bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diet type modifies ingestion rates and trophallactic exchanges in leaf‐cutting ants
Authors: Moreira D.D.O. , Dáttilo W. , Morais V. , Erthal M. , Silva C.P. , Samuels R. I. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractConventional control of leaf‐cutting ants is mainly carried out by application of solid insecticide baits. However, alternative approaches could increase the efficiency of control methods. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that liquid and semi‐solid baits are more readily ingested by leaf‐cutting ants and are therefore more toxic than solid baits. Furthermore, following increased ingestion rates, ants could perform higher frequencies of trophallactic exchanges with their nest mates, thus increasing dispersal rates within the colony. Each of three diets were offered to Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus (Forel) and Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (both Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for 1 h under laboratory conditions and subsequently crop volumes were quantified. The highest crop volumes for both species were seen when the diet was offered in liquid form, and the lowest crop volumes were observed after offering solid diets. Survival rates of the ants were monitored following addition of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (IMI) to the three diets. The ingestion of liquid and semi‐solid diets + IMI by A. subterraneus resulted in 17 and 6% survival, respectively, whereas these diets caused 100% mortality of A. sexdens. Ingestion of solid diets with IMI resulted in 51% survival of A. subterraneus and 23% survival of Atta workers. Twenty‐three percent of A. subterraneus which had fed on liquid diet carried out trophallactic exchanges, whereas only 10 and 3% of ants carried out trophallaxis when fed on semi‐solid or solid diet, respectively. Lower trophallactic frequencies were observed for A. sexdens, with 13 and 3% of ants that had fed on liquid and semi‐solid diets performing trophallaxis, respectively. The low trophallactic exchange rates following ingestion of solid diets would reduce the dispersal of these compounds throughout the colony. Control strategies using solid baits should be re‐examined in the light of these findings, which indicate the importance of optimizing insecticide ingestion.
Effect of phorid fly density on the foraging of Atta vollenweideri leafcutter ants in the field
Authors: Guillade Andrea C. , Folgarait Patricia J. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractLeafcutter ants in the genus Atta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) are considered major pests of agriculture and forestry in the Neotropics. Phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae) have been proposed as viable candidates for biological control of ants because of the importance of their trait‐mediated effects on their hosts. However, the impact of different densities of phorid flies has never been assessed in the field. Experiments were conducted by isolating 3‐m sections of Atta vollenweideri Forel foraging trails with tunnels, and sampling ants in trails with 0, 1, or 4 Eibesfeldtphora trilobata Disney female parasitoid flies. Samples were collected every 30 min from these trails. We also collected a sample before introducing the parasitoids and another one 30 min after removing them from the trail. We measured traffic of ants on the trails, weight and type of plant material transported, and the proportion and size of the workers collected. The presence of phorids on the trails reduced the ant traffic and amount of plant material transported into the nests and decreased the proportion of workers on the trails in the size range preferred as hosts by the flies. The effect on worker size, as well as the lag effect recorded after phorids were removed from the tunnels, was more pronounced with four phorids. The presence of phorids also affected the weight of monocotyledon and dicotyledon material transported. Even at the minimum density possible, phorids significantly influenced a key aspect of the colony life, the food intake through foraging. From an applied point of view, our results show that releases of these phorids into the field should not necessarily involve many individuals to reduce foraging by A. vollenweideri, making them potentially useful candidates for biological control of these ants.
Recent insights into the pandemic disease butternut canker caused by the invasive pathogen Ophiognomonia clavigignenti‐juglandacearum
Authors: Broders K. , Boraks A. , Barbison L. , Brown J. , Boland G. J. 
Published: November 2014

SummaryIn the 25 years following the initial 1967 report of the disease, butternut canker was able to quickly spread throughout the entire range of butternut (Juglans cinerea) in North America, from Minnesota in the upper Midwest to Tennessee in the south and Quebec in the north‐east. The speed of this dispersal is notable as butternut trees do not make up a significant proportion of any single forest type. Instead, they are usually found sparingly in most mixed hardwood forests. In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge of the invasion process of the butternut canker pathogen, Ophiognomonia clavigignenti‐juglandacearum, an invasive fungal pathogen, that as its emergence has spread across North America and is now found wherever butternut naturally occurs. Taxonomic studies have determined that the fungus belongs in the genus Ophiognomonia, which includes a number of saprophytes, endophytes and pathogens of members of the Fagales, rather than the genus Sirococcus, which includes several important pine pathogens. The ability of fungus to be dispersed by rain splash, transported on and in beetle vectors, transmitted by infected seed and successfully colonized several species of Juglans and Carya have all likely contributed to the rapid increase in abundance and severity of disease and tree mortality in the invaded forest ecosystems. Recent genomic and population genetic analyses have determined that there were at least three emergence events. A less virulent strain of the fungus likely has been present in the north eastern United States for over a century, but it was the emergence of a more virulent strain of the fungus in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the 1960s that resulted in range‐wide mortality and pushed butternut to be listed as an endangered species in Canada and a number of states in the United States.
A simple stochastic model for complex coextinctions in mutualistic networks: robustness decreases with connectance
Authors: Vieira Marcos Costa , Almeida‐Neto Mário 
Published: November 2014

AbstractUnderstanding and predicting species extinctions and coextinctions is a major goal of ecological research in the face of a biodiversity crisis. Typically, models based on network topology are used to simulate coextinctions in mutualistic networks. However, such topological models neglect two key biological features of species interactions: variation in the intrinsic dependence of species on the mutualism, and variation in the relative importance of each interacting partner. By incorporating both types of variation, we developed a stochastic coextinction model capable of simulating extinction cascades far more complex than those observed in previous topological models. Using a set of empirical mutualistic networks, we show that the traditional topological model may either underestimate or overestimate the number and likelihood of coextinctions, depending on the intrinsic dependence of species on the mutualism. More importantly, contrary to topological models, our stochastic model predicts extinction cascades to be more likely in highly connected mutualistic communities.
A Test of Local Enhancement in Amphibians
Authors: Chapman Trevor L. , Holcomb Mathew P. , Spivey Kari L. , Sehr Evanna K. , Gall Brian G. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractLocal enhancement is an underexplored social learning mechanism that is often observed in organisms that live in groups. This mechanism occurs when individuals are attracted to areas where conspecifics have previously been, but which are not present when the animal actually moves into the area. We tested for local enhancement in wood frog tadpoles (Lithobates sylvatica) and spotted salamander larvae (Ambystoma maculatum) in three experiments that exposed individuals to one side of a test chamber which was empty and another that contained a group of three conspecifics. Side preference of the focal individual was recorded once the conspecifics were removed. Tadpoles showed a clear preference for moving to areas where a group of tadpoles had previously been located. Conversely, this preference was not observed in salamander larvae. In addition, salamander larvae took significantly more time to initially choose a side. These results indicate that tadpoles exhibit local enhancement, whereas aquatic salamander larvae do not. This difference in social learning could be largely due to differences in aquatic ecology between tadpoles and salamander larvae.
Laser capture microdissection followed by next‐generation sequencing identifies disease‐related microRNAs in psoriatic skin that reflect systemic microRNA changes in psoriasis
Authors: Løvendorf Marianne B. , Mitsui Hiroshi , Zibert John R. , Røpke Mads A. , Hafner Markus , Dyring‐Andersen Beatrice , Bonefeld Charlotte M. , Krueger James G. , Skov Lone 
Published: November 2014

AbstractPsoriasis is a systemic disease with cutaneous manifestations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNA molecules that are differentially expressed in psoriatic skin; however, only few cell‐ and region‐specific miRNAs have been identified in psoriatic lesions. We used laser capture microdissection (LCM) and next‐generation sequencing (NGS) to study the specific miRNA expression profiles in the epidermis (Epi) and dermal inflammatory infiltrates (RD) of psoriatic skin (N = 6). We identified 24 deregulated miRNAs in the Epi and 37 deregulated miRNAs in the RD of psoriatic plaque compared with normal psoriatic skin (FCH > 2, FDR < 0.05). Interestingly, 9 of the 37 miRNAs in RD, including miR‐193b and miR‐223, were recently described as deregulated in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with psoriasis. Using flow cytometry and qRT‐PCR, we found that miR‐193b and miR‐223 were expressed in Th17 cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that LCM combined with NGS provides a robust approach to explore the global miRNA expression in the epidermal and dermal compartments of psoriatic skin. Furthermore, our results indicate that the altered local miRNA changes seen in the RD are reflected in the circulating immune cells, suggesting that miRNAs may contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Next‐generation sequencing detection and characterization of a heterozygous novel splice junction mutation in the 2B domain of KRT1 in a family with diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma
Authors: Banerjee Santasree , Ren Yunqing , Wei Tianying , Zhou Zhongwei , Yu Ping , Guan Fenghui , Wei Xiaonming , Ye Sheng , Yan Shaofeng , Zheng Min , Raff Michael L , Qi Ming 
Published: November 2014

AbstractDiffuse palmoplantar keratoderma (DPPK) is an autosomal‐dominant genodermatosis characterized by restricted, uniform hyperkeratosis on the palm and sole epidermis. DPPK is normally associated with dominant‐negative mutations in the keratin‐encoding gene, KRT1. We report a heterozygous novel point mutation in the exon 6 splice donor site of KRT1 (c.1254G>C) by next‐generation sequencing, resulting in the formation of two alternative transcripts, which segregates with DPPK in a four‐generation Chinese family. This results in both the complete loss of exon 6 and the simultaneous utilization of a novel in‐frame splice site 54 bases downstream of the mutation with the subsequent deletion of 42 amino acids and the insertion of 18 amino acids into the protein's 2B domain. This is the first report of a novel splice donor site mutation with aberrant splicing and the formation of two alternative transcripts causing DPPK. This study also demonstrates the value of next‐generation sequencing in the identification of novel disease‐causing mutations.
Spatial and seasonal changes in species diversity of epilithic fungi along environmental gradients of a river
Authors: Miura Aya , Urabe Jotaro 
Published: November 2014

Summary

Fungi in stream ecosystems play a critical role in decomposing organic matter. However, despite their ecological importance, few studies have investigated spatial and seasonal variation in lotic fungi.

We hypothesised that the taxonomic composition and richness of epilithic fungal assemblages would change along the longitudinal river gradient from headwaters to lower reaches. To test this hypothesis, we examined composition and richness in the Natori River, Japan, using PCR‐DGGE (polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). We focused on five phyla of fungi or fungus‐like organisms (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota and Oomycota) that colonised cobbles to examine effects of dissolved organic matter and nutrients on fungal assemblages.

We found that taxonomic richness on cobbles was as high as that on leaf litter and woody debris, suggesting that fungi can grow directly using dissolved organic matter and nutrients in the water, or indirectly via epilithic biofilms. Supporting the hypothesis, taxonomic richness increased longitudinally along the river in autumn, although the within‐site variation in composition on different cobbles was higher in the upper reaches. No spatial differences were detected in spring when spatial heterogeneity in water temperature was low.

With the exception of Basidiomycota, nestedness in taxonomic composition was not detected in either spring or autumn, indicating that fungal taxa in the upper reaches are generally replaced by others downstream.

These results suggest that taxonomic composition and richness of epilithic fungal assemblages change along the longitudinal gradient of the river, depending on water temperature and spatial differences in abundance and composition of dissolved organic matter and nutrients.
Changes in autumn vegetation dormancy onset date and the climate controls across temperate ecosystems in China from 1982 to 2010
Authors: Yang Yuting , Guan Huade , Shen Miaogen , Liang Wei , Jiang Lei 
Published: November 2014

AbstractVegetation phenology is a sensitive indicator of the dynamic response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. In this study, the spatiotemporal pattern of vegetation dormancy onset date (DOD) and its climate controls over temperate China were examined by analysing the satellite‐derived normalized difference vegetation index and concurrent climate data from 1982 to 2010. Results show that preseason (May through October) air temperature is the primary climatic control of the DOD spatial pattern across temperate China, whereas preseason cumulative precipitation is dominantly associated with the DOD spatial pattern in relatively cold regions. Temporally, the average DOD over China's temperate ecosystems has delayed by 0.13 days per year during the past three decades. However, the delay trends are not continuous throughout the 29‐year period. The DOD experienced the largest delay during the 1980s, but the delay trend slowed down or even reversed during the 1990s and 2000s. Our results also show that interannual variations in DOD are most significantly related with preseason mean temperature in most ecosystems, except for the desert ecosystem for which the variations in DOD are mainly regulated by preseason cumulative precipitation. Moreover, temperature also determines the spatial pattern of temperature sensitivity of DOD, which became significantly lower as temperature increased. On the other hand, the temperature sensitivity of DOD increases with increasing precipitation, especially in relatively dry areas (e.g. temperate grassland). This finding stresses the importance of hydrological control on the response of autumn phenology to changes in temperature, which must be accounted in current temperature‐driven phenological models.
Anomalous droughts, not invasion, decrease persistence of native fishes in a desert river
Authors: Ruhí Albert , Holmes Elizabeth E. , Rinne John N. , Sabo John L. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractChanging climate extremes and invasion by non‐native species are two of the most prominent threats to native faunas. Predicting the relationships between global change and native faunas requires a quantitative toolkit that effectively links the timing and magnitude of extreme events to variation in species abundances. Here, we examine how discharge anomalies – unexpected floods and droughts – determine covariation in abundance of native and non‐native fish species in a highly variable desert river in Arizona. We quantified stochastic variation in discharge using Fourier analyses on >15 000 daily observations. We subsequently coupled maximum annual spectral anomalies with a 15‐year time series of fish abundances (1994–2008), using Multivariate Autoregressive State‐Space (MARSS) models. Abiotic drivers (discharge anomalies) were paramount in determining long‐term fish abundances, whereas biotic drivers (species interactions) played only a secondary role. As predicted, anomalous droughts reduced the abundances of native species, while floods increased them. However, in contrast to previous studies, we observed that the non‐native assemblage was surprisingly unresponsive to extreme events. Biological trait analyses showed that functional uniqueness was higher in native than in non‐native fishes. We also found that discharge anomalies influenced diversity patterns at the meta‐community level, with nestedness increasing after anomalous droughts due to the differential impairment of native species. Overall, our results advance the notion that discharge variation is key in determining community trajectories in the long term, predicting the persistence of native fauna even in the face of invasion. We suggest this variation, rather than biotic interactions, may commonly underlie covariation between native and non‐native faunas, especially in highly variable environments. If droughts become increasingly severe due to climate change, and floods increasingly muted due to regulation, fish assemblages in desert rivers may become taxonomically and functionally impoverished and dominated by non‐native taxa.
Chemosensory receptor genes in the Oriental tobacco budworm Helicoverpa assulta
Authors: Xu W. , Papanicolaou A. , Liu N.‐Y. , Dong S.‐L. , Anderson A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe Oriental tobacco budworm (Helicoverpa assulta) is a specialist herbivore moth and its larvae feed on Solanaceous plants. (Z)‐9‐hexadecenal (Z9‐16: Ald) is the major sex pheromone component in H. assulta but the specific pheromone receptor (PR) against Z9‐16: Ald has not yet been identified. In the present study, we integrated transcriptomic, bioinformatic and functional characterization approaches to investigate the chemosensory receptor genes of H. assulta. We identified seven potential PRs with 44 olfactory receptors, 18 gustatory receptors and 24 ionotropic receptors, which were further studied by in silico gene expression profile, phylogenetic analysis, reverse transcription PCR and calcium imaging assays. The candidate PR, HassOR13, showed a strong response to the minor sex pheromone component, (Z)‐11‐hexadecenal, but not the major component, Z9‐16: Ald, in calcium imaging assays. This study provides the molecular basis for comparative studies of chemosensory receptors between H. assulta and other Helicoverpa species and will advance our understanding of the evolution and function of Lepidoptera insect chemosensation.
Feeding the Ties to “Home”: Diaspora Policies for the Next Generations
Authors: Mahieu Rilke 
Published: November 2014

AbstractHow do countries of origin deal with their post‐migrant generations, the emigrants' descendants who are born and raised abroad? In this article we examine the diaspora policies of Morocco, a country that relies heavily on its expatriate communities and that is confronted with growing post‐migrant generations. Theoretically, the article draws on the literature on diaspora policies and migrant transnationalism and connects the two. An in‐depth examination of the annual Summer Universities for young Moroccans Living Abroad, one of the flagships of the current Moroccan diaspora policy, demonstrates that diaspora policy programmes are vehicles to convey targeted messages to the post‐migrant generations concerning their transnational ties.
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis – A Review
Authors: Katelaris C. H. 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACT.First described in 1974 by an Australian ophthalmologist Dr. Spring, Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) is one of the external ocular allergic conditions. It is most often associated with contact lens wear, but has also been described in patients with ocular prostheses and corneal sutures following surgery. Diagnosis is usually straightforward. Patients complain of decreasing lens tolerance, mucus production, often severe enough to cause blurred vision, and some itch. Inspection will reveal conjunctival hyperaemia and enlarged tarsal papillae. Management centres around patient education regarding careful lens hygiene but in severe cases may require a change to disposable lenses or a cessation of lens wear. In some cases, pharmacological agents may be required. The histopathology of GPC is very similar to Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). It is caused by a complex immunological reaction and is not solely IgE‐mediated. Trauma and foreign body reactions also play a role. The incidence of GPC has decreased with the advent of disposable lenses.
Comparison of the Topical Ocular Antiallergic Efficacy of Emedastine 0.05% Ophthalmic Solution to Ketorolac 0.5% Ophthalmic Solution in a Clinical Model of Allergic Conjunctivitis
Authors: Discepola M. , Deschenes J. , Abelson M. 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACT.Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy of emedastine ophthalmic solution to that of ketorolac ophthalmic solution using a conjunctival allergen challenge model.Methods: The conjunctival allergen challenge model was used in this randomized, double‐masked, single center, crossover study. The titer of allergen that elicited a positive allergic reaction was selected. After at least 14 days, 36 subjects were randomized into two groups of 18 to receive either emedastine in one eye and placebo in the contralateral eye, or ketorolac in one eye and placebo in the contralateral eye. Ten minutes after drug instillation, subjects were challenged with antigen. At 3, 10 and 20 minutes following challenge subjects graded ocular itching and were assessed for hyperemia in conjunctival, ciliary, and episcleral vessel beds. Approximately 14 days later, subjects received the alternate treatment in one eye and placebo in the contralateral eye. They were again challenged with allergen and their responses were rated in the same manner. Ocular discomfort was assessed by the subjects after administration of each study drug.Results: Emedastine significantly (p<0.05) inhibited ocular itching and redness in vascular beds following topical ocular administration. In contrast, ketorolac failed to significantly inhibit ocular itching or redness in this study. Patient assessment of comfort indicated emedastine was significantly (p<0.05) more comfortable than ketorolac upon topical ocular administration.Conclusion: Emedastine is superior to ketorolac in controlling itching and redness, the cardinal symptom and sign of allergic conjunctivitis.