Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Threshold value for chlorophyll meter as decision tool for nitrogen management of potato

We developed a practical system to improve crop N efficiency in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). It is based on a strategy that includes split applications of N fertilizer and the use of the Hydro N Tester (HNT) leaf chlorophyll meter as a plant N status indicator. The method was tested in 12 potato field trials conducted from 1997 to 2000 on loam and sandy loam soils in Belgium. The fields were fertilized at planting with 70% of a field-specific N recommendation. Because of site-specific effects, raw HNT values measured during the growing season were not useful in assessing the crop N status and the need for supplemental N. In each field, there was a 200-m(2) subplot receiving no N fertilizer to obtain a control HNT value. After harvest, the 12 sites were separated into two groups according to the crop response to increasing N fertilizer rates. A parameter called the HAT slope was determined as the difference between HNT values measured in the field and those from the zero-N plot divided by the applied N rate. This parameter shows low values for sites presenting a weak crop response to N and high values for sites with a strong response. A threshold value to determine the need for supplemental N was found to correspond to a HNT slope value of 0.5. This value was successfully validated on a commercial scale at 10 sites in Belgium in 2001 and 2002 for nonirrigated crops of cultivar Bintje.
DETERMINAN YIELD OBLIGASI PEMERINTAH TENOR 5 TAHUN DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN MODEL EGARCH PADA NEGARA INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND, DAN FILIPINA

This research aims to analyze the effect of interest rates, inflation, oil prices, exchange rates, and foreign exchange reserves on bond yields. This research was conducted on 5-year government bond from four member countries of ASEAN, that is Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines during the period 2006 to 2015. The data used in this research is the monthly data of government bond yields, interest rates (policy rates), oil prices (West Texas Intermediate), exchange rates, and foreign exchange reserves. The data obtained from Bank of Indonesia website, Bank of Thailand website, and Bloomberg. The analysis method used for this research is Exponential Generalized AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (EGARCH). The data analysis phase through the data stationary test, EGARCH estimation, Akaike information criterion (AIC) and schwartz criterion (SC) test, ARCH LM test, and Z-statistic test. The results find that oil prices and exchange rates have positive and significant effect on government bond yields for all the countries studied, both Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Filipina. Interest rates have positive and significant effect on Indonesia and Thailand government bond yields. Inflation has positive and significant effect on Malaysia and Thailand government bond yields. While foreign exchange rates have negative and significant effect on Indonesia and Thailand government bond yields.
Relationship between O-serogroup, virulence and plasmid profile in Escherichia coli isolated from diseased chickens.

A total of 275 of Escherichia coli strains were isolated from diseased chickens from different localities in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. The serotyped strains (n = 40) belonged to 10 serovars, O78 (13), O153 (6), O168 (5), O26 (4), O157 and O146 (3 each), O20 and O114 (2 each), O125 and O126 (1 each). The results showed that 95% of the typed E. coli serovars were Congo red positive, while 70% produced hemolysin. All investigated serovars produced cytotoxins for Vero cells (verocytotoxigenic). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was carried out for six serovars to detect the presence of eae A gene; only one serovar had intimin gene (O125:H7). The plasmid profiles of the most important E. coli serovars were examined, revealing that all contained plasmids. It was concluded that there was an association between large plasmids containing strains and their high virulence. ARABIC ABSTRACT PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Practical applications that have been developed from our research are: 1 Combination of genotypic with phenotypic analysis of Escherichia coli isolates are more valuable as an epidemiological tool for differentiation and identification of the isolates than one test alone. 2 Plasmids profile may be of value as epidemiological markers. The correlation between isolates and possession of large plasmids indicated that large plasmids are associated with virulence. 3 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a useful method for routine identification of E. coli isolated from diseased chickens. 4 Great attention must be reflected on non-O157:H7 E. coli strains as they show the presence of virulence factors as O125:H7.
Conservación de la morera (morus alba) como ensilaje. I. Efecto sobre los compuestos nitrogenados

Mediante dos experimentos se analizo el comportamiento de los compuestos nitrogenados en los ensilajes de Morus alba (morera). En el primero se evaluaron sin conservantes desde los 2 hasta los 180 dias y en el segundo se estudio la interaccion que ejercen el presecado (40 % MS) y diferentes dosis de miel final (2, 4 y 6 %) y acido formico (0,1; 0,2 y 0,3 %). Como unidades experimentales se utilizaron bolsas de nailon de 3 kg de capacidad a razon de cinco replicas por tratamiento. Los indicadores medidos fueron: materia seca (MS), proteina bruta total (PBt) y soluble (PBs/PBt %), nitrogeno amoniacal (N-NH 3 /Nt %) y pH. La dinamica fermentativa se analizo a traves de ecuaciones multiples lineales y el efecto de los conservantes mediante un diseno completamente aleatorizado. La MS mostro una tendencia a disminuir segun el tiempo de conservacion (38 % a 0 dia y 32 % a 180 dias), aunque con la adicion de miel final (x=34,7) y acido formico (x=33,9) y mediante el presecado (x=40,2) hubo una disminucion menor de este indicador en relacion con los ensilajes sin conservante (x=31,8). El presecado fue el tratamiento que mejor control ejercio sobre la PBs/PBt % (x=12,3); mientras que el acido formico no resulto efectivo (x=62,5). El empleo de la miel final proporciono resultados intermedios (x=40,3). El N-NH 3 /Nt % presento los valores mas adecuados con el presecado (x=6,2), la miel final al 6 % (x=7,0) y el acido formico al 0,1 % (x=9,3); el resto de los tratamientos no difirieron entre si (x=12,2). Se concluye que el presecado es la tecnologia mas adecuada para minimizar las acciones degradativas que ocurren en los compuestos nitrogenados de la morera durante el proceso de conservacion.
Effect of Rumen Incubation on the True Indigestibility of Feed Protein in the Digestive Tract Determined by Nylon Bag Techniques

Abstract The effect of rumen incubation on the true indigestibility of feed protein in the digestive tract (TIFP) was studied for 10 concentrates. Only fish meal and soybean meal showed a constant TIFP independent of rumen incubation time or extent of rumen protein degradation. For the other feedstuffs, TIFP decreased to various degrees at increased ruminal protein degradation. For extracted rapeseed meal, maize gluten meal and guar meal, however, TIFP measured without pre-incubation in the rumen was also satisfactory as a basis for predicting the true digestibility of rumen undegraded feed protein in the intestine (TDRUP) for practical purposes. In contrast, TIFP for predicting TDRUP for peas, rapeseeds, lupin seeds, barley and oats should be determined on feed samples after rumen incubation.
Transport activity dependent regulation of the yeast general amino acid permease

The general amino acid permease Gap1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae scavenges amino acids from the extracellular medium for use as nitrogen sources in starvation conditions. Because unlimited uptake of both naturally occurring amino acids and amino acid analogs is toxic, Gap1p is active at the plasma membrane only when amino acid levels are low. Gap1p is down regulated when amino acids are abundant by two distinct post-translational mechanisms. Gap1p is regulated post-translationally to respond quickly and efficiently to changing amino acid concentration. An increase in amino acids causes accumulation of Gap1p in the vacuole and inactivation of Gap1p located at the plasma membrane. Conversely, a decrease in amino acid levels allows for redistribution of Gap1p from internal membranes to the cell surface. Here I examine the mechanism of amino acid regulation of Gap1p. Previous studies of Gap1p sorting have focused on the trans-acting factors required for the distribution of Gap1p between the plasma membrane and internal compartments. To complement this body of work, these studies focus on the cis-elements required for Gap1p sorting. We find that post-translational regulation of Gap1p requires the catalytic activity of Gap1p, indicating that sorting and activity of Gap1p are controlled in cis. Gap1p therefore can serve as an amino acid sensor to control its activity in response to nutrient levels. This finding suggested that post-translational regulation of Gap1p could apply to other transporter proteins in yeast. I examined the activity and localization of a related transporter protein, the histidine-specific permease Hip1p in response to various amino acids, and found that although Hip1p is down regulated only in response to histidine, this regulation is less tightly controlled than the regulation of Gap1p. This observation supports previous assertions that the function of Gap1p in the cell is distinct among yeast amino acid transporters. Thesis supervisor: Chris A. Kaiser Title: Professor and Head of the Department of Biology
Maturational changes in patterns of association in male and female humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae

The patterns of association of juvenile male and female humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine were studied for evidence of maturational changes. Both males and females became less solitary with age. In males, time spent alone changed from a mean of 55.8% of observations at age one to 26.8% at age six. Females were alone in a mean of 49.9% of observations at age one, but in only 20.5% by age six. However, females that produced calves at five, six or seven were associated with no whales but the calf in 73.8% of observations. Males exhibited a clear age-related trend of increasing associations with adults, notably with adult females which constituted approximately 80% of the associates of males aged six years or more. Females showed a similar trend of increasing associations with adults of both sexes. Tests of association data for whales of known age with similar data for adults of the same sex showed that the association patterns of young males and females became statistically indistinguishable from those of adults by the ages of five and four, respectively. The data suggest that the observed changes in social behaviour are closely linked to the attainment of sexual maturity and preparation for adult roles. The different patterns of males and females after maturity may reflect differing reproductive and life-history strategies.
Inclusão de fenos de folha de leucena e de cunhã na ração de poedeiras

The effects of including leucena leaf (FFL) or cunha (FC) hay into diet on performance and egg quality of 100 Hisex Brown (64 weeks old) laying hens were compared. Birds were distributed into a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates of 4 birds each. The treatments were designed in a factorial 2 x 2 + 1, which evaluated the factors energy source (corn or sorghum) and type of hay (leucena or cunha) and an a control diet based on corn and soybean meal without inclusion of hay. The trial lasted 63 days (three periods of 21 days), during which the birds received feed and water ad libitum. Treatments did significantly affect, neither production, weight, mass, component proportion and Haugh units of eggs, nor feed conversion. However, laying hens fed ration without hay (control diet) had the lowest consumption. The inclusion of FFL, in the diet containing corn or sorghum, resulted in higher yolk pigmentation than inclusion of FC. The inclusion of FFL or FC, independent of the grain utilized as an energy source, results in a similar performance, but FFL increased yolk pigmentation capacity.
APPLICATION OF SHORT FASTING METHODS TO INDUCE MOLTING IN COMMERCIAL LAYING NENS

One experiment was conducted to evaluate if induced molting methods using short fasting intervals can be satisfactory replaced for continuous feed removal. One hundred and eighty Hy-line W36 layers were randomly allocated to four treatments according to equal body weight in a completely randomized design. Treatments were: 1) continuous feed removal until 30% body weight reduction, then feeding ad libitum on a commercial layer diet as a control, 2) fasting for 3d followed by feeding at libitum a diluted commercial layer diet with ground, delinted, whole cotton seed (65% layer diet : 35% whole cotton seed), 3) fasting for 3d, then fed freely a 91% corn middling diet plus 9% vitamin and mineral supplements for 25d, and 4) fasting for 3d, then fed freely a 91% wheat middling diet plus 9% vitamin mineral supplement for 25d. The experiment was lasted 5 months consisting of 1mo molt period and 4mo postmolt period. The results indicated that T1, T2, T3, and T4 were respectively lost 32.5, 24.5, 5.05 and 9.1% of their initial body weight after 14 days of induction of molt and these differences were significant (P<0.05). At Day 20 in molt, ovary and oviduct weight regression were considerably lower in short fasting methods compared to continuous fasting. There were no significant differences with respect to postmolt egg production feed conversion ratio, egg shell strength and egg shell thickness.
An independent method of deriving the carbon dioxide fertilization effect in dry conditions using historical yield data from wet and dry years

Accurate estimates of the fertilization effect that elevated carbon dioxide [CO2] has on crop yields are valuable for estimation of future crop production, yet there is still some controversy over these estimates due to possible CO2‐by‐water‐status interactions in chamber studies and the difficulty of conducting field experiments with elevated [CO2]. This study presents a new method to estimate the CO2 fertilization effect (CFE) in dry conditions (CFEdry), based on a combination of historical yield and climatic data and field experiments that do not require elevated [CO2]. It was estimated that approximately 50 years of increasing [CO2] (i.e., a 73 ppm increase) resulted in a 9% and 14% improvement of yield in dry conditions for maize and soybean, respectively, which are similar to estimates derived from free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) studies. The main source of uncertainty in this approach relates to differential effects of technology trends such as new cultivars in wet vs. dry years. Estimates of this technology–water interaction can be refined by further experimentation under ambient [CO2], offering a cost‐effective path for improving CFE estimates. The results should prove useful for modeling future yield impacts of climate change, and the approach could be used to derive estimates for other species using relatively simple yield trials.
Apical Shoot Harvest Affects Growth and Apical Shoot and Fruit Yields of Pumpkin

Abstract Apical shoots and fruit of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch. Ex. Lam.) are edible. A strategy for harvesting apical shoots requires to be developed while sustaining reasonable fruit yields. Field trials were conducted over three years to investigate effects of harvesting 30- or 60-cm long apical shoots at 1-week intervals at population densities of 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 plants·;ha-1, or 30-cm long apical shoots at 1-, 1½-, and 2-week intervals in plants sown in late March, mid-April and early May on growth and apical shoot and fruit yields. Increasing plant population up to 15,000 plants·;ha-1 increased apical shoot yields. Fruit yields increased by 38% as the plant population increased to 10,000 plants·;ha-1, beyond which it increased an additional 3%. Plants sown in mid-April produced greater numbers of apical shoots or fruit, and apical shoot and fruit yields by 5-35% than for plants sown in late March or early May. Harvesting 60-cm long apical shoots at 1-week intervals decreased numbers of fruit/plant and fruit yields by 15-33%, but increased apical shoot yields by 15-52%, compared with removing 30-cm long apical shoots at 1-week intervals. Harvesting 30-cm long apical shoots at 1-week intervals produced the greatest number of apical shoots and apical shoot yields, but significantly reduced numbers of fruit and total fruit yields by 20-50%, relative to harvesting 30-cm long apical shoots at 1½- or 2-week intervals. Harvesting 30-cm long apical shoots at 1½-week intervals, and at an optimal target population of 10,000 plants·;ha−1, and sowing in April is recommended if pumpkin is to be grown for apical shoot and acceptable fruit yield.
Interannual variation in the reproductive cycle of the New Zealand snapper Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider) (Sparidae)

Changes in reproductive condition in the New Zealand snapper Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider) were monitored in a wild population over three successive years. Recrudescence occurred in spring with spawning beginning in October and continuing for 3 to 5 months. The initiation of spawning varied by up to 3 weeks and was associated with sea surface temperatures of 15–16° C. Theconclusion of spawning was associated with temperatures of 19–21° C but showed greater interannual variation than the onset of spawning. Changes in the gonadosomatic index were accompanied by parallel changes in hepatosomatic index in females but not males, reflecting the role of the liver in vitellogenesis in females.
Drumming signals within the family Taeniopterygidae (Plecoptera)

Drumming signals of the 11 species of Palaearctic Taeniopterygidae are described for the first time based on the study of populations from nine different European countries from Spain to Russia. In this way, a contribution is made to our knowledge of the constancy respectively the divergence of signals typical for the species distributed over a very wide area. Communication patterns of the family under varying temperatures were analysed. The dependence on temperature indicates that the adults of this family are cold stenothermic insects. Within the genus Brachyptera (Newport, 1851), the call signal of males is significantly different from their response signal (duration and drumming frequency). The marked modulation of the drumming frequency, e.g., of B. risi (Morton, 1896) and B. seticornis (Klapálek, 1902) is reached by a modulation of the amplitude of abdominal movements. Based on the study of the drumming signals, Taeniopteryx auberti (Kis and Sowa, 1964) is proposed as a subspecies of T. hubaulti (Aubert, 1946). Actual intensity of the drumming signals of T. auberti was measured. Taeniopteryx hubaulti is recorded for the first time outside the Alps.
ISOLATION, INCIDENCE, AND VIRULENCE OF ASCOCHYTA SPP. OF PEAS FROM THE SOIL

Ascochyta pinodella, cause of footrot, and Ascochyta pinodes, cause of blight, of peas were isolated from field soil by heating the soil to 100 C for 12–15 h followed by plating the soil on a medium containing rose bengal and chlortetracycline. A. pinodella was present in most soils where peas were growing and also in some soils where peas had not been grown for 1 to 5 years. Soil cultures of A. pinodella were weakly virulent but by host passage, re-isolated cultures produced typical symptoms of footrot on young plants. A. pinodes was isolated less frequently from soil; however, cultures were strongly virulent and inoculated plants showed typical disease symptoms in 5 days. Although infected seed has been considered to be the main source of inoculum, the frequent isolation of A. pinodes and A. pinodella from soil demands a re-appraisal of the epidemiology of this disease complex.
Use of Cinnamaldehyde as a Potential Antioxidant in Ground Spent Hen Meat

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and color-stabilizing effect of different levels (0, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 ppm) of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC) in ground spent hen meat patties (raw and cooked) stored at 4C under aerobic conditions. Treatment with TC did not affect (P > 0.05) the pH, cooking yield and color characteristics of spent hen meat patties. The TC treatment reduced (P < 0.05) the thiobarbituric acid values from 2.045 to 0.623 and 2.213 to 0.650 mg malonaldehyde/kg in raw and cooked meat patties, respectively, during 9 and 21 days of storage. Treatment with TC also reduced (P < 0.05) the peroxide value in both raw and cooked meat patties compared with control. These results clearly demonstrate the antioxidant potential of TC in ground spent hen meat. Further investigation is required to elucidate the antioxidant mechanism of cinnamaldehyde and its effect in different meats. Practical Applications With the increasing demand for natural ingredients as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants in food processing, the quest for innovating newer bioactive compounds is rising. Recently, few researchers have explored the potential of using trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), a natural spice extract as an effective antimicrobial for controlling Escherichia coli organisms in meat and meat products. The findings of the present investigation explore the antioxidant efficacy of TC in ground spent hen meat. The meat industries may exploit this natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agent to address two of the important deteriorative changes in meat i.e., lipid oxidation and microbial spoilage.
A new method to reconstruct fish diet and movement patterns from δ13C values in otolith amino acids

Fish ecologists have used geochemical values in otoliths to examine habitat use, migration, and population connectivity for decades. However, it remains difficult to determine an unambiguous dietary δ13C signature from bulk analysis of otolith. Studies to date have focused on the aragonite component of otoliths with less attention paid to the organic fraction. We describe the application of compound-specific stable isotope analysis (SIA) to analyze amino acid (AA) δ13C values from small amounts (<1 mg) of otolith powder. We examined δ13C values of otolith and muscle AAs from a reef-associated snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii (Peters, 1869)) collected along a carbon isotope gradient (isoscape) from seagrass beds to coral reefs. Carbon isotope values in otolith and muscle samples were highly correlated within and among coastal habitats. Moreover, δ13C values of otolith AAs provided a purely dietary record that avoided dilution from dissolved inorganic carbon. Otolith AAs served as a robust tracer of δ13C value.