Adverse Effects of Ball-Chain Radio-Collars on Female Mantled Howlers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alouatta palliata</Emphasis>) in Panama

The placement of radio- and GPS-collars on primates has advanced the fields of primate behavior and ecology and yielded considerable conservation gains. However, to ensure that the placement of tracking collars remains a humane practice, the reporting of both positive and negative outcomes is required. Here, we evaluate the impacts of radio-collars on the reproduction, behavior, and health of female mantled howlers (Alouatta palliata) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. In June 2005, as part of a behavioral study, we fitted 16 female howlers with ball-chain radio-collars weighing 1.2% of the mean adult female weight. We monitored these 16 collared females and 64 noncollared females across an annual cycle, and recaptured the collared females in July 2006 for collar removal. The mortality rate for collared females across the study year was 6.3% (N=1), while the net loss of noncollared females from study groups was 15.6% (N=10). All collared females reproduced. The behaviors of collared and noncollared females were not significantly different. However, on recapture to remove all remaining collars (N = 13), 38% of recaptured collared females presented with damage to the dermal layer on the back of the neck and 31% presented with more severe damage extending into the subcutaneous tissue and muscle. Given this physical damage, which was not apparent through binoculars, we cannot recommend using ball-chain radio-collars on female mantled howlers without careful welfare monitoring.     

Long promoter sequences form higher-order G-quadruplexes: an integrative structural biology study of c-Myc,k-Ras and c-Kit promoter sequences

We report on higher-order G-quadruplex structures adopted by long promoter sequences obtained by an iterative integrated structural biology approach. Our approach uses quantitative biophysical tools (analytical ultracentrifugation, small-angle X-ray scattering, and circular dichroism spectroscopy) combined with modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, to derive self-consistent structural models. The formal resolution of our approach is 18 angstroms, but in some cases structural features of only a few nucleotides can be discerned. We report here five structures of long (34–70 nt) wild-type sequences selected from three cancer-related promoters: c-Myc, c-Kit and k-Ras. Each sequence studied has a unique structure. Three sequences form structures with two contiguous, stacked, G-quadruplex units. One longer sequence from c-Myc forms a structure with three contiguous stacked quadruplexes. A longer c-Kit sequence forms a quadruplex-hairpin structure. Each structure exhibits interfacial regions between stacked quadruplexes or novel loop geometries that are possible druggable targets. We also report methodological advances in our integrated structural biology approach, which now includes quantitative CD for counting stacked G-tetrads, DNaseI cleavage for hairpin detection and SAXS model refinement. Our results suggest that higher-order quadruplex assemblies may be a common feature within the genome, rather than simple single quadruplex structures.     

A STUDY OF THE SEED BANK OF A SALT MARSH IN NORTHERN SAN FRANCISCO BAY

Abundance, species composition, and distribution of buried seeds in a San Francisco Bay salt marsh were studied by collecting soil samples in October and February and observing seedling emergence in the greenhouse. Results were compared with existing vegetation patterns and field germination. Average numbers of buried viable seed down to a 5-cm depth were 380/ m² in October and 700/m² in February, with field germination averaging 118/m². Salicornia virginica dominated the seed bank in the greenhouse and in field germination. Most other marsh species were present in the seed bank but numbers of seeds were low. A significant correlation was found between highest species diversity and proximity to channels. The nature of this low-diversity, low-density seed bank reflects dominance of long-lived perennial species, seed dispersal patterns and selective environmental pressures.     

Validation of a brief telephone battery for neurocognitive assessment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background

The effects of pulmonary arterial hypertension on brain function are not understood, despite patients'' frequent complaints of cognitive difficulties. Using clinical instruments normally administered during standard in-person assessment of neurocognitive function in adults, we assembled a battery of tests designed for administration over the telephone. The purpose was to improve patient participation, facilitate repeated test administration, and reduce the cost of research on the neuropsychological consequences of acute and chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. We undertook this study to validate telephone administration of the tests.

Methods

23 adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent neurocognitive assessment using both standard in-person and telephone test administration, and the results of the two methods compared using interclass correlations.

Results

For most of the tests in the battery, scores from the telephone assessment correlated strongly with those obtained by in-person administration of the same tests. Interclass correlations between 0.5 and 0.8 were observed for tests that assessed attention, memory, concentration/working memory, reasoning, and language/crystallized intelligence (p ≤ 0.05 for each). Interclass correlations for the Hayling Sentence Completion test of executive function approached significance (p = 0.09). All telephone tests were completed within one hour.

Conclusion

Administration of this neurocognitive test battery by telephone should facilitate assessment of neuropsychological deficits among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension living across broad geographical areas, and may be useful for monitoring changes in neurocognitive function in response to PAH-specific therapy or disease progression.