The aim of this work is to emphasize the importance of a differential diagnosis of von Brunn’s nests in cats from other urothelial neoplastic disorders, as transitional cell carcinoma, for a subsequent optimal care. ...The aim of this work is to emphasize the importance of a differential diagnosis of von Brunn’s nests in cats from other urothelial neoplastic disorders, as transitional cell carcinoma, for a subsequent optimal care. Von Brunn’s nests and cysts are submucosal benign urothelial processes, related to irritative stimuli (calculi and urinary infections), characterized by an invagination with buds and clusters of normal urothelium in the lamina propria. They are common findings in the urinary bladder of human beings, but few cases have been described in dogs and cats. We report macroscopic, histopathological and, in one case, immunohistochemical features of these rare forms in the left ureters of two cats. Macroscopic evidence during surgery of ureteral nodules in two cats was accompanied by histopathological diagnosis and, in one case, by immunohistochemical assessment. Histopathology was coherent with a rare condition characterized by nests and islands of normal urothelium in the lamina propria and submucosa, with formation of cysts and moderate focal subacute inflammation. In one case epithelial cells of the nests showed well differentiated urothelial cells with an intense immunoreactivity to pan-cytokeratin (CK AE1/AE3), CK19 in the first outer layers, a slight immunoreactivity to CK20 and a low proliferative activity using MIB-1 (Ki67).展开更多
We investigate the plant composition in the Skuas nest at Hennequin Point, located in the Admiralty Bay Area, King George Island, Antarctica. Sample of 61 activity nests were analyzed. 21 plant and lichenized fungi sp...We investigate the plant composition in the Skuas nest at Hennequin Point, located in the Admiralty Bay Area, King George Island, Antarctica. Sample of 61 activity nests were analyzed. 21 plant and lichenized fungi species were found in the nest composition, being the mosses Sanioniauncinata (Hedw.) Loeske and Polytrichastrumalpinum (Hedw) G. S. Smith the most frequent species found in the Skuas nests. Usneaantarctica Du Rietz was the most frequent lichen and the grass Deschampsiaantarctica Desv was the most frequent flowering plant found in the nests. These results contribute for the environmental menagement of the Admiralty Bay area research activities.展开更多
Background:Research activities have often been thought to potentially influence avian nesting success by increasing nest predation rates.Although recent studies of species building open nests and cavity nests suggest ...Background:Research activities have often been thought to potentially influence avian nesting success by increasing nest predation rates.Although recent studies of species building open nests and cavity nests suggest that research disturbance does not generally induce nest predation,whether it is also the case in species building domednests remains unknown.In birds,domed-nest species exist in about half of the passerine families,and research disturbance to the domed nests may differ from that to the nests of other types for their different nest structures.Methods:We investigated if research activities affected nest predation rate by analyzing the relationships of the daily nest survival rate with the research activities at the egg and nestling stages of a domed-nest species,the Silverthroated Tit(Aegithalos glaucogularis).Results:Our results showed that nest daily survival rate was significantly affected by the laying date and nest age during the egg stage,and by the hatching date only during the nestling stage.By contrast,there were no significant effects of research activities,in terms of visiting nests and filming nests,on the nest survival of the Silver-throated Tit at both the egg and nestling stages.Conclusions:Our results coincide with the findings in species building other types of nests that research activities do not always have negative effects on avian nesting success.展开更多
Background: Nest construction is a key element of avian reproductive behaviour and the result is often a complex structure that is used for incubation of eggs, which represents an extended phenotype. It is known that ...Background: Nest construction is a key element of avian reproductive behaviour and the result is often a complex structure that is used for incubation of eggs, which represents an extended phenotype. It is known that nest construction is a plastic behaviour but the extent to which plasticity is observed in a single species with a wide geographical distribution is largely unknown. This study sought to better understand variation in nest size and composition across a very wide geographical area. The hypothesis suggested that location would affect size but not composition of nests of the European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). Methods: Nests and reproductive data were collected from seventeen study sites, spread over 6° of latitude and 3.3° of longitude on the island of Great Britain. Dimensions of nests were measured before they were deconstructed to determine the masses and types materials used in the outer nest and the cup lining. Results: Geographical variation was observed in base thickness of nests but not many other dimensions. Nests varied in composition but were mainly made of leaf, moss, bark, grass, root and fern. Moss was used more to the north and east of the study area compared with more leaf mass towards the south and west. The species of leaf and bark used in the nests varied between geographical locations. Additionally, the use of leaves or bark from a particular tree species did not reflect the incidence of the tree species in the immediate territory. Conclusions: This study showed that nest composition was affected by geographical location over a wide area. Variation between nests at each location was high and so it was concluded that differences in nest composition reflect individual selection of materials but evidence is such that it remains unclear whether this is deliberate to fulfil a specific role in the nest, or simply opportunistic with birds simply picking up materials with the appropriate characteristics as they find them outside their nestbox.展开更多
In this study, we investigated the spatial aggregation of old and incipient nests of Atta sexdens rubropilosa by fitting Poisson and Negative binomial models to nest abundance data. Our aim is to analyse the distribut...In this study, we investigated the spatial aggregation of old and incipient nests of Atta sexdens rubropilosa by fitting Poisson and Negative binomial models to nest abundance data. Our aim is to analyse the distribution of ant nests in eucalypt regrowth, Cerrado and native forest fragment. We also investigated the correlation between nest abundance and climatic factors, as well as different nest ages. When comparing nests of different ages we observed an aggregated pattern for both old and incipient nests. On the other hand, analysing the distribution of nests separately, only taking into account the different areas and respective borders, old nests exhibited an aggregated pattern and incipient nests showed a random pattern, except for native forest with ants exhibiting only an aggregated pattern. The levels of aggregation changed in response to different areas and border gradients, with more external borders showing higher aggregation than more internal borders. Temperature was the variable showing the highest correlation with nest abundance and the correlation between nests of different ages was totally depending on the different areas.展开更多
Stable isotope analysis is a widely used method for gathering ecological insights into the diet and feeding habitats of various species. While captive studies often limit lethal sampling and differ from wild condition...Stable isotope analysis is a widely used method for gathering ecological insights into the diet and feeding habitats of various species. While captive studies often limit lethal sampling and differ from wild conditions, they offer valuable insights into inherent isotopic variations among individuals, which are often assumed to reflect differences between natural populations. In the Sea Turtle Conservation Program, loggerhead turtle hatchlings from different nests were fed. Necropsies were conducted on turtles that died during this period, obtaining bone fragments for analysis. We evaluated the isotopic variation of carbon (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and nitrogen (δ<sup>15</sup>N) in bone tissue across six turtle nests (n = 66 samples) and assessed differences in Straight Carapace Length (SCL, n = 71 samples). Using SIBER and nicheROVER in R, we calculated niche width and overlap, while the simmr package determined primary prey assimilation. Despite feeding the hatchlings the same prey, we observed variations in nitrogen isotope assimilation between nests. Nests 4 and 6 had a niche width >1.8‰, indicating consistent consumption frequencies across all prey and >70% niche overlap with other nests. In contrast, nests 1 and 2 showed a narrower niche width (Mugil sp. constituted the primary diet component (>40%) across all groups. This study demonstrates how factors like competition or prey preference can influence the assimilation of diet, even when the source remains constant (inherent variation).展开更多
The interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts provide an informative and easy-to-handle system for studying coevolution.Avian brood parasitism reduces the reproductive success of hosts,and thus,hosts ...The interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts provide an informative and easy-to-handle system for studying coevolution.Avian brood parasitism reduces the reproductive success of hosts,and thus,hosts have evolved anti-parasitic strategies,such as rejecting parasitic eggs and adopting aggressive nest defense strategies,to avoid the cost brought on by brood parasitism.To test whether host anti-parasitic strategies are adjusted with the risk of being parasitized when the breeding seasons of brood parasites and hosts are not synchronous,we conducted a field experiment assessing nest defense and egg recognition behaviors of the Isabelline Shrike(Lanius isabellinus),a host of the Common Cuckoo(Cuculus canorus).In the local area,the host Isabelline Shrike begins to breed in April,whereas the summer migratory Common Cuckoo migrates to the local area in May and begins to lay parasitic eggs.Results showed that nest defense behaviors of the Isabelline Shrike increases significantly after cuckoo arrival,showing higher aggressiveness to cuckoo dummies,with no significant difference in attack rates among cuckoo,sparrowhawk and dove dummies,but their egg rejection did not change significantly.These results imply that Isabelline Shrikes may adjust their nest defense behavior,but not egg rejection behavior,with seasonality.展开更多
Shorebird populations are declining worldwide,mainly due to human disturbances and loss of coastal wetlands.However,supratidal habitats as saltpans could play a role in buffering human impact.Saltpans have shown to be...Shorebird populations are declining worldwide,mainly due to human disturbances and loss of coastal wetlands.However,supratidal habitats as saltpans could play a role in buffering human impact.Saltpans have shown to be important as feeding or breeding sites of some shorebird species.A potential conservation strategy to increase shorebird populations in saltpans is to manipulate the cues that birds use to select optimal breeding habitat.Here it is hypothesized that shorebirds are attracted to bivalve shells due to the advantages they offer.Following this hypothesis,we supplemented a restored saltpan in 2019 and 2021 with bivalve shells,expecting an increase in the number of breeding birds’ nests.More than 75% of Kentish Plover(Charadrius alexandrinus) and Little Tern(Sternula albifrons) nests were found in patches with shells in both years.The best model for both species indicates that the presence of shells is the factor that most correlates with the location of nests.The probability of choosing one place over another to settle their nest increases in areas with an abundance of shells,double in the case of the Kentish Plover and triple in the case of the Little Tern.The result of this study may constitute a valuable tool for attracting birds to restored saltpans and could contribute to the success of expensive restoration projects where time is usually a constraint.展开更多
We examined habitat preferences and nesting requirements of sympatric populations of Middle Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocoptes medius) and Syrian Woodpecker(Dendrocopos syriacus).We carried out our study in 2015–2018 in...We examined habitat preferences and nesting requirements of sympatric populations of Middle Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocoptes medius) and Syrian Woodpecker(Dendrocopos syriacus).We carried out our study in 2015–2018 in natural mountain forests of Southwest Iran.We compared selected features of nesting,territory,and outside territory tree stands of the studied woodpeckers.The Middle Spotted Woodpecker occupied only oak forests,but the Syrian Woodpecker inhabited heterogenic forests that included the preferred tree of this species,the Mount Atlas Mastic.We recorded that in the breeding territories of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker,a greater area covered by tree crowns,as well as a larger number of trees,and a larger trunk basal area were observed in comparison to the territories occupied by the more plastic Syrian Woodpecker.Different habitat preferences demonstrated by both species could be a result of the selection of tree stands that provide the necessary food resources for each woodpecker species.Adaptation of Syrian Woodpecker to use heterogenic forest stands including tree species that produce fruits and as Mount Atlas Mastic trees,which likely allowed this species to colonise in Asia and Europe non-forest tree stands as orchards or gardens.Our results showed that poor tree condition and large tree trunk dimensions had a positive impact on the selection of nesting sites by both species.The presence of trees with large trunk dimensions was associated with multiple years of use of woodpecker breeding sites in the studied forests.Maintaining habitats in suitable condition for both studied woodpeckers can be achieved by preserving natural forests in the mountain regions of Iran.展开更多
The Hot Universe Baryon Surveyor (HUBS) mission will carry a nested X-ray telescope capable of observing an energy range from 0.5 keV to 2 keV to study hot baryon evolution. In this paper, we report the latest progres...The Hot Universe Baryon Surveyor (HUBS) mission will carry a nested X-ray telescope capable of observing an energy range from 0.5 keV to 2 keV to study hot baryon evolution. In this paper, we report the latest progress in the design and construction of nested X-ray telescopes which were designed to use a three-stage conic-approximation type assembly to simplify the manufacturing process. The mirror substrate is made using the thermal glass slumping method, with mirrors characterized by a root-mean-square roughness of 0.3 nm, with expected high reflectivity and good thermal stability. We also discuss methods of telescope construction and conduct a deformation analysis of the manufactured mirror. The in situ measurement system program is developed to guide the telescope assembly process.展开更多
Data security is a very important part of data transmission over insecure channels connected through high-speed networks. Due to COVID-19, the use of data transmission over insecure channels has increased in an expone...Data security is a very important part of data transmission over insecure channels connected through high-speed networks. Due to COVID-19, the use of data transmission over insecure channels has increased in an exponential manner. Hybrid cryptography provides a better solution than a single type of cryptographical technique. In this paper, nested levels of hybrid cryptographical techniques are investigated with the help of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Paillier cryptographical techniques. In the first level, information will be encrypted by DNA and at the second level, the ciphertext of DNA will be encrypted by Paillier cryptography. At the decryption time, firstly Paillier cryptography will be processed, and then DAN cryptography will be processed to get the original text. The proposed algorithm follows the concept of Last Encryption First Decryption (LEFD) at the time of decryption. The computed results are depicted in terms of tables and graphs.展开更多
Probability theory and mathematical statistics are fundamental courses for various majors in science and engineering.In response to the current teaching situation,we should integrate theory with practice,implement tea...Probability theory and mathematical statistics are fundamental courses for various majors in science and engineering.In response to the current teaching situation,we should integrate theory with practice,implement teaching reform,and carry out teaching innovation.The article carries out blended teaching with deep integration of online and offline modes and within and outside of class,constructing innovative measures of“four integrations and four reshaping.”The article conducts diversified evaluations to stimulate learning motivation and help achieve talent cultivation goals.Through the close integration of probability theory and mathematical statistics course teaching with professional education and practical application,the“three-in-one”teaching goal of value shaping,ability cultivation,and knowledge exploration is achieved.The fundamental task of“cultivating morality and talents”is implemented.展开更多
Provision of nest boxes is necessary for laying hens,especially in non-cage systems.This study investigated the effects of nest width on nest utilization and mislaid eggs.Hy-Line Browns hens were transferred from conv...Provision of nest boxes is necessary for laying hens,especially in non-cage systems.This study investigated the effects of nest width on nest utilization and mislaid eggs.Hy-Line Browns hens were transferred from conventional cages to perchery pens at 12 weeks of age.Two experiments were conducted to mutually verify the hypothesis that narrowing group nests would improve nest utilization and reduce mislaid eggs.In experiment 1,group nests of 150 cm wide in two pens were partitioned at intervals of 50 cm and 37 cm,respectively.In experiment 2,partition panels were removed after acclimation.The number of mislaid eggs and nest eggs in each pre-set section were compared.Results indicated that narrowing group nests had positive effects on improving usage uniformity and efficiency of group nests.Nest eggs were more evenly distributed on the egg belt in both narrowed group nests,which was indicated by the significant decrease of variance among different sections(p<0.001).The proportion of mislaid eggs decreased by 3.5%in 37 cm treatment(p<0.05)and 4.7% in 50 cm treatment(p<0.001),respectively.As expected,reuse of the 150 cm group nests after removal of partition panels lowered the usage uniformity of group nests.A growth of three percentage points was found for the proportion of mislaid eggs after removing the partition panels in 50 cm treatment.The present results indicated that it is the width of the nest box that works for a better use of group nests.In conclusion,adding partition panels at intervals of 50 cm and 37 cm in group nests both are effective on nest usage and decreasing the occurrence of mislaid eggs.展开更多
Edible bird's nest (EBN) is currently widely consumed by the Chinese community as tonic food and functional food, which is believed to have many medicinal benefits. Some studies have reported the biochemical compos...Edible bird's nest (EBN) is currently widely consumed by the Chinese community as tonic food and functional food, which is believed to have many medicinal benefits. Some studies have reported the biochemical compositions of EBN, graded on the basis of colour, nitrate and nitrite contents. Other studies have shown significant biological effects, while ongoing research is in progress to explore potential pharmacological applications. The high demand for EBNs in the global market has forced the local regulatory bodies to monitor swiftlet farming activities, including the EBN cleaning process. Furthermore, numerous techniques have been developed to authenticate EBN; proteomics is likely to be the most promising of these methods. However, there are limited numbers of relevant protein sequences deposited at the database. More research is needed at the molecular level to explore the mechanisms behind the biological functions, such as bone strength improvement, skin rejuvenation, epidermal growth factor activity and cell proliferation.The current and future prospects of EBN and swiftlet farming are critically reviewed in this article.展开更多
Despite the importance of maternally selected nests in shaping offspring phenotypes,our understanding of how the nest environment affects embryonic development and offspring traits of most non-avian reptiles is rather...Despite the importance of maternally selected nests in shaping offspring phenotypes,our understanding of how the nest environment affects embryonic development and offspring traits of most non-avian reptiles is rather limited largely due to the logistical difficulty in locating their nests.To identify the relative contributions of environmental(temporal[seasonal]and spatial[nest-site])and intrinsic(clutch)factors on embryonic development and offspring traits,we conducted a cross-fostering experiment by swapping eggs between maternally-selected nests of the toad-headed agama(Phrynocephalus przewalskii)in the field.We found that nest environment explained a large proportion of variation in incubation duration,hatching success,and offspring size and growth.In contrast,clutch only explained a small proportion of variation in these embryonic and offspring traits.More significantly,compared with spatial effects,seasonal effects explained more phenotypic variation in both embryonic development and offspring traits.Eggs laid early in the nesting season had longer incubation durations and produced smaller hatchlings with higher post-hatching growth rates than did later-laid eggs.Consequently,hatchlings from early-laid eggs reached larger body sizes prior to winter.In addition,we found that female toad-headed agama did not select nests specific to reaction norms of their own offspring because hatchlings from original or translocated nests had similar phenotypic traits.Overall,our study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation in nest environments in determining embryonic development and offspring phenotypes,which has not been widely appreciated at least in non-avian reptiles.展开更多
Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet species that is colonising Europe,generating considerable impacts on honeybees,beekeeping and biodiversity.Control and early warning strategies for this species are mainly based on...Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet species that is colonising Europe,generating considerable impacts on honeybees,beekeeping and biodiversity.Control and early warning strategies for this species are mainly based on monitoring plans and procedures of nest detection and destruction.Technological tools(harmonic radar,radio-telemetry)have been developed to increase the probabilities of nest detection in new outbreaks.Since hornets are able to regulate nest temperature,thermography may represent an additional technique that may be used,both alone or in support to other techniques.In this study,the viability of thermal imaging in detecting nests of V.velutina was evaluated in controlled conditions.The influence of different environmental and operative variables(time of the day,presence/absence of leaves covering the nest,distance between the nest and the operator)were tested on three nests detected during August 2018 in Italy.All the nests were detectable by thermal imaging,but environmental and operative variables affect their detectability.The temperature difference between the nests and the surrounding reaches its maximum before sunrise and without a tree canopy covering the nests.Although nests were visible in some cases from 30 m,the detectability was higher at shorter distances,even if this variable may also depend on infrared camera resolution.An increase in the environmental temperature also generates a decrease of nest detectability.Although some limitations could occur,these results show the applicability of thermography in detecting V velutina nests before the beginning of the reproductive phase,and consequently its potentiality in control strategies.展开更多
文摘The aim of this work is to emphasize the importance of a differential diagnosis of von Brunn’s nests in cats from other urothelial neoplastic disorders, as transitional cell carcinoma, for a subsequent optimal care. Von Brunn’s nests and cysts are submucosal benign urothelial processes, related to irritative stimuli (calculi and urinary infections), characterized by an invagination with buds and clusters of normal urothelium in the lamina propria. They are common findings in the urinary bladder of human beings, but few cases have been described in dogs and cats. We report macroscopic, histopathological and, in one case, immunohistochemical features of these rare forms in the left ureters of two cats. Macroscopic evidence during surgery of ureteral nodules in two cats was accompanied by histopathological diagnosis and, in one case, by immunohistochemical assessment. Histopathology was coherent with a rare condition characterized by nests and islands of normal urothelium in the lamina propria and submucosa, with formation of cysts and moderate focal subacute inflammation. In one case epithelial cells of the nests showed well differentiated urothelial cells with an intense immunoreactivity to pan-cytokeratin (CK AE1/AE3), CK19 in the first outer layers, a slight immunoreactivity to CK20 and a low proliferative activity using MIB-1 (Ki67).
基金The authors thank the Brazilian National Council of Sci-entific Research-CNPq(process 574018/2008 e 314664/2009-2),FAPERJ(process E-26/170.023/2008)and MMA/MCT/PROANTAR for the financial support.
文摘We investigate the plant composition in the Skuas nest at Hennequin Point, located in the Admiralty Bay Area, King George Island, Antarctica. Sample of 61 activity nests were analyzed. 21 plant and lichenized fungi species were found in the nest composition, being the mosses Sanioniauncinata (Hedw.) Loeske and Polytrichastrumalpinum (Hedw) G. S. Smith the most frequent species found in the Skuas nests. Usneaantarctica Du Rietz was the most frequent lichen and the grass Deschampsiaantarctica Desv was the most frequent flowering plant found in the nests. These results contribute for the environmental menagement of the Admiralty Bay area research activities.
基金This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.31970421,31472011,31101644).
文摘Background:Research activities have often been thought to potentially influence avian nesting success by increasing nest predation rates.Although recent studies of species building open nests and cavity nests suggest that research disturbance does not generally induce nest predation,whether it is also the case in species building domednests remains unknown.In birds,domed-nest species exist in about half of the passerine families,and research disturbance to the domed nests may differ from that to the nests of other types for their different nest structures.Methods:We investigated if research activities affected nest predation rate by analyzing the relationships of the daily nest survival rate with the research activities at the egg and nestling stages of a domed-nest species,the Silverthroated Tit(Aegithalos glaucogularis).Results:Our results showed that nest daily survival rate was significantly affected by the laying date and nest age during the egg stage,and by the hatching date only during the nestling stage.By contrast,there were no significant effects of research activities,in terms of visiting nests and filming nests,on the nest survival of the Silver-throated Tit at both the egg and nestling stages.Conclusions:Our results coincide with the findings in species building other types of nests that research activities do not always have negative effects on avian nesting success.
文摘Background: Nest construction is a key element of avian reproductive behaviour and the result is often a complex structure that is used for incubation of eggs, which represents an extended phenotype. It is known that nest construction is a plastic behaviour but the extent to which plasticity is observed in a single species with a wide geographical distribution is largely unknown. This study sought to better understand variation in nest size and composition across a very wide geographical area. The hypothesis suggested that location would affect size but not composition of nests of the European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). Methods: Nests and reproductive data were collected from seventeen study sites, spread over 6° of latitude and 3.3° of longitude on the island of Great Britain. Dimensions of nests were measured before they were deconstructed to determine the masses and types materials used in the outer nest and the cup lining. Results: Geographical variation was observed in base thickness of nests but not many other dimensions. Nests varied in composition but were mainly made of leaf, moss, bark, grass, root and fern. Moss was used more to the north and east of the study area compared with more leaf mass towards the south and west. The species of leaf and bark used in the nests varied between geographical locations. Additionally, the use of leaves or bark from a particular tree species did not reflect the incidence of the tree species in the immediate territory. Conclusions: This study showed that nest composition was affected by geographical location over a wide area. Variation between nests at each location was high and so it was concluded that differences in nest composition reflect individual selection of materials but evidence is such that it remains unclear whether this is deliberate to fulfil a specific role in the nest, or simply opportunistic with birds simply picking up materials with the appropriate characteristics as they find them outside their nestbox.
文摘In this study, we investigated the spatial aggregation of old and incipient nests of Atta sexdens rubropilosa by fitting Poisson and Negative binomial models to nest abundance data. Our aim is to analyse the distribution of ant nests in eucalypt regrowth, Cerrado and native forest fragment. We also investigated the correlation between nest abundance and climatic factors, as well as different nest ages. When comparing nests of different ages we observed an aggregated pattern for both old and incipient nests. On the other hand, analysing the distribution of nests separately, only taking into account the different areas and respective borders, old nests exhibited an aggregated pattern and incipient nests showed a random pattern, except for native forest with ants exhibiting only an aggregated pattern. The levels of aggregation changed in response to different areas and border gradients, with more external borders showing higher aggregation than more internal borders. Temperature was the variable showing the highest correlation with nest abundance and the correlation between nests of different ages was totally depending on the different areas.
文摘Stable isotope analysis is a widely used method for gathering ecological insights into the diet and feeding habitats of various species. While captive studies often limit lethal sampling and differ from wild conditions, they offer valuable insights into inherent isotopic variations among individuals, which are often assumed to reflect differences between natural populations. In the Sea Turtle Conservation Program, loggerhead turtle hatchlings from different nests were fed. Necropsies were conducted on turtles that died during this period, obtaining bone fragments for analysis. We evaluated the isotopic variation of carbon (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and nitrogen (δ<sup>15</sup>N) in bone tissue across six turtle nests (n = 66 samples) and assessed differences in Straight Carapace Length (SCL, n = 71 samples). Using SIBER and nicheROVER in R, we calculated niche width and overlap, while the simmr package determined primary prey assimilation. Despite feeding the hatchlings the same prey, we observed variations in nitrogen isotope assimilation between nests. Nests 4 and 6 had a niche width >1.8‰, indicating consistent consumption frequencies across all prey and >70% niche overlap with other nests. In contrast, nests 1 and 2 showed a narrower niche width (Mugil sp. constituted the primary diet component (>40%) across all groups. This study demonstrates how factors like competition or prey preference can influence the assimilation of diet, even when the source remains constant (inherent variation).
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31970427 and 32270526 to WL)。
文摘The interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts provide an informative and easy-to-handle system for studying coevolution.Avian brood parasitism reduces the reproductive success of hosts,and thus,hosts have evolved anti-parasitic strategies,such as rejecting parasitic eggs and adopting aggressive nest defense strategies,to avoid the cost brought on by brood parasitism.To test whether host anti-parasitic strategies are adjusted with the risk of being parasitized when the breeding seasons of brood parasites and hosts are not synchronous,we conducted a field experiment assessing nest defense and egg recognition behaviors of the Isabelline Shrike(Lanius isabellinus),a host of the Common Cuckoo(Cuculus canorus).In the local area,the host Isabelline Shrike begins to breed in April,whereas the summer migratory Common Cuckoo migrates to the local area in May and begins to lay parasitic eggs.Results showed that nest defense behaviors of the Isabelline Shrike increases significantly after cuckoo arrival,showing higher aggressiveness to cuckoo dummies,with no significant difference in attack rates among cuckoo,sparrowhawk and dove dummies,but their egg rejection did not change significantly.These results imply that Isabelline Shrikes may adjust their nest defense behavior,but not egg rejection behavior,with seasonality.
基金Servicio de Gestión del Medio Natural-Delegación de Cádiz from Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medioambiente y Economía Azul (regional government)Saltpan Initiative Project (MAVA Foundation) and MEDARTSALT project (EU-ENICBC) provided the funding for the studyfunded by the Margarita Salas Grant (2021-067/PN/MS-RECUAL/CD) from the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain and the European Union。
文摘Shorebird populations are declining worldwide,mainly due to human disturbances and loss of coastal wetlands.However,supratidal habitats as saltpans could play a role in buffering human impact.Saltpans have shown to be important as feeding or breeding sites of some shorebird species.A potential conservation strategy to increase shorebird populations in saltpans is to manipulate the cues that birds use to select optimal breeding habitat.Here it is hypothesized that shorebirds are attracted to bivalve shells due to the advantages they offer.Following this hypothesis,we supplemented a restored saltpan in 2019 and 2021 with bivalve shells,expecting an increase in the number of breeding birds’ nests.More than 75% of Kentish Plover(Charadrius alexandrinus) and Little Tern(Sternula albifrons) nests were found in patches with shells in both years.The best model for both species indicates that the presence of shells is the factor that most correlates with the location of nests.The probability of choosing one place over another to settle their nest increases in areas with an abundance of shells,double in the case of the Kentish Plover and triple in the case of the Little Tern.The result of this study may constitute a valuable tool for attracting birds to restored saltpans and could contribute to the success of expensive restoration projects where time is usually a constraint.
文摘We examined habitat preferences and nesting requirements of sympatric populations of Middle Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocoptes medius) and Syrian Woodpecker(Dendrocopos syriacus).We carried out our study in 2015–2018 in natural mountain forests of Southwest Iran.We compared selected features of nesting,territory,and outside territory tree stands of the studied woodpeckers.The Middle Spotted Woodpecker occupied only oak forests,but the Syrian Woodpecker inhabited heterogenic forests that included the preferred tree of this species,the Mount Atlas Mastic.We recorded that in the breeding territories of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker,a greater area covered by tree crowns,as well as a larger number of trees,and a larger trunk basal area were observed in comparison to the territories occupied by the more plastic Syrian Woodpecker.Different habitat preferences demonstrated by both species could be a result of the selection of tree stands that provide the necessary food resources for each woodpecker species.Adaptation of Syrian Woodpecker to use heterogenic forest stands including tree species that produce fruits and as Mount Atlas Mastic trees,which likely allowed this species to colonise in Asia and Europe non-forest tree stands as orchards or gardens.Our results showed that poor tree condition and large tree trunk dimensions had a positive impact on the selection of nesting sites by both species.The presence of trees with large trunk dimensions was associated with multiple years of use of woodpecker breeding sites in the studied forests.Maintaining habitats in suitable condition for both studied woodpeckers can be achieved by preserving natural forests in the mountain regions of Iran.
基金supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFF0709101)China National Space Administration (D050104)National Natural Science Foundation of China (62105244 and U2030111)。
文摘The Hot Universe Baryon Surveyor (HUBS) mission will carry a nested X-ray telescope capable of observing an energy range from 0.5 keV to 2 keV to study hot baryon evolution. In this paper, we report the latest progress in the design and construction of nested X-ray telescopes which were designed to use a three-stage conic-approximation type assembly to simplify the manufacturing process. The mirror substrate is made using the thermal glass slumping method, with mirrors characterized by a root-mean-square roughness of 0.3 nm, with expected high reflectivity and good thermal stability. We also discuss methods of telescope construction and conduct a deformation analysis of the manufactured mirror. The in situ measurement system program is developed to guide the telescope assembly process.
文摘Data security is a very important part of data transmission over insecure channels connected through high-speed networks. Due to COVID-19, the use of data transmission over insecure channels has increased in an exponential manner. Hybrid cryptography provides a better solution than a single type of cryptographical technique. In this paper, nested levels of hybrid cryptographical techniques are investigated with the help of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Paillier cryptographical techniques. In the first level, information will be encrypted by DNA and at the second level, the ciphertext of DNA will be encrypted by Paillier cryptography. At the decryption time, firstly Paillier cryptography will be processed, and then DAN cryptography will be processed to get the original text. The proposed algorithm follows the concept of Last Encryption First Decryption (LEFD) at the time of decryption. The computed results are depicted in terms of tables and graphs.
文摘Probability theory and mathematical statistics are fundamental courses for various majors in science and engineering.In response to the current teaching situation,we should integrate theory with practice,implement teaching reform,and carry out teaching innovation.The article carries out blended teaching with deep integration of online and offline modes and within and outside of class,constructing innovative measures of“four integrations and four reshaping.”The article conducts diversified evaluations to stimulate learning motivation and help achieve talent cultivation goals.Through the close integration of probability theory and mathematical statistics course teaching with professional education and practical application,the“three-in-one”teaching goal of value shaping,ability cultivation,and knowledge exploration is achieved.The fundamental task of“cultivating morality and talents”is implemented.
基金This study was financially supported by the Developing Key Equipment for Digital Management and Monitoring Environment in Animal Production Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System(2013AA10230602)the Special Fund for Cultivation and Evolution of Beijing Innovative Base(Z171100002217018).
文摘Provision of nest boxes is necessary for laying hens,especially in non-cage systems.This study investigated the effects of nest width on nest utilization and mislaid eggs.Hy-Line Browns hens were transferred from conventional cages to perchery pens at 12 weeks of age.Two experiments were conducted to mutually verify the hypothesis that narrowing group nests would improve nest utilization and reduce mislaid eggs.In experiment 1,group nests of 150 cm wide in two pens were partitioned at intervals of 50 cm and 37 cm,respectively.In experiment 2,partition panels were removed after acclimation.The number of mislaid eggs and nest eggs in each pre-set section were compared.Results indicated that narrowing group nests had positive effects on improving usage uniformity and efficiency of group nests.Nest eggs were more evenly distributed on the egg belt in both narrowed group nests,which was indicated by the significant decrease of variance among different sections(p<0.001).The proportion of mislaid eggs decreased by 3.5%in 37 cm treatment(p<0.05)and 4.7% in 50 cm treatment(p<0.001),respectively.As expected,reuse of the 150 cm group nests after removal of partition panels lowered the usage uniformity of group nests.A growth of three percentage points was found for the proportion of mislaid eggs after removing the partition panels in 50 cm treatment.The present results indicated that it is the width of the nest box that works for a better use of group nests.In conclusion,adding partition panels at intervals of 50 cm and 37 cm in group nests both are effective on nest usage and decreasing the occurrence of mislaid eggs.
文摘Edible bird's nest (EBN) is currently widely consumed by the Chinese community as tonic food and functional food, which is believed to have many medicinal benefits. Some studies have reported the biochemical compositions of EBN, graded on the basis of colour, nitrate and nitrite contents. Other studies have shown significant biological effects, while ongoing research is in progress to explore potential pharmacological applications. The high demand for EBNs in the global market has forced the local regulatory bodies to monitor swiftlet farming activities, including the EBN cleaning process. Furthermore, numerous techniques have been developed to authenticate EBN; proteomics is likely to be the most promising of these methods. However, there are limited numbers of relevant protein sequences deposited at the database. More research is needed at the molecular level to explore the mechanisms behind the biological functions, such as bone strength improvement, skin rejuvenation, epidermal growth factor activity and cell proliferation.The current and future prospects of EBN and swiftlet farming are critically reviewed in this article.
基金supported by grants from The Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB31000000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31525006,31801977,31971419)Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST and ISZS for S.L.,and the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFC0503200).
文摘Despite the importance of maternally selected nests in shaping offspring phenotypes,our understanding of how the nest environment affects embryonic development and offspring traits of most non-avian reptiles is rather limited largely due to the logistical difficulty in locating their nests.To identify the relative contributions of environmental(temporal[seasonal]and spatial[nest-site])and intrinsic(clutch)factors on embryonic development and offspring traits,we conducted a cross-fostering experiment by swapping eggs between maternally-selected nests of the toad-headed agama(Phrynocephalus przewalskii)in the field.We found that nest environment explained a large proportion of variation in incubation duration,hatching success,and offspring size and growth.In contrast,clutch only explained a small proportion of variation in these embryonic and offspring traits.More significantly,compared with spatial effects,seasonal effects explained more phenotypic variation in both embryonic development and offspring traits.Eggs laid early in the nesting season had longer incubation durations and produced smaller hatchlings with higher post-hatching growth rates than did later-laid eggs.Consequently,hatchlings from early-laid eggs reached larger body sizes prior to winter.In addition,we found that female toad-headed agama did not select nests specific to reaction norms of their own offspring because hatchlings from original or translocated nests had similar phenotypic traits.Overall,our study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation in nest environments in determining embryonic development and offspring phenotypes,which has not been widely appreciated at least in non-avian reptiles.
文摘Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet species that is colonising Europe,generating considerable impacts on honeybees,beekeeping and biodiversity.Control and early warning strategies for this species are mainly based on monitoring plans and procedures of nest detection and destruction.Technological tools(harmonic radar,radio-telemetry)have been developed to increase the probabilities of nest detection in new outbreaks.Since hornets are able to regulate nest temperature,thermography may represent an additional technique that may be used,both alone or in support to other techniques.In this study,the viability of thermal imaging in detecting nests of V.velutina was evaluated in controlled conditions.The influence of different environmental and operative variables(time of the day,presence/absence of leaves covering the nest,distance between the nest and the operator)were tested on three nests detected during August 2018 in Italy.All the nests were detectable by thermal imaging,but environmental and operative variables affect their detectability.The temperature difference between the nests and the surrounding reaches its maximum before sunrise and without a tree canopy covering the nests.Although nests were visible in some cases from 30 m,the detectability was higher at shorter distances,even if this variable may also depend on infrared camera resolution.An increase in the environmental temperature also generates a decrease of nest detectability.Although some limitations could occur,these results show the applicability of thermography in detecting V velutina nests before the beginning of the reproductive phase,and consequently its potentiality in control strategies.