Syntheses and structural study of bile acid amidoalcohols

Preparation, structural and thermoanalytical characterization of fourteen N-hydroxyalkyl 5beta-cholan-24-amides have been performed in this study. The utilized techniques include liquid state and CP-MAS (13)C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and also powder and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The results were discussed and compared to each other and also to previous findings on similar compounds. One pure hydrate form was obtained. Six new single crystal structures were determined, including one hydrated chloroform solvate. Decomposition temperatures were found to correlate with the side chain length, and the number of the hydroxyl groups. The spatial direction of the groups in the steroid skeleton was also found to be relevant in predicting the thermal properties of bile acid amidoalcohols studied.     

Characterization of ozonated vegetable oils by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods

In this work the effect of ozonation on olive oil, soybean oil, oleic-, linoleic- and linolenic acid was studied. The effects of ozonation time on the oils and acids were analyzed by 1H, 13C NMR. Further, the peroxide- and acid values, the viscosity and the molar mass were determined for pure and ozonated oils. The fatty chains in both ozonated oils showed a gradual decrease of unsaturation with the gradual increase of ozonation time. Reaction products were identified according to Criegee mechanism. The major product in the early stage of the reaction was ozonide. The disappearance of unsaturation and formation of ozonide was almost equal. Ozonation increased the peroxide and acid values for both oils, the increase being higher for soybean oil. After long ozonation times higher molar mass species, as well as low molar mass species were observed. These are interpreted as oligomeric ozonides and cross-ozonides, respectively.     

Short- and long-term population dynamical consequences of asymmetric climate change in black grouse

Temporal asymmetry in patterns of regional climate change may jeopardize the match between the proximate and ultimate cues of the timing of breeding. The consequences on short- and long-term population dynamics and trends as well as the underlying mechanisms are, however, often unknown. Using long-term data from Finland, we demonstrate that black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) have responded to spring warming by advancing both egg-laying and hatching. However, early summer (the time of hatching) has not advanced, and chicks have to face colder post-hatching conditions. Demonstrating that these conditions are critical to post-hatching survival, we show that chicks are increasingly suffering higher mortality because they hatch too early. Consequently, breeding success and population size has severely declined over the past four decades. Finally, we modelled the impact of this particular climate change scenario on population dynamics and show that the mismatch can further explain the observed collapse of cyclic fluctuations. Because the evolutionary response of grouse is lagging behind the novel selective pressures, seasonally asymmetric climate change is likely to constitute an important determinant of future short- and long-term changes in the dynamics of black grouse populations.     

Are European White Butterflies Aposematic?

It has been suggested that the white coloration of Pieridae butterflies is a warning signal and therefore all white Pieridae could profit from a mimetic resemblance. We tested whether green-veined white (Pieris napi) and orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) butterflies benefit from white coloration. We compared their relative acceptability to wild, adult pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) by offering live A. cardamines and P. napi together with two non-aposematic butterflies on the tray attached to birds' nesting boxes. Experienced predators equally attacked white and non-white butterflies, and the order of attack among the Pieridae was random. If anything, there was a slight indication that the female A. cardamines was the least favoured prey. Since birds did not avoid white coloration, we compared the palatability of these two species against known palatable and unpalatable butterflies by presenting them to great tits (Parus major). Pieris brassicae, which has been earlier described as unpalatable, was also included in the palatability test. However, there were no significant differences in the palatability of the butterflies to birds, and even P. brassicae was apparently palatable to the great tits. Our results do not unambiguously support the hypothesis that the white coloration of Pieridae would signal unpalatability. Nevertheless, in our last experiment, pied flycatchers often rejected or left untouched free flying P. napi and A. cardamines. This suggests that other features in a more natural situation, such as the agile flight pattern or odours might still make them unprofitable to birds. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reactions of hand-reared and wild-caught predators toward warningly colored, gregarious, and conspicuous prey

Recently there has been debate over the importance of innateavoidance of aposematic prey by predators, particularly birds.There is evidence that the predators have innate or unlearned,thus, inherited avoidance against certain colors, but whetherthere is any innate avoidance against gregariousness or conspicuousnessis unclear. Previously predator behavior toward these charactersof aposematic prey have been tested in separate experiments.We designed an experiment to separate inheritance toward color,gregariousness, and conspiucuosness. We simultaneously offeredthe predators warningly colored and nonwarningly colored preyitems, both aggregated and solitary, on white (conspicuous)or brown (cryptic) backgrounds. The predators we used were naive (handraised), wild-caught yearling and adult great tits (Parus major L.).The results confirm previous results regarding the innate avoidanceof color. Naive predators seemed to have a genetically or culturallytransmitted avoidance of yellow and black prey compared to brownprey. Surprisingly, yearling wild-caught great tits were moreselective than adults, which did not show as strong avoidanceof yellow and black prey. More importantly, birds did not findgregarious prey more aversive than single prey, which indicatesthat grouping alone does not serve as an innate avoidance signal.Conspicuousness itself was not aversive to the predators. Ourresults suggest that the avoidance against a particular colorpattern probably has an inherited basis, whereas gregariousand conspicuous characters of prey presumably aid the avoidancelearning.     

Prenatal androgen exposure modulates cellular and humoral immune function of black-headed gull chicks

Avian eggs contain considerable amounts of maternal yolk androgens, which have been shown to beneficially influence the physiology and behaviour of the chick. As androgens may suppress immune functions, they may also entail costs for the chick. This is particularly relevant for colonial species, such as the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), in which the aggregation of large numbers of birds during the breeding season enhances the risk of infectious diseases for the hatching chick.To test the effect of maternal yolk androgens on the chick's immune function, we experimentally manipulated, in a field study, yolk androgen levels within the physiological range by in ovo injection of either androgens (testosterone and androstenedione) or sesame oil (control) into freshly laid eggs. We determined cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and humoral immunity of the chicks at the beginning of the nestling period to evaluate early modulatory effects of yolk androgens on immune function.Embryonic exposure to elevated levels of androgens negatively affected both CMI and humoral immunity in nestling gull chicks. Consequently, maternal yolk androgens not only entail benefits of enhanced competitiveness and growth as previously shown, but also costs in terms of immunosuppression. The outcome of embryonic yolk androgen exposure thus likely depends on the post-hatching circumstances for the developing offspring such as parasite exposure and degree of sibling competition.     

BDNF-induced TrkB activation down-regulates the K+-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 and impairs neuronal Cl- extrusion

Pathophysiological activity and various kinds of traumatic insults are known to have deleterious long-term effects on neuronal Cl- regulation, which can lead to a suppression of fast postsynaptic GABAergic responses. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) increases neuronal excitability through a conjunction of mechanisms that include regulation of the efficacy of GABAergic transmission. Here, we show that exposure of rat hippocampal slice cultures and acute slices to exogenous BDNF or neurotrophin-4 produces a TrkB-mediated fall in the neuron-specific K+-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 mRNA and protein, as well as a consequent impairment in neuronal Cl- extrusion capacity. After kindling-induced seizures in vivo, the expression of KCC2 is down-regulated in the mouse hippocampus with a spatiotemporal profile complementary to the up-regulation of TrkB and BDNF. The present data demonstrate a novel mechanism whereby BDNF/TrkB signaling suppresses chloride-dependent fast GABAergic inhibition, which most likely contributes to the well-known role of TrkB-activated signaling cascades in the induction and establishment of epileptic activity.     

Monitoring human parvovirus B19 virus-like particles and antibody complexes in solution by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was used in monitoring human parvovirus B19 virus-like particle (VLP) antibody complexes from acute phase and past-immunity serum samples. The Oregon Green 488-labeled VLPs gave an average diffusion coefficient of 1.7 x 10(-7) cm2 s(-1) with an apparent hydrodynamic radius of 14 nm. After incubation of the fluorescent VLPs with an acute phase serum sample, the mobility information obtained from the fluorescence intensity fluctuation by autocorrelation analysis showed an average diffusion coefficient of 1.5 x 10(-8) cm2 s(-1), corresponding to an average radius of 157 nm. In contrast, incubation of the fluorescent VLPs with a past-immunity serum sample gave an average diffusion coefficient of 3.5 x 10(-8) cm2 s(-1) and a radius of 69 nm. A control serum devoid of B19 antibodies caused a change in the diffusion coefficient from 1.7 x 10(-7) to 1.6 x 10(-7) cm2 s(-1), which is much smaller than that observed with acute phase or past-immunity sera. Thus, VLP-antibody complexes with different diffusion coefficients could be identified for the acute phase and past-immunity sera. FCS measurement of VLP-immune complexes could be useful in distinguishing between antibodies present in acute phase or past-immunity sera as well as in titration of the VLPs.     

Decreased sexual signalling reveals reduced viability in small populations of the drumming wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata

One of the important goals in conservation biology is to determine reliable indicators of population viability. Sexual traits have been suggested to indicate population extinction risk, because they may be related to viability through condition dependence. Moreover, condition-dependent sexual traits may be more sensitive indicators of population viability than early life-history traits, because deleterious fitness effects of inbreeding tend to be expressed mainly at the end of the species' life history. However, empirical evidence of the significance of sexual behaviour for population viability is missing. In this study, we examined two male sexual traits and survival in 39 different-sized and isolated natural populations of the wolf spider, Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. We also used several traits to estimate female reproductive success in 25 populations of H. rubrofasciata. According to previous studies, H. rubrofasciata males have a costly and condition-dependent acoustic signal, courtship drumming, which is the target of female choice. Males with a high drumming rate have considerably higher viability than males with a low drumming rate, and females that mate with the more actively drumming males gain genetic benefits in terms of increased offspring viability. Our results show that males in small populations had both lower survival and lower drumming rate than males in larger populations. However, we did not find any evidence for a decline in important early life-history traits (offspring number, hatching success or offspring body mass) or female body mass in small populations. Our results have two important messages for conservation biology. First, they show that sexual traits can be used as sensitive indicators of population viability. Second, the indirect benefits of female choice in terms of good genes might partially compensate for the reduction of viability in declining populations. Also, our results support the view that deleterious effects of small population size are expressed at the end of the species' life history.     

Combs and sexual selection in black grouse (Tetrao tetrix)

We studied supra-orbital combs in lekking black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) in relation to sexual selection at five leks in Finland1991-1998 and four leks in Sweden 1992-1995. Comb size wasestimated in two ways: by observing its natural size in thefield at different behaviors ("observed comb size"), and bymeasuring the comb size from captured birds ("measured combsize"). The size of combs is highly variable, and individualscan change it within seconds. Males express their larger combsduring display, as compared to other behaviors. Observed mean comb sizes were larger on leks with a higher number of malesand a higher number of copulations. Measured and observed combsizes and copulatory success did not significantly correlatewhen all males where analyzed, but a positive and significantrelationship between observed comb size and copulatory success was found within males that achieved copulations. Measured comblength correlated positively with the amount of testosterone.While females were present on the lek, displaying and successfulmales showed the largest observed comb size. When we comparedobserved comb size during fighting between successful and unsuccessfulmales and correlated comb size of pairs of fighting males withtheir fighting activity, no significant differences in combsize were found. The result that comb size correlated significantlywith an increase in testosterone level and that larger combsize, within successful males, predicted higher copulatorysuccess suggests that combs may be a cue for females to assessmale quality. The lack of a significant relationship betweenobserved comb size and fighting behavior suggests that combsize either has minor importance in male-male signaling onthe lek or that males may express similar-sized combs duringfighting to avoid serious fights and thus risk of comb injuries.