Explore the vast range of titles available.

Animal migrations occur in many taxa and are considered an adaptive response to spatial or temporal variations in resources. Human activities can influence the cost-benefit trade-offs of animal migrations, but evaluating the determinants of migration trajectory and movement rate in declining populations facing relatively low levels of human disturbance can provide new and valuable insights on the behavior of wildlife in natural environments. Here, we used an adapted version of path selection functions and quantified the effects of habitat type, topography, and weather, on 313 spring migrations by migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in northern Québec, Canada, from 2011 to 2018. Our results showed that during spring migration, caribou selected tundra and avoided water bodies, forest, and higher elevation. Higher precipitation and deeper snow were linked to lower movement rates. Weather variables had a stronger effect on the migration trajectories and movement rates of females than males. Duration of caribou spring migration (mean of 48 days) and length (mean of 587 km) were similar in males and females, but females started (22 April) and ended (10 June) spring migrations ca. 6 days earlier than males. Caribou spring migration was influenced by habitat type, topography, and weather, but we also observed that caribou migrations were not spatially constrained. Better knowledge on where and when animals move between their winter and summer ranges can help inform management and land planning decisions. Our results could be used to model future migration trajectories and speed of caribou under different climate change scenarios.

The intelligent electronic devices have urgent demands for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films with excellent heat dissipation capability. However, it is challenging to obtain excellent EMI shielding and thermal conductivity performances simultaneously. Herein, inspired by mille-feuille structure, the multifunctional EMI shielding films developed by a layer-by-layer self-assembly and hot-pressing strategy. The ingenious introduction of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with large specific surface area and highly conductive into the network formed by TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNFs) with large aspect ratio to form the TOCNFs/AgNPs. And the graphene nanoplates (GNPs) with high conductivity loss distributed alternately with TOCNFs/AgNPs to construct mille-feuille structure, which had highly efficient conductive network, complete thermally conduction pathway and rich heterogeneous interfaces. Consequently, the designed films presented high electrical conductivity of 8520 S/cm, superb EMI effectiveness (SE) of 98.05 dB, and excellent thermal conductivity of 18.82 W/(m·K). Furthermore, the films possessed outstanding Joule heating performances with low voltages, including high heating temperature (100 °C), fast response time (< 20 s), and impressive heating stability and reliability. Thus, such high-performance EMI shielding films with fascinating thermal conductivity and Joule heating performances have substantial application in flexible electronics, electromagnetic waves shielding and thermal management.

Monitoring survival of juveniles in wild populations of vertebrates is challenging because capture and marking of neonates may influence survival and induce biases. Camera collars have proven effective in resource and habitat selection studies, but their effectiveness to assess offspring survival is unknown. Our objective was to monitor the survival of neonates using camera collars installed on 24 preparturient female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) of the Rivière-aux-Feuilles herd, from 2016 to 2018, in Nunavik, Canada. Females were captured with a net gun fired from a helicopter and pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasound. Cameras recorded a 10-second video every 20 min from 1 June until 1 September 2017, when the collar detached automatically. We used Cormack-Jolly-Seber models to assess survival and resighting probabilities of calves based on their observation in the videos. Three collars failed, recording less than 30% of the expected videos, including one on a female that did not give birth. Among the 21 females wearing a functional collar, one gave birth to a stillborn calf. We analyzed 25,820 videos recorded from 20 collars. Calf sightings in videos were less frequent as the monitoring period advanced, but we estimated the probability of observing a live calf at 0.77 (SE = 0.42) over the sampling period. Videos indicated a survival rate of 0.67 (SE = 0.11) from birth to 1 September. Our results suggest that camera collars installed on adult females can be used to reliably assess offspring survival, and thus improve our understanding of caribou population dynamics. The application of camera collars should be useful for other large vertebrate species for which the assessment of neonate survival is lacking or difficult to obtain.

Leaf chemistry and physiology vary with light environment and are often thought to directly affect herbivory patterns. Biotic (e.g., parasitoids and predators) and abiotic (e.g., temperature, relative humidity) factors known to influence herbivory also co-vary with light environment. Irrespective of mechanism, light-based differences in herbivore damage must be the result of variable herbivore abundance, per capita effects, or both. We examined the effect of light environment on leaf defence and leaf nutritional quality in Lindera benzoin (Lauraceae) and relate this to the abundance and impact of its lepidopteran herbivore Epimecis hortaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). In this system we consistently observe greater natural field herbivory in shade habitats relative to high light habitats, despite similar herbivore abundances; differences in herbivory are therefore most likely attributable to different per capita impacts of herbivores across environments. Potential herbivore behaviours responsible for the observed field pattern include increased foraging per day and longer developmental periods in shade habitats. A more complete understanding of observed herbivory patterns requires incorporating variation in herbivore behaviour as influenced by abiotic or biotic factors that co-vary with the different light environments. Nomenclature: Gleason & Cronquist, 1991.

Access to drinking water is one of the greatest global challenges today. In this study, the virus removal properties of mille‐feuille nanocellulose‐based filter papers of varying thicknesses from simulated waste water (SWW) matrix are evaluated for drinking water purification applications. Filtrations of standard SWW dispersions at various total suspended solid (TSS) content are performed, including spiking tests with 30 nm surrogate latex particles and 28 nm ΦX174 bacteriophages. Filter papers of thicknesses 9 and 29 µm are used, and the filtrations are performed at two different operational pressures, i.e., 1 and 3 bar. The presented data using SWW matrix show, for the first time, that a filter paper made from 100% nanocellulose has the capacity to efficiently remove even the smallest viruses, i.e., up to 99.9980–99.9995% efficiency, at industrially relevant flow rates, i.e., 60–500 L m−2 h−1, and low fouling, i.e., V max > 103–104 L m−2. The filter paper presented in this work shows great promise for the development of robust, affordable, and sustainable water purification systems. Nanocellulose‐based filter paper is shown to remove viruses with up to 99.9980–99.9995% efficiency for drinking water purification.

PurposeTo clarify the diagnostic utility and formation of the Mille-feuille sign for ovarian carcinosarcoma (OCS) on MRI, and to evaluate the other MRI findings and serum markers compared to ovarian metastases from colorectal carcinoma (OMCRC).MethodThree blinded radiologists retrospectively reviewed MR images of 12 patients with OCS, 18 with OMCRC, and 40 with primary ovarian carcinoma (POC) identified by the electronic database of radiology reports. The interobserver agreement was analyzed using Fleiss’ kappa test. Their MRI characteristics and tumor markers were compared using Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney’s U test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to determine the cutoff points for the ADC value. This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee.ResultsInterobserver agreement analysis was moderate or higher for all MRI characteristics. The frequency of Mille-feuille sign was comparable for both OCS and OMCRC groups, and predominantly higher than that of the POC group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), respectively. Pathologically, the Mille-feuille sign in OCS reflected alternating layers of tumor cells with stroma and necrosis or intraluminal necrotic debris. Compared to OMCRC, intratumoral hemorrhage (p = 0.02), margin irregularity (p = 0.048), unilateral adnexal mass (p = 0.02), and low ADC values (p < 0.01) were more frequently observed and serum CEA levels was significantly lower (p = 0.007) in the OCS group. Under setting of the cutoff value of ADC at 0.871 × 10−3mm2/s, the discriminative ability for OCS showed 66.7% sensitivity, 94.4% specificity, and 81.0% accuracy, respectively.ConclusionsThe Mille-feuille sign was seen in both OCS and OMCRC. MR findings of intratumoral hemorrhage, margin irregularity, unilateral adnexal mass, low ADC values, and low serum CEA levels can be useful in differentiating OCS from OMCRC.

Description of the subject. Essential oils are volatile fractions produced through the special metabolism of plants. One significant biological application of essential oils in recent years has been their use as bioherbicides, due to their important biocide effect. Objectives. This study aims to identify the chemical constituents of Aloysia gratissima (Gillies & Hook.) Tronc. essential oil and assess its biocide potential. Method. This study describes, for the first time, the chemical constitution of the essential oils from seeds of A. gratissima. To verify possible biocide effect, lettuce seeds were submitted to different concentrations of essential oils from A. gratissima leaves (AG-LE-EO), flowers (AG-FL-EO), and seeds (AG-SE-EO) to evaluate germination percentage, mean germination time, synchrony of germination, and seedling length. . Results. At concentrations of 800 µl l-1, synchrony was positively influenced by (AG-LE-EO), increasing from 0.38 to 0.54. On the other hand, AG-SE-EO at concentrations of 800 µl·l-1 reduced lettuce germination from 90.8% to 64.4% and seedling length from 1.35 to 0.8 cm, besides increasing mean germination time, indicating biocide effects. Conclusions. These results are expected to lead to further trials to understand how the constituents of A. gratissima essential oils inhibit germination, making them a potential bioherbicide.

Pore-size distribution (PSD) is the most critical parameter for size-exclusion virus removal filters. Yet, different dry- and wet-state porometry methods yield different pore-size values. The goal of this work is to conduct comparative analysis of nitrogen gas sorption (NGSP), liquid-liquid and cryoporometry with differential scanning calorimetry (CP-DSC) methods with respect to characterization of regular and cross-linked virus removal filter paper based on cellulose nanofibers, i.e. the mille-feuille filter. The filters were further characterized with atomic force and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the removal of the worst-case model virus, i.e. minute virus of mice (MVM; 20 nm, nonenveloped parvovirus) was evaluated. The results revealed that there is no difference of the obtained PSDs between the wet methods, i.e. DSC and liquid-liquid porometry (LLP), as well as no difference between the regular and cross-linked filters regardless of method. MVM filtration at different trans membrane pressure (TMP) revealed strong dependence of the virus removal capability on applied pressure. It was further observed that cross-linking filters showed enhanced virus removal, especially at lower TMP. In all, the results of this study highlight the complex nature of virus capture in size-exclusion filters.

Leaves represent the main resource for herbivorous insects and their performances are mainly a function of leaf nutritional quality. Two feeding strategies are known to optimize the exploitation of leaf resources: leaf-miners that selectively feed on tissues of high nutritional quality and gall-inducers that induce the development of a new tissue showing an enhanced nutritional value. Some leaf-miners are known to also manipulate their nutritional environment, but do not affect plant development. Cases of callus proliferation in leaf-mines have been reported, however, the direct role of the insect in the formation of additional plant cells and the nutritional function of this tissue have never been established. Using an experimental approach, we show that leaf-mining larvae of micromoth, Borboryctis euryae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), that grow on Eurya japonica (Pentaphylacaceae), actively induce callus proliferation within their leaf-mine at the fourth instar. We experimentally demonstrated that, at this developmental stage, the larva feeds exclusively on this newly formed tissue and feeding of the tissue is essential for completing larval stage. Phenological census revealed considerable expansion and variation of fourth instar duration caused by the continuous production of callus. We propose here the \"cornucopia\" hypothesis which states that the newly produced callus induced by the leaf-mining larvae provides virtually unending nourishment, which in turn allows flexible larval development time. This represents the first example of a leaf-miner manipulating plant development to its benefit, like a gall-inducer. We propose to name this life style \"mine-galler\".

A detailed account is given of the history, aetiology, biology, epidemiology, detection, geographical distribution, and control of huanglongbing (HLB), a destructive disease of citrus that represents a major threat to the world citrus industry, and is slowly invading new citrusgrowing areas. HLB, whose name in Chinese means \"yellow dragon disease\", was first reported from southern China in 1919 and is now known to occur in next to 40 different Asian, African, Oceanian, South and North American countries. The agent is a phloem-restricted, non cultured, Gram-negative bacterium causing crippling diseases denoted \"greening\" in South Africa, \"mottle leaf\" in the Philippines, \"dieback\" in India, \"vein phloem degeneration\" in Indonesia. The HLB bacterium belongs to the genus Candidatus Liberibacter, three species of which are currently known, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, occurring in Asian countries and, to a lesser extent, in Brazil and the USA (Florida), Candidatus Liberibacter africanus with its subspecies \"capensis\", recorded from African countries, and Candidatus Liberibacter americanus present in Brazil. The suggestion is that each liberibacter species has evolved in the continent after which it is named. HLB symptoms are virtually the same wherever the disease occurs. Infected trees show a blotchy mottle condition of the leaves that results in the development of yellow shoots, the early and very characteristic symptom of the disease. Trees are stunted, declining and bear a few, small-sized, and deformed (lop-sided) fruits, that are poorly coloured (greening) and with coloration starting at the peduncular end (colour inversion). HLB can be transmitted by grafting from citrus to citrus and by dodder to periwinkle. The psyllids Trioza erytreae and Diaphorina citri are natural vectors. Two different types of HLB are known: the heat-sensitive African form transmitted by T. erytreae, which develops at temperatures of 22-25°C, and the heat-tolerant Asian form, transmitted by D. citri, which stands temperatures well above 30°C. Although the HLB pathogen can be identified by electron microscopy, other laboratory methods are used for routine detection. ELISA with monoclonal antibodies is not recommended. Better systems are dot blot hybridization with a DNA probe, and various PCR formats (one-step, nested, multiplex) using species-specific primers based on 16S rRNA or rplKAJL-rpoBC operon sequences. Because no curative methods of HLB are available, control is preventive and largely based on inoculum elimination by removal of infected trees and chemical treatments against vectors. Strict quarantine measures must be implemented to impair further international spread of HLB agents and their vectors.