"I like my beer cold, my TV loud, and my homosexuals flaming!" : preference for stereotype consistency as a function of a person x situation interaction /

The study centers on the power of Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) as predictors of prejudice against stereotypical and nonstereotypical homosexuals under the threat of death and the threat of uncertainty. Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) is an individual difference variable that measures the tendency for individuals to unquestionably follow those perceived to be authorities. Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) is an individual difference variable that measures the degree to which an individual prefers inequality among social groups. The RWA and SDO Scales are considered to be two of the strongest predictors of prejudice, such as prejudice against homosexuals. The study focuses on the unique predictive power of these two variables in predicting prejudice against homosexuals. The study also examines the role of situational threat in prejudice, specifically the threat of death (mortality salience) and the threat of uncertainty (uncertainty salience). Competing predictions from theories involving the threat of death (Terror Management Theory) and the threat of uncertainty (Uncertainty Management Theory) are also tested. The preference for expected information in the form of stereotypes concerning male homosexuals (that is, a stereotypical or non-stereotypical homosexual) were tested. The difference between the predictive power ofRWA and SDO was examined by measuring how these variables predict liking of a stereotypical or non-stereotypical homosexual under the threat of death, the threat of uncertainty, or a control condition. Along with completing a measure for RWA and a measure for SDO, participants were asked to think of their own death, of their being uncertain or about watching television then were asked to read about a week in the life of either a stereotypical or non-stereotypical male homosexual. Participants were then asked to evaluate the individual and his essay. Based on the participants' evaluations, results from 180 heterosexual university students show that RWA and SDO are strong predictors for disliking of a stereotypical homosexual under the threat of uncertainty and disliking of a non-stereotypical homosexual under the threat of death. Furthermore, however, results show that RWA is a particularly strong predictor of disliking of a stereotypical homosexual under the threat of uncertainty, whereas SDO is an exceptionally strong predictor of disliking of the non-stereotypical homosexual under the threat of death. This further adds to the notion that RWA and SDO are indeed unique predictors of prejudice. Implications are also explored, including the fact that the study simuhaneously examined the role of individual difference variables and situational threat variables, as well as exploratory analysis on Dominating Authoritarians.

Effect of species and genotype on the efficiency of enrichment of poultry meat with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

The effect of poultry species (broiler or turkey) and genotype (Wrolstad or BUT T8 turkeys and Ross 308 or Cobb 500 broilers) on the efficiency with which dietary longchain n-3 PUFA were incorporated into poultry meat was determined. Broilers and turkeys of both genotypes were fed one of six diets varying in FA composition (two replicates per genotype x diet interaction). Diets contained 50 g/kg added oil, which was either blended vegetable oil (control), or partially replaced with linseed oil (20 or 40 g/kg diet), fish oil (20 or 40 g/kg diet), or a mixture of the two (20 g linseed oil and 20 g fish oil/kg diet). Feeds and samples of skinless breast and thigh meat were analyzed for FA. Wrolstad dark meat was slightly more responsive than BUT T8 (P = 0.046) to increased dietary 18:3 concentrations (slopes of 0.570 and 0.465, respectively). The Ross 308 was also slightly more responsive than the Cobb 500 (P= 0.002) in this parameter (slopes of 0.557 and 0.449). There were no other significant differences between the genotypes. There was some evidence (based on the estimates of the slopes and their associated standard errors) that white turkey meat was more responsive than white chicken meat to 20:5 (slopes of 0.504 and 0.289 for turkeys and broilers, respectively). There was no relationship between dietary 18:3 n-3 content and meat 20:5 and 22:6 contents. If birds do convert 18:3 to higher FA, these acids are not then deposited in the edible tissues.

Effect of mountain breeze in ventilating the city under calm and neutral atmospheric environment: Interaction of airflow structures and ventilation efficiency

Many modern cities locate in the mountainous areas, like Hong Kong, Phoenix City and Los Angles. It is confirmed in the literature that the mountain wind system developed by differential heating or cooling can be very beneficial in ventilating the city nearby and alleviating the UHI effect. However, the direct interaction of mountain wind with the natural-convection circulation due to heated urban surfaces has not been studied, to our best knowledge. This kind of unique interaction of two kinds of airflow structures under calm and neutral atmospheric environment is investigated in this paper by CFD approach. A physical model comprising a simple mountain and three long building blocks (forming two street canyons) is firstly developed. Different airflow structures are identified within the conditions of different mountain-building height ratios (R=Hm/Hb) by varying building height but fixing mountain height. It is found that the higher ventilation rate in the street canyons is expected in the cases of smaller mountain-building ratios, indicating the stronger natural convection due to increasing heated building surfaces. However, there is the highest air change rate (ACH) in the lowest-building-height case and most of the air is advective into the street canyon through the top open area, highlighting the important role played by the mountain wind. In terms of the ventilation efficiency, it is shown that the smallest R case enjoys the best air change efficiency followed by the highest R case, while the worst ventilative street canyons occur at the middle R case. In the end, a gap across the streets is introduced in the modeling. The existence of the gap can greatly channel the mountain wind and distribute the air into streets nearby. Thus the ACH can be doubled and air quality can be significantly improved.

PPARGC1A sequence variation and cardiovascular risk-factor levels: a study of the main genetic effects and gene x environment interactions in children from the European Youth Heart Study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The PPARGC1A gene coactivates multiple nuclear transcription factors involved in cellular energy metabolism and vascular stasis. In the present study, we genotyped 35 tagging polymorphisms to capture all common PPARGC1A nucleotide sequence variations and tested for association with metabolic and cardiovascular traits in 2,101 Danish and Estonian boys and girls from the European Youth Heart Study, a multicentre school-based cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS: Fasting plasma glucose concentrations, anthropometric variables and blood pressure were measured. Habitual physical activity and aerobic fitness were objectively assessed using uniaxial accelerometry and a maximal aerobic exercise stress test on a bicycle ergometer, respectively. RESULTS: In adjusted models, nominally significant associations were observed for BMI (rs10018239, p = 0.039), waist circumference (rs7656250, p = 0.012; rs8192678 [Gly482Ser], p = 0.015; rs3755863, p = 0.02; rs10018239, beta = -0.01 cm per minor allele copy, p = 0.043), systolic blood pressure (rs2970869, p = 0.018) and fasting glucose concentrations (rs11724368, p = 0.045). Stronger associations were observed for aerobic fitness (rs7656250, p = 0.005; rs13117172, p = 0.008) and fasting glucose concentrations (rs7657071, p = 0.002). None remained significant after correcting for the number of statistical comparisons. We proceeded by testing for gene x physical activity interactions for the polymorphisms that showed nominal evidence of association in the main effect models. None of these tests was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Variants at PPARGC1A may influence several metabolic traits in this European paediatric cohort. However, variation at PPARGC1A is unlikely to have a major impact on cardiovascular or metabolic health in these children.

Temporal stability for unpredictable annual climatic variability for Hevea genotype selection

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

Avaliação final de clones IAC de cana-de-açúcar da série 1982, em latossolo roxo da região de Ribeirão Preto

Doze clones de cana-de-açúcar, provenientes de hibridações realizadas em 1982, foram avaliados em três experimentos, em latossolo roxo, da região de Ribeirão Preto (SP). Para tanto, utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com seis repetições, efetuando-se a análise estatística com a média das quatro colheitas (1. º, 2.º, 3.º e 4.º cortes). Avaliaram-se as produtividades de cana e açúcar, pol% cana, fibra% cana, população de colmos e intensidade de florescimento. Considerando-se essas características, assim como a curva de maturação dos clones, e tomando-se como padrões as variedades SP70-1143, SP71-1406, IAC64-257 e RB76-5418, o clone IAC82-2045 apresentou um desempenho equivalente, caracterizando-se como material de alta produtividade agrícola, boa riqueza, com a maturação do meio para o final de safra, podendo ser incluído em novos estudos de manejo varietal para outras condições paulistas. Ainda se destacou, com algumas restrições, indicadas pela interação ambiente x clone para a produtividade agrícola, o clone IAC82-2120, com boa riqueza e possibilidade de ser colhido a partir de junho. Estimando-se os parâmetros genéticos, observou-se, mediante a componente da variância genótipo x ambiente, a significativa resposta dos genótipos a ambientes específicos, mais acentuadamente para os caracteres produtivi-dade agrícola e produtividade média de açúcar, e menos expressiva para teor de sacarose.

Correlações entre parâmetros de adaptabilidade e estabilidade da produtividade de óleo em soja

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Interacción genotipo x ambiente sobre el peso al destete de bovinos nelore en Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Heritability for resistance to Puccinia psidii Winter rust in Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden in Southwestern Brazil

The climates of the central and southern regions of São Paulo state in Brazil favor pathogens such as Puccinia psidii Winter, which causes a common and severe disease in Eucalyptus plantations under 2 years old. We studied genetic parameters including genotype by environment interaction (G × E) of resistance to P. psidii rust in Eucalyptus grandis at nine sites in São Paulo State. Open-pollinated progeny from ten 'provenances' were established in a randomized complete block design; at individual sites there were from 134 to 160 progenies, from four to eight blocks, and five to six trees per plot. Significant provenance and progeny(provenance) differences were detected, as was G × E involving progeny(provenance). However, the G × E involved little if any rank changes, indicating that selection can be done efficiently at a single site, if the disease level is sufficient. The estimated coefficient of genetic variation among the progeny within provenances CVg was high and variable among the sites (ranging from 11 % to 36. 7 %), demonstrating different expression of genetic variability among the sites. The estimated heritability at the individual-tree level h2 and within a plot hw 2 ranged from low to intermediate (ranging from 0. 04 to 0. 46) and was high at the progeny-mean level hf 2 (ranging from 0. 30 to 0. 86). Our study shows good prospects of controlling this disease by selection among and within progenies in a single site. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Estudo da interação genótipo-ambiente por meio de modelos de normas de reação em bovinos de corte da raça Nelore

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Interação genótipo – ambiente no peso ao sobreano na raça Nelore

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

Capacidade combinatória de linhagens e seleção de híbridos de sorgo sacarino

Sweet sorghum figure as an alternative feedstock for ethanol production. The establishment of this culture in Brazilian production chain depends on the development of more productive and adapted cultivars. The aim of this study was to evaluate the general combining ability (GCA) of sweet sorghum lines and specific combining ability (SCA) of hybrid combinations as the agronomic and technological traits, and additionally to identify promising hybrid combinations for evaluation in advanced trials. Five restorer lines (R) and four male-sterile lines (A) were used in a partial cross diallel yielding 20 hybrids. The parental lines, hybrids and one check were evaluated in experiments carried out in a rectangular lattice design 5x6 with three replicates in two locations. The following traits were measured: flowering time, plant height, green mass yield, dry matter percentage, dry matter yield, juice extraction, total soluble solids content, sucrose content, purity, reducing sugars content, fiber content, sugars reducing total content, total recoverable sugars, hydrous ethanol, tons of per hectare, and ethanol production. There were differences between locations and genotypes for the traits. There was a significant effect of the genotype by environment interaction for most characters, except juice extraction, purity and reducing sugars content. There were a significant effect of GCA and SCA for most traits, indicating that additive and non-additive effects affect the phenotypic expression. Considering the effects of the GCA, the A line 201402B022-A, and R lines BRS 511, CMSXS643, and CMSXS646 were considered promising for exploration as parents in breeding programs of sweet sorghum in order to increase the ethanol production and the quality of the feedstock.The hybrids 201402B010-A x BRS 511, 201402B010-A x BRS 508, 201402B010-A x CMSXS646, 201402B022-A x BRS 511, 201402B022-A x CMSXS643, 201402B022-A x CMSXS646, 201402B022-A x CMSXS647 were the most promising for ethanol yield.

Seleção individual com teste de progênies em crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Agricultura) - FCA

Milho alto óleo - parâmetros genéticos, correlações entre modelos fixo e misto e seleção

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Studio di caratteri correlati a stress idrico in una collezione di cultivar di frumento duro (Triticum durum Desf.)

L’agricoltura si trova ad affrontare una diminuzione della disponibilità d’acqua ed una crescente domanda della produzione di cereali per scopi alimentari. Sono perciò necessarie strategie di coltivazione innovative per migliorare la produttività e nuovi genotipi migliorati nell'efficienza dell’uso delle risorse in condizioni di siccità. Questi rappresentano gli obietti principali del progetto “DROPS” (Drought tolerant yielding Plants) all’interno del quale ha avuto luogo il mio progetto di Dottorato. La mia attività di ricerca è stata svolta come segue: 1. Caratterizzazione molecolare di un panel di188 accessioni di frumento duro con marcatori SSR e DaRT; 2. Esperimenti in serra su 100 accessioni del panel per valutare la Water-Use Efficiency (WUE) in sei repliche secondo un Alpha Lattice design; 3. Prove sul campo, effettuate secondo un Alpha Lattice design, in due stagioni di crescita: a. 2010/11, valutazione di 100 accessioni presso l’Azienda sperimentale dell'Università di Cadriano (BO); b. 2011/12, valutazione del panel completo in 3 ambienti, con due diversi regimi irrigui In entrambi gli anni, abbiamo valutato caratteri agronomici correlati con il ciclo di sviluppo, la resa di granella e sue componenti, nonché diversi fattori ambientali e del suolo. Per quanto riguarda WUE, abbiamo trovato differenze altamente significative tra accessioni; inoltre, cinque accessioni hanno mostrato elevati valori di WUE e cinque accessioni valori molto bassi di WUE in tutte e sei le repliche. Gli esperimenti di campo nelle stagioni 2011 e 2012 hanno evidenziato differenze altamente significative tra le accessioni del panel per la maggior parte dei caratteri analizzati, confermando inoltre che il panel di fiorisce entro una settimana. L'esperimento del secondo anno ci ha permesso osservare un significativa interazione Genotipo X Ambiente. Questi risultati saranno integrati con ulteriori analisi QTL, per identificare regioni cromosomiche coinvolte nel controllo genetico dei caratteri di interesse e verificare la stabilità dei QTL in diversi ambienti.