Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of nucleic acid components in silver sol: Adenine series

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of adenine, adenosine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 5′-dAMP, 5′-rAMP, 5′-rADP and 5′-rATP adsorbed on aqueous Ag sol has been investigated. A shift of the adenine ring breathing mode from 746 to 735 cm−1 with increasing adenine concentration is interpreted as reflecting the reorientation of adenine on the Ag surface. Such a shift is not observed for adenosine, 2′-deoxyadenosine and 5′-dAMP. SERS spectra of 5′-rAMP, 5′-rADP and 5′-rATP can be obtained either at neutral pH in the presence of pyridine or by lowering the pH of the Ag sol. The pH effect is discussed in terms of surface plasmon resonance theory.
Gateway vectors for plant transformation

The availability of complete plant genome sequences has opened a new era of plant molecular research using approaches such as comprehensive expression analysis, ectopic expression and gene knockdown. For such purposes, new tools realizing easy and rapid construction of recombinant plasmids are required. Here, we describe Gateway cloning compatible binary vectors for post-genomic research in plant genetic engineering. The vectors comprise a variety of reporters, epitope tags and selective markers that should make them useful for construction of plasmids for Agrobacterium- mediated transformation of plants. We also describe vectors for promoter swapping using Gateway cloning technology.
Comparison of larval fish assemblages between during and after northeasterly monsoon in the waters around Taiwan, western North Pacific

WEN TSENG LO 1, HUNG YEN HSIEH 1,2*, LONG JING WU 2, HUANG BIN JIAN 3, DENG CHENG LIU 3 AND WEI CHENG SU 3 1 DEPARTMENT OF MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES, NATIONAL SUN YATSEN UNIVERSITY, KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN 80424, ROC, COASTAL AND OFFSHORE RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER, FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE, EXECUTIVE YUAN, KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN 80672, ROC AND FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE, EXECUTIVE YUAN, KEELUNG, TAIWAN 20246, ROC
ROOT BIOMASS AND PRODUCTIVITY IN A GRAZING ECOSYSTEM: THE SERENGETI

Does grazing by large wild mammals, an intense form of aboveground herbivory, influence belowground productivity? The vast majority of literature data concentrate on short-term pot studies and indicate that clipping consistently retards root growth. Field studies are few and contradictory, but tend to indicate that grazing has little effect on grassland belowground production. We sampled root-soil cores at 0–10 and 10–20 cm increments, at 11 locations across the Serengeti ecosystem, on 10 dates over an annual cycle, sampling monthly during the rainy and early dry seasons and every 2 mo during peak dry season. Fenced and unfenced plots were replicated (n = 2 or 3) at each location. Live roots, identified visually by brightness and texture, were sorted, washed, dried, and weighed. In addition, profiles were sampled at 10-cm increments to 50 cm in fenced and unfenced plots in short, mid-height, and tall grasslands, representing a gradient of grazing, during the month of peak root biomass. Exclosures erected .
Yield and fruit quality of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in response to bioregulators

To test the effectiveness of different bioregulators in enhancing bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) yield and fruit quality, the commercial bioregulators CCC, NAA, GA 3 ,and Biozyme® were sprayed on plants at flower initiation, followed by two additional applications at 30-day intervals. Biozyme produced a significant increase in total yield but 40% of the fruit were not marketable. Treatment with NAA produced the highest yield of marketable fruit. Treatments did not affect fruit firmness compared to the control. Gibberellic acid increased fruit ascorbic acid and citric acid concentrations and Biozyme, GA 3 , and CCC increased fruit soluble solids content. Biozyme treatment increased fruit fructose, sucrose, carotenoid, and lycopene concentration. Treatments had no effect on fruit calcium concentration or pH. Chemical names used: chlormequat chloride (CCC); naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), gibberellic acid (GA 3 ); GA 3 + IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) + zeatine + micronutrients (Biozyme®).
Description of Human-Derived Centers for Coryneform Group 2 Bacteria as Actinomyces Disease Control

Biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and molecular methods were used to establish the precise taxonomic position of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) coryneform group 2 bacteria. The results of a comparative 16s rRNA sequence analysis demonstrated that the CDC coryneform group 2 bacteria constitute a distinct species within the genus Actinomyces. Actinomyces pyogenes was found to be the closest genealogical relative of the CDC coryneform group 2 bacteria, although these taxa were readily distinguished from each other and other Actinomyces spp. by using phenotypic criteria. On the basis of our findings we propose the name Actinomyces bernardiae sp. nov. for the CDC coryneform group 2 bacteria. The type strain is DSM 9152 (CCUG 33419).
Protected Area Performance and Tourism in Ghana

Performance and adaptive management systems were introduced in all protected areas in Ghana to stop the decline in wildlife and the further loss of biodiversity. The competitive management system resulted in an increase in the relative abundance of wildlife at seven sites where the system had been in operation for 4 years (2004–2008). We examined the relationships between wildlife-based tourism and park management, and key factors that may influence tourism. First, we scrutinized the relationship between the relative abundance of illegal activity and numbers of visitors, the relative abundance of wildlife, and road network. Poaching declined with increasing numbers of tourists that acted as a deterrent, whereas poaching increased with a higher relative abundance of wildlife. Second, we examined the relationship between the numbers of visitors and the relative abundance of wildlife, species richness, distances from Accra, regional capitals and the nearest hotel; the road network on site, and the numbers of alternative tourist attractions. Increasing numbers of alternative tourist attractions, and shorter distances to the nearest hotel attracted higher numbers of visitors. An important additional factor that influenced the flow of tourists to protected areas was the presence of unique site attractions.
Genetic dissection of physiological traits and scab resistance in apple (Malus x domestica (Borkh.)) into quantitative trait loci using an SSR based genetic linkage map

Efficient breeding and selection of high quality apple cultivars meeting consumer preferences and breeding of resistant varieties as a disease management strategy requires the knowledge and the understanding of the underlying genetics. The availability of suitable molecular markers for the construction of genetic linkage maps is essential for the analysis of the genome and the dissection of complex traits. Microsatellites (simple sequence repeats, SSR) are very useful in this respect since they are codominant, highly polymorphic, abundant and reliably reproducible. Over 140 SSR markers have been developed in apple and were tested on 7 cultivars and 1 breeding selection. Their high level of polymorphism is expressed with an average of 6.1 alleles per locus and an average heterozygosity (H) of 0.74. To test the degree of conservation of the SSR flanking regions and the transferability of the SSR markers to other Rosaceae species, 15 primer pairs were tested on a series of Maloideae and Amygdaloideae species. The usefulness of the newly developed microsatellites in genetic mapping is demonstrated by means of a genetic linkage
Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Atrazine Resistance in a Wild Radish (Raphanus Raphanistrum) Population

This study documents the physiology and genetics of evolved atrazine resistance in a wild radish population from Western Australia. Plant response to atrazine treatment confirmed a high level of resistance in population WARR5. At 0.25 kg atrazine/ha, all plants from a susceptible population were killed, whereas resistant WARR5 was unaffected at the highest dose tested (4 kg atrazine/ha). Leaf photosynthesis in susceptible plants was inhibited after 1 kg atrazine/ha treatment, whereas leaf photosynthesis in WARR5 plants was unaffected. Furthermore, atrazine resistance was maternally inherited. Sequencing of a psbA gene fragment in resistant WARR5 and susceptible plants revealed a single point mutation resulting in a coding change from Ser264 to Gly of the D1 protein in resistant plants. We are confident that this mutation is the basis of resistance to the photosystem II inhibitors in this wild radish population. Nomenclature: Atrazine; metribuzin; wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum L. RAPRA.
Seasonal Changes in the Diet of Testudo hermanni hermanni in Central Italy

Abstract Herbivory is the dominant feeding strategy in tortoises, and dietary shifts are common in response to changes in resource availability. We conducted the first large-scale study of the diets of wild Hermann's Tortoises (Testudo hermanni hermanni) and found that the study population in central Italy was strictly herbivorous. The tortoises ate primarily legume leaves and grasses in the spring, and switched to flowers and unripe fruit of Ruscus aculeatus as these became available in the autumn. There were no significant differences between the diets of males and females. Although tortoise diets included both rare and abundant plant species, they consumed abundant plant species in a higher proportion than those species occurred in the study area. However, some rare plants made up relatively large fractions of the diet, and one of the few nonnative plants (Conyza canadensis) at the study area was eaten frequently by tortoises in all seasons, despite its relative rarity. Ruscus aculeatus berries may be particularly valuable to tortoises that are about to enter hibernation; hence, T. hermanni habitat should be managed to maintain this important plant species.
Data Decisiveness, Missing Entries, and the DD Index

The decisiveness of a data set has been defined as the degree to which all possible dichotomous trees for that data set differ in length, and the DD statistic (the data decisiveness index) has been proposed to measure this degree. In this paper, we first discuss an exact nonre cursive formula for the length of indecisive datasets (DD = 0) that consist of informative binary characters in which no missing entries are allowed. Next, the concept of indecisive data sets is extended to data sets in which missing entries may be present. Last, indecisive data sets with missing entries are used as an aid to construct hypothetical data sets that single out some of the factors that influence the DD statistic. On the basis of these examples, it is concluded that the concept of data decisiveness is too elusive to be captured into a single and simple index such as DD.
The effect of phloem thickness on heterozygosity in laboratory reared mountain pine beetles

Mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) were collected from naturally infested trees oflodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.) in northern Utah. Beetles were reared in logs through six generations in a laboratory, and heterozygosity measured. Heterozygosity levels initially decreased when individiual pairs of beetles were reared. However, when beetles were allowed to select mates at random, heterozygosity rose to levels higher than those in the starting population. Heterozygosity was higher in beetles reared in thin than those reared in thick phloem.
PpAG1, a homolog of AGAMOUS, expressed in developing peach flowers and fruit

MADS-box transcription factors are known to play a central role in floral organ identity and floral meristem determinacy in many gymnosperms and angiosperms. Studies of this nature are limited in fruit tree species despite the economic importance of this group. A peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) gene, PpAG1, was isolated and shown to be homologous to the Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. MADS-box gene AGAMOUS (AG). It is a single gene in peach and codes for a type II or MIKC-type MADS-box protein. The features of the deduced protein sequence indicate that it is similar to other AG homologs from woody plant species. The spatial and developmental patterns of expression parallel those of AG and homologs from other angiosperms with similar floral structures but with some minor differences. In the floral meristem, where AG is responsible for conversion of the vegetative meristem into the floral meristem, the differentiation of the whorls that generate the carpels and stamens coincides with the tissue-specific.
Diversity in the Response to Low Temperature in Representative Barley Genotypes Cultivated in Europe

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in many regions is constrained by low temperatures. Numerous screening methods have been proposed for studies of freezing tolerance (FT) and winter hardiness (WH). Here, we compared the response to low temperature of 54 barley genotypes released in Europe. Major components of WH were analyzed in fi eld and growth chamber experiments under different hardening and freezing conditions. Phenotype screening of freezing injury (lethal temperature for 50% of the plants [LT 50 ], plant survival, and chlorophyll fl uorescence) and indirect evaluations (molecular-marker-based analysis of vernalization requirement) were used. The maximum quantum yield of the photosystem II photochemistry measured as the variable (F v ) to maximal (F m ) fl uorescence ratio (F v :F m ) analysis was confi rmed as a reliable method of screening genetic diversity for FT in plants at early growth stages. Variability for FT was also found after shorter acclimation at optimal (3/1°C day/night) or suboptimal (12/7°C day/night) hardening temperatures. High levels of FT and WH were found in both winter and facultative growth habits. Facultative genotypes were more responsive to early hardening than spring or winter types. Some of them coped best with frost in both laboratory and fi eld experiments. The most tolerant winter genotypes coped best with prolonged exposure to low temperature in the fi eld experiments. A conservative estimation of the role of FT in WH implies that at least 50% of WH was associated with the level of FT. A combined analysis using physiological and molecular tools is proposed for phenotyping WH in large populations.
Using Varying Levels of Formic Acid to Limit Growth of Salmonella gallinarum in Contaminated Broiler Feed

Reported here are the effects of added formic acid on inhibitory effect of Salmonella gallinarum in poultry feed. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the viability of S. gallinarum and pH of poultry feed using different dietary formic acid levels (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%) on inhibitory effect of S. gallinarum in broiler feed. Experiment one was conducted to investigate the viability of S. gallinarum and pH of artificially contaminated diet at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after treatment in vitro. Formic acid showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in the viability for all treatments with time after treatment. Various formic acid levels in vitro showed a reduction in the pH of the diet depending upon the concentration of treated acid, and the diet remained acidic below the growth range of S. gallinarum. This meant that the bacterial cells were exposed to stressful conditions that made them unable to grow. Experiment two was conducted to find out the effect of dietary formic acid levels on S. gallinarum colonization and pH in the contents of crop, small intestine, large intestine and ceca and mortality rate of broiler chicks at 7, 14 and 21 days of age when fed artificially contaminated diet with S. gallinarum. The numbers of S. gallinarum re-isolated from all treated groups except in groups treated with 0.5% formic acid, decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared with the control group. The treatment significantly (p<0.05) lowered the pH of the crop, small intestine, large intestine and ceca contents in all groups except the groups treated with 0.5% formic acid compared with the control. All treated groups showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in overall mortality rate during the experimental period (3 to 21 days) compared with the control. The results indicate that addition of formic acid in a total concentration of 1.5% to the diet of newly hatched broiler chicks significantly decreases the contamination of diet with S. gallinarum. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 3 : 390- 395)
Multivariate morphometric analysis of Apis cerana of southern mainland Asia

Des analyses morphometriques multivariees ont ete realisees sur une serie de 8424 ouvrieres d'abeilles Apis cerana Fabr. , representant 557 colonies reparties en 179 localites. Les lieux d'echantillonnage etaient distants les uns des autres de moins de 100 km et repartis dans toute l'Asie continentale meridionale situee au sud de l'Himalaya, de l'Afghanistan au Vietnam. Les donnees comprenaient de nouveaux echantillons provenant du Vietnam, du Cambodge, de Malaisie et de Myanmar, ainsi que des donnees deja analysees provenant principalement de la base de donnees d'Oberursel pour Apis cerana (Tab. I, Fig. 1) Les mesures ayant ete faites par diverses personnes, ces valeurs ont ete ajustees par rapport a la base de donnees d'Oberursel en prenant des paires de mesures pour les memes localites et en les ajustant en consequence. Les valeurs de l'analyse en composantes principales et des graphiques de densite des noyaux ont montre l'existence de 5 groupes morphologiques statistiquement separables, mais non totalement distincts : (1) Hindu Kush, Cachemire, Nord du Myanmar, nord du Vietnam et sud de la Chine, (2) region de l'Himachal Pradesh en Inde, (3) nord-ouest de l'Inde, Nepal et nord-est de l'Inde, (4) centre et sud du Myanmar, Thailande, Cambodge, sud du Vietnam et (5) centre et sud de l'Inde (Fig. 2). Lorsque l'on compare ces resultats a ceux des autres etudes morphometriques multivariees recentes portant sur des regions plus petites, des differences apparaissent. Par exemple, A. cerana de Thailande a ete divisee en 4 groupes distincts (Sylvester et al., 1998) et d'autres sous-groupes biometriques ont ete signales dans la region de l'Himalaya (Hepburn et al., 2001b). Cela provient du fait que la formation d'un groupe morphologique est fortement influencee par la taille de la region etudiee, par la liste des caracteres utilises et par la distance entre les points d'echantillonnage. Ainsi la resolution fine des etudes locales est statistiquement noyee dans une etude a grande echelle. L'analyse de la distribution des groupes morphologiques en termes de zones physiographiques et climatiques montre generalement une bonne convergence entre la morphologie des abeilles et leur environnement caracterise par le climat et le type de vegetation. Il faut attendre que l'analyse d'A. cerana dans toute sa zone de repartition soit terminee pour ajuster la nomenclature.
The antioxidant and free radical scavenging effect of Avicennia officinalis

Avicennia officinalis is a mangrove plant and is used by coastal village peoples in traditional folk medicine -for a variety of diseases. In general, salt tolerant plants have a more antioxidant profile. In our present study, we examined different types of antioxidant capacity like that of phenolics against DPPH nitroxide, hydroxyl and ABC radicals in two solvent extracts of ethanol and water at different concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/ml. Our results showed maximum activity in 2.0 mg/ml of leaves extract of ethanol and minimum activity in aqueous extract of 0.1 mg/ml concentration for all antioxidant assays. The results showed highly effective antioxidant activities in two solvent extracts at a different concentrations, therefore, the extracts have good antioxidant properties. Key words: Avicennia officinalis, mangrove, phenolic, hydroxyl radical, ABTS radical,nitroxide radical.
Can ice breeding seals adapt to habitat loss in a time of climate change

Climate change associated declines in sea ice will have serious impact on species that rely on ice for reproduction and/or feeding. Little is known about the impacts on ice-dependent, sub-Arctic species or on how these species may adapt, although the ecosystem changes are likely to bemost rapid along the ice edge. Harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) require stable ice for pupping, nursing and the first weeks after weaning when the young develop the capacity to swim and feed. Although ice conditions in the Northwest Atlantic have varied over the past 40 years, in 2010 and 2011, the total extent of ice suitable for whelping harp seals was at, or near, the lowest ever recorded. These years of exceptionally poor ice provided us with an opportunity to improve our understanding about how ice breeding seals may respond to the conditions expected in the future. Harp seals responded to poor ice conditions differently, depending on the presence or absence of ice at the beginning of the pupping period. If no icewas present, femalesmovedaway fromtheir traditionalwhelping areas tofind suitable ice. If small amounts of icewerepresent, females gavebirth even if the ice was too thin to sustain the pups, resulting in high pupmortality. There was no evidence to indicate that harp seals pupped on land even in areas where ice was absent. Young seals that drifted to shore had high levels of abandonment and mortality. If the predicted warming trends continue, ice-breeding harp seals will encounter more years with poor ice conditions and may eventually adapt by moving north. Until then, they will continue to have increased levels of mortality that could result in the disappearance of the most southern breeding component in the Gulf of St Lawrence.
Food abundance affects both morphology and behaviour of juvenile perch

– Behaviour and morphology were both shown to differ between 1+ perch from two lakes that in earlier studies showed differences in size-specific predation risk. As the level of nourishment is known to affect behaviour and morphology, we fed perch of the two lakes in tanks for 40 days with two food levels, to study whether observed differences remain stable with changes in food availability. The perch fed in excess grew significantly, while the perch at the low food conditions lost weight, clearly indicating undernourishment. In aquarium experiments, the starved perch from both lakes were much bolder in the trade-off between foraging and predator avoidance than their well-fed conspecifics. In addition, the shape of perch differed significantly between feeding treatments. At low food levels perch got a more slender body, while at high food levels they developed a deeper body and a relatively smaller head. Independent of feeding level, the comparison between the two lakes revealed a clearly deeper body and a larger head area for one population, a shape difference that remained stable after the feeding period. The results give evidence that the level of nourishment is an important factor that quickly alters risk-taking behaviour. In body morphology, however, more stable shape characteristics must be distinguished from more flexible ones. Consequently, the level of nourishment is a potential factor that may quickly hide other proximate cues and must be considered attentively in studies, in which shape changes and behaviour are related to environmental factors like diet, predation pressure or habitat diversity.