Sex ratio manipulation and selection for attractiveness

Laboratory experiments performed on a monogamous estrildid, the zebra finch (Poephila guttata), indicate that sex ratio of offspring is affected by non-genetic markers (colored plastic leg bands) that vary in attractiveness to birds. Results suggest that natural selection favors individuals that produce offspring of the sex of the more attractive parent within a breeding pair.     

Echinococcus granulosus in the Northern Territory,Australia: hydatid disease reported in beef cattle from the region

Hydatid disease in beef cattle has been reported to be widespread throughout Australia, but cattle bred and raised in the Northern Territory were previously believed to be free of the disease. Between 2010 and 2016, 1061 cattle from the Northern Territory were slaughtered at a New South Wales abattoir and inspected for hydatid disease. The proportion of cattle reported infected with hydatid disease was 3.5%. Individual cattle identification numbers indicated that the cattle included in the study had most likely remained within the Northern Territory from birth until immediately prior to slaughter, so were assumed to have become infected within the region. We suspect that the sylvatic cycle of Echinococcus granulosus transmission could be responsible for infection of cattle in this region.     

Comparison of white blood cell differential percentages determined by the in-house LaserCyte hematology analyzer and a manual method

BACKGROUND: The LaserCyte hematology analyzer (IDEXX Laboratories, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, UK) is the first in-house laser-based single channel flow cytometer designed specifically for veterinary practice. The instrument provides a full hematologic analysis including a 5-part WBC differential (LC-diff%). We are unaware of published studies comparing LC-diff% results to those determined by other methods used in practice. OBJECTIVE: To compare LC-diff% results to those obtained by a manual differential cell count (M-diff%). METHODS: Eighty-six venous blood samples from 44 dogs and 42 cats were collected into EDTA tubes at the Forest Veterinary Centre (Epping, UK). Samples were analyzed using the LaserCyte within 1 hour of collection. Unstained blood smears were then posted to Langford Veterinary Diagnostics, University of Bristol, and stained with modified Wright's stain. One hundred-cell manual differential counts were performed by 2 technicians and the mean percentage was calculated for each cell type. Data (LC-diff% vs M-diff%) were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Deming regression, and Bland-Altman difference plots. RESULTS: Significant differences between methods were found for neutrophil and monocyte percentages in samples from dogs and cats and for eosinophil percentage in samples from cats. Correlations (r) (canine/feline) were .55/.72 for neutrophils, .76/.69 for lymphocytes, .05/.29 for monocytes and .60/.82 for eosinophils. Agreement between LC-diff% and Mdiff% results was poor in samples from both species. Bland-Altman plots revealed outliers in samples with atypical WBCs (1 cat), leukocytosis (2 dogs, 9 cats), and leukopenia (16 dogs, 11 cats). The LaserCyte generated error flags in 28 of 86 (32.6%) samples, included 7 with leukopenia, 8 with lymphopenia, 7 with leukocytosis, 1 with anemia, and 1 with erythrocytosis. When results from these 28 samples were excluded, correlations from the remaining nonflagged results (canine/feline) were .63/.65 for neutrophils, .67/.65 for lymphocytes, .11/.33 for monocytes, and .63/.82 for eosinophils. CONCLUSION: Although use of a 100-cell (vs 200-cell) M-diff% may be a limitation of our study, good correlation between WBC differentials obtained using the LaserCyte and the manual method was achieved only for feline eosinophils.     

Demographic response and life history of traditional forest resource tree species in a tropical mosaic landscape in Papua New Guinea

Disturbance is well known to play an important structuring role in rainforest succession and in maintaining overall diversity. However, the ecological responses arising from changes in land use such as traditional and modified shifting cultivation practices are less well known. The distribution and dynamics of plant populations may be affected by such changes in land use and often their responses are compounded by a lack of life history data. The life history traits and demographic parameters important to successional species responses to disturbance remain poorly understood beyond broad generalisations, particularly in rainforests outside of the Neotropics. We examined the life history and demography of five rainforest tree species in Papua New Guinea to investigate the effect of shifting cultivation practices on their population dynamics. The demographic parameters most successful for continued population growth were medium to high recruitment, low seedling mortality and high seedling abundance, relatively low growth rates (compared to many pioneer species) and moderate to high abundance in all life stages. Successful life history traits were high seed mass, moderate shade-tolerance and high cultural value. In accordance with their demographies and life histories, Pterocarpus indicus, Vitex cofassus and Artocarpus altilis were classified as early successional species, while Pometia pinnata and Canarium indicum were considered mid-successional. The results suggest that the earlier successional species do not necessarily have an advantage in disturbed environments; persistence is more likely to rely on the response of inherent demographic processes to external influences.     

Flow distribution studies in fish rearing tanks. Part 2—Analysis of hydraulic performance of 1m square tanks

The first part of this study on the development of fish rearing tanks was concerned with reviewing previous designs and techniques (Klapsis and Burley, 1984). From this study it was made clear that several objectives have to be simultaneously satisfied or at least attempted within such a design and these have been clearly enumerated.In the second part of this study an investigation is reported on a simple re-design of a square tank which offers a 21% increase in useable surface area over an equivalent circular tank. With an asymmetrical square tank, the axial symmetry of a circular tank no longer applies and several important design changes need to be introduced.The design modifications proposed and implemented in this case were found to give fairly constant fluid velocities at all cross-sections, together with excellent mixing, self-cleaning and aeration characteristics in the body of the fluid.     

Sampling techniques for measurement of fibre length in eucalyptus species

Summary Individual fibre lengths were measured on the projected images of macerated tissue samples of seven Eucalyptus species grown in a replicated species trial in Zambia. Analyses of variance and variance components were used to study variation between species, replications, distances from the pith, radial positions, microscope slides and individual fibres. The overall mean was 0.93 mm and little variation was attributable to the main factors (fixed effects); two-thircs of total variation was due to differences between fibres within samples. Variance components for random factors were used to compare different sampling strategies; the size of acceptable difference for hardwoods (0.10 ... 0.14 mm) is considerably less than that for conifers and samples of 80 ... 200 fibres may be necessary. Differences between microscope slides were unimportant and two or more slides would be necessary only to facilitate location of the large numbers of fibres or to provide a check on operators.Laboratory work was carried out at Tree Improvement Research Centre, Kitwe, Zambia.     

Reproducibility of systematic literature reviews on food, nutrition, physical activity and endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE: Despite the increasing dependence on systematic reviews to summarise the literature and to issue public health recommendations, the formal assessment of the reliability of conclusions emerging from systematic reviews has received little attention. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate whether two independent centres, in two continents, draw similar conclusions regarding the association of food, nutrition and physical activity and endometrial cancer, when provided with the same general instructions and with similar resources. DESIGN: The assessment of reproducibility concentrated on four main areas: (1) paper search and selection; (2) assignment of study design; (3) inclusion of papers; and (4) individual studies selected for meta-analysis and the summary risk estimate obtained. RESULTS: In total 310 relevant papers were identified, 166 (54 %) were included by both centres. Of the remaining 144 papers, 72 (50 %) were retrieved in the searches of one centre and not the other (54 in centre A, 18 in centre B) and 72 were retrieved in both searches but regarded as relevant by only one of the centres (52 in centre A, 20 in centre B). Of papers included by both centres, 80 % were allocated the same study design. Agreement for inclusion of cohort-type and casekey' papers was 87 %. Summary risk estimates from meta-analyses were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Transparency of process and explicit detailed procedures are necessary parts of a systematic review and crucial for the reader to interpret its findings.