Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation of Wind tunnel Blockage and Wall Interference Effects at Supersonic Mach Number Flows

Numerical simulation of wind tunnel blockage and wall interference effects at supersonic Mach numbers on a payload fairing of a launch vehicle configuration has been studied. Axi-symmetric simulations have been done for Mach numbers of 1.5 and 3.0 for different blockage ratios using a compressible finite volume based Reynolds-averaged NavierStokes solver. The effect of blockage ratio on the pressure distribution on the body is shown. When the blockage ratio is small the detached shock in front of the body extends to the tunnel wall and reflects back and forth from the body and tunnel wall giving oscillations on the pressure distribution. The Mach number and pressure palettes presented clearly show the detached shock in front of the body and reflection of the shock from the tunnel wall to the body and back to the wall again. The study also brings forth information regarding the length of the body and the blockage ratio to get a smooth pressure distribution unaffected by the wind tunnel wall presence
Fillet shelf-life of Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus L. fed elevated levels of α-tocopheryl acetate

Fish fillet quality may be influenced by the antioxidant level in preslaughter diet. Thus, the effects of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation and feeding time on the flesh quality of farmed Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus L. were investigated. Halibut of mean initial weight of 312 ± 12.3 g were divided into two groups and fed commercial diets, supplemented with different levels of α-tocopheryl acetate at the dietary inclusion levels of 189 and 613 mg kg−1 diet. Fish were sampled after 6,9,12 and 24 weeks. Over the experimental period, they reached a final mean weight of 1320 ± 108.4 g. Tissue α-tocopherol of fillet and liver was significantly affected by the levels of α-tocopheryl acetate given with the diets (P < 0.001). In storage on ice, fillets of fish fed the diets high in α-tocopheryl acetate exhibited significantly lower (P < 0.001) levels of lipid oxidation. The colour of fillets in all groups deteriorated slightly, but diet did not affect this process. Halibut fed the supplemented diets for longer periods were better protected against lipid oxidation (P < 0.001) and colour deterioration (P < 0.01) than those fed for shorter periods. However, after 9 days of storage, lipid oxidation levels were still extremely low [< 0.6 µg malondialdehyde (MDA) g−1 fillet], even in fillets of fish fed the low α-tocopheryl acetate diet for a short period preslaughter. Different slaughtering methods tested at the end of the trial showed that percussive stunning can delay the onset of rigor mortis by 8–12 h compared with bleeding of the fish. These results suggest that halibut fillets have enhanced shelf-life stability even at low doses of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate, and that other factors in the antioxidant defence mechanisms of the species might play a major role in the prevention of lipid oxidation.
Productivity, Oil Content, and Composition of Two Spearmint Species in Mississippi

Scotch' (Mentha × gracilis Sole) and 'Native' (Mentha spicata L.) spearmints are grown in the northern United States, but have not been evaluated in the Southeast. Two-year fi eld studies were conducted in Mississippi at two locations (Verona and Stoneville) to evaluate the eff ects of N application rate and cut (harvest time) on yields, essential oil contents, compositions, and the yield of individual oil constituents ((-)-carvone, (R)-(+)-limonene, and eucalyptol) in Scotch and Native spearmints. Application of N at 80 and 160 kg/ha increased herbage and oil yields in Scotch, suggesting that commercial Scotch plantations should be provided with 160 kg N/ha. Native spearmint provided similar herbage yields when fertilized with 80 or 160 kg N/ha, but the higher N rate increased oil yields. Th e essential oil yields in this study were higher than the average oil yields for spearmint grown in the United States during 2008. Th e essential oil composition of Scotch and Native spearmints grown in Mississippi were similar to the oil pro- duced in other states and other regions in the world. At the Verona site, the average (-)-carvone concentration in the essential oil of Scotch was 68 to 75%, whereas the concentration of (-)-carvone in Native oil ranged from 59 to 62%. At Stoneville, the average (-)-carvone concentration in Scotch oil was 74%, whereas (-)-carvone in Native oil was 68 to 74%. Both Scotch and Native spear- mints could be grown as essential oil crops in Mississippi and possibly in other areas of the southeastern United States.
Annual variations in the concentrations of Betula pollen in the London area, 1961–1990

Abstract Annual variations in the ambient concentrations of Betula pollen monitored by volumetric sampling at sites in London and also at a site to the South of the city between the years 1961–1990 are analysed in relation to the main meteorological parameters. Attention is focussed on variations in the start and duration of the seasons and on the annual patterns of pollen abundance. Consideration is given also to the variation in the severity of seasons. The paper examines possible rhythms in the annual production of Betula pollen and develops empirical regression models from the analyses of the trends to predict the main characteristics of the seasons.
Excavation of Boreholes by the Gastropod, Urosalpinx: An Analysis by Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Penetration of shell by the muricid gastropod, Urosalpinx cinerea follyensis , is accomplished by successive alternating periods of (a) chemical activity by the accessory boring organ (ABO) , and (b) rasping by the radula. This paper reports on the functions of the radula and of the ABO in producing the characteristic geometry of the borehole, andon the effects of radular teeth and of the ABO secretion on the microscopic anatomy of the surface of the borehole during the process of shell-boring. Radulae of U. c. follyensis and the surfaces of incomplete boreholes in the shell of Crassoslrea virginica, Mytilus edulis , and Mya were examined by means of light and scanning electron microscopy. Hardness tests of radular teeth andshell of prey demonstrated that marginal teeth are harder than rachidian teeth, and that the range of hardness of rachidianteeth overlaps that of the three species of shell. Rasping is carried out by two, occasionally three, of the five rachidiancusps. Rasping patterns are shallow and asymmetric. Rachidian teeth are worn to the base with use; marginal teeth wear onlyslightly as they are employed mainly in feeding. The distance between the tips of rachidian cusps corresponds with the interval between the parallel cusp traces rasped by them in shell. During each rasping period, snails scrape off about 1/10 to 1/5 of the surface of the chemically treated area of the bottom of the borehole. Dissolution of shell is accomplished by secretion from the secretory disk of the ABO. With each application of the ABO,most or all of the radular marks of the previous rasping period are erased by solution of a thin layer of shell. The pattern of etching is specific for each of the species of shell studied. In oyster and mussel shell, initial solubilization occurs through the organic, non-mineralized, prism sheaths, exposing prismatic forms shown by other workers to be distinctive for these species, and then proceeds into the organic-calcareous structure of individual prisms. Etching of Mya shell revealed no fundamental prismatic form. Shell-penetration includes dissolution of both organic complexes and CaCO3 crystals. Shell-boring by this snail is principally a chemical process, and the geometry of the borehole is generally a reflection of the morphology of the ABO.
Grain losses due to delayed harvesting of barley and wheat

In field experiments over three consecutive years (1979- 1981) near Esperance, Western Australia, the harvested grain yields of two barley cultivars and two cultivars and a breeders' line of wheat were measured when the grain was mature (moisture content about 17%), and then at approximately weekly intervals for about two months. Grain yields of Clipper and Dampier barley decreased with increasing delay in harvest, the rates of decrease (%/d) in the three years being 0.67, 0.75 and 0.46, respectively, for Clipper, and 0.65, 0.42 and 0.25 for Dampier. Grain yields of Egret and 70W 18- 14 wheat decreased with delayed harvest in 1979 and 1980, the rate of decrease being (%/d) 0.53 and 0.49, respectively, for Egret, and 0.53 and 0. 18 for 70W 18-14. In 198 1, harvested grain yields for Egret and Madden wheat did not change significantly when harvesting was delayed up to 63d.
Freshwater life history of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Rangitata River catchment, New Zealand

Abstract Migration and residence of chinook salmon in the Rangitata River and 1 of its tributaries (Deep Stream) were investigated during 1983–85, and compared with findings from similar studies undertaken in the nearby Rakaia River catchment during 1972–84. The estimated spawning population (±95% confidence interval) in Deep Stream was 748 ± 161 in 1983, and 1071 ± 147 in 1984. The seasonal timing of adult and juvenile movements in and out of Deep Stream was similar to that in Glenariffe Stream, a Rakaia River tributary, as was the development of a population of resident juveniles in spring and early summer. Juvenile salmon biomass in Deep Stream from October to March averaged 0.31 ± 0.14 g m‐2. During peak fry migration, juvenile chinook salmon were found throughout the Rangitata mainstem, although only in the upper reaches was there evidence of extended freshwater rearing. Juvenile salmon migration from Deep Stream appears to be less influenced by competition for rearing habitat than in Glenariffe Stre.
Isolation and Characterization of Buffalo Milk Lysozyme

Lysozyme is a commercially valuable enzyme, and is applied in many fields, concerning products such as foods, drugs, and the like. In this work, lysozyme was isolated and purified from buffalo milk using sephadex G-50 and cation exchanger carboxymethyl cellulose. Lysozyme active fractions from buffalo milk were assayed against Gram positive substrate Micrococcus luteus at 450 nm and a decline in absorbance of 0.001 per min was observed. The optimum activity of lysozyme (158.3 ± 1.7 units/mL) was at 7.5 pH and 37°C temperature. Lysozyme activity at pasteurization temperatures 62.5°C, 30 min and 75°C, 15 s were (156.08 ± 1.03 and 156 ± 2 units/mL) not affected significantly; however, 47% activity of lysozyme was reduced at 100°C for 5 min. Antibacterial susceptibility testing of lysozyme (chicken egg white lysozyme and buffalo milk lysozyme) was performed on Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 4698) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25235). Both lysozymes showed no inhibition effect against Escherichia coli.
Distribution of the Predatory Mite Typhlodromus pyri (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Different Apple Cultivars

The effect of apple cultivar on the distribution of the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri was studied in an experimental orchard where spider mites occurred at negligible densities. Seven apple scab-resistant cultivars, showing some differences in their leaf morphology, were considered. In particular, their leaf blade was classified according to four levels of pubescence. The distribution of T. pyri along the shoots was also studied. In the first experimental year the colonization of different cultivars by T. pyri showed definite patterns, sometimes influenced by the occurrence of eriophyids. One year later, T. pyri abundance again showed some differences among cultivars in conditions of prey scarcity. In both years large phytoseiid populations were recorded on the cultivar N.Y. 18491, despite the low eriophyid occurrence, probably because of its highly pubescent leaf undersurfaces. In contrast, Prima and TSR 29T219, characterized by slightly pubescent leaf undersurfaces, supported low phytoseiid densities independently of prey availability.
Gas Exchange Analysis for Estimating Net CO2 Fixation Capacity of Mangrove (Rhizophora stylosa) Forest in the Mouth of River Fukido, Ishigaki Island, Japan

Abstract Mangrove trees have been considered to possess a higher carbon fixation capacity than terrestrial trees although a reliable method to estimate their CO2 fixation capacity has not been established. In this study, net CO2 fixation in above-ground of Rhizophora stylosa was estimated as the difference between photosynthetic absorption and respiratory emission of CO2. In order to estimate these parameters, photosynthetic rates of single-leaves in response to light and temperature and the respiratory rates of leaves and branches in response to temperature were measured. Furthermore, we established a model of diurnal change in temperature. Monthly averages of the diurnal temperature change were used for correcting the CO2 absorption and emission. The effect of temperature modification on the estimation of net CO2 fixation was examined, and the net CO2 fixation capacity estimated with and without temperature modification was compared. Biomass accumulation estimated without temperature modification (i.e. corrected only for the light intensity) was 6.1 tons ha-1 yr-1, while that estimated with temperature modification (i.e. corrected for both light intensity and temperature) was 13.0 tons ha-1 yr-1. A doubling of the estimated values of net CO2 fixation as observed in this study was caused by the decrease in respiratory CO2 emission by half, which results from temperature modification. These findings suggest that temperature modification in gas exchange analysis could improve the accuracy of estimation of the net CO2 fixation capacity.
Effect of salinity on growth, mineral ions and organic solutes contents in Artemisia monosperma

The effect of different concentration of NaCl on growth, mineral ions and organic solutes content of Artemisia monosperma were investigated. Experimental measurements were made after 70 days of growth in vessels containing Hoagland nutrient solution under controlled climatic conditions. Increased salt stress decreased dry mass, length of shoot and root as well. At the same time, the osmotic potential of NaCl had a great effect on the shoot/root ratio. The root initials also increased and the number of root initials decreased by increasing NaCl concentrations up to 0.4 MPa. It was also observed that proline, saccharide, and soluble protein contents increased in the shoot sap of the investigated plant. Glycolic, fumaric, tartaric, and succinic acid were clearly affected by increasing salinity in the nutrient solution, whereas oxalic and citric acids were significantly increased up 8.5 and 12 times of the control samples.
Reduced Sensitivity of Influenza A (H5N1) to Oseltamivir

We tested the neuraminidase drug sensitivity of clade 1 and clade 2 influenza A virus (H5N1). All viruses demonstrated similar sensitivity to zanamivir, but compared to the 2004 clade 1 viruses, the Cambodian 2005 viruses were 6-fold less sensitive and the Indonesian clade 2 viruses were up to 30-fold less sensitive to oseltamivir.
Ecological Systems in Hierarchical Perspecitive: Breaks in Community Structure and Other Consequences

Explanation of the patterns of species abundances is important because it may help in understanding mechanisms structuring communities. A general conceptual model is proposed and examined as an alternative to previous propositions, which focused too narrowly on specific mechanisms. According to this model, viewing the structure of an environment as a nested hierarchy of habitat units provides a general mechanism sufficient to account for empirically established regularities in species abundances. Various biotic and abiotic factors can be considered as specific mechanisms sorting biological components into respective levels and compartments of the hierarchical structure of the environment. Because "sizes" of these compartments vary in a predictable way as a function of their position in the hierarchy, so should the abundances. The model may provide a conceptual framework that allows evaluation of the relative contributions of competition, predation, and other biological interactions. The operational and highly simplified version of the model uses spatial or temporal measures of ecological ranges of species to facilitate testing of the general model. The operational model makes three qualitative and quanti- tative predictions: (1) although the species display a continuous gradation of properties, the nested hierarchy of habitat units should lead to clustering of species at distinct levels; (2) generalists should be relatively more successful than specialists; (3) relative abundances of species should be predictable from their position in the hierarchical structure. An analysis of eight communities, including flatworms, aquatic insects, foraminiferans, rodents, and birds, supports these predictions. The clusters, or "breaks" in community structure, appear to be a new and possibly general property. Moreover, quantitative predictions of relative abundances for these communities are in surprisingly good agreement with the actual abundances. A hierarchical structure of the environment appears promising in accounting for some poorly explained community-level phenomena, such as correlation between the species range and abundance, and differences between abundance structures of communities in rigorous and less severe environments. The model is compatible with commonly ob- served as well as irregular patterns of distribution of species abundances, with high local abundance of some species, with differentiation of extinction probabilities, and with scale dependence of ecological phenomena.
Potential for biocontrol of sclerotinia rot of carrot with foliar sprays of Contans® WG (Coniothyrium minitans)

Abstract A glasshouse and field trial were conducted to evaluate foliar sprays of Contans® WG (Coniothyrium minitans) conidial suspensions for control of sclerotinia rot of carrot and infection of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia by C. minitans. In the glasshouse trial, foliar sprays (1×104–108 conidia mL−1) decreased the viability of sclerotia recovered from diseased plants and increased infection by C. minitans. In the field trial, three successive foliar sprays applied at 14-day intervals failed to reduce foliage disease severity, but significantly reduced viability of sclerotia recovered from diseased plants/crop debris and increased infection by C. minitans. No significant differences in sclerotial viability or infection were observed between two conidial concentrations (2.4 and 4.8×106 conidia mL−1). Foliar sprays of Contans® WG have potential for reducing viability of sclerotia produced on diseased foliage.
Declining carrying capacity in the Bering Sea: Isotopic evidence from whale baleen

The Bering Sea is a rich marine ecosystem with 1995 U.S. landings of finfish and shellfish in excess of 2 × 106 tons. Recently, major declines of marine mammal and bird populations have occurred, with the question arising as to whether the causes were top down, i.e., from fishing pressure, or bottom‐up, i.e., driven by climate‐change effects. We assessed the latter scenario by using the inverse relationship between phytoplankton cell‐growth rates and carbon isotope fractionation to compare seasonal rates of primary productivity. The isotope ratios in the long baleen plates from bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) laid down while the whales fed in the Bering and Chukchi seas were used as a proxy for the average annual isotope ratios in their zooplankton prey and, by extension, phytoplankton. Plates from 37 whales produced a continuous isotopic record from 1947‐1997 and indicate that seasonal productivity was higher in 1947‐1976, peaking in 1966. Since that time, average d13C values have declined by over 2.7‰ until 1997, inferring a drop in seasonal carbon fixation of ∼‐40%. Alternatively, lowered isotope ratios could arise if phytoplankton stocks significantly increased over time while cell‐growth rates declined. However, long‐term literature estimates for phytoplankton in the Western and Eastern Pacific Ocean and Eastern Bering Sea show either no trend or a decrease over time. Archaeological samples of baleen from ca. 100 and 2,200 yr. B.P. showed average d13C values higher than any in the last five decades, implying still higher productivity in the past. The lowered carrying capacity is a likely contributor to the decline of top consumers in the region.
Streams in Mediterranean Climate Regions: Abiotic Influences and Biotic Responses to Predictable Seasonal Events

▪ Abstract Streams in mediterranean-climate regions (areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, parts of western North America, parts of west and south Australia, southwestern South Africa and parts of central Chile) are physically, chemically, and biologically shaped by sequential, predictable, seasonal events of flooding and drying over an annual cycle. Correspondingly, aquatic communities undergo a yearly cycle whereby abiotic (environmental) controls that dominate during floods are reduced when the discharge declines, which is also a time when biotic controls (e.g. predation, competition) can become important. As the dry season progresses, habitat conditions become harsher; environmental pressures may again become the more important regulators of stream populations and community structure. In contrast to the synchronous input of autumn litterfall in forested temperate streams, riparian input to mediterranean-type streams is more protracted, with fall and possibly spring peaks occurring in streams in the.