Using spotlight observations to predict resource selection and abundance for white-tailed deer

Spotlight surveys for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can yield large presence-only datasets applicable to a variety of resource selection modeling procedures. By understanding how populations distribute according to a given resource for a reference area, density and abundance can be predicted across new areas assuming the relationship between habitat quality (measured by an index of selection) and species distribution are equivalent. Habitat-based density estimators have been applied to wildlife species and are useful for addressing conservation and management concerns. Although achieving reliable population estimates is a primary goal for spotlighting studies, presence-only models have yet to be applied to spotlight data for estimating habitat selection and abundance for deer. From 2012 to 2017, we conducted spring spotlight surveys in each of 99 counties in Iowa, USA, and collected spatial locations for 20,149 groups of deer (n = 71,323 individuals). We used a resource selection function (RSF) based on deer locations to predict the relative probability of use for deer at the population level and to estimate statewide abundance. The number of deer observed statewide increased significantly with increasing RSF value for all years and the mean RSF value along survey transects explained 59% of the variability in county-level deer counts, indicating that a functional response between habitat quality and deer distribution existed at landscape scales. We applied our RSF to a habitat-based density estimator (extrapolation) and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) and negative binomial (ZINB) count models to predict statewide abundance from spotlight counts. Population estimates for 2012 were variable, indicating that atypical weather conditions may affect spotlight counts and population estimates in some years. For 2013–2017, we predicted a mean population of 439,129 (95% CI ∼ ± 55,926), 440,360 (∼ ± 43,676), and 465,959 (∼ ± 51,242) deer across years for extrapolation, ZIP, and ZINB models, respectively. Estimates from all models were not significantly different than estimates from an existing deer population accounting model in Iowa for 2013 and 2016, and differed by <76,000 deer for all models from 2013–2017. Extrapolation and ZIP models performed similarly and differed by <2,897 deer across all years, whereas ZINB models showed inconsistencies in model convergence and precision of estimates. Our results indicate that presence-only models are capable of producing reliable and precise estimates of resource selection and abundance for deer at broad landscape scales in Iowa and provide a tool for estimating deer abundance in a spatially explicit manner. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

The role of homophilic binding in anti-tumor antibody R24 recognition of molecular surfaces. Demonstration of an intermolecular beta-sheet interaction between vh domains

The murine antibody R24 and mouse-human Fv-IgG1(kappa) chimeric antibody chR24 are specific for the cell-surface tumor antigen disialoganglioside GD3. X-ray diffraction and surface plasmon resonance experiments have been employed to study the mechanism of "homophilic binding," in which molecules of R24 recognize and bind to other molecules of R24 though their heavy chain variable domains. R24 exhibits strong binding to liposomes containing disialoganglioside GD3; however, the kinetics are unusual in that saturation of binding is not observed. The binding of chR24 to GD3-bearing liposomes is significantly weaker, suggesting that cooperative interactions involving antibody constant regions contribute to R24 binding of membrane-bound GD3. The crystal structures of the Fabs from R24 and chR24 reveal the mechanism for homophilic binding and confirm that the homophilic and antigen-binding idiotopes are distinct. The homophilic binding idiotope is formed largely by an anti-parallel beta-sheet dimerization between the H2 complementarity determining region (CDR) loops of two Fabs, while the antigen-binding idiotope is a pocket formed by the three CDR loops on the heavy chain. The formation of homophilic dimers requires the presence of a canonical conformation for the H2 CDR in conjunction with participation of side chains. The relative positions of the homophilic and antigen-binding sites allows for a lattice of GD3-specific antibodies to be constructed, which is stabilized by the presence of the cell membrane. This model provides for the selective recognition by R24 of cells that overexpress GD3 on the cell surface.     

Reduced release of nitric oxide to shear stress in mesenteric arteries of aged rats

We hypothesized that aging is characterized by a reduced release of nitric oxide (NO) in response to shear stress in resistance vessels. Mesenteric arterioles and arteries of young (6 mo) and aged (24 mo) male Fischer 344 rats were isolated and cannulated. Shear stress (15 dyn/cm(2))-induced dilation was significantly reduced and shear stress (1, 5, 10, and 15 dyn/cm(2))-induced increases in perfusate nitrite were significantly smaller at all shear stress levels in vessels of aged rats. Inhibition of NO synthesis abolished shear stress-induced release of nitrite. Furthermore, shear stress (15 dyn/cm(2))-induced release of nitrate was significantly higher and total nitrite (nitrite plus nitrate) was significantly lower in vessels of aged rats. Tiron or SOD significantly increased nitrite released from vessels of aged rats, but this was still significantly less than that in young rats. Superoxide production was increased and the activity of SOD was decreased in vessels of aged rats. There were no differences in endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein and basal activity or in Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD proteins in vessels of the two groups, but extracellular SOD was significantly reduced in vessels of aged rats. Maximal release of NO induced by shear stress plus ACh (10(-5) M) was comparable in the two groups, but phospho-eNOS in response to shear stress (15 dyn/cm(2)) was significantly reduced in vessels of aged rats. These data suggest that an increased production of superoxide, a reduced activity of SOD, and an impaired shear stress-induced activation of eNOS are the causes of the decreased shear stress-induced release of NO in vessels of aged rats.     

Adverse effects of myasthenia gravis on rat phrenic diaphragm contractile performance.

Myasthenia gravis has variable effects on the respiratory system, ranging from no abnormalities to life-threatening respiratory failure. Studies characterized diaphragm muscle contractile performance in rat autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Rats received monoclonal antibody that recognizes acetylcholine receptor determinants (or inactive antibody); 3 days later, phrenic nerve and diaphragm were studied in vitro. Myasthenic rats segregated into two groups, those with normal vs. impaired limb muscle function when tested in intact animals ("mild" and "severe" myasthenic). Baseline diaphragm twitch force was reduced for both severe (P < 0.01) and mild (P < 0.05) myasthenic compared with control animals (twitch force: normal 1,352 +/- 140, mild myasthenic 672 +/- 99, severe myasthenic 687 +/- 74 g/cm2). However, only severe myasthenic diaphragm had impaired diaphragm endurance, based on significantly (P < 0.05) accelerated rate of peak force decline during the initial period of stimulation (0.02 + 0.02, 0.03 +/- 0.01, and 0.09 +/- 0.01%/pulse for normal, mild myasthenic, and severe myasthenic, respectively, during continuous stimulation) and intratrain fatigue (up to 30.5 +/- 7.4% intratrain force drop in severe myasthenic vs. none in normal and mild myasthenic, P < 0.01). Furthermore, compared with continuous stimulation, intermittent stimulation had a protective effect on force of severe myasthenic diaphragm (force after 2,000 pulses was 31.4 +/- 2.0% of initial during intermittent stimulation vs. 13.0 +/- 2.1% of initial during continuous stimulation, P < 0.01) but not on normal diaphragm. These data indicate that baseline force and fatigue may be affected to different extents by varying severity of myasthenia gravis and furthermore provide a mechanism by which alterations in breathing pattern may worsen respiratory muscle function in neuromuscular diseases.     

Effect of various amino acids and ammonium salts in a synthetic culture media on the cholera enterotoxin production

The influence of amino acids and ammonium salts on the production of cholera enterotoxin (CT) by 3 Vibrio cholerae strains of different biovars and serogroups was evaluated. As revealed in this study, toxin formation in each of the strains was quantitatively and qualitatively determined by their individual sets of amino acids. The amino acid compositions ensuring the maximum production of CT by the V. cholerae strains under study were formed. The use of ammonium salts as the only source of nitrogen in the composition of a synthetic nutrient medium for the accumulation of CT was shown to be inexpedient.