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Figure 9 in Environmental influences on movements and distribution of a wild horse (Equus caballus) population in western Nevada, USA: a 25-year study

Figure 9. Key summer range (KSR) use by horse population and human presence. Data are for use from May to September. Human presence is presented as per cent of its highest year. Human presence includes private sector activities, educational/commercial activities and research/management activities. Human presence was generally greatest during the horse breeding/foaling period (May–June).

Figure 7 in Environmental influences on movements and distribution of a wild horse (Equus caballus) population in western Nevada, USA: a 25-year study

Figure 7. Annual key summer range (KSR) use in relationship to KSR condition and annual Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory (MPWHT) precipitation. The latter two data sets are presented in relative fashion as per cent of highest year.

Figure 10 in Environmental influences on movements and distribution of a wild horse (Equus caballus) population in western Nevada, USA: a 25-year study

Figure 10. Relationship of reduced key summer range (KSR) use on whole-population foal survival. KSR is the primary area of lion use and predation. Foal survival is presented as the ratio of current-year yearlings to previous-year foals expressed as a percentage. Foal survival data are for the entire Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory (MPWHT) population.

Figure 1 in Environmental influences on movements and distribution of a wild horse (Equus caballus) population in western Nevada, USA: a 25-year study

Figure 1. Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory (MPWHT) Map. The MPWHT lies on the California–Nevada border. Agency jurisdictions are USFS (green) and BLM (white). The three major horse areas are KSR (key summer range, i.e. upper elevations), Adobe Valley and Basalt (both historical winter range, lower elevations). Dotted lines within and outside the territory boundary represent additional horse use associated with the three main use areas. Hatched pink areas are grazing allotments (AV = Adobe Valley, BL = Black Lake, BS = Basalt). Closed squares are permanent springs. Open circles are seasonal springs. The blue line is Adobe Creek running into AV. Numbers are elevations (m), and triangle is highest point in MPWHT (2556 m). The lower left and right perimeters of the Territory roughly coincide with two paved roads (Routes 120 and 6). Relief aspect of map is courtesy of Google Earth.

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2018View details →

Fig. 2 in Distribution patterns of selected insect populations on their host plants - an ecological study

Fig. 2: Illustration of those insects with their preferred host plants studied in the present contribution: (a) greenfly on the leaves of the common hazel, (b) mealybug on the leaves of the chervil, (c) sap beetle on the leaves of the nettle.

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2018View details →

Fig. 1 in Distribution patterns of selected insect populations on their host plants - an ecological study

Fig. 1: (a) Basic types of distribution patterns in the animal kingdom: (1) regular distribution, (2) aggregated (clotted) distribution, (3) random distribution; (b) graphical method for the determination of the distribution pattern produced by a given animal population.

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2018View details →

Fig. 3 in Distribution patterns of selected insect populations on their host plants - an ecological study

Fig. 3: Graphical determination of the distribution patterns of those species introduced in Fig. 2: (a) greenfly on the common hazel, (b) mealybug on the chervil, (c) sap beetle on the nettle.

opencc-by-4.0Jan 2014View details →

Figure 2 in Non-invasive genetic study and population monitoring of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) (Mammalia: Ursidae) in Kastoria region - Greece

Figure 2. (A) Means of estimated LnP (Data) and standard deviations for K = 1 to K = 5. (B) Factorial correspondence analysis plot of multilocus genotypes for 82 brown bear individuals identified in the present study.

opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

Supplementary material 1 from: Snyder MR, Stepien CA (2020) Increasing confidence for discerning species and population compositions from metabarcoding assays of environmental samples: case studies of fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes and Wabash River. Metabarcoding and Metagenomics 4: e53455. https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.4.53455

Supplementary material: Additional methods, results, figures, and tables

opencc-zeroNov 2020View details →

Are lifestyle pattern changes associated to poor subjective sleep quality?: a cross-sectional study by gender among the general Japanese population underwent specified medical checkups in 2014 and 2015.

Objectives: Subjective sleep quality (SSQ) is defined by the satisfaction of one's overall sleep experience, and is composed of sleep depth and restfulness. It has not been clarified how poor SSQ is associated to changes in lifestyles. The purpose is to reveal the association of lifestyle pattern changes and poor SSQ. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: The data on basic attributes, SSQ, and lifestyle such as presence/absence of smoking, exercise, physical activity, supper time close to bedtime, drinking habits, and alcohol intake amount per day were obtained from database and questionnaire of specified medical checkups in FY 2014 and 2015 in Japan. The analysis was conducted in 2019. Participants: The subjects comprised 49,483 residents (26,087 males and 23,396 females), aged 40 to 74 years who had undergone an annual specified medical checkup from 2014 to 2015 in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Outcome measure: Status of SSQ in 2015 was assessed using a question asking whether or not the subjects usually got enough sleep. Poor SSQ in 2015 and lifestyle pattern changes in 2014-2015 were compared between those who were in healthy status both in 2014 and 2015 (referent) and non-referent, using binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Unhealthy lifestyle pattern for 2014-2015 was significantly associated to poor SSQ in 2015: "absent to absent" in exercise for males (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.472; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.316, 1.647) and females (OR = 1.428; 95%CI = 1.285, 1.587), physical activity for males (OR = 1.420; 95%CI = 1.270, 1.588) and females (OR = 1.471; 95%CI = 1.322, 1.638), and "present to present" in supper time for males (OR = 1.149; 95%CI = 1.020, 1.294) and females (OR = 1.288; 95%CI = 1.102, 1.505). Conclusions: Health care workers may be able to contribute to the improvement of SSQ, focusing on changeable lifestyles.

opencc-zeroDec 2020View details →

Data from: Estimating population density of insectivorous bats based on stationary acoustic detectors: a case study

1. Automated recording units are commonly used by consultants to assess environmental impacts and to monitor animal populations. Although estimating population density of bats using stationary acoustic detectors is key for evaluating environmental impacts, estimating densities from call activity data is only possible through recently developed numerical methods, as the recognition of calling individuals is impossible. 2. We tested the applicability of generalized random encounter models (gREMs) for determining population densities of three bat species (Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii,, and Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri) based on passively collected acoustical data. To validate the results, we compared them to (i) density estimates from the literature and to (ii) Royle-Nichols (RN) models of detection/non-detection data. 3. Our estimates for M. nattereri matched both the published data and RN-model results. For E. nilssonii, the gREM yielded similar estimates to the RN-models, but the published estimates were more than twice as high. This discrepancy might be because the high-altitude flight of E. nilssonii is not accounted for in gREMs. Results of gREMs for P. pipistrellus were supported by published data but were approximately 10 times higher than those of RN-models. RN-models use detection/non-detection data and this loss of information probably affected population estimates of very active species like P. pipistrellus. 4. gREM models provided realistic estimates of bat population densities based on automatically recorded call activity data. However, the average flight altitude of species should be accounted for in future analyses. We suggest including flight altitude in the calculation of the detection range to assess the detection sphere more accurately and to obtain more precise density estimates.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: QuLinePlus: extending plant breeding strategy and genetic model simulation to cross-pollinated populations – case studies in forage breeding

Plant breeders are supported by a range of tools that assist them to make decisions about the conduct or design of plant breeding programs. Simulations are a strategic tool that enable the breeder to integrate the multiple components of a breeding program into a number of proposed scenarios that are compared by a range of statistics measuring the efficiency of the proposed systems. A simulation study for the trait growth score compared two major strategies for breeding forage species, among half-sib family selection and among and within half-sib family selection. These scenarios highlighted new features of the QuLine program, now called QuLinePlus, incorporated to enable the software platform to be used to simulate breeding programs for cross pollinated species. Each strategy was compared across three levels of HS family mean heritability (0.1, 0.5 and 0.9), across three sizes of the initial parental population (10, 50, and 100), and across three genetic effects models (fully additive model, a mixture of additive, partial and over dominance model, and a mixture of partial dominance and over dominance model). Among and within half-sib selection performed better than among half-sib selection for all scenarios. The new tools introduced into QuLinePlus should serve to accurately compare among methods and provide direction on how to achieve specific goals in the improvement of plant breeding programs for cross breeding species.

opencc-zeroDec 2011View details →

Data from: Development and evaluation of 200 novel SNP assays for population genetic studies of westslope cutthroat trout and genetic identification of related taxa

DNA sequence data were collected and screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and also for substitutions that could be used to genetically discriminate rainbow trout (O. mykiss) and cutthroat trout, as well as several cutthroat trout subspecies. In total, 260 expressed sequence tag-derived loci were sequenced and allelic discrimination genotyping assays developed from 217 of the variable sites. Another 50 putative SNPs in westslope cutthroat trout were identified by restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing, and seven of these were developed into assays. Twelve O. mykiss SNP assays that were variable within westslope cutthroat trout and 12 previously published SNP assays were also included in downstream testing. A total of 241 assays were tested on six westslope cutthroat trout populations (N = 32 per population), as well as collections of four other cutthroat trout subspecies and a population of rainbow trout. All assays were evaluated for reliability and deviation from Hardy–Weinberg and linkage equilibria. Poorly performing and duplicate assays were removed from the data set, and the remaining 200 assays were used in tests of population differentiation. The remaining markers easily distinguished the various subspecies tested, as evidenced by mean GST of 0.74. A smaller subset of the markers (N = 86; average GST = 0.40) was useful for distinguishing the six populations of westslope cutthroat trout. This study increases by an order of magnitude the number of genetic markers available for the study of westslope cutthroat trout and closely related taxa and includes many markers in genes (developed from ESTs).

opencc-zeroDec 2010View details →

Data from: Measuring population differentiation using GST or D? A simulation study with microsatellite DNA markers under a finite island model and nonequilibrium conditions

Genetic differentiation of populations is a key question in population genetic investigations. Wright's FST (and its relatives such as GST) has been a standard measure of differentiation. However, the deficiencies of these indexes and their significance have been increasing realized in recent years, leading to some new measures being proposed, such as Jost's (2008) D. This has also stimulated some considerable debate which, in certain sense, makes empirical biologists even more confused, for example, on statistics which should be used for estimating population differentiation. Here we report a simulation study with neutral microsatellite DNA loci under a finite island model to compare the performance of GST and D, under non-equilibrium conditions, in particular. Our results suggest that there exist fundamental differences between the two statistics and neither GST nor D operate satisfactorily in all situations for quantifying differentiation. D is very sensitive to mutation models but GST noticeably less so ...

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: A population study of killer viruses reveals different evolutionary histories of two closely related Saccharomyces sensu stricto yeasts

Microbes have evolved ways of interference competition to gain advantage over their ecological competitors. The use of secreted killer toxins by yeast cells through acquiring double-stranded RNA viruses is one such prominent example. Although the killer behaviour has been well studied in laboratory yeast strains, our knowledge regarding how killer viruses are spread and maintained in nature and how yeast cells co-evolve with viruses remains limited. We investigated these issues using a panel of 81 yeast populations belonging to three Saccharomyces sensu stricto species isolated from diverse ecological niches and geographic locations. We found that killer strains are rare among all three species. In contrast, killer toxin resistance is widespread in Saccharomyces paradoxus populations, but not in Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces eubayanus populations. Genetic analyses revealed that toxin resistance in S. paradoxus is often caused by dominant alleles that have independently evolved in different populations. Molecular typing identified one M28 and two types of M1 killer viruses in those killer strains. We further showed that killer viruses of the same type could lead to distinct killer phenotypes under different host backgrounds, suggesting co-evolution between the viruses and hosts in different populations. Taken together, our data suggest that killer viruses vary in their evolutionary histories even within closely related yeast species.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Incidence rate of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a population-based prospective active surveillance study in three cities in South America

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence rate and mortality of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults in three cities in Latin America during a three-year period. DESIGN: Prospective population based study. SETTING: Healthcare facilities (outpatient centers and hospitals) in the cities of General Roca (Argentina), Rivera (Uruguay) and Concepcion (Paraguay). PARTICIPANTS: 2302 adults aged 18 years and older with CAP were prospectively enrolled between January 2012 and March 2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rate of CAP in adults, predisposing conditions for disease, mortality at 14 days and at one year were estimated. Incidence rate of CAP, within each age group, was calculated by dividing the number of cases by the person-years of disease-free exposure time based on the last census; incidence rates were expressed per 1000 person-years. RESULTS: Median age of participants was 66 years, 46.44 % were men, 68% were hospitalized. Annual incidence rate was 7.03 (CI95% 6.64-7.44) per 1000 person-years in General Roca, 6.33 (CI95% 5.92-6.78) per 1000 person-years in Rivera and 1.76 (CI95% 1.55-2.00) per 1000 person-years in Concepcion. Incidence rates were highest in participants aged over 65 years. 82.4% had at least one predisposing condition and 48% had 2 or more (multi-morbidity). Chronic heart disease (43.6%) and smoking (37.3%) were the most common risk factors. 14-day mortality rate was 12.1% and one-year mortality was 24.9%. Multi-morbidity was associated with an increased risk of death at 14 days (OR 2.91; 2.23 to 3.80) and at 1 year (OR 3.00; 2.44 to 3.70). CONCLUSIONS: We found a high incidence rate of CAP in adults, ranging from 1.76 to 7.03 per 1000 person-years, in three cities in South America, disclosing the high burden of disease in the region. Efforts to improve prevention strategies are needed.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Poor housing conditions in association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population: a cross-sectional study in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden

Objectives: To describe the home environment in terms of housing conditions and their association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population. Design: A cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Enrolment took place during 2010–2011 in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden. Participants: Children aged 0–13 years in 2 study neighbourhoods were recruited from local health records and from schools. 359 children participated, with a participation rate of 40%. Data on health, lifestyle and apartment characteristics from questionnaire-led interviews with the mothers of the children were obtained together with data from home inspections carried out by trained health communicators. Outcome measures: Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate ORs for various health outcomes, adjusted for demographic information and lifestyle factors. Results: The housing conditions were very poor, especially in one of the study neighbourhoods where 67% of the apartments had been sanitised of cockroaches, 27% were infested with cockroaches and 40% had a visible mould. The association between housing conditions and health was mostly inconclusive, but there were statistically significant associations between current asthma and dampness (OR=4.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 9.9), between asthma medication and dampness (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.4), and between mould and headache (OR=4.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 14.8). The presence of cockroaches was associated with emergency care visits, with colds, with headache and with difficulty falling asleep, and worse general health was associated with mould and presence of cockroaches. Conclusions: The associations between dampness and asthma, and the association between mould and headache, are in line with current knowledge. The presence of cockroaches seemed to be associated with various outcomes, including those related to mental well-being, which is less described in the literature. The results of the present study are hypothesis generating and provide strong incentives for future studies in this study population.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: The interrelationship among economic activities, environmental degradation, material consumption, and population health in low-income countries: a longitudinal ecological study

Objectives: The theory of ecological unequal exchange explains how trade and various forms of economic activity create the problem of environmental degradation, and lead to the deterioration of population health. Based on this theory, our study examined the inter-relationship among economic characteristics, ecological footprints, CO2 emissions, infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries. Design: A longitudinal ecological study design. Setting: Sixty-six low-income countries from 1980 to 2010 were included in the analyses. Data for each country represented an average of 23 years (N=1497). Data sources: Data were from the World Development Indicators, UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database, Global Footprint Network and Polity IV Project. Analyses: Linear mixed models with a spatial power covariance structure and a correlation that decreased over time were constructed to accommodate the repeated measures. Statistical analyses were conducted separately by sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and other regions. Results: After controlling for country-level sociodemographic characteristics, debt and manufacturing, economic activities were positively associated with infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, export intensity and foreign investment were beneficial for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in Latin America and other regions. Although the ecological footprints and CO2 emissions did not mediate the relationship between economic characteristics and health outcomes, export intensity increased CO2 emissions, but reduced the ecological footprints in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, although export intensity was positively associated with the ecological footprints and also CO2 emissions, the percentage of exports to high-income countries was negatively associated with the ecological footprints. Conclusions: This study suggested that environmental protection and economic development are important for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Catastrophic health expenditure according to employment status in South Korea: A population-based panel study

Objectives: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) means that medical spending of a household exceeds a certain level of capacity to pay. Previous studies of CHE have focused on benefits supported by the public sector or high medical cost incurred by treating diseases in South Korea. This study examines variance of CHE in these households according to changes in employment status. We also determine whether a relationship exists according to income level. Design: A longitudinal study. Setting: We used the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) conducted by the Korea Institute. Participants: These data consisted of 5,335 households during 2009-2012. Outcome measure: CHE defined as health expenditures that were 40% greater than the ability of the household to pay. Results: Households with people who experienced changes in job status from employed to unemployed (OR 2.79, 95% CI 2.06-3.78) or were unemployed with no status change (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.28-1.92) were more likely to incur CHE compared to those who were consistently employed. In addition, low-income families that either lost a job (OR 3.52, 95% CI 2.44-5.10) or were already unemployed (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.29-2.16) were more likely to incur CHE compared to those with a consistent job. Conclusions: Given the insecure employment status of people with low-income, they are more likely to face barriers in obtaining needed health services. Meeting their needs for health care is an important consideration.