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Examination in the mental functions throughout adult Egypt individuals using osa while using the Montreal Cognitive Examination: a new retrospective large scale study.
Automated species identification based on data produced with metabarcoding offers an alternative for assessing biodiversity of bulk insect samples obtained with traps. check details We used a standard two-step PCR approach to amplify a 313 bp fragment of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. The PCR products were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform, and the OTUs production and taxonomic identifications were performed with a customized pipeline and database. The DNA used in the PCR procedures was extracted directly from the preservative ethanol of bulk insect samples obtained with automatic light traps in 12 sampling areas located in different biomes of Brazil, during wet and dry seasons. Agricultural field and forest edge habitats were collected for all sampling areas. A total of 119 insect OTUs and nine additional OTUs assigned to other arthropod taxa were obtained at a ≥97% sequence similarity level. The alpha and beta diversity analyses comparing biomes, habitats, and seasons were mostly inconclusive, except for a significant difference in beta diversity between biomes. In this study, we were able to metabarcode and HTS adult insects from their preservative medium. Notwithstanding, our results underrepresent the true magnitude of insect diversity expected from samples obtained with automatic light traps in Brazil. Although biological and technical factors might have impacted our results, measures to optimize and standardize eDNA HTS should be in place to improve taxonomic coverage of samples of unknown diversity and stored in suboptimal conditions, which is the case of most eDNA samples. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Density-dependent regulation is an important process in spatio-temporal population dynamics because it can alter the effects of synchronizing processes operating over large spatial scales. Most frequently, populations are regulated by density dependence when higher density leads to reduced individual fitness and population growth, but inverse density dependence can also occur when small populations are subject to higher extinction risks. We investigate whether density-dependent regulation influences population growth for the Antarctic breeding Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae. Understanding the prevalence and nature of density dependence for this species is important because it is considered a sentinel species reflecting the impacts of fisheries and environmental change over large spatial scales in the Southern Ocean, but the presence of density dependence could introduce uncertainty in this role. Using data on population growth and indices of resource availability for seven regional Adélie penguin populatioo predictive models of species distributions and population dynamics, and provides guidance for improved monitoring of fisheries and climate change impacts in the Southern Ocean. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.In most species with internal fertilization, male genitalia evolve faster than other morphological structures. This holds true for genital titillators, which are used exclusively during mating in several bushcricket subfamilies. Several theories have been proposed for the sexual selection forces driving the evolution of internal genitalia, especially sperm competition, sexually antagonistic coevolution (SAC), and cryptic female choice (CFC). However, it is unclear whether the evolution of genitalia can be described with a single hypothesis or a combination of them. The study of species-specific genitalia action could contribute to the controversial debate about the underlying selective evolutionary forces. We studied female mating behaviors in response to experimentally modified titillators in a phylogenetically nested set of four bushcricket species Roeseliana roeselii, Pholidoptera littoralis littoralis, Tettigonia viridissima (of the subfamily Tettigoniinae), and Letana inflata (Phaneropterinae). Bushcricket titillators have several potential functions; they stimulate females and suppress female resistance, ensure proper ampulla or spermatophore attachment, and facilitate male fixation. In R. roeselii, titillators stimulate females to accept copulations, supporting sexual selection by CFC. Conversely, titillator modification had no observable effect on the female's behavior in T. viridissima. The titillators of Ph. l. littoralis mechanically support the mating position and the spermatophore transfer, pointing to sexual selection by SAC. Mixed support was found in L. inflata, where manipulation resulted in increased female resistance (evidence for CFC) and mating failures by reduced spermatophore transfer success (evidence for SAC). Sexual selection is highly species-specific with a mosaic support for either cryptic female choice or sexually antagonistic coevolution or a combination of both in the four species. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.In heterogeneous habitats, camouflage via background matching can be challenging because visual characteristics can vary dramatically across small spatial scales. Additionally, temporal variation in signaling functions of coloration can affect crypsis, especially when animals use coloration seasonally for intraspecific signaling (e.g., mate selection). We currently have a poor understanding of how wild prey optimize background matching within continuously heterogeneous habitats, and whether this is affected by requirements of intraspecific signaling across biological seasons. Here, we quantified color patterns of a wild population of shore skink (Oligosoma smithi), a variably colored lizard endemic to New Zealand, to (a) investigate whether background matching varies across a vegetation gradient; (b) assess potential signaling functions of color; and (c) to determine whether there is a trade-off between requirements for crypsis and intraspecific signaling in coloration across seasons. Although all pattern types occurred throughout the vegetation gradient, we found evidence for background matching in skinks across the vegetation gradient, where dorsal brightness and pattern complexity corresponded with the proportion of vegetation cover. There was also a significant disparity between ventral color (saturation) of juveniles and adults, and also between sexes, suggestive of sex recognition. However, there was little indication that color was condition-dependent in adults. Despite some evidence for a potential role in signaling, crypsis did not greatly differ across seasons. Our study suggests that selection favors a mix of generalist and specialist background matching strategies across continuously heterogeneous habitats. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Plant bulbs are modified shoot systems comprised of short internodes with apical bud(s) surrounded by layers of leaf bases. Bulb diameters can vary greatly, with overall bulb size playing a role in flower formation and resource allocation. Despite the importance of bulb size to the overall fitness of an individual, evolutionary and ecological aspects of this trait have been almost completely neglected. Examining over 2,500 herbarium vouchers for 115 selected species, we analyzed monocot tunicate bulb size within a phylogenetic context in order to investigate its evolutionary significance. We recorded two bulb diameter optima and observed that as bulb size increases taxa inhabit warmer areas with less temperature seasonality. Furthermore, we found that hysteranthous taxa, a habit where leaves emerge separately from flowers, exhibit overall larger bulbs potentially due to reliance upon belowground stored resources to flower rather than on current environmental inputs. This work highlights the importance of including the belowground portion of plants into ecological and evolutionary studies in order to gain a more complete understanding of the evolution of plant forms and functions. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.New genomic tools open doors to study ecology, evolution, and population genomics of wild animals. For the Barn owl species complex, a cosmopolitan nocturnal raptor, a very fragmented draft genome was assembled for the American species (Tyto furcata pratincola) (Jarvis et al. 2014). To improve the genome, we assembled de novo Illumina and Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) long reads sequences of its European counterpart (Tyto alba alba). This genome assembly of 1.219 Gbp comprises 21,509 scaffolds and results in a N50 of 4,615,526 bp. BUSCO (Universal Single-Copy Orthologs) analysis revealed an assembly completeness of 94.8% with only 1.8% of the genes missing out of 4,915 avian orthologs searched, a proportion similar to that found in the genomes of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) or the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). By mapping the reads of the female American barn owl to the male European barn owl reads, we detected several structural variants and identified 70 Mbp of the Z chromosome. The barn owl scaffolds were further mapped to the chromosomes of the zebra finch. In addition, the completeness of the European barn owl genome is demonstrated with 94 of 128 proteins missing in the chicken genome retrieved in the European barn owl transcripts. This improved genome will help future barn owl population genomic investigations. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive movement disorder with severe reduction in patients' health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Motor and cognitive symptoms are especially linked with decreased PD patients' HR-QoL. However, the relationship of these symptoms to caregiver burden is relatively unclear. Influence of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA) as a cognitive screening tool and Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale MDS-UPDRS symptoms in relation to patients' HR-QoL and caregivers` burden was analyzed. PD patients (n = 124) completed MDS-UPDRS, MoCA, and the PD questionnaire 8 (PDQ-8) as a measure of quality of life. Caregivers (n = 78) were assessed by the PD caregiver burden inventory (PDCB). PDQ-8 and PDCB scores were regressed on MDS-UPDRS subscales and MoCA subscores. PDQ-8 correlated with attention (R 2 0.1282; p less then 0.001) and executive (R 2 0.0882; p 0.001) MoCA subscores and all parts of the MDS-UPDRS. PDCB correlated most strongly with MDS-UPDRS part III motor symptoms (R 2 0.2070; p less then 0.001) and the MoCA attention subscore (R 2 0.1815; p less then 0.001). While all facets of PD symptoms assessed by the MDS-UPDRS relate to PD patients' quality of life, motor symptoms are the most relevant factor for the prediction of caregiver burden. In addition, patients' attentional symptoms seem to affect not only them, but also their caregivers. These findings show the potential of a detailed analysis of MDS-UPDRS and MoCA performance in PD patients. Copyright © 2020 M. Klietz et al.Objectives We have developed a pulsed xenon ultraviolet light-based real-time air disinfection system with rapid and effective disinfection by using high-intensity pulse germicidal UV. Disinfection of the ambulance's environment is critical in the prevention of infectious cross contamination. Methods In this study, a pulsed xenon ultraviolet light-based air disinfection system was established for real-time air disinfection in ambulances. In this system, a pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) was used to generate broad-spectrum (200-320 nm), high-intensity ultraviolet light to deactivate and kill bacteria and viruses. The results showed that the use of PX-UV could be effective in reducing E. coli, Staphylococcus albus, and environmental pathogens level in ambulances (≥90% reduction in 30 mins). Results This device was relatively simple and easy to use and does not leave chemical residues or risk exposing patients and workers to toxic chemicals. Conclusions This appears to be a practical alternative technology to achieve automated air disinfection in ambulances.
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