Spatial behaviour of sheep during the neonatal period: Preliminary study on the influence of shelter

Effective shelter has been demonstrated to reduce neonatal lamb mortality rates during periods of inclement weather. Periods of high wind speed and rainfall have been shown to influence shelter usage; however, it is not yet known how ewe factors such as breed, age and body condition score influence shelter-seeking behaviour. This study, conducted on a working upland farm in the UK, examined impact of artificial shelter on the biological and climatic factors that influence peri-parturient ewe behaviour. Pregnant ewes (n = 147) were randomly allocated between two adjacent fields which were selected for their similarity in size, topography, pasture management, orientation to the prevailing wind and available natural shelter. In one field, three additional artificial shelters were installed to increase the available shelter for ewes, this field was designated the Test field; no additional artificial shelter was provided in the second field which was used as the Control field. Individual ewes were observed every 2 h between 0800 and 1600 for 14 continuous days to monitor their location relative to shelter. Ewe breed (Aberfield and Highlander), age (2–8 years) and body condition score were considered as explanatory variables to explain flock and individual variance in shelter-seeking behaviour and the prevalence of issues which required the intervention of the shepherd, termed ‘shepherding problems’. Any ewe observed with dystocia, a dead or poor vigour lamb or who exhibited mismothering behaviour was recorded as a shepherding problem. The prevalence of these shepherding problems which necessitate human intervention represents arguably the most critical limiting factor for the successful management of commercial sheep flocks in outdoor lambing systems. Overall, ewes in the Test field with access to additional artificial shelter experienced fewer shepherding problems than those in the Control field (P < 0.05). A significant breed effect was also observed, with Highlander ewes more likely to seek shelter than Aberfield ewes (P < 0.001), and experiencing significantly fewer shepherding interventions (P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate the substantial and significant benefits to animal welfare and productivity that can be achieved through the provision of shelter in commercial, upland, outdoor lambing systems in the UK.     

The tyrosine kinase v-Src modifies cytotoxicities of anticancer drugs targeting cell division

v-Src oncogene causes cell transformation through its strong tyrosine kinase activity. We have revealed that v-Src-mediated cell transformation occurs at a low frequency and it is attributed to mitotic abnormalities-mediated chromosome instability. v-Src directly phosphorylates Tyr-15 of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), thereby causing mitotic slippage and reduction in Eg5 inhibitor cytotoxicity. However, it is not clear whether v-Src modifies cytotoxicities of the other anticancer drugs targeting cell division. In this study, we found that v-Src restores cancer cell viability reduced by various microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs), although v-Src does not alter cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging anticancer drugs. v-Src causes mitotic slippage of MTAs-treated cells, consequently generating proliferating tetraploid cells. We further demonstrate that v-Src also restores cell viability reduced by a polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor. Interestingly, treatment with Aurora kinase inhibitor strongly induces cell death when cells express v-Src. These results suggest that the v-Src modifies cytotoxicities of anticancer drugs targeting cell division. Highly activated Src-induced resistance to MTAs through mitotic slippage might have a risk to enhance the malignancy of cancer cells through the increase in chromosome instability upon chemotherapy using MTAs.     

Impacts of remotely sensed environmental drivers on coral outplant survival

Globally, coral reefs are degrading due to a variety of stressors including climate change and pollution. Active restoration is an important effort for sustaining coral reefs where, typically, coral fragments are outplanted onto degraded reefs. Coral outplants, however, can experience mortality in response to a range of stressors. We pair results of outplant monitoring observations with satellite‐based measurements of multiple oceanographic variables to estimate the relative importance of each driver to coral outplant survival. We find that when considering mean environmental conditions experienced by outplants during the monitoring period, particulate organic carbon (POC) levels are most important in determining outplant survival, with certain levels of POC beneficial for outplants. Sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) are also important determinants of outplant survival, where survival is greatest in regions with minimal or slightly negative anomalies. Survival also increases with increasing distance to land, likely due to a reduction in negative ridge‐to‐reef effects on coral outplants. When considering the range (min–max) of environmental conditions experienced during the monitoring period, large fluctuations in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and POC are most important in determining outplant survival. Increasing outplant depth can help to counter the negative impacts of large fluctuations in environmental variables. We find that a variety of remotely sensed oceanographic variables have significant impacts on survival and should be considered in coral restoration planning to help evaluate potential restoration sites and ultimately maximize coral outplant survival.     

Distribution of the cytoskeletal protein,Nestin, in acute leukemia

Abstract

Nestin is a neuroepithelial stem cell marker that is expressed in some types of tumor cells. Recent reports suggest that Nestin may be closely related to malignant cell proliferation and migration. Acute leukemia (AL) is characterized by a lack of differentiation, which results in uncontrolled proliferation in the bone marrow and accumulation of immature cells. The expression and function of Nestin in AL is unclear. We investigated Nestin immunohistochemical patterns of 87 patients that included 47 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 40 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 20 patients in complete remission (CR) from AML or ALL. We also investigated the clinico-pathological features of 87 cases of AL and their CR and overall survival (OS). Nestin was expressed in leukemic blasts and mature granulocytic cells in most cases (39/47) of AML. Conversely, Nestin was expressed in mature granulocytic cells in fewer cases (6/40) of ALL, but not in blasts. Nestin expression appeared in leukemic blasts of AML, but not ALL. Nestin expression in AML blast cells was not associated with CR or OS. We provide evidence that Nestin is expressed in AL and might be a useful immunohistochemical marker for identifying AML and ALL.     

Alpha (1,2)-Fucosyltransferase M307A Polymorphism Improves Piglet Survival

To confirm the beneficial effects of alpha (1,2)-fucosyltransferase (FUT1) M307 ^A on piglet survival on commercial farms, we performed PCR-RFLP analysis of FUT1 M307 in successfully marketed (n = 245) and disease affected/deceased pigs during weaning (n = 252) at a commercial farm. We also evaluated the FUT1 genotypes of 190 healthy pigs from three different genetic backgrounds. The distribution of genotypes differed between the successfully marketed and disease affected/deceased pig groups. The frequency of the A allele, associated with resistance to edema and post-weaning diarrhea, was higher in the post-weaning survival group (0.21) than in the non-survival group (0.16, P < 0.05). The odds ratio for piglet survival between AA and GG genotypes was 1.98; thus, piglet survival for individuals with the AA genotype was almost two-fold greater than for GG individuals. The FUT1 gene polymorphism can be used as an effective marker for selection programs to improve post-weaning piglet survival.     

Intergenerational effects of inbreeding in Nicrophorus vespilloides: offspring suffer fitness costs when either they or their parents are inbred

Inbreeding depression is the reduction in fitness caused by mating between related individuals. Inbreeding is expected to cause a reduction in offspring fitness when the offspring themselves are inbred, but outbred individuals may also suffer a reduction in fitness when they depend on care from inbred parents. At present, little is known about the significance of such intergenerational effects of inbreeding. Here, we report two experiments on the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an insect with elaborate parental care, in which we investigated inbreeding depression in offspring when either the offspring themselves or their parents were inbred. We found substantial inbreeding depression when offspring were inbred, including reductions in hatching success of inbred eggs and survival of inbred offspring. We also found substantial inbreeding depression when parents were inbred, including reductions in hatching success of eggs produced by inbred parents and survival of outbred offspring that received care from inbred parents. Our results suggest that intergenerational effects of inbreeding can have substantial fitness costs to offspring, and that future studies need to incorporate such costs to obtain accurate estimates of inbreeding depression.     

Establishment and survival of Pinus brutia Ten. seedlings over the first growing season in abandoned fields in central Cyprus

Abstract

The present study was carried out in abandoned fields in central Cyprus. The main objective was to examine the impact of the regeneration environment on the establishment and survival of Pinus brutia seedlings. Sixty-four permanent plots of 16 m² were randomly established in two distinct sites. Four regeneration environments were recorded: (a) bare soil under the crown of a P. brutia tree, (b) soil under the canopy of a P. brutia tree and low shrubs, (c) bare soil in open areas, and (d) soil under the canopy of low shrubs in open areas. All P. brutia seedlings were classified in categories according to their regeneration environment. In all plots, the density of the P. brutia seedlings was measured in three different seasons (spring, summer, autumn). Soil temperatures were recorded, samples of surface soil were taken and the percentage of soil organic matter was measured. The main conclusions drawn from this research were the following: (1) the mature P. brutia trees and low shrubs facilitate the establishment and especially the survival of P. brutia seedlings, as all seedlings in bare vegetation ground had died by the end of the growing season, and (2) the importance of facilitation increases as abiotic stress rises.     

Alrp,a survival factor that controls the apoptotic process of regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy in rats

Abstract

Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (Alrp) enhances, through unknown mechanism/s, hepatocyte proliferation only when administered to partially hepatectomized (PH) rats. Liver resection, besides stimulating hepatocyte proliferation, induces reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering apoptosis. To clarify the role of Alrp in the process of liver regeneration, hepatocyte proliferation, apoptosis, ROS-induced parameters and morphological findings of regenerating liver were studied from PH rats Alrp-treated for 72 h after the surgery. The same parameters, evaluated on regenerating liver from albumin-treated PH rats, were used as control. The results demonstrated that Alrp administration induces the anti-apoptotic gene expression, inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis and reduces ROS-induced cell damage. These and similar data from in vitro studies and the presence of ‘Alrp homologous proteins’ in viruses as well as in mammals (i) allow to hypothesize that Alrp activity/ies may not be exclusive for regenerating liver and (ii) suggest the use of Alrp in the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases.     

Resistance to freezing temperatures in Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus (Macquart) eggs (Diptera: Culicidae) from two different climatic regions of Argentina

Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus (Macquart) has the capacity to proliferate in different kinds of climates within its distribution range in South America. With the aim of studying local thermal adaptations of eggs, we exposed egg stocks from two climatically different localities: temperate humid pampa (Buenos Aires) and cold arid Patagonian (Sarmiento), to freezing conditions and then evaluated the effect on some features at this level. First, we thermally described the substrate where this species lays its eggs in the arid region. A typical thermal condition during winter was 10 h at ?12° C. Second, we evaluated the effect of freezing on primary hatching (vs total hatching) and embryo survival. We also compared the proportion of embryonated eggs from both populations. The proportions of embryonated eggs were not different between localities, with averages of 78% and 83% in Sarmiento and Buenos Aires, respectively. Survival was equally successful after freezing in the two localities with an average range between 94–99%. Whether or not the eggs from Buenos Aires and Sarmiento were under freezing conditions, hatching was more than 98% after the first flooding. The results suggest that eggs of Ae. albifasciatus from Sarmiento and Buenos Aires have the same ability to survive at extreme temperatures (<0° C), showing a regional thermal adaptation rather than a local one.     

Projecting demographic responses to climate change: adult and juvenile survival respond differently to direct and indirect effects of weather in a passerine population

Few studies have quantitatively projected changes in demography in response to climate change, yet doing so can provide important insights into the processes that may lead to population declines and changes in species distributions. Using a long‐term mark‐recapture data set, we examined the influence of multiple direct and indirect effects of weather on adult and juvenile survival for a population of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in California. We found evidence for a positive, direct effect of winter temperature on adult survival, and a positive, indirect effect of prior rainy season precipitation on juvenile survival, which was consistent with an effect of precipitation on food availability during the breeding season. We used these relationships, and climate projections of significantly warmer and slightly drier winter weather by the year 2100, to project a significant increase in mean adult survival (12–17%) and a slight decrease in mean juvenile survival (4–6%) under the B1 and A2 climate change scenarios. Together with results from previous studies on seasonal fecundity and postfledging survival in this population, we integrated these results in a population model and projected increases in the population growth rate under both climate change scenarios. Our results underscore the importance of considering multiple, direct, and indirect effects of weather throughout the annual cycle, as well as differences in the responses of each life stage to climate change. Projecting demographic responses to climate change can identify not only how populations will be affected by climate change but also indicate the demographic process(es) and specific mechanisms that may be responsible. This information can, in turn, inform climate change adaptation plans, help prioritize future research, and identify where limited conservation resources will be most effectively and efficiently spent.