Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive management and targeting of agri-environment schemes does benefit biodiversity: a case study of the corn bunting Emberiza calandra

Summary 1. Agri-environment schemes (AES) are the main European policy response to biodiversity loss caused by agricultural intensification. Maximizing their effectiveness is a key policy challenge. Monitoring is essential to inform adaptation and improvement of schemes over time, and to understand how measures may need to vary across a species’ range. 2. We measured changes in breeding abundance of a severely declining bird, the corn bunting Emberiza calandra, in response to AES in Scotland over 7 years and 71 farms. Two AES were monitored, one with general management for farmland birds, and one with targeted, adaptive management for corn buntings. We use these data to estimate the proportion of the population that AES must influence to halt the overall decline. 3. Corn buntings increased by 5·6% per annum on farms in the targeted AES, showed no significant change on farms in the general AES, and declined by 14·5% per annum on farms outside AES. 4. In arable-dominated areas, AES management that increased food availability reversed population declines. However, where a high proportion of corn buntings nested in grasslands, an additional AES option that delayed mowing was essential to achieving population increase. 5. Results suggest that approximately 72% of the corn bunting population in mainland Scotland must receive targeted AES management to halt the current decline. In 2009, only 24% was targeted in this way. 6. Synthesis and applications. AES measures are capable of reversing corn bunting declines in Scotland, and the same measures are likely to benefit a wide range of other taxa too, but require geographical targeting and flexibility to adapt and improve management options, backed by expert advice. Targeted AES provision to the required level for corn buntings will cost approximately £120 000 per annum, with 500–600 ha under appropriate management. This is 0·02% of annual subsidies paid to Scottish farmers, and 0·5% of land in the remaining mainland range of the corn bunting. These outcomes illustrate the value of AES monitoring studies to assess scheme effectiveness, identify improvements, and determine the scale of implementation required for reversing species declines.
Pre and Postharvest Enzymatic Activity in Gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims) Fruits from the Colombian Lower Montane Rain Forest

Los “frutales alto-andinos”, se consideran importantes por su potencial de consumo nacional y exportacion. Entre ellos esta la gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims), reconocida como un frutal exotico de buena aceptacion en mercados europeos. Sin embargo, el respaldo tecnologico asociado al cultivo, es incipiente y su corta vida poscosecha conduce al rapido deterioro del producto. Esto hace necesario plantear estudios de los procesos fisicos, fisiologicos y bioquimicos que caracterizan la maduracion, con el fin de procurar que el fruto llegue en las mejores condiciones de calidad a los consumidores. El estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer la actividad enzimatica en los frutos de gulupa en precosecha y en poscosecha, con el fin de contribuir a su manejo en estas etapas del desarrollo. Se utilizo material vegetal proveniente del Banco de Germoplasma de la nacion Colombiana administrado por Corpoica, haciendo muestreos destructivos periodicos de frutos con edad conocida, para determinar la actividad de las enzimas α-amilasa, poligalacturonasa (PG), pectinmetilesterasa (PME) y polifenoloxidasa (PFO) en la pulpa del fruto. Se encontro que las enzimas α-amilasa y PG, auspician el incremento en la acumulacion de solidos solubles, favoreciendo el sabor dulce del fruto, en tanto que la baja actividad de la enzima PFO, posibilita la transformacion agroindustrial, sin que se presente pardeamiento
Modeling language-learners' errors in understanding casual speech

In spontaneous conversations, words are often produced in reduced form compared to formal careful speech. In English, for instance, ’probably’ may be pronounced as ’poly’ and ’police’ as ’plice’. Reduced forms are very common, and native listeners usually do not have any problems with interpreting these reduced forms in context. Non-native listeners, however, have great difficulties in comprehending reduced forms. In order to investigate the problems in comprehension that non-native listeners experience, a dictation experiment was conducted in which sentences were presented auditorily to non-natives either in full (unreduced) or reduced form. The types of errors made by the L2 listeners reveal aspects of the cognitive processes underlying this dictation task. In addition, we compare the errors made by these human participants with the type of word errors made by DIANA, a recently developed computational model of word comprehension.
Mesenchymal stem cells in cancer: A new link to neutrophils

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been considered as one of the key components of tumor microenvironment and are believed to play critical roles in cancer progression. MSCs within tumor microenvironment acquire novel functions that are not observed in normal MSCs. Emerging evidence suggest that tumor-resident MSCs could skew immune cells to a tumor-promoting phenotype, leading to the escape from immune surveillance. As neutrophils are predominant innate immune cells, we recently explored the interaction between tumor-resident MSCs and neutrophils. Our results revealed that tumor-resident MSCs regulate the chemotaxis, survival, activation, and function of neutrophils in gastric cancer through the IL-6–STAT3 signaling pathway. Intriguingly, neutrophils activated by tumor-resident MSCs could strongly induce the differentiation of normal MSCs into CAFs, forming a feedback loop to synergistically prompt cancer progression. Our findings indicate that the regulation of neutrophil biology and function by tumor-resident MSCs may present a novel mechanism for the role of MSCs in remodeling cancer microenvironment and provide a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.
Diagnostic moléculaire de l’origine des contaminations fécales dans l’environnement littoral : développement de marqueurs Bacteroidales spécifiques de l’höte

Les effluents d’origine urbaine ou agricole sont les principales sources decontamination microbiologique participant a la degradation des eaux et des coquillages. Les indicateurs classiques de contamination fecale, Escherichia coli et les enterocoques, permettent de mettre en evidence une contamination mais pas d’en identifier l’origine. L’objectif principal de ce travail de these etait de developper et de valider une approche basee sur la PCR quantitative en temps reel, pour permettre l’identification de l’origine des contaminations dans les eaux et les coquillages a partir de la cible Bacteroidales. L’analyse phylogenetique des sequences de gene codant les ARNr 16S des Bacteroidales a permis de developper quatre marqueurs, pour identifier les contaminations fecales humaines, porcines et ruminants. L’etude de la persistance des marqueurs porcs, en microcosmes d’eau de riviere, a montre que sous les conditions les plus defavorables, saturation en oxygene dissous et temperature de 20°C, les marqueurs persistaient au moins 16 jours. Ces resultats suggerent que ces marqueurs peuvent persister assez longtemps dan les eaux pour etre identifies: Cette hypothese a ete confirmee par leur quantification dans des eaux provenant du bassin versant de l’estuaire de Daoulas et de l’estuaire de l’Elorn (Finistere, Bretagne). Les marqueurs Bacteroidales specifiques de l’hote ont egalement ete recherches dans les coquillages naturellement contamines ou ils ont pu etre quantifies. Cette etude, confirme l’interet d’utiliser des marqueurs developpes a partir de la cible Bacteroidales, pour identifier l’origine des contaminations fecales au niveau des zones de baignade et conchylicoles.
Control of Root-Knot Nematodes and the Colorado Potato Beetle on Potatoes with In-Furrow Applications of Systemic Nematicides

Aldicarb (Temik 15G), phenamiphos (Nemacur 15G), carbofuran (Furadan 10G), and oxamyl (Vydate 10G) were applied in-furrow at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 lbs a.i./acre to determine their effectiveness for control of Meloidogyne arenaria (Neal) Chitwood and the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) on potatoes. Significant control (P = 0.05) of M. arenaria was obtained with aldicarb at all rates, phenamiphos at 2, 3, 4, and 6 lbs a.i./acre, and oxamyl at 3 and 4 lbs a.i./acre. All treatments with aldicarb, phenamiphos, and oxamyl resulted in significant (P = 0.05) yield increases. Treatments with carbofuran did not increase yield and only the three highest rates reduced populations of root-knot nematode larvae in soil. Use of the nematicides resulted in significant control of the potato beetle at all rates tested.
Mitochondria as triggers and executors of cell death

ii iii Acknowledgements It is difficult to find the space in this page to acknowledge all the people that supported me during the time I completed this thesis. To all of them I say thank you for contributing to make this three years really special. And forgive me if I do not mention everyone in this page! First, I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Pierluigi Nicotera, for creating an exciting scientific enviroment, for being always positive, for having stimulating ideas, for the always open door of his office, for supporting me all the time and for all the nice discussions on cameras and lenses. Thank you very much! Acknowledgements go to Prof. Werner Hofer for reviewing my dissertation. I am grateful to Prof. Dieter Brdiczka, for all the interesting discussions on mitochondria, and for the nice meetings organised in a relaxed atmosphere. Grazie di cuore a Laura, la mia compagna di banco per essere unottima amica sempre presente, sia nei momenti felici che nei momenti difficili. Thanks to Dr. Marcel Leist for guiding me into the complexity of apoptosis and excitotoxicity, and for feeding me with bibliography. I would like to thank Dr Elisa May for all the suggestions and for the nice discussions about Gott und die Welt. and for importing the good italian coffee! Special thanks go to Bernadett, Oliver, Theresa and Elisa for critical revision of my dissertation. Merci viel mal an Olli, für die spassigen Diskussionen über drei Neuronen, für die schönen Abendessen und für die ehrliche Freundschaft. My biggest hug is dedicated to all the people of the lab. It was nice to share this time with all of you. mitochondrial ATP generation by nitric oxide switches apoptosis to necrosis. " Exp Cell Res 249(2): 396-403.
Survey of economic trees in fresh water swamp of Calabar

A survey of economic trees namely Elaeis guineensis (oil-palm) and Colocasia esculenta (taro) in fresh water swamp, Calabar was conducted. The survey area located in the vicinity of Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), Calabar premises covered an area of 0.5km x 0.2km was divided into five plots (A – E). Values of mean count and variance for Elaeis guineensis were 8.8/2.2; 6.0/2.0; 6.2/3.7; 6.0/2.0 and 6.6/2.3 for the plots respectively. Colocasia esculenta had mean count and variance of 127.2/74.7;194.4/180.8; 215.6/426.7; 158.0/69.5 and 169.8/19.2 respectively. The mean values were observed to be greater than respective variance except for plot C for Colocasia esculenta where the variance was greater than the mean. Mean densities (counts per m2) of 0.084 and 0.216 were recorded for Elaeis guineensis and Colocasia esculenta respectively. Pattern of distribution is regular but for Colocasia esculenta which had contiguous distribution in plot C. These distributions which did not obey Taylor’s power law of distribution show the different populations to be greatly affected by human activities.
Pubertal mouse mammary gland development - transcriptome analysis and the investigation of Fbln2 expression and function

Mouse mammary gland morphogenesis at puberty is a complex developmental process, regulated by systemic hormones, local growth factors and dependent on the epithelial/epithelial and epithelial/stromal interactions. TEBs which invade the fat pad are important in laying down the epithelial framework of the gland at this time point. The objective of this thesis was to use a combination of ‘pathway-‘ and ‘candidate gene analysis’ of the transcriptome of isolated TEBs and ducts and associated stroma, combined with detailed analyses of selected proteins, to further define the key proteins and processes involved at puberty. Using GeneChip® Mouse Exon 1.0 ST Arrays we identified the epithelial-, epithelial-stromal- and stromal transcriptomes of TEBs and ducts and defined the major functional pathways/biological processes in each compartment. By ranking the transcripts according to their expression levels and known functions in other systems, we identified genes of potential importance for pubertal mammary morphogenesis. We focused our study on Upk3a and Fbln2 and their protein products. Upk3a could only be detected at mRNA level and thus further analysis was based on Fbln2. We demonstrated that Fbln2 V1 and Fbln2 protein are predominantly expressed in the epithelium and stroma of TEBs. Using hormone primed mice we demonstrated that Fbln2 expression and localisation in the mouse mammary gland is positively regulated by E2 and P. Furthermore, by a combination of further in silico analysis, in vitro functional assays, IHC and IF we identified Vcan, Lama1, Fbn1, ColVIαIII, ColIVαI, ColXVIIIαI, Eln, Per, Acan, Nid, Itgb3 and Itga5 as potential binding partners of Fbln2 in mammary gland. Finally, we reported lack of an obvious mammary phenotype in Fbln2 KO-/- mice at puberty but demonstrated that this may be attributed to the over-compensation by Fbln1. This thesis demonstrates the benefit of DNA microarray analysis in studying pubertal development of mouse mammary gland. It identifies Fbln2 as a potential pubertal mammary regulator which by interacting with various ECM proteins at different sites of mammary milieu may contribute to an array of structural and migratory functions during mammary morphogenesis. These data substantially add to the understanding of the development of mammary gland at puberty and reveal many potential avenues for further investigations.
Evaluation of Naked neck broiler genotypes under tropical environment

Naked neck broilers were evaluated for juvenile growth performance and inheritance of growth traits (body weight at different ages) in the present study utilizing data on 850 birds produced from 40 sires and 120 dams. The population was tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and Mendelian segregation based on the gene and genotype frequencies. The gene and genotype frequencies were 0.53 (Na) and 0.47 (na); 0.22 (NaNa), 0.61 (Nana) and 0.17 (nana) in the population. The population deviated from equilibrium frequency and Mendelian segregation. The mean body weights of NaNa, Nana and nana at 6 weeks of age were 1314. ±9.67, 1286.34±5.87 and 1259±12.85 g, respectively. The homozygous dominant (NaNa) and heterozygous (Nana) birds had significantly higher body weights from 4 weeks of age indicating the pronounced effect of Na gene as age advances. The body weights at different ages were highly heritable and shank length, a conformatory trait was moderately heritable. The genetic and phenotypic correlations were highly and positively correlated between the body weights at different ages except with day-old body weight. The shank length had positive correlation with 4- and 6-week body weights. The positive correlation between 4- and 6-week body weights suggested that the selection criterion can be pre poned to 4-week body weight instead of 6-week body weight.
Evaluation of nutritional value and utilization of lysine fermented protein meal in growing-finishing pigs.

The study contained two experiments. Experiment 1 was designed to evaluate the nutritional value of lysine fermented protein meal. The purpose of experiment 2 was to study the effects of lysine fermented protein meal on growth, carcass traits and meat quality. Twelve Duroc× Landrance × Yorkshire cross breed pigs with body weight of (25. 0 ± 1. 1) kg were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates in each group and each replicate contained 1 pig to carry out digestion and metabolism tests in experiment 1. The pigs in the two groups were fed N-free diet and experiment diet with lysine fermented protein meal as only protein source, respectively. Experiment 1 lasted for 4 days for adaptation, and 4 days for sampling. One hundred Duroc× Landrance× Yolkshire crossbreed pigs with body weight of (41. 7 ± 3. 9) kg were randomly divided into 4 groups with 5 replicates in each group and each replicate contained 5 pigs to carry out feeding test in experiment 2. Soybean protein was substituted by 10% , 25% , 50% lysine fermented protein meal to feed growing pigs in groups Ⅱ , Ⅲ, Ⅳ and basal diet as control in group Ⅰ. Carcass traits and meat quality were measured when the pigs were slaughtered with the body weight of 100 kg. The results of digestion and metabolism tests showed that the lysine fermented protein meal contained 12. 85 MJ/kg digestible energy, 11. 80 MJ/kg metabolic energy, 47. 38% total amino acids; ileal apparent and true digestibility of total amino acids were 67. 0% and 70. 5% , respectively; ileal apparent and true digestibility of lysine and methionine were 72. 0% , 75. 1% and 59. 4% , 64. 5% , respectively. The results of feeding test showed that, compared with control group, average daily gain (ADG) in group IV was significantly decreased (P0. 05) and the ratio of feed to gain (F/G) in group Ⅳ was significantly increased (P0. 05) in growing and overall stage; average daily feed intake (ADF1) and F/G in group Ⅳ were significantly increased (P0. 05) in finishing stage. In growing and finishing stage, digestibility of nitrogen and biological value of nitrogen in group Ⅳ were significantly lower than that in other groups (P0. 05). The back fat thickness in group Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in other groups (P0. 05), the loin eye area and water keeping ability were significantly lower than that in other groups (P0. 05). In concluded, compared with soybean, crude protein and ether extract of lysine fermented protein meal were higher, amino acids digestibility of lysine fermented protein meal was lower, but the non-protein nitrogen ratio was higher too. There were no effects on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality when soybean protein were substituted by 10% and 25% lysine fermented protein meal in diet for 40 ～100 kg growing-finishing pigs, and it was feasible for lysine fermented protein meal as a new protein source.
USE OF N-ALKANES TO ESTIMATE SEASONAL INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY, AND DIET COMPOSITION OF SMALL RUMINANTS GRAZING IN CALIFORNIA CHAPARRAL

Grazing of livestock oriented to reduce the fire hazard associated with the accumulation of fuel load in Chaparral is a strategy to assist human settlements at- risk. To successfully implement a prescribed grazing regime in chaparral, dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility (DMD), and diet composition (DC) of herbivores must be determined. This study was conducted to determine seasonal variation in: DMI, nutrient content, and DMD of plants selected by sheep and goats grazing on chaparral using the alkane method. Six male Kiko goats (average weight 22.9±2.7 kg) and six whether Targhee sheep (average weight 39.6±0.66 kg) were used during fall, spring and summer to assess DMI and DC. Animals were orally dosed with n-alkane control release capsules using intra-ruminal controlled release devises. N-alkane profiles in fecal and plant samples were used to estimate DC and DMI. Overall DMI was 0.9, 1.1, and 1.3 kgd -1 for goats and 0.8, 1.2, and 0.8 kgd -1 for sheep in fall, spring and summer, respectively. DMD, crude protein (CP), and metabolizable energy (ME) contents of the selected diets by goats in fall and summer were higher (P<0.05) than that of sheep. In spring, DMD, CP and ME were higher (P<0.05) in diets selected by sheep compared to diets selected by goats. The proportions of browse in the consumed diet were 78, 87, and 95% by goats and 73, 59, and 82% by sheep, in fall, spring and summer, respectively. Main chaparral species consumed by goats and sheep during all periods were A. fasciculatum, Quercus, spp. , C. cuneatus and grass. A. fasciculatum was an important (P<0.05) species for goats in spring and sheep in summer. Sheep consumed more Quercus spp. (p<0.05) in fall and grass in spring than goats did. This study indicates that, faced with similar opportunities for choice, sheep and goats select fairly similar species, but in different proportions at different seasons. CP and ME in chaparral species consumed by goats and sheep were deficient in all seasons; thus, feed supplementation is required to ensure productivity and health of small ruminants grazing chaparral and predict efficacy of their use in vegetation management programs to reduce fuel load in this type of vegetation.
Hematite photoanode modified with inexpensive hole-storage layer for highly efficient solar water oxidation

Hematite is recognized as an excellent photocatalyst for photoelectrochemical photoanodes for water oxidation because of its favorable band gap, excellent anti-photocorrosion and structural stability in alkaline solution. However, slow charge transport and fast carrier recombination in the bulk and at the hematite photoanode/electrolyte interface, have limited its applications for water splitting. Herein, we report a highly efficient hematite/ferrhydrite (Fh) core–shell photoanode system, consisting of hematite (α-Fe2O3) semiconductor nanorods which dramatically enhance light harvesting, and ferrhydrite as the hole-storage shell. Our integrated hematite/ferrhydrite core–shell photoanode shows 2.7 times increased photo-current density under simulated sun light irradiation.
Respiratory Function in the Mdx Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Role of Hypoxia, Stress and Immune Factors

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease caused by defects in the dystrophin gene. Patients have severe progressive respiratory muscle dysfunction due to progressive weakness and fibrosis culminating in hypoxaemic periods due to hypoventilation. We examined respiratory function in young adult male Mdx (dystrophin deficient) mice (C57BL/10ScSnMdx/J, n=11) and wild type (WT) controls (C57BL/10ScSn, n=10). During normoxic breathing, Mdx mice had significantly reduced breathing frequency, tidal volume and minute ventilation compared to WT. Mdx mice had a significantly increased ventilatory response to acute hypoxic challenge. We also determined that young adult Mdx mice have reduced diaphragm functional capacity compared to WT, with significant decreases in tetanic force, work and power. Interestingly, Mdx diaphragm displayed tolerance to an acute (6hr) in vivo hypoxic stress, which was not observed in WT. In separate studies, co‐treatment with a monoclonal IL‐6 receptor antibody (MR1‐61; 0.3mg/kg) and the CRFR2 agonist, Urocortin 2 (30µg/kg) both administered by 6 subcutaneous injections over 2 weeks completely rescued Mdx diaphragm muscle force loss compared to saline treatment. Mdx mice have pronounced respiratory muscle dysfunction and impaired normoxic ventilation suggestive of hypoventilation. Enhanced hypoxic chemosensitivity and respiratory muscle tolerance of hypoxic stress are suggestive of adaptation to chronic hypoxaemia in young adult life. Hypoxia, stress and immune factors are implicated in diaphragm dysfunction in the Mdx mouse model of DMD.