We search for limit cycles in the dynamical model of two-species chemical reactions that contain seven reaction rate coefficients as parameters and at least one third-order reaction step, that is, the induced kinetic differential equation of the reaction is a planar cubic differential system. Symbolic calculations were carried out using the Mathematica (or, Wolfram language) mathematical program package, and it was also used for the numerical verifications to show the following facts: the kinetic differential equations of these reactions each has two limit cycles surrounding the stationary point of focus type in the positive quadrant. In the case of Model 1, the outer limit cycle is stable and the inner one is unstable that appears in a supercritical Hopf bifurcation. Moreover, the oscillations in a neighborhood of the outer limit cycle are slow-fast oscillations. In the case of Model 2, the outer limit cycle is unstable and the inner one is stable. With another set of parameters, the outer limit cycle can be made stable and the inner one unstable.

Morphological and phylogenetic (45S nrDNA+RPB1 gene) analyses of three glomoid spore-producing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi revealed the presence of two new species be-longing to the genus Glomus in the family Glomeraceae. In the field, Glomus highlandensis sp. nov. was found in a saltmarsh of the Scottish Highlands and in maritime sand dunes of the Baltic Sea in Poland, both saline environments, while G. mongioie sp. nov. originates from the Italian Alps. Phylogenetic placement analysis using environmental sequences indicated that G. highlandensis could have likely worldwide distribution while G. mongioie seems to be a rare species in the world. The molecular and phylogenetic analysis provided important insights about the presence of ribosomal variants in Glomus, with potential negative implication in phylogeny and species recognition.

Fire is a common natural disturbance in forest ecosystems and plays an important role in subsequent vegetation patterns. Based on the spatial sequence method instead of the time successional sequence method, this study selected burned areas in different locations in the Anning River Basin, which contains typical dry valleys. Quadrat surveys and quantitative classification were used to identify the vegetation classification, distribution pattern, and environmental interpretation during the natural restoration process after forest fire. The results showed that: (1) the vegetation community in the early stage of natural recovery after forest fire disturbance could be divided into seven community types, and Quercus guyavaefolia H. Leveille (Qg) was the dominant species in the community; (2) vegetation samples could be divided into five ecological types, and the classification and distribution pattern of community types in this region changed most obviously with altitude; and (3) detrended correspondence analysis could clearly classify vegetation community types, and detrended canonical correspondence analysis could well reveal the relationships between species and environmental factors. This study provides a scientific basis guiding the restoration of ecosystem structural stability and biodiversity in burned areas.

In this paper we introduce the New/Generalized two parameter Gamma function and Pochhammer symbol. We named them, as Generalized p - k Gamma Function and Generalized p - k Pochhammer symbol and denoted as $ _{p}^{a}\Gamma_{k}(x) $ and $ _{p}^{a}(x)_{n,k} $ respectively. We prove the several identities for $ _{p}^{a}\Gamma_{k}(x) $ and $ _{p}^{a}(x)_{n,k} $ those satisfied by the classical Gamma function. Also we provide the integral representation for the $ _{p}^{a}\Gamma_{k}(x) $

Gullele Botanic Garden was established to preserve and safeguard indigenous, rare, endemic and endangered plant species that have economic significance. A study was conducted to identify and map non-native plant species that exist in various land use types, including natural vegetation, plantation, roadside, and garden edges. The research involved placing plots at different distances in each land use type and collecting vegetation data with geo-location information for exotic and invasive species. The data was analyzed using Sorensen's similarity index to measure the similarity between plant communities. Invasive species were identified using ArcGIS, and descriptive statistical methods were employed to analyze the remaining data. The recorded a total of 80 plant species belonging to 70 genera in 44 families in the garden, with Fabaceae and Asteraceae having the most species. Acacia decurrens, Acacia melanoxylon, Cuscuta campestris, Galinsoga parviflora, Nerium oleander, and Cyathula uncinulata are the most prevalent invasive or potentially invasive species among the species that have been documented. These species are spreading quickly and may displace native plant species if not properly managed. The study found that roadside and garden edge land use types had the most diverse exotic plants, with Acacia decurrens, Nerium oleander, Acacia melanoxylon, Agave species, Cyathula uncinulata, and Eucalyptus species being the most dominant exotic species in the garden. The total density of exotic species was 2.36 plants/m2. The study provides valuable information for managing and conserving both native and exotic plant species in the garden.

Background: The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852), native to the United States and northern Mexico, has been introduced in many countries worldwide. The species has a remarkable invasiveness, due to its high reproductive rate and to its ability to tolerate broad ranges of water parameters like salinity. Nevertheless, no consistent observations of P. clarkii have been reported in the marine environment until now. Methods: Through the observations of a personal acquaintance and of two volunteers who published photos of the species on Facebook marine biology and fishing groups, we collected data showing the presence of the crayfish within marine ecosystems. Results: P. clarkii has been spotted in three different localities, in two of which observations are recurrent. The species can live miles from the nearest freshwater stream, and can colonise the depths up to 20 meters. Conclusions: The multiple observations of P. clarkii collected in our study uncover a persistent presence of the species within some marine areas, rather than its mere sporadic occurrence. As resistance to increasing salinities is influenced by multiple genes, genetic admixture between genetically-differentiated individuals coming from distinct geographical origins could have brought together different salinity-resistance genes, leading to the formation of these resilient phenotypes.

This paper reviews the unilateral and bilateral, one- and two-dimensional Laplace transforms. The unilateral and bilateral Laplace transforms are compared in the one-dimensional case, leading to the formulation of the initial-condition theorem. This problem is solved with all generality in the one- and two-dimensional cases with the bilateral Laplace transform. General two-dimensional linear systems are introduced and the corresponding transfer function defined.

From experimental studies of protein folding, it is now clear that there are two types of folding behavior, i.e., two-state folding and non-two-state folding, and understanding the relationships between these apparently different folding behaviors is essential for fully elucidating the molecular mechanisms of protein folding. This article describes how the presence of the two types of folding behavior has been confirmed experimentally, and discusses the relationships between the two-state and the non-two-state folding reactions, on the basis of available data on the correlations of the folding rate constant with various structure-based properties, which are determined primarily by the backbone topology of proteins. Finally, a two-stage hierarchical model is proposed as a general mechanism of protein folding. In this model, protein folding occurs in a hierarchical manner, reflecting the hierarchy of the native three-dimensional structure, as embodied in the case of non-two-state folding with an accumulation of the molten globule state as a folding intermediate. The two-state folding is thus merely a simplified version of the hierarchical folding caused either by an alteration in the rate-limiting step of folding or by destabilization of the intermediate.

Although ladybirds of European Russia and the Caucasus have been the subject of numerous ecological and faunistic investigations, there is an evident lack of appropriate identification key for them. All previous keys have been published in Russian. The most modern key was published more than 50 years ago and included only about 60 % of species. Guides for identification of Coccinellidae of other countries are not appropriate for European Russia, since do not include many species occurring in the regions. New, original key to subfamilies, genera, and species of ladybirds (Coccinellidae) of the European Russia and Russian Caucasus is presented. All native species recorded in the region and all alien species introduced to this region are included. Some species from the adjacent regions are added. In total, 110 species are keyed and illustrated with line drawings. Photographs of rare and endemic species are provided. Information on the distribution of species within the region under consideration is provided. Synonymy of Chilocorus kuwanae with Ch. renipustulatus is presented and discussed.

In two dimensional disordered lattices, presence of interaction makes particles less localized than the non-interacting ones within the range of disorder strength W ≤ 4 and interaction strength V ≤ 4. If the interaction strength is higher, then particles localize more. Although, a localization-delocalization transition is not found, a transition with changes in the dominant correlations is observed. The nature of correlations between the particles as nearest neighbors become dominant beyond certain disorder strengths.

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotes whose taxonomy follows the same rules of a code (the International Botanical Nomenclature Code, IBNC) built for eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms. Hence, names of cyanobacteria follow the same rules and are assigned to biological entities (species) that should correspond to eukaryotic species. The main difficulty in the current situation is that the species concept in eukaryotes is based theoretically mainly on the biological species concept, that is centered on genetic exchange through sexual reproduction or lack of them. However, as shown, this difference is important from a theoretical point of view, but also in eukaryotes, the boundaries between different species are very rarely checked experimentally by direct observation of sexual barriers and hybridization events. The main concept for species delimitation is hence that related to morphology and, more recently and always in relation to morphology, DNA sequences. The introduction of distances obtained from matrixes of aligned sequences in the framework of a barcoding project provides a quantitative interpretation of species delimitation in relation to genetic distance that can be used both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, the introduction of quantitative criteria needs the definition of distance thresholds to identify the boundaries between different species and, for doing that, it is necessary to test the distance thresholds in models of traditionally defined and recognized species. An alternative approach may be the comparison of the molecular distance (quantitative approach) to data about the capability of strains/species to exchange genetic information. Unfortunately data about this last question is still scarce. The adoption of molecular criteria to check species boundaries based on morphological characters has proved particularly challenging in cyanobacteria: a known example is provided. In conclusion, the only possible approach appears to be the association of molecular data to the increase of available data about the cell structure and the variation thereof in different physiological situations, particularly at the ultrastructural level. A further necessity is the check of the typus for a large number of cyanobacteria species, often based on old basionyms. In many of these cases the typus is often a drawing and more rarely a herbarium specimen or a microscope slide. In many cases an epitypification or a neotypification appears to be necessary.

In the paper we present a new test for comparison of the means of multivariate samples with unknown distributions. The test is based on the comparison of the distributions of the distances between the samples’ elements and their means using univariate two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The activity of the suggested method is illustrated by numerical analysis of the real-world and simulated data.

The brain's unique characteristics make it exceptionally susceptible to oxidative stress, which arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reactive nitrogen species (RNS) production, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This review explores the factors contributing to the brain vascular tone vulnerability in the presence of oxidative damage, which can be of clinical interest in critically ill patients or presenting acute brain injuries. The brain's high metabolic rate and inefficient electron transport chain in mitochondria lead to significant ROS generation. Moreover, non-replicating neuronal cells and low repair capacity increase susceptibility to oxidative insult. ROS can influence cerebral vascular tone and permeability, with a potential impact on cerebral autoregulation. Different ROS species, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, exhibit vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects on cerebral blood vessels. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), particularly NO and peroxynitrite, also exert vasoactive effects. This review further investigates the neuroprotective effects of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamin C, vitamin E, and the glutathione redox system. Various studies suggest that these antioxidants could be used as adjunct therapies to protect the cerebral vascular tone during high oxidative stress conditions. Nevertheless, more extensive research is required to comprehensively grasp the relationship between oxidative stress and cerebrovascular tone, as well as to explore the potential benefits of antioxidants as adjunctive therapies in critical illnesses and acute brain injuries.

The present study contributes to bridging the gap on research related to the presence and distribution patterns of carnivore mammals in the western state of Michoacán, highlighting the importance and need to increase efforts aimed at the study and monitoring of wildlife present in this region. The distribution of carnivore in western Mexico was modeled through the application a two-scale approach: a large, modeled region, corresponding to the western part of the country, for which models were obtained that represent the distribution potential of the species, and, the second modeled study area that includes only the western portion of the state of Michoacán, in which models of the current distribution of the species for this region were proposed. A series of predictive models were generated on the current distribution of 11 species of carnivore species (Canis latrans, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, Puma concolor, Panthera onca, Conepatus leuconotus, Bassariscus astutus, Nasua narica, Procyon lotor), from which, prioritization exercises were carried out on important areas for the conservation of these species, as well as the comparison and analysis of the existing natural protected areas (NPA) in the study area. The different exercises for prioritizing areas for conservation yielded similar results and show the potential percentages of the landscape that can be subjected to protection and conservation programs.

The dramatic increased rates of uncontrolled urbanization in various parts of the World have resulted in loss of native species and overall threats to biodiversity. Over the last few decades Saudi Arabia has witnessed a remarkably rapid population growth and unparalleled levels of urbanization, leading to threats to biodiversity. Ants were pitfall-trapped across an urban-rural gradient to evaluate ant assemblage responses to urbanization in Wadi Hanifa, Riyadh, Central Saudi Arabia. Fifteen sampling sites were selected along three different urbanization gradients, each traversing urban, suburban and rural zones. Within each site 10 traps were distributed and operated for 7 consecutive days, at 3-monthly intervals throughout one year. Vegetation, ground cover, and chemical and physical soil variables at sampling sites were analyzed concurrently. Ant abundance, species richness, evenness, and diversity indices of Shannon and Simpson were calculated for each site using PC-ORD to demonstrate diversity patterns along the urbanization gradients. Ant assemblages were assessed by detrended corresponding analysis (DCA), canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) using PC-ORD. Indicator species analysis was conducted to define representative species along the urbanization gradient. A total of 42 ant species were identified. The diversity parameters were consistent across the urbanization gradient. However, significant differences were observed in the ant assemblages between rural and urban, suburban and urban, but only marginal between rural and suburban. Eleven ant species were identified as indicator species (IV values between 50.7-80.7%). The ant assemblages were influenced by flora, ground cover, and soil variables.

Aedes scapularis is a neotropical mosquito known to transmit pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Its recent establishment in southeastern Florida has potential public health implications. We used an ecological niche modeling approach to predict the abiotic environmental suitability for Ae. scapularis across much of the Americas and Caribbean Islands. Georeferenced occurrence data obtained from the Global Biodiversity Inventory Facility and recent collection records of Ae. scapularis from southern Florida served as input for model calibration. Environmental layers included bioclimatic variables provided in 2000 to 2010 average Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications climatic (MERRAclim) data. Models were run in the software program Maxent. Isothermality values found often in costal environments contributed strongest to model performance. Model projections suggested areas predicted suitable for Ae. scapularis across portions of the Amazon Basin, the Yucatán Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, and multiple Caribbean Islands. Additionally, model predictions suggested connectivity of highly suitable or relatively suitable environments spanning the United States Gulf Coast, which may facilitate geographic expansion of this species. At least sixteen Florida counties were predicted highly suitable for Ae. scapularis, suggesting vigilance is needed by vector control and public health agencies to recognize further spread of this vector.

Two-dimensional (2D) ice I is an atomic-level ice that is composed of two interlocked atom-ic layers saturated with hydrogen bonds. It has recently been experimentally observed but its properties have yet to be clarified. Accordingly, we theoretically studied the hydrophobic properties of 2D ice I. On the contrary, simulation of a hydrogen fluoride molecule on a 2D ice surface manifested that it destroyed the 2d ice structure and connected new hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Investigations of the interfacial effect between 2D and three-dimensional (3D) ice films indicated that the network structure of 2D ice was not de-stroyed by a 3D ice surface, as the former was saturated with hydrogen bonds. However, the surface of 3D ice reorganized to form as many hydrogen bonds as possible. Thus, the 2D ice film was hydrophobic and inhibited the growth of 3D ice. This shows that if 2D ice can be produced on an industrial scale, it could be used as an anti-3D-icing agent under low tem-perature.

Purpose: The accuracy of conventional visual function tests, which emit visible light, decreases in patients with corneal scars, cataracts, and vitreous hemorrhages. In contrast, infrared (IR) light exhibits greater tissue penetrance than visible light and is less susceptible to optical opacities. We therefore compared visual function results obtained using conventional visual function tests and infrared 2-photon microperimetry (2PM-IR) in a subject with a brunescent nuclear sclerotic and posterior subcapsular cataract before and after cataract surgery. Methods: Visual function testing using the cone contrast threshold (CCT) test, conventional microperimetry (cMP), visible light microperimetry from a novel device (2PM-Vis), and 2PM-IR were performed before and after cataract surgery. Results: Cone contrast threshold testing improved for the S-cone, M-cone, and L-cone by 111, 14, and 30. Retinal sensitivity assessed using cMP, 2PM-Vis, and 2PM-IR improved by 18 dB, 17.4 dB, and 3.4 dB, respectively. Conclusions and Importance: 2PM-IR, unlike conventional visual function tests, showed minimal variability in retinal sensitivity before and after surgery. Thus, IR visual stimulation introduces a paradigm shift for measuring visual function in the retina and posterior visual pathways by circumventing optical media opacities.

Yeast two-hybrid approaches, which are based on fusion proteins that must co-localise to the nucleus to reconstitute the transcriptional activity of GAL4 have greatly contributed to understand the nitrogen interaction network of cyanobacteria, whose main hubs are the trimeric PII and the monomeric PipX regulators. The bacterial two-hybrid system, based on the reconstitution in the E. coli cytoplasm of the adenylate cyclase of Bordetella pertussis, should provide a relatively faster and presumably more physiological assay for cyanobacterial proteins than the yeast system. Here we use the bacterial two-hybrid system to gain additional insights into the cyanobacterial PipX interaction network while simultaneously assessing the advantages and limitations of the two most popular two-hybrid systems. Comprehensive mutational analysis of PipX and bacterial two-hybrid assays were performed to compare outcomes between yeast and bacterial systems. We detected interactions previously recorded in the yeast two-hybrid system as negative as well as a “false positive”, the self-interaction of PipX, which is rather an indirect interaction dependent on PII homologs from the E. coli host, a result confirmed by Western analysis with relevant PipX variants. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of the molecular basis of a false positive in the bacterial two-hybrid system.

The Galápagos archipelago is a vast reservoir of terrestrial and marine biodiversity and is particularly susceptible to human, animal, and environmental impacts. Climate change, globalization, and the blurring of human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces are poised to bring new threats and challenges to the region. A One Health perspective that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health is imperative in assessing and mitigating the challenges facing the Galápagos Islands. Many challenges facing biodiversity in the Galápagos Islands can ultimately be linked to anthropogenic factors. In Part I of this review, we reviewed the impacts of invasive species and identified infectious diseases of importance. In Part II of this review, we discuss the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, and highlight the effects of several direct human activities, including tourism, overfishing, pollution, land use, and human-wildlife conflict. We also review the socioeconomic and political context of the Galápagos Islands, including current challenges in water and energy use, sanitation, and economic stability. We examine the importance of investment in local development for building resiliency and sustainability in the archipelago. Finally, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Throughout this two-part review, we build a cohesive picture of One Health in the Galápagos Islands by integrating past work, current needs, and emerging threats. We also consider overarching goals for conservation, ecosystem management, and socioeconomic sustainability that have been previously defined by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, and identify discrete, implementable, and interdisciplinary recommendations that will facilitate achievement of those goals.

The Galápagos archipelago is a vast reservoir of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, owing in large part to its relatively recent volcanic genesis and colonization by humans. This unique ecological system is particularly susceptible to human, animal, and environmental impacts. Climate change, globalization, and the blurring of human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces are poised to bring new threats and challenges to the region. A One Health perspective that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health is imperative in assessing and mitigating the challenges facing the Galápagos Islands.In Part I of this review, we provide the historical context for biodiversity in the archipelago; discuss the role of invasive species in habitat destruction, fragmentation, and competition with endemic species; and summarize the established and emerging infectious disease threats. We also discuss the imperative to implement research, surveillance, and preventative measures to identify and manage future threats from a One Health perspective, with a specific emphasis on implications for wildlife health. In Part II, we outline the socioeconomic context of life in the Galápagos Islands, evaluate the current and predicted effects of climate change, and discuss direct anthropogenic factors affecting Galápagos biodiversity, such as tourism, fishing, pollution, and the illegal wildlife trade. We also examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Throughout this two-part review, we build a cohesive picture of One Health in the Galápagos Islands by integrating past work, current needs, and emerging threats. We also consider overarching goals for conservation, ecosystem management, and socioeconomic sustainability that have been previously defined by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, and we identify discrete, implementable, and interdisciplinary recommendations that will facilitate achievement of those goals.

Due to the variation of the body coloration and the similarity of the related species, there are still some unresolved problems and debates in the taxonomic study of the genus Sycanus in China. We conducted the inter-specific phylogenetic analyses and the species delimitation for Sycanus in China based on DNA barcoding dataset of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of 81 samples and partial 28S rDNA sequences of 34 samples. The result showed that all the samples were divided into twelve species by integrating the results of DNA barcoding and morphological comparison. In the present paper, the genus Sycanus in China was reviewed systematically, all species were described or re-described, keyed, illustrated and photographed, among them, Sycanus taiwanensis Zhao & Cai sp. nov., Sycanus flavicorius Li & Cai sp. nov. and Sycanus hainanensis Wang & Cai sp. nov. were described as new to science. The biological informations of Sycanus falleni Stål, 1863 and Sycanus croceus Hsiao, 1979 were briefly recorded.

A strong correlation between karyotype diversity and species richness in mammals was first reported over forty years ago: in mammalian phylogenetic clades, standard deviation of karyotype diversity (KD) closely corresponds to the standard deviation of species richness (SR). These initial studies, however, did not control for phylogenetic signal, raising the possibility that the correlation was due to phylogenetic relatedness among species in a clade. Accordingly, karyotype diversity trivially reflects species diversity simply as a passive consequence of adaptive radiations. A more recent study in mammals has controlled for phylogenetic signal and established the correlation as phylogenetically independent, suggesting that species diversity cannot, in itself, explain the observed corresponding karyotype diversity. The correlation is therefore remarkable because the mechanisms contributing to karyotype diversity are evolutionarily independent of the mechanisms contributing to species diversity. Recently, it was shown in salamanders that the two processes generating genetic diversity and species diversity are indeed independent and operate in parallel, suggesting a potential non-adaptive and non-causal relationship between the two fundamental variables involved in adaptive radiations. The following will examine the relationship between KD and SR in the context of Motoo Kimura’s theory of non-adaptive radiation.

Urbanization affects all elements of the pre-urban environment, including soils, hydrology, vegetation, and microclimate. Recently, Saudi Arabia has experienced rapid urbanization and growth. Thus, the country's biodiversity has been threatened. In Riyadh, beetle assemblages were assessed along a rural-suburban-urban gradient. A total of 2,791 individuals from 94 species belonging to seven families were collected at 15 sites along three different gradients of urbanization in Wadi Hanifa. Tenebrionidae dominated abundance (60.1%) and richness (38%). Beetle abundance, evenness, and diversity were not different among habitats; however, species richness was higher in rural habitats. DCA and CCA analyses showed distinct differences among sites along gradients. Urbanization intensity, soil variables, and land cover were significantly correlated with DCA axis 1, while elevation and flora were significantly correlated with DCA axis 2. The most critical operating environmental variables in Wadi Hanifa were buildings, elevation, soil organic carbon, litter cover, and litter depth, as well as plants such as Launaea capitata, Lycium shawii, Alhagi graecorum, and Heliotropium currasavicum. Ten species in our study are associated with urban habitats, six with suburban habitats, and seven with rural habitats. Consequently, expanding urban areas may negatively affect the richness and composition of beetles and may result in the loss of some native species.

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are shape morphing materials whose large and reversible shape transformation results from the coupling between the mobile anisotropic properties of liquid crystal (LC) units and the rubber elastic of polymer networks. Their shape changing behaviors under the stimuli are largely directed by LC orientations, and therefore various strategies have been developed to spatially modulate the LC alignments. But most of the methods suffer from complex fabrication technologies or intrinsic limitations in applicability. To address this issue, programmable complex shape changes in some types of LCEs, such as polysiloxane side-chain LCEs or thiol-acrylate main-chain LCEs, etc, have been achieved by using a mechanical alignment programming process coupled with two-step crosslinking. Here, we report a polysiloxane main-chain LCE with programmable 2D and 3D shape changing performances achieved by mechanically programming the polydomain LCE between the two crosslinking steps. The resulting LCEs exhibited reversible thermal induced shape transformation between the initial and programmed shapes due to the two-way memory between the first network structure and the second network structure. Our work would be potential for expanding the applications of LCE materials in actuators, soft robotics and smart structures where arbitrary and easily programmed shape morphings are needed.

Este estudio empleó el algoritmo MaxEnt para evaluar la distribución potencial de la serpiente de cascabel de cola larga, Crotalus stejnegeri , una especie amenazada endémica de México. Los resultados demuestran una buena fiabilidad del modelo, alcanzando un AUC de 0,879. Destacan una distribución potencial concentrada en las estribaciones de la Sierra Madre Occidental, principalmente en el centro-sur de Sinaloa, suroeste de Durango y norte de Nayarit, caracterizada por bosque seco tropical. La temperatura durante el trimestre más seco y la estacionalidad de la precipitación se identifican como factores determinantes, mientras que la baja idoneidad en Chihuahua sugiere una afinidad tropical de la especie. La variabilidad en las precipitaciones durante el trimestre más frío enfatiza la importancia de ampliar el número de registros de ocurrencia de la especie mediante una mayor exploración de campo dentro de su área de distribución. Estos hallazgos proporcionan información valiosa para los esfuerzos de conservación y subrayan áreas clave para futuras investigaciones.

In previous studies, the authors utilized a single-dimensional operationalization of species density that implies induction of hierarchy and time with certain topologies. For further clarification of induced fractals including the relation to renormalization in physics, here a theoretical development is proposed based on a newly identified fact, namely that scaling parameters for magnetization exactly correspond to imaginary parts of Riemann zeta nontrivial zeros. An analogy to magnetization and accompanying Fake Monster Algebra is invoked to lend support to this theory, along with empirical species density data for a wild Dictyostelia community. A master torus and a Lagrangian/Hamiltonian are derived expressing fractal structures as a solution for diminishing divergent terms in renormalization.

Aflatoxin contaminates foods including peanuts. Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic toxin mainly produced bty Aspergillus flavus. Other Aspergillus species that rarely produce aflatoxins are A. nomius and A. niger. Aflatoxin is associated with liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death. Recent studies have shown that peanuts in Kenya are highly contaminated with aflatoxins but information gaps exist on the characterization of the Aspergillus species that produce aflatoxins in peanuts in Kenya. Therefore, this gap necessitated the determination of the Aspergillus species producing aflatoxins in peanuts from the main growing districts of Busia and Kisii Central districts. One hundred and two (102) peanuts samples were collected from farmers’ in each district Aspergillus species were isolated from the peanut samples by using the dilution plate technique on modified Rose Bengal agar. Phenotypical characterization of the identified Aspergillus section flavus isolates from the peanuts samples was determined using the procedure of Mellon and Cotty. This study identified five (5) Aspergillus species as contaminants in peanuts analyzed in this study. They were Aspergillus flavus L-strain, Aspergillus flavus S-strain, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tamari. Overall, the occurrence of Aspergillus flavus L- strain and A. flavus S- strain were significantly higher than other species identified (H = 15.55, df = 4, P = 0.004) in peanuts from the two districts. However, A. flavus S-strain was the most dominant species identified in the study with a mean occurrence of 45.1%. Aspergillus flavus L- strain was the most common isolate (58.8%) in peanuts from Busia district while A. flavus S- strain was the most common strain (60.2%) in peanuts from Kisii Central district. Overall, the occurrence of Aspergillus flavus L strain and A. flavus S strain were significantly higher than other species identified (H = 15.55, df = 4, P = 0.004) in peanuts from the two districts. However, A. flavus S-strain was the most dominant species (F=3.15, df =25, P=0.031) with an overall mean occurrence of 45.1%. The confirmation of occurrence of other species that produce toxins such as A. niger and A. tamarii which also produces cyclopiazonic acid suggests the need to screen peanuts for other carcinogenic mycotoxins.

DNA barcoding has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of taxonomy, transforming the way we identify and classify species. This review article aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the advancements in DNA barcoding techniques, their applications, and their impact on taxonomy and biodiversity studies. We will explore the evolution of DNA barcoding, the development of standardized barcode regions, and the challenges and limitations associated with this methodology. Additionally, we will delve into the diverse range of taxonomic groups for which DNA barcoding has been applied, highlighting key case studies and their contributions to our understanding of biodiversity. Furthermore, we will discuss the integration of DNA barcoding with other molecular and bioinformatic approaches, such as metabarcoding and machine learning, to enhance species identification and biodiversity assessment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on how DNA barcoding is reshaping the field of taxonomy and its implications for conservation, ecology, and evolutionary biology.

Abstract: Global ecological concern regarding the transfer of fouling organisms to ship hulls is increasing. This study investigated the species composition, dominant species, distribution patterns, community structure, and life-cycle differences of hull-fouling macroinvertebrates on five research vessels (R/Vs: Isabu, Onnuri, Eardo, Jangmok 1, and Jangmok 2) operated by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST). Hull-fouling macroinvertebrates were collected three to five times on quadrats from the upper and middle sectors of the hull sides, bottom, and niche areas (the propellers and shafts and the thrusters). A total of 47 macroinvertebrate species were identified, represented by 8,519 individuals(ind.)/m2 and a biomass of 1,967 gWWt/m2 on the five vessels. The number of species, density, and biomass were greater on the coastal vessels the Eardo, Jangmok 1, and Jangmok 2 than on the ocean-going vessels the Isabu and Onnuri. Among the coastal vessels, barnacles were the most abundant and had the greatest density, while mollusks had the highest biomass. Differences between hull sectors showed that the highest species abundance and density appeared on all hulls in ports and bays where the Jangmok 1 operated, while the highest species abundance, density, and biomass were identified in the niche areas of the Eardo, which operated farther from the coast. The hull-fouling macroinvertebrates that exceeded 1% of all organisms were the barnacles Amphibalanus amphitrite, Balanus trigonus, and Amphibalanus improvisus; the polychaete Hydroides ezoensis; the bivalves Magallana gigas and Mytilus galloprovincialis; and the amphipod Jassa slatteryi. The dominant species were cosmopolitan and globally distributed, and many of them were cryptogenic. Six native species were identified: M. gigas, H. ezoensis, the amphipod Melita koreana, the isopod Cirolana ko-reana, and the barnacle B. trigonus and F. kondakovi. Eight non-indigenous species (NIS) were de-tected: barnacles A. amphitrite and A. improvisus, the bivalve M. galloprovincialis, the polychaete Perinereis nuntia, amphipods J. slatteryi and Caprella californica, and bryozoans Bugulina californica and Bugula neritina. Of the fouling macroinvertebrates found on the vessel hulls, 13% were native and 17% were NIS. The nMDS ordination analysis of the five vessels showed four clusters of fouling macroinvertebrate communities: two ocean clusters (the Isabu and Onnuri), one coastal cluster (the Eardo and Jangmok 2), and one local cluster (the Jangmok 1). More diverse communities developed on the hulls of vessels that operated locally rather than globally or in deep oceans. Spearman rank correlation showed that biological indices such as number of species, density, and biomass correlated highly and positively with the numbers of days on coastal operations and negatively with the number days on ocean operations. The species diversity index correlated positively with the total number of anchoring days and coastal operation days and negatively with the total number of operation days and ocean operation days. The macroinvertebrates differed by the area of operation, the port of anchorage, the number of days in operation and at anchor, and the hull sectors. There is no previous research data on hull-fouling macroinvertebrates in the Republic of Korea, and this study provides a basis for future studies to identify introduced species and their differences based on operation area.

The rapid development of LiDAR technology has promoted great changes in forest resource surveys. The airborne LiDAR point cloud can provide precise tree height and detailed vertical structure of the tree stands. Coordinating some representative ground sample plots, LiDAR can be used to estimate key forest resource indicators such as forest stock volume, diameter at breast height, and forest biomass at a large scale. By establishing relationship models between the forest parameters of sample plots and the calculated parameters of LiDAR, these developments may eventually expand the models to large-scale forest resource surveys of entire areas. In this study, eight sample plots in northeast China are used to verify and update the information using point cloud obtained by the LiDAR scanner riegl-vq-1560i. Firstly, the tree crowns are segmented using the profile-rotating algorithm, and dominant trees height are used to check and rectify the tree locations. Secondly, considering the correlation between forestry parameters and tree species, we establish models to distinguish between species using geometric characteristics of tree crowns. Thirdly, when the tree species is known, parameters such as height, crown width, diameter at breast height, biomass and stock volume can be extracted from trees. The prediction models of forestry parameters can also be verified, which can be extended to accurate large-scale forestry surveys based on LiDAR data. Finally, experiment results demonstrate that the F-score of the eight plots in the tree segmentation exceed 0.95, the accuracy of tree species correction exceeds 90%, and the R2 of tree height, east-west canopy width, north-south canopy width, diameter at breast height, above-ground biomass and stock volume are 0.893, 0.757, 0.694, 0.840, 0.896 and 0.891, respectively. The above results indicate that the LiDAR-based estimation of forestry parameters is practical and that these forestry parameter prediction models can be widely applied in forest resource monitoring.

Modifiable THz spectral shapes are important tools that facilitate the comprehensive study of phonon dynamics in condensed matter systems. The generation of narrow bandwidth THz spectra with tunable center frequency which are suitable THz forms needed to achieve such objectives are currently less studied from the table top laser-induced plasma emitters’ perspective. This experimental research is aimed at developing a robust two-color laser induced plasma set-up comprising of a temporal pulse stretcher and an Optical Parametric Amplifier that generates chirped and wavelength tunable pulses respectively. By focusing and independently controlling the ω and 2ω arms of the chirped pulses resulting after the interaction with a β-BBO crystal, I aim to generate narrow bandwidth THz signal (from plasma) scalable at MV/cm intensity and tunable in a wide THz spectral range, in addition to varying the frequency ratio mix.

In this short communication, we conducted first-principles calculations to explore the stability of boron monochalcogenides (BX, X=S, Se or Te), as a new class of two-dimensional (2D) materials. We predicted BX monolayers with two different atomic stacking sequences of ABBA and ABBC, referred in this work to 2H and 1T, respectively. Analysis of phonon dispersions confirm the dynamical stability of BX nanosheets with the both 2H and 1T atomic lattices. Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal the outstanding thermal stability of all predicted monolayers at high temperatures over 1500 K. BX structures were found to exhibit high elastic modulus and tensile strengths. It was found that BS and BTe nanosheets can show high stretchability, comparable to that of the graphene. It was found that all predicted monolayers exhibit semiconducting electronic character, in which 2H structures present lower band-gaps as compared with 1T lattices. The band-gap values were found to decrease from BS to BTe. According to the HSE06 results, 1T-BS and 2H-BTe show respectively, the maximum (4.0 eV) and minimum (2.06 eV) electronic band-gaps. This investigation introduces boron monochalcogenides as a novel class of 2D semiconductors with remarkable thermal, dynamical and mechanical stability.

In this study novel recommendations are presented and substantiated for selecting the number of modes and optical thicknesses of flat lattice slabs that make up the microreliefs, which minimize the computational complexity of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis calculation of the diffraction efficiency (DE) of a sawtooth two-layer two-relief microstructure, while maintaining the specified reliability of the calculation results. The computational complexity can be controlled by allowing one or another level of oscillation of the DE curves depend on the angle of incidence of the radiation incident on the microstructure. In particular, the complexity of the multi-thousand DE calculations in the optimization process can be reduced by using the proposed methodology as well as increased computational complexity to certify the accuracy of the solution obtained as a result of implemented optimization.

Sarocladium and Fusarium species are commonly identified as causal agents of rice sheath rot disease worldwide. However, limited knowledge exists about their genetic, pathogenic, and toxigenic diversity in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, where an increasing incidence of this disease has been observed. This study aimed at identifying, characterizing, as well as assessing the genetic, pathogenic, and toxigenic diversity of the pathogens associated with rice sheath rot disease in Mali, Nigeria, and Rwanda. In this study seventy fungal isolates were obtained from rice plants displaying disease symptoms on research and farmer’s fields in Mali, Nigeria, and Rwanda. Thus, an extensive comparative analysis was conducted to assess their genetic, pathogenic, and toxigenic diversity. The Fusarium spp. were characterized using the translation elongation factor (EF-1α) region, while a concatenation of Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Actin-encoding regions were used to resolve Sarocladium species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four Fusarium species complexes. The dominant complex in Nigeria was the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC), comprising F. hainanense, F. sulawesiense, F. pernambucatum, and F. tanahbumbuense, while F. incarnatum was found in Rwanda. The Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) was predominant in Rwanda and Mali, with species such as F. andiyazi, F. madaense, and F. casha in Rwanda, and F. annulatum and F. nygamai in Mali. F. marum was found in Nigeria. Furthermore, Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) members, F. callistephi and F. triseptatum, were found in Rwanda and Mali, respectively. Two isolates of F. acasiae-mearnsii, belonging to the Fusarium sambucinum species complex (FSAMSC) were obtained in Rwanda. Isolates of Sarocladium which were previously classified in three phylogenetic groups were resolved into three species which are: attenuatum, oryzae and sparsum. S. attenuatum was dominant in Rwanda, while S. oryzae and S. sparsum were found in Nigeria. Also, the susceptibility of FARO44, a rice cultivar released by Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice) was tested against isolates from the four Fusarium species complexes and the three Sarocladium species. All isolates evaluated could induce typical sheath rot symptoms albeit with varying disease development levels. In addition, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine variation in the in vitro mycotoxins of the Fusarium species. Regional differences were observed in the in vitro mycotoxins profiling. Out of the forty-six isolates tested, nineteen were able to produce one to four mycotoxins. Notably, very high zearalenone (ZEN) production was specific to the two F. hainanense isolates from Ibadan-Nigeria, while Fusarium nygamai isolates from Mali produced high amounts of fumonisins. To the best of our knowledge, it seems this study is the first to elucidate genetic, pathogenic, and toxigenic diversity of Fusarium species associated with the rice sheath rot disease complex in selected countries in SSA.

Reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species in semen are both essential for fertilization process; however, they become harmful at excessive levels, causing oxidative stress and nitrosative stress, respectively. Recently, oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) has been used as a marker for measuring oxidative stress, and this study investigated the possibility of comprehensively evaluating nitrosative stress. The correlation between standardized ORP (sORP) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and NOx per unit sperm was tested. Based on the previously reported cutoff value, samples were classified into oxidative stress-positive and negative groups. Thereafter, a receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn on 8-OHdG and NOx, and each optimal cutoff value was determined. Both standardized 8-OHdG and NOx significantly correlated with sORP. Although both correlated significantly with sORP in the oxidative stress group, no correlation was found in the nonoxidative stress group. The optimal standardized 8-OHdG level to determine oxidative stress status was 0.52 ng/106 spermatozoa, and the standardized NOx was 0.17 µM/106 spermatozoa/mL. The ORP is a simpler and quicker assay that can comprehensively assess oxidative and nitrosative stresses. Optimal cutoff values for both stresses were established in this study.

The Kenya Forestry Service permits rental of low-density national forest areas for use as common farmland, but public access to such areas is restricted to prevent deforestation against a background of rising demand for fuel wood. This study was conducted to clarify characteristics relating to the production of indigenous bamboo (a useful wood resource) by the approximately 23% of locals who work on common farmland in central Kenya’s Kamae forest management area, with estimation to determine above-ground biomass. The results showed that bamboo still represents 60% of such biomass, indicating sustainability in the industry.

Background: The diversity of butterflies relies on the accessibility of food plants and the quality of their habitat. Methods: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diversity butterfly based on latent GLM in 3 different Habitat. At the same time, we perform the step construction of Tweedie Distribution both in species levels and individual level. Results: Our finding can be shown by accuracy AIC, AICc, and BIC. Conclusions: In modelling with latent glm tweedie it can conclude that the our model is suitable for use at the species or individual level.

DNA damage causes the mutations that are the principal source of genetic variation. DNA damage detection and repair mechanisms therefore play a determining role in generating the genetic diversity on which natural selection acts. Speciation, it is commonly assumed, occurs at a rate set by the level of standing allelic diversity in a population. The process of speciation is driven by a combination of two evolutionary forces: genetic drift and ecological selection. Genetic drift takes place under conditions of relaxed selection, and results in a balance between rates of mutation and rates of genetic substitution. These two processes, drift and selection, are necessarily mediated by a variety of mechanisms guaranteeing genome stability in any given species. One of the outstanding questions in evolutionary biology concerns the origin of the widely varying phylogenetic distribution of biodiversity across the tree of life, and how the forces of drift and selection contribute to shaping that distribution. The following examines some of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome stability and the adaptive radiations that are associated with biodiversity and the widely varying species richness and evenness in the different eukaryotic lineages.

This overview of extant Siphonaptera lists 19 families with major hosts and general distribution, estimated numbers of genera, species, and subspecies, with a brief taxonomic and phylogenetic review. With around 10 new species described annually, global flea fauna has an estimated extant 249 genera, 2215 species, and 714 subspecies, mostly mammal parasites but 5% of species are on birds. Host specificity varies from euryxenous (i.e. infesting two or more host orders)(e.g. cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis felis) to monoxenous (e.g. rabbit fleas, Spilopsyllus cuniculi) . The largest family is the paraphyletic Hystrichopsyllidae, making up a third of all flea species. The largest monophyletic family, Ceratophyllidae (rodent and bird fleas), comprise another 20%, and has dispersed to every continent including Antarctica. Fleas descend from scorpionflies (Mecoptera), possibly snow scorpionflies (Boreidae) or Nannochoristidae, and even giant fossils found from the Mesozoic could be Siphonaptera. Flea diversification shows evidence of taxon cycles: "Relict" families such as helmet fleas (Stephanocircidae) have a disjunct distribution reflecting the breakup of Gondwanaland, 70 million years ago. "Niche specialists" include nest fleas (Anomiopsyllus), bat fleas (Ischnopsyllidae), and burrowing fleas, the chigoes (Tungidae). By contrast, Ceratophyllidae fleas could be considered "great speciators". Cat fleas and several other synanthropic flea species are invasive "supertramps". Although those species are intensively studied, many flea species and their hosts require urgent surveys and conservation.

The Maximum Entropy Theory of Ecology, or METE, is a theoretical framework of macroecology that makes a variety of realistic ecological predictions about how species richness, abundance of species, metabolic rate distributions, and spatial aggregation of species interrelate in a given region. In the METE framework, "ecological state variables" (representing total area, total species richness, total abundance, and total metabolic energy) describe macroecological properties of an ecosystem. METE incorporates these state variables into constraints on underlying probability distributions. The method of Lagrange multipliers and maximization of information entropy (MaxEnt) lead to predicted functional forms of distributions of interest. We demonstrate how information entropy is maximized for the general case of a distribution, which has empirical information that provides constraints on the overall predictions. We then show how METE’s two core functions are derived. These functions, called the "Spatial Structure Function" and the "Ecosystem Structure Function" are the core pieces of the theory, from which all the predictions of METE follow (including the Species Area Distribution, the Species Abundance Distribution, and various metabolic distributions). Primarily, we consider the discrete distributions predicted by METE.We also explore the parameter space defined by the METE’s state variables and Lagrange multipliers. We aim to provide a comprehensive resource for ecologists who want to understand the derivations and assumptions of basic mathematical structure of METE.

Motivated by the increasing need of optimised micro-devices for droplets production in medical and biological applications, this paper introduces an integrated approach for the study of the liquid-liquid droplet creation in flow-focusing micro cross-junctions. The micro-junction considered is characterised by a restriction of the channels cross-sections in the junction, which has the function of focusing the flow in the region of the droplet formation. The problem is studied numerically in OpenFOAM environment and validated by the comparison with experimental results obtained by high-speed camera images and micro-PIV measurements. The analysis of the forces acting on the dispersed phase during the droplet formation and the diameter of the droplets obtained numerically are considered for the development of a model of the droplet breakup under the squeezing regime. On the basis of energy balancing during the breakup, a relation between interfacial tension, the size of the cross-sections in the junction, and the time interval needed for droplet creation is obtained, which yields a novel correlation between the dimensionless length of the droplet and the dimensionless flow rate. This correlation is general and can be used to predict the droplet diameters produced by similar micro-junctions with different aspect ratios and extended to different geometries of flow-focusing micro-junctions.

This study explores how the properties of heater materials impact nucleate pool boiling using a comprehensive simulation model. The model integrates well-known heat transfer mechanisms, allowing us to assess the effects of two distinct heater materials. Findings indicate that materials with higher thermal conductivity, such as copper, notably improve refrigeration efficiency in nucle- ate boiling. The study provides insights into the relationship between bubble growth, microlayer recovery beneath a bubble, temperature fluctuations, and heater properties. Comparisons between copper and silicon oxide underscore variations in bubble frequency, attributed to differences in bubble growth time, microlayer recovery time, and material-dependent behavior. The influence of neighboring bubbling sites, especially pronounced in silicon oxide due to its low thermal conductivity and diffusivity, was observed. Temperature variations in such materials became highly visible due to their significant inertia in recovery. Simulation results align well with empirical correlations, confirming the model’s versatility in capturing the intricate phenomena of nucleate pool boiling.

We carry out in a thin heterogeneous porous layer, the multiscale analysis of Smoluchowski's discrete diffusion-coagulation equations describing the evolution density of diffusing particles that are subject to coagulate in pairs. Assuming that the thin heterogeneous layer is made of microstructures that are uniformly distributed inside, we obtain in the limit an upscaled model in lower space dimension. We also prove a corrector-type result very useful in numerical computations. In view of the thin structure of the domain, we appeal to a concept of two-scale convergence adapted to thin heterogeneous media to achieve our goal.

Classical numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations often produce less accurate results when applied to problems with oscillatory or periodic behaviour. To adapt them for such problems, they are usually modified using the exponential fitting technique. This adaptation allows for the construction of new methods from their classical counterparts. The new methods are usually more accurate, efficient and suitable for handling the oscillatory or periodic behaviour of the problem. In this work, we construct a two-parameter exponentially-fitted Taylor method suitable for solving oscillatory or periodic problems that possess two frequencies. The construction algorithm is based on a proposed six-step flowchart discussed by authors in related literature. Two standard test problems were used to illustrate the accuracy and performance of the proposed method.

The generalized dual-kinetic-balance approach for axially symmetric systems is employed to solve the two-center Dirac problem. The spectra of one-electron homonuclear quasimolecules are calculated and compared with the previous calculations. The analysis of the monopole approximation with two different choices of the origin is performed. Special attention is paid to the lead and xenon dimers, Pb82+–Pb82+–e− and Xe54+–Xe54+–e−, where the energies of the ground and several excited σ-states are presented in the wide range of internuclear distances. The developed method provides the quasicomplete finite basis set and allows for construction of the perturbation theory, including within the bound-state QED.

Light-gated ion channel and ion pump rhodopsins are widely used as optogenetic tools and these can control the electrically excitable cells as: (1) they are a single-component system i.e., their sensor and effector functions are encoded by the 7-transmembrane domains and (2) they show fast kinetics with small dark-thermal recovery time. In cellular signaling, a signal receptor, modulator and effector components are involved for attaining synchronous multicomponent regulation. Optical modulation of this network requires either receptor to effector encoded in a single ORF or direct modulation of the effector domain through bypassing all upstream players. Recently discovered modular rhodopsins like rhodopsin guanine cyclase (RhoGC) and rhodopsin phosphodiesterase (RhoPDE) paves the way to establish proof of concept. Light sensor coupled modular system could be expressed in a precise cell type and which holds great potential in the advancement of optogenetics 2.0. It would enable manipulating entire relevant cell signaling system. Here, we had identified 50 novels modular rhodopsins with variant rhodopsins domain and its diverse cognate signaling cascades encoded in a single ORF, which are associated with specialized functions in the cells. These novel modular algal rhodopsins have been characterized functionality based on their sequence and structural homology with previously characterized rhodopsins. Presented novel modular rhodopsins with various effector domains hold potential to expand optogenetics tool kit to regulate various cellular signaling pathways across the diverse biological model systems.

Conventional method for monitoring the IgG levels suffered from some apparent problems such as long assay time, multistep processing, and high overall cost. An effective and suitable optical platform for label-free biosensing has been investigated by the implementation of antibody/antigen immunoassays. Thus, the ultrasensitive detection of IgG levels can be achieved by exploiting the dispersion turning point (DTP) existed in the tapered two-mode fibers (TTMFs) due to the sensitivity will reach ±∞ on either side of the DTP. Tracking the resonant wavelength shift it was found that the fabricated TTMF device exhibited limits of detection (LOD) down up to concentrations of 10 fg/mL of IgG in PBS solution. Such immunosensors based on the DTP have great significance on trace detection of IgG due to simple detection scheme, quick response time, and miniaturation.

The potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of tuna in Pacific Island Countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones have yet to be investigated rigorously, and so their persistence and abundance in these areas remain uncertain. Here, we estimate optimal fisheries areas for four tuna species; Albacore (Thunnus alalunga), Bigeye (Thunnus obesus), Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), and Yellowfin (Thunnus albacares). We consider different climate change scenarios, RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5, within a set of tuna catch records in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Tonga. Using environmental and CPUE datasets, species distribution modelling estimated and predicted these fisheries areas in the current and future climatic scenarios. Our projections indicate an expansion in area and a shift of productive areas to the southern part of this Exclusive Economic Zone of Tonga. This is an indication that future climatic scenarios might be suitable for the species under study however, changes in trophic layers, ocean currents and ocean chemistry might alter this finding. Information provided here will be relevant in planning future national actions towards proper management of these species.

Species distribution models have become tools of great importance in ecology since the advanced knowledge of suitable habitat of species is needed in the process of the world's biodiversity conservation. Models that use presence-only data are of great interests and are widely used in ecology due to their easy access. However, these models do not estimate accurately the true spatial species distribution based solely on presence-only data since they do not account for biases induced by the sampling techniques used and imperfect detection. To address this gap, Hierarchical integrated models have been recently introduced. Through this study, we assessed the relative performance of these new SDMs models using simulated data. The performance of the models was tested by comparing the estimates of parameters of the distribution models they provide with parameters used to simulate the distribution of the virtual species. The best model was the one whose estimates were close to the true distribution parameters of the virtual species. Results showed that analyzing Presence-only data in conjunction with Point-counts data through the Dorazio's Hierarchical model produced estimates of the coecients of the species intensity models with high precision and less bias while the Koshkina integrated model showed poor performance. Site-occupancy data, being not informative of species abundance, did not allow reducing biases in Presence-only data. The Dorazio's Hierarchical model produced estimates with high precision even with low detection probability. We have also found that the species rarity tends to in ate the variability of the models' estimates making modelling abundant species to be more accurate than modelling less abundant species. Hence, to model the species distribution with high precision based on Presence-only data, additional Point-counts data are required to account for sampling bias and imperfect detection.

1. Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis predicts that alien species closely related to native species are less likely to naturalize because of strong competition due to niche overlap. Closely related species are likely to attract similar herbivores and to release similar plant volatiles following herbivore attack, thus could attract the same predators. However, the importance of phylogenetic relatedness on the interaction between alien and native plants has never been tested in a multitrophic context. 2. In a mesocosm experiment we grew six alien target plant species alone and in competition with nine native plant species of varying phylogenetic relatedness. To test the effects of multitrophic interactions on the performance of alien target species, we used enclosure cages to expose plants to the presence and absence of herbivorous arthropods, predatory arthropods and nematodes. 3. Surprisingly, biomass and number of flowering structures increased with presence of competitors for some of the alien species, but overall there was no consistent competition effect. Similarly, we found that none of the multitrophic-interaction treatments affected survival, biomass or number of flowering structures of the alien species. 4. We conclude there was no significant relationship between performance measures of the alien species and their phylogenetic relatedness to the native competitors.

The aim of this research was to investigate the mass, substances and energy flow through two-stroke low speed Diesel engines. For this reason, a zero-dimensional model of the combustion in the engine was developed with a calculated amount and composition of exhaust gases. Due to the large amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases, a ratio of real air consumption and stoichiometric amount of air required for combustion of injected fuel was set. The calculated ratio showed that the engine consumes four times more air than needed for combustion in AFR_stoich. In this work it is called the Air Consumption Factor or Ratio and has not been mentioned in scientific literature before. Air Consumption Ratio is defined as a factor of dry or humid air. To be more comprehensive, a modified diagram of composition of the flow in and out of a two-stroke fuel injection engine and the cylinder was drawn.

Calicioids form a research field that has encompassed ascomycetous fungi with stalked ascomata similar to those of the lichen genus Calicium. Early generic circumscriptions in calicioid lichens and fungi were mainly based on morphological and secondary chemistry information. After the introduction of molecular data, taxonomy in the group has been reconsidered. Here, based on a broad geographical sampling, Coniocybe Ach. was revised using molecular and morphological features. Three loci (ITS, LSU and rpb1) were compared to infer its phylogenetic position, and a total of 52 new sequences (14 ITS, 24 LSU and 14 rpb1) were produced. Coniocybe was revised and emended to include, apart for its type C. furfuracea, also C. brachypoda and C. confusa. In addition, a new species Coniocybe eufuracea, was described, and a key to the species of Coniocybe provided.

This review explores the combination of renewable energy production and agriculture through agrivoltaic, with a focus on its impact on fruit crops. As the world seeks alternatives to fossil fuels, agrivoltaics offers a promising solution by integrating solar panels with farming practices. The study examines various agrivoltaic configurations with different fruit crops, emphasizing their influence on microclimatic conditions beneath the panels and the effects on crop produc-tion. In particular, it underscores the need for tailored solutions to balance energy yield and crop productivity and quality, with different shading levels affecting fruit quality/production. De-spite ongoing research, a comprehensive understanding of agrivoltaics' potential benefits and challenges remains crucial for its successful application and implementation in sustainable ag-riculture.

Activity of the Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase complex depends on the activator NoxA1 and the organizer NoxO1. NoxO1 itself is not involved in electron transfer for superoxide formation. Instead, by creating proximity of all components in the right place NoxO1 enables a constitutive formation of reactive oxygen species by that complex. All subunits should form the complex in a 1:1:1 ratio. When analyzing different cell lines in this study, we found an unequal expression of the component on mRNA level with an excess of NoxO1. Even with plasmid-based overexpression of individual components of Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase complex results in different expression of their mRNA, with NoxO1 mRNA being best expressed. Despite an unchanged high level of NoxO1 mRNA over a wide range of transfected plasmid, protein expression is increased with accelerating plasmid concentrations. We thought to analyze the ability of NoxO1 to induce ROS formation, when present in different ratio to Nox1 and NoxA1. To this end, we used Hek293 cells with constitutive expression of Nox1 and NoxA1 transfected with increasing concentrations of NoxO1. Our results suggest that ROS formation by the Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase strongly depends on the level of NoxO1 and a surplus of NoxO1 further increases the activity of the complex.

Antifungal agents are not always efficient in resolving vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), a common genital infection caused by overgrowth of Candida spp., including Candida albicans, or preventing recurrent infections. Although lactobacilli (which are dominant microorganisms constituting healthy human vaginal microbiota) are important barriers against VVC, the Lactobacillus metabolite concentration needed to suppress VVC is unknown. Therefore, we quantitatively evaluated Lactobacillus metabolite concentrations to determine their effect on Candida spp., including 27 vaginal strains of Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Limosilactobacillus vaginalis, with inhibitory abilities against biofilms of Candida clinical isolates. Lactobacillus culture supernatants suppressed viable bacteria by approximately 24%-92% relative to preformed Candida biofilms, but their suppression differed between strains, not species. Lactate production was necessary to suppress preformed biofilms and hyphal elongation of C. albicans, whereas hydrogen peroxide was not always essential. Both lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide were required to suppress Candida planktonic cell growth. Lactobacillus strains that significantly inhibited biofilm formation in culture supernatant also inhibited Candida adhesion to epithelial cells in an actual live bacterial adhesion competition test. Healthy human microflora and their metabolites may play important roles in the development of new antifungal agent against VVC caused by C. albicans.

Substantial resources are invested in conservation of marine biodiversity globally. Fishing is the primary threat to many marine species and is one we can manage. However, threatened marine species are legally caught in industrial fisheries. To determine the magnitude and extent of this problem, we analysed global fisheries catch and import data and found reported catch records of 91 globally threatened species, thirteen of which are traded internationally. Seventy-three species targeted in industrial fisheries account for 99% of threatened species catch volume and value. Our results are a conservative estimate of threatened species catch and trade because we only consider species-level data, excluding group records; for example, we omit ‘sharks and rays,’ which represents over 200 threatened species. Although most fishing countries are involved in catch or trade of threatened species, it is driven largely by European nations. On land and for charismatic marine animals (e.g., whales), industrial-scale harvest of species at risk of extinction is controversial and usually highly regulated. In contrast, fishing for endangered fish and invertebrates is widespread but poorly documented. Given the development of new fisheries monitoring technologies and the current push for stronger international mechanisms for biodiversity management, industrial fishing of threatened fish and invertebrates should no longer be neglected in conservation and sustainability commitments.

There are many types of coronavirus on the bases of important hosts including human, rat, turkey, rabbit, etc. The virus looks like a crown or corona of the sun with its round projection, spike. Now a day, newly emerged coronavirus disease (COVID 19) was first detected at Wuhan, China in December 2019 and it became a public health emergency international concern. Although a couple of researches has been conducting, much secretes of the virus and disease is still not understood and not reached a common understanding yet. However, sharing basic information is crucial based on the existing published research articles and updated information. Therefore, this review aimed to draw attention to the COVID 19 pandemic facts, opportunities, and challenges based on up to date information on cases in Ethiopia. Accordingly, the coronavirus is a single-stranded, non-segmented RNA genome virus. Two third of the genome (5'end) consists of two genes that code nonstructural proteins and the other 2-7 genes (3' end) code structural proteins including spike, envelope, membrane, and nucleocapsid. The virus transmits from animal to human and suggested as it might be originated from a bat and/or seafood. Coronavirus transmit human to human by direct contact and droplets during coughing and sneezing and common symptoms like fever, dry cough, and tiredness, short breathing, etc. can be seen from the patient. So that stay at home and social distancing are the most practicing pre-prevention methods. The disease causes high economic loss, face to face education closure, community cultural practice, and mass gathering activities are prohibited. However, various charity associations and creativities found increase than before. To this end, peoples should accept and follow governmental advice and instructions to escape from the pandemic.

Questions: Elevation, biodiversity, and forest structure are commonly correlated, but their relationships near the positive extremes of biodiversity and elevation are unclear. We asked 1) How does forest structure vary with elevation in a high biodiversity, high topographic complexity region? 2) Does forest structure predict vascular plant biodiversity? 3) Is plant biodiversity more strongly related to elevation or to forest structure? Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USAMethods: We used terrestrial LiDAR scanning (TLS) to characterize vegetation structure in 12 forest plots. We combined two new canopy structural complexity metrics with traditional TLS-derived forest structural metrics and vascular plant biodiversity data to investigate correlations among forest structure metrics, biodiversity, and elevation. Results: Forest structure varied widely across plots spanning the elevational range of GRSM. Our new measures of canopy density (Depth) and structural complexity (σDepth) were sensitive to structural variations and effectively summarized horizontal and vertical dimensions of structural complexity. Vascular plant biodiversity was negatively correlated with elevation, and more strongly positively correlated with vegetation structure variables. Conclusions: The strong correlations we observed between canopy structural complexity and biodiversity suggest that structural complexity metrics could be used to assay plant biodiversity over large areas in concert with airborne and spaceborne platforms.

This paper presents a new algorithm for semi-supervised action recognition using adaptive feature analysis. We model the samples of the same action as the same manifold and those of different actions as different manifolds, and integrate feature correlation mining and visual similarity mining into a joint framework. By maximizing the separability between different classes based on the labeled data, the proposed algorithm learns multiple features from labeled data and utilizes the intrinsic geometric structure of the data distribution between labeled and unlabeled data to boost the recognition. We introduce Projected Barzilai-Borwein (PBB) to train a subspace projection matrix as classifier. Extensive experiments on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms the existing semi-supervised action recognition algorithms when there are a few labeled training samples.

When there is uncertainty in the value of parameters of the input random components of a stochastic simulation model, two-level nested simulation algorithms are used to estimate the expectation of performance variables of interest. In the outer level of the algorithm (n) observations are generated for the parameters, and in the inner level (m) observations of the simulation model are generated with the value of parameters fixed at the value generated in the outer level. In this article, we consider the case in which the observations at both levels of the algorithm are independent, showing how the variance of the observations can be decomposed into the sum of a parametric variance and a stochastic variance. Next, we derive central limit theorems that allow us to compute asymptotic confidence intervals to assess the accuracy of the simulation-based estimators for the point forecast and the variance components. Under this framework, we derive analytical expressions for the point forecast and the variance components of a Bayesian model to forecast sporadic demand; and we use these expressions to illustrate the validity of our theoretical results by performing simulation experiments using this forecast model.

Melanoma is a type of highly malignant and metastatic skin cancer. In situ molecular imaging of endogenous levels of the melanoma biomarker tyrosinase (TYR) may decrease the likelihood of mortality. In this study we proposed the weakly fluorescent probe 1-(4-(2-(4-(dicyanomethylene)-4H-chromen-2-yl)vinyl)phenyl)-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)urea (DCM-HBU), which releases a strong red-shifted fluorescent signal after a TYR-mediated oxidation followed by hydrolysis of the urea linkage. The large Stokes shift of the dye is owed to the recovery of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect. The resulting probe derivate shows a highly ratiometric fluorescence output. Furthermore, the simultaneous excitation by two near-infrared (NIR) photons of the released DCM-NH2 fluorophore could avoid the usual drawbacks, such as cellular absorption, autofluorescence and light scattering, due to an usually short wavelength of the excitation light on biological systems, resulting in images with deeper tissue penetration. In addition, the probe is useful for the quantitative sensing of TYR activity in vivo, as demonstrated in zebrafish larvae. This new ratiometric two photon NIR fluorescent probe is expected to be useful for the accurate detection of TYR in complex biosystems at greater depths than other one-photon excited fluorescent probes.

We define degree of dependence of two events A and B in a probability space by using Boltzmann-Shannon entropy function of an appropriate probability distribution produced by these events and depending on one parameter (the probability of intersection of A and B) varying within a closed interval I. The entropy function attains its global maximum when the events A and B are independent. The important particular case of discrete uniform probability space motivates this definition in the following way. The entropy function has a minimum at the left endpoint of I exactly when one of the events and the complement of the other are connected with the relation of inclusion (maximal negative dependence). It has a minimum at the right endpoint of I exactly when one of these events is included in the other (maximal positive dependence). Moreover, the deviation of the entropy from its maximum is equal to average information that carries one of the binary trials defined by A and B with respect to the other. As a consequence, the degree of dependence of A and B can be expressed in terms of information theory and is invariant with respect to the choice of unit of information. Using this formalism, we describe completely the screening tests and their reliability, measure efficacy of a vaccination, the impact of some events from the financial markets to other events, etc.

Increasing market participation among smallholder farmers have a big potential to uplift living standards of poor through increasing production and consumption pattern. Although, smallholder farming made 95% of total crop production in Ethiopia, they are exposed to a marketing bottleneck that hinders benefits from their produce. The objective of this study was analyzing factors determining smallholder Teff farmer decision to participate in output market and level of marketed output.The study used data from 190 respondents from four selected Teff dominant kebeles of Gena-Bossa districts in Dawro Zone, through structured questioner. This investigation was imperative because no adequate research has been done in study area in examining the hindering factors of farmers’ market participation. Moreover, in the prior study, different authors come up with varied outcomes in diverse country and geographic location concerning poor farmers’ market participation decision. The descriptive statistics and Heckman two stage econometric methods were employed to analyze data collected from sampled household. The significance of coefficient of inverse Mill’s ratio ( ) indicates the presence of self-selection bias and the effectiveness of applying Heckman two stage model. The results of study show that the smallholder decision to participate in output market were positively influenced by size of land holding, availability of family labor force, education status of household head, accessibility of credit service and access to market price information. On the other hand, size of family member, sex of house hold head being female and distance to market place discourage probability of Teff farmer market participation decision. Moreover, the second stage estimation reveals that, the education status of house hold head, size of farm land, amount of Teff crop produced, accessibility of market information, the size of family labor force and being member to farm cooperative increase the quantity of marketable output, whereas, large number of family size decline the level of Teff crops marketed. The policy that assist poor farmers in obtaining market skills; create affordable credit service; strengthen community based producer groups and capacitating the females socially and economically in the community believed to minimize the problems encountering small farmers in a way to market their crop

Atoms in Molecules (AIM), Natural Bond Orbital (NBO), and normal coordinate analysis have been carried out at the global minimum structures of TH₅⁺ (T = C/Si/Ge). All these analyses lead to a consistent structure for these three protonated TH₄ molecules. The CH₅⁺ has a structure with three short and two long C-H covalent bonds and no H-H bond. Hence, the popular characterization of protonated methane as a weakly bound CH₃⁺ and H₂ is inconsistent with these results. However, SiH₅⁺ and GeH₅⁺ are both indeed a complex formed between TH₃⁺ and H₂ stabilized by a tetrel bond, with the H₂ being the tetrel bond acceptor. The three-center-two-electron bond (3c-2e) in CH₅⁺ has an open structure, which can be characterized as a V-type 3c-2e bond and that found in SiH₅⁺ and GeH₅⁺ is a T-type 3c-2e bond. This difference could be understood based on the typical C-H, Si-H, Ge-H and H-H bond energies. Moreover, this structural difference observed in TH₅⁺ can explain the trend in proton affinity of TH₄. Carbon is selective in forming a ‘tetrel bond’ and when it does, it might be worthwhile to highlight it as a ‘carbon bond’.

The dynamics of a spherical particle in an asymmetric serpentine is studied by finite element method (FEM) simulations in a physically unconstrained system. The two-way coupled time dependent solutions illustrate the path of the particle along a curve where a secondary flow (Dean flow) has developed. The simulated conditions were adjusted to match those of an experiment for which particles were focused under inertial focusing conditions. The obtained rotational modes allowed to infer the influence of the local flow around the particle. We propose a new approach to find the decoupled secondary flow contribution employing a quasi-Stokes flow.

In this letter, it is proposed that cryogenic quantum bits could operate based on the nonlinearity due to the quantum capacitance of two-dimensional Dirac materials, and in particular graphene. The anharmonicity of a typical superconducting quantum bit is calculated and the sensitivity of quantum bit frequency and anharmonicty with respect to temperature are found. Reasonable estimates reveal that a careful fabrication process could reveal the expected properties, thus putting the context of quantum computing hardware into new perspectives.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) pose one of the most significant threats to native biodiversity. Swietenia macrophylla, or big leaf mahogany, is among the most threatening invasive plants in the Philippines. This article aimed to formally document the presence of S. macrophylla along the edges of Mt. Banahaw de Nagcarlan, a protected area on Luzon Island, Philippines. The study also sought to identify the management strategies being implemented by various government institutions for addressing big leaf mahogany and other invasive plants. A total of 1591 individuals of S. macrophylla were documented in mixed land-use areas and roadsides. These were found to have been introduced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 1991 as a reforestation species. Fortunately, no individuals were observed beyond the buffer zone towards the protected area. The identification of management strategies for big leaf mahogany and other IAPS revealed that there is no established approach specifically addressing the presence of S. macrophylla at the site. However, some institutions advocate for the conservation of native plants through tree planting activities and educational campaigns. Furthermore, no collaborative efforts were observed among stakeholders and institutions. The results of this study highlight the urgent need for managing the S. macrophylla population. Planning and enforcement of strategies require collaborative efforts among stakeholders to prevent its entry into the protected area and ensure the preservation of native biodiversity.

The term “conservation,” as it relates to biodiversity in a Western context, has had a contested history and as conservation science and societal values have evolved, consensus over its precise meaning has remained elusive. The broad scope of contemporary definitions hampers effective communication during a period of environmental crisis and is troublesome for any derivative concept which aims to quantify the efforts of the conservation community. This presents an avoidable hindrance to the systematic planning of the conservation field. To remedy this situation, we provide an outcome separation framework that is based on the expected degree of separation of the action’s proximate outcome from its intended, ultimate outcome for native habitat and/or native or ecological replacement species. Framing a definition of conservation through this lens of outcome separation allows for conservation-related actions to be clearly categorized into one of three discrete tiers (primary, secondary, and tertiary) based on both the proximate outcome’s degree of separation from its intended, ultimate outcome and the conservation status of native habitat and/or native or ecological replacement species. A distillation of this tiered framework also provides a fully inclusive, succinct definition of biodiversity conservation that is resilient to future conceptual evolutions of the field.

During the last 150 years, the trout-culture industry focused on enhancing trout populations by stocking, in response to the growing anglers’ demand and the habitat degradation associated to the rapid urbanization and hydropower development. The industrialized north of Italy, home to the Italian Alpine and subalpine trout populations, is the source of most of the revenues of the national trout-culture industry. Its rapid growth and the massive introduction of non-native interfertile trouts eroded the genetic diversity of native lineages, leading to harsh confrontations between scientists, institutions, and sportfishing associations. We review here the state of art of the taxonomy and distribution of the northern Italian native trouts, presenting both scientific results and historical documentation. We think the only native trouts in this region are Salmo marmoratus, widespread in this region, plus small and fragmented populations of S. ghigii, present only in the Southwestern Alps. We strongly recommend the interruption of stocking of domesticated interfertile non-native trouts in this area, and recommend the adoption of Evolutionary Significant Units for salmonid fishery management. We further propose future research directions for a sustainable approach to the conservation and ecosystem management of the fishery resources and inland waters of northern Italy.

It is now well accepted that most chronic diseases have a common feature which is “low-grade” inflammation. Whether inflammation is causal or rather consequent to these diseases is still a matter of debate. A key factor of inflammation is considered to be “oxidative stress”, which is the result of an alteration of redox homeostasis which is critical for the regulation of physiological cell and organ metabolism and proliferation. The term “oxidative stress” is how-ever often used in an inappropriate manner as the primary target of the initial oxidative radical, superoxide ion, is nitric oxide which, being in large excess, acts as a “buffer”, yielding reactive nitrogen species. It is only once the superoxide fluxes exceed the nitric oxide fluxes that true “oxidative stress” occurs. Nitro-oxidative stress is a more appropriate term which takes into account the evolving generation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species and their effects on cell and organ pathophysiology. The molecular bases of redox homeostasis and nitro-oxidative stress will be presented and discussed using obesity-linked inflammation as a path-ophysiological example.

The coevolution of species drives diversity in animals and plants and contributes to natural selection, whereas in host–parasite coevolution, a parasite may complete an incomplete evolutionary/developmental function by utilizing the host cell’s machinery. Analysis of related older data suggests that Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), the pathogen of malaria tropica, cannot survive outside its human host because it is unable to perform the evolutionarily first protein glycosylation of serologically A-like, O-GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr-R, Tn antigen (“T nouvelle”) formation, owing to its inability for synthesizing the amino sugar N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc). This parasite breaks the species barrier via hijacking the host's physiological A-like/Tn formation through abundantly expressing serine residues and creating hybrid A-like/Tn structures, which in the human blood group O(H) are attacked by the germline-encoded nonimmune polyreactive immunoglobulin M (IgM), exerting the highly anti-A/B/H-aggressive isoagglutinin activities. These activities physiologically undergo the ABO(H) blood group phenotype formation, occurring on the surfaces of red blood cells (RBC), epithelial and endothelial cells and on plasma proteins by identical glycosylation, performed by the ABO(H)-allelic glycotransferases, phenotypically downregulating the anti-A/B/H-reactive IgM (isoagglutinin) activities in the non-O blood groups. ABO(H) phenotype diversity, this way glycosidically linked and molecularly connected to humoral immunity, becomes exposed to the evolution.

Photoacoustic imaging is attracting a great deal of interest owing to its distinct advantages over other imaging techniques such as fluorescence or magnetic resonance image. Availability of photoacoustic probes for reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) could shed light on a plethora of biological processes mediated by these key intermediates. Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) is a non-toxic and non-mutagenic colorless dye that develops a distinctive blue color upon oxidation. In this work we have investigated the potential of TMB as photoacoustic probe for ROS/RNS. Our results indicate that TMB reacts with hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen and nitrogen dioxide to produce the blue oxidation product, while ROS such as the superoxide radical anion, sodium peroxide, hydroxyl radical or peroxynitrite yield a colorless oxidation product. TMB does not penetrate Escherichia coli cytoplasm but is capable of detecting singlet oxygen generated in its outer membrane.

Understory plants are important components of forest ecosystem productivity and diversity. Compared to biomass models of overstory canopy trees, few are available for understory saplings and shrubs and therefore their roles in estimation of forest carbon pools are often ignored. In this study, we harvested 24 understory species including 4 saplings, 9 tree-like shrubs and 11 typical shrubs in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest in northeastern China and developed the best fit allometric equations of above- and below-ground and total biomass by species-specific or multispecies using morphological measurements of basal diameter, height and crown area as independent variables. The result showed that single basal diameter, height or crown area had good explanatory power for both species-specific and multispecies (p<0.001). The best-fit models included only basal diameter in sapling and tree-like shrubs, and combinations of crown area, height, and basal diameter in typical shrubs. The logarithmic model was most desired among the 4 model forms of linear, quadratic, multiple linear and logarithmic, for species-specific and multispecies. The models we developed should help the estimation of forest ecosystem carbon stocks, especially for belowground component, and provide tools for quantification of individual species biomass of understory plants.

Wind turbines are a solution for sustainable energy, significantly reducing carbon emissions and fostering a circular economy for more cost-effective and cleaner power generation, in line with worldwide environmental aspirations. In this context, this research aims to explore a novel Two-Stage Twisted Blade micro-Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ($\mu$-VAWT) alternative inspired by the Savonius Rotor (SR). This investigation utilizes the $\kappa-\omega$ SST turbulence model to explore the power coefficient ($C_P$) and torque coefficient ($C_T$), finding $C_P$ values ranging from 0.02 to 0.04 across the turbine by altering the free stream velocity ($V$). $C_T$ analysis further delves into four specific sections, highlighting areas of particular interest. These results are validated by examining velocity contours, pressure contours, and streamlines in four horizontal sections, demonstrating that the proposed turbine model exhibits minimal torque fluctuation. Moreover, the analysis of vertical wind streamlines illustrates very low interference with various wind turbine proposals, underscoring the turbine's efficiency and potential for integration into diverse wind energy projects.

This research presents a comprehensive computational analysis of the two-phase flow dynamics within a three-dimensional porous transport layer (PTL) in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. Employing advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a volume of fluid (VOF) approach, the study utilizes the finite-volume method to model a time-dependent, isothermal process within a laminar flow regime. Notably, the study treats oxygen as the dispersed phase and water as the continuous phase within the system. Investigations on the anode side uncovered the formation of gas bubbles on the electrode's surface subsequent to the electrochemical reaction. The simulation, spanning 5 seconds with 0.25-second intervals, highlights the critical role of the time interval between the initiation and 2 seconds in achieving pressure and velocity equilibrium within the PTL. The initial 0.75 seconds witnessed a peak in oxygen concentration, followed by its movement across the PTL, exhibiting a transition from regions of lower to higher concentration, consistent with known physical behaviour. Remarkably, the model recorded the highest pressure of 3.5 Pa at 0.25 s. Furthermore, the study observed an incremental pressure drop from 0.25 s to 0.5 s and 1 s, approximately amounting to 28.5% and 20%, respectively, ultimately leading to a uniform pressure distribution within the model. Over time, the pressure drop intensified across the entire model due to the evolving nature of the oxygen gas. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of two-phase flow processes within PEM electrolyzers, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy technologies.

Background：Increasingly, epidemiological surveys and experimental research findings indicate the involvement of immune cells in the onset and progression of prostate cancer. However, it remains unclear whether the relationship between specific immune cell types and prostate cancer is causal or influenced by bias. Through a two-sample Mendelian randomization design, our study aims to uncover the association between different immune cells and the risk of prostate cancer.Methods：A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate the association between immunophenotypes and prostate cancer risk. The study included a total of 731 immunophenotypes as potential exposure factors and analyzed data from 182,625 individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank. A screening of 12,097,504 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was performed. The main analysis utilized the two-sample Mendelian randomization method with inverse variance weighting (IVW). Additionally, multiple analysis methods were combined, and various tests were conducted to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.Results：The resulting study showed a causal relationship between a total of 34 immune phenotypes and prostate cancer. Among them, the four immune phenotypes of CD62L- DC AC, CD19 on sw mem, FSC-A on plasmacytoid DC and HLA DR on monocyte simultaneously meet three or more statistical methods, suggesting a significant causal relationship with prostate cancer. Additionally, among the 34 immunophenotypes, CD28-CD8dim AC was shown to be positive in reverse Mendelian randomization. Most of these cell phenotypes have been reported to be potentially associated with prostate cancer.Conclusions：Our study demonstrates a causal link between immune cells and prostate cancer risk. Filled in the possible roles of all current immune cell pathways in the development and progression of prostate cancer. The next step is to verify the content and influencing mechanism of these immune phenotypes in cancer cells and adjacent cells through experiments, so as to provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.

The valley pseudospin properties of electrons in two–dimensional hexagonal materials result in lots of fascinating physical phenomena, which opens up the new field of valleytronics. The valley-contrasting physics aims at distinguishing the valley degree of freedom based on valley–dependent effects. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that both of the valley–selective high harmonic generation and valley–selective electronic excitation can be achieved by using an orthogonal two–color (OTC) laser field in gapped graphene. It is shown that the asymmetry degrees of harmonic yields in the plateaus, cutoff energies of generated harmonics and electron populations from two different valleys can be precisely controlled by the relative phase of the OTC laser field. Thus the selectivity of the dominant valley for the harmonic radiation and electronic polarization can be switched by adjusting the relative phase of the OTC laser field. Our work offers an all–optical route to produce the valley–resolved high harmonic emissions and manipulate the ultrafast valley polarization on a femtosecond timescale in condensed matter.

Most of the literature on the optimization problem of transportation in supply chain networks (SCN) considered fixed costs (FC). However, in the practical applications of this problem it is important to study the effect of FC. This paper examines the impact of fixed cost increase as well as the variable cost on the optimization of a Two-Stage SCN. To do so, two mathematical models for mixed-integer nonlinear programming are developed. The first model optimizes fixed and variable costs in addition to the opening cost, whereas the second model only optimizes variable and opening costs. To evaluate the effect of considering FC on the optimization supply chain problem, four groups of instances are randomly generated, and solved using Lingo. The results of the two models are compared utilizing the average percentage deviation. In addition, sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the impact of changes in opening and variable costs on the considered optimization problem. The computational results and the sensitivity analysis show that the first model with minimized FC outperforms the second model, which does not consider the FC in minimization and FC affect the optimization.

An experimental investigation on the heat pump performance improvement equipped with the two-phase ejector called “an ejector-expansion heat pump (EEHP)” is proposed. The system performance of the EEHP is compared with a vapour-compression heat pump (VCHP). The improvement potential is determined and discussed. The heat pump test system is constructed which is based on a water-to-water heat pump. It can be experimented with both EEHP and VCHP. The two-phase ejector with the cooling load up to 2500 W is installed for experiment. The results show that the EEHP always produces a higher heating rate and COP than the VCHP throughout the specified working conditions. The heating COP is increased by 5.7-12.2% depending on the working conditions. It is also that under the same heat sink and heat source temperature, the EEHP can produce lower compressor discharge temperature and lower compressor pressure ratio than the VCHP. This is evidence that the two-phase ejector can provide better compressor working characteristics which yields a longer compressor lifetime. It is demonstrated that a key to the performance of the EEHP is the expansion pressure ratio. A larger expansion pressure ratio yields a higher improvement potential when compared with the VCHP.

We investigate the extent to which a two-level quantum system subjected to an external time-dependent drive can be characterized by supervised learning. We apply this approach to the case of bang-bang control and the estimation of the offset and the final distance to a given target state. The estimate is global in the sense that no a priori knowledge is required on the parameters to be determined. Different neural network algorithms are tested on a series of data sets. We point out the limits of the estimation procedure with respect to the properties of the mapping to be interpolated. We discuss the physical relevance of the different results.

The advent of graphene opens up the research into two-dimensional (2D) material, which is considered as a revolutionary material in the future. Due to its unique geometric structure, graphene exhibits a series of exotic physical and chemical properties. Besides, single-element-based 2D materials (Xenes) have garnered tremendous interest. At present, 16 kinds of Xenes (silicene, borophene, germanene, phosphorene, tellurene, etc.) have been explored, mainly distributed in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth main groups. The current methods to prepare monolayer or few-layer 2D materials include epitaxy growth, mechanical exfoliation, and liquid phase exfoliation. Although two Xenes (aluminene and indiene) have not been synthesized due to the limitations of synthetic methods or stability of Xenes, other Xenes have been successfully realized by elaborately artificial design and synthesis. Focusing on elemental 2D materials, this review mainly summarizes the recently reported work about tuning the electronic, optical, mechanical, or chemical properties of Xenes via surface modifications achieved by controllable approaches (doping, adsorption, strain, intercalation, phase transition, etc.) to broaden the applications in various fields, including spintronics, electronics, optoelectronics, superconducting, photovoltaics, sensors, catalysis, and biomedicines. These advances in surface modification of Xenes have laid a theoretical and experimental foundation for the development of 2D materials and their practical applications in diverse fields.

Ebolavirus has a membrane envelope decorated by trimers of a glycoprotein (GP), which is responsible for host cell attachment and membrane fusion. Therefore, GP is a primary target for antiviral drugs development. Here, this article reports the first, to my knowledge, set of structural analysis of all Ebolavirus GP structures as of March 10, 2020, and also a brief update of the structurally identified electrostatic features of the Ebolavirus GP structures in both apo (unliganded) state and also in bound states with a series of small compounds, including a variety of approved drugs. With this comprehensive set of structural analysis, this article puts forward a hypothesis of two Achilles' heels of Ebolavirus GP structure, where the formation of two interfacial salt bridges, instead of destabilizing the prefusion conformation of Ebolavirus GP, constitutes a positive contribution towards the structural rigidification of the prefusion conformation of the Ebolavirus GP structure, thereby acting against GP-mediated Ebolavirus cell entry and/or preventing fusion between the viral and endosome membranes.

Pedestrian detection is the core of driver assistance system, which collects the road conditions through the radars or cameras on the vehicle, judges whether there is a pedestrian in front of the vehicle, supports decisions such as raising the alarm, automatically slowing down or emergency stopping to keep pedestrians safe, and improves the security when the vehicle is moving. Suffered from weather, lighting, clothing, large pose variations and occlusion, the current pedestrian detection still has a certain distance from the practical applications. In recent years, deep networks have shown excellent performance for image detection, recognition and classification. Some researchers employed deep network for pedestrian detection and achieve great progress, but deep networks need huge computational resources which make it difficult to put into practical applications. In real scenarios of autonomous vehicle, the computation ability is limited. Thus, the shallow networks such as UDN (Unified Deep Networks) is a better choice since it performs well on consuming less computation resources. Base on UDN, this paper proposes a new deep network model named as two-stream UDN, which augments another branch for solving traditional UDN’s indistinction of the difference between trees / telegraph poles and pedestrians. The new branch accepts the upper third part of the pedestrian image as input, and the partial image has less deformation, stable features and more distinguished characters from other objects. For the proposed two-stream UDN, multi-input features including HOG feature, Sobel feature, color feature and foreground regions extracted by GrabCut segmentation algorithms are fed. Compared with the original input of UDN, the multi-input features are more conducive for pedestrian detection since the fused HOG features and significant objects are more significant for pedestrian detection. Two-stream UDN is trained through two steps: First, the two sub-networks are trained until converge; then we fuse results of the two subnets as the final result and feed it back to the two subnets to fine tune network parameters synchronously. To improve the performance, Softplus is adopted as activation function to obtain faster training speed, and positive samples are mirrored and rotated with small angle to make positive and negative samples more balanced.

Electrodeposition of cadmium telluride (CdTe) on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) using two electrode configuration was successfully achieved with the main focus on the growth temperature. The electroplating temperatures explored ranges between (55 and 85)℃ for aqueous electrolytes containing 1.5 M cadmium nitrate tetrahydrate (Cd(NO3)2 •4H2O) and 0.002 M tellurium oxide (TeO2). The ensuing CdTe thin-films were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell measurements. The electroplated CdTe thin-films exhibit a dominant (111) CdTe cubic structure, while the crystallite size increases with the increase in the electroplating temperature. The internal strain, dislocation density and the number of crystallites per unit area decrease with increasing growth temperature. The optical characterization depicts that the CdTe samples show comparable absorbance and a resulting bandgap of 1.51±0.03 eV for as-deposited CdTe layers. A marginal increase in the bandgap and reduction in the absorption edge slope towards lower deposition temperatures were also revealed. The annealed CdTe thin-films showed improvement in energy bandgap as it tends towards 1.45 eV while retaining the aforementioned absorption edge slope trend. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the underlying FTO layers are well covered with increasing grain size observable relative to the increase in the deposition temperature. The energy dispersive X-ray analyses show an alteration in the Te/Cd relative to the deposition temperature. Higher Te ratio with respect to Cd was revealed at deposition temperature lower than 85℃. The photoelectrochemical cell study shows that both p- and n-type CdTe can be electroplated and that deposition temperatures below 85℃ at 1400 mV results in p-type CdTe layers.

In this paper, we present a novel Two-Echelon Ground Vehicle and Its Mounted Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Cooperated Routing Problem (2E-GUCRP). The 2E-GUCRP arises in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Routing Problem such as those encountered in the context of city logistics. In a typical cooperated system, the UAV is launched from the Ground Vehicle (GV) and automatically flies to the designated target. Meanwhile, acting as a mobile base station, the GV can charge or change the UAV’s battery on the designated landing points to enable the UAV to continue its mission. The objective is to design efficient GV and UAV routes to minimize the total mission time while meeting the operational constraints. A Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model, which could be solved by commercial software, is constructed to describe this problem. In order to quickly solve the medium-scale problems, two existing heuristics to solve 2E-VRP are improved. The computational experiments are set up to compare our model with the 2E-VRP. The results indicate that the 2E-GUCRP obtains a better efficiency. Further discussion of the practical instance points out that the increase in efficiency is related to the speed relationship between the GV and the UAV.

In this work, we report the fabrication of the new heterojunction of two 2D hybrid layered semiconductors, ZnO(stearic acid)/V₂O₅(hexadecylamine), and its behavior in the degradation of aqueous methylene blue under visible light irradiation. The optimal photocatalyst efficiency, reached at a ZnO(stearic acid)/ V₂O₅(hexadecylamine) ratio of 1:0.25, results to be about six times higher than that of pristine zinc oxide. Reusability test shows that after three photocatalysis cycles no significant changes in neither the dye degradation efficiency loss nor photocatalyst structure occur. Visible light photocatalytic performance observed indicates there is synergetic effect between both 2D nanocomposites used in the heterojunction. The visible light absorption enhancement promoted by the narrower bandgap V₂O₅ based components; an increased photo generated charge separation favored by extensive interface area; and abundance of hydrophobic sites for dye adsorption appear as probable causes of the improved photocatalytic efficiency in this hybrid semiconductors heterojunction. Estimated band-edge positions for both conduction and valence band of semiconductors together with experiments using specific radical scavengers allow a plausible photodegradation mechanism.

In this work, we develop a self-consistent physical model of bubbles in a gas solid two-phase flow. Using the Peng-Robonson state equation and a detailed specific heat ratio equation of bubbles, we obtain the kinetic equations of the bubbles on the basis of the Ergun equation, thermodynamic equations, and kinetic equations. It is found that the specific heat ratio of bubbles in such systems strongly depends on bubble pressures and temperatures, which play an important role in the characteristics of the bubbles. The theoretical studies show that with increasing height in the systems, the gas flow rate shows a downward trend. Moreover, the larger particles in the gas solid flows are, the greater the gas velocity is. The bubble sizes increase with the increasing heights of the gas solid systems, and then decrease. The bubble velocity is affected by the gas velocity and the bubble size, which gradually increase and eventually quasi-stabilize. This shows that gas and solid phases in a gas solid two-phase flow interact with each other and a self-consistent system comes into being. The theoretical results have exhibited important value as a guide for understanding the properties and effects of bubbles in gas solid two-phase flows.

For a wide field of view (FoV) wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system with a single decoding kernel, the off-axis aberration tends to cause artefacts. In order to correct off-axis aberration, many pieces of lenses will reduce the transmission efficiency and increase the weight and cost. To meet requirements for wide FoV, wide operating temperature and low weight of infrared imaging systems, this paper reports a wide-FoV wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system with a two-piece lens. Its principle, design, manufacture, measurement and performance validation are successively discussed. This paper constructs an optimization problem which maximizes the weighted mean of PSF consistency for both the FoV and operating temperature range. The two-piece lens contains four surfaces, where three aspheric surfaces are introduced to reduce optical off-axis aberrations and a cubic surface is introduced to achieve athermalization. The optical phase mask containing an aspheric surface and a cubic surface is manufactured by nano-metric machining of ion implanted material(NiIM). Experimental results validate that our wide-FoV wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system has a full FoV of 26.10° and an operating temperature over -20°C to +70°C.

Many medicinal plants and their essential oils are used to treat or prevent diseases without the risk of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, or teratogenicity. Eucalyptus essential oils are commonly used as preservatives, flavoring agents, and in various consumer goods. Eucalyptus leaves are being widely studied due to their volatile essential oils, including 1,8-cineole, p-cymene, α and β-pinene, limonene, citronellal, citral, eudesmol, terpinen-4-ol, terpineol, α–phellanderene, and 9β-sitosterol. Among these compounds, 1,8-cineole is the most abundant. Eucalyptus leaves are rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds and are thus a great source of antioxidants. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays are used to measure antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant activity of Eucalyptus essential oil is stronger than that of standard antibiotics like Erythromycin, Cefixime, and Gentamicin due to the presence of significant terpenoids in addition to phenolic chemicals and flavonoids. The lower the IC₅₀ value, the higher the antioxidant potential. Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are often associated with beneficial health outcomes, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, anti-cancer properties, reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, prevention of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Flavonoids also play an essential role in plants, including protecting against reduction, fertility, reproduction, and infection. Due to their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and immune-modulatory properties, flavonoids are crucial for pharmacological, medical, and nutraceutical applications.

The range of interactions between Cladosporium, an ubiquitous fungal genus, and insects, a class including about 60% of the animal species, is extremely diverse. The broad case history of antagonism and mutualism connecting Cladosporium and insects is reviewed in this paper based on the examination of the available literature. Certain strains establish direct interactions with pest or beneficial insects, or indirectly influence them through their endophytic development in plants. Entomopathogenicity is often connected to the production of toxic secondary metabolites, although there is a case where these compounds have been reported to favor pollinators attraction, suggesting an important role in angiosperm reproduction. Other relationships include mycophagy, which on the other hand may reflect an ecological advantage for these extremely adaptable fungi using insects as carriers for spreading in the environment. Several Cladosporium species colonize insect structures, such as galleries of ambrosia beetles, leaf-rolls of attelabid weevils and galls formed by cecidomyid midges, playing a still uncertain symbiotic role. Finally, the occurrence of Cladosporium in the gut of several insect species has intriguing implications in pest management, also considering that some strains have proven to be able to degrade insecticides. These interactions especially deserve further investigation to understand the impact of these fungi on pest control measures and strategies to preserve beneficial insects.

To reveal the antibacterial effect of wound secretions of different Chinese fir strains on five kinds of bacteria. Three 3-year-old seedlings of Taxus chinensis var.koraiensis and Yangkou and the 3-year-old container seedlings of Taxus chinensis var.pendula, Yang061 and Yang020, were used as the research objects. The antibacterial effect of wound secretions was determined by the filter paper diffusion method, and the antibacterial effect was analyzed. Results showed that the wound secretions of different strains of Chinese fir bark had noticeable bacteriostatic effects on Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella paratyphi B, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. However, the bacteriostatic effects of different strains of Chinese fir secretions differed. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the wound secretions of different strains of Chinese fir against the five test bacteria differed. The mean MIC of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the highest, and the mean MIC of Escherichia coli was the lowest. The antibacterial ability of the wound secretions of different Chinese fir strains was mainly determined by the composition of the wound secretions. There was no noticeable relationship with the number of wound secretions.

Bacteria are the major pathogens affecting food safety and foods of animal origin are main vehicles of human illness since food animals are the main reservoirs for many food-borne pathogens. Moreover, emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant food-borne bacterial pathogens become a significant public health concern globally. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to July 2021 to estimate the prevalence, identify associated factors, and determine antibiotic resistance pattern of Salmonella species from foods of bovine origin in Dessie and Kombolcha towns. A total of 384 samples were collected. Simple and systematic random sampling techniques were employed for sampling milking cows and carcasses among cattle slaughtered at abattoirs, respectively. Samples from milk tanks, milk products, and beef were also selected randomly. Salmonella species were isolated and identified according to recommended standard bacteriological protocols. All the detected Salmonella species isolates were screened for in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility using agar disc diffusion method against 12 antimicrobial disks. The collected raw data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis techniques. The overall prevalence rate of Salmonella species was 7.0%. The highest prevalence rate of Salmonella species (16.7%) was obtained from milk tank samples but not detected in milk products. Multidrug resistance to three and more than three drugs was observed among all isolated Salmonella species. All Salmonella species isolates (100.0%) were found to be resistant to Erythromycin, Tetracycline, and Vancomycin. The majority of the isolates (96.3%) were also resistant to Doxycycline and Polymyxin B. On the other hand, all isolates (100.0%) were sensitive to Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin. The detection of multidrug-resistant Salmonella species showed that foods of bovine origin produced in the study sites were not safe for consumption. Hence, preventive measures are required to reduce bacterial contamination, concurrently to improve the wholesomeness and safety of foods of bovine origin.

Tropical forests provide habitats for diverse flora and fauna. In addition, they are essential in regulating the climate while at the same time millions of people depend on them for their livelihoods. As seen by rising political commitment and worldwide promises to reduce rates of deforestation and boost restoration of degraded forest ecosystems, forests are becoming more widely acknowledged for their role as a nature-based solution to many sustainable development concerns. Understanding tropical forest dynamics and their conservation have so become more important. This study analyzed, the forest stand structure, tree species composition, abundance and diversity and the regeneration status of Londiani Forest. Londiani Forest is divided into three blocks, namely Kedowa, Chebewor and Londiani and from each of these blocks belt transects 25 m wide and 1 km long were established 100 m from the edge of the forest to reduce edge effects. At every 200 m along the transect, 25 m × 25 m quadrats were set up in which, an inventory of all tree species was done. For tree species that could not be identified in the field, the local name was provided by para-taxonomists who participated in the data collection and the species name was later identified with the help of a taxonomist or a manual of woody tree species of Londiani Forest. The diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured at 1.3 m from the ground using a diameter tape. Tree height was measured using a Suunto angular clinometer. A nested quadrat 5 m x 5 m quadrat within the 25 m x 25 m quadrat was used to sample saplings while a 1 m x 1 m quadrat was used for sampling seedlings. Regeneration status was assessed using the number of seedlings and saplings. Stumps of trees cut were counted including identifying tree species from which the tree stump was derived. Data from the quadrats were entered into Microsoft Excel. Total stem density, species density, basal area, species basal area, relative density and species diversity were determined. A total of 1,308 individual trees belonging to 34 different species from 24 families were recorded. Kedowa had the highest (27) species richness followed by Chebewor (19) then Londiani (14). There was a statistically significant difference in species richness among the three forest blocks (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean DBH (F=0.560; p=0.729) and height class distribution (F= 0.821, p=.558) among the three forest blocks. There was a statistically significant difference in stem density (F=12.22; p=0.005) and woody species diversity (F=0.32; p=0.001) within the three forests blocks. There was no statistically significant difference in the basal area distribution within the three forest blocks p>0.005. The similarity index ranged from 0.34 to 0.47. In all the forest blocks, there was evidence of seedlings and saplings indicating that there was regeneration. Results clearly show that while the Londiani Forest shows variation in characteristics, there is clear evidence that it is regenerating.

Vavuniya District is located in the lowland dry zone district of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, which is still unexplored with a natural forest cover of 1,238 km2. Literature relates to the avifaunal birds is still a gap in the Vavuniya, as there are already studies about the diversity of water avifaunal species. In addition to that, the habitat diversity within the study area was discussed using a prepared checklist and the community indices like the Shannon-Weiner index (H’), Simpson’s diversity index (D), Simpson’s evenness (E), and Species richness (R) across various habitat ecosystems: Woodland-Paddy land (H1); Woodland-Water catchment area (H2); Forest (H3); Grassland with inundated land ecosystem (H4); and Manage garden with Occasional trees (H5); of the Pampaimadu premise, University of Vavuniya. The study area is located 10 km from the center of Vavuniya along the A30 highway, with the dry-mixed evergreen forest as vegetation. The checklist resulted in the observation of 93 avifaunal species belonging to 47 families (including 9 endemics, and 5 nationally threatened species). Family Columbidae (Rock Pigeon: Columba livia (n=123)) is found (68%) to be observed with the highest frequency and evenly distributed across different habitats but the family Ardeidae is found extensively dominating in H5 (39%). H1 is with the highest H` (3.5) and D (0.96); while H3 has the highest R (2.52) and E (0.62). Many anthropogenic disturbances, such as habitat alterations, intentional wildfire, and road mortality are the key threats encountered by the avifaunal species in the study area.

The subgenus Ochthomantis is an obligate forest and stream-dwelling group of Mantellid frogs, endemic to Madagascar, with six species currently recognized. However, this group suffers from ongoing taxonomic confusion due to low numbers of examined specimens, and failure to con-sider morphological variation from development and sexual dimorphism. Here we examined the morphology of 637 adult sexed specimens, collected by us in the field, and from other Mu-seum collections. We also sequenced the 16S mtDNA gene for each lineage, to determine con-gruence between morphological and molecular data sets, and to help delimit species. Our results demonstrate that the subgenus Ochthomantis includes 11 valid species: five already recognized; M. catalai and M. poissoni that we resurrect from synonymy, and four new species which we de-scribe here. Because Mantidactylus majori groups with other Mantidactylus, we do not consider it a member of the subgenus Ochthomantis. All species have restricted distributions and elevational ranges in the humid forests of Madagascar. This study demonstrates the utility of studying cryp-tic species using both diagnostic morphological characters and molecular data. It is hoped that discovery of this new cryptic biodiversity will initiate conservation activities for those species with the most restricted distributions.

In the recent decades, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have garnered widespread public attention due to their persistence in the environment and detrimental effects on the health of living organisms, spurring the generation of several transcriptome-centered investigations to understand the biological basis of their mechanism. In this study, we collected 2144 publicly available samples from 7 distinct animal species to examine the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and to determine if there are conserved responses. Our comparative transcriptional analysis revealed that exposure to PFAS is conserved across different tissues, molecules and species. We identified and reported several genes exhibiting consistent and evolutionarily conserved transcriptional response to PFAS, such as ESR1, HADHA and ID1, as well as several pathways including lipid metabolism, immune response and hormone pathways. This study provides the first evidence that distinct PFAS molecules induce comparable transcriptional changes and affect the same metabolic processes across inter-species borders. Our findings have significant implications for understanding the impact of PFAS exposure on living organisms and the environment. We believe that this study offers a novel perspective on the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and provides a foundation for future research into developing strategies for mitigating the detrimental effects of these substances in the ecosystem.

In recent years, the number of mole species for which the species status has been confirmed using genetic methods has been continuously increasing. Unfortunately, cytogenetic analysis is not available for all species. Here, for the first time, a GTG-banded karyotype of the small-toothed mole from Vietnam, Euroscaptor parvidens, a representative of the eastern clade of the genus Euroscaptor, was described. Through comparative analysis of available Euroscaptor (E. parvidens, E. klossi, and E. malayana) and Oreoscaptor (O.mizura) karyotypes we find cytogenetic signatures. Zoo-FISH with sorted chromosomes of the Siberian mole Talpa altaica on chromosome sets of the small-toothed mole E. parvidens, the small Japanese mole M. imaizumii from the close genus Mogera and the Japanese shrew mole Urotrichus talpoides from the tribe Urotrichini made it possible to identify syntenic regions between species that diverged about 35 million years ago. The low rate of chromosomal changes within the species of the genus Talpa - T.altaica and T.europaea - and the high rate of karyotypic reshuffling within the Asian genera of the tribe were confirmed. The pericentric inversions on four pairs of autosomes are shared between the closely related genera Euroscaptor, Oreoscaptor, and Mogera, while many more apomorphic rearrangements have occurred in each lineage additionally. The highest rate of chromosomal changes was recorded in the lineage of the small-toothed mole.

In late April 2022, during the hearing of the audio files from an unsupervised bioacoustic assessment of the shearwater populations (Aves, Procellariiformes) on the coast of Pantelleria island (Italy, Sicily), a cricket song of unknown attribution was heard. The first bioacoustic analyses, including FFT-based spectrograms and sound pressure envelopes, confirmed that it could not be attributed to the known sound of any Italian nor Mediterranean species of cricket. In the ensuing weeks, field research made on purpose in the original station and in further localities in the southern coast of Pantelleria provided photographs, living specimens and further audio records. As soon as the photos were shared among the authors, it became clear that the species belonged to the genus Acheta. Further bioacoustic analyses and morphological comparison with type specimens of Mediterranean and North-African congenerics in relevant collections and in the scientific literature were conducted: they confirmed that the findings could only be attributed to a still undescribed species, that escaped detection due to its impervious and unfrequented habitat. Acheta pantescus n. sp. is apparently restricted to the effusive coastal cliffs of the island of Pantelleria, a habitat whose scant extension and vulnerability require environmental protection actions such as the inclusion in a special Red List by the IUCN Italian Committee.

From oxidative eustress and distress, to bioenergetic metabolism, and cell death, the reactive species interactome (RSI) and mitochondria are two connected metabolisms that require further investigation improving redox medicine. The step before, finding new clues needs a comprehensive discussion of the two metabolisms, and their relationship. Here, the review focuses on the RSI-mitochondria axis, from mitochondrial roles to crosstalk between mitochondria and other organelles, and the major implication of the RSI in mitochondrial roles. Specifically, the review discussed the apoptosis-necroptosis-ferroptosis death traingle, mitochondrial protein quality control system, calcium homeostasis, and mitochondrial metabolome. Through mitochondrial diseases, and mitochondrial dysfunction associated with diseases, the RSI-mitochondria axis is proposed as a brand-new perspective, including with the involvement of bacterial microbiota, on redox signaling, and redox medicine.