Head Color Research Articles

COMPLETENESS AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION IN DIABETIC AND HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS FAMILY HEALTH RECORDS AT MEET-OKBA FAMILY HEALTH CENTRE, GIZA, EGYPT

Background: Improving medical record completeness services is an important step towards improving the quality of healthcare. It can also provide valuable information to help measure progress and effectiveness of involved service provided. The medical record has become an important legal document; good medical records “in terms of completeness and accuracy of recorded information “are essential not only for the present and future care of the patient but also as a legal document to protect the patient and the hospitals from litigation. Many studies have been carried out to assess the completeness of family health records; but this data must be checked regarding its accuracy. the current study will determine to what extent the recorded data represent the true situation by interviewing the patients at the selected family health center. The current study will focus on family forms specific for the most prevalent chronic diseases among adults in Egypt Hypertensive and Diabetic patients as evidenced by the latest Demographic and Health Survey, 2017.Aim of the Study: To measure the completeness and accuracy of the family health record forms specific for diabetic and hypertensive patient. Design: descriptive Cross-sectional study. Patients & Methods: A convenient sample of 200 fully functioning files for Hypertensive & Diabetic Patients were included in the study. The study was conducted at an accredited center (Meet Okba family health center, Giza Governorate Feb,2019).Two Study Tools were used; first one for checking the Completeness of Family Records through medical record assessment checklist, second one for checking the accuracy of Family Records through Interview questionnaire to Hypertensive and Diabetic Patients whose fully functioning files(200 files) were selected to be included in the study sample. Results: Regarding completeness; 76%, 57% and 34% of the personal data form, investigation form and clinical exam sheets respectively showed completeness more than 80% (according to standard scoring level).Regarding accuracy; inaccurate results were found as (73,5%, 63,4.0%and 90%) of the follow up of diabetic-hypertensive patient, investigation and clinical exam sheets respectively. the least item to be accurate and complete in personal data form was the social, behavior hist.,(8.5%), Most of the recorded clinical examination items (e.g. Color and temp of foot, head and neck examination, reflexes & signs of fungus infection) were almost recorded complete but inaccurate ranging from (82.5-83.0%); Conclusion: To improve the quality of Medical Record we need regular auditing, training and good orientation of medical personnel for accurate record practices.

MORPHOMETRIC AND MERISTIC ANALYSIS OF ASIAN KNIFEFISH (Notopterus notopterus) IN SAIL RIVER, PEKANBARU RIAU PROVINCE

This study was conducted from January-April 2017 located in Sail River, Pekanbaru City, Riau Province. The aim of this study was to investigate morphometric and meristic characters of Asian knifefish (Notopterus notopterus) besides as the most accurate initial identification of certain species. Fish samples were collected using sero (traditional setnet) to be further observed for their morphometric and meristic characters using ruler of 50 cm. Morphometric analysis applied to the Asian knifefish resulted in 23 characteristics. The highest value was found in the total length (TL) of female fish which reached 135-270 mm, while the lowest was in the characteristic of snout length (SNL) in male fish of 1,3-1,8 mm. A total of 8 meristic characteristics were observed, included: Dorsal fin rays (D), Pectoral fin rays (P), Ventral fin rays (V), Anal fin rays (A), Scales before dorsal fins, Circumference scales, Scales at caudal peduncle, and Scales along lateral line. According to its morphological characters, Asian knifefish has a flat body with sideways-elongated oval shaped and a humpback appearance. The shape of head near the back is relatively straight and scaly. The mouth of this species has protractile structure (able to protrude) with a terminal position and no tentacles. Asian knifefish has a large size of mouth opening as they are carnivorous fish. Adult fish has an evenly brown color, slightly concave dorsal shape, dark bands all over the body; and white-silver head color with enormous small gray spots. The fish body is covered with cycloid scales.

BoCER1 is essential for the synthesis of cuticular wax in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata)

Leafy head color is a very important trait in cabbage breeding. In previous studies, BoCER1 was identified as a candidate gene that was found to be closely related to the glossy phenotype in cabbage lines 10Q-961 and g21-3. In this study, we found that the BoCER1 was expressed in all cabbage tissues, except roots. Moreover, to determine the function of BoCER1 in cabbage, the gene editing vector CRISPR-BoCER1 was constructed and transformed into the wildtype cabbage ‘CW1’. Three plants with edited genomes were obtained: CW1-1, CW1-2 and CW1-3. Scanning electron microscopy and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses of CW1-3 showed that the wax content was significantly reduced compared with the wildtype. The results showed that BoCER1 plays an important role in the biosynthesis of cuticular wax in cabbage. Moreover, the wax-less material created by CRISPR/Cas9 could be used for the breeding of brilliant green cabbage.

Reliability of External Characteristics to Age Barrow's Goldeneye

ABSTRACTAccurate assignment of age class is critical for understanding most demographic processes. For waterfowl, most techniques for determining age class require birds in hand, reducing utility for quickly and efficiently sampling a large portion of the population. As an alternative, we sought to establish an observation‐based methodology, achievable in the field with standard optics, for determining age class of Barrow's goldeneyes (Bucephala islandica). We photographed heads, wings, and bellies of 232 Barrow's goldeneyes captured during late winter (February–April) of 2007–2015 along the north Pacific Coast. From these photographs, we focused on 5 external characteristics for both males and females, with binary states that putatively corresponded to 2 age classes—first‐year birds (<1 yr) and adults (>1 yr). For males, all 5 external traits (belly color, head color, eye color, facial crescent, median secondary coverts color) had binary states that were reliably distinguishable by observers. Moreover, all 5 external traits were highly predictive of age class (≥96% concordance between external vs. bursal‐derived ages), and novice observers, after receiving training, were able to accurately age 96% of first‐year and 99% of adult males. In contrast, patterns were weaker for females; putative external characteristics of female age class (belly color, bill radiance, bill blackness, eye color, median secondary coverts color) had 77–91% concordance with bursal‐derived age, compared with 96–100% for males, and observers misidentified age classes of 15% of females, compared with only 2% of males. Overall, age classes of male Barrow's goldeneyes were accurately and reliably distinguishable during winter based on several external characteristics, whereas those of females were not. Our technique may be used to estimate age composition of male Barrow's goldeneyes during winter, providing a useful metric for monitoring annual changes in adult‐to‐juvenile ratios and other important demographic parameters. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

Cognition in a Changing World: Red-Headed Gouldian Finches Enter Spatially Unfamiliar Habitats More Readily Than Do Black-Headed Birds

Human activities are increasingly confronting animals with unfamiliar environmental conditions. For example, habitat change and loss often lead to habitat fragmentation, which can create barriers of unsuitable and unfamiliar habitat affecting animal movements and survival. When confronted with habitat changes, animals’ cognitive abilities play an important, but often neglected part in dealing with such change. Animals must decide whether to approach and investigate novel habitats (spatial neophilia) or whether to avoid them (spatial neophobia) due to potential danger. For species with strict habitat preferences, such as the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae), which is an open habitat specialist, understanding these novelty responses may be especially important for predicting responses to habitat changes. The Gouldian finch is a polymorphic species, with primarily red or black head colors, which are linked to differing behavioral phenotypes, including novelty reactions. Here we investigate responses to novel habitats (open, dense) in the Gouldian finch, manipulating the color composition of same-sex pairs. Two experiments, each consisting of novel open and novel dense habitat, tested birds in opposite head color combinations in the two experiments. We measured the number of approaches birds made (demonstrating conflict between approach and avoidance), and their entry latency to novel habitats. Gouldian finches showed more approach attempts (stronger approach-avoidance conflict) towards the dense as compared to the open habitat, confirming their open habitat preferences. Black-headed birds also hesitated longer to enter the dense habitat as compared to the open habitat, particularly in experiment 1, appearing less neophilic than red-headed birds, which showed similar entry latencies into both habitat types. This is surprising as black-headed birds were more neophilic in other contexts. Moreover, there was some indication that pairings including at least one black-headed bird had a stronger approach-avoidance conflict than pairings of pure red-headed birds. Results suggest that the black-headed birds use a cognitive strategy typical for residents, whereas red-headed birds use a cognitive strategy known for migrants/nomads, which may cognitively complement each other. However, as 70% of the population in the wild are black-headed, the spatial wariness we document could be widespread, which may negatively affect population persistence as habitats change.

Covariation in superoxide, sperm telomere length and sperm velocity in a polymorphic reptile

Telomeres are DNA-protein caps at the ends of chromosomes that have been shown to be associated with male fertility may be heritable, reflect environmental influences and predict life span in some taxa. If heritable, paternal telomere length would be transmitted via sperm in the form of sperm telomere length (STL). We, therefore, investigated STL, sperm number and velocity in the Australian-painted dragon lizard, Ctenophorus pictus, an agamid lizard with distinct male colour morphs and related reproductive tactics. We measured telomere length in the sperm and blood as well as superoxide levels, as a measure for the potential for oxidative stress and ejaculate quality. We also noted a male’s head colour (red, orange, yellow or blue) and whether or not they had a yellow gular bib. Previous research has reported that yellow males outcompete red males in sperm competition; we found that yellow males had significantly shorter STL than red males. Males with bibs had greater STL than did males without bibs. Superoxide levels measured in the blood were negatively correlated with STL. Whole blood TL and body length were weakly but positively correlated with STL. Superoxide measurements were negatively correlated with progressive sperm motility and straight line sperm velocity across all males. The ejaculates of males with bibs had lower sperm counts and velocity than males without bibs. Our research adds to the growing research that indicates the importance of considering both somatic and gametic telomeres when assessing the interaction between telomere dynamics, life history and reproductive strategies. Telomeres are DNA-protein caps at the ends of chromosomes that reflect environmental stress may be heritable and epigenetically modified, may predict life span in some taxa and may influence the probability of paternity in sperm competition. Ours is one of the first studies to examine correlates of sperm telomere length in a non-mammalian, polymorphic species, but much more remains to be done. Telomere research in non-model species has focused on survival consequences of variation in telomere traits with less attention paid to the fact that sperm (and egg) telomere biology can link life history traits directly to reproductive physiology. We chose to investigate sperm velocity and sperm telomere length (STL) in the painted dragon lizard, Ctenophorus pictus, an agamid lizard with distinct male morphs and associated reproductive tactics. We also observed morph-specific differences in ejaculate quality and STL; in particular, males with yellow bibs had longer STL but poorer ejaculate quality metrics (e.g., number of sperm, velocity and proportion of progressively motile sperm) than males without the throat patch. The differences in STL between the morphs and the negative relationship between sperm velocity and STL, along with previous work on this species, suggest that telomere length and dynamics may be linked with the reproductive tactics of colour morphs within this species.

Discriminatory matrix for the larvae of the European Thremma species (Trichoptera: Thremmatidae).

This synoptic paper is intended to summarize and supplement the information available on the larvae of Thremma McLachlan 1876 in Europe. We present information on the morphology of the larvae and illustrate the most important diagnostic features. This information is used for the construction of a comprehensive discriminatory matrix for the four European species of family Thremmatidae Martynov 1935 known in the larval stage so far. In the context of this matrix, larvae can be easily diagnosed by the shape of mesonotal sclerites, foretrochantins, forefemora and ventral sclerites on abdominal segment I, by head coloration patterns, by case morphology, and by distribution. In addition, ecological characteristics and distributions of the European taxa are briefly discussed.

Variation in Head Shape and Color at the Range Boundary of Gulf Coastal Slimy Salamanders (Plethodon glutinosus Complex), USA

Taxonomists currently recognize 16 cryptic species within the Plethodon glutinosus complex revealed by allozyme analysis but that typically do not differ in morphology or color pattern. Two putative species, P. grobmani and P. mississippi, are distributed across the Gulf Coastal Plain, with geographic ranges that are separated by Mobile Bay and the Alabama River. Character divergence is thought to distinguish the two species, with P. grobmani (east of Mobile Bay) having a short snout and extensive patches of white coloration, and P. mississippi (west of Mobile Bay) having an elongate snout and lacking extensive patches of white coloration. However, specimens used to characterize these two species were examined in life, were collected mainly from areas adjacent to Mobile Bay, and were evaluated by a single investigator. Additionally, the two traits (snout shape and color) were combined into a single variable, masking the contribution of each trait to individuating the two species. To test the utility of these characters, we applied identical measurements of the two traits to preserved specimens representing an east–west transect across the geographic ranges of the two putative species. Data were generated by three investigators who measured each specimen twice, a design that allowed examination of reproducibility within and among investigators. Traits were evaluated separately and as a combined score. Both snout shape and color were found to be traits that are reproducible for measurements within individual investigators and the measurement of these traits did not differ among investigators. Specimens from east of Mobile Bay had more extensive white coloration and higher total scores than those west of Mobile Bay; snout shape did not differ across Mobile Bay. Longitude was a significant correlate of color and total score, with the slope of the relationship differing on each side of Mobile Bay. Color and total score of specimens west of Mobile Bay had a positive association with longitude, while scores of specimens east of Mobile Bay had a negative association. Thus, rather than exhibiting character divergence across Mobile Bay, slimy salamanders converge on a phenotype with extensive white coloration at Mobile Bay. We find no color or morphological feature that distinguishes putative P. grobmani from putative P. mississippi, a line of evidence suggesting that those populations are a single species with regional change in color.

The larvae of Athripsodes longispinosus longispinosus (Martynov 1909), Athripsodes longispinosus paleochora (Malicky 1972), and Athripsodes bilineatus aegeus Malicky 1999 (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae), including a discriminatory matrix to the larvae of genus Athripsodes Billberg 1820 in Greece.

Larvae of three leptocerid caddisfly subspecies described in the present paper were sampled in Greece and the North Aegean island of Gökceada (Turkey). Information on the morphology of the final larval instar of each is given and the most important diagnostic features are illustrated. The subspecies are integrated into a synoptic discriminatory matrix including the currently known larvae of Greek species of genus Athripsodes. The species can be easily separated by head coloration; the morphology of the ventral apotome; setal and spinal patterns on the metadorsum, foretibiae, and anal prolegs; and by distribution. With respect to distribution, Athripsodes longispinosus longispinosus is known from Bulgaria, the Caucasus area, Turkey, the northern Greek mainland, and the Greek islands of Thasos, Lesbos, Andros, Ikaria, Naxos, and Rhodes. Athripsodes longispinosus paleochora is an endemic of the Greek island of Crete, and A. bilineatus aegeus has been recorded from the Peloponnese; the Greek islands of Euboea, Skiathos, Kithira, Andros; and Turkey.

Isolating and quantifying the role of developmental noise in generating phenotypic variation.

Genotypic variation, environmental variation, and their interaction may produce variation in the developmental process and cause phenotypic differences among individuals. Developmental noise, which arises during development from stochasticity in cellular and molecular processes when genotype and environment are fixed, also contributes to phenotypic variation. While evolutionary biology has long focused on teasing apart the relative contribution of genes and environment to phenotypic variation, our understanding of the role of developmental noise has lagged due to technical difficulties in directly measuring the contribution of developmental noise. The influence of developmental noise is likely underestimated in studies of phenotypic variation due to intrinsic mechanisms within organisms that stabilize phenotypes and decrease variation. Since we are just beginning to appreciate the extent to which phenotypic variation due to stochasticity is potentially adaptive, the contribution of developmental noise to phenotypic variation must be separated and measured to fully understand its role in evolution. Here, we show that variation in the component of the developmental process corresponding to environmental and genetic factors (here treated together as a unit called the LALI-type) versus the contribution of developmental noise, can be distinguished for leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) head color patterns using mathematical simulations that model the role of random variation (corresponding to developmental noise) in patterning. Specifically, we modified the parameters of simulations corresponding to variation in the LALI-type to generate the full range of phenotypic variation in color pattern seen on the heads of eight leopard geckos. We observed that over the range of these parameters, variation in color pattern due to LALI-type variation exceeds that due to developmental noise in the studied gecko cohort. However, the effect of developmental noise on patterning is also substantial. Our approach addresses one of the major goals of evolutionary biology: to quantify the role of stochasticity in shaping phenotypic variation.

Gouldian finches are followers with black-headed females taking the lead.

Colour polymorphism is a widespread phenomenon and often encompasses different behavioural traits and strategies. More recently, it has been shown that morphs can also signal consistent individual differences (personality). An example are Gouldian finches that show discrete head colour morphs in the same population with red-headed birds being more aggressive but less risk-taking and explorative than black-headed birds in the lab. The current study aimed to investigate the link between head colour and behavioural traits in a naturally risky situation in the wild by recording the order of descent at waterholes in relation to hypotheses considering conspicuousness, dominance relationships and experience. Other bird species at the waterholes were also included in the study. Adult Gouldian finches generally preceded juveniles and among the adults the least conspicuous black-headed females descended first to the waterhole. Overall, females descended before the males though this pattern disappeared later in the season likely due to family groups breaking up and releasing males from attending to the juveniles. Finally, Gouldian finches almost always followed other species, particularly Long-tailed finches, to the ground rather than taking the lead. A two-level process of decision-making seems to explain the responses best: on the first level, experience separates adults from juveniles with adults preceding juveniles and on the second level, conspicuousness acts as a factor among the adults with the least conspicuous category taking the lead. Future studies should directly test the link between head colour and personality in the wild, look more into seasonal effects and investigate whether Gouldian finches use Long-tailed finches as an indicator of safety.

To explore the molecular mechanism of kidney-tonifying and blood-activating method in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis based on cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway

Purpose: Based on the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway, the possible intervention mechanism of kidney-nourishing and blood-activating decoction in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis was discussed, providing new experimental evidence for elucidating the mechanism of kidney-nourishing and blood-activating decoction in the treatment of osteoporosis Methods: 60 healthy SD rats, female, 12 weeks old, body weight (240 + 20)g, were randomly divided and numbered after weighing. A total of 5 groups: blank control group (n=10), model group (n=10), western medicine group (n=10), high-dose Chinese medicine group (n=10) (16g/Kg. D), low-dose Chinese medicine group (n=10) (8g/Kg).For the blank control group and the model group, the western drug alendronate sodium group was given daily dose of alendrine sodium suspension for 8 weeks while the standard feed was routinely fed, and the dosage of intragastric drug was 10 mL/kg. For the group with high and low dose of traditional Chinese medicine, the standard feed was continued to be fed while the anti-sparing bone prescription concentrate was given daily for 8 weeks.In addition to the normal group and the model group, the animals in each group were collected at week 9 according to the corresponding dose of perfusion, and the bone mass was measured by double energy X-ray, and sacrificed the next day. The femoral head was taken for basic studies such as histomorphology and RT-PCR. Results: After 8 weeks in the model group, western medicine group, high-dose Chinese medicine group and low-dose Chinese medicine group, bilateral femoral head appeared obvious necrosis, while there was no obvious change in the normal group. Compared with the normal group, the expressions of cAMP and PKA in the model group, the western medicine group, the high-dose group and the low-dose group were all increased to different degrees, while the expression of CREB was significantly down-regulated. The expression of the above genes in the three groups was significantly different from that in the normal group (P<0.05). After 8 weeks of intragastric administration, the femoral head of the model group was dark and rough, resulting in osteoporosis. The femoral head of the high dose group and the low dose group showed no obvious change in appearance. In the western medicine group, the color of the femoral head was more bright, and some of the color was darker, but the morphology did not change significantly. In the morphology of femoral head of rats, the femoral head of rats in the western medicine group was lighter in color, but the morphology did not change significantly. Compared with the normal group, there was no significant difference in the expression of cAMP, PKA and CREB in the four groups of bone tissue (P>0.05). However, the expression of PKA and CREB was down-regulated in both the Chinese medicine group and the western medicine group, and the expression of cAMP was up-regulated, which was significantly different from the model group (P<0.05). Conclusions: By regulating the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway, kidney-invigorating and blood-activating formula can intervene in postmenopausal osteoporosis, inhibit the activity of osteoclasts, and activate osteoblasts, so as to cause normal metabolism of bone regeneration and bone remodeling, and delay the occurrence of osteoporosis.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of desi duck of Odisha

The present study was conducted in five districts of Odisha to study the different duck rearing practices by using a questionnaire and to differentiate the characters of ducks. Ducks were raised under semi-intensive management system and mostly depend on scavenging for their nutritional needs. The ducks are raised both for meat and eggs. The annual average egg production per duck was very poor. The flock size is usually small and varies from 9 to 30. In both drake and duck body carriage was slightly upright and bill shape was horizontal. Prominent head colour in drake was greenish black (55.6%) and in duck was fawn-white mix (75.68%). In both drake and duck dominant neck and breast colour was white. Wing colour was brown/grey and white in drake and duck, respectively. Prominent bill colour was yellow and bean colour was black in both drake and duck. Dominant shank and eye colour in drake and duck was orange and grey respectively. Mean values for all the morphometrical measurement, i.e. body length, bill length, bill width, shank length, wing length, head length, neck length and head width was significantly higher in drake. The average body weight of drake and duck were 1.80±0.02 and 1.41±0.02 kg, respectively.

A non-coding region near Follistatin controls head colour polymorphism in the Gouldian finch.

Discrete colour morphs coexisting within a single population are common in nature. In a broad range of organisms, sympatric colour morphs often display major differences in other traits, including morphology, physiology or behaviour. Despite the repeated occurrence of this phenomenon, our understanding of the genetics that underlie multi-trait differences and the factors that promote the long-term maintenance of phenotypic variability within a freely interbreeding population are incomplete. Here, we investigated the genetic basis of red and black head colour in the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae), a classic polymorphic system in which naturally occurring colour morphs also display differences in aggressivity and reproductive success. We show that the candidate locus is a small (approx. 70 kb) non-coding region mapping to the Z chromosome near the Follistatin (FST) gene. Unlike recent findings in other systems where phenotypic morphs are explained by large inversions containing hundreds of genes (so-called supergenes), we did not identify any structural rearrangements between the two haplotypes using linked-read sequencing technology. Nucleotide divergence between the red and black alleles was high when compared to the remainder of the Z chromosome, consistent with their maintenance as balanced polymorphisms over several million years. Our results illustrate how pleiotropic phenotypes can arise from simple genetic variation, probably regulatory in nature.

An updated diagnosis of the rare Amphisbaena slateri Boulenger, 1907, based on additional specimens (Squamata, Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae)

Amphisbaenaslateriis a rare species of worm lizard from Peru and Bolivia, known only from three specimens. We found two additional specimens of this taxon, housed at the herpetological collections of the Zoological Museum (Cenak), Universität Hamburg, and the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, updating its known geographic distribution and morphological variation. We also discovered an unpublished manuscript by late Carl Gans reporting the finding of the Hamburg specimen, which we reproduce here with the permission of his family.Amphisbaenaslaterican be identified by a combination of characters including counts of annuli, segments, and pores, the shape of head scales and color pattern. Basic morphological data is given for all species of Amphisbaenia known for Bolivia and Peru to aid in the identification of specimens from those countries.

Colour polymorphic Gouldian finches avoid complex backgrounds but prefer simple camouflage colours over white backgrounds

Many animals blend in well with their environment known as camouflage which is a successful predator avoidance strategy. However, captive environments often do not allow for camouflage and may result in stress and reduced welfare. We investigated whether colour polymorphic Gouldian finches use background matching or complex backgrounds as a camouflage strategy. Birds were tested in unfamiliar cages with half of the cage with one background and the other half with another background. The time spent in front of each background was measured. The first experiment compared a simple green background versus a complex patterned background consisting of red, green and black shapes, whereas the second experiment compared a simple green background against a white background which is often used in cages. Backgrounds were swapped after 10 days to control for site preferences (phase 1 and 2). In both experiments all birds clearly preferred the simple green background. Diverting habituation processes were observed in the second experiment with black-headed birds visiting the white background more during phase 1 than phase 2, whereas the opposite was the case for the red-headed birds. In the first experiment, preference for open habitats may have interfered with optimal background matching. The second experiment showed that white backgrounds are aversive for the birds. Different habituation speeds are consistent with differences in exploration and risk-taking between the head colour morphs. The results show that 2D background colours are a simple but effective enrichment to increase welfare in birds.

The study of quality attributes of parboiled rice during steaming process with revolved sieve

The steaming process with revolved sieve was studied as a function of steaming time and revolution velocity. The quality of parboiled rice in terms of thermal property, head rice yield and color was investigated and compared to the conventional steaming process such as fixed sieve. The experimental results showed that the steaming process with revolved sieve had advantage over the steaming process with fixed sieve. It led to a steamed sample with higher DG higher head rice yield and lower whiteness value. The required steaming time for a regularity quality by a steaming process with revolved sieve was also shorter. Moreover, the steaming time affected the qualities of parboiled rice. The long steaming time provided the higher DG and head rice yield and lower whiteness value of parboiled rice. Considering revolution velocity, it was found that the revolution velocity did not affect the qualities of parboiled rice. However, the revolution velocity of 5 rpm with steaming time of 5 min provided the difference of quality at each layer.

Use of a Quality Trait Index to Increase the Reliability of Phenotypic Evaluations in Broccoli

Selection of superior broccoli hybrids involves multiple considerations, including optimization of head quality traits. Quality assessment of broccoli heads is often confounded by relatively subjective human preferences for optimal appearance of heads. To assist the selection process, we assessed five candidate head quality indices that make use of a set of individual and distinct ratings for traits such as head color, head smoothness, bead size, bead uniformity, and others. The head quality indices were tested for both a) the ability to reduce interobserver rating variability and b) the ability to emphasize specific attributes that display the greatest associations with overall horticultural quality of heads. Index development was based on datasets generated from quality evaluations by three independent raters of two replicated variety trials in Spring 2014. Relative-importance analysis was used to identify specific traits most associated with overall quality. Developed models were subsequently tested and compared using data collected by three raters evaluating two similar trials in Spring 2015. Head smoothness, bead uniformity, head color, and holding ability were found to account for 78% of the model variation in overall head quality. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), which measure the degree of concordance among raters, were increased from 0.71 to 0.88 (P &lt; 0.05) in one 2015 trial and from 0.67 to 0.80 (P &lt; 0.05) in the second when comparing the simple overall quality assessment to the use of the index weighted by the most important individual head attributes. Thus, results showed that a quality index taking into account the relative importance of individual traits should enhance the identification of the best hybrids adapted to target conditions. This method can be used to improve concordance for subjective ratings in general.

Integrative systematics of Placida cremoniana (Trinchese, 1892) (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Sacoglossa) reveals multiple pseudocryptic species

Placida cremoniana (Trinchese, 1892) is a sacoglossan heterobranch sea slug of striking coloration, with a reported range that has increased dramatically in recent years. Described from the Mediterranean in 1892, nominal conspecifics were reported from Japan in 1959, and since the 1990s, additional populations have been reported from across the tropical Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, plus temperate areas of Japan, Australia, and Europe. This sequence of events is consistent with a dramatic range expansion by one species due to human-mediated introductions, or dispersal from tropical into temperate areas induced by recent climate change. Alternatively, the expanding range of this nominal species could, instead, reflect the gradual discovery of previously unsampled members of a global species complex. These hypotheses were tested using a combination of molecular data from three loci (COI, 16S, and H3), as well as radular morphology and external color patterns, from specimens sampled from most of the reported range. Molecular species delimitation recovered P. cremoniana as a complex of four genetically divergent species, further distinguished by consistent differences in head coloration and radular morphology. As the Mediterranean species retains the name P. cremoniana, the three new species are described here, including an Eastern Pacific endemic and two species that are sympatric across large areas of the Central and Western Pacific. Photographic records and literature reports suggest that additional species may occur in the Indian Ocean, tropical Australia, and Caribbean.

Telomere dynamics in a lizard with morph-specific reproductive investment and self-maintenance.

Telomeres in human fibroblasts shorten progressively during in vitro culturing and trigger replicative senescence. Furthermore, shortened telomeres can be used as biomarkers of disease. These observations have led to the suggestion that telomere dynamics may also be associated with viability and selection for life history variation in non‐human taxa. Model systems to examine this suggestion would particularly benefit from the coexistence of multiple phenotypes within the same species with different life history trade‐offs, since those could be compared in terms of telomere characteristics. This scenario also provokes the classic question of why one morph does not have marginally higher fitness and replaces the others. One explanation is that different morphs have different reproductive tactics with equal relative fitness. In Australian painted dragons (Ctenophorus pictus), males differ in head color, the presence or absence of a gular bib, and reproductive expenditure. Red males out‐compete yellow males in dominance contests, while yellow males copulate quickly and have higher success in sperm competition than red males. Males with bibs better defend partners against rival matings, at the cost of loss of body condition. We show that yellow‐headed and bib‐less males have longer telomeres than red, blue and bibbed males, suggesting that telomere length is positively associated with higher investment into self‐maintenance and less reproductive expenditure.