Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Use of Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) Fluorometry to Measure Photosynthesis in a CAM Orchid, Dendrobium spp. (D. cv. Viravuth Pink)

Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometer techniques provide unique information on photosynthetic activity of CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) plants such as the orchid Dendrobium spp. (cv. Viravuth Pink). CAM plants close their stomata for at least part of the day, creating a sealed compartment in the stems and leaves that precludes measurement of the light reactions of photosynthesis by any gas exchange–based method. PAM machines calculate photosynthesis as the electron transport rate (ETR) through PSII (four electrons per O2 produced) as mol m−2 s−1. Photosynthesis‐versus‐irradiance (P‐vs.‐E) curves fitted the waiting‐in‐line function ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$\mathrm{ETR}\,=( \mathrm{ETR}\,_{\mathrm{max}\,}\times E/ E_{\mathrm{opt}\,}) \times e^{1-E/ E_{\mathrm{opt}\,}}$$ \end{document} ), allowing half‐saturating and optimal irradiances (Eopt) to be estimated. Effective quantum yield (Ymax), ETR (ETRmax), and the nonphotochemical quenching parameter NPQmax all vary on a diurnal (circadian) cycle, but the parameter qNmax does not show a systematic variation over a diurnal period. Dendrobium Viravuth is a “sun plant,” with Eopt between 404 and 539 μmol m−2 s−1 PAR but photosynthetic capacity is very low in the late afternoon. Total CO2 fixed nocturnally as C4‐dicarboxylic acids by leaves was only ≈120 mg C m−2 d−1. Titratable acid of leaves was depleted by ∼1500 hours and shows a classical CAM diurnal cycle. Dendrobium Viravuth stores only enough CO2 as C4 acids to account for ∼10% of the daily gross photosynthesis estimated with the PAM machine (≈1.4 g C m−2 d−1). Dendrobium Viravuth is an orchid cultivar with very limited capacity to fix and store C4 acids at night. It is probably a CAM‐cycling orchid.
Effect of Lethal and Sub-lethal Concentrations of Tobacco (Nicotiana Tobaccum) Leaf Dust Extract on Weight and Hematological Changes in Clarias Gariepinus (Burchell)

Lethal and sub-lethal bioassays on Clarias gariepinus were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) leaf dust on weight gain and haematological indices of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight 10.5±0.70g) in glass aquaria with aeration system. The concentrations used during the lethal exposure are: 2.00, 1.00, 0.50, 0.25g/l and a control (0.00g/l); while the concentrations of the toxicant used during the 21–days sub-lethal exposure were 0.30, 0.15, 0.10, 0.05g/l and a control (0.00g/l). The 48-h LC50 estimated by probit analysis during acute exposure was found to be 626.0 mg/l. The results obtained from the sub-lethal exposure showed that there was a progressive decrease in weight of fish as the concentration of the toxicant increased. Also, haematological indices indicated that the fish became anaemic and the severity of this condition was directly proportional to the tobacco dust concentrations. (Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management: 2002 6(2): 37-42)
Influences of mineral nitrogen and phosphorous fertilization on yield and yield contributing components in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Hot pepper is widely cultivated in different parts of Ethiopia but, its productivity is low due to inadequate nutrient supply, moisture and poor agronomic practices. This experiment was conducted to determine the amount of N and P nutrients required to produce optimum amount of hot pepper marketable yield. Four different rates of DAP and urea fertilizers (25, 50, 75 and 100 kg/ha and control) were used as treatments. There was significant difference (p 0.05) between the control, and plots received 25 and 75 kg/ha DAP and urea. In contrast, the amount of marketable yield harvested from an experimental plots received 50 and 100 kg of DAP and urea fertilizers per hectare were significantly different (p < 0.05) from control. Mean comparison revealed marketable yield obtained from 50, 75 and 100 kg of DAP and urea fertilizers were similar thus applying 50 kg/ha is economically better than other treatments. Liner association was observed between marketable yield and amounts of DAP and urea fertilzers treatments. A unit increament in the rate of DAP and urea application contributed for the rise of pods per plant, height, branch per plant, and marketable yield by 2.07, 2.04, 6.67 and 62.22, respectively. Key words: Hot pepper, marketable yield, mineral N and P fertilizers, yield contributors.
Survival of the blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus

Proportional survival (S) is a crucial life-history parameter in population dynamics, natural selection, and management of harvested stocks; variations in survival due to age, sex, or geographic region may have large effects on the success of managing fish stocks. The blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus, is the most abundantly harvested shark species in American fisheries. Direct estimates of survival are preferred, but all current survival estimates for this species are either focused on young-of-the-year (YOY) or based on indirect methods. The objectives of this study were to determine whether age, sex, or geographic grouping affects survival and to generate direct survival estimates based on tag-recovery data. As a byproduct of this analysis, distribution maps and descriptive data summarizing captures were included. The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has been collecting tag-recovery data since 1962 through the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program (CSTP). Models were generated from this database with program MARK, ranked in order of parsimony according to Akaike’s Information Criterion, and tested for significance of effects with likelihood ratio tests. No movement has been observed to date between the west Gulf of Mexico, east Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Atlantic, but 2 sharks tagged in the U.S. Virgin Islands were recaptured off Florida and Georgia (displacement= 1049 and 1183 n. mi., respectively). Survival did not differ significantly for males vs. females (P=0.761), east vs. west Gulf of Mexico (P=0.654), or U.S. Atlantic vs. Gulf of Mexico (P=0.243). However, significant differences were found for survival of YOY (0.580) and post-YOY (0.725) within the Gulf of Mexico (P=0.0003). These results demonstrate that survival can be modeled effectively for species in the CSTP with relatively small sample sizes. Future analyses may benefit from a length-based model, due to the difficulty in assigning life stages based on size.
Effects of substituting fish meal with Azolla pinnata in practical diets for fingerling and adult Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Abstract. Dry and fresh Azolla pinnata were evaluated as feed ingredients for fingerling and adult Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Dry Azolla was incorporated into practical diets containing approximately 30% crude protein and 360–400kcal/lOOg of GE lo replace 25,50,75 and 100% of the fish meal (FM) protein in the control diet. Fresh Azolla was also tested as a total diet for these fish. Formulated diets were fed to duplicate groups of fingerling (2–54g ± 0093) and adult (4033g ± 103) fish at a daily rate of 5% and 3% of their body weight respectively for 10 weeks. Growth and feed utilization efficiency of fish fed the control diet were significantly higher than of those fed Azolla-supplemented diets. Fish performance continued to deteriorate with increasing dietary Azolla level in the diets. This reduction was extremely sharp when dry and fresh Azolla were used as total diets. Furthermore, adult tilapia fed fresh Azolla started losing weight from the 7th week. Fish fed fresh Azolla had significantly higher moisture content than those fed formulated diets. Body protein and lipid contents were negatively correlated with Azolla levels in the diets, while body ash content showed a positive correlation. Results of this study indicate that young Nile tilapia utilizes Azolla more efficiently than the adults.
Fueling phocids: Divergent exploitation of primary energy sources and parallel ontogenetic diet switches among three species of subarctic seals

Determining how marine predators partition resources is hindered by the difficulty in obtaining information on diet and distribution. Stable isotopes (SI) of carbon (13C/12C, δ13C) and nitrogen (15N/14N, δ15N) provide a two-dimensional estimate of the dietary space of consumers; an animal's isotopic composition is directly influenced by what they consume and where they feed. Harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded (Cystophora cristata) seals are abundant phocid species found in the North Atlantic. We measured and contrasted SI values between seals sampled at nearshore and offshore sites to test for effects of sampling location, sex, age-class, and body size to gain insight into how these species partition space and prey resources. In addition we contrasted previously published results for gray seals (Halichoerus grypus). Isotope values differed significantly by age class and location in harp and hooded seals. We found significant differences in SI values (mean δ13C and δ15N ± SE) between all species. Hooded seals, a continental shelf-edge, deep-diving species, exhibited low SI values (juveniles: −20.9‰ ± 0.03‰, 13.36‰ ± 0.05‰; adults: −20.41‰ ± 0.03‰, 14.81‰ ± 0.04‰) characteristic of feeding on meso- to bathypelagic prey. Harp seals, which dive to moderate depths primarily on the shelf had intermediate SI values (juveniles: −20.53‰ ± 0.01‰, 13.91‰ ± 0.01‰; adults: −20.13‰ ± 0.01‰, 14.96‰ ± 0.01‰) characteristic of feeding on epipelagic prey, whereas gray seals, which feed on or near the sea floor in shallow shelf waters, had high SI values (juveniles: −19.74‰ ± 0.04‰, 17.51‰ ± 0.05‰; adults: −18.86‰ ± 0.01‰, 17.23‰ ± 0.02‰) characteristic of feeding on demersal prey. In all species, δ13C values increased with body size and age in the same manner, indicating that seals exploit or forage in deeper habitats as they get larger and older. We hypothesize that the consistent ontogenetic shift in foraging niche, despite large differences between species in their diving behavior, geographic range and habitat use, not only reflects increased access to different prey due to increased diving capacity, but a progressive adjustment to balance energy budgets by reducing foraging costs.
Growth prospects and the trade balance in advanced economies

Does an improvement in growth prospects lead to a fall in the trade balance? The answer in the literature with a strong focus on the U.S. economy is yes. However, we do not find that improved growth prospects (news shocks) necessarily lead to negative trade balance effects in the G7 countries. We develop a novel news shocks identification scheme, apply it to country-level vector autoregressions (VARs), and obtain the following results. While in the U.S. and Germany, news shocks induce a deterioration of the trade balance, in other G7 countries, news shocks have positive trade balance effects. The differences in the trade balance effects across the G7 countries are mainly due to heterogeneous reactions of exchange rates, labor markets, wealth effects, and monetary policy. Therefore, policy recommendations aimed at reducing the trade imbalances through productivity-enhancing reforms in advanced economies might not entail the targeted effects.
Tube worms promote community change

Dense lawns of tube worms modify their immediate environment. They alter sediment properties, offer refuge from predation and provide a settlement surface for larvae and small organ- isms. The terebellid polychaete Lanice conchilega is among the tube dwellers that, when present at high densities, alter the community structure of other benthic fauna. However, L. conchilega often occurs individually or at low densities over large areas, and it is not known whether single tubes also affect the surrounding fauna. In this study a low density population of L. conchilega (15.7 ± 15.6 m -2 ) was investigated on an exposed beach in South Wales, UK, from May 1998 to April 1999. Effects of single tubes and small groups of 2 to 5 tubes on the benthic community were examined over 1 yr. The relationship between L. conchilega and an associated amphipod (Urothoe poseidonis) was studied more closely in the field and the laboratory. Of a total of 56 species, 27 were found exclusively in sam- ples with L. conchilega tubes. In comparison with tube-free samples, species richness and abundance of individuals was significantly higher in samples containing L. conchilega tubes. The community structure differed significantly between samples containing groups of tubes and tube-free samples in 10 out of 11 cases and in 9 of 11 cases for samples with 1 tube compared to samples with no tubes. Throughout the year, the polychaete Eumida sanguinea and the haustoriid amphipod U. poseidonis benefited from the presence of L. conchilega. E. sanguinea lives among the fringe filaments of the tube top, and U. poseidonis inhabits areas deep in the sediment in close vicinity to the tube. Labora- tory experiments indicated that, unlike other haustoriids, the amphipod is not prone to bentho- pelagic migration but remains in the sediment for long periods of time and may benefit from an improved oxygen supply arising from L. conchilega's activity inside the tube. It is concluded that not only groups of tubes, but also single polychaete tubes bioengineer their environment.
Swiped: Analyzing Ground-truth Data of a Marketplace for Stolen Debit and Credit Cards

This paper presents the first empirical study of ground-truth data from a major underground shop selling stolen credit and debit cards. To date, there is little quantitative knowledge about how this segment of the underground economy operates, despite it causing fraud losses estimated at billions of dollars a year. Our analysis of four years of leaked transactional data allows us to characterize this shop’s business model, sellers, customers, and finances. The shop earned close to $104 M in gross revenue, and listed over 19 M unique card numbers for sale. Around 97% of the inventory was stolen magnetic stripe data, commonly used to produce counterfeit cards for in-person payments. Perhaps surprisingly, customers purchased only 40% of this inventory. In contrast, the shop sold 83% of its card-not-present inventory, used for online fraud, which appeared to be in short supply. Demand and pricing were not uniform, as buyers appeared to perceive some banks as having weaker countermeasures against fraud. Even multiple years into the U.S. EMV chip deployment, the supply of stolen magnetic stripe data continued to increase sharply. In particular, we identified a continuing supply of newly issued cards not equipped with EMV chips, especially among prepaid cards. Our findings suggest that improvements to EMV chip deployment in the U.S., combined with a limited supply of stolen card-not-present data, could be avenues to decreasing the revenue and profitability of this shop.
Simulation of the date of maturity of Plasmopara viticola oospores to predict the severity of primary infections in grapevine.

(.)To predict the date when most oospores are mature (DOM), a climate-based model called Prediction of Oospore Maturity (POM) was developed. The POM model, based on daily rainfall beginning in September, permits calculation of DOM as early as the end of January. POM calculations based on climatic data recorded since 1977 confirmed that the earlier the DOM, the more severe disease was in the spring. The four levels of predictable risk are proposed based on the time required for oospore maturation. Although the POM model needs validation, it already shows promise in grape disease management
Effect of incubation and rearing temperature on locomotor ability in barramundi, Lates calcarifer Bloch, 1790

Temperature profoundly influences virtually all aspects of fish biology. Barramundi, Lates calcarifer Bloch, 1790, is a catadromous fish that undergoes several migrations in its life cycle, necessitating locomotion under various thermal conditions. The present study examined the effects of varying thermal regimes on performance in juvenile L. calcarifer by determining the effects of rearing and ambient temperature on burst (Umax) and sustained (Ucrit) swimming ability. Fish were incubated at three set temperatures, 26°C (cool), 29°C (control) and 31°C (warm), from egg fertilisation until first feeding before some of the larvae were allocated to different temperatures to differentiate the effects of incubation temperature v. rearing temperature on subsequent swimming performance. Individuals incubated and reared at the cool (26°C) temperature showed significantly faster burst speeds at the 26°C test temperature than fish from any other treatment group. This indicates the ability of L. calcarifer to thermally acclimate burst swimming. However, there was no evidence that incubation temperature (as opposed to rearing temperature) affected burst or sustained swimming ability. Swimming ability was significantly affected by the test temperature, with the Umax of fish highest at the 29°C test temperature. Lower test temperatures depressed both burst and sustained swimming ability. Juvenile L. calcarifer can acclimate Umax, but swimming ability was unaffected by incubation thermal history.
Can sympatric speciation by disruptive sexual selection explain rapid evolution of cichlid diversity in Lake Victoria

Rapid speciation can occur on ecological time scales and interfere with ecological processes, resulting in species distribution patterns that are difficult to reconcile with ecological theory. The haplochromine cichlids in East African lakes are an extreme example of rapid speciation. We analyse the causes of their high speciation rates. Various studies have identified disruptive sexual selection acting on colour polymorphisms that might cause sympatric speciation. Using data on geographical distribution, colouration and relatedness from 41 species endemic to Lake Victoria, we test predictions from this hypothesis. Plotting numbers of pairs of closely related species against the amount of distributional overlap between the species reveals a bimodal distribution with modes on allopatric and sympatric. The proportion of sister species pairs that are heteromorphic for the traits under disruptive selection is higher in sympatry than in allopatry. These data support the hypothesis that disruptive sexual selection on colour polymorphisms has caused sympatric speciation and help to explain the rapid radiation of haplochromine species flocks.
Adoption of Mobile Marketing in the Social Field: A Reading from Influence and Resistance Factors

The opportunities offered by the mobile phone in the field of marketing, as well as its increasing use by people all over the world have made it a powerful communication tool. In the Cameroonian context, it is gradually being used by advocates of social issues to create awareness and transmit educational information about various problems. This research aims at highlighting the differences between adopters and non-adopters of mobile marketing in the social field through the typology and so shows the success factors and resistance factors to the adoption of mobile marketing in this specific field. Results based on an analysis of 29 case studies help us identify and conceptualize the adoption of the marketing mobile as a comprehensive appreciation, formed by the six dimensions which are: perceived ease of use, convenience of the mobile channel, improvement of brand image, perceived financial benefits, perceived usefulness by users and facilities offered by the partnership between actors of the value chain. Thus, the lack of regulation in the domain of mobile marketing, the intrusive character of SMS and the lack of knowledge according all the processes of conception and diffusion were identified as resistance factors for this adoption. All these factors help us to categorize advocates of social causes into four groups: the advanced, the followers, the latecomers, and the indifferent.
Collision Risk of Birds with Modern Large Wind Turbines

We studied collision rate of birds with modern, large 1.65 MW wind turbines in three wind farms in The Netherlands during three months in autumn and winter. Collision rate, after correction for retrieval and disappearance rate, was 0.08 birds per turbine per day on average (range 0.05–0.19). Collision risk, i.e. the number of victims relative to the flight intensity of birds at the wind farms, was 0.14% on average. For nocturnal migrants, risk was as low as 0.01%, while the risk was 0.16% for local birds flying at night. In absolute numbers, the overall collision risk was similar to the 0.06–0.28% found for earlier-generation lower turbines that have a smaller rotor surface. However, given the comparatively large rotor surface and altitude range of the modern turbines, the risk was c. threefold lower than for smaller turbines. A large fraction of collision victims were diurnally active and local birds that were foraging in the area, rather than nocturnal migrants. Flight intensities of this group should be taken into account as well as that of nocturnal migrants, when calculating collision rate.
A new basal sauropodiform from South Africa and the phylogenetic relationships of basal sauropodomorphs

We present a new medium-sized basal sauropodomorph, Sefapanosaurus zastronensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Triassic−Lower Jurassic Elliot Formation of South Africa. It is represented by parts of the postcranial skeleton of at least four individuals, including: cervical, dorsal, sacral and caudal vertebrae, most of the forelimb, and part of the hindlimb. Sefapanosaurus bears several autapomorphies of the astragalus, and referred material also shows autapomorphic features. The inclusion of Sefapanosaurus in a phylogenetic analysis places it within the group of sauropodomorphs more closely related to sauropods than to Massospondylus (i.e. Sauropodiformes), increasing the currently known diversity of the so-called ‘transitional forms’ leading to Sauropoda. Character optimization revealed the presence of several features that are common for taxa placed within the transitional branches basal to Sauropoda. Sefapanosaurus, together with other transitional sauropodomorphs reported during the last decade, highlights the importance of Gondwanan taxa for understanding the palaeobiodiversity, global distribution, and macroevolutionary changes in the group related to the rise of sauropods. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London