Search results for " Anima"
showing 10 items of 3536 documents
The Effect of Echinorhynchus borealis (Acanthocephala) Infection on the Anti-Predator Behavior of a Benthic Amphipod
2008
In benthic habitats, predators can generally not be detected visually, so olfaction may be particularly important for inducing anti-predation behaviors in prey organisms. Manipulative parasites infecting benthic hosts could suppress these responses so as to increase the probability of predation and thus trophic transmission. We studied how infection with the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus borealis affects the response of the benthic amphipod Pallasea quadrispinosa to water conditioned by burbot (Lota lota), the parasite's definitive host. In normal lake water, refuge use by infected and uninfected amphipods was similar, but when exposed to burbot-conditioned water, uninfected amphipods spen…
Acting locally - affecting globally: RNA sequencing of gilthead sea bream with a mild Sparicotyle chrysophrii infection reveals effects on apoptosis,…
2019
[Background] Monogenean flatworms are the main fish ectoparasites inflicting serious economic losses in aquaculture. The polyopisthocotylean Sparicotyle chrysophrii parasitizes the gills of gilthead sea bream (GSB, Sparus aurata) causing anaemia, lamellae fusion and sloughing of epithelial cells, with the consequent hypoxia, emaciation, lethargy and mortality. Currently no preventive or curative measures against this disease exist and therefore information on the host-parasite interaction is crucial to find mitigation solutions for sparicotylosis. The knowledge about gene regulation in monogenean-host models mostly comes from freshwater monopysthocotyleans and almost nothing is known about …
Improvement of Raw Milk Cheese Hygiene through the Selection of Starter and Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Successful Case of PDO Pecorino Sic…
2021
This review article focuses on the technological aspects and microbiological critical points of pressed-cooked cheeses processed from raw ewe’s milk without the inoculation of starter cultures, in particular “Pecorino” cheese typology produced in Italy. After showing the composition of the biofilms adhering to the surface of the traditional dairy equipment (mainly wooden vat used to collect milk) and the microbiological characteristics of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese manufactured throughout Sicily, this cheese is taken as a case study to develop a strategy to improve its hygienic and safety characteristics. Basically, the natural lactic acid bacterial populations of fresh and ripened chees…
Effects of two acanthocephalan parasites on the fecundity and pairing status of female Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda)
2002
Acanthocephalan parasites are known to alter the reproductive biology and physiology of their hosts in various ways. In this study we investigated the influence of two acanthocephalan parasites, Pomphorhynchus laevis and Polymorphus minutus, on the fecundity and pairing success of female Gammarus pulex. The results show that P. laevis and P. minutus affect female intermediate host reproduction in different ways. Females infected with P. minutus were totally castrated, whereas those infected with P. laevis only showed reduced fecundity. The oocytes of P. laevis-infected females showed a similar structure to those of uninfected females, although infected females had a higher proportion of ooc…
Are mussels able to distinguish underwater sounds? Assessment of the reactions of Mytilus galloprovincialis after exposure to lab-generated acoustic …
2016
This study examined the effects of lab-generated acoustic signals on the behaviour and biochemistry of Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The experiment was carried out in a tank equipped with a video-recording system using six groups of five mussels exposed to five acoustic treatments (each treatment was replicated three times) for 30 min. The acoustic signals, with a maximum sound pressure level of 150 dB rms re 1 μPa, differed in frequency range as follows: low (0.1–5 kHz), mid-low (5–10 kHz), mid (10–20 kHz), mid-high (20–40 kHz) and high (40–60 kHz). The exposure to sweeps did not produce any significant changes in the mussels' behaviour. Conversely, the specimens expos…
Spatial ecology and habitat use of adult Booted eagles (Aquila pennata) during the breeding season: implications for conservation.
2016
Fast-moving technological advances, such as satellite tracking technologies, are providing in-depth information of aspects of avian ecology hitherto unknown. In fact, detailed information about movement ecology and ranging behaviour of birds is important not only from the perspective of the basic ecology, but also from the conservation point of view. This is particularly important in European countries where agricultural intensification, land abandonment and the withdrawal of traditional management agro-forestry practices pose a threat to biodiversity. The Booted Eagle, likewise other forest raptors, is an adequate bioindicator of human-dominated agro-forestry Mediterranean landscapes in wh…
Harvest selection on multiple traits in the wild revealed by aquatic animal telemetry
2019
12 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables.-- This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
Deletion of GLX3 in Candida albicans affects temperature tolerance, biofilm formation and virulence.
2018
Candida albicans is a predominant cause of fungal infections in mucosal tissues as well as life-threatening bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients. Within the human body, C. albicans is mostly embedded in biofilms, which provides increased resistance to antifungal drugs. The glyoxalase Glx3 is an abundant proteomic component of the biofilm extracellular matrix. Here, we document phenotypic studies of a glx3Δ null mutant concerning its role in biofilm formation, filamentation, antifungal drug resistance, cell wall integrity and virulence. First, consistent with its function as glyoxalase, the glx3 null mutant showed impaired growth on media containing glycerol as the carbon sou…
Paysandisia archon: Taxonomy, distribution, biology and life cycle
2017
The taxonomic position of the family Castniidae within the order Lepidoptera has changed over time. Initially, it was classified in the superfamily Sesioidea, and then it was grouped in a large assemblage including the Cossoidea, Sesioidea, and Zygaenoidea. Recent studies have included it in the superfamily Cossoidea. In Europe, the palm borer moth (PBM) Paysandisia archon is the only species of the Castniidae. This moth, native to South America (Argentina and Uruguay), was first reported in Europe (France and Spain) in 2001, but it is believed to have been introduced before 1995 on palm trees imported from Argentina. Since then, the moth has been reported in Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus Islan…
Oviposition Cues for a Specialist Butterfly–Plant Chemistry and Size
2008
The oviposition choice of an insect herbivore is based on a complex set of stimuli and responses. In this study, we examined the effect of plant secondary chemistry (the iridoid glycosides aucubin and catalpol) and aspects of size of the plant Plantago lanceolata, on the oviposition behavior of the specialist butterfly Melitaea cinxia. Iridoid glycosides are known to deter feeding or decrease the growth rate of generalist insect herbivores, but can act as oviposition cues and feeding stimulants for specialized herbivores. In a previous observational study of M. cinxia in the field, oviposition was associated with high levels of aucubin. However, this association could have been the cause (b…