bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Simulation of 1.28 Tbps Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex System Suitable for Long Haul Backbone
Authors: Amusan Akinwumi A. , Amusan Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2018

Wavelength division multiplex (WDM) system with on/off keying (OOK) modulation and direct detection (DD) is generally simple to implement, less expensive and energy efficient. The determination of the possible design capacity limit, in terms of the bit rate – distance product in WDM – OOK –DD systems is therefore crucial, considering transmitter/receiver simplicity, as well as energy and cost efficiency.

A 32-channel WDM system is designed and simulated over 1000 km fiber length using Optsim commercial simulation software. The standard channel spacing of 0.4 nm was used in the C–band range from 1.5436 to 1.556 nm.

Each channel used the simple non return to zero – on/off keying (NRZ – OOK) modulation format to modulate a continuous wave (CW) laser source at 40 Gbps using an external modulator, while the receiver uses a DD scheme.

It is proposed that the design will be suitable for long haul mobile backbone in a national network, since up to 1.28 Tbps data rates can be transmitted over 1000 km.

A bit rate length product of 1.28 Pbps.km was obtained as the optimum capacity limit in 32 channel dispersion managed WDM – OOK – DD system.
Antenatal magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection: a critical appraisal and systematic review of clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Jayaram Pradeep M. , Mohan Manoj K. , Farid Ibrahim , Lindow Stephen
Published: October 2018

Background

Magnesium sulfate is an accepted intervention for fetal neuroprotection. There are some perceived differences in the international recommendations on the use magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection in preterm labor.

Content

This systematic review analyses the available clinical guidelines for the use of magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection and compares the recommendations, and assesses the quality of guidelines. This provides the consensus, differences and explores the areas for future collaborative research. We searched databases of PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, Web of Science, LILACS; and included the national and the international clinical practice guidelines. We included seven guidelines out of 227 search results. We evaluated the methodological quality of guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool and systematically extracted guideline characters, recommendation and supporting evidence base.

Five guidelines were of high quality and two were of moderate quality. One guideline achieved more than an 80% score in all the domains of AGREE II tool. All guidelines recommend use of magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection. However, there are differences in other recommendations such as upper gestational age, dose, duration, repeating treatment and use of additional tocolytics.

Outlook

Future guidelines should include recommendations on all aspects of magnesium sulfate therapy for fetal neuroprotection. Future research and international collaboration should focus on areas where there are no international consensual recommendations.
Kant und der praktische Syllogismus
Authors: Wolff Michael
Published: October 2018

According to Bittner, Kant has established a theory of action that is untenable because it attempts to explain action on the basis of a theory of practical syllogisms. This article defends Kant’s view (developed in GMS II, AA 04: 412.26-30) by explaining the meaning in which actions can be ‘deduced’ from practical laws or from maxims.
Ein Leben Mohammeds
Authors: Dräger Paul
Published: October 2018

The principal purpose and nucleus of the article is the publication of a Latin text of highly demanding qualities in terms of philological principles which, in connection with its first abundantly annotated translation into German, has hitherto scarcely been noticed by researchers. The only literary collection which bears witness to the existence of the manuscript is a folio edition which presumably came into being in the middle of the 12th century, i. e. during the time of the crusades (conquest of Jerusalem in 1099) and is kept in the municipal library of the city of Treves.

The dialogue between the anonymous author and a Greek, who hates the Saracens, forms the content. When, in the centre of the text, the author asks about Mohammed, the ‘monster’ (monstrum), the Greek relates the life of the hater of all Christians in the darkest colours. He begins wit Mohammed’s youth when he was a swineherd, continues with his devil-initiated encounter with the heretic Nestorius and the general development of a new common ‘faith’ as well as its spreading among the desert tribes by means of sorcery and deceipt and the student’s treacherous murder of his teacher. The assassin is then married to a Babylonian royal widow and, finally, meets his contumelious death caused by a pigs’ attack.

The repeated comparison of our text with poetical ‘western’ scripts of the 11th and 12th centuries (Embricho of Mayence, Guibert of Nogent, Walter of Compiègne) as regards the subject matter leads us to the conclusion that our manuscript is likely to be of a most Islam critical tendency.
High-efficiency broadband light coupling between optical fibers and photonic integrated circuits
Authors: Son Gyeongho , Han Seungjun , Park Jongwoo , Kwon Kyungmok , Yu Kyoungsik
Published: October 2018

Efficient light energy transfer between optical waveguides has been a critical issue in various areas of photonics and optoelectronics. Especially, the light coupling between optical fibers and integrated waveguide structures provides essential input-output interfaces for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and plays a crucial role in reliable optical signal transport for a number of applications, such as optical interconnects, optical switching, and integrated quantum optics. Significant efforts have been made to improve light coupling properties, including coupling efficiency, bandwidth, polarization dependence, alignment tolerance, as well as packing density. In this review article, we survey three major light coupling methods between optical fibers and integrated waveguides: end-fire coupling, diffraction grating-based coupling, and adiabatic coupling. Although these waveguide coupling methods are different in terms of their operating principles and physical implementations, they have gradually adopted various nanophotonic structures and techniques to improve the light coupling properties as our understanding to the behavior of light and nano-fabrication technology advances. We compare the pros and cons of each light coupling method and provide an overview of the recent developments in waveguide coupling between optical fibers and integrated photonic circuits.
Synthesis and crystal structure of bis(μ2-acetato-κ2
O:O′)-bis(μ2-1-(8-(2-oxidophenyl)-3,6-dioxa-2,7-diazaocta-1,7-dien-1-yl)naphthalen-2-olato-κ6
O:O,N,N′,O′:O′)trizinc(II), C44H38Zn3N4O12
Authors: Ren Zong-Li , Liu Chang , Wang Lan , Peng Yun-Dong , Dong Wen-Kui
Published: October 2018

C44H38Zn3N4O12, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 16.2076(17) Å, b = 13.9361(19) Å, c = 19.029(3) Å, β = 107.635(14)°, V = 4096.1(10) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0760, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1768, T = 173 K.
Crystal structure of 2-bromo-7-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)-10-methylacridin-9 (10H)-one, C22H19BrN2O
Authors: Songhua Chen , Jien Yang
Published: October 2018

C22H19BrN2O, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 8.0338(16) Å, b = 9.0803(18) Å, c = 24.281(5) Å, β = 95.78(3)°, V = 1762.28(60) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0871, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1595, T = 173(2) K.
Crystal structure of 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-N-phenyl-2-(phenylamino)ethanesulfonamide – toluene (1/0.5), C23.5H23FN2O2S
Authors: Naicker Tricia , Brasil Edikarlos , Samipillai Marivel , Govender Thavendran , Baijnath Sooraj
Published: October 2018

C23.5H23FN2O2S, Mr = 416.50, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 27.2594(19) Å, b = 5.7351(4) Å, c = 26.1139(18) Å, β = 102.009(2)°, V = 3993.2(5) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0358, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0958 T = 100(2) K.
Surface roughness effect on thermohydrodynamic analysis of journal bearings lubricated with couple stress fluids
Authors: Awati Vishwanath B. , Kengangutti Ashwini
Published: October 2018

The paper presents, surface roughness effect for thermo-hydrodynamic analysis of journal bearings extended to couple stress lubricants with high polymer additives. A modified energy equation is simultaneously solved with heat transfer equation as well as modified Reynolds equation by using Multigrid method. The effects of couple stress and surface roughness on the performances of a finite journal bearing are presented in detail. Further, it is shown that lubricants with couple stress and surface roughness, not only increases the load capacity and decreases the friction coefficient, but also generates a lower bearing temperature field. Thus, the lubricant with couple stress improves the performance of journal bearings. The characteristics of bearing are compared with numerical results.
Computing multiple ABC index and multiple GA index of some grid graphs
Authors: Gao Wei , Siddiqui Muhammad Kamran , Naeem Muhammad , Imran Muhammad
Published: October 2018

Topological indices are the atomic descriptors that portray the structures of chemical compounds and they help us to anticipate certain physico-compound properties like boiling point, enthalpy of vaporization and steadiness. The atom bond connectivity (ABC) index and geometric arithmetic (GA) index are topological indices which are defined as$ABC(G)=\sum_{uv\in E(G)}\sqrt{\frac{d_u+d_v-2}{d_ud_v}}$and$GA(G)=\sum_{uv\in E(G)}\frac{2\sqrt{d_ud_v}}{d_u+d_v}$, respectively, whereduis the degree of the vertexu. The aim of this paper is to introduced the new versions ofABCindex andGAindex namely multiple atom bond connectivity (ABC) index and multiple geometric arithmetic (GA) index. As an application, we have computed these newly defined indices for the octagonal grid$O_p^q$, the hexagonal gridH(p,q) and the square gridGp, q. Also, we compared these results obtained with the ones by other indices like theABC4index and theGA5index.
A method to reduce partial discharges in motor windings fed by PWM inverter
Authors: Roger Daniel , Ait-Amar Sonia , Napieralska Ewa
Published: October 2018

A new approach for designing ac motor windings free of partial discharges (PD) is proposed. The method consists of adding a thin conducting layer on the outer surface of the enameled wire used for building the machine winding. With this additional layer, PDs occur only in critical zones localized near the wire connections rather than randomly in the residual voids between turns. With such deterministic localizations, it is possible to reduce strongly the PD activity by adding small quantities of varnish in the determined critical zones. After studying the validity of the Paschen’s hypotheses for this application, the Paschen’s law is coupled to an electrostatic finite element analysis, for predicting the Partial Discharge Inception Voltage (PDIV), which corresponds to the electronic avalanche ignition in the air of critical zones.
„Alles war in wirrer Bewegung auf ein vollkommenes Chaos hin“ Otto Braun, Hermann Neubacher, die „Deutsch-Griechische Warenausgleichsgesellschaft mbH“ (DEGRIGES) und die Wirtschaft Griechenlands 1942–1944 / „Everything Was in Confusion and a Movement, Heading toward Complete Chaos“ Otto Braun, Hermann Neubacher, the „Deutsch-Griechische Warenausgleichsgesellschaft mbH“ (DEGRIGES, „German-Greek Organization for the Balancing of Trade), and the Economy of Greece 1942–1944
Authors: Freytag Carl
Published: October 2018

In 1942, one year after the occupation of Greece by the German “Wehrmacht”, the “Reichswirtschaftsministerium” set up the DEGRIGES (Deutsch-Griechische Warenausgleichsgesellschaft / German-Greek organization for the exchange of goods) for the control of trade between Germany and Greece.

The president was Otto Braun, owner of the Berlin-based „Transdanubia“, an Import- Export-Company. Braun organised in the 1920s in Bavaria illegal arms depots, and commanded „Feme“-murders. In Hungary he supported the fascists, and achieves the „aryanization“ of Jewish companies.

The focus of the investigation is on the activities of the DEGRIGES in the network of competing organizations like the greek branch of NSDAP, the Sudosteuropa-Gesellschaft, the SACIG (the Italian counterpart of DEGRIGES), and the Mitteleuropaischer Wirtschaftstag (MWT) − and on the competition with Hermann Neubacher, „Sonderbeauftrager“ of the Foreign Office for Greece, and Max Merten, one of the organizers of the deportation of the greek Jews to Auschwitz.

In summary, it can be stated that the DEGRIGES was from 1942 until 1944 (when it was liquidated during the withdrawal of the “Wehrmacht”) an „agency for the wellarranged exploitation of Greece“.
Individual and Collective Survival Strategies of Slovene Littoral Internees in Italian “Special Battalions” During World War II
Authors: Kosmač Miha
Published: October 2018

The article presents various survival strategies developed by Slovene Littoral men interned in “special battalions” of the Italian army (10 June 1940 - 8 September 1943). The main aims of the Fascist authorities were to intern and subjugate the Slovene Littoral men, whom they regarded as “unreliable”, and to stem the resistance in the Julian March. By taking into account archival records and various oral/memory-based testimonies, the article sheds light on the life of Slovene Littoral men in special battalions and their individual and above all collective survival strategies divided into the following categories: procurement of additional food supplies, attitude to the superiors, cooperation with the local population, and comradeship.
Prosodic strengthening in reference to the lexical pitch accent system in South Kyungsang Korean
Authors: Cho Taehong , Kim Dong Jin , Kim Sahyang
Published: October 2018

Theories of the phonetics-prosody interface suggest that prosodic strengthening that arises with prosodic structuring is not simply a low-level phonetic phenomenon, but it serves as a phonetic hallmark of a higher-order prosodic structure in reference to linguistic (phonological) contrast. The present study builds on this theoretical premise by examining acoustic realization of the phonological tonal contrast in the lexical pitch accent system of South Kyungsang (SK) Korean. Results showed that phonetic realization of F0 and the degree of glottalization (as reflected in spectral tilt measures such as H1-A1c and H1-A3c) of vowels in vowel-initial words were systematically modulated by the higher-order prosodic structure, and that the prosodic-structural modulation gave rise to distinct prosodic strengthening effects as a function of the source of prosodic strengthening. In particular, the prominence-induced strengthening (due to focus) entailed a phonetic polarizing effect on the F0 contrast in a way that enhances the phonological High vs. Low tone contrast. The boundary-induced strengthening effect, on the other hand, could be better understood as enhancing the phonetic clarity of prosodic junctures. The distinct prosodic strengthening effects were further evident in the way that glottalization was fine-tuned according to prosodic structure and phonological (tonal) contrast. Prosodic strengthening effects were also found to interact with intrinsic vowel height, implying that the low-level phonetic effect may be under speaker control in reference to higher-order prosodic and phonological contrast systems of the language. Finally, the results informed a theoretical debate regarding whether the Low tone that contrasts with the High tone in word-initial position should be considered lexically specified vs. post-lexical assigned.
Generalized Electromagnetic Fields Associated with the Hydrogen-Like Atom Problem
Authors: Bruce S.A. , Diaz-Valdes J.F.
Published: October 2018

It is known that the principle of minimal coupling in quantum mechanics determines a unique interaction form for a charged particle. By properly redefining the canonical commutation relation between (canonical) conjugate components of position and momentum of the particle, e.g. an electron, we restate the Dirac equation for the hydrogen-like atom problem incorporating a generalized minimal electromagnetic coupling. The corresponding interaction keeps the

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and the vector potential

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). This problem turns out to be exactly solvable; moreover, the eigenstates and eigenvalues can be obtained in an elementary fashion. Some feasible models within this approach are discussed. Then we make a few remarks about the breaking of supersymmetry. Finally, we briefly comment on the possible Lie algebra (dynamical symmetry algebra) of these relativistic quantum systems.
Detection and Segmentation of Manufacturing Defects with Convolutional Neural Networks and Transfer Learning
Authors: Ferguson Max , Ak Ronay , Lee Yung-Tsun Tina , Law Kincho H.
Published: October 2018

Quality control is a fundamental component of many manufacturing processes, especially those involving casting or welding. However, manual quality control procedures are often time-consuming and error-prone. In order to meet the growing demand for high-quality products, the use of intelligent visual inspection systems is becoming essential in production lines. Recently, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown outstanding performance in both image classification and localization tasks. In this article, a system is proposed for the identification of casting defects in X-ray images, based on the Mask Region-based CNN architecture. The proposed defect detection system simultaneously performs defect detection and segmentation on input images, making it suitable for a range of defect detection tasks. It is shown that training the network to simultaneously perform defect detection and defect instance segmentation results in a higher defect detection accuracy than training on defect detection alone. Transfer learning is leveraged to reduce the training data demands and increase the prediction accuracy of the trained model. More specifically, the model is first trained with two large, openly available image datasets before fine-tuning on a relatively small metal casting X-ray dataset. The accuracy of the trained model exceeds the state-of-the art performance of the Grupo de Inteligencia de Máquina database of X-ray images (GDXray) Castings dataset and is fast enough to be used in a production setting. The system also performs well on the GDXray Welds dataset. A number of in-depth studies are conducted to explore how transfer learning, multitask learning, and multi-class learning influence the performance of the trained system.
PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS CONTENT, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIALS OF SEVEN EDIBLE LEAVES
Authors: Başyiğit Bülent , Çam Mustafa , Akyurt Betül
Published: October 2018

The objectives of this study
were to investigate antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity of ethanolic and
aqueous extracts of seven leaves. The antioxidant activity of the leaves was
determined by two different methods: DPPH and β-carotene- bleaching test (βC).
The enzyme inhibitory activity was evaluated against α-glucosidase. Antioxidant
(EC50) and α-glucosidase (IC50) activity were determined
as 8.29-238.8 g of leaf/g of DPPH and 35.59-620.29 μg/mL respectively. Among
seven leaves studied, leaf of grape (Vitis vinifera), quince (Cydonia
oblonga) and nettle (Urtica dioica) exhibited higher antioxidant and
α-glucosidase inhibition activity than the rest of the leaves. Total phenolic
content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total hydrolyzable tannin
content (TTC) of the leaves were between 0.22-16.37 mg gallic acid equivalents
(GAE), 0.07-9.32 mg catechin equivalents (CE) and 0.49-16.38 tannic acid
equivalent (TAE) per g of leaf, respectively.
Estructura poblacional y distribución espacial del roble negro (Colombobalanus excelsa, Fagaceae), especie endémica, en fragmentos de bosque andino colombiano
Authors: Aguirre-Acosta Natalia , Botero-Echeverri Jorge Eduardo
Published: October 2018

Population structure and spatial distribution of black oak (Colombobalanus excelsa, Fagaceae), endemic species, in Colombian Andean forest fragments. The Colombian Andean forests are recognized for its great biodiversity and endemism; however, they have undergone a severe process of fragmentation due to anthropic factors. As a result, many vulnerable species have been especially affected. That is the case of the black oak (Colombobalanus excelsa (Lozano, Hern. Cam., & Henao) Nixon & Crepet), an endemic and poorly studied species of the Colombian Andes, which has a distribution restricted to only four areas in the country, one of which is the Southeastern Huila region. To examine black oak populations in Serranía Peñas Blancas (Huila), in 2006 we studied the age structure and spatial distribution in plots of 50 x 20 m (1.6 ha) in forest fragments, in southern distribution. In total, 1 228 black oak species were registered among saplings, juvenile and adults, and they have distribution patterns Gamma and Weibull. These results confirm that the majority of the individuals are in the first diametric class. Also, these populations show an added distribution pattern due to the wood extraction process. These results indicate that black oak populations are in a recovery phase after forceful anthropic intervention. Knowing the current status of black oak forests can contribute to the design of effective conservation plans of this species in Colombia. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 486-494. Epub 2018 June 01.
Cytogenetic bioassays as tools to distinguish between toxic and non-toxic varieties of Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: Fonseca Andrade-Vieira Larissa , Mastella Botelho Carolina , Pinheiro Carlos Alexandre , Fontes Pinheiro Patrícia , Galvêas Laviola Bruno , Miranda Praça-Fontes Milene
Published: October 2018

The tropical and subtropical naturalized physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.), has been explored for biodiesel production in recent times. The oil is extracted from the seeds and, for the production to be feasible, utilization of the residual seed cake is crucial. Although the cake could be employed as a protein source in animal feed, it is rich in phorbol ester, which is toxic for animals. Therefore, breeding programs have been working to reduce or eliminate the phorbol ester content in physic nut. In this context, the present work aimed to evaluate the physic nut oil of toxic and non-toxic varieties (containing known or undetectable amounts of phorbol ester, respectively) with regards to phytotoxicity in a model experiment with Lactuca sativa L. For this, the percentage of germinated seeds was evaluated after 8, 16, 24, 36 and 48 hours of exposure to the treatments with toxic and non-toxic oil at concentrations of 22.5 %, 45 % and 67.5 % of emulsion (physic nut oil energetically mixed with distilled water). Root growth was determined after 48 hours of exposure and the germination speed index was obtained. The different stages of mitotic division as well as possible chromosomal and nuclear alterations were also recorded. The mitotic index was calculated as the number of dividing cells, as a fraction of the total number of cells, and the frequency of chromosome and nuclear alterations, expressed as the percentage of number of alterations divided by the total number of cells. Both varieties exhibited phytotoxicity, inducing significant reductions in percentage of germinated seeds (reduction of 98 %), germination speed index (reduction of 24.44) and root growth (reduction of 8.54 mm). In microscopic analysis, a mitodepressive effect was observed for both oils at the three concentrations used when compared to the negative control; however, it was possible to distinguish between the toxic and the non-toxic varieties based on the more expressive reduction of division promoted by the first, 2.19 %. Significant increments in the frequency of mitotic cells showing chromosome alterations as well, as the presence of condensed nuclei, were observed in the treated cells. However, these parameters were not significantly different from the control in the cells treated with both physic nut oils. In conclusion, the evaluation of root growth and cell division in the plant model L. sativa, can be proposed as an alternative to animal tests to distinguish the varieties with high and low phorbol ester concentration, thus contributing to the detection of toxicity in varieties used in breeding programs. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 495-502. Epub 2018 June 01.
Wood anatomy of Laguncularia racemosa (Combretaceae) in mangrove and transitional forest, Southern Brazil
Authors: Jantsch Adriana , Ferreira de Melo Júnior João Carlos , Amorim Maick Willian , Larcher Letícia , Soffiatti Patrícia
Published: October 2018

Mangroves represent an environment of great heterogeneity and low diversity of plant species that have structural and physiological adaptations linked to a high salinity environment. Laguncularia racemosa is a typical tree species in mangroves and transitional zones. This study aimed to compare the wood anatomy of L. racemosa (Combretaceae) in two different forests (mangroves and transitional forests), which have different soil conditions. For this, we obtained wood and soil samples in March 2016. We analyzed soil nutritional contents in one 15 cm deep soil sample per forest type. In addition, we selected five mangrove trees in each formation for wood anatomy analysis and took one wood sample per individual, per area. We prepared histological slides and separated materials following standard methods for wood anatomy studies. Soil analysis showed that mangrove soils had higher phosphorus, potassium and calcium contents. The transitional soil had lower pore water salinity and soil pH, probably due to high aluminum levels. Anatomical attributes differed between different forest populations. In the different wood aspects evaluated, we obtained higher values in mangrove individuals when compared to the transitional forest population: vessel elements length (375.79 mm), tangential vessels diameter (75.85 mm), frequency of vessels (11.90 mm) and fiber length (889.89 mm). Moreover, parenchyma rays height was larger in the samples of the transitional forest (392.80 mm), while the mangrove population presented wider rays (29.38 mm). The structure of the secondary xylem in the studied species apparently responds to edaphic parameters and shows variations that allow it to adjust to the environmental conditions. The population of the transitional forest showed a secondary xylem that invests more in protection than the mangrove population. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 647-657. Epub 2018 June 01.
Parásitos gastrointestinales de aves silvestres en un ecosistema ribereño urbano tropical en Heredia, Costa Rica
Authors: Pérez-Gómez Gabriela , Jiménez-Rocha Ana Eugenia , Bermúdez-Rojas Tania
Published: October 2018

Gastrointestinal parasites of wild birds in a tropical riverine urban ecosystem in Heredia, Costa Rica. In urban ecosystems, rivers provide various ecosystem services, among them, serving as interurban biological corridor, allowing birds to move and shelter in the middle of the city. However, high levels of pollution expose them, and even humans, to several health problems. Hence the importance of performing environmental diagnoses that allows to identify alterations and mitigate them in a timely manner. This study provides a first diagnosis of the parasitic situation of wild birds along the Pirro river which is located in an urban environment, fragmented and with high levels of surface water pollution. The sampling was carried out at the upper and middle part of the Pirro river in Heredia, Costa Rica. Mist-nets were used to capture the birds, and a general objective exam (GOE) was conducted in order to evaluate their nutritional and hydration state, as well as their physical state. In addition, stool samples were collected in order to characterize the gastrointestinal parasites (GPI). This procedure was carried out on 158 birds, belonging to 30 species, three PGI groups were identified: protozoa, nematodes and cestodes. The highest percentages of infection were represented by coccidia, with 97.6 %, followed by nematodes and cestodes with 2.4 %. Within the group of coccidios, it was possible to identify Eimeria spp., Isospora spp., in the nematodes: at the Strongylida group level and at the Capillaria spp., and for the cestodes: Choanotaenia spp. GOE resulted regular-to-good in all individuals captured, however, a general linear model was used to identify that the oral cavity and the state of the plumage could be the more linked variables with the percentage of infection by gastrointestinal parasites in birds, due to the fact that the oral cavity is the bird’s main route of ingestion, as well as the state of the plumage shows its vigor. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 788-798. Epub 2018 June 01.
Tropical forest remnants as shelters of avian diversity within a tourism development matrix in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: Ramírez-Albores Jorge E. , Pérez-Suárez Marlín
Published: October 2018

Tropical forests have undergone extensive transformation because of increasing tourism development, in addition to historic clearing for agricultural and cattle grazing activities. Altogether, these activities have had an important effect on bird diversity, reducing the habitat available to many species. In this study, the role of tropical forest remnants located between different land use types was evaluated for species diversity, composition, and distribution of the bird community at Akumal region in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Point counts were used to quantify the avifauna by habitat, and Shannon´s and Simpson´s diversity index were used to determine bird diversity. Additionally, bird species were classified according to seasonality and trophic guild by type of habitat. A total of 160 species and 50 families was recorded, of which 100 species were permanent residents, 47 winter visitors and 11 transients. Mature tropical forest and tropical forest remnants had higher species richness than those of modified environments. This study supports the importance of tropical forest remnants as shelters for bird species in landscapes with tourism developments, and the relevance of these remnants to maintaining high bird diversity. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 799-813. Epub 2018 June 01.
Life history and phenology of Phylloicus pulchrus (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae) in a tropical rainforest stream of Puerto Rico
Authors: Reyes-Torres Limarie J. , Ramírez Alonso
Published: October 2018

Caddisflies are abundant, diverse, and important insects in freshwater ecosystems.  However our knowledge on their life history is incomplete, in particular for the Neotropics. The objectives of this study were to describe the life history and phenology of Phylloicus pulchrus in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. Eggs and larvae were reared to determine the species lifespan and time in each instar. Larval instars were determined based on a head width vs. pronotal suture length correlation (N= 120). Larvae and benthic leaf litter were sampled monthly at a headwater stream for a year; all specimens were classified into instars based on their case size. Adult P. pulchrus were sampled monthly for a year with a light trap and at various times with a Malaise trap. Monthly environmental variables were related to species and sex abundance. There was a gradient of egg development where eggs (within compound masses) closest to the water were more developed. There were five larval instars and reared larvae showed longer development times and more variable body measurements in later instars. The best correlation for larval instar determination was case length-head width (Pearson= 0.90, P= 2.2e-16, N= 120). Phylloicus pulchrus has a multivoltine life cycle, with asynchronous larval development. Adult abundance was low. First to third instar larvae were influenced significantly by rainfall and rainfall seasonality had a negative significant effect on second instar larval abundance (ANOVA= 7.45, P= 0.02).Compound egg masses were probably oviposited by different females that gathered for oviposition. Phylloicus pulchrus follows the predominant developmental characteristic of Trichoptera of having five larval stages. Development times were longer than expected (longest times for a Phylloicus species) and may be an effect of laboratory rearing. The influence of rainfall (and seasonality) on different larval instars highlights the importance of this variable on early larval development. The cause of low adult abundance remains unclear, but may be related to low emergence rates and trap efficiency. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 814-825. Epub 2018 June 01.
Determination of optimal prey for rearing tropical gar Atractosteus tropicus (Lepisosteiformes: Lepisosteidae)
Authors: Escalera-Vázquez Luis H. , Domínguez-Domínguez Omar , Molina-Domínguez Eduardo , Sarma S.S.S. , Nandini S.
Published: October 2018

Larval feeding studies of both ornamental and consumable fish species are important for formulating successful management, and culture strategies for conservation purposes. In the present study, we evaluated prey selectivity for the tropical gar Atractosteus tropicus in the larval stage (first 8 weeks) using the zooplankton Artemia fransiscana, Daphnia pulex and Moina macrocopa as prey following the hypothesis that prey selection of the fish species is related not only to prey species preferences but to the difference in prey densities present in the environment. Functional responses were tested at prey densities of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 ind. mL-1 and analyzed using Manly’s α. For prey selectivity, we used the three zooplankton species at three different densities. In these two experiments the fish larvae were allowed to feed for 45 min. To quantify feeding behavior (encounters, attacks, captures, ingestions, rejections) we used a density of 1 ind. mL-1 using each prey species based on 10 minutes of direct observation. Our results showed a functional response Type II for A. tropicus preying mostly on A. franciscana and M. macrocopa. The Manly’s α index showed that M. macrocopa and A. franciscana are the most preys selected. The values for encounters for the three prey species were relatively constant during the eight weeks. Encounter values for the cladocerans were low in comparison to A. franciscana; however, high success in capture and ingestion was observed for all prey species used. Our results from the functional response experiments supports the hypothesis that A. tropicus is an active predator presenting a functional response of a carnivorous fish and the shift in prey selection suggests that even at low prey availability, A. tropicus is able to manipulate and feed on zooplankton of wide range in size. Also, according to our results, we suggest the use of a mix of A. franciscana and M. macrocopa to feed A. tropicus in culture systems in concentrations ≈ 2 ind. mL-1 during the first 3 weeks of age and then shift to M. macrocopa from the 4 week. Our results, in conjunction with studies on the survivorship of the juveniles would aid in conservation efforts and improve the production of gars in aquaculture.
Current knowledge of earthworm richness and distribution in Santa Fe province, Argentina
Authors: Masin Carolina Elisabet , Momo Fernando Roberto , Zalazar Cristina Susana , Rodríguez Alba Rut
Published: October 2018

Updated list of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricina) from Santa Fe (Argentina) is presented in this work, including current data of species richness and territorial distribution status and information collected by Ljungström and collaborators 40 years ago. Field samplings were conducted between 2012 and 2015 at 23 sites, located in 11 of the 19 districts of the province. Earthworms were collected following a standard methodology (Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility). The conservation of specimens was done with 4 % formalin solution and their identification was performed according to taxonomy keys. Richness, similarity and complementarity of species between the phytogeographic provinces were analyzed. A total of 15 earthworm species were identified and grouped into ten genera and five families: Acanthodrilidae (Dichogaster bolaui, Microscolex dubius), Glossoscolecidae (Glossodrilus parecis), Lumbricidae (Aporrectodea caliginosa, Aporrectodea rosea, Aporrectodea trapezoides, Bimastos parvus, Eisenia fetida, Octolasion tyrtaeum), Megascolecidae (Amynthas gracilis, Amynthas morrisi, Metaphire californica), Ocnerodrilidae (Eukerria saltensis, Eukerria rosea, Eukerria stagnalis). From all the species found five, G. parecis, E. saltensis, E. rosea, E. stagnalis and M. dubius, are native to South America, and the rest were introduced from Asia and Europe. The Espinal presented the greatest richness of earthworms (12), while the Pampeana showed high values of complementarity (greater than 70 %) with the Chaco Húmedo and Valle de Inundación del Río Paraná. Endogeic species were present in all environments surveyed. In particular, the exotic species A. trapezoides and A. morrisi showed a wide geographical distribution, having been found at 70 and 50 %, respectively, of the total number of the studied sites. One species, E. rosea, which is in the list, was not recorded in the sampling of 40 years ago. The results of current survey show that the number of species was lower compared to study by Ljungström and collaborators (60 % of the 23 species registered). Possibly the remarkable change in the richness and distribution of earthworms could be a process associated with changes in soil use and land management developed over 40 years.
Intra and inter annual variation in a seagrass meadow on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica: 2009-2015
Authors: Loría-Naranjo Margarita , Samper-Villarreal Jimena , Sandoval-Siles Marylaura , Cortés Jorge
Published: October 2018

Seagrass beds are an important ecosystem on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. At Cahuita National Park (CNP) a seagrass bed at Perezoso has been monitored continually since 1999 within the CARICOMP program. Thalassia testudinum is the dominant seagrass species, in some cases mixed with Syringodium filiforme. The results from the 2009 to 2015 monitoring period are presented here, and contrasted with data before 2009. Total (above and below ground tissue) mean biomass of T. testudinum was higher (1 255.4 ± 146.0 gm-2) than biomass before 2009, with an increasing tendency. However, productivity (1.5±0.59 gm-2d-1) and turnover rate (4.3 ± 1.22 %d-1) were lower than previous monitoring periods. In this period, mean leaf area diminished considerably (4.9 ± 2.30 m2), but leaf area index (LAI) increased (1.9 ± 0.80 m2leafm-2) in comparison to prior monitoring. Productivity, density, turnover rate, LAI and biomass showed intra-annual variations; while mean biomass of T. testudinum did not vary significantly among years. No correlations were found between water salinity, temperature and clarity with seagrass measurements. However, most seagrass parameters were strongly correlated with precipitation. These results highlight the effect of external environmental agents acting on the ecosystem. CNP presents a long-term stable seagrass meadow. However, there are indirect signals, such as high biomass and above-ground biomass proportion, along with low productivity and LAI, which point to a nutrient increment in Perezoso’s seagrass bed. To continue protecting this seagrass bed, it is necessary to improve monitoring methods, and seagrass beds should be included in national conservation policies and monitoring programs.
Spatial patterns and interactions of dominant tree species in an Amazon tropical forest
Authors: Cysneiros Vinicius Costa , Dalmaso Cilmar Antonio , Pelissari Allan Libanio , De Mattos Patricia Povoa , Souza Luizinho De , Machado Sebastiao Do Amaral
Published: October 2018

Knowledge of spatial patterns and interactions of tree species allows for understanding the ecological processes of spatiotemporal structures of tropical forests, becoming essential for the establishment of strategies for the conservation and management of their resources in long term. The aim of this study was to investigate spatial patterns and interactions of Astronium lecointei, Dinizia excelsa and Peltogyne paniculata, three dominant timber tree species in Jamari National Forest, Brazilian Amazon. Kernel estimator was used aiming to verify the possible influence of first-order factors on species distributions and Inhomogeneous K-function was applied to analyze spatial patterns and interactions of the species by means of second-order factors. Univariate analyses revealed different scale-dependent spatial patterns for the species. Aggregation related to ecological characteristics, such as preferential habitat and dispersal limitation, was verified for A. lecointei and P. paniculata. D. excelsa presented a random spatial pattern, explained by specific features of its establishment, such as the need for clearings due to light requirement. Interspecific associations were evidenced by bivariate analyses, in which the spatial attraction of the species resulted from the same preference for microhabitats and the repulsion was a result of niche segregation.
Captura incidental en nasas del pez león Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) en el Caribe colombiano
Authors: Merlano-Cera Merlys María , García-Urueña Rocío
Published: October 2018

Incidental catch in traps of the lionfish Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) in the Colombian Caribbean. Since 2011, small-scale fishermen from Taganga Bay (Colombian Caribbean) have been catching lionfish in traps in the Tayrona National Natural Park, which had caused them to believe that the lionfish is the cause of the decrease in overall fishing. In order to determine the changes in the species captured and to know the abundance of the lionfish in this fishing method, we analyzed the historical landings in traps between 1993 and 2014, as well as the landing of three fishing units between March 2012 and July 2014. The historical analysis showed that the decline in species and kilograms landed has been occurring since 2000. A total of 4 913 specimens were landed between March 2012 and July 2014, of which 85 % were species of commercial interest, and the rest were used by fishermen for consumption. Landings between 2012 and 2014 were conditioned by climatic conditions, where the co-occurrence between Pterois volitans and the main commercial species and self-consumption did not provide evidence of the lionfish affecting its abundance. This confirms the presence of the lionfish as a new member in the landings in traps the Taganga Bay.
Influence of sediment granulometry and salinity on the composition of an estuarine fish assemblage of the Mexican Tropical Pacific
Authors: Gonzalez-Sanson Gaspar , Aguilar Betancourt Consuelo Maria , Kosonoy-Aceves Daniel
Published: October 2018

Barra de Navidad lagoon (BNL) is one of the main coastal wetlands in the coast of the State of Jalisco, Mexico. It is a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) and has been included among the 81 mangrove sites with biological relevance and ecological rehabilitation needs in Mexico. Although fish fauna composition is well known in BNL, little evidence exists that support seasonal and spatial changes of fish assemblages’ structure. The hypothesis tested in this study was that there are significant seasonal and spatial changes in BNL fish assemblages’ composition which can be explained, at least partially, by changes in salinity, water temperature and sediment’s granulometry. Fish assemblages were sampled monthly from October 2012 to September 2013 at four zones of BNL, using gill nets (7.62 mm stretched mesh). A sample was taken every month in a randomly selected area of each zone. Prior to each sampling operation, water salinity and temperature were measured using an YSI-30 probe. Samples of sediment were collected with a Van Veen grab sampler in three randomly selected points of each zone for granulometry and organic matter analyses. A total of 2 026 individuals belonging to 48 species were collected. Slightly more than 90 % of all caught fish belonged to nine species: Peruvian mojarra (Diapterus brevirostris), Pacific crevalle-jack (Caranx caninus), White mullet (Mugil curema), Blue sea-catfish (Ariopsis guatemalensis), Oval flounder (Syacium ovale), Pacific lined sole (Achirus mazatlanus), Yellowfin mojarra (Gerres simillimus), Pacific bumper (Chloroscombrus orqueta) and Freckled porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus). Generalized linear models yielded significant differences among zones for the mean abundance of each of these nine species, but only in two cases seasonal differences were significant (D. brevisrostris and C. caninus). Permutational multivariate analysis of variance yielded also significant differences among zones and between seasons for the composition of the fish assemblage. Redundancy analysis using salinity, temperature and percentage mud in sediment as environmental variables, showed that fish assemblage’s composition varies along two main gradients defined by mud fraction of sediments in a small spatial scale (~ 3 km) and salinity in a seasonal scale. Percentage of variation explained by canonical axes was less than 25 %, indicating that other factors could be influencing changes in assemblage composition. As most species appear as juveniles in the lagoon, fluctuations in their abundances could be linked, at least partially, with recruitment events.
Aplicación de índices filogenéticos para la definición de prioridades de conservación en los páramos del noroeste de los Andes
Authors: Alzate Fernando , Álvarez Astrid , Miranda-Esquivel Daniel Rafael , Morrone Juan J.
Published: October 2018

Paramos are High Andean ecosystems that harbor a diverse biota and have high endemicity, as a result of their extreme environmental conditions. We used different phylogenetic indices to define conservation priorities in the paramos of the department of Antioquia, Colombia, based on measures of their evolutionary individuality and richness complimentary. To perform the analyses, we generated a data base including 416 angiosperm taxa and 1 951 localities for a total of 12 897 distributional records compiled from surveys and reviews. Additionally, the available information in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the Colombian Biodiversity Information System were included. From these data, priority areas for the conservation of the paramos located in the state of Antioquia were identified, using measures of evolutionary individuality based on nodes and biotic complementarity. Taking into account only the individual phylogenetic indices, the most important paramo for conservation was Frontino-Urrao, followed by Farallones de Citará. If biotic complementarity is considered, the second most important paramo is Sonsón. Priority classifications of areas based on individuality are congruent with areas of greatest species richness. We conclude that it is necessary and urgent to preserve the paramos given their vulnerability and the subsequent loss of the ecosystem services that they provide, if they are exposed to degradation or disappearance.