Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of fluorescence energy transfer in complexes quantum dots/azo dyes in track membranes

Fluorescence resonant energy transfer in complexes of semiconductor CdSe/ZnS quantum dots with molecules of heterocyclic azo-dyes, 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) and 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) formed at high concentration in the pore track membranes were studied. Evident effect of interaction between the complexes and free quantum dots on the efficiency of the fluorescence energy transfer is presented.
Young drivers' perceptions of road safety messages and a high performance vehicle advertisement: a qualitative exploration

While road safety messages that focus on physical threats have shown some effectiveness, messages that include social threats and gains/rewards may be an alternative approach to encourage safer driving behaviours. In addition to message frame and type, motor vehicle advertising exposure may also influence the persuasiveness of road safety messages. Using qualitative methods this preliminary study explored young drivers’ (N = 17, 11 males) perceptions of the persuasiveness of four anti-speeding messages and a fictional high performance vehicle advertisement. The majority of males perceived the social loss/gain-framed messages to be more persuasive (sense of responsibility and personal relevance themes), whereas females tended to perceive the physical loss/ gain-frame messages (social esteem theme) to be more persuasive. Males appeared to be, while females appeared not to be, persuaded by the vehicle advertisement. The findings suggest that a range of road safety messages may be required to reach and influence young drivers.
Mating behaviour of Dacus ciliatus (Loew) [Diptera:Tephritidae]: comparisons between a laboratory and a wild population

As part of the development of a sterile insect technique (SIT) application for the Ethiopian fruit fly, Dacus ciliatus, we studied the mating behaviour of a laboratory‐adapted strain (a 4‐year‐old colony kept for more than 40 generations) and a wild population. Effects of laboratory rearing and irradiation were assessed by carrying out mating compatibility and male mating competitiveness tests using a 1:1 ratio between irradiated (120 Gy) laboratory males and non‐irradiated wild males. Mating behaviour was studied on host and non‐host plants under field cage conditions. To assess the effect of mass rearing upon male performance, we repeated the mating competitiveness test using non‐irradiated laboratory insects. The findings indicated a high degree of compatibility among the two populations and satisfactory competitiveness of the irradiated laboratory males (ca. 35%). The competitiveness of non‐irradiated laboratory males was also ca. 35%, suggesting that no adverse effects resulted from their irradiation. Mating occurred only at twilight and mainly on the underside of leaves of non‐host plants (lemon trees). Findings are discussed in view of their implications for a future application of SIT against this fruit fly pest.
Gene regulation in intertypic heterokaryons of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana tabacum tissue protoplasts

Activities of the ß‐glucuronidase (GUS) reporter enzyme were evaluated in transgenic plants, protoplasts, and intertypic heterokaryons of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana tabacum. With GUS under control of the promoter of the cauliflower‐mosaicvirus 35S RNA gene (CaMV), activities of the enzyme were nearly evenly distributed over the tissues of plants grown in vitro. Activities in microtubers of potato plants with the reporterenzyme under control of the promoter of granule‐bound starch synthase (GBSS) from S. tuberosum were higher than in leaves. The CaMV‐GUS construct present in leaf protoplasts showed an increased expression in biochemical and cytochemical assays after fusion with wildtype‐tuber protoplasts. Such an increase was not observed in the case of the GBSS‐GUS constructs. It was concluded that nuclei in plant heterokaryons are being influenced by the fusion partner, but that repressive, trans‐acting regulation factors in leaf protoplasts possibly prevent an increase of the expression of the chimeric GBSS‐gene in heterokaryons.
Lentiviral integration site targeting: Host determinants and consequences

A necessary step in the retroviral lifecycle is integration, the covalent insertion of the viral cDNA into the genome of the infected cell. This means that retroviruses, for example HIV, establish life-long infection. It also means that retroviruses are used as gene-delivery vectors to treat genetic diseases. Integration events are distributed non-randomly in the genome of the infected cell, with characteristic genus-specific preferences. In this dissertation, we focus on the lentiviral class of retroviruses, and explore two aspects of their integration: the means by which integration is targeted to its favored sites, and the consequences of integration at these sites for the host cell. The host protein LEDGF/p75 has been shown to interact with lentiviral integrases and contribute to their preference for integration in genes. We sought to establish the extent to which integration site selection is determined by LEDGF/p75 tethering. We first asked whether LEDGF/p75 was an essential integration tether, by analyzing integration site distribution in cells stringently depleted for LEDGF/p75. We found that LEDGF/p75 is responsible for much of the lentiviral integration preference, though probably not all. Secondly, we asked whether LEDGF/p75 tethering is sufficient to determine the genomic distribution of lentiviral integration. We used a fusion of LEDGF/p75’s integrase-binding domain and the heterochromatinbinding protein CBX1 to show that lentiviral integration could be retargeted away from its usual distribution and into CBX1-bound regions. These results underline LEDGF/p75’s central role in lentiviral integration, and the potential for manipulating its interaction with integrase. The effect of retroviral integration on the host cell is of particular relevance in gene therapy, where insertional activation of proto-oncogenes in patients is a serious concern. We present data on the genomic integration site distribution of a lentiviral vector for the correction of β-thalassemia in mice. While use of the same vector in a human patient led to clonal outgrowth, we report no evidence of insertional activation in the mouse model, but instead the suggestion that integration in genes may impart a growth disadvantage. This argues for the safety of lentiviral vectors, but raises questions about their effect on host gene expression. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Cell & Molecular Biology First Advisor Frederic Bushman
Drought resistance in spring wheat cultivars, 1. Grain yield responses.

With a view to understanding the basis of cultivar differences in yield under drought, a wide range of cereal cultivars representing durum wheats (Triticum turgidum L.), triticales (X Tritosecale Wittmack), barleys (Hordeum vulgare), and especially tall and dwarf bread wheats (T. aestivum L.) were studied in field experiments in north-western Mexico over three seasons. Drought was created in this rain-free environment by permanently terminating irrigation at various stages before anthesis. Control treatments were well watered throughout the growing period. Detailed measurements of plant water status, leaf area and dry matter production, anthesis date, yield components and grain yield were made. This paper presents primarily the grain yield data. Drought levels were such that the mean yield of all cultivars under drought ranged from 37 to 86% of control yield, corresponding to irrigation cut-offs varying from 69 days before mean anthesis date to only 10 days before. In each experiment the grain yield under drought showed highly significant cultivar differences, which appeared consistent between years. Yields were adjusted for drought escape by using a correction factor which ranged from 2.9 to 8.5 g/m2 per day advance in flowering, being greater in experiments with less severe drought. The demonstration of linear relationships between cultivar yield and drought intensity, as indicated by the mean yield of some or all cultivars, prompted the consideration of cultivar yield under drought as the function of yield potential (Yp, yield without drought), drought susceptibility index (S), and intensity of drought. The cultivar groups showing lowest S values (most droughtresistant) were tall bread wheats and barleys; dwarf bread wheats were intermediate, and durum wheats and triticales were the most susceptible. However, because dwarf wheats have a higher yield potential (Yp) than tall bread wheats, it is suggested that, as a group, tall bread wheats would outyield dwarf wheats only under very severe drought. Also there was considerable within-group variability of S and Yp. Cultivar S values were consistent across experiments. Yield responses of tall and dwarf bread wheat groups obtained in these experiments agreed with those seen in extensive international trials under dryland conditions.
Modernization in the Development of a Town and Community Based Management Strategy of Slum Areas (A Case Study: Urban Slum Areas of Sangatta, East Kutai Regency)

This article aims to analyze the modernization of urban development and community-based management strategies of slum areas. Modernization of urban areasinSangatta through the construction and development of new functions contribute positively to the process of urbanization and social changes. The development acceleration inSangattais characterized by a dualistic economy through the dominance of urban space by capitalist reproduction, conditioning marginalization and poverty because of non-optimal spatial articulation. This article used quantitative and qualitative approaches (mixed methods). The data wereobtained through observation, documentation, and surveys using questionnaireson several respondents of Sangatta urban population. Modernization of development is parallel to changes in space utilization of Sangatta urban areas, conditioning the development of slum areas, urban poverty, and marginalized communities, because of helplessness and lack of access of the society on space reproduction resources and adaptation on the function of urban space in Sangatta.
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF MARITREMA NICOLL 1907, MARITREMA ARENARIA, WITH STUDIES OF THE LIFE HISTORY

A new species of the trematode genus Maritrema, Maritrema arenaria, is described as to morphology, adult host (Arenaria interpres), and metacercarial host (Balanus balanoides). Negative results are reported from a search for the sporocyst and cercarial stages of this fluke, and the suggestion is made that the cercaria may not be present during the summer months in the Woods Hole region.
A Low cost forecasting framework for air pollution

Assistive robots and devices enable people with severe motor impairments to perform different activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, picking up objects, and self-feeding (drink and food intake). Surveys on the potential users have shown that self-feeding is one of the most expected ADLs. Our BMBF (the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) supported project MobIle (Physical Human-Robot-Interaction for Independent Living) aims at the research and realization of basic skills such as meal feeding and liquid drinking with and without direct physical contact between robot and human. This proposed work presents part of our first results in the project MobILe, and mainly focuses on the machine learning based methods used in the vision based system which is being developed for recognition and localization of the face of the end-user and detection of the needed facial information (such as mouth open/closed state). An ensemble regression tree based method [1] is implemented to detect the facial landmarks on human face, based on which the 3D location of the human face and facial parts (e.g. mouth) is found by utilization of RGB-D camera [2]. Furthermore, the CNN (convolutional neural network) based object recognition algorithm is used for detection of the mouth open/closed state which represent the readiness of the user for intake when food or drink is closer to the human mouth. PIP Summer School on Machine Learning 2018 Bremen, 28 September 2018 Figure 1 2D-3D Facial landmarks localization Figure 2 Mouth open/closed state recognition
Exudation of carboxylates in Australian Proteaceae: chemical composition

Roots of a wide range of plant species exude carboxylates, such as citrate, into the rhizosphere. In the present study, seedlings of a range of Australian Banksia, Hakea and Dryandra species (Proteaceae) were assayed for their exudation of carboxylates. All of these species (Hakea prostrata, Hakea undulata, Hakea petiolaris, Hakea baxteri, Banksia grandis, Banksia prionotes, Banksia occidentalis and Dryandra sessilis) form cluster roots when grown in nutrient solution with a low phosphate concentration. Exudation of carboxylates was studied for cluster roots and non-cluster roots separately, and for the entire root system. Cluster roots of these Proteaceae exuded malate, malonate, lactate, acetate, maleate, citrate, fumarate, cis- and trans-aconitate. The relative contributions of each of these carboxylates differed between species. Malate, malonate, lactate, citrate and trans-aconitate, however, were invariably present in large proportions of total carboxylate exudation. Non-cluster roots of H. prostrata exuded a spectrum of carboxylates (mainly malonate, lactate and citrate), which differed somewhat from the exudation pattern of cluster roots (mainly malate, malonate, lactate and citrate). The rate of exudation for cluster roots of the seven species was approximately 1.6 nmol g -1 FM s -1 , which is considerably higher than that reported for a variety of crop and native species that do or do not form cluster roots. Contrary to what occurs in the cluster roots of Lupinus albus, which release carboxylates accompanied by protons so that the rhizosphere is acidified, the present Proteaceae exude the carboxylates as anions without concomitant proton release. The role of carboxylates in the mobilization of phosphate and other nutrients from soil is discussed.
Destanização do caqui "Giombo" com etanol e ethephon

O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar a rapida imersao em etanol e ethephon na destanizacao do caqui ´Giombo‘. Os frutos colhidos na regiao centro-sul do Parana foram tratados por imersao em solucoes contendo 0, 25 e 50% de etanol e 216 ppm de ethephon por 30´´. Avaliaram-se a firmeza de polpa, o pH, os solidos soluveis, a acidez titulavel, perda de massa fresca e o teor de fenois, as pectinas e o acido ascorbico da fruta. As avaliacoes foram realizadas a 0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 dias apos a aplicacao. O tratamento com etanol a 50% reduziu o teor de fenois para 0,3% 12 dias apos o tratamento, tornando os caquis aceitaveis para consumo. Todos os tratamentos mantiveram a firmeza do fruto em condicoes de serem comercializados. Os tratamentos com etanol diminuiram a concentracao do acido ascorbico com o tempo. O pH, a perda de massa e os solidos soluveis aumentaram com o tempo, a acidez diminuiu e o teor de pectina nao se alterou. Novos estudos com o aumento das concentracoes e tempo de imersao devem ser feitos visando uma rapida destanizacao
Characterization and functional expression in yeast of a cDNA encoding NADP-dependent malic enzyme from castor oil seed

A cDNA encoding NADP-dependent malic enzyme was isolated from castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) endosperm. The 2362-bp cDNA encodes a 641 amino acid protein, which is predicted to have a 50 amino acid chloroplast transit peptide. Southern blotting revealed a single copy of the gene. Recombinant protein expression confirmed that the cDNA encodes a NADP-dependent malic enzyme; both Western blotting and enzyme assays detected NADP-dependent malic enzyme. Removal of the transit peptide in the recombinant protein did not affect the pH optimum of the enzyme, but it did result in an increased specific activity.Key words: Ricinus communis, NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME), fatty acid biosynthesis, leucoplast, recombinant protein expression, transit peptide.
GROWTH AND MORPHOGENESIS IN THE CANADIAN FOREST SPECIES: V. FURTHER STUDIES OF WOOD GROWTH IN BRANCHES AND MAIN AXIS OF PINUS RESINOSA AIT. UNDER CONDITIONS OF OPEN GROWTH, SUPPRESSION, AND RELEASE

The analysis of growth in trunk and branches of four red pine trees of different situations is extended to include internode length, circumference, annual wood volume increment, and cambial area. The effects of position of a branch on the tree and of suppression and release are examined in reference to these growth indexes.Increase in circumference responds in much the same way as radial growth, and branch position is important. The greatest annual increase in girth of any branch internode occurs when it is near the periphery and near the top of the tree.Terminal growth of branches is less affected than radial or tangential growth by branch position if the tree is in the open but is suppressed by surrounding trees. Upon release of a tree only those axes whose local environment was actually improved showed an increase in apical growth.The interpretation of annual wood volume increment is complicated by the fact that it is determined not only by internal and external conditions during the current growing se.
Age, growth, and reproduction of perch, Perca fluviatilis L., in Lake Pounui

Ages of 1052 perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) from Lake Pounui, Wairarapa, were calculated from annual bands in the opercular bones. Growth was seasonal, with no significant increase in length occurring between April and October. For these months combined, back‐calculations of length at previous age were generally significantly different from the mean length per age class. Females grew faster than males, and growth in both sexes fitted the von Bertalanffy growth model. Seasonal changes in condition and gonad weight for each sex were studied by calculating mean monthly total and gonad weights for a given length. The reproductive cycle was examined further by recording stages of gonad development and calculating gonadosomatic indices. Fecundity from 66 females ranged from 2657 to 63858. Females dominated all samples, with an overall male:female ratio of 1:4, although seasonal variation was noted; the highest proportion of males, 1:1.7, occurred immediately before spawning.
Cytology, fertility, and origin of Elymus abolinii (Drob.) Tzvelev and its F1 hybrids with Pseudoroegneria spicata, E. lanceolatus, E. dentatus ssp. ugamicus, and E. drobovii (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Chromosome pairing and hybrid fertility provide a direct measure of phylogenetic relationships between different taxa. Five accessions of Elymus abolinii (Drob.) Tzvelev were studied to (i) determine their reproductive characteristics; (ii) describe phylogenetic relationships and genomic affinities through chromosome pairing and fertility in the species and species hybrid complex with closely related taxa; (iii) evaluate the morphological variation between related taxa; and (iv) propose a possible origin for E. abolinii. Interspecific and intergeneric hybrids with E. abolinii were obtained from the following "analyzer" parents: Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love, E. lanceolatus (Scribn. &Smith) Gould, E. dentatus (Hook, f.) Tzvelev ssp. ugamicus (Drob.) Tzvelev, and E. drobovii (Nevski) Tzvelev. The results showed that E. abolinii is an allotetraploid forming 14 bivalents in 95% of the cells, and it is self-fertilizing. Chromosome pairing within the species hybrid complex demonstrated that E. abolini.
Contents of trans fatty acids (TFA) in German foods and estimation of daily intake

The contents of trans fatty acids (TFA) in 139 German foods were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. The TFA analysis included myristelaidic acid (C14:1 t9), palmitelaidic acid (C16:1 t9), petroselaidic acid (C18:1 t6), elaidic acid (C18:1 t9), trans vaccenic acid (C18:1 t11), octadecadienoic acid isomers (C18:2 c9t12, C18:2 t9t12, and C18:2 t9c12), and 9 geometrical octadecatrienoic acid isomers (C18:3 n-3). Maximum TFA contents occurred in French fries (up to 34%), crisps (up to 22%) and in instant sauces (up to 22%). The TFA content in dairy products ranged from 2.0% (blue cheese) to 6.1% (Jurassic cheese), in meat products from 0.2% (cooked ham) to 8.6% (lamb), in fish from 0.4% (pollock) to 1.0% (carp), and in vegetable fats and oils and margarines from <0.01% (edible oils) to 4.1% (sunflower margarines). The average estimated TFA intake was calculated to 1.9 g TFA/d for women and 2.3 g TFA/d for men.
Collaboration not Isolation

As a student of behavior I had the good fortune to train in a range of academic environments. I was first introduced to behavior analysis studying under the lone behaviorist in a department of psychology. My world changed dramatically when I left to pursue a master's degree in the first accredited department of behavior analysis, which was completely divorced from the department of psychology. After that, I returned to a psychology department to complete my Ph.D. but was largely protected within an area of behavior analysis. Most recently, I assumed a junior faculty role in a highly productive and dynamic medical school. Each experience has shaped my repertoire in unique and important ways, which forms the basis of my concerns regarding an isolationist approach. In short, we need a strong presence in all arenas that involve behavioral science including, but not limited to, departments of behavior analysis, economics, education, ethology, evolutionary biology, pharmacology, psychology , special education, and medical schools. As readers of this journal will surely agree, basic behavioral processes are ubiquitous and, therefore, behavior analysis should be everywhere. But this sentiment alone does not quite capture the deliberations within the target articles by Ulman (1993/2014) and Skinner (1993/2014). If the pointed question is whether behavior analysis is a part of psychology or a separate discipline, my contention is that it should be a part of psychology. However, my reasons are based primarily on contemporary circumstances and pragmatism. Actually, I am of the belief that a natural science of behavior generally, and operant conditioning specifically, is probably best placed within the realm of physiology. After all, operant behavior is a physical/biological process. As the story goes, it was merely an accident of history (and a superior workshop) that led Skinner, while a graduate student at Harvard, to make his initial discoveries of operant conditioning in E.G. Boring's department of psychology rather than W.J. Crozier's department of physiology (see Skinner, 1979). Since then, operant conditioning has always found a suitable, albeit sometimes uncomfortable , home within psychology, much in the same way as Pavlovian conditioning and psychophysics. And I'll argue here that given recent advancements in neuroscience, there are more reasons today for behaviorists to stay aboard than ever before. My biggest concern with an isolationist approach is not that it will impede specialized behavioral research or clinical endeavors. The first half of my graduate training convinced me of the …