Remarkable genetic diversity detected at river buffalo prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene and association studies with milk fatty acid composition

Prolactin is an anterior pituitary peptide hormone involved in many different endocrine activities and is essential for reproductive performance. This action is mediated by its receptor, the prolactin receptor, encoded by the PRLR gene. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the Mediterranean river buffalo PRLR gene (from exon 3 to 10), and we found remarkable genetic diversity. In particular, we found 24 intronic polymorphisms and 13 exonic SNPs, seven of which were non‐synonymous. Furthermore, the polymorphisms identified in the 3′‐UTR were investigated to establish their possible influence on microRNA binding sites. Considering all the amino acid changes and the observed allelic combinations, it is possible to deduce at least six different translations of the buffalo prolactin receptor and, consequently, the presence at the PRLR gene of at least six alleles. Furthermore, we identified a deletion of a CACTACC heptamer between nucleotides 1102 and 1103 of exon 10 (3′‐UTR), and we developed an allele‐specific PCR to identify the carriers of this genetic marker. Finally, the SNP g.11188A>G, detected in exon 10 and responsible for the amino acid replacement p.His328Arg, was genotyped in 308 Italian Mediterranean river buffaloes, and an association study with milk fat traits was carried out. The statistical analysis showed a tendency that approached significance for the AA genotype with higher contents of odd branched‐chain fatty acids. Thus, our results suggest that the PRLR gene is a good candidate for gene association studies with qualitative traits related to buffalo milk production.     

Association of the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 with faecal pollution in water environments in Hanoi,Vietnam

Colistin is one of the antibiotics of last resort for human health. However, the dissemination of the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 is of great concern globally. In the One Health framework, the environment is an important component for managing antimicrobial resistance. However, little information is available concerning the prevalence of mcr-1 in water environments. We aimed to reveal the prevalence of mcr-1 in different water environments in Hanoi, Vietnam. Quantitative PCR was applied to detect mcr-1 in four urban drainages receiving untreated domestic wastewater, three rivers, five lakes and two groundwater samples. Urban drainages contained higher concentrations of mcr-1, suggesting that urban residents carry the gene. The class 1 integron-integrase gene was identified as a good surrogate of antibiotic resistance genes including mcr-1. A significant correlation was found between the levels of mcr-1 and the human-specific cross-assembly phage, which is an indicator of human faecal pollution. These results indicated that the primary source of mcr-1 in urban water environments is human faeces, which is consistent with the fact that most domestic wastewater is untreated in Hanoi. The control of untreated wastewater is critical for alleviating the spread of mcr-1 in water environments in Vietnam.     

Effects of water discharge on fledging time,growth, and survival of piping plovers on the Missouri River

River flow management and modification is a global issue, and its effects on river-dependent organisms are pervasive. Flow modification can directly affect avian species through mortality or habitat loss, but less is known about indirect and sublethal effects of flow modification on reproductive output in these species. Young birds are more vulnerable to predation between hatching and fledging than after flight is achieved, but tradeoffs must be made to balance growth and survival. Predation pressure appears to be a significant factor affecting the time to fledging in altricial birds, but less is known about this threat for precocial birds. Birds reaching fledging earlier should have greater rates of survival to migration because their predator escape repertoire includes flight at an earlier age. We evaluated the effect of varying outflows from the Gavins Point Dam on the growth, age at fledging, and survival of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) chicks on the Missouri River (2006–2009). The study was characterized by 2 relatively high flow years (2006 and 2009) and 2 relatively low flow years (2007 and 2008). We used success rate in recapturing chicks in capture–mark–recapture models as an index for fledging. We attempted to recapture all chicks (n = 1,099) by hand every 3–4 days throughout the season to acquire morphological measurements. Models indicated that as flows from the dam increased, age at fledging increased. We also found that increasing flows were associated with decreasing daily survival rates (β_flow = −2.401, 95% CI: −4.351 to −0.452). Flow was also negatively related to chick mass gain, but we found less evidence for an effect on wing-chord length. Increased flows covered wet-substrate foraging habitat, and likely affected plover reproductive output directly through chick survival and indirectly through decreased growth and increased fledging times. © The Wildlife Society, 2013     

Effects of stream-crossing by a pipeline on the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of a small mountain stream

Aquatic environmental impact associated with stream-crossing by a pipeline was monitored at Archibald Creek, B.C. for two years. Water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrates were used as monitoring tools. Results indicated that impacts arising from stream-crossing were short-term and non-residual.Funded by a contract from Canadian Arctic Gas Study Limited, calgary, to Aquatic Environments Limited, Calgary.Aquatic Environments Limited, Calgary.Aquatic Environments Limited, Calgary.     

元谋干热河谷植被的类型研究 Ⅱ.群丛以下单位

本文用法瑞植物社会学学派的方法,并经主分量分析验证,对元谋干热河谷的植被进行了重点在群丛及其以下单位的系统分类研究。结果得到9个群丛以及各群丛之下的6个亚群丛、3个群丛变型和两个群丛相的一套系统单位。     

城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力

剖析城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力,不仅有助于城市生态环境问题的解决,而且为城市用地结构优化、城市景观规划等工作提供科学依据。以快速城市化的中型城市—扬州市为例,利用多期(1995、2000、2005、2010年和2015年)Landsat卫星影像、乡镇水平的扬州统计年鉴等数据,运用景观格局分析、增强回归树(Boosted regression trees)等方法,研究建设用地的扩张模式、形态及景观格局,定量探究地理、社会和经济因子对景观格局的影响机制,从而明晰景观格局演变特征及其驱动力。结果表明,1995—2015年,建设用地面积持续增加,填充式(Infilling)、边缘式(Edge-expansion)和跳跃式(Leapfrog)3种扩张模式在各时段均有出现,但其优势度随着城市发展而改变。建设用地的形态在城市扩张的过程中经历着"集聚"和"扩散"的交替变化过程,景观格局则出现了同质化倾向,景观破碎化下降、聚合度增加。地理因子(海拔和到县市中心的距离)对景观格局的综合影响虽然高于社会经济,但它的影响力却随着城市发展呈现出下降趋势,社会经济的作用则逐渐增强。海拔和人口密度的增加会促进景观的破碎化、抑制景观的集聚;人口数量的增加会促进景观的集聚、降低景观的破碎化;其余因子(到县市中心的距离、人均GDP和第二产业占比)的作用则随城市的发展而发生转变,如人均GDP对景观破碎化的作用表现为"促进→抑制"的转变、第二产业则为"抑制→促进"。     

Experimental evidence for real-time song frequency shift in response to urban noise in a passerine bird

Research has shown that bird songs are modified in different ways to deal with urban noise and promote signal transmission through noisy environments. Urban noise is composed of low frequencies, thus the observation that songs have a higher minimum frequency in noisy places suggests this is a way of avoiding noise masking. Most studies are correlative and there is as yet little experimental evidence that this is a short-term mechanism owing to individual plasticity. Here we experimentally test if house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) can modulate the minimum frequency of their songs in response to different noise levels. We exposed singing males to three continuous treatments: low–high–low noise levels. We found a significant increase in minimum frequency from low to high and a decrement from high to low treatments. We also found that this was mostly achieved by modifying the frequency of the same low-frequency syllable types used in the different treatments. When different low-frequency syllables were used, those sung during the noisy condition were longer than the ones sang during the quiet condition. We conclude that house finches modify their songs in several ways in response to urban noise, thus providing evidence of a short-term acoustic adaptation.     

Dancing to the top: How collective action revitalized arts education in Boston

In 2009, a group of local foundations, the school district, arts organizations, and the Mayor's Office launched the Boston Public Schools Arts Education Initiative (BPS-AE)—a multiyear, citywide, public–private initiative aimed at increasing BPS students' access to in-school arts education. Managed by a strong local intermediary with deep experience in education, this initiative used several complementary, overlaid strategies: direct service, system building, and community engagement—all of which were supported by a philanthropic collaborative of local and national funders. Today, 17,000 more BPS students receive arts education; nearly 130 additional full-time certified arts teachers have been hired; and district spending on arts has risen to $26 million annually, compared to $15 million in 2009. There is also growing demand from the larger community for more and better arts education. In 2015, BPS-AE produced a case study that provides a more detailed explication of the multitiered strategy it used to achieve these results. The study offers recommendations as to how other cities can involve diverse key constituencies to advance this kind of initiative, create leadership structures that support effective citywide collaboration, engage community stakeholders in participatory planning processes, leverage private philanthropy to boost public funding, and develop a centralized support system for school principals and arts teachers.