Crop Research Institute, Group Functional Diversity of Invertebrates and Plants in Agro-Ecosystems, Czech Republic.
Published: December 2017
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Production of feces (PF) is a useful proxy indicating quantity of ingested food. Although influenced by many uncontrolled factors PF provides insight into food consumption under natural conditions. In Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) variation in PF was investigated in populations of various hostplants at localities of central Bohemia (50N, 14E), throughout the season of 2016. The adults collected from these hostplants were starved for 48 h at standard conditions, and dry mass of feces produced during this period was measured. Despite enormous differences in PF among individuals, significant variation over the season occurred in average PF of both males and females. PF increased with abundance of aphids and was significantly greater in females than males. Gravidity, as manifested through oviposition within 48 h after capture, was associated with increased PF, while hostplant and color morph did not affect variation in PF among individuals. From PF as measured in this study, it can be estimated that at sites hosting abundant aphid populations H. axyridis (as an adult male or female) may consume 19 (male) to 45 (female) aphids per day (assumed body length 1mm). In the absence of aphids, adults may consume one to nine individuals of alternative prey per day (body length 1-2 mm).
Age-related atrophy of the human hippocampus and the enthorinal cortex starts accelerating at around age 60. Due to the contributions of these regions to many cognitive functions seamlessly used in everyday life, this can heavily impact the lives of elderly people. The hippocampus is not a unitary structure, and mechanisms of its age-related decline appear to differentially affect its subfields.
Nowadays, consumption of fish is becoming a public health concern due to quality and safety issues. This study was designed to assess the proximate composition, microbial quality, and heavy metal accumulation in the Nile tilapia fillet at three selected landing sites in Lake Tana. Fifteen samples were collected and analyzed.
Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a prevalent digestive system disease characterized by atrophy of the gastric mucosa and the disappearance of inherent gastric glands. According to the theory of Correa's cascade, CAG is an important pathological stage in the transformation from normal condition to gastric carcinoma. In recent years, the global incidence of CAG has been increasing due to pathogenic factors, including infection, bile reflux, and the consumption of processed meats.
Given the fluctuating availability of natural lighting throughout the year, supplemental light is frequently employed to maintain the optimal daily light integral (DLI) levels necessary for adequate plant growth. However, the use of supplemental light translates into higher operational costs. Recent reports suggest that plants can tolerate a day with low DLI following exposure to a day with high DLI from natural light.
Background: The association between tea consumption and mortality among very elderly individuals, with or without cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCD), including stroke, remains unclear. This study hypothesised that a significant association exists.
Methods: We analysed data from two waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), spanning 1998/2000 to 2018, with a maximum follow-up of 20 years.
