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42. An early suitability assessment of two exotic Ophraella species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for biological control of invasive ragweed in Europe
- Creator:
- Lommen, Suzanne T. E., Jolidon, Emilien F., Sun, Yan, Bustamante Eduardo, José I., and Müller-Schärer, Heinz
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- article, články, journal articles, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, brouci, mandelinkovití, beetles, Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera, Ophraella, biological control, invasive plant, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Classical biological control is an important means of managing the increasing threat of invasive plants. It constitutes the introduction of natural enemies from the native range of the target plant into the invaded area. This method may be the only cost-effective solution to control the rapidly expanding common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, in non-crop habitats in Europe. Therefore, candidate biocontrol agents urgently need to be assessed for their suitability for ragweed control in Europe. A previous literature review prioritized the host-specific leaf beetle Ophraella slobodkini as a candidate agent for ragweed control in Europe, whereas it rejected its oligophagous congener O. communa. Meanwhile, O. communa was accidentally introduced and became established south of the European Alps, and we show here that it is expanding its European range. We then present a short version of the traditional pre-release risk-benefit assessment for these two candidate agents to facilitate fast decision-making about further research efforts. We selected two complementary tests that can be conducted relatively rapidly and inform about essential risks and benefits. We conducted a comparative no-choice juvenile performance assay using leaves of ragweed and sunflower, the most important non-target plant, in Petri dishes in climatic conditions similar to that in the current European range of O. communa. This informs on the fundamental host range and potential for increasing abundance on these host plants. The results confirm that O. slobodkini does not survive on, and is hence unlikely to cause severe damage to sunflower, while O. communa can survive but develops more slowly on sunflower than on ragweed. In parallel, our species distribution models predict no suitable area for the establishment of O. slobodkini in Europe, while O. communa is likely to expand its current range to include a maximum of 18% of the European ragweed distribution. Based on this early assessment, the prioritization and further assessment of O. slobodkini seem unwarranted whereas the results urgently advocate further risk-benefit analysis of O. communa. Having revealed that most of the European area colonized by ragweed is unlikely to be suitable for these species of Ophraella we suggest the use of such relatively short and cheap preliminary assessment to prioritise other candidate agents or strains for these areas., Suzanne T. E. Lommen, Emilien F. Jolidon, Yan Sun, José I. Bustamante Eduardo, Heinz Müller-Schärer., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
43. An eight-year survey of the intestinal parasites of carnivores, hoofed mammals, primates, ratites and reptiles in the Ljubljana zoo in Slovenia
- Creator:
- Kvapil, Pavel, Kastelic, Marjan, Dovč, Alenka, Eva Bártová, Petr Čížek, Lima, Natacha, and Štrus, Špela
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- zvířata chovaná v ZOO, zoo animals, helminths, protists, long-term monitoring, coprology, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Problems with parasitic infections and their interspecies transmissions are common in zoological gardens and could pose serious health damage to captive animals. This study presents results of eight-year monitoring of intestinal parasites in animals from Zoo Ljubljana, Slovenia. A total of 741 faecal samples from 40 animal species were collected two to four times per year and examined microscopically. Intestinal parasites were detected in 45% of samples, with detection of helminths (Cestoda, Nematoda - Ascaridida, Enoplida, Strongylida, Oxyurida, Rhabditida and Trichurida) and protists (Apicomplexa and Ciliophora) in 25% and 13% of samples, respectively; mixed infection was found in 7% of samples. The mostly infected were ungulates (61%), followed by reptiles (44%), ratites (29%), primates (22%) and carnivores (7%). During the observation period, the number of infected animal species increased from 8 to 25. This is the first long-term monitoring study of intestinal parasites in zoo animals from Slovenia. Routine monitoring of parasitic infection and regular deworming and hygienic measures are necessary to prevent gastrointestinal infections in captive animals., Pavel Kvapil, Marjan Kastelic, Alenka Dovč, Eva Bártová, Petr Čížek, Natacha Lima, Špela Štrus., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
44. An elevated blood glucose level and increased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis
- Creator:
- Šárka Kaňková, Jaroslav Flegr, and Pavel Calda
- Format:
- electronic, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- toxoplazmóza, parazitologie, toxoplasmosis, parasitology, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- About 30-50% of the world human population are infected with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908). Latent toxoplasmosis has many specific behavioural and physiological effects on the human body and influences the course of pregnancy, including secondary sex ratio of children of infected mothers. It was suggested that an increased concentration of glucose could be the proximate cause of increased sex ratio. There are some indirect indications of possible association between toxoplasmosis and certain forms of diabetes. Here we searched for a possible link between latent toxoplasmosis and the level of glucose in the blood. In a cross-sectional study, we found that pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis had significantly higher blood glucose levels during the oral glucose tolerance test (n = 191, p = 0.010; the level of fasting plasma glucose: mean = 5.04 mmol/l vs mean = 4.88 mmol/l; blood glucose level at 1 hour mean = 7.73 mmol/l vs mean = 6.89 mmol/l and blood glucose level at two hours mean = 6.43 mmol/l vs mean = 5.74 mmol/l) and higher prevalence (19.5 %) of gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 532, p = 0.033, odds ratio = 1.78) in the 24-28th gestational weeks than T. gondii-free women (12.0 %). Increased level of glucose and increased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus could have considerable clinical impact as contributors to the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in T. gondii-infected women. Our results also brought the first empirical support for the hypothesis that the glucose concentration may play a role in T. gondii-associated offspring sex ratio shifts., Šárka Kaňková, Jaroslav Flegr, Pavel Calda., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
45. Analysis of structures and epitopes of a novel secreted protein MYR1 in Toxoplasma gondii
- Creator:
- Zhou, Jian, Lu, Gang, and He, Shenyi
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- vakcíny, toxoplazmóza, vaccines, toxoplasmosis, myc regulation, PTM sites, bioinformatic analysis, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite and can infect warmblooded animals and humans all over the world. Development of effective vaccines is considered the only ideal way to control infection with T. gondii. However, only one live vaccine is commercially available for use in sheep and goats. Thus more effective antigenic proteins are searched for. In the present study we report a novel protein by secreted T. gondii termed Myc regulation 1 (MYR1). The physical and chemical characteristics, epitopes, hydrophilicity and functional sites of MYR1 were analysed by multiple bioinformatic approaches. The 3D models of MYR1 proteins were constructed and analysed. Furthermore, liner B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes of MYR1 protein and SAG1 were predicted. Compared to SAG1, MYR1 with good B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes had a potentiality to become a more successful vaccine against T. gondii. The bioinformatics analysis of MYR1 proteins could laid the foundation for further studies of its biological function experimentally and provide valuable information necessary for a better prevention and treatment of toxoplasmosis., Jian Zhou, Gang Lu, Shenyi He., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
46. Annotated checklist of the plant bug tribe Mirini (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean Peninsula, with descriptions of three new species
- Creator:
- Oh, Minsuk, Yasunaga, Tomohide, Duwal, Ram Keshari, and Lee, Seunghwan
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- ploštice, klopuškovití, Heteroptera, Miridae, Korejský poloostrov, Mirinae, Mirini, checklist, key, new species, new record, Korean Peninsula, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- An annotated checklist of the tribe Mirini (Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean peninsula is presented. A total of 113 species, including newly described and newly recorded species are recognized. Three new species, Apolygus hwasoonanus Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., A. seonheulensis Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n. and Stenotus penniseticola Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., are described. Eight species, Apolygus adustus (Jakovlev, 1876), Charagochilus (Charagochilus) longicornis Reuter, 1885, C. (C.) pallidicollis Zheng, 1990, Pinalitopsis rhodopotnia Yasunaga, Schwartz & Chérot, 2002, Philostephanus tibialis (Lu & Zheng, 1998), Rhabdomiris striatellus (Fabricius, 1794), Yamatolygus insulanus Yasunaga, 1992 and Y. pilosus Yasunaga, 1992 are reported for the first time from the Korean peninsula. Korean specimens previously identified as Eurystylus luteus Hsaio, 1941 are correctly recognized as E. sauteri Poppius, 1915. Three new synonyms are proposed: Apolygus atriclavus Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. xanthomelas Yasunaga & Yasunaga, 2000, A. josifovi Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. subpulchellus (Kerzhner, 1988) and Capsus koreanus Kim & Jung, 2015 syn. n. of C. wagneri Remane, 1950. Dorsal habitus photographs of the newly described or recorded species are presented along with figures of the genitalia of the new species. Keys to Korean genera and to species of Apolygus and Stenotus are provided. Zoogeography of the East Asian Mirini fauna is also discussed., Minsuk Oh, Tomohide Yasunaga, Ram Keshari Duwal, Seunghwan Lee., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
47. Anti-tumour necrosis factor activity in saliva of various tick species and its appearance during the feeding period
- Creator:
- Rezková, Markéta and Jan Kopecký
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- cytokiny, cytokines, ixodid ticks, immunomodulation, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in the inflammatory process. In the skin, it contributes to immune containment of tick-transmitted pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi. In the saliva of some tick species, active compounds are present that inhibit detection of TNF in specific ELISA. We compared the presence of anti-TNF activity in saliva or salivary gland extract from 11 tick species from the family Ixodidae and demonstrated it in genera Ixodes Latreille, 1795 and Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844. Analysis of anti-TNF activity in Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) saliva during the feeding period showed that it is present in the late, rapid phase of engorgement. Significance of anti-TNF activity for tick feeding and transmission of tick-borne pathogens is discussed., Markéta Rezková, Jan Kopecký., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
48. Ants of the genus Protalaridris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), more than just deadly mandibles
- Creator:
- Lattke, John E, Delsinne, Thibaut, Gary D Alpert, and Guerrero, Roberto J
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- mravencovití, morfologie (biologie), dolní čelist, ants, morphology (biology), mandible, Formicidae, Attini, Protalaridris, taxonomy, distribution, predation, Haidomyrmecini, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The ants of the genus Protalaridris are revised based upon their morphology. Seven species are recognized; the type species (P. armata Brown, 1980) and six species described as new: P. aculeata Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. arhuaca Guerrero, Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. bordoni Lattke, sp. n., P. leponcei Delsinne & Lattke, sp. n., P. loxanensis Lattke, sp. n., and P. punctata Lattke, sp. n. The genus is patchily distributed in mesic forested areas from western Panama to northern Venezuela and along the Andes to the Amazon watershed of southwestern Peru. The generic description is modified to accommodate a short-mandibulate species. Sporadic biological observations of one long-mandibulate species suggest they are sit-and-wait ambush predators that open their jaws to approximately 180° when stalking. All species are described and imaged, an identification key and a distribution map is provided. Comparing the mandibular morphology of long-mandibulate Protalaridris with other extant and extinct ants bearing elongate, dorsoanterior arching mandibles suggests the supposed mandibular apex in these taxa is actually a hypertrophied, preapical tooth and their supposed basal mandibular tooth is the main mandibular shaft., John E. Lattke, Thibaut Delsinne, Gary D. Alpert, Roberto J. Guerrero., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
49. Application of compound mixture of caprylic acid, iron and mannan oligosaccharide against Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea) in gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata
- Creator:
- Rigos, George, Mladineo, Ivona, Nikoloudaki, Chrysa, Vrbatovic, Anamarija, and Kogiannou, Dimitra
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- parazitologie, parasitology, monogeneans, treatment, Sparidae, MOS, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- We have evaluated the therapeutic effect of a compound mixture of caprylic acid (200 mg/kg fish), organic iron (0.2% of diet) and mannan oligosaccharide (0.4% of diet) in gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata Linnaeus, infected with Sparicotyle chrysophrii Beneden et Hesse, 1863 in controlled conditions. One hundred and ten reared and S. chrysophrii-free fish (197 g) located in a cement tank were infected by the parasite two weeks following the addition of 150 S. chrysophrii-infected fish (70 g). Growth parameters and gill parasitic load were measured in treated against control fish after a ten-week-period. Differences in final weight, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and feed efficiency were not statistically significant between the experimental groups, suggesting no evident effect with respect to fish growth during the study period. Although the prevalence of S. chrysophrii was not affected by the mixture at the end of the experiment, the number of adults and larvae was significantly lower. The mean intensity encompassing the number of adults and larvae was 8.1 in treated vs 17.7 in control fish. Individual comparisons of gill arches showed that the preferred parasitism site for S. chrysophrii it the outermost or fourth gill arch, consistently apparent in fish fed the modified diet and in control fish. In conclusion, the combined application of caprylic acid, organic iron and mannan oligosaccharide can significantly affect the evolution of infection with S. chrysophrii in gilthead sea bream, being capable of reducing adult and larval stages of the monogenean. However, no difference in growth improvement was observed after the trial period, potentially leaving space for further optimisation of the added dietary compounds., George Rigos, Ivona Mladineo, Chrysa Nikoloudaki, Anamarija Vrbatovic, Dimitra Kogiannou., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
50. Arthropod fauna recorded in flowers of apomictic Taraxacum section Ruderalia
- Creator:
- Alois Honěk, Zdenka Martinková, Jiří Skuhrovec, Miroslav Barták, Jan Bezděk, Petr Bogusch, Hadrava, Jiří, Jiří Hájek, Janšta, Petr, Josef Jelínek, Jan Kirschner, Kubáň, Vítězslav, Stanislav Pekár, Pavel Průdek, Pavel Štys, and Jan Šumpich
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- article, články, journal articles, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, členovci, hmyz, pyl, smetanka, arthropods, insects, pollen, Taraxacum, Arthropoda, Insecta, plant-herbivore interactions, abundance, annual variation, diurnal variation, host communities, flower temperature, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Flowers of dicotyledonous plants host communities of arthropod species. We studied the community associated with dandelion (Taraxacum section Ruderalia), a complex of apomictic micro-species abundant in central Europe. Identification of microspecies in the field was impracticable. These plants produce an abundance of flowers that host arthropod communities that are not yet fully documented. We investigated species occurrence, its diurnal and seasonal variation and some of the factors that determine the abundance of the dominant species. Insect and spiders were collected from 2010 to 2012 at a locality in Prague. Whole capitula were harvested at weekly intervals and resident arthropods were identified. Diurnal variation in insect presence and the effect of pollen and microclimate on some of the species were also examined. The insect community (> 200 species) consisted mainly of species of Hymenoptera (86 spp.), Coleoptera (56 spp.), Diptera (46 spp.) and Heteroptera (23 spp.). The most abundant were Thysanoptera (2 spp.). Pollen eaters/collectors and nectar feeders dominated over predators and occasional visitors. From April to mid-August, the insect community was dominated by Coleoptera, and later by Diptera and Hymenoptera. Except for Meligethes spp. and species breeding in the capitula, the insects occupied flowers during the daytime when the flowers were open (10-12 h in spring and only 2-4 h in late summer). The presence of Meligethes spp. in particular flowers was associated with the presence of pollen; the occurrence of Byturus ochraceus with pollen and flower temperature. Although pollination is not necessary, dandelion plants produce both nectar and pollen. The community of arthropods that visit dandelion flowers is rich despite their being ephemeral.The composition of local faunas of flower visitors, presence of floral rewards and flower microclimate are important factors determining the composition of the flower community., Alois Honěk, Zdenka Martinková, Jiří Skuhrovec, Miroslav Barták, Jan Bezděk, Petr Bogusch, Jiří Hadrava, Jiří Hájek, Petr Janšta, Josef Jelínek, Jan Kirschner, Vítězslav Kubáň, Stano Pekár, Pavel Průdek, Pavel Štys, Jan Šumpich., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public