Relative Breadth Research Articles

Forest fragmentation effects on mutualistic interactions: frugivorous birds and fruiting trees

While many effects of forest fragmentation are reasonably well understood, knowledge of interspecific interactions in fragmented ecosystems is much more limited, particularly for high diversity tropical forests. Using nearly 40 years of data from the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in Central Amazonia, we assessed whether forest fragment area and time since isolation impact mutualistic interactions between frugivorous birds and their food resources. We used structural equation modeling to analyze the complex pathways between four main variables determining these interactions: fruiting tree abundance, frugivorous bird abundance, forest fragment area, and time since fragment isolation. Our results confirm that fragment area alters the abundance of some tree resources, with successional plant families increasing in abundance with decreasing fragment size. However, these changes do not drive alterations in the abundance of frugivorous birds. We also tested if bird species with a greater relative diet breadth are less vulnerable to forest fragmentation and found that specialist frugivores are more vulnerable to forest fragmentation immediately after isolation but are not differentially impacted within the long term. Collectively, our results demonstrate the need to further evaluate human‐driven habitat change across multiple timescales to fully understand its impacts on complex species interactions.

Creation of a CF-specific antibiotic spectrum index (ASI) as an antimicrobial stewardship initiative

Antibiotics are frequently utilized for cystic fibrosis (CF)-related pulmonary exacerbation treatment. The antibiotic spectrum index (ASI) is an antimicrobial stewardship tool developed to compare the relative breadth of individual antibiotics. This study aimed to create two expanded CF-specific ASI scoring indices for use in antimicrobial stewardship research and clinical care. The first scoring index expanded the original ASI to include bacterial microorganisms common to CF airway infections (CF-ASI). The second scoring system only included scores for bacterial microorganisms classically identified in CF airway infections (CF-sASI). Sixty-two antibiotics were evaluated and included in the updated ASIs. When multiple antibiotics are prescribed, we proposed using an additive ASI approach whereby the sum of the individual prescribed antibiotic scores represents the total ASI score. The application of CF-focused ASIs into CF research and stewardship programs can help to optimize antibiotic benefits, minimize harms and allow for increased sustainability of antibiotic use in CF.

Application of artificial intelligence to investigate the performance and flow pattern near staggered piece in V-ribs with aligned gaps roughness in solar air heater using relevant input parameters

The present work findings of an experimental investigation on a rectangular duct used in a solar air heater (SAH) to increase heat transfer and frictional characteristics and improve flow near the roughness. The rough SAH surface is created by staggered V-ribs and aligned gaps. For Reynolds numbers 3000–14,000, relative gap breadth (g/e) is changed from 2 to 5, while other parameters are maintained constant: relative roughness pitch (P/e) = 10, relative staggered rib position (P'/P) = 0.4, relative staggered rib size (w/g) = 1, and relative roughness height (e/Dh) = 0.0434. The Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) are found as 2.16 and 2.73 times higher than a flat plate under the identical operating and flow conditions. The overall augmented behavior of rough SAH considering frictional characteristics is calculated in terms of Thermal enhancement factor (TEF) as 1.56. The impact of gap width on flow pattern is examined by using ANSYS Academic Research CFD 15.0. ANN outperformed GMDH. The air mass flow rate was revealed to be the most sensitive influencing element in a sensitivity analysis.

Research on the Interfacial Instability of Non-Newtonian Fluid Displacement Using Flow Geometry

The variation of the classical viscous fingering instability is studied numerically in this work. An investigation of the viscous fingering phenomenon of immiscible displacement in the Hele–Shaw cell (HSC), where the displaced fluid is a shear-thinning fluid, was carried out numerically using the volume of fluid (VOF) method by adding a minor depth gradient or altering the geometry of the top plate in the HSC. The findings demonstrate how the presence of depth gradients can change the stability of the interface and offer a chance to regulate and adapt the fingering instability in response to the viscous fingering properties of air driving non-Newtonian fluids under various depth gradients. The relative breadth will shrink under the influence of the depth gradient, and the negative consequences of the gradient will be increasingly noticeable. Specifically, under different power-law indices, we found that with the enhancement of shear-thinning characteristics (lower power-law exponent n) in both positive and negative depth gradients, the fingers that protrude from the viscous fingers become shorter and thicker, resulting in higher displacement efficiency. Additionally, several modifications were performed to the upper plate’s design, and the findings revealed that the shape had no effect on the viscous fingering and only had an impact on the longitudinal amplitude. Based on the aforementioned traits, we may alter the HSC’s form or depth gradient to provide high-quality and effective work.

Treatment outcome in an SI model with evolutionary resistance: a Darwinian model for the evolution of resistance

We consider a Darwinian (evolutionary game theoretic) version of a standard susceptible-infectious SI model in which the resistance of the disease causing pathogen to a treatment that prevents death to infected individuals is subject to evolutionary adaptation. We determine the existence and stability of all equilibria, both disease-free and endemic, and use the results to determine conditions under which the treatment will succeed or fail. Of particular interest are conditions under which a successful treatment in the absence of resistance adaptation (i.e. one that leads to a stable disease-free equilibrium) will succeed or fail when pathogen resistance is adaptive. These conditions are determined by the relative breadths of treatment effectiveness and infection transmission rate distributions as functions of pathogen resistance.

Experimental investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of a pile-supported OWC-type breakwater

The present study considers the design optimisation of an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) incorporated into a pile-supported breakwater structure. This has been achieved by performing a substantial number of scaled physical model tests and a methodical variation of key device parameters within multiple configurations. The key aspects that have been investigated include: (a) the geometric characteristics of the breakwater structure, (b) the pneumatic efficiency of the OWC, (c) the geometry of the OWC chamber and (d) the relative position of the OWC chamber within the breakwater. The present work considers (monochromatic) regular waves of varying steepness and effective water depth as incident wave conditions. The efficiency of the designed structure in terms of shore protection capacity and wave energy extraction was assessed by quantifying relevant transmission coefficients and the power output metrics. This has been achieved by using a combination of collocated and complementary measuring devices, such as arrays of wave gauges, pressure transducers and a high-definition video camera. The study concluded that systematic refinement of the geometrical parameters can substantially enhance the overall hydrodynamic efficiency of a pile-supported OWC breakwater. Additionally, it was found that a configuration featuring a chamber positioned in front of the breakwater, with a relative chamber breadth of 0.67, outperforms wider breadth configurations in terms of both energy extraction efficiency and reduction of the transmission coefficient. Taken together, the present study provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of key design parameters of a breakwater-integrated OWC, its efficiency and shore protection potential.

Research on the Impact of the Input Level of Digital Economics in Chinese Manufacturing on the Embedded Position of the GVC

With the development and application of digital technology, the digital economy industry has gradually become the new vitality of China’s economic growth, and it has also become a vital driving force to promote a change in the GVC division of the manufacturing industry. This paper takes the embedded position of the GVC in the Chinese manufacturing industry as the research object, places the input level of the digital economy in the manufacturing industry into the analysis framework of the influence of its embedded position in the GVC, puts forward the theoretical mechanism of the influence of the input level of the digital economy on the relative breadth and height of its embedded position in the GVC, and explores the influence of the digital economy on the embedded position of the GVC in the Chinese manufacturing industry from the two levels of relative height and width. Through regression analysis, an intermediary effect test, and threshold regression of panel data, the study found that (1) improving the input level of the digital economy in manufacturing will positively affect the relative height and breadth of the GVC embedding position. (2) The improvement of the input level of the digital economy plays a role through two mechanisms: improving the innovation efficiency of the manufacturing industry, and improving the asset utilization efficiency of the manufacturing industry. The relative height and breadth of the embedded position of the GVC can be promoted through innovative efficiency channels. The captive allocation efficiency channel can promote the relative breadth of the embedded position of the GVC. (3) The influence of the input level of the digital economy on the relative breadth and height of the embedded position of the GVC presents a threshold effect with the technical level, and the influence on the relative height presents a threshold effect with the capital level. By clarifying the influence of the digital economy’s input level on the embedded position of the GVC, some suggestions can be taken to promote the manufacturing industry to move to a high-value acquisition position in the GVC division. Construction can be strengthened from the following aspects: improving the application level of digital technology in the manufacturing industry, strengthening the construction of digital infrastructure, and promoting the innovation system and industrial ecology led by digital technology.

Dimension reduction of 911 Good Samaritan Laws: Drawing inferences from policy surveillance

Background911 Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) extend legal protection to people reporting drug overdoses who may otherwise be in violation of controlled substance laws. Mixed evidence suggests GSLs decrease overdose mortality, but these studies overlook substantial heterogeneity across states. The GSL Inventory exhaustively catalogs features of these laws into four categories: breadth, burden, strength, and exemption. The present study reduces this dataset to reveal patterns in implementation, facilitate future evaluations, and to produce a roadmap for the dimension reduction of further policy surveillance datasets. MethodsWe produced multidimensional scaling plots visualizing the frequency of co-occurring GSL features from the GSL Inventory as well as similarity among state laws. We clustered laws into meaningful groups by shared features; produced a decision tree identifying salient features predicting group membership; scored their relative breadth, burden, strength, and exemption of immunity; and associated groups with state sociopolitical and sociodemographic variables. ResultsIn the feature plot, breadth and strength features segregate from burdens and exemptions. Regions in the state plot differentiate quantity of substances immunized, burden of reporting requirements, and immunity for probationers. State laws may be clustered into five groups distinguished by proximity, salient features, and sociopolitical variables. DiscussionThis study reveals competing attitudes toward harm reduction that underly GSLs across states. These analyses provide a roadmap for the application of dimension reduction methods to policy surveillance datasets, accommodating their binary structure and longitudinal observations. These methods preserve higher-dimensional variance in a form amenable to statistical evaluation.

Features and evolution of the ‘Belt and Road’ regional value chain: Complex network analysis

AbstractThis paper constructs a regional value chain network based on complex network analysis, and analyses its structural features and dynamic evolution process. The results show that at the macro level, the scales of the domestic trade value‐added (DVA) network and foreign trade value‐added (FVA) network of the ‘Belt and Road’ (B&R) show an expanding pattern over time. Moreover, the core‐periphery analysis shows that the network exhibits a vivid core‐periphery structure. Then, community analysis reveals that the network has prominent characteristics of regional agglomeration. After 2005, the division of communities tended to be stable, and the representative countries of the DVA network and FVA network communities differed. Finally, at the individual level, as for degree centrality and strength centrality, China, Russia and Thailand are all the cores in the DVA network, while India, an emerging economy, shows increases in the breadth and depth of relations and becomes more important. In the FVA network, Singapore and Russia are more significant. As for PageRank centrality, Russia, Singapore, China and India are all the cores in the DVA network and FVA network, but for betweenness centrality, the core countries that play the ‘bridge’ role in the DVA network and FVA network are not unified.

Conditions for Extraction of Saponins <I>Solidágo virgáurea</I>

Introduction. Currently, despite the achievements in the synthesis of chemical substances, there is a tendency to expand the use of herbal medicines, the use of which is justified by the relative safety and breadth of pharmacological activity. One of the promising sources of biologically active substances are plants of the genus Goldenrod, which has more than 20 plant species. Despite the active botanical and pharmacological study of plants of the genus Solidago, there is insufficient scientific data to date. In addition, the extraction of extracts based on Solidago grass has not been studied in detail, which determines the relevance of the study of representatives of this genus in the technological aspect.Aim. Determination of optimal conditions for the extraction of biologically active substances from the grass of Solidago virgaurea.Materials and methods. The herb Solidago virgaurea, collected during the flowering period, was used as the studied plant raw material. Drying of raw materials was carried out in a natural shadow way. The amount of extractive substances in the aqueous extracts of Solidago grass was determined by the pharmacopoeia method (OFS.1.5.3.0006.15 Determination of the content of extractive substances in medicinal plant raw materials and medicinal plant preparations). Biologically active compounds from dried and crushed raw materials were extracted with 40 %, 60 %, 80 % and 96 % ethyl alcohol solution. The quantitative content of biologically active substances in extracts of the herb Solidago virgaurea was determined by the dry residue. The percentage of saponins in the studied plant raw materials was determined in terms of oleanolic acid by direct spectrophotometry based on the reaction with sulfuric acid.Results and discussion. The issues of studying the factors affecting the quality of extraction of saponins of Solidago grass are highlighted. The influence of the degree of grinding of raw materials, the mode of infusion and the type of extractant on the completeness of saponin yield has been studied. According to the results of the study of the extraction conditions of biologically active compounds of aqueous extracts of Solidago virgaurea grass, it was revealed that the maximum amount of biologically active substances was obtained in extracts prepared on the basis of grass crushed to a size of 2 mm by infusing in a water bath for 30 minutes. It was found that the quantitative content of saponins in Solidago virgaurea grass is 9.8 ± 1.2 %.Conclusion. Based on the conducted research, the most rational technology of water extraction based on the herb Solidago virgaurea has been identified: the degree of grinding of raw materials is 2 mm; as an extractant, 60 % ethanol is the most optimal for saponins; the infusion mode is 30 minutes in a boiling water bath. According to the obtained results of quantitative analysis, it was found that the total saponin content in the grass of Solidago is 9.8 ± 1.2 %, which emphasizes the relevance of more detailed studies of this plant raw material from the standpoint of quantitative determination of biologically active substances and determination of a possible spectrum of pharmacological properties.

Creating value from diverse knowledge in megaproject innovation ecosystems

Although considerable emphasis has been placed on innovation in megaprojects research, it remains unclear how to obtain valuable outputs in megaproject innovation ecosystems. In view of the key role of knowledge in innovation activities, this study aims to explore the latent mechanism underlying the relationship between knowledge input and output quality, and how this relationship is impacted by ecosystem peers. We argue that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the size of knowledge base and the likelihood of high-quality output as a result of both the creation-potential effect and the integration-difficulty effect caused by the increase in knowledge base size. An empirical analysis of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project confirms it and shows that the inverted U-shaped curve will be flattened as the relative search breadth of ecosystem peers increases. Our findings deepen the theoretical understanding of innovation activities in megaprojects, and provide new insights into co-creation in megaprojects innovation ecosystems.

Ontogenetic patterns in human frontal sinus shape: A longitudinal study using elliptical Fourier analysis.

Frontal sinus morphology is highly variable across individuals, but little is known regarding how or at what age that variation is reached. Existing ontogenetic studies are conflicting and often cross-sectional in nature, limiting understanding of individualistic growth. Studies investigating sinus growth with longitudinal series often focus on lateral cephalograms and consequently do not capture the sinus morphological features that are most relevant to clinical and medicolegal settings (e.g., arcade/scalloping, width-to-height dimensions, asymmetry). Longitudinal analysis of sinus morphology from frontal radiographs is important to understand when sinus morphology stabilizes. The purpose of this study was to investigate at what age the frontal sinus attains its final shape, and whether sex-based differences in ontogeny are evident, using a longitudinal sample of posterior-anterior (PA) frontal radiographs from the AAOF Legacy Collection. Frontal sinus outlines were manually traced in 935 radiographs from 111 individuals (55F/56M) spanning 8-29 years of age. Outlines were subjected to elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA) and underwent principal components analysis (PCA). PC1 (51.02% of variation) appears to represent the relative height and breadth of the sinus, PC2 (11.73%) and PC3 (10.03%) captures the degree of relative complexity in the outlines. Individual PC scores were plotted against age-in-months with individual Loess growth curves. Overall, younger individuals typically display relatively shorter, flatter sinuses, increasing in vertical complexity with age. Mixed-effect models on PC1 indicate significant effects for the repeated measure of years (p < 0.001). Within individuals, Euclidean distances of PCs between each sinus outline and their oldest-age outline (i.e., final morphology) were calculated and plotted against age-in-months with Loess growth curves. The results indicate that final frontal sinus morphology is mostly attained by 20 yoa regardless of sex. There is sexual dimorphism in ontogenetic trajectories: females attain frontal sinus shape earlier than males. Specifically, Loess growth curves of the Euclidean distances to final sinus shape indicate that female shape shows decreased development at 14-16 yoa, with males approaching stabilization at 18-20 yoa. These trends were supported by paired t-tests on PC1 between each year and the oldest age, whereby significant differences end for females starting at 15 and 18 yoa for males. The timing of shape-stabilization in the current study closely aligns with previous studies on linear and size dimensions, indicating a close relationship between the ontogeny of frontal sinus shape and size. This research has several implications in diverse fields. Documenting ontogenetic patterns in modern humans could lead to more accurate interpretations of frontal sinus variation in hominin lineages. Understanding the age at which frontal sinus shape and size stabilizes in pediatric populations has important clinical implications, with future studies needed to investigate if/how sinus development directly relates to sinonasal disease susceptibility (e.g., sinusitis), surgical complications, and/or expected trauma patterns. For forensic practitioners utilizing frontal sinus comparisons for decedent identifications, it is important to know at what age these features stabilize to understand how much change may be expected between antemortem and postmortem radiographs.

Habitual locomotor types and the shape of lower leg bones in primates, especially in hominoids

The mechanical dominance of the hindlimbs compared with the forelimbs in positional behavior in primates has been settled. Among primate hindlimb bones, the femur has received the main focus. The primate lower leg bones have not been studied precisely in relation to locomotor behavior. In this study, the lower leg bones of primates, 316 individuals in 80 species and 47 genera, were examined. The lengths and relative breadths of the tibia and fibula were compared across habitual locomotor types, with a focus on hominoids. Different locomotor types were characterized by hominoid, such as brachiation by lesser apes, knuckle or fist quadrupedalism and arm-swinging, including torso-orthograde forelimb locomotor behaviors, by great apes, and bipedalism by humans. The lower leg bones of great apes showed relatively large diameters, in particular, large distal breadths, in comparison with the length. Humans also showed relatively large diameters in many measuring points after those of great apes, but had differently shaped distal ends. The lower leg bones were relatively robust in these species, where a larger proportion of body weight was more habitually supported by lower/hindlimbs. Among quadrupedal monkeys, including prosimians, more terrestrially adopted animals showed larger diameters in comparison with length than did more arboreal ones in many measurements. Apes and monkeys who adopted brachiation or arm-swinging in their locomotor repertoire in arboreal environments exhibited relatively large distal end and tibial malleolus breadths compared with quadrupedal monkeys. A large breadth of the ankle compared with depth and a large malleolar breadth would help the inversion and eversion movements. The human ankle was relatively small in breadth compared with ape ankles and was adapted mainly to parasagittal rolling. The shape of the lower leg bones is therefore related to the differences in locomotor type and substrate use in primate species.

Estimation of percentage of body fat in field studies – a method based on relative elbow breadth (Frame Index) and BMI

Background&#x0D; Over the last 20 years, a decreasing trend in external skeletal robusticity and an increasing trend in overweight and obesity was observed worldwide in adults and children as modern lifestyles in nutritional and activity behavior have changed. However, body mass index (BMI) as a measure for overweight is not an ideal predictor of % body fat (%BF) either in children and adolescents or in adults. On the contrary, it disguises a phenomenon called “hidden obesity”.&#x0D; Objectives&#x0D; We aim to approximate %BF by combining skeletal robusticity and BMI and develop an estimation-based tool to identify normal weight obese children and adolescents.&#x0D; Sample and Methods&#x0D; We analyzed cross-sectional data on height, weight, elbow breadth, and skinfold thickness (triceps and subscapular) of German children aged 6 to 18 years (N=15,034). We used modified Hattori charts and multiple linear regression to develop a tool, the “%BF estimator”, to estimate %BF by using BMI and skeletal robusticity measured as Frame Index.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; Independent of sex and age an increase in BMI is associated with an increase in %BF, an increase in Frame Index is associated with a decrease in %BF. The developed tool “%BF estimator” allows the estimation of %BF per sex and age group after calculation of BMI and Frame Index.&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; The “%BF estimator” is an easily applicable tool for the estimation of %BF in respect of body composition for clinical practice, screening, and public health research. It is non-invasive and has high accuracy. Further, it allows the identification of normal weight obese children and adolescents.

Effect of motions on the performance and mooring tension of a floating pontoon-type breakwater

ABSTRACT This study experimentally investigated the performance and hydrodynamic response of a flexible floating pontoon-type breakwater. The floating breakwater consists of ten rubber pontoons with flexible connections. The effect of relative breadth and relative wave height on the wave transmission, reflection and dissipation coefficients has been discussed for various assembly configurations of the floating breakwater. The results show that the flexible multi-pontoon breakwater has better performance with larger relative breadth. The configuration of continuous pontoons without gap has the best performance on wave attenuation for relatively long waves. In short waves, however, better performance was observed on the pontoon configurations of two equal sets with gap. The novelty of this study is figuring out the relationship among the wave reflection coefficient, motion and mooring tension of the breakwater. The results reveal that the variation of reflection coefficient versus relative breadth shows the same trend as that of mooring tension.

New dentognathic fossils of Noropithecus bulukensis (Primates, Victoriapithecidae) from the late Early Miocene of Buluk, Kenya

The late Early Miocene site of Buluk, Kenya, has yielded fossil remains of several catarrhine primates, including 16 dentognathic specimens of the stem cercopithecoid Noropithecus bulukensis. With the exception of the large sample of Victoriapithecus macinnesi from the middle Miocene of Maboko Island, Kenya, the majority of stem cercopithecoid taxa are represented by small sample sizes. We describe and analyze 91 new cercopithecoid fossils collected from Buluk between 2004 and 2018, including several previously undescribed tooth positions for N. bulukensis, and provide the first evaluation of dental metric and morphological variation in this sample. The results show that the expanded Buluk sample exhibits high levels of dental variation in the postcanine tooth row, similar to V. macinnesi at Maboko, but this variation is consistent with a single-species hypothesis. Subtle differences in the shape of the I1, breadth of the C1 and P3, relative breadth of M1, upper and lower molar distal shelf lengths, the degree of M2 basal flare, and a less-developed lower molar distal lophid differentiate the dentition of N. bulukensis from V. macinnesi. Although differences exist between the N. bulukensis and V. macinnesi dental samples, the high degree of variation within each sample complicates the identification of many individual specimens. New partial maxillae and mandibles allow reassessment of previously described diagnostic differences between N. bulukensis and V. macinnesi, negating upper molar arcade shape as a diagnostic feature and confirming the existence of differences in mandibular symphyseal morphology. Overall, new fossils from Buluk provide new evidence of the dentognathic anatomy of a medium-sized cercopithecoid that coexisted with a diverse group of noncercopithecoid catarrhines at the end of the early Miocene.

The relationship between adolescent obesity and pelvis dimensions in adulthood: a retrospective longitudinal study.

BackgroundThe effect of fat tissue on a developing individual is fundamentally different from the effect on an adult. Several changes caused by obesity during sexual maturation have an irreversible and severe negative effect (lower fertility, reduced final height, type 2 diabetes mellitus) even for those who have subsequently lost weight. Our study was focused on monitoring the skeletal structure substantially influenced by sex hormones—the pelvis. The adult pelvis is strongly sexually dimorphic, which is not the case for the juvenile pelvis; skeletal differences between sexes are not so prominent and start to manifest with the onset of puberty. Evidence from animal models and case studies of treatment of gender dysphoria suggests that estrogens have a stimulatory effect on the growth plates present on the pelvis, leading to morphological change. Male obesity, especially in puberty, is connected with hypogonadism, manifesting in low levels of testosterone, and high levels of estrogens. The goal of our study was to evaluate the influence of obesity during adolescence on the morphology of the adult pelvis in the context of androgen and estrogen status.Sample and MethodsOur sample consists of 238 individuals (144 females, 94 males) observed after an 8 year follow-up (mean age during enrollment 15.2 years, follow-up 23.3 years). Anthropometry and body composition using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) were obtained. During the follow-up, saliva samples from male participants were also collected to estimate testosterone and estradiol levels using the salivary ELISA kit (Salimetrics LLC, State College, PA, USA).ResultsThe body fat (percentage of body fat estimated using BIA) was strongly positively associated with relative pelvic breadths in adulthood (males r = 0.64; females r = 0.56, both with p < 0.001). Adulthood pelvic breadth was a highly sensitive (0.81) and specific (0.74) retrospective marker of obesity during adolescence. The complex regression model (with reduction of dimensionality) including testosterone, estradiol to testosterone ratio and body fat (adolescent and adulthood) was able to describe 54.8% variability of pelvic breadth among males.DiscussionWe observed that adults with a history of obesity from adolescence tend to have a wider dimension of the bony pelvis in adulthood. Based on the parameters of the adult pelvis, the history of obesity can be determined with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity (<70%). One of the explanations for this observation can be the influence of relatively elevated estrogens levels connected with excessive adiposity leading to a wider pelvis. However, the biomechanical stress connected with elevated body mass also has to be considered, as does the influence of physical activity and gait pattern on the skeletal build.

Osteology of the Wide-Hipped Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur Savannasaurus Elliottorum from the Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia

ABSTRACT The titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Savannasaurus elliottorum is represented by a partial postcranial skeleton from the lower Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–lowermost Turonian) Winton Formation of Queensland, northeast Australia. Here, we present a detailed description of this specimen, as well as an emended diagnosis for this titanosaur. Savannasaurus elliottorum displays numerous character states that are generally regarded as plesiomorphic for Titanosauria, as well as several traits that are often regarded as apomorphic of that clade or a less inclusive subset thereof. Several features of Savannasaurus support a close relationship with the coeval Diamantinasaurus matildae, and this clade appears to occupy an early-branching position within Titanosauria. Relative to body size, the thoracic and abdominal breadth of Savannasaurus is greater than that seen in giant titanosaurs such as the contemporaneous South American lognkosaurians; however, this relative breadth is not quite as extreme as that of the small-bodied latest Cretaceous saltasaurines, or Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii. The possible advantages engendered by the barrel-shaped thorax, robust limbs, wide-gauge gait, and lack of hyposphene-hypantrum articulations are explored, and it is hypothesized that these traits were positively selected by the wet, temperate floodplain environment in which Savannasaurus lived. Greater stability and flexibility might have reduced the risk of bogging, and/or facilitated more expedient self-extraction from muddy waterholes. Similar environmental pressures acting upon other titanosaurian taxa or clades elsewhere might have led to the repeated independent development, or accentuation, of the bauplan regarded as ‘typical’ for the clade Titanosauria. This would explain the many observed convergences between Savannasaurus and Diamantinasaurus, and Saltasauridae.

The biggest or the most abundant? Predation of the Black Drum Pogonias cromis (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) on benthic organisms in southern Brazil

Predators that consume larger prey acquire a greater net return of energy per individual, even though they are less abundant. The objective of this work is to analyze the feeding biology of Pogonias cromis in southern Brazil, in order to test for the occurrence of ontogenetic changes in diet as fish reach larger sizes, by consuming larger prey as they grow. Between August 2014 and May 2016, 347 specimens were collected from catches of the fishing fleet that operate in the Patos lagoon estuary and in the adjacent marine area of Cassino beach, that use artisanal fishing gillnets. The prey-specific relative importance index, food overlap, niche breadth and prey length preference were calculated for three length classes, class 1 (27.8–48.73 cm), class 2 (48.73–69.66 cm) and class 3 (69.66–90.60 cm). A total of 13 food items (6 species of crustaceans, 5 species of mollusks, fish fragments and non-animal fragments) were identified, where two species of mollusks (Heleobia australis and Erodona mactroides) represented 90.49% of the diet. The overlap index was moderate between classes 1 and 2, high between 2 and 3 and moderate between 1 and 3. There was a low niche breadth at the population level and for each length class. There were no significant differences in the length of prey consumed among classes. The data obtained here indicates that P. cromis can be classified as a predator specialized in mollusks, with low tendency to ontogenetic changes in southern Brazil. Considering information from the population of P. cromis from Argentina, it can be inferred that the species in the waters of southern South America is a benthic predator adapted to local conditions.

Feeding ecology of the waterbirds in a tropical mangrove in the southeast Gulf of Mexico

ABSTRACTSpecies that exploit the same type of environmental resources are defined as a guild, which have similar needs in the use of food or habitat. It was analyzed the diet of five waterbirds’ offsprings species (Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianus), Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens), Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) and Great Egret (Ardea alba)), by prey identification and calculated the relative importance, overlap and breadth diet. The general diet of the piscivorous guild consisted of 17 fish species from 13 genera and eight families. The highest overlap was between the Reddish Egret and Boat-billed Heron. Fish species dominated the diets of all studied waterbirds, Poecilia velifera was the most abundant prey species in each of the birds, suggesting that they are abundant in the wetlands system of northern Yucatan. Diet overlap in waterbirds species depends on the use of resources and feeding habitat. Since reproductive success largely depends on the availability of food resources, mainly of resident or estuarine fishes. The information about diet is important for the conservation of waterbirds.