108 (eds M.C.S. Wopereis et al.) Africa are already in place. These include diverse germplasm resources, reference genome sequences (RefSeq) for both wild and cultivated Oryza species, highand low-density SNP arrays and sequence-based genotyping platforms, co ordinated phenotyping networks, and models and strategies for using genomics information to predict phenotypic performance in a breeding ...

In the early stages of plant breeding, breeders evaluate a large number of varieties. Due to limited availability of seeds and space, plot sizes may range from one to four rows. Spectral proximal sensors can be used in place of labour-intensive methods to estimate specific plant traits. The aim of this study was to test the performance of active and passive sensing to assess single and multiple...

The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between fish cage culture and sediment bacterial contamination in the area southern of Caspian Sea. For this purpose, sampling of sediment was collected in Mazandaran province (Nowshahr region) during the rainbow trout farming period at different distances (shadow, 200 and 1000 m from the cage) in 2017-2018. The results showed that in the...

The brain's grid and place cells, which contribute to spatial representations of the external environment, are thought to be modulated by the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (I(h)). Giocomo et al. and Hussaini et al. now provide new insights into these cells' unique activity patterns by studying transgenic mice lacking I(h).

Many animals, on air, water, or land, navigate in three-dimensional (3D) environments, yet it remains unclear how brain circuits encode the animal's 3D position. We recorded single neurons in freely flying bats, using a wireless neural-telemetry system, and studied how hippocampal place cells encode 3D volumetric space during flight. Individual place cells were active in confined 3D volumes, an...

We studied host use by parasitic botflies (Philornis sp.) in a passerine community in central Argentina and analyzed characteristics of nests and hosts associated with botfly parasitism. We conducted a four-year field study as well as a bibliographical survey where we determined: presence of botfly parasitism, type of nest, presence of green material and small sticks in the nest, average height...

The prevalence of antibodies against 5 zoonosis agents was determined in serum samples of 443 breeding monkeys. Of the monkeys, 296 were bred or kept for a long time at R institute, and the remaining 147 were newly imported from the Philippines and kept at S institute for quarantine. Antibodies to simian virus 40 were highly prevalent at 89.1% among monkeys of R institute, whereas no antibody c...

Sexual ornaments, including plumage ornamentation, are often studied during breeding periods even though signal development can take place months earlier. This temporal disconnect potentially obscures the proximate mechanisms that underlie signal expression and development. We studied the correlation between androgen levels and expression of ornamented plumage in adult Red-backed Fairywrens (Ma...

R.J. Hawken, R.L. Sapp, R. Okimoto, J. Chen, R. Borg, C-H. Huang, T. Wing, C. Wang, J. Henshall, and M. Abrahamsen Cobb-Vantress, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 72761, USA SUMMARY Cobb-Vantress is one of the leading global suppliers of broiler breeding stock, with products distributed in more than 100 countries. Cobb has continually invested in new technologies to consistently deliver genetic improv...