Zoogeographic and landscape-biotopic analysis of the Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) of the Republic of Belarus

The chorological analysis of the Noctuoidea fauna of the Republic of Belarus is presented, and the faunistic lists for Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Pskov and Moscow Provinces, Poland, the Polish part of the Bialowieza Primeval Forest, and Ukrainian Polesye are compared. The Trans-Palaearctic, Western Palaearctic, and Euro-Siberian species dominate in all the compared regions, which are grouped into two clusters. The first cluster includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the northern part of Belarus, and Moscow Province; adjacent to it is Pskov Province whose fauna is still insufficiently studied. The second cluster unites the central and southern parts of Belarus as well as the Polish part of Bialowieza Forest and Ukrainian Polesye. The landscape and biotopic distribution of Noctuoidea in Belarus is also considered. Most of the species are forest and meadow inhabitants. The first group is formed by predominantly meso- and hygrophilous species that initially inhabited natural open habitats, and also by mesophilous and meso-xerophilous species which have occupied various open habitats of secondary origin. The majority of the second group are mesophilous species trophically associated with trees, shrubs, and forest herbaceous vegetation.     

The role of vegetation in the regulation of fluxes of technogenic radionuclides at different stages after radioactive fallout

In the remote period after the radioactive fallout in the Chernobyl accident, the biological cycle of ¹³⁷Cs in pine forests of the northern forest-steppe zone and in those of Bryanskoe Polesye become essentially different. In the cleaner northern zone with dark-gray forest soil, the ¹³⁷Cs flux to the soil with litterfall exceeds its influx to the vegetation by a factor of 5; i.e., the ¹³⁷Cs cycle differs from that of stable K, the descending flux being still dominant. In the more contaminated Bryanskoe Polesye zone with podzolic illuvial-iron sandy soil, the annual ¹³⁷Cs influx to above-ground vegetation via root uptake exceeds its return to the soil with litterfall, i.e., the ¹³⁷Cs cycle approaches the biological cycle of stable K.     

Planorbinae snails--obligate intermediate hosts of paramphistomatid trematodes in the central Polesye of Ukraine

The data on species composition, ecology and distribution of snails of the subfamily Planorbinae (tribes Planorbini, Segmentinini) in water basis of Tsentral'noye Polesye are given. In 13 species belonging to the genera Planorbis, Anisius, Choanomphalus, Segmentina, Hippeutis, the parthenitae and larvae of Paramphistomum ichikawai Jamaguti has been recorded. Infection rate varies from 0.5 to 18.5%.     

Complexes of soil micromycetes in the area of the influence of the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station]

Complexes of soil micromycetes in the Chernobyl 30-km zone of the Ukrainian Polesye were studied for 1986-1989 with regard for such ecological parameters as the level of radiation contamination, a particular observation site, depth of soil horizon and season. As a result of the study correlation pleiads of soil micromycete complexes have been revealed with their structure and fungal genera characteristic of such complexes determined. The overwhelming majority of correlation pleiads of fungal complexes are attributed to complex-organized ones and this indicated high radioresistance of mycobiota in the studied, soils. Melanine-containing genera of fungi rank among the first in formation of correlation pleiads of soil micromycete complexes.     

Ectoparasites and phoresants of the root vole (Microtus oeconomus Pall.) in the Polesye

Drainage melioration in the Polesye resulted in a sharp increase in the number of tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus Pall.) which quickly included into the parasitocenosis of the drained land. There were found 26 parasitic and nonparasitic species of Gamasoidea, 3 species of Ixodidae and 2 species of Trombiculidae, 10 species of Aphaniptera, 3 species of Anoplura but there was found no species specific only for the tundra vole. All found parasites occur on many hosts. This explains wide parasitic links of the tundra vole with other homothermic animals which especially extensive with the bank vole and it may have important consequences for epizootiology of tularemia and tick-borne encephalitis.     

Genetic variability of natural populations and man-made stands of common pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Kremenets Hills and Maloe Polese

Comparative analysis of 19 allozyme loci of Pinus sylvestris L was performed on three relic populations and six uneven-aged man-made stands to evaluate genetic variability of common pine in Kremenets Hills and Maloye Polesye. Low heterozygosity was characteristic of all natural populations and of four forest stands (H_o = 0.182–0.205), whereas in two forest stands the level of heterozygosity was noticeably higher (H_o = 0.245–0.300). Both allelic and genotypic variability of natural populations was reproducible in the man-made forest. However, the genetic distance between forest stands and natural populations was considerably higher than that among three natural populations (D_Nav = 0.014 and D_Nav = 0.003, respectively).     

Aspidogasters--the parasites of unionids in the Zhitomir Polesye

The paper provides the data on the invasion of unionids in the Zhitomir Polesye by parasitic worms Aspidogaster conchicola. The aspidogasters have been found in 9 species of molluscs (Unio--5, Colletopterum--1, Pseudonodonta--1, Batavusiana--2). An extensity and intensity of invasion of unionids by A. conchicola are unequal in different host species. The highest values of them were recorded for Unio conus borysthenicus (87% and 12 specimens), U. tumidus falcatulus (75%; 5 specimens), and Batavusiana nana (59.8%; 20 specimens). The invasion of molluscs by aspidogastrids from the stagnant waters are higher, than from the fluvial waters. The aspidogasters were found in the pericardium and kidneys of unionids. More often the parasites were met in the pericardium exclusively, rarely in the pericardium and kidneys simultaneously, and most rarely in the kidneys only. Within the pericardium, A. conchicola prefer the furthest sites of the contractile ventricle of the molluscan heart.     

The dynamics of vegetation on and around <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica rufa</Emphasis> nests

The species composition and structure of plant communities related to the activity of Formica rufa ants were studied in green moss pine forests located in Nerusso-Desnyanskoe Polesye (Bryansk Province). Four types of microsites were established and examined: (1) the mound of an active ant nest, (2) the soil bank around an active ant nest, (3) the mound of an abandoned nest, and (4) the soil bank around an abandoned nest. The background plant community was considered as the fifth type. According to MRPP method, all pairs of microsites except (3–4) were different both in plant species composition and species abundance. The microsites created by Formica rufa increase the habitat capacity and β diversity of the plant communities due to the appearance of meadow species requiring richer soils.     

Selective mortality and the anthropometric status of children in low- and middle-income countries

Despite a close relationship between the childrens’ anthropometric status and mortality rates, the highest mortality rates are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, while the lowest anthropometric indicators, in particular the height-for-age z-scores, are concentrated in South Asia. This discrepancy should, however, be expected to decrease when one accounts for the survivorship bias, i.e. selective mortality. We analyse whether the survivorship bias can explain these observed differences in three standard anthropometric indicators (stunting, underweight and wasting) by using individual data of children from six waves of Demographic and Health Surveys for a large cross-section of 37 low- and middle-income countries between 1991 and 2016. We use both a matching approach and semi-parametric regression to estimate the values for the anthropometric status of deceased children. The results are twofold: first, both methods reveal that the imputed values for the anthropometric indicators are, on average, between 0.10 and 0.25 standard deviations lower than the observed anthropometric indicators. Second, since the share of deceased children in our sample is below ten per cent, the contribution of the anthropometric status of deceased children to overall anthropometric indicators is small and therefore only influences it marginally.     

Mother's age effect on the boys' anthropometric properties in the Region of Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Our objective was to establish if mother's age affects the anthropometric properties their 11 and 16 years old sons, and if the boys' BMI is satisfactory. Cross-sections, questionnaires, and statistics were used for data processing BMI (kg/m2) was presented according to the scale Quetelet's index nutritional status. Twelve anthropometric properties were researched. It was established that mother's age affects anthropometric properties in adolescent boys. The younger mothers' boys come to puberty with significantly higher mean values for most anthropometric parameters. In the course of adolescent jump, older mothers' boys have significantly higher anthropometric measures in comparison to their age boys delivered by younger mothers. After the completion of their intensive growth and development anthropometric measures in both category boys are equal or insignificantly higher in younger mothers' sons. Mother's age affects their sons' anthropometric properties of growth and development, particularly in prepuberty and puberty. After puberty that effect is not significant. According to BMI, the boys coming from the researched region make the group of underfed children. That is probably the outcome of bad living conditions, irregular and insufficient diet, stress, etc. in the course of four year aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina.     

Variation among North Amerindians: analysis of Boas's anthropometric data.

In the late nineteenth century Franz Boas was responsible for assembling anthropometric data from North Amerindians. Approximately 15,000 subjects were measured, but the data have never been systematically analyzed. Here we describe our efforts to develop a computerized database from Boas's data and present the first systematic analysis of these data. In addition to a general analysis of North Amerindian anthropometric variation, we also present a more detailed analysis of anthropometric variation among tribes located in the American Northwest. In the general analysis we find that anthropometric variation is strongly patterned along geographic lines. We examine geographic and language patterning by grouping tribes by culture area and language phylum. Both have high explanatory power, culture area being the higher. The Northwest analysis shows that both language and geographic location are important in explaining anthropometric variation.     

Variation in anthropometric characters and their relationship with climatic factors: a study on the peoples of Arunachal Pradesh, India

In the present study an attempt has been made to examine the anthropometric variation and the relationship of anthropometric variables with climatic factors among the peoples of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The distance analysis does not seem to provide any interesting corroboration between anthropometric data and the intra- and intergroup relationship. A similar trend has also been noticed while analysing the correlation coefficient between two indices (i.e. the cephalic and total facial index). The present study suggests that the climatic factors are playing an important role in regulating the variation of anthropometric characters among the different population groups of Arunachal Pradesh.     

Does the anthropometric model influence whole-body center of mass calculations in gait?

Examining whole-body center of mass (COM) motion is one of method being used to quantify dynamic balance and energy during gait. One common method for estimating the COM position is to apply an anthropometric model to a marker set and calculate the weighted sum from known segmental COM positions. Several anthropometric models are available to perform such a calculation. However, to date there has been no study of how the anthropometric model affects whole-body COM calculations during gait. This information is pertinent to researchers because the choice of anthropometric model may influence gait research findings and currently the trend is to consistently use a single model. In this study we analyzed a single stride of gait data from 103 young adult participants. We compared the whole-body COM motion calculated from 4 different anthropometric models (Plagenhoef et al., 1983; Winter, 1990; de Leva, 1996; Pavol et al., 2002). We found that anterior-posterior motion calculations are relatively unaffected by the anthropometric model. However, medial-lateral and vertical motions are significantly affected by the use of different anthropometric models. Our findings suggest that the researcher carefully choose an anthropometric model to fit their study populations when interested in medial-lateral or vertical motions of the COM. Our data can provide researchers a priori information on the model determination depending on the particular variable and how conservative they may want to be with COM comparisons between groups.     

Anthropometric evaluation of the Creches children furniture in Turkey

The dimensions of the living and working space and buildings, the types of material and different riggings should be designed to conform to the users' anthropometric measures. The first requirement to design on ergonomic system is to measure the human being who will work and live in that system. Because of this, anthropometric measures are the most frequently used ergonomic data during the design process. In this research paper, we attempt to organize a new data base of anthropometric data to use in the design of children's equipment and furniture used in crèches. A starting point for research on the proper dimensions of creche furniture is to investigate how the dimensions of furniture reflect the body dimensions and the functional needs of the children using furniture. The anthropometric data of 3, 4 and 5 year-old-children in crèches was used. We report the results of the measurements of 18 anthropometric characteristics of children which constitute a set of basic data for the design of functional spaces and furniture.     

The influence of estimated body segment parameters on predicted joint kinetics during diplegic cerebral palsy gait

Inverse Dynamic calculations are routinely used in joint moment and power estimates during gait with anthropometric data often taken from published sources. Many biomechanical analyses have highlighted the need to obtain subject-specific anthropometric data (e.g. Mass, Centre of Mass, Moments of Inertia) yet the types of imaging techniques required to achieve this are not always available in the clinical setting. Differences in anthropometric sets have been shown to affect the reactive force and moment calculations in normal subjects but the effect on a paediatric diplegic cerebral palsy group has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using different anthropometric sets on predicted sagittal plane moments during normal and diplegic cerebral palsy gait. Three published anthropometric sets were applied to the reactive force and moment calculations of 14 Cerebral Palsy and 14 Control subjects. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing the different anthropometric sets but variability in the resulting sagittal plane moment calculations between sets was low (0.01–0.07 Nm/kg). In addition, the GDI-Kinetic, used as an outcome variable to assess whether differences were clinically meaningful, indicated no clinically meaningful difference between sets. The results suggest that the effects of using different anthropometric sets on the kinetic profiles of normal and diplegic cerebral palsy subjects are clinically insignificant.     

Interethnic comparisons of three endogamous groups of West Bengal with respect to two sets of variables

The present paper focuses on the interethnic comparison among three endogamous groups (a higher caste, a tribe and a religious group) with different ethnohistorical background. A total of 700 individuals were studied from their anthropometric and dermatoglyphic traits along with their asymmetries. Statistical comparisons were carried out through the use of student’s ‘t’ test and Sanghvi’s T² statistics. Heterogeneity for most of the anthropometric and some dermatoglyphic traits supports their different origins. Though dermatoglyphic asymmetry doesn’t reveal significant discrimination, heterogeneity in anthropometric asymmetry corroborates with their different occupations. The anthropometric distances show greater values than the dermatoglyphic distances. This difference is probably due to the fact that anthropometry is not independent of environment and not a stable character like dermatoglyphic traits.     

Identification of Hemoglobin Levels Based on Anthropometric Indices in Elderly Koreans

ObjectivesAnemia is independently and strongly associated with an increased risk of mortality in older people and is also strongly associated with obesity. The objectives of the present study were to examine the associations between the hemoglobin level and various anthropometric indices, to predict low and normal hemoglobin levels using combined anthropometric indices, and to assess differences in the hemoglobin level and anthropometric indices between Korean men and women.MethodsA total of 7,156 individuals ranging in age from 53–90 years participated in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Binary logistic regression (LR) and naïve Bayes (NB) models were used to identify significant differences in the anthropometric indices between subjects with low and normal hemoglobin levels and to assess the predictive power of these indices for the hemoglobin level.ResultsAmong all of the variables, age displayed the strongest association with the hemoglobin level in both men (p < 0.0001, odds ratio [OR] = 0.487, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve based on the LR [LR-AUC] = 0.702, NB-AUC = 0.701) and women (p < 0.0001, OR = 0.636, LR-AUC = 0.625, NB-AUC = 0.624). Among the anthropometric indices, weight and body mass index (BMI) were the best predictors of the hemoglobin level. The predictive powers of all of the variables were higher in men than in women. The AUC values for the NB-Wrapper and LR-Wrapper predictive models generated using combined anthropometric indices were 0.734 and 0.723, respectively, for men and 0.649 and 0.652, respectively, for women. The use of combined anthropometric indices may improve the predictive power for the hemoglobin level.DiscussionAmong the various anthropometric indices, with the exception of age, we did not identify any indices that were better predictors than weight and BMI for low and normal hemoglobin levels. In addition, none of the ratios between pairs of indices were good indicators of the hemoglobin level. Finally, the Korean men tended to have higher associations between the anthropometric indices and anemia than the women.     

Spatial variation of anthropometric traits in Ireland.

To further elucidate the relationship between geography and genetics in Ireland, we considered variation in anthropometric traits of adult males by town using spatial autocorrelation methods. By describing and distinguishing significant patterns of anthropometric variation, we determined whether the anthropometric traits display a simple pattern of spatial variation, as predicted by the isolation by distance model, or other patterns of spatial variation. Several hypotheses were examined, including (1) whether there was spatial patterning of 20 anthropometric phenotypic distributions and 7 principal components of Irish males and (2) if there was, whether these phenotypic distributions could be explained by a simple isolation by distance model. The results of this study can be summarized by several key findings: (1) There is significant spatial patterning among towns, as detected in correlograms of 14 anthropometric traits and 2 principal component factor scores (values of Moran's I ranging from 0.7510 to -0.3616, p < or = 0.0071); (2) 4 spatial patterns were detected, including clinical patterns, long-distance differentiation, distance distinction, and regional patchiness. These results suggest several likely causes of the observed spatial patterns. First, in Ireland patterns of anthropometric variation could not be explained by a single spatial pattern (i.e., isolation by distance). Second, through an examination of the various combinations of statistical homogeneity or heterogeneity, spatial patterning or nonpatterning, and similarity or dissimilarity of spatial patterns, we conclude that several migrational events structured the genetic landscape of Ireland.     

Discriminant analysis by anthropometric measures in elderly Bengalee Hindus of Calcutta, India

Although a sizeable proportion of India's population is elderly (55 years and above), virtually no information exists on how well anthropometric measures could be utilized to correct age group size in elderly individuals. The present investigation was aimed to study how good anthropometric measures could be manoeuvre for corrected group size in the elderly Bengalee Hindu population of Calcutta, India. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 410 elderly (55 years and above) Bengalee Hindu individuals (men = 210, women = 200) utilizing various anthropometric measures, namely height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and triceps skinfold. A discriminant analysis was then undertaken separately for men and women using the above mentioned anthropometric measures. The results revealed that overall 77.1% for men and 78.6% for women of all cases were correctly classified. No individuals were misclassified in the predicted groups III and I for both the sexes. The most discriminating variable for the groups was triceps skinfold in both sexes. These results provided evidence that the anthropometric characteristics of group III and I were very different from each other with those belonging to group II having intermediate characteristics.     

Effect of parental consanguinity on anthropometric measurements among the Sheikh Sunni Muslim boys of Delhi

The study of consanguineous marriage is an efficient way to elucidate the genetic structure of human populations. Such matings give an opportunity for recessive genes to manifest themselves by becoming homozygous. The present attempt examines the effects of parental consanguinity on various anthropometric measurements among the Sheikh Sunni Muslim boys of old Delhi between the ages of 11 and 16 years. A slight inbreeding depression has been observed for all eight anthropometric measurements, i.e., stature, span, sitting height, head length, head circumference, chest girth, and calf circumference. The results support earlier studies in regard to the effect of consanguinity on anthropometric measurements.