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This document is a corrigendum published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. It corrects errors in a previously published article titled "Trickle infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus results in decreased worm burdens but increased intestinal inflammation and scarring." The errors include incorrect numbers in Figure 1 and an incorrect statement about cell numbers in the results section. The authors apologize for the errors and state that they do not change the scientific conclusions of the article. The original article has been updated. [Extracted from the article]

Post COVID-19, there has been renewed interest in understanding the pathogens challenging the human health and evaluate our preparedness towards dealing with health challenges in future. In this endeavour, it is not only the bacteria and the viruses, but a greater community of pathogens. Such pathogenic microorganisms, include protozoa, fungi and worms, which establish a distinct variety of disease-causing agents with the capability to impact the host’s well-being as well as the equity of ecosystem. This review summarises the peculiar characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms utilized by these disease-causing organisms. It features their role in causing infection in the concerned host and emphasizes the need for further research. Understanding the layers of pathogenesis encompassing the concerned infectious microbes will help expand targeted inferences with relation to the cause of the infection. This would strengthen and augment benefit to the host’s health along with the maintenance of ecosystem network, exhibiting host-pathogen interaction cycle. This would be key to discover the layers underlying differential disease severities in response to similar/same pathogen infection.

Human trichinellosis is a parasitic infection caused by roundworms belonging to the genus Trichinella, especially Trichinella spiralis. Early and accurate clinical diagnoses of trichinellosis are required for efficacious prognosis and treatment. Current drug therapies are limited by antiparasitic resistance, poor absorption, and an inability to kill the encapsulating muscle-stage larvae. Therefore, reliable biomarkers and drug targets for novel diagnostic approaches and anthelmintic drugs are required. In this study, metabolite profiles of T. spiralis adult worms and muscle larvae were obtained using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. In addition, metabolite-based biomarkers of T. spiralis excretory--secretory products and their related metabolic pathways were characterized. The metabolic profiling identified major, related metabolic pathways involving adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-dependent synthetase/ligase and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis in T. spiralis adult worms and muscle larvae, respectively. These pathways are potential drug targets for the treatment of the intestinal and muscular phases of infection. The metabolome of larva excretory--secretory products was characterized, with amino acid permease and carbohydrate kinase being identified as key metabolic pathways. Among six metabolites, decanoyl-l-carnitine and 2,3-dinor-6-keto prostaglandin F1α-d9 were identified as potential metabolite-based biomarkers that might be related to the host inflammatory processes. In summary, this study compared the relationships between the metabolic profiles of two T. spiralis growth stages. Importantly, the main metabolites and metabolic pathways identified may aid the development of novel clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for human trichinellosis and other related helminthic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mollusks are among the most diverse and the most threatened invertebrate groups, with high records of recent extinctions. Yet, the assessment of mollusk diversity and records in megadiverse countries such as the Philippines greatly needs synthesis and updating. Here, we report on the current taxonomic diversity of the Philippine mollusk. Comprehensive records of mollusks in the Philippines from published literature, accessible museum records, and online databases were compiled and checked with the World Register of Marine Species. A total of 64,898 Philippine mollusk records were compiled, comprised of 14,482 distinct species. Of these distinct species records of Philippine mollusk, 51% have accepted names in WoRMS, whereas 35.8% had taxonomic name changes; 1.5% had unaccepted names in WoRMS but with no accepted names either (e.g. taxon inquirendum, nomen dubium, etc), and 11.7% did not have exactly matched records in WoRMS. After checking all Philippine mollusks records against WoRMS, there were 8,066 mollusk species in the Philippines belonging to 1,991 genera within 423 families and 51 orders, representing all molluscan classes. A total of 7,085 (88%) of the species records were marine (6,953 or 86% were strictly marine species) belonging to 1,780 genera, 368 families, and 50 orders, also representing all mollusk classes. This current account is the most comprehensive we know to date, but it certainly is an underestimate, as not all possible resources are accessible. A systematic national-scale survey of Philippine mollusk diversity is needed to improve the current account and to fill the gaps in [1] taxonomic status verification, and [2] the IUCN and conservation status of many Philippine mollusk species (which, to date, 96% of all species have no IUCN assessments). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The black inch worm (BIW), Hyposidra talaca Walker (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), is a pest that defoliates tea leaves in India, posing a significant threat to the tea industry. Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) is capable of infecting larvae of this species, which has raised the possibility of its use as a biocontrol agent. Results: Rearing larvae in a semi-synthetic artificial diet produced healthy adults, which is sufficient for mass culture of H. talaca to support one of the IPM components using baculovirus. In artificial diets, the NPV was evaluated for its insecticidal activity against H. talaca. The bioassay findings of inoculated H. talaca nucleopolyhedrovirus virus (HytaNPV) at various concentrations showed that it was effective in killing the BIW. Purified polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBs) were estimated to a concentration of 1 × 1010 PIBs per ml by mixing with water, and various concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 7.5, 10 ml/l were evaluated against BIW. Both laboratory and field studies revealed that HytaNPV is an eco-friendly and ecologically safe agent for controlling BIW. Besides no residue was estimated in made tea after the seventh day of exposure, and it is nontoxic to non-target species. Conclusion: It was found that NPV is environmentally beneficial for the control of pests on tea plants and in production of pesticide-free tea. Tea ecosystems can reduce their reliance on conventional insecticides by using HytaNPV as an alternative bio-insecticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ichnospecies of the ichnogenus Nummipera Hölder, 1989 has been documented in the carbonate packstone and wackestone of the Ypresian (early Eocene) Naredi Formation from the western Kutch (Kachchh) Basin, India. This new ichnospecies is distinguished from Nummipera eocenica (the existing sole ichnospecies of ichnogenus Nummipera) on the basis of the burrow orientation, taxonomy and orientation of foraminifera lining the burrow walls, and burrow filling. Nummipera saraswatii isp. nov. represents the earliest occurrence of Nummipera. It is a horizontal to gently inclined, straight to feebly curved, intermittently vertically flattened tubular burrow closed at one end, displaying circular to elliptical cross-sections, and representing three-distinct morphotypes. The analyzed specimens are characterized by walls mostly lined with unbroken and well-sorted megalospheric tests of Assilina laxispira. Burrows are characterized by active massive fill akin to the host material consisting of organic-rich muddy material and bioclasts or active concentric fill displaying a distinct outer and inner lumen, filled with organic-rich materials of different grain-sizes varying from mud to sand. Crustaceans and vermiform animals can be envisaged as the probable producers based on the distinctive morphotypes and ethological affinity. The shallow-tier N. saraswatii shows association with the deep-tier Cylindrichnus concentricus. The association manifests key features of a stressed Cruziana Ichnofacies and characterizes an Assilina bank of a proximal carbonate open shelf setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discovered a dense population of tubificine worms attributed to the genus Limnodrilus (Clitellata: Naididae; Tubificinae) in the sulfidic springs of the former Blount Springs resort in northern Alabama. To determine the phylogenetic placement of this population, we compared our samples' morphological characters and commonly used molecular sequences to those of other Limnodrilus species. Using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence analysis of four loci, we confidently identify the worm as belonging in the Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri species complex, to the exclusion of L. sulphurensis that thrives in a high sulfide Colorado cave. This adaptation, therefore, represents a habitat extension within the normally freshwater L. hoffmeisteri complex and as such may represent an independent acquisition of sulfide tolerance. Both maximum likelihood tree methods and the more conservative tree-independent splits analysis of molecular data place the Blount Springs population within clade III, one of ten L. hoffmeisteri clades proposed in previous work. In contrast, the Blount Springs tubificine morphologically more closely resembles worms in clade I. Additional phylogenetic data may be necessary to pinpoint its placement within L. hoffmeisteri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the history and eradication of Cochliomyia hominivorax, commonly known as the New World Screwfly. It discusses the species' threat to livestock industries, historical eradication efforts led by Edward F. Knipling, and the development and implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a successful means of control.

Low inflows cause predominantly hypersaline conditions in Baffin Bay, TX (USA), which are inhospitable for oysters, the dominant reef-builder in other northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries. Instead, extensive biogenic reefs contain dense aggregations of the ubiquitous tube-building serpulid worm, Hydroides dianthus. The distribution and size of these reefs have declined over the last several decades. Although serpulid reef habitats have increased in conservation importance, there is a need for ecological knowledge to inform resource management and habitat restoration planning. This study examined spatial and temporal recruitment patterns of serpulid worms and other encrusting species over an 18-month-long period, using recruitment tiles, and live serpulid reef as a reference. Recruitment of H. dianthus occurs year-round; however, the greatest recruitment occurs between September and December. No consistent differences in serpulid recruitment were detected among locations within Baffin Bay, which could be because salinity and temperature were similar among locations, and/or because sampling replication was low. H. dianthus cover was greater on the lower surface of horizontally oriented recruitment tiles (28% cover), whereas Amphibalanus eburneus (barnacle) cover dominated the upper surface of tiles (34% cover). Furthermore, there is no evidence that predation by megafauna (> 1 cm) is hindering serpulid recruitment. There is sufficient larval supply of H. dianthus to suggest that the restoration of serpulid reefs can be successful by providing additional substrate with appropriate microhabitat complexity. Study findings can be used to support planning and successful implementation of serpulid reef restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have adapted a semiautomated method for tracking Caenorhabditis elegans spontaneous locomotor activity into a quantifiable assay by developing a sophisticated method for analyzing the time course of measured activity. The 16‐h worm Adult Activity Test (wAAT) can be used to measure C. elegans activity levels for efficient screening for pharmacological and toxicity‐induced effects. As with any apical endpoint assay, the wAAT is mode of action agnostic, allowing for detection of effects from a broad spectrum of response pathways. With caffeine as a model mild stimulant, the wAAT showed transient hyperactivity followed by reversion to baseline. Mercury chloride (HgCl2) produced an early dose–response hyperactivity phase followed by pronounced hypoactivity, a behavior pattern we have termed a toxicant "escape response." Methylmercury chloride (meHgCl) produced a similar pattern to HgCl2, but at much lower concentrations, a weaker hyperactivity response, and more pronounced hypoactivity. Sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) induced hypoactivity at high concentrations. Acute toxicity, as measured by hypoactivity in C. elegans adults, was ranked: meHgCl > HgCl2 > NaAsO2 = DMA. Caffeine was not toxic with the wAAT at tested concentrations. Methods for conducting the wAAT are described, along with instructions for preparing C. elegans Habitation Medium, a liquid nutrient medium that allows for developmental timing equivalent to that found with C. elegans grown on agar with OP50 Escherichia coli feeder cultures. A de novo mathematical parametric model for adult C. elegans activity and the application of this model in ranking exposure toxicity are presented. We introduce the 16‐h worm Adult Activity Test (wAAT), which can be used to measure C. elegans spontaneous locomotor activity levels for efficient screening of pharmacological and toxicity induced effects. Acute toxicity, as measured by hypoactivity in C. elegans adults, was ranked: meHgCl > HgCl2 > NaAsO2 = DMA. Caffeine induced only transient mild hyperactivity. Detailed methods including a de novo mathematical parametric model for adult C. elegans activity and the application of this model in ranking exposure effects are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall army worm (FAW) has spread to locations at 1222 masl in the northeast region of India. In Assam, its incidence was first noticed on the two banks of the Brahmaputra. In Biswanath district, infestation on maize was observed to be of 15.2-64.3% at farmers' field and 2.15% in Biswanath College of Agriculture campus of the Assam Agricultural University. This variation might be attributed to the rich avian diversity in the college campus. No larval parasite was observed in the field collected larvae. A large section of farmers observed high pest incidence in maize as compared to previous years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the growth and development of fall army worm Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) on four cereal host plants. It was observed that the significantly least total lifecycle duration of male was on maize (27.61± 0.60 days) followed by pearl millet (30.85± 0.46 days), sorghum (31.31± 0.77 days). It was maximum on sugarcane (34.36± 0.80 days). As regards female S. frugiperda, the least was on maize (29.78± 0.66 days) followed by sorghum (32.52± 0.44 days), pearl millet (33.34± 0.52 days) and maximum on sugarcane (36.04± 0.51 days). Likewise maximum fecundity was observed on maize (436.44± 22.44) followed by sugarcane (248.08± 15.54), pearl millet (139.30± 13.02) and the least was on sorghum (106.44± 11.18). Male to female sex ratio was highest in sorghum (1:1.31) followed by pear millet (1:1.26), maize (1:1.20) and the least on sugarcane (1:1.19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores the effect of micronutrient supplemented mulberry leaves on PM×CSR2 hybrid variety of Bombyx mori L. larvae. The field experiment with twelve treatments including a control (T0 to T11), replicated thrice, was supplemented with the desired quantity of the respective micronutrient in individual or in combination. Twenty early B. mori fourth and fifth instar larvae/replication were fed with the 5-6 fully mature mulberry leaves (T0 to T11) twice a day (morning and evening). The results showed that food consumption increased to a maximum of 31.56 and 22.98%, and assimilation increased by 51.38 and 34.56% over control (4th and 5th instar, respectively) with treatment T9 (CuSO4 15 kg/ha + ZnSO4 15 kg/ha + FeSO4 30 kg/ha). With the same treatment, total growth increased by 94.95 and 65.67%, and approximate digestibility by 15.14 and 9.33%; tissue growth efficiency also increased by 65.35 and 49.61% with this treatment, while maximum ecological growth efficiency increased by 49.58% and 52.0% over control in T11 (CuSO4 25 kg/ha + ZnSO4 25 kg/ha + FeSO4 25 kg/ha). Larval duration was maximum with T1 (FeSO4 10 kg/ha alone) (7.63± 19.16 days) as against when fed with the control (T0). Larval length increased by 18.0 and 18.51% in T9, with the larval width increasing by 50.0% in more than one treatment. Maximum chawki larval weight and larval weight increased by 16.78 and 29.44%, while maximum silk gland weight was 2.14± 0.05g in T9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dirofilarioses are widespread diseases caused by mosquito-borne nematodes of the family Onchocercidae, genus Dirofilaria. The major etiologic agent of canine dirofilariosis in the American continent is the zoonotic parasite Dirofilaria immitis. Existing reports of filarioid nematodes in Cuba are based solely on morphological and immunological analysis which do not allow unambiguous identification and/or direct detection of causal agents. Results: Here we present the molecular characterization of filarioid nematodes found in a dog in Cuba. Based on the molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the 5.8S-ITS2-28S region and cox1 gene fragments, the worms were unambiguously classified as D. immitis. Sequence analysis showed high identity of the gene fragments in this study with others previously obtained from D. immitis found in dogs, wolfs and jackals but also from mosquito vectors of D. immitis. Conclusions: Further studies are guarantee to better understand the epidemiological impact of canine dirofilariosis in Cuba as well as the competence of different species of culicid mosquitoes as vectors of Dirofilaria in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fig leaf worm Ocnerogyia amanda Stgr. from the order Lepidoptera, it began to appear at the beginning of the third week of March, laying 94-140 eggs at night. The eggs hatch from larvae with thick white hairs that cover the entire body of the larva. The larva passes through five larval ages during (18-26) days to turn into a Obtect pupae for a period of (10-15) days for the complete insect to come out and repeat the life cycle, and the length of the female's lifespan is (5-10) days and the male's (2-6) days. The study showed that Malathion had the best effect on the third instar larvae, followed by Davey Coz, then Vinam, and the least effect was abamectin. When sesame oil was mixed with pesticides, the toxicity of the three pesticides (Malathion, Devi Coz and Vinam) was synergism. The synergistic ratio was (1.57, 1.35 and 1.32), respectively, and no effect on abamectin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than a decade has passed since the publication of the only world checklist available for Onychophora. During this period, numerous nomenclatural acts and taxonomic changes have been suggested within the group and a wealth of novel data has been published on many taxa. Herein, the up-to-date taxonomic scenario within Onychophora is presented, with appraisal of name status. This checklist covers both extant (Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae) and fossil taxa, and each species is accompanied by information on synonyms, type designation, holotype location, type locality, and language of original description. Additional remarks include nomenclatural inconsistencies, synonymizations, name misspellings, conflicting collecting event data, availability of taxonomically informative molecular data, etc. According to the data, 237 species are currently assigned to Onychophora: 140 of Peripatopsidae, 92 of Peripatidae, and five fossil species with unclear relationship to extant taxa. Since the previous checklist, 37 species have been added to Onychophora, representing an increase of 18.5% in the diversity described for the group. Yet, taxonomic descriptions seem slow-paced, with an average of 3.6 onychophoran species being described annually. From the taxonomic standpoint, 216 species are valid, although many of them require morphological revision and molecular characterization; 21 species exhibit major taxonomic ambiguities and have been regarded as nomina dubia. Recurrent taxonomic issues identified in the literature include inaccurate collecting event data, doubtful taxonomic assignment of molecular sequences, and non-observance of nomenclatural rules. These and other taxonomic aspects are addressed herein in the light of the directives established by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are concerned with the analysis of the neural networks of worms in wireless sensor networks (WSN). The concerned process is considered in the form of a mathematical system in the context of fractal fractional differential operators. In addition, the Banach contraction technique is utilized to achieve the existence and unique outcomes of the given model. Further, the stability of the proposed model is analyzed through functional analysis and the Ulam-Hyers (UH) stability technique. In the last, a numerical scheme is established to check the dynamical behavior of the fractional fractal order WSN model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Early detection of gear fault in worm gearbox is a challenging task due to a high reduction in speed and sliding mechanism in its operation. Conventional condition indicators can identify the faults in the worm gearbox to some extent. But in a complex situation consisting of signatures of different health conditions of the gears at different speeds, diagnosis of a specific fault becomes difficult. In view of this, a fault diagnosis scheme has been explored and proposed for identifying worm gearbox defects which is more effective and accurate even under the complex scenario. Method: The scheme starts with the acquisition of signal from the worm gearbox test rig under three different conditions (healthy, pitting, and missing gear tooth conditions) at three different speeds. Pre-processing of the raw signals is performed using Savitzky–Golay smoothing filter to reduce the noise level in the signal. L-moment ratios are extracted and tested on outlier data. These condition indicators are used in a dendrogram support vector machine (DSVM) as fault features for the classification of faults. Information regarding the location of the fault is extracted from the frequency sidebands at higher harmonics of the gear meshing frequency in the vibration frequency spectrums. Results: The L-moment ratios are able to segregate different health conditions of worm gearbox effectively and at the same time are insensitive to the outlier data which has occurred by chance. The use of the L-moment ratios in the proposed scheme results in the test decoding accuracy (fault classification) of DSVM as 100% in place of 88.8% while using conventional condition indicators. The higher order of accuracy makes it capable of classifying the faults even under complex situations. The sidebands at higher harmonics of the gear meshing frequency reveal information about the location of the fault in the worm gearbox. Conclusion: The proposed scheme is capable in classifying the different health conditions (such as healthy, pitting, and missing tooth conditions) of the worm gearbox from the jumble of data at different values of stabilized speeds, and different loading conditions. The information of the sidebands associated with higher harmonics of the gear meshing frequency in the frequency spectrum helps in locating the presence of the fault on the specific gear elements of the gearbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of predatory mites as a natural method to protect crops from harmful nematodes. Nematodes are small worms that can damage plants, and current control methods are harmful to the environment. Experiments conducted on tomato plants in a greenhouse showed that predatory mites, both alone and in combination with beneficial nematodes, reduced the damage caused by harmful nematodes. Further research is needed to determine the most effective way to use mites and friendly nematodes to safeguard crops and ensure food supply. Another study found that predatory mites can improve the health of plants infected with root-knot nematodes by increasing the surface area of the plants' roots and reducing the number of galls caused by the nematodes. This research suggests that using predatory mites as a biocontrol method could be a natural and effective way to combat root-knot nematodes and protect crops. [Extracted from the article]

Echiurans (spoonworms) are a very distinctive group of polychaete annelids that had long been considered to constitute a separate phylum. Their fossil record is extremely limited, although trace fossils that have been suggested to be attributable to them date back as far as the Cambrian Period. The oldest body fossils are from the Carboniferous Mazon Creek Biota, and preserve only limited morphological detail. New material from the Middle Ordovician (Darrivilian, Didymograptus murchisoni Biozone) Castle Bank Biota of Wales shows fine detail of the morphology of a new taxon, Llwygarua suzannae gen. et sp. nov., including several details that indicate an assignment to the derived family Thalassematidae, allied to the speciose genus Ochetostoma. These details include proboscis morphology, anterior setae, and muscle organisation within the trunk. An additional specimen is described in open nomenclature, as it may be either a distinct species, or a juvenile of Llwygarua suzannae gen. et sp. nov. with a relatively elongated proboscis. These worms demonstrate a very early and previously unrecognised diversification of the echiuran grown group, further supporting an early diversification of Annelida as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increase in the cultivated area of the Levantine maize crop in Sohag Governorate during the period (2005-2022) with the introduction of contract farming in Sohag Governorate and the recent contracting to cultivate large areas of maize and the establishment of high guarantee prices equal to international prices for the crop, in addition to the significant increase In corn prices locally in 2022 as a result of global conditions and the decline in the value of the pound against the dollar, which is expected to increase the area, but a decline was observed in the productivity of the corn crop in Sohag Governorate, most notably from 2012 to 2015, and from 2017 to the end of the period. Study: The reason for this may be due to the spread of the wild army insect, which indicates that the productive reality of the crop has been plagued by some difficulties and obstacles recently, which require study. Therefore, the research aimed to identify the productive indicators of the crop in Sohag Governorate during the period (2005-2022). And a statement of the impact of the application of biotechnology for varieties on the production of the maize crop within the integrated control program for the army insect, the levels of application of integrated control for its resistance, and the extent of its impact on the production costs of the crop in Sohag Governorate. The study found that there is a decrease in productivity, and the results of the comparative analysis between the average per-acre productivity of the most important varieties of the Levantine maize crop in the governorate showed that the hybrid variety Hitech 2031 occupies first place with an average per-acre productivity estimated at about 21.61 ardab. It turned out that the single hybrid variety Hitech 2031 achieved the highest transmission coefficient, and this variety with the highest productivity and transmission coefficient for the yield function of Levantine maize can be grown in the governorate in place of the areas in which the varieties with the lowest transmission coefficient are grown, with a shift of the supply function to the right. The research relied on primary data through two independent samples of maize farmers in Sohag Governorate for the 2022 season, each of which numbered 105 farmers. The first sample represented farmers of the local variety and the second the farmers of modern hybrid varieties. It was found that the first sample followed the level of application of the average, while the second followed the level of High for implementing integrated control provisions. It turned out that the profitability of the unit produced from the crop in the two research samples was estimated at about 213.1 and 698.3 pounds per ardeb, and thus the advantage of the second sample, representing farmers of hybrid varieties, over the first in terms of productivity and revenue of the unit produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucas zeylanica known as Ketumbit has a wide range of medical applications. This fact includes the traditional practice of L. zeylanica for the treatment of worm infections successfully, however to date, the anthelmintic effect has still not been scientifically proven. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of L. zeylanica. The study began with the extraction of L. zeylanica extracts using methanol, ethanol, and aqueous. Subsequently, experiments were conducted to evaluate the possible in vitro anthelmintic activity of various extracts of L. zeylanica against earthworms. Various concentrations (25, 50 & 100 mg/mL) of extracts were tested and results were expressed in terms of the time of paralysis and time of death of worms. All extracts of the plant exhibited considerable anthelmintic activities in a dose-dependent manner. Of them all, methanolic extract at 100 mg/mL showed the most efficacious anthelmintic activity that was comparable to the reference drug (albendazole, 25 mg/mL). Therefore, we conclude that methanolic extract at the concentration of 100 mg/mL could be considered a candidate for worm treatment apart from the standard medication. This work may provide a framework for further study of L. zeylanica as an alternative treatment for worm infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciphering the neural basis of subjective experience remains one of the great challenges in the natural sciences. The structural complexity and the limitations around invasive experimental manipulations of the human brain have impeded progress towards this goal. While animals cannot directly report first-person subjective experiences, their ability to exhibit flexible behaviours such as motivational trade-offs are generally considered evidence of sentience. The worm Caenorhabditis elegans affords the unique opportunity to describe the circuitry underlying subjective experience at a single cell level as its whole neural connectome is known and moreover, these animals exhibit motivational trade-offs. We started with the premise that these worms were sentient and then sought to understand the neurons that were both necessary and sufficient for a motivational trade-off involving the rewarding experience of food and the negative experience of an aversive odour. A simple hierarchical network consisting of two chemosensory neurons and three interneurons was found to produce an output to motoneurons that enabled worms to respond in a contextually appropriate manner to an aversive odour according to the worm's hunger state. Given that this circuitry is like that found in the human spinal cord, retina, and primary visual cortex, three regions which are neither necessary nor sufficient for subjective experience, we conclude that motivational trade-offs are not a criterion for subjective experience in worms. Furthermore, once the neural substrate for a behaviour is described, we question the explanatory role of subjective experience in behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out at the instructional farm, College of Agriculture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Farm Gate, Kalna Road, Burdwan Sadar, West Bengal, India for successive 2 terms of crop during kharif (June to September, 2020) and rabi (December to March, 2020-21). The bio-efficacy of some chemicals (Cyantraniliprole, Chlorantraniliprole, Emamectin benzoate, Flubendiamide, Spinosad, Emamectin benzoate, Broflanilide, Chlorfenapyr, Spinetoram and Teflubenzuron) and bio-pesticides (Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Azadirachtin and Steinernema sp.) were evaluated against Fall Army Worm (FAW) in corn at the field condition. The major parameters considered for comparing the treatments were based on percent reduction in larval population, leaf damage (%) followed by headonic scoring (0-9 scale) and attack intensity (%). All the chemical insecticides except teflubenzuron resulted more or less higher percent population reduction of FAW larva (75.39-89.17%), lower leaf damage (20.13-31.21%) along with low damage score (1.45-1.95) and lower attack intensity (3.03-6.09%). All these effects were at moderate range in case of bio-pesticides. Based on the present findings, better selection of suitable insecticides is possible to manage FAW in corn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have gained much interest due to their enormous potential in civil and military applications. The power and radio communication capabilities of the sensor nodes are limited. Because sensor nodes have limited resources, they have weak defense capabilities and are attractive targets for software attacks. Worm-based cyberattacks are among the most significant threats to computers and WSNs' security and integrity. In this article, a five-compartmental WSN epidemic model is considered. We conducted an investigation into equilibrium analysis and the reproductive number, followed by the development of a nonstandard finite difference numerical scheme for our model. The outcomes of our numerical simulations are then presented. This method yields reliable predictions, which can be valuable for regulators when making decisions related to designing and implementing control strategies. Furthermore, some interesting properties of the developed scheme are investigated, such as positivity, convergence, and consistency. The developed scheme preserves the essential characteristics of disease epidemic models like positivity, convergence, and consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has increased dramatically in recent years, and Bluetooth technology is critical for communication between IoT devices. It is possible to protect electronic communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data from malware and data theft with BlueZ's Bluetooth File Transfer Filter (BTF). It can use a configurable filter to block unauthorized Bluetooth file transfers. The BTF is available for various Linux distributions and can protect many Bluetooth-enabled devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the Internet of Things. However, the increased number and density of Bluetooth devices have also created a serious problem—the Bluetooth worm. It poses a severe threat to the security of Bluetooth devices. In this paper, we propose a Bluetooth OBEX Proxy (BOP) to filter malicious files transferred to devices via the OBEX system service in BlueZ. The method described in this article prevents illegal Bluetooth file transfers, defending big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and electronic communications from malware and data theft. It also protects numerous Bluetooth devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the Internet of Things, with many Linux distributions. Overall, the detection findings were entirely accurate, with zero false positives and 2.29% misses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internal parasitosis is the most important parasitism in small ruminants in tropical region. Synthetic anthelmintics are usually used for their control. Due to the emergence of resistance in worm population, the use of alternative methods such as plants bioactive molecules are developed. This study aimed at assessing anthelmintic activity of nine varieties of Cajanus cajan, a taniferous plant cultivated in West Africa. Methods: Leaves of the nine varieties of Cajanus cajan were dried, ground and hydroacetonic extracts were obtained by cold maceration at a concentration of 60 mg/ml. Live adult of Haemonchus contortus were obtained from sheep's stomach and exposed, in triplicate, to the following solutions: hydroacetonic extracts (60 mg/ml), hydroacetonic extracts (60 mg/ml) associated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (50 mg/ml), Levamisole (20 mg/ml) and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. Worm death time was recorded for each treatment. Result: Worms exposed to Levamisole recorded the shortest death time about 9.73±1.77 min. The potent of the extracts induced worm death time of 64.83±4.73 min while the least efficient induced a death time of 156.50±23.20 min. Worms in the PBS solution were still alive after 24 hours of exposure. These results indicated that the four varieties of C. cajan used in this study have promising wormicidal. Besides that, the effect of tannins were not the only compound responsible for the anthelmintic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart and autonomous vehicles are inseparable parts of the future Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). However, ITS components, and especially its vehicles, are prone to cyber threats. Interconnectivity of different parts, ranging from in-vehicle communication of different modules to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure message exchanges open a window to the cyber attacks launched through these communication media. This paper introduces the concept of stealth virus or worm in smart and autonomous vehicles which can jeopardize the safety of passengers. Stealth attacks are designed to manipulate a system in a way that while the changes are not detectable by human, the system is negatively influenced over the time. A framework for Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is proposed afterward. The proposed IDS structure is scalable and easily deployable on current and future vehicles which are equipped with Controller Area Network (CAN) buses. Through a case study on car cruise control, a new stealth attack is presented. The attack is analytically discussed first. Then, it is shown how the proposed IDS can detect this kind of threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiperipatus ohausi (Bouvier, 1900) is the first species known from Rio de Janeiro, and more than 120 years later a new species is described in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ). In this study, we describe the second species in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which we are naming in honor of the indigenous population called puri who resided in southeastern coastal Brazil. The species can be diagnosed mainly by large dorsal primary papillae close to the insertion of the legs drawing a light band from the anterior to the posterior region of the body, and large dorsal primary papillae alternating on the dorsal plicae. Moreover, they are recognized in vivo by the color of the diamond-shaped marks brownish orange on the dorsal portion of the body. Epiperipatus puri sp. nov. morphologically seems to be related to Epiperipatus acacioi (Marcus & Marcus, 1995) by the shape of the primary papillae apical piece and to E. ohausi by the resemblance of dorsal papillae. The phylogeny shows a close relationship between the new species and E. ohausi in a clade with a still undescribed species from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil located within the Atlantic Forest, one of the most threatened biomes in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rusty millipedes (Trigoniulus coralline worm) are widely distributed species of millipede. They inhabit compost during monsoon season. Population density of Trigoniulus coralline worm was observed and calculated in the present study. The population density is (Dp) 02. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After working in practice, he was set on a research career and became a committed, practical researcher who was determined to develop a vaccine for the barber's pole worm in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Elektronik Industrie is the property of Hüthig GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the seasonal variation of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in goats and sheep in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Fecal samples were collected directly from the rectal ampulla of the animals to count the eggs per gram in the feces at 30-day intervals over the 12-month study period. This study included 40 small ruminants, comprising 22 goats (14 sows, 6 kids, and 2 sires) and 18 sheep (13 sows, 4 lambs, and 1 sire). The study assessed the variation in the excretion of gastrointestinal nematode eggs during the dry and rainy seasons. Coproculture was performed to identify third-stage larvae. In the 12 months of research and monthly sample collections, 95.9% and 82.3% of the eggs detected were endoparasites in the fecal samples of the goats and sheep, respectively. Eimeria spp. oocysts were present in 50.6% and 30.4% of the goat and sheep fecal samples, respectively. The results indicated that the mean number of eggs per gram of feces was higher in the rainy season than in the dry season in both goats and sheep. The genera of gastrointestinal nematodes identified via monthly coproculture tests were Haemonchus sp., Trichostrongylus sp., and Oesophagostomum sp. Thus, gastrointestinal nematode parasitism was higher in goats and sheep during the rainy season than in the dry season, and the genera Haemonchus sp. and Trichostrongylus sp. were the most prevalent.

In Brazil, lamb producers face challenges raising their animals because of high anthelmintic resistance and loss of productivity due to parasites. It is well known that parasitic infections can reduce the performance of sheep. However, until the publication of this work, no research was found that quantified the effects that anemia reflected by FAMACHA© scores can exert on other zootechnical indicators in a lamb production system. The objective of this study was to use the FAMACHA© scores to quantify the impacts of anemia in ewes at breeding and lambing on the productive and reproductive performance of a meat sheep flock. The variables evaluated were i) FAMACHA© score of ewes at breeding and lambing, ii) body condition score of ewes at breeding and at lambing, iii) average daily gain of lambs until weaning, iv) ewe’s age, v) birth weights per individual lamb and litter, vi) weaning weight, vii) ewe’s weight, viii) litter size and ix) pre-weaning survival. The treatments evaluated corresponded to the FAMACHA© score of the ewes during breeding and lambing. Quantitative responses were submitted to analyses of variance and compared by Duncan’s test. In contrast, qualitative or discrete responses were evaluated by the Kruskal & Wallis test and compared to Dunn’s test. The Wilcoxon test was performed to compare the FAMACHA© scores of ewes at breeding and lambing. All statistical analyzes were performed using the R-Studio software version 4.2.0 at a 5% significance level. The FAMACHA© score of breeding ewes was related to the body condition score at breeding, ewe weight, pre-weaning survival, ewe age, litter size, and birth weight. Furthermore, the FAMACHA© score of ewes at lambing was related to the body condition score at lambing, ewe weight, pre-weaning survival, birth weight per lamb and litter, pre-weaning average daily gain, weaning weight, and age of the ewe. There was no significant difference between the test times of the FAMACHA© scores of the ewes, indicating that an ewe will present a similar score at both stages. It was concluded that ewes with FAMACHA© scores of 4 and 5 and their offspring showed the worst productive and reproductive performances. Conversely, the ewes with FAMACHA© 1 obtained the opposite result, demonstrating better technical performance.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming increasingly important due to the ability to collect data in real time and monitor the performance of systems. In this sense, the objective of the project is to create an IoT system to monitor and enhance red boll worm farming conditions in California as part of a strategy to diversify annelid-based goods. Therefore, the goal is to expand this animal's productivity so that additional items can be made from California red worms. Furthermore, the method used implies a research design that uses an experimental approach to obtain data based on the variable conditions identified in the literature review. The analysis of the data will allow determination of the factors that result in optimization of production, and at the same time creation of a production estimation in the network platform. Finally, this project proposes to facilitate the monitoring and control of the variables that interfere in the earthworm reproduction process to increase the production of annelids in pursuit of product diversification. In addition, we put it into practice in real life to demonstrate its applicability and efficacy. In this mode, the results indicate potential findings about IoT application in agriculture situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Machine Tool & Hydraulics is the property of Guangzhou Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (GMERI) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Infections with gastrointestinal helminths constitute a serious obstacle to the good health of the local population in most African Countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthelminthic activity of Persea americana ethanol and aqueous extracts against Heligmosomoides polygyrus using the worm microtracker. Method. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. americana were prepared. Different concentrations of the extracts were tested against the egg and larvae stages of H. polygyrus using an automated high-throughput method. Briefly, embryonated eggs and larvae of this parasite were obtained after the incubation of fresh eggs at 25°C for 24, 48, and 96 hours for embryonated eggs, L1 and L2 larvae, respectively. One hundred microliters of the plant extracts at various concentrations were put in contact in a 96-well microplate with a suspension of 100 embryonated eggs in a total volume of 200 μL and incubated in a worm microtracker where the motility of the worms was recorded every 30 minutes for the ovicidal activity. The final tested extract concentration was 5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, and 0.3125 mg/mL, whereas ringer solution (0.95%) and 1.5% Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were used as negative controls and levamisole as positive control. The same method was used for larvicidal activities. The anthelmintic activity was determined using the average movement of the worms in the tested product compared with the negative control (1.5% DMSO and ringer solution). Results. The egg hatching rates of H. polygyrus had IC50 of 0.49 mg/mL (95% confidence interval: 71.70–92.03) and 0.22 mg/mL (95% confidence interval: 74.28–86.18) for the ethanol and aqueous extract, respectively. These IC50 indicate that the aqueous extract is more active for the inhibition of hatching at a 95% confidence interval. The aqueous and ethanol extracts presented mean inhibitory hatching rates of 78.33 ± 1.67 % and 75.67 ± 1.15 % at 5 mg/mL, respectively, with no significant differences. The highest percentage of inhibition of L1 larva was observed at 5 mg/mL with 89 ± 2.3 % and 85 ± 2.7 % for the ethanol and aqueous extracts, respectively. The lowest percentage of inhibition was observed at 0.3125 mg/mL, with 54.67 ± 3.38 % and 49 ± 2.64 % for the ethanol and aqueous extract, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the two extracts at 5 mg/mL with an inhibitory percentage of 90.67 ± 3.05 % (ethanol) and 89.33 ± 2.08 % (aqueous). Conclusion. Extracts of P. americana seeds possess nematocidal activity, however, further in silico and in vivo investigations are necessary to confirm their anthelminthic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worms often aggregate through physical connections and exhibit remarkable functions such as efficient migration, survival under environmental changes, and defense against predators. In particular, entangled blobs demonstrate versatile behaviors for their survival; they form spherical blobs and migrate collectively by flexibly changing their shape in response to the environment. In contrast to previous studies on the collective behavior of worm blobs that focused on locomotion in a flat environment, we investigated the mechanisms underlying their adaptive motion in confined environments, focusing on tubificine worm collectives. We first performed several behavioral experiments to observe the aggregation process, collective response to aversive stimuli, the motion of a few worms, and blob motion in confined spaces with and without pegs. We found the blob deformed and passed through a narrow passage using environmental heterogeneities. Based on these behavioral findings, we constructed a simple two-dimensional agent-based model wherein the flexible body of a worm was described as a cross-shaped agent that could deform, rotate, and translate. The simulations demonstrated that the behavioral findings were well-reproduced. Our findings aid in understanding how physical interactions contribute to generating adaptive collective behaviors in real-world environments as well as in designing novel swarm robotic systems consisting of soft agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prey capture and subjugation are complex behaviors affected by many factors including physiological and behavioral traits of both the predator and the prey. The western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus) is a small generalist predator that consumes both evasive prey items, such as spiders, wasps, and orthopterans, and non-evasive prey items, including larvae, pupae, and isopterans. When consuming certain prey (e.g., scorpions), banded geckos will capture and then rapidly oscillate, or shake, their head and anterior part of their body. Banded geckos also have large, active tails that can account for over 20% of their body weight and can be voluntarily severed through the process of caudal autotomy. However, how autotomy influences prey capture behavior in geckos is poorly understood. Using high-speed 3D videography, we studied the effects of both prey type (mealworms and crickets) and tail autotomy on prey capture and subjugation performance in banded geckos. Performance metrics included maximum velocity and distance of prey capture, as well as velocity and frequency of post-capture shaking. Maximum velocity and distance of prey capture were lower for mealworms than crickets regardless of tail state. However, after autotomy, maximum velocity increased for strikes on mealworms but significantly decreased for crickets. After capture, geckos always shook mealworms, but never crickets. The frequency of shaking mealworms decreased after autotomy and additional qualitative differences were observed. Our results highlight the complex and interactive effects of prey type and caudal autotomy on prey capture biomechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Priapulida form a small relict group of marine invertebrates characterized by a vermiform shape, an annulated trunk, and an eversible anterior part. Worms with a comparable body plan were diverse and abundant throughout the Cambrian Era, although uncertainties remain concerning their relation to modern priapulids. The problem lies in the lack of morphological detail (ornament, symmetry) available from Cambrian worms and the fact that a comprehensive phylogeny of Cambrian worms with a robust homology framework is not available to define priapulids. The exceptionally preserved worm Ercaivermis sparios, described here from the early Cambrian of China, displays an unusual octagonal symmetry, suggesting that different symmetry types may have co-existed in the early history of Priapulida, before five-fold symmetry was naturally selected to become overwhelmingly dominant. The vast majority of early Paleozoic ecdysozoan worms are often resolved as stem-group Priapulida based on resemblances with the rare modern representatives of the group, such as the structure of the introvert and the number and distribution of scalids (a spiny cuticular outgrowth) and pharyngeal teeth. In Priapulida, both scalids and teeth create symmetry patterns, and three major diagnostic features are generally used to define the group: 25 longitudinal rows of scalids (five-fold symmetry), 8 scalids around the first introvert circle and the pentagonal arrangement of pharyngeal teeth. Here we describe Ercaivermis sparios gen. et sp. nov., a new priapulid from the early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, characterized by an annulated trunk lacking a sclerotized ornament, four pairs of anal hooks and 16 longitudinal rows of scalids along its introvert and eight scalids around each introvert circle, giving the animal an unusual octoradial symmetry. Cladistic analyses resolve Ercaivermis as a stem-group priapulid. Ercaivermis also suggests that several biradial symmetry patterns (e.g., pentagonal, octagonal) expressed in the cuticular ornament, may have co-existed among early Cambrian priapulids and that the pentaradial mode may have become rapidly dominant during the course of evolution, possibly via the standardization of patterning, i.e., the natural selection of one symmetry type over others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent study, we developed a minimally actuated robot that utilizes wave-like locomotion and analyzed its kinematics. In this paper, we present an analysis of the robot's locomotion between two highly flexible surfaces. Initially, we created a simulation model of the robot between two surfaces and determined its speed and the conditions of locomotion based on the flexibility of the surface, the geometrical parameters, and the coefficient of friction for horizontal locomotion and climbing at different angles. Our findings indicate that wave locomotion is capable of consistently advancing along the surface, even when the surface is highly flexible. Next, we developed an experimental setup and conducted multiple experiments to validate the accuracy of our simulation. The results indicate an average relative difference of approximately 11% between the speed and advance ratio of the wave crawling between the two surfaces of our simulation model and the experimental results were performed using an actual robot. Lastly, we compared the wave locomotion results to those of the worm locomotion and discovered that wave locomotion outperforms worm locomotion, especially at a higher surface flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parahololepidella Pettibone, 1969 is a polynoid genus commensal with the antipatharian genus Tanacetipathes Opresko, 2001. These scale worms are elongate with numerous segments and small elytra. To date, the only other known polynoid associated with Tanacetipathes is Antipathipolyeunoa Pettibone, 1991. By re-examining the holotype of Antipathipolyeunoa, we have identified several overlooked characters that no longer distinguish this genus from Parahololepidella. Based on the presence of chaetae on the tentacular segment and elytral irregularity on posterior segments, we propose synonymizing Antipathipolyeunoa with Parahololepidella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]