Behaviour of Bachelor Males of the Przewalski Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the Reserve Askania Nova

The aim of this study was to investigate social relationships between Przewalski horses at a high density in a bachelor group housed in a 3.5-ha enclosure. The group consisted of 16 males aged 5 to 16. Behavioural data were collected during 18 days, total 216 h. Fifteen minute focal animal sampling was used; each horse was observed three times a day for a total of 45 min. The occurrence of 25 behaviours was recorded, and group spacing behaviour was studied using nearest neighbour recordings. The group divided into four subgroups; this supports earlier findings of bachelor groups (n≥10) dividing into two or more subgroups if they included several males aged >5 years. The total frequency of social interactions was 14.6±1.1 h^?1. Although the density of the group in this study was higher than in other zoos, the males interacted agonistically only 3.6 h^?1. The most frequently observed social behaviour categories were friendly interactions. This study shows possibilities to use some investigative behaviours (marking, flehmen, olfactory investigation, etc.) as indicators of social status of animals in a group.     

Apparent absence of blood parasites in Winter Wrens in British Columbia

ABSTRACT.   To investigate the possible effect of elevation on the prevalence of hematozoa infection, we collected blood smears from a population of Winter Wrens ( Troglogytes troglodytes ) in the Coast Mountains of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. We sampled 119 Winter Wrens, including 88 at low elevation (0–500 m) and 31 at high elevation (900–1100 m) sites. In addition, five other species, including Swainson's Thrush ( Catharus ustulatus ; N = 12), Dark-eyed Junco ( Junco hyemalis ; N = 11), Hermit Thrush ( Catharus guttatus ; N = 8), Varied Thrush ( Ixoreus naevius ; N = 4), and American Robin ( Turdus migratorius ; N = 4), were sampled. No Winter Wrens were infected by blood parasites. Among the other species, Haemoproteus infection was detected in one Varied Thrush (25%) and five Swainson's Thrushes (42%). Thus, despite the occurrence of infection in sympatrically breeding species, blood parasites are apparently absent or occur at extremely low prevalence in Winter Wrens in our study area. The presence of hematozoa in European populations of Winter Wrens, combined with an abundance of vector species in our study area, suggest population-level resistance to infection. Further study is needed to determine the specific mechanisms involved in the apparent lack of infection in our study population.     

The genetics underlying metabolic signatures in a brown rice diversity panel and their vital role in human nutrition

Brown rice (Oryza sativa) possesses various nutritionally dense bioactive phytochemicals exhibiting a wide range of antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties known to promote various human health benefits. However, despite the wide claims made about the importance of brown rice for human nutrition the underlying metabolic diversity has not been systematically explored. Non-targeted metabolite profiling of developing and mature seeds of a diverse genetic panel of 320 rice cultivars allowed quantification of 117 metabolites. The metabolite genome-wide association study (mGWAS) detected genetic variants influencing diverse metabolic targets in developing and mature seeds. We further interlinked genetic variants on chromosome 7 (6.06–6.43 Mb region) with complex epistatic genetic interactions impacting multi-dimensional nutritional targets, including complex carbohydrate starch quality, the glycemic index, antioxidant catechin, and rice grain color. Through this nutrigenomics approach rare gene bank accessions possessing genetic variants in bHLH and IPT5 genes were identified through haplotype enrichment. These variants were associated with a low glycemic index, higher catechin levels, elevated total flavonoid contents, and heightened antioxidant activity in the whole grain with elevated anti-cancer properties being confirmed in cancer cell lines. This multi-disciplinary nutrigenomics approach thus allowed us to discover the genetic basis of human health-conferring diversity in the metabolome of brown rice.     

Ben Fallaw and David Nugent,eds. State formation in the liberal era: capitalism and claims of citizenship in Mexico and Peru. Tucson,AZ: University of Arizona Press

Dialectical Anthropology -