Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early theoretical concepts in soil fertility

In steady natural ecosystems, a balance between growth and decay is maintained. A few people who restrict themselves to gathering the essentials of food, clothing and shelter may easily form part of such a steady system. To avoid the hardships of such life, it may have been a sm~ll step to switch to primitive agricultural practices. But then, the balance between growth and decay that is established in natural systems is disturbed by the harvest operation which moves minerals and nitrogen away from the field. Thus an unsteady system results with year-by-year decreases in yield until the harvest hardly balances the input of seeds. In principle there are two ways to grow crops and still to avoid the disaster of decreasing yields. It is possible to abandon the field for at least 15 years after a few years and leave it to nature to restore the fertility. This shifting cultivation has been and is widely practiced. This is a sound system as long as the population is so small that the periods of recovery are sufficiently long compared with the periods of agricultural use. With increasing population it is necessary to return too frequently to the same field, leaving too less time for recovery. Ultimately the periods of recovery are then so short that the system breaks down. To ensure then for the seeds a yield return that justifies the human effort, one must adopt other systems of management, such as that developed to a high degree of perfection in the 18th century in Western Europe. Marginal lands were then used for livestock with· emphasis on manure production for the arable land, and all organic ·waste was carefully returned to the field. Moreover, cash crops were alternated with forage crops to promote the restoration of fertility. Several scientists in the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century became interested in agricultural problems, and theories were developed to describe the problem of maintaining and increasing the fertility of the fields. These theories emphasize dynamic aspects of the problem, so often neglected in our present reductionist approach.
School-Based Service Delivery Models and Interventions for Handwriting

This project was part of a research initiative in collaboration with Wendi Trummert, DrOT, OTR/L, a practicing school-based occupational therapist in the Puyallup School District. The purpose of our project was to compare the effectiveness of certain service delivery models and intervention approaches to improve handwriting outcomes for school-aged children. Our search of the literature yielded a total of 20 applicable research studies, which utilized a wide variety of models and approaches. There was limited research specifically comparing service delivery and/or specific components of handwriting interventions. Our findings indicated that there are a variety of effective service delivery models and approaches to handwriting interventions. Furthermore, direct practice was a consistent component of programs producing handwriting improvements. A recommendation for future research is to directly compare service delivery models and intervention approaches to handwriting. This would allow practitioners to identify which specific aspects of service delivery could best support handwriting for students. Our knowledge translation products were specifically designed for our collaborating practitioner to present to her colleagues within the Puyallup School District. These products included a prepared in-service presentation detailing our research and findings, handouts regarding service delivery and approaches, and an annotated bibliography including relevant research articles to inform practitioners. Post-product responses and feedback were overall positive from our collaborator, although we were not able to receive feedback from colleagues who participated in the presentation due to time constraints. SCHOOL-BASED SERVICE DELIVERY AND INTERVENTIONS FOR HANDWRITING 3
TWO-DIMENSIONAL ELECTROPHORESIS-BASED PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS IN RESPONSE TO COLLETOTRICHUM LINDEMUTHIANUM

Brazil is the largest producer of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a staple food for a large proportion of the Brazilian population and its main protein source. Bean anthracnose is a common and broadly distributed bean disease and can cause yield losses of up to 100%. Alterations in the proteome of common bean leaves as a response to challenge by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum were analyzed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The cultivar AND 277 was inoculated with an incompatible race of C. lindemuthianum. In comparison with non-inoculated plants, we observed 34 proteins differentially accumulated in leaves collected 12, 24, and 48 h post inoculation. The protein spots obtained from 2DE gels were then analyzed by MALDITOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Seventeen proteins were identified by MS/MS fragmentation. Most of them corresponded to enzymes belonging to photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, antioxidant systems, genetic information processing, defense and stress response, chaperones and folding catalysts, and phenylpropanoid or flavonoid biosynthesis. Our findings indicate that these proteins are related to the common bean response to C. lindemuthianum.
Effect of supplementing different levels of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) on broiler production performance.

A study was undertaken to examine the broiler growth performance effectiveness by daily supplementing Jerusalem artichoke (JA) from 1 to 6 week of age. A total of 390 one-day-old broiler chicks were allocated to 5 treatments, with 3 replicate per treatment and 26 birds per replicate. Experimental treatments including 0% (T1), 0.5% (T2), 1% (T3), 1.5% (T4) and 2% (T5) JA powder were used. Body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly. Furthermore, production index (PI), growth rate (GR) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF) were also calculated at the marketing age. The results shows that supplementing 2, 0.5 and 1.5% JA in T5, T2 and T4, respectively, had dependent nonsignificant (P>0.05) in all the production parameters. The improvement percentage for these treatments was about (2.5-4.2%) in final body weight, (5.1-18.5%) in PI, (0.1-0.2%) in GR and (4.7-8.9%) in EPEF. It can be conclude the using 2% of JA caused higher improvement percentage in all the production parameters of broiler chicken.
Effects Of Inter-Modal And Intra-Modal Interactions In A Three-Mode Atom-Molecule Bose-Einstein Condensates: Squeezed States

We theoretically study a three mode atom-molecule Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with one atomic BEC, one excited molecular BEC and one stable molecular BEC, considering their intra-modal and inter-modal couplings. The atoms in an atomic BEC are transferred to a stable molecular BEC via an intermediate excited molecular BEC using Bose-Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP). We solve analytically the Hamiltonian of the system to study the stability and quantum squeezing of the system. Consistency with the experimental results, our result also confirms the stability of molecules in the stable molecular BEC. Interestingly, in our system, squeezing is present in all three modes whereas if we consider only intermodal interactions, squeezing is present only in atomic BEC.
Isolation of Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus from Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in Korea

Two viruses were isolated from kidney and spleen tissues of goldfish(Carasius auratus) and the ovarian fluid of chum salmon(Oncorhynchus keta). Both viruses replicated and produced cytopathic effect in EPC, CHSE-214, and CHH-1 cell lines at . The isolates were resistant to pH 3 and choloroform. Antiserum to infections pancreatic necrosis virus(IPNV) serotype VR 299 neutralized the infectivity of both of the isolates. Electron microscopy showed that the particles had typical IPNV particle morphology with average diameters of 55nm, This paper describes the first isolation of viruses infecting cultured fish in Korea.
Caracterização de clones de acerola ( Malpighia glabra L. ) através dos sistemas isoenzimáticos peroxidase-esterase

Os trabalhos de melhoramento de fruteiras vem utilizando a genetica-bioquimica na caracterizacao de materiais propagados vegetativamente. A analise isoenzimatica permite uma avaliacao adequada no reconhecimento de acessos com o mesmo genotipo e, na medida do possivel, as variacoes geneticas que ocorram na colecao, e permite verificar se a colecao esta geneticamente bem representada. Este trabalho teve por objetivo demonstrar a utilizacao da analise eletroforetica para a identificacao dos clones de 14 matrizes de acerola a partir dos perfis das isoenzimas peroxidase e esterase. Os resultados demonstraram que os 14 clones das matrizes de acerola apresentaram atividades referentes a ambos os sistemas isoenzimaticos, e que essas atividades permitiram diferenciar esses clones e identifica-los entre si, e, com isso, constatar a eficiencia destes sistemas no auxilio aos trabalhos de melhoramento vegetal.
Inclusion Levels of Fermented Apple Bagasse on in Vitro Rumen Fermentation of Alfalfa Hay

: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of inclusion of fermented apple bagasse (FAB) obtained through solid state fermentation on pH, ammonia nitrogen (N-NH 3 ), volatile fatty acids (VFA) content, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), lactic acid and microbial counting of alfalfa hay under in vitro rumen environment; four levels of FAB were evaluated (0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0. 75 g/dry matter of FAB) replacing 1.5 g dry matter (DM) of alfalfa hay and incubated at different fermentation times (0, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h) using a complete random design with repeated measures on time. Counts of live yeast colonies (6.08, 6.33, 6.24 and 6.51 CFU/mL expressed as log 10) was higher when FAB was included in the different levels up to the 12 h of fermentation ( P < 0.0001); lactic acid content also increased as FAB was included in the different levels (10.61, 13.86, 16.84 and 14.57 µg/mL) up to the 12 h of incubation ( P < 0.001). Nevertheless, the other variables measured as pH, N-NH3, VFA, IVDMD, total bacteria and fungi counts, were not affected by the treatments. It is concluded that substitution of FAB by alfalfa hay in an in vitro rumen ecosystem positively modified live yeast colonies and lactic acid concentration, without effect on the other fermentative and microbial parameters of the in vitro rumen environment, but considering mixes of FAB and alfalfa hay as a quality ingredient for the feeding of ruminants.
Invocation of Grid operations in the ViroLab Virtual Laboratory

This paper presents invocation of grid operations within the ViroLab Virtual Laboratory. Virtual laboratory enables users to develop and execute experiments that access computational resources on the Grid exposed via various middleware technologies. An abstraction over the Grid environment is introduced which is based on the concept of grid objects accessible from the experiment script based on Ruby. We describe the Grid Operation Invoker library which is the core of virtual laboratory engine and provides access to heterogeneous computational resources in a uniform manner using pluggable adapters. Sample applications include a script, which implements a data mining scenario using the Weka library and combines Web services with MOCCA technologies.
Preliminary Batch Cultures on the Recombinant Strain of Bacillus megaterium for Mosquito Larvicidal Toxin Production

Abstract The spontaneous mutant of Bacillus megaterium pWH1520TK recombinant strain harboring a 93 kDa fusion binary toxin gene of mosquito larvicidal activity, has been preliminarily studied in batch cultures. The fermentation medium was Luria Bertaini medium supplemented with 20 mg/ml of tetracycline and 0.5 % xylose addition to induce expression of the toxin gene. Maximum dry weight and maximum toxin produced have been found at 20 h and 24 h, respectively. The toxin levels stayed high over 60 h, and decreased remarkably at 72 h, perhaps indicating some protease activity. Bioassays were also carried out to confirm mosquito larvicidal activity of the batch fermentation samples. LD 50 values were in a range between 2.86-3.11 x 10 3 cells/ml, indicating a down mutation to low toxicity and instability of toxin production, when compared to the LD 50 value of 2.31 x 10 2 cells/ml for the original mutant. The results show that the recombinant strain of B. megaterium , with further studies on its gene harboring stability and toxin optimization, could be a promising host expressing mosquito larvicidal toxin. Keywords: fusion binary toxin gene; batch fermentation; recombinant strain; Bacillus megaterium ; mosquito larvicidal activity
Genetic Gain for Growth and Delayed Sexual Maturation Using a Feral Strain of Anadromous Brook Trout

Abstract A selective breeding program was initiated with a wild population of anadromous brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from the Laval River, Quebec. The objective was to develop a new strain characterized by improved growth and reduced precocious sexual maturation. A control line was maintained by use of random within-family selection. Length and weight were measured and sexual maturity (mature or not mature) was determined at the end of the second year of growth (22 months of age). In the selected line, phenotypic variance, additive genetic variance, and heritability for weight within the selected families were reduced. A comparison between generations showed that fish weight at 22 months in the selected line increased by 23.1% from the F1 to the F2 generation and by 32.1% from the F2 to the F3 generation. The control line increased similarly in weight from the F1 to the F2 generation (34.7%) but not thereafter; this result was probably due to the domestication effect in the first generation after ca.
CARACTERIZACIÓN GENÉTICA DE LA POBLACIÓN EX SITU DE CROCODYLUS INTERMEDIUS PRESENTE EN COLOMBIA

Se realizó el estudio genético de la población ex situ de Crocodylus intermedius que se encuentra en la Estación de Biología Tropical Roberto Franco, con el fin de establecer su potencial genético y los cruces adecuados para su manejo. Se emplearon primers heterólogos para la amplificación de loci microsatélite, encontrándose tres sistemas monomórficos y seis polimórficos con 2 a 16 alelos. Los adultos difieren en el número de juveniles de los cuales son padres candidatos lo que indicaría diferencias en la reproducción; 121 juveniles no tienen padres potenciales en los adultos y se consideraron de origen externo. No hubo diferencias entre He y A entre los adultos y los juveniles lo que indica que no se ha presentado una pérdida de diversidad genética. Se diseñaron cruces entre pares de individuos con un coeficiente r=0 para aumentar la heterocigosidad; es importante que todos los individuos se reproduzcan para evitar la pérdida de diversidad alélica y una diferenciación de la población exsitu con respecto a la población silvestre.
Exploration of goals among adults in a matrix of presence of and search for meaning

This study explored how presence of and search for meaning are associated with individuals’ choices of goals and motives directing their goals using a mixed methods approach. Participants (N = 180) were quantitatively selected from South African data according to the values of the first and third quartiles of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) search and presence scores. Thematic analysis of responses to semi-structured questions on goals and motives revealed that levels of presence of and search for meaning are associated with the type of goals participants set for themselves: high search, high presence (HSHP) preferred relationship goals; high search, low presence (HSLP) preferred career goals; and low search, high presence (LSHP) preferred goals related to quality of life. The low search, low presence (LSLP) group did not prioritise a particular type of goal, but found positive affect to be the most important reason for striving towards goals.
Genética de poblaciones: teoria y aplicación a la conservación de mamíferos neotropicales (oso andino y delfín rosado)

In the current work, three basic aims in population genetics applied to biological conservation of Neotropical mammals, were evaluated. These three main aims were (a) Estimates of the effective numbers using the temporal changes of the allele frequencies and using coalescence, (b) Determination of the degree of influence of different extinction and recolonization models on the genetic heterogeneity amount among populations, and (c) How could be measured the existence of bottleneck events, population expansions, gene drift and gene flow events in a given species by means of coalescence theory. The applications of these models in three Neotropical mammals, two of them directly studied by us, the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), and the Amazon pink river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), and other studied by POPE (1992), the howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus), are herein shown.
Marine mammal acoustic monitoring and habitat investigation, Southern California offshore region

Abstract : This report summarizes work conducted in FY2007-FY2008 to conduct marine mammal monitoring and habitat investigations in the southern California offshore region. The report describes marine mammal monitoring results during quarterly cruises, and models how physical and biological oceanographic conditions affect marine mammal habitat. Additionally, progress with constructing automatic detection and classification algorithms for acoustic monitoring of marine mammals is summarized, as is work on finite element modeling of acoustic propagation within the bodies of beaked whales and related marine mammals. Some highlights: [1] Data collected (July 2004-March 2008) support the hypothesis that distributions of foraging large whales are linked to cold surface temperatures. However, winter distributions of migrating large whales don't appear to be related to habitat variables analyzed herein, and may be harder to predict based on oceanographic data. [2] A species classifier which decides whether short groups of clicks are produced by one or more individuals from three particular species is presented. The system uses the Teager energy operator and cepstral analysis. [3] Anatomical investigations and computer finite element modeling with marine mammal bodies were conducted, which resulted in two methodological advancements and the addition of more beaked whale species to the Digital Library of Anatomy.
Isotopic Data Do Not Support Food Sharing Within Large Networks of Female Vampire Bats (Desmodus rotundus)

Reciprocal altruism is considered to be particularly stable when occurring in small networks. Using a stable isotope approach, we tested in colonies of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) whether food sharing occurs among few or many females; vampires are known to regurgitate recently ingested blood for starving conspecifics. Accordingly, the isotopic signatures of vampires depend not only on individual prey choice but also on the extent of food sharing among isotopically contrasting conspecifics. By measuring the stable carbon isotope ratio in tissues with varying isotopic retention in individual vampires (blood: approx. 2 wk; wing membrane tissue: approx. 2 mo; fur: >6 mo), we estimated the variation in the percentages of carbon derived from pasture (via blood from cattle and horses). We expected to find narrow ranges of percentages in individual vampires, because we anticipated food sharing only within small female networks if food sharing happened at all. Overall, vampire bats obtained 79.2 ± 12.3% of carbon from grazers. The range of percentages was small within the majority of individuals in relation to that across all individuals, suggesting that most vampires were isotopic specialists. We expected females to be more isotopically generalistic than males, as food sharing was observed to occur more often between females than between males. Indeed, stable isotope evidence suggested that more females obtained carbon from isotopically contrasting sources than males. This pattern is consistent with food sharing in small groups of female vampires, provided that food sharing occurred at all.
Cloning and Expression of the Serine Carboxypeptidase Gene in Zea mays and Its Antifungal Activity against Rhizoctonia solani

: The authors cloned and identified a new maize serine carboxypeptidase gene named ZmSCP from R15 inbred lines seedlings which were induced by Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA. ZmSCP encodes a 332 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 36.5 kDa and pI of 4.75. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZmSCP showed closer kinship with Oryza sativa and sorghum, which belong to the same evolutionary branch. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that there are four types of amino acids in ZmSCP , the percentages of them are 43.1%, 26.9%, 13.9% and 13.1%. The authors subsequently purified the recombinant protein which expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and analyzed its antimicrobial activities in vitro . Results showed that the recombinant protein inhibited hyphal growth of Rhizoctonia solani . The study suggests that the expression of ZmSCP is closely related to maize sheath blight resistance caused by Rhizoctonia solani . Further, the antifungal activity showed that ZmSCP may play at role in the disease resistance response.
At a loss for birds: insularity increases asymmetry in seed-dispersal networks.

Aim The decline of species richness with insularity is a well-known pattern in ecology and biogeography. Despite recent progress, our understanding of the effects of insularity on other components of biodiversity, e.g. the diversity of species interactions, is still poorly developed. In this study, we investigated the effect of insularity on the structure of seed-dispersal networks on a global scale. Location World-wide. Methods We compiled a large dataset of seed-dispersal networks (n = 28). We (1) compared the diversity (interaction evenness, complementary specialization) and asymmetry (web asymmetry, interaction strength asymmetry) of interactions between island and mainland networks, and (2) tested the effects of island area and isolation on the four network metrics. Results Neither measure of interaction diversity differed between islands and the mainland. In contrast, island networks were more asymmetric than mainland networks, due to a paucity of animal frugivores, especially birds. Both measures of network asymmetries were closely associated with island isolation, but were unrelated to island area. Patterns were consistent in analyses with and without nonnative plant and animal species. Main conclusions Because of the highly asymmetric structure of seed-dispersal networks on islands, plant species on islands are highly dependent on particular animal species. These asymmetries probably arise from low rates of colonization and high rates of human-caused extinction of frugivorous animals on isolated islands. Although interaction evenness and specialization were similar between islands and the mainland, additional work is needed to test whether high asymmetries will make island networks more vulnerable to future change and functional collapse.