bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Function Abnormalities in Non-Splenectomized and Splenectomized Adult Hemoglobin E/β-Thalassemia Patients and Their Correlation With Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Pornsuriyasak Prapaporn , Vongvivat Kulanee , Likittanasombat Khanchit , Suwatanapongched Thitiporn , Atichartakarn Vichai
Published: November 2013

The effect of splenectomy on pulmonary function test (PFT) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in thalassemia remains unclear. We aimed to investigate PFT and their association with PH in patients with hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia stratified by their splenic status. Thirteen splenectomized patients (SP) and 12 non-splenectomized patients (NSP) were compared regarding to the PFT abnormalities and PH (mean pulmonary artery pressure from right-heart catheterization ≥25 mmHg or estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure from echocardiography ≥40 mmHg). Eleven (84%) SP and 9 (75%) NSP had restrictive impairment (RI). Of these, more patients having severe RI in SP than in NSP (8 vs. 2, P = 0.035). FVC and PaO2 were lower in SP than in NSP (66 ± 15% vs. 77 ± 12%, P = 0.043, and 79.38 ± 1.6 mmHg vs. 98.83 ± 6.2 mmHg, P < 0.001, respectively). Residual volume was higher in SP than in NSP (78 ± 17% vs. 64 ± 15%, P = 0.036). Seven (54%) SP who developed PH had a longer time interval between splenectomy and the onset of PH than those who did not (17 ± 4.9 years vs. 9.8 ± 6.1 years, P = 0.04). In conclusion, greater severity of extrapulmonary restrictive impairment and hypoxemia were more common in SP. These patients developed PH as a late complication unrelated to hypoxemia and PFT parameters.
Organic petrology and vitrinite thermal maturation profiles for eight Yukon petroleum exploration wells in Eagle Plain and Liard basins
Authors: Reyes J , Saad S , Lane L S
Published: November 2013

Eight Yukon petroleum exploration wells were sampled for organic petrology and vitrinite reflectance thermal maturity. Seven wells are located in Eagle Plain, northern Yukon, and one is from Liard Plateau in southeastern Yukon. Where possible, the stratigraphic
tops used in the interpretations reflect the currently available biostratigraphy. Kerogen type is dominated by marine to marginal marine, Type II and Type II/III; and pyrite is commonly found in association with the kerogen.
Over much of Eagle Plain basin, Late Devonian to Albian strata are within the oil window. Higher reflectance values, into the dry gas zone at depth, are recorded toward the basin margins where older rocks are exposed. Absence of a maturity discontinuity at the sub-Mesozoic unconformity indicates
that the thermal maximum post-dates Albian and predates early Tertiary exhumation.
In the Beaver YT G-01 well in Liard Basin, the Late Devonian succession lies within the wet gas to dry gas windows whereas the Carboniferous section is within the oil generation window.
Revisiting Odum (1956): A synthesis of aquatic ecosystem metabolism
Authors: Hoellein Timothy J. , Bruesewitz Denise A. , Richardson David C.
Published: November 2013

H. T. Odum's influential Limnology and Oceanography 1956 publication compared gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) among aquatic ecosystems. Few syntheses of aquatic ecosystem metabolism have been completed since. We used Odum's conceptual framework to compare GPP and ER from open‐water diel oxygen curves in lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and streams (n = 350). We also documented environmental drivers of metabolism among ecosystems. GPP and ER were strongly related in lakes and estuaries, but weakly related in streams and wetlands. GPP and ER were highest in estuaries, and GPP : ER was lowest in streams. Differences in the magnitude and variability of metabolism among ecosystems were attributable to landscape and water‐column factors. Watershed size and phosphorus (P) concentrations were positively related to GPP and ER across all ecosystems. Considered independently, lake and estuary GPP were driven by P concentrations. In contrast, land‐use and canopy cover drove stream metabolism, not nutrient concentrations. Results confirmed the classic paradigm that estuaries are the most productive aquatic ecosystem; however, our synthesis showed that relative to streams and estuaries, there was higher variation in lake GPP and ER than previously documented. Results will be valuable for management, restoration, and carbon budgets, which incorporate metabolism measurements at both the catchment and landscape scales. As metabolism datasets grow, future syntheses will address challenges including seasonality, sensor deployment time and location, hydrology, and variation in analytical conventions by discipline. Ongoing technological and computational advancements, combined with increased communication among subdisciplines, should also expand insights generated by subsequent metabolism syntheses.
Early development of Calanus hyperboreus nauplii: Response to a changing ocean
Authors: Jung-Madsen Signe , Nielsen Torkel Gissel , Grønkjær Peter , Hansen Benni Winding , Møller Eva Friis
Published: November 2013

To forecast effects of temperature changes on recruitment and population dynamics of the Arctic copepod Calanus hyperboreus, laboratory experiments investigating temperature and food effects on early development were performed in Disko Bay, western Greenland, in 2009, and ascent rates of C. hyperboreus eggs collected in east Greenland were measured in the laboratory. Ascent rates were highly variable both between and within clutches, ranging from 0.7 to 27.7 m d−1, suggesting variability in the biochemical composition of the egg. Development of eggs were investigated between 0.8°C and 6.6°C, and hatching was fitted to a Belčhrádek temperature function (r2 > 0.99) with mean development time (MDT) of eggs ranging from 2.8 to 5.8 d. MDT of fed and starved nauplii was calculated for nauplii raised at 5°C. Fed nauplii developed through the first five nauplius stages (N1‐N5) during 40 d of incubation, whereas development of starved nauplii ceased at N3. Nauplii were able to survive at least 30 d of starvation. Respiration rate was measured for N1 and N3 at 0°C, 5°C, and 10°C, and it increased with development stage and temperature from 0.05 ± 0.01 to 0.29 ± 0.08 nmol O2 nauplii−1 h−1 for N1 at 0°C and N3 at 10°C, respectively. A decrease in carbon and lipid content from egg to N3 indicates that nauplii are using stored lipids to cover their metabolic costs during the nonfeeding stages. Early stages of C. hyperboreus seem more affected by temperature than later stages, a vulnerability that might affect future recruitment.
Spatial avoidance of Microcystis aeruginosa by Daphnia: Fitness consequences and evolutionary implications
Authors: Haney James F. , Lampert Winfried
Published: November 2013

We tested the hypothesis that species (clones) of Daphnia, originating from lakes with very different cyanobacterial abundances, use strategies to optimize their performance in the presence of toxic Microcystis aeruginosa by distributing differently in vertical gradients of valuable food, toxigenic cyanobacteria, and temperature. A laboratory tube system with different combinations of food items in the temperature gradient was used to determine the vertical distribution and performance (growth and lipid index) of Daphnia from three contrasting environments: (1) Daphnia carinata from a eutrophic lake with dense populations of cyanobacteria; (2) Daphnia galeata adapted to low cyanobacteria densities in a deep, mesotrophic lake; and (3) arctic Daphnia pulex assumed to be naïve with few adaptations against pelagic cyanobacteria. When confronted with toxic Microcystis in the epilimnion, Daphnia can respond by avoidance behavior (i.e., suffer metabolic costs from low temperature), reduction of their overall feeding rate in order to avoid the ingestion of toxic cells, metabolizing the toxin biochemically, or not responding if they were never confronted with toxic cyanobacteria. The experiments suggest that D. carinata was sensitive to toxigenic Microcystis and responded by avoidance, D. galeata was less sensitive and preferred to stay in the warm epilimnion, and D. pulex was naïve as expected. Thus, the behavioral strategies of the three Daphnia species appear to reflect interplay between evolutionary history, sensitivity to Microcystis, and the environmental conditions.
Feeding capabilities and limitations in the nauplii of two pelagic estuarine copepods, Pseudodiaptomus marinus and Oithona davisae
Authors: Vogt Robert A. , Ignoffo Toni R. , Sullivan Lindsay J. , Herndon Julian , Stillman Jonathon H. , Kimmerer Wim J.
Published: November 2013

In most aquatic ecosystems, copepod nauplii outnumber all other mesozooplankton. Although thousands of studies have examined feeding by later life history stages, the feeding habits of nauplii are poorly known. We offered conspecific adult and naupliar stages of the current‐feeding calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus and the ambush‐feeding cyclopoid copepod Oithona davisae 14 species of phytoplankton from various functional and taxonomic groups that spanned a wide size range. Using a novel epifluorescence microscopy method, we calculated an index of gut pigment for copepods fed each phytoplankton species. We also measured adult and naupliar feeding rates on three species of phytoplankton: the cryptomonad Rhodomonas salina, the prasinophyte Tetraselmis suecica, and the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, by an improved gut fluorescence method using a microplate reader. Despite their smaller size, weaker swimming and sensory capabilities, and rudimentary feeding apparatus, nauplii fed on a large range of cell sizes and were capable of consuming many of the same phytoplankton as adults.
Light and nutrient control of photosynthesis in natural phytoplankton populations from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, Arctic Ocean
Authors: Palmer Molly A. , van Dijken Gert L. , Mitchell B. Greg , Seegers Brian J. , Lowry Kate E. , Mills Matthew M. , Arrigo Kevin R.
Published: November 2013

During the 2010–2011 ‘Impacts of Climate Change on the EcoSystems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment’ project, we measured photosynthetic parameters in natural Arctic phytoplankton assemblages from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. Water‐column samples were taken from the near surface (3.1 ± 0.9 m) and subsurface (28 ± 10.3 m) at ∼ 85 stations each year representing a wide range of ecological conditions, including under sea ice (UI) and in open water (OW). The physiological response of phytoplankton to light was used to assess photo‐acclimation, photosynthetic efficiency, and maximum chlorophyll a (Chl a) normalized rates of carbon fixation. Phytoplankton from the subsurface were acclimated to lower irradiance, as evidenced by higher photosynthetic efficiencies (α*), reduced mean absorption spectra (ā*) associated with heavy pigment packaging, higher maximum quantum yields of photosynthesis (Φm), increased Chl a content (Chl a : POC), and higher potential growth rates (μm) than surface samples. In addition, phytoplankton growing in the UI subsurface had higher μm, increased Φm, and higher Chl a content, as well as reduced ā* compared with those found in OW. P*m did not vary between habitats despite vastly different nutrient and light conditions (averaging ∼ 1 mg C mg−1 Chl a h−1), except where nitrate exceeded > 10 mg m−3, in which case P*m averaged 5–6 mg C mg−1 Chl a h−1. Results from a stepwise regression analysis of photosynthetic parameters vs. environmental factors indicate that the concentration of inorganic nitrogen (significant relationships with P*m, α*, Φm, μm, and Chl a : POC) and temperature at sample depth (a strong indicator of habitat type; significant relationship with β*, ā*, Φm, μm, and Chl a : POC) are the best predictors of photosynthetic variables. In addition, the amount of light available at sample depth significantly predicted both Ek and Chl a : POC. Our results suggest that it is the balance between light and nutrient availability in the various environments encountered in the seasonal sea ice zone that result in the pattern of photo‐physiological data presented here. A significant proportion of primary production has now been observed to occur under the sea ice; therefore, our results may be a change from prior conditions in the region.
Estuarine ecosystem function response to flood and drought in a shallow, semiarid estuary: Nitrogen cycling and ecosystem metabolism
Authors: Bruesewitz Denise A. , Gardner Wayne S. , Mooney Rae F. , Pollard Lindsey , Buskey Edward J.
Published: November 2013

We quantified sediment‐water interface and water column nitrogen (N) transformation rates seasonally over the course of a year that incorporated a major storm event and a period of prolonged riverine base flow in Copano Bay, Texas, a shallow, productive estuary in the western Gulf of Mexico. We calculated daily rates of gross primary production (GPP), community respiration (CR), and net ecosystem production (NEP) in Copano Bay to examine carbon (C) cycling over the course of the year. These metrics of estuarine ecosystem function indicated that the estuary switched from a net sink for N during floods to a net source of N during droughts while sustaining high rates of primary production throughout the year. The estuary became a net sink for N as a result of increased denitrification rates following a storm event. Both GPP and CR increased immediately following a flood event, and the system was driven to net heterotrophy. Copano Bay became a net source of N during periods of prolonged base flow via increased N fixation rates. Internal N cycling became increasingly important during periods of base flow, including increased rates of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. This internal N cycling sustained production during periods of drought, when GPP ≈ CR. Both CR and NEP were linked to nutrient export from the inflowing rivers. N and C cycles were tightly linked but became decoupled briefly as a result of inputs of nutrients and organic matter during the period after a major storm event.
A sensitivity study of radiative fluxes at the top of atmosphere to cloud-microphysics and aerosol parameters in the community atmosphere model CAM5
Authors: Zhao C. , Liu X. , Qian Y. , Yoon J. , Hou Z. , Lin G. , McFarlane S. , Wang H. , Yang B. , Ma P.-L. , Yan H. , Bao J.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of net radiative fluxes (FNET) at the top of atmosphere (TOA) to 16 selected uncertain parameters mainly related to the cloud microphysics and aerosol schemes in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5). We adopted a quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) sampling approach to effectively explore the high-dimensional parameter space. The output response variables (e.g., FNET) are simulated using CAM5 for each parameter set, and then evaluated using the generalized linear model analysis. In response to the perturbations of these 16 parameters, the CAM5-simulated global annual mean FNET ranges from −9.8 to 3.5 W m−2 compared to 1.9 W m−2 with the default parameter values. Variance-based sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the relative contributions of individual parameter perturbations to the global FNET variance. The results indicate that the changes in the global mean FNET are dominated by changes in net cloud forcing (CF) within the parameter ranges being investigated. The threshold size parameter related to auto-conversion of cloud ice to snow is identified as one of the most influential parameters for FNET in CAM5 simulations. The strong heterogeneous geographic distribution of FNET variance shows that parameters have a clear localized effect over regions where they are acting. However, some parameters also have non-local impacts on FNET variance. Although external factors, such as perturbations of anthropogenic and natural emissions, largely affect FNET variance at the regional scale, their impact is weaker than that of model internal parameters in terms of simulating global mean FNET. The interactions among the 16 selected parameters contribute a relatively small portion to the total FNET variance over most regions of the globe. This study helps us better understand the parameter uncertainties in the CAM5 model, and thus provides information for further calibrating uncertain model parameters with the largest sensitivity.
Relationship between optical extinction and liquid water content in fogs
Authors: Klein C. , Dabas A.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Studies carried out in the late 1970s suggest a simple linear relationship exists in practice between the optical extinction in the thermal IR and the liquid water content (LWC) in fogs. Such a relationship opens the possibility to monitor the vertical profile of the LWC in fogs with a rather simple backscatter lidar. Little is known on how the LWC varies as a function of height and during the fog life cycle, so the new measurement technique would help understand fog physics and provide valuable data for improving the quality of fog forecasts. In the present article, the validity of the linear relationship is revisited at the light of recent observations of fog droplet size distributions measured with a combination of sensors covering a large range of droplet radii. In particular, large droplets (radius above 15 μm) are detected, which was not the case in the late 1970s. The results confirm the linear relationship still holds, at least for the mostly radiative fogs observed during the campaign. The impact of the precise value of the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index on the coefficient of the linear relationship is also studied. The usual practice considers droplets are made of pure water. This assumption is probably valid for big droplets, it may be questioned for small ones since droplets are formed from condensation nuclei of highly variable chemical composition. The study suggests the relationship is mostly sensitive to the real part of the refractive index and the sensitivity grows with the size of fog droplets. However, large fog droplets are more likely to have an index close to that of water since they are mainly composed of water.
Peroxy radical detection for airborne atmospheric measurements using cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy of NO2
Authors: Horstjann M. , D. Andrés Hernández M. , Nenakhov V. , Chrobry A. , P. Burrows J.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Development of an airborne instrument for the determination of peroxy radicals (PeRCEAS – Peroxy Radical Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy) is reported. Ambient peroxy radicals (HO2 and RO2, R being an organic chain) are converted to NO2 by adding NO, and are recycled through subsequent reaction with CO and O2, thus forming a chain reaction with an amplification factor called chain length. The concentration of NO2 is measured by continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) using an extended cavity diode laser at 409 nm. Optical feedback from a V-shaped cavity optimizes resonator transmission and allows for a simple detector set-up. CRDS directly yields absorption coefficients, thus providing NO2 concentrations without additional calibration. The optimum 1σ detection limit is 0.3 ppbv at an averaging time of 40 s and an inlet pressure of 300 mbar, corresponding to a concentration of 2 × 109 molecules cm−3. The calibration of the PeRCEAS chain length at an inlet pressure of 300 mbar yields a value of 120 ± 7. The peroxy radical 1σ detection limit for an averaging time of 120 s and a chain length of 120 is ~3 pptv.
Onset of intense permafrost conditions in Northern Eurasia at ~2.55 Ma seen in a cryogenic weathering record from Lake El'gygytgyn
Authors: Schwamborn G. , Schirrmeister L. , Diekmann B.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Physical weathering in permafrost landscapes contrasts to mid- and low latitude physical weathering in the way that quartz is less stable in freeze–thaw (F/T) cycles and breaks down to silt sized grains. F/T weathering also produces a distinct single quartz grain micromorphology such as microcracks and brittle textures of the surface. Both of these sediment-mineralogical features have been used for identifying intense permafrost conditions (i.e. intense F/T dynamics) around Lake El'gygytgyn in NE Eurasia using a Pliocene–Pleistocene sediment record from the centre of the lake. This lake provides the longest terrestrial palaeoenvironmental archive in the Arctic and has been a sediment trap for 3.6 Ma. Detritic material marked by F/T weathering becomes distinctive ~2.55 Ma ago and has been accumulating since then in the lake basin. This time marker coincides with the establishment of a perennial lake ice cover and corresponds with pollen assemblages indicating a significant cooling during that time. It matches fairly well the timing of the Plio-/Pleistocene cooling known from other marine and terrestrial evidence. The onset of intense quartz weathering is regarded as a first order age assessment for the beginning of persistent Quaternary permafrost conditions and which deepened into the ground since then in settings of high continentality in the non-glaciated NE Eurasian Arctic.
EMPOL 1.0: a new parameterization of pollen emission in numerical weather prediction models
Authors: Zink K. , Pauling A. , Rotach M. W. , Vogel H. , Kaufmann P. , Clot B.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Simulating pollen concentrations with numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems requires a parameterization for pollen emission. We have developed a parameterization that is adaptable for different plant species. Both biological and physical processes of pollen emission are taken into account by parameterizing emission as a two-step process: (1) the release of the pollen from the flowers, and (2) their entrainment into the atmosphere. Key factors influencing emission are temperature, relative humidity, the turbulent kinetic energy and precipitation. We have simulated the birch pollen season of 2012 using the NWP system COSMO-ART (Consortium for Small-scale Modelling – Aerosols and Reactive Trace Gases), both with a parameterization already present in the model and with our new parameterization EMPOL. The statistical results show that the performance of the model can be enhanced by using EMPOL.
Wind-wave amplification mechanisms: possible models for steep wave events in finite depth
Authors: Montalvo P. , Kraenkel R. , Manna M. A. , Kharif C.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. We extend the Miles mechanism of wind-wave generation to finite depth. A β-Miles linear growth rate depending on the depth and wind velocity is derived and allows the study of linear growth rates of surface waves from weak to moderate winds in finite depth h. The evolution of β is plotted, for several values of the dispersion parameter kh with k the wave number. For constant depths we find that no matter what the values of wind velocities are, at small enough wave age the β-Miles linear growth rates are in the known deep-water limit. However winds of moderate intensities prevent the waves from growing beyond a critical wave age, which is also constrained by the water depth and is less than the wave age limit of deep water. Depending on wave age and wind velocity, the Jeffreys and Miles mechanisms are compared to determine which of them dominates. A wind-forced nonlinear Schrödinger equation is derived and the Akhmediev, Peregrine and Kuznetsov–Ma breather solutions for weak wind inputs in finite depth h are obtained.
Methodology for flood frequency estimations in small catchments
Authors: David V. , Davidova T.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Estimations of flood frequencies in small catchments are difficult due to a lack of measured discharge data. This problem is usually solved in the Czech Republic by hydrologic modelling when there is a reason not to use the data provided by the Czech hydrometeorological institute, which are quite expensive and have a very low level of accuracy. Another way is to use a simple method which provides sufficient estimates of flood frequency based on the available spatial data. Such a method is being developed at the Czech Technical University in Prague. The methodology is being developed with consideration of all important factors affecting flood formation in small catchments. The relationship between catchment descriptors and flood characteristics has been the subject of recent research which is presented in this paper. The results for different descriptors vary from a tight relationship of an expected shape to a relationship which is opposite to that expected, mainly the case of land use. The parameterisation of the methodology is also presented including the uncertainty analysis and the assessment of its performance. In its present form, the methodology achieves an R2 value of about 0.64 for both 10 and 100 yr return periods.
Effects of the times of application of a soil humic acid on berry quality of table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cv Italia
Authors: Ferrara G. , Brunetti G.
Published: November 2013

Humic acids are the most active components of soil organic matter and have been shown to have an hormone-like activity thus stimulating plant growth. The objective of this work was to verify the quantitative and qualitative yield responses of the table grape cv. Italia after the application of a humic acid at various phenological stages. The humic acid used in this study has been extracted from a clay soil of the Apulia region and was applied at a concentration of 100 mg L–1 in four different times: pre-bloom (I), full-bloom (II), fruit set (III) and veraison (IV) and in two years, 2007 and 2008. The following parameters were measured at harvesting: berry size, °Brix, pH and titratable acidity. Finally, the °Brix/titratable acidity ratio has been calculated. Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) readings were performed every 30 days up to harvesting time on the leaves of the middle shoots. No statistical differences were observed between the two years for all the parameters examined. The humic acid applied at full-bloom (II) induced a significant increase of berry size (width and weight) and a significant improvement of the other quality parameters (titratable acidity and °Brix/titratable acidity) with respect to the control. This study confirmed that humic acids, if applied at full-bloom, can induce significant increase of qualitative and quantitative parameters in table grape and can find a positive application in an organic and sustainable viticulture.
Cost efficiency on organic farming: a comparison between organic and conventional raisin-producing households in Turkey
Authors: Bayramoglu Z. , Gundogmus E.
Published: November 2013

The paper uses data envelopment analysis to compute overall technical and input-specific technical efficiency measures of conventional and organic raisin-producing households in Turkey. The questionnaires were applied to fourty-four organic and thirty-eight conventional producers determined by stratified random sampling. For each household group the average cost efficiency and technical efficiency coefficients are determined to be 0.712 and 0.862 for organic households, while 0.844 and 0.903 for the conventional group. According to the coefficients calculated for individual and different returns to scale, it can be stated that conventional households are on average more efficient relative to their own technology.
The effect of temperature and relative humidity on the airborne concentration of Pyricularia oryzae spores and the development of rice blast in southern Spain
Authors: Castejón-Muñoz M.
Published: November 2013

The rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars Puntal and Thaibonnet were used in a field trial designed to investigate how temperature and relative humidity affect the airborne concentration of Pyricularia oryzae spores and the development of rice blast. A relative humidity of 95% and an average temperature of 26-27 deg C were optimum for infection and substantially favoured spore release. The first symptoms of infection were detected on the leaves when the crop was at the mid-tillering stage, the number of lesions increasing as the plant developed. After the onset of heading the number of leaf lesions decreased while the number of node and panicle base lesions increased. A temperature increase of 1 deg C in early August (mid-tillering stage) led to an increase in the mean intensity of disease. The presence of spores in the air from July 15th predicted the appearance of leaf lesions a few days later. The peak spore concentration in August could be used to forecast panicle blast. Assessing the airborne concentration of P. oryzae could help in understanding the population dynamics of this pathogen.
Short communication. The antifeedant activity of natural plant products towards the larvae of Spodoptera littoralis
Authors: Ballesta-Acosta M.C. , Pascual-Villalobos M.J. , Rodríguez B.
Published: November 2013

Worms are becoming difficult pests to control since many insecticides are now forbidden and the present alternatives are insufficiently effective. Antifeedants of plant origin may have potential against such pests. In this work, several diterpenoids, flavones and coumarins extracted from plants were assayed as antifeedant agents against Spodoptera littoralis larvae. Among these compounds, four diterpenes (eriocephalin, salviacoccin, aethiopinone and oxocandesalvone) and four coumarins (oxypeucedanin, xanthotoxin, isoimperatorin and prangol) showed significant activity, whereas all the flavones tested were inactive. Some aspects of the structure-activity relationships of these compounds are briefly discussed.
Estimation of valuation multiples of Spanish unlisted food companies
Authors: Ribal J. , Blasco A. , Segura B.
Published: November 2013

In the valuation of Spanish unlisted companies, the most commonly used methods are the discounted cash flow, adjusted net book value and multiple valuation methodologies. The Spanish food industry mainly comprises unlisted SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) whereas the number of listed food companies is very low. In view of these two facts, there is practically no information on valuation multiples in this sector. In this context, a massive discounted cash flow model is created allowing for the obtainment of valuation multiples for small and medium-sized companies. Once the value of each company is obtained, the most common valuation multiples are calculated. The multiples which vary the least, and specifically the EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value/Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciations and Amortisation) multiple, which presents the lowest interquartile range [10.32-14.78 in small companies] and coefficient of variation [0.43 in small companies], are most appropriate for use as a contrast and to aid in the valuation of companies. EV/EBITDA harmonic mean equals 11.51 for small companies and 11.88 for medium companies. Upon comparing the distribution of the multiples of small and medium-sized companies, no statistically significant differences were found.
Development and field test of an on-line computerized instrumentation system for air velocity, temperature and differential pressure measurements in poultry houses
Authors: Blanes-Vidal V. , Guijarro E. , Nadimi E.S. , Torres A.G.
Published: November 2013

Experimental research on airflow patterns and thermal comfort in livestock buildings require the development of an on-line multi-point computerized system for environmental measurements. The characteristics, development and tests of such equipment are described in this article. The system was based on a laptop, a data acquisition card with 16 input channels and a set of air temperature, air velocity and differential pressure sensors. Sensors were resistance temperature detectors for temperature and air velocity measurements. The accuracy of the computerized sensing system after calibration was, for air velocity measurements, 0.05 m s–1 in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 m s–1, and from 0.03 to 0.14 m s–1 in the range of 1.5 to 7 m s–1; 0.2°C for air temperature measurements; and 5 Pa for pressure measurements. The system has been used in several research studies in commercial poultry buildings and the developed system has been proven to be robust and stable.
Differential expression of the genetic variance in F2 populations of reciprocal crosses of artichoke
Authors: López Anido F. S. , Cravero V. P. , Martín E. A. , Crippa I. , Cointry E. L.
Published: November 2013

with the extreme phenotypic values are bred to produce the next generation. Several breeders have recognized reciprocal effects as one source of genetic variability. The objective of this paper was to determine the gene actions, heterosis, and genetic variance present in reciprocal F2 populations obtained by combining divergent artichoke cultivars. Days to first harvest, number of head per plant, weight of the main head, total yield and marketable yield per plant and the length-diameter ratio of main head were evaluated. For precocity and length-diameter ratio, the means value of F1 generations were significantly different. The intermediate values between parents for precocity and length-diameter ratio indicate the presence of additive gene action, while for weight of the main head, total and marketable yield dominance effects were detected. For these traits the absolute mean parent heterosis is important but for marketable yield only the best parent heterosis is expressed (13.1%). F1 reciprocal crosses were not significantly different in any case however, for the reciprocals F2 all the comparisons indicate unexpected differences between them. The higher genetic variance developed in reciprocal F2 facilitated the selection.
Hygroscopic equilibrium and physical properties evaluation affected by parchment presence of coffee grain
Authors: Corrêa P. C. , Oliveira G. H. H. , Rodrigues P. L. , Campos S. C. , Botelho F. M.
Published: November 2013

Physical properties are essential for the development of silos, transport calculations, separation and classification of grain and seeds. The present work evaluates the influence of the parchment on the drying and physical properties of coffee grains. The true density (ρt), bulk density (ρb) and porosity (ε) were evaluated for coffee grains (cv. Catuaí Amarelo) with and without parchment. Four mathematical models (Chung-Pfost, GAB, Modified Henderson and Oswin) were fitted to the experimental data to acquire desorption isotherms. The drying treatment was conducted in a factorial scheme with four levels of temperature (20, 35, 45 and 55°C) and five levels of relative humidity of the drying air (30, 40, 50, 60 and 80%) in a completely randomized design. The respective equilibrium moisture contents of the coffee grains were measured for each drying condition. No differences were observed among the products on the desorption isotherms. The pulped coffee with parchment (PP) had higher ε values than the pulped coffee without parchment (PR). The true density was higher for the PP coffee, but as the moisture content (X) increased, the true densities became more similar for the two samples. The ρb was higher for the PP coffee than for the PR coffee. Higher initial and final values of ρb were found for the PR and PP coffee, respectively. The Guggenheim-Anderson-de Bôer model was the model that best represented the experimental data for the drying process.
Ensiling natural meadow forage in «Tierra del Fuego», Argentina
Authors: Jaurena G. , Livraghi E. , Álvarez Ugarte D. , Ceccaldi E. , Molina R.
Published: November 2013

Livestock activity in the Argentinian «Tierra del Fuego» island is based on highly variable natural grasslands (NG). The conservation of fodder, despite the unfavorable environment, is restricted to hay; conservation as silage could be constrained by fodder quality and low temperatures. The objective was to assess the quality of NG silages fermented under contrasting storing conditions. Typical meadow forage was ensiled in minisilos and stored under shelter (Shelter) or in the field (Field) in a complete block design with repeated measures in time (t). Forage was chopped and inoculated with lactic acid bacteria plus enzymes, and harvested with 420 g dry matter (DM) kg–1 fresh matter, 111 g crude protein kg–1 DM, 665 g ash-free neutral detergent fibre kg–1 DM, and 64 g water soluble carbohydrates kg–1 DM. Shelter minisilos had higher metabolizable energy concentration at 236 d (PTrat×t = 0.03; Shelter = 10.2 ; Field = 9.6 MJ kg–1 DM, P = 0.01), and lower DM losses (Shelter = –0.2; Campo = 22%, P = 0.02) and values of pH and N-NH3/total N (Field: 5.6 and 12% and Shelter: 4.4 and 6.8%, P = 0.01). Fermentation acids concentration was similar for both treatments with preponderance of lactic acid, but acetic acid concentration increased over time (Pt = 0.01). It was concluded that in «Tierra del Fuego», natural meadow forage quality is compatible with ensiling, but environmental conditions can limit the fermentation process.
Short communication. Relationships between soil properties and soilborne viruses transmitted by Polymyxa betae Keskin in sugar beet fields
Authors: Kutluk Yilmaz N. D. , Sokmen M. , Gulser C. , Saracoglu S. , Yilmaz D.
Published: November 2013

Sugar beet plants (cv. Arosa), susceptible to rhizomania, were grown in 144 soil samples taken from sugar beet fields in north and central part of Turkey in 2004. Incidences of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and Beet soilborne virus (BSBV) by ELISA and of their vector Polymyxa betae by root staining method were determined in bait plants. Some soil properties such as, texture, pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, lime (CaCO3) and exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na contents were determined. Sand content and pH values of the soils gave significant positive correlations with P. betae (0.177* and 0.164*, respectively). Lime (CaCO3) and exchangeable Mg contents had also significant positive correlations with soil pH. Increasing CaCO3 (0.189*) and exc. Mg (0.235**) content of soils induced BNYVV and BSBV infections respectively, transmitted by P. betae, due to their increasing effects on soil pH.
Tillage effects on the development of several cotton cultivars in Southwest of Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Fernandes J. C. , Rezende V. J. R. P. , Rezende J. O. , Vasconcelos O. L. , Mirás-Avalos J .M. , Ferreira A. F. , De Souza Abreu J. , Beltrão N. E. M.
Published: November 2013

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.r. latifolium Hutch) is very sensitive to soil conditions. The Iuiu Valley, located in the Southwest of Bahia State in Brazil, was an important area for cotton production but an inadequate soil management for years and consequent soil quality degradation lead to the decline of the crop in the region. In an effort to reestablish cotton, this study was carried out to identify a sustainable soil management system for cotton production in the region. The experiment was carried out in Palmas de Monte Alto (Bahia, Brazil) on an Eutrichrept soil, and consisted of eight treatments (two tillage systems and four cotton cultivars). The field lay-out was a split-plot with tillage systems as main plots and cultivars as subplots. The tillage systems consisted of conventional and reduced tillage and cotton cultivars used were 'BRS Aroeira', 'BRS 201', 'Delta Opal' and 'BRS Cedro'. No significant differences were observed between the two tillage systems for plant height, stem diameter, boll weight, yield, fiber percentage, and fiber length. Conventional tillage promoted higher fiber length and uniformity for BRS 201 as well as higher fiber resistance for the other three cultivars. On the other hand, reduced tillage promoted higher micronaire index values for Delta Opal. The BRS Cedro cultivar showed a greater plant height independently from the tillage system. In conclusion, reduced tillage allowed a sustainable soil management without compromising cotton yields and quality.
Response of four grapevine (Vitis spp.) genotypes to direct or bicarbonate-induced iron deficiency
Authors: Sabir A. , Ekbic H. , Erdem H. , Tangolar S.
Published: November 2013

In Turkey, calcareous soil conditions usually cause significant decreases in grape yield. Understanding the physiological responses of grapevine genotypes under such conditions would yield invaluable knowledge to recover these problems. This study was thus conducted on the comparative evaluation of the responses of four Vitis spp. materials (a cultivar, 'Alphonse Lavallee', and three rootstocks, 'Fercal', '99 R' and '1613 C'), differing in tolerance potential to direct and lime-induced chlorosis. In greenhouse, rooted cuttings were grown in inert perlite using containers for two years with complete Hoagland nutrients solution except for Fe as variable. The experiment comprised five applications performed for three times per year. Iron applications (FeNaEDTA) in 9 and 36 mg L–1 doses and their combinations with 840 mg L–1 NaHCO3 were compared with control (iron-free Hoagland solution). FeNaEDTA addition into nutrient solution induced significant increases in iron and chlorophyll contents across the genotypes. The highest Fe level was determined in 'Fercal' (169.8 mg kg–1) with 36 mg L–1 FeNaEDTA. Bicarbonate additions restricted the vegetative development of '1613 C'. For instance, iron content of '99 R' was 137.9 mg kg–1 when treated with 9 mg L–1 FeNaEDTA, whereas the iron value reduced to 73.9 mg kg–1 when NaHCO3 was added. 'Alphonse Lavallée' and 'Fercal' displayed their lime-tolerances by exhibiting little reduction of both iron and chlorophyll contents. Therefore, 'Fercal' would be proven as a favorable rootstock for regions with calcareous soil. Tolerance to NaHCO3-induced Fe shortage appeared to be genotype-dependent. Chlorophyll content of young leaves positively correlated with Fe concentration, indicating the vital role of iron in chlorophyll content of leaves.
Short communication.Validation of a leaf area estimation model for sweet cherry
Authors: Demirsoy H. , Lang G. A.
Published: November 2013

A leaf area (LA) estimation model developed in a temperate climate for sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) was tested for validation on 'Regina' trees on two rootstocks of varying vigor, 'Gisela 5' (Gi5) and 'Gisela 6' (Gi6), in a cool temperate climate (the Great Lakes region of North America). To determine the degree of accuracy of the model, actual LA values measured by digital planimeter were plotted against predicted LAs calculated by the model. The relationships (r2 values) were very high and varied little between rootstocks (r2 = 0.9886 for Regina/Gi6 and r2 = 0.9849 for Regina/Gi5). This study demonstrates that the model is valid for use by cherry researchers in different growing regions and for rootstocks that impart different levels of vigor scion, such as 'Regina'.
Different approaches to the social vision of communal land management: the case of Galicia (Spain)
Authors: Marey-Pérez M. F. , Gómez-Vázquez I. , Díaz-Varela E.
Published: November 2013

Communal forests, or Montes Veciñais en Man Común (MVMC), are a specific form of communal land tenure and a singular legal category in Galicia. The growing demographic decline in rural areas and, particularly, in inner areas of Galicia has led to a decrease in the economic interest of forest resources. The complexity of the different management modes or levels of organization of forest communities cannot be explained through a homogeneous interpretation. The objective of this paper is to determine the types, distribution and sources of conflicts, and to describe the role of conflicts as catalysts or barriers for common land management. For that purpose, local, provincial and regional newspaper reports about forest communities were compiled from libraries and the conflicts reported in the media were defined and classified. Spatial analyses, descriptive statistics and statistical classification methods were used to find correlations between the different social, economic or environmental variables involved. Our results reveal a very uneven spatial distribution of conflicts over common land and a stronger impact of social and environmental factors over economic factors. In addition, this paper discusses the interpretation of the higher or lower degree of conflict as a positive or negative contribution to the management of privately owned common land and explains how factors such as the demographic situation in the area, the relationship with the Forest Administration and the incorporation of new actors in the region account for the current situation and the changes in management models.
Estudo comparativo entre estromatólitos do tipo Conophyton das faixas Ribeira e Brasília
Authors: Sallun Filho William , Fairchild Thomas Rich
Published: November 2013

Estromatólitos do tipo Conophyton foram descritos nas faixas Ribeira (C. garganicum) e Brasília (C. metulum e C. cylindricum), em unidades litoestratigráficas atribuídas ao Mesoproterozóico. Conophyton garganicum ocorre na Faixa Ribeira (Grupo Itaiacoca), na região de Itapeva (SP). No Grupo Itaiacoca formas atribuídas a Conophyton garganicum foram encontradas também em Abapã (PR) e apresentam semelhança com as descritas em Itapeva. Conophyton garganicum do Grupo Itaiacoca difere das formas da Faixa Brasília, incluindo C. cylindricum e C. metulum. Na Faixa Brasília duas ocorrências de Conophyton são descritas no Grupo Vazante nas regiões de Cabeludo (C. cylindricum) e Lagamar (MG) (C. metulum), e uma no Grupo Paranoá próxima a Cabeceiras (GO) (C. cylindricum). Conophyton de Cabeludo difere daquele de Lagamar na espessura da laminação, bem como no grau de regularidade e herança laminar da zona axial. Por outro lado, Conophyton de Cabeceiras se assemelha ao de Cabeludo, quanto à espessura e padrão da laminação. As diferenças significativas observadas entre Conophyton das faixas Brasília e Ribeira, indicam ambientes deposicionais e/ou idades distintos. Conophyton indica idades do final do Mesoproterozóico e início do Neoproterozóico para os grupos Vazante, Paranoá e Itaiacoca, o que é consistente com as idades radiométricas disponíveis.
Mapeamento e caracterização de feições cársticas de superfície na Faixa Itaiacoca nas regiões de Nova Campina e Bom Sucesso de Itararé, SP/PR
Authors: Hiruma Silvio Takashi , Ferrari José Antonio , Amaral Rosangela do , Honório Rafael Fernando
Published: November 2013

O trabalho apresenta uma caracterização de feições cársticas de superfície identificadas a partir de fotointerpretação de detalhe (1:25.000) nos terrenos carbonáticos da Faixa Itaiacoca nas regiões de Nova Campina e Bom Sucesso de Itararé, estados de São Paulo e Paraná. As maiores concentrações de sumidouros e depressões fechadas situam-se próximas às áreas urbanas de Nova Campina e de Bom Sucesso de Itararé e no extremo sudoeste da área estudada, já no Estado do Paraná. Nessas áreas identifica-se o desenvolvimento do padrão de carste poligonal, semelhante ao descrito na Bacia do Rio Betari, no Alto Vale do Ribeira. A análise morfométrica das depressões fechadas revelou que, em geral, apresentam área, perímetro, amplitude e declividade inferiores aos observados nas faixas Lajeado e André Lopes, no Vale do Ribeira; índices de circularidade, no entanto, são maiores. Considerando-se a área total de captação das depressões, foi possível estimar que a contribuição da recarga autóctone é expressivamente mais importante que a alóctone na Faixa Itaiacoca. A diversidade do uso e ocupação do solo na área demanda um planejamento adequado para proteção do carste. O mapeamento e caracterização de feições cársticas apresentados nesse estudo constituem a base para estudos futuros sobre a dinâmica hidrológica subterrânea dos sistemas cársticos da região.