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Counting animal populations is fundamental to understand ecological processes. Counts make it possible to estimate the size of an animal population at specific points in time, which is essential information for understanding demographic change. However, in the case of large populations, counts are time‐consuming, particularly if carried out manually. Here, we took advantage of convolutional neural networks (CNN) to count the total number of nest‐entrances in 222 photographs covering the largest known Psittaciformes (Aves) colony in the world. We conducted our study at the largest Burrowing Parrot Cyanoliseus patagonus colony, located on a cliff facing the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of El Cóndor village, in north‐eastern Patagonia, Argentina. We also aimed to investigate the distribution of nest‐entrances along the cliff with the colony. For this, we used three CNN architectures, U‐Net, ResUnet, and DeepLabv3. The U‐Net architecture showed the best performance, counting a mean of 59,842 Burrowing Parrot nest‐entrances across the colony, with a mean absolute error of 2.7 nest‐entrances over the testing patches, measured as the difference between actual and predicted counts per patch. Compared to a previous study conducted at El Cóndor colony more than 20 years ago, the CNN architectures also detected noteworthy differences in the distribution of the nest‐entrances along the cliff. We show that the strong changes observed in the distribution of nest‐entrances are a measurable effect of a long record of human‐induced disturbance to the Burrowing Parrot colony at El Cóndor. Given the paramount importance of the Burrowing Parrot colony at El Cóndor, which concentrates 71% of the world's population of this species, we advocate that it is imperative to reduce such a degree of disturbance before the parrots reach the limit of their capacity of adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bactrocera tryoni and Bactrocera neohumeralis are morphologically similar sibling pest fruit fly species that possess different biological attributes, geographic distributions, and host ranges. The need to differentiate between the two species is critical for accurate pest status assessment, management, biosecurity, and maintenance of reference colonies. While morphologically similar, adults may be separated based on subtle characters; however, some characters exhibit intraspecific variability, creating overlap between the two species. Additionally, there is currently no single molecular marker or rapid diagnostic assay that can reliably distinguish between B. neohumeralis and B. tryoni; therefore, ambiguous samples remain undiagnosed. Here we report the first molecular marker that can consistently distinguish between B. tryoni and B. neohumeralis. Our diagnostic region consists of two adjacent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the pangolin (pan) gene region. We confirmed the genotypes of each species are consistent across their distributional range, then developed a tetra‐primer amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) PCR assay for rapid diagnosis of the species. The assay utilizes four primers in multiplex, with two outer universal primers, and two internal primers: one designed to target two adjacent SNPs (AA) present in B. tryoni and the other targeting adjacent SNPs present in B. neohumeralis (GG). The assay accurately discriminates between the two species, but their SNP genotypes are shared with other nontarget tephritid fruit fly species. Therefore, this assay is most suited to adult diagnostics where species confirmation is necessary in determining ambiguous surveillance trap catches; maintaining pure colony lines; and in Sterile Insect Technique management responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance to and avoidance of stress slow aging and confer increased longevity in numerous organisms. Honey bees and other superorganismal social insects have two main advantages over solitary species to avoid or resist stress: individuals can directly help each other by resource or information transfer, and they can cooperatively control their environment. These benefits have been recognised in the context of pathogen and parasite stress as the concept of social immunity, which has been extensively studied. However, we argue that social immunity is only a special case of a general concept that we define here as social stress protection to include group‐level defences against all biotic and abiotic stressors. We reason that social stress protection may have allowed the evolution of reduced individual‐level defences and individual life‐history optimization, including the exceptional aging plasticity of many social insects. We describe major categories of stress and how a colonial lifestyle may protect social insects, particularly against temporary peaks of extreme stress. We use the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) to illustrate how patterns of life expectancy may be explained by social stress protection and how modern beekeeping practices can disrupt social stress protection. We conclude that the broad concept of social stress protection requires rigorous empirical testing because it may have implications for our general understanding of social evolution and specifically for improving honey bee health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termites are social insects with high species diversity in tropical ecosystems. Multivariate analysis with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and data interpretation can separate social insects belonging to different colonies of the same species. The objective of this study was to propose the use of discriminant analysis by partial least squares (PLS-DA) combined with NIRS to identify the colonial origin of the Syntermes grandis (Rambur, 1842) (Blattodea: Termitidae) in 2 castes. Six ground S. grandis colonies were identified and mapped; 30 workers and 30 soldier termites in each colony were submitted to spectral measurement with NIRS. PLS-DA applied to the termites' spectral absorbance was used to detect a spectral pattern per S. grandis colony by caste. PLS-DA regression with NIRS proved to be an approach with 99.9% accuracy for identifying the colonial origin of S. grandis workers and 98.3% for soldiers. The methodology showed the importance of qualitatively characterizing the colonial phenotypic response of this species. NIRS is a high-precision approach to identifying the colony origin of S. grandis workers and soldiers. The PLS-DA can be used to design ecological field studies to identify colony territorial competition and foraging behavior of subterranean termite species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Developing energy-saving and ecofriendly strategies for treating harvested Microcystis biomass. Methods and Results Streptomyces amritsarensis HG-16 was first reported to effectively kill various morphotypes of natural Microcystis colonies at very high cell densities. Concurrently, HG-16 grown on lysed Microcystis maintained its antagonistic activity against plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. It could completely inhibit spore germination and destroy mycelial structure of F. graminearum. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that HG-16 attacked F. graminearum in a comprehensive way: interfering with replication, transcription, and translation processes, inhibiting primary metabolisms, hindering energy production and simultaneously destroying stress-resistant systems of F. graminearum. Conclusions The findings of this study provide a sustainable and economical option for resource reclamation from Microcystis biomass: utilizing Microcystis slurry to propagate HG-16, which can subsequently be employed as a biocontrol agent for managing F. graminearum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergen testing is used to select antigens included in the desensitisation vaccine. Intradermal skin test (IDT) is the gold standard in cats, yet allergen‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E serological testing (ASIS) is often used. Feline data are lacking regarding the agreement between IDT and ASIS results. Hypothesis/Objectives: The first objective of the study was to establish a colony of cats with naturally acquired feline atopic syndrome (FAS). Further objectives were to define their hypersensitivity disorder to detail the allergen tests results, and to assess similarity between the allergen tests. Animals: Thirty‐five cats with FAS and 10 control cats. Materials and Methods: Enrolled cats went through a five phase‐screening and quarantine process before joining the colony. An elimination diet trial was performed on all FAS cats. ASIS and IDT were consecutively performed on all cats under sedation. Results: Reactions to 34 allergens were compiled for the 45 cats. Global sensitivity and specificity of ASIS were 34.7% and 78.9%, respectively. Only flea (ICC = 0.26, p = 0.040) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (ICC = 0.48, p < 0.001) allergens had a significant intraclass correlation (weak agreement). Two FAS cats had negative tests including one cat with a concomitant food allergy. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This study depicts the first reported colony of cats with naturally acquired FAS. This is the first feline study to compare and show the poor agreement between allergen tests with a panel of 34 allergens. This colony also harbours two cats with FAS with negative allergen tests. These may represent the first described cats with an intrinsic form of atopic syndrome. Background: Allergen testing is performed to select antigens to be included in the desensitisation vaccine. Intradermal skin test (IDT) is the gold standard in cats, yet allergen‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E serology (ASIS) is often used. Feline data are lacking regarding the agreement between IDT and ASIS results. Hypothesis/Objectives: The first objective of the study was to establish a colony of cats with naturally acquired feline atopic syndrome (FAS). Further objectives were to define their hypersensitivity disorder to detail the allergen tests results and to assess similarity between the allergen tests. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This study depicts the first reported colony of cats with naturally acquired FAS. This is the first feline study to compare and show the poor agreement between allergen tests with a panel of 34 allergens. This colony also harbours two cats with FAS with negative allergen tests. These may represent the first described cats with an intrinsic form of atopic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute is a significant fibre found in India, particularly grown in the provinces of Bengal and Assam. The increasing demand for jute fibre in international markets encouraged the peasants of Bengal to grow jute for commercial purposes. Therefore, Bengal became a centre for globally recognised jute production and supplied to European nations. The discussion of jute trade in India would be lacking without referring to the Goalpara district of Assam, which shares a close flank with Bengal, where a plethora of jute had been grown. The damp alluvial soil of the Goalpara district became favourable for growing extensive jute. The affordable and cheap price of high-quality jute attracted many traders from Bengal and Central India. Besides, the Goalpara district had access to waterways in every nook and cranny, and the district's administrative centre had inland transportation connections to Bengal. The jute trade was extensively carried out in the Goalpara district, and all the jute fibre was transported to Bengal and then to European countries. The demand for jute in the international markets caused a huge number of peasants to migrate to Goalpara district from East Bengal to cultivate jute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the goals, objectives, directions of work of the British zenana missions in the XIX th century based on the analysis of reports and articles in missionary magazines. It is shown that the creation of organizations was caused by the desire to help the disenfranchised women of India. Women missionaries sought to mitigate the social exclusion of Indian women, opposed cruel customs, slavery and humiliation of women, provided them with educational and medical services. Christianization was carried out without violence, through familiarization with Western culture. The author concludes that, the missionaries made a great contribution to the socio-cultural development of India, the improvement of social relations, the development of women’s education and the medical system of the British colony.

Rice (Oryzae sativa L.) is one of the most important cereal crops on which an ever-increasing population is dependent for food globally. However, constraints associated with infectious diseases, notably brown spot transmitted by seed and wind reduced its production and productivity. This study was conducted to characterize Bipolaris oryzae isolates morphologically in Fogera plain, Amhara region of Ethiopia. Twenty-nine B. oryzae isolates were collected from Dera, Fogera, and Libokemkem districts and characterized morphologically at the Ambo Agricultural Research Center plant pathology laboratory. These isolates were grouped into nine categories on their colony morphology and growth pattern. About 34.48% of the isolates showed black with fluffy growth pattern, while 68.96% of the conidia shape were slightly curved. Moreover, 58.62% of 29 isolates was initially hyaline. Fast, moderate and slow mycelial growth habits were also observed in 29 isolates, from 3.07 to 15.49 μm in length and from 1.00 to 4.27 μm in breadth conidia size and from 1.52 × 109 to 1.80 × 1010/ml sporulation rates. Therefore, knowing such characteristics is crucial and it needs to identify the pathogen inherent genetic characteristics of the above isolates for fruitful management recommendations.

Resource partitioning is considered a key factor in alleviating competitive interactions, enabling coexistence among consumer species. However, most studies have focused on resource partitioning between species, ignoring the potentially critical role of intraspecific variation in resource use. We investigated floral resource partitioning across species, colonies, and individuals in a species‐rich bumblebee community in the diversification center of bumblebees. We used a total of 10,598 bumblebees belonging to 13 species across 5 years in the Hengduan Mountains of southwest China. First, we evaluated the influence of a comprehensive set of floral traits, including both those related to attractiveness (flower color and shape) and rewards (pollen, sugar ratio, nectar volume, sugar concentration, and amino acid content) on resource partitioning at the species level in bumblebee–plant networks. Then, we explored intraspecific resource partitioning on the colony and individual levels. Our results suggest that bumblebee species differ substantially in their use of the available floral resources, and that this mainly depends on flower attractiveness (floral color and shape). Interestingly, we also detected floral resource partitioning at the colony level within all commonest bumblebee species evaluated. In general, floral resource partitioning between bumblebee individuals decreased with species‐ and individual‐level variation in body size (intertegular span). These results suggest that bumblebee species may coexist via the flexibility in their preferences for specific floral traits, which filters up to support the co‐occurrence of high numbers of species and individuals in this global hotspot of species richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The Botrytis gray mold (BGM) caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., has become a major threat for chickpea cultivation in India. In view of monetary significance of this disease and growing its spread into new regions through seed and soil (sclerotia) encouraged us to study variability of this pathogen from diverse regions. Methods: Botrytis cinerea infected chickpea samples were collected from Punjab and Uttarakhand states. Pathogen was isolated using chickpea dextrose agar media. Pathogenicity was proved by inoculation of spore suspension (3 X 105 spores'mL-1) of the fungus on susceptible cultivar. In vitro studies were conducted for observations of morphological and cultural variability of the fungus. The pathogenic fungus was also identified through molecular characterization using ITS primers. Result: The isolates were categorized into different groups based on growth rate of the pathogen on PDA media. Pathogenicity test proved that B. cinerea isolates from Punjab were showed less disease severity scale compared to Uttarakhand state isolates. The B. cinerea fungus prefers PDA for efficient growth and multiplication than Chickpea Dextrose Agar (CDA) media. There was no conspicuous difference in colour of the colony on PDA and CDA media. The colour of the mycelium were initially white or dirty white or greyish and sporulated culture shown to have as grey with profuse mass on the surface of the mycelium. The fungus B. fabae, a different species was also responsible for causing BGM disease which was confirmed through pathogenicity and ITS sequencing. Twenty-eight isolates were studied for diversity in cultural, morphological and molecular level. The diversity in colony colour, growth type and diameter of mycelial growth, sclerotia initiation, number and pattern of sclerotia formation were observed amongst the isolates. This study would help in designing breeding strategy for development of disease resistant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between April 1820 and April 1822, stimulated by the restoration of the Cádiz Constitution, Bentham devoted himself to writing a number of works on the constitutional reform and colonial rule of Spain, which have been sources of a scholarly debate over Bentham's views on colony. By examining those works, this essay aims to supplement the scholarly debate by drawing attention to a thesis that Bentham developed in his criticism and evaluation of the Cádiz Constitution: a thesis concerning the irreconcilable incompatibilities of liberal constitution and colonisation. I focus on Bentham's critical analyses of the Constitution, and indicate that Spain's colonial rule of Ultramaria not only intensified the weaknesses of the Constitution, but also rendered its merits useless, if not harmful, to the public in both hemispheres. Moreover, I explore the tension that Bentham detected between liberal constitutionalism and colonialism. I maintain that, in Bentham's observation, the civil rights granted by the Cádiz Constitution to the Ultramarians stood to facilitate the enlightenment of citizens and the formation of civil society. As a consequence, the delusion of the Spanish ruling few would be exposed, and the Ultramarians' discontent with exploitation by such foreign rulers would sow the seeds of disobedience and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Counting animal populations is fundamental to understand ecological processes. Counts make it possible to estimate the size of an animal population at specific points in time, which is essential information for understanding demographic change. However, in the case of large populations, counts are time‐consuming, particularly if carried out manually. Here, we took advantage of convolutional neural networks (CNN) to count the total number of nest‐entrances in 222 photographs covering the largest known Psittaciformes (Aves) colony in the world. We conducted our study at the largest Burrowing Parrot Cyanoliseus patagonus colony, located on a cliff facing the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of El Cóndor village, in north‐eastern Patagonia, Argentina. We also aimed to investigate the distribution of nest‐entrances along the cliff with the colony. For this, we used three CNN architectures, U‐Net, ResUnet, and DeepLabv3. The U‐Net architecture showed the best performance, counting a mean of 59,842 Burrowing Parrot nest‐entrances across the colony, with a mean absolute error of 2.7 nest‐entrances over the testing patches, measured as the difference between actual and predicted counts per patch. Compared to a previous study conducted at El Cóndor colony more than 20 years ago, the CNN architectures also detected noteworthy differences in the distribution of the nest‐entrances along the cliff. We show that the strong changes observed in the distribution of nest‐entrances are a measurable effect of a long record of human‐induced disturbance to the Burrowing Parrot colony at El Cóndor. Given the paramount importance of the Burrowing Parrot colony at El Cóndor, which concentrates 71% of the world's population of this species, we advocate that it is imperative to reduce such a degree of disturbance before the parrots reach the limit of their capacity of adaptation.

Abstract Background GGC and GCC short tandem repeats (STRs) are of various evolutionary, biological, and pathological implications. However, the fundamental two-repeats (dyads) of these STRs are widely unexplored. Results On a genome-wide scale, we mapped (GGC)2 and (GCC)2 dyads in human, and found monumental colonies (distance between each dyad

The problem of revising the colonial past of countries and continents sparks great interest due to the «left-wing» agenda in international relations and the ever-increasing role of territories that were formerly dependent, such as India, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, etc. Anticolonial narrative is again in the focus of scientific discussions. The controversy around the increasing demands on the former metropolises, including Spain, about «repentance», return of cultural property and compensation for abuses committed by the colonizers in the distant past is particularly acute. During the exploration of new lands during the 16th and 17th centuries the Spanish faced the challenge of managing vast territories with heterogeneous indigenous populations. The solution to this problem lay in the creation of an effective system of authorities, which throughout the 16th and 17th centuries was continuously modified and became more complex. Seeking to create a bureaucracy similar to that of Castile, the colonizers brought to America not only its advantages, but also its faults. Indigenous peoples’ traditional systems of government were either replaced by European systems or incorporated into the new pyramid of power as the lowest echelon. The administrative situation of that period can be classified as juridical pluralism. The administration and management of overseas territories was carried out by specially established government agencies, i.e. the Council of the Indies and Casa de Contratación. Local administration was entrusted to viceroys, captain-generals, governors, and Audiencias. The basic unit of the Spanish living in the New World was the urban municipality around which everyday life was built. Creoles became an increasingly influential and ambitious political force in society. The 16th and 17th centuries formed the premises that brought about the creation of independent states in the Americas after the collapse of Spain’s colonial rule.

The present work, consisting of two parts, deals with the little-studied aspects of the Indochina crisis of 1940 in Japanese–French relations – Japan’s claims to control and military presence in French Indochina in the summer and autumn of 1940. During the previous years, ensuring the security and stability of Indochina was at the heart of French policy towards Japan, which was necessarily characterized by a willingness to compromise. The military defeat of France in June 1940 changed its international status: weakened, but not deprived of the colonies and the Navy. The new authoritarian regime of the French state (the Vichy regime) decided to make concessions to Japan in Indochina, given the inequality of forces in the region and the lack of any outside help. The second part of the work begins with the principled decision of the French government to make concessions to the demands of Japan, whose expansionist policy acquired a new scope after the formation of the second cabinet of Konoe Fumimaro, and ends with the entry of Japanese troops into Indochina during September 1940. The author examines the process of the policy of the Vichy regime developing in this direction and the actions of its leaders and main executives: Head of State Marshal Philippe Petain, Foreign Minister Paul Baudouin, Ministers of the Colonies Henry Lémery and Charles Platon, Governor-General of Indochina Jean Decoux. The emphasis is on “politicians,” not on “politics.” The work is based on diaries, memoirs, and other testimonies of the actors, insufficiently studied in Russian Japanology, combined with the latest works of historians.

The Indian Flying Fox Pteropus medius plays a major role in the maintenance of a healthy ecosystem and is very specific in selecting roosting sites. The present study was conducted from January 2021 to March 2022 to document the occurrence of roosting colonies, the roosting sites and the population characteristics of P. medius in Kurukshetra district, Haryana. Of the 10 roosting sites identified in four tehsils of Kurukshetra district, 60% were located close to water sources, 20% were near agricultural fields, and the remaining sites were in roadside plantations. Eight roosting sites were observed to be permanent and two were temporary. A total of 233 trees belonging to seven families, eight genera, and nine species were identified as roost trees for this species. Our survey results show that P. medius preferred (77.42%) roosting majorly on trees of the Myrtaceae family (Eucalyptus), while very few individuals (0.5%) were recorded on Phoenix dactylifera. A positive Pearson correlation between the population of the roosting bats and the roost tree characteristics such as height (r = 0.320, p <0.001), dbh (r = 0.226, p <0.001), and circumference (r = 0.293, p <0.001) was also observed. The findings of the current study revealed that P. medius prefers to roost on tall trees with large diameters at breast height, located near water bodies and agricultural fields. Protecting such large and tall trees would benefit the conservation of roosting sites of this species and its populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GGC and GCC short tandem repeats (STRs) are of various evolutionary, biological, and pathological implications. However, the fundamental two-repeats (dyads) of these STRs are widely unexplored. Results: On a genome-wide scale, we mapped (GGC)2 and (GCC)2 dyads in human, and found monumental colonies (distance between each dyad < 500 bp) of extraordinary density, and in some instances periodicity. The largest (GCC)2 and (GGC)2 colonies were intergenic, homogeneous, and human-specific, consisting of 219 (GCC)2 on chromosome 2 (probability < 1.545E-219) and 70 (GGC)2 on chromosome 9 (probability = 1.809E-148). We also found that several colonies were shared in other great apes, and directionally increased in density and complexity in human, such as a colony of 99 (GCC)2 on chromosome 20, that specifically expanded in great apes, and reached maximum complexity in human (probability 1.545E-220). Numerous other colonies of evolutionary relevance in human were detected in other largely overlooked regions of the genome, such as chromosome Y and pseudogenes. Several of the genes containing or nearest to those colonies were divergently expressed in human. Conclusion: In conclusion, (GCC)2 and (GGC)2 form unprecedented genomic colonies that coincide with the evolution of human and other great apes. The extent of the genomic rearrangements leading to those colonies support overlooked recombination hotspots, shared across great apes. The identified colonies deserve to be studied in mechanistic, evolutionary, and functional platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beekeeping in Nepal has a rich history, and training programs have emerged as transformative agents in the industry’s development. This study assesses the effectiveness of quality queen production training offered by the Beekeeping Development Program in Chitwan, Nepal held in March/April 2023. The research design employed a quantitative approach to evaluate participants’ reactions, changes in knowledge, and skill levels before and after training. The statistical test involved a paired t-test. The study found that participants exhibited strong motivations for training, with a particular emphasis on increasing honey productivity and knowledge-sharing. Significant improvements in both knowledge and skill levels were observed after training, underlining the program’s positive impact. The study highlights the critical role of training programs in beekeeping development and suggests the potential for improved product quality, colony performance, and additional income. Overall, the findings emphasize the need to prioritize and expand similar training programs in the beekeeping industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in nonhuman primates has been widely reported and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Animal deaths occur routinely at the Primate Research Center of IPB University. The results of necropsy and culture suggested a K. pneumoniae infection. Methods: A mass health assessment of Cynomolgus monkeys (n = 429) was carried out by physical examination and molecular targeting K. pneumoniae (n = 96), family of Coronaviridae (n = 148) and Paramyxoviridae (n = 148). Results: A total of 49.18% of the animals had clinical symptoms of respiratory disorders, abscesses, trauma, and others. PCR results indicated that 28.57% were positive for K. pneumoniae with 35.71% mortality, while all samples were negative for both virus families. Conclusions: There have been outbreaks caused by K. pneumoniae and/or K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae. This disease is chronic, infects all of the buildings, and no tendency for disease transmission according to gender and age class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicellularity evolved multiple times in the history of life, with most reviewers agreeing that it appeared at least 20 times in eukaryotes. However, a specific list of multicellular eukaryotes with clear criteria for inclusion has not yet been published. Herein, an updated critical review of eukaryotic multicellularity is presented, based on current understanding of eukaryotic phylogeny and new discoveries in microbiology, phycology and mycology. As a result, 45 independent multicellular lineages are identified that fall into six distinct types. Functional criteria, as distinct from a purely topological definition of a cell, are introduced to bring uniformity and clarity to the existing definitions of terms such as colony, multicellularity, thallus or plasmodium. The category of clonal multicellularity is expanded to include: (i) septated multinucleated thalli found in Pseudofungi and early‐branching Fungi such as Chytridiomycota and Blastocladiomycota; and (ii) multicellular reproductive structures formed by plasmotomy in intracellular parasites such as Phytomyxea. Furthermore, (iii) endogeneous budding, as found in Paramyxida, is described as a form of multicellularity. The best‐known case of clonal multicellularity, i.e. (iv) non‐separation of cells after cell division, as known from Metazoa and Ochrophyta, is also discussed. The category of aggregative multicellularity is expanded to include not only (v) pseudoplasmodial forms, such a sorocarp‐forming Acrasida, but also (vi) meroplasmodial organisms, such as members of Variosea or Filoreta. A common set of topological, geometric, genetic and life‐cycle criteria are presented that form a coherent, philosophically sound framework for discussing multicellularity. A possibility of a seventh type of multicellularity is discussed, that of multi‐species superorganisms formed by protists with obligatory bacterial symbionts, such as some members of Oxymonada or Parabasalia. Its inclusion is dependent on the philosophical stance taken towards the concepts of individuality and organism in biology. Taxa that merit special attention are identified, such as colonial Centrohelea, and a new speculative form of multicellularity, possibly present in some reticulopodial amoebae, is briefly described. Because of insufficient phylogenetic and morphological data, not all lineages could be unequivocally identified, and the true total number of all multicellular eukaryotic lineages is therefore higher, likely close to a hundred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the methods Imperial Japan employed in changing the names of Korean territories and examines how these changes related to the policies of the colonial power. The Japanese photo album Hantō no kin'ei depicts a variety of landscapes in colonial Korea. It also contains tables of contents in both Japanese and English, whose primary purpose was to Romanize Korean place names (generally written in Chinese characters) based on their Japanese pronunciation. This study argues that in order to superimpose its identity onto Korea, Japan transliterated Korean place names based on Japanese pronunciation rather than the original Korean. Through this strategy, Japan laid claim to such areas and made manifest its territorial expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate an ambitious resource exploitation in Indochina, the French colonial government invested in an advanced transportation system including seaports in the Gulf of Tonkin. Coal mines in coastal areas such as Hon Gai, Cam Pha became vibrant industrial and commercial centers. Therefore, such seaports as Hai Phong, Hon Gai, Cam Pha or Port-Wallut were built close at hand in the Eastern coal basin of Quang Yen province (now Quang Yen district, Quang Ninh province). The mineral trading in Tonkin undoubtedly benefited from this important coastal trading system. With these advantages, the Tonkin coastal region has become an important trading gateway, transhipment and transportation hub for mineral exports in the Far East. This article highlights the advantages and importance of the seaports in the Tonkin for mineral trading in the colonial period (1884-1945). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review analyzes the monograph by a famous Japanese economist, professor of Takushoku University Toshio Watanabe, which focuses on the colonial history of Taiwan in the first half of the 20th century. The author provides a vivid picture of the Japanese transforming the entire economy of the island and “transplanting” the model of Meiji modernization into their colony.

The Bacillus subtilis strain NDmed was isolated from an endoscope washer-disinfector in a medical environment. NDmed can form complex macrocolonies with highly wrinkled architectural structures on solid medium. In static liquid culture, it produces thick pellicles at the interface with air as well as remarkable highly protruding ‘‘beanstalk-like’’ submerged biofilm structures at the solid surface. Since these mucoid submerged structures are hyper-resistant to biocides, NDmed has the ability to protect pathogens embedded in mixed-species biofilms by sheltering them from the action of these agents. Additionally, this non-domesticated and highly biofilm forming strain has the propensity of being genetically manipulated. Due to all these properties, the NDmed strain becomes a valuable model for the study of B. subtilis biofilms. This review focuses on several studies performed with NDmed that have highlighted the sophisticated genetic dynamics at play during B. subtilis biofilm formation. Further studies in project using modern molecular tools of advanced technologies with this strain, will allow to deepen our knowledge on the emerging properties of multicellular bacterial life.

Objective: Determine the interchangeability of various methods utilized for counting colonies in clonogenic assays. Methods: Clonogenic assays of 2 head and neck cancer cell lines were counted through 4 different counting modalities: Manual counting pen, via microscope, 1 publicly available automated algorithm, and a semiautomated algorithm presented by the authors. Each method counted individual wells (N = 24). Pen and microscopic counts were performed by 2 observers. Parameters included both low-growth (<150 colonies/well) and high-growth (>150 colonies/well) cell lines. Correlational and Bland–Altman analyses were performed using SPSS software. Results: Interobserver manual pen count correlation R 2 value in both growth conditions was 0.902; controlling for only low-growth conditions decreased R 2 to 0.660. Correlation of microscopic versus pen counts R 2 values for observers 1 and 2 were 0.955 and 0.775, respectively. Comparing techniques, Bland–Altman revealed potential bias with respect to the magnitude of measurement (P <.001) for both observers. Correlation of microscopic counts for both interobserver (R 2 = 0.902) and intraobserver (R 2 = 0.916) were analyzed. Bland–Altman revealed no bias (P =.489). Automated versus microscopic counts revealed no bias between methodologies (P =.787) and a lower correlation coefficient (R 2 = 0.384). Semiautomated versus microscopic counts revealed no bias with respect to magnitude of measurement for either observer (P =.327,.229); Pearson correlation was 0.985 (R 2 = 0.970) and 0.965 (R 2 = 0.931) for observer 1 and 2. Semiautomated versus manual pen colony counts revealed a significant bias with respect to magnitude of measurement (P <.001). Conclusion: Counting with a manual pen demonstrated significant bias when compared to microscopic and semiautomated colony counts; 2 methods were deemed to be interchangeable. Thus, training algorithms based on manual counts may introduce this bias as well. Algorithms trained to select colonies based on size (pixels2) and shape (circularity) should be prioritized. Solely relying on Bland–Altman or correlational analyses when determining method interchangeability should be avoided; they rather should be used in conjunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the rationale behind the United Kingdom's decision to offer Hongkongers new immigration routes and assess whether Britishness constitutes part of Hong Kong's identity, influencing this policy choice. It explores the concept of Britishness and how Hong Kong developed a distinct identity through its colonial history and experiences under British rule. Perspectives from the British administration, Hongkongers, and Chinese government on Hong Kong's Britishness are considered. The article argues the United Kingdom action stems from two factors – perceiving a shared Britishness between Hongkongers and Britons mitigating public backlash, and viewing Hongkongers' Britishness as crucial to their integration. Ultimately, Britishness remains integral to Hong Kong due to shared social and political values with Britain from over 150 years of colonial rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Thaumetopoea pityocampa caterpillars are a significant pest of conifer trees in Europe and live gregariously in a communal tent with siblings and conspecifics from other colonies. Despite their economic and medical importance, there has been a lack of quantitative information on the tent construction and foraging behaviour in T. pityocampa colonies. In this study, we observed the tent construction and foraging behaviour of T. pityocampa caterpillars in the field at Tregnago, Verona, Italy. At around sunset, large male caterpillars emerged from the tent first to construct the tent, while many female caterpillars emerged later in the night only to forage. As younger instar caterpillars moulted to older larval instars, the environmental temperature decreased, which consequently increased the duration of their foraging activities. The final tent structure constructed by later instar caterpillars was not isodiametric; more silk was applied on the southern side of the tent to receive maximum insolation during the winter months. This study demonstrated the importance of the winter tent and individual variation in tent construction and foraging behaviour of T. pityocampa caterpillars amongst sex, body size, and larval instar and lays the basis for further investigation in polyethism. As a social organism, living in a communal structure is one of the most important physical barriers against environmental elements and natural enemies. Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Notodontidae, Thaumetopoeinae) caterpillars are conifer pests that spend most of their larval stage in winter. Although T. pityocampa holds economic and medical significance, the tent construction and foraging behaviour are poorly understood. We observed the tent construction behaviour in autumn (October and November) when third- and fourth-instar T. pityocampa caterpillars build the 'winter tent' that can withstand winter conditions. Just before sunset, with no rain and temperatures over 12 °C, tent construction was undertaken by early active individuals, primarily larger male caterpillars. Early active caterpillars emerge from the tent first and spin silk on the tent for expansion and strength. Once temperatures dropped below 12 °C and twilight had passed, the early active caterpillars went out to forage and were later joined by the late active caterpillars, which were predominantly smaller females that had remained inside the tent. Foraging behaviour was continuously monitored for the first to fourth larval instars in the field. Foraging was more frequent in younger instars when environmental temperatures were warmer and became continuous and prolonged in later instar caterpillars as temperatures dropped. The final tent structure built by later instar caterpillars had the thickest layer of silk on the southern side of the tent compared to other orientations to receive maximum solar radiation during the winter. Our study provided additional insights into the collective nest building, foraging and social behaviours observed in Lepidoptera, as well as the roles of individuals within non-eusocial insect colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichodesmium is globally abundant, both as single filaments (trichomes) and as colonies, but the mechanisms that govern the distribution of these morphotypes are poorly understood. Colony formation affects all major life challenges, including nutrient acquisition, photosynthesis, mobility, defense against biotic and abiotic stressors, and resilience and adaptability in a changing environment. The multitude of microbial interactions, variable chemical microenvironments, and mobility in the water column make Trichodesmium colonies highly dynamic systems. The ability to shift between filament and colony morphology likely allows Trichodesmium to exploit the benefits of each form according to the conditions. Despite ongoing methodological advances, key questions remain regarding the environmental controls, dynamics, and future prevalence of colony formation. The N 2 -fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is an important player in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles. Trichodesmium occurs both as single trichomes and as colonies containing hundreds of trichomes. In this review, we explore the benefits and disadvantages of colony formation, considering physical, chemical, and biological effects from nanometer to kilometer scale. Showing that all major life challenges are affected by colony formation, we claim that Trichodesmium's ecological success is tightly linked to its colonial lifestyle. Microbial interactions in the microbiome, chemical gradients within the colony, interactions with particles, and elevated mobility in the water column shape a highly dynamic microenvironment. We postulate that these dynamics are key to the resilience of Trichodesmium and other colony formers in our changing environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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One Hundred Years of Solitude, within the perimeter of magically real fiction, raises certain questions which are more historiographical than fictional, suggesting a strong fluidity in the terms like colony, state etc., more so, in the traditionally compartmentalized spaces: colonial, postcolonial and neocolonial with the result of dangerous floor-crossings of history. This paper will examine how the first settler Jose Arcadio Buendia, at the end of a typical diaspora, goes for founding Macondo, a prototype colony, and continues ruling it until the so far non-existent state intervenes to extend its territorial grip and unilateral power over Macondo through its civil and military outposts in the modus operandi a colonial center usually employs against its extended territory. The paper will further examine how the same state, presumably postcolonial, eventually turns into a de facto colony of a neocolonial center, thus thoroughly dismantling the fine myth of decolonization with the colonial question still unanswered and unburdened of. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents data on the distribution of the steppe marmot Marmota bobak Müll, 1776 in the Burtinskaya Steppe Site of the Orenburg State Nature Reserve (Orenburg Region, Belyaevsky District), from its inception to the present. The research was carried out by the author in 1998–2001 and 2021–2022; information on the number of steppe marmots from the archive of the reserve was also used. Mapping of all residential colonies of the steppe marmot and families in them was carried out, and the area of family plots was calculated. Statistical processing of the results of observations was carried out using the STATISTICA 10.0.1011 computer program. The spatial structure of the population, which had developed even before the establishment of the reserve, has been preserved with minor changes for more than 30 years. In the first years (1989–1990), eight relatively small settlements were noted on the territory of the site. Since 1996, ten colonies have been identified, and in 1999, 75 residential family plots were noted on them. By 2003, the territories of the colonies were completely developed, the marmots occupied old abandoned burrows within the colonies, and the number of families on the site increased to 106. Over the next 9 years, the number of families remained stable, after which their number began to decline: by 2017, only 55 families remained. Currently, there is a gradual increase in the number of families in the Burtinskaya Steppe Site; according to the results of mapping in 2022, 74 families were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the circumstances of emigration of children from Great Britain in the XIX–ХХ centuries based on the material of the sources. It is proved that the resettlement was caused by the pauperization of the urban population in the conditions of industrialization. In Canada, minors could be adopted or work on farms, as servants, receiving maintenance and wages. The children had to go to school. It was a prerequisite. Children’s emigration made it possible to fill the labor shortage in Canada, help in the development of the British periphery, strengthen the ties of the metropolis and overseas possessions. Emigration was also the deportation of an overweight population and juvenile delinquents. The lack of proper supervision has led to child abuse and exploitation. The author concludes, that the majority of British migrant children have adapted to Canada, have been given the opportunity to self-actualize.

Formaldehyde (FA), an economically important and ubiquitous chemical, has been classified as a human carcinogen and myeloid leukemogen. However, the underlying mechanisms of leukemogenesis remain unclear. Unlike many classical leukemogens that damage hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC/HPC) directly in the bone marrow, FA-as the smallest, most reactive aldehyde-is thought to be incapable of reaching the bone marrow through inhalation exposure. A recent breakthrough study discovered that mouse lung contains functional HSC/HPC that can produce blood cells and travel bi-directionally between the lung and bone marrow, while another early study reported the presence of HSC/HPC in rat nose. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that FA inhalation could induce toxicity in HSC/HPC present in mouse lung and/or nose rather than in the bone marrow. To test this hypothesis, we adapted a commercially available protocol for culturing burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) and colony-forming unit-granulocyte, macrophage (CFU-GM) colonies from bone marrow and spleen to also enable culture of these colonies from mouse lung and nose, a novel application of this assay. We reported that in vivo exposure to FA at 3 mg/m3 or ex vivo exposure up to 400 µM FA decreased the formation of both colony types from mouse lung and nose as well as from bone marrow and spleen. These findings, to the best of our knowledge, are the first empirically to show that FA exposure can damage mouse pulmonary and olfactory HSC/HPC and provide potential biological plausibility for the induction of leukemia at the sites of entry rather than the bone marrow.

• Big headed ants (Pheidole megacephala) are able to forage in a Y-maze for food. • Previously, investigators modeled P. megacephala with a two-pheromone model. • We account for empirical results of P. megacephala foraging with a one-pheromone model. • Our one-pheromone model recapitulates key patterns and is biologically plausible. • This work demonstrates principles of sensory-cognitive modeling and ant foraging. In a 2009 paper, Dussutour et al. proposed that big headed ants (Pheidole megacephala) employ two attractant pheromones during foraging: one for exploration and another during food gathering. This claim was consistent with, and argued to be supported by, laboratory studies of ant exploration and food-gathering in a Y-maze apparatus. The authors measured foraging activity and colony foraging choice in terms of the number of ants choosing different branches over time, where experimental conditions modified the history of food availability at the end of each branch. They built a two-pheromone mathematical model to account for observed rates and proportions of ants traversing the left versus right branch. Here we show that the main reported experimental observations can be explained by a one-pheromone model. Our findings show that it is plausible, but unnecessary, to hypothesize that these ants employ two distinct pheromones in order to account for the two principal results of the Dussutour et al. study, and therefore, the study falls short of dispositive evidence for a two-pheromone model. More broadly, we highlight that patterns of animal behavior can be ambiguous with respect to sensory and cognitive mechanisms, hopefully motivating future modeling efforts that perform formal comparison across models with different structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops comparative case studies of the Virginia, Somers Isles, and Hudson's Bay Companies' colonies. The analysis uncovers significant historical layering through multifaceted and dynamic modes of production, class relations, corporate governance forms, land ownership schemes, and legal arrangements. Company colonies emerged as hybrid combinations of partially feudal company-owned plantations using white indentured servitude together with proto-capitalist stockholding and freehold land, nascent Black slavery, Indigenous dispossession, and illiberal legislative assemblies oriented to company prerogatives in a largely pre-Westphalian international order. Complex historical layering indicates that no single theoretical approach can fully capture all nuance; thus, the paper mobilizes its case studies to explore critical understandings of these companies through a company-state sovereignty focus, a Marxian view of privatized land and labour, and a Weberian perspective on early capitalist public-private institutional alliances. The paper concludes with connections to contemporary anti-colonial political struggles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying sex‐linked markers in genomic datasets is important because their presence in supposedly neutral autosomal datasets can result in incorrect estimates of genetic diversity, population structure and parentage. However, detecting sex‐linked loci can be challenging, and available scripts neglect some categories of sex‐linked variation. Here, we present new R functions to (1) identify and separate sex‐linked loci in ZW and XY sex determination systems and (2) infer the genetic sex of individuals based on these loci. We tested these functions on genomic data for two bird and one mammal species and compared the biological inferences made before and after removing sex‐linked loci using our function. We found that our function identified autosomal loci with ≥98.8% accuracy and sex‐linked loci with an average accuracy of 87.8%. We showed that standard filters, such as low read depth and call rate, failed to remove up to 54.7% of sex‐linked loci. This led to (i) overestimation of population FIS by up to 24%, and the number of private alleles by up to 8%; (ii) wrongly inferring significant sex differences in heterozygosity; (iii) obscuring genetic population structure and (iv) inferring ~11% fewer correct parentages. We discuss how failure to remove sex‐linked markers can lead to incorrect biological inferences (e.g. sex‐biased dispersal and cryptic population structure) and misleading management recommendations. For reduced‐representation datasets with at least 15 known‐sex individuals of each sex, our functions offer convenient resources to remove sex‐linked loci and to sex the remaining individuals (freely available at https://github.com/drobledoruiz/conservation_genomics). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Armenian printing house in Russia was founded in 1780 by Grigor Khaldaryants, who moved it from London to St. Petersburg. After the death of Khaldryants, in 1789, Hovsep Arghutyan, the spiritual leader of the Armenians of Russia, moved the printing house to New Nakhichevan, and in 1796, to Astrakhan. During its existence, the printing house published about forty-five books on religious, educational, and historical topics. Getting acquainted with the twenty-year existence and effective work of the Khaldaryants printing house, it becomes obvious that his activity served Hovsep Arghutyan for the common interests of the nation, which he had a desire for. In the 18th century, one of the leaders of the Armenian diocese in Russia, Archbishop Hovsep Arghutyun, being in a foreign country, Hovsep Arghtyun, a representative of a stateless country, with his education and enlightened ideas, was able to unite the Armenian people and make them presentable. Printing was a way to connect Russian-Armenians to the Armenian Church, raise their liberating spirit, and shape their worldview. The Armenian printed book, including Russian-Armenian printing, was the expression of Armenian self-assertion and striving for survival. It occupies an honorable place in Armenian culture with its unique face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]