Statistical evaluation of the early-stage development of Jatropha energy plantations in Northeastern Mexico

A systematic evaluation of agricultural factors affecting the adaptation of the tropical oil plant Jatropha curcas L. to the semi-arid subtropical climate in Northeastern Mexico has been conducted. The factors studied include plant density and topology, as well as fungi and virus abundances. A multiple regression analysis shows that total fruit production can be well predicted by the area per plant and the total presence of fungi. Four common herbicides and a mechanical weed control measure were established at a dedicated test array and their impact on plant productivity was assessed.

Seed development and maturation in early spring-flowering Galanthus nivalis and Narcissus pseudonarcissus continues post-shedding with little evidence of maturation in planta

Background and Aims: Seeds of the moist temperate woodland species Galanthus nivalis and Narcissus pseudonarcissus, dispersed during spring or early summer, germinated poorly in laboratory tests. Seed development and maturation were studied to better understand the progression from developmental to germinable mode in order to improve seed collection and germination practices in these and similar species. Methods: Phenology, seed mass, moisture content, and ability to germinate and tolerate desiccation were monitored during seed development until shedding. Embryo elongation within seeds was investigated during seed development and at several temperature regimes after shedding. Key Results: Seeds were shed at high moisture content (> 59%) with little evidence that dry mass accumulation or embryo elongation were complete. Ability to germinate developed prior to the ability of some seeds to tolerate enforced desiccation. Germination was sporadic and slow. Embryo elongation occurred post-shedding in moist environments, most rapidly at 20C in G. nivalis and 15C in N. pseudonarcissus. The greatest germination also occurred in these regimes, 78 and 48%, respectively, after 700 d. Conclusions: Seeds of G. nivalis and N. pseudonarcissus seeds were comparatively immature at shedding and substantial embryo elongation occurred post-shedding. Seeds showed limited desiccation tolerance at dispersal.

Towards global drought early warning capability: expanding international cooperation for the development of a framework for global drought monitoring and forecasting

Drought is a global problem that has far-reaching impacts and especially 47 on vulnerable populations in developing regions. This paper highlights the need for a Global Drought Early Warning System (GDEWS), the elements that constitute its underlying framework (GDEWF) and the recent progress made towards its development. Many countries lack drought monitoring systems, as well as the capacity to respond via appropriate political, institutional and technological frameworks, and these have inhibited the development of integrated drought management plans or early warning systems. The GDEWS will provide a source of drought tools and products via the GDEWF for countries and regions to develop tailored drought early warning systems for their own users. A key goal of a GDEWS is to maximize the lead time for early warning, allowing drought managers and disaster coordinators more time to put mitigation measures in place to reduce the vulnerability to drought. To address this, the GDEWF will take both a top-down approach to provide global real-time drought monitoring and seasonal forecasting, and a bottom-up approach that builds upon existing national and regional systems to provide continental to global coverage. A number of challenges must be overcome, however, before a GDEWS can become a reality, including the lack of in-situ measurement networks and modest seasonal forecast skill in many regions, and the lack of infrastructure to translate data into useable information. A set of international partners, through a series of recent workshops and evolving collaborations, has made progress towards meeting these challenges and developing a global system.

Akt Expression is Diminished by Physical Inactivity in Early Stages of Development in Soleus Muscle of Rats

Metabolic Syndrome is a group of conditions related to obesity and physical inactivity. Little is known about the role of physical inactivity, in early stages of development, in the susceptibility to insulin resistant phenotype induced by high fat diet. Akt plays a key role in protein synthesis and glucose transport in skeletal muscle and has been regulated by muscle activity. The objective of present study was to determine the effect of early physical inactivity on muscle growth and susceptibility to acquire a diabetic phenotype and to assess its relationship with Akt expression. Forty Wistar male rats were distributed in two groups (standard group, Std) and movement restriction (RM). Between days 23 and 70 after birth, RM group was kept in small cages that did not allow them to perform relevant motor activity. From day 71 to 102 after birth, 10 rats of each group were fed with hyperlipidic diet (groups Std-DAG and RM-DAG). No differences were observed in total body weight although DAG increased epididymal fat pad weight. RM decreased significantly the soleus weight. Insulin-mediated glucose uptake was lower in RM-DAG group. Akt protein levels were lower in RM groups. Real time RT-PCR analysis showed that movement restriction decreased mRNA levels of AKT1 in soleus muscle, regardless of supplied diet. These findings suggest that early physical inactivity limits muscle`s growth and contributes to instauration of insulin resistant phenotype, which can be partly explained by dysregulation of Akt expression.

Children's Vocabulary Development : The role of parental input, vocabulary composition and early communicative skills

The aim of this thesis is to examine the early vocabulary development of a sample of Swedish children in relation to parental input and early communicative skills. Three studies are situated in an overall description of early language development in children. The data analyzed in the thesis was collected within a larger project at Stockholm University (SPRINT- “Effects of enhanced parental input on young children’s vocabulary development and subsequent literacy development” [VR 2008-5094]). Data analysis was based on parental report via SECDI, the Swedish version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories, and audio recordings. One study examined parental verbal interaction characteristics in three groups of children with varying vocabulary size at 18 months. The stability of vocabulary development at 18 and 24 months was investigated in a larger study, with focus on children’s vocabulary composition and grammatical abilities. The third study examined interrelations among early gestures, receptive and productive vocabulary, and grammar measured with M3L, i.e. three longest utterances, from 12 to 30 months. Overall results of the thesis highlight the importance of early language development. Variability in different characteristics in parental input is associated with variability in child vocabulary size. Children with large early vocabularies exhibit the most stability in vocabulary composition and the earliest grammatical development. Children’s vocabulary composition may reflect individual stylistic variation. Use of early gestures is associated differentially with receptive and productive vocabulary. Results of the thesis have implications for parents, child- and healthcare personnel, as well as researchers and educational practitioners. The results underscore the importance of high quality in adult-child interaction, with rich input fine-tuned to children’s developmental levels and age, together with high awareness of early language development.

A Catalyst for Culture: Early Child Development and Education in Japan

A popular Western perception of Japan is that it is an eminently homogeneous and conformist society. However, both conformity and homogeneity, recognized even by the Japanese themselves, coexist with the concept of individuality, which is valued in a manner unique to its culture. In order to come to a deeper understanding of that dynamic, it is important to comprehend the specifics of child rearing and education within Japanese society. Based in part on the author's observational fieldwork conducted while in Japan in 1994, the thesis explicates the manner in which various core relationships exhibit the socialization of an individual that occurs within the home during a child's first few years. Furthermore, the text incorporates research in both primary and secondary historical materials. The author displays the manner in which educational issues such as the development of the Japanese education system and the dynamics of the elementary years serve to demonstrate the importance of functioning within a group. This is further clarified through an examination of elementary school texts, which also reveal underlying moral messages of profound importance in Japanese society. The seemingly contradictory issues of becoming an individual yet performing as a member of a group are pulled together by the idea that culture provides the guidance by which an individual becomes an active member of society. In Japan, individuality and group conformity are not mutually exclusive. Within the context of Japanese society, individuality is inextricably linked to group orientation.

Development Of Water Pollution Early Warning System For Oyster Harvesting Areas

The objective of this study is to develop a Pollution Early Warning System (PEWS) for efficient management of water quality in oyster harvesting areas. To that end, this paper presents a web-enabled, user-friendly PEWS for managing water quality in oyster harvesting areas along Louisiana Gulf Coast, USA. The PEWS consists of (1) an Integrated Space-Ground Sensing System (ISGSS) gathering data for environmental factors influencing water quality, (2) an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for predicting the level of fecal coliform bacteria, and (3) a web-enabled, user-friendly Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for issuing water pollution advisories and managing oyster harvesting waters. The ISGSS (data acquisition system) collects near real-time environmental data from various sources, including NASA MODIS Terra and Aqua satellites and in-situ sensing stations managed by the USGS and the NOAA. The ANN model is developed using the ANN program in MATLAB Toolbox. The ANN model involves a total of 6 independent environmental variables, including rainfall, tide, wind, salinity, temperature, and weather type along with 8 different combinations of the independent variables. The ANN model is constructed and tested using environmental and bacteriological data collected monthly from 2001 – 2011 by Louisiana Molluscan Shellfish Program at seven oyster harvesting areas in Louisiana Coast, USA. The ANN model is capable of explaining about 76% of variation in fecal coliform levels for model training data and 44% for independent data. The web-based GIS platform is developed using ArcView GIS and ArcIMS. The web-based GIS system can be employed for mapping fecal coliform levels, predicted by the ANN model, and potential risks of norovirus outbreaks in oyster harvesting waters. The PEWS is able to inform decision-makers of potential risks of fecal pollution and virus outbreak on a daily basis, greatly reducing the risk of contaminated oysters to human health.

Brazil and Turkey, a comparative analysis of both countries' economic development and institutional design from the Great Depression to the early 21st century

Apos uma década de rápido crescimento econômico na primeira década do século 21, Brasil e Turquia foram considerados duas das economias emergentes mais dinâmicas e promissoras. No entanto, vários sinais de dificuldades econômicas e tensões políticas reapareceram recentemente e simultaneamente nos dois países. Acreditamos que esses sinais e a sua simultaneidade podem ser entendidos melhor com um olhar retrospectivo sobre a história econômica dos dois países, que revela ser surpreendentemente paralela. Numa primeira parte, empreendemos uma comparação abrangente da história econômica brasileira e turca para mostrar as numerosas similaridades entre os desafios de política econômica que os dois países enfrentaram, assim como entre as respostas que eles lhes deram desde a virada da Grande Depressão até a primeira década do século 21. Essas escolhas de política econômica comuns dão forma a uma trajetória de desenvolvimento notavelmente análoga, caracterizada primeiro pela adoção do modelo de industrialização por substituição das importações (ISI) no contexto da recessão mundial dos anos 1930; depois pela intensificação e crise final desse modelo nos anos 1980; e finalmente por duas décadas de estabilização e transição para um modelo econômico mais liberal. Numa segunda parte, o desenvolvimento das instituições econômicas e políticas, assim como da economia política subjacente nos dois países, são analisados comparativamente a fim de prover alguns elementos de explicação do paralelo observado na primeira parte. Sustentamos que o marco institucional estabelecido nos dois países durante esse período também têm varias características fundamentais em comum e contribui a explicar as escolhas de política econômica e as performances econômicas comparáveis, detalhadas na primeira parte. Este estudo aborda elementos do contexto histórico úteis para compreender a situação econômica e política atual nos dois países. Potencialmente também constitui uma tentativa de considerar as economias emergentes numa perspectiva histórica e comparativa mais ampla para entender melhor as suas fraquezas institucionais e adotar um olhar mais equilibrado sobre seu potencial econômico.

The effects of the coexistence of weed communities on table beet yield during early crop development

Objetivando avaliar efeitos de períodos de infestação inicial na comunidade infestante e na produtividade da beterraba em sistema de semeadura direta e transplantio, conduziu-se um experimento em delineamento de blocos casualizados, esquema fatorial 2 x 13. Métodos de semeadura direta e transplante de mudas foram avaliados dentro de 13 períodos semanais crescentes de infestação. Importância relativa, densidade e matéria seca acumulada pelas plantas daninhas foram analisadas por regressão não-linear, assim como produtividade e estande da cultura de beterraba, que foram submetidos à análise de variância. Amaranthus viridis, Coronopus didymus, Cyperus rotundus, Digitaria nuda, Galinsoga parviflora e Nicandra physaloides foram as plantas daninhas mais importantes, destacando-se C. didymus. O acúmulo de matéria seca das plantas daninhas foi maior na cultura em semeadura direta, embora a densidade de plantas daninhas tenha sido mais alta em sistema de transplantio. A produtividade da beterraba transplantada foi maior que a da semeadura direta no tratamento livre de plantas daninhas. A convivência das plantas daninhas com a cultura pode permanecer por quatro e sete semanas depois da semeadura/transplantio, respectivamente, antes de reduzir a produtividade. A cultura em sistema de semeadura direta foi mais susceptível à interferência das plantas daninhas que a cultura sob sistema de transplantio.

Ultrasonographic monitoring of early pregnancy development in Murrah buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Early juvenile development of Armases rubripes (Rathbun 1897) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Sesarmidae) and comments on the morphology of the megalopa and first crab

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The megalopa and early juvenile development of Hepatus pudibundus (Crustacea: Brachyura: Aethroidea) reared from neuston samples

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

THE RATE of FORCE DEVELOPMENT OBTAINED AT EARLY CONTRACTION PHASE IS NOT INFLUENCED BY ACTIVE STATIC STRETCHING

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Unusual early morning development of the equatorial anomaly in the Brazilian sector during the Halloween magnetic storm

The solar events that occurred at the end of October 2003 gave rise to very strong geomagnetic disturbances that peaked twice with Dst values reaching -345 nT around 0000 UT on 30 October and -400 nT around 2300 UT, on the same day. Disturbances in several ionospheric parameters were observed over Brazil. This work will focus on the ionospheric response to the initial westward prompt penetration electric field and on the strong intensification of the equatorial ionization anomaly that occurred because of the electric field polarity reversal that followed in the early morning hours of 29 October. The F layer peak height over the equator first decreased under the strong prompt penetration westward electric field, which was followed by significant height increase under eastward electric field. We have used Sheffield University Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model (SUPIM) with an intensified westward disturbed electric field in the presunrise hours, presumably due to prompt penetration from the magnetosphere, in order to study the effect of such a field in the ionosphere. The simulation results showed that prompt penetration of magnetospheric electric fields of westward polarity to the nightside equatorial region seems to be the most probable cause of the initial F layer height decreases. The intensification of the equatorial ionization anomaly and the unusual enhancement on F layer peak density, which was not modeled by the SUPIM, are explained as caused by the strong eastward electric field that followed the initial phase in combination with a highly variable disturbed meridional/transequatorial wind system as inferred from the F2 layer peak height variations. The highly dynamic wind pattern, with a short-term response (2-4 hours), is compatible with the predictions of some previous theoretical model calculations reported in the literature.

Floral development and embryology in the early-divergent grass Pharus

A detailed study of floral ontogeny, anatomy, and embryology in two (of six) species of Pharus is presented as part of a series of comparative investigations on early-divergent grasses. Pharus is a taxonomically isolated genus belonging to the earliest-diverging grass lineage with a true grass spikelet. It is unusual in possessing remarkably dimorphic florets: male florets possess two lodicules, six stamens, and a pistillode, whereas female florets lack lodicules entirely but possess six staminodes and a tricarpellary ovary with three stigmas. The rudimentary lodicules in male florets are initiated after the stamen whorls. There are most commonly six androecial organs, but in some florets, a five-staminate condition was observed, resulting from suppression of the abaxial stamen from the inner whorl, or even a four-staminate condition resulting from subsequent fusion of the two adaxial outer stamens (i.e., elements of both whorls). Thus, the pattern of floral zygomorphy in Pharus differs from that of many other grasses. Centrifixed anther attachment is reported for the first time in Pharus, resembling the condition in another early-divergent grass, Anomochloa, though anthers are introrse in Anomochloa compared with latrorse in Pharus. Anther wall development is of the reduced type in Pharus, in contrast to most other monocots. Microsporogenesis is of the successive type, as in many other monocots. The ovary develops from three distinct primordia and is unilocular with a single ovule and a pronounced ovary beak that is highly characteristic of Pharus. There is a hollow style, in contrast to the solid styles that are common in many other grasses. The embryo is highly differentiated, as in other grasses, with a distinct epiblast and a small cleft between the scutellum and the coleorhiza.