A 1.5-hour recording of six (Gulf of Mexico) captive common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at Sea Life Park, Hawaii shows that: 1) they have a song of a sequence of tonal (often slurred) notes. The evidence ...A 1.5-hour recording of six (Gulf of Mexico) captive common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at Sea Life Park, Hawaii shows that: 1) they have a song of a sequence of tonal (often slurred) notes. The evidence for their song comes from: a) their emitting songs that were complex (both tonally and rhythmically), b) their likely improvising (as inferred from their most complex songs not being repeated), c) songs based on a theme (used repeatedly), d) a bout of singing (at times) including social creativity, e) songs with a distinct beginning, middle and end section, and f) one song consisting of in part, a theme, 2) their songs are not sung in key (as determined from analysing the beginning tonal value of a note with spectral-frequency analysis), and 3) are sung in bouts, and 4) mostly with tonal-striated vocalizations (in the literature termed squawks and bray calls). Their apparent creativity (likely improvisations) and social creativity are of importance to how they evolved cognitively, to the study of song culture (between populations and delphinid species), understanding their (intra and inter-species) associations, and kinds of relationships, determining individual personalities, and perhaps will provide supporting evidence for their ability to reason. As inferred, they sing without being intentionally manipulative from: 1) their use of Gquic psychology [1] (as explained in this article), and 2) as inferred from their likely having an ability to reason [1] [2] (as deduced from their behavioural ecology (their unique exceptional evolutionary freedom), including their comparatively peaceful composure between conspecifics, in line with the proof of The Peaceful Composure Theorem), suggesting (per The Peaceful Composure Theorem) they have an egalitarian-like society. Their interspecies (displaced) aggression towards smaller odontocete species is shown to be a function of jealousies that emerge from their stronger social bonds than other species, from their compassionate nature, and females and males not pairing up in long-term associations. Species with greater cultural freedom are shown to have a more complex song providing further evidence for species culture not crucial to survival. The conclusive evidence for specie culture from my recent publications is of relevance to the scientific community’s acceptance of two new theories of evolution, and Gquic psychology. The loud burst-pulse sounds, chasing, charging and raking behaviours described in the literature could be a play behaviour, ought not be labelled as aggressive behaviours, as inferred from dog mock-fight play behaviour. In regard to future comparative behavioural ecology studies, aggressive animal behaviour should only be defined as an act of displacement (that is shown to commonly occur in the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin species (Tursiops aduncus)), or as acts of biting, and hitting.展开更多
Forest ecosystems are important for biodiversity conservation and human societies,but are under pressure due to climate change and human interventions.This applies to natural forests as well as tree plantations.The la...Forest ecosystems are important for biodiversity conservation and human societies,but are under pressure due to climate change and human interventions.This applies to natural forests as well as tree plantations.The latter are globally widespread and therefore gaining increasing importance for biodiversity conservation.However,even after dieback due to increasing disturbance frequencies,such plantations are primarily managed for economic returns,leading to growing conflicts among stakeholders.In particular,the impact of forest management on biodiversity is being discussed.This study investigates the effects of five management approaches in a landscape severely affected by spruce(Picea abies L.)dieback on beetle diversity,conservation,and community composition.We considered direct effects of management and indirect effects of environmental parameters separately in ground-dwelling and flight-active beetles.Beetle diversity was strongly affected by forest management,with nonintervention deadwood stands being most beneficial for beetles.In addition,we show indirect effects of environmental factors.In general,parameters related to salvage logging(e.g.open canopies,tree stumps)influenced beetle diversity and conservation negatively,while positive effects were found for soil nutrient availability and plant species richness.Community composition differed strongly among management categories and indicated a lack of landscape connectivity for open habitat species,as we found only low proportions of such species even on salvage-logged sites.We propose a mixture of management approaches after bark beetle outbreaks,including a substantial proportion of non-intervention deadwood stands,to increase landscape heterogeneity and connectivity.This may increase overall biodiversity while addressing the concerns of both forestry and species conservation.展开更多
This paper presents a robust finite-time visual servo control strategy for the tracking problem of omni-directional mobile manipulators(OMMs)subject to mismatched disturbances.First,the nonlinear kinematic model of vi...This paper presents a robust finite-time visual servo control strategy for the tracking problem of omni-directional mobile manipulators(OMMs)subject to mismatched disturbances.First,the nonlinear kinematic model of visual servoing for OMMs with mismatched disturbances is explicitly presented to solve the whole-body inverse kinematic problem.Second,a sliding mode observer augmented with an integral terminal sliding mode controller is proposed to handle these uncertainties and ensure that the system converges to a small region around the equilibrium point.The boundary layer technique is employed to mitigate the chattering phenomenon.Furthermore,a strict finite-time Lyapunov stability analysis is conducted.An experimental comparison between the proposed algorithm and a traditional position-based visual servo controller is carried out,and the results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed control algorithm.展开更多
Grapes are the main reason why the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is cultivated. However, climate, soil conditions, vegetation and anthropogenic effects on the soil greatly affect grapevine production. The organoleptic...Grapes are the main reason why the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is cultivated. However, climate, soil conditions, vegetation and anthropogenic effects on the soil greatly affect grapevine production. The organoleptic properties of grape-derived products, such as wine, are influenced by these factors, which are becoming increasingly popular in Africa. Thus, grapevines, which are commonly grown in warm regions, are acclimatized in Africa using grapevine varieties that can adjust to tropical conditions. This study, which was carried out in 2019, aimed to promote grapevine cultivation in Côte d’Ivoire by examining the influence of pedoclimatic factors on the agro-physiological characteristics of grapevines. In Côte d’Ivoire, there were four distinct agro-ecological zones (North, South, Southeast and West) where three grapevine varieties, Bequignol, Muscat Rouge and Aleatico, were grown. Grapevine plants could grow robustly in morpho-physiological ways because the soils had sufficient fertility, as revealed by the analysis of experimental sites. Grapevine varieties have successfully adapted to different terroirs, with the exception of Muscat Rouge, which only displayed favorable morphological characteristics in the Man zone (West). Regardless of the grape variety, the regions with the best grapevine-growing conditions were Man (West), followed by Aboisso (Southeast). Consequently, grapevine development was less favorable in Korhogo (North) and Abidjan (South) zones. Thus, the cultivation of grapevine varieties in Côte d’Ivoire was greatly influenced by terroir.展开更多
Battery safety is influenced by various factors,with thermal runaway being one of the most significant concerns.While most studies have concentrated on developing one-time,self-activating mechanism for thermal protect...Battery safety is influenced by various factors,with thermal runaway being one of the most significant concerns.While most studies have concentrated on developing one-time,self-activating mechanism for thermal protection,such as temperature-responsive electrodes,and thermal-shutdown separators,these methods only provide irreversible protection.Recently,reversible temperature-sensitive electrolytes have emerged as promising alternatives,offering both thermo-reversibility and self-protective properties.However,further research is crucial to fully understand these thermal-shutdown electrolytes.In this study,we propose lower critical solution temperature(LCST)phase behavior poly(benzyl methacrylate)/imidazolium-based ionic liquid mixtures to prepare temperature-sensitive electrolytes that provide reversible thermal shutdown protection of batteries.This electrolyte features an appropriate protection temperature(~105℃)and responds quickly within a 1 min at 105℃,causing cells to hardly discharge as the voltage suddenly drops to 3.38 V,and providing efficient thermal shutdown protection within 30 min.Upon cooling back to room temperature,the battery regains its original performance.Additionally,the electrolyte exhibits excellent cycling stability with the capacity retention of the battery is 91.6%after 500 cycles.This work provides a viable solution for preventing batteries from thermal runaway triggered by overheating.展开更多
The early stages of crystallization and occurrence of surface wrinkling were investigated using poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)with an ordered lamellar structure.Direct evidence has demonstrated that surfa...The early stages of crystallization and occurrence of surface wrinkling were investigated using poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)with an ordered lamellar structure.Direct evidence has demonstrated that surface wrinkling precedes nucleation and crystal growth.This study examined the relationship between surface wrinkling,nucleation,and the formation of crystalline supramolecular structures using atomic force microscopy(AFM)and X-ray scattering measurements.Surface wrinkling is attributed to curving induced by accumulated stresses,including residual stress from the sample preparation and thermal stress during cooling.These stresses cause large-scale material flow and corresponding changes in the molecular conformations,potentially reducing the nucleation barrier.This hypothesis is supported by the rapid crystal growth observed following the spread of surface wrinkles.Additionally,the surface curving of the polymer thin film creates local minima of the free energy,facilitating nucleation.The nuclei subsequently grow into crystalline supramolecular structures by incorporating polymer molecules from the melt.This mechanism highlights the role of localized structural inhomogeneity in the early stages of crystallization and provides new insights into structure formation processes.展开更多
Mg-alloys have gained considerable attention in recent years for their outstanding properties such as lightweight,high specific strength,and corrosion resistance,making them attractive for applications in medical,aero...Mg-alloys have gained considerable attention in recent years for their outstanding properties such as lightweight,high specific strength,and corrosion resistance,making them attractive for applications in medical,aerospace,automotive,and other transport industries.However,their widespread application is hindered by their low formability at room temperature due to limited slip systems.Cast Mg-alloys have low mechanical properties due to the presence of casting defects such as porosity and anisotropy in addition to the high scrap.While casting methods benefit from established process optimization techniques for these problems,additive manufacturing methods are increasingly replacing casting methods in Mg alloys as they provide more precise control over the microstructure and allow specific grain orientations,potentially enabling easier optimization of anisotropy properties in certain applications.Although metal additive manufacturing(MAM)technology also results in some manufacturing defects such as inhomogeneous microstructural evolution and porosity and additively manufactured Mg alloy parts exhibit lower properties than the wrought parts,they in general exhibit superior properties than the cast counterparts.Thus,MAM is a promising technique to produce Mg alloy parts.Directed energy deposition processes,particularly wire arc directed energy deposition(WA-DED),have emerged as an advantageous additive manufacturing(AM)technique for metallic materials including magnesium alloys,offering advantages such as high deposition rates,improved material efficiency,and reduced production costs compared to subtractive processes.However,the inherent challenges associated with magnesium,such as its high reactivity and susceptibility to oxidation,pose unique hurdles in the application of this technology.This review paper delves into the progress made in the application of DED technology to Mg-alloys,its challenges,and prospects.Furthermore,the predominant imperfections,notably inhomogeneous microstructure evolution and porosity,observed in Mg-alloy components manufactured through DED are discussed.Additionally,the preventive measures implemented to counteract the formation of these defects are explored.展开更多
Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl me...Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)(pHEMA-co-MAA)based hydrogel loaded with newly synthesized conductive poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)(PEDOT)and polypyrrole(PPy)nanoparticles(NPs),and subsequently processed these hydrogels into tissue engineered constructs via three-dimensional(3D)printing.The presence of the NPs was critical as they altered the rheological properties during printing.However,all samples exhibited suitable shear thinning properties,allowing for the development of an optimized processing window for 3D printing.Samples were 3D printed into pre-determined disk-shaped configurations of 2 and 10 mm in height and diameter,respectively.We observed that the NPs disrupted the gel crosslinking efficiencies,leading to shorter degradation times and compressive mechanical properties ranging between 450 and 550 kPa.The conductivity of the printed hydrogels increased along with the NP concentration to(5.10±0.37)×10^(−7)S/cm.In vitro studies with cortical astrocyte cell cultures demonstrated that exposure to the pHEMA-co-MAA NP hydrogels yielded high cellular viability and proliferation rates.Finally,hydrogel antimicrobial studies with staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria revealed that the developed hydrogels affected bacterial growth.Taken together,these materials show promise for various TE strategies.展开更多
Carex planostachys Kunze (Cyperaceae, Cedar sedge) is an herbaceous species in a genus commonly inhabiting mesic or hydric habitats. Carex planostachys is found in arid and semi-arid Juniperus woodlands. Arid conditio...Carex planostachys Kunze (Cyperaceae, Cedar sedge) is an herbaceous species in a genus commonly inhabiting mesic or hydric habitats. Carex planostachys is found in arid and semi-arid Juniperus woodlands. Arid conditions impose survival challenges to plants in dry areas. Some plants have plasticity responses to soil water content and continued normal though reduced functions through droughts, but most herbaceous plants do not survive. Limited previous studies have suggested C. planostachys is tolerant of drought. Physiological responses of C. planostachys from Juniperus woodlands was examined is this study to determine how long plants could survive without water and if they are capable of recovery from very negative water potentials beyond what is considered the permanent wilting point for most herbaceous plants. Plants were placed in pots in partial shade in this experiment. Water loss from the soil with plants was an inverse 2nd order polynomial function with soil water decreasing from 32% to 8% by day 28 of the study. Leaf water potential was also an inverse 2nd order polynomial function but did not decline significantly until 14 days without watering. Leaf water potential was −10.0 MPa after 35 days without watering. Non-watered plants Anet, (photosynthetic rate) was significantly lower compared to the water treatment by day 21 as was stomatal conductance and transpiration. When non-watered plants were watered after 21, 28 or 35 days, full recovery of physiological responses occurred within 7 days. The length of time that C. planostachys was able to withstand drought was greater than the annual trends in lack of precipitation during springtime in this area. Carex planostachys can photosynthesize at water stress between −8 and −10 MPa. Carex planostachys drought and shade tolerance enables it to occupy an understory niche devoid of other herbaceous plants.展开更多
Background Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world,is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle.The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitig...Background Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world,is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle.The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived(0.25%,0.50%,and 1.00% Isabion■),seaweed-based(0.165%,0.330%,and 0.660% Proton■)biostimulants,as well as a copper(Cu)-containing fungicide application,on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves(V4)stage.The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5℃for 48 h,and the changes in morphological(seedling fresh and dry weight,plant height,and stem diameter)and physiological parameters(leaf temperature,chlorophyll content,relative water content,electrolyte leakage,and relative injury)were examined.Results The results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth,while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling.Under chilling stress,there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight(SFW),seedling dry weight(SDW),plant height(PH),stem diameter(SD),leaf temperature(LT),and relative water content(RWC).Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW,SDW,PH,SD,LT,chlorophyll content(Chl),electrolyte leakage(EL),and relative injury(RI),although there were no positive changes in RWC.No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants.For SDW,PH,EL,and RI,the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.Conclusion These results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings.Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance.Among the biostimulant applications,all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications,as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant,led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.展开更多
Short Retraction NoticeThis article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of ...Short Retraction NoticeThis article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of scientific research by offering an ideal research publication platform with due consideration of internationally accepted standards on publication ethics. The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused. The full retraction notice in PDF is preceding the original paper, which is marked "RETRACTED".展开更多
The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides experienced an active introduction and acclimatization in the European part of Russia followed by its migration to and colonization in the neighboring countries. Eventually, it...The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides experienced an active introduction and acclimatization in the European part of Russia followed by its migration to and colonization in the neighboring countries. Eventually, it has spread rapidly into many European countries. N. procyonoides probably invaded Lithuania from the neighboring countries of Belarus and Latvia where the species was introduced. However, the data on genetic diversity and population structure of the raccoon dogs in the recently invaded territories are still scarce. The objectives of this study were to investigate genetic diversity of N. procyonoides in Lithuania after acclimatization, and to assess the impact of anthropogenic pressure on the formation of population structure. A total of 147 N. procyonoides individuals collected from different regions of Lithuania were genotyped using 17 microsatellite markers. The microsatellite analysis of raccoon dogs indicated high levels of genetic diversity within the population. The Bayesian clustering analysis in STRUCTURE identified 4 genetic clusters among sampled raccoon dogs that could not reveal a clear separation between subpopulations. The widespread distribution of raccoon dogs in Lithuania, high level of genetic variation observed within subpopulations, and low level of variation portioned among subpopulations suggest migration and gene flow among locations. The significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances indicated isolation that reflected the distance between locations. The fencing of highways and very intensive traffic could be barriers to gene flow between the western and eastern sampling areas of raccoon dogs.展开更多
Representatives of the extinct psocid family Empheriidae are known from Eocene Baltic amber, Lowermost Eocene French amber （Oise）, and Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber （Alava）. We report herein the first discovery o...Representatives of the extinct psocid family Empheriidae are known from Eocene Baltic amber, Lowermost Eocene French amber （Oise）, and Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber （Alava）. We report herein the first discovery of an empheriid psocid from the Cretaceous amber of New Jersey as Jerseyempheria grimaldii gen. et sp. nov. The fossil is figured and described. The new species is distinguished from related taxa. A discussion and checklist of Empheriidae are provided.展开更多
The mineral fertilizers (NPK) and pesticide, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, were applied alone or in combination and the soil sampling was done at different growth stages during the crop cycle to s...The mineral fertilizers (NPK) and pesticide, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, were applied alone or in combination and the soil sampling was done at different growth stages during the crop cycle to study the changes in soil organic matter, microbial biomass and their activity parameters in a paddy soil with different nutrient and pest management practices in a hybrid rice double-cropping system. A consistent increase in the electron transport system (ETS) activity was measured during the different crop growth stages of rice. The use of fertilizers (NPK) alone or with pesticides increased ETS activity, while a decline of ETS activity was noticed with pesticides alone as compared with the control. Nearly an increasing trend in soil phenol content was observed with the progression of crop growth stages, while the usage of pesticides alone caused maximum increments in the soil phenol content. The soil protein content was found nearly stable with fertilizers and/or pesticides application at various growth stages in both crops taken. But notable changes were noticed at different growth stages probably because of fluctuations in moisture and temperature at particular stages, which might have their effects on N mineralization. Marked depletions in the phospholipid content were found with the advancement of crop growth stages, while the incorporation of fertilizers and/or pesticides also produced slight changes, in which a higher decline was noticed with pesticide application alone compared with the control.展开更多
Different amino acids have been shown to affect feed intake when injected directly into the central nervous system of birds. In the present study, we investigated the effects of L-glutamine and L-alanine on feed intak...Different amino acids have been shown to affect feed intake when injected directly into the central nervous system of birds. In the present study, we investigated the effects of L-glutamine and L-alanine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. L-Glutamine or L- alanine was intra-cerebroventricularly （ICV） administered to 4-d-old broiler chicks and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of neuropeptide Y （NPY）, agouti related protein （AgRP）, pro-opiomelanocortin （POMC）, melanocortin receptor 4 （MC4R） and corticotropin releasing factor （CRF）. Our results showed that ICV administration of L-glutamine （0.55 or 5.5 pmol） significantly increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and the hypothalamic NPY mRNA expression levels, while it markedly decreased hypothalamic POMC and CRF mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-alanine （4 lamol） significantly decreased feed intake for the first 0.5 h post-administration period, and reduced the hypothalamic AgRP mRNA expression levels, while it remarkablely enhanced the mRNA expression levels of MC4R and CRF. These findings suggested that L-glutamine and L-alanine could act within the hypothalamus to influence feed intake in broiler chicks, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects.展开更多
During the last decades,several integrated studies of Tethyan Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary sections from different countries were published with the objective to indicate problems for the selection of biological,chemi...During the last decades,several integrated studies of Tethyan Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary sections from different countries were published with the objective to indicate problems for the selection of biological,chemical or physical markers suitable for identification of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary-the only system boundary within the Phanerozoic still not fixed by GSSP.Drawing the boundary between the Jurassic and Cretaceous systems is a matter of global scale discussions.The problem of proposing possible J/K boundary stratotypes results from lack of a global index fossils, global sea level drop,paleogeographic changes causing development of isolated facies areas,as well as from the effect of Late Cimmerian Orogeny.This contribution summarizes and comments data on J/K boundary interval obtained from several important Tethyan sections and shows still existing problems and discrepancies in its determination.展开更多
Nematodes are indicators of soil quality and soil health.Knowledge of the relationships between nematode-based soil quality indices and environmental properties is beneficial for assessing environmental threats on soi...Nematodes are indicators of soil quality and soil health.Knowledge of the relationships between nematode-based soil quality indices and environmental properties is beneficial for assessing environmental threats on soil biota.This study evaluated the spatial distribution of nematode-based soil quality indices in a 23-ha heavy metal-polluted nature reserve using geostatistical methods.We expected that a selection of abiotic soil properties(pH and moisture,clay,organic matter,cadmium(Cd),and zinc(Zn)contents)could explain a significant portion of the spatial variation of the indices and that regression kriging could more accurately model their spatial distribution than ordinary kriging.A stratified simple random sampling scheme was used to select 80 locations where soil samples were taken to extract nematodes and derive the indices.The area had a distinct gradient in soil properties with Cd and Zn content ranging from 0.07 to 68.9 and 5.3 to 1329 mg kg^(-1),respectively.Linear regression models were fitted to describe the relationships between the indices and soil properties.By also modelling the spatial correlation structure of regression residuals using spherical semivariograms,regression kriging was used to produce maps of the indices.The regression models explained between 21% and 44% of the total original variance in the indices.Soil pH was a significant explanatory variable in almost all cases,while heavy metal conent had a remarkably low effect.In some cases,the regression residuals had spatial structure.Independent validation indicated that in all cases,regression kriging performed slightly better because of having lower values of the root mean square prediction error and a mean prediction error closer to zero than ordinary kriging.This study showed the importance of soil properties in explaining the spatial distribution of biological soil quality indices in ecological risk assessment.展开更多
A new genus and species of Rhachiberothidae, Raptorapax terribilissima gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon is described. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Paraberothinae. The new material co...A new genus and species of Rhachiberothidae, Raptorapax terribilissima gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon is described. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Paraberothinae. The new material confirms the great diversity of the group in the Cretaceous age and its decrease in diversity in recent times.展开更多
Feed intake control is vital to ensuring optimal nutrition and achieving full potential for growth and development in poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-leucine, L-glutamate, L-t...Feed intake control is vital to ensuring optimal nutrition and achieving full potential for growth and development in poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-leucine, L-glutamate, L-tryptophan and L-arginine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic Neuropeptide involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. Leucine, glutamate, tryptophan or arginine was intra-cerebroventricularly （ICV） administrated to 4d-old broiler chicks respectively and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of Neuropeptide Y （NPY）, agouti related protein （AgRP）, pro-opiomelanocortin （POMC）, melanocortin receptor 4 （MC4R） and corticotrophin releasing factor （CRF）. Our results showed that ICV administration of L-leucine （0.15 or 1.5 μmol） significantly （P〈0.05） increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and elevated both hypothalamic NPY and AgRP mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-glutamate （1.6 μmol） significantly （P 〈 0.05） decreased feed intake 0.25, 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, and increased hypothalamic CRF and MC4R mRNA expression levels. Meanwhile, both L-tryptophan （10 or 100 μg） and L-arginine （20 or 200 μg） had no significant effect on feed intake. These findings suggested that L-leucine and L-glutamate could act within the hypothalamus to influence food intake, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic Neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects.展开更多
Ecological niche modeling has emerged as an useful tool in the investigation of the phylogeographic histories of species or communities in a region. The high biodiversity （oftentimes cryptic）, and complex geography ...Ecological niche modeling has emerged as an useful tool in the investigation of the phylogeographic histories of species or communities in a region. The high biodiversity （oftentimes cryptic）, and complex geography and geological history of Southeast Asia particularly call for multipronged approaches in phylogeographic investigations. Past studies have focused on taxa that are associated with lowland rainforests, which is the dominant natural vegetation type. Here, we combine published phylogenetic data, ecological niche modeling and paleo-climate models to reveal potential drivers of divergence in two open-forest bird species, the oriental magpie-robin Copsychus saularis and Coppersmith barbet Megalaima haemacephala. In spite of broad overlap in current distributions, there are subtle differences in their climatic niches, which result in different responses to past climatic changes. For C saularis, both Last Glacial Maximum climate models indicated that the entire Sundaland was climati- cally suitable, while phylogenetic analyses found divergent eastern and western Sundaland lineages. We thus postulate that this genetic divergence was a result of past separations of coastal habitats into eastern and western portions due to the emergence of Sunda shelf as sea-level fell. The current separation of morphological subspecies in Borneo is maintained by low climatic suitability （high annual rainfall） in certain regions. The extirpation of M. haemacephala from Borneo and southern Malay Peninsula might have been driven by unsuitable conditions （high temperature seasonality） in central Sundaland and/or the lack of open woodlands. Our study shows that ecological niche modeling adds a powerful dimension to our attempt to understand lineage evolution in space [Current Zoology 61 （5）： 922-934, 2015].展开更多
文摘A 1.5-hour recording of six (Gulf of Mexico) captive common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at Sea Life Park, Hawaii shows that: 1) they have a song of a sequence of tonal (often slurred) notes. The evidence for their song comes from: a) their emitting songs that were complex (both tonally and rhythmically), b) their likely improvising (as inferred from their most complex songs not being repeated), c) songs based on a theme (used repeatedly), d) a bout of singing (at times) including social creativity, e) songs with a distinct beginning, middle and end section, and f) one song consisting of in part, a theme, 2) their songs are not sung in key (as determined from analysing the beginning tonal value of a note with spectral-frequency analysis), and 3) are sung in bouts, and 4) mostly with tonal-striated vocalizations (in the literature termed squawks and bray calls). Their apparent creativity (likely improvisations) and social creativity are of importance to how they evolved cognitively, to the study of song culture (between populations and delphinid species), understanding their (intra and inter-species) associations, and kinds of relationships, determining individual personalities, and perhaps will provide supporting evidence for their ability to reason. As inferred, they sing without being intentionally manipulative from: 1) their use of Gquic psychology [1] (as explained in this article), and 2) as inferred from their likely having an ability to reason [1] [2] (as deduced from their behavioural ecology (their unique exceptional evolutionary freedom), including their comparatively peaceful composure between conspecifics, in line with the proof of The Peaceful Composure Theorem), suggesting (per The Peaceful Composure Theorem) they have an egalitarian-like society. Their interspecies (displaced) aggression towards smaller odontocete species is shown to be a function of jealousies that emerge from their stronger social bonds than other species, from their compassionate nature, and females and males not pairing up in long-term associations. Species with greater cultural freedom are shown to have a more complex song providing further evidence for species culture not crucial to survival. The conclusive evidence for specie culture from my recent publications is of relevance to the scientific community’s acceptance of two new theories of evolution, and Gquic psychology. The loud burst-pulse sounds, chasing, charging and raking behaviours described in the literature could be a play behaviour, ought not be labelled as aggressive behaviours, as inferred from dog mock-fight play behaviour. In regard to future comparative behavioural ecology studies, aggressive animal behaviour should only be defined as an act of displacement (that is shown to commonly occur in the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin species (Tursiops aduncus)), or as acts of biting, and hitting.
基金supported by Forschungsanstalt für Waldo kologie und Forstwirtschaft(FAWF)of Landesforsten Rheinland-Pfalz(FF 5.3-01-2021)。
文摘Forest ecosystems are important for biodiversity conservation and human societies,but are under pressure due to climate change and human interventions.This applies to natural forests as well as tree plantations.The latter are globally widespread and therefore gaining increasing importance for biodiversity conservation.However,even after dieback due to increasing disturbance frequencies,such plantations are primarily managed for economic returns,leading to growing conflicts among stakeholders.In particular,the impact of forest management on biodiversity is being discussed.This study investigates the effects of five management approaches in a landscape severely affected by spruce(Picea abies L.)dieback on beetle diversity,conservation,and community composition.We considered direct effects of management and indirect effects of environmental parameters separately in ground-dwelling and flight-active beetles.Beetle diversity was strongly affected by forest management,with nonintervention deadwood stands being most beneficial for beetles.In addition,we show indirect effects of environmental factors.In general,parameters related to salvage logging(e.g.open canopies,tree stumps)influenced beetle diversity and conservation negatively,while positive effects were found for soil nutrient availability and plant species richness.Community composition differed strongly among management categories and indicated a lack of landscape connectivity for open habitat species,as we found only low proportions of such species even on salvage-logged sites.We propose a mixture of management approaches after bark beetle outbreaks,including a substantial proportion of non-intervention deadwood stands,to increase landscape heterogeneity and connectivity.This may increase overall biodiversity while addressing the concerns of both forestry and species conservation.
基金supported by the Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Special Fund of Shanghai(No.2019RGZN01041)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.92048205).
文摘This paper presents a robust finite-time visual servo control strategy for the tracking problem of omni-directional mobile manipulators(OMMs)subject to mismatched disturbances.First,the nonlinear kinematic model of visual servoing for OMMs with mismatched disturbances is explicitly presented to solve the whole-body inverse kinematic problem.Second,a sliding mode observer augmented with an integral terminal sliding mode controller is proposed to handle these uncertainties and ensure that the system converges to a small region around the equilibrium point.The boundary layer technique is employed to mitigate the chattering phenomenon.Furthermore,a strict finite-time Lyapunov stability analysis is conducted.An experimental comparison between the proposed algorithm and a traditional position-based visual servo controller is carried out,and the results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed control algorithm.
文摘Grapes are the main reason why the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is cultivated. However, climate, soil conditions, vegetation and anthropogenic effects on the soil greatly affect grapevine production. The organoleptic properties of grape-derived products, such as wine, are influenced by these factors, which are becoming increasingly popular in Africa. Thus, grapevines, which are commonly grown in warm regions, are acclimatized in Africa using grapevine varieties that can adjust to tropical conditions. This study, which was carried out in 2019, aimed to promote grapevine cultivation in Côte d’Ivoire by examining the influence of pedoclimatic factors on the agro-physiological characteristics of grapevines. In Côte d’Ivoire, there were four distinct agro-ecological zones (North, South, Southeast and West) where three grapevine varieties, Bequignol, Muscat Rouge and Aleatico, were grown. Grapevine plants could grow robustly in morpho-physiological ways because the soils had sufficient fertility, as revealed by the analysis of experimental sites. Grapevine varieties have successfully adapted to different terroirs, with the exception of Muscat Rouge, which only displayed favorable morphological characteristics in the Man zone (West). Regardless of the grape variety, the regions with the best grapevine-growing conditions were Man (West), followed by Aboisso (Southeast). Consequently, grapevine development was less favorable in Korhogo (North) and Abidjan (South) zones. Thus, the cultivation of grapevine varieties in Côte d’Ivoire was greatly influenced by terroir.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.22075155)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.LY24B030002)+2 种基金Ningbo Natural Science Foundation(2023J089)the China Scholarship Council(CSC)the Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau(2024QL036).
文摘Battery safety is influenced by various factors,with thermal runaway being one of the most significant concerns.While most studies have concentrated on developing one-time,self-activating mechanism for thermal protection,such as temperature-responsive electrodes,and thermal-shutdown separators,these methods only provide irreversible protection.Recently,reversible temperature-sensitive electrolytes have emerged as promising alternatives,offering both thermo-reversibility and self-protective properties.However,further research is crucial to fully understand these thermal-shutdown electrolytes.In this study,we propose lower critical solution temperature(LCST)phase behavior poly(benzyl methacrylate)/imidazolium-based ionic liquid mixtures to prepare temperature-sensitive electrolytes that provide reversible thermal shutdown protection of batteries.This electrolyte features an appropriate protection temperature(~105℃)and responds quickly within a 1 min at 105℃,causing cells to hardly discharge as the voltage suddenly drops to 3.38 V,and providing efficient thermal shutdown protection within 30 min.Upon cooling back to room temperature,the battery regains its original performance.Additionally,the electrolyte exhibits excellent cycling stability with the capacity retention of the battery is 91.6%after 500 cycles.This work provides a viable solution for preventing batteries from thermal runaway triggered by overheating.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.U2032101 and 11905306)the National Key Research and Development Project of China(No.2022YFB2402602).
文摘The early stages of crystallization and occurrence of surface wrinkling were investigated using poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)with an ordered lamellar structure.Direct evidence has demonstrated that surface wrinkling precedes nucleation and crystal growth.This study examined the relationship between surface wrinkling,nucleation,and the formation of crystalline supramolecular structures using atomic force microscopy(AFM)and X-ray scattering measurements.Surface wrinkling is attributed to curving induced by accumulated stresses,including residual stress from the sample preparation and thermal stress during cooling.These stresses cause large-scale material flow and corresponding changes in the molecular conformations,potentially reducing the nucleation barrier.This hypothesis is supported by the rapid crystal growth observed following the spread of surface wrinkles.Additionally,the surface curving of the polymer thin film creates local minima of the free energy,facilitating nucleation.The nuclei subsequently grow into crystalline supramolecular structures by incorporating polymer molecules from the melt.This mechanism highlights the role of localized structural inhomogeneity in the early stages of crystallization and provides new insights into structure formation processes.
文摘Mg-alloys have gained considerable attention in recent years for their outstanding properties such as lightweight,high specific strength,and corrosion resistance,making them attractive for applications in medical,aerospace,automotive,and other transport industries.However,their widespread application is hindered by their low formability at room temperature due to limited slip systems.Cast Mg-alloys have low mechanical properties due to the presence of casting defects such as porosity and anisotropy in addition to the high scrap.While casting methods benefit from established process optimization techniques for these problems,additive manufacturing methods are increasingly replacing casting methods in Mg alloys as they provide more precise control over the microstructure and allow specific grain orientations,potentially enabling easier optimization of anisotropy properties in certain applications.Although metal additive manufacturing(MAM)technology also results in some manufacturing defects such as inhomogeneous microstructural evolution and porosity and additively manufactured Mg alloy parts exhibit lower properties than the wrought parts,they in general exhibit superior properties than the cast counterparts.Thus,MAM is a promising technique to produce Mg alloy parts.Directed energy deposition processes,particularly wire arc directed energy deposition(WA-DED),have emerged as an advantageous additive manufacturing(AM)technique for metallic materials including magnesium alloys,offering advantages such as high deposition rates,improved material efficiency,and reduced production costs compared to subtractive processes.However,the inherent challenges associated with magnesium,such as its high reactivity and susceptibility to oxidation,pose unique hurdles in the application of this technology.This review paper delves into the progress made in the application of DED technology to Mg-alloys,its challenges,and prospects.Furthermore,the predominant imperfections,notably inhomogeneous microstructure evolution and porosity,observed in Mg-alloy components manufactured through DED are discussed.Additionally,the preventive measures implemented to counteract the formation of these defects are explored.
基金research conducted with the financial support of Science Foundation Ireland under the SFI Research Infrastructure Programme (21/RI/9831)the funding provided by the Irish Research Council through the Irish Research Council Enterprise Partnership Scheme with Johnson and Johnson (EPSPG/2020/78)
文摘Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)(pHEMA-co-MAA)based hydrogel loaded with newly synthesized conductive poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)(PEDOT)and polypyrrole(PPy)nanoparticles(NPs),and subsequently processed these hydrogels into tissue engineered constructs via three-dimensional(3D)printing.The presence of the NPs was critical as they altered the rheological properties during printing.However,all samples exhibited suitable shear thinning properties,allowing for the development of an optimized processing window for 3D printing.Samples were 3D printed into pre-determined disk-shaped configurations of 2 and 10 mm in height and diameter,respectively.We observed that the NPs disrupted the gel crosslinking efficiencies,leading to shorter degradation times and compressive mechanical properties ranging between 450 and 550 kPa.The conductivity of the printed hydrogels increased along with the NP concentration to(5.10±0.37)×10^(−7)S/cm.In vitro studies with cortical astrocyte cell cultures demonstrated that exposure to the pHEMA-co-MAA NP hydrogels yielded high cellular viability and proliferation rates.Finally,hydrogel antimicrobial studies with staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria revealed that the developed hydrogels affected bacterial growth.Taken together,these materials show promise for various TE strategies.
文摘Carex planostachys Kunze (Cyperaceae, Cedar sedge) is an herbaceous species in a genus commonly inhabiting mesic or hydric habitats. Carex planostachys is found in arid and semi-arid Juniperus woodlands. Arid conditions impose survival challenges to plants in dry areas. Some plants have plasticity responses to soil water content and continued normal though reduced functions through droughts, but most herbaceous plants do not survive. Limited previous studies have suggested C. planostachys is tolerant of drought. Physiological responses of C. planostachys from Juniperus woodlands was examined is this study to determine how long plants could survive without water and if they are capable of recovery from very negative water potentials beyond what is considered the permanent wilting point for most herbaceous plants. Plants were placed in pots in partial shade in this experiment. Water loss from the soil with plants was an inverse 2nd order polynomial function with soil water decreasing from 32% to 8% by day 28 of the study. Leaf water potential was also an inverse 2nd order polynomial function but did not decline significantly until 14 days without watering. Leaf water potential was −10.0 MPa after 35 days without watering. Non-watered plants Anet, (photosynthetic rate) was significantly lower compared to the water treatment by day 21 as was stomatal conductance and transpiration. When non-watered plants were watered after 21, 28 or 35 days, full recovery of physiological responses occurred within 7 days. The length of time that C. planostachys was able to withstand drought was greater than the annual trends in lack of precipitation during springtime in this area. Carex planostachys can photosynthesize at water stress between −8 and −10 MPa. Carex planostachys drought and shade tolerance enables it to occupy an understory niche devoid of other herbaceous plants.
文摘Background Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world,is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle.The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived(0.25%,0.50%,and 1.00% Isabion■),seaweed-based(0.165%,0.330%,and 0.660% Proton■)biostimulants,as well as a copper(Cu)-containing fungicide application,on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves(V4)stage.The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5℃for 48 h,and the changes in morphological(seedling fresh and dry weight,plant height,and stem diameter)and physiological parameters(leaf temperature,chlorophyll content,relative water content,electrolyte leakage,and relative injury)were examined.Results The results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth,while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling.Under chilling stress,there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight(SFW),seedling dry weight(SDW),plant height(PH),stem diameter(SD),leaf temperature(LT),and relative water content(RWC).Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW,SDW,PH,SD,LT,chlorophyll content(Chl),electrolyte leakage(EL),and relative injury(RI),although there were no positive changes in RWC.No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants.For SDW,PH,EL,and RI,the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.Conclusion These results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings.Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance.Among the biostimulant applications,all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications,as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant,led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.
文摘Short Retraction NoticeThis article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of scientific research by offering an ideal research publication platform with due consideration of internationally accepted standards on publication ethics. The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused. The full retraction notice in PDF is preceding the original paper, which is marked "RETRACTED".
文摘The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides experienced an active introduction and acclimatization in the European part of Russia followed by its migration to and colonization in the neighboring countries. Eventually, it has spread rapidly into many European countries. N. procyonoides probably invaded Lithuania from the neighboring countries of Belarus and Latvia where the species was introduced. However, the data on genetic diversity and population structure of the raccoon dogs in the recently invaded territories are still scarce. The objectives of this study were to investigate genetic diversity of N. procyonoides in Lithuania after acclimatization, and to assess the impact of anthropogenic pressure on the formation of population structure. A total of 147 N. procyonoides individuals collected from different regions of Lithuania were genotyped using 17 microsatellite markers. The microsatellite analysis of raccoon dogs indicated high levels of genetic diversity within the population. The Bayesian clustering analysis in STRUCTURE identified 4 genetic clusters among sampled raccoon dogs that could not reveal a clear separation between subpopulations. The widespread distribution of raccoon dogs in Lithuania, high level of genetic variation observed within subpopulations, and low level of variation portioned among subpopulations suggest migration and gene flow among locations. The significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances indicated isolation that reflected the distance between locations. The fencing of highways and very intensive traffic could be barriers to gene flow between the western and eastern sampling areas of raccoon dogs.
基金the ANR project: AMBRACE(BLAN 07-1-184190) and to the scientific project‘The Study of the Fossil Insects in Lebanon and their Outcrops: Geology of the Outcrops-Historical and Biodiversity Evolution' financed by the Lebanese University to the first author(DA)the National Research Council of Argentina(CONICET) for the funds provided for this research: grant PIP 6393,PIP 11420090100377 and BEJI
文摘Representatives of the extinct psocid family Empheriidae are known from Eocene Baltic amber, Lowermost Eocene French amber （Oise）, and Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber （Alava）. We report herein the first discovery of an empheriid psocid from the Cretaceous amber of New Jersey as Jerseyempheria grimaldii gen. et sp. nov. The fossil is figured and described. The new species is distinguished from related taxa. A discussion and checklist of Empheriidae are provided.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 39970146) the Interna- tional Rice Research Institute (IRRI) under project of Reversing Trends of Declining Productivity (RTDP).
文摘The mineral fertilizers (NPK) and pesticide, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, were applied alone or in combination and the soil sampling was done at different growth stages during the crop cycle to study the changes in soil organic matter, microbial biomass and their activity parameters in a paddy soil with different nutrient and pest management practices in a hybrid rice double-cropping system. A consistent increase in the electron transport system (ETS) activity was measured during the different crop growth stages of rice. The use of fertilizers (NPK) alone or with pesticides increased ETS activity, while a decline of ETS activity was noticed with pesticides alone as compared with the control. Nearly an increasing trend in soil phenol content was observed with the progression of crop growth stages, while the usage of pesticides alone caused maximum increments in the soil phenol content. The soil protein content was found nearly stable with fertilizers and/or pesticides application at various growth stages in both crops taken. But notable changes were noticed at different growth stages probably because of fluctuations in moisture and temperature at particular stages, which might have their effects on N mineralization. Marked depletions in the phospholipid content were found with the advancement of crop growth stages, while the incorporation of fertilizers and/or pesticides also produced slight changes, in which a higher decline was noticed with pesticide application alone compared with the control.
基金the National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB941601)the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (u0731004)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30871845, 30901058 and 30972157)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China(9451064201003790 and 9151064201000056)the National Public Benefit (Agricultural) Research Foundation of China(201003011)the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(20094404120012)
文摘Different amino acids have been shown to affect feed intake when injected directly into the central nervous system of birds. In the present study, we investigated the effects of L-glutamine and L-alanine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. L-Glutamine or L- alanine was intra-cerebroventricularly （ICV） administered to 4-d-old broiler chicks and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of neuropeptide Y （NPY）, agouti related protein （AgRP）, pro-opiomelanocortin （POMC）, melanocortin receptor 4 （MC4R） and corticotropin releasing factor （CRF）. Our results showed that ICV administration of L-glutamine （0.55 or 5.5 pmol） significantly increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and the hypothalamic NPY mRNA expression levels, while it markedly decreased hypothalamic POMC and CRF mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-alanine （4 lamol） significantly decreased feed intake for the first 0.5 h post-administration period, and reduced the hypothalamic AgRP mRNA expression levels, while it remarkablely enhanced the mRNA expression levels of MC4R and CRF. These findings suggested that L-glutamine and L-alanine could act within the hypothalamus to influence feed intake in broiler chicks, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects.
基金the APVV-0280-07,APVV-0248-07APVV- 0465-06+1 种基金APVT 51-011305VEGA 0196 and 0065
文摘During the last decades,several integrated studies of Tethyan Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary sections from different countries were published with the objective to indicate problems for the selection of biological,chemical or physical markers suitable for identification of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary-the only system boundary within the Phanerozoic still not fixed by GSSP.Drawing the boundary between the Jurassic and Cretaceous systems is a matter of global scale discussions.The problem of proposing possible J/K boundary stratotypes results from lack of a global index fossils, global sea level drop,paleogeographic changes causing development of isolated facies areas,as well as from the effect of Late Cimmerian Orogeny.This contribution summarizes and comments data on J/K boundary interval obtained from several important Tethyan sections and shows still existing problems and discrepancies in its determination.
文摘Nematodes are indicators of soil quality and soil health.Knowledge of the relationships between nematode-based soil quality indices and environmental properties is beneficial for assessing environmental threats on soil biota.This study evaluated the spatial distribution of nematode-based soil quality indices in a 23-ha heavy metal-polluted nature reserve using geostatistical methods.We expected that a selection of abiotic soil properties(pH and moisture,clay,organic matter,cadmium(Cd),and zinc(Zn)contents)could explain a significant portion of the spatial variation of the indices and that regression kriging could more accurately model their spatial distribution than ordinary kriging.A stratified simple random sampling scheme was used to select 80 locations where soil samples were taken to extract nematodes and derive the indices.The area had a distinct gradient in soil properties with Cd and Zn content ranging from 0.07 to 68.9 and 5.3 to 1329 mg kg^(-1),respectively.Linear regression models were fitted to describe the relationships between the indices and soil properties.By also modelling the spatial correlation structure of regression residuals using spherical semivariograms,regression kriging was used to produce maps of the indices.The regression models explained between 21% and 44% of the total original variance in the indices.Soil pH was a significant explanatory variable in almost all cases,while heavy metal conent had a remarkably low effect.In some cases,the regression residuals had spatial structure.Independent validation indicated that in all cases,regression kriging performed slightly better because of having lower values of the root mean square prediction error and a mean prediction error closer to zero than ordinary kriging.This study showed the importance of soil properties in explaining the spatial distribution of biological soil quality indices in ecological risk assessment.
基金a contribution to the ANR project: AMBRACE(BLAN 07-1-184190)the scientific project‘The Study of the Fossil Insects in Lebanon and their Outcrops: Geology of the Outcrops - Historical and Biodiversity Evolution' financed by the Lebanese University to DA.JFP thanks the National Research Council of Argentina(CONICET) for the funds provided for this research:grant PIP 6393,PIP 11420090100377 and BEJI
文摘A new genus and species of Rhachiberothidae, Raptorapax terribilissima gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon is described. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Paraberothinae. The new material confirms the great diversity of the group in the Cretaceous age and its decrease in diversity in recent times.
基金supported by National Key Project(2009CB941601)the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(u0731004)+3 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(30871845,30901058 and 30972157)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China(9451064201003790 and 9151064201000056)the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(201003011)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(20094404120012)
文摘Feed intake control is vital to ensuring optimal nutrition and achieving full potential for growth and development in poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-leucine, L-glutamate, L-tryptophan and L-arginine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic Neuropeptide involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. Leucine, glutamate, tryptophan or arginine was intra-cerebroventricularly （ICV） administrated to 4d-old broiler chicks respectively and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of Neuropeptide Y （NPY）, agouti related protein （AgRP）, pro-opiomelanocortin （POMC）, melanocortin receptor 4 （MC4R） and corticotrophin releasing factor （CRF）. Our results showed that ICV administration of L-leucine （0.15 or 1.5 μmol） significantly （P〈0.05） increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and elevated both hypothalamic NPY and AgRP mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-glutamate （1.6 μmol） significantly （P 〈 0.05） decreased feed intake 0.25, 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, and increased hypothalamic CRF and MC4R mRNA expression levels. Meanwhile, both L-tryptophan （10 or 100 μg） and L-arginine （20 or 200 μg） had no significant effect on feed intake. These findings suggested that L-leucine and L-glutamate could act within the hypothalamus to influence food intake, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic Neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects.
文摘Ecological niche modeling has emerged as an useful tool in the investigation of the phylogeographic histories of species or communities in a region. The high biodiversity （oftentimes cryptic）, and complex geography and geological history of Southeast Asia particularly call for multipronged approaches in phylogeographic investigations. Past studies have focused on taxa that are associated with lowland rainforests, which is the dominant natural vegetation type. Here, we combine published phylogenetic data, ecological niche modeling and paleo-climate models to reveal potential drivers of divergence in two open-forest bird species, the oriental magpie-robin Copsychus saularis and Coppersmith barbet Megalaima haemacephala. In spite of broad overlap in current distributions, there are subtle differences in their climatic niches, which result in different responses to past climatic changes. For C saularis, both Last Glacial Maximum climate models indicated that the entire Sundaland was climati- cally suitable, while phylogenetic analyses found divergent eastern and western Sundaland lineages. We thus postulate that this genetic divergence was a result of past separations of coastal habitats into eastern and western portions due to the emergence of Sunda shelf as sea-level fell. The current separation of morphological subspecies in Borneo is maintained by low climatic suitability （high annual rainfall） in certain regions. The extirpation of M. haemacephala from Borneo and southern Malay Peninsula might have been driven by unsuitable conditions （high temperature seasonality） in central Sundaland and/or the lack of open woodlands. Our study shows that ecological niche modeling adds a powerful dimension to our attempt to understand lineage evolution in space [Current Zoology 61 （5）： 922-934, 2015].
