Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Pelagic Systems

Abstract Several studies show that there are interactive processes between eutrophication and uptake of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in aquatic biota. The main concept is that the increased biomass and production in aquatic ecosystems, due to excess discharge of nutrients, causes a chain event that results in reduced uptake of POPs in primary producers (phytoplankton). This effect is then transferred to consumers at different trophic levels. The chain event may work in an indirect way by increasing the sedimentation of organic matter and, thereby, increasing the downward flux of pollutants to the bottoms, where they are caught in the organic sediment matrix. The chain event may also work in a direct way; the uptake of POPs in the fast growing phytoplankton is decreased as a result of “growth-dilution”, and lower amounts of pollutants are transported in the food-web. The effect seen may also be a result of changed food-web structures that differ considerably from nutrient-poor to nutrient-rich ecosystems. In this paper, we use the existing knowledge of POPs behavior in aquatic systems of different nutrient status, to discuss possible interactive processes of eutrophication and contaminants in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic is known to be highly contaminated with POPs and exposed to ongoing eutrophication. Results from investigations in lakes are compared to laboratory and field studies of the Baltic Sea.
Transforming Growth Factor-α and Endocrine Sensitivity in Breast Cancer

The expression of transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) has been evaluated in 51 breast cancers of known responsiveness to endocrine therapy using immunohistochemistry. High levels of TGF-α were observed in 65% of tumors and showed no relationship with tumor estrogen receptor or epidermal growth factor receptor status or Ki67 immunostaining. TGF-α levels did, however, relate to the endocrine sensitivity of the disease, with unresponsive tumors frequently showing high levels of TGF-α immunoreactivity. This relationship was observed in estrogen receptor-positive disease and was independent of the epidermal growth factor receptor status of the tumor. No quantitative association between TGF-α and Ki67 immunostaining was observed in any of the subcategories of tumors. These data infer a role for TGF-α in the development of endocrine insensitivity in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer by mechanisms which appear independent of tumor growth fraction, as determined by Ki67 immunostaining.
Application of post-emergence herbicides in the regeneration of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) forests

Weeds are an important limiting factor in the development of pedunculate oak seedlings. Weed control is very important on regeneration areas, particularly in the initial stages of young growth development, when the adverse effects of weeds on oak are greatest. Effective weed control should be based on the combination of several different measures. However, because of manpower shortage, high labour costs and large areas, forest managers frequently decide to use herbicides to control weeds. On oak regeneration areas, a major problem is often broadleaved weeds that grow vigorously. Post-emergence herbicides nicosulfuron, bentazon, imazamox and tribenuron-methyl were monitored in broadleaf weed suppression in pedunculate oak stands during the regeneration process. Field studies were performed at two sites during three growing seasons, i.e. herbicide selectivity was examined on 1-, 2- and 3-year-old seedlings. The study results show that the number and fresh and dry weights of weeds were significantly reduced by tested herbicides in treated sample plots when compared with controlplots.Theherbicidestribenuron-methylandbentazonhadphytotoxiceffectsonoakseedlings.Incontrast, nicosulfuron and imazamox did not show phytotoxic activity against the seedlings and can be applied in weed control in regenerated pedunculate oak forests.
Depleted marine fish stocks and ecosystem-based management: on the road to recovery, we need to be precautionary

Precautionary management for fish stocks in need of recovery requires that likely stock increases can be distinguished from model artefacts and that the uncertainty of stock status can be handled. Yet, ICES stock assessments are predominantly deterministic and many EC management plans are designed for deterministic advice. Using the eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) stock as an example, we show how deterministic scientific advice can lead to illusive certainty of a rapid stock recovery and management decisions taken in unawareness of large uncertainties in stock status. By (i) performing sensitivity analyses of key assessment model assumptions, (ii) quantifying the uncertainty of the estimates due to data uncertainty, and (iii) developing alternative stock and ecosystem indicators, we demonstrate that estimates of recent fishing mortality and recruitment of this stock were highly uncertain and show that these uncertainties are crucial when combined with management plans based on fixed reference points of fishing mortality. We therefore call for fisheries management that does not neglect uncertainty. To this end, we outline a four-step approach to handle uncertainty of stock status in advice and management. We argue that it is time to use these four steps towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.
Dual regulation of mouse Δ5- and Δ6-desaturase gene expression by SREBP-1 and PPARα

In the process of seeking sterol regulatory element- binding protein 1a (SREBP-1a) target genes, we identified and cloned a cDNA clone encoding mouse D 5 -desaturase (D5D). The hepatic expression of D5D as well as D 6 -desaturase (D6D) was highly activated in transgenic mice overexpressing nuclear SREBP-1a, -1c, and -2. Disruption of the SREBP-1 gene sig- nificantly reduced the expression of both desaturases in the livers of SREBP-1-deficient mice refed after fasting. The hepatic expression of both desaturases was downregu- lated by dietary PUFA, which were reported to suppress SREBP-1c gene expression. Sustained expression of hepatic nuclear SREBP-1c protein in the transgenic mice abolished the PUFA suppression of both desaturases. Although these data suggested that SREBP-1c regulates D5D and D6D ex- pression, there was no difference in either the D5D or D6D mRNA level between fasted and refed normal mouse livers, indicating a mechanism for fasting induction of both desat- urases. Administration of fibrate, a pharmacological ligand for peroxisome proliferator activating receptor a (PPAR a ), caused a significant increase in expression of both desatu- rases. The data suggested that D5D and D6D expression is dually regulated by SREBP-1c and PPAR a , two reciprocal transcription factors for fatty acid metabolism, and could be involved in lipogenic gene regulation by producing PUFA. —Matsuzaka, T. , H. Shimano, N. Yahagi, M. Amemiya- Kudo, T. Yoshikawa, A. H. Hasty, Y. Tamura, J-i. Osuga, H. Okazaki, Y. Iizuka, A. Takahashi, H. Sone, T. Gotoda, S. Ishi- bashi, and N. Yamada. Dual regulation of mouse D 5 - and D 6 - desaturase gene expression by SREBP-1 and PPAR a . J. Lipid Res. 2002. 43: 107-114.
Interactive effects of predation, plant quality and herbivore movement on the success of the purple loosestrife biocontrol program

Environmental stress, such as flooding, may affect the relative strength of top-down and bottom-up forces influencing herbivore dynamics. We investigated the effect of flooding on both top-down (predator) and bottom-up (plant quality) forces operating on two leaf-beetles (Galerucella calmariensis and G. pusilla) released in North America as biological control agents of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Predation and flooding regime have been linked to low Galerucella recruitment at sites where the insects failed to attain outbreak populations. Predator exclusion experiments at adjacent flooded and non-flooded sites indicated a positive effect of flooding on leaf-beetle survival for all developmental stages, while predator exposure had little effect. The effect of predation was similar in sites with successful and failed purple loosestrife control. The effect of flooding on purple loosestrife plant quality was evaluated in a common garden study where plants were grown under different flooding treatments. Plants grown in flooded treatments had higher water content and lower tannic acid concentration than plants grown in welldrained soil. Consistent with field observations, leaf-beetle oviposition rate and survival were higher on flooded plants. Results indicate that both bottomup and top-down forces operate on Galerucella populations, yet their relative strength is mediated by flooding regime.
DIVERSIDADE E CONFLITO INTRAGRUPAL NO TRABALHO: UM ESTUDO EMPÍRICO EM PORTUGAL

Facing a constantly changing environment, nowadays’ organizations are looking for innovative ways of organizing and managing work, in which workgroups represent a source of competitive advantage. In this context, group diversity has received increasingly attention by researchers. Jackson, May and Whitney (1995) define diversity in terms of characteristics classified as observable or underlying, as either task-related or relational-oriented. Although there are no conclusive results on this subject, researches relating diversity and the main types of conflict (affective and task-related) suggest that relational-oriented diversity (e.g., age, gender) influences the emergence of affective conflict, while task-oriented diversity (e.g., education, organizational tenure) contributes to task conflict (PELLED, 1996; JEHN; NORTHCRAFT; NEALE, 1999; PELLED; EISENHARDT; XIN, 1999). Following Jackson, May and Whitney (1995), we analyzed the effects of observable attributes of diversity (educational level, gender and age), on the emergence of intragroup conflict in 231 Portuguese workgroups, whose members perceived themselves as a group, and interacted with interdependence to achieve common goals. The Intragroup Conflict Assessment Scale (DIMAS; LOURENÇO; MIGUEZ, 2007) and a sociodemographic questionnaire were used. In contrast with the literature, but congruent with recent Portuguese researches (PASSOS, 2005; SILVESTRE, 2008), our results revealed no association between the studied diversity variables and intragroup conflict, indicating new directions in this field, and highlighting the importance of considering different contexts and variables in diversity’s studies.
3D structure of Alzheimer's amyloid-β(1–42) fibrils

Abstract Alzheimer's disease is the most fatal neurodegenerative disorder wherein the process of amyloid-β (Aβ) amyloidogenesis appears causative. Here, we present the 3D structure of the fibrils comprising Aβ(1–42), which was obtained by using hydrogen-bonding constraints from quenched hydrogen/deuterium-exchange NMR, side-chain packing constraints from pairwise mutagenesis studies, and parallel, in-register β-sheet arrangement from previous solid-state NMR studies. Although residues 1–17 are disordered, residues 18–42 form a β-strand–turn–β-strand motif that contains two intermolecular, parallel, in-register β-sheets that are formed by residues 18–26 (β1) and 31–42 (β2). At least two molecules of Aβ(1–42) are required to achieve the repeating structure of a protofilament. Intermolecular side-chain contacts are formed between the odd-numbered residues of strand β1 of the nth molecule and the even-numbered residues of strand β2 of the (n – 1)th molecule. This interaction pattern leads to partially unpaired β-strands at the fibrillar ends, which explains the sequence selectivity, the cooperativity, and the apparent unidirectionality of Aβ fibril growth. It also provides a structural basis for fibrillization inhibitors. NMR hydrogen/deuterium exchange
CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE: FARMER PERCEPTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-SEASONAL VARIABILITY IN RAINFALL AND ASSOCIATED RISK IN SEMI-ARID KENYA

SUMMARY This study examines farmers’ perceptions of short- and long-term variability in climate, their ability to discern trends in climate and how the perceived trends converge with actual weather observations in five districts of Eastern Province in Kenya where the climate is semi-arid with high intra- and inter-annual variability in rainfall. Field surveys to elicit farmers’ perceptions about climate variability and change were conducted in Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Mwingi and Mutomo districts. Long-term rainfall records from five meteorological stations within a 10 km radius from the survey locations were obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Department and were analysed to compare with farmers’ observations. Farmers’ responses indicate that they are well aware of the general climate in their location, its variability, the probabilistic nature of the variability and the impacts of this variability on crop production. However, their ability to synthesize the knowledge they have gained from their observations and discern long-term trends in the probabilistic distribution of seasonal conditions is more subjective, mainly due to the compounding interactions between climate and other factors such as soil fertility, soil water and land use change that determine the climate's overall influence on crop productivity. There is a general tendency among the farmers to give greater weight to negative impacts leading to higher risk perception. In relation to long-term changes in the climate, farmer observations in our study that rainfall patterns are changing corroborated well with reported perceptions from other places across the African continent but were not supported by the observed trends in rainfall data from the five study locations. The main implication of our findings is the need to be aware of and account for the risk during the development and promotion of technologies involving significant investments by smallholder farmers and exercise caution in interpreting farmers’ perceptions about long-term climate variability and change.
A Comparative Study of Duplicate Record Detection Techniques

A Comparative Study of Duplicate Record Detection Techniques By Osama Helmi Akel Duplicate record detection process is known as the process of identifying pairs of records in one or more datasets that correspond to the same real world entity (e.g. patient or customer). Despite the many techniques that have been proposed over the years for detecting approximate duplicate records in a database, there are a very few studies that compare the effectiveness of the various duplicate record detection techniques. The purpose of this study is to compare two of the proposed decision models, the Rule-based technique, and the Probabilistic-based technique, that were proposed to detect the duplicate records in a given dataset, and evaluate their advantages and disadvantages. Another aim is to design a generic framework to solve the problem of duplicate record detection. Finally, the performance of the major decision models used in record matching stage is evaluated in this study. Recently, there exist two main techniques for duplicate record detection, categorized into techniques that rely on domain knowledge or distance metrics, and techniques that rely on training data. This study concentrates on comparison between Rule-based technique from the first category, and the Probabilistic-based technique from the second category. For the Probabilistic-based technique, instead of relying on training data, we employed the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm to find maximum likelihood estimates of parameters in the probabilistic models. Experimental results on the synthetic datasets are called FEBRL, which contains patients' data of different sizes and error characteristics. These results show that the
New Farming Systems Development in the Wetter Tropics

SUMMARY Farming systems in the wetter tropics may be divided into three simplified models: the irrigated paddy-rice multistorey homestead garden complex of Asia, the tree and cash crop plantations of Latin America, and the mixed root crop-bush fallow systems of Africa. In upland ecosystems, sustainable farming systems development rests on a delicate balance between conservation and utilization. To meet the basic food and nutritional needs of the indigenous population, there is great potential for the improvement and adaptation of multistorey homestead gardens and mixed systems which include trees and annual and perennial crops. The principle and practice of ‘alley cropping’ provide an ecologically sound basis for future farming systems research and development in the region.
The Pteridophytes of Mexico

Bill Dunmire previously collaborated with Gail Tierney in two delightful books on the plants and people of the southwestern United States (1995. Wild Plants of the Pueblo Province; 1997. Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners). Alone Bill has written this engaging and information-packed volume on the arrival and impact of plants that the Europeans brought to the New World. Much previously has been written of New World contributions to Old World lives. Now that has been balanced with details of the other part of the story. This book outlines the history of Spanish colonization in the New World and the arrival with them of their favorite plants. The story begins with the status of life in Spain on the cusp of American exploration and contrasts that with foods and worldviews in Mexico and what became the southwestern United States. Chapters 4–6 tell of the ‘‘pathways’’ to the New World between 1492 and 1521, with discussions of Spanish agricultural arrival and the associated trade systems and livestock. Then, it explains how the Spanish first brought their culture, religion, and plants into Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas before discussing either Florida or California. There is a Master Plant List (pp. 315–324), a Glossary, a Sources providing data supporting each chapter (pp. 329–342), a Selected Bibliography (pp. 343–362) of ca. 400 titles, and an Index. Most chapters are introduced with a map (13 total) showing the points needed for orientation and understanding movements by people. Also scattered throughout are sketches of tools and other items of the period, and many chapters end in discussions of individual cultivated plants, with drawings of each. All illustrations were created by Bill’s wife, Evangeline L. Dunmire. Most of the black-and-white photographs were taken by the author. The only color in the book is on the cover, featuring photos of the courtyard garden at the Parroquia de San Luis Obispo in Texcoco, grapes, plums, and a traditional farmer harvesting her safflower. The quality of these makes me wish that all pictures were in color. There are 12 tables providing various information on the plants pertinent to the individual chapters. The data packed into these tables on the 158 Old World species in the master list is wonderful. Nowhere else is there as much information about so many topics on these species and their arrival in the New World. Dunmire clearly worked long and hard on compiling these data and presents them in a lucid, compact format. Since the New and Old World plants became intermingled in indigenous and European-derived cultures, he has included pertinent New World species in the second part of the master list (57 spp.). Bill has a delightful twist that brings the history of these plants into the modern world in the Epilogue (pp. 309–314). He highlights two individuals, Anita Chavez and Rudy Perea, as representatives of traditional agriculture who continue growing many of the Mediterranean and American plants together in modern New Mexico. This is a thoroughly researched and readable book that will interest all readers of this journal. I strongly recommend it!
Alternative Seed Defense Mechanisms in Congeneric Plants

Plants in the same genus often differ by certain putative defense compounds even though they are attacked by the same or similar herbivores. We compared two such congeners in their interactions with the same seed predators. In the Sonoran Desert, seeds of the palo verdes Cercidium floridum and C. microphyllum (Leguminosae) were fed upon by the bruchid beetles Mimosestes amicus, M. ulkei, and Stator limbatus, several species of imperfect soil fungi, and at least one species of termite. Seed suitability was compared in field and laboratory experiments. Seeds of C. floridum were significantly more resistant except to a putative subpopulation of S. limbatus that normally feeds on C. floridum. Cercidium floridum seed resistance was located in the seed coat and was chemically based, as determined by a seed coat removal experiment and experiments in which we transferred extracts from resistant seeds to susceptible seeds. The resistance chemical(s) was not iden- tified, though tests for tannins were negative. Alternatively, C. microphyllum abscised pods early, which significantly reduced attack by the seed predators. Early pod abscission was more effective at reducing seed predation than were resistant seed coats. We suggest that very different plant defense mechanisms may evolve under similar selection pressures within the same lineage, contrary to conventional wisdom.
Eléments du comportement sexuel chez Pardosa xerampelina (Keyserling) (Araneida : Lycosidae)

Courtship in male Pardosa xerampelina is stimulated by a contact sex pheromone laid down by the female, though visual cues also play a part. There is a short period of immobility, followed by the extension and raising of the pedipalps, one after the other. The male then makes a short run toward the female, his tarsi making an audible sound on the substratum. This sequence is repeated one or more times until the male is very close to the female, when he drums on the substratum (also producing a sound), taps the legs and cephalothorax of the female with his anterior legs, and mounts at once.