Complete Life Research Articles

First report of Trichopoda pictipennis (Diptera, Tachinidae) for the Canary Islands

The genus Trichopoda Berthold, 1827 is distributed in the Neotropical and Nearctic Regions and some species are very important for biological control. During the last decades, the species Trichopoda pictipennis Bigot, 1876 has received much attention. It is of Neotropical origin, but it has been introduced throughout the western Palaearctic, probably through exchanges that transported its main host, the 'southern green stink bug' Nezara viridula. Trichopoda pictipennis is reported for the first time from the Canary Islands. To date, this introduced species has been detected throughout the island of Tenerife and in a single locality on the island of La Gomera. This finding confirms that this species of Neotropical origin is expanding its range across the Palaearctic realm of this species of Neotropical origin. Parasitised Nezara viridula were collected and reared under laboratory conditions to document the complete life cycle of T. pictipennis. Its potential effects on its main host, as well as on the Canary fauna, are discussed.

Article 21: The Heart and Lifeline of the Fundamental Rights

Abstract In every organized society, the rights as guaranteed by the established are meant to achieve the certain ends. Right to life and personal liberty is an essential part of human life. In its wider connotation, it includes all the basic necessities of life without which one could not even survive. Article 21 deals with one of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The right to life and personal liberty is a fundamental right in the Indian Constitution that protects people from being deprived of their life or liberty without due process. The Supreme Court of India has described this right as the ‘Heart of Fundamental Rights’. The right specifically mentions that no person shall be deprived of life and liberty except as per the procedure established by law. This implies that this right has been provided against the State only. State here includes not just the government, but also, government departments, local bodies, the Legislatures, etc. Any private individual encroaching on these rights of another individual does not amount to a violation of Article 21. The remedy for the victim, in this case, would be under Article 226 or under general law. The right to life is not just about the right to survive. It also entails being able to live a complete life of dignity and meaning. The chief goal of Article 21 is that when the right to life or liberty of a person is taken away by the State, it should only be according to the prescribed procedure of law. This research paper explains the meaning, significance and scope of life and personal liberty. It also discusses the Indian judiciary’s concern towards the liberal interpretation of right to life and personal liberty By doing so, the landmark judgments declaring right to live healthy environment, right to privacy, right to marry, etc. as part of right to life and personal liberty have been analysed in detail.

Establishment of the complete life cycle of Calicophoron daubneyi under experimental conditions.

The complex life cycle of the rumen fluke Calicophoron daubneyi is similar to that of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica. Interestingly, C. daubneyi and F. hepatica share the same intermediate host, Galba truncatula. However, in contrast to its relative, experimental production of metacercariae is a major challenge for C. daubneyi, hampering a detailed analysis of its life cycle, especially in the definitive host. G. truncatula snails collected from natural habitats were bred in glass Petri dishes and fed dried organic lettuce leaves. C. daubneyi eggs were obtained from feces of naturally infected cattle and incubated until miracidia were hatching. Subsequently, these miracidia were allowed to infect snails, which were kept under specific laboratory conditions to monitor the shedding of metacercariae. In total, 177 G. truncatula snails were exposed to C. daubneyi miracidia during eleven snail infection trials. Sixty-eight of these snails survived for longer than 30 days post-infection (p.i.). From day 35 p.i., seven snails from five trials started shedding an average number of 106 metacercariae (range: 38-186) per snail. Three ewe lambs (aged 7-10 months) were inoculated orally with 150 metacercariae each. A different batch of metacercariae (obtained from three different snail trials) was used for each lamb. Another two lambs served as controls. All animals were regularly examined clinically, hematologically and coproscopically, using sedimentation techniques for the detection of trematode eggs. Low numbers of C. daubneyi eggs were detected in fecal samples of two of the three inoculated lambs on day 86 post-inoculation (yielding ≤ 2 epg), but only one lamb continued to shed eggs (up to 6 epg) until the end of the experiment (day 104 post-inoculation). None of the animals showed any abnormal clinical findings or blood parameters throughout the course of the study. Production of C. daubneyi metacercariae under laboratory conditions is reported, followed by experimental infection of the definitive host, thus completing the full life cycle of this parasite under experimental conditions. However, neither the survival rate of the snails nor the amount of metacercariae produced were comparable to previously published experiments using F. hepatica, necessitating further optimization of the laboratory protocols. Nevertheless, the results can serve as a starting point for more in-depth studies of this increasingly important trematode.

On the ethical governance of swarm robotic systems in the real world.

In this paper, we address the question: what practices would be required for the responsible design and operation of real-world swarm robotic systems? We argue that swarm robotic systems must be developed and operated within a framework of ethical governance. We will also explore the human factors surrounding the operation and management of swarm systems, advancing the view that human factors are no less important to swarm robots than social robots. Ethical governance must be anticipatory, and a powerful method for practical anticipatory governance is ethical risk assessment (ERA). As case studies, this paper includes four worked examples of ERAs for fictional but realistic real-world swarms. Although of key importance, ERA is not the only tool available to the responsible roboticist. We outline the supporting role of ethical principles, standards, and verification and validation. Given that real-world swarm robotic systems are likely to be deployed in diverse ecologies, we also ask: how can swarm robotic systems be sustainable? We bring all of these ideas together to describe the complete life cycle of swarm robotic systems, showing where and how the tools and interventions are applied within a framework of anticipatory ethical governance.This article is part of the theme issue 'The road forward with swarm systems'.

MA104 cell line is permissive for human bocavirus 1 infection.

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) has appeared as an emerging pathogen, causing mild to life-threatening respiratory tract infections, acute otitis media, and encephalitis in young children and immunocompromised individuals. The lack of cell lines suitable for culturing replicative viruses hinders research on HBoV1. Here, we characterized the susceptibility to HBoV1 of 29 human and 7 animal cell lines, and identified a permissive cell line, MA104. The complete HBoV1 life cycle was achieved in MA104 cells, including viral entry, complete replication, and infectious progeny virion production. Additionally, the suppression of the interferon pathway facilitated the viral genome replication in MA104 cells. RNA-sequencing showed that innate immunity, inflammation, the PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, and the cellular membrane system were mobilized in response to HBoV1 infection. Overall, our study is the first to identify a cell line, MA104, that supports the complete HBoV1 life cycle, which will promote research on HBoV1 virology and pathogenesis and benefit drug and vaccine development.IMPORTANCEHBoV1 is an emerging pathogen that mainly causes respiratory tract infections, while the lack of cell lines suitable for culture replicative viruses hindered research on HBoV1. Here, we identify a permissive cell line for HBoV1 infection, MA104, and reveal that the complete life cycle of HBoV1 was supported in MA104 cells. Our findings provide a suitable cell model for the study of HBoV1 and explore its application for antiviral drug evaluation, which is vital for research on HBoV1 virology and pathogenesis, as well as for drug and vaccine development.

A wheat phytohormone atlas spanning major tissues across the entire life cycle provides novel insights into cytokinin and jasmonic acid interplay.

Although numerous studies have focused on the specific organs or tissues at different development stages or under various abiotic and biotic stress, our understanding of the distribution and relative abundance of phytohormones throughout the entire life cycle of plant organs and tissues remains insufficient. Here, we present a phytohormone atlas resource covering the quantitative analysis of eight major classes of phytohormones, comprising a total of 40 hormone-related compounds, throughout the complete life cycle of wheat. In combination with transcriptome analysis, we established a Wheat Phytohormone Metabolic Regulatory Network (WPMRN). Using our WPMRN dataset and GO enrichment analysis, we swiftly characterized the function of TaLOG5-B1 in cytokinin biosynthesis. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of the WPMRN dataset uncovered transcription factor-mediated co-regulation mechanisms among different classes of phytohormones. We focused specifically on the metabolic regulatory involving cytokinin and jasmonic acid. To achieve this, we characterized genes TaLOG3-D1 and TaAOS-D1 involved in the biosynthesis of these phytohormones, along with their regulatory transcription factors TaDOF3A and TaDOF5.6B. The functions of these genes were validated in transgenic plants, revealing their ability to co-regulate radicle length. These findings serve as a case study that highlights the utility of this resource for studying phytohormone metabolic regulatory networks in cereal crops and for gaining insights into the roles of phytohormones in enhancing agronomic traits.

Analysis of acoustic field characteristics of mesoscale eddies throughout their complete life cycle

Mesoscale eddies exert a profound influence on oceanic temperature and salinity structures, thereby altering the ecological environment and acoustic propagation characteristics. Prior research on acoustic propagation beneath mesoscale eddy effects has predominantly concentrated on fragmented, snapshot-style analyses. In contrast, this study employs a holistic approach by integrating multi-source data to elucidate oceanic temperature and salinity structures, ultimately impacting their ecological environment and acoustic propagation. While the existing paper, this study adopts a more comprehensive and successional methodology. Through the amalgamation of multi-source data, this research introduces an innovative mesoscale eddy tracking algorithm and an enhanced Gaussian eddy model. Utilizing the BELLHOP ray theory model, this investigation scrutinizes the acoustic field characteristics of a cyclonic eddy and a typical anticyclonic eddy (CE-AE) pair exhibiting complete life cycles in the Northwest Pacific. The results reveal that the complete life cycles of mesoscale eddies substantially impact the acoustic field environment. As a CE intensifies, the convergence zone (CZ) distance diminishes, the CZ width expands, and the direct wave (DW) distance shortens. Conversely, an intensifying AE increases the CZ distance, contracts the CZ width, and prolongs the DW distance. This paper presents a quantitative analysis to delineate the critical factors influencing eddy life cycles, indicating that both eddy intensity and deformation parameters significantly affect acoustic propagation characteristics, with eddy intensity exerting a more substantial influence. This research substantially contributes to the application of sea surface altimetry data for underwater acoustic studies and provides preliminary insights into the impacts of eddy parameters on underwater acoustic propagation within typical mesoscale eddy environments. Moreover, this research offers a foundation for future investigations into the intricate relationships between eddy dynamics and acoustic propagation in oceanic systems.

Immature stages of the Zebra Hairstreak butterfly, Arawacus separata (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): a model organism for studies on mimicry and mutualism

Hairstreak butterflies are model organisms in evolutionary biology due to the variety of predator-avoidance strategies they possess, including false head mimicry and symbiosis with ants, both of which Zebra Hairstreaks employ. Natural history information is basic for the generation of hypothesis-driven research in ecology and evolution, especially for holometabolous organisms. Here, the complete life cycle of the Zebra Hairstreak Arawacus separata is described for the first time. The natural history records, including citizen science, for other Zebra Hairstreaks species in Eumaeini were also reviewed. Host plant records for A. separata indicate that its caterpillars are oligophagous on Solanaceae, being locally specialized on the shrub Cestrum strigilatum (Solanaceae). Development from egg to adult was found to last ~30 days. Caterpillars underwent four instars with cryptic coloration and texture. The larval tegument is covered by short dendritic setae and pore cupola organs (PCOs), and, from the second instar on, shows a dorsal nectary organ (DNO). Caterpillars live on plants surrounded by ants throughout their entire ontogeny. Facultative symbiosis was observed in all instars with seven ant species in four genera. Myrmecophily is potentiated by honeydew-producing hemipterans and attractive sap of leaf lesions. Territory occupancy of males and non-aerial contests suggest a neglected role of sexual selection in the evolution of the false-head traits. Due to the typical false-head wing coloration pattern and myrmecophily, A. separata is proposed as a model organism to study mimicry and mutualism.

Examining the Carbon Footprint of Conferences with an Emphasis on Energy Consumption and Catering

This research study presents a comparison of an in-person and an online conference in terms of environmental impact and energy efficiency. The main goal of our research was to prepare a complete life cycle assessment of a two-day (15-h), 200-participant in-person and online conference based on different impact assessment methods. Life cycle assessments focus on the numerical determination of the decarbonization of conference consumption (lunch, dinner, food and beverage consumption during breaks), conference organization (discussions, correspondence, abstract booklet, registration package), travel, and infrastructure. The meals were examined by connecting the stages of preparation, cooking, consumption and end-of-life cycle as a cradle-to-grave analysis. We paid particular attention to the calculation of energy consumption. After carbon footprint comparisons, the areas with the highest impacts with pie diagrams were identified. Lastly, a SWOT chart and an SAP-LAP analysis diagram summarize the achievable objectives and challenges. In conclusion, there is no outstanding difference between the impact assessment methods for the carbon footprint investigation. Travel contributes 57% of the overall carbon footprint at in-person conferences, while the environmental impact of meals holds the second largest share, at 8.41 kg CO2 equivalent/person/hour. Excluding meals and travel, the calculated carbon footprint is 0.362 kg CO2 equivalent/person/hour (only considering the effect of preparation, organization, administration and registration package). Our initial hypothesis was that an online conference reduces decarbonization, which the results confirm.

The Health Economics of Life Expectancy

For a life office, the potential deviations from the mortality assumptions applied in premium setting at the time of incepting contracts represents serious threats to its financial performance when underwriting life insurance policies including annuities. Furthermore, in view of the uncertainties associated with the complete expectation of life evolving from the inadequately modelled life expectancy as a form of mortality risk indicator, this study explores the CMI’s generalized Makeham’s mortality law which would be advantageous to compute complete life expectancies. When continuous parsimonious parametric mortality intensities are Makehamized, then the limiting value of the continuous whole life annuity function is construed to mean the complete life expectancy which is expressed in line with special functions such as incomplete upper gamma function for a homogeneous insured population. In this study, the objective are to (i) construct actuarial estimation of individual’s time remaining through single life parameterization from GM(1,2) (ii) construct closed form expressions for complete life expectancy using the properties of the special functions as applicable in classical mortality dynamics. To circumvent the need for any rigorous numerical procedures, the advanced technique of the Gradshteyn and Ryzhik’s analytic integral is applied in computing the complete life expectancies. From our results, it is apparent that ex(male)< ex(female). Specifically, within the interval 111<x<119 for women, there is a sharp decrease in complete life expectancies whereas for men within the interval 75<x<119, life expectancies sharply decrease confirming earlier exposure of men to mortality risk.

The persistence of social inequality in adult mortality in rural Spain, death cohorts 1546–1940

AbstractThis paper analyses social inequality in adult mortality in rural Aragon (Spain) between the mid-sixteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. It draws on individual-level microdata for more than 19,000 individuals, whose socioeconomic status, age at death, and other family, cultural, and environmental characteristics are documented. Using funeral wills as an indicator of social status up to the late eighteenth century, and occupational records from that point onward, and employing event history analysis, it tracks all individuals from 17 villages who died after reaching the age of seven, encompassing their complete life histories. This study allows for the verification of persistent social inequalities in mortality in rural Spain from the mid-sixteenth to the mid-twentieth century, contrasting with findings from northern European countries, where such differences only emerged from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century onward. Our results indicate that these disparities in adult mortality by socioeconomic status were especially pronounced during periods of poor harvests, affecting both men and women.

The Impact of Cumulus Clouds and CCN Regeneration on Aerosol Vertical Distribution and Size

Abstract This study employs a high-resolution (10m) System for Atmospheric Modeling (SAM) coupled with the Spectral Bin Microphysical (SBM) scheme to thoroughly investigate the processes governing the evolution of aerosol properties within and outside a shallow cumulus cloud. The model encompasses the complete life cycle of cloud droplets, starting from their formation through their evolution until their complete evaporation or sedimentation to the ground. Additionally, the model tracks the aerosols’ evolution both within droplets and in the air. Aerosols are transported within the droplets, grow by droplet coalescence, and are released into the atmosphere after droplet evaporation (regeneration process). The aerosol concentration increases by droplet evaporation and decreases along with falling drops. So, the effects of clouds on the surrounding aerosols depend on the microphysical and dynamic processes, which in turn depend on the amount of background aerosols; here, we compare clean and polluted conditions. It is shown that the regeneration process is highly important and that shallow trade cumulus clouds significantly impact the vertical profile of aerosol concentration in the lower troposphere, as well as their size distribution, and can serve as a source of large cloud condensation nuclei. Furthermore, it is shown that both precipitating and non-precipitating boundary layer clouds contribute to a substantial increase in aerosol concentration within the inversion layer due to intense evaporation.

Satellite telemetry reveals complex mixed movement strategies in ibis and spoonbills of Australia: implications for water and wetland management.

Waterbird population and species diversity maintenance are important outcomes of wetland conservation management, but knowledge gaps regarding waterbird movements affect our ability to understand and predict waterbird responses to management at appropriate scales. Movement tracking using satellite telemetry is now allowing us to fill these knowledge gaps for highly mobile waterbirds at continental scales, including in remote areas for which data have been historically difficult to acquire. We used GPS satellite telemetry to track the movements of 122 individuals of three species of ibis and spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) in Australia from 2016 to 2023. We analysed movement distances, residency periods and areas, and foraging-site fidelity. From this we derived implications for water and wetland management for waterbird conservation. This is the first multi-year movement tracking data for ibis and spoonbills in Australia, with some individuals tracked continuously for more than five years including from natal site to first breeding attempt. Tracking revealed both inter- and intra-specific variability in movement strategies, including residency, nomadism, and migration, with individuals switching between these behaviours. During periods of residency, areas used and distances travelled to forage were highly variable and differed significantly between species. Sixty-five percent of identified residency areas were not associated with wetlands formally listed nationally or internationally as important. Tracking the movements of waterbirds provides context for coordinated allocation of management resources, such as provision of environmental water at appropriate places and times for maximum conservation benefit. This study highlights the geographic scales over which these birds function and shows how variable waterbird movements are. This illustrates the need to consider the full life cycle of these birds when making management decisions and evaluating management impacts. Increased knowledge of the spatio-temporal interactions of waterbirds with their resource needs over complete life cycles will continue to be essential for informing management aimed at increasing waterbird numbers and maintaining long-term diversity.

Three-dimensional liver organoids as a novel platform for studying hepatitis B virus infection

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health problem that contributes to chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite advances in antiviral therapy and the availability of preventive vaccines, current treatments often do not completely eradicate the virus, particularly in chronic HBV carriers, and the incidence of liver cancer due to chronic HBV infection remains high. A major obstacle to HBV research is the lack of infection models that can accurately recapitulate the complex interactions between HBV and the host. Existing models, such as hepatoma cell lines and animal models, are limited by species-specific barriers and the lack of support for the complete viral life cycle. These limitations pose significant challenges to the study of HBV pathogenesis and the development of therapies aimed at complete eradication of HBV. In recent years, 3-dimensional (3D) liver organoids have emerged as promising in vitro model systems to study HBV infection and HBV-mediated liver disease. These organoids serve as a suitable physiologically relevant platform for investigating HBV pathogenesis, including the ability of HBV to promote liver tumorigenesis. Furthermore, liver organoids can be genetically modified, patient-derived, expanded, and biobanked, providing a powerful tool for studying HBV pathogenesis and personalized medicine, drug discovery, and screening. In this review, we explore the utilization of 3D liver organoids as a research model for studying HBV infection and HBV-associated liver cancer, highlighting their advantages over conventional models.

Konsep Ellected Official Sebagai Syarat Pencalonanan Presiden dan Wakil Presiden Perspektif Maslahah

Constitutional Court Decision Number: 90/PUU-XXI/2023 is a decision relating to the requirements for presidential and vice presidential candidates. The basis for filing the lawsuit is Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections. The results of this decision state that the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates is 40 years or that they are currently occupying positions elected through general elections (Elected Official). Literature research with researchers utilizing the Constitutional Court Decision as a primary source, and secondary data sources using books and journals. Research shows that the concept of Elected Official in the Constitutional Court decision refers to the judge's view. According to Constitutional Justices Enny Nurbaningsih and Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh, what is meant by officials is elected through elections (Elected Official), here the governor is the regional head. M. Guntur Hamzah mentioned that the officials elected through elections (Elected Official) are the President, Vice President, DPR, DPD, DPRD, Governor/Deputy Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent, Mayor/Deputy Mayor. The Maslahah perspective views the concept of Ellected Official as being categorized as Maslahah Tahsiniyyah. Maslahah Tahsiniyyah to complete human life. The benefits of Tahsiniyyah need to be fulfilled to provide peaceKeyword : Constitutional Court Decision, Elected Official, Maslahah

Genome assembly at chromosome scale with telomere ends for Pearlspot, Etroplus suratensis

The pearlspot, Etroplus suratensis is a climate resilient cichlid fish that exhibits unusual adaptation to salinity. The fish is able to complete full life cycle in diverse salinity habitats ranging from fresh water to marine environments. High-quality primary and phased genome assemblies were generated for pearlspot fish using PacBio HiFi and Arima HiC sequencing technologies, for the first time. The primary assembly is highly contiguous with contig N50 length of 36 Mb. The final assembly is of 1.247 Gb with N50 length of 51.57 Mb and 98% of the genome length anchored to 24 chromosomes. The genome was assessed to be 99.9% complete based on BUSCO evaluation and was predicted to contain 52.96% repeat elements. We have predicted 27,192 protein encoding genes, of which 21,580 were functionally annotated. The genome offers an invaluable resource to understand adaptation of pearlspot fish to diverse salinity habitats.

Data Hub for Life Cycle Assessment of Climate Change Solutions—Hydrogen Case Study

Life cycle assessment, which evaluates the complete life cycle of a product, is considered the standard methodological framework to evaluate the environmental performance of climate change solutions. However, significant challenges exist related to datasets used to quantify these environmental indicators. Although extensive research and commercial data on climate change technologies, pathways, and facilities exist, they are not readily available to practitioners of life cycle assessment in the right format and structure using an open platform. In this study, we propose a new open data hub platform for life cycle assessment, considering a hierarchical data flow starting with raw data collected on climate change technologies at laboratory, pilot, demonstration, or commercial scales to provide the information required for policy and decision-making. This platform makes data accessible at multiple levels for practitioners of life cycle assessment, while making data interoperable across platforms. The proposed data hub platform and workflow are explained through the polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis hydrogen production as a case study. The climate change environment impact of 1.17 ± 0.03 kg CO2 eq./kg H2 was calculated for the case study. The current data hub platform is limited to evaluating environmental impacts; however, future additions of economic and social aspects are envisaged.

Bayesian Ensembles of Exponentially Smoothed Life-Cycle Forecasts

Problem definition: We study the problem of forecasting an entire demand distribution for a new product before and after its launch. Firms need accurate distributional forecasts of demand to make operational decisions about capacity, inventory, and marketing expenditures. We introduce a unified, robust, and interpretable approach to producing these pre- and postlaunch distributional forecasts. Methodology/results: Our approach is inspired by Bayesian model averaging. Each candidate model in our ensemble is a life-cycle model fitted to the completed life cycle of a comparable product. A prelaunch forecast is an ensemble with equal weights on the candidate models’ forecasts, whereas a postlaunch forecast is an ensemble with weights that evolve according to Bayesian updating. Our approach is part frequentist and part Bayesian, resulting in a novel approach tailored to the demand forecasting challenge. We also introduce a new type of life-cycle or product diffusion model with states that can be updated using exponential smoothing. The trend in this model follows the density of an exponentially tilted Gompertz random variable. For postlaunch forecasting, this model is attractive because it can adapt itself to the most recent changes in a product’s life cycle. We provide closed-form distributional forecasts from our model. In two empirical studies, we show that when the ensemble’s candidate models are all in our new type of exponential smoothing model, this version of the ensemble outperforms several leading approaches in both point and quantile forecasting. Managerial implications: In a data-driven operations environment, our model can produce accurate forecasts frequently and at scale. When quantile forecasts are needed, our model has the potential to provide meaningful economic benefits. In addition, our model’s interpretability should be attractive to managers who already use exponential smoothing and ensemble methods for other forecasting purposes. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0359 .

Integrating Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment for Enhanced Process Efficiency and Reduced Environmental Impact in Ferromanganese Production

Process simulation was integrated with life cycle assessment to evaluate process efficiency and environmental impact of the production of manganese ferroalloys for various production modes and different ore mineralogies. Utilizing HSC Sim, the model was designed to evaluate the production process with or without a pretreatment step, where results for simulated cases using a four-zone ferromanganese furnace model were exported to openLCA for a complete life cycle assessment. Two main production scenarios were simulated: a closed ferromanganese furnace running on the duplex method and an open furnace running on the discard slag approach. The closed furnace scenario achieved a 17.5% reduction in energy consumption and a 16.2% decrease in direct CO2 emissions with CO-rich off-gas pretreatment. The open furnace scenario showed an 11.2% reduction in energy consumption with thermal solar energy pretreatment but no change in CO2 emissions.

Inbreeding accelerates reproductive senescence, but not survival senescence, in a precocial bird.

Inbreeding depression is predicted to increase with age, because natural selection is less efficient at purging deleterious alleles that are only expressed later in life. However, empirical results are scarce, and equivocal between studies. Here we performed controlled matings between related and unrelated individuals of domesticated Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), and monitored the performance of their offspring for all fitness components over their complete life course. We found rapid senescence in adult survival and egg laying performance, and inbreeding depression at all life stages (reduced embryo viability, increased age at maturity, as well as reduced adult survival and reproduction). Inbreeding depression did not increase at later ages for survival, but did so for egg laying, thereby accelerating reproductive senescence. Moreover, the effect of inbreeding on egg laying persisted after correcting for lifespan, indicating that both survival and reproduction were independently affected by inbreeding. We suggest that in heterogeneous populations intra-generational purging may at earlier ages already select out the individuals that are homozygous for the specific alleles responsible for depressed survival, preventing the appearance of increased inbreeding depression in survival with age. Given that inbreeding affects reproduction independent of survival this should not apply to reproductive senescence or homogeneous populations, which may explain equivocal results between traits and studies.