Whole-Exome Sequencing Study of Thyrotropin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas

学位記番号：医博甲169

Farmers\u27 Perception on the Performance of Different Rice Varieties in Kapilvastu District, Nepal

Rice is the major staple food crop in Nepal. To date, several rice varieties have been developed and released in Nepal. However, rice production is far below in comparison with its production potential. A household survey was conducted in Bangaganga municipality of Kapilvastu district in 2018 to assess farmers\u27 perception on performance of four different rice varieties (Radha-4, Ramdhan, Gorakhnath, and Sawa). The data were collected from a total of 120 rice farmers (randomly selected) using the interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Likert scale, and indexing technique. Statistical analysis showed that the Ramdhan variety had the highest yield (4.95 t/ha), whereas Radha-4 had the lowest yield (3.15 t/ha). The most disease and drought-tolerant variety, as perceived by the farmers, was Radha-4. Smut and Khaira were perceived as the primary diseases whereas Brown planthopper and Rice Gundhi bug were the most important insects of all studied rice varieties. The study recommended that the plant breeders should focus on developing site-specific rice varieties to meet the multiple concerns of the farmers, such as higher yield and stress-tolerant. The farmers should be made aware of varietal selection and crop pest management techniques via training programs, which further helps to reduce the yield gap between farmers\u27 field and research field

Acoustic communication and behaviour of the golden haired pine bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Zoology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The golden-haired bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) imposes significant threats to New Zealand pine log exports. To date, control strategies against this invasive insect have relied heavily upon fumigation treatments. However, novel environmentally friendly and cost-effective strategies that decrease reliance on fumigants and can be used as part of an integrated package of disinfestation methods are urgently needed. The adults of H. ligniperda produce characteristic and species-specific sounds when disturbed or aggregated. Males produce distinct audible simple and interrupted chirps using an elytral abdominal stridulatory mechanism whereby the pars stridens, usually present on the left elytrum, are scrapped by the sclerotized pegs present on the seventh segment of the abdominal tergite, whereas the females (despite having a similar stridulatory mechanism) just produce a click-like sound. Although the ability to produce sounds by H. ligniperda has been acknowledged for decades, nothing is yet known as to the relevance of acoustics on the behaviour of this species. Thus, the main objective of this thesis was to study the sound-related behaviours of H. ligniperda under various scenarios (i.e. distress, mating, competition territoriality and colony) and to investigate the functions and characteristics (temporal and spectral) of the acoustic signals produced by this insect and their role in intraspecific communication. Our results indicate that the role of sound in communication in the case of H. ligniperda is oriented more towards communication between the sexes rather than within individuals of the same sex. Depending upon the scenarios studied, the males of H. ligniperda can produce different frequencies of acoustic signals, ranging from 232 Hz to 21890 Hz. The minimum and maximum amplitudes of male acoustic signals (chirps) were highest in a colony context (-661270 and 764270), and lowest during competition (-12633 and 190383). The males did not produce any sounds (chirp) during mating. Similarly, the spectral analysis indicated that the females can produce acoustic signals of different frequencies in the range from 256 Hz to 23875 Hz. The minimum and maximum amplitudes of the female acoustic signals (clicks) were highest during competition (-189034 and 1041600) and lowest when they were distressed (-275112 and 191270). Toothstrike duration for male chirps (0.047 sec) and click duration for female clicks (0.012 sec) were longest when the beetles were distressed. When distressed, the males produced a significantly higher number of simple chirps with a longer chirp duration and higher toothstrike rate. Similar patterns were observed for distressed females, that produced significantly higher number of clicks with a longer click duration. The role of interrupted chirps for distressed males was minor. However, in a mating context, the interrupted chirps seemed to play a more significant role in communication than the simple chirps. Courtship displays were carried out by the males when the female was a virgin and never occurred when the female was already mated by a different male. The duration of the courtship displays was affected by competition between males. Mating time was also affected by the presence of competing males. When there were no males competing for a female in a mating trial, the duration of the courtship and of the mating was found to be comparatively longer than in the presence of competing males. Although H. ligniperda was previously reported as a monogamous species, the observations of this thesis indicate that this insect is a polygamous species with the ability to mate multiple times with multiple partners. This study provides a good example of acoustics research in insects and a proof- of-concept for future research on acoustics as a deterrent or behaviour-modifying tool for H. ligniperda control

Exploiting rules and processes for increasing flexibility in service composition

Recent trends in the use of service oriented architecture for designing, developing, managing, and using distributed applications have resulted in an increasing number of independently developed and physically distributed services. These services can be discovered, selected and composed to develop new applications and to meet emerging user requirements. Service composition is generally defined on the basis of business processes in which the underlying composition logic is guided by specifying control and data flows through Web service interfaces. User demands as well as the services themselves may change over time, which leads to replacing or adjusting the composition logic of previously defined processes. Coping with change is still one of the fundamental problems in current process based composition approaches. In this paper, we exploit declarative and imperative design styles to achieve better flexibility in service composition

Pesticides handling practices among potato growers in Kavrepalanchok, Nepal

The rate of pesticide application in the agricultural field is surging. Farmers are getting exposed to pesticide hazards from the misuse and unsafe handling of pesticides. The study was conducted among 101 potato growers in Kaverpalanchok district of Nepal in 2018. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, status, and pesticide handling practices among potato growers. Around 94% farmers applied pesticides against early and late blight. Only 5% growers treated seed before potato sowing. About 93 and 73% farmers sprayed pesticides 2-10 times/season into the field and spent 2-6 hours/pesticide spray respectively. More than 2/3rd growers did not read the pesticide labels, and nearly 95% growers received information on pesticide applications from agrovet rather than authorized government bodies. Only 13% farmers had received Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training. However, 1/4th of them had practiced IPM techniques. The majority of the growers used masks, rubber boots, and long-sleeved clothes during pesticide handling. Nearly 2/3rd growers threw pesticide containers anywhere in the environment. Concerned authorities should provide IPM training, skill-building programs on pesticide handling and awareness on waiting period and environmental hazards to avoid pesticide risk

Farmers’ perception on the performance of different rice varieties in Kapilvastu district, Nepal

Rice is the major staple food crop in Nepal. To date, several rice varieties have been developed and released in Nepal. However, rice production is far below in comparison with its production potential. A household survey was conducted in Bangaganga municipality of Kapilvastu district in 2018 to assess farmers’ perception on performance of four different rice varieties (Radha-4, Ramdhan, Gorakhnath, and Sawa). The data were collected from a total of 120 rice farmers (randomly selected) using the interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Likert scale, and indexing technique. Statistical analysis showed that the Ramdhan variety had the highest yield (4.95 t/ha), whereas Radha-4 had the lowest yield (3.15 t/ha). The most disease and drought-tolerant variety, as perceived by the farmers, was Radha-4. Smut and Khaira were perceived as the primary diseases whereas Brown planthopper and Rice Gundhi bug were the most important insects of all studied rice varieties. The study recommended that the plant breeders should focus on developing site-specific rice varieties to meet the multiple concerns of the farmers, such as higher yield and stress-tolerant. The farmers should be made aware of varietal selection and crop pest management techniques via training programs, which further helps to reduce the yield gap between farmers’ field and research field

Trade Liberalization and Poverty in Nepal: an Applied General Equilibrium Analysis

Nepal aggressively liberalized its foreign trade during the 1990s. This paper attempts to estimate the impact of trade liberalization on household welfare and poverty in Nepal through the construction of a regional CGE model. The model disaggregates factors of production - capital, land, and labor - by region (urban, Terai and hills/mountains) in order to establish direct links between sector of activity, factor remuneration, and household income. In particular, certain activities are more intensive in factors from a given region (e.g. the manufacturing sector is more intensive in urban factors of production and the agriculture sector is more intensive in Terai factor of production). Regional factor remuneration in turn maps into regional household income. We find that trade liberalization reduces the nominal returns to urban factors of production in comparison with rural factors of production, resulting in a reduction in the relative income of urban households. Rural and urban households consume roughly the same share of industrial goods, but rural households consume relatively more agricultural goods and fewer services. As the fall in consumer prices in the latter two sectors are similar, there is little rural-urban difference in the variation in consumer price indices. Consumer prices generally fall in roughly the same proportion as nominal incomes such that there are negligible welfare changes. However, poverty falls substantially, with the greatest impact in rural Terai, followed by the rural hills and the mountain region, and least in urban areas.Computable general equilibrium modeling, international trade, poverty, Nepal