Effects of habitat fragmentation and forest management on the distribution of the edible dormouse<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glis glis</Emphasis>

The factors influencing the presence/absence of the edible dormouseGlis glis (Linnaeus, 1766) in forest fragments in Mediterranean central Italy were investigated by performing repeated nocturnal surveys in 38 woodlots. The various woodlots were different from each other in terms of area, degree of isolation, and floristic and structural characteristics. The effects of different types of forest management and human activities on dormouse distribution were also analysed. Dormice occurred in all the surveyed high forests, while no sign of their presence was detected in coppices with a rotation cycle short (<18 years). There were significant differences between coppices and high forests, but not between grazed and ungrazed woodlots, and rotational and non-rotational forests. Correspondence analysis corroborated the empirical evidence, showing a close association between presence of dormice and high forests, and, to a lesser degree, rotational forests. Concerning environmental parameters, favourable woods were those with high trees and with low stem number, while the specific tree assemblages proved to be scarcely important. Wood area was more important than isolation in predicting presence or absence of this rodent, as the highest probability was associated with woodlots of 40–50 ha area and more. These results did not provide evidences about the importance of the amount of residual habitat in the 10 km² surrounding the woodlot and the presence of hedgerows as ecological corridors.     

Curcumin Modulates the NMDA Receptor Subunit Composition Through a Mechanism Involving CaMKII and Ser/Thr Protein Phosphatases

Curcumin is one of the major compounds contained in turmeric, the powdered rhizome of Curcuma longa. Results obtained in various experimental models indicate that curcumin has the potential to treat a large variety of neuronal diseases. Excitotoxicity, the toxicity due to pathological glutamate receptors stimulation, has been considered to be involved in several ocular pathologies including ischemia, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. The NMDA receptor (NMDAR), a heteromeric ligand-gated ion channel, is composed of GluN1 and GluN2 subunits. There are four GluN2 subunits (GluN2A-D), which are major determinants of the functional properties of NMDARs. It is widely accepted that GluN2B has a pivotal role in excitotoxicity while the role of GluN2A remains controversial. We previously demonstrated that curcumin is neuroprotective against NMDA-induced excitotoxicity with a mechanism involving an increase of GluN2A subunit activity. In this paper, we investigate the mechanisms involved in curcumin-induced GluN2A increase in retinal cultures. Our results show that curcumin treatment activated CaMKII with a time-course that paralleled those of GluN2A increase. Moreover, KN-93, a CaMKII inhibitor, was able to block the effect of curcumin on GluN2A expression. Finally, in our experimental model, curcumin reduced ser/thr phosphatases activity. Using okadaic acid, a specific PP1 and PP2A blocker, we observed an increase in GluN2A levels in cultures. The ability of okadaic acid to mimic the effect of curcumin on GluN2A expression suggests that curcumin might regulate GluN2A expression through a phosphatase-dependent mechanism. In conclusion, our findings indicate curcumin modulation of CaMKII and/or ser/thr phosphatases activities as a mechanism involved in GluN2A expression and neuroprotection against excitotoxicity.     

Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into DNA of human leukemia cells is not concentration dependent

Leukemia blasts isolated from bone marrow aspirates of 44 adults with acute leukemia were incubated for 1 h with 0.008-32 microM bromodeoxyuridine (Brd-Urd). After dual labeling with monoclonal anti-BrdUrd antibodies and propidium iodide, the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Percent labeled cells and intensity of labeling were similar over concentrations of BrdUrd ranging from 0.8-32 microM--a 40-fold range. Therefore, despite potential interpatient variability in nucleoside pharmacokinetics, commonly used doses of BrdUrd which are intended to achieve steady-state plasma concentrations in the 8.0 microM range can be expected to provide a reliable estimate of the S-phase fraction.     

Interaction of alpha-sarcin and gelonin with Cibacron blue

Alpha-sarcin and gelonin, two proteins which inactivate the 60S ribosomal subunit, interact with Cibacron blue and bind to blue dextran-Sepharose, from which they are partially desorbed by nucleoside triphosphates and, more efficiently, by homopolynucleotides. It is further shown that the two proteins bind to poly(U)-Sepharose and that homopolynucleotides protect dilute solutions of both inhibitors from inactivation. It is suggested that the presence of a polynucleotide site on alphasarcin is related to its ribonuclease activity. The existence of a similar site on gelonin might be a clue to its yet unknown mechanism of action.     

A review of mammal eradications on Mediterranean islands

1. Impacts of alien invasive species on island communities and ecosystems may be even more detrimental than on the mainland. Therefore, since the 1950s, hundreds of restoration projects have been implemented worldwide, with the aim of controlling or eradicating alien species from islands. To date, no review has been focused on eradication on Mediterranean islands. To fill the gap, I reviewed the available information concerning mammal eradications so far carried out on Mediterranean islands, examining the details of several aspects of project implementation and monitoring.
2. I obtained data for 139 attempted eradications on 107 Mediterranean islands in eight countries, with Greece, Italy, and Spain accounting for the highest number. Eradication projects targeted 13 mammal species. The black rat Rattus rattus was the target of over 75% of the known attempted eradications in the Mediterranean Basin; other species targeted were feral goat Capra hircus, house mouse Mus musculus, European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, and domestic cat Felis catus. The most widely adopted technique was poisoning (77% of all eradications), followed by trapping (15%) and hunting (4%). However, techniques were largely target-specific.
3. The average failure rate was about 11%. However, this percentage varied according to the specific mammalian order, and eradications of Carnivora failed more often than those of other mammals. Among rodents, house mouse eradication attained a very high failure rate (75%). Reinvasion occurred after 15% of successful eradications.
4. A better understanding of the motivations of animal rights activists may improve the chance of success when eradicating charismatic or domesticated species. Furthermore, it is crucial to collect data and case studies about reinvasions, in order to strengthen biosecurity programmes following eradication. As in other parts of the world, the next frontier in alien mammal management on Mediterranean islands concerns the eradication of invasive species from inhabited islands.

     

Site-specific acetylation of ISWI by GCN5

Background  

The tight organisation of eukaryotic genomes as chromatin hinders the interaction of many DNA-binding regulators. The local accessibility of DNA is regulated by many chromatin modifying enzymes, among them the nucleosome remodelling factors. These enzymes couple the hydrolysis of ATP to disruption of histone-DNA interactions, which may lead to partial or complete disassembly of nucleosomes or their sliding on DNA. The diversity of nucleosome remodelling factors is reflected by a multitude of ATPase complexes with distinct subunit composition.