bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Investigation Into How Far Do Residents Adopt Measures to Reduce Microbial Hazards During Food Handling
Authors: Jeewon Rajesh , Nouvishika Seerauj , Kumar Dauharry , Jheelan-Ramchandur Ahinsa
Published: April 2017

Foodborne diseases have always been linked to numerous food manufacturing elements and home practices of purchasers and the latter does play a critical role in disease prevention. Consumers have the ultimate responsibility for handling and storing food safely and take adequate safety precautions when preparing and consuming food at home to avoid health related problems associated with microbial hazards. The objectives of this survey were to evaluate current knowledge of consumers pertaining to food hygiene and food safety concepts as well as to assess food handling practices that residents adopt to reduce microbial hazards in the domestic environment. A sample of 300 Mauritian residents were selected to participate in a questionnaire based survey. Questions in the questionnaire were based on hygienic practices with respect to food handling, food safety and personal hygiene. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was used to analyze the results and Microsoft excel was used to generate pie charts, and bar charts. The results obtained demonstrated that the level of knowledge pertaining to food safety and food hygiene and how to reduce microbial hazards were above average. Majority of the residents were knowledgeable about major aspects related to proper food handling behaviors but need more education pertaining to the use of thermometers to check for food temperature. The nature of the risk, personal and environmental factors (psychological, demographic and socio-economic factors, cultural and economic) were found to be the factors affecting food safety behaviors among consumers. Consumers can become more motivated to improve their behaviors if they are made aware of the impact of risky practices. Although, most consumers had basic knowledge pertaining to food safety, food hygiene and food handling practices, it is important to continually inform consumers about safe food handling practices through various channels.
Physicochemical and Nutritional Characterization of Jamun (Syzygium Cuminii)
Authors: Ghosh Payel , Pradhan Rama , Mishra Sabyasachi , Singh Avinash , Kar Abhijit
Published: April 2017

Jamun (Syzygium cuminii) is an important minor fruits in India. Minor fruits are good source of nutrition and pharmaceuticals properties. Among all minor fruits Jamun is highly perishable but nutritious. It is mainly used for diabetes patients and in the pharmaceuticals industries. It is a good source of anthocyanin, effective against the analgesic properties. There is no proper data available for the Indian Jamun. The fruit is having a very good market value, but due to its unavailability and perishability it is still unexploited. Physicochemical, mechanical and sensory properties had been investigated for Jamun fruit as well as seed in this paper for further use and storage. Weight of the whole fruit was 8.99±1.89gm whereas the seed weight was 1.64±0.21gm. In case of mechanical property whole fruit can be penetrated up-to 4.1mm whereas, at the same load for seed it can penetrate up-to 2.53mm. Purple colour for pulp, juice and whole fruit was -9.7, -0.9, and -0.76 respectively. High amount of polyphenol (203.76±9.84, 386.51±10.25) tannin (94.52±9.19, 388.99±7.34) and anthocyanin (195.58±6.15, 18.47±1.99) present in both fruit and seed. In case of minerals, presence of K, Ca and Na are significant. In case of sensory analysis mouthfeel and colour was good compared to market sample. This study is helpful for the postharvest processing, machine designing and for further analysis of Jamun.
Variation of Some Water Quality Parameters from Winter to Summer Period in Chittagong Karnafully River of Bangladesh
Authors: Halder Milton , Das Pprobhangshu , Mujib Abu , Dey Amit , Kobir Humayun
Published: April 2017

A study has been conducted to investigate the variation of water quality parameters during January to June of 2014 in Karnafully River of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Water samples were collected from January to June 2014 of each month in 5th day. Samples of water from three points of Karnafully Rive were collected and brought in laboratory for analysis and analyzed by using different standard prescribed methods. Total eight water quality parameters were measured like as pH, EC, TDS, Total Hardness, Fe, Cl-, As and Turbidity. All the water quality parameters were attenuated from January (winter) to June (summer) except pH. Another important fact was most of the parameter’s values exceeded the permissible limit recommended by WHO. It is a concerning event for ecology and environment of this catchment area. Our findings will convey a sound message for the government body and policy maker to set up rules and regulation in order to keep ecological balance as well as save our environment and this research will be helpful for public awareness. An immediate attention from the concerning body is mandatory in order to protect the aquatic environment of Karnafully River as well as food chain contamination.
Tecnologias: Nosso Exoesqueleto e um Sonho Educativo Colaborativo
Authors: Strieder Roque , Moraz Andreia De Andrade
Published: April 2017

A espécie humana evoluiu imersa em natureza, instrumentos técnicos e linguagens. A interação cooperativa e conflitiva dos ingredientes dessa coevolução foi sempre sumamente complexa. A expansão científico-tecnológica da atualidade aumenta significativamente essa complexidade. Diante disso, o objetivo do estudo, uma buscagem em referenciais teóricos, é verificar possibilidades e implicações epistemológicas de pensar a construção de uma nova arquitetura aprendente, envolvendo, além dos humanos aprendentes, as tecnologias digitais e os demais elementos não humanos presentes na biosfera. Concluímos que as TIC (Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação) potencializadas podem ser admiráveis recursos de contato, relacionamento inter-humano, relacionamento para com a biodiversidade e o meio ambiente, pois em seu bojo residem chances inéditas de ampliação efetiva da sensibilidade rumo à consolidação do projeto de humanidade e de um planeta habitável; também que os ambientes escolares reconheçam a profunda cisão criada pelas tecnologias digitais para compreenderem a colaboração possível em estreita associação com os ecossistemas interativos.
Professores como Facilitadores da Argumentação entre Estudantes: Uma Necessidade Emergente
Authors: Rapanta Chrysi
Published: April 2017

Nas últimas décadas, a relação entre a argumentação e a educação tem sido alvo de interesse de variadas investigações. Até agora, intervenções pedagógicas têm sido desenvolvidas para ensinar os estudantes a melhor argumentar ou a ajudá-los a aprender através do uso da argumentação. Na maioria dos estudos o papel do professor tem sido crucial. No entanto, não existem diretivas clarassobre como podem/devem os professores implementar a argumentação com os seus alunos em aula. Este artigo apresenta uma revisão qualitativa de estudos empíricos chave que descrevem o papel do professor como mediador da prática argumentativa dos estudantes, acabando com uma explicação integradora sobre o que tem de ser feito, como e quando, para apoiar o processo argumentativo na aula.
Políticas Públicas de Educação de Adultos em Portugal - Transições na Era Pós-Novas Oportunidades: Perceções de uma Equipa Técnico-Pedagógica
Authors: Rodrigues Marta De Oliveira , Loureiro Armando Paulo Ferreira
Published: April 2017

Este artigo resulta de uma investigação que pretendeu analisar as perceções de uma equipa técnico-pedagógica de um extinto Centro Novas Oportunidades (CNO) sobre as alterações resultantes da passagem de um período marcado pela Iniciativa Novas Oportunidades (INO) para uma época de transição de políticas educativas em que se implementavam os Centros para a Qualificação e Ensino Profissional (CQEP). Este estudo exploratório de natureza qualitativa foi realizado junto de oito “profissionais” de um CQEP da região Norte de Portugal, utilizando como técnica de recolha de dados a inquirição por entrevista. Os resultados obtidos permitem-nos concluir, entre outros aspetos, que a maioria dos entrevistados não concorda com a mudança ocorrida entre a INO e o Medida Vida Ativa, considerando-a economicista e que não resolveu as questões fulcrais de melhoria da INO e dos seus centros.
Recent Findings of the Types of Programmed Cell Death
Authors: Borys Sylwia , Khozmi Ronza , Kranc Wiesława , Bryja Artur , Dyszkiewicz-Konwińska Marta , Jeseta Michal , Kempisty Bartosz
Published: April 2017

Cell death plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of multicellular organisms. It can occur in a controlled manner by apoptosis or autophagy. Cell death which occurs regardless of regulatory factors include necrosis, mitotic catastrophe or oncosis.

Apoptosis and necrosis are cellular process that leads to cell death. However their mechanisms are different, although factors triggering them can be similar. Necrosis and apoptosis have many different characteristics in terms of biochemistry and morphology.

There are two main pathways of apoptosis induction signal: receptor - dependent and mitochondrial. The outsider apoptotic pathway is induced by external factors stimulating membrane receptors having an intracellular domain called death domain.

Mitochondrial apoptotic pathway is activated by increased concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage, disorders electrolyte transport and an increase in the concentration of the calcium ions in the cytoplasm. In response to stress-factors, mitochondrial channels are opened, so that is released into the cytoplasm cytochrome C. This work is aimed at an overall description of exchanged processes.
Problems of Cancer Treatment. Part I. Theory of Treatment Based on Known Mechanisms of Anticancer Immunological Responses
Authors: Kawiak Jerzy , Hoser Grazyna , Domagała-Kulawik Joanna
Published: April 2017

Various processes, taking place both in cells and in their environment, are linked to carcinogenesis. This paper aims at recalling the complex mechanisms of oncogenesis, with particular attention paid to responses of the immune system. In development of solid tumours, leukaemias and lymphomas several common stages can be noted. A neoplastic disease cannot be understood considering only phenomena of genetic mutations. Neoplastic cells are characterised by an extensive antigenic variability and resistance to apoptosis. The cells create around them a microenvironment which protects them from defensive activity of the host. In the paper we present the recognised mechanisms of anti-neoplastic defense as well as several elements allowing the solid tumours and leukaemias to escape from the immune surveillance. The generally accepted treatment of tumours aims at reducing numbers of tumour cells. Following resection of a tumour, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, the parallel or consecutive stage of treatment was found to involve an increase in number of clones of immune system cells. One of the ways in which the immune system can be activated involves autovaccination of the host with own neoplastic cells in an apoptosis. However, attempts of such a therapy frequently brought no expected results due to blocked activity of cytotoxic cells. Therefore, the subsequent stage in activation of the immune system should involve elimination of the tumor-mobilized blockade of the system. Attempts toward this aim include neutralization of the tumour-blocked cytotoxic properties of defensive cells, first of all T lymphocytes. The recognized mechanisms of blocking T cells activity in the PD-1/PD-L1 system or due to inhibition of activation by CTLA-4 molecule provided rationale for development of effective tumour immunotherapy approaches.
Effective Display Advertising: Improving Engagement with Suitable Creative Formats
Authors: Bruce Norris I.
Published: April 2017

Online advertisers have the non-trivial job of jointly assessing the effects of banner ad design elements available in a large number of such formats. Our research found that animated formats are superior to static formats in most settings. It confirms that they can improve engagement, since they can generate higher recall, attract user attention, and create favorability for the advertised brand. Yet, static formats can still be effective when it comes to price ads and re-targeting. Most interestingly, we found that re-targeted ads are effective only if they offer price incentives. Another interesting finding is that the tactic of serving blanks – for instance, for page views from foreign countries – can distort simple measures of campaign effectiveness, such as click-through rates.
Drying Kinetics and Quality Attributes of Peach Cylinders as Affected by Osmotic Pretreatments and Infrared Radiation Drying
Authors: Zhang Pengfei , Zhou Linyan , Bi Jinfeng , Liu Xuan , Lyu Jian , Chen Qinqin , Wu Xinye
Published: April 2017

The effect of osmotic dehydration (OD) and ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (ULOD) on drying kinetics and quality of peach cylinders by infrared radiation drying were investigated. The moisture state and redistribution after osmotic pretreatments and subsequent drying process were also studied by low field nuclear magnetic resonance. The water loss and solute gain increased with osmotic time, and ULOD could promote water transfer. The signal amplitude of free water and immobile water diminished and shifted to the left for samples pretreated by both ULOD and OD. The brightness in T2-weighted images appeared a declining trend with increasing osmotic time of ULOD and OD, indicating the moisture content reduced gradually. During dying process, the free water of all samples was removed completely after drying for 120 min. ULOD and OD could increase water activity and decrease shrinkage of samples. Long pretreatment of ULOD and OD improved the color of dried peach cylinders.
An Iterative Bézier Method for Fitting Beta-sheet Component of a Cryo-EM Density Map
Authors: Poteat Michael , He Jing
Published: April 2017

Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) is a powerful technique to produce 3-dimensional density maps for large molecular complexes. Although many atomic structures have been solved from cryo-EM density maps, it is challenging to derive atomic structures when the resolution of density maps is not sufficiently high. Geometrical shape representation of secondary structural components in a medium-resolution density map enhances modeling of atomic structures.We compare two methods in producing surface representation of the β-sheet component of a density map. Given a 3-dimensional volume of β-sheet that is segmented from a density map, the performance of a polynomial fitting was compared with that of an iterative Bézier fitting. The results suggest that the iterative Bézier fitting is more suitable for β-sheets, since it provides more accurate representation of the corners that are naturally twisted in a β-sheet.
The Impact of the Implementation of Edge Detection Methods on the Accuracy of Automatic Voltage Reading
Authors: Sidor Kamil , Szlachta Anna
Published: April 2017

The article presents the impact of the edge detection method in the image analysis on the reading accuracy of the measured value. In order to ensure the automatic reading of the measured value by an analog meter, a standard webcam and the LabVIEW programme were applied. NI Vision Development tools were used. The Hough transform was used to detect the indicator. The programme output was compared during the application of several methods of edge detection. Those included: the Prewitt operator, the Roberts cross, the Sobel operator and the Canny edge detector. The image analysis was made for an analog meter indicator with the above-mentioned methods, and the results of that analysis were compared with each other and presented.
Children’s beliefs about bilingualism and language use as expressed in child-adult conversations
Authors: Almér Elin
Published: April 2017

The aim of this article is to describe young children’s beliefs about language and bilingualism as they are expressed in verbal utterances. The data is from Swedish-medium preschool units in three different sites in Finland. It was generated through ethnographic observations and recordings of the author’s interactions with the children. The meaning constructions in the interactions were analyzed mainly by looking closely at the participants’ turn taking and conversational roles. The results show that children’s beliefs of bilingualism are that you should use one language when speaking to one person; that languages are learnt through using them; and that the advantage of knowing more than one language is being able to talk to (other) people. The results also show that this knowledge of languages is no different from other knowledge within their world. This will probably change over time as the children enter school, and it is something in which our presence as language researchers will have played a part.
Design and multibody dynamics analyses of the novel force-bearing structures for variable configuration spacecraft
Authors: Ning Xin , Tang Lin , Gu Junwei , Liang Chaobo , Yue Xiaokui , Yuan Jianping
Published: April 2017

Novel variable configuration spacecraft (VCS) can change its configuration by on-orbit assembly or the motion of the mechanism according to the requirements and missions, and the multibody dynamics analysis is performed to obtain the corresponding theoretical lowest values of the mechanical properties of force-bearing structures for the VCS module. In the meantime, to meet the actual use requirements for VCS, novel force-bearing structures are designed optimally and fabricated successfully. The corresponding experimental values of the mechanical properties for the force-bearing structures are also tested and investigated, which are compared to the corresponding theoretical values via multibody dynamics analysis. This paper is part of a large project on the development and preparation of the novel force-bearing structures applied in the next generation of VCS.
Notions and Concepts in Family Law. Discrepancy Between Polish Family Law and Social Reality
Authors: Bagan-Kurluta Katarzyna
Published: April 2017

Modern times are an arena for two opposing trends: the liberalization of mores and laws, and the distancing of changes and adoption of a conservative position against those that occur. Polish family law clearly fails to keep pace with the changes taking place and does not perceive new phenomena. Is this an intentional act of the legislator leading to the preservation of traditional values, or the expression of disapproval and belief in the transitoriness of new phenomena? It comes together with the introduction of new terminology or new interpretations of already existing concepts. Hence the meaning of some of the current concepts in everyday language differs significantly from their meaning arising from legal instruments. The article is an attempt to deal with this problem.
Investigating Copyright Terminology and Collocations in Polish, English, Japanese and German
Authors: Trzaskawka Paula
Published: April 2017

The article deals with the comparison of key terminology in the field of copyright in the Polish, English, Japanese and German languages. The research material consists of copyright acts binding in Poland, Great Britain, the United States of America, Japan and Germany. The terminology has been compared in order to reveal similarities and differences in the meaning. Firstly, statutory terms from the Polish, English (British and American), German and Japanese acts will be presented and discussed. Also, a list of functional equivalents (Polish, English, German and Japanese) will be presented. The task was to search for functional equivalents, and if there is partial equivalence or no equivalence, an equivalent was provided according to techniques of providing equivalents for non-equivalent terms (c.f. Kłos, Matulewska, Nowak-Korcz 2007). They were made in such a way that equivalents will correspond with the reality of the laws in the above mentioned languages. The terms have been extracted with the usage of AntConc (corpus linguistics software). The method of analysis of comparable texts has been applied as well as the one based on three categories of equivalence by Šarčević (1997): “near equivalence”, “partial equivalence” and “non-equivalence”. Special attention has been paid to system-bound terminology existing in those five legal systems. To sum up, it should be borne in mind that the copyright law has been unified almost world-wide. As a result many countries have adopted similar or almost identical principles in this respect. Therefore, there is a significant convergence of meanings of analysed copyright terms with only slight differences resulting from deeply ingrained local and national legal traditions.
Legal Drama and Audiovisual Translation: The Role of Legal English in the Construction of Stereotyped Representations
Authors: Zottola Angela
Published: April 2017

Considering the overwhelming amount of media products that we are subjected to in the 21stcentury and the way in which those inevitably influence our perception of reality, this research pays specific attention to the role of the media in the construction and enhancement of stereotypes in everyday life, via the language or, more specifically, specialized languages. In particular, this paper aims to investigate an American legal TV series in order to analyze the way in which legal English is used in dialogues. The major research questions are: to what extent such a kind of specialized discourse may be really understood by the greater audience? How does legal drama participate in the shaping of stereotypes relating to the legal environment in the country where it is produced, and cross-culturally, bearing in mind the prominence of “made in the USA” products in the television programming across the world? Ultimately, in the light of the previous questions, should the growing field of research in audiovisual translation extend its investigation into the area of legal English? Taking into consideration the seminal work of Pedersen (2008) and Diaz Cintas (2008) in the field of Audiovisual Translation (AVT), the study will examine the subtitling techniques employed for this atypical genre. Through the analysis of a corpus comprising several dialogues from a collection of episodes of the legal show Reckless, the paper will mostly focus on gender representations and their most common linguistically enhanced stereotypes.
Introducing the Methodology of Transplanting a New National Speed Management Strategy
Authors: Török Árpád
Published: April 2017

This paper explains the most important methodological steps of introducing a new speed management strategy. The development of a speed monitoring system with a long term effect on the progress of road safety, makes it necessary to identify its strategic goals, main functions and system components. The strategy should investigate current speed management methods, regulation framework of road signs, tendencies represented by statistics, enforcement campaigns, control equipment, and last but not least the penalty system. Assessment of the applied speed enforcement practices and framework should involve the revision of the recently operating institutional, legal and technical framework of speed enforcement structure.
Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering Schemes for Energy-Efficiency in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Taleb Tariq , Kaddour Mejdi
Published: April 2017

Extending the lifetime of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) while delivering the expected level of service remains a hot research topic. Clustering has been identified in the literature as one of the primary means to save communication energy. In this paper, we argue that hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC) provides a suitable foundation for designing highly energy efficient communication protocols for WSNs. To this end, we study a new mechanism for selecting cluster heads (CHs) based both on the physical location of the sensors and their residual energy. Furthermore, we study different patterns of communications between the CHs and the base station depending on the possible transmission ranges and the ability of the sensors to act as traffic relays. Simulation results show that our proposed clustering and communication schemes outperform well-knows existing approaches by comfortable margins. In particular, networks lifetime is increased by more than 60% compared to LEACH and HEED, and by more than 30% compared to K-means clustering.
An intrasellar pituitary adenoma–gangliocytoma presenting as acromegaly
Authors: Lee Melissa H , McKelvie Penelope , Krishnamurthy Balasubramanian , Wang Yi Yuen , Caputo Carmela
Published: April 2017

Most cases of acromegaly are due to growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenomas arising from somatotroph cells. Mixed pituitary adenoma and gangliocytoma tumours are rare and typically associated with hormonal hypersecretion, most commonly GH excess. Differentiating these mixed tumours from conventional pituitary adenomas can be difficult pre-operatively, and careful histological analysis after surgical resection is key to differentiating the two entities. There is little literature addressing the possible mechanisms for the development of mixed pituitary adenoma–gangliocytomas; however, several hypotheses have been proposed. It still remains unclear if these mixed tumours differ from a clinical perspective to pituitary adenomas; however, the additional neural component of the gangliocytoma does not appear to modify the aggressiveness or risk of recurrence after surgical resection. We report a unique case of acromegaly secondary to a mixed GH-secreting pituitary adenoma, co-existing with an intrasellar gangliocytoma.

Learning points:

Acromegaly due to a mixed GH-secreting pituitary adenoma and intrasellar gangliocytoma is rare.

These mixed tumours cannot be distinguished easily from ordinary pituitary adenomas on the basis of clinical, endocrine or neuroradiologic findings, and histological analysis is required for a definitive diagnosis.

Surgical resection is usually sufficient to provide cure, without the need for adjuvant therapy.

These mixed tumours appear to have a good prognosis although the natural history is not well defined.

The pathogenesis of these mixed tumours remains debatable, and ongoing research is required.
CORRECTION: A mouse model of osteonecrotic femoral head induced by methylprednisolone and lipopolysaccharide
Authors:  Le Ha Thi -Ngan , Phi Lan Thi  , Dao Thuy Thi-Thanh  , Phan Ngoc Kim  ,  Pham Phuc  Van , Vu Ngoc Bich
Published: April 2017

The title of the article “A mouse model of osteonecrotic femoral head induced by methylprednisolone and liposaccharide” published in 25 March 2016, in 2016 at Vol 3, Issue 3, from pages: 548-556 (DOI: 10.7603/s40730-016-0012-x) 

should be read as: 

“A mouse model of osteonecrotic femoral head induced by methylprednisolone and lipopolysaccharide”.
Assessing Child Lead Poisoning Case Ascertainment in the US, 1999–2010
Authors: Roberts Eric M. , Madrigal Daniel , Valle Jhaqueline , King Galatea , Kite Linda
Published: April 2017

OBJECTIVES:

To compare prevalence estimates for blood lead level ≥10.0 μg/dL (elevated blood lead level [EBLL]) with numbers reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children 12 months to 5 years of age from 1999 to 2010 on a state-by-state basis.

METHODS:

State-specific prevalence estimates were generated based on the continuous NHANES according to newly available statistical protocols. Counts of case reports were based on the 39 states (including the District of Columbia) reporting to the CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program during the study period. Analyses were conducted both including and excluding states and years of nonreporting to the CDC.

RESULTS:

Approximately 1.2 million cases of EBLL are believed to have occurred in this period, but 607 000 (50%) were reported to the CDC. Including only states and years for which reporting was complete, the reporting rate was 64%. Pediatric care providers in 23 of 39 reporting states identified fewer than half of their children with EBLL. Although the greatest numbers of reported cases were from the Northeast and Midwest, the greatest numbers based on prevalence estimates occurred in the South. In southern and western states engaged in reporting, roughly 3 times as many children with EBLL were missed than were diagnosed.

CONCLUSIONS:

Based on the best available estimates, undertesting of blood lead levels by pediatric care providers appears to be endemic in many states.
Preclinical efficacy against toxic activities of medically relevant Bothrops sp. (Serpentes: Viperidae) snake venoms by a polyspecific antivenom produced in Mexico
Authors: Segura Álvaro , Herrera María , Vargas Mariángela , Villalta Mauren , Uscanga-Reynell Alfredo , León Guillermo , Gutiérrez José María
Published: April 2017

The assessment of the preclinical neutralizing ability of antivenoms in Latin America is necessary to determine their scope of efficacy. This study was aimed at analyzing the neutralizing efficacy of a polyspecific bothropic-crotalic antivenom manufactured by BIRMEX in Mexico against lethal, hemorrhagic, defibrinogenating and in vitro coagulant activities of the venoms of Bothrops jararaca (Brazil), B. atrox (Perú and Colombia), B. diporus (Argentina), B. mattogrossensis (Bolivia), and B. asper (Costa Rica). Standard laboratory tests to determine these activities were used. In agreement with previous studies with bothropic antivenoms in Latin America, a pattern of cross-neutralization of heterologous venoms was observed. However, the antivenom had low neutralizing potency against defibrinogenating effect of the venoms of B. atrox (Colombia) and B. asper (Costa Rica), and failed to neutralize the in vitro coagulant activity of the venom of B. asper (Costa Rica) at the highest antivenom/venom ratio tested. It is concluded that, with the exception of coagulant and defibrinogenating activities of B. asper (Costa Rica) venom, this antivenom neutralizes toxic effects of various Bothrops sp venoms. Future studies are necessary to assess the efficacy of this antivenom against other viperid venoms.
Estadios ninfales de Amnestus rugosus (Hemiptera: Cydnidae)
Authors: Báez Santacruz Jezabel , Mayorga Martínez María Cristina
Published: April 2017

In Mexico there are 29 species of Amnestus, of which six species are from Veracruz. The morphological features and illustrations of immature stages of A. rugosus are presented. Notes about the biology and behavior were included. The nymphal and adult stages of A. rugosus were found in remnants of riparian vegetation of the mesophilous forest in La Antigua river basin, Veracruz, Mexico. Twelve sites in five localities were selected and the specimens were sampled in rainy (July) and dry (April) seasons of 2012. The samples were processed in Berlese-Tullgren funnel and Winkler. A total of 419 individuals, 320 adults and 99 nymphs of A. rugosus were revised. The size and coloration of the body and punctuation patterns the immature stages of A. rugosus, A. ficus, and A. morelensis are the main differences among these species. A. rugosus is a first record from Veracruz.
Oocyte distribution within and between ovary lobes is largely homogeneous in Lachnolaimus maximus (Perciformes: Labridae).
Authors: Nóh Quiñones Virginia Elena , Torres Villegas Julián René , Brulé Thierry , Montero Muñoz Jorge L. , Valdez Montiel Uriel Fernando
Published: April 2017

Studies of fish reproductive biology often involve quantitative estimates based on histological sections of the ovaries. Prior characterization of gonad oocyte distribution patterns in females is fundamental to these studies. Heterogeneous distribution requires a standardized sampling protocol to prevent bias in data such as fecundity estimations. In contrast, homogeneous distribution allows sampling of any portion of the gonads with no risk of bias. A preliminary study was done of gonad oocyte distribution mode in a hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus population in the southern Gulf of Mexico. A total of 23 sexually-active females were selected and classified by reproductive stage. Six histological sections were taken from the anterior, middle and posterior regions of the left and right ovary lobes of each individual. Digital image processing (AxioVision and Image ProPlus programs) was used to estimate oocyte density per unit area in different development stages. Contingency tables were used to analyze oocyte distribution frequencies between the regions of each lobe and between the lobes of each ovary. This was supported with a Pearson’s χ2 test for goodness-of-fit and a replicated G test to confirm distribution heterogeneity. Oocyte type distribution was homogeneous in almost all the females regardless of ovary region or lobe. This was particularly the case for females in the actively spawning reproductive subphase. Females in this subphase are normally used to estimate batch fecundity in fish species such as L. maximus, which have asynchronous oocyte development and batch spawning. However, heterogeneity was present in tertiary vitellogenesis oocytes in the right lobe of females in the spawning capable reproductive phase. In these cases, it is preferable to take histological sections from any region of the left ovary lobe to ensure unbiased estimation of fecundity and adequate characterization of this species’ sexual cycle.
Reproductive biology of Sodhiana iranica (Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from Southern Iran
Authors: Sharifian Sana , Kamrani Ehsan , Dehghani Mohsen
Published: April 2017

Freshwater crab, Sodhiana iranica, is an endemic gecarcinucid crab that has been recently reported from Southern Iran. This research examined some reproductive aspects of S. iranica from Eelood freshwater spring, Southern Iran. Crabs were haphazardly sampled from April 2012 to April 2013, on a bimonthly basis. Measurements of Gonado-Somatic Index (GSI), Hepato-Somatic Index (HSI), oocyte diameter, and other aspects such as carapace width (CW) and total body weight (TW) were made in the captured specimens. Results showed a single seasonal reproductive cycle. Maturation and spawning occurred from December 2012 to April 2013 during the study period. The peaks of HSI were observed in April 2012 and February 2013. The oocyte diameter showed its most significant increase between August 2012 and February 2013. Considering the single seasonal breeding of S. iranica, a correct management, during the reproductive cycle, is necessary to support a healthy stock of this crab.
Comparación entre ensambles de Phyllophaga (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) del Occidente de Cuba
Authors: Serrano Rodríguez Annery , Morón Ríos Miguel Ángel , Barro Cañamero Alejandro , Molina Gabriela
Published: April 2017

The Cuban archipelago has 79 Phyllophaga species with a 98.6 % of endemism, which makes the group ecologically and economically important, as some species are classified as crop pests. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the composition and structure of the Phyllophaga assemblages with their habitat type, considering both plant structure and level of human habitat disturbance. A total of 17 locations were sampled in Western Cuba during the rainy seasons of the period from 2011 to 2015; these differed in habitat types (forests and agroecosystems). Samplings followed standard methods and were made once with a light trap screen in each locality. A total of 1153 individuals of 24 Phyllophaga species were collected. The total abundance of collected individuals varied between 10 and 306, and species richness between two and nine species. The most abundant species was Phyllophaga dissimilis (Chevrolat) which also had the highest frequency of occurrence. Generally, less anthropized sites reflected richer and equitative communities; although these characteristics appeared in two sites that showed intermediate degree of disturbance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that the most similar samples were those of the very anthropized sites; this similarity was given mainly by the abundance of Phyllophaga dissimilis, P. insualepinorum and P. puberula. Besides, the geographical distance was not related to the similarity of these assemblages.
Reproductive cycle of the endemic and threatened fish Puntius shalynius (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in Meghalaya, India
Authors: Manorama Maisnam , Ramanujam Sunkam NarayanaIyengar
Published: April 2017

Puntius shalynius is a highly endemic freshwater minor carp that is economicallyimportant and is threatened because of its ornamental value. The present investigationevaluated this barb gonadal maturation, based on morphology and spawning of this species inthe Umiam river, Meghalaya, India. The population of this indigenous fish has declined due toits fragmented distribution and exploitation as an ornamental fish. The reproductive cycle ofP. shalynius was studied for the first time. A total of 609 fish samples were randomlycollected from the river for a period of two years during January 2010 and December 2011.Five maturity phases (rest, primary growth, secondary growth, ripe and spent) were observedon the basis of ovarian and testicular macroscopic evaluation throughout the annual cycle.Peak spawning activity was observed in the month of June/July and it coincided with the startof the monsoon season. The study showed that the fish spawns once in a year with singlespawning peak and that the species is a low fecund fish. It is important to conserve thisspecies for its unique ecological value and urgent management policies should promote itssustainable utilization.
Viabilidad y germinación de semillas de Hechtia perotensis (Bromeliaceae)
Authors: Elizalde Violeta , García José Rodolfo , Peña-Valdivia Cecilia Beatriz , Ybarra Ma Carmen , Leiva Otto Raúl , Trejo Carlos
Published: April 2017

Endemic populations of Hechtia perotensis have been described in Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico. Good quality seed collections can be used in conservation, research and ecological restoration. To evaluate seed quality of wild and endemic species, some compounds are used as effective promoters of germination, such as potassium nitrate (KNO3) and gibberellic acid (AG3), because they increase seed germination capacity and reduce latency. The triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (tetrazolium) test correlates seed viability because it is based on the activity of dehydrogenases in live tissues that catalyze mitochondrial respiration. The objective of this study was to obtain information on size and weight of capsules and seeds and seed germination and viability of H. perotensis, collected in Veracruz in the year 2012 and 2015. The hypotheses were 1) that seed germination and viability are independent of the year of collection, 2) that there is a tetrazolium concentration that can identify seed viability better than others, and 3) that pretreatment with KNO3 or AG3 improves seed germination. Seed germination was assessed using a completely randomized design with three treatments (control and the germination promoters 0.2 % KNO3 and 500 mg/L AG3), four treatments for the viability test (control, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 % of tetrazolium) and six replicates for each treatment. A total of one hundred seeds for germination experiments, and 25 seeds for the viability test were used. The results between and within years were analyzed with ANOVA and multiple comparison with the Tukey test. The proportion of non-germinated seeds was quantified along with the number of normal and abnormal seedlings, seeds with viable embryo, seeds without embryo, and seeds with low or no viability. On average, for the 2012 collected sample, 36 % had viable embryos, 7 % had low viability, 24 % were not viable and 33 % had no embryo. This result was significantly different from the 2015 sample, for which 87 % of seed showed viable embryos, 10 % had low viability, 0 % was not viable and 3 % had no embryo. Seed germination was also significantly different between years (22 and 92 %) Pregerminative treatments did not improve germination. Seed germination and viability of H. perotensis significantly varied between years of seed collection.
Hábitos alimenticios de Leporinus friderici (Anostomidae, Teleostei) durante un ciclo hidrobiológico en el río Vaupés, Colombia
Authors: Velasco-Santamaría Yohana María , Torres-Tabares Alexander , Ramírez-Saray José Andrés , Cruz-Casallas Pablo Emilio , Ramírez-Merlano Juan Antonio , Quiroga-Sánchez Érica , Aya-Baquero Elizabeth
Published: April 2017

The most important fish species of the Vaupes River is known as a Warakú tres puntos (Leporinus friderici), the most representative migratory Characidae from the Vaupés state, Colombia, with a significant importance in food security of indigenous communities. To contribute with the knowledge of its basic biology, we determined the habits and food preferences of Leporinus friderici, during one hydrobiological cycle (March 2014 to May 2015) in the Vaupés River, Colombia. Three sites were sampled, two of them along the Vaupés river (Yacayacá and Santa Cruz communities) and the other one in the Cuduyarí river, tributary of the Vaupés river (Piracemo community). Physical and chemical water parameters from the surface and depth level of the river were determined. Stomach contents from 316 fish were analyzed by frequency of occurrence (FO), gravimetric index, vacuity index (VI) and relative importance index (RII). Vaupés’s average depth in ascending water period was of 3.7 ± 0.6 m, during rainy season of 5.9 ± 1.4 m, in descending water period of 4.6 ± 1.3 m and during dry season of 2.4 ± 1.0 m. The higher acidity and turbidity were observed during the ascending water period. The average VI was 14.5 % for the period, but it reached 40 % in descending waters. In general, a FO of plant material was the most frequent (44.4-66.7 %), followed by insects (21.1-33.3 %, secondary diets). The gravimetric indices showed that plant material was the most consumed item, followed by insects, and in almost in equal proportion, invertebrates and animal material were also observed. The differences in diet composition confirm the opportunistic nature of this species with a predominance of omnivorous habits. This study can be used as an integral part of the feeding ecology of L. friderici knowledge, in order to develop strategies for its protection in the Vaupés region because of its importance for local communities.
Vertical and time distribution of Pseudoscorpiones (Arthropoda: Arachnida) in a floodplain forest in the Brazilian Pantanal
Authors: Battirola Leandro Dênis , Rosado-Neto Germano Henrique , Batistella Daniel Augusto , Mahnert Volker , Brescovit Antonio Domingos , Marques Marinez Isaac
Published: April 2017

Pseudoscorpions embrace a diverse group of arachnids with approximately 3 500 species that occur in various habitats, such as soil, leaf litter, caves and canopies. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between the pseudoscorpion assemblages in soil, termite nests, tree trunks and canopies, as well as the temporal distribution as to the abundance and richness of species in these habitats. For this purpose different sampling techniques were applied in an integrated manner in distinct habitats of a seasonally flooded monodominant forest in the Northern Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Data regarding the abundance and richness of assemblage species were organized by means of the Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS). A total of 2 068 Pseudoscorpiones distributed in seven families and 18 species were captured. Chernetidae (8 spp.) and Withiidae (5 spp.) predominated, while Atemnidae, Cheiridiidae, Geogarypidae, Lechytiidae and Olpiidae were present with only one species each. Terrestrial fauna was more abundant (1 035 ind.; 50.0 % of the total catch) with three families and 10 species. In the arboreal fauna (712 ind.; 34.4 %), four families and 13 species were found. Termite mounds (321 ind.; 15.6 %) corresponded to the habitat with the least number of individuals, however, five families and nine species were identified, including Parachernes sp. 2, Geogarypus sp. and Olpiolum sp., not found in other analyzed habitats in this forest. The analyses did not show any temporal variation as to abundance or richness of Pseudoscorpiones in each evaluated habitat; however, the analysis showed that the edaphic environment (soil + termite nests), tree trunks and tree canopies are distinct habitats in relation to the composition of the assemblage. The occurrence of typical terricolous (e.g. Parawithius sp., Withiidae gen. sp. and Parachernes sp.) and other arboricolous (e.g. Cheiridium sp., Americhernes sp. and Lustrochernes sp.) species highlights the vertical stratification of the assemblage present in this floodplain forest in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
Pollen morphology of four species of Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae), including toxic varieties, in Northwestern Mexico
Authors: Soto-Landeros Federico , Alcaraz-Meléndez Lilia , Angulo-Escalante Miguel Angel , Reynoso-Granados Teodoro , Cruz-Hernández Pedro , Herrera-Cedano Filiberto
Published: April 2017

Jatropha curcas is a native Mexican plant, distributed in the forests of coastal regions; it has shown potential for the production of biofuel, and its raw protein can be used as animal feed. Nevertheless, its current varieties have low yield and production variability, as it is in domestication period. The knowledge of the pollen grains is fundamental for studies of Jatropha reproductive biology and breeding for genetic improvement to generate new hybrids and improve fruit and seed yield. This study compared pollen morphology of four Jatropha species, which include two varieties of J. curcas (one toxic from India and one non-toxic from Mexico), and two varieties of wild J. cinerea (Sinaloa and Baja California Sur); additionally, pollen was collected from wild J. platyphylla (Sinaloa) and J. vernicosa (Baja California Sur) to characterize them palynologically. We used a scanning electron microscope to describe the size and shape of pollen grains. Pollen grains were observed spheroidal. The diameter of the varieties of toxic and non-toxic J. curcas and that of J. platyphylla were 58 ± 2.3, 54 ± 1.7, and 51 ± 2.4 µm, respectively; the number of clavae was 84 ± 10, 108 ± 15, and 180 ± 15.5, respectively. Pollen grains of J. cinerea (Sinaloa) had a diameter of 50 ± 1.7 µm and 220 ± 14 clavae by area; J. cinerea (Baja California Sur) had a diameter of 45 ± 1.9 µm and 195 ± 14.7 clavae. Pollen grains of J. vernicosa had a diameter of 46 ± 2.1 µm and 231 ± 25.6 clavae. The ornamentation of the exine showed clava with capita gemma shaped for varieties of J. curcas species and clavum shaped for J. platyphylla, J. cinerea and J. vernicosa species. The studied varieties have a cross-linked endexine and ectexine intectate. Luminal bacules were observed in the reticular space of J. curcas varieties while none were present in the varieties of J. cinerea, J. platyphylla, and J. vernicosa.