ARPHA Preprints
Not a member yet
49208 research outputs found
Sort by
Research progress on nationally protected plants in the three most north-eastern provinces of China
No full textThe three most north-eastern provinces of China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning) are rich in natural resources and have favourable geographical conditions, making them home to a large number of wild plant species. This paper summarises the distribution characteristics, endangerment degree and research status of nationally protected plants in these provinces based on online databases, literature review and field surveys.The results show that the north-eastern provinces have 31 families, 38 genera and 51 species of nationally protected plants. The endangered status includes both the endangered assessments made by China and those made globally. China has assessed 38 plant species as endangered, while 19 plant species are assessed as endangered globally. Currently, most of the protected plants have been studied, with in-situ and ex-situ conservation being the primary protective measures. In addition, this study also identified seven species of plants that are basically not covered by research and lack sufficient studies in the current literature and urgently need further in-depth investigation and long-term monitoring in order to improve the relevant conservation measures. This study provides a scientific basis for the conservation vacancies of plants under national key protection in the three north-eastern provinces, as well as a reference for formulating effective conservation policies and promoting further research
Two new pestalotioid fungi from tropical fruits in Iran
No full textIn a survey of tropical plant diseases in southern and southeastern Iran, samples of diseased Mangifera indica and Psidium guava leaves with necrotic symptoms were collected between 2021 and 2022. Six representative isolates of Neopestalotiopsis and Robillarda (three isolates for each) were studied using morphological characteristics as well as multi-locus phylogenetic analysis based on (i) the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear rDNA, (ii) part of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and (iii) the β-tubulin (tub2). After morphological investigation, our phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Neopestalotiopsis and Robillarda isolates under study differed from all previously described species within these genera. Based on our polyphasic approach, two new species, including Neopestalotiopsis guava sp. nov. from necrotic Mangifera indica and Robillarda khodaparastii sp. nov. from Psidium guava are described and illustrated from Iran
BMP15 genetic variations in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency – correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters
No full textObjective: Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) is an oocyte-specific protein with essential functions on early folliculogenesis, a regulator of granulosa cell growth and differentiation. Recognizing the significant role of BMP15 in the development of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), our objective was to study the incidence of its genetic variants in a group of Bulgarian women affected by POI and to correlate them with clinical-laboratory parameters of the patients. Materials and methods: Direct Sanger sequencing of the BMP15 gene was performed in 37 patients with POI. The prevalence of the variants was compared to the internal database with unselected Bulgarian individuals. Results: In 56.8% of the patients, we detected one or two of the following variants c.-9C>G, c.308A>G, c.852C>T and c.538G>A. A significantly increased frequency of heterozygotes for variants c.-9C>G (40.5%) and c.308A>G (29.7%) was established in POI patients. We found that the combined carriership of these two frequent variants is significantly associated with the increased levels of FSH and the duration of amenorrhea, in Bulgarian patients with POI. Conclusion: Our study underscores the significant role of BMP15 as a crucial candidate gene and emphasizes the need for investigations in diverse population groups for its inclusion in the algorithm for early diagnostics and management of patients with POI
Re-description of Sinopoda curva Zhong, Jäger, Chen & Liu, 2019 (Araneae, Sparassidae), with a first description of the female
No full textSinopoda Jäger, 1999 is a relatively large spider genus that currently comprises 141 species distributed worldwide. However, the genus remains inadequately studied because nearly half of the species are known from a single sex or juvenile specimens. Sinopoda curva Zhong, Jäger, Chen & Liu, 2019 was described, based on two male specimens from Damingshan National Nature Reserve, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China and no additional specimens have been recorded since.Recently, new materials of huntsman spiders have been collected from Mt. Wuyishan, including specimens of both sexes. Several males were identified as S. curva, based on morphological comparison with the holotype. Based on morphological characters and DNA barcodes, we confidently matched the females and males as S. curva. Herein, S. curva is re-described, based on these new materials and the female is described and illustrated for the first time
Extracting specimen label data rapidly with a smartphone—a great help for simple digitization in taxonomy and collection management
No full textWe provide short tutorials in how to read out specimen label data from type- as well as handwritten labels in a rapid and easy way with a mobile phone. We apply them in general, but test them in particular for insect specimen labels, which are generally quite small. We provide alterative procedure instructions for Android and Apple based environments, as well as protocols for single and bulk scans. We expect that this way of data capture will be of great help for a simple digitization in taxonomy and collection management, independent from large industrial digitization pipelines. By omitting the step of taking/maintaining images of the labels, this approach is more rapid, cheaper, and environmentally more sustainable because no storage with carbon footprint is required for label images. We see the biggest advantage of this protocol in the use of readily available commercial devices, which are easy to handle, as they are used on a daily basis and can be replaced at relatively low cost when they come into (informatic) age, which is also a matter of cyber security
New insights into the mitogenomic phylogeny and evolutionary history of Murinae (Rodentia, Muridae) with the description of a new tribe
No full textMurinae is the largest known subfamily of Muridae and includes 15 tribes and 3 genera (incertae sedis). Although the phylogeny of Murinae has been studied, its phylogenetic relationships have not been completely elucidated. We used phylogenetic framework and molecular dating methodologies with the vast majority of available mitochondrial genomes to disentangle the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of Murinae. Sixteen tribes were identified within the Murinae subfamily. Among these, fifteen tribes were found to be consistent with those currently recognized. Hapalomyini (Clade A) was located at the base of the Murinae clade with strong nodal support contrary to previous studies, which showed that Phloeomyini diverged first. The Clade B consisted of Micromyini, Rattini, and the genus Vernaya. Vernaya cannot be accommodated in any existing tribe. The origin of Murinae dates back to 17.22 Ma. The split between Micromyini and Vernayini was dated to 11.69 Ma during the Miocene, indicating that they were both early branches of Murinae. Combined with the differences between Vernaya and its sister tribes (Micromyini and Rattini) in morphology, skull and teeth, we validated a new tribe, Vernayini tribe nov. We believe that it is necessary to combine morphological and molecular perspectives (especially from a genome-wide perspective) to determine the phylogenetic position of tribes with an uncertain taxonomic position in Murinae
Importance of prenatal diagnosis and multidisciplinary care in orofacial cleft: Report of three cases. Embryology understanding and risk factors
No full textOrofacial clefts are common, severe craniofacial malformations. Fetal anatomy assessment is able to detect fetal face defects as early as the first trimester ultrasound scan. The aim of our study is to highlight the importance of prenatal diagnosis. We present three cases of orofacial clefts diagnosed at different times after conception by ultrasound examination. 2D and 3D US assessments were performed, and in addition to the cleft palate, a cleft lip was present, which was not visible earlier due to the limitation of the earliest gestational age. Counseling with oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists was obtained, and the delivery took place in a tertiary hospital. Assessment of risk factors that increase the likelihood of orofacial cleft as well as an accurate prenatal diagnosis are essential for timely management by a multidisciplinary care team
Behavioural plasticity in circadian foraging patterns increases resistance of brown trout populations to environmental change
No full textStream-dwelling salmonids in the low-latitude and -altitude margins of their range are particularly threatened by climate change. However, they possess a variety of evolutionary, plastic, and behavioural mechanisms that provide resistance against rapid changes in their environment. Behavioural plasticity can be important under rapid environmental change because it is relatively fast and flexible. In particular, salmonids can exhibit flexible diel activity patterns in response to new environmental conditions, but the consequences of this capability for long-term population persistence in the face of climate change remain unclear. We used an individual-based model to simulate the trajectory of a brown trout population at the warmest edge of its range under three environmental-change scenarios of increasing warming and streamflow reduction. We assessed (1) how simulated trout responded behaviourally to climate change by modifying their circadian foraging patterns, and (2) how much this behavioural plasticity buffered the population-level consequences of environmental change. Our simulations showed that under current conditions trout of different age classes segregated foraging both temporally and spatially. The most consistent response to environmental change was more diurnal feeding in all age classes and under all scenarios, with the strength of this response increasing with the severity of change. In addition, total daily foraging activity increased in all age classes. A second experiment indicated that virtual populations of individuals capable of flexible circadian feeding were more resistant to environmental change than populations restricted to fixed feeding patterns. Thus, our computational experiment suggests that the ability of fish to adaptively select when as well as where to feed, well-documented at the individual level in the empirical literature, could potentially buffer the demographic impacts of long-term environmental change
EBAR: A Novel Machine Learning Model for Quantifying Chemical Concentrations using NIR Spectroscopy
No full textThe examination of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIR) in cattle and poultry fertilizers provides a viable solution for determining optimal fertilizer composition for crop growth while mitigating adverse impacts on soil and groundwater quality. In recent studies, conventional machine learning models combined with spectral analysis have been used to ascertain cattle and poultry fertilizer concentrations. However, these traditional machine learning models encounter challenges in achieving data generalization, resulting in suboptimal prediction accuracy. To address this issue, this study proposes a synthesized machine learning model named EBAR (Error Based Accumulation Regression), which exhibits a commendable coefficient of determination, with an average R2 = 0.865 across 7 chemical substances, surpassing the performance of existing traditional machine learning models. Additionally, a Backward Elimination technique is designed to identify crucial wavelength ranges for monitoring component concentrations. The research outcome is promising and acts as a novel benchmark for later models in determining component concentrations through NIR spectroscopy. Future research gears toward expanding datasets and increasing samples of fertilizers, extending examined wavelength, and improving the model’s efficiency to apply to various types of foods, including seafood, vegetables, and fruits
The relationship between daylight hours and suicides seasonality in Russia
No full textResearchers from various countries across the globe have found suicidal behaviour to exhibit seasonality. In Russia and other countries located in the northern hemisphere it is observed that the number of suicides spikes during the spring to summer period and drops in winter. Researching the seasonal fluctuations of suicide mortality will allow us to better understand this phenomenon and, consequently, to develop effective measures of suicide prophylaxis, which help prevent future suicide cases.In this article we research whether the seasonality of suicide levels in Russian countries is related to the daylight hours in different months. To achieve this, seasonality indices for suicides and daylight hours have been constructed for 8 Russian cities located across different latitudes. For these indices Pearson’s correlation coefficient has been computed. Granger causality test has been performed for the Russian suicide mortality data obtained for the years from 2000 to 2021. The authors have also attempted to estimate the real number of suicides by including some other causes of death, which were classified as events of undetermined intent.The results of the study show significant high positive correlation between the seasonality indices of suicides and daylight hours (ranging between 0.74 and 0.9 depending on the city) as well as the presence of Granger causality for all researched cities when using 2 and 3 lags, which might imply a potential influence of the daylight hours on the suicidal behaviour in Russia.This research contributes to academic literature on the seasonal patterns in suicides and their potential causes