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242. Comparing non-invasive surveying techniques for elusive, nocturnal mammals: a case study of the West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)
- Creator:
- Bearman-Brown, Lucy E., Wilson, Louise E., Evans, Luke C., and Baker, Philip J.
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- conservation dog, cryptic species, detection dog, infra-red camera, mammal monitoring, and thermal camera
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Monitoring changes in populations is fundamental for effective management. The West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europeaus) is of conservation concern in the UK because of recent substantial declines. Surveying hedgehogs is, however, problematic because of their nocturnal, cryptic behaviour. We compared the effectiveness of three methods (infra-red thermal camera, specialist search dog, spotlight) for detecting hedgehogs in three different habitats. Significantly more hedgehogs were detected, and at greater distance, using the camera and dog than the spotlight in amenity grassland and pasture; no hedgehogs were detected in woodland. Increasing ground cover reduced detection distances, with most detections (59.6%) associated with bare soil or mown grass; the dog was the only method that detected hedgehogs in vegetation taller than the target species' height. The additional value of surveying with a detection dog is most likely to be realised in areas where badgers (Meles meles), an intra-guild predator, are and/or where sufficient ground cover is present; both would allow hedgehogs to forage further from refuge habitats such as hedgerows. Further consideration of the effectiveness of detection dogs for finding hedgehogs in nests, as well as developing techniques for monitoring this species in woodland, is warranted.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
243. Comparison of growth parameters of the predator, Chrysoperla nipponensis-B (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) reared on a diet of eggs of Corcyra cephalonica (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and an artificial diet containing ginger
- Creator:
- Memon, Shafique A., Omar, Dzolkhifli, Muhamad, Rita, Sajap, Ahamd S., Asib, Norhayu, and Gibal, Arfan A.
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- article, články, journal articles, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, síťokřídlí, Neuroptera, Chrysopidae, green lacewing, Chrysoperla nipponensis, life table, fecundity table, artificial diet, natural diet, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The growth parameters of the green lacewing, Chrysoperla nipponensis-B (Okamoto), were studied under laboratory conditions. The highest mortality was recorded in the immature stages (instars 1st, 2nd, 3rd and pupae) of C. nipponensis fed on the eggs of Corcyra cephalonica (37.26%). The sex ratios (proportion of female to male) when reared on the eggs of C. cephalonica and an artificial diet with ginger were 0.93 : 1.00 and 0.87 : 1.00, respectively. The maximum life spans of females reared on the eggs of C. cephalonica and an artificial diet with ginger were 63 and 64 days, respectively. The females reared on the eggs of C. cephalonica produced the highest number of eggs (10.4) on the fifth day of oviposition, whereas on the artificial diet with ginger it was 9.26 on the eighth day of oviposition. The net reproductive rate (Ro) and maximum gross reproductive rate (GRR) of C. nipponensis fed on the eggs of C. cephalonica were 69.50 and 223.10 females per female per generation, respectively, whereas for the artificial diet with ginger they were 117.24 and 236.89 females per female per generation, respectively. Mean generation time (T) was 37.06 and 48.16 for the eggs of C. cephalonica and artificial diet with ginger, respectively. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) was 0.11 and 0.09 females per female per day for the eggs of C. cephalonica and artificial diet with ginger, respectively. The finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.12 and 1.11 females per female per day for the eggs of C. cephalonica and artificial diet with ginger, respectively. The population doubling time (DT) was 6.05 days on the diet of eggs of C. cephalonica and 7.00 on the artificial diet with ginger., Shafique A. Memon, Dzolkhifli Omar, Rita Muhamad, Ahamd S. Sajap, Norhayu Asib, Arfan A. Gibal., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
244. Comparison of methods used for evaluation of mutagenicity/genotoxicity of model chemicals - parabens
- Creator:
- Chrz, Jan, Hošíková, Barbora, Svobodová, Lada, Očadlíková, Danuše, Kolářová, Hana, Dvořáková, Markéta, Kejlová, Kristina, Malina, Lukáš, Jírová, Gabriela, Vlková, Alena, and Mannerström, Marika
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- genotoxicity, mutagenicity, Alternative Toxicological Testing, in vitro Methods, Test Batteries, and parabens
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Growing worldwide efforts to replace (reduce) animal testing and to improve alternative in vitro tests which may be more efficient in terms of both time, cost and scientific validity include also genotoxicity/mutagenicity endpoints. The aim of the review article was to summarize currently available in vitro testing approaches in this field, their regulatory acceptance and recommended combinations for classification of chemicals. A study using the combination of Comet Assay performed on two cell lines and the Chromosomal Aberration test on human peripheral lymphocytes was performed with the aim to predict the genotoxic potential of selected paraben esters, serving as a model chemical group. Parabens are widely used in consumer products as preservatives and have been reported to exhibit inconclusive results in numerous genotoxicity studies. The Comet Assay identified Ethylparaben and Benzylparaben as potentially genotoxic. The Chromosomal Aberration test revealed weak genotoxic potential in case of Ethylparaben and positive genotoxicity in case of Butylparaben, Propylparaben and Isopropylparaben. The main reasons for variability seem to be limited water solubility of parabens, determining their bioavailability at the cellular level, and absence of metabolic activation in the Comet Assay. The results confirmed that the Comet Assay should serve as a screening test and should not be used as a stand-alone method for classification of genotoxicity. The weight of evidence approach in risk assessment should be supported with data generated with the use of human relevant in vitro methods based on cells / tissues of human origin.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
245. Comparison of pancreatic microcirculation profiles in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-kyoto rats by laser doppler and wavelet transform analysis
- Creator:
- Song, Xiaohong, Li, Yuan, Wang, Bing, Liu, Mingming, Zhang, Jian, Li, Ailing, and Zhang, Honggang
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- pancreatic microcirculation profiles, distribution pattern, microvascular vasomotion, amplitude, and spontaneously hypertensive rats
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Pancreatic microcirculatory dysfunction emerged as a novel mechanism in the development of hypertension. However, the changes of pancreatic microcirculation profiles in hypertension remain unknown. Pancreatic microcirculatory blood distribution pattern and microvascular vasomotion of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKYs) were determined by laser Doppler. Wavelet transform analysis was performed to convert micro-hemodynamic signals into timefrequency domains, based on which amplitude spectral scalograms were constructed. The amplitudes of characteristic oscillators were compared between SHRs and WKYs. The expression of eNOS was determined by immunohistochemistry, and plasma nitrite/nitrate levels were measured by Griess reaction. Additionally, endothelin-1, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and interleukin-6 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SHRs exhibited a lower scale blood distribution pattern with decreased average blood perfusion, frequency and amplitude. Wavelet transform spectral analysis revealed significantly reduced amplitudes of endothelial oscillators. Besides reduced expression of eNOS, the blood microcirculatory chemistry complements micro-hemodynamic profiles as demonstrated by an increase in plasma nitrite/nitrate, endothelin-1, malondialdehyde, interleukin-6 and a decrease of superoxide dismutase in SHRs. Here, we described abnormal pancreatic microcirculation profiles in SHRs, including disarranged blood distribution pattern, impaired microvascular vasomotion and reduced amplitudes of endothelial oscillators.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
246. Competing factor models of cognition of healthy older adults: support for SuperAgers identification
- Creator:
- Heissler, Radek, Georgi, Hana, Kožený, Jiří, and Kopeček, Miloslav
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- cognition, older adults, superagers, CFA, neuropsychological battery, kognice, senioři, superager, and neuropsychologická baterie
- Language:
- Czech
- Description:
- Objectives. Neuropsychological tests employ several cognitive functions to a different extent. Thus, factor structures of various neuropsychological batteries and their analyses show both similarities and discrepancies. The study explores the Czech comprehensive neuropsychological battery for SuperAgers (older people with excellent cognition) from the cross-sectional and longitudinal point of view in respect to its factor structure and its stability over time. Sample and settings. The study sample consisted of 361 healthy older adults (age 60–94) assessed in years 2012 and 2015 with cognitive tests battery. Statistical analyses. Data were analyzed with confirmatory factor and invariance analyses over time using multiple competing theory-driven models of cognition based on previous studies consisting of 1–5 factors. Results. The results show that the best fitting model consists of four factors: verbal memory, attention/working memory, executive functions, and language. The results also suggest that the four factorial structure of cognition in healthy older people was the most stable. This reflects their cognitive functioning and highlights the need to identify the SuperAgers on the basis of performance in multiple cognitive domains. The authors propose that these four domains should be taken into account for identifying SuperAgers and that comparing competing models should be a standard procedure in future studies.Limitations. The visuospatial or nonverbal memory factors were not represented in our study with relevant tests. Our sample consisted of healthy older adults. and Cíle. Neuropsychologické testy sledují v různé míře řadu kognitivních funkcí. Faktorové struktury různých neuropsychologických baterií a jejich analýzy tak vykazují jak podobnosti, tak 49Metodické studie/rozdíly. Studie zkoumá českou komplexní neuropsychologickou baterii pro SuperAgery (starší osoby s vynikajícími kognitivními schopnostmi) z průřezového a longitudinálního hlediska s ohledem na její faktorovou strukturu a její stabilitu v čase. Soubor. Soubor tvořilo 361 zdravých starších osob (ve věku 60–94 let), které byly v letech 2012 a 2015 hodnoceny pomocí baterie kognitivních testů. Statistické analýzy. Data byla analyzována konfirmační faktorovou analýzou a analýzou invariance v čase s využitím několika konkurenčních modelů kognice založených na teoriích vycházejících z předchozích studií a sestávajících z 1-5 faktorů. Výsledky. Výsledky ukazují, že nejlepší model se skládá ze čtyř faktorů: verbální paměť, pozornost/pracovní paměť, exekutivní funkce a jazyk. Tento model kognice byl také nejstabilnější. Model odráží kognitivní funkce zdravých seniorů a zdůrazňuje potřebu identifikovat SuperAgery na základě výkonu ve více kognitivních oblastech. Autoři navrhují, aby tyto čtyři domény byly brány v úvahu při identifikaci SuperAgerů a aby porovnávání konkurenčních modelů bylo standardním postupem v budoucích studiích. Omezení. Ve studii nebyly zastoupeny faktory vizuálně-prostorové funkce nebo neverbální paměti s příslušnými testy. Vzorek tvořili zdraví starší dospělí.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
247. Complete mitochondrial genome of Palpita hypohomalia (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) and its phylogenetic implications
- Creator:
- Yang, Mingsheng , Shi, Shusen , Dai, Peng , Song, Lu , and Liu, Xiaomeng
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- s. Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea, Crambidae, Palpita hypohomalia, mitochondrial genome, and phylogenetic position
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The complete mitochondrial genome of a pyraloid species, Palpita hypohomalia, was sequenced and analyzed. This mitochondrial genome is circular, 15,280 bp long, and includes 37 typical metazoan mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes) and an A + T-rich region. Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (81.6%). All 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) initiate with the canonical start codon ATN, except for cox1 which is CGA. The typical stop codon TAA occurs in most PCGs, while nad2 and cox2 show TAG and an incomplete termination codon T, respectively. All tRNAs have a typical clover-leaf structure, except for trnS1 (AGN) which lacks the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis showed that the motif "ATGATAA" between atp8 and atp6, and the motif "ATACTAA" between trnS2 and nad1 were commonly present in lepidopteran mitogenomes. Furthermore, the "ATAG" and subsequent poly-T structure, and the A-rich 3' end were conserved in the A + T-rich regions of lepidopteran mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analyses based on our dataset of 37 mitochondrial genes yielded identical topology for the Pyraloidea, and is generally identical with that recovered by a previous study based on multiple nuclear genes. In a previous study of the Crambidae, the Evergestinae was synonymized with Glaphyriinae; the present study is the first to clarify their close relationship with mitogenome data.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
248. Complex sympathetic regulation in adolescent mitral valve prolapse
- Creator:
- Bona Olexova, Lucia, Visnovcova, Zuzana, Ferencova, Nikola, Jurko, Alexander, and Tonhajzerova, Ingrid
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- mitral valve prolapse, autonomic nervous system, sympathetic activity, blood pressure, and adolescent age
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) belongs to cardiac disorders characterized by impaired closure of mitral leaflets. We studied adolescent group of patients with MVP suffering from symptomatology that cannot be explained by mitral regurgitation alone. Several studies suggested that symptoms can be explained by autonomic, in particular sympathetic-linked dysfunction. Thus, we assessed non-invasive sympathetic indices of blood pressure and heart rate variability and electrodermal activity (EDA). Fifty-three adolescents with MVP (age: 15.1±0.4 years) and 43 healthy age- and gender-matched adolescents (age: 14.9±0.4 years) were examined. Blood pressure, heart rate and EDA were continuously recorded during 6-min rest. Evaluated parameters were: low frequency band of systolic blood pressure variability, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, mean RR interval, cardiac sympathetic indices: symbolic dynamics (0V%), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), pre-ejection period (PEP), and EDA. Our findings revealed significantly higher systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure values, shortened mean RR interval, increased 0V%, and shortened LVET in MVP patients vs. controls (p=0.028, p<0.001, p=0.002, p<0.001, p=0.050, p<0.001; respectively). Our study revealed enhanced cardiovascular sympathetic regulation in adolescent MVP patients. We suggest that evaluation of noninvasive sympathetic parameters could represent potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of cardiovascular complications associated with MVP already at adolescent age.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
249. Concentration distribution and deposition limit of medium-coarse sand-water slurry in inclined pipe
- Creator:
- Vlasák, Pavel , Matoušek, Václav , Chára, Zdeněk , Krupička, Jan , Konfršt, Jiří , and Kesely, Mikoláš
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- sand-water slurry, pipe inclination, concentration distribution, deposition limit, and Gamma-ray radiometry
- Language:
- Slovak
- Description:
- Sand-water slurry was investigated on an experimental pipe loop of inner diameter D = 100 mm with the horizontal, inclined, and vertical smooth pipe sections. A narrow particle size distribution silica sand of mean diameter 0.87 mm was used. The experimental investigation focused on the effects of pipe inclination, overall slurry concentration, and mean velocity on concentration distribution and deposition limit velocity. The measured concentration profiles showed different degrees of stratification for the positive and negative pipe inclinations. The degree of stratification depended on the pipe inclination and on overall slurry concentration and velocity. The ascending flow was less stratified than the corresponding descending flow, the difference increasing from horizontal flow up to an inclination angle of about +30°. The deposition limit velocity was sensitive to the pipe inclination, reaching higher values in the ascending than in the horizontal pipe. The maximum deposition limit value was reached for an inclination angle of about +25°, and the limit remained practically constant in value, about 1.25 times higher than that in the horizontal pipe. Conversely, in the descending pipe, the deposition limit decreased significantly with the negative slopes and tended to be zero for an inclination angle of about −30°, where no stationary bed was observed.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
250. Condensella and Endogena, two new genera of the Alebroides genus group (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from the Oriental Region with notes on the phylogeny of Empoascini
- Creator:
- Xu, Ye, Dietrich, Christopher H., Zhao, Wenhui, and Qin, Daozheng
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- article, články, journal articles, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, křísi, křískovití, fylogeneze, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae, phylogeny, microleafhopper, taxonomy, Alebroides group, new genera, Oriental Region, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Two new microleafhopper genera of Empoascini within the subfamily Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Condensella Xu, Dietrich & Qin gen. n., based on the type species C. filamenta Xu, Dietrich & Qin sp. n., and Endogena Xu, Dietrich & Qin gen. n., based on the type species E. flava Xu, Dietrich & Qin sp. n., are described from southern China and Thailand. Male habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia of the two new species are provided. Comparative notes on related genera are provided. Phylogenetic relationships and the status of genus groups within the tribe are also discussed., Ye Xu, Christopher H. Dietrich, Wenhui Zhao, Daozheng Qin., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public