Formation and growth of a heronry in a managed wetland in Doñana,southwest Spain

Capsule A newly created wetland has been beneficial for the breeding of five heron species and for the settlement and expansion of Glossy Ibises in the region.

Aim To determine whether created wetland would lead to the establishment of a heron and ibis breeding colony, and if so, to determine its effects on the distribution of these species in the wider region.

Methods Number of pairs breeding at the new wetland and in the region were estimated annually from 1996 to 2008. We investigated whether the growth of the new colony was explained by redistribution of breeding pairs within the region.

Results Purple Herons, Squacco Herons and Glossy Ibises colonised the new wetland in 1996. Black‐crowned Night Herons settled in 1998, while Cattle and Little Egrets were the last species to establish in the mixed colony in 2001. The population increase was particularly marked for Glossy Ibises (which had bred in Doñana only sporadically through the 20th century). Our findings suggest that simple redistribution of pairs does not explain the formation and growth of the new colony. Since the first year of establishment numbers of Glossy Ibises and Purple Herons have shown a significant growth trend at both the new colony and in Doñana.

Conclusion The creation and management of a new wetland has been successful for the conservation of heron and egret species and promoted the expansion of the Glossy Ibis population across the western Mediterranean region.     

Genetic variations in CTLA-4, TNF-α, and LTA and susceptibility to T-cell lymphoma in a Chinese population

ObjectiveT-cell lymphoma is a highly aggressive malignant lymphoma that is rare in Caucasians but relatively common in Asian populations. Factors regulating T-cell proliferation and function may play an important role in the pathogenesis of T-cell lymphoma.MethodsA total of 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms in cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and lymphotoxin-α (LTA) genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction–ligation detection reaction analysis in a Chinese population of 291 patients with T-cell lymphoma and 300 healthy controls. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for the associations of genotypes and haplotypes with T-cell lymphoma risk.ResultsAmong these polymorphisms, the LTA +252AA genotype was significantly associated with T-cell lymphoma risk (OR, 2.3; P = 0.002). Furthermore, the TNF-α/LTA haplotype C-G-G-A (TNF-α ?857C, ?308G, and ?238G and LTA +252A) showed a significantly increased risk for T-cell lymphoma (OR, 1.6; P = 0.001).ConclusionOur study suggested that the LTA +252G>A polymorphism may influence susceptibility to T-cell lymphoma in the Chinese population.     

Women’s work,child care,and helpers-at-the-nest in a hunter-gatherer society

Considerable research on helpers-at-the-nest demonstrates the positive effects of firstborn daughters on a mother’s reproductive success and the survival of her children compared with women who have firstborn sons. This research is largely restricted to agricultural settings. In the present study we ask: “Does ‘daughter first’ improve mothers’ reproductive success in a hunting and gathering context?” Through an analysis of 84 postreproductive women in this population we find that the sex of the first- or second-born child has no effect on a mother’s fertility or the survival of her offspring. We conclude that specific environmental and economic factors underlay the helpers-at-the-nest phenomenon.     

Bloom of Gymnodinium catenatum in Bahía Santiago and Bahía Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

Gymnodinium bloom events are of concern, since they produce toxins, which have unfavorable consequences to marine ecosystems, human health and the economy. This report describes the physico-chemical conditions that were present during the algal bloom event on May 2010 in Bahía Manzanillo and Bahía Santiago, Colima, Mexico. For this, seawater nutrient analysis, phytoplankton counts, identification, and toxicity tests were undertaken. Nutrients in seawater were determined using colorimetric techniques, the higher concentrations (8.88 microM DIN, 0.78 microM PO4 and 24.34 microM SiO2) were related with upwelling waters that promoted the algal bloom that began after registering the year lowest sea-surface temperature, favoring the rapid growth of G. catenatum (up to 1.02 x 10(7) cells/L). Phytoplankton counting was carried out using sedimentation chambers and cells enumerated on appropriated area. The bloom persisted in the bays for approximately two weeks and was associated with toxicity (determined with HPLC) in local oysters (1525.8 microg STXeq/100g), and in phytoplankton (10.9 pg STXeq/cells) samples. Strong variations in cell toxicity (1.4 to 10.9pg STXeq/cells), most likely reflected the availability of inorganic nutrients. The toxin profile of the phytoplankton samples consisted of 11 toxins and resembled those recorded for several strains of G. catenatum isolated from other coastal areas of Mexico.     

Leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area in Maranhão, Brazil

Leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies was examined in the endemic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) municipality of Raposa, state of Maranh?o, Brazil. In this study, we examined Leishmania chagasi infection in the blood serum of both humans and Canis familiaris and the natural Leishmania sp. infection rate in the sandfly vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect immunofluorescence reaction and polymerase chain reaction were performed to detect Leishmania infections in humans, dogs and sandflies, respectively. Overall, 186 out of 986 studied human beings were infected with L. chagasi parasites, representing an infection prevalence of 18.9%. An even higher infection rate was detected in dogs, where 66 (47.8%) out of 138 were infected. Among all Lu. longipalpis captured (n = 1,881), only 26.7% were females. The Leishmania infection frequency for the vector Lu. longipalpis was 1.56%. Remarkably, all infected sandflies were found in the peridomiciliary area. Furthermore, a high incidence of asymptomatic forms of VL in the human and canine populations was observed. The results of this study suggest autochthonous transmission of L. chagasi in this endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis because infection by Leishmania sp. was identified in all important elements of the transmission chain.     

Autoantibodies and Sjogren’s Syndrome in Multiple Sclerosis,a Reappraisal

Background

Rheumatologic diseases may cause neurologic disorders that mimic multiple sclerosis (MS). A panel of serum autoantibodies is often obtained as part of the evaluation of patients suspected of having MS.

Objectives

To determine, in light of recently revised diagnostic criteria for MS, neuromyelitis optica, and Sjogren’s Syndrome, if testing for autoantibodies in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of MS would reveal a frequency or demonstrate a clinical utility divergent from previous reports or lead to identification of undiagnosed cases of Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Methods

Convenience sample cross-sectional study of MS patients recruited from the OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center.

Results

Autoantibodies were detected in 38% (35/91) of patients with MS and were not significantly associated with disease characteristics or severity. While four patients had SSA antibodies, none met diagnostic criteria for Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Conclusions

Rheumatologic autoantibodies are frequently found in MS patients and are not associated with disease severity or systemic rheumatologic disease. Our demonstration of the low specificity of these autoantibodies suggests that the diagnostic utility and cost-effectiveness of testing is not supported when there is strong clinical suspicion of MS and low clinical suspicion of rheumatologic disease.     

What’s in a hearth? Seeds and fruits from the Neolithic fishing and fowling camp at Bergschenhoek,The Netherlands,in a wider context

This paper presents new results from the Early Neolithic Dutch wetland site of Bergschenhoek (ca. 4200 cal b.c., Swifterbant Culture), which are compared with finds from similar features and sites. The data indicate the presence of predominantly eutrophic, nutrient-rich reed and forb vegetation and suggest the preparation of meals consisting of fish and fruits. The finds from the hearth, dominated by uncarbonised remains of wetland taxa, form a remarkable part of the find assemblage. Therefore, the discussion concerns assemblages, deposition processes and interpretations of uncarbonised and carbonised finds from hearths at comparable, contemporary sites. The wide variation of macroremains assemblages of hearths indicates that plant deposition in hearths is understood only partly and remains a topic for further research.     

Selective removal of anti-α-Gal antibodies from human serum by using synthetic α-Gal epitope on a core-shell type resin

A novel α-Gal resin was chemo-enzymatically synthesized for the efficient adsorption of anti-α-Gal antibodies in human serum for xenotransplantation. To covalently conjugate a hexanoate linker with lactose and N-acetylglucosamine, both acceptor sugars were acetylated and brominated. Then, α-and β-galactoses were sequentially added to the linker-containing saccharides at their non-reducing ends by using recombinant α-(1,3)-and β-(1,4)-galactosyltransferases from E. coli. Finally, the synthesized α-Gal derivatives were immobilized on HiCore, a core-shell type resin, that was functionalized with amino groups on the shell region, as a packing material on-column. Using this method we were able to demonstrate that the α-Gal HiCore resin had a reduced level of non-specific protein adsorption compared with the commercially available polystyrene supports, TentaGel, and agarose-based supports, when Lectin BS-I was used as the model binding protein. Furthermore, the α-Gal HiCore resin was more efficient at eliminating anti-α-Gal IgGs from the total human IgGs through immunoadsorption than the other two α-Gal resins, α-Gal TentaGel and α-Gal agarose. The α-Gal HiCore resin developed in this study can be utilized in a wide range of applications including ex vivo immunoadsorption and as a quantitative assay of anti-Gal antibody in human sera.     

Ant-hemipteran trophobioses in a Bornean rainforest – diversity, specificity and monopolisation

Trophobiotic interactions between ants, hemipterans and plants play an important role for all three partners. This study compared a broad spectrum of trophobiotic associations in a tropical rainforest in Sabah, Borneo. We studied partner specificity, ant recruitment, temporal continuity and monopolisation in 218 trophobioses, comprising 58 ant species, 62 hemipteran and over 31 plant species. The most common associations involved Dinochloa trichogona (Poaceae) with coreids and delphacids in the forest understorey, and the invasive weed Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) with Aphis gossypii and A. spiraeola in the open vegetation; both associations were attended by a broad spectrum of ant species. In general, associations between hemipterans and plants were highly and significantly specialised, while ants were more opportunistic in their choices of partners, although partitioning was also significant between ant versus hemipteran species and consequently between ant versus plant species. The number of ant workers increased significantly, but at a declining rate, with the number of hemipterans at a trophobiosis. Most trophobioses (96%) were only tended by a single ant species at a time and thus effectively monopolised. Occasionally these guards were replaced by another ant species after a few weeks (11%) or during the night (34%). In order to test whether other sugar-seeking ants as potential competitors occurred in the vicinity of trophobioses, sugar baits were placed next to the trophobioses, on a different branch of the same plant, and on a neighbouring plant. While the hemipteran-tending ant colony mostly monopolised the nearest sugar bait, the number of ant species on more distant baits was significantly higher. Our results show that ant associations with honeydew-producing hemipterans may be relatively opportunistic at the community level, but highly predictable on a smaller spatio-temporal scale in respect to recruitment to, and long term securing of this important resource. Received 23 August 2005; revised 22 November 2005; accepted 19 December 2005.     

What's in a name? Perceptions of stray and feral cat welfare and control in Aotearoa, New Zealand

New Zealanders (n = 354) rated the acceptability of lethal and nonlethal cat control methods and the importance of conservation and welfare. Lethal control was more acceptable for feral cats than strays; for nonlethal control, the inverse was true. More than concern for the welfare of cats subjected to control, perceived conservation benefits, risk of disease transfer, and companion cat welfare dictated the acceptability of control measures. Similarly, the welfare consideration for groups of cats differed, transitioning from companion (highest) to feral (lowest). Differences in attitudes toward acceptability of control methods were evident. In particular, nonhuman animal professionals ranked lethal control as more acceptable than did nonanimal professionals. Cat caregivers (owners) considered both conservation and welfare issues of greater importance than did nonowners. Owners ranked the acceptability of nonlethal control methods higher for stray cats, but not feral, than did nonowners. This research indicates that the use of the terms stray and feral may have significant impact on cats in New Zealand. There is also a greater consideration of conservation values than of welfare in stray and feral cat control.     

Enhanced activity of meprin-α, a pro-migratory and pro-angiogenic protease, in colorectal cancer

Meprin-α is a metalloprotease overexpressed in cancer cells, leading to the accumulation of this protease in a subset of colorectal tumors. The impact of increased meprin-α levels on tumor progression is not known. We investigated the effect of this protease on cell migration and angiogenesis in vitro and studied the expression of meprin-α mRNA, protein and proteolytic activity in primary tumors at progressive stages and in liver metastases of patients with colorectal cancer, as well as inhibitory activity towards meprin-α in sera of cancer patient as compared to healthy controls. We found that the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced migratory response of meprin-transfected epithelial cells was increased compared to wild-type cells in the presence of plasminogen, and that the angiogenic response in organ-cultured rat aortic explants was enhanced in the presence of exogenous human meprin-α. In patients, meprin-α mRNA was expressed in colonic adenomas, primary tumors UICC (International Union Against Cancer) stage I, II, III and IV, as well as in liver metastases. In contrast, the corresponding protein accumulated only in primary tumors and liver metastases, but not in adenomas. However, liver metastases lacked meprin-α activity despite increased expression of the corresponding protein, which correlated with inefficient zymogen activation. Sera from cancer patients exhibited reduced meprin-α inhibition compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, meprin-α activity is regulated differently in primary tumors and metastases, leading to high proteolytic activity in primary tumors and low activity in liver metastases. By virtue of its pro-migratory and pro-angiogenic activity, meprin-α may promote tumor progression in colorectal cancer.     

Fertility History,Children’s Gender,and Post-Reproductive Survival in a Longevous Population

The question of whether mothers’ fertility history influences their post-reproductive survival has been addressed frequently in the scientific literature. Using data from Villagrande Strisaili, Sardinia, where longevity is higher than anywhere else in Europe, we analyzed the relationship between the fertility pattern of mothers who survived past age 50 (n = 539) and their post-reproductive lifespan. We find that, after adjustment for potential confounders (mothers’ birth cohort, survival of spouse), the mothers who on average delivered their children later displayed a reduced mortality risk (?2.9 percent for each additional year), supporting previously reported findings. We also find that a male-skewed offspring ratio was associated with decreased mortality risk of mothers, with longer survival of mothers who delivered their sons above age 35 (p = 0.005), a result not found for daughters. So far, no biological explanation has been suggested for the positive effect of delivering sons later in life. We conjecture that in our dataset stronger nonbiological factors such as gender-specific sociocultural and economic factors may have masked the negative effect reported in other populations, for which a biological explanation was proposed.     

Azathioprine, a clastogen in human somatic cells? Analysis of chromosome damage and SCE in lymphocytes after exposure in vivo and in vitro

Chromosomal analyses in lymphocytes of 28 patients with multiple sclerosis were carried out before, during and after Azathioprine (Aza) therapy. Only a higher incidence of gaps was found in treated patients than in a group of healthy persons but not in comparison with untreated patients. Similarly, no significant clastogenic effect was observed in vitro after short-term and long-term treatment of unstimulated and stimulated lymphocytes with concentrations of 1--100 microgram Aza per ml. Treatment of cultures with 0.0001--4.0 microgram/ml did not yield increased SCE frequencies. The absence of any significant clastogenic effect of therapeutic doses of Aza on human somatic cells is deduced from an evaluation of previously published data and from the present results.     

Synthesis,in vitro and in silico studies of a PPARγ and GLUT-4 modulator with hypoglycemic effect

Compound {4-[({4-[(Z)-(2,4-dioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-5-ylidene)methyl]phenoxy}acetyl)amino]phenoxy}acetic acid (1) was prepared and the in vitro relative expression of PPARγ, GLUT-4 and PPARα, was estimated. Compound 1 showed an increase of 2-fold in the mRNA expression of PPARγ isoform, as well as the GLUT-4 levels. The antidiabetic activity of compound 1 was determined at 50 mg/Kg single dose using a non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) rat model. The in vivo results indicated a significant decrease of plasma glucose levels, during the 7 h post-administration. Also, we performed a molecular docking of compound 1 into the ligand binding pocket of PPARγ, showing important short contacts with residues Ser289, His323 and His449 in the active site.