Timing and technique impact the effectiveness of road‐based,mobile acoustic surveys of bats

Mobile acoustic surveys are a common method of surveying bat communities. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies exploring different methods for conducting mobile road surveys of bats. During 2013, we conducted acoustic mobile surveys on three routes in north‐central Indiana, U.S.A., using (1) a standard road survey, (2) a road survey where the vehicle stopped for 1 min at every half mile of the survey route (called a “start‐stop method”), and (3) a road survey with an individual using a bicycle. Linear mixed models with multiple comparison procedures revealed that when all bat passes were analyzed, using a bike to conduct mobile surveys detected significantly more bat passes per unit time compared to other methods. However, incorporating genus‐level comparisons revealed no advantage to using a bike over vehicle‐based methods. We also found that survey method had a significant effect when analyses were limited to those bat passes that could be identified to genus, with the start–stop method generally detecting more identifiable passes than the standard protocol or bike survey. Additionally, we found that significantly more identifiable bat passes (particularly those of the Eptesicus and Lasiurus genera) were detected in surveys conducted immediately following sunset. As governing agencies, particularly in North America, implement vehicle‐based bat monitoring programs, it is important for researchers to understand how variations on protocols influence the inference that can be gained from different monitoring schemes.     

Mitochondrial DNA structure and colony expansion dynamics of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) around Banks Peninsula

New Zealand fur seals are one of many pinniped species that survived the commercial sealing of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in dangerously low numbers. After the enforcement of a series of protection measures in the early twentieth century, New Zealand fur seals began to recover from the brink of extinction. We examined the New Zealand fur seal populations of Banks Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand using the mitochondrial DNA control region. We identified a panmictic population structure around Banks Peninsula. The most abundant haplotype in the area showed a slight significant aggregated structure. The Horseshoe Bay colony showed the least number of shared haplotypes with other colonies, suggesting a different origin of re-colonisation of this specific colony. The effective population size of the New Zealand fur seal population at Banks Peninsula was estimated at approximately 2500 individuals. The exponential population growth rate parameter for the area was 35, which corresponds to an expanding population. In general, samples from adjacent colonies shared 4.4 haplotypes while samples collected from colonies separated by between five and eight bays shared 1.9 haplotypes. The genetic data support the spill-over dynamics of colony expansion already suggested for this species. Approximate Bayesian computations analysis suggests re-colonisation of the area from two main clades identified across New Zealand with a most likely admixture coefficient of 0.41 to form the Banks Peninsula population. Approximate Bayesian computations analysis estimated a founder population size of approximately 372 breeding individuals for the area, which then rapidly increased in size with successive waves of external recruitment. The population of fur seals in the area is probably in the late phase of maturity in the colony expansion dynamic.     

Results of the Ontario Survey on the Prevalence and Control of Hypertension

Background

Available information on the prevalence and management of hypertension in the Canadian population dates back to 1986–1992 and probably does not reflect the current status of this major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We sought to evaluate the current prevalence and management of hypertension among adults in the province of Ontario.

Methods

Potential respondents from randomly selected dwellings within target neighbourhoods in 16 municipalities were contacted at their homes to request participation in the study. For potential respondents who agreed to participate, blood pressure was measured with an automated device. Estimation weights were used to obtain representative estimates of population parameters. Responses were weighted to the total adult population in Ontario of 7 996 653.

Results

From 6436 eligible dwellings, contact was made with 4559 potential participants, of whom 2992 agreed to participate. Blood pressure measurements were obtained for 2551 of these respondents (age 20–79 years). Hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or more, diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or more, or treatment with an antihypertensive medication, was identified in 21.3% of the population overall (23.8% of men and 19.0% of women). Prevalence increased with age, from 3.4% among participants 20–39 years of age to 51.6% among those 60–79 years of age. Hypertension was more common among black people and people of South Asian background than among white people; hypertension was also associated with higher body mass index. Among participants with hypertension, 65.7% were undergoing treatment with control of hypertension, 14.7% were undergoing treatment but the hypertension was not controlled, and 19.5% were not receiving any treatment (including 13.7% who were unaware of their hypertension). The extent of control of hypertension did not differ significantly by age, sex, ethnic background or comorbidities.

Interpretation

In Ontario, the overall prevalence of hypertension is high in the older population but appears not to have increased in recent decades. Hypertension management has improved markedly among all age groups and for both sexes.Hypertension is a major risk factor for premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Epidemiologic studies have indicated that, for people 40–69 years of age, each increase of 20 mm Hg in usual systolic blood pressure is associated with a doubling of mortality rates for stroke and ischemic heart disease.¹ In 2002 the World Health Organization estimated that at least 50% of cases of cardiovascular disease and at least 75% of strokes were caused by elevated blood pressure.² At the same time, randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that these risks can be markedly reduced by antihypertensive drug therapy. The substantial burden of suffering associated with hypertension, combined with the availability of feasible and accurate means of detection and a clear benefit from treatment have led to worldwide recommendations for hypertension screening and management.Currently available Canadian data on the prevalence and management of hypertension are based on Canadian Heart Health Surveys that took place between 1986 and 1992. At that time, 22% of adult Canadians had hypertension, but only 16% of these had their blood pressure treated and controlled.³ These data are clearly out of date, and there has been no way of assessing the impact of changes in lifestyle, including higher rates of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, on the prevalence of hypertension or determining whether hypertension management has improved with the widespread use of newer classes of antihypertensive drugs such as calcium antagonists and blockers of the renin–angiotensin system.We sought to evaluate the current prevalence and management of hypertension among adults in the province of Ontario.     

Lead identification to generate 3-cyanoquinoline inhibitors of insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) for potential use in cancer treatment

Insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) is a growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase that acts as a critical mediator of cell proliferation and survival. Inhibitors of this receptor are believed to provide a new target in cancer therapy. We previously reported an isoquinolinedione series of IGF-1R inhibitors. Now we have identified a series of 3-cyanoquinoline compounds that are low nanomolar inhibitors of IGF-1R. The strategies, synthesis, and SAR behind the cyanoquinoline scaffold will be discussed.     

X-Ray crystal structure of GarR—tartronate semialdehyde reductase from Salmonella typhimurium

Tartronate semialdehyde reductases (TSRs), also known as 2-hydroxy-3-oxopropionate reductases, catalyze the reduction of tartronate semialdehyde using NAD as cofactor in the final stage of d-glycerate biosynthesis. These enzymes belong to family of structurally and mechanically related β-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases which differ in substrate specificity and catalyze reactions in specific metabolic pathways. Here, we present the crystal structure of GarR a TSR from Salmonella typhimurium determined by the single-wavelength anomalous diffraction method and refined to 1.65 Å resolution. The active site of the enzyme contains l-tartrate which most likely mimics a position of a glycerate which is a product of the enzyme reaction. The analysis of the TSR structure shows also a putative NADPH binding site in the enzyme.     

Effect of hydrocarbon concentration of pasture production (<i>Brachiaria humidicola</i>) in Texistepec,Veracruz

In this study, the relationship between the concentration of extra-heavy crude petroleum in a clayey material and the toxicity, field capacity, temperature, and growth of a tropical forage grass (Brachiara humidicola) was determined empirically. For this type of petroleum the acute toxicity (Microtox^®) was slight (CE₅₀ = 63200 - 76400 mg/kg) even at high hydrocarbon concentrations (29279 mg/kg). Nonetheless, serious impacts were encountered in terms of an increase in soil temperature (+ 1.3 °C), reduction in field capacity (-10.7%) and reduction in aerial biomass (-97%). The relationship between hydrocarbon concentration and biomass resulted in a typical dose-response curve (r = 0.99), where a concentration of 2626 mg/kg of hydrocarbons corresponds to a maintenance of 90% biomass. Furthermore, during the duration of this study (one year) the biodegradation was proportional to the pasture biomass production (r = 0.997) indicating a synergistic relationship between the petroleum biodegrading microorganisms in the rhizosphere and the pasture.     

Late Miocene insular mice from the Tusco-Sardinian palaeobioprovince provide new insights on the palaeoecology of the Oreopithecus faunas

Oreopithecus bambolii is one of the few hominoids that evolved under insular conditions, resulting in the development of unique adaptations that have fueled an intensive debate. The palaeoenvironment associated with this great ape has been the subject of great controversy as well. On the one hand, palaeobotanical data indicate that Oreopithecus likely inhabited mixed mesophytic forests interrupted by swamps; on the other hand, an abundance of hypsodont bovids points towards the existence of dry and open environments. Here, we provide a new approach based on the ecomorphology of the extinct endemic Muridae (rats and mice) of the so-called Oreopithecus faunas. Our results show that the successive species of endemic insular murids (Huerzelerimys and Anthracomys) evolved a number of adaptations observed only in extant family members that include significant proportions of grass in their diet. While this fits the pattern exhibited by large mammals, it contrasts with the available palaeobotanical information, which indicates that grasses were minor components of the vegetation. This contradiction may be explained because these endemic murids may have been adapted to the consumption of particular food items such as hard parts of aquatic plants (as shown by some extant murid species). However, because it is unlikely that the remaining herbivore mammals were adapted to this diet as well, we favour an alternative hypothesis that takes into account the peculiar ecological conditions of insular ecosystems leading to a density-dependent selective regime with strong competition. Such a regime would promote the selection of dental adaptations to increase feeding efficiency and durability of the dentition (such as hypsodonty) as seen in some fossil insular ruminants. This hypothesis requires further testing, but may partly account for parallel evolution of dental traits in phylogenetically unrelated insular mammals.