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An Anomaly in Vertebrates’ Evolution as Limit of Human Evolution
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
99-102
Received:
23 July 2021
Accepted:
9 August 2021
Published:
12 October 2021
Abstract: During several years we have studied the so-called “intracranial system”, that is the system constituted by a container, rigid and not expandable (skull and dura mater), and by non-compressible contents, represented by the brain parenchyma, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood. We studied this system in different animal models, in vitro in a physical model, and in patients. While the circulatory system is different in the various types of vertebrates, less complex in fishes and more complex in birds and in mammalians, the intracranial system is always the same, constituted by the same things, skull, dura mater, subarachnoid spaces, ventricles, parenchyma, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid. All these things follow the same rule, that is the Monro-Kellie doctrine. In other words, there is an exact balance between the blood flow inlet and the blood flow outlet for each cardiac cycle. This constitutes, for each instant considered, the constancy of the intracranial blood volume. This phenomenon is always the same in all the species examined: this fact forced us to ask what the real significance of this system in the evolutive field was. Why the circulatory system follows the laws of the evolution, from less to more complexity, and the intracranial system seems to escape from these same laws? The question has two answers: the first relates to the function of this system. Being to be enclosed in a rigid box permits to minimize the necessity of more space to compensate the spontaneous increase in blood volume due to the dilation of the arteries during the systolic period of the cardiac cycle. The second one is relative to the human birth: the birth of a human being is not possible without the protection furnished by a rigid skull.
Abstract: During several years we have studied the so-called “intracranial system”, that is the system constituted by a container, rigid and not expandable (skull and dura mater), and by non-compressible contents, represented by the brain parenchyma, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood. We studied this system in different animal models, in vitro in a physical mod...
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Biological Diversity, Crisis and Recovery in the Phong Son Formation (D3-C1 Ps), Thua Thien-Hue Province, North-Central Vietnam
Nguyen Huu Hung,
Doan Dinh Hung,
Nguyen Ba Hung
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
103-112
Received:
6 July 2021
Accepted:
10 August 2021
Published:
17 November 2021
Abstract: The present of Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous sediments and fossils in Hue City, Van Xa area, Huong Thuy District; Thanh Tan, Hien An villages, Dong Lam Quarry, Phong Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province has been noted in recent years depend on explosion of limestone underlying the Quaternary cover for cement technology and building. The Phong Son Formation has been established with two members: the underlying Van Xa Member composed of mainly limestone, 280 m thick, containing abundant Famennian brachiopods, crinoids, gastropods; the overlying Hien An Member composed of limestone intercalated with black shale, 210 m thick, containing abundant brachiopods, crinoids, bryozoans, stromatoporoids, corals, trilobites, foraminiferans, gastropods of Latest Famennian-Tournaisian age. Over 1000 macrofossil examples were collected from both the Van Xa Member and Hien An one for analyzing biological diversity, crisis and recovery of all macrofossil group of stratigraphical level of the Phong Son Formation (D3-C1 ps). In the Famennian stage, the diversity is related to representatives of phyla Brachiopoda, Cnidaria, Mollusca; belonging to the Cyrtospirifer-Yunnanella Assemblage. In the Tournaisian stage, the recovery and diversity is related to reprensentatives of phyla Porifera, Cnidaria, Arthropoda, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Mollusca, and Echinodermata; belonging to the Leptagonia-Phillipsia Assemblage. The crisis at the DCB of the Phong Son Fm is well displayed in phyla Brachiopoda, Cnidaria and Porifera.
Abstract: The present of Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous sediments and fossils in Hue City, Van Xa area, Huong Thuy District; Thanh Tan, Hien An villages, Dong Lam Quarry, Phong Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province has been noted in recent years depend on explosion of limestone underlying the Quaternary cover for cement technology and building. The ...
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Heritability and Genetic Components Studies of F2 Population of Rice (O. Sativa L.)
Ogba Chinonyelum Somtochukwu,
Andrew Abiodun Efisue
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
113-119
Received:
16 October 2021
Accepted:
5 November 2021
Published:
17 November 2021
Abstract: Rice is one of the most widely consumed staple crops in Africa and consumption continues to grow at a rapid pace with increasing population is therefore, imperative for production to match the consumption. The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic components for yield improvement and selection of promising genotypes for food security. The research was carried out at the University of Port Harcourt Faculty of Agriculture teaching and research farm. Single cross (FARO 52 x UPN 223) was used to generate population that was advanced to F2 generation and 50 F2 lines were selected for evaluation. FARO 52 is an adapted improved variety while UPN 223 is anther-culture derived from Korea. This was a potted experiment in randomized complete block design in two replications in the screenhouse. All agronomic practices and data collection were carried out at the appropriate stage of the crop phenology. This study showed the existence of a considerable level of diversity among the studied rice genotypes. High heritability plus high genetic advance was observed for plant height, effective tillers, number of seeds per panicle and number of filled seeds per panicle. The lines 11, 17, 19, 46, 49 and 50 had good phenotypic expressions for the desired traits and promising for advancement for to next generations. The grain yield per plant had high and significant correlation with all the yield components in this study. Three lines were observed to be transgressive, line 40, 49 and 43 for grain yield per plant of 5.75g, 5.51g and 5.09g, respectively compared with parental lines FARO 52 (2.51g) and UPN 223 (3.32g) promising for advance in the breeding programme.
Abstract: Rice is one of the most widely consumed staple crops in Africa and consumption continues to grow at a rapid pace with increasing population is therefore, imperative for production to match the consumption. The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic components for yield improvement and selection of promising genotypes for food securi...
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Comparative Study of the Influence of Straws of Imperata cylindrica and Andropogon gayanus on the Fruiting of Pleurotus abalonus in Benin
Séraphin Mouzoun,
Toussaint Olou Lougbégnon,
Boris Agonse,
Pierre-Fourier Dossou
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
120-124
Received:
29 June 2021
Accepted:
16 July 2021
Published:
23 November 2021
Abstract: Pleurotus abalonus is an edible mushroom of interest for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Its commercial production has developed in tropical countries using local materials. The objective of the work is to contribute to the establishment of mycicultural practices likely to increase the productivity of oyster mushrooms using locally available materials. In the present study, the cultivation of P. abalonus is tested on two types of fruiting substrates: straws of Imperata cylindrica and Andropogon gayanus. The harvested straws were cut and pasteurised at boiling point for 60 minutes, then drained for 4 hours before being inoculated with the mother culture. The bags, filled with 1 kg of substrate, were incubated in a mushroom farm for 4 weeks. The best results in terms of weight, pileus diameter and average number of carpophores were obtained on A. gayanus straws compared to I. cylindrica straws. The highest average carpophore yield (6.56%) by fresh weight was obtained with P. abalonus on A. gayanus straw. For I. cylindrica straws, the average yield is close to 1%. Indeed, A. gayanus straws produced an average amount of 32.8 g of fresh carpophores from 500 g of substrate in dry mass against 4.6 g for I. cylindrica dry. The results show that production is better on A. gayanus straws compared to I. cylindrica straws.
Abstract: Pleurotus abalonus is an edible mushroom of interest for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Its commercial production has developed in tropical countries using local materials. The objective of the work is to contribute to the establishment of mycicultural practices likely to increase the productivity of oyster mushrooms using locally availa...
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Personality and Other Factors Mediating Ungulate Flight Initiation Distances
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
125-135
Received:
14 November 2021
Accepted:
2 December 2021
Published:
24 December 2021
Abstract: Flight response or initiation distances are important for wildlife management because these metrics can quantify changes in human-wildlife relationships such as tolerance and habituation, provide insight into the impacts of predator-prey interactions, and help mitigate human-wildlife conflicts by informing the prescription of minimum distances humans should maintain from wild animals. Despite the importance of flight response measurements, and the ubiquity of their measurement in active wildlife management programs, the relative importance of various environmental and behavioural factors influencing flight response in wild animals remains poorly understood. In this study I used results from 809 flight initiation distance trials on wild adult female elk, including marked individuals for whom I had previously quantified their personalities. These elk were parts of both highly and less habituated herds in the protected area of Banff National Park. Using linear models I identified "personality" and a correlate of wolf predation "risk" as the most important predictors of flight initiation distance. Boldness of personality type predicted lower flight distances, while recent exposure to predation risk increased flight distances, independent of personality. I used Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that the accuracy of mean flight response measures could be improved significantly with field methods controlling for personality and group-level risk variations, and that those controlling measures could be obtained using two easily observable correlates: position in herd (bold animals found on the perimeter) and herd clustering (herd structure tighter when currently or recently exposed to risk). I showed that fewer FID trials were necessary to obtain accurate means when these methods applied. Lastly, I showed how few FID trials were needed to obtain an accurate mean for any individual, due to the behavioural consistency of personality. These results showed that personality is the single most important factor influencing variation in ungulate flight initiation distance, followed by exposure to risk, and that both of these factors should be accounted for when collecting flight initiation data.
Abstract: Flight response or initiation distances are important for wildlife management because these metrics can quantify changes in human-wildlife relationships such as tolerance and habituation, provide insight into the impacts of predator-prey interactions, and help mitigate human-wildlife conflicts by informing the prescription of minimum distances huma...
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Contribution of Avenue Trees Planted Along Managed Roadways in the Provision of Ecosystem Services to the Population of the Municipality of Sèmè-Podji in Benin
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2021
Pages:
136-143
Received:
2 December 2021
Accepted:
17 December 2021
Published:
24 December 2021
Abstract: The plant needs of city dwellers sometimes force them to make use of the local plant diversity of which the avenue trees are a part. In the municipality of Sèmè-Podji, avenue trees provide social and environmental advantages to residents in daily practices. However, they are poorly valued and subjected to anthropogenic pressures. The objective of this study is to analyze the contribution of avenue trees in the provision of ecosystem services to the populations along roadways of the municipality of Sèmè-Podji. The methodological approach used is based on counting the forms of harvesting from the different species of trees over 26 kilometers of developed streets. Then, semi-structured interviews are carried out with 260 peoples, divided into 4 socio-professional categories. The Pearson correlation test was used to assess the agreement between the opinions of the respondents, then the prioritization matrix and the factorial correspondence analysis were used to assess the involvement of species and organs in the availability of ecosystem services. The results obtained reveal 7 forms of use classified into 4 categories of ecosystem services, confirmed by the opinions of the socio-professional categories with high degree of consensus between traders and craftsmen (r = 0.955; p = 0.001). The usage values vary between 0.53 (regulation service) and 0.04 (support service). However, supply services are the most cited and come from the species Coccoloba uvifera, Terminalia catappa, Cocos nucifera, Manguifera indica and Eleais guineensis. Taking into account the information provided by the populations on ecosystem services could facilitate the integration of alignment plantations in the sustainable development of this city.
Abstract: The plant needs of city dwellers sometimes force them to make use of the local plant diversity of which the avenue trees are a part. In the municipality of Sèmè-Podji, avenue trees provide social and environmental advantages to residents in daily practices. However, they are poorly valued and subjected to anthropogenic pressures. The objective of t...
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