Effects of age,territoriality and breeding on survival of Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata

Survival typically contributes most to population trends in long‐lived birds and its accurate estimation is therefore vital for population management and conservation. We evaluated the effects of age, territoriality and reproduction on survival in Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata through multistate capture‐mark‐recapture analyses on a long‐term dataset. Monitoring was carried out in southeast France (1990–2008) and involved the surveying of territorial Eagles, the marking of fledged chicks, and the recording of resightings and recoveries of marked non‐territorial and territorial birds. Survival improved with age, but territoriality was not retained in the best model; yearly survival was estimated at 0.479 for fledglings (to 1 year of age), 0.570 for 1‐ and 2‐year‐olds, and 0.870 for 3‐year‐old and older individuals. The second best model supported a further increase in survival from 3‐year‐olds (0.821) to older individuals (0.880). In the third best supported model, territoriality enhanced survival, but only in 2‐year‐olds (0.632 vs. 0.562 for non‐territorial). We found no correlation between the previous breeding stage and future survival, consistent with the long lifespan of the study species. Nevertheless, 4‐year‐old and older successful breeders were more likely to breed the following year than failed adult breeders (0.869 vs. 0.582), suggesting that the cost of reproduction is small in comparison with the variation in quality among individuals or their territories.     

A new Late Jurassic turtle from Spain: phylogenetic implications,taphonomy and palaeoecology

Abstract: The Jurassic was an important period in the evolution of Testudinata and encompasses the origin of many clades, and this is especially true of Jurassic turtles from Western Europe. A new genus and species of Late Jurassic turtle, Hispaniachelys prebetica gen. et sp. nov. from the upper Oxfordian of the Prebetic (Southern Spain), is described on the basis of postcranial material. The specimen is the only known tetrapod from the Mesozoic of the Prebetic and the oldest turtle from southern Europe. A mosaic of characters indicates this is a new genus: it displays basal features including dorsal epiplastral processes/reduced cleithra, no medial contact of the extragulars and a long first thoracic rib, alongside derived characters including an absence of mesoplastra and the vertebral 3/4 sulcus crossing neural 5. The phylogenetic position of the new taxon is hard to resolve, and it might be either a paracryptodire or a basal testudine, but it is distinct from Plesiochelys. A complex taphonomic history is shown by a range of overlying grazing traces and bioerosion on the carapace. The carapace was subsequently overturned and buried ventrally up, terminating grazing activity, and was then bored by sponges before final burial. Scanning electron microscopy reveals phosphatic microspheroids associated with bacterial decay in the vascular cavities of the cancellous bone, suggesting the carapace may have acted as a closed microenvironment in which decay‐derived authigenic minerals formed.     

Involvement of Na,K-pump in SEPYLRFamide-mediated reduction of cholinosensitivity in Helix neurons

SEPYLRFamide acts as an inhibitory modulator of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in Helix lucorum neurones. Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of Na,K-pump, (0.1 mM, bath application) decreased the ACh-induced inward current (ACh-current) and increased the leak current. Ouabain decreased the modulatory SEPYLRFamide effect on the ACh-current. There was a correlation between the effects of ouabain on the amplitude of the ACh-current and on the modulatory peptide effect. Ouabain and SEPYLRFamide inhibited the activity of Helix aspersa brain Na,K-ATPase. Activation of Na,K-pump by intracellular injection of 3 M Na acetate or 3 M NaCl reduced the modulatory peptide effect on the ACh-current. An inhibitor of Na/Ca-exchange, benzamil (25 muM, bath application), and an inhibitor of Ca(2+)-pump in the endoplasmic reticulum, thapsigargin (TG, applied intracellularly), both prevented the effect of ouabain on SEPYLRFamide-mediated modulatory effect. Another inhibitor of Ca(2+)-pump in the endoplasmic reticulum, cyclopiazonic acid (applied intracellularly), did not prevent the effect of ouabain on SEPYLRFamide-mediated modulatory effect. These results indicate that Na,K-pump is responsible for the SEPYLRFamide-mediated inhibition of ACh receptors in Helix neurons. Na/Ca-exchange and intracellular Ca(2+) released from internal pools containing TG-sensitive Ca(2+)-pump are involved in the Na,K-pump pathway for the SEPYLRFamide-mediated inhibition of ACh receptors.     

More than multiple introductions: Multiple taxa contribute to the genesis of the invasive California’s wild artichoke thistle

The history of some invasive species is so complex that their origins can be difficult to determine. One example of such invasive species is the California invasive known as “wild artichoke thistle” (Cynara cardunculus var. sylvestris), found in natural and disturbed ecosystems. Wild artichoke thistle is a Mediterranean native and the progenitor of two domesticated horticultural taxa, artichoke and cardoon. Different hypotheses regarding the origins of California plants have included introductions by 19th century Italian immigrants and the de-domestication (evolutionary reversion to wild-type morphology) of feral (escaped, free-living) cultivars. Using microsatellite markers, we compared the genetic constitutions of 12 artichoke thistle populations in California with possible progenitor populations: 17 Spanish and Italian wild populations and eight different artichoke and cardoon cultivars. Each California population was compared with its putative progenitors using STRUCTURE analysis. Our results suggest that California's artichoke thistle populations are polyphyletic. Surprisingly, two-thirds of California's populations closely matched populations from the Iberian Peninsula. Three populations matched domesticated artichoke. One population appears to have wild and cultivar hybrid ancestry. Alleles specific to Italian populations were found at low frequencies in some California plants, suggesting that Italian wild plants may have been in California, but have left a trivial genetic legacy. Given that the de-domesticated plants in this study appear to be as invasive as the wild taxon, we conclude with a discussion of the role that ferality and de-domestication may have in plant invasions.     

Enhancing navigation in biomedical databases by community voting and database-driven text classification

Background  

The breadth of biological databases and their information content continues to increase exponentially. Unfortunately, our ability to query such sources is still often suboptimal. Here, we introduce and apply community voting, database-driven text classification, and visual aids as a means to incorporate distributed expert knowledge, to automatically classify database entries and to efficiently retrieve them.     

TRAINING, VALIDATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A PANEL TO EVALUATE THE TEXTURE OF DRY BEANS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.)

The inclusion of dry beans in diets has clear health benefits. However, consumers in developed countries mainly choose beans for their sensory qualities, especially for their texture. This article describes the constitution, training and validation of a panel of judges to evaluate the texture of dry beans. The judges were trained in the perception of different textures, analyzed a wide range of beans and selected seed-coat roughness, seed-coat perceptibility and creaminess/mealiness of the cotyledon as the main attributes to be scored. After training, the panel was capable of discriminating between different varieties of beans and even between beans of the same variety grown at different locations. The analysis of the behavior of the panel in a standard tasting session 2 years after its formation showed that periodic inclusion of samples from the extremes of the scales for the attributes during tasting sessions was sufficient to keep the panel trained.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This article could serve as a guide for the training of sensory panels to evaluate the texture of dry beans. It describes the selection of the attributes on which the analysis is based, references for the extreme values of the attributes and how to train the panel. It also provides a practical example of the analysis of the behavior of the panel some time after training.     

Effects of SEPYLRFamide on acetylcholine-induced currents of Helix aspersa neurones: role of ryanodine receptors

The possible participation of ryanodine receptors in the modulatory effects of the endogenous Helix heptapeptide, SEPYLRFamide, on the acetylcholine-induced currents (ACh-currents) of Helix aspersa neurones was studied using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. SEPYLRFamide (bath application) caused a reduction of the ACh-currents of D1, D2, F1, F2, F76 and F77 neurones. Ryanodine (10 μM; bath application), which modifies ryanodine-controlled Ca²⁺ channels, potentiated the inhibitory effect of SEPYLRFamide on the ACh-current. An antagonist of cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (cADPR) and ryanodine receptors, ruthenium red (1 mM; intracellular injection), reduced the inhibitory effects of SEPYLRFamide on the ACh-current. Ryanodine (10 μM) did not change the inhibitory effect of SEPYLRFamide on the ACh-current after intracellular injection of ruthenium red. An agonist of ryanodine receptors, caffeine (5 mM; bath application), reduced the ACh-current. Ryanodine (10 μM) did not change the reduction of ACh-currents induced by the first application of caffeine but decreased the reduction of ACh-currents induced by subsequent applications of caffeine. It is proposed that ryanodine receptors are involved in the inhibitory modulatory effects of SEPYLRFamide on somatic cholinergic receptors of Helix aspersa neurones. Accepted: 1 July 1998     

COMPARISON OF TWO SIMPLE METHODS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF DETECTION THRESHOLDS FOR BASIC, UMAMI AND METALLIC TASTES

Two simple methods were followed to determine detection thresholds for the taste of substances in aqueous solution. The methods applied were: a modification of the ascending method of limits and a method based on the use of scales. Detection thresholds were calculated for the four basic tastes (sweet, salty, acid, and bitterness), umami and metallic. Reference substances for each taste were sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid, caffeine, monosodium glutamate and iron (II) sulfate heptahydrate and the results of the two methods were compared. We found that the threshold values calculated by method ASTM-679 was within the range of concentrations identified with the scales method.     

Calmodulin blockaders weaken the short-term plasticity of the neuronal cholinoreceptors in the edible snail

By means of recording transmembrane ion currents of identified snail neurones PPa3 and LPa3 a reversible weakening was shown of the speed and depth of extinction of neuronal cholinoreceptor membrane reactions to repeated iontophoretic applications of acetylcholine to the soma by a number of calmodulin blockaders: R24571 (20-50 mmol/l), trifluoperazine (50-200 mmol/l), chlorpromazine (20-60 mmol/l) and prenylamine lactate (30-400 mmol/l). The obtained results testify to a positive control by calmodulin of short-term cholinoreceptors plasticity of the studied neurons.     

Calcium regulation of the short-term plasticity of the cholinoreceptors in neurons RPa3 and LPa3 of the edible snail]

Pharmacological influences, changing intracellular content of Ca2+, reversibly change the speed and depth of extinction of the input current of the Helix RPa3 and LPa3 neurones, elicited by a repeated iontophoretic application of acetylcholine to the soma. Suppression by extracellular medium, devoid of Ca2+ and by verapamyl (100-150 mumol/l) of Ca2+ input to the cell, induced by cholinoreceptors activation, reversibly weakens the extinction. Raise of intracellular Ca2+ level by blockade with ruthenium red (5-10 mumol/l) of specific Ca2+ transport by mitochondria and by mobilization with caffeine (1-4 mmol/l) of Ca2+, deposited by endoplasmic reticulum, accelerates and intensifies the extinction. The obtained results testify that the short-term cholinoreceptors plasticity of the above neurones is positively controlled by Ca2+ entering the cell by chemically controlled ion channels and mobilized from intracellular Ca-depot.