Hill Series Research Articles

Detecção de múltiplas espécies de flebotomíneos circulantes e investigação de cães e vetores naturais infectados por Leishmania na cidade de Ribeirão Vermelho, sudeste do Brasil

ABSTRACT: Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus, resulting in various clinical forms, including a highly lethal visceral form. This study aimed to identify Leishmania spp. in sandflies and dogs in a small Brazilian town. DPP® Visceral Canine Leishmaniasis (CVL) was used for screening, and ELISA and conventional PCR were used for confirmatory testing, while sandflies were captured using CDC light traps and conventional PCR targeting ITS1. The Hill series was used to identify the diversity profile of species in the sampled area using R software. The study identified a Leishmania spp. prevalence of 4.02% in dogs, exceeding the 2% limit required by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. A total of 443 sandflies belonging to 14 different species were identified, with Lutzomyia longipalpis being the most abundant (73.81%). Negligence regarding leishmaniasis in small towns can lead to late diagnosis, hence the need to implement effective strategies, including early diagnosis and treatment of human and canine cases, vector control programs, and awareness campaigns to educate the public about risks and preventive measures. These measures can help prevent the spread of leishmaniasis and improve health outcomes for affected individuals and animals.

The Role of National Parks in Conservation and Promotion of Wildlife: A Case Study of Kuno National Park, Sheopur (M.P.), India

The purpose of this research is to learn about and assess wildlife conservation, with a focus on Kuno National Park. The research also attempts to propose ideas and future perspectives for the enhancement and welfare of wildlife, notably in Kuno, by examination of primary and secondary data sources. Kuno National Park is extended in the Vindhyan hill series, and it is situated in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh within the geographical extent of 76°58'37.45" E to 77°20'7.98" E and 25°30'50.03" N to 26°05'23.19" N [1]. Kuno NP covers an area of 748.761 km² made free of all human habitation through incentivized voluntary relocation of forest settlements. The Kuno NP and adjoining buffer area are part of the Kuno Wildlife Division which covers an area of 1235 km2. In this article, an attempt has been made to explore the concept of environmental protection and wildlife conservation particularly wild animals in Kuno NP. The exploitation of natural resources by humans has degraded the environment, endangered certain animal species, and damaged the ecosystem to a certain extent. Overall, the poll depicts a picture of a society that is heavily reliant on agricultural and animal husbandry for a living. Education levels are largely in the elementary to secondary school range, with some reading gaps that require addressed. The villagers' economic situation is defined by a considerable fraction falling within the middle-income bracket.

A Small-Scale Analysis of Elevational Species Richness and Beta Diversity Patterns of Arthropods on an Oceanic Island (Terceira, Azores).

Simple SummaryWe studied the diversity of arthropods in native forests along a 1000 m elevation gradient on Terceira Island, Azores (Portugal). These forests form an isolated and threatened habitat with unique endemic species. We analysed the change in alpha and beta diversity of arthropod species with elevation and if the diversity of endemic, native non-endemic and introduced species responds differently to elevation. Resident arthropods were sampled using SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps between 2014 and 2018. Spiders (Araneae), beetles (Coleoptera), true bugs (Hemiptera) and barklice (Psocoptera), as well as endemic, native and introduced species, were analysed separately. Total species richness decreases with elevation for all species, Coleoptera and Psocoptera, and particularly so for introduced species, but peaks at mid-high elevation for Araneae and endemic species. These patterns are probably driven by unfavourable climatic conditions at higher elevations while being influenced by human disturbance at lower elevations. Total species diversity along the whole elevation gradient is shaped by this decreasing richness as well as the replacement of species at different elevations.We present an analysis of arthropod diversity patterns in native forest communities along the small elevation gradient (0–1021 m a.s.l.) of Terceira island, Azores (Portugal). We analysed (1) how the alpha diversity of Azorean arthropods responds to increasing elevation and (2) differs between endemic, native non-endemic and introduced (alien) species, and (3) the contributions of species replacement and richness difference to beta diversity. Arthropods were sampled using SLAM traps between 2014 and 2018. We analysed species richness indicators, the Hill series and beta diversity partitioning (species replacement and species richness differences). Selected orders (Araneae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Psocoptera) and endemic, native non-endemic and introduced species were analysed separately. Total species richness shows a monotonic decrease with elevation for all species and Coleoptera and Psocoptera, but peaks at mid-high elevation for Araneae and endemic species. Introduced species richness decreases strongly with elevation especially. These patterns are most likely driven by climatic factors but also influenced by human disturbance. Beta diversity is, for most groups, the main component of total (gamma) diversity along the gradient but shows no relation with elevation. It results from a combined effect of richness decrease with elevation and species replacement in groups with many narrow-ranged species.

مدى تحقيق مشروع تطوير مناهج العلوم الطبيعية لأهدافه من وجهة نظر المشرفات التربويات و معلمات العلوم بالمملكة العربية السعودية

This study aims to evaluate the developed science curriculum implemented in intermediate and secondary schools, which has been developed by accommodation of global foreign scientific series resembled by Mc Graw Hill series through dealing with the data collected as feed-back from supervisors and teachers of science at intermediate and secondary schools (women) in KSA. (At Najran regoin).This study tries to give an answer to the main question:To what extent could the developed science curriculum succeed in achieving the objectives of the project of development?A number of sub-questions arise from this main question.The Researcher used the descriptive analytical research methodology. Tools of the study were a questionnaire to be answered by teachers and supervisors of science in intermediate and secondary schools at Najran rejoin. The data collected was analyzed by using SPSS package. The results achieved were as follows:- Supervisors and teachers accept the idea of development of science curriculum by accommodation.- They agree about the effectiveness of the developed science curriculum in achieving the objectives of the project of of science curriculum development in line with global standards.The researcher concluded with the following recommendations:- Greater care should be given to the laboratories and equipments.- Ministry of education should support and motivate teacher's professional activities.

Documentation and redefinition of the "Nongkulang hill series" and hitherto unreported Eocene-Oligocene transition sediments, Meghalaya, India

Richly fossiliferous calc-argillaceous sediments interbedded between the carbonates of the 'Nummulitic series' and the sandstone-shale of the 'new series' around Nongkulang in the West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India, were originally designated as the Nongkulang hill series. The series was not considered as a formal unit due to the very thin succession and local nature of the sediments. In the Garo Hills and Khasi Hills, this lithosuccession was previously correlated with the Kopili Stage,whose stratotype is non calcareous and largely unfossiliferous. Successive occurrences of late Eocene and early Oligocene foraminifera in the uninterrupted calc-argillaceous sediments in the Therria section suggest the presence of an Eocene-Oligocene boundary succession. Since the calc-argillaceous sediments closely resembled the Nongkulang series these were examined to determine whether the Nongkulang qualifies for an independent lithounit or a part of the Kopili Stage. The Nongkulang series was mapped and its stratigraphic sections measured via river and road outcrops in a stretch from the Someswari (= Simsang) River in the Garo Hills to the Therria nala in Khasi Hills.With definite lithocontacts, lateral continuity, and variation in lithology and fauna, the series is justified as a formal lithounit characterized by small size Nummulites, ooids and thin impure limestone beds, and divisible into lower, middle and uppermembers. It is redefined and described as the Nongkulang Formation and assigned late Eocene to early Oligocene age based on integrated larger and planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy. Atentative Eocene-Oligocene boundary is documented in the middle member. The associated Prang and Kopili formations are also refined and revised. The Nongkulang Formation corresponds to the Eocene-Oligocene transition and contains terminal Eocene biostratigraphic events. These new sites documenting the Eocene to Oligocene succession may be potentially useful to study sea level changes in NE India and adjoining Bangladesh.

Changes caused by forest logging in structure and floristic diversity of natural regeneration: Relationship between climate variables and forest dynamics in the eastern Amazon

Several studies indicate that the Amazon rainforest is home to the greatest biodiversity of tree species on the planet. The unique quality of this forest typology is under constant threat of change owing to the behavior of climate variables and different anthropic activities that occur in the biome itself. Therefore, it is essential to conduct studies that clarify the factors that affect the formation of forests in this ecosystem and to validate the use of forest resources by society through appropriate forest management practices. Thus, this study aimed to answer how the structure, composition and floristic diversity of the forest are influenced by forest logging in different phases of development of a local Amazonian forest, and whether there is a relationship between these attributes and regional and global climate factors. This study assessed the dynamics of natural regeneration of 36 permanent plots over 33 years after logging in the Tapajós National Forest in Belterra, State of Pará, Brazil. The plots studied were measured in 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2007, and 2012. All individuals with height greater than 30 cm and diameter at breast height <10 cm were monitored in three regeneration strata (seedlings, saplings, and small trees) and three forest classes (gap-phase forest, growing forest, and old-growth forest). Density, floristic similarity according to the Sørensen Index, and floristic diversity according to the Hill series were analyzed. Climate variables such as mean annual compensated temperature; total annual precipitation, and Oceanic Niño Index were correlated with the mortality, recruitment, and density of growing trees. An ANOVA for count data verified that the density of individuals differed over time since logging among the regeneration strata and forest classes analyzed. Likewise, the diversity profiles generated from the Hill series were significantly different from each other, and the floristic similarity varied between regeneration strata over time. For the forest classes, the similarity values ranged between 50% and 96%. The gap-phase forest areas had the lowest similarity values, with some 100% dissimilar surveys. However, there was an exponential reduction in similarity over time in the different forest classes. The results indicate that logging promotes significant changes in floristic structure and diversity in different strata of natural regeneration and forest classes over time. Additionally, no correlation was found between climate variables and the natural regeneration dynamics in the Tapajós National Forest.

Assemblage of vascular epiphytes associated to seasonally inundated forest in the Southeastern Mexico: Challenges for its conservation

Wetlands are ecosystems characterized by a high level of biodiversity and among those most under threat from human activities. Tintal (seasonally inundated forest dominated by Haematoxylum campechianum L.) are a characteristic wetland of the Yucatan Peninsula, and have a long history of commercial exploitation. In both conserved and human-disturbed wetlands, differences in relation to species richness, diversity and degree of specialization are expected. The objectives of this study were to analyze the variations in the richness and abundance between preserved and human-disturbed tintales, and to identify relationships between the characteristics of the epiphyte assemblage and the tintal assemblage. The study was carried out at 21 tintal sites in the Yucatan Peninsula, 10 preserved and 11 human-disturbed. At each sampled tintal sites, two 100 × 8 m (800 m2) transects were randomly plotted, in which the vascular epiphytes were quantified and identified. All the phorophytes (any plant on which an epiphyte grows) within the transects were divided into three microsites (low and middle trunk section, and branches), and all vascular epiphytes were recorded in each one of these microsites. Species-accumulation curves, dominance-diversity graph, Hill series diversity indices and species richness were calculated. Similarity matrices were calculated taking into account the relative abundance and the presence absence of the species, and a similarity analysis was performed. To assess the effect of the three microsites and the conservation status of tintales a generalized linear model was applied. The similarity matrices between locations for vascular epiphytes and phorophytes were correlated. The richness and abundance of vascular epiphyte species were related to degree of conservation but not with the richness, evenness, density, average DBH and average height of forophytes. A total of 55 taxa of vascular epiphytes (51 angiosperms, 4 ferns), 12 families and 7051 individuals were registered. The Orchidaceae family was the best represented (26 species, 3225 individuals). In preserved tintales, 6396 individuals (90.71% of the total), belonging to 49 taxa and 9 families were recorded. There is a similarity of 45.07% between both types of tintales. The preferred microsite in preserved and human-disturbed tintales was the branches (47 species; 5262 individuals). The most abundant species of tree was H. campechianum (62.84% of the total). The tintales can be important reservoirs of vascular epiphytes (richness and abundance) and they can function as islands and sources of diversity in degraded land matrices. In addition to working on the restoration of disturbed tintales, it is also essential to protect preserved tintales, considering the ecological importance of the latter. The tree species H. campechianum must be considered as a key species in this ecosystem.

Arthropod diversity in two Historic Gardens in the Azores, Portugal.

The aim of our study was to characterise and compare the richness and composition of endemic, native (non-endemic) and introduced arthropod assemblages of two Azorean Historic Gardens with contrasting plant species composition. We hypothesised that Faial Botanic Garden would hold higher arthropod diversity and abundance of native and endemic arthropod species due to its larger native plant community. Species were collected using several arthropod standardised techniques between April 2017 and June 2018. We used the alpha diversity metrics (Hill series) and the partitioning of total beta diversity (βtotal) into its replacement (βrepl) and richness (βrich) components, to analyse the adult and total arthropod community. The orders Araneae, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were also studied separately. Our results show that the number of exotic arthropod species exceeds the number of native and/or the endemic species in both gardens, but the arthropod community of Faial Botanic Garden exhibited a higher density of endemic and native species. Despite some minor exceptions, the geographic origins of plant communities largely influenced the arthropod species sampled in each garden. This study improves our knowledge about urban arthropod diversity in the Azores and shows how well-designed urban garden management and planning contribute to the conservation of native and endemic Azorean species.

Endophytic bacteria mitigate mercury toxicity to host plants

Plant communities growing in metal-contaminated areas can develop resistance mechanisms by establishing symbiotic associations with endophytic microorganisms. The functionality and diversity of endophytic communities depend on the amount and type of metal present in the soil. To characterise the response of endophytic bacterial communities to mercury-induced abiotic stress, we analysed the colonization frequency and number of bacterial isolates in the roots of Aeschynomene fluminensis (Joint Vetch) and Polygonum acuminatum (Smartweed), which represent the families Fabaceae and Polygonaceae, respectively. These two plant species are found in many mercury-contaminated areas. The isolates were characterised by morpho- and genotyping and identified by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The bacteria belonged to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. The Hill series and Venn diagram provided evidence that mercury affects the composition, diversity, and richness of the endophytic bacterial communities. Inoculation with Bacillus_sp_BacI34, Burkholderia_sp_BacI45, Enterobacter_sp_BacI14, Enterobacter_sp_BacI26, Enterobacter_sp_BacI18, Klebsiella_pneumoniae_BacI20, Lysobacter_soli_BacI39, Pantoea_sp_BacI16, and Pantoea_sp_BacI23 promoted the growth of corn (Zea mays) plants in mercury-supplemented substrata. It is noteworthy that Pantoea sp_BacI23 increased the host plant length (root and shoot) by 117.09 ± 0.28%. Endophytic bacterial strains may well provide important inoculants for plant growth promotion on metal-contaminated sites and in metal bioremediation programs.

Culture‐based methods using low‐temperature incubation revealed cold‐adapted fungal endophytes from semiarid forests

AbstractFungal endophytes are an important part of the plant microbiome and participate in maintaining the stability of ecosystems. Culture‐based methods are frequently considered in studying fungal communities because of their advantages in providing cultures for further experiments and their low cost. In comparison with next‐generation sequencing methods, their ability to assess fungal diversity is questionable. Here, we show how using two different incubation temperatures can improve the yield of fungal endophytes by culture‐based methods. Diversity, organ preference and spatiotemporal variability of endophytic fungal communities living within Quercus brantii L. were investigated using two different incubation temperatures. To test the effects of using low‐temperature incubation on diversity estimations, twigs and leaves of Quercus brantii were incubated under 25°C and 4°C conditions. Isolation rate and Hill's series of diversity were calculated for each sample. Model‐based analysis was used to evaluate the effects of (a) incubation temperature, (b) organ type and (c) spatiotemporal variations on fungal isolation rate, fungal diversity and community composition. Our results showed a strong organ specificity and temporal dynamics among endophytic fungal communities, but the location of the forest stand had only a limited effect on fungal community composition. Low‐temperature incubation enabled us to improve culture‐based methods by discovering the diversity of cold‐adapted fungal endophytes and a significantly different part of the endophytic communities that is usually missed by customary culturing temperature. The isolation of cold‐adapted endophytes from a semiarid environment opens a new window to further studies on this kind of fungi in such ecosystems.

Why Some Worlds Fail. Observations on the Relationship Between Intertextuality, Intermediality, and Transmediality in the Resident Evil and Silent Hill Universes

The Resident Evil and the Silent Hill series both were among the most famous and successful franchises of video game culture until the film adaptations appeared, which initiated a slow but unstoppable decline. The films remained artistically independent, but the game experience of the following parts of the game series increasingly converged with the movies. The Resident Evil series put the focus on more action instead of horror and puzzles and the Silent Hill series adapted itself to the narrative design and dramaturgy of the cinematic franchise. This resulted in both game worlds no longer being able to replicate their earlier artistic and economic successes—the most recent parts, Resident Evil 6 (2012) and Silent Hill. Downpour (2012), were considered the low points of the series. In this article, reasons for this loss are discussed by describing the processes in both transmedial franchises with the related concepts of intermediality and intertextuality. A starting point of this article is the assumption that each storyworld includes a specific set of general rules (characters, settings, conflicts, etc.), which can be varied to a certain degree in a transmedial adaptation. Nevertheless, video games seem to include media-specific rules whose violation within the same medium is

Extremity, Video Games and the Censors

Extremity, Video Games and the Censors

Accumulation and distribution of micronutrients in Willamette red raspberry plants

Willamette red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plants were sampled monthly to determine the accumulation and distribution of copper (Cu), boron (B), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) over the growing seasons of four different years. The soil (Marble Hill series) was typical of that commonly used for commercial raspberry production in the area. No micronutrients were applied. The micronutrients generally accumulated as the season progressed in a manner similar to the accumulation of dry matter. Maximum accumulation of micronutrients in the aboveground portion of the plants did not necessarily occur at the end of the growing season because of different growth patterns of the floricanes and primocanes. The ripe berries, which would be removed by harvesting, contained a significant proportion of the total accumulation of micronutrients: Cu (18–26%), Zn (15–25%), B (3–16%), Fe (5–8%) and Mn (4–7%). However, concentrations of the micronutrients in the various parts of the plant varied considerably from month to month and year to year. There was no obvious relationship between weather conditions and the variations in micronutrient concentrations. Extreme variations within and between growing seasons suggest concentrations of micronutrients in leaves cannot readily be used to develop tissue-analysis-based fertility recommendations. Floricane stem micronutrient concentrations were more stable but the relationship between these concentrations and the overall nutrient status of the plants needs to be determined before they can be used for diagnostic purposes. Before accumulation and distribution patterns of micronutrients in raspberry can be used as a basis for development of fertilizer management strategies, additional measurements from other locations are needed. The results from this study should serve as guidelines for developing sampling procedures and their practical applications. Key words: Copper, boron, zinc, manganese, iron, Rubus idaeus L.

Uranium and thorium in fossil bones: activity ratios and dating

We have analysed fossil bones by U-series disequilibrium from five different sites (Ngandong and Sonde, Indonesia; Gold Ox Hill, People's Republic of China; Pestera, Romania and Ksar Akil, Lebanon). Two samples were taken from all bones: one representing surface material, and one from the inner bone (bulk) material. In general, the U concentration at the surface was found to be lower than in the bulk, resulting in higher ages. This might be explained by leaching of U from the surface area of the bone, which means that the surface material of the bones cannot be considered to be a closed system. An exception is the Gold Ox Hill series, where we found that the U concentration is roughly constant throughout the bone. Also the ages are roughly the same for surface and bulk material in this case.

An undersirable property of Hill's diversity indexN 2

A desirable property of a diversity index is that it be a convex function of the proportions of different species that constitute a community.N 2, a diversity index belonging to the Hill's series of diversity indices and which is equivalent to the reciprocal of Simpson's diversity index violates this requirement when the proportion of one of the species is close to 1. Recommendations ofN 2 as the best possible index of diversity therefore need to be examined judiciously.

Oil hills, ridges, peaks, cliffs and ravines

In an earlier paper Tanner and Berry (1985) considered the decay of a disturbance to an otherwise uniform thin oil film. This was followed analytically using the Navier-Stokes equation, and optically by interferometry. Solutions were obtained in the form of a series of three-dimensional hills and of two-dimensional ridges, decaying with time in a self-similar manner. The present work extends this in several ways. By better control of the applied disturbance, more of the original series are produced and illustrated. The original hill series is extended to a doubly-infinite one, providing the possibility, as with the ridges, of different time decay rates for each azimuthal structure. Negative j values, giving either vertical growth or static vertical heights, are considered and in a few cases produced experimentally. Finally nonlinear peaks, cliffs and ravines having self-similar scaling properties are studied. In all cases, good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

S. Rinaldi, R. Soncini‐Sessa, H. Stehfest and H. Tamura: Modeling and Control of River Ouality. 380 pp. =McGraw Hill Series in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. – New York: McGraw Hill Company 1979. DM 99.00

S. Rinaldi, R. Soncini‐Sessa, H. Stehfest and H. Tamura: Modeling and Control of River Ouality. 380 pp. =McGraw Hill Series in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. – New York: McGraw Hill Company 1979. DM 99.00

SOME CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SERPENTINE SOILS FROM WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND

Two serpentine soils from western Newfoundland have been described and their chemical and physical properties documented. The Blomidon soil series is a moderately well to imperfectly drained Gleyed Regosol, cryoturbic phase, and the Round Hill series a well to moderately well drained Orthic Regosol, cryoturbic phase. Both soils developed from base-rich very stony, sandy-loam colluvium and till, derived mainly from serpentinized rocks. Horizon development is restricted by cryoturbation and this factor, combined with high Mg content (12–16%, total) (6.8–16.64 meq/100 g, available) and low essential macronutrient content, create adverse conditions for plant growth. In addition, there are present possibly toxic quantities of Ni (0.308–0.389% total) (0.008–0.031 meq/100 g available). The Ca/Mg ratios are 0.008–0.190, total and 0.030–0.361, available; soil textures are loam to sandy loam. Comparison is made to serpentine soils in Poland, Sweden, Great Britain, Rhodesia and the U.S.A., similarities and differences being noted.

The Earth And Its Gravity Field. By W. A. Heiskanen and F. A. Vening Meinesz (McGraw Hill Series in the Geological Sciences). Published by McGraw Hill Book Co., Ltd., New York, 1958. 470 pp. Price 97s.

The Earth And Its Gravity Field. By W. A. Heiskanen and F. A. Vening Meinesz (McGraw Hill Series in the Geological Sciences). Published by McGraw Hill Book Co., Ltd., New York, 1958. 470 pp. Price 97s. - Volume 97 Issue 1

European and Comparative Government

European and Comparative Government Neumann R. G.European and Comparative Government. New York: McGraw- Hill Series in Political Science, 1951. Pp. 730. Jean Jacques Chevallier Jean Jacques Chevallier *Professor of Law, University of Paris Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The American Journal of Comparative Law, Volume 2, Issue 3, Summer 1953, Pages 412–415, https://doi.org/10.2307/837494 Published: 01 July 1953