Use of autonomous audio recordings for the rapid inventory of birds in the white‐sand forests of the Peruvian Amazon

White‐sand forests are patchily distributed ecosystems covering just 5% of Amazonia that host many specialist species of birds not found elsewhere, and these forests are threatened due to their small size and human exploitation of sand for construction projects. As a result, many species of birds that are white‐sand specialists are at risk of extinction, and immediate conservation action is paramount for their survival. Our objective was to evaluate current survey methods and determine the relative effect of the size of patches of these forests on the presence or absence of white‐sand specialists. Using point counts and autonomous recorders, we surveyed avian assemblages occupying patches of white‐sand forest in the Peruvian Amazon in April 2018. Overall, we detected 126 species, including 21 white‐sand forest specialists. We detected significantly more species of birds per survey point with autonomous recorders than point counts. We also found a negative relationship between avian species richness and distance from the edge of patches of white‐sand forest, but a significant, positive relationship when only counting white‐sand specialists. Although we detected more species with autonomous recorders, point counts were more effective for detecting canopy‐dwelling passerines. Therefore, we recommend that investigators conducting surveys for rare and patchily distributed species in the tropics use a mixed‐method approach that incorporates both autonomous recorders and visual observation. Finally, our results suggest that conserving large, continuous patches of white‐sand forest may increase the likelihood of survival of species of birds that are white‐sand specialists.     

Intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded peptide conformations

Over the past few years the possible occurrence of intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded structures in linear and cyclic peptides has attracted increasing attention. In this review emphasis is given to solid-state studies, particularly by X-ray diffraction and infrared absorption techniques. Conformational energy calculations are also considered. The discussion is focused both on model peptides and biological activity polypeptide molecules. The tetrapeptide system (Formula: see text), examined allows one to discuss the extended C5 structure and the various folded conformations, namely the C7 (gamma-turn), C8, C10 (beta-turn), C11, and C13 conformations. The four latter forms may include cis peptide configurations. The oxy-analogs to the C7, C10, and C13 conformations and structures containing bifurcated hydrogen bonds are also discussed. The last sections describe intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded peptide structures involving: (1) a side-chain group, (2) the N-protecting group (in synthetic model compounds), and (3) a beta-amino acid.     

Allylic palladium(II) triazenido complexes: synthesis and spectroscopic studies

Reaction of [Pd(1-3-η-allyl)Cl]₂ with lithium triazenide (triazenide = p-XC₆H₄NN-NC₆H₄X-p; X = Cl, H, CH₃) affords dimeric complexes of the type [Pd(1-3-η-allyl)(triazenide)]₂. In the solid state the triazenido ligands are bridging two palladium atoms with their terminal nitrogen atoms, as shown by a preliminary X-ray determination of the complex with X = CH₃. The allyl groups are stereochemically equivalent. ¹H NMR spectra demonstrate the presence of two conformers in solution. The major component has the same configuration found in the solid. The other conformer has stereochemically non equivalent allyl groups. The concentration ratio of the two conformers is independent of the temperature, suggesting the absence of intramolecular processes and of palladium- triazenido bond breaking. This point is discussed also by comparing the (1-3-η-allyl)(triazenide)palladium (II) dimers with the closely related(1-3-η-allyl)(acetate)palladium(II) complexes.     

Conformational aspects of polypeptides. XXIX. Conformational assignments for some aromatic polypeptides by far-UV Cotton effects. New results

Recent improvements in apparatus permit the examination of circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectra to 185 mμ. In addition, new solvents which are transparent to 185 mμ have become available for synthetic polypeptides. The spectral region 185–250 mμ is extremely important for the amide (peptide) chromophore, because of the presence at these wavelengths of the n–π* and π–π* bands,¹ and of another transition, the assignment of which remains unsettled.²     

Molecular Forms of Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase in Human Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid

The measurement of cholinesterase activities in either plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may ultimately prove to be relevant in the diagnosis of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, studies to date have examined only total enzyme activities. Therefore in the present study we have examined the distribution of the individual molecular forms of both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in plasma and CSF using sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Although the total activities of AChE were of the same order of magnitude in plasma and CSF, there was a considerable difference (120-500-fold) between total BChE activity in the CSF and the BChE-rich plasma. The analysis of the individual molecular forms revealed that the predominant molecular species of AChE and BChE in the CSF--both lumbar and ventricular--was the G4 form. The G4 form also constituted the majority of the plasma BChE activity and, on average, over half (56%) of the plasma AChE activity. The significance of the AChE and BChE molecular form compositions of both plasma and CSF and their possible relationship to pathological states are discussed.     

Characterization of quisqualate recognition sites in rat brain tissue usingDl-[3H]α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) and a filtration assay

The binding of [³H]AMPA (Dl--amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid), a ligand for the putative quisqualate excitatory amino acid receptor subtype, was evaluated using centrifugation and filtration receptor binding techniques in rat brain crude synaptosomal membrane preparations. Maximal specific binding of [³H]AMPA occurred in Triton X-100 treated membranes in the presence of the chaotropic agent potassium thiocyanate (KSCN). The effects of KSCN on binding were reversible and optimal at 100 mM. Supernatant obtained from detergent-treated membranes inhibited specific [³H]AMPA and [³H]kainic acid binding, suggesting the presence of an inhibitory agent which was tentatively identified as glutamate. Using centrifugation, saturation analysis revealed two distinct binding sites in both the absence and presence of KSCN. The chaotrope was most effective in increasing binding at the low affinity binding site, enhancing the affinity (K _d) without a concommitant change in the total number of binding sites. Using filtration, a single binding site was detected in Triton-treated membranes. Like the data obtained by centrifugation, KSCN enhanced the affinity of the receptor (K _d value=10 nM) without altering the number of binding sites (B _max=1.2 pmol/mg protein). The rank order of potency of various glutamate analogs in the [³H]AMPA binding assay was quisqualate > AMPA > l-glutamate > kainate > d-glutamate, consistent with the labeling of a quisqualate-type excitatory amino acid receptor subtype.l-glutamic acid diethylester, and 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (AP₇) were inactive. The present technique provides a rapid, reliable assay for the evaluation of quisqualate-type excitatory amino acid agonists and/or antagonists that may be used to discover more potent and selective agents.     

Measurement of the extent of electron transfer to the bacteriopheophytin in the M-subunit in reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas viridis

We have measured the extent of flash-induced electron transfer from the bacteriochlorophyll dimer, P, to the bacteriopheophytin in the M-subunit, H_M, in reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas viridis. This has been done by measuring the transient states produced by excitation of reaction centers trapped in the PH_L ^–H_M state at 90 K. Under these conditions the normal forward electron transfer to the bacteriopheophytin in the L-subunit, H_L, is blocked and the yield of transient P⁺H_M ^– can be estimated with respect to the lifetime of P^*. Under these conditions flash induced absorbance decreases of the bacteriochlorophyll dimer 990 nm band suggest that a transient P⁺ state is formed with a quantum yield of 0.09±0.06 compared to that formed during normal photochemistry. These transient measurements provide an upper limited on the yield of a transient P⁺ H_M ^– state. An estimate of 0.09 as the yield of the P⁺ H_M ^– state is consistent with all current observations. This estimate and the lifetime of P^* suggest that the electron transfer rate from P^* to H_M, k_M, is about 5 × 10⁹ sec^–1 (_M = 200ps). These measurements suggest that the a branching ratio k_L/k_M is on the order of 200. The large value of the branching ratio is remarkable in view of the structural symmetry of the reaction center. This measurement should be useful for electron transfer calculations based upon the reaction center structure.     

The effect of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase genotype onin vitro specific activity andin vivo flux inMytilus edulis

Four samples of the musselMytilus edulis were taken between 1984 and 1987 from Stony Brook, New York, and used to study the glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) polymorphism in this species.In vitro specific activity andin vivo flux measured in the same animals were found to be significantly correlated. A significant effect of GPI genotype on flux was observed in one of the samples; overall, significant evidence of effect of genotype on enzyme activity was also obtained. GPI activities of common genotypes tend to deviate less from the population mean than those of rare (frequency less than 5%) genotypes. This suggests the possibility that rare GPI genotypes are rare as a consequence of having biochemical properties that deviate from an optimum level and, therefore, having a lower fitness. In support of this hypothesis, we found in one of our samples that shell length is a concave function of GPI activity with an intermediate optimum activity level. The financial support provided to P.J.N.S. by the Luso-American Educational Commission (Fulbright Program), the Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Científica (Portugal), and the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa during several stages of this research is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support from the Ministerio de Educatión y Ciencia (Spain) in the form of a postdoctoral Fulbright/MEC fellowship to M.S. is also gratefully acknowledged. Research was supported by National Science Foundation Grant BSR-8415060 to R.K.K. This is contribution No. 736 from the Program in Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York at Stony Brook. On leave from Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande C2, Lisboa, Portugal.     

Probes for CpG islands on the distal long arm of the human X chromosome are clustered in Xq24 and Xq28

We have isolated and characterized 55 EagI-containing genomic DNA clones from the distal long arm of the human X chromosome. The presence of additional sites for rare-cutter restriction enzymes and the demethylation of the corresponding genomic DNA demonstrate that at least 30 clones correspond to CpG islands of the Xq24-Xqter region. All clones were regionally mapped with a hybrid panel. The majority are in Xq28 and Xq24 (18 and 14 clones, respectively), 15 are in the Xq26-Xq27 interval, and none is in Xq25. This analysis demonstrates a nonuniform distribution of CpG islands that may reflect the distribution of coding regions in this part of the genome.