bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kidney transplantation for active multiple myeloma or smoldering myeloma: a case–control study
Authors: Kormann Raphaël , Pouteil-Noble Claire , Muller Clotilde , Arnulf Bertrand , Viglietti Denis , Sberro Rebecca , Sayegh Johnny , Durrbach Antoine , Dantal Jacques , Girerd Sophie , Pernin Vincent , Albano Laetitia , Rondeau Eric , Peltier Julie
Published: September 2019

Background

The increased survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) raises the question of kidney transplantation (KT) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods

We included 13 patients with MM or smoldering myeloma (SMM) and ESRD transplanted between 2007 and 2015, including 7 MM with cast nephropathy, 3 with MM-associated amyloid light chain amyloidosis or light chain deposition disease and 3 SMM and compared them with 65 control-matched kidney-transplanted patients. Nine of the MM patients with KT were also compared with 63 matched MM patients on haemodialysis.

Results

Pre-transplantation parameters were comparable, except for the duration of renal replacement therapy (57.8 versus 37.0 months; P = 0.029) in MM versus control patients, respectively. The median follow-up post-KT was 44.4 versus 36.4 months (P = 0.40). The median MM graft and patient survival were 80.1 and 117.2 months, respectively, and were not significantly different from control patients, although mortality tended to be higher in the 10 symptomatic MM patients (P = 0.059). MM patients had significantly more viral and fungal infections and immunosuppressive maintenance therapy modifications while they received lower induction therapy. Two MM patients relapsed and two SMM cases evolved to MM after KT. Three cast nephropathies occurred, two of them leading to ESRD. Moreover, survival of MM with KT increased relative to control haemodialysed patients (P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Selected MM patients may benefit from KT but need careful surveillance in the case of KT complications and MM evolution.
Clinical parameters predicting complications in native kidney biopsies
Authors: Peters Björn , Nasic Salmir , Segelmark Mårten
Published: September 2019

Background

Renal biopsies are essential in nephrology but they are invasive and complications can occur. The aim of this study was to explore clinical parameters that can be used as predictors for biopsy complications.

Methods

Clinical parameters such as demographics, biopsy indications, serology, comorbidities and clinical chemistry were retrieved from a regional biopsy registry between 2006 and 2015 and from a nationwide registry between 2015 and 2017. Clinical data before biopsy were compared with data on major biopsy complications. Fisher’s exact and χ2 tests were used and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were presented. Univariate and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were performed with complications as outcome. A two-sided P-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

In total, 2835 consecutive native kidney biopsies were analysed (39% women and 61% men, median age 57 years). No death and nephrectomy due to biopsy complications were registered. The frequency of major biopsy complications was 5.65%. In the multiple logistic regression, the risk for complications increased in women [OR 1.51 (95% CI 1.08–2.11)] and decreased with age: 45–64 years age group [OR 0.66 (95% CI 0.44–0.99)] and >74 years age group [OR 0.51 (95% CI 0.27–0.96)]. Among comorbidities, patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 [OR 2.07 (95% CI 1.15–3.72)] and non-ischaemic heart disease [OR 3.20 (95% CI 1.64–6.25)] had a higher risk for major biopsy complications.

Conclusions

Female gender, younger age (≤44 years), diabetes mellitus type 2 and non-ischaemic heart disease were found as risk factors for major biopsy complications.
Updatable Lossy Trapdoor Functions Under Consecutive Leakage
Authors: Huang Meijuan , Yang Bo , Zhang Mingwu , Zhang Lina , Hou Hongxia
Published: September 2019

Lossy trapdoor functions (LTFs), introduced by Peikert and Waters (STOC’08), have already been found to be a very useful tool in constructing complex cryptographic primitives in a black-box manner, such as one-way trapdoor functions, deterministic public-key encryption, CCA-secure public-key encryption, etc. Due to the existence of the side-channel attack, the leakage of trapdoor information in lossy trapdoor function systems can lead to the impossibility of provable security. Recently, Zhang et al. introduced a model of consecutive and continual leakage-resilient and updatable lossy trapdoor functions (ULTFs) and provided a concrete construction to achieve the security. Meanwhile, they proposed a consecutive and continual leakage-resilient public-key encryption scheme. However, in this paper, we demonstrate that the correctness of injective function can not be satisfied. Furthermore, the attacker can easily distinguish the evaluation key of ULTFs generated by the challenger according to the security model. Finally, we show two new constructions based on the continual leakage-resilient public-key encryption scheme of Brakerski et al. (FOCS 2010) and demonstrate the security of our scheme in the consecutive and continual leakage model.
Do zealots increase or decrease the polarization of social networks?
Authors: Shekatkar Snehal M
Published: September 2019

Zealots are the vertices in a social network who do not change their opinions under social pressure and are crucial to the study of opinion dynamics on complex networks. In this article, we study the effect of zealots on the polarization dynamics of a deterministic majority rule model using the configuration model as a substrate. To this end, we propose a novel quantifier, called ‘correlated polarization’, for measuring the amount of polarization in the network when vertices can exist in two opposite states. The quantifier takes into account not only the fraction of vertices with each opinion but also how they are connected to each other. We then show that the presence of zealots does not have a fixed effect on the polarization, and can change it in positive, negative or neutral way depending upon their topological characteristics like degree, their total fraction in the network, density and degree heterogeneity of the network and the type of initial conditions of the dynamics. Our results particularly highlight the importance of the role played by the initial conditions in drifting the polarization towards lower or higher values as the total number of zealots is increased.
Comparing progesterone in blubber and serum to assess pregnancy in wild beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)
Authors: Goertz Caroline E C , Burek-Huntington Kathy , Royer Katie , Quakenbush Lori , Clauss Tonya , Hobbs Roderick , Kellar Nicholas M
Published: September 2019

Blood and blubber were sampled from live-captured beluga whales in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Progesterone levels were used to assess pregnancy status. For most cases, blubber progesterone levels correlated with serum, indicating that pregnancy can be assessed using a remote biopsy and thereby providing a valuable tool to better understand reproduction dynamics from populations that cannot be readily captured for examination.
Effects of odors on behaviors of captive Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis
Authors: Yu Shuangying , Jiang Zhigang , Zhu Hui , Li Chunwang , Zhang Enquan , Zhang Jinguo , Harrington Carin
Published: September 2019

Captive environments often fail to resemble the wild environment in respects of limited space, unchanging habitat, lack of stimulus and contingency. Common animal welfare problems which occur in captive animals include low behavioral diversity, abnormal behavior and excessive inactivity. Environmental enrichment, as an effective strategy to tackle these problems and promote mental health of captive animals, has been recognized as an important principal for captive animal management. Among all the enrichment techniques, olfactory enrichment is a simple and effective method for improving the well-being of the olfactory sensitive felids. Behavioral problems were observed in six Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis at Beijing Zoological Garden. These were held in the older type exhibits which have now been rebuilt. These behaviors include stereotypic behavior and excessive inactivity caused by the spatially limited enclosures with low levels of stimuli. To determine the effects of predator, prey, and herb odors as potential enrichment materials for captive leopards, we conducted olfactory enrichment experiments for the leopards and tested the effects of nutmeg Myristica fragrans, feces of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and urine of Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica to test for an increase in behavioral repertoire and activity. Odors provided in this study were also believed to improve the psychological and physiological health of individuals. To standardize the method of presentation the odors were introduced to the enclosures by rubbing or spraying onto a clean towel. Our results show that the selected three odors effectively increased the behavioral diversity. Ten new behavior types were observed in the nutmeg experiment, eight in the feces of roe deer experiment and six in the tiger urine experiment. Among the three odors, cats responded to nutmeg for the longest duration, followed by tiger urine and feces of roe deer. Leopards showed more play behavior in presence of nutmeg while more investigatory behavior in presences of feces of roe deer and tiger urine. Providing novel odors increased the spatial use of the exhibit and the animal’s increased use of the logs, sleeping platforms and bars in the cages. Novel odors also significantly increased the overall activity of the leopards, but the effects were diminished in about three hours.
Effect of motilin on the contractility of gastric smooth muscle via NO pathway in guinea pigs
Authors: Wang Zhiming , Xu Luo , Lu Jiang
Published: September 2019

This study investigates the gastroprokinetic effects of motilin and erythromycin A (EM-A) and its potential mechanism in guinea pigs Cavia porcellus in vitro. Guinea pig stomach strips were mounted under organ baths containing Krebs solution. Motilin, EM-A, Nω-Nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), L-arginine (L-AA) were added to the bathing solution in a non-cumulative way. Then the effects of motilin and EM-A was studied during electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the absence and presence of L-NNA and L-AA in the gastric anturm and fundus of guinea pigs. In addition, we observed the co-expression of motilin receptors and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the gastric myenteric plexus of guinea pigs by fluo-immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the circular muscle tissues of the gastric fundus generated on-relaxations and off-contractions with the frequency of 1 - 16 Hz. The on-responses induced a relaxation' partially mediated by the release of nitric oxide (NO) because addition of L-NNA turned the relaxations into cholinergically mediated contractions. The off- contractions were also cholinergically mediated as they disappeared under non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) conditions using atropine and guanethidine. In fundic strips, motilin and EM-A induced on-relaxation and off- contraction and both motilin (1 µmol/L) and EM-A (100 µmol/L) may significantly increased on- response and reduced off-response (P < 0.05). And the effects of motilin on strip responses were significantly enhanced compared with EM-A. The on-responses could be reversed into a cholinergically mediated contraction by addition of NOS inhibitors L-NNA. In contrast, administration of substrate of NOS, L-AA, significantly increased on-relaxations and reduced cholinergic motor responses which were induced by motilin or EM-A. However D-arginine (D-AA) did not change the above response induced by motilin or EM-A. In the antral strips, motilin and EM-A only increased off-contractions. The response to motilin and EM-A in the presence of L-NNA did differ from that obtained with L-NNA alone. It showed that both motilin and EM-A could enhance off-contractions induced by L-NNA (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry study showed that motilin receptor immunoreactive positive neurons were co-localized with nNOS positive neurons in the gastric myenteric plexus of the guinea pigs. These results suggested that motilin or EM-A modulates gastrointestinal motility which was mediated by activating gastric nervous and NO pathways in guinea pigs gastro-intestinal tract.
Optimal escape theory predicts escape behaviors beyond flight initiation distance: risk assessment and escape by striped plateau lizards Sceloporus virgatus
Authors: Cooper William E.
Published: September 2019

Escape theory predicts that flight initiation distance (FID = distance between predator and prey when escape begins) is longer when risk is greater and shorter when escape is more costly. A few tests suggest that escape theory applies to distance fled. Escape models have not addressed stochastic variables, such as probability of fleeing and of entering refuge, but their economic logic might be applicable. Experiments on several risk factors in the lizard Sceloporus virgatus confirmed all predictions for the above escape variables. FID was greater when approach was faster and more direct, for lizards on ground than on trees, for lizards rarely exposed to humans, for the second of two approaches, and when the predator turned toward lizards rather than away. Lizards fled further during rapid and second consecutive approaches. They were more likely to flee when approached directly, when a predator turned toward them, and during second approaches. They were more likely to enter refuge when approached rapidly. A novel finding is that perch height in trees was unrelated to FID because lizards escaped by moving out of sight, then moving up or down unpredictably. These findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting predictions of escape theory for FID and distance fled. They show that two probabilistic aspects of escape are predictable based on relative predation risk levels. Because individuals differ in boldness, the assessed optimal FID and threshold risks for fleeing and entering refuge are exceeded for an increasing proportion of individuals as risk increases.
Identifying Chinese species of Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) using DNA barcoding
Authors: Hou Zhong-e , Li Zhu , Li Shu-qiang
Published: September 2019

Using a standard cytochrome c oxidase I sequence, DNA barcoding has been shown to be effective to distinguish known species and to discover cryptic species. Here we assessed the efficiency of DNA barcoding for the amphipod genus Gammarus from China. The maximum intraspecific divergence for widespread species, Gammarus lacustris, was 3.5%, and mean interspecific divergence reached 21. 9%. We presented a conservative benchmark for determining provisional species using maximum intraspecific divergence of Gammarus lacustris. Thirty-one species possessed distinct barcode clusters. Two species were comprised of highly divergent clades with strong neighbor-joining bootstrap values, and likely indicated the presence of cryptic species. Although DNA barcoding is effective, future identification of species of Gammarus should incorporate DNA barcoding and morphological detection.
Terrestrial behavior and use of forest strata in a group of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys Rhinopithecus bieti at Xiaochangdu, Tibet
Authors: Xiang Zuofu , Huo Sheng , Xiao Wen , Quan Ruichang , Grueter Cyril C.
Published: September 2019

Food distribution and predation pressure are considered to be the main ecological factors that influence the use of forest strata (basically arboreality vs. terrestriality) in non-human primates. Here, we investigate ground use of wild, unprovisioned black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys Rhinopithecus bieti by means of the scan sampling method. The results show that the monkeys spent 15.0% of the day time on the ground; 16.6%, 12.7%, and 15.6% for adult males, adult females and juveniles, respectively. Adult males and juveniles of both sexes showed significantly higher rates of terrestrial time than adult females. Females without clinging infants spent significantly more time on the ground than expected, while females with clinging infants spent significantly less time on the ground than expected. These results suggest that the higher degree of terrestrial behavior for males and juveniles may be due to their higher agility in comparison with females. Our study showed that the monkeys fed more on lichens relative to other food items when in the trees, but more on buds/leaves, flowers, fruits/nuts, resin/bark, and herbs when on the ground. According to our investigation, the ecological significance of the species’ terrestriality lies mainly in the utilization of terrestrial food resources.
Patterns of δ13 C and δ15 N in wolverine Gulo gulo tissues from the Brooks Range, Alaska
Authors: Dalerum Fredrik , Angerbjörn Anders , Kunkel Kyran , Shults Brad S.
Published: September 2019

Knowledge of carnivore diets is essential to understand how carnivore populations respond demographically to variations in prey abundance. Analysis of stable isotopes is a useful complement to traditional methods of analyzing carnivore diets . We used data on δ13 C and δ15 N in wolverine tissues to investigate patterns of seasonal and annual diet variation in a wolverine Gulo gulo population in the western Brooks Range, Alaska, USA. The stable isotope ratios in wolverine tissues generally reflected that of terrestrial carnivores, corroborating previous diet studies on wolverines. We also found variation in δ13 C and δ15 N both between muscle samples collected over several years and between tissues with different assimilation rates, even after correcting for isotopic fractionation. This suggests both annual and seasonal diet variation. Our results indicate that data on δ13 C and δ15 N holds promise for qualitative assessments of wolverine diet changes over time. Such temporal variation may be important indicators of ecological responses to environmental perturbations, and we suggest that more refined studies of stable isotopes may be an important tool when studying temporal change in diets of wolverines and similar carnivores.
Time budgets of Tibetan eared pheasants during the non-breeding season in an alpine scrub habitat
Authors: Lu Xin , Zheng Guangmei
Published: September 2019

Time allocations of the group-living Tibetan eared pheasants Crossoptilon harmani with and without supplementary food were investigated by full-day sampling from winter through spring in an alpine scrub zone, south Tibet. At a flock scale, both the different food-supply flocks displayed similar daily patterns of activity, foraging in the morning and evening, and resting around midday. In terms of individual activity, either foraging or resting was highly synchronous with the flock’s. Non-provisioned birds spent more time feeding and less resting in midwinter than in late autumn. In early spring as climates became warmer and day longer, however, non-provisioned birds did not decrease their feeding efforts significantly but the provisioned birds did. Across the non-breeding seasons, the provisioned birds (relying on nutrition-rich artificial food) devoted less time to feeding and more to resting than did the non-provisioned ones (relying on nutrition-poor plant roots). Multivariate analysis showed increased food supply and ambient temperature resulted in a reduced foraging effort. However, the fact that the non-provisioned birds can save daily time for resting even in the cold short-day length mid-winter indicated that they faced no energetic constraint. Thus, protecting shelter vegetation rather than providing extra food is suggested to be important for long-term survival of the endangered galliform birds.
Immune response, stress resistance and bacterial challenge in juvenile rainbow trouts Oncorhynchus mykiss fed diets containing chitosan-oligosaccharides
Authors: Luo Lin , Cai Xuefeng , He Chuan , Xue Min , Wu Xiufeng , Cao Haining
Published: September 2019

Effects of dietary supplementation of chitosan-oligosaccharides (COS) on the growth performance, immune response, stress resistance, and disease resistance of juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were studied. Four experimental diets containing 0, 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg COS (COS0, COS20, COS40, and COS60, respectively) were fed to juvenile rainbow trout (initial weight = 5.2 ± 0.3g) for 8 weeks. By the end of the feeding trial, representative groups of fish from each dietary treatment were challenged with stressor (30 sec air exposure) and pathogen exposure (intraperitoneal injection with Aeromonas hydrophila). Results showed that supplementation of COS in diets did not affect production performance and body composition of rainbow trout. However, fish fed the COS40 diet demonstrated improved phagocytic activities, respiratory burst activities and decreased serum cortisol level. Additionally, survival following A. hydrophila challenge was significant higher among fish fed the COS-supplemented feeds, although there was no difference based on the level of supplementation. The present study suggests that COS can be used as an immuno-stimulant in rainbow trout feeds.
Large males have a mating advantage in a species of darter with smaller, allopaternal males Etheostoma olmstedi
Authors: Stiver Kelly A. , Alonzo Suzanne H.
Published: September 2019

Theory suggests that males that are larger than their competitors may have increased mating success, due to both greater competitive ability and increased attractiveness to females. We examined how male mating success varies with male size in the tessellated darter Etheostoma olmstedi. Previous work has shown that large males tend to move around and breed in vacant breeding sites, and consequently provide less care for their eggs, while smaller individuals can be allopaternal, caring for the eggs of other males as well as for their own. We studied female egg deposition in a natural breeding population using artificial breeding sites and in the laboratory, where female choice of spawning site was restricted to two breeding sites tended by two males of different sizes. In both the field and the laboratory, nests tended by larger males were more likely to receive new eggs. Additionally, the mean size of males associated with a nest was positively correlated with both the maximum coverage of eggs at the nest and the number of times new eggs were deposited. We discuss how the increased mating success of larger males, despite their decreased parental care, may help explain allopaternal care in this species.
An examination of the population dynamics of syngnathid fishes within Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Authors: Masonjones Heather D. , Rose Emily , McRae Lori Benson , Dixson Danielle L.
Published: September 2019

Seagrass ecosystems worldwide have been declining, leading to a decrease in associated fish populations, especially those with low mobility such as syngnathids (pipefish and seahorses). This two-year pilot study investigated seasonal patterns in density, growth, site fidelity, and population dynamics of Tampa Bay (FL) syngnathid fishes at a site adjacent to two marinas under construction. Using a modified mark-recapture technique, fish were collected periodically from three closely located sites that varied in seagrass species (Thalassia spp., Syringodium spp., and mixed-grass sites) and their distance from open water, but had consistent physical/chemical environmental characteristics. Fish were marked, photographed for body size and gender measurements, and released the same day at the capture site. Of the 5695 individuals surveyed, 49 individuals were recaptured, indicating a large, flexible population. Population density peaks were observed in July of both years, with low densities in late winter and late summer. Spatially, syngnathid densities were highest closest to the mouth of the bay and lowest near the shoreline. Seven species of syngnathid fishes were observed, and species-specific patterns of seagrass use emerged during the study. However, only two species, Syngnathus scovelli and Hippocampus zosterae, were observed at high frequencies. For these two species, body size decreased across the study period, but while S. scovelli's population density decreased, H. zosterae's increased. Across six of the seven species, population size declined over the course of this preliminary study; however, seasonal shifts were impossible to distinguish from potential anthropogenic effects of construction.
The evolution of complex brains and behaviors in African cichlid fishes
Authors: Shumway Caroly A.
Published: September 2019

In this review, I explore the effects of both social organization and the physical environment, specifically habitat complexity, on the brains and behavior of highly visual African cichlid fishes, drawing on examples from primates and birds where appropriate. In closely related fishes from the monophyletic Ectodinii clade of Lake Tanganyika, both forces influence cichlid brains and behavior. Considering social influences first, visual acuity differs with respect to social organization (monogamy versus polygyny). Both the telencephalon and amygdalar homologue, area Dm, are larger in monogamous species. Monogamous species are found to have more vasotocin-immunoreactive cells in the preoptic area of the brain. Habitat complexity also influences brain and behavior in these fishes. Total brain size, telencephalic and cerebellar size are positively correlated with habitat complexity. Visual acuity and spatial memory are enhanced in cichlids living in more complex environments. However habitat complexity and social forces affect cichlid brains differently. Taken together, our field data and plasticity data suggest that some of the species-specific neural effects of habitat complexity could be the consequence of the corresponding social correlates. Environmental forces, however, exert a broader effect on brain structures than social ones do, suggesting allometric expansion of the brain structures in concert with brain size and/or co-evolution of these structures.
Alarm cue induces an antipredator morphological defense in juvenile Nicaragua cichlids Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
Authors: Abate Maria E. , Eng Andrew G. , Kaufman Les
Published: September 2019

Olfactory cues that indicate predation risk elicit a number of defensive behaviors in fishes, but whether they are sufficient to also induce morphological defenses has received little attention. Cichlids are characterized by a high level of morphological plasticity during development, and the few species that have been tested do exhibit defensive behaviors when exposed to alarm cues released from the damaged skin of conspecifics. We utilized young juvenile Nicaragua cichlids Hypsophrys nicaraguensis to test if the perception of predation risk from alarm cue (conspecific skin extract) alone induces an increased relative body depth which is a defense against gape-limited predators. After two weeks of exposure, siblings that were exposed to conspecific alarm cue increased their relative body depth nearly double the amount of those exposed to distilled water (control) and zebrafish Danio rerio alarm cue. We repeated our measurements over the last two weeks (12 and 14) of cue exposure when the fish were late-stage juveniles to test if the rate of increase was sustained; there were no differences in final dimensions between the three treatments. Our results show that 1) the Nicaragua cichlid has an innate response to conspecific alarm cue which is not a generalized response to an injured fish, and 2) this innate recognition ultimately results in developing a deeper body at a stage of the life history where predation risk is high.
First attempt to use a remotely operated vehicle to observe soniferous fish behavior in the Gulf of Maine, Western Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Rountree Rodney A. , Juanes Francis
Published: September 2019

Underwater sound and video observations were made at noon, sunset, and midnight in sand, gravel, and boulder habitat in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Gulf of Maine, USA in October 2001 using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Seventeen species of fish and squid were observed with clear habitat and time differences. Observations of feeding behavior, disturbance behavior, and both interspecific and intraspecific interactions provided numerous opportunities for potential sound production; however, sounds were recorded only during a single dive. Although high noise levels generated by the ROV and support ship may have masked some sounds, we conclude that fish sound production in the Gulf of Maine during the fall is uncommon. The recorded fish sounds are tentatively attributed to the cusk Brosme brosme. Cusk sounds consisted variously of isolated thumps, widely spaced thump trains, drumrolls, and their combinations. Frequency peaks were observed at 188, 539, and 1195 Hz. Use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as a passive acoustic observation platform was problematic due to high ROV self-noise and the ROV's inability to maintain a fixed position on the bottom without thruster power. Some fishes were clearly also disturbed by ROV noise, indicating a potential ROV sampling bias. Based on our observations, we suggest that new instruments incorporating both optic and passive acoustic technologies are needed to provide better tools for in situ behavioral studies of cusk and other fishes.
Lead-phase and red-stripe color morphs of red-backed salamanders Plethodon cinereus differ in hematological stress indices: A consequence of differential predation pressure?
Authors: Davis Andrew K. , Milanovich Joseph R.
Published: September 2019

Throughout the animal kingdom there are species that have two or more phenotypic forms or ‘morphs’, and many of these are amphibians. In North America, the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus can have either a red dorsal stripe or no dorsal stripe (lead-phase form), and evidence to date indicates the lead-phase form incurs a greater number of attacks from predators. In a recent collection of 51 P. cinereus, blood smears of both color morphs (35 red-stripe, 16 lead-phase) were examined to obtain numbers of circulating leukocytes (via light microscopy), which can be used to indirectly estimate levels of stress hormones in vertebrates via a ‘hematological stress index’, which is the ratio between the number of two leukocyte types (neutrophils and lymphocytes). Our results showed that lead-phase salamanders tended to have greater numbers of circulating neutrophils and lower numbers of circulating lymphocytes than red-stripe morphs, leading to higher average neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios in lead-phase individuals. Since the salamanders were held (refrigerated) for 7 days before sampling, we cannot be certain if this effect is a stress reaction to the captivity or the normal level for this morph. However comparison with two sets of related salamanders that were captured and sampled immediately indicates the red-stripe salamanders were either not stressed from the captivity at all, or their white blood cell distributions had returned to normal after 7 days of captivity. Taken together, our results indicate that lead-phase forms of P. cinereus have higher stress levels than the red-stripe forms, which may be a consequence of their higher exposure to, and/or attacks from, predators. They may also indicate that the lead-phase form is less-suited to captivity than the red-stripe form of this species.
Multimodal alarm behavior in urban and rural gray squirrels studied by means of observation and a mechanical robot
Authors: Partan Sarah R. , Fulmer Andrew G. , Gounard Maya A. M. , Redmond Jake E.
Published: September 2019

Urbanization of animal habitats has the potential to affect the natural communication systems of any species able to survive in the changed environment. Urban animals such as squirrels use multiple signal channels to communicate, but it is unknown how urbanization has affected these behaviors. Multimodal communication, involving more than one sensory modality, can be studied by use of biomimetic mechanical animal models that are designed to simulate the multimodal signals and be presented to animal subjects in the field. In this way the responses to the various signal components can be compared and contrasted to determine whether the multimodal signal is made up of redundant or nonredundant components. In this study, we presented wild gray squirrels in relatively urban and relatively rural habitats in Western Massachusetts with a biomimetic squirrel model that produced tail flags and alarm barks in a variety of combinations. We found that the squirrels responded to each unimodal component on its own, the bark and tail flag, but they responded most to the complete multimodal signal, containing both the acoustic and the moving visual components, providing evidence that in this context the signal components are redundant and that their combination elicits multimodal enhancement. We expanded on the results of Partan et al. (2009) by providing data on signaling behavior in the presence and absence of conspecifics, suggesting that alarm signaling is more likely if conspecifics are present. We found that the squirrels were more active in the urban habitats and that they responded more to tail flagging in the urban habitats as compared to the rural ones, suggesting the interesting possibility of a multimodal shift from reliance on audio to visual signals in noisier more crowded urban habitats.
A framework for quantifying properties of 3-dimensional movement-based signals
Authors: Td New Shaun , A Peters Richard
Published: September 2019

Understanding how signal properties are optimized for the reliable transmission of information requires accurate description of the signal in time and space. For movement-based signals where movement is restricted to a single plane, measurements from a single viewpoint can be used to consider a range of viewing positions based on simple geometric calculations. However, considerations of signal properties from a range of viewing positions for movements extending into three-dimensions (3D) are more problematic. We present here a new framework that overcomes this limitation, and enables us to quantify the extent to which movement-based signals are view-specific. To illustrate its application, a Jacky lizard tail flick signal was filmed with synchronized cameras and the position of the tail tip digitized for both recordings. Camera alignment enabled the construction of a 3D display action pattern profile. We analyzed the profile directly and used it to create a detailed 3D animation. In the virtual environment, we were able to film the same signal from multiple viewing positions and using a computational motion analysis algorithm (gradient detector model) to measure local image velocity in order to predict view dependent differences in signal properties. This approach will enable consideration of a range of questions concerning movement-based signal design and evolution that were previously out of reach.
Generalization of predator recognition: Velvet geckos display anti-predator behaviours in response to chemicals from non-dangerous elapid snakes
Authors: Webb Jonathan K. , Du Weiguo , Pike David , Shine Richard
Published: September 2019

Many prey species detect chemical cues from predators and modify their behaviours in ways that reduce their risk of predation. Theory predicts that prey should modify their anti-predator responses according to the degree of threat posed by the predator. That is, prey should show the strongest responses to chemicals of highly dangerous prey, but should ignore or respond weakly to chemicals from non-dangerous predators. However, if anti-predator behaviours are not costly, and predators are rarely encountered, prey may exhibit generalised antipredator behaviours to dangerous and non-dangerous predators. In Australia, most elapid snakes eat lizards, and are therefore potentially dangerous to lizard prey. Recently, we found that the nocturnal velvet gecko Oedura lesueurii responds to chemicals from dangerous and non-dangerous elapid snakes, suggesting that it displays generalised anti-predator behaviours to chemicals from elapid snakes. To explore the generality of this result, we videotaped the behaviour of velvet geckos in the presence of chemical cues from two small elapid snakes that rarely consume geckos: the nocturnal golden-crowned snake Cacophis squamulosus and the diurnal marsh snake Hemiaspis signata. We also videotaped geckos in trials involving unscented cards (controls) and cologne-scented cards (pungency controls). In trials involving Cacophis and Hemiaspis chemicals, 50% and 63% of geckos spent long time periods (> 3 min) freezing whilst pressed flat against the substrate, respectively. Over half the geckos tested exhibited anti-predator behaviours (tail waving, tail vibration, running) in response to Cacophis (67%) or Hemiaspis (63%) chemicals. These behaviours were not observed in control or pungency control trials. Our results support the idea that the velvet gecko displays generalised anti-predator responses to chemical cues from elapid snakes. Generalised responses to predator chemicals may be common in prey species that co-occur with multiple, ecologically similar, dangerous predators.
A signal-substrate match in the substrate-borne component of a multimodal courtship display
Authors: Elias Damian O. , Mason Andrew C. , Hebets Eileen A.
Published: September 2019

The environment can impose strong limitations on the efficacy of signal transmission. In particular, for vibratory communication, the signaling environment is often extremely heterogeneous at small scales. Nevertheless, natural selection is expected to select for signals well-suited for effective transmission. Here, we test for substrate-dependent signal efficacy in the wolf spider Schizocosa stridulans Stratton 1991. We first explore the transmission characteristics of this important signaling modality by playing recorded substrate-borne signals through three different substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and red clay) and measuring the propagated signal. We found that the substrate-borne signal of S. stridulans attenuates the least on leaf litter, the substrate upon which the species is naturally found. Next, by assessing mating success with artificially muted and non-muted males across different signaling substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and sand), we explored the relationship between substrate-borne signaling and signaling substrate for mating success. We found that muted males were unsuccessful in obtaining copulations regardless of substrate, while mating success was dependent on the signaling substrate for non-muted males. For non-muted males, more males copulated on leaf litter than any other substrate. Taken together, these results confirm the importance of substrate- borne signaling in S. stridulans and suggest a match between signal properties and signal efficacy – leaf litter transmits the signal most effectively and males are most successful in obtaining copulations on leaf litter.
Taxonomy of the lesser jerboa Jaculus jaculus (Dipodidae, Rodentia) based on allozymic and morphological variation
Authors: Ben Faleh Abderraouf , Ben Othmen Abdelwaheb , Said Khaled
Published: September 2019

The lesser Egyptian jerboa Jaculus jaculus, is a member of the subfamily Dipodinae, known to have a number of subspecies. Previous studies of J. jaculus from North Africa found various morphological forms of unknown taxonomic status, which are frequently grouped into two taxa: J. jaculus and J. deserti. We assessed the taxonomic status of this taxon in Tunisia using allozymic (phylogenetic analysis of 23 genetic loci encoding 16 enzymatic proteins) and morphological (multivariate analysis of 13 craniodental characters) analyses of 136 J. jaculus specimens collected from seven localities within its distribution range. Allozymic analysis clearly indicated the existence of two distinct groups of J. jaculus, with a mean genetic distance (D) value of 0.99 and FST=0.52. Individuals within the two groups did not show any obvious geographical structuration, even within the Matmata locality which represents the meeting point for the two groups where they were found in sympatry. Additionally, morphometric analysis of 13 craniodental characters was clearly separated the two groups. These results were obtained over a very restricted area of the total distribution of J. jaculus and strongly suggest the occurrence of two separate and often sympatric species within the currently accepted J. jaculus in Tunisia: J. jaculus and J. deserti .
A new species of Megophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from the northwestern Hunan Province, China
Authors: Mo Xiaoyang , Shen Youhui , Li Honghui , Wu Xiushan
Published: September 2019

A new species of Megophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae), Megophrys tuberogranulatus Shen, Mo et Li, sp. nov. (Holotype HNUL 03080902, adult male, SVL: 38.2 mm), from Sangzhi County, Hunan Province, is described. Megophrys tuberogranulatus is closely related to both Megophrys kuatunensis and Megophrys minor. Characters of the new species that differentiate this species from close relatives are skin granulated with big tubercles on the dorsal sides of both thigh and tibia, the bigger inner metacarpal tubercle, upper eyelid wider than the interorbital space, hind limbs longer, overlapping of the left and right calcaneal parts. The type specimens are deposited in the Animal Museum of Life Sciences College of Hunan Normal University.
Polytene chromosomes of an Indian Himalayan black fly Simulium (Nevermannia) praelargum (Diptera: Simuliidae)
Authors: Henry Willie , Dey Subrata Kumar , Varma Rakesh , Thapa Sachin , Procunier William S
Published: September 2019

High quality polytene chromosome maps (n=3) of a Himalayan Simuliid Simulium praelargum Datta, 1973 are presented and represent the first cytological description of a taxon found in the feuerborni group, subgenus Nevermannia. Polytene chromosomes one (I) and two (II) are metacentric, chromosome three (III) is submetacentric with the length of each chromosome occupying 37.25 %, 31.36 % and 31.34 % of the total complement length, respectively. Typical simuliid diagnostic intergeneric chromosomal markers are found within the polytene complement of this species. The nucleolar organizer (N.O.) is found at the base of the short arm of chromosome one (IS), the Ring of Balbiani (R.B.), double bubble (D.B.) and triad occur in the short arm of chromosome two (IIS), the Parabalbiani Ring (P.B.) and grey band (gb) occur in the long arm of chromosome two (IIL) and the Blister (BL) and Capsule (Ca) occur in the short arm of chromosome three (IIIS).Terminal bands at the end of IIIS are heterochromatinized and present atypically with respect to other simuliid fauna. Populations studied so far are unique among the Simuliidae in that they exhibit chromosome structural monomorphism. These high resolution polytene chromosome maps will form the basis for future cytological characterization and phylogenetic comparisons amongst members of the feuerborni group.
Male horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus use multiple sensory cues to locate mates
Authors: Saunders Katharine M. , Brockmann H. Jane , Watson Winsor H. , Jury Steven H.
Published: September 2019

The use of multisensory cues to locate mates can increase an organism's success by acting as a back-up plan when one system fails, by providing additional information to the receiver, and by increasing their ability to detect mates using senses that have different ranges in a variable aquatic environment. In this contribution we review the sensory cues that male horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus are known to use when locating mates and then provide new data that shed light on this subject. During the breeding season, females migrate into shore during high tides to spawn. Males attach to females as they approach the beach or are attracted to pairs already spawning. Vision is well established as an important cue in attracting males. Although chemoreception is well known in other marine arthropods, and horseshoe crabs have the anatomy available, there are few studies on chemical cues in this species. Experiments are presented here that provide evidence for chemical cue use. We show that the attraction, and retention, of attached and satellite males to actively spawning females and mating pairs involves multimodal cues.
Circadian regulation of Limulus visual functions: A role for octopamine and cAMP
Authors: Dalal Jasbir S. , Battelle Barbara-Anne
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this contribution is to review our current understanding of the source and biochemistry of the circadian efferent input to the eyes of the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus and the impact of this input on the structure, physiology and biochemistry of Limulus eyes. Special emphasis is given to the role of the biogenic amine octopamine and biochemical cascades it activates in the eyes. In addition to reviewing published data, we present new data showing that octopamine elevates cAMP levels in Limulus lateral eyes, and we partially characterize the pharmacology of the receptors involved in this response. We also present new data showing that octopamine regulates gene expression in Limulus lateral eyes by activating a cAMP cascade.
Sources and significance of variation in basal, summit and maximal metabolic rates in birds
Authors: Mckechnie Andrew E. , Swanson David L.
Published: September 2019

The rates at which birds use energy may have profound effects on fitness, thereby influencing physiology, behavior, ecology and evolution. Comparisons of standardized metabolic rates (e.g., lower and upper limits of metabolic power output) present a method for elucidating the effects of ecological and evolutionary factors on the interface between physiology and life history in birds. In this paper we review variation in avian metabolic rates [basal metabolic rate (BMR; minimum normothermic metabolic rate), summit metabolic rate (Msum; maximal thermoregulatory metabolic rate), and maximal metabolic rate (MMR; maximal exercise metabolic rate)], the factors associated with this variation, the evidence for functional links between these metabolic traits, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of avian metabolic diversity. Both lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are phenotypically flexible traits, and vary in association with numerous ecological and evolutionary factors. For both inter- and intraspecific comparisons, lower and upper limits to metabolic power production are generally upregulated in response to energetically demanding conditions and downregulated when energetic demands are relaxed, or under conditions of energetic scarcity. Positive correlations have been documented between BMR, Msum and MMR in some, but not all studies on birds, providing partial support for the idea of a functional link between lower and upper limits to metabolic power production, but more intraspecific studies are needed to determine the robustness of this conclusion. Correlations between BMR and field metabolic rate (or daily energy expenditure) in birds are variable, suggesting that the linkage between these traits is subject to behavioral adjustment, and studies of the relationship between field and maximal metabolic rates are lacking. Our understanding of avian metabolic diversity would benefit from future studies of: (1) the functional and mechanistic links between lower and upper limits of metabolic power output; (2) the environmental and ecological cues driving phenotypically flexible metabolic responses, and how responses to such cues might impact population responses to climate change; (3) the shapes of metabolic reaction norms and their association with environmental variability; and (4) the relationship of metabolic variation to fitness, including studies of repeatability and heritability of minimum and maximum metabolic power output.