bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improved Prediction of Ovulation Time may Increase Pregnancy Rates to Artificial Insemination in Lactating Dairy Cattle
Authors: Hockey CD , Morton JM , Norman ST , McGowan MR 
Published: November 2009

ContentsA prospective observational study was conducted in two Australian dairy herds to assess the potential for improving pregnancy rates (proportions of inseminations that result in pregnancy) to artificial insemination (AI) if the time of ovulation could be predicted with more certainty. Herd 1 calved year‐round and inseminations were performed during two periods each day. Herd 2 calved during autumn–winter and inseminations were performed only after the morning milking each day. In both herds, the AI to ovulation interval of enrolled cows was determined by trans‐rectal ovarian ultrasonography approximately 0, 12, 24 and 36 h after AI, and pregnancy was assessed by palpation per rectum 35–56 days after AI. Also, in Herd 1 vaginal electrical resistance (VER) measurements were taken at approximately 0, 12, 24 and 36 h after AI, and in Herd 2 cows were fitted with neck mounted activity meters that monitored cow activity count in 2‐h periods. There was substantial variation in the intervals from AI to ovulation within and between herds (mean ± SD 21.2 ± 10.7, n = 102; 14.7 ± 10.4, n = 100 in herds 1 and 2, respectively). Pregnancy rates were higher for inseminations close to, but preceding, ovulation. Using combined herd data (n = 202), the highest pregnancy rate (50.8%) was observed for inseminations between 0 and 16 h before ovulation, a period in which only a modest proportion of inseminations (31.2%) occurred. In contrast, pregnancy rate was significantly lower (28.7%; risk ratio 0.6; 95% CI 0.4–1.0; p = 0.039) for inseminations between 16 and 32 h before ovulation, a period where the highest proportion of inseminations (53.2%) occurred. Thus pregnancy rates could potentially be improved if a greater proportion of inseminations were conducted shortly before ovulation. In Herd 1, mean VER during the peri‐ovulatory period varied with time from ovulation. Lowest values (mean ± SEM, VER = 64.8 ± 1.2, n = 55) occurred approximately 18 h before ovulation and were significantly lower than measurements approximately 6 h before ovulation (67.4 ± 1.0; n = 73; p = 0.003). Further work is required to determine if VER can be used to identify ovulation time and hence the optimal time to inseminate in individual animals. In Herd 2 a modest proportion of inseminations (26.9%) occurred between 24 and 40 h after the onset of increased cow activity where the highest pregnancy rate (67.9%) was observed, whereas a significantly lower pregnancy rate (42.4%; risk ratio 0.6; 95% CI 0.4–0.9; p = 0.036) was observed for inseminations between 8 and 24 h after the onset of increased cow activity where the highest proportion of inseminations (56.7%) occurred. Thus cow activity monitoring may be useful to identify the optimal time to inseminate cows. Results from this study indicate that improved methods of ovulation prediction may allow better insemination timing relative to ovulation and consequently increased pregnancy rates.
Expression and Hormonal Regulation of E‐Cadherin in Canine Uterus During Early Pregnancy
Authors: Guo B , Han B‐C , Tian Z , Zhang X‐M , Jiang L‐X , Liu J‐X , Yue Z‐P 
Published: November 2009

ContentsE‐cadherin, a Ca2 + ‐dependent cell adhesion molecule, is necessary for endometrial receptivity to blastocyst implantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the differential expression of E‐cadherin in canine uterus during early pregnancy and its regulation under different conditions by in situ hybridization. E‐cadherin mRNA expression was at a low level in the glandular epithelium on days 6, 12 and 17 of pregnancy. On days 20 and 23 of pregnancy, E‐cadherin mRNA was highly expressed in the glandular epithelium surrounding the embryo, but not in the luminal epithelium and declined in villi and placenta on day 28 of pregnancy. During oestrous cycle, a moderate level of E‐cadherin mRNA expression was found in the luminal and glandular epithelium of canine uteri at oestrus stage. The same expression was also found at anoestrus stage. Progesterone slightly induced the expression of E‐cadherin mRNA in the luminal and glandular epithelium of ovariectomized canine uterus. These results suggest that E‐cadherin expression is closely related to canine implantation and can be up‐regulated by progesterone.
Physical regimes and nutrient limitation affecting phytoplankton growth in a meso‐eutrophic water supply reservoir in southeastern Brazil
Authors: Delazari‐Barroso Alessandra , Barroso Gilberto Fonseca , De Moraes Huszar Vera Lúcia , De Oliveira e Azevedo Sandra Maria Feliciano 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThe water‐mixing regime, light availability, nutrient limitation and trophic state were evaluated for the Duas Bocas Reservoir (DBR; Espírito Santo State, southeastern Brazil), a small (0.51 km2), shallow (zmax < 10 m) water supply reservoir located in a conservation area. Monthly water sampling was conducted for the lacustrine zone (zmax = 10 m) next to the water withdrawal tower, during one hydrological cycle (October 2002 to September 2003). Water samples were taken at four depths in this area, including subsurface, Secchi depth, euphotic/aphotic boundary and near the bottom of the lake. The variability of the reservoir’s limnological features defined two periods. Period 1, comprised of the summer months (October to April), was characterized by strong thermal stratification, nutrient limitation in the mixing layer, a metalimnetic biomass maximum and anoxia and high nutrient concentrations in the hypolimnion. Period 2, comprised of the winter months (May to September), was characterized by overturn events during which the phytoplankton population experienced light limitation. The observed water‐mixing regime was characteristic of warm monomictic system, presenting atelomixis, the incomplete vertical mixing of stratified water masses. The average total phosphorus and chlorophyll‐a concentrations suggested a meso‐eutrophic water system. The nutrient concentrations exhibited nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, suggesting that nutrients, rather than light, limit or regulate the phytoplankton biomass in the DBR for most of the year.
Assessing sediment inputs to small reservoirs in Upper East Region, Ghana
Authors: Adwubi Afua , Amegashie Bright Kofi , Agyare Wilson Agyei , Tamene Lulseged , Odai Samuel Nii , Quansah Charles , Vlek Paul 
Published: November 2009

AbstractMany small dams and dugouts have been constructed in the Upper East Region of Ghana to address the problem of regional water scarcity. The reservoirs were constructed primarily as water supplies for agricultural irrigation and livestock watering, aquaculture and domestic use. However, many of the reservoirs dry up during the dry season, affecting the livelihoods of their basin inhabitants. A major cause for the dried reservoirs is siltation, which reduces the reservoir’s storage capacities. The goal of this study is to quantify the annual siltation rate of four study reservoirs, using a bathymetric survey and reservoir soil sampling. The sediment yield and its relation to catchment area also were assessed. The results of this study indicate that the annual siltation rates are 1272, 3518, 2764 and 6135 t year−1 for Doba, Dua, Zebilla and Kumpalgogo reservoirs, respectively. Analyses of the sediment yield and catchment areas illustrated that the sediment yields decreased with increasing catchment area. All the study reservoirs have lost their dead storage capacity, which was meant to store sediment until the end of their anticipated design lives. The decreasing storage capacity because of siltation will affect the livelihoods of the local basin inhabitants, as the reservoirs will not be able to achieve all their intended purposes. The results of this study indicate that, because siltation is not the only factor threatening the benefits gained from the reservoirs, the integrated assessment of all relevant factors is required.
Length–length and length–weight relationships for 48 fish species from reservoirs of the Paraná State, Brazil
Authors: Gubiani Éder A. , Gomes Luiz C. , Agostinho Angelo A. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractLength–length and length–weight relationships was estimated for 48 fish species collected in 30 neotropical reservoirs located in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Significant relations were found for all species. The values of the parameter slope (b) in the length–weight relationship ranged from 2.49 to 3.46 for grouped sexes, and from 2.66 to 3.15 for separated sexes. Differences between sexes (indication of sexual dimorphism) were verified for 20 species. Males exhibited greater lengths than females for Astyanax janeiroensis, Bryconamericus iheringii, Geophagus brasiliensis, Glanidium ribeiroi and Hypostomus derbyi, whereas females attained greater lengths than males for the other 15 species examined in this study.
Statistical assessment of water quality seasonality in large tropical reservoirs
Authors: Rangel‐Peraza Jesús Gabriel , De Anda Jose , González‐Farias Fernando , Erickson Dana 
Published: November 2009

AbstractA statistical assessment was used to assess if a tropical reservoir had reached a stable condition, permitting the use of water quality models to predict the water quality dynamics of a water system under different climatic or management scenarios. This approach was applied to Aguamilpa Reservoir in western Mexico, one of the largest tropical reservoirs in the world. Water quality data collected by the National Water Commission, and hydrological and climatic data from the Federal Electricity Commission from the period of January 2000 to December 2007 served as the data base. Time‐series analysis identified three distinct homogeneous seasonal groups: (i) warm dry season, (ii) rainy season and (iii) cold dry season. The seasonal responses of water quality parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity, total suspended solids concentration, biochemical oxygen demand and total coliforms) were demonstrated through analysis of variance of the principal components.
Discharge pulses of hydroelectric dams and their effects in the downstream limnological conditions: a case study in a large tropical river (SE Brazil)
Authors: De Oliveira Naliato Danilo A. , Nogueira Marcos Gomes , Perbiche‐Neves Gilmar 
Published: November 2009

AbstractTo address daily fluctuations in electricity demands, the quantities of water passing through the turbines of hydropower plants can vary significantly (up to fourfold) during a 24‐h cycle. This study evaluates the effects of hourly variations in water discharges on the limnological conditions observed in two below‐dam river stretches. The study reservoirs, Capivara and Taquaruçu, are the 9th and 10th reservoirs in a cascade of dams in the Paranapanema River in south‐east Brazil. The reservoirs exhibit different trophic conditions, water retention times, thermal regimes and spillway positions. Capivara Reservoir is deeper, meso‐eutrophic, with a high water retention time and hypolimnetic discharges (32 m) varying between 500 and 1400 m3 s−1. In contrast, Taquaruçu Reservoir is relatively shallow, oligo‐mesotrophic, and has a low retention time, with water discharges varying between 500 and 2000 m3 s−1. Its turbine water intake zone also is more superficial (7 m). For two periods of the year, winter and summer, profiles of limnological measurements were developed in the lacustrine (above‐dam site) zones of the reservoirs, as well as in the downstream river stretches (below‐dam site). In both cases, the sampling was carried out at 4‐h intervals over a complete nictemeral cycle. The results demonstrated that the reservoir operating regime (water discharge variations) promoted significant differences in the conditions of the river below the dams, especially for water velocity, turbidity, and nutrient and suspended solids concentrations. The reservoir physical characteristics, including depth, thermal stratification and outlet structure, are also key factors influencing the limnology and water quality at the below‐dam sampling sites. In the case of Capivara Reservoir, for example, the low dissolved oxygen concentration (<5.0 mg L−1) in its bottom water layer was transferred to the downstream river stretches during the summer. These study results demonstrated that it is important to continue such investigations as a means of verifying whether or not these high‐amplitude/low‐frequency variations could negatively affect the downstream river biota.
Morphological and population responses to deer grazing for herbaceous species in Nara Park, western Japan
Authors: SUZUKI RYO O. , KATO TEIKO , MAESAKO YURI , FURUKAWA AKIO 
Published: November 2009

AbstractTo quantify the morphological and population responses of plants to grazing by deer, we conducted two deer‐exclusion experiments in Nara Park, western Japan. The first experiment assessed the morphological differences in 10 traits of two species with erect growth (Oxalis corymbosa and Cyperus brevifolius. var. leiolepis) and two species with prostrate growth (Oxalis corniculata and Hydrocotyle maritima) between shoots inside and outside of the exclosures at the end of a growing season (late autumn). The size and weight of the leaves, stems and reproductive organs of the four perennials were significantly smaller outside the exclosures. The degree of size reduction was highest for an erect species, O. corymbosa, compared with the other three species, and was similar between the two prostrate species. The second experiment, using 11 erect species and 15 prostrate species, demonstrated that erect species exhibited greater reduction in leaf length and cover in the grazing environments compared with prostrate species, suggesting that the erect species suffered more from grazing. In conclusion, many of the plant species reduced their size under grazing pressure during the growing season, but the nature of the changes depended on the growth form of each species. It remains unclear whether the morphological reduction was an adaptive response to grazing.
Genetic variation in remnant Festuca hallii populations is weakly differentiated, but geographically associated across the Canadian Prairie
Authors: QIU JIE , FU YONG‐BI , BAI YUGUANG , WILMSHURST JOHN F. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractGenetic diversity is essential for predicting plant evolutionary potential and for formulating conservation strategies. However, little is known about the genetic variation of plains rough fescue [Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper], a widespread and diagnostic grass in the Fescue Prairie. We used the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique to assess the genetic variation of 30 fragmented populations of F. hallii across the northern Canadian Prairie and its associations with 12 geographical, fragmentation and environmental attributes. Three AFLP primer pairs were used to screen 840 samples, representing approximately 30 samples from each population, and 246 polymorphic bands were scored. The fescue plant was genetically diverse, as revealed by the proportion of polymorphic bands (0.870–0.967), the mean band frequency (0.364–0.457) and the within‐population variation (69.4–85.4). The genetic variation was not highly differentiated, with only 6.5% of the total AFLP variation residing among populations. A Mantel test revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances (r = 0.39; P < 0.004) and a spatial autocorrelation up to 60 km among populations was detected. The AFLP variation displayed a longitudinal decline and was significantly associated with environmental attributes related to moisture, indicating local adaptation. However, the AFLP variation was not significantly associated with the estimated population size and geographical distance to the nearest neighbor, suggesting that fragmentation has not generated considerable genetic impact on the fescue populations. Implications for fescue conservation, restoration and management are discussed.
Genetic structure and mating system of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Leguminosae), an endangered shrub in north‐western China
Authors: CHEN GUO‐QING , CRAWFORD DANIEL , HUANG HONGWEN , GE XUE‐JUN 
Published: November 2009

Abstract Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Maxim.) Cheng f. is an endangered evergreen shrub endemic to the deserts of central Asia and is particularly important for the ecological–environmental stability of native habitats. We investigated the allozyme diversity of A. mongolicus seed populations and estimated the mating system of this species using progeny arrays assayed for polymorphic allozyme loci. The mating system analysis demonstrated that A. mongolicus has a mixed mating system with outcrossing rates of tm = 0.648–0.746, which are congruent with the floral biology of this species. An overall low level of allozyme variation was detected in A. mongolicus populations (mean He = 0.081, P = 20.1%). Using both STRUCTURE software and a neighbor‐joining tree of the populations based on pairwise FST, genetic divergence was detected between populations from the Tengger Desert and from Ulan Buh Desert/Helan Mountain, which suggested that the populations in both regions may have originated from different refugia. Furthermore, the moderate level of genetic differentiation among populations (FST = 0.106) detected in the present study may result from a pre‐existing population structure before habitat fragmentation. The mating system, natural selection and evolutionary history of A. mongolicus populations all play important roles in shaping the genetic structure of this species. The implications of the results of the present study for both in situ and ex situ conservation of the species are discussed.
Reproduction dynamics of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) populations in Ise–Mikawa Bay, central Honshu, Japan
Authors: YOSHIDA TSUKASA , OKAMOTO HIDEAKI , TANAKA YOSHITO , HIBINO TAKASHI , SUZUKI TERUAKI , TAKABE TERUHIRO 
Published: November 2009

AbstractSuitable methods for the conservation and reconstruction of eelgrass populations are needed because of decreasing eelgrass populations. For this, it is important to understand the reproduction mechanism of eelgrass populations at a molecular level as well as at a macro level. In the present study, we analyzed the dynamic changes in eelgrass populations in Ise–Mikawa Bay by monitoring their distribution from 1993 to 2005 and by genetic analysis using microsatellite polymorphism. The distribution of eelgrass populations in the eastern part of Ise Bay showed a periodic shift with a cycle of 4 years, that is, eelgrass populations appeared on the bar trough, gradually moved to the inshore side of the habitat every year, and disappeared in the fourth year. Microsatellite analysis revealed that the eelgrass populations in Ise–Mikawa Bay have high genetic diversity. The eelgrass populations in Ise Bay and those in Mikawa Bay showed genetic differentiation and genetic connectivity. The importance of upstream parent populations, seed transportation among local populations and genetic diversity were discussed for the sustainability of eelgrass populations.
Generalist pollinators in the dioecious shrub Rhus trichocarpa Miq. (Anacardiaceae) and their role in reproductive success
Authors: MATSUYAMA SHUHEI , OSAWA NAOYA , SAKIMOTO MICHINORI 
Published: November 2009

AbstractWe examined the floral display size and potential pollinators of female and male Rhus trichocarpa in northern Kyoto, Japan, in June 2005. The entomophilous pollination system comprised 431 insects and one spider belonging to 124 species. Most pollinators were non‐social bees and occasional Diptera and Coleoptera, whereas eusocial bees were not dominant in the pollination system. Male‐biased frequencies were observed in the eusocial bees and in some of the non‐social bees, probably because they are sensitive to the larger male floral rewards. A pollinator introduction experiment confirmed that male‐biased, unbiased and infrequent non‐social bees can pollinate R. trichocarpa, indicating that non‐social bees can contribute to fruit set. The results suggest that there are likely to be two different functional groups of generalist pollinators: (i) the majority of the pollinators may contribute to reproductive success through unbiased and occasional visits; and (ii) a minority group of eusocial bees may contribute to reproductive success through male‐biased visits.
Environmental Integrity and Non‐Discrimination in the Norwegian Emissions Trading Scheme
Authors: Voigt Christina 
Published: November 2009

When Norway set up its National Allocation Plan (NAP) for 2008–2012 as required under Directive 2003/87/EC to permit it to engage in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), it attempted to increase the environmental effectiveness of the EU ETS by introducing the auctioning of allowances to some sectors. In particular, Norway's NAP directed that the petroleum sector would not receive allowances free of charge and set out special allocation rules for land‐based industries. While older installations are to receive allowances free of charge, those established after 31 December 2001 are to purchase their allowances on the market.The scheme was met with criticism by the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) Surveillance Authority, in particular for its discriminatory treatment between older and newer installations. Norway addressed the EFTA Surveillance Authority's objections by correcting its NAP to the detriment of its environmental integrity.This article argues that Norway missed an opportunity to make polluters face the full incremental environmental costs of their activities in accordance with the polluter pays principle. The EU ETS for 2013–2020 is set to introduce an EU‐wide emissions cap, auctioning and stronger harmonization of allocation rules. Despite the ‘European Economic Area relevance’ of the proposed amendments to Directive 2003/87/EC to improve the EU ETS, it remains to be seen whether and how Norway is going to implement these changes. No other piece of EU legislation has implied so strong a shift in decision‐making power from the national to the EU level. For Norway as a non‐EU Member State, this raises fundamental questions of democratic legitimacy, which must be addressed.
FDI spillovers in the Chinese manufacturing sector
Authors: Abraham Filip , Konings Jozef , Slootmaekers Veerle 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThis paper uses a new longitudinal dataset of more than 15,000 manufacturing firms to analyse the heterogeneous responses of firms to foreign direct investment in China. Domestic firms operating in sectors where foreign firms are also active have higher total factor productivity. However, the magnitude of such horizontal spillovers depends on the structure and origin of foreign ownership, the export status of firms and the characteristics of the special economic zones firms are operating in.
TheOther of theExotic: BalineseMusic asGrammaticalParadigm inLigeti's‘Galamb borong’
Authors: Bauer Amy 
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACTFrom the 1980s onwards, György Ligeti openly acknowledged the influence of African polyphony, Indonesian gamelan and music of the Americas on works such as the Piano Concerto (1980–8) and Violin Concerto (1989–93), as well as theÉtudes pour piano(1985–2001). The present article analyses Étude No. 7, ‘Galamb borong’, in order to establish the precise point of intersection between Western and non‐Western within one specific piece. On the basis of this case study, the composer may be shown to celebrate the exotic under the umbrella of the cosmopolitan in a discourse of the universal that is inherently local. Furthermore, by permitting ‘Galamb borong’ to unfold as a dialogue between Balinese music and the Western classical canon, Ligeti's embrace of ‘amalgamated musical languages’ comes to represent an aesthetic standpoint capable of liberating the creative individual not only from inherited tradition but also from the postmodern present.