Exploring the Factor Structure of Neurocognitive Measures in Older Individuals

Here we focus on factor analysis from a best practices point of view, by investigating the factor structure of neuropsychological tests and using the results obtained to illustrate on choosing a reasonable solution. The sample (n=1051 individuals) was randomly divided into two groups: one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA), to investigate the number of factors underlying the neurocognitive variables; the second to test the “best fit” model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). For the exploratory step, three extraction (maximum likelihood, principal axis factoring and principal components) and two rotation (orthogonal and oblique) methods were used. The analysis methodology allowed exploring how different cognitive/psychological tests correlated/discriminated between dimensions, indicating that to capture latent structures in similar sample sizes and measures, with approximately normal data distribution, reflective models with oblimin rotation might prove the most adequate.     

Photosynthesis and water relations of almond tree cultivars grafted on two rootstocks

Five cultivars of Prunus amygdalus Batsch (Ferragnes, Ferrastar, Marcona, Garrigues, and Non Pareil) grafted on two different rootstocks (Garrigues and GF677), and two cultivars (Ferraduel and Casa Nova) grafted on GF677, were grown for three years under rainfed conditions in an orchard in northeast Portugal. Net photosynthetic rate (PN), leaf conductance for water vapour (gs), leaf water potential (Ψ), instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE), and internal CO2 concentration (Ci) were measured at three periods of the growing season: spring, summer (June or July) and late summer (September) over two years. Ferraduel, Ferrastar, and Marcona presented the best performance in the periods when environmental conditions were not very hard (May or September). Casa Nova and Non Pareil were well adapted to high air evaporative demand, preventing the increase of leaf temperature (T1). Ferrastar, although having a good performance in May and September, did well adapt to hard climatic conditions in June 1994. In the following year, although it presented the highest T1, the values were not limiting (30.6 ± 2.1 °C), and PN was only decreased from May to July. Marcona was highly dependent on T1, but prevented its increasing. Garrigues showed lower PN in most measurement periods. GF677 frequently induced the highest PN, WUE, and Ψ. PN was mainly dependent on T1, radiation, Ci, month, and year. WUE depended on the same factors. Ψ depended mainly on gs, air temperature, month, and year. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Origin of the cultivated passion fruit Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa and genomic relationships among species of the subgenera Decaloba and Passiflora

• Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa is the most economically important species in the genus Passiflora. However, the origin of this yellow form of passion fruit remains unclear, being suggested as a hybrid (P. edulis f. edulis × P. ligularis) or wild mutant.
• Here, the origin and genomic relationships of P. edulis f. flavicarpa with some related species in the genus Passiflora (subgenera Decaloba and Passiflora) were investigated using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Genomic DNA of 18 species was used as probe, which was hybridized onto chromosomes of P. edulis f. flavicarpa.
• Of all genomic DNA probes tested, none allowed us to identify a specific chromosome set in P. edulis f. flavicarpa. Conversely, probes from the subgenus Passiflora, P. edulis f. edulis, P. alata, P. cincinnata, P. coccinea, P. nitida and P. vitifolia, produced intense and uniform hybridizations on all chromosomes of P. edulis f. flavicarpa. Moreover, probes from P. ligularis, P. foetida and P. sublanceolata produced more intense hybridizations in the terminal region of four chromosomes, corresponding to the DNAr 45S locus, and also dispersed, less intense, hybridization across all chromosomes. Probes from the subgenus Decaloba, P. biflora, P. capsularis, P. cervii, P. coriacea, P. micropetala, P. morifolia, P. rubra and P. suberosa, produced hybridizations restricted to the DNAr 45S sites.
• The hybrid origin of P. edulis f. flavicarpa could not be supported based on the GISH results, and it is suggested that this species is conspecific with P. edulis f. edulis, because the probe with DNA of this form hybridized strongly throughout the target genome. The other putative parent species, P. ligularis, showed only a distant relationship with the target genome. The results also suggest that species of the subgenus Passiflora share many repetitive sequences and that the relationship between subgenera Decaloba and Passiflora is very distant.

     

Reassessment of the vocal repertoire of a nest-building gladiator frog,Boana pardalis (Anura,Hylidae, Cophomantinae): implications for its diagnosis within the B. faber species group

In this study, we re-describe the advertisement and territorial calls of Boana pardalis, carry out an acoustic comparison between the studied species and the other congeners of the B. faber group, and report for the first time the tympanic amplexus for the studied species. The advertisement call of B. pardalis can be used to supplement its diagnosis in the B. faber group based on temporal call traits, e.g. emission rate and emission pattern, as well as the call envelope.     

Movement patterns and space use of the first giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) monitored in São Paulo State,Brazil

This study analyzes a giant anteater’s (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) movement patterns and space use in São Paulo, Brazil. It is the first study to track a giant anteater with Iridium-GPS. The anteater traveled an average distance of 1326 m day^–1 with an average speed of 1.04 m min^–1. Home range by Kernel was 2.46 km² while the core area was 0.75 km², and estimates by Brownian bridge and minimum convex polygon were also provided. The anteater used shrub savanna, open savanna, and water habitats more than expected. Monitoring ended just after 10 days when the female giant anteater’s GPS was found on an illegal trail.