Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship between sugar cane cultivation and stream macroinvertebrate communities

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the influence of the sugar cane cultivation on the macroinvertebrate communities of 11 streams under different land uses. Analysis of the sediment (organic matter contents and metals) and water complemented the study. Ninety six macroinvertebrates taxa were identified, of which 54 were Chironomidae and 42 of other aquatic macroinvertebrates. The streams located in the areas of sugar cane culture and pasture presented low taxa and a great participation of Chironomidae (78% of the total). In contrast, the streams located in the areas with riparian vegetation presented a rich aquatic fauna with less participation of Chironomidae (60% of the total). Keywords : Stream macroinvertebrates, sugar cane, land uses, riparian vegetation * Author for correspondence INTRODUCTION Brazilian colonization occurred without a specific planning and, as a consequence, natural resources, particularly forests, were greatly affected, especially by the economic interests. In the Brazilian history, the native land cover vegetation was removed and substituted by the agriculture, mainly of the sugar cane and also pastures. These processes result in deforestation, especially in the Brazilian southeast region (Martins, 2001). In Brazil, the sugar cane cultivation passed for different periods, always presenting an increasing cultivated area. From 1901 to 1950, the production increased five times. From 1950 to 1970, the cultivated area quadruplicated. In 1975, with the implantation of the Proalcohol Program, the production of the sugar cane grew up from 68 million tons/year to 223 million tons in the year of 1991 (Carvalho, 1993). In the last 15 years, sugar cane cultivation still continues to expand, reaching more than 338 million of tons (Carvalho Filho, 2000). Brazil is the main producer of the sugar cane, with 27% of the worldwide production (Institute of Agro-industrial Development, 1998). In Brazil, the sugar cane is the main source of sugar (sucrose) and for alcohol production through a fermentative process. The produced alcohol is exported to other countries and also is used as an alternative and renewable combustible for transport (Carvalho Filho, 2000). In the southeast Brazilian region, mainly in the state of Sao Paulo, the sugar cane culture has also been enlarged. The annual production of the state of Sao Paulo is of about 200x10
Papillomavirus in anogenital cancer: the dilemma of epidemiologic approaches.

to to T cell lymphotropic-1), studies revealing transforming activity of these specific mode of integration and of genetic activity in cancer cells, the role of viral genes in the maintenance of the proliferative phenotype in cells of HPV-positive cervical carcinoma lines. much de-gree, epidemiologic approaches to our present state of knowledge, seroepidemiology all.
A Dual Transformation of the German Welfare State?

Contrary to the notion of a political blockade making comprehensive reform impossible, this article argues that we have, in fact, witnessed a dual transformation of the German welfare state during the past 25 years. Increasingly, the state reduces its commitment to securing the living standard of former wage earners, which had been the key normative principle of the German welfare state in the post-war era. At the same time, the state is expanding its role in providing public support and services for families. This dual transformation has been caused by the emergence of new interpretative patterns among the political elite.
Neighbours' talk: interspecific choruses among songbirds

In territorial songbirds, duets between mates represent one of the best-known examples of communal display, with the main function being the defence of joint resources. In this study, we found evidence of a coordinated choral display performed by neighbouring heterospecific songbirds. In such choruses, most of the participating species perform a deliberate temporal overlap of songs, thus suggesting agonistic behaviour. However, they then utilize a complex form of behaviour to avoid signal jamming, making the aggressive purpose unlikely. We define these displays as “coordinated interspecific choruses”. We recorded dusk choruses of songbirds living in a mixed turkey oak wood in central Italy, and then carried out a niche overlap analysis using null models that were intended for investigations of concurrent emissions of songs, finding that species tend to sing concurrently instead of using the refractory period of another species. Among the species singing concurrently, about half used the same frequency range, but instead of finding considerable spectral overlap between their vocalizations, the number of real spectral overlaps was lower than would be expected by chance. We propose a tentative explanation for this, where such choruses are the expression of the existence of a neighbourhood of different species that has evolved a communal signal that is similar to that used by mates in a pair, i.e. coordinated vocalizations. As coordination requires experience of each other's songs, we propose that evolution has selected individuals that are more skilled at learning heterospecific songs.
Source of soil protease in paddy fields

Properties of soil proteases and proteases from Bacillus spp. obtained from water-logged paddy fields treated with organic manure or chemical fertilizer or not treated with fertilizer were compared to elucidate the sources of soil proteases. The major extractable soil proteases were metal chelator sensitive neutral proteases that were active in hydrolyzing benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-leucine and benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-tyrosyl-L-leucine. In this respect they resembled extracellular proteases from Bacillus subtilis (six isolates), Bacillus cereus (four isolates), and Bacillus mycoides (three isolates) isolated from the same fields. The major extractable soil protease from the manured field was a serine neutral protease that was active in hydrolyzing casein. It resembled an extracellular protease from B. subtilis (eight isolates) isolated from the same field. Extractable soil proteases accounted for 18–96% of the total soil protease in the aforementioned soil. We concluded that a major sou.
Clearance of protoporphyrin IX induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid from WiDr human colon carcinoma cells

5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is the most widely practiced form of PDT in dermatology. One of the advantages of ALA-PDT is that undesirable photosensitization lasts only for 24-48 h. In order to optimize ALA-PDT it is necessary to understand the mechanisms controlling intracellular PpIX clearance (efflux and transformation into heme) in order to decrease protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) clearance rates in the early stages of its production. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors controlling the clearance of intracellular PpIX. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study PpIX kinetics in WiDr cells initially treated with ALA. The clearance rate of PpIX in WiDr cells was faster after application of a low concentration of ALA (0.1 mM) than after application of high concentration of ALA (1 mM). PpIX was cleared faster from cells which initially were seeded at low densities than cells seeded at higher densities. The presence of the iron chelator deferoxamine reduced the clearance rate of PpIX, while the presence of ferrous sulfate acted oppositely. The decay rate of PpIX in WiDr cells was faster at higher temperature than at lower. The ferrochelatase activity at pH 7.2 was significantly greater than that at pH 6.7. ALA concentration, application time, cell density, temperature, pH, intracellular iron content, intracellular amount and localization of PpIX are factors controlling PpIX clearance.
Feed intake, digestibility, and carcass characteristics of lambs fed a diet supplemented with soluble fibre

Thirty-six Merino lambs (8–9 weeks of age and 15.3 ± 0.13 kg of initial liveweight) were used to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of 120 g sugar beet pulp (replacing barley) and the addition of 20 g sodium bicarbonate per kg concentrate on feed intake, digestibility, animal performance and carcass characteristics in fattening lambs. Animals were housed individually and fed barley straw and the corresponding experimental concentrate feed ad libitum [basal diet composed of (g/kg) barley (500), maize (230), soybean meal (190), molasses (50) and vitamin premix (30)]. Faeces were collected for 5 days to estimate digestibility. Lambs were slaughtered when they reached 25 kg liveweight. Carcasses were chilled at 4°C for 24 h, some carcass dimensions were calculated, the left carcass was jointed into commercial cuts and shoulder tissue composition determined. Sugar beet pulp decreased DM intake (P 0.05) by either sodium bicarbonate or sugar beet pulp. Replacing barley with 120 g sugar beet pulp/kg concentrate caused a decrease in DM intake and average daily gain, resulting in an increase in feed : gain ratio, with no detrimental effect on carcass characteristics. The addition of 20 g sodium bicarbonate/kg concentrate improved intake and animal performance without affecting carcass characteristics. Inclusion of sugar beet pulp as a replacement for barley in high-concentrate diets for fattening lambs did not produce performance responses similar to those observed by adding a buffering salt.
Isolation and preliminary characterization of Lesquerella fendleri gums from seed, presscake, and defatted meal

Polysaccharide gums were separated from Lesquerella fendleri seed. Fracturing the seed and air classification yielded, 34% by weight, fractions enriched in gums. Water-swollen epidermal seed cells, after fracturing in a Waring Blendor and filtering, yielded a fraction that is 21% of the seed. Crude gums from hexane-extracted meal ranged from 35 to 47% depending on the amount of centrifugal force used to remove seed residue. Viscosity enhancement was greatest for the gums isolated from the fractured epidermal cells and for a gel fraction separated by a two-step process. A typical gum has a Rha:Ara:Xyl:Man:Gal:Glc molar ratio of 0.5:1.0:0.1:0.1:1.4:0.5 and contains 15% galacturonosyl residues, 14% protein, and 7% ash that is mainly Ca and Mg, which may serve as cross-linking cations for the uronic acid residues
Lake‐size dependent physical forcing drives carbon dioxide and methane effluxes from lakes in a boreal landscape

We studied the concentrations and diffusive fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in 12 lakes in a size range of 0.004–35 km2 and mean total organic carbon (TOC) range of 6–25 mg L−1, located in the southern boreal area of Finland. TOC, mainly originating from the catchment, was the best predictor of concentrations and areal CO2 effluxes in the whole lake‐area range, but among the lakes with an area < 1 km2 having an anoxic hypolimnion during summer, the areal effluxes were also related to lake size and an index of turbulence. The concentration and areal effluxes of CH4 from the lakes' pelagic zones were related more closely to lake‐size‐related water column stability and turbulent mixing than directly to TOC. The total regional flux estimate from 619 lakes in the region of 1600 km2 showed that seven lakes with an area of 10–50 km2 were responsible for 57–69% of the pelagic CO2 effluxes and about half of the sum of pelagic and littoral CH4 effluxes from the lakes. The proportion accounted for by the small lakes (area < 1 km2) in the gas effluxes was 1.4–2.1 times higher, 18–26% for CO2 and 21–26% for CH4, than their areal proportion (12.5%) in the landscape, although numerically these small lakes predominate in the whole lake population (96%).
Life span in Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima: the effects of age at first reproduction and disturbance

1 Life span, an essential component of fitness, can be affected by traits such age at first reproduction, as well as by the mortality regime imposed by the environment. In a long‐term experiment under controlled conditions, we studied life span in an iteroparous plant species, the sea beet Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima (L.), from 104 wild populations sampled in France, Belgium, Great Britain and the Netherlands. We estimated the intensity of selective pressures on life span and the specific effects of age at first reproduction (first or second year, depending on vernalization requirement) and of environmental disturbance. 2 Mean life span (measured in glasshouse conditions) increases with latitude from about 2 years in inland habitats of south‐western France to at least 11 years in north Brittany, before decreasing to about 5 years in the northernmost populations. 3 Comparison of spatial autocorrelograms for life span and cytoplasmic neutral markers showed there is strong selection for life span. 4 Within populations the effect of age at first reproduction on life span proved to be marginal. No causal relationship was detected among populations, although, in the southern part of the study area, a strong association between reproduction in the first year and short life span suggests common selective pressures. 5 Life span appeared to be highly associated with habitat type, as defined by mortality regimes. Populations with the longest‐lived individuals occurred in the most stable habitats and populations with the shortest‐lived individuals in the most disturbed locations.
The Pink and Black Experience: Lies That Make Us Suffer in Silence and Cost Us Our Lives

The pink ribbon is an ever-present symbol of breast cancer survivorship in U.S. public culture, and over the past few decades there have been significant advances in breast cancer research and treatment (National Breast Cancer Coalition, 2013). Network news stories and magazine article reports on breast cancer are able to heighten awareness and reach a broad audience (Cho, 2006; Smith et al., 2009). However, cultural expectations, media representations, and the commercialization of breast cancer can be deceiving, often leaving out vital information related to types of cancer, treatment options, long-term recovery, and quality of life. Amid this exposure and (mis)information, Black women continue to die from this disease more often than their White counterparts (American Cancer Society, 2013). Relevant research that points to various socioeconomic reasons for this health disparity abounds: Issues such as access to quality and affordable health care, breast cancer screening rates, attitudes toward mammography, consumers lacking medical knowledge, and the fact that Black women are in poorer health to start with contribute to this gap. Other studies in recent years have begun to focus on environmental stressors, the role of religion and spirituality, and cultural expectations of Black women. However, there has been limited attention to the confluence of faith talk (spirituality), strong Black womanhood, and breast cancer culture and how these variables influence breast cancer survivorship. There is an unhealthy intimacy that dwells within the convergence of these three variables in the lives of Black women breast cancer survivors. This essay looks at this intersection using Elisabeth NoelleNeumann’s spiral of silence theory. The spiral of silence theory refers to the increasing pressure people feel to conceal their views when they think their opinions are unacceptable. Constant repetition of a single point of view in media depictions of what breast cancer survivorship looks like can influence perceptions of public opinion and intensify the pressure for women to keep differing perspectives private (Noelle-Neumann, 2009; Littlejohn & Foss, 2011). When critiquing Noelle-Neumann’s theory, Khoshrou and Sadeghi (2013) explicitly direct attention to the simplicity of its application at the exclusion of cultural influences. I use Noelle-Neumann’s theory for its simplicity while including the cultural nuances that influence Black women’s communication dynamics. Breast cancer culture, faith talk, and the myth of the strong Black woman are cultural variables that
Body size and composition of elephant seals (Mirounga leonine): absolute measurements and estimates from bone dimensions

The major body components (bone, muscle, blubber, viscera and connective tissue) of 94 elephant seals were dissected and weighed. Seals in growth phase 3 (more than ten weeks old) had significantly more muscle and viscera and less blubber than seals in growth phases 1 and 2 (less than ten weeks old) of similar body weight. There were no significant differences in body composition between sexes before sexual maturity, but after sexual maturity was attained males had relatively more muscle, and less bone and viscera, than females. Prediction equations relating body component weight and body weight were derived by regression analysis. These were very highly significant, and could be used to estimate body composition from body weight. It was demonstrated that body length could be estimated from linear measurements of some bones, which would enable an estimate of size and composition of seals to be made from bone dimensions.
Cell Wall Extensibility and Effect of Cell-Wall-Loosening Proteins during Rose Flower Opening

As flower opening involves the expansion of petal cells, the mechanisms of expansion growth were investigated in Rosa hybrida L. ‘FEbesa’ (syn. ‘Pretty Woman’) petals. Petal cell-wall extensibility was analyzed by creep extension analysis. Walls of the petal cells became loose at developing stage IV of completely separated sepals on an opening flower. Furthermore, cell-wall proteins extracted from rose petals at stage IV were suggested to have a positive effect on cell-wall loosening of stage III petals. Expansin and xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolase (XTH) proteins, which are located on apoplasts, are probably involved in cell-wall loosening in plants. Transcripts of these cell-wall proteins were extracted from rose petals with a view to elucidating their potential role in rose flower opening. Expansin and XTH transcript levels changed markedly during petal development. In particular, transcript levels of RhEXPA1 and RhXTH1 increased markedly during petal growth and were relevant to the typical growth in different part of the petals. Based on the present findings, we suggest that RhEXPA1 and RhXTH1 are the major paralogs involved in expansion growth of rose petals.
On Systems Thinking and the Systems Approach

Despite the frequent use of the term systems by academicians and management practitioners, there is little agreement as to what the term really means. Experts in different fields talk about accounting systems, production systems, electronic data processing systems, market systems, financial systems, reward and motivation systems, and so on, but the student of management is confused by the nebulous and, at times, seemingly contradictory terms. This article uses the term Systems Approach as a convenient handle to pull together a few basic ideas about the systems concept. Systems Approach organizes one's thinking to understand more clearly the complexity of a real world phenomenon. It consists of two main parts: (1) Systems Thinking (ST), and (2) Information Technology (IT). ST provides the knowledge for developing a Theory of Systems, such as General Systems Theory and Cybernetics, while IT supplies the tools for testing and improving this theory. The relationship between the two parts is a complementary one. Advances in theory lead to the development of better technology, while improvement in technology makes theory development easier and more reliable.
Monitoring Azinphosmethyl Resistance in the Light Brown Apple Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in New Zealand

The extent of azinphosmethyl resistance in light brown apple moth, Epiphyas Postvittana (Walker), in the Nelson region of New Zealand was determined in 1982. Light traps were used to capture females from which laboratory colonies were established for testing. Resistance was detected by spraying larvae directly with a Potter tower. In later resistance surveys (1983–85) topical application to pheromone-attracted males was used to assess resistance. Two populations (at Mariri and at the Moutere Bluffs) resistant to azinphosmethyl, but of confined distribution, were found. Resistant male moths were collected from apple orchards and nearby scrub areas and were more abundant outside orchards during the period of insecticide spray application. Subsequent reinvasion of orchards by moths from nearby scrub areas within the orchard area was indicated by the similarity in proportion of resistant individuals in the two habitats and by catches in pheromone-baited sticky traps from orchards and scrub areas. Two percent fruit damage occurred in an affected orchard in which the grower applied azinphosmethyl, compared with a normal level of ca. 0–0.2% damage elsewhere in the district.
Removal of Mycotoxins during Food Processing

In order to learn whether there might be a risk to human health from the intake of mycotoxins contaminating agricultural products, the stabilities of mycotoxins under various cooking conditions employed in daily life and the possibility of removal of mycotoxins during manufacturing processes were investigated. 1) Stability of mycotoxins against heat. By heating mycotoxins within the range of 100210•Ž, temperatures which are seen during a normal cooking process, we investigated the stability of mycotoxins against heat. When boiled (100-120•Ž), mycotoxins remained almost 100% after 45 minute heating. As the temperature rose, such as when frying (150180•Ž), mycotoxins started decomposition. In the case of grilling (about 210•Ž), the nivalenol type of toxin rapidly decreased to 10% after 15 minute heating. In conclusion, we hypothesize that mycotoxins decompose as the temperature rise, but that part of the mycotoxins remains through ordinary cooking methods in terms of heating temperature as well as heating time. 2) Influence on mycotoxins by a cooking process. Mycotoxins were added artificially to raw materials, which were then processed. In the case of noodles, only 10 to 12% of the added aflatoxins were transferred into water. Other foods were made from spaghetti, barley, coix seed, popcorn which were naturally contaminated with deoxy nivalenol, nivarenol, zearalenone. The contents of these mycotoxins were essentially unaffected by cooking. These experiments indicate that there is a high probability of intake of mycotoxins from such cooked foods. 3) Influence of manufacturing process on mycotoxins. The possibility that mycotoxins may be removed in manufacturing processes was investigated. Edible oil (aflatoxins, Fusarium toxins) and cornstarch (fumonisins) at various stage of the manufacturing processes was examined to determine the fate of mycotoxins. Even when food materials are contaminated by mycotoxins, they can be completely removed during manufacture.
The functional morphology of the manus in the tridactyl equids Merychippus and Mesohippus: paleontological inferences from neontological models

ABSTRACT An investigation of the kinematics and mechanics of the manus of extant Equus and Tapirus is used as the basis for interpreting the functional morphology of the manus in the extinct tridactyl equids Mesohippus and Merychippus. The shape of the articular surfaces of each joint in the manus of the extant forms is related to the kinematics of the limb, and the probable soft-tissue anatomy and locomotory kinematics of the two fossils are reconstructed by comparing joint shapes among the four genera. The results support the conclusion of Camp and Smith (1942) that Mesohippus had a padded subunguligrade manus, similar to that of Tapirus, while Merychippus was fully unguligrade like Equus. However, all three equids have similar cursorial adaptations, not shared with Tapirus, which include the structure of the carpus and elongation of the distal segments of the limb. The differences in foot structure between Mesohippus and the unguligrade equids may be related to size. Only two, relatively minor, anatomi.