Movements and flight morphology in the endangered Large Blue butterflies

AbstractMovements and flight morphology of the endangered Large Blue butterflies Phengaris teleius and P. nausithous in southern Poland were studied with mark-release-recapture surveys and GIS analyses. Most individuals moved relatively small distances (<40 metres) within their habitat patches. Distances covered by both species were positively related to season progression and wing length, and negatively related to body mass. P. teleius movement distances slightly exceeded those of P. nausithous. In addition, females moved longer distances than males, although the difference was significant only in P. teleius. Morphological traits appeared to be good indicators of the inter-specific and inter-sexual differences in mobility. While P. teleius individuals were heavier than P. nausithous ones, they had considerably longer wings, which may explain longer movements in the former species. Similarly, females were heavier than males in both species, but they invested more in wing size, which is likely to compensate for the negative impact of body mass on movement distances. Our results indicate that combination of GIS analysis of movement distances recorded with mark-release-recapture methods and morphometric measurements taken in field during non-lethal handling of captured individuals proved useful for studying the mobility potential of the endangered insect species.

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On the Major Differences between the Banking Systems of the EAEU States

Economics and Management ◽

10.35854/1998-1627-2020-4-397-406 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 397-406

Author(s):

T. E. Chekanova

Keyword(s):

Financial Stability ◽

Systems Approach ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Banking Regulation ◽

Member States ◽

Banking Systems ◽

Significant Negative Impact ◽

The Difference ◽

The Government ◽

Major Factors

The presented study examines the problems of integration of the national banking systems of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).Aim. The study aims to examine the major differences in various aspects of functioning of banking systems in the EAEU member states in terms of their impact on integration processes.Tasks. The author identifies the most prominent features of the banking systems of the EAEU states; reveals the depth of the existing differences through a comparative analysis of various indicators of national banking systems; outlines ways of overcoming integration problems associated with differences in the banking sectors of the Union states.Methods. This study is based on universal general scientific methods and elements of comparative, functional, and economic analysis within the framework of a systems approach. The author uses regulatory documents and banking reports of the EAEU states, statistical and analytical materials of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), and data of Moody’s international rating agency.Results. The study identifies a number of aspects that contain the major differences in the functioning of banking systems in the EAEU member states; highlights the disproportions in the scale, level of development, financial stability, and risks of the banking spheres of the Union states; comparatively analyzes the proportion of banking and non-banking structures in the system and the share of the government and non-resident companies in the capital of banks; marks the difference in the pricing of banking services; determines differences in the existing approaches to banking regulation and the established standards; analyzes the major differences in the legislative acts of the central banks and governments of the EAEU member states and in the terms and definitions used. According to the results of the study, the major factors hindering the development of integration processes between the banking systems of the EAEU states are identified.Conclusions. The existing differences between the banking systems of the EAEU countries are diverse and multifaceted. The author states that the aspects addressed in this study have a significant negative impact on the further development of integration processes, describing the major directions and actions of the member states aimed at minimizing the exiting differences, which are required to facilitate the convergence of the states and the transition towards a common financial market.

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Changes in Children’s Body Composition and Posture during Puberty Growth

Children ◽

10.3390/children8040288 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 288

Author(s):

Wojciech Rusek ◽

Joanna Baran ◽

Justyna Leszczak ◽

Marzena Adamczyk ◽

Rafał Baran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Adipose Tissue ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Body Mass ◽

Pelvic Obliquity ◽

The Body ◽

Body Posture ◽

Older Children ◽

The Difference ◽

The Right

The main goal of our study was to determine how the age of children, puberty and anthropometric parameters affect the formation of body composition and faulty body posture development in children. The secondary goal was to determine in which body segments abnormalities most often occur and how gender differentiates the occurrence of adverse changes in children’s body posture and body composition during puberty. The study group consisted of 464 schoolchildren aged from 6–16. Body posture was assessed with the Zebris system. The composition of the body mass was tested with Tanita MC 780 MA body mass analyzer and the body height was measured using a portable stadiometer PORTSTAND 210. The participants were further divided due to the age of puberty. Tanner division was adopted. The cut-off age for girls is ≥10 years and for boys it is ≥12 years. The analyses applied descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation, stepwise regression analysis and the t-test. The accepted level of significance was p < 0.05. The pelvic obliquity was lower in older children (beta = −0.15). We also see that age played a significant role in the difference in the height of the right pelvis (beta = −0.28), and the difference in the height of the right shoulder (beta = 0.23). Regression analysis showed that the content of adipose tissue (FAT%) increased with body mass index (BMI) and decreased with increasing weight, age, and height. Moreover, the FAT% was lower in boys than in girls (beta negative equal to −0.39). It turned out that older children (puberty), had greater asymmetry in the right shoulder blade (p < 0.001) and right shoulder (p = 0.003). On the other hand, younger children (who were still before puberty) had greater anomalies in the left trunk inclination (p = 0.048) as well as in the pelvic obliquity (p = 0.008). Girls in puberty were characterized by greater asymmetry on the right side, including the shoulders (p = 0.001), the scapula (p = 0.001) and the pelvis (p < 0.001). In boys, the problem related only to the asymmetry of the shoulder blades (p < 0.001). Girls were characterized by a greater increase in adipose tissue and boys by muscle tissue. Significant differences also appeared in the body posture of the examined children. Greater asymmetry within scapulas and shoulders were seen in children during puberty. Therefore, a growing child should be closely monitored to protect them from the adverse consequences of poor posture or excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the body.

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Contributions of source population and incubation temperature to phenotypic variation of hatchling Chinese skinks

Current Zoology ◽

10.1093/cz/zoaa063 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hong-Liang Lu ◽

Yan-Fu Qu ◽

Hong Li ◽

Xiang Ji

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Phenotypic Variation ◽

Incubation Temperature ◽

Tail Length ◽

Population Variation ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Source Population ◽

Relative Importance ◽

The Difference ◽

Hatchling Size

Abstract Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation are viewed as the main factors that result in between-population variation in phenotypic traits, but contributions of these factors to phenotypic variation vary between traits and between species and have only been explored in a few species of reptiles. Here, we incubated eggs of the Chinese skink (Plestiodon chinensis) from 7 geographically separated populations in Southeast China at 3 constant temperatures (24, 28, and 32 °C) to evaluate the combined effects of clutch origin, source population, and incubation temperature on hatchling traits. The relative importance of these factors varied between traits. Nearly all examined hatchling traits, including body mass, snout–vent length (SVL), tail length, head size, limb length, tympanum diameter, and locomotor speed, varied among populations and were affected by incubation temperature. Measures for hatchling size (body mass and SVL) varied considerably among clutches. Source population explained much of the variation in hatchling body mass, whereas incubation temperature explained much of the variation in other examined traits. Our results indicate that between-population variation in hatchling traits of P. chinensis likely reflects the difference in natural incubation conditions and genetic divergence.

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The Genetic Basis of the Interspecific Differences in Wing Size in Nasonia (Hymenoptera; Pteromalidae): Major Quantitative Trait Loci and Epistasis

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/161.2.673 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 161 (2) ◽

pp. 673-684

Author(s):

J Gadau ◽

R E Page ◽

J H Werren

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Trait Loci ◽

Qtl Analysis ◽

Quantitative Trait ◽

Wing Length ◽

Size Difference ◽

Phenotypic Variance ◽

Wing Size ◽

Epistatic Interactions ◽

Trait Loci ◽

Wing Width

Abstract There is a 2.5-fold difference in male wing size between two haplodiploid insect species, Nasonia vitripennis and N. giraulti. The haploidy of males facilitated a full genomic screen for quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting wing size and the detection of epistatic interactions. A QTL analysis of the interspecific wing-size difference revealed QTL with major effects and epistatic interactions among loci affecting the trait. We analyzed 178 hybrid males and initially found two major QTL for wing length, one for wing width, three for a normalized wing-size variable, and five for wing seta density. One QTL for wing width explains 38.1% of the phenotypic variance, and the same QTL explains 22% of the phenotypic variance in normalized wing size. This corresponds to a region previously introgressed from N. giraulti into N. vitripennis that accounts for 44% of the normalized wing-size difference between the species. Significant epistatic interactions were also found that affect wing size and density of setae on the wing. Screening for pairwise epistatic interactions between loci on different linkage groups revealed four additional loci for wing length and four loci for normalized wing size that were not detected in the original QTL analysis. We propose that the evolution of smaller wings in N. vitripennis males is primarily the result of major mutations at few genomic regions and involves epistatic interactions among some loci.

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Lifestyle Changes and Body Mass Index during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: An Italian Online-Survey

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041117 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1117

Author(s):

Silvia Maffoni ◽

Silvia Brazzo ◽

Rachele De Giuseppe ◽

Ginevra Biino ◽

Ilaria Vietti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Adult Population ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Eating Behaviours ◽

Public Health Services ◽

Activity Frequency

Background. COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a period of contingency measures, including total or partial lockdowns all over the world leading to several changes in lifestyle/eating behaviours. This retrospective cohort study aimed at investigating Italian adult population lifestyle changes during COVID-19 pandemic “Phase 1” lockdown (8 March–4 May 2020) and discriminate between positive and negative changes and BMI (body mass index) variations (ΔBMI). Methods. A multiple-choice web-form survey was used to collect retrospective data regarding lifestyle/eating behaviours during “Phase 1” in the Italian adult population. According to changes in lifestyle/eating behaviours, the sample was divided into three classes of changes: “negative change”, “no change”, “positive change”. For each class, correlations with ΔBMI were investigated. Results. Data were collected from 1304 subjects (973F/331M). Mean ΔBMI differed significantly (p < 0.001) between classes, and was significantly related to water intake, alcohol consumption, physical activity, frequency of “craving or snacking between meals”, dessert/sweets consumption at lunch. Conclusions. During “Phase 1”, many people faced several negative changes in lifestyle/eating behaviours with potential negative impact on health. These findings highlight that pandemic exacerbates nutritional issues and most efforts need to be done to provide nutrition counselling and public health services to support general population needs.

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The Role of Internal Control in Firms’ Coping with the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13116294 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 6294

Author(s):

Peiqing Zhu ◽

Jianbo Song

Keyword(s):

Internal Control ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Firm Heterogeneity ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Risk Prevention ◽

High Tech ◽

Obvious Effect ◽

The Difference ◽

The Impact

Internal control plays a role in risk prevention for firms when dealing with serious emergencies, which ensures the sustainable development of firms during a crisis. Based on the rapid outbreak of COVID-19 in China, this paper empirically tests whether internal control alleviates the negative impact of the pandemic on firm performance. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from the first quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2020 and employing the difference-in-difference (DID) method, we find that the firms with a higher quality of internal control achieve better financial performance during the pandemic period; the more serious the pandemic is, the more obvious effect internal control plays. Furthermore, we consider the industry heterogeneity and firm heterogeneity of the risk resistance effect of internal control. In the manufacturing industry, which is a “disaster zone” of the pandemic, and the non-high-tech industry with a low degree of digitization, internal control can play a more important role in firms’ performance. Moreover, for state-owned enterprises, and firms with strong financing constraints, the role of internal control is more prominent. The above results provide empirical evidence for the risk prevention function of internal control and shed new light on the measures for firms to resist emergencies in the future.

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Ontogeny of body size and shape of Antarctic and subantarctic fur seals

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z07-092 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 85 (12) ◽

pp. 1275-1285 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sebastián P. Luque ◽

Edward H. Miller ◽

John P.Y. Arnould ◽

Magaly Chambellant ◽

Christophe Guinet

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Body Mass ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Body Shape ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Fur Seals ◽

Fur Seal ◽

Adult Body ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Lactation Duration

Pre- and post-weaning functional demands on body size and shape of mammals are often in conflict, especially in species where weaning involves a change of habitat. Compared with long lactations, brief lactations are expected to be associated with fast rates of development and attainment of adult traits. We describe allometry and growth for several morphological traits in two closely related fur seal species with large differences in lactation duration at a sympatric site. Longitudinal data were collected from Antarctic ( Arctocephalus gazella (Peters, 1875); 120 d lactation) and subantarctic ( Arctocephalus tropicalis (Gray, 1872); 300 d lactation) fur seals. Body mass was similar in neonates of both species, but A. gazella neonates were longer, less voluminous, and had larger foreflippers. The species were similar in rate of preweaning growth in body mass, but growth rates of linear variables were faster for A. gazella pups. Consequently, neonatal differences in body shape increased over lactation, and A. gazella pups approached adult body shape faster than did A. tropicalis pups. Our results indicate that preweaning growth is associated with significant changes in body shape, involving the acquisition of a longer, more slender body with larger foreflippers in A. gazella. These differences suggest that A. gazella pups are physically more mature at approximately 100 d of age (close to weaning age) than A. tropicalis pups of the same age.

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MODELING OF THE SPREAD OF MOTOR TRANSPORT NOISE IN ŠIAULIAI CITY / AUTOTRANSPORTO TRIUKŠMO SKLAIDOS ŠIAULIUOSE MODELIAVIMAS / МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЕ РАССЕЯНИЯ ТРАНСПОРТНОГО ШУМА В ГОРОДЕ ШЯУЛЯЙ

Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management ◽

10.3846/16486897.2011.557249 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 62-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Leonas Paulauskas ◽

Robertas Klimas

Keyword(s):

Personal Computer ◽

Noise Level ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Noise Measurement ◽

Motor Transport ◽

City Environment ◽

Measurement Results ◽

The Difference ◽

Environment Noise ◽

Level Detector

Rapidly growing urbanization causes the increase of noise level of various sources, that have a negative impact upon people's health. The contribution of noise caused by motor transport in city environment composes up to 80% of general impact of all the sources. The article presents the results of modeling of the spread of motor transport noise of Šiauliai city, maps of motor transport noise, recommendations for management of environment noise. MapNoise programme module, adapted to work in the ArcGIS Desktop 9.1 environment, was used for modeling motor transport noise. Noise measurement researches have been carried out using digital noise isolator Nor121, completed with digital level detector. NorXfar software was used to send the data to personal computer. Having evaluated the validity of modeling results it has been determined that the difference between the night noise modeling and measurement results does not exceed 2.2%, and varies from 0.5dB(A) to 1.1 dB(A). The obtained results indicate that 7.2% of the apartments of all city residents are influenced by the LDEN noise that exceeds the permitted noise level (LDEN >65 dB(A)) and 31.2% of the apartments of the residents are influenced by night noise that exceeds the permitted noise level (LN > 55 dB(A)). Santrauka Sparčiai vykstant urbanizacijos procesui, kinta įvairių šaltinių keliamo triukšmo lygis, didėja neigiama įtaka žmonių sveikatai. Miestų aplinkoje iki 80 % visuminio visų triukšmo šaltinių poveikio tenka autotransporto keliamam triukšmui.Straipsnyje pateikta autotransporto triukšmo sklaidos Šiauliuose modeliavimo rezultatai, autotransporto triukšmo žemėlapiai, aplinkos triukšmo valdymo rekomendacijos. Autotransporto triukšmui modeliuoti naudotas MapNoise programinismodulis, pritaikytas darbui ArcGIS Desktop 9.1 aplinkoje. Iš rezultatų matyti, kad 7,2% visų miesto gyventojų būstų yra veikiami paros triukšmo, viršijančio leidžiamąjį triukšmo lygį (LDVN > 65 dB(A)), ir 31,2% gyventojų būstų veikiami nakties triukšmo, viršijančio leidžiamąjį triukšmo lygį (LN > 55 dB(A)). Įvertinus modeliavimo rezultatų patikimumą nustatyta, kad paros ir nakties triukšmo modeliavimo ir matavimo rezultatų neatitiktis neviršija 2,2 % ir svyruoja nuo 0,5dB(A) iki 1,1dB(A). Резюме При быстром росте урбанизации увеличивается уровень шума, создаваемого разными источниками и отрицательно влияющего на здоровье населения. Шум от автотранспорта в городах составляет около 80% от всех источников шума. В статье представлены результаты моделирования рассеяния шума от автотранспорта в городеШяуляй, карты автотранспортного шума, рекомендации по управлению шумом в окружающей среде. Приизмерении шума был использован числовой анализатор шума № 121, укомплектованный с числовым детекторомуровня RMS. Для передачи данных в персональный компьютер использована программа NorXfer. Для моделирования автотранспортного шума использован программный модуль MapNoise, приспособленный дляработы в среде ArcGIS desktop 9.1. При анализе достоверности результатов моделирования было установлено, чтоих отличие от результатов измерения шума в течение суток и ночное время не превышает 2,2% и колеблется от0,5дБ(A) до 1,1дБ(A). Результаты исследования свидетельствуют о том, что 7,2% жилых помещений городаподвергаются суточному шуму, уровень которого превышает допустимый (LDVN > 65 дБ(A)) и 31,2% жилыхпомещенийгородаподвергаютсяшумувночноевремя,уровень которогопревышаетдопустимый (LN > 55дБ(A)).

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Influence of Tobacco on Physical Fitness Recovery of College Students After Sports

Tobacco Regulatory Science ◽

10.18001/trs.7.5.1.121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 3445-3451

Author(s):

Chen Yake

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Control Group ◽

Exercise Time ◽

Activity Intensity ◽

Group I ◽

The Difference ◽

Experimental Group

Objectives: In this paper, the effects of tobacco on aerobic exercise ability and physical fitness recovery of college students were studied. Methods: University group sports intervention form: traditional characteristic project (basketball) + Taiji soft ball (R&D intervention project). Exercise time: 3 times/week; Activity duration: 30min; Activity intensity: the heart rate is controlled at 120-140 beats/min. All the college students in the experimental group are students who have never smoked, and the college students in the control group are students who have smoked for more than two years. The other conditions are the same. Results: The exercise time and endurance of experimental groups I and II were significantly lower than those of the control group, and the cardiopulmonary function was significantly lower than that of the control group. The indexes of experimental group II changed significantly compared with experimental group I, and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Cigarette smoke can significantly reduce the aerobic exercise ability and anti fatigue ability. The longer the smoking time, the more serious the adverse effects. Therefore, tobacco smoke and nicotine will damage college students’ aerobic exercise ability and have a negative impact on the recovery of physical fitness after exercise.

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The Green Innovation Effect on Heavy-Polluting Enterprises Under the Environmental Protection Law

Frontiers in Energy Research ◽

10.3389/fenrg.2021.681334 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Leqian Ouyang ◽

Daming You

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection ◽

Local Governments ◽

Fiscal Decentralization ◽

Negative Impact ◽

National Level ◽

Green Innovation ◽

Eastern Area ◽

Long Run ◽

The Difference ◽

Financial Power

One of the main purposes of the 2015 Environmental Protection Law (EPL) of the People's Republic of China is to boost the green innovation of the enterprises. Using heavy-polluting enterprises as examples, this paper uses the Difference-in-difference analysis (DDD) technique to analyze the influence of EPL on the green innovation of enterprises under fiscal decentralization and enterprise heterogeneity. Results show that EPL exerts a negative impact on the green innovation of heavy-polluting enterprises at the national level, as well as those in the central and western areas specifically. The only presence of positive motivation for green innovation is being found in the eastern area, although, the motivation seems to be insignificant. The negative impacts have been lasting in the long run, especially for the low-performance enterprises in the central areas. As for the targeted implementation of EPL in China, local governments should make the best use of financial power under fiscal decentralization. This balanced approach is designed to motivate enterprises in different regions with various performance levels to develop green innovation based on their different weaknesses and strengths.

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