Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Initiation and Inhibition of Labor - Toward a Molecular Understanding

The control of myometrial contractile activity dur­ ing pregnancy represents an extraordinary example of physiological regulation in reproductive biology Throughout the majority of pregnancy this smooth muscle must be maintained in a quiescent and unre­ sponsive state in order to allow the safe develop­ ment of the embryo and fetus. Then, over a relatively short period at the time of labor, the myometrium undergoes a remarkable transformation enabling it to develop the synchronous, intense contractions necessary for the effective expulsion of the fetus from the uterine cavity For the most part these events are subject to an exacting temporal control which results in this trans­ formation of the myometrium occurring at a time when the fetus is relatively mature. Unfortunately in human pregnancy these regulatory mechanisms can fail and lead to the premature birth of a baby whose physiological organ systems have not ma­ tured to a degree when they are capable of sustain­ ing life outside of the uterus. Preterm birth occurs in 5-10% of all pregnancies but is associated with 70% of all neonatal deaths and up to 75% of neonatal morbidity. In the neonatal period preterm infants are 40 times more likely to die than are term infants. They are also at increased risk of major complica­ tions including cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness, respiratory illness, and complications of neonatal intensive care. These complications result in tre­ mendous costs to the health care system. It is esti­ mated that in the U.S. neonatal care alone for pre­ term infants approached $5 billion dollars in 1985. Perhaps even more disturbing is the report of Lipper et al. These authors found that 72% of children studied who weighed <800 g at birth and reached the age of 7 years had neurological or developmental measures in the suspect or abnormal range requir­ ing rehabilitation or early intervention services. The poor prognosis for the very premature has led to a myriad of treatments and protocols aimed at inhibiting or preventing myometrial contractions as­ sociated with preterm labor. In large part this has involved the use of therapeutic agents adapted from other smooth muscle systems (e.g., vascular and respiratory) with little consideration of the unique characteristics of the myometrium. In the past the development of tocolytic regimens has been often empirical rather than being based on sound physio­ logical/pharmacological principles. Clinical trials have frequently lacked randomization or adequate controls and drug treatments are seldom compared against placebo, raising concern over the signifi­ cance of the results. Even with the widespread use of tocolytic drugs (estimated at >100,000 women per year) there has been no documented decrease in the incidence of preterm labor in the last 2-3 decades. Moreover despite initial enthusiasm over the use of β-adrenergic agonists (currently the most com­ monly used tocolytic agent) there is now no clear evidence that these potent smooth muscle relaxants
Genetic Base of Upland Cotton Cultivars Released between 1970 and 1990

Most cotton (Gossypium spp.) breeders today, without recourse to critical data, assume that the genetic base in modern New World cotton cultivars is narrow. The objectives of this study were to : (i) determine the average coefficient of parentage for 260 upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) cultivars released between 1970 and 1990 ; and (ii) determine the contributions of a number of public and private breeding programs and of various ancestral lines to the genetic diversity of those cultivars. Coefficients of parentage among 260 cultivars showed an average value of 0.07. This estimate suggests substantial remaining diversity. This conclusion must take into account possible bias from widespread reselection of cotton cultivars and the accompanying assumption of a genetic correlation of 0.75 between generations. The most influential breeding programs, in terms of genetic contributions to cultivar development, were Stoneville Pedigreed Seed Company, Coker's Pedigreed Seed Company, and New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. Historically, the most influential cultivar is Stoneville 2. The genetic contribution of 54 ancestral lines, including nine introductions, accounted for less than 25% of the total genetic variation among the 260 cultivars. This low value is thought to result from the loss of genetic information through the process of reselection. The genetic base in modern cotton cultivars is not particularly narrow and continue to offer opportunities for cultivar improvement.
Evaluation of larvicidal potential of certain insect pathogenic fungi extracts against Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus

Fungal metabolites are attracting attention as potential microbial insecticides, and they are anticipated to overcome the problems of pesticide resistance and environmental pollution that are associated with the indiscriminate use of conventional synthetic insecticides. The relative bioefficacies of selected fungal pathogens, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. parasiticus, Fusarium sporotrichoides and Penicillium verrucosum were observed against Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. A. flavus demonstrated the greatest bioefficacy with 50% lethal concentration (LC50) values of 9.54 and 10.98 ppm against Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae, respectively, after 24‐h exposure. The bioefficacy of A. flavus increased in both species with an exposure time of 48 h, with LC50 values of 7.26 and 8.55 ppm, respectively.
Taxonomy of tomatoes in the Galápagos Islands: Native and introduced species of Solanum section Lycopersicon (Solanaceae)

Abstract The Galápagos Islands are of great conservation interest due to their high proportion of endemic species. The endemic tomatoes (Solanum section Lycopersicon) of the islands have long been of interest to plant breeders. We analyse the morphology of all the Galápagos tomatoes: two endemic species, Solanum cheesmaniae and S. galapagense (the latter described here as new) and two introduced species, S. lycopersicum and S. pimpinellifolium. Morphological characters were measured on greenhouse‐grown plants raised from seeds obtained from the wild and seed‐bank accessions. Species boundaries were examined by cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Although the four taxa are distinct and therefore regarded as bona fide species they exhibit considerable intraspecific variation. A taxonomic treatment of the tomatoes in the Galápagos is provided, with keys to all solanums in the islands, descriptions, listings of representative specimens examined and full exsiccatae. Field observations of plants in the wild in the Galápagos are also included in the species descriptions. We highlight the potential for genetic contamination of the endemic tomatoes by hybridization and introgression with the two introduced species.
Substitution of fish silage protein and a free amino acid mixture for fish meal protein in a chicken diet.

White Leghorn chickens were fed a basal diet with about 550 g kg−1 of the protein from fish meal. Graded amounts of fish silage protein or an amino acid mixture simulating fish meal protein were substituted for parts of the dietary fish meal protein. In two experiments 150 and 300 g kg−1 of fish meal protein were replaced by fish silage protein or by an amino acid mixture simulating fish meal. In one experiment graded amounts of 0, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 g kg−1 of fish meal protein were replaced by fish silage protein. Growth and feed efficiency were the same or better when some of the protein was from fish silage. The results showed that replacement of dietary fish meal with fish silage did not reduce the dietary quality of the feed for young growing chickens. It is concluded that it might be advantageous to substitute fish silage for some of the fish meal under the experimental conditions used.
Changes in nutrient limitation of spring fen vegetation along environmental gradients in the West Carpathians

Abstract Question: How does nutrient limitation vary along major environmental gradients in fens and wet meadows? Location: West Carpathians (Czech Republic, Slovakia). Methods: We recorded total plant species composition in 83 plots of 9 m2. Living above-ground biomass of total vegetation was sampled. Concentrations of Ca, Fe, N, P, K were determined. Obtained data were analysed by various univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Results: Major environmental gradients correspond to the poor-rich vegetation gradient, from poor Sphagnum-fens to calcareous fens, and the fen-meadow gradient from sedge-moss fens to forb-rich wet meadows. Ca-concentration in above-ground biomass was strongly positively correlated with the poor-rich gradient, while Fe- and N-concentrations had an opposite trend. Poor-fen vegetation contained little calcium and much iron. The lowest P-concentrations were found in calcareous tufa-forming fens. Variation in N:K ratio indicated a slight decrease of K-availability towards poor fens. Along the fen-meadow gradient, vegetation uptake of P, K and Ca increases and the uptake of Fe decreases. Conclusions: Our results suggest that variation in the type of nutrient limitation is not a dominant cause of the poor-rich gradient in fens due to the important role of calcium and iron. Nevertheless, species distribution along the poor-rich gradient is influenced by phosphorus shortage in tufa-forming fens and relatively high N-uptake and low K-availability in poor fens. Additional P- and K-supply to Ca-rich fens can alter species composition towards forb-rich meadows. Nomenclature: Frey et al. (1995) for bryophytes; Kubát et al. (2002) for vascular plants.
Development of an ideal Thermo-Chemical method of EOR: Case Study of a portion of Upper Assam Basin

The need for production by Enhanced Oil Recovery has increased drastically over the past two decades because of the constantly increasing need of Hydrocarbons and decline in the discovery of new oil and gas producing horizons. This paper deals with development of an ideal thermo chemical method of Enhanced Oil Recovery in the mature and depleting Naharkatiya Oilfield by experimental investigation of Reservoir rock and fluid samples and different phenomena occurring in the Petroleum Reservoir with TGA, XRD, SEM, PVT Analysis. In this paper the authors have designed a novel combination strategy taking into consideration all the techno-economic feasibilities and Reservoir Characteristics to develop the best method of EOR which can be employed by the Industry not only in Naharkatiya but also in analogous fields all over the world having the same Rock and fluid properties.
Species richness vs evenness: independent relationship and different responses to edaphic factors

The main components of species diversity are richness and evenness. Species richness has been the subject of biodiversity studies more often than species evenness. Some simulated models suggest that the relationship between these two components is equal and predictable in a stable environment. This study was conducted in a human-shaped and unstable environment in arable field boundaries. A total of 30 sampling plots were laid out at random in the boundaries. Vegetation at the sites was of meadow type. The relationship between species richness and evenness, and their responses to edaphic nutrient factors in the field boundaries, were examined by correlation analysis and an ordination method. Correlation analyses demonstrated that no consistent pattern was present in the relationship between species evenness and species richness in this human-shaped ecosystem. Species richness and evenness also had different responses to edaphic factors, with species richness being negatively correlated with phosphorus, and species evenness negatively correlated with the ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen in soil. The results indicate that different and independent ecological processes determine species richness and evenness. The relationship between these two components may be site-specific, reflecting variation in resource utilization by plant species. The pattern thus reflects the spatial heterogeneity of disturbances or ‘patchiness’ of resources between sites in a semi-natural ecosystem.
Taxonomical and ecological characteristics of the desmids placoderms in reservoir: analyzing the spatial and temporal distribution

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of river-dam axis and abiotic factors on the composition of Closteriaceae, Gonatozygaceae, Mesotaeniaceae and Peniaceae in a tropical reservoir METHODS: Water samples for physical, chemical and periphyton analysis were collected in April and August 2002 in different regions along the axis of the river-dam of Rosana Reservoir, River Basin Paranapanema. The substrates collected, always in the litoranea region, were petioles of Eichhornia azurea (Swartz) Kunth. To examine the relationship of abiotic variables with reservoir zones and between the floristic composition of desmids, we used principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA RESULTS: The results of the PCA explained 81.3% of the total variability in the first two axes. In the first axis, the variables of conductivity, water temperature and the pH were related to the sampling regions of April with higher values, while for the month of August, nitrate, total phosphorus and dissolved oxygen showed higher values. We identified 20 taxa, distributed in the genera Closterium (14), Gonatozygon (4), Netrium (1) and Penium (1). Spatially, the higher taxa were recorded in the lacustrine region for both collection periods. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) summarized 62.2% of total data variability of taxa in the first two axes, and in August, Closterium incurvum Brebisson, C. cornu Ehrenberg ex Ralfs and Gonatozygon monotaenium De Bary, were related to higher values of turbidity and nitrate to the lacustrine and intermediate regions CONCLUSION: Thus, the formation of groups was due to the regions along the longitudinal axis, then the seasonal period, which must be related to the low current velocity, the higher values of temperature and the water transparency, especially in late summer
The use of loci associated with quantitative effects in dairy cattle improvement

The use in dairy cattle improvement of loci associated with quantitative effects that might be found by genetic analysis is discussed. These methods can make a significant contribution only if they result in the identification of quantitative loci whose inheritance can be followed in a simple Mendelian manner. Another possibility, the identification of genetic components of production having a higher heritability than overall production, would make only a minor contribution to increased genetic progress. Selection of young males, according to the estimated breeding value associated by linkage with particular marker alleles in their sire, will not make a detectable contribution to genetic improvement.
EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, AND NITROGEN AND SULFUR DEPOSITION, ON METHANE EMISSION FROM A BOREAL MIRE

To evaluate the effects of increased air temperature in combination with increased deposition of N and/or S on methane emission, we have raised in situ the temperature and rates of deposition of N and S in a poor fen lawn area of a boreal mixed mire. The experiment was laid out in a factorial design, where the mean daily air temperature 0.3 m above the vegetation surface was increased (by 3.6°C) using greenhouse enclosures. A significant increase in the cover of sedges was observed in the N-supplemented plots after the third year of treatment. All three experimental factors had significant effects on the methane emission. The effects of temperature and N deposition strongly interacted with the sedge cover, which was the single variable explaining most variation in methane emission. Raised temperature affected the emission positively when the sedge cover was high but showed no effect when the sedge cover was low. Nitrogen addition affected methane emission negatively when the sedge cover was high and had a zero or slightly positive effect at low sedge cover. These positive temperature and negative N interaction effects with sedge cover were likely due to changed biomass allocation patterns in the plants. The S additions had negative effects on methane emissions at ambient temperature but no effect at raised temperature. This interaction effect was possibly a result of different retention of S, since the total S concentration was higher in the S addition treatments at normal but not at raised temperature. The results stress the fact that a given variable may affect biogeochemical processes in different directions or to differing degrees depending on other variables, both experimental and natural. Most importantly, the effects of added nitrogen, but also of increased temperature, were critically dependent on the density of sedges.
Relative bioavailability of phosphorus in low-phytate soybean meal for broiler chicks

A 14-d chick bioassay was conducted to estimate the relative bioavailability (RBV) of P in a low-phytate soybean meal (LPSBM) using slope-ratio techniques. A corn-soybean meal basal diet was formulated to supply total P and Ca at 3.3 and 10.5 g kg-1, respectively. Three reference diets were formulated by the addition of 0, 0.5 or 1.0 g kg-1 total P from monosodium phosphate (MSP). Four test diets were formulated by the addition of 0.5 or 1.0 g kg-1 total P from LPSBM or soybean meal (SBM). The additions of MSP, LPSBM, or SBM were made at the expense of corn starch. A diet consisting of the basal diet plus supplemental methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan was also included to confirm that response to diets containing LPSBM or SBM was not due to the higher concentration of amino acids in those diets. Each diet was randomly assigned to six replicate cages of four birds. Birds were fed from 1 to 3 wk of age. Body weight gain (P < 0.01) and feed intake (FI, P < 0.05) increased linearly as supplemental .
Soil organic carbon in relation to cultivation in arable and greenhouse cropping systems in Lanzhou, NW China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a major source/sink in atmospheric carbon balances. Farmland usually has a high potential for carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake from the atmosphere, but also for emission. Data from different areas are valuable for global SOC calculations and model development, and a survey of 108 agricultural fields in Lanzhou, China was performed. The fields were grouped by: cropping intensity (3 levels), cropping methodology (3), and crop species (10). Intensive cropping (two or more crops per year, typically vegetables), moderate (annuals in monoculture: wheat, maize, potato, melons), and extensive (orchards, lily [Lilium brownii] fields, fallow) were the intensity classes; and open field, greenhouse field, and sand-covered field (10–20 cm added on top of the topsoil) were the three methodologies. SOC concentration, pH, electrical conductivity, and soil bulk density were measured, and SOC mass (g·m−2 0–20 cm depth) was calculated. SOC concentration was high in cauliflower, wheat, leaf vegetables, and fruit vegetables; moderate in potato, fallow (3–5 years), tree orchards, and melons; while low in lily and maize fields, and differences in SOC mass followed the same pattern. SOC concentration and mass were lowest in the extensive fields while moderate and intensive fields showed higher values. Soil bulk density in open fields was significantly lower than those in greenhouse and sand-covered fields. The climate-induced soil activity factor re_clim was calculated, compared with European conditions, and was fairly similar to those in central Sweden. Other factors behind the measured results, such as the influence of initial SOC content, manure addition, crops, etc., are discussed.
The effect of static magnetic field on Danube huchen, Hucho hucho (L.) sperm motility parameters

Abstract The distribution range of Danube huchen, Hucho hucho (L.) in Polish waters is decreasing, and is currently only 25 to 30% of its original area. Since few data are available concerning Danube huchen, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of its reproduction to improve artificial spawning in hatcheries. Eight sperm motility parameters were assessed using CASA after short-term storage in a static magnetic field. The effect of magnetic field exposure on spermatozoa at fertilization and on sperm morphology (SEM) was also examined. Static magnetic fields had a positive effect on sperm motility parameters, including VCL, which determines fertilization effectiveness; values for this parameter after a 24 h exposure period to fields of different intensity were as follows: 1 mT - 110.09 μm s-1; 5 mT - 111.65 μm s-1; 10 mT - 152.10 μm s-1; control - 102.09 μm s-1. Egg fertilization rates of spermatozoa held for 24 hours in fields of 1mT was 71.32%, 5mT - 58.23%, and 10mT - 59.99%, and in the control - 32.60%. The mean length of spermatozoa was 27.14 ±0.22 μm; the head was elongate; length without the neck was 2.80 ±0.19 μm; the width was 2.0 ±0.08 μm. This study suggests that the method of exposing sperm to magnetic fields might, after more extensive studies, could be used for short-term sperm storage.
Are indigenous strains of Trichogramma sp. (Hym., Trichogrammatidae) better candidates for biological control of lepidopterous pests of the olive tree?

Abstract Strains of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma, indigenous in olive groves in the Mediterranean region (T. bourarachae Pintureau & Babault, T. cacoeciae Marchal, T. cordubensis Vargas & Cabello, T. euproctidis Girault, T. nerudai Pintureau & Gerding, T. oleae Voegelé & Pointel) as well as commercially available strains (T. brassicae Bezdenko, T. cacoeciae, T. evanescens Westwood), were assessed in laboratory and semi-field experiments for their attributes as biological control agents for use against lepidopterous olive pests like the olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.) and the jasmine moth (Palpita unionalis Hübn.). In a choice test, an Egyptian strain of T. cordubensis parasitized significantly more olive and jasmine moth eggs than those of the rearing host Sitotroga cerealella Olivier. This strain was also most efficient in finding eggs of the target pests on olive foliage and on potted olive trees. Survival and fecundity of a Tunisian strain of T. bourarachae was not affected when exposed to hot (35°C) and arid (< 40% relative humidity) conditions in comparison to the mild standard of 25°C and 70% relative humidity. It was concluded that indigenous strains collected from olive groves were more effective against the target pests and more tolerant to arid conditions than commercially available parasitoid species, indicating that biological control agents should preferably be isolated from the relevant pest/crop system.
Preliminary evaluation of COBRA, an automated DEFT instrument, for the rapid enumeration of micro‐organisms in cultures, raw milk, meat and fish

A preliminary evaluation of an automated direct epifluorescent filter technique instrument, COBRA, showed that it enumerated rapidly bacteria in cultures, raw milk, meat and fish. The correlation coefficients of regression lines with corresponding pour plate counts were 0·99 (pure cultures), 0·81 (raw milk) and 0·91 (raw meat and fish), respectively. The system was simple to use, one operator could process > 100 samples/h and results were available in < 1 h.