Effects of Tissue Collection Methods on Morphometrics and Survival of Captive Neonatal Northern Bobwhite

ABSTRACT We assessed effects of tissue collection methods (i.e., patagial microbiopsy and down feathers) and chick age at sampling on morphometrics and 21-day survival of 600 captive neonatal northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We observed minimal effects on morphometrics and no difference in survival among patagial microbiopsy (x̄ = 0.96 ± 0.03), down feathers (x̄ = 0.92 ± 0.04), and control (x̄ = 0.86 ± 0.05) methods. DNA analysis from patagial microbiopsy, down feather, and egg tooth samples showed greater concentrations of DNA from patagial microbiopsy (x̄ = 10.28 ± 1.74 μg/ml) than either down feather (x̄ = 4.10 ± 1.74 μg/ml) or egg teeth (x̄ = 2.35 ± 1.74 μg/ml).     

Developmental toxicity studies of lumefantrine and artemether in rats and rabbits

The combination of artemether plus lumefantrine is a type of artemisinin‐based combination therapy (ACT) recommended by the World Health Organization for uncomplicated falciparum malaria except in the first trimester of pregnancy. The first trimester restriction was based on the marked embryotoxicity in animals (including embryo death and cardiac and skeletal malformations) of artemisinins such as artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, and artemether. Before recommending ACTs for use in the first trimester, the World Health Organization has requested that all information relevant to the assessment of risk of ACTs to the embryo be made available to the public. This report describes the results of embryo‐fetal development studies of artemether alone, lumefantrine alone, and the combination in rats and rabbits as well as toxicokinetic studies of lumefantrine in pregnant rabbits. The developmental no‐effect levels for lumefantrine were 300 mg/kg/day in rats (based on a 25% decrease in litter size at 1000 mg/kg/day) and 1000 mg/kg/day in rabbits. The calculated safety margins based on human equivalent dose and plasma C_max and AUC values were in the range of 2.5‐ to 17‐fold. The developmental no‐effect levels for artemether were 3 mg/kg/day in rats and 25 mg/kg/day in rabbits. Lumefantrine caused no teratogenicity and was not a potent embryotoxin in rats and rabbits. Expected artemisinin‐like findings were seen with artemether alone and with artemether/lumefantrine combined except that no malformations were observed. There were no findings in pregnant rats and rabbits that would cause increased concern for the use of artemether–lumefantrine in the first trimester compared to other ACTs.     

Positive interactions between herbivores and plant diversity shape forest regeneration

The effects of herbivores and diversity on plant communities have been studied separately but rarely in combination. We conducted two concurrent experiments over 3 years to examine how tree seedling diversity, density and herbivory affected forest regeneration. One experiment factorially manipulated plant diversity (one versus 15 species) and the presence/absence of deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We found that mixtures outperformed monocultures only in the presence of deer. Selective browsing on competitive dominants and associational protection from less palatable species appear responsible for this herbivore-driven diversity effect. The other experiment manipulated monospecific plant density and found little evidence for negative density dependence. Combined, these experiments suggest that the higher performance in mixture was owing to the acquisition of positive interspecific interactions rather than the loss of negative intraspecific interactions. Overall, we emphasize that realistic predictions about the consequences of changing biodiversity will require a deeper understanding of the interaction between plant diversity and higher trophic levels. If we had manipulated only plant diversity, we would have missed an important positive interaction across trophic levels: diverse seedling communities better resist herbivores, and herbivores help to maintain seedling diversity.     

The role of FGF signaling in guiding coordinate movement of cell groups: Guidance cue and cell adhesion regulator?

Cell migration influences cell-cell interactions to drive cell differentiation and organogenesis. To support proper development, cell migration must be regulated both temporally and spatially. Mesoderm cell migration in the Drosophila embryo serves as an excellent model system to study how cell migration is controlled and influences organogenesis. First, mesoderm spreading transforms the embryo into a multilayered form during gastrulation and, subsequently, cells originating from the caudal visceral mesoderm (CVM) migrate along the entire length of the gut. Here we review our studies, which have focused on the role of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling, and compare and contrast these two different cell migration processes: mesoderm spreading and CVM migration. In both cases, FGF acts as a chemoattractant to guide cells’ directional movement but is likely not the only signal that serves this role. Furthermore, FGF likely modulates cell adhesion properties since FGF mutant phenotypes share similarities with those of cell adhesion molecules. Our working hypothesis is that levels of FGF signaling differentially influence cells’ response to result in either directional movement or changes in adhesive properties.     

In vitro zygotic embryo germination and propagation of an endangered Boswellia serrata Roxb., a source of boswellic acid

This study aims to establish an efficient protocol for development of seedlings of an endangered medicinally important forest tree Boswellia serrata Roxb., for mass plantation and consistent supply of salai guggul. The green mature fruits served as source of seeds. The excised green zygotic embryos were cultured on Gamborg (B5), McCown and Loyd (WPM) and Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) media fortified with different concentration of sucrose and on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 3 % sucrose, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (0–300 mg l^−l), Gibberellic acid (GA₃), Indoleacetic acid (IAA), Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), Indole-3-Butyric acid (IBA) or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) or kinetin (Kin) individually. The highest frequency of embryo germination (96 %) and conversion into seedling was obtained on MS medium containing 3 % sucrose together with 200 mg l^−l PVP; other media were either inferior or induced abnormalities in the seedlings including callus formation from the zygotic embryos. Fully developed seedlings could be successfully established in soil with about 94 % survival. The embryos from mature dry seeds did not respond for germination in any of the experiments. In conclusion, selection of zygotic embryo from green mature seeds and their in vitro germination is important for propagation of B. serrata.     

Genetic sex determination,sex chromosome size and sex-specific lifespans across tetrapods

Sex differences in lifespan are ubiquitous across the tree of life and exhibit broad taxonomic patterns that remain a puzzle, such as males living longer than females in birds and vice versa in mammals. The prevailing unguarded X hypothesis explains sex differences in lifespan by differential expression of recessive mutations on the X or Z chromosome of the heterogametic sex, but has only received indirect support to date. An alternative hypothesis is that the accumulation of deleterious mutations and repetitive elements on the Y or W chromosome might lower the survival of the heterogametic sex (‘toxic Y’ hypothesis). Here, we use a new database to report lower survival of the heterogametic relative to the homogametic sex across 136 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as expected if sex chromosomes shape sex-specific lifespans, and consistent with previous findings. We also found that the relative sizes of both the X and the Y chromosomes in mammals (but not the Z or the W chromosomes in birds) are associated with sex differences in lifespan, as predicted by the unguarded X and the ‘toxic Y’. Furthermore, we report that the relative size of the Y is negatively associated with male lifespan in mammals, so that small Y size correlates with increased male lifespan. In theory, toxic Y effects are expected to be particularly strong in mammals, and we did not find similar effects in birds. Our results confirm the role of sex chromosomes in explaining sex differences in lifespan across tetrapods and further suggest that, at least in mammals, ‘toxic Y’ effects may play an important part in this role.     

Application of machine learning to identify predators of stocked fish in Lake Ontario: using acoustic telemetry predation tags to inform management

Understanding predator–prey interactions and food web dynamics is important for ecosystem-based management in aquatic environments, as they experience increasing rates of human-induced changes, such as the addition and removal of fishes. To quantify the post-stocking survival and predation of a prey fish in Lake Ontario, 48 bloater Coregonus hoyi were tagged with acoustic telemetry predation tags and were tracked on an array of 105 acoustic receivers from November 2018 to June 2019. Putative predators of tagged bloater were identified by comparing movement patterns of six species of salmonids (i.e., predators) in Lake Ontario with the post-predated movements of bloater (i.e., prey) using a random forests algorithm, a type of supervised machine learning. A total of 25 bloater (53% of all detected) were consumed by predators on average (± S.D. ) 3.1 ± 2.1 days after release. Post-predation detections of predators occurred for an average (± S.D. ) of 78.9 ± 76.9 days, providing sufficient detection data to classify movement patterns. Tagged lake trout Salvelinus namaycush provided the most reliable classification from behavioural predictor variables (89% success rate) and was identified as the main consumer of bloater (consumed 50%). Movement networks between predicted and tagged lake trout were significantly correlated over a 6 month period, supporting the classification of lake trout as a common bloater predator. This study demonstrated the ability of supervised learning techniques to provide greater insight into the fate of stocked fishes and predator–prey dynamics, and this technique is widely applicable to inform future stocking and other management efforts.     

玉米幼胚胚性愈伤组织再生能力相关性状遗传研究

本文对来源于美国、墨西哥和中国的144份不同玉米自交系幼胚胚性愈伤组织的再生能力相关性状进行了研究,发现其再生能力受到环境、基因型及环境与基因型互作三方面的影响。其中各性状之间的相关性表现为：绿点率(green embryonic callus rate, GCR)、分化率(embryonic callus differentiating rate, CDR)及再生绿苗数(the plantlet number of embryonic callus regeneration, CPN)之间呈极显著正相关,且这三者与褐化率(embryonic callus browning rate, CBR)呈极显著负相关; 两次继代的克隆指数(embryonic callus cloning index for the first subculture, CCI1; embryonic callus cloning index for the second subculture, CCI2)呈显著正相关,且CCI2与GCR有一定的正相关关系,与CBR呈负相关关系;生根率(embryonic callus rooting rate, CRR)则与GCR、CDR及CPN呈一定正相关。经过广义遗传力计算发现：胚性愈伤组织的两次继代克隆指数CCI1、CCI2和CRR的遗传力较低,其他性状的遗传力较高。此外,经Ward法双向聚类分析,共发现了11个具有高再生能力的自交系材料,且通过生根培养发现其再生绿苗的生根情况良好,因而可将它们作为玉米转基因受体的骨干自交系。