Mouth morphology, testes size and body size in male Tilapia zillii: implications for fighting and assessment

In Tilapia zillii , the outcome of fights is closely related to difference in testis weight between opponents rather than differences in body weight. Testes size was predictable statistically on the basis of the size of the mouth in relation to body size, suggesting that among other functions mouth morphology may have evolved to facilitate assessment during fighting.     

State-space modeling clarifies productivity regime shifts of Japanese flying squid

Regime shifts of climatic and environmental conditions potentially affect the productivity of fishery resources, posing challenges in stock management. The stocks of the Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) are suspected to suffer from regime shifts, but detecting the occurrence of regime shifts in this species is generally difficult and unreliable because the short-lived nature of this species inherently confounds the effect of regime shifts with observation and process errors. Here we developed a new state-space assessment model to evaluate the influence of regime shifts on the spawner-recruit relationship of the Japanese flying squid. The model simultaneously estimates the population dynamics of multiple stocks that could share some life history parameters, thereby stabilizing parameter inference. We demonstrate that two regime shifts in productivity around 1991 and 2015 caused two- to threefold changes of maximum sustainable yields. The model with regime shifts clarifies the relationship between fishing pressure and spawner abundance that is difficult to detect in a model with no regime shift. The state-space approach is a promising tool for accurately assessing stock status by separating the recruitment process from observation errors and is expected to contribute to the effective management of marine biological resources sensitive to regime shifts.     

Chk1 dynamics in G2 phase upon replication stress predict daughter cell outcome

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ATM regulates Cdt1 stability during the unperturbed S phase to prevent re-replication

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) plays crucial roles in DNA damage responses, especially with regard to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, it appears that ATM can be activated not only by DSB, but also by some changes in chromatin architecture, suggesting potential ATM function in cell cycle control. Here, we found that ATM is involved in timely degradation of Cdt1, a critical replication licensing factor, during the unperturbed S phase. At least in certain cell types, degradation of p27^Kip1 was also impaired by ATM inhibition. The novel ATM function for Cdt1 regulation was dependent on its kinase activity and NBS1. Indeed, we found that ATM is moderately phosphorylated at Ser1981 during the S phase. ATM silencing induced partial reduction in levels of Skp2, a component of SCF^Skp2 ubiquitin ligase that controls Cdt1 degradation. Furthermore, Skp2 silencing resulted in Cdt1 stabilization like ATM inhibition. In addition, as reported previously, ATM silencing partially prevented Akt phosphorylation at Ser473, indicative of its activation, and Akt inhibition led to modest stabilization of Cdt1. Therefore, the ATM-Akt-SCF^Skp2 pathway may partly contribute to the novel ATM function. Finally, ATM inhibition rendered cells hypersensitive to induction of re-replication, indicating importance for maintenance of genome stability.     

Demography of greenbug,Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on six barley cultivars

The greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) were collected from the barley fields in Isfahan region of Iran. The aphid colonies were maintained on each of six barley cultivars including Karoon, Kavir, Zarjoo, Nosrat, Afzal and Rihane. All the experiments were done on the mentioned barley varieties at 26 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) and at a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. The shortest and longest developmental times were obtained on Nosrat 6.35 ± 0.11 and Rihane 6.75 ± 0.07 days, respectively. The survivorship of immature stages varied from 71.95% on Nosrat to 82.14% on Zarjoo. The total number of offsprings were 71.05 and 63.22 nymphs per female on Kavir and Karoon. The highest and lowest r _m values were observed on Kavir (0.336 ± 0.005) and Rihane (0.299 ± 0.008), respectively. The statistical analysis of jackknife did not show a significant influence of the tested barley varieties for the mean generation time and a similar procedure of difference for λ and r _m was estimated.     

Mesocyclops longisetus effects on survivorship of Aedes aegypti immature stages in car tyres

Abstract .The effect of the introduction of the entomophagous copepod Mesocyclops longisetus (Acuacultura F.C.B. strain) on the survival of Aedes aegypti immature stages in car tyres was evaluated under semi-natural conditions in the municipality of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Life tables were constructed for the immature stages of the mosquito in the presence and absence of M. longisetus , and the survival data were compared using log–linear models. The data set was adjusted using the GLIM statistical package and the quality of adjustment was evaluated with a chi-squared test . Survivorship curves were constructed for each treatment.
In the absence of M. longisetus , the survivorship of Ae. aegypti immature stages averaged 9%. The highest mortality rate was observed during the fourth larval instar (54%) and the resulting survival pattern corresponded to a type II survivorship curve. The mortality rate of Ae. aegypti first-instar larvae (fifty per tyre) increased more than 200-fold in the presence of M. longisetus (twenty per tyre) and the highest mortality was during the first two larval instars, where it reached 98.9%, with a resulting survivorship of 0.2%. Overall mortality was sixfold greater in the presence of the copepod than in its absence. The survival pattern of immature stages of Ae. aegypti in the presence of the copepod corresponded to a type III survivorship curve. As M. longisetus was so effective against Ae. aegypti immature stages in tyres under semi-natural conditions, its long-term effectiveness should be evaluated under socially and ecologically realistic field conditions in Mexico.     

A Toxoplasma type 2C serine-threonine phosphatase is involved in parasite growth in the mammalian host cell

Toxoplasma gondii is a human protozoan parasite that belongs to the phylum of Apicomplexa and causes toxoplasmosis. As the other members of this phylum, T. gondii obligatory multiplies within a host cell by a peculiar type of mitosis that leads to daughter cell assembly within a mother cell. Although parasite growth and virulence have been linked for years, few molecules controlling mitosis have been yet identified and they include a couple of kinases but not the counteracting phosphatases. Here, we report that in contrast to other animal cells, type 2C is by far the major type of serine threonine phosphatase activity both in extracellular and in intracellular dividing parasites. Using wild type and transgenic parasites, we characterized the 37 kDa TgPP2C molecule as an abundant cytoplasmic and nuclear enzyme with activity being under tight regulation. In addition, we showed that the increase in TgPP2C activity significantly affected parasite growth by impairing cytokinesis while nuclear division still occurred. This study supports for the first time that type 2C protein phosphatase is an important regulator of cell growth in T. gondii.     

An Extreme Value Analysis of Pollutant Concentrations in Surface Soils Due to Atmospheric Deposition

Risk assessments often rely on deterministic models using long-term averages or “steady-state” values of input variables. Such models do not provide the information needed to estimate acute exposures. This study uses extreme value theory to examine the frequency and magnitude of daily pollutant concentrations in surface soils predicted at six U.S. locations. Concentrations are predicted using a deposition-leaching model and 50 years of historical precipitation data. A stochastic model also is used to generate 1000 years of precipitation data as modeling inputs for each location. The annual maximum concentrations at each site are fitted to a Gumbel type I distribution to estimate occurrence probability. For soluble pollutants, the predicted concentration varied substantially with precipitation, and the maximum daily concentrations exceeded annual averages by 4 to 8 times. Observed and synthetic precipitation data produced similar results at most study locations, though the synthetic data provided a slightly better fit to the Gumbel type I distribution. The precipitation model allows the generation of representative precipitation data that extend limited historical records. The extreme value analysis facilitates the evaluation of maximum pollutant concentrations, return periods, and other statistics that are important in evaluating acute exposures.     

Autumnal moth – why autumnal?

1. As for some other spring‐feeding moths, adult flight of Epirrita autumnata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) occurs in late autumn. Late‐season flight is a result of a prolonged pupal period. Potential evolutionary explanations for this phenological pattern are evaluated. 2. In a laboratory rearing, there was a weak correlation between pupation date and the time of adult emergence. A substantial genetic difference in pupal period was found between two geographic populations. Adaptive evolution of eclosion time can thus be expected. 3. Metabolic costs of a prolonged pupal period were found to be moderate but still of some ecological significance. Pupal mortality is likely to form the main cost of the prolonged pupal period. 4. Mortality rates of adults, exposed in the field, showed a declining temporal trend from late summer to normal eclosion time in autumn. Lower predation pressure on adults may constitute the decisive selective advantage of late‐season flight. It is suggested that ants, not birds, were the main predators responsible for the temporal trend. 5. Egg mortality was estimated to be low; it is thus unlikely that the late adult period is selected for to reduce the time during which eggs are exposed to predators. 6. In a laboratory experiment, oviposition success was maximal at the time of actual flight peak of E. autumnata, however penalties resulting from sub‐optimal timing of oviposition remained limited.