bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of interrelationship among water quality parameters in earthen pond and concrete tank
Authors: Onada Olawale Ahmed , Akinwole Ayoola Olusegun , Ajani Emmanuel Kolawale
Published: January 2018

One of the major limiting factors in aquaculture production is poor water quality which can negatively affect the yield from aquaculture venture. There is therefore the need to study the rate of interrelationship among key water quality parameters in relation to water quality management and productivity. The level of interaction among dissolved oxygen, ammonia, pH, and temperature in two culturing facilities (Earthen and Concrete ponds) was therefore investigated. Water samples were collected from concrete and earthen fish ponds in a commercial fish farm in Ibadan. The concrete tanks and earthen ponds used for the experiment have the same stocking rate; number of stocked fish; water source and feeding rate and frequency. Water samples were collected randomly from 4 different points in each of the rearing facilities with a sampling bottle in the morning (8.00-8.30am) and evening (5.00-5.30pm) immediately after feeding; this is done weekly for 6weeks. Also the mortality of fish in the studied facilities was recorded. Four different physico-chemical parameters (Temperature, pH, Dissolved oxygen and Ammonia) were analyzed and measured using HATCH analysis water testing kit model FF-1A immediately after water sample collection. Data collected were analysed using ANOVA and correlation and were test for significance at p=0.05. The result showed that, the mean values of pH was (8.15±0.17; 8.69±0.17); temperature (27.95±1.88; 30.21±1.880C) and dissolved oxygen (4.79±3.98; 11.38±3.98mg/l) were obtained in the morning and evening respectively. Mean dissolved oxygen was (7.04±3.98; 9.12±3.98mg/l); pH (7.9±0.17; 8.9±0.17mg/l); and ammonia (0.5±0.24; 2.09±0.24) in concrete tanks and earthen ponds respectively. The highest values of temperature (33.000C); dissolved oxygen (13.00mg/l) were obtained in the evening. The values obtained for dissolved oxygen and temperatures showed significant variations between the time of the day. Mean mortality recorded was (1.2±1.07); (2.6±1.07) in concrete and earthen ponds respectively. Mortality recorded shows positive correlation with temperature and ammonia with correlation coefficient (r=0.18) and (r=0.54) respectively, however, ammonia level had direct significant relationship with mortality. It is concluded that there exist interrelationship among the key water quality parameters examined, and there values varies with time of the day and between different culture facilities.
The effects of reduced impact logging and logging intensity on stand damage, biomass loss and tree species richness in tropical forests: a meta-analysis
Authors: Martin Philip A , Newton Adrian , Pfeifer Marion , Khoo MinSheng , Bullock James
Published: January 2018

Background. At least a fifth of tropical forests have been logged in the recent past. This practice is an important source of timber but there are concerns about its long-sustainability and impacts on biodiversity and carbon storage. However, there is wide variation in the impacts of logging, making generalisation, and thus policy implementation, difficult. Recent syntheses of animal biodiversity have indicated that differences in logging intensity – the volume of wood removed per hectare – may help explain some of these differences. In addition there have been suggestions that reduced impact logging (RIL) may reduce some of the negative effects of logging.

Methods. We aimed to test these hypotheses using meta-analyses to explore differences in the impacts of logging on (1) residual tree damage, (2) aboveground biomass and (3) tree species richness. To do this we used a mixture of unweighted mixed models and weighted meta-regression

Results. Our results indicate that RIL may reduce residual tree damage when compared to conventional methods, but that at higher logging intensities this effect is negated. Changes in aboveground biomass were negatively related to logging intensity, but any effect of RIL was obscured by it being carried out at relatively low intensities. Tree richness appeared to initially increase at low intensities but was reduced at higher intensities.

Discussion. Our results give only weak support to the hypothesis that RIL reduces the negative impacts of logging on tree damage, and do not support suggestions that RIL reduces loss of biomass or species richness. However, we do not think this is because there is no difference between the impacts of RIL and conventional logging but rather that better evidence is needed to assess these differences. We suggest that studies that take account of plot-level differences in logging intensity are likely to provide a solution to this knowledge gap.
Comments on the juvenile Megaraptor specimen and systematic positions of megaraptoran theropods
Authors: Yun Chan-gyu
Published: January 2018

In this paper, I comment on Porfiri et al. (2014), "Juvenile specimen of Megaraptor (Dinosauria, Theropoda) sheds light about tyrannosauroid radiation". Though Porfiri et al. provided numerous coelurosaurian characters on the Megaraptor specimen, their referral of the taxon to tyrannosauroidea is based on some problematic characters. Also, the specimen bears a feature which does not correspond to tyrannosauroidea. All things considered, the suggested evidences supporting the position of Megaraptora within tyrannosauroidea are weak.
Evidence points out that "Nanotyrannus" is a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex
Authors: Yun Chan-gyu
Published: January 2018

In this paper, I comment on Larson's 2013 paper "The case for Nanotyrannus". All the osteological differences proposed by Larson (2013) seem to be due to ontogeny and individual variation. Therefore, Larson's claim that "Nanotyrannus lancensis" is not a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex is incorrect. And based on their striking anatomical similarities, it is more parsimonious to assume that "Nanotyrannus lancensis" is the junior synonym of Tyrannosaurus rex and represents a juvenile stage of the taxon.
A revised global biogeography of turtles
Authors: Joyce Walter G. , Rabi Márton
Published: January 2018

Background. Over the course of the last decades, much effort has gone into unraveling the biogeographic history of turtles, but while much progress has been achieved in resolving post- Jurassic dispersal events, traditional phylogenetic hypotheses have yielded incongruous results in regards to the early history of the group. Methods. We re-evaluate the fossil record of turtles in context of recent phylogenetic analyses and fossil finds, including the extensive record of fragmentary but diagnostic remains. Given that near-coastal and marine turtles readily disperse across aquatic barriers, a broad set of neritic to pelagic groups were disregarded from consideration. Significant disagreement still exists among current phylogenetic hypotheses and we therefore place much effort into tracing the fossil record of unambiguously monophyletic groups. We finally employed molecular backbone constraints, given that the molecular phylogenies are more consistent with the fossil record than current, morphological phylogenies. Results. Among derived, aquatic turtles, we recognize four clades that can be traced back to discrete biogeographic centers: Paracryptodira in North America and Europe, Pan- Cryptodira in Asia, Pan-Pelomedusoides in northern Gondwanan landmasses and Pan- Chelidae in southern Gondwanan landmasses. This pattern is partially mirrored by three clades of primarily terrestrial, basal turtles: Solemydidae in North American and Europe, Sichuanchelyidae in Asia, and Meiolaniformes sensu stricto in southern Gondwanan landmasses. Although the exact interrelationships of these clades remain unclear, most can be traced back to the Middle Jurassic. Discussion. The conclusion that the two primary lineages of pleurodires and paracryptodires can be traced back to mutually exclusive land masses is not novel, but the realization that the early history of pan-cryptodires is restricted to Asia has not been realized previously, because traditional phylogenies implied an early, global presence of pan-cryptodires. The timing of the origin of the three primary clades of derived turtles (i.e., Pan-Pleurodira, Pan-Cryptodira, and Paracryptodira) correlates with the opening of the central Atlantic and the formation of the Turgai Strait in the Middle Jurassic, somewhat later than predicted by molecular calibration studies. The primary diversity of extant turtles therefore appears to have been driven by vicariance. A similar hypothesis could also be formulated for the three clades of basal turtles that survive at least into the Late Cretaceous, but given that their combined monophyly remains uncertain, it is unclear if their diversity was also driven by vicariance, or if they emulate a vicariance-like pattern. Although most groups remained within their primary geographic range throughout their evolutionary history, the dominant vicariance signal was thoroughly obfuscated by rich dispersal from littoral to marine turtles and crown cryptodires.
New data on the oldest turtles: revision and reconsideration of Proterochersidae
Authors: Szczygielski Tomasz
Published: January 2018

Background. The origin of turtles, their earliest evolution and the homologies of the elements building their shell are still enigmatic and remain an object of ongoing discussion and research. Although the oldest fully shelled turtle – Proterochersis robusta from the Lower Stubensandstein (Norian) of Germany – was described more than a century ago, until recently it was mostly ignored by researchers. This is surprising, not only because of its notable stratigraphic position, but also due to the critical significance of this taxon in two competing hypotheses of turtle interrelationships. The divergence time of two main branches of Testudines crown group depends on whether Proterochersis is a basal pleurodire or a stem turtle. Methods. A detailed study of the German material of Proterochersis and Murrhardtia was performed by the author and the available specimens were compared with still growing collection of proterochersid remains from the Norian location in Poręba (Poland). Results. Two controversial taxa from Germany, Proterochersis intermedia and Murrhardtia staeschei are proved to be the synonyms of P. robusta. Establishment of another two proterochersid taxa is proposed and new primitive postcranial characters are recognized, supporting the stem position of Proterochersidae on the turtle phylogenetic tree. Discussion. Two general hypotheses concerning the split time of Cryptodira and Pleurodira are functioning in the literature, and Proterochersis plays a crucial role in these considerations. According to traditional view, this taxon is the oldest side-necked turtle, based on the sutural connection between its pelvis and shell. Numerous recent analyses tended to allocate the Pleurodira much higher on the tree, resulting in stem position of Proterochersis, though such placement usually lacked a strong support. This was caused by an incompletness of Proterochersis material (only shells) and errors in interpretation of some characters. New data, gathered mostly from the Polish – much more complete and well preserved – specimens, supports the basal position of Proterochersidae and provides new insights in the ancestral structure of the turtle shell.
Whale Shark Aggregations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Hoffmayer Eric , McKinney Jennifer A , Franks James S. , Hendon Jill , Driggers III William B
Published: January 2018

Background: The Northern Gulf of Mexico Whale Shark Research Program was initiated in 2003 to increase our knowledge of whale shark occurrence and distribution within the region. A primary goal was to obtain sightings data from “citizen scientists” to guide directed research. Whale sharks are typically solitary animals, but are known to aggregate in areas of high prey abundance. Methods: Whale shark sightings data reported from 2003 to present were compiled. Aggregations were defined as more than one whale shark, and large aggregations were defined as 10 or more sharks, observed at a specific location at the same time. Efforts were made to encounter aggregations to determine size and sex assemblage of the sharks, and to collect plankton samples to identify potential prey. Results: To date we have over 600 whale shark sightings reports and four research encounters of large aggregations. Whale shark aggregations represented 31% of reported sightings, 25% of which were large aggregations between 10-150 individuals. All of thereported large aggregations occurred during summer, almost exclusively along the continental shelf edge, with 41% occurring at Ewing Bank. Three out of the four scientific encounters occurred at Ewing Bank (2009, 2010, 2013). Aggregations were dominated by immature males that were primarily feeding on Euthynnus alletteratus eggs. Conclusions: The use of sightings data provided by “citizen scientists” has proven to bean inexpensive and effective technique for identifying whale shark aggregation locations in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Aggregation assemblages appear to consist of largely juvenile males that were feeding on tuna eggs. Similar to other regions, it is unknown if whale sharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico primarily consist of juveniles or if juveniles simply dominate these large feeding aggregations.
Genetic architecture of pollination syndrome transition between hummingbird-specialist and generalist species in the genus Rhytidophyllum (Gesneriaceae)
Authors: Alexandre Hermine , Vrignaud Justine , Mangin Brigitte , Joly Simon
Published: January 2018

Adaptation to pollinators is a key factor of diversification in angiosperms. The Caribbean sister genera Rhytidophyllum and Gesneria present an important diversification of floral characters. Most of their species can be divided in two major pollination syndromes. Large-open flowers with pale colours and great amount of nectar represent the generalist syndrome, while the hummingbird-specialist syndrome corresponds to red tubular flowers with a less important nectar volume. Repeated convergent evolution toward the generalist syndrome in this group suggests that such transitions rely on few genes of moderate to large effect. To test this hypothesis, we built a linkage map and performed a QTL detection for divergent pollination syndrome traits by crossing one specimen of the generalist species Rhytidophyllum auriculatum with one specimen of the hummingbird pollinated R. rupincola. Using geometric morphometrics and univariate traits measurements, we found that floral shape among the second-generation hybrids is correlated with morphological variation observed between generalist and hummingbird-specialist species at the genus level. The QTL analysis showed that colour and nectar volume variation between syndromes involve each one major QTL while floral shape has a more complex genetic basis and rely on few genes of moderate effect. Finally we did not detect any genetic linkage between the QTLs underlying those traits. This genetic independence of traits could have facilitated evolution toward optimal syndromes.
Association between shell morphology of micro-land snails (genus Plectostoma) and their predator’s predatory behaviour
Authors: Liew Thor-Seng , Schilthuizen Menno
Published: January 2018

Predator-prey interactions are among the main ecological interactions that shape the diversity of biological form. In many cases, the evolution of the mollusc shell form is presumably driven by predation. However, the adaptive significance of several uncommon, yet striking, shell traits of land snails are still poorly known. These include the distorted coiled “tuba” and the protruded radial ribs that can be found in micro-landsnails of the genus Plectostoma. Here, we experimentally tested whether these shell traits may act as defensive adaptations against predators. First, we identified the predators, namely, Atopos slugs and Pteroptyx beetle larvae, and their predatory strategies towards Plectostoma snails. Then, we characterised and quantified the possible anti-predation behaviour and shell traits of Plectostoma snails both in terms of their properties and efficiencies in defending against the Atopos slug predatory strategies, namely, shell-apertural entry and shell-drilling. The results showed that Atopos slugs would first attack the snail by shell-apertural entry, and, should this fail, shift to the energetically more costly shell-drilling strategy. We found that the shell tuba of Plectostoma snails is an effective defensive trait against shell-apertural entry attack. None of the snail traits, such as resting behaviour, shell thickness, shell tuba shape, shell rib density and intensity can protect the snail from the slug’s shell-drilling attack. However, these traits could increase the predation costs to the slug. Further analysis on the shell traits revealed that the lack of effectiveness these anti-predation shell traits may be caused by a functional trade-off between shell traits under selection of two different predatory strategies. Lastly, we discuss our results in the framework of Red Queen predator-prey coevolution and escalation, and propose several key elements for future study.
Alcohol and sex: the influence of friendship networks on co-occurring risky health behaviors of U.S. adolescents
Authors: Jeon Kwon Chan , Goodson Patricia
Published: January 2018

Background: U.S. adolescents face the reality that engaging in one risky health behavior facilitates co-occurring risky behaviors. Moreover, adolescents may change their behaviors to develop new friendships or to match the behavior of existing friends. These relationships among friends can lead to increase in risk-taking. Methods: Utilizing a nationally representative saturated sample (n=901) with friendship network data from two large schools in the Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study examined the influence of friendship network structure upon adolescents’ sexual intercourse and alcohol consumption in tandem. Results: Findings highlighted that, in one school, adolescents in denser and smaller friendship networks were at higher risk for engaging in sexual intercourse and drinking alcohol simultaneously. Additionally, in this school, network attributes (i.e., out-degree and betweeness) and adolescents’ age were associated with an increased risk of sexual intercourse and drinking behaviors. In the other school, more diffused friendship networks seemed to pose less risk of engaging in these two risk behaviors in tandem. Moreover, engagement in risky behaviors was significantly predicted by teens’ age and gender, but there were no effects of network attributes on adolescents’ risky behaviors. Conclusion: The influence of friendships on adolescents’ sexual intercourse and drinking alcohol may play out in different ways, depending on the size and composition of the friendship networks and adolescents’ characteristics. Therefore, structural features of friendship networks, such as denser and smaller networks, and characteristics of adolescents (i.e., age and gender) should be considered in developing intervention programs to reduce adolescents’ risky behaviors.
Allele specific expression in worker reproduction genes in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Authors: Amarasinghe Harindra E , Toghill Bradley J , Mallon Eamonn B
Published: January 2018

Genomic imprinting is the differential expression of alleles, with the expression being dependent upon the sex of the parent from which it was inherited. Hymenopteran insects (ants, bees and wasps) are emerging as potential models for genomic imprinting and epigenetics. As a first step in establishing the possibility of genomic imprinting in the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, we search for allele specific expression in twelve genes associated with worker reproduction. We found that the patrigene (allele from the father) is more expressed than the matrigene (allele from the mother) in Ecdysone 20 monooxygenase. This enzyme catalyses the reaction which turns the ecdysteroid ecdysone into 20-hydroxyecdysone, also an ecdysteroid. Both of these ecdysteroids are important for worker reproduction in the bumblebee.
Choosing the right tool for the job: comparing stream channel classification frameworks
Authors: Kasprak Alan , Hough-Snee Nate , Beechie Tim , Bouwes Nicolaas , Brierley Gary J. , Camp Reid , Fryirs Kirstie A. , Imaki Hiroo , Jensen Martha L. , O'Brien Gary , Rosgen David L. , Wheaton Joseph M.
Published: January 2018

Stream classification provide a means to understand the diversity and distributions of channel and floodplains that occur across a landscape while drawing linkages between geomorphic form and process. Accordingly, stream classification is frequently employed as a watershed planning tool. In practice, a variety of frameworks are available to managers for classifying rivers, yet little information exists about how frameworks compare. Specifically, the data, time, and expertise required to implement a given classification, consistency of classification results, and the subsequent geomorphic interpretation between multiple frameworks have not been discussed following data-driven framework comparisons. Here we apply four classification methods within a watershed of high conservation interest in the U.S. Columbia River Basin. We compare the results of the River Styles Framework (RS), Natural Channel Classification (NCC), Rosgen Classification System (RCS), and channel form-based statistical classification. We find that the four frameworks generally classified reach types consistently. Where divergence in classified channel types occurs, differences can be attributed to the (a) spatial scale of input data used, (b) the requisite metrics and their order in completing a framework’s decision tree and/or (c) whether the framework attempted to classify current or historic channel form. We discuss the relative effort, disciplinary expertise required to complete each classification, noting that if a framework classifies current or pre-disturbance channel form, results can provide insight on watershed disturbance. By classifying a single watershed using multiple frameworks, we are able to identify trade-offs between frameworks, discussing how each framework mechanistically differs in grouping streams and their driving processes.
Parents’ evaluation of support in Australian hospitals following stillbirth
Authors: Basile Melanie L , Thorsteinsson Einar B
Published: January 2018

The present study evaluated the level of support and satisfaction among parents of stillborn babies in Australian hospitals. One-hundred and eighty-nine mothers and fathers completed an online survey designed by the researcher based on the guidelines designed by the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand. Support was inconsistent with guidelines implemented only 55% of the time, on average. Areas of support regarding creating memories, birth options and autopsy were most problematic. A significant positive correlation was found between support and satisfaction and there is indication that there has been some increase in support and satisfaction over time. There has been a significant increase in both support and satisfaction since the release of the guidelines in 2009. Creating memories was regarded by parents as the most influential to their grief. It is recommended that health professionals review guidelines and seek feedback from parents as to how they can improve the support they provide.
Pulmonary anatomy in the Trionychia and its bearing on cryptodiran evolution
Authors: Lambertz Markus , Perry Steven F
Published: January 2018

Background. The relationships among cryptodiran turtles often appear controversial depending on the approach followed (morphology vs. molecules). One controversy concerns the placement of the Trionychia (Carettochelys insculpta Ramsay, 1886 + Trionychidae), which usually is treated as sister taxon of Kinosternidae and thereby nested well within Cryptodira (morphology), or as sister taxon of all remaining cryptodirans (molecules). The aim of the present study is to introduce new data on the respiratory apparatus to this discussion.

Methods. Lungs and associated structures (extrapulmonary airways, coelomic integration, respiratory musculature), of C. insculpta and that of several Trionychidae were examined macroscopically. The excised lungs were dried, opened and photographed, or imaged using a µCT device.

Results. The lungs show a characteristic separation from the viscera by the post-pulmonary septum (PPS), which varies in its extent from highly incomplete to complete. The primary respiratory musculature is composed of the musculus transversus thoracis, m. t. abdominis and m. obliquus abdominis. The lungs of C. insculpta superficially resemble that of the Trionychidae, but differ markedly from them and all other turtles studied so far in that they exhibit a medially located, almost sac-like and elongated, huge additional chamber. The right extrapulmonary bronchi of all trionychians examined are shorter than the left ones, causing a dislocation of the trachea to the right side of the cervical region.

Discussion. The principal coelomic compartmentalization by the PPS agrees with previous studies on turtles, but indicates the convergent development of a completely separated pleural cavity in Trionychidae. The presence and anatomy of the respiratory musculature is in agreement with that recently inferred for turtles as a whole. Our data confirm the evolutionary distinctiveness of the taxon Carettochelyidae with its sole extant member C. insculpta based on their pulmonary autapomorphy. The monophyly of the Trionychia, as defined above, is supported by several potential synapomorphies of the respiratory system. Most important, however, is that our data, especially on the extrapulmonary airways, provide morphological support for the predominantly molecular-based hypothesis of an early split of the Cryptodira into the Trionychia and the remaining lineages. The displacement of the trachea to the right side contrasts with the situation found in all remaining cryptodirans, in which the trachea lies to the left of the esophagus (or an extreme reduction of tracheal length as in Testudinidae). This anatomical dichotomy could be related to the evolution of the specialized mechanism of neck retraction in cryptodirans. Our study points up the importance of so-called soft-tissue characters in inferring the evolutionary relationships of organisms in general, and of turtles in particular.
Flowering, reproductive behaviors and their effects on grain yields of newly bred single cross hybrids of yellow maize (Zea mays L.) in winter in subtropical Nepalese Himalayan foot plain
Authors: Adhikari Nav Raj , Ghimire Surya Kant , Sah Shrawan Kumar , Koirala Keshab Babu
Published: January 2018

Introduction: All the plants of a maize population or hybrid PP (plant population) do not dehisce anthers and do not emerge silk simultaneously. Generally, male flowering or anther dehiscence (anthesis) is leading and female flowering (silk emergence or silking) is lagging under both optimum and stressful environment. Enough and timely pollen availability is indispensable when silks come out of maize ears for largest number of kernel set. So; study of flowering and reproductive behavior of newly bred maize hybrids are indispensable to confirm high grain yielding hybrid with traits of synchrony in anthesis and silking, coming out of all silks and enough pollen availability in short duration. Materials and methods: Flowering and reproductive behaviors of fifteen newly bred single cross hybrids of yellow maize have been examined growing them in an RCBD trial planting their seeds on October 3, 2012 to expose flowering to the natural winter in subtropical foot plain of Himalaya. For flowering behavior; emergence of tassel, anthesis, silking, silk senescence, tassel-anthesis interval, anthesis-silking interval, silking-silk senescence interval of the hybrids have been examined dissecting the PP into four equal parts (percent) as the first earliest, second earliest, third earliest and terminal 25% of the hybrid PP denominated as 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively of the each of the fifteen hybrids. So, whether third earliest 25% and terminal 25% silk emerging PP of each of the hybrids (SILK75 and SILK100%) respectively received enough pollen from the PP of the same hybrid can be determined through ASI 75 and ASI 100 of the hybrid PP. Results and discussion: Among some polynomial regression equations (PREs) discovered based on floral traits, a grain yield estimating PRE (t ha-1) Y = - 11922 + 507.3*(TSS25)1 - 7.183*(TSS25)2 + 0.03387*(TSS25)3 with r2 value 66% has been discovered from days taken for TSS25. Similarly, high r2 bearing PREs were from days for anthesis and silking. PREs with the lowest r2 were for the days required for the silk senescence (S SEN). Reasons of the low r2 are: the observation of silk browning or withering could not be precise for naked eye since the silks looked fresh longer in high humidity, well-irrigated state, low temperature, low sun-shine and foggy or cloudy day although the silks lost receptivity earlier in the winter. In addition, interval duration from SILK INI to S SEN cannot be the duration of silk receptivity in the winter of subtropical Nepalese Himalayan foot plain. For reproductive behavior; number of functional egg cells that became successful zygotes to pull assimilates for complete kernel development can reflect aroma about reproductive strength (RS) of the hybrid. Accordingly, hybrids 8 and 5 have been found of the highest RS.
Colorless agar for enhanced color contrast between microbe colonies and solid medium
Authors: Ng Wenfa , Ting Yen-Peng
Published: January 2018

Solid medium enables spatially resolved simultaneous cultivation of different microbes in a simple and relatively low cost format useful for preliminary screening of microorganism diversity. Lack of color contrast between colonies and agar, however, hampers colony identification by automated image analysis – thus, presenting a challenge for phenotype screening experiments and viable cell counting. Since microbes secrete pigments of myriad hues, this research sought to develop a colorless agar - which when placed on colored paper of suitable hue – would enhance the color contrast between agar and colonies of any color. However, realization of the concept is hampered by heat-induced formation of colored compounds between medium components during autoclave sterilization, which in this study, was prevented by dissolving glucose and ammonium chloride in two separate solutions (each containing other medium components). Mixing the two sterilized solutions at 48 oC yielded a colorless agar – which remained colorless even after adding sterile yeast extract (max: 1 g/L) for providing essential vitamins to microbes unable to synthesize them. Culture experiments revealed good growth of Escherichia coli DH5α (ATCC 53868), Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 (ATCC BAA-477), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442), and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 8473) with cell yield positively correlated with yeast extract concentration. In addition, identical viable cell concentration and colonies of similar morphologies were observed on both the colorless and LB agar; thus, suggesting that no inhibitory compounds were formed during agar preparation. Collectively, using commonly used buffer components as well as salts and nutrients, a colorless agar was prepared by segregating chromogenic compounds during heat sterilization; thus, opening up its potential use for enhancing color contrast between colonies and agar in revealing finer details of pure culture colonies, or more accurate automated colony identification and counting in screening and viable cell count assays.
Magic Strategies: the basic biology of multilevel, multiscale, health intervention
Authors: Wallace Rodrick , Wallace Deborah
Published: January 2018

A survey of the cultural psychology and related literatures suggests that Western biomedicine's fascination with atomistic, individual-oriented, interventions is a cultural artifact that may have little consonance with complex, subtle, multiscale, multilevel, social, ecological, or biological realities. Other cultural traditions may, in fact, view atomistic strategies as inherently unreal. A contrary perspective suggests that the most effective medical or public health interventions must be analogously patterned across scale and level of organization: 'magic strategies' will almost always be synergistically - and often emergently - more effective than 'magic bullets'. The result can be formally derived in a relatively straightforward manner using an adaptation of the Black-Scholes economietric model, applied here to the metabolic cost of bioregulation under uncertainty. Multifactorial interventions focused at the human 'keystone' ecosystem level of mesoscale social and geographic groupings may be particularly effective.
Magic Strategies: the basic biology of multilevel, multiscale, health promotion
Authors: Wallace Rodrick , Wallace Deborah
Published: January 2018

A survey of the cultural psychology and related literatures suggests that Western biomedicine's fascination with atomistic, individual-oriented, interventions is a cultural artifact that may have little consonance with complex, subtle, multiscale, multilevel, social, ecological, or biological realities. Other cultural traditions may, in fact, view atomistic strategies as inherently unreal. A contrary perspective - similar to that of health promotion - suggests that the most effective medical or public health interventions must be analogously patterned across scale and level of organization: 'magic strategies' will almost always be synergistically - and often emergently - more effective than 'magic bullets'. The result can be formally derived in a relatively straightforward manner using an adaptation of the Black-Scholes economietric model, applied here to the metabolic cost of bioregulation under uncertainty. Multifactorial interventions focused at the human 'keystone' ecosystem level of mesoscale social and geographic groupings may be particularly effective. The analysis indicates that there is unlikely to be much in the way of 'simple' chronic disease. That is, serious comorbidity is usually inevitable, and may often be a consequence of therapeutic intervention itself. Study suggests that pairing of medical and prevention strategies with appropriate mesoscale neighborhood/social network interventions would: (1) Damp down unwanted treatment side effects. (2) Make the therapeutic alliance between practitioner and patient more effective. (3) Improve patient compliance. (4) Enhance placebo effect. (5) In the context of real stress reduction, synergistically improve the actual biological impacts of medical interventions or prevention strategies.
Using emotional scripts to generate and validate a set of emotion verbs
Authors: Portch Emma , Havelka Jelena , Brown Charity , Giner-Sorolla Roger
Published: January 2018

Information about everyday emotional experiences is integrated into internal scripts (e.g. Shaver et al., 1987). Script content provides a context within which to compare and subsequently interpret newly experienced, emotional stimuli, such as facial expressions and behaviours. We explore whether this internal context may also be used to interpret emotional words. In particular, we argue that the ‘meaning’ of emotional verbs may be strongly context-dependent (e.g. Schacht & Sommer, 2009). Harnessing previous context-based methods, we define verb meaning by the degree of association between the behaviours to which they refer and discrete emotional states (e.g. ‘fear’), within emotional scripts (Stevenson, Mikels & James, 2007). We used a self-generation method to derive a set of verbs that participants associated with six universal, emotional states (study 1; see full list in appendix A). Emotion labels acted as script anchors. For each verb, degree of emotionality and discrete association were measured by the number of participants who generated that word. As expected, a different modal exemplar was generated for each discrete emotion. In study 2 we used a rating task to assess the stability of the relationship between modal, or typical, verbs and the emotion label to which they had been generated. Verbs and labels were embedded in a sentence and participants were invited to reflect on their emotional attributions in everyday life to rate the association (‘If you are feeling ‘sad’ how likely would you be to act in the following way?’ e.g. ’cry’). Findings suggest that typical relationships were robust. Participants always gave higher ratings to typical vs. atypical verb and label pairings even when (a) rating direction was manipulated (the label or verb appeared first in the sentence), and (b) the typical behaviours were to be performed by themselves or others ( ‘If someone is sad, how likely are they to act in the following way?’ e.g. ’cry’). Our findings suggest that emotion scripts create verb meaning, and therefore provide a context within which to interpret emotional words. We provide a set of emotion verbs that are robustly associated with discrete, emotional labels/states. This resource may be used by a variety of researchers, including those interested in categorical processing of emotional words and language-mediated facial mimicry.
Sharing analysis in the Pawns compiler
Authors: Naish Lee
Published: January 2018

Pawns is a programming language under development that supports algebraic data types, polymorphism, higher order functions and "pure" declarative programming. It also supports impure imperative features including destructive update of shared data structures via pointers, allowing significantly increased efficiency for some operations. A novelty of Pawns is that all impure "effects" must be made obvious in the source code and they can be safely encapsulated in pure functions in a way that is checked by the compiler. Execution of a pure function can perform destructive updates on data structures that are local to or eventually returned from the function without risking modification of the data structures passed to the function. This paper describes the sharing analysis which allows impurity to be encapsulated. Aspects of the analysis are similar to other published work, but in addition it handles explicit pointers and destructive update, higher order functions including closures and pre- and post-conditions concerning sharing for functions.
Effect of vitex agnus-castus on sheep rumen fluids using an in vitro gas production method
Authors: Önenç Sibel S
Published: January 2018

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) on in vitro gas production (GP), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and net energy lactation (NEL) using an in vitro gas-production method. Two rumen-fistulated sheep were used in the experiment. The sheep were fed 60% alfalfa hay and 40% concentrate feed twice daily. Five different levels of VAC were added to the concentrate (CON) to produce 200 mg DM (CON - without VAC; 1 - 2 mg VAC+198 mg CON; 2 - 4 mg VAC+196 mg CON; 3 - 6 mg VAC+194 mg CON; 4 - 8 mg VAC+192 mg CON; 5 - 10 mg VAC+190 mg CON). The volume of gas produced was recorded at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after incubation. The results showed GP, OMD and NEL contents with no significant changes even as the level of VAC were added to the CON. VAC groups affected the rapidly degraded fractions; however, did not affect the slowly degraded fractions.
Direct dilution of cell aliquot for high temporal resolution bacterial surface charge measurement
Authors: Ng Wenfa , Ting Yen-Peng
Published: January 2018

Bacterial surface charge (SC) mediates important cell-environment and microbe-host interactions, and its accurate and precise measurement by microelectrophoresis requires removing metabolites adhered to the cell surface - where repeated centrifugation and washing by buffers is the gold standard method. Unfortunately, the need for time-consuming centrifugation limits the temporal resolution of sampling and interrogation of experimental dynamics; especially for samples requiring immediate treatment post sampling. Herein, the feasibility of diluting cell aliquots with buffer as a one-step sample preparation technique for SC measurement was investigated by characterising the effects of dilution factor, type of cation, and buffer conductivity on measuring SC of Escherichia coli DH5α grown in LB medium. Results indicated that dilution factor was critical to accurate SC measurement since low signal-to-noise ratios in high or low cell concentration samples generated substantial error. Type of buffer cation was also important since putative binding of high affinity cations to the cell surface underestimated SC of negatively-charged bacteria. Finally, although high conductivity buffers enabled greater removal of adsorbed metabolites through increased charge screening, a broader statistical distribution of measured SC was also observed – which, at extreme conductivity values, led to inaccurate data, probably due to removal of both intrinsic cell surface ions and exogenous adsorbed metabolites. Altogether, one-step dilution of cell aliquot with deionized water reliably reproduced E. coli SC values obtained via the gold standard approach; however, since the ensemble of secreted metabolites is bacteria/medium specific, distinct diluent and optimal parameters exist for each system. The described methodology may find use in preparing samples for cell surface characterisation studies, where it would help reduce sample preparation time – and thus, improve temporal resolution at which scientific questions can be probed and answered.
Direct dilution of cell aliquot for high temporal resolution bacterial surface charge measurement
Authors: Ng Wenfa , Ting Yen-Peng
Published: January 2018

Bacterial surface charge mediates important cell-environment and microbe-host interactions, and its accurate and precise measurement by microelectrophoresis requires removing metabolites adhered to the cell surface - where repeated centrifugation and washing by buffers is the gold standard sample preparation method. Unfortunately, the need for time-consuming centrifugation limits the temporal resolution of sampling and profiling of experimental dynamics; especially for samples requiring immediate treatment after sampling. Herein, the feasibility of diluting cell aliquots with buffer as a one step sample preparation technique for surface charge measurement was investigated by characterizing the effects of dilution ratio, cation type, and buffer conductivity on measuring surface charge of Escherichia coli DH5α (ATCC 53868) grown in LB Lennox medium. Results indicated that dilution ratio was critical to accurate surface charge measurement since low signal-to-noise ratio in high or low cell concentration samples generated substantial error. Type of buffer cation was also important since putative binding of high affinity cations to the cell surface underestimated surface charge of negatively charged bacteria. Finally, high conductivity buffers enabled greater removal of adsorbed metabolites through increased charge screening. However, a broader statistical distribution of measured surface charge was also observed – which, at extreme conductivity values, led to inaccurate data; probably due to removal of both intrinsic cell surface ions and exogenous adsorbed metabolites. Altogether, one step dilution of cell aliquot with deionized water reliably reproduced E. coli surface charge values obtained via the gold standard approach. But, since the ensemble of secreted metabolites is bacteria and/or medium specific, distinct diluent and experiment parameters exist for each system. The described methodology may find use in preparing samples for cell surface characterization studies, where it would help reduce sample preparation time – and thus, improve temporal resolution at which scientific questions can be probed and answered.
Direct dilution of cell aliquot for high temporal resolution bacterial cell surface charge measurement
Authors: Ng Wenfa
Published: January 2018

Bacteria surface charge mediates important cell-environment and microbe-host interactions, and its accurate and precise measurement by microelectrophoresis requires removing metabolites adhered to the cell surface, where repeated centrifugation and washing by buffers is the gold standard method for sample preparation. Unfortunately, the need for time consuming centrifugation limits the temporal resolution of sampling and profiling of experiment system dynamics; especially for samples requiring immediate treatment after sampling. Herein, the feasibility of diluting cell aliquots with buffer as a single step sample preparation technique for surface charge measurement was investigated by characterizing the effects of dilution ratio, cation type, and buffer conductivity on measuring surface charge of Escherichia coli DH5α (ATCC 53868) grown in LB Lennox medium. Results indicated that dilution ratio was critical to accurate surface charge measurement since poor signal-to-noise ratio in high or low cell concentration samples generated substantial error. Type of buffer cation was also important since putative binding of high affinity cations to the negatively-charged cell surface underestimated surface charge. Finally, high conductivity buffers enabled greater removal of adsorbed metabolites through increased charge screening; however, a broader statistical distribution of measured surface charge and less accurate data were also observed. At extreme conductivity values, measured surface charge exhibited multi-modal distribution; due probably to removal of both intrinsic cell surface ions and exogenous adsorbed metabolites, and called into question the accuracy of data. Altogether, one step dilution of cell aliquot with deionized water reliably reproduced E. coli surface charge values obtained using the gold standard approach. But, since the ensemble of secreted metabolites is bacteria and medium specific, distinct diluent and experimental parameters exist for each system. The described methodology may find use in preparing samples for cell surface characterization studies, where it would help reduce sample preparation time, and thus, improve temporal resolution at which scientific questions can be probed and answered.
Fading sight of endemic Zapornia bicolor (Walden, 1872) in Eastern Himalayan Hotspot
Authors: Pradhan Prakash
Published: January 2018

A biosurvey was conducted in Samendu Lake and its surrounding wetlands of Eastern Himalayan Hill region of Mirik in Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. In the study, endemic and locally rare species of Zapornia bicolor (Walden, 1872) was studied with point transect method regarding its population and habitat. Very low population (only 21 individuals) and habitat degradation (encroachment, pollution, invasive plant species) has been observed at the study sites. Conservation measures for this species have been suggested.
Fading sight of endemic Zapornia bicolor (Walden, 1872) in Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot
Authors: Pradhan Prakash
Published: January 2018

A biosurvey was conducted in Samendu Lake and its surrounding wetlands of Eastern Himalayan Hill region of Mirik in Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. In the study, endemic and locally rare bird species Zapornia bicolor (Walden, 1872) was studied with point transect method regarding its population and habitat. Very low population (only 21 individuals) and habitat degradation (encroachment, pollution, invasive plant species) was observed at the study sites. Conservation measures for this species have been suggested.