and also significantly (p<0.05) reduced the soil population dynamics of nematode pests of soybean. Prominent nematode genera were Meloidogyne, Xiphinema and Helicotylenchus . Control plants that were not treated with palm wine yeast, T. harzianum T22 isolate and cured poultry manure had significantly (p<0.05) reduced the growth and yield of soybean,and had increased soil nematode population. Data collected on both trials were analyzed using analysis of variance and significant differences among treatments were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at probability level of 5%. Keywords: Trichoderma harzianum ; poultry manure; yeast; soybean; control; nematode.
DETERMINATION OF BODY DENSITY FOR TWELVE BIRD SPECIES.

Abstract : Body density, mass, wingspan, and circumference measurements were completed on 12 bird species to better understand the bird/aircraft collision hazard. Body densities for the 12 species ranged from 0.602-0.918 g/cm3 dry, 0. 743-0.947 g/cm3 wet, and 0.880-1.050 g/ CM3 plucked. The mean length-to-diameter ratio of the 12 species was 4.8 +/- 0.3. Significant negative correlations were found between dry density (N = 144) and wingspan (r = -0.52, P < 0.001), dry circumference (r = -0.229, P < 0.006), or body length (r = -0.264, P < 0.001). The percent of body mass represented by feathers differed among species, but not by sex or sex x species. Herring Gulls, Turkey Vultures, and Laughing Gulls had 9-10 % of their body mass in feathers while seven other species had 2-4 % of their body mass in feathers. An understanding of avian body density is essential to 1) aid standardization of international birdstrike testing techniques, 2) establish the acceptability and validity of using artificial birds for aircraft birdstrike testing, 3) establish birdstrike resistance standards for aircraft components, and 4) aid computer modeling of bird bodies. Bird strike testing, Aircraft collisions, Bird density Bird length, Bird mass, Bird circumference, Wingspan, Artificial birds, Bird feathers, Bird strike standards
Studies evaluating the possible evolution of malaria parasites in response to blood-stage vaccination

i 1. General introduction 1 1.1. Evolution in biomedicine 1 1.2. Evidence for vaccine-driven evolution 8 1.2.1. Epitope evolution 10 1.2.2. Virulence evolution 13 1.2.3. Other possible vaccine-adapted phenotypes 14 1.3. Thesis aims 15 1.4. Specificities of the malaria model 17 1.4. 1. Malaria 17 1.4. 2. Malaria vaccines 18 1.4. 3. Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) 20 1.4. 4. Plasmodium chabaudi model 22 1.5. Concepts and terminology 25 1.6. Thesis arrangement 28 2. Differences at the target locus and not virulence predict protection induced by recombinant AMA-1 in the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi 29 2.1. Abstract 29 2.2. Introduction 30 2.3. Material and Methods 33 2.3. 1 Parasites and hosts 33 2.3. 2. Immunizations, parasite challenge and sampling 33 2.3. 3. Isotype ELISA 35 2.3. 4. Trait definition and statistical analyses 36
Evaluation of the effects of incorporation rate and depth of water-retentive amendment materials in sports turf constructions

Abstract The objective of the current laboratory study was to assess the effects of a number of amendment materials and the depth of incorporation on water retention. 300 mm rootzone profiles were established in 150 mm diameter plastic cylinders over a 50 mm gravel drainage layer. Five amendment materials (sphagnum peat, compost, zeolite, TerraCottem and Stockosorb) were mixed with a medium-coarse sand at various rates. The upper rootzone layer (0–150 mm) included 50%, 100% and 150% of published or manufacturersã recommended rates of each amendment material. Three amendment rates were included in the lower rootzone layer (150–300 mm): pure sand, half the amendment rate of the top layer, and the same amendment rate as the top layer. The following measurements were made: water retention in individual layers, volumetric water content in the top layer (0–60 mm), shear strength, surface hardness, permanent wilting point. Water retention was significantly influenced by the different amendment materials. The most water retentive mixes were those containing peat and Stockosorb, whilst the least retentive contained the TerraCottem and the pure sand. The influence of amendment rate in the lower layer was less in comparison with the top layer. The incorporation of amendment materials in the lower rootzone had no significant effect on water retention in the upper rootzone but did increase the total water storage in the profile and this would have some implications for plant growth during drier periods. Rootzone mixes containing peat and compost had the highest shear strength whilst the Stockosorb gave the lowest strength because the expansion of the polymer reduced rootzone density and therefore the degree of contact between the sand particles. The hardest surface was measured when zeolite was used and the softest surfaces resulted from the use of Stockosorb.
New roles for cripto in the assembly and localisation of nodal signalling platforms

The TGFβ family member Nodal is essential during development to allocate pluripotent cells to distinct germ layers and to establish the basic body plan. To establish a signaling gradient of the transcription factors Smad2 and Smad3, Nodal forms a complex with Activin receptors that is activated with the help of the glycosylphosphosphatidyl-inositol-anchored proteoglycans Cripto or Cryptic. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we investigated whether Cripto regulates the proteolytic maturation and/or trafficking of Nodal precursor protein. We show that Cripto captures Nodal already during secretion, partly via the propeptide, and assembles a processing complex with the proprotein convertases Furin at the cell surface. Subsequently, Cripto mediates uptake of mature Nodal via a conclathrin, noncaveolar pathway to signaling endosomes. Our results suggest that Cripto is a receptor for proprotein convertases and couples Nodal processing and signaling in target cells.