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Life cycle of Gnathostoma nipponicum Yamaguti, 1941.

The life cycle of Gnathostoma nipponicum was examined by field survey and by experimental infection of animals with the larvae. Naturally infected larval G. nipponicum were found in loaches, catfish, and snakes. Experimentally, loaches, killifishes, frogs, salamanders, mice, and rats were successfully infected with the early third-stage larvae of G. nipponicum obtained from copepods (the first intermediate host), whereas snakes, quails, and weasels were not. Frogs, snakes, quails, and rats were experimentally infected with the advanced third-stage larvae (AdL3) from loaches. These results reveal that some species of fishes, amphibians and mammals can act as the second intermediate host and that some species of reptiles, birds and mammals can act as a paratenic host. The life cycle was completed in weasels, the definitive host, which were infected with AdL3 from loaches and started to evacuate eggs of G. nipponicun in faeces on days 65-90 postinfection.

Animals↗

Life cycle evolution in the digenea: a new perspective from phylogeny.

We use a new molecular phylogeny, developed from small and large subunit ribosomal RNA genes, to explore evolution of the digenean life cycle. Our approach is to map character states on the phylogeny and then use parsimony to infer how the character evolved. We conclude that, plesiomorphically, digenean miracidia hatched from eggs and penetrated gastropod first intermediate hosts externally. Fork-tailed cercariae were produced in rediae and emerged from the snail to be eaten directly by the teleost definitive host. These plesiomorphic characters are seen in extant Bivesiculidae. We infer that external encystment and the use of second intermediate hosts are derived from this behaviour and that second intermediate hosts have been adopted repeatedly. Tetrapod definitive hosts have also been adopted repeatedly. The new phylogeny proposes a basal dichotomy between 'Diplostomida' (Diplostomoidea, Schistosomatoidea and Brachylaimoidea) and 'Plagiorchiida' (all other digeneans). There is no evidence for coevolution between these clades and groups of gastropods. The most primitive life cycles are seen in basal Plagiorchiida. Basal Diplostomida have three-host life cycles and are associated with tetrapods. The blood flukes (Schistosomatoidea) are inferred to have derived their two-host life cycles by abbreviating three-host cycles. Diplostomida have no adult stages in fishes except by life cycle abbreviation. We present and test a radical hypothesis that the blood-fluke cycle is plesiomorphic within the Diplostomida.

Animals↗

The life cycle stages of three Diplostomum species maintained in the laboratory.

The taxonomy of Diplostomum species is in a highly confused state due to synonomy and descriptions based on only one life cycle stage. The objective of this study was to establish and maintain life cycles of several Diplostomum species in the laboratory so that accurate and detailed descriptions could be made. Metacercariae taken from the eyes of fresh water fish were identified using the key of Shigin (1986). Adopting the method of Field, McKeown & Irwin (1994) life cycles of Diplostomum spathaceum, Diplostomum parviventosum and Diplostomum volvens were established and each stage was described, measured and photographed or illustrated as required. The results of this work will provide standard descriptions for the life cycle stages of these Diplostomum species. It will relieve some of the identification difficulties experienced when only one stage in the life cycle is encountered.

Animals↗

Partial clone of the gene for AS protein of the lamprey Petromyzon marinus, a member of the albumin supergene family whose expression is restricted to the larval and metamorphic phases of the life cycle.

AS was previously found to be a liver-synthesized serum protein that is found in the larval (ammocoete), metamorphosing, and juvenile individuals during the life cycle of Petromyzon marinus but not in the sexually mature upstream-migrant individuals (Filosa et al. [1982] Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 72B:521-530; [1986] Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 83B:143-149; Ito et al. [1988] J. Exp. Zool., 245:256-263). In the present work, a partial clone for the gene for the AS protein was isolated from a cDNA expression library made from ammocoete liver. Northern blots using this clone showed hybridization with mRNA from the intervals of the life cycle prior to the upstream-migration period but not from the upstream-migration period itself. The cloned DNA was sequenced and the deduced amino acid sequence was found to have 40% identity with an albumin (our SDS-1 protein) from the upstream migrants of P. marinus (Gray and Doolittle, [1992] Protein Sci., 1:289-302), which is homologous to mammalian serum albumin. Thus the lamprey has two genes, AS and SDS-1, that code for different but similar albumin-like proteins, which predominate at different phases in its life cycle. It is suggested that AS protein, because it is present only at the earlier phases of the life cycle and because its gene is transcribed only during this same period, may be an early version of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) of mammals that is found only in the embryonic, fetal, and neonatal phase of their life cycle.

Albumins↗

Life cycle of Ixodes (Ixodes) loricatus (Acari: Ixodidae) under laboratory conditions.

The life cycle of Ixodes (Ixodes) loricatus Neumann, reared in the laboratory, is described. Engorged females collected from opossums trapped in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo, Brazil, which were used to start the laboratory colonies, were designated as BMG and CSP, respectively. Larval and nymphal ticks from both colonies fed separately on Rattus norvergicus Berkenhout or Calomys callosus Rengger, whereas Didelphis marsupialis L and Didelphis albiventris Lund were used as hosts for BMG and CSP adults, respectively. Biological and developmental data obtained from ticks of both the BMG and CSP colonies that were reared separately for two consecutive generations were compared. The percentage of fed or molted ticks reared on C. callosus was higher than that recorded for ticks fed on R. norvergicus in the majority of the observations. Despite significant differences among several of the biological parameters, the pattern of the life cycles of the two tick colonies was similar. Results indicated that the mean life cycle duration of I. (I.) loricatus was approximately 7 mo from parental oviposition to the occurrence of F1 eggs, regardless of geographic origin or host species.

Animals↗

Plagioporus sinitsini (Digenea : Opecoelidae): a one-host life cycle.

Adult Plagioporus sinitsini occur within daughter sporocysts voided with the feces of prosobranch snails Elimia symmetrica in Basin Creek, North Carolina. These worms produced eggs containing active miracidia while still in the snail. Adults in snails and adults in rosyside dace, Clinostomus funduloides, collected from the same stream were indistinguishable morphometrically. Adults in snails develop from cotylocercous cercariae sequestered in daughter sporocysts that pass through the metacercaria stage. These observations, and previous study in Michigan, suggest that the life cycle of P. sinitsini has 3 potential pathways, i.e., a 3-host life cycle involving molluscan, arthropod, and piscine hosts, a 2-host life cycle involving only molluscan and piscine hosts, and a 1-host life cycle involving only the snail host. The truncated life cycles do not appear to be the result of paedomorphosis.

Animals↗

Life cycle of Ixodes minor (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory.

Details of the laboratory life cycle of 3 generations of Ixodes minor Neumann were recorded. Larvae and nymphs were fed on white laboratory mice and adults were fed on woodrats. Nymphs fed for 4 d and larvae for an average of 4 d; approximately 10 to 11 d were required for females to engorge. After feeding, females laid approximately 1,600 eggs that required an average of 39.7 d to hatch. Eggs were maintained at 97.5% RH and approximately 25 degrees C as were all stages of the ticks when not feeding. The life cycle in the laboratory required approximately 180 d; however, in nature it probably takes longer. I. minor has been recorded from several rodent and bird species known to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner). This study provides data on the life cycle of a potential enzootic tick vector of this spirochete.

Animals↗

Life-cycle stage morphology of Psoroptes mange mites.

Detailed life-cycle stage descriptions for the ectoparasitic mite Psoroptes ovis (Hering) (Acari: Psoroptidae) from rabbit hosts (syn. Psoroptes cuniculi) are presented. The results resolve a number of contradictions in the literature relating to the recognition of the life cycle stages of these mites. This study supports the view that there are two distinct male nymphal stages, both lacking dorsoposterior tubercles. The male tritonymph is significantly larger than the protonymph and has five pairs of metapodosomal setae rather than three. In addition, male tritonymphs have two pairs of cuticular pits on the central metapodosoma rather than the single pair of the protonymph. The results also show that the female protonymph can be distinguished from the male nymphal stages and the female tritonymph. Both female nymphal stages possess dorsoposterior tubercles, but the protonymph is significantly smaller than the tritonymph. In addition, the protonymph possesses three pairs of metapodosomal setae rather than five, one pair of cuticular pits rather than two, and a pulvillus on leg IV which is absent in the female tritonymph. The presence of dorsoposterior tubercles enables the female nymphs to be distinguished easily from the males. By contrast, distinguishing between the nymphal stages of the same sex relies on the identification of both the number of metapodosomal setae and cuticular pits. These descriptions are used to produce a key, which allows the various stages of both sexes to be distinguished.

Animals↗

Life-cycle phases of a zinc- and cadmium-resistant ecotype of Silene vulgaris in risk assessment of polymetallic mine soils.

Short-term exposure of plants to heavy metals is often used for risk assessment of metal-enriched soils (OECD guideline 208) without considering the reliability of the assessment for long-term exposure, i.e. for the completion of a plant's life-cycle. In the present study with 15 orogenic soils three phases of the life-cycle of a Zn-Cd-resistant ecotype of Silene vulgaris were studied to improve risk assessment of metal-enriched soils. The first phase, i.e. emergence of seedlings was not related to the water-soluble or total metal concentration of the soils. Seedling mortality was low as long as the water-soluble metal concentration did not surpass 0.15 micromol Zn and 0.04 micromol Cu g(-1) dry soil. Curtailment of the life-cycle prior to flowering, i.e. the vegetative growth as second phase, occurred on those soils where roots and shoots were heavily enriched by Zn already in the seedling phase. In the third phase, i.e. the generative phase, time to flowering and yield differences between orogenic soils were substantial, but soil metal concentrations could not be directly related to timing of reproduction or biomass. Ranking of data showed a high inconsistency of the responses to metal exposure during the first phases of the life-cycle. It is concluded that total plant mass and seed mass are the only realistic endpoints of life-cycle bioassays in risk assessment as long as ranks are inconsistent between two successive early phases of the life-cycle.

Journal Article↗

[Orthonectida's life cycle].

Analysis of original and literary data permits to conclude that the life cycle in Orthonectida may be characterized as a monohost--monoxenous one, including regular interchange of three generations: asexual and parthenogenetic ones, which are represented by parasitic plasmodiums, and sexual generation, represented by free living and non-feeding males and females or, rarely, hermaphrodites. The sexual individuals are bilaterial, while the parasitic ones are anaxonic. The life cycle of Orthonectida includes the agamic reproduction, apomictic parthenogenesis and sexual reproduction regularly following one another. The life cycle of Orthonectida can be considered as a combination of metagenesis and heterogony. So far, such combination has not been described in any group of metazoan parasites.

Animals↗

Full life-cycle toxicity assessment using rotifer resting egg production: implications for ecological risk assessment.

The majority of standardized toxicity tests incorporate only a fraction of the test organism's life-cycle. However, in natural ecosystems, organisms may be exposed at various times during their life-cycle or throughout their life-cycle. Thus, ecotoxicological data from standardized toxicity tests is of limited ecological relevance. Existing standardized toxicity tests using the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus utilize 24-h survival or 48-h asexual reproduction as endpoints, despite evidence that sexual reproduction is more sensitive. A 96-h B. calyciflorus resting egg toxicity test was developed and used to estimate the toxicity of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and copper. Results were compared to a variety of acute and sublethal endpoints for both toxicants. The B. calyciflorus 96-h resting egg production NOEC for PCP of 10 micrograms/l was 20 times lower than the 48-h asexual reproduction no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and 120 times lower than the 24-h acute lethal concentration 50%. The 96-h resting egg production NOEC for copper of 2.8 micrograms/l was 7 times lower than the 48-h asexual reproduction NOEC and nine times lower than the 24-h acute LC50. Resting egg production was a more sensitive indicator of toxicity than several other sublethal endpoints as well. These results indicate that partial life-cycle toxicity tests are not sufficiently sensitive to detect ecologically relevant adverse effects.

Animals↗

A copepod life-cycle test and growth model for interpreting the effects of lindane.

A full life-cycle test was performed to measure the effects of lindane (3.2-3,200 microg l(-1)) on the survival, development and reproduction of the freshwater copepod Bryocamptus zschokkei. This copepod survived at relatively high concentrations of lindane compared with other freshwater crustaceans with a 10 day LC50 of 241 microg l(-1) (95% CL of 141-440). 'Equiproportional development', which assumes that each moult stage represents a specific proportion of the total development time, and is not affected by processes that influence metabolism such as temperature and food quality, was used to determine the mode of action of lindane on development in B. zschokkei. Development to adult was significantly longer at 100 microg l(-1) lindane compared with the controls, however, development remained equiproportional regardless of lindane exposure. Increased development times, therefore, are not due to a direct effect of lindane on the moulting process but are due probably to reduced food intake or increased metabolism through the stress imposed by toxicant exposure. Although the survival data suggest that B. zschokkei is relatively tolerant of lindane exposure, reproduction was affected at low lindane concentrations. At 32 microg l(-1) lindane, significantly fewer eggs and viable offspring were produced per female compared with the solvent control. At very low lindane concentrations (3.2 and 10 microg l(-1)), there was a significant increase in the numbers of offspring produced per female compared with the controls and this is interpreted as a hormesis effect. In conclusion, a full life-cycle test demonstrated B. zschokkei is relatively sensitive to lindane compared with other freshwater crustaceans. Incorporating a copepod growth model (equiproportional development) into the life-cycle test design, provided information on the dominant mode of action of the toxicant.

Animals↗

Life cycle assessment for sustainable metropolitan water systems planning.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is useful as an information tool for the examination of alternative future scenarios for strategic planning. Developing a life cycle assessment for a large water and wastewater system involves making methodological decisions about the level of detail which is retained through different stages of the process. In this article we discuss a methodology tailored to strategic planning needs which retains a high degree of model segmentation in order to enhance modeling of a large, complex system. This is illustrated by a case study of Sydney Water, which is Australia's largest water service provider. A prospective LCA was carried out to examine the potential environmental impacts of Sydney Water's total operations in the year 2021. To our knowledge this is the first study to create an LCA model of an integrated water and wastewater system with this degree of complexity. A "base case" system model was constructed to represent current operating assets as augmented and upgraded to 2021. The base case results provided a basis for the comparison of alternative future scenarios and for conclusions to be drawn regarding potential environmental improvements. The scenarios can be roughly classified in two categories: (1) options which improve the environmental performance across all impact categories and (2) options which improve one indicator and worsen others. Overall environmental improvements are achieved in all categories by the scenarios examining increased demand management, energy efficiency, energy generation, and additional energy recovery from biosolids. The scenarios which examined desalination of seawater and the upgrades of major coastal sewage treatment plants to secondary and tertiary treatment produced an improvement in one environmental indicator but deteriorations in all the other impact categories, indicating the environmental tradeoffs within the system. The desalination scenario produced a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to coal-fired electricity generation for a small increase in water supply. Assessment of a greenfield scenario incorporating water demand management, on-site treatment, local irrigation, and centralized biosolids treatment indicates significant environmental improvements are possible relative to the assessment of a conventional system of corresponding scale.

City Planning↗

The dependence of viral parameter estimates on the assumed viral life cycle: limitations of studies of viral load data.

Estimation of viral parameters, such as the basic reproductive number (R0) and infected cell life span, is central to the quantitative study of the within-host dynamics of viral diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. As these parameters can rarely be determined directly, they are usually estimated indirectly by fitting mathematical models to viral load data. This paper investigates how parameter estimates obtained by such procedures depend on the assumptions made concerning the viral life cycle. It finds that estimates of the basic reproductive number obtained using viral load data collected during the initial stages of infection can depend quite sensitively on these assumptions. The use of models which neglect the intracellular delay before virion production can lead to severe underestimates of R0 and, hence, to overly optimistic predictions of how efficacious treatment must be in order to prevent or eradicate the disease. These results are also of importance for attempts at estimating R0 from similar epidemiological data as there is a correspondence between within-host and between-host models. Estimates of the life span of infected cells obtained from viral load data collected during drug treatment studies also depend on the assumptions made in modelling the virus life cycle. The use of more realistic descriptions of the life cycle is seen to increase estimates of infected cell life span, in addition to providing a new explanation for the shoulder phase seen during drug treatment. This study highlights the limitations of what can be learnt by fitting mathematical models to infectious disease data without detailed independent knowledge of the life cycle of the infectious agent.

Antiviral Agents↗

Life cycle heterogeneity in animal models of human papillomavirus-associated disease.

Animal papillomaviruses are widely used as models to study papillomavirus infection in humans despite differences in genome organization and tissue tropism. Here, we have investigated the extent to which animal models of papillomavirus infection resemble human disease by comparing the life cycles of 10 different papillomavirus types. Three phases in the life cycles of all viruses were apparent using antibodies that distinguish between early events, the onset of viral genome amplification, and the expression of capsid proteins. The initiation of these phases follows a highly ordered pattern that appears important for the production of virus particles. The viruses examined included canine oral papillomavirus, rabbit oral papillomavirus (ROPV), cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV), bovine papillomavirus type 1, and human papillomavirus types 1, 2, 11, and 16. Each papillomavirus type showed a distinctive gene expression pattern that could be explained in part by differences in tissue tropism, transmission route, and persistence. As the timing of life cycle events affects the accessibility of viral antigens to the immune system, the ideal model system should resemble human mucosal infection if vaccine design is to be effective. Of the model systems examined here, only ROPV had a tissue tropism and a life cycle organization that resembled those of the human mucosal types. ROPV appears most appropriate for studies of the life cycles of mucosal papillomavirus types and for the development of prophylactic vaccines. The persistence of abortive infections caused by CRPV offers advantages for the development of therapeutic vaccines.

Animals↗

Life cycle variation of Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Greece.

During the years 1995-1999 the life cycle category of 2797 clones of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) was examined. The clones originated from primary and secondary hosts from different localities of North and Central Greece and the island of Crete in the south. Four different overwintering life cycle strategies were found that have also been described for M. persicae and other heteroecious species previously. A geographical variation was found in the proportion of holocyclic clones from tobacco and other secondary hosts associated with the abundance of the primary host in the sampling regions. In Central Macedonia, around the main peach-growing regions, the proportion of holocyclic clones was mostly above 50% and in some cases reached 100%. In localities of East Macedonia, holocyclic clones were also frequent. On the other hand, further south or in north-eastern Greece, where peach is not common, the proportion of holocyclic clones varied between 0 and 33%. Fifty seven percent of examined anholocyclic clones produced males under short day conditions, suggesting that androcyclic clones in Greece represent an important factor of genetic variability. Intermediate clones were sampled from all host-plants but at low frequencies (3.6% of total examined clones and 6.9% of non-holocyclic ones). Moreover, a regional variation was found in different colour forms feeding on tobacco plants. Red clones were predominant in regions where aphids overwinter parthenogenetically on weeds or winter crops. However, almost all clones from the primary host were green. The ecological aspects of life cycle variation are discussed.

Animals↗

Life-cycle effects of sediment-associated 2,4,5-trichlorophenol on two groups of the midge Chironomus riparius with different exposure histories.

Effects of 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (TCP) on life-cycle traits of the midge Chironomus riparius and the ability of the midge to evolve tolerance to TCP were assessed using a reference group and a group preexposed to TCP during three generations, both originating from the same laboratory culture. F1 larvae of these groups were then exposed to nominal TCP concentrations of 51, 177, 355, and 532 micromol TCP/kg dry sediment and a control sediment in a life-cycle experiment. Most studied life-cycle traits (mortality, egg production, life span, male dry wt) were fairly insensitive to TCP, and significant effects were observed only at high (> or = 355 micromol/kg) concentrations. Larval development rate was variable, and in some cases it responded more readily to low TCP concentrations than other life-cycle parameters. Some of the observed responses were attributed to changes in food availability. No clear evidence of tolerance to 2,4,5-trichlorophenol was found, but the preexposed midges produced more eggs than the reference group. They also emerged earlier and at a smaller size than the reference midges. These differences between the midge groups suggest that some changes toward tolerance induction had occurred during the preexposure.

Animals↗

Needle in a haystack: involvement of the copepod PARACARTIA grani in the life-cycle of the oyster pathogen Marteilia refringens.

Marteilia refringens is a major pathogen of the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis Linnaeus. Since its description, the life-cycle of this protozoan parasite has eluded discovery. Attempts to infect oysters experimentally have been unsuccessful and led to the hypothesis of a complex life-cycle involving several hosts. Knowledge of this life-cycle is of central importance in order to manage oyster disease. However, the exploration of M. refringens life-cycle has been previously limited by the detection tools available and the tremendous number of species to be screened in enzootic areas. In this study, these two restrictions were circumvented by the use of both molecular detection tools and a mesocosm with low biodiversity. Screening of the entire fauna of the pond for M. refringens DNA was systematically undertaken using PCR. Here, we show that the copepod Paracartia (Acartia) grani is a host of M. refringens. Not only was DNA of M. refringens consistently detected in P. grani but also the presence of the parasite in the ovarian tissues was demonstrated using in situ hybridization. Finally, successful experimental transmissions provided evidence that P. grani can be infected from infected flat oysters.

Animals↗