Body Scales Research Articles

New grenadier Coelorinchus ganymedes sp. nova from the Waters of Polynesia (Macrouridae)

A new grenadier species, Coelorinchus ganymedes sp. nova, from the waters of the Marquesas Islands, belonging to the group of species “C. hubbsi”, has been described. The new species is most similar to C. gladius and C. spilonotus, but differs in color, fewer rows of spinules on body scales, and a number of proportions. A key has been compiled to determine the species of the group “C. hubbsi”.

The Effects of Mechanical Scale on Neural Control and the Regulation of Joint Stability.

Recent work has demonstrated how the size of an animal can affect neural control strategies, showing that passive viscoelastic limb properties have a significant role in determining limb movements in small animals but are less important in large animals. We extend that work to consider effects of mechanical scaling on the maintenance of joint integrity; i.e., the prevention of aberrant contact forces within joints that might lead to joint dislocation or cartilage degradation. We first performed a literature review to evaluate how properties of ligaments responsible for joint integrity scale with animal size. Although we found that the cross-sectional area of the anterior cruciate ligament generally scaled with animal size, as expected, the effects of scale on the ligament’s mechanical properties were less clear, suggesting potential adaptations in passive contributions to the maintenance of joint integrity across species. We then analyzed how the neural control of joint stability is altered by body scale. We show how neural control strategies change across mechanical scales, how this scaling is affected by passive muscle properties and the cost function used to specify muscle activations, and the consequences of scaling on internal joint contact forces. This work provides insights into how scale affects the regulation of joint integrity by both passive and active processes and provides directions for studies examining how this regulation might be accomplished by neural systems.

Effects of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) on fish body and scale shape in natural waters.

BackgroundIn recent years, there are growing concerns about pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in natural ecosystems. These compounds have been found in natural waters and in fish tissues worldwide. Regarding their growing distribution and abundance, it is becoming clear that traditionally used risk assessment methodologies and ecotoxicological studies have limitations in several respects. In our study a new, combined approach of environmental impact assesment of PhACs has been used.MethodsIn this study, the constant watercourses of the suburban region of the Hungarian capital (Budapest) were sampled, and the body shape and scale shape of three fish species (roach Rutilus rutilus, chub Squalius cephalus, gibel carp Carassius gibelio) found in these waters were analyzed, based on landmark-based geometric morphometric methods. Possible connections were made between the differences in body shape and scale shape, and abiotic environmental variables (local- and landscape-scale) and measured PhACs.ResultsSignificant connections were found between shape and PhACs concentrations in several cases. Despite the relatively large number of compounds (54) detected, citalopram, propranolol, codeine and trimetazidine significantly affected only fish body and scale shape, based on their concentrations. These four PhACs were shown to be high (citalopram), medium (propranolol and codeine), and low (trimetazidine) risk levels during the environmental risk assessment, which were based on Risk Quotient calculation. Furthermore, seven PhACs (diclofenac, Estrone (E1), tramadol, caffeine 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17α-Estradiol (aE2), Estriol (E3)) were also categorized with a high risk level. However, our morphological studies indicated that only citalopram was found to affect fish phenotype amongst the PhACs posing high risk. Therefore, our results revealed that the output of (traditional) environmental/ecological risk assessment based on ecotoxicological data of different aquatic organisms not necessarily show consistency with a “real-life” situation; furthermore, the morphological investigations may also be a good sub-lethal endpoint in ecotoxicological assessments.

Geological Recognition and Expansion Potential Analysis of the New 172-52 Drilling Area

Fine reservoir characterization is the basis of tapping the potential of high-yield exploration and evaluation wells. In this paper, the comprehensive prediction of New 172-52 reservoir in high-yield exploration and evaluation well area is carried out by using seismic data combined with drilling data, the sand body in the study area is re-depicted, and the geological understanding after drilling is integrated. It is concluded that the effective thickness of the well area on the east side of the fault in this area changes rapidly and gradually becomes thicker to the southeast, and the sand body is developed and has good connectivity, and there is potential for edge expansion above the oil-water interface. In the well area on the west side of the fault, according to the seismic reservoir attribute, the abandoned well after drilling is at the edge of the sand body, and the sand body extends to the northeast around the well point, and meets the fault block at the high part of the structure, which has the potential of expanding the edge. Through fine reservoir characterization, the boundary and scale of sand bodies are explored, and the productivity potential of high-yield exploration and evaluation wells is tapped.

Prevalence, Associated Factors and Psychological Determinants of Obesity among Adults in Selangor, Malaysia.

Background: The pervasiveness of obesity is a growing concern in the world. This study aims to determine the prevalence of obesity among a segment of the Malaysian population, as well as investigate associated factors and psychological determinants of obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was carried out in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 1380 Malaysian adults (≥18 years old) participated in a structured and validated questionnaire survey. TANITA body scale and SECA 206 body meter were used to measure the respondents’ weight and height, from which measurements of their body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) among adults in Selangor, Malaysia, was 18.6%. Factors significantly associated with increased risk of obesity were: being female (OR = 1.61, 95% CI [1.20–2.17]), aged between 30 to 39 years old (OR = 1.40, 95% CI [1.04–1.88]), being Indian (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.13–2.12]), married (OR = 1.37, 95% CI [1.03–1.83]), and having only primary school education (OR = 1.80, 95% CI [1.17–2.78] or secondary school education (OR = 1.37, 95% CI [1.04–1.81]). In the multiple linear regression analysis (stepwise method), perceived stress (B = −0.107, p = 0.041), suicidal ideation (B = −2.423, p = 0.003), and quality of life in the physical health domain (B = −0.350, p = 0.003) inversely and significantly contributed to BMI among males. Among females, stressful life events contributed positively to BMI (B = 0.711, p < 0.001, whereas quality of life in the psychological domain had a negative effect (B = −0.478, p < 0.001) in this respect. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to integrate psychological approaches to enhance the effectiveness of obesity prevention strategies and weight-loss programs.

Discussion on evaluation method of water energy in strong water drive gas reservoir

In the process of gas reservoir development, as the pressure of gas reservoir decreases, water will invade into the gas reservoir and form a certain scale of water body, so it is very necessary to know the water body energy correctly. This paper takes strong water drive gas reservoir as an example, and uses equation of state method, pressure drop curve method and material balance method respectively to complete the water body energy evaluation of this block, so as to find the water body energy evaluation method suitable for strong water drive gas reservoir, which plays an important role in implementing water control measures.

A new species of Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) from the rio Madeira basin, Brazil, with comments on the evolution and development of the trunk lateral line system in characids

Abstract A new species of Moenkhausia is described from the rio Machado drainage, Amazon basin, Brazil. It is diagnosed from congeners by its color pattern, consisting of the concentration of chromatophores on the anterior portion of body scales, the horizontally elongate blotch on caudal peduncle, a bright golden coloration of the dorsal portion of eye when alive, and a dark line crossing the eye horizontally. The new species has variable morphology regarding trunk lateral-line canals. Most fully grown individuals do not have enclosed bony tube in many lateral line scales, resembling early developmental stages of tube formation of other species. This paedomorphic condition is interpreted as a result of developmental truncation. Such evolutionary process may have been responsible for the presence of distinct levels of trunk lateral line reductions in small characids. Variation in this feature is common, even between the sides of the same individual. We reassert that the degree of trunk lateral-line tube development must be used with care in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, because reductions in the laterosensory system may constitute parallel loss in the Characidae. We suggest the new species to be categorized Near Threatened due to the restricted geographical distribution and continuing decline in habitat quality.

ENaBLe, an On-Line Tool to Evaluate Natural Background Levels in Groundwater Bodies

Inorganic compounds in groundwater may derive from both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. The assessment of natural background levels (NBLs) is often useful to distinguish these sources. The approaches for the NBLs assessment can be classified as geochemical (e.g., the well-known pre-selection method) or statistical, the latter involving the application of statistical procedures to separate natural and anthropogenic populations. National Guidelines for the NBLs assessment in groundwater have been published in Italy (ISPRA 155/2017), based mainly on the pre-selection method. The Guidelines propose different assessment paths according to the sample size in spatial/temporal dimension and the type of the distribution of the pre-selected dataset, taking also into account the redox conditions of the groundwater body. The obtained NBLs are labelled with a different confidence level in function of number of total observations/monitoring sites, extension of groundwater body and aquifer type (confined or unconfined). To support the implementation of the Guidelines, the on-line tool evaluation of natural background levels (eNaBLe), written in PHP and using MySQL as DBMS (DataBase Management System), has been developed. The main goal of this paper is to describe the functioning of eNaBLe and test the tool on a case study in central Italy. We calculated the NBLs of As, F, Fe and Mn in the southern portion of the Mounts Vulsini groundwater body, within the volcanic province of Latium (Central Italy), also separating the reducing and oxidizing facies. Specific results aside, this study allowed to verify the functioning and possible improvements of the online tool and to identify some criticalities in the procedure NBLs assessment at the groundwater body scale

Updates on the Morphometric Characterization of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Sri Lanka.

Simple SummaryThe Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is one of the eight extant pangolin species in the world, listed as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species is native to the Indian subcontinent. The Indian pangolin population in Sri Lanka is geographically isolated from the mainland population and therefore, could possess morphological adaptations to the unique environmental conditions in the island. However, an accurate description of the morphological features has not been attempted for Indian pangolins occurring on the island. This study described the morphological features of Indian pangolins based on observations made on 27 specimens from Sri Lanka. The adult male Indian pangolin measures between 137 and 177 cm from the snout to the tip of the tail and weighs between 20.4 and 48.8 kg. The largest Indian pangolin recorded so far from any of its range counties, weighing 48.76 kg and measuring 176.8 cm in total body length was recorded in this study. Indian pangolins recorded from Sri Lanka on average bear 511 ± 21 scales. Three major scale morph/types are further described.An accurate morphological description and analysis based on reliable data are unavailable for the geographically isolated population of M. crassicaudata in Sri Lanka. This study provides the most updated morphological description of M. crassicaudata with special reference to body measurements directly obtained from 27 specimens collected island-wide. Morphological parameters were recorded under three age classes that were defined based on their body weight (BW) and total body length (TBL); juvenile (BW: <4.3 kg TBL: <56.0 cm), subadult (BW: 4.3–7.3 kg TBL: 56–101 cm), and adult (BW: >7.3 kg TBL: >101 cm) and gender to reveal sexual dimorphism based on morphometric parameters. The TBL of adult males ranged between 137 and 177 cm while body weight ranged between 20.4 and 48.8 kg. The average count of body scales was 511 ± 21. The body scales were found arranged in 13 longitudinal rows with the highest number of scales observed on the vertebral scale row (16 ± 1). Three major scale morphs were identified; broad rhombic scales, elongated kite-shaped scales, and folded shaped scales. Broad rhombic shaped scales was the dominant scale type (80.49%) on the body (405 ± 7). The tail-length to body-length ratio of an Indian pangolin was 0.87. The tail length of an Indian pangolin is a reliable predictor of the TBL and has potential implications in quick field data gathering.

Sex-specific Positioning of the Mating Structure in Scale-bearing Gametes of Monostroma angicava and Collinsiella cava (Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta): A Possible Widespread Difference between Male and Female Gametes.

The gametes of chlorophytes can be divided into two morphological types (types α and β) based on the position of the mating structure relative to the flagella and eyespot. To elucidate the relationship between the morphological types and the sexes, we studied spatial relationships between the flagellar apparatus-eyespot-mating structures in biflagellate male and female gametes and their fate after fertilization in the anisogamous (Monostroma angicava) and the slightly anisogamous species (Collinsiella cava) using field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The smaller male and larger female gametes of M. angicava had two basal bodies arranged at a 180° angle and the cell surface coated with square-shaped body scales, except for the flagella and mating structures. The mating structure of the female gamete was located on the same side of the flagellar beat plane as the eyespot (type β), whereas that of the male gamete was located on the opposite side (type α). This mating structure arrangement was also confirmed in C. cava. The initial fusion when male and female gametes were mixed involved the mating structures. In a fusing pair of gametes, each flagellum of one gamete lay alongside one flagellum of the other gamete. As fusion proceeded, the gamete pair transformed into a quadriflagellate planozygote, in which the four basal bodies were arranged in a cruciate pattern. The eyespots were positioned side-by-side on the same side of the cell. These results suggest that the two morphological types of gametes are intimately correlated with the particular sexes.

A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 (Reptilia: Serpentes) from eastern Himalayas, India

A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 is described from the eastern Himalayas. The species Pareas kaduri sp. nov. differs from all known species of the genus in bearing the following suite of characters: SVL 455–550 mm, TaL/TL 0.184–0.207, brown dorsum with black transverse bands throughout the body, 15 dorsal scale rows throughout the body and mid-dorsal vertebral scale rows enlarged, 8 rows keeled in males, loreal not touching orbit, ventrals 160–183, subcaudals 65–70 in males, 52 in one female specimen, hemipenis short, unilobed and 6–7 maxillary teeth. Molecular data for mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes further attest the distinctness of the new species, which was recovered as a member of the Pareas hamptoni clade. Our work brings the total number of species recognized within the genus Pareas to 20.

The effect of Cryptosporidiumparvum, rotavirus, and coronavirus infection on the health and performance of male dairy calves

The objective of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the effect of bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine rotavirus (BRoV), and Cryptosporidiumparvum on dairy calf health and performance and to determine the prevalence of these pathogens. A total of 198 male dairy calves housed at a grain-fed veal facility were examined from June 11, 2018, to October 9, 2018. Calves were fed milk replacer twice daily and housed individually until weaning at 56 d. Once weaned, calves were moved into groups of 5 until they were moved to a finishing facility at 77 d. At the grain-fed veal facility, calves were scored for fecal consistency for the first 28 d and had fecal samples taken on arrival and at 7 and 14 d. Fecal samples were frozen and submitted to a commercial laboratory, where they were tested for BCoV, C.parvum, and 2 groups of BRoV: group A (BRoV A) and group B (BRoV B). Calves were weighed on arrival and at 14, 49, 56, and 77 d using a digital body scale. Treatments for disease and mortalities that occurred over the 77 d were also recorded. Statistical models, including Cox proportional hazards and repeated measures models, were built to determine the effect of infection with 1 of the pathogens. Over the 3 sampling points, 151 (85.8%), 178 (94.2%), 3 (1.5%), and 97 (57.4%) calves tested positive at least once for BCoV, BRoV A, BRoV B, and C.parvum, respectively. The source of the calves and the level of serum total protein measured on arrival were associated with testing positive for a pathogen. Calves that tested positive for C.parvum had an increased proportion of days with diarrhea and severe diarrhea; calves that tested positive for BCoV and BRoV A had an increased proportion of days with severe diarrhea. In addition, calves that tested positive for C.parvum had a higher hazard of being treated for respiratory disease. With respect to body weight, calves that had diarrhea or severe diarrhea had lower body weight at 49, 56, and 77 d. Specifically, calves that had an increased proportion of days with diarrhea showed a reduction in weight gain of up to 15 kg compared to calves without diarrhea. Calves that tested positive for C.parvum had a lower body weight at 49, 56, and 77 d; calves that tested positive for BCoV had a lower body weight at 56 and 77 d. This study demonstrates that the prevalence of BCoV, BRoV A, and C.parvum infection is high in this population of calves and has significant effects on the occurrence of diarrhea and body weight gain. Future studies should evaluate approaches for minimizing the effect of infection with these pathogens to improve the welfare, health, and productivity of dairy calves.

Improving City Vitality through Urban Heat Reduction with Green Infrastructure and Design Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

Cities are prone to excess heat, manifesting as urban heat islands (UHIs). UHIs impose a heat penalty upon urban inhabitants that jeopardizes human health and amplifies the escalating effects of background temperature rises and heatwaves, presenting barriers to participation in city life that diminish interaction and activity. This review paper investigates how green infrastructure, passive design and urban planning strategies—herein termed as green infrastructure and design solutions (GIDS)—can be used to cool the urban environment and improve city vitality. A systematic literature review has been undertaken connecting UHIs, city vitality and GIDS to find evidence of how qualities and conditions fundamental to the vitality of the city are diminished by heat, and ways in which these qualities and conditions may be improved through GIDS. This review reveals that comfortable thermal conditions underpin public health and foster activity—a prerequisite for a vital city—and that reducing environmental barriers to participation in urban life enhances physical and mental health as well as activity. This review finds that GIDS manage urban energy flows to reduce the development of excess urban heat and thus improve the environmental quality of urban spaces. Furthermore, it finds that the most equitable approach to urban cooling is one that reduces the intensity of the meso-scale UHI that affects all urban inhabitants. Subsequently, a cooler urban fabric based on GIDS is proposed. A cohesive approach to the widespread adoption of GIDS shows potential to produce a cooler urban fabric that is human-centered in its function and aesthetic to enhance participation in public life and stimulate life on the streets. Four spatial scales are presented in which a combination of GIDS may be collectively implemented to reduce the meso-scale UHI, including the urban, intra-urban, building and body scales. This approach considers the interacting nature of GIDS applied within contrasting urban landscapes, and aims to produce cooler urban conditions, better walking environments, and ecosystem co-benefits to stimulate participation in physical activity and public life to underpin public health, productivity and livelihoods, thereby inducing city vitality.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder: a new species of gecko (Diplodactylidae:Lucasium) from inland north Queensland, Australia.

The Einasleigh Uplands bioregion of central north Queensland, Australia, harbours a unique suite of reptiles that have begun to receive significant attention in the last 20 years. This has resulted in a number of new reptile species being described, and recognition that others await description. We describe a new species of Lucasium Wermuth, 1965 from the western Einasleigh Uplands. Lucasium iris sp. nov. is genetically distinct and morphologically diagnosable from all congeners by its large size, long and narrow tail, nares in contact with rostral scale, homogeneous body scales, distinct vertebral stripe, and paired, enlarged, apical subdigital lamellae. It is known from low rocky hills in a localised area of the Gregory Range, has the most restricted known distribution of any Lucasium, and is the only Lucasium endemic to Queensland. The new species appears most closely related to L. steindachneri (Boulenger, 1885), based on mitochondrial DNA sequences, but has a colour-pattern more similar to L. immaculatum Storr, 1988. All three of these species occur in the Einasleigh Uplands, but only L. steindachneri is known to occur in sympatry with L. iris sp. nov. In addition to the description of the new species, we present records of Lucasium immaculatum from the Einasleigh Uplands, which represent a significant known range extension.

Taxonomic reassignment of Pseudohaptolina birgeri comb. nov. (Haptophyta)

ABSTRACT The haptophyte genus Pseudohaptolina (formerly Chrysochromulina clade B1-3) currently harbours two species: Pseudohaptolina arctica and Pseudohaptolina sorokinii. In addition, Chrysochromulina birgeri is expected to belong to this genus due to its morphological similarity to P. sorokinii, but it has not yet been genetically characterised. A strain belonging to Pseudohaptolina was brought into culture from Arctic waters, characterised by 18S and 28S rRNA gene sequencing as well as optical and transmission electron microscopy, and deposited in the Roscoff Culture Collection with the code RCC5270. Molecular and morphological data from RCC5270 were compared with those from previously described Pseudohaptolina and Pseudohaptolina-like species. Strain RCC5270 showed strong phylogenetic affinity to P. sorokinii, but observations using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that RCC5270 possesses three types of organic body scales, rather than two as originally described for P. sorokinii. We found that the occurrence of three scale types is likely to have been overlooked in the original descriptions of both P. sorokinii and C. birgeri. We also found that environmental metabarcodes identical to the sequence of RCC5270 were abundant at the location from which C. birgeri was initially described (Gulf of Finland). We conclude that P. sorokinii and C. birgeri are conspecific and P. sorokinii is therefore synonymous with C. birgeri. Based on its phylogenetic placement and nomenclatural priority, we propose the new combination Pseudohaptolina birgeri and emend the description of this species.

English

BACKGROUND Body image can be defined as a subjective picture of an individual’s own physical appearance established by self-observation and by noticing the reaction of others. Breast cancer and its treatment has been shown to have tremendous impact on the body image of the patients. We wanted to assess the level of body image disturbance in patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer and identify the relation between the body image disturbance and measures of psychosocial morbidity and quality of life. METHODS 35 female patients who had mastectomy for breast cancer were assessed preoperatively, immediately after surgery and 2 months after the surgery. They were administered body image scale questionnaire, HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and WHO QOL BREF. RESULTS Our results showed that 24 out of 35 patients (68.5 %) were Body Image Scale positive at the first interview itself. The number of positive patients increased to 27 at the second interview (77.1 %), but this change was not statistically significant and there was no change from second to third visit. Those who were Body Image Scale Positive had significantly higher anxiety, depression and GHQ12 scores. Those who had a body image disturbance also had a poorer quality of life across all domains. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that there is a high level of body image disturbance in patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer even before surgery. This high level also contributes significantly to their psychosocial morbidity and also negatively affects their quality of life. KEYWORDS Body Image, Anxiety, Depression, Quality of Life, Breast Cancer, Mastectomy

Peridotites and Chromitites from the Dingqing Ophiolite in the Eastern Segment of Bangong–Nujiang Suture Zone, Tibet: Occurrence Characteristics and Classifications

AbstractThe Dingqing ophiolite is located in the eastern segment of the Bangong‐Nujiang suture zone. This suture zone is W–E trending parallel with the Yarlung–Zangbo suture zone and is an strategic area for exploring chromite deposits in China. The Dingqign ophiolite is distributed in near SE‐NW direction. According to the spatial distribution, the Dingqing ophiolite is sudivided into two massifs, including the East and the West massifs. The Dingqing ophiolite covers an area of nearly 600 km2. This ophiolite is composed of peridotite, pyroxenite, gabbro, diabase, basalt, plagiogranite and chert (Fig. 1).The peridotite is the main lithology of the Dingqing ophiolite. The peridotite covers about 90% of the total area of the Dingqing ophiolite. The Dingqing ophiolite is dominated by harzburgite with a small amounts of dunite. The Dingqing harzburgite displays different textures, such as massive, Taxitic, oriented and spherulitic textures (Fig. 2d–i). These four types of harzburgite occur in both the East and West massifs, especially in the Laraka area of the eastern part of the East massif. Dunites have different occurrences in the field outcrops, such as lenticular or strip‐shaped, thin‐shell and agglomerate varieties (Fig. 2a–c).On the basis of detailed field work, we have discovered 83 chromitite bodies, including 27 in the East massif and 56 in the West massif. According to the occurrence scale and quantity of the chromitite bodies, we have identified four prospecting areas, namely Laraka, Latanguo, Langda and Nazona. Chromitites in the Dingqing ophiolite show different textures, including massive, disseminated, veined and disseminated‐banded textures (Fig. 3). On the basis of the Cr# (=Cr/(Cr+Al)×100) of chromite, we have classified the Dingqing chromitite into high‐Cr, medium high chromium type, medium chromium type and low chromium type chromitite (Figs. 4, 5). Among them, low chromium type chromitite Cr# is extremely low, ranging from 9.23 to 14.01, with an average of 11.89; TiO2 content is 0.00% to 0.04%, and the average value is 0.01%, which may be a new output type of chromitite.These different types of chromitites have different associations/assemblages of mineral inclusions. The inclusions in high chromium type chromitite are mainly clinopyroxene and a small amount of olivine; medium high chromium chromitite are mainly amphibole, a small amount of clinopyroxene and phlogopite; while low‐chromium chromite rarely develops mineral inclusions, and micron‐sized clinopyroxene inclusions are common in olivines which are gangue mineral in it.These different types of chromite ore bodies have a certain correspondence with the field output, and may also restrict their genesis. This part will be further developed in the follow‐up work.

PENGARUH LATIHAN SENAM AEROBIK TERHADAP PENURUNAN BERAT BADAN, PERSENTASE LEMAK TUBUH DAN PENINGKATAN MASSA OTOT

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap 1) Pengaruh latihan senam aerobik terhadap penurunan berat badan 2) Pengaruh latihan senam aerobik terhadap persentase lemak tubuh, dan 3) Pengaruh latihan senam aerobik terhadap peningkatan massa otot. Penelitian mengunakan eksperimen semu (quasi-exsperiment). Populasi adalah semua anggota senam fit club simpang D Kabupaten Rokan Hulu, dengan sampel berjumlah 10 orang. Teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan total sampling dengan jumlah 10 orang. Instrumen penelitian untuk memperoleh data adalah: (1) Timbangan badan digital innerscan Tanita BC-541 body composition untuk mengukur berat badan, (2) Skin fold caliper untuk mengukur persentase lemak tubuh dan (3) Timbangan badan digital innerscan Tanita BC-541 body composition untuk mengukur massa otot. Teknik analisa data yang digunakan adalah uji t. Hasil dan analisa data menunjukkan bahwa: (1) Latihan senam aerobik memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap penurunan berat badan thitung 2,186 &gt; ttabel 1.782. Nilai rata-rata pretest 66,86 kg dan posttest 66,12 kg. Terdapat penurunan 0,74 kg. (2) Latihan senam aerobik memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap penurunan persentase lemak tubuh thitung 3,285 &gt; ttabel 1.782. Nilai rata-rata pretest 40.45 % dan posttest 37,18 %, Terdapat penurunan 3,27 %.(3) Latihan senam aerobik memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap massa otot thitung 1,835 &gt; ttabel 1.782. Nilai rata-rata pretest 37,72 dan posttest 37,63,Terdapat penurunan 0,09 %.

Soil erosion hazard map for river basin managers: An example for the water bodies of the Loire river basin (France)

Soil erosion on agricultural land is associated with deleterious off-site impacts including the siltation and the pollution of the receiving water bodies. To better manage this situation, local/regional water agencies need spatially-distributed information to compare the sensitivity to erosion of the areas draining into these water bodies and supplying the vast majority of sediment and associated pollutants leading to this water quality impairment. These soil erosion hazard maps are now often included in the latest versions of the basin management plans that must be designed to meet the water quality objectives of the EU Framework Directive. However, the resolution of these maps is often too coarse to meet the practical needs of these agencies. Accordingly, the current research used the latest input databases to improve the MESALES model outputs in one of the largest French River basins (Loire, 117,000 km2), with the implementation of three main modifications. First, the seasonal variations of land cover were incorporated into the model through a revised set of expert rules based on the agricultural census data. Second, the discrimination of the soil textures was improved within the infiltration and erodibility module of the model. Third, variations in rainfall erosivity across the study area were described taking into account the latest erosivity map available at the European scale. Then, the model results obtained with the updated model version were compared with those generated by the previous version. Overall, the simulated soil erosion hazard changed for 35% of the pixels of the Loire River basin, with a significant increase of the lowest hazard classes during all seasons except summer. When aggregating the results at the scale of water bodies, the simulated erosion hazard changed for 49% of these management units. Although 28% of these water bodies were associated with a lower hazard, 23% of the river systems were attributed a higher erosion risk. The implications of these model/map revisions for the local decision makers were discussed, taking the strategy of concentrating the management budget on those water bodies associated with the highest erosion risk as an example. In the future, this model could be used to compare the soil erosion hazard in contrasted regions of Europe and to simulate the impact of management plans designed to decrease this risk to support the decisions of water agencies.

Redescriptions of Dussumieria acuta Valenciennes 1847 and Dussumieria albulina (Fowler 1934), two valid species of rainbow sardines (Clupeiformes: Dussumieriidae)

Dussumieria albulina (Fowler 1934), formerly regarded as a junior synonym of Dussumieria acuta Valenciennes 1847, is shown to be a valid species and is redescribed on the basis of 29 specimens, including the holotype. Although the two species resemble each other morphologically, sharing body scales with numerous longitudinal striae posteriorly, a deep body, 26 or fewer lower gill rakers on the first gill arch, and 15 or fewer branchiostegal rays, the former is distinguished by lacking parasphenoid teeth (vs. distinct conical teeth on parasphenoid in D. acuta), higher gill raker counts (total gill rakers on first gill arch 33–41 vs. 30–38), a rather slender body (20.6–24.4% SL vs. 23.4–28.2% SL in individuals of D. acuta > 75 mm SL), and melanophores scattered on the 3rd to 9th (vs. 1st to 5th) pectoral-fin rays from the uppermost ray. Analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene in both species showed them to be separated by 12% mean p-distance. A redescription of D. acuta is also provided.