Spiders have emerged as one of the leading model organisms in many research fields due to their compelling biology. Often, scientific investigations involving the use of spiders face inevitable problems associated with the lack of specimens from laboratory stock, resulting in difficulties in yielding reproducible investigations for predictive research. Thus, several species of well-studied spiders, including Parasteatoda tepidariorum, have been successfully bred for such purposes. Crossopriza lyoni is a Haplogyne spider, globally distributed and widespread in human inhabitants, prompting interest in various studies over the last decades. Despite its scientific importance, no laboratory-bred C. lyoni has been documented. Therefore, we describe a successful captive breeding system of the species under controlled conditions to establish a laboratory stock culture. Methods for mating induction, egg collection and segregation, artificial embryo incubation, and colony husbandry are discussed. The technique presented is a simple and low-cost approach that is reliable for C. lyoni propagation in the laboratory over several generations.
The objective of current study was to determine the effect of fat supplement on physiological and reproductive performance of Holstein Friesian bulls during subtropical summer in Pakistan. Eighteen bulls were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: (1) CTL, basal diet without fat supplementation; (2) FS100, basal diet with 100 g fat supplementation (Energizer-RP-10®, IFFCO, Johor, Malaysia); (3) FS200, basal diet with 200 g fat supplementation. Basal diet consisted of 50% green fodder (corn silage), 25% wheat straw, and 25% concentrate on dry matter basis. Diets were offered for 14 weeks from May to August 2016. The average daily temperature-humidity index ranged from 85 to 88 for the experimental period. The results indicated that there was no difference in dry matter intake, water intake, rectal temperature, pulse rate, and respiration rate among the treatment groups. Fat supplementation did not influence semen traits including sperm motility, progressive motility, amplitude of lateral head displacement, live-to-dead ratio, normal acrosomal ridge, plasma membrane integrity, and DNA integrity. The interaction of season with fat revealed that FA200 significantly increased post thaw semen motility and progressive motility during hot humid summer (P
In this paper, we establish a ZIKV model and investigate the transmission dynamics of ZIKV with two types of harvesting: proportional harvesting and constant harvesting, and give the stability of the steady states of both disease-free and endemic equilibrium, analyze the effect of harvesting on ZIKV transmission dynamics via numerical simulation. We find that proportional harvesting strategy can eliminate the virus when the basic reproduction number $R_0$ is less than 1, but the constant harvesting strategy may control the virus whether the basic reproduction number is less than 1 or not. Epidemiologically, we find that increasing harvesting may stimulate an increase in the number of virus infections at some point, and harvesting can postpone the peak of disease transmission with the mortality of mosquito increasing. The results can provide us with some useful control strategies to regulate ZIKV dynamics.
Heterotrigona itama is a species of stingless bee recently domesticated (or reared) for honey production in a few Southeast Asian countries namely Malaysia and Indonesia. Being categorized in the clade Corbiculata together with the honeybees (Apis spp.) and bumble bees (Bombus spp.), the stingless bees are highly social in which the colony members are subjected to labor division where a queen functions as the reproductive caste. In this data article, we provide a resource encompassing a transcriptome profile (de novo assembled) from H. itama queen larva - the first report of transcriptome assembly for this species. The generated data is pivotal for the characterization of important genes and biological pathways in order to further improve our understanding on the developmental biology, behavior, social structure and ecological needs of this eusocial hymenopteran insect from the molecular aspect. The raw RNA sequencing data is available at NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SAR) under the accession number SRP230250 and the assembled reads are deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/Genbank as Transcriptome Shotgun Assembly (TSA) under the accession GIIH00000000.
Father absence is consistently associated with children's reproductive outcomes in industrialized countries. It has been suggested that father absence acts as a cue to particular environmental conditions that influence life history strategies. Much less is known, however, about the effects of father absence on such outcomes in lower-income countries. Using data from the 1988 Malaysian Family Life Survey (n = 567), we tested the effect of father absence on daughters' age at menarche, first marriage, and first birth; parity progression rates; and desired completed family size in Malaysia, a country undergoing an economic and fertility transition. Father absence during later childhood (ages 8 to 15), although not during earlier childhood, was associated with earlier progressions to first marriage and first birth, after controlling for other confounders. Father absence does not affect age at menarche, desired family size, or progression from first to second birth. The patterns found in this transitional population partly mirror those in developed societies, where father absence accelerates reproductive events. There is, however, a notable contrast between the acceleration in menarche for father-absent girls consistently found in developed societies and the lack of any association in our findings. The mechanisms through which father absence affects reproduction may differ in different ecological contexts. In lower-income contexts, direct paternal investment or influence may be of more importance in determining reproductive behavior than whether fathers act as a cue to environmental conditions.
Love darts are hard 'needles' that many snails and slugs use to pierce their partner during mating. In a few species, darts have been shown to play a role in sperm competition. Two new papers, by Davison et al., and Koene and Schulenburg, might further pique researchers' interest, because they show how the full potential of darts can be tapped for studies of sexual selection in hermaphrodites.
Corticotomy is an essential procedure for deformity correction and there are many techniques described. However there is no proper classification of the fracture pattern resulting from corticotomies to enable any studies to be conducted. We performed a retrospective study of corticotomy fracture patterns in 44 patients (34 tibias and 10 femurs) performed for various indications. We identified four distinct fracture patterns, Type I through IV classification based on the fracture propagation following percutaneous corticotomy. Type I transverse fracture, Type II transverse fracture with a winglet, Type III presence of butterfly fragment and Type IV fracture propagation to a fixation point. No significant correlation was noted between the fracture pattern and the underlying pathology or region of corticotomy.
Malaria is one of the most devastating infectious diseases of humans. It is problematic clinically and economically as it prevails in poorer countries and regions, strongly hindering socioeconomic development. The causative agents of malaria are unicellular protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. These parasites infect not only humans but also other vertebrates, from reptiles and birds to mammals. To date, over 200 species of Plasmodium have been formally described, and each species infects a certain range of hosts. Plasmodium species that naturally infect humans and cause malaria in large areas of the world are limited to five-P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. The first four are specific for humans, while P. knowlesi is naturally maintained in macaque monkeys and causes zoonotic malaria widely in South East Asia. Transmission of Plasmodium species between vertebrate hosts depends on an insect vector, which is usually the mosquito. The vector is not just a carrier but the definitive host, where sexual reproduction of Plasmodium species occurs, and the parasite's development in the insect is essential for transmission to the next vertebrate host. The range of insect species that can support the critical development of Plasmodium depends on the individual parasite species, but all five Plasmodium species causing malaria in humans are transmitted exclusively by anopheline mosquitoes. Plasmodium species have remarkable genetic flexibility which lets them adapt to alterations in the environment, giving them the potential to quickly develop resistance to therapeutics such as antimalarials and to change host specificity. In this article, selected topics involving the Plasmodium species that cause malaria in humans are reviewed.
The reproductive and developmental characteristics of the nereidid polychaete, Neanthes glandicincta Southern, 1921, commonly recorded in tropical estuaries in the Indo-West Pacific, were examined from Malaysia (the mangrove area of Kuala Ibai, Terengganu) and Thailand (the Lower Songkhla Lagoon) on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. Epitokous metamorphosis of fully mature males and females and their reproductive swimming behaviour were recorded based on ten Malaysian epitokous specimens, which were collected at night during spring tides in a period of January 2018 to March 2019. Six Thailand epitokes were obtained in February and March 2006 by the laboratory rearing of immature worms. Epitokous metamorphosis is characterised by the enlargement of eyes in both sexes, division of the body into three parts and modification of parapodia with additional lobes in the mid-body of males, and replacement of atokous chaetae in the mid-body by epitokous natatory chaetae, completely in males and incompletely in females. The diameter of coelomic unfertilised eggs in females was 100-140 µm. After fertilisation, each egg formed a jelly layer, inside which embryonic development progressed. Trochophores hatched out of the jelly layer, entering a short free-swimming larval phase followed by demersal life at the early stage of 3-chaetiger nectochaeta one day after fertilisation. Then, the larvae entered benthic life as juveniles, crawling on the bottom, at the late stage of 3-chaetiger nectochaeta two days after fertilisation. The results indicate that N. glandicincta has an annual life cycle, which is usually completed within an estuary with limited larval dispersal ability.
We studied the diversity of Aedes breeding sites in various urban, suburban, and rural areas over time between February 2009 and February 2010 in the dengue endemic areas of Penang Island, Malaysia. We categorized the breeding sites and efficiency, and identified the key breeding containers. Among the 3 areas, the rural areas produced the highest container index (55), followed by suburban (42) and urban (32) areas. The numbers of key premises and containers were significantly higher (P < 0.000) in rural areas. The class 1 containers were identified as the key containers with higher productivity and efficiency, although class 2 and class 4 are the highest in numbers. Aedes aegypti immatures were found mostly in drums, water reservoirs, and polyethylene sheets, while mixed breeding was more common in buckets and empty paint cans in urban and suburban areas. Aedes albopictus was found mainly in miscellaneous containers such as drums, empty paint cans, and covers in all areas. The main potential containers indoors were drums, water reservoirs, and empty paint cans, and containers outdoors included empty paint cans, drums, and polyethylene sheets.
Mating studies were conducted on 78 isolates of Fusarium species section Liseola from rice, sugarcane and maize. From the crosses with tester strains of Gibberella fujikuroi species complex, 64.1% (50 out of 78 isolates) were cross-fertile with tester strains of mating populations A to E. The results of the mating studies showed that of the 50 isolates, 19 belonged to mating population A (Gibberella moniliformis), 18 to mating population B (Gibberella sacchari), 4 to mating population E (Gibberella subglutinans), 6 to mating population D (Gibberella intermedia) and 3 to mating population C (G. fujikuroi). Identification of several mating populations from rice, sugarcane and maize could be important biological entities under field conditions.
Reports of the increasing incidence of male infertility paired with decreasing semen quality have triggered studies on the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on the male reproductive potential. There are numerous exogenous and endogenous factors that are able to induce excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) beyond that of cellular antioxidant capacity, thus causing oxidative stress. In turn, oxidative stress negatively affects male reproductive functions and may induce infertility either directly or indirectly by affecting the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and/or disrupting its crosstalk with other hormonal axes. This review discusses the important exogenous and endogenous factors leading to the generation of ROS in different parts of the male reproductive tract. It also highlights the negative impact of oxidative stress on the regulation and cross-talk between the reproductive hormones. It further describes the mechanism of ROS-induced derangement of male reproductive hormonal profiles that could ultimately lead to male infertility. An understanding of the disruptive effects of ROS on male reproductive hormones would encourage further investigations directed towards the prevention of ROS-mediated hormonal imbalances, which in turn could help in the management of male infertility.
The taxonomy of the causal pathogen of basal stem rot of oil palms, Ganoderma is somewhat problematic at present. In order to determine the genetic distance relationship between G. boninense isolates and non-boninense isolates, a random amplified microsatellites DNA (RAMS) technique was carried out. The result was then compared with interfertility data of G. boninense that had been determined in previous mating studies to confirm the species of G. boninense. Dendrogram from cluster analysis based on UPGMA of RAMS data showed that two major clusters, I and II which separated at a genetic distance of 0.7935 were generated. Cluster I consisted of all the biological species G. boninense isolates namely CNLB, GSDK 3, PER 71, WD 814, GBL 3, GBL 6, OC, GH 02, 170 SL and 348781 while all non-boninense isolates namely G. ASAM, WRR, TFRI 129, G. RES, GJ, and CNLM were grouped together in cluster II. Although the RAMS markers showed polymorphisms in all the isolates tested, the results obtained were in agreement with the interfertility data. Therefore, the RAMS data could support the interfertility data for the identification of Ganoderma isolates.
Culex molestus is an obligatory autogenous mosquito that is closely associated with subterranean habitats in urban areas. The objective of our study was to investigate the influence of larval and adult nutrition on the role of males in determining the expression of autogeny in Cx. molestus. Mosquitoes raised at low and high larval diets had sex ratio, wing length, mating rates, autogenous egg raft size, and hatching rates recorded. There was a higher ratio of males to females when raised at a low larval diet. Mean wing lengths of both males and females were significantly greater when raised at the high larval diet regime. Regardless of larval or adult diet, males mated with only a single female. Mosquitoes raised at the higher larval diet regimes developed significantly more autogenous eggs. However, the egg raft size was reduced when adult females were denied access to sugar. The results of this study indicate that the performance of males in the reproductive process is influenced by both larval diet and adult sugar feeding.
This study was undertaken to evaluate the reproductive and oncologic outcomes of patients diagnosed with Ovarian Germ Cell Malignancy (OGCM) who underwent fertility preserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy treated in Gynaecology Oncology Unit, Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Kedah, Malaysia.
Recent advancements in the understanding of how sperm develop into offspring have shown complex interactions between environmental influences and genetic factors. The past decade, marked by a research surge, has not only highlighted the profound impact of paternal contributions on fertility and reproductive outcomes but also revolutionized our comprehension by unveiling how parental factors sculpt traits in successive generations through mechanisms that extend beyond traditional inheritance patterns. Studies have shown that offspring are more susceptible to environmental factors, especially during critical phases of growth. While these factors are broadly detrimental to health, their effects are especially acute during these periods. Moving beyond the immutable nature of the genome, the epigenetic profile of cells emerges as a dynamic architecture. This flexibility renders it susceptible to environmental disruptions. The primary objective of this review is to shed light on the diverse processes through which environmental agents affect male reproductive capacity. Additionally, it explores the consequences of paternal environmental interactions, demonstrating how interactions can reverberate in the offspring. It encompasses direct genetic changes as well as a broad spectrum of epigenetic adaptations. By consolidating current empirically supported research, it offers an exhaustive perspective on the interwoven trajectories of the environment, genetics, and epigenetics in the elaborate transition from sperm to offspring.
Black snail, Faunus ater is an abundant species in Malaysia yet not many research have focused on its physiological and biological activities. This research aimed to assess the condition index (CI) and reproductive status based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) for short-term duration. Samples were collected monthly from Merchang Lagoon, from November 2018 to January 2019. Four different types of condition indices equation were applied in this study and the results revealed that there were significant differences between four equations for measuring the CI (P=0.000). However, the result for the GSI shows no significant difference between three month of sampling (P>0.05). CI based on fresh weight measurement (Fww/Tww x 100) and dry weight measurement (Fdw/Fww x 100) reached its peak when GSI decreased. The rest of the trend for CI fluctuated and CI was not affected by GSI. Overall, this study concluded that, there were trends observed in CI and GSI for the black snails. However, it is suggested that longer term observation in future research is needed have a better understanding on the black snails.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a pandemic worldwide. On a daily basis the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 is rapidly increasing. The main transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 is through the air (airborne transmission). This review details the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the aerodynamics, and different modes of transmission (e.g. droplets, droplet nuclei, and aerosol particles). SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by an infected person during activities such as expiration, coughing, sneezing, and talking. During such activities and some medical procedures, aerosols and droplets contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 particles are formed. Depending on their sizes and the environmental conditions, such particles stay viable in the air for varying time periods and can cause infection in a susceptible host. Very few studies have been conducted to establish the mechanism or the aerodynamics of virus-loaded particles and droplets in causing infection. In this review we discuss the various forms in which SARS-CoV-2 virus particles can be transmitted in air and cause infections.
Matched MeSH terms: Basic Reproduction Number/statistics & numerical data
Malacca Strait (MS) has an important role and potential for many countries. It is a major transportation route for oil and commodities across continents. In addition, various activities such as shipping, fishing, aquaculture, oil drilling, and energy are also carried out in MS. Tides strongly affect the MS environment so that it becomes a major parameter in MS management. This paper is the first study, which presents MS tidal hydrodynamics based on a baroclinic and nonhydrostatic approach. Tidal hydrodynamics in MS and the surrounding waters were assessed using tidal forces, temperature, salinity, and density. This study analyzes the amplitude, phase, current ellipses, and semi-major axis of the tides. These variables are obtained from the simulation results of the three-dimensional numerical models of M2 tides and combined tides (M2, S2, N2, K1, and O1) with nonhydrostatic models. Then the results obtained are verified by observation data. Amplitude and phase of the tidal wave in MS originate from two directions, namely the northern part of MS (Andaman Sea) and the South China Sea (SCS). Tides from the north of MS propagate into the MS, while tides from the SCS travel to Singapore Waters (SW) and the south of MS. This causes a complex residual flow in SW and shoaling in the middle of MS. Shoaling in the middle of MS is characterized by a large amplitude and semi-major, as in B. Siapiapi. The results of this analysis show that tidal waves are dominated by semidiurnal types rather than diurnal types. The M2 current ellipse has dominantly anticlockwise rotation along the west of the MS, while along the east of MS, it has generally a clockwise rotation.