Search

We present the first comprehensive set of estimates of variation in intergenerational social mobility across regions of Great Britain using data from the UK Labour Force Survey. Unlike the Social Mobility Index produced by the Social Mobility Commission, we focus directly on variation in measures of intergenerational social class mobility between the regions in which individuals were brought up. We define regions using the NUTS classification and we consider three levels, from 11 large NUTS1 regions, to 168 NUTS3 regions, across England, Wales, and Scotland. We investigate whether it is possible to form an index of social mobility from these measures and we address a neglected question: how much does the region in which someone was raised matter in comparison with the social class in which they were raised? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive differentiation of traits and underlying loci can occur at a small geographical scale if natural selection is stronger than countervailing gene flow and drift. We investigated this hypothesis using coupled quantitative genetic and genomic approaches for a wind‐pollinated tree species, Quercus rubra, along the steep, narrow gradient of the Lake Superior coast that encompasses four USDA Hardiness Zones within 100 km. For the quantitative genetic component of this study, we examined phenotypic differentiation among eight populations in a common garden, measuring seed mass, germination, height, stem diameter, leaf number, specific leaf area and survival. For the genomic component, we quantified genetic differentiation for 26 populations from the same region using RAD‐seq. Because hybridisation with Quercus ellipsoidalis occurs in other parts of the species' range, we included two populations of this congener for comparison. In the common garden study, we found a strong signal of population differentiation that was significantly associated with at least one climate factor for nine of 10 measured traits. In contrast, we found no evidence of genomic differentiation among populations based on FST or any other measures. However, both distance‐based and genotype–environment association analyses identified loci showing the signature of selection, with one locus in common across five analyses. This locus was associated with the minimum temperature of the coldest month, a factor that defines the climate zones and was also significant in the common garden analyses. In addition, we documented introgression from Q. ellipsoidalis into Q. rubra, with rates of introgression correlated with the climate gradient. In sum, this study reveals signatures of selection at the quantitative trait and genomic level consistent with climate adaptation, a pattern that is more often documented at a much broader geographical scale, especially in long‐lived wind‐pollinated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain carnivorous plant species display geographical variation in trap coloration, which may impact interactions with prey. Our study focused on Drosera indica (Droseraceae) in tropical Thailand and its phylogenetically related species Drosera toyoakensis in temperate Japan. Drosera indica in Thailand has green leaf blades with red tentacles when flowering, making the entire trap appear red. In contrast, D. toyoakensis in Japan has green leaf blades with green‐white tentacles when flowering, and the entire trap appears white. Field observations revealed statistically significant differences in taxa and size of prey caught by D. indica and D. toyoakensis. Both species caught small flies, but D. toyoakensis additionally caught larger flies and butterflies, including pollinators. These differences in prey composition may reflect differences in trap coloration that evolved under different selection pressures for capturing prey. However, trap coloration and prey assemblages were influenced by various factors, and further research is required to elucidate their evolutionary significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of acoustic signals to communicate is widespread among marine mammals and vocalizations are involved in all their social interactions. Due to many factors, acoustic features of a species' vocalizations may differ among populations. The present study investigated both micro‐ and macro‐geographical variation in the vocalizations of Cape fur seal females, males, and pups. Acoustic measurements were performed on calls recorded at four South African and two Namibian sites (maximum range ~ 1,000 km). Comparisons among close sites in South Africa revealed no micro‐geographical variation (maximum range ~130 km) in females' and pups' vocalizations. Barks of subadult males had different features among sites, which may be explained mostly by the context of call production. At the macro‐geographical scale (South Africa vs. Namibia), all call types varied significantly among sites. Several extrinsic and intrinsic factors were suggested to drive such differences. For females' and pups' calls, differences might be explained by environmental factors, whereas for males' barks, behavioral differences are the most likely explanation for acoustic differences (breeding vs. resting sites). Such investigations help understand how acoustic communication in marine mammals is shaped by ecological drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compulsory mental health care includes compulsory hospitalisation and outpatient commitment with medication treatment without consent. Uncertain evidence of the effects of compulsory care contributes to large geographical variations and a controversy on its use. Some argue that compulsion can rarely be justified and should be reduced to an absolute minimum, while others claim compulsion can more frequently be justified. The limited evidence base has contributed to variations in care that raise issues about the quality/appropriateness of care as well as ethical concerns. To address the question whether compulsory mental health care results in superior, worse or equivalent outcomes for patients, this project will utilise registry‐based longitudinal data to examine the effect of compulsory inpatient and outpatient care on multiple outcomes, including suicide and overall mortality; emergency care/injuries; crime and victimisation; and participation in the labour force and welfare dependency. Methods: By using the natural variation in health providers' preference for compulsory care as a source of quasi‐randomisation we will estimate causal effects of compulsory care on short‐ and long‐term trajectories. Conclusions: This project will provide valuable insights for service providers and policy makers in facilitating high quality clinical care pathways for a high risk population group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learned vocal signals of birds provide one of the most comprehensive sources of evidence for culture in animals. Such vocal signals often vary spatially and temporally. Signal variation can be driven by direct factors such as cultural drift and selection or by indirect factors such as changes in the environment, which may affect morphology and therefore acoustic capability. In this study we analysed flight and excitement calls of several call types of the Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra and other crossbill species. Calls were recorded between 1962 and 2019 across the Palaearctic region. We measured acoustic similarity within flight and excitement calls and modelled the size of the effect attributed to temporal and geographical distance. Geographical distance between different sampling locations explained less call variation compared with temporal distance, and temporal variation within the excitement calls was smaller than in the flight calls. We conclude that calls of most call types of Red, Scottish and Parrot Crossbill are an example of cultural evolution. We suggest that excitement calls are less modifiable because they can serve better in dangerous situations when they are stable in time and space. In addition, we found no clear support for increasing or decreasing flight call similarity of call types while or after being in contact, as found in another study from North America. The reasons for the cultural evolution in calls of Palaearctic crossbills remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbial community composition is crucial for diverse life‐history traits in many organisms. However, we still lack a sufficient understanding of how the host microbiome is acquired and maintained, a pressing issue in times of global environmental change. Here we investigated to what extent host genotype, environmental conditions, and the endosymbiont Wolbachia influence the bacterial communities in the parasitic wasp Asobara japonica. We sampled multiple wasp populations across 10 locations in their natural distribution range in Japan and sequenced the host genome (whole genome sequencing) and microbiome (16S rRNA gene). We compared the host population structure and bacterial community composition of wasps that reproduce sexually and are uninfected with Wolbachia with wasps that reproduce asexually and carry Wolbachia. The bacterial communities in asexual wasps were highly similar due to a strong effect of Wolbachia rather than host genomic structure. In contrast, in sexual wasps, bacterial communities appear primarily shaped by a combination of population structure and environmental conditions. Our research highlights that multiple factors shape the bacterial communities of an organism and that the presence of a single endosymbiont can strongly alter their compositions. This information is crucial to understanding how organisms and their associated microbiome will react in the face of environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Mountains cover approximately 22% of the planet's terrestrial surface and have dramatic effects on climate and biodiversity. The rain shadow effect is a common feature on mountain ranges worldwide and its effects on ecology and evolution of species, particularly morphology, are incompletely known. Our aim is to identify the correlates that best describe morphological variation along a pronounced rain shadow gradient. Location: Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego (southern South America), including Valdivian and Magellanic forests and steppes. Taxa: Shaggy soft‐haired mouse Abrothrix hirta (Order Rodentia, Family Cricetidae). Methods: We measured 450 skulls of A. hirta from 67 localities between 35°S and 54°S, from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. We analysed geographic differences in skull morphology using 17 linear skull measurements. Discriminant function analysis revealed clear evidence for sexual dimorphism; thus, analyses were conducted for the entire dataset, and separately by sex. We implemented regression tree analysis to test the environmental correlates that best describe morphological variation along this gradient. Results: Skull size variation in shaggy soft‐haired mice does not follow Bergmann's rule; however, latitude was the second node for PC1 of all samples. Regression tree analyses showed that the variables that best explained size for the various datasets were longitude, precipitation of the coldest quarter and temperature seasonality. Longitude appeared in eight of the nine regression tree analyses. We find that organisms attain greater sizes in the western Andes where there is no rain shadow effect, below 500 m of elevation. Main Conclusions: Morphological variation and size of A. hirta is highly structured along a longitudinal gradient, which mirrors patterns of primary productivity and the Andean rain shadow effect in this region, best described by the "resource rule". Mountains are a formidable land feature that clearly affects the morphology of species distributed at both sides of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size and number of eggs are important components of reproductive strategies, with implications for offspring and parental fitness. Birds typically produce larger clutches in more poleward latitudes, in response to the strong seasonal peak of food availability required to raise young. However, changes in egg size impact the interpretation of this pattern, and latitudinal variation in egg size remains poorly explored. Here we comparatively investigate this issue at both interspecific and intraspecific levels, using datasets from 298 populations of 154 passerine species breeding in mainland China. Clutch size was larger toward the north, but egg size was relatively constant and therefore total clutch volume (clutch size × egg size) increased. No negative correlation was evident between egg size and clutch size along latitudinal gradients, suggesting the lack of a direct trade‐off between the two traits. This may be explained by latitudinally increased food availability and concentrated annual reproductive investment due to seasonal time constraints on raising more broods, arising from the later onset of reproduction at higher latitudes. In addition, the latitudinal patterns of egg size and clutch size appear to be independent of parental investment in terms of the lengths of incubation and nestling periods, which were similar for lower‐ and higher‐latitude birds. Our results shed light on the evolution of avian life histories across latitudinal gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: High‐levels of etoxazole resistance have not yet been frequently reported in Panonychus citri. Although a highly resistant strain was discovered in 2014, etoxazole resistance has not become a significant problem in areas of citrus production in Japan. A target site mutation in chitin synthase 1 (CHS1), I1017F, is a major etoxazole‐resistance factor in Tetranychus urticae. To investigate the mechanisms of etoxazole resistance and the dispersal of resistance genes, we analyzed target‐site mutations in a highly resistant strain and their geographical distribution in Japan. RESULTS: High‐level etoxazole resistance was completely recessive. The I1017F mutation was detected in CHS1 of the highly resistant strain, and its frequency was correlated with the hatchability of eggs treated with etoxazole. Sequencing and variant frequency analyses of local populations by quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that I1017F is restricted to the Ariake Sea area of Kyushu Island. Although a new nonsynonymous substitution, S1016L, accompanied by I1017F was found in CHS1 of the highly resistant strain, CRISPR/Cas9 engineering of flies showed that S1016L had no effect on the etoxazole resistance conferred by I1017F. CONCLUSION: I1017F is a major target site mutation that confers high‐level etoxazole resistance on P. citri. Dispersion of I1017F possibly was suppressed as a result of the completely recessive inheritance of resistance together with low gene flow between local populations. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many mycophagous Drosophila species have adapted to tolerate high concentrations of mycotoxins, an ability not reported in any other eukaryotes. Although an association between mycophagy and mycotoxin tolerance has been established in many Drosophila species, the genetic mechanisms of the tolerance are unknown. This study presents the inter‐ and intraspecific variation in the mycotoxin tolerance trait. We studied the mycotoxin tolerance in four Drosophila species from four separate clades within the immigrans‐tripunctata radiation from two distinct locations. The effect of mycotoxin treatment on 20 isofemale lines per species was studied using seven gross phenotypes: survival to pupation, survival to eclosion, development time to pupation and eclosion, thorax length, fecundity, and longevity. We observed interspecific variation among four species, with D. falleni being the most tolerant, followed by D. recens, D. neotestacea, and D. tripunctata, in that order. The results also revealed geographical variation and intraspecific genetic variation in mycotoxin tolerance. This report provides the foundation for further delineating the genetic mechanisms of the mycotoxin tolerance trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Information on unrecorded alcohol consumption in Southeast Asia and Thailand is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of unrecorded alcohol (including illegally produced alcohol and untaxed cross‐border alcohol) consumption among past‐year drinkers in Thailand. The secondary objectives were to examine the geographical variation of unrecorded alcohol consumption, effects of socioeconomic factors on unrecorded alcohol consumption and the association between unrecorded alcohol consumption and alcohol‐related consequences. Methods: This study analysed data from the 2017 Smoking and Drinking Behavior Survey. The prevalence of unrecorded alcohol consumption was estimated. Associations of interest were tested using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Overall, 12.3% of past‐year drinkers consumed any unrecorded alcohol. The prevalence was highest in the north (24.8%) and lowest in the central region (7.4%). In multivariate analysis, living in the north was associated with consumption of any unrecorded alcohol and illegally produced alcohol, whereas living in the south was associated with untaxed cross‐border alcohol consumption. The lowest education and income group had the highest likelihood of consumption of any unrecorded alcohol and illegally produced alcohol, but the lowest likelihood of untaxed cross‐border alcohol consumption. Consumption of unrecorded alcohol was associated with a higher chance of alcohol‐related consequences. Discussion and Conclusions: This study estimated the prevalence of unrecorded alcohol consumption among Thai drinkers and demonstrated the geographical variation in the prevalence and types of unrecorded alcohol consumed. We also found heterogenous associations between socioeconomic factors and each type of unrecorded alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local adaptation to different host plants is important in the diversification of phytophagous insects. Thus far, much evidence of the local adaptation of insects with respect to host use at the physiological level has been gathered from systems involving less mobile insects and/or divergent hosts such as plants belonging to different families or genera. On the other hand, the prevalence of such local adaptation of insects with moderate or high dispersal ability to the intraspecific variation of herbaceous hosts is largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the occurrence and degree of local adaptation of the herbivorous ladybird beetle Henosepilachna pustulosa (Kôno) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to its primary host, the thistle Cirsium boreale Kitam. (Asteraceae), through reciprocal laboratory experiments using beetles and thistles from three locations with a range of approximately 200 km. Concerning the larval developmental ability, obvious patterns of local adaptation to the thistles from respective natal locations were detected, at least in some combinations of beetle populations. Similar tendencies were detected concerning adult feeding acceptance, although the statistical support was somewhat obscure. Overall, our results indicate that the degree of local adaptation of insect species with moderate dispersal ability to conspecific herbaceous hosts is occasionally as strong as that involving less mobile insects and/or heterospecific hosts, indicating the potential of such cryptic local adaptation to promote ecological/genetic differentiation of phytophagous insect populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the prescribing trajectory, geographical variation and population factors, including socioeconomic status (SES), related to prescribing gabapentinoids in primary care in England. Methods: This ecological study applied practice‐level dispensing data and statistics from the UK National Health Service Digital and Office for National Statistics from 2013 to 2019. The prescribing of gabapentinoids (in defined daily doses [DDDs]/1000 people) was measured annually and quarterly. General practices were categorised according to the quarterly prescribing in a group‐based trajectory model. The one‐year prescribing in 2018/19 was associated with practice‐level covariates in a mixed‐effects multilevel regression, adjusted for the cluster‐effects of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and mapped geographically. Results: The annual national prescription rate increased by 70% from 2800 to 4773 DDDs/1000 people in the time period 2013/14 to 2018/19. General practices were stratified into six trajectory groups. Practices with the highest level and the greatest increase in prescribing (n = 789; 9.8%) are mainly located in the north of England and along the east and south coastline. Socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics and relevant disease conditions were significantly associated with the prescribing. For every decrease in the Index of Multiple Deprivation decile (becoming less affluent), prescribing of gabapentinoids increased significantly by 203 (95% CI: 183–222) DDDs/1000 registrants. Conclusions: Gabapentinoid prescribing trajectories varied across geographical regions and are associated with socioeconomic status, CCG locality (geography) and other population characteristics. These factors should be considered in future studies investigating the determinants of gabapentinoid prescribing and the risk of harms associated with gabapentinoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Bergmann's rule is an ecogeographical rule that describes a negative relationship between body size and temperature. Here, we used a multivariate measure of skull size (centroid size) as a proxy for body size to test the influence of temperature, precipitation, elevation, human influence and competition on size in Dicotyles tajacu and Tayassu pecari. Location: American tropics and sub‐tropics. Taxon: Tayassuidae. Methods: Using geometric morphometric methods, we measured 426 adult skulls of both peccary species from 174 different localities south of the equator and 83 in the north. We explored the effects of temperature, precipitation, altitude and human influence, controlling for spatial autocorrelation, using ordinary least squares models and the Akaike information criterion. Size differences where the species occur allopatrically or sympatrically, where competition could be a factor, were investigated using ANCOVA models. Results: We found that peccaries were larger in the tropics. Temperature and precipitation explained the size variation of both peccaries in the southern hemisphere, whereas human influence is a predictor of size only for T. pecari. Size variation of northern D. tajacu is mainly explained by elevation and temperature. Tayassu pecari is consistently larger than D. tajacu in both hemispheres. Peccaries did not exhibit significant shifts in either rate of change in size or size–latitude relationships between allopatric and sympatric areas. Main conclusions: Geographical variation in size of these peccaries does not support Bergmann's rule. In the tropics, precipitation and human influence appear to exert strong selective pressures on body size of peccaries, whose resource utilization patterns are shaped by group living. Size differences of the two species across the continents may contribute to their stable coexistence via interference rather than exploitative competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species–area relationship (SAR) is one of the most well‐established scaling patterns in ecology. Its implications for understanding how communities change across spatial gradients are numerous, including the effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. However, ecological communities are not mere collections of species. They are the result of interactions between these species forming complex networks that tie them together. Should we aim to grasp the spatial scaling of biodiversity as a whole, it is fundamental to understand the changes in the structure of interaction networks with area. In spite of a few empirical and theoretical studies that address this challenge, we still do not know much about how network structure changes with area, or what are the main environmental drivers of these changes. Here, using the meta‐network of potential interactions between all terrestrial vertebrates in Europe (1140 species and 67 201 feeding interactions), we analysed network–area relationships (NARs) that summarize how network properties scale with area. We do this across ten biogeographical regions, which differ in environmental characteristics. We found that the spatial scaling of network complexity strongly varied across biogeographical regions. However, once the variation in SARs was accounted for, differences in the shape of NARs vanished. On the other hand, the proportion of species across trophic levels remained remarkably constant across biogeographical regions and spatial scales, despite the great variation in species richness. Spatial variation in mean annual temperature and habitat clustering were the main environmental determinants of the shape of both SARs and NARs across Europe. Our results suggest new avenues in the exploration of the effects of environmental factors on the spatial scaling of biodiversity. We argue that NARs can provide new insights to analyse and understand ecological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Hospital Readmission and Reduction Program (HRRP) and Hospital Value‐Based Purchasing Program (HVBP) propose to improve quality of patient care by either rewarding or penalizing hospitals through inpatient reimbursement. This study analyzes the effect of both programs on profitability of hospitals located in the Appalachian Region (AR) compared to hospitals in Appalachian states and the rest of the United States. Methods: This study used a retrospective research design with a longitudinal unbalanced panel dataset from 2008 to 2015. Hospitals participating in both HRRP and HVBP during this time frame were included in the study. A difference‐in‐difference model with hospital‐level fixed effects, controlling for hospital and market characteristics, was used to determine effects of both programs on profitability of hospitals serving the AR, Appalachian states, and the rest of the United States. Findings: After implementation of HRRP and HVBP, only hospitals located in Appalachian states experienced a significant decrease in operating margin (−1.14 percentage points). Unexpectedly, during the same time period, total margin increased significantly for hospitals located in the AR (1.05 percentage points), Appalachian states (1.71 percentage points), and the rest of the United States (2.38 percentage points). Conclusions: HRRP and HVBP financially incentivize hospitals to focus efforts on improving patient care. The programs may not have the anticipated results. Increases in total margin for all hospitals during the study period indicate access to nonpatient revenues, offsetting the financial penalties from both programs. This revenue source may undermine the program's objectives of delivering value and achieving quality outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The United States has experienced a surge of COVID‐19 cases and deaths. Regardless of the overall increase in the prevalence and mortality, there are disagreements about the consequences of exposure and contracting COVID‐19, specifically in rural areas. Rural areas have inherent characteristics that increase their vulnerability to contracting COVID‐19. The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in death rates from COVID‐19 between urban and rural areas in the United States. Methods: This study used county‐level data. The data set consisted of confirmed COVID‐19 cases and deaths along with county‐level demographics. The sample consisted of all counties in the 50 US states and DC. Counties were designated as metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural. A zero‐inflated negative binomial regression was used to estimate county‐level number of deaths conditional on contracting COVID‐19. The study focused on COVID‐19‐related mortality from February 10, 2020, to June 12, 2020. Findings: After controlling for county‐level characteristics, the rate of COVID‐19 deaths was 70.3% (P <.001) for rural counties and 53.4% (P <.001) for micropolitan counties, both significantly lower than metropolitan counties during the study time period. Conclusion: Over time, rural geography and social isolation may not provide sustainable protection to rural residents from the pandemic. The slow progression provides rural areas additional time and opportunity to learn from the experiences in urban areas that were most affected. Rural areas need to be proactive and develop prevention strategies and response plans to manage and control the spread of COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Birds are often coloured yellow, olive, orange or red by carotenoids, which are plant pigments that are ingested with food. Here we test whether there are consistent patterns of intraspecific geographic variation in male carotenoid‐based plumage coloration linked to latitude, temperature, precipitation and primary productivity. It has been suggested that patterns of geographic variation should be different for yellow, compared to the metabolically derived red carotenoid‐based coloration, but this has not been tested. Location: Australia. Taxa: Forty‐nine randomly selected species of Australian passerine birds (Passeriformes), 30 with yellow and 19 with red carotenoid‐based plumage coloration. Methods: Carotenoid‐based plumage patches of male museum specimens were measured using reflectance spectrometry, and spectra analysed using models of avian colour vision. For each species, we used linear models to determine whether geographic variation in carotenoid‐based colour correlated with latitude, temperature, precipitation or primary productivity. To determine whether effects are consistent across species, we used phylogenetic meta‐analyses. Results: Although spatial environmental effects on carotenoid‐based plumage coloration varied across species, overall, species tended to have more saturated carotenoid‐based coloration at lower latitudes, and warmer regions. These effects applied mainly to resident species (as opposed to migratory or nomadic) and were stronger for red compared to yellow carotenoid‐based colours. We found no consistent effects of precipitation or primary productivity. Main conclusions: Geographic variation in male carotenoid‐based plumage coloration of Australian passerines is unlikely to be caused by variation in plant productivity (the ultimate source of carotenoids), and may be better explained by latitudinal gradients in the intensity of sexual selection or predation risk. Alternatively, temperature effects on red carotenoid‐based coloration may be driven by the hypothesized link between carotenoid and cellular metabolism. Latitudinal and temperature effects have the potential to generate perceivable differences in coloration across realistic spatial scales, contributing to divergence in visual signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haplochromis pharyngalis and Haplochromis petronius, two endemic cichlids from the Lake Edward system (Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo), are very similar in general morphology but have been reported to differ in pharyngeal jaw morphology and distribution. This study analysed 51 morphometrics and various qualitative characteristics of 48 specimens from different localities. The morphological traits of both species strongly overlap, and differences in the pharyngeal jaw morphology correspond to a geographic morphocline. We conclude that all specimens belong to one valid species, H. pharyngalis, and consider H. petronius to be a synonym. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex‐determination systems often show remarkable diversity in upstream signals, although downstream genes are broadly conserved. Therefore, the downstream genes have been investigated in various taxa, but the most upstream signals determining sex in insects have been well‐described mainly in model organisms, including fruit flies and honey bees, and not in hemimetabolous insects such as termites. Identification of sex‐linked genetic markers in termites is important to the survey of primary sex‐determination signals. Here, we report male‐specific alleles at the microsatellite locus NK12‐1 in the Ryukyu drywood termite Neotermes sugioi (Kalotermitidae). This study provides the third example of a genetic marker linked with sexual phenotype in termites, which is a small but important step to elucidate the evolutionary process of the sex‐determination system in termites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributions of highly mobile marine species such as cetaceans are increasingly modeled at basin scale by combining data from multiple regions. However, these basin‐wide models often overlook geographical variations in species habitat relationships between regions. We tested for geographical variations in habitat relationships for a suite of cetacean taxa between the two sides of the North Atlantic basin. Using cetacean visual survey data and remote sensing data from the western and eastern basin in summer, we related the probability of presence of twelve cetacean taxa from three guilds to seafloor depth, sea surface temperature and primary productivity. In a generalized additive model framework, we fitted 1) basin‐wide (BW) models, assuming a single global relationship, 2) region‐specific intercepts (RI) models, assuming relationships with the same shape in both regions, but allowing a region‐specific intercept and 3) region‐specific shape (RS) models, assuming relationships with different shapes between regions. RS models mostly yielded significantly better fits than BW models, indicating cetacean occurrences were better modeled with region‐specific than with global relationships. The better fits of RS models over RI models further provided statistical evidence for differences in the shapes of region‐specific relationships. Baleen whales showed striking differences in both the shapes of relationships and their mean presence probabilities between regions. Deep diving whales and delphinoids showed contrasting relationships between regions with few exceptions (e.g. non‐statistically different shapes of region‐specific relationships for harbor porpoise and beaked whales with depth). Our findings stress the need to account for geographical differences in habitat relationships between regions when modeling species distributions from combined data at the basin scale. Our proposed hypotheses offer a roadmap for understanding why habitat relationships may geographically vary in cetaceans and other highly mobile marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Killer whales are top predators in marine trophic chains, and therefore their feeding preferences can substantially affect the abundance of species on the lower trophic levels. Killer whales are known to feed on many different types of prey from small fish to large whales, but a given killer whale population usually focuses on a specific type of prey. Stable isotope analysis is widely used to study whale diets, because direct observations are often impossible. Killer whale feeding habits in the western North Pacific are poorly studied, and the large‐scale stable isotope analysis provides a unique opportunity to gain insights into the trophic links of this top predator. In this study, we compare the δ13C and δ15N stable isotope values from killer whale skin samples obtained in different areas of the western North Pacific from fish‐eating (R‐type) and mammal‐eating (T‐type) killer whale ecotypes. The effect of ecotype was highly significant: both carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values were lower in R‐type whales than in T‐type whales. The geographical variation also affected killer whale stable isotope values due to both the differences in killer whale diet and the variation in baseline stable isotope values across the study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed breeding sounds of the two subspecies of South American Snipe Gallinago paraguaiae paraguaiae and Gallinago paraguaiae magellanica to determine whether they might be different species: loud vocalizations given on the ground, and the tail‐generated Winnow given in aerial display. Sounds of the two taxa differ qualitatively and quantitatively. Both taxa utter two types of ground call. In G. p. paraguaiae, the calls are bouts of identical sound elements repeated rhythmically and slowly (about five elements per second (Hz)) or rapidly (about 11 Hz). One call of G. p. magellanica is qualitatively similar to those of G. p. paraguaiae but sound elements are repeated more slowly (about 3 Hz). However, its other call type differs strikingly: it is a bout of rhythmically repeated sound couplets, each containing two kinds of sound element. The Winnow of G. p. paraguaiae is a series of sound elements that gradually increase in duration and energy; by contrast, that of G. p. magellanica has two or more kinds of sound element that roughly alternate and are repeated as sets, imparting a stuttering quality. Sounds of the related Puna Snipe (Gallinago andina) resemble but differ quantitatively from those of G. p. paraguaiae. Differences in breeding sounds of G. p. paraguaiae and G. p. magellanica are strong and hold throughout their geographical range. Therefore we suggest that the two taxa be considered different species: G. paraguaiae east of the Andes in much of South America except Patagonia, and G. magellanica in central and southern Chile, Argentina east of the Andes across Patagonia, and Falklands/Malvinas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to describe national variations in sinus balloon dilation (SBD), examine the relationship between endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and SBD prevalence patterns, and evaluate associations between reimbursement rates and regional variations in sinus surgery.Study Design: Retrospective observational study.Setting: Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment (PUP) Part B Data from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016.Subjects and Methods: Physicians in the PUP Part B Database Performing ESS or SBD in 2016. States were stratified into average- or high-volume utilizers based on the number of ESS procedures and SBD procedures per population and compared.Results: Eight states were classified as high-volume utilizers of SBD-Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Texas. Only 3 of these states-Kansas, Mississippi, and Nevada-were classified as high-volume utilizers of ESS. Reimbursement rates were significantly higher for SBD as compared to ESS ($1538 [interquartile range (IQR), 1473-1664] vs $335 [IQR, 261-412] per procedure, P < .001). High-volume utilizer SBD states had a higher number of otolaryngologists (13.0 [IQR, 7-16] vs 6.0 [IQR, 2-3]) otolaryngologists per state (P < .001) and a trend toward an increased rate of performing ESS procedures (19 [IQR, 19-41] vs 6.0 [IQR, 2-32], P = .034) procedures per million residents) than average-volume utilizer SBD states.Conclusions: The southern United States has a significantly higher rate of SBD procedures performed compared to the rest of the country, but these rates do not appear to be directly related to statewide variations in SBD reimbursement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The declining trend of male fecundity is a major global health and social concern. Among numerous other confounding factors, variations in male fertility parameters in different regions have repeatedly been suggested to be influenced by geographic locations. The impact of overall lifestyle, behavioural patterns, ethnicity, work stress and associated factors upon health differ greatly between developed and developing countries. These factors, individually or in combination, affect male reproductive functions ensuing the discrepancies in semen qualities in connection with geographic variations. However, reports comparing semen characteristics between developed and developing countries are sparse. The present study finds its novelty in presenting a comparison in semen parameters of infertile men in the United States (n = 76) that fairly represents the population of a highly developed region and Iraq (n = 102), the representative of male populations of a developing region. Samples were collected and analysed according to WHO (WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, WHO; 2010) criteria by means of the Mann–Whitney test. The US population demonstrated lower sperm concentration, total count, and total and progressive sperm motility with a higher seminal total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as compared to the Iraqi population. This report encourages further investigations concerning the confounding factors leading to such alterations in semen qualities between these two geographic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt marshes are important natural carbon sinks with a large capacity to absorb exogenous nutrient inputs. The effects of nutrients on biogeographic productivity patterns, however, have been poorly explored in salt marshes. We conducted field surveys to examine how complex environments affect productivity of two common salt marsh plants, invasive Spartina alterniflora and native Phragmites australis, along an 18,000‐km latitudinal gradient on the Chinese coastline. We harvested peak aboveground biomass as a proxy for productivity, and measured leaf functional traits (e.g., leaf area, specific leaf area [SLA], leaf nitrogen [N] and phosphorus [P]), soil nutrients (dissolved inorganic N [DIN] and available P [AP]), and salinity. We compiled data on mean annual temperature (MAT) and exogenous nutrients (both N and P). Then, we examined how these abiotic factors affect salt marsh productivity using both linear mixed effect models and structural equation modeling. Using a trait‐based approach, we also examined how salt marsh productivity responds to changing environments across latitude. Exogenous nutrients (both N and P), compared with temperature and other variables (e.g., DIN, AP, salinity), were the dominant factors in explaining the biogeographic productivity patterns of both S. alterniflora and P. australis. Leaf size‐related traits (e.g., leaf area), rather than leaf economic traits (e.g., SLA, leaf N and P), can be used to indicate the positive effects of exogenous nutrients on the productivity of these two species. Our results demonstrated that human eutrophication surpassed temperature as the major driver of biogeographic salt marsh productivity pattern, challenging current models in which biogeographic productivity pattern is primarily controlled by temperature. Our findings have potential broad implications for the management of S. alterniflora, which is a global invader, as it has benefited from coastal eutrophication. Furthermore, exogenous nutrient availability and leaf size need to be integrated into earth system models that are used to predict global plant productivity in salt marshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Understanding the mechanisms causing phenotypic differences between females and males has long fascinated evolutionary biologists. An extensive literature exists on animal sexual dimorphism but less information is known about sex differences in plants, particularly the extent of geographical variation in sexual dimorphism and its life‐cycle dynamics.Here, we investigated patterns of genetically based sexual dimorphism in vegetative and reproductive traits of a wind‐pollinated dioecious plant, Rumex hastatulus, across three life‐cycle stages using open‐pollinated families from 30 populations spanning the geographic range and chromosomal variation (XY and XY1Y2) of the species.The direction and degree of sexual dimorphism was highly variable among populations and life‐cycle stages. Sex‐specific differences in reproductive function explained a significant amount of temporal change in sexual dimorphism. For several traits, geographical variation in sexual dimorphism was associated with bioclimatic parameters, likely due to the differential responses of the sexes to climate. We found no systematic differences in sexual dimorphism between chromosome races.Sex‐specific trait differences in dioecious plants largely result from a balance between sexual and natural selection on resource allocation. Our results indicate that abiotic factors associated with geographical context also play a role in modifying sexual dimorphism during the plant life‐cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The interspecific range of epigenetic variation and the degree to which differences between angiosperm species are related to geography, evolutionary history, ecological settings or species‐specific traits, remain essentially unexplored. Genome‐wide global DNA cytosine methylation is a tractable 'epiphenotypic' feature suitable for exploring these relationships.Global cytosine methylation was estimated in 279 species from two distant, ecologically disparate geographical regions: Mediterranean Spain and tropical México. At each region, four distinct plant communities were analyzed.Global methylation spanned a 10‐fold range among species (4.8–42.2%). Interspecific differences were related to evolutionary trajectories, as denoted by a strong phylogenetic signal. Genomes of tropical species were on average less methylated than those of Mediterranean ones. Woody plants have genomes with lower methylation than perennial herbs, and genomes of widespread species were less methylated than those of species with restricted geographical distribution.The eight communities studied exhibited broad and overlapping interspecific variances in global cytosine methylation and only two of them differed in average methylation. Altogether, our broad taxonomic survey supported global methylation as a plant 'epiphenotypic' trait largely associated with species evolutionary history, genome size, range size and woodiness. Additional studies are required for better understanding the environmental components underlying local and geographical variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past several decades it has been proposed that birds show latitudinal variation in song complexity. How universal this variation may be and what factors generate it, however, are still largely unknown. Furthermore, while migration is confounded with latitude, migratory behaviour alone may also be associated with variation in song complexity. In this paper we review the literature to assess current ideas on how latitude and migratory behaviour may drive large‐scale geographical patterns of song complexity. At least seven distinct hypotheses have been proposed in 29 studies of the topic. Four of these hypotheses posit that sexual selection pressures co‐vary with latitude and/or migration, resulting in concordant changes in song. Other hypotheses suggest that mechanisms other than sexual selection, such as large‐scale changes in environmental sound transmission properties, may be at play. Sixteen studies found support for increased song complexity with increased latitude and/or migration, whereas 13 did not. Relatively few studies exist on this topic, and methodological differences between them and variable definitions of 'complexity' make it difficult to determine whether results are comparable and concordant. At a minimum, it is possible to conclude there is no strong evidence that song complexity increases with latitude and/or migration in all birds. Future work should focus on examining multiple hypotheses at once to further advance our understanding of how latitude, migration and song complexity may or may not be related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The maintenance of polymorphisms is often explained by sexual selection. However, natural selection may also constrain morphs to particular locations, causing geographical variation in morph diversity. In many well‐known polymorphic organisms in which the relevance of sexual selection on the maintenance of polymorphisms is widely supported, the role of environmental factors has been poorly studied. Here, we adopted a population‐level approach to assess the extent to which geographical variation in climate explains morph composition in a colour polymorphic lizard. We predict that rare morphs are more environmentally constrained than common morphs. Location: Eastern Pyrenees, Western Europe. Taxon: Podarcis muralis (Lacertidae). The species shows up to five discrete colour morphs: white (W), orange (O), white‐orange (WO), yellow (Y) and yellow‐orange (YO). Populations strongly vary in morph composition. Methods: We modelled the realised niche of each morph and the whole species with Maxent, Bioclim, and Domain, considering 110 localities over a relatively small but environmentally heterogeneous area. Morph ranges were compared to identify differences among their realised niches and local morph frequencies were interpolated to detect intra‐morph geographical variations beyond the mere presence of morphs. Results: Differences between morph distributions were mainly associated to temperature seasonality and annual precipitation. While W, O, and WO morphs were found along the whole environmental range of the species, Y and YO morphs were restricted to a subset of the environmental conditions suitable for the species, namely high temperature seasonality and relatively high precipitation. Local frequencies of common morphs also differ among localities, the W morph being more frequent at lower altitudes than the O and WO morphs, which are more locally abundant at higher altitudes. Main conclusions: We found a remarkable geographical relationship between climate and local morph composition that suggests environmentally dependent selection acting in a different way on common and rare morphs, most likely in interaction with sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of our investigation was the visual features of wing color with special focus on the UV reflectance in the green-veined white butterfly (Pieris napi). Previous studies had concluded that UV reflectance on dorsal wing surfaces is found only in the female P. napi. Based on UV sensitive photography, we analyzed a correlation between 12 geographic and environmental factors andUVreflectance patterns on 3 patches on the forewings of 407 P. napi specimens from the Palaearctic region. Results had shown that females significantly differ from males: they exhibit a 25% higher UV reflectance. To investigate whether and how UV reflectance levels on the forewings and hindwings of both sexes are influenced by the environment, we performed a principal component analysis (PCA) with several environmental variables. For several variables (in particular, latitude and longitude, mean annual temperature and precipitation, and temperature annual range and altitude), the generalized linear model (GLM) model revealed a significant correlation in both sexes. This suggests a link between UV reflectance levels and the environment and distribution of P. napi. We found that stronger UV reflectance is associated with generally more hostile environments and concluded that large-scale environmental factors influence the UV reflectance on the forewings of both male and female green-veined white butterflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spatial models for disease mapping should ideally account for covariates measured both at individual and area levels. The newly available “indiCAR” model fits the popular conditional autoregresssive (CAR) model by accommodating both individual and group level covariates while adjusting for spatial correlation in the disease rates. This algorithm has been shown to be effective but assumes log‐linear associations between individual level covariates and outcome. In many studies, the relationship between individual level covariates and the outcome may be non‐log‐linear, and methods to track such nonlinearity between individual level covariate and outcome in spatial regression modeling are not well developed. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm, smooth‐indiCAR, to fit an extension to the popular conditional autoregresssive model that can accommodate both linear and nonlinear individual level covariate effects while adjusting for group level covariates and spatial correlation in the disease rates. In this formulation, the effect of a continuous individual level covariate is accommodated via penalized splines. We describe a two‐step estimation procedure to obtain reliable estimates of individual and group level covariate effects where both individual and group level covariate effects are estimated separately. This distributed computing framework enhances its application in the Big Data domain with a large number of individual/group level covariates. We evaluate the performance of smooth‐indiCAR through simulation. Our results indicate that the smooth‐indiCAR method provides reliable estimates of all regression and random effect parameters. We illustrate our proposed methodology with an analysis of data on neutropenia admissions in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An understanding of how historical fire and structure in dry forests (ponderosa pine, dry mixed conifer) varied across the western United States remains incomplete. Yet, fire strongly affects ecosystem services, and forest restoration programs are underway. We used General Land Office survey reconstructions from the late 1800s across 11 landscapes covering ~1.9 million ha in four states to analyze spatial variation in fire regimes and forest structure. We first synthesized the state of validation of our methods using 20 modern validations, 53 historical cross‐validations, and corroborating evidence. These show our method creates accurate reconstructions with low errors. One independent modern test reported high error, but did not replicate our method and made many calculation errors. Using reconstructed parameters of historical fire regimes and forest structure from our validated methods, forests were found to be non‐uniform across the 11 landscapes, but grouped together in three geographical areas. Each had a mixture of fire severities, but dominated by low‐severity fire and low median tree density in Arizona, mixed‐severity fire and intermediate to high median tree density in Oregon‐California, and high‐severity fire and intermediate median tree density in Colorado. Programs to restore fire and forest structure could benefit from regional frameworks, rather than one size fits all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Australia has moderately high fertility compared to many Western‐industrialized countries. The current total fertility rate is around 1.88, but fertility levels are not uniform across the country. There is a distinct geographic pattern with the total fertility rate about 0.5 higher in remote and very remote Australia (2.33) compared to major cities (1.82). In this paper, we examine 2 explanations for this pattern: the compositional hypothesis and the contextual hypothesis. Using event‐history methods with joint modelling to investigate parity progression, we find that after taking into account differences in age, country of birth, indigenous status, relationship status, education levels, and economic activity, women living in smaller towns in regional Australia are more likely to have a first, second, and third birth. Further, there is lower propensity to have a first child in inner or middle city areas that are characterized by smaller and more expensive housing than suburban or regional areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There are a number of ecogeographical “rules” that describe patterns of geographical variation among organisms. The island rule predicts that populations of larger mammals on islands evolve smaller mean body size than their mainland counterparts, whereas smaller‐bodied mammals evolve larger size. Bergmann's rule predicts that populations of a species in colder climates (generally at higher latitudes) have larger mean body sizes than conspecifics in warmer climates (at lower latitudes). These two rules are rarely tested together and neither has been rigorously tested in treeshrews, a clade of small‐bodied mammals in their own order (Scandentia) broadly distributed in mainland Southeast Asia and on islands throughout much of the Sunda Shelf. The common treeshrew, Tupaia glis, is an excellent candidate for study and was used to test these two rules simultaneously for the first time in treeshrews. This species is distributed on the Malay Peninsula and several offshore islands east, west, and south of the mainland. Using craniodental dimensions as a proxy for body size, we investigated how island size, distance from the mainland, and maximum sea depth between the mainland and the islands relate to body size of 13 insular T. glis populations while also controlling for latitude and correlation among variables. We found a strong negative effect of latitude on body size in the common treeshrew, indicating the inverse of Bergmann's rule. We did not detect any overall difference in body size between the island and mainland populations. However, there was an effect of island area and maximum sea depth on body size among island populations. Although there is a strong latitudinal effect on body size, neither Bergmann's rule nor the island rule applies to the common treeshrew. The results of our analyses demonstrate the necessity of assessing multiple variables simultaneously in studies of ecogeographical rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg size variation among 16 Gulf Coast populations of Cyprinella venusta, the Blacktail Shiner, previously was shown to be significantly correlated with annual stream runoff. In this study, we examined egg size across multiple years and seasons in a subset of the original populations, focusing on three streams that differed widely in annual stream runoff. These populations appear to have been derived independently, possibly nearly synchronously in geological time, from an ancestral form. Thus, they can be considered statistically independent. Most of the variation in egg size was attributable to differences across the three populations. Although annual and seasonal variation was present, the three populations shifted similarly on both of these time scales. The results support an earlier hypothesis that streamflow, quantified using mean annual runoff, is a strong selective influence on egg size, hence offspring size, favouring larger egg size in populations inhabiting streams with greater levels of runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to analyse the incidence of lip malignancies in Germany.Methods: Data from population-based cancer registries covering a population of 39 million inhabitants from 14 federal states were pooled. Lip malignancies were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Age-standardised incidence rates and annual percentage changes in the incidence trends of lip cancer (C00), melanoma of the lip (C43.0), and non-melanoma skin cancer of the lip (C44.0) were calculated.Results: Lip cancer (C00) incidence rate was 0.57/0.15 per 100 000 (men/women) in 2003 and 0.52/0.18 in 2012. In women, the change was statistically significant. Melanoma lip cancer (C43.0) incidence rates both in men and women were 0.02 in 2003 and 0.01 in 2012. Incidence rates of non-melanoma skin cancer of the lip (C44.0) significantly increased from 1.6 in 2003 to 2.1 in 2012 in men and from 1.5 in 2003 to 2.4 in 2012 in women. In lip cancer (C00), the vast majority (98% in men/93% in women) were squamous cell carcinomas and 2%/7% were basal cell carcinoma. In men, 56% of non-melanoma skin cancers (C44.0) were squamous cell carcinoma, whereas these were only 27% in women.Conclusions: The incidences of non-melanoma skin cancer of the lip increased over time in Germany in both sexes. Lip cancer incidence increased in women, while it stayed stable in men. Melanoma of the lip did not change in incidence. The distribution of histology in non-melanoma skin cancer of the lip differed by sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Spanish population is rather homogeneous in its genetic and sociocultural characteristics, but allergen sensitization shows wide geographical variations. We aimed at assessing whether sensitization to different allergens in the diverse geographical areas induced different clinical and quality-of-life characteristics in adult patients with a first-time diagnosis of rhinitis and/or asthma. Methods Two sequential, identically designed studies were carried out to evaluate such associations ( PERFILAR I and II). PERFILAR II was an extension of PERFILAR I with additional allergens being included. Both phases were epidemiological, descriptive, cross-sectional, nonintervention multicenter studies. Participants were required to have lived for at least the last 2 years in the geographical zone. Asthma control assessment was based on ACQ-5. Health-related quality of life was evaluated with validated scales for rhinitis ( ESPRINT-15) and asthma (Mini- AQLQ). Skin prick tests were used to identify sensitization to involved allergens. Results A total of 301 physicians recruited 2711 patients for PERFILAR I+ II. Sensitization to allergens was significantly different in patients with rhinitis with/without asthma. Seasonal allergens were associated with rhinitis, a longer time to asthma development, and more severe and commonly intermittent rhinitis. HDM were associated with more common rhinitis, and Alternaria was associated with asthma. The study confirms an association of geographical areas with relevant allergens and allergic clinical picture. Conclusion Different types of aeroallergens and specific sensitization profiles are associated with different allergic clinical pictures (rhinitis with/without asthma), different clinical symptoms, and different levels of severity. This could have implications to predict later clinical course and to select appropriate management approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that Drosophilidae is a very diverse and well-studied taxon, the New World genus Rhinoleucophenga is yet poorly understood even in regard to species distribution and morphological variability pattern. In this sense, R. punctulata is a species widely distributed in the Neotropical region. Specimens of R. punctulata were collected from different biomes in Brazil: Pampa, Cerrado and Caatinga sensu strictu, and a southern Amazonian savannah enclave area. Geographical variations in the external body morphology and in the morphology of spermatheca were noticed among the different populations. The hypothesis that each population could be a different species was tested through molecular data. A fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxydase subunit I (COI) gene was sequenced to perform phylogenetic analyses through neighbor-joining and Bayesian inferences. Pairwise genetic divergences of COI sequences were calculated using DNA barcode premises. The analyzed populations presented different variation levels in both morphology and molecular traits. However, new species were not proposed because the intra-population nucleotide variations exceeded the inter-population ones. The noticeable morphological and genetic variations revealed among the four studied populations of R. punctulata in different biomes of Brazil suggest the necessity that morphological, distributional and molecular data at the population level should be integrated into complementary datasets to better understand the biological diversity of Rhinoleucophenga through Neotropical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies in other provinces of China (Beijing, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Taiwan) suggest that the distributions of lymphoma subtypes differ compared with Western populations. In order to evaluate the characteristics of malignant lymphoma in Sichuan, China, we analyzed case series data from incident lymphoma patients diagnosed in 2008 from three hospitals, including a total of 1629 cases and including only current residents of Sichuan. The median age of diagnosis for cases was 54 years, with a higher proportion of male cases compared with female cases. The most commonly diagnosed subtypes included diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (40.4%), NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL; 11.8%), mixed cellularity Hodgkin lymphoma (7.0%), mantle cell lymphoma (4.8%), and marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (3.9%). Differences in demographic characteristics between Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases were apparent for median age at diagnosis (HL: 34 years; NHL: 57 years), and NHLs accounted for nearly all (99.3%) of the 931 cases of extranodal lymphoma. These findings indicate a higher proportion of NKTCL cases and a lower proportion of follicular lymphoma cases (2.3%) in these hospitals in Sichuan, relative to reports from some other provinces within China (e.g., Shanghai and Shanxi) and the USA. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymus species are amongst the most popular medicinal plants because of their biological effects and pharmacological properties, and they are widely used in folk medicine for many disorders. Fourteen ecotypic Thymus kotschyanus essential oils were isolated, and the biological functionalities of ecotypic oils were characterized in terms of free radical scavenging and antigenotoxic properties. The most abundant ecotypic oil constituents were thymol and carvacrol (27.2-75.6%). The oils produced scavenging capacity, bleaching inhibitory capacity, and COMET-inhibitory capacity values in a dose-dependent manner ranging from 0.15 to 4.79 mg/ml, 0.04 to 3.1 mg/ml and 0.03 to 5.00 mg/ml, respectively. The benefits of T. kotschyanus essential oils from different regions vary, and they represent an inexpensive source of natural substances that have the potential to be used as antioxidative and antigenotoxic agents. Although the impacts of the microenvironment, climate difference and agronomical condition on the medical benefits of the plant were complex and highly context dependent, some correlations among the biological effects, main essential constituents, and the geographical environment were predicted. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We describe patterns of skull size and shape variation in an Atlantic forest endemic rodent to test the influence of genetic structure, historical and environmental variables upon intraspecific morphological variability. Location South America, Brazil, Atlantic forest. Methods We analyse subtle differences in skull morphology of Akodon cursor through geometric morphometrics applied to 324 individuals from 12 localities distributed throughout the species range. Using cytochrome- b gene (cyt- b) sequences from 125 individuals (38 localities), we describe underlying patterns of genetic structure and transform them into distance measures that are included in our morphological analyses. We estimate the relative importance of genetic structure, historical variables and environmental variables on skull size and shape through mixed model selection and Akaike's information criterion. Results Geographical patterns in skull size are mainly explained by non-random factors related to primary productivity and precipitation, whereas spatial shifts in shape correlate with mitochondrial divergence. Cytochrome- b data revealed a phylogeographic break around the Jequitinhonha River, yet striking morphological shifts were observed further south. Differences in palaeostability between regions, and the configuration of rivers, appear as secondary sources of explanation for observed patterns. Main conclusions Multiple forces explain morphological variation within A. cursor. Teasing apart the effects of local adaptation and gene flow may be difficult, but is a key to improve our understanding of the drivers of intraspecific morphological variation. Our findings support the view that size is a more labile feature than shape, and that it may more easily break away from constraints imposed by gene flow. The combination of random and non-random factors, together with documented breaks in the distribution of the Atlantic forest over the Late Quaternary, accounts for the majority of morphological differences observed in A. cursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspects of birdsong complexity, such as the number of distinct notes in a song, commonly increase along latitudinal gradients, a pattern for which at least 10 explanations have been suggested. In two Himalayan warblers, songs are more complex in the northwest than in the southeast. In Grey-hooded Warbler Phylloscopus xanthoschistos, high complexity results from increased note diversity within song types, sung across a higher bandwidth. In Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides, high complexity is a consequence of increased variation between song types. The hypothesis with strongest support is that songs evolved to be more complex in species-poor, demonstrably less noisy environments. We consider geographical variation to be an outcome of sexual selection favouring complexity across environments, where detection of the signal varies. Sexual selection favouring complexity may be resolved in different ways, because complexity has multiple features (repertoire size, song switching, etc.). We argue this has led to the great diversity in song that we have documented among five Phylloscopus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine whether microscopic marine organisms experience more extreme population subdivision than co-distributed macroscopic organisms. Location The intertidal zone of the west coast of North America. Methods We used phylogenetic methods, haplotype networks and analyses of molecular variance ( AMOVAs) to examine geographical subdivision in tardigrades ( Echiniscoides) between the northern tip of Vancouver Island and San Diego. Results Analyses of 330 individuals from 19 populations revealed a genetically diverse set of tardigrades probably comprising between four and fifteen species. Southern populations displayed extreme population subdivision and contained many deeply divergent lineages that are fully or nearly restricted to single sampling sites. In contrast, northern populations exhibited lower levels of phylogeographical structure and few geographically restricted lineages. AMOVAs showed that inter-population variation was maximized when nearly all southern populations were kept distinct and all northern populations were treated as a single population. Main conclusions Strong patterns of population subdivision on fine spatial scales in tardigrades stand in sharp contrast to previous studies of macroscopic organisms across this same range, suggesting that geographical subdivision in microscopic organisms is stronger than in co-occurring macroscopic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Body size often varies clinally, with dominant explanations centred on how body size influences heat exchange (e.g. Bergmann's rule). However, for endotherms, pelage properties can also dramatically alter heat exchange - a point emphasized by Scholander in the 1950s but which has received little attention in biogeographical analyses. Here, we investigate how geographical variation in both body size and fur properties of the koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus) is related to climate. Location Eastern Australia. Methods We measured head length and fur depths of koala museum specimens from across its geographical range, and quantified the relationship between fur depth and insulation. We used linear regression and regression tree analyses to test for associations between morphological traits and climate variables relating to four hypotheses: heat conservation (Bergmann's rule), heat dissipation, fasting endurance/survival of extremes, and productivity. Results Both body size and fur depth of koalas decrease substantially towards the tropics. Consistent with Scholander's view, fur properties showed stronger associations with climate than body size. Males, the larger sex, had shorter fur than females in hot environments but not in more temperate regions, suggesting that shorter fur compensates for sexual size dimorphism. While fur depth and male body size were more strongly associated with variables relating to heat dissipation, female body size was most strongly associated with minimum temperatures. Main conclusions Body size interacts strongly with other traits, such as fur properties, to influence how animals experience climate. Our results emphasize how the consideration of geographical variation in suites of functionally related traits can provide important insight into how species persist across broad environmental gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beet webworm, Loxostege sticticalis L. ( Lepidoptera: Crambidae), unlike many temperate insects and despite its wide distribution range, has a geographically stable value of the critical photoperiod for diapause induction. It has thus been hypothesized that the species could adjust its life cycle to different climates in an alternative way, which should be reflected in geographical variation and/or environmental plasticity of some other ecophysiological trait. Three remote populations of the beet webworm were studied. The insects were reared from egg to adult at several combinations of temperature and photoperiod in order to measure development times of all the immature stages and pre-pupal body weight, and to characterize the sensitivity of these life-history traits to the two ecological factors. The thermal reaction norms for immature development appeared to be significantly different in the three populations. There was also a significant effect of photoperiod on development time as well as on the thermal sensitivity and lower temperature threshold for larval development. Pre-pupae from the northernmost population were heavier and their body mass was more strongly affected by photoperiod than in the other two, but attainment of a greater weight under short-day conditions, especially combined with higher temperatures, was common for all the three populations. Nevertheless, all the discovered geographical and environmentally induced differences in life-history traits were very small and their adaptive significance remains problematic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermacentor andersoni (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Stiles, also known as the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick ( RMWT), is found throughout the western United States and transmits pathogens of importance to human and animal health. The distributions and activity patterns of RMWTs are shaped by regional climatic variation. However, it is unknown if responses to climatic variation differ across the tick's geographical range. The objective of this narrow study was to test the hypothesis that the responses of RMWTs to abiotic conditions [e.g. temperature and RH (relative humidity)] vary among populations. We collected RMWTs from ecologically distinct field sites in the states of Montana and Oregon ( USA). In the laboratory, we tracked weekly survival of tick larvae under four combinations of RH (75% and 98%) and temperature (26 and 32 °C) that reflected the range of conditions observed in the source habitats during spring-summer. For both populations, larval survival time decreased at the higher ambient temperature (50% mortality 1-2 weeks earlier). Differences in RH did not affect the survival time of larvae from Oregon. By contrast, the survival time of larvae from Montana decreased at the lower RH (50% mortality 1 week earlier). These data suggest that the tolerance limits for water stress may differ among populations of D. andersoni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Geographical variation in the prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens may reflect differences in exposure to risk factors such as having older siblings, being raised on a farm or other unidentified exposures. Objective We wanted to measure geographical variation in skin prick test positivity and assess whether it was explained by differences in family size and/or farm exposure. We also compared prevalence in younger and older subjects. Methods Within the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network ( GA2LEN) survey, we measured the prevalence of skin prick positivity to a panel of allergens, and geometric mean serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), in 3451 participants aged 18-75 years in 13 areas of Europe. Estimated prevalence was standardized to account for study design. We compared prevalence estimates in younger and older subjects and further adjusted for age, gender, smoking history, farm exposure, number of older siblings and body mass index ( BMI). Results Skin prick test positivity to any one of the measured allergens varied within Europe from 31.4% to 52.9%. Prevalence of sensitization to single allergens also varied. Variation in serum total IgE was less marked. Younger participants had higher skin prick sensitivity prevalence, but not total IgE, than older participants. Geographical variation remained even after adjustment for confounders. Conclusion Geographical variation in the prevalence of skin prick test positivity in Europe is unlikely to be explained by geographical variation in gender, age, smoking history, farm exposure, family size and BMI. Higher prevalence in younger, compared to older, adults may reflect cohort-associated increases in sensitization or the influence of ageing on immune or tissue responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]