Egg hatchability has been correlated with many factors, including clutch size, presence of helpers, timing of breeding and predation risk. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than in a wildland population, but the reasons for this pattern are unclear. An analysis of long-term demographic data on scrub-jays in both habitats revealed the factors that best explained variation in hatching failure, and an experiment tested whether two potential site factors, ambient temperature and predation risk, could increase hatching failure in the suburbs. Although a global model was best supported by the data for occurrence of partial hatching failure (PHF), clutch size and site were the most significant parameters in this model, which is consistent with the analysis of rates of PHF. I further examined two potential site differences, ambient temperature and predation risk, which might increase PHF in the suburbs. Human activity may increase the perception of predation risk, thus suburban jays may take fewer, longer off-bouts or make fewer incubation feedings to decrease this perceived risk. These behavioral changes may increase nest temperature, thus increase embryo mortality. I placed thermocouples and video cameras at nests during incubation to gauge both ambient and nest temperature and behavior of scrub-jays at each site. I predicted higher ambient temperatures in the suburbs, because suburban areas often serve as heat islands. I also predicted fewer, longer off-bouts and fewer feedings in the suburbs and where human activity was increased experimentally. Ambient temperatures were higher in the suburbs as a result of higher daily minimums rather than higher maximums. Furthermore, females exposed to increased human activity took fewer but not longer off-bouts than suburban or wildland controls; therefore, they increased their nest attentiveness.

<p>Pectinases are a group of enzymes produced by bacteria, fungi, higher plants and animals. Pectinases can modify and degrade pectins, a class of heterogeneous and multifunctional polysaccharides present in middle lamellae and primary cell walls of plants. Pectins have been showed to play diverse roles in cell physiology, growth, adhesion and separation. Pectinases are used technically in the processing of fiber production and fruit juice or wine making. We have studied the mechanisms and applications of pectinases, especially in retting, a microbiological process where bast fibers in flax and other bast fiber cultivars are released from each other and from the woody core.</p><p>A strong correlation was found between the ability to perform retting and the degradation of sparsely esterified pectin, a substrate of polygalacturonase. This led to the conclusion that polygalacturonase plays a key role in the enzymatic retting of flax. We purified and characterized an extracellular polygalacturonase produced by Rhizopus oryzae, a very potent retting organism. The purified enzyme which appeared to be the single active component in retting, has non-methylated polygalacturonan as its preferred substrate. Peptide sequences indicate that the enzyme, like another polygalacturonase (EC. 3.2.1.15), belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 28. It contains, however, an N-terminal sequence absent from other fungal pectinases, but present in an enzyme from the phytopathogenic bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum.</p><p>Our finding that removal of calcium ions from the plant material by pre-incubation in dilute acid in enzymatic retting could reduce enzyme consumption by several orders of magnitude, improves the economical feasibility of the enzymatic retting process. Comparisons with different acids showed that the action was mainly pH dependent.</p><p>Pectinases were employed as analytical tools in a study of stored wood discoloration and, together with cellulases, in a mechanical process for making pulp from flax and hemp in paper production. </p>

Pectinases are a group of enzymes produced by bacteria, fungi, higher plants and animals. Pectinases can modify and degrade pectins, a class of heterogeneous and multifunctional polysaccharides present in middle lamellae and primary cell walls of plants. Pectins have been showed to play diverse roles in cell physiology, growth, adhesion and separation. Pectinases are used technically in the processing of fiber production and fruit juice or wine making. We have studied the mechanisms and applications of pectinases, especially in retting, a microbiological process where bast fibers in flax and other bast fiber cultivars are released from each other and from the woody core. A strong correlation was found between the ability to perform retting and the degradation of sparsely esterified pectin, a substrate of polygalacturonase. This led to the conclusion that polygalacturonase plays a key role in the enzymatic retting of flax. We purified and characterized an extracellular polygalacturonase produced by Rhizopus oryzae, a very potent retting organism. The purified enzyme which appeared to be the single active component in retting, has non-methylated polygalacturonan as its preferred substrate. Peptide sequences indicate that the enzyme, like another polygalacturonase (EC. 3.2.1.15), belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 28. It contains, however, an N-terminal sequence absent from other fungal pectinases, but present in an enzyme from the phytopathogenic bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum. Our finding that removal of calcium ions from the plant material by pre-incubation in dilute acid in enzymatic retting could reduce enzyme consumption by several orders of magnitude, improves the economical feasibility of the enzymatic retting process. Comparisons with different acids showed that the action was mainly pH dependent. Pectinases were employed as analytical tools in a study of stored wood discoloration and, together with cellulases, in a mechanical process for making pulp from flax and hemp in paper production.

Fixed nitrogen is important as a nutrient for organic matter formation and as an electron donor (nitrification) and acceptor (denitrification) for energy generation, but it is scarcely available in aquatic systems. Nitrification oxidizes ammonium to nitrite and nitrate. Denitrification uses these fixed species to form dinitrogen gas. The classic understanding of the nitrogen cycle requires dissolved oxygen for nitrification and assumes denitrification reduces nitrate to dinitrogen through various intermediates in anaerobic conditions. The global nitrogen budget is imbalanced with more marine denitrification measrued than previously estimated in the classic nitrogen cycle, suggesting alternative anaerobic nitrification and denitrification pathways exist. One alternative denitrification pathway is anammox, which directly oxidizes ammonium to dinitrogen with nitrite as the electron acceptor. Other alternative pathways for both nitrification and denitrification involve redox metals as catalysts. Manganese-catalyzed anaerobic nitrification and denitrification are thermodynamically favorable at neutral pH. However, experimental evidence for these processes is still lacking. This investigation seeks to uncover evidence of manganese-catalyzed nitrification and denitrification in saltmarsh sediments. Batch reactors with anaerobic sediment slurries from a saltmarsh in coastal Georgia were incubated in the presence and absence of colloidal manganese oxides and isotope-labeled ammonium and nitrate to trace dinitrogen formation. Results show that denitrification is more prominent in the manganese-treated reactors and that the classic denitrification pathway may not be substantial in shallow saltmarsh sediments. These data indicate that anammox and/or manganese-coupled denitrification are major contributors to the removal of fixed nitrogen. Ammonium removal in the manganese-treated reactors is accompanied by a high nitrite production compared to the nitrogen-only treatment, indicating manganese-coupled denitrification exists and/or anammox is promoted in the presence of manganese. Primary productivity is generally high in saltmarshes, but oxygen penetrates less than a few millimeters in the sediment. These observations suggest that oxygenic nitrification does not fuel denitrification below the sediment-water interface. The data show that manganese may play a role in the formation of nitrite and nitrate in oxygen-limited sediments.

In order to relieve small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the predicament of inadequate capital and immature technology in the beginning of new ventures as well as to realize sustainable business development, Taiwan gevernment has been heavily investing in many universities to set up incubation centers in the hope to provide start-ups abundant resources with the help of academic institution¡¦s counseling expertise; therefore, the cost and risk for start-ups in the beginning of new venture and R&D phase can be reduced and more sound and competitive SMEs could be incubated under the tutelage of incubation centers. The study mainly discusses the relationship between key success factors (KSFs) of high-tech start-ups and the counseling resources from incubation centers. Firstly, the study establishes the structure of empirical study based on the collection and discussion of domestic and foreign literatures. Since the counselling clients of incubation centers majorly consist of start-ups, the study adopts in-depth interviews to investigate these start-ups via case study. By organizing and analyzing the in-depth interviews with start-ups, the study tries to investigate the relationship between two fundimental dimentions of resources from incubation centers and enterprise characteristics, as well as the performance and competitiveness in start-ups. The objectives of this sudy are to: 1.Understand how incubation centers utilize the relevant resources from government to nurture start-ups. 2.Investigate how the resource platform of incubation center guides the KSFs of high-tech start-ups. 3.Evaluate what the three dimensional roles of resources, innovation, and values play in the competitive strategy of high-tech start-ups, and find out the KSFs therein and their future prospects. 4.Understand how start-ups and entrepreneurship influence the success of the business.

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Temperature is arguably the most important abiotic factor influencing the embryonic development in ectothermic species. Incubation temperature has demonstrated effects on offspring phenotypes in ectotherms, including traits such as sex, size, shape, colouration and post-hatch growth and survival. However, in endotherms the influence temperature has on development is relatively unexplored due to the narrow range of temperatures that embryonic endotherms are exposed to during develop. Megapode birds utilize environmental heat sources to incubate their eggs and therefore provide a potential model to test how temperature influences embryonic development and offspring phenotypes in endotherms. I used the Australian Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami), a megapode bird that incubates its eggs in mounds of soil and leaf litter to investigate the effects of temperature on embryonic development and chick morphology. Previous reports of Australian Brush-turkey incubation mound temperatures relied on spot measurements and theoretical modeling and thus have not provided a comprehensive examination of the range of temperatures Brush-turkey embryos are exposed to and how these might vary during the course of incubation. Therefore to examine the range of temperatures experienced by developing embryos I continuously recorded the temperature of eggs and mound material at naturally occurring positions within incubation mounds over the full developmental period. As in previous studies I found the average incubation temperature to be about 34°C, however egg temperatures typically fluctuated more than previously reported or predicted from modeling. The thermal tolerance of Brush-turkeys is remarkable compared to non-megapode birds, with embryos developing successfully despite prolonged exposure to sub-optimal temperatures over the range 25-40°C. I also demonstrated that the incubation period was negatively correlated with mean incubation temperature. To simplify the examination of temperature effects on embryonic development, constant temperature artificial incubation of Brush-turkey eggs was used to determine influence of incubation temperature on the energetics of embryonic development and the sex ratio, morphology and chemical composition of chicks. Because initial investigation of mound temperatures determined the mean incubation temperature in Brush-turkeys to be 34°C this was used as the preferred temperature for constant temperature incubation with 32°C and 36°C representing low and high temperatures respectively. Previously, the sex ratio of Brush-turkey chicks at hatching was shown to be temperature dependent. A thermally sensitive period early in development resulted in more females hatching from high temperature and more males hatching from low temperatures with an equal ratio at the preferred temperature. Using molecular sexing techniques to determine the sex of both failed embryos and chicks that hatched, I established that at laying the sex ratio of eggs was 50:50, and that temperature-dependent sex-biased embryo mortality was the mechanism behind the skewed sex ratio of chicks hatching from non-preferred temperatures. Low incubation temperature increased female embryonic mortality and high incubation temperature increased male embryonic mortality. This represents a novel mechanism operating to alter sex ratios in a bird species and offers an unparalleled system to explore sex allocation theory. It is well established that temperature influences the rate of development and the morphology of offspring in reptilian species. Also, in a previous study using artificially incubated Brush-turkey eggs, temperature was found to affect the mass of chicks but not their size (linear dimensions). This finding suggests that at different incubation temperatures the amount of yolk converted into tissue during embryonic development is influenced by incubation temperature. I tested this hypothesis by incubating eggs at different constant temperatures and found high incubation temperatures produce chicks with lighter yolk-free bodies and heavier residual yolks but similar linear dimensions compared to chicks hatching from lower temperatures. Because eggs incubated at low temperatures have longer incubation periods, I hypothesized the proportion of lipid in the yolk-free body would be higher in chicks emerging from eggs incubated at low temperature because more time is available for the conversion of yolk to fat bodies during embryonic development. This hypothesis was not supported as the composition of yolk-free chicks (total water, lipid, protein and ash) was not temperature dependent. A previous study in Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), another megapode bird, found that the total energetic cost of production was influenced by incubation temperature. Such that embryos developing at low temperatures required 72% more energy than embryos developing at high temperatures. However these findings were contrary to expectation from studies of reptilian incubation where the energetic cost of development is independent of temperature. Therefore I tested the hypothesis that the total energetic cost of development is temperature dependent in the Australian Brush-turkey. I used bomb calorimetry to measure the energy content of freshly laid eggs and of chicks (both the yolk-free body and residual yolk) that had hatched from eggs incubated 32oC, 34oC and 36oC. I found that the total energy content of chicks at hatching was greater in chicks emerging from eggs incubated at 34oC and 36oC compared to eggs incubated at 32oC. My thesis work demonstrated that incubation temperature is more variable for Brush-turkey embryos than for non-megapode birds and that even a small difference in temperature can have important effects on chick sex ratios, morphology and energy reserves. I have shown that incubation under artificial constant temperature conditions can significantly alter the developmental trajectories and phenotypic outcomes for chicks. In addition to laboratory based work, future studies should continue to examine how embryonic development and chick attributes are influenced by temperatures experienced under natural incubation conditions. Furthermore, investigation is required to determine how incubation temperature induced differences in hatchling phenotypes influence the post-hatch grow and fitness of chicks.

abstract: With various gaps remaining in business incubation literature, developing scales that capture the multi-dimensional constructs of the incubation process remains a necessity. While living and traveling within Brazil, this author journeyed within Brazil's well-developed incubation ecosystem in order to investigate the reproducibility and validity of scales whose authors propose measure the constructs that capture the process of business incubation which were defined in their options-driven theory of business incubation as "selection performance", "monitoring and business assistance intensity", and "resource munificence". Regression analysis resulted in the data suggesting that there is no statistically significant predictive ability of the Hackett and Dilts scales when used to predict incubatee outcomes from this study's sample of incubators. The results of the analysis between total score in each of the three constructs and incubatee outcomes suggested that when the total score within the construct of selection performance increases, there tends to be a decrease in incubatee outcomes where the incubatee was surviving and growing profitably at the time of its exit from the incubator. Also, there tends to be a decrease in incubatee outcomes where the incubatee was surviving and growing on a path toward profitability at the time of the incubator exit. The results show no predictive ability of the remaining two constructs of "monitoring and business assistance intensity" and "resource munificence" to capture business incubation performance. The item specific analysis of all correlating and inter-correlating variables for each of the dependent variables, resulting in several significant relationships, however, many demonstrate negative relationships which also run contrary to the relationships proposed by Hackett and Dilts. These results have challenged both the validity of the Hackett and Dilts scale as a tool for investigating the constructs of the incubation process, and the ability of the options-driven theory to explain and predict business incubation outcomes. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Technology 2012

Within my diploma thesis I have been trying to resolve the possibilities of optimization of artificial incubation of eggs and embryos in northern pike (Esox Lucius L.) under controlled conditions during three different experiments. In the first experiment was investigated the effect of three different semination solutions to the success of incubation of eggs and embryos in northern pike. I watched the survival of eggs and embryos, larvae hatching abnormalities and biometrics of larvae. It was found that the best overall results were achieved with semination solution composed of 15 ml of chemical crystalic urea per 1 liter of water, with an appropriate amount of abnormalities and highest larvae survival. In the second experiment were performed manipulation with developing eggs at given time intervals after fertilization of eggs. I watched the survival of eggs and embryos, abnormality and biometrics of hatched larvae. It was found that the lowest survival, abnormalities, and smallest TL and W were reached during manipulations within 24 hours after fertilization. In the third experiment was investigated the effect of water temperature on the length of the incubation of eggs and embryos in northern pike. With regard to the overall survival, larvae hatching, abnormalities and size of larvae achieved the best results temperatures 6 and 10 ° C. Conversely, it is entirely unsuitable for incubation temperature of 3 ° C (lowest survival, large amounts deformities). Different incubation temperatures have also confirmed the effect of water temperature on biometrics of hatched larvae.

No contexto de universidade empreendedora, as incubadoras de empresas são um locus onde se acolhe empreendedores apoiando-os para que seus projetos tornem-se realidade através da constituição de pequenas empresas. Estar no ambiente de uma incubadora universitária de empresas significa estar próximo à universidade e tendo facilitado e estimulado o acesso e colaboração com a Academia. Se poderia questionar que efeitos o processo de incubação provoca na universidade que mantém uma incubadora de empresas e; por outro lado, que vantagens uma empresa nascente teria em estabelecer-se dentro de uma incubadora. Para subsidiar a análise dessas questões, o objetivo da presente pesquisa é analisar as interações universidade- empresa, em empresas incubadas e graduadas, que ocorrem no âmbito de uma incubadora universitária de empresas. Foi estudado o ambiente de incubação da Incubadora de Empresas de Base Tecnológica da UNISINOS, conhecida por UNITEC, através de coleta de dados via questionário submetido às empresas que estavam residentes na Incubadora no ano de 2009. Este estudo foi conduzido do ponto de vista da empresa que passa pelo processo de incubação, materializado na visão de seu empreendedor, sendo respondido por 15 empreendedores que representam 15 das empresas incubadas e graduadas residentes. Os resultados obtidos permitiram identificar: as parcerias, a receita mensal regular das empresas incubadas, o baixo nível de endividamento, e a troca de informações técnicas com outras empresas, como efeitos do processo de incubação nas empresas. Também pemitiram identificar as palestras em sala de aula, as visitas de alunos nas empresas e a consultoria prestada por alunos, como principais efeitos na Universidade. Além disso, se pode identificar que as percepções dos executivos das empresas graduadas e incubadas, divergem na maioria das questões. / Considering the entrepreneurship university context, the business incubators are a kind of locus that holds entrepreneurs, helping them to make their projects come true via the establishment of small companies. Being inside university business incubator means to have easy access and stimulated collaboration with the University. It could be asked which effects the incubation process brings to a university that holds a business incubator and, on the other hand, which advantages could be reached by a startup company settled inside an incubator. In order to support the analysis of these kinds of questions, the objective of this research is to analyze the interactions university-industry that occurs in a university business incubator. This study considers the incubation environment at UNISINOS University (located in the southern Brazil), called UNITEC, throw data collected using a questionnaire that was submitted to companies that were resident at UNITEC incubation environment at the year 2009. This whole study considers the point of view of 15 companies that were passed through incubation process, including incubated companies and also graduated ones. From the obtained results, it´s possible to indentify: the partnerships among resident companies, the recurring monthly income of incubated companies, the low level of indebtedness of all companies and, the technical information exchange among the companies, as effects from the incubation process in the resident companies. It´s also to indentify that the lectures by entrepreneurs at university classes, the students visits at companies and, consultancy services by students, as the main effects of the incubation process at the University. Besides that, it´s possible to realize that entrepreneurs from the incubated and graduated companies diverge in most questions.