Sperm whale echolocation behaviour reveals a directed, prior-based search strategy informed by prey distribution

The fieldwork was funded by a grant from the Carlsberg Foundation to B. Møhl and ONR, SERDP and FNU grants to MJ, PJOM and PTM. PJOM was supported by a Royal Society Fellowship, NAS by the International Campus of Excellence of the Canary Islands, MJ by the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland and AF partly by project CETOBAPH (grant number CGL2009-1311218).Predators make foraging decisions based upon sensory information about resource availability, but little is known about how large, air-breathing predators collect and use such information to maximize energy returns when foraging in the deep sea. Here, we used archival tags to study how echolocating sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) use their long-range sensory capabilities to guide foraging in a deep-water habitat consisting of multiple, depth-segregated prey layers. Sperm whales employ a directed search behaviour by modulating their overall sonar sampling with the intention to exploit a particular prey layer. They forage opportunistically during some descents while actively adjusting their acoustic gaze to sequentially track different prey layers. While foraging within patches, sperm whales adjust their clicking rate both to search new water volumes as they turn and to match the prey distribution. This strategy increases information flow and suggests that sperm whales can perform auditory stream segregation of multiple targets when echolocating. Such flexibility in sampling tactics in concert with long-range sensing capabilities apparently allow sperm whales to efficiently locate and access prey resources in vast, heterogeneous, deep water habitats.PostprintPeer reviewe

Salicylic acid and nutrient immersion to maintain apple quality and bioactive compounds in postharvest

The world production of apples in the 2019 cycle reached 7´620,288 tonnes. For marketing purposes and to supply the demand, apple fruits need to be stored for different periods under refrigerated conditions. However, in the market, the shelf life of the fruit is short, the quality decreases in postharvest due to the dynamic changes of its physicochemical properties, which cannot be stopped, but can be slowed down to improve its shelf life. Postharvest treatments by immersing apple fruit in salicylic acid (SA) and nutrients are an innovative technological alternative to maintain their quality. In this study, 5 concentrations were tested for the immersion of apple fruits cv ‘Golden Delicious’, using a 56 factorial arrangement delimited to 25 treatments, using the Taguchi L25 structure: SA 0 - 1.440 mM, potassium (K) 0 - 2.250, calcium (Ca) 0 - 31.500 mM, cobalt (Co) 0 - 0.180 mM, molybdenum (Mo) 0 - 0.0900 mM and magnesium (Mg) 0 - 0.0900 mM. The study was conducted in the municipality of Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. After 7 months of storage and 13 days of shelf life, the combination of K, Ca, SA and Co with the appropriate concentration values can maintain the quality variables and bioactive compounds at the desired optimum. It is concluded that the quality variables; firmness, juice percentage, juice density, titratable acidity and total soluble solids and the bioactive compounds; total phenols and antioxidant capacity can be maintained at the desired optimum

Aggregation Patterns, Sampling Plan, and Economic Injury Levels for the New Citrus Pest Delottococcus aberiae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

[EN] Delottococcus aberiae De Lotto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is the latest exotic mealybug species introduced in citrus in the Mediterranean basin. It causes severe distortion and size reduction on developing fruits. Due to its first interaction with citrus, D. aberiae economic thresholds are still unknown for this crop and the current Integrated Pest Management programs have been disrupted. The objectives of this study were to determine the aggregation patterns of D. aberiae in citrus, develop an efficient sampling plan to assess its population density, and calculate its Economic and Economic Environmental Injury Levels (EIL and EEIL, respectively). Twelve and 19 orchards were sampled in 2014 and 2015, respectively. At each orchard, population densities were monitored fortnightly in leaves, twigs, and fruit, and fruit damage was determined at harvest. Our results showed a clumped aggregation of D. aberiae in all organs with no significant differences between generations on fruit. Fruit damage at harvest was strongly correlated with fruit occupation in spring. Based on these results and using chlorpyrifos as the insecticide of reference, the EIL and EEIL were calculated as 7.1 and 12.1% of occupied fruit in spring, respectively. With all this, we recommend sampling 275 fruits using a binomial sampling method or alternatively, 140 fruits with an enumerative method bimonthly between petal fall and July.We would like to thank the owners of the orchards for giving us permission to use their plantations, Aureli Marco and Jesus Marques for finding the orchards, and P. Bru (IVIA) and J. Catalan (IVIA) for their help in sampling. This research was supported by two predoctoral grant (FPU toV. M. and Val I+D to J.P.-R.) from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport and Generalitat Valenciana, respectively, a national project provided by INIA (Project no. RTA2014-00067) and a European grant (FP7-IAPP324475 'Colbics')Pérez-Rodríguez, J.; Martínez-Blay, V.; Soto Sánchez, AI.; Selfa, J.; Monzó, C.; Urbaneja, A.; Tena, A. (2017). Aggregation Patterns, Sampling Plan, and Economic Injury Levels for the New Citrus Pest Delottococcus aberiae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 110(6):2699-2706. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/tox258S269927061106Allsopp, P. G. (1991). Binomial sequential sampling of adult Saccharicoccus sacchari on sugarcane. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 60(3), 213-218. doi:10.1111/j.1570-7458.1991.tb01540.xBellard, C., Cassey, P., & Blackburn, T. M. (2016). Alien species as a driver of recent extinctions. Biology Letters, 12(2), 20150623. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0623Beltrà, A., Garcia-Marí, F., & Soto, A. (2013). Seasonal Phenology, Spatial Distribution, and Sampling Plan for the Invasive Mealybug Phenacoccus peruvianus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). 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Trade, transport and trouble: managing invasive species pathways in an era of globalization. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46(1), 10-18. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2008.01600.xJacas, J. A., & Urbaneja, A. (2010). Biological Control in Citrus in Spain: From Classical to Conservation Biological Control. Integrated Management of Arthropod Pests and Insect Borne Diseases, 61-72. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-8606-8_3Kuno, E. (1991). Sampling and Analysis of Insect Populations. Annual Review of Entomology, 36(1), 285-304. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.36.010191.001441MacDonald, G. K., Brauman, K. A., Sun, S., Carlson, K. M., Cassidy, E. S., Gerber, J. S., & West, P. C. (2015). Rethinking Agricultural Trade Relationships in an Era of Globalization. BioScience, 65(3), 275-289. doi:10.1093/biosci/biu225MAINKA, S. A., & HOWARD, G. W. (2010). Climate change and invasive species: double jeopardy. Integrative Zoology, 5(2), 102-111. doi:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00193.xMartínez-Ferrer, M. T., Ripollés, J. L., & Garcia-Marí, F. (2006). Enumerative and Binomial Sampling Plans for Citrus Mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) in Citrus Groves. Journal of Economic Entomology, 99(3), 993-1001. doi:10.1093/jee/99.3.993Meyerson, L. A., & Mooney, H. A. (2007). Invasive alien species in an era of globalization. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 5(4), 199-208. doi:10.1890/1540-9295(2007)5[199:iasiae]2.0.co;2Mgocheki, N., & Addison, P. (2009). Incorporating sampling precision into an action threshold for monitoring ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) population levels in vineyards. Crop Protection, 28(3), 257-263. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2008.10.010Miller, D. R., & Giliomee, J. H. (2011). Systematic Revision of the Mealybug GenusDelottococcusCox & Ben-Dov (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). African Entomology, 19(3), 614-640. doi:10.4001/003.019.0306Mudavanhu, P., Addison, P., & Pringle Ken, L. (2011). Monitoring and action threshold determination for the obscure mealybug Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) using pheromone-baited traps. Crop Protection, 30(7), 919-924. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2011.02.034Navarro-Campos, C., Aguilar, A., & Garcia-Marí, F. (2011). Aggregation pattern, sampling plan, and intervention threshold for Pezothrips kellyanus in citrus groves. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 142(2), 130-139. doi:10.1111/j.1570-7458.2011.01204.xNestel, D., Cohen, H., Saphir, N., Klein, M., & Mendel, Z. (1995). Spatial Distribution of Scale Insects: Comparative Study Using Taylor’s Power Law. Environmental Entomology, 24(3), 506-512. doi:10.1093/ee/24.3.506PIMENTEL, D., LACH, L., ZUNIGA, R., & MORRISON, D. (2000). Environmental and Economic Costs of Nonindigenous Species in the United States. BioScience, 50(1), 53. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2000)050[0053:eaecon]2.3.co;2Pimentel, D., Zuniga, R., & Morrison, D. (2005). Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien-invasive species in the United States. Ecological Economics, 52(3), 273-288. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.10.002Planes, L., Catalán, J., Jaques, J. A., Urbaneja, A., & Tena, A. (2015). Pezothrips kellyanus(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Nymphs on Orange Fruit: Importance of the Second Generation for Its Management. Florida Entomologist, 98(3), 848-855. doi:10.1653/024.098.0306Roltsch, W. J., Meyerdirk, D. E., Warkentin, R., Andress, E. R., & Carrera, K. (2006). Classical biological control of the pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), in southern California. Biological Control, 37(2), 155-166. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2006.01.006Stern, V. M., Smith, R. F., van den Bosch, R., & Hagen, K. S. (1959). The integration of chemical and biological control of the spotted alfalfa aphid: The integrated control concept. Hilgardia, 29(2), 81-101. doi:10.3733/hilg.v29n02p081Sutherland, W. 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Salicylic acid and nutrient sprays to improve apple fruit quality

Maturity at harvest is one of the most important properties that determine the final quality of the apple fruit. Appearance, texture, flavour and nutritional value are qualities that consumers evaluate empirically to decide whether to eat the fruit again. Within agricultural practices in and out of the orchard, the relationship between plant nutrition and fruit quality is important, and proper nutrient balance is essential to maintain fruit quality. This research work was carried out on ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Red Chief’ apple trees. A 56 factorial arrangement was used, with 5 concentrations and 6 factors, 25 treatments in a Taguchi L25 structure. Improvements were found in parameters for fruit finish and fruit quality. The factors with the greatest positive effect on quality in order of importance were Salicylic Acid (SA) 1.0 mM, Potassium (K) 58.90 mM, Molybdenum (Mo) 0.516 mM, Calcium (Ca) 70.00 mM and Cobalt (Co) 8.248 mM and in order of importance the following variables: TSS/acidity ratio, total soluble solids TSS, antioxidant capacity (AC), total phenols (TF), and titratable acidity (TA) in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple. Considering ‘Red Chief’, the factors Ca 70.00 mM, K 58.79 mM and SA 1.0 mM, with the variables; TA, TSS/acidity ratio, TF, TSS and AC that finally lead to an optimal development of finish and quality in the apple fruit

Multiple high-risk HPV genotypes are grouped by type and are associated with viral load and risk factors

Investigating whether high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types tend to become grouped in a particular way and whether factors are associated with such grouping is important for measuring the real impact of vaccination. In total, 219 women proving positive for HPV as detected by real-time PCR were included in the study. Each sample was analysed for detecting and quantifying six viral types and the hydroxymethylbilane synthase gene. Multiple correspondence analysis led to determining grouping patterns for six HR-HPV types and simultaneous association with multiple variables and whether viral load was related to the coexistence of other viral types. Two grouping profiles were identified: the first included HPV-16 and HPV-45 and the second profile was represented by HPV-31, HPV-33 and HPV-58. Variables such as origin, contraceptive method, births and pregnancies, educational level, healthcare affiliation regime, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and viral load were associated with these grouping profiles. Different socio-demographic characteristics were found when coinfection occurred by phylogenetically related HPV types and when coinfection was due to non-related types. Biological characteristics, the number of viral copies, temporality regarding acquiring infection and competition between viral types could influence the configuration of grouping patterns. Characteristics related to women and HPV, influence such interactions between coexisting HPV types reflecting the importance of their evaluation. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017

Impact of public preventive programmes on oral quality of life of 11 to 12-yr-old school students

Objetivos: El objetivo es analizar el impacto de programas preventivos sobre la calidad de vida oral en escolares de 11- 12 años. Diseño del estudio: En el curso académico 1996/97 se inició un estudio quasiexperimental en la provincia de Granada con cuatro grupos de escolares de 6-7 años de edad: Sellador + Flúor (selladores en primeros molares permanentes aplicados en el centro de salud, durante 3 años de programa activo, y barniz de flúor aplicado cuatrimestralmente durante 3 años, n=65), Sellador (sólo selladores, n=80), Flúor (sólo barniz de flúor, n=107) y grupo Control (n=59). Todos los escolares fueron explorados cada 6 meses en los colegios durante los 3 años de programa activo, entregándoseles un informe de salud oral tras cada exploración. Tras un periodo de discontinuidad de 2.5 años, en el curso escolar 2002/03 (a los 5.5 años), los escolares fueron explorados, y se les pasó un cuestionario de calidad de vida oral, cuya puntuación va de -6 (mínima) a +6 (máxima). Resultados: Los valores de calidad de vida oral (± desviación estándar) fueron: 3.31±0.30 (Sellador + Flúor), 3.11±0.27 (Sellador), 3.18±0.23 (Flúor) y 2.95±0.32 (Control), sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre ellos. Conclusiones: Los programas de Sellador de fisuras y Barniz de flúor no muestran influencia significativa sobre la calidad de vida oral a 5.5 años de seguimiento (3 años de programa activo y 2.5 años de discontinuidad)

Effects of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on random number generation

OBJECTIVE: Focal application of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) is a neuromodulation technique, with predominantly inhibitory effects when applied to the motor, somatosensory or visual cortex. Whether this approach can also transiently interact with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) function remains unclear. The suppression of habitual or competitive responses is one of the core executive functions linked to DLPFC function. This study aimed to assess the impact of tSMS on the prefrontal contributions to inhibitory control and response selection by means of a RNG task. METHODS: We applied 20 min of tSMS over the left DLPFC of healthy subjects, using a real/sham cross-over design, during performance of a RNG task. We used an index of randomness calculated with the measures of entropy and correlation to assess the impact of stimulation on DLPFC function. RESULTS: The randomness index of the sequences generated during the tSMS intervention was significantly higher compared to those produced in the sham condition. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that application of tSMS transiently modulates specific functional brain networks in DLPFC, which indicate a potential use of tSMS for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides evidence for the capacity of tSMS for modulating DLPFC function

Paleotsunami evidence in the Bahía Inglesa coast (Atacama, Chile) based on a multi-approach analysis

The Atacama coast is located in an area with a current high risk of tsunami, and the sedimentary deposits found in the Bahía Inglesa area, in the Morro sector, clearly indicate that this was also the case in the past. This investigation analyzes a paleotsunami sedimentary deposit consisting of a block field associated with three sand lobes oriented towards land on top of a marine terrace at an altitude of 70–75 m, which originated from a tsunamigenic event occurred between interglacial periods MIS 7 (ca. 210 ± 10 ky) and MIS5e (ca. 125 ± 5 ky). The deposits have been studied using a multiple approach combining geomorphological, sedimentological, biological, and geochemical criteria. The first type of criteria clearly indicate that the energy required to move the blocks and form the sand lobes could only have been generated by a tsunami. Sedimentological criteria constitute direct evidences of a marine origin due to the presence of siliceous remains from diatom species and spicules from strictly marine sponges, while geochemical criteria, such as the stable isotope signature and chemical composition, constitute evidence of a marine intrusion. © 2022, The Author(s)

Los micromamíferos (Lagomorpha, Eulipotyphla y Rodentia) del yacimiento del Pleistoceno Medio de Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel, España): Estudio sistemático y consideraciones paleoambientales

The micromammal association established in this work is the following: Lagomorpha: Oryctolagus cuniculus; Eulipotyphla: Crocidura cf. russula, cf. Sorex sp., Neomys sp., Soricidae indet. and Talpa sp.; and Rodentia: Eliomys quercinus, Apodemus cf. sylvaticus, Cricetulus (Allocricetus) bursae, Arvicola aff. sapidus, Microtus (Iberomys) brecciensis and Microtus (Terricola) duodecimcostatus. This association is characteristic of the Middle Pleistocene. The morphological state of Cricetulus (A.) bursae, Arvicola aff. sapidus and Microtus (I.) brecciensis allows to place it in the advanced, but not final, Middle Pleistocene, which agrees with the numerical data of the site (243–337 ka) that places it in the MIS 8 or 9. The micromammals indicate the predominance of the open spaces with abundant vegetation mainly of herbaceous and bushes but also with some areas with trees. The climate would be of Mediterranean type, similar to the actual or perhaps a little milder and more humid.La asociación de micromamíferos determinada en este trabajo es la siguiente: Lagomorpha: Oryctolagus cuniculus; Eulipotyphla: Crocidura cf. russula, cf. Sorex sp., Neomys sp., Soricidae indet. y Talpa sp.; y Rodentia: Eliomys quercinus, Apodemus cf. sylvaticus, Cricetulus (Allocricetus) bursae, Arvicola aff. sapidus, Microtus (Iberomys) brecciensis y Microtus (Terricola) duodecimcostatus. Es una asociación característica del Pleistoceno Medio. El estadio evolutivo de Cricetulus (A.) bursae, Arvicola aff. sapidus y Microtus (I.) brecciensis le aproximan a las poblaciones de dichas especies de algunos yacimientos de la Península Ibérica del Pleistoceno Medio avanzado, pero no final, lo que es acorde con las dataciones numéricas obtenidas en el yacimiento (243-337 ka) que le sitúan en el MIS 8 o 9. Los micromamíferos indican la predominancia de los espacios abiertos con abundante vegetación herbácea y arbustiva, en los que podría haber también alguna zona arbolada. El clima que indican es de tipo mediterráneo, similar al actual en la zona o quizás algo más benigno y más húmedo

Composition and spatio-temporal variation of the fish community in the Chacmochuch Lagoon system, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The composition, distribution and abundance of fishes were determined in the Chacmochuch Lagoon System, a natural protected area located on the north coast of Quintana Roo. Monthly diurnal sampling was carried out at 10 sampling stations in March, June and September, 2002. During each field trip, bottom type, submerged and surrounding vegetation, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and other variables were measured. Distribution and abundance of fishes were examined by means of a principal component analysis. Fifty species were recorded; Gerres cinereus, Floridichthys polyommus, Eugerres plumieri, Harengula jaguana, Sphyraena barracuda, and Archosargus rhomboidalis were dominant, and no significant difference in species composition was found between seasons. Apart from a single site where turbidity and nutrient concentration were particularly high, the other sites could be classified mainly according to salinity. Fish composition changed along this gradient