Dark Boxes Research Articles

Smartphone-assisted nanozyme sensor array constructed based on reaction kinetics for the discrimination and identification of phenolic compounds

Although the research on nanozymes has attracted widespread attention in recent years, the development of highly active and multifunctional nanozymes remains a challenge. Here, a bifunctional AMP-Cu nanozyme with laccase- and catecholase-like activities was successfully prepared at room temperature with Cu2+ as the metal ion and adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) as the ligand molecule.Based on the excellent catalytic performance of AMP-Cu, a three-channel colorimetric sensor array was constructed using reaction kinetics as the sensing unit to achieve high-throughput detection and identification of six common phenolic compounds at low concentrations. This strategy simplifies the construction of sensor array and demonstrates the capacity to obtain multidimensional data from a single material. Finally, with the assistance of smartphones and homemade dark boxes, a portable on-site detection method for phenolic compounds was developed. This work would contribute to the development of portable sensors and the highly efficient identification of phenolic compounds in complex samples.

The effect of daylight exposure on the immune response and body condition of Great Tit nestlings

Natural light plays an important role in many aspects of birds’ biology, ecology and behaviour. Wild birds experience various light conditions, both in terms of its intensity and spectral properties, which vary within the nesting habitat of avian species. Recent study has shown that some bird species prefer to build their nests in bright nest sites. Light is one of the major factors affecting early development and condition of nestlings, but to date, this effect has not been tested in wild conditions. This study aims to answer whether birds could benefit from nesting in brighter light environment. Potential benefits may occur in nestlings’ condition, growth rate and breeding output. The research was carried out in the population of Great Tits (Parus major) breeding in two types nest boxes which differed with internal illumination. In “dark” boxes, the only source of light was the entrance hole. “Bright” boxes have additional side semi-transparent windows. We conducted two experiments in which light environment in nest box was set after (Experiment I) or before (Experiment II) birds settle in. Our study showed that light environment did not significantly affect nestlings body condition and growth. However, females in their first breeding attempt showed strong preference to the brightened nest boxes. In this group, the offspring were heavier and showed stronger immune responses than nestlings reared in dark nest boxes. Nestlings in bright nest boxes fledged about one day earlier. Nesting in brightened nest boxes may provide potential benefit for adult females in their first breeding attempt. The interaction between maternal effect and light environment is being discussed.

Prenatal methotrexate injection increases behaviors possibly associated with depression and/or autism in rat offspring; A new animal model for mental disorder, based on folate metabolism deficit during pregnancy.

BackgroundDeficiency of folate, an essential vitamin for DNA synthesis and methylation, is reported as a risk factor for mental disorders. Considering a possibility that folate metabolism deficit during pregnancy may disturb CNS development and increase mental disorders in offspring, we treated pregnant rats with methotrexate (MTX), an inhibitor of folate metabolic enzyme, and evaluated offspring behaviors.MethodsSaline or MTX was intraperitoneally administered to female SD rats on gestational day 17. Offspring behaviors were evaluated during approximately 6–9 weeks old; prepulse inhibition (PPI), social interaction (SI), locomotor activity (LA), and forced swimming test (FST) for evaluation of schizophrenia, depression, and autism related behaviors; the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the light–dark box (LD) test for evaluation of anxiety.ResultsCompared to saline‐treated group, MTX‐treated group showed decrease of SI and increase of immobility time in FST. In addition, increases of time spent in the light box and shuttling between the light–dark boxes were observed in LD test. On the other hand, no changes were confirmed in EPM, LA, and PPI.ConclusionDecrease of SI and increase of immobility time in FST may suggest association of this animal model with depression and/or autism. Increase of time spent in the light box and shuttling between the light–dark boxes may indicate changes in anxiety or cognitive level to environment, or repetitive behaviors in autism. Although further studies are warranted to characterize this animal model, at least we can say that prenatal MTX exposure, possibly causing folate metabolism deficit, affects offspring behaviors.

Sex-Dependent Effects of Chronic Social Defeat on Emotional and Social Behaviors, and Parameters of Oxytocin and Vasopressin Systems in Mandarin Voles (Microtus mandarinus).

In the regulation of emotional and social behaviors, both oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are sex specific. Although significant sex differences have been reported in the context of behavioral and hormonal responses to social stress, such differences in response to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) and the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. By investigating monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), CSDS was found to decrease the percentages of time spent in the central area of the open field, in the open arms of the elevated plus maze, as well as in the light area of the light and dark boxes in both male and female voles. CSDS also increased the observed level of social withdrawal in both sex groups. However, CSDS exposure increased the percentages of immobile time in both the tail suspension test and the forced swim test and reduced the locomotor activity in the open field (in females only). Along with these behavioral changes, the oxytocin receptor (OTR) levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) were significantly lower in CSDS-exposed voles of both sexes; however, in males, the levels of OTR in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were reduced. CSDS-exposed males showed lower levels of V1aR in the NAc than CSDS-exposed females. Furthermore, induced by a single social defeat event, CSDS reduced c-Fos and OT double labeling in the PVN of females but increased c-Fos and AVP double-labeled neurons in the PVN of males exposed to a single social defeat event. Collectively, the present study indicates that OT and AVP systems may play important regulatory roles in the sex differences of behavioral performances in response to CSDS. These findings suggest mandarin voles as a useful animal model for studying sex-specific behavioral performance and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of stress-related mental disorders in preclinical studies.

S0279 Predicted Colorectal Cancer Outcomes With Reported Adherence to Follow-Up Colonoscopy After a Positive Stool-Based Test

INTRODUCTION: Colonoscopy (COL) non-adherence following a positive non-invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test (e.g., multitarget stool DNA [mt-sDNA], fecal immunochemical test [FIT]) undermines the achievable benefits of screening. Given wide variations in the limited data reporting COL adherence after a positive non-invasive test, microsimulation modeling was used to estimate the clinical implications of this understudied input. METHODS: An average-risk US population cohort free of diagnosed CRC at age 40 that underwent triennial mt-sDNA or annual FIT screening from ages 50 to 75 was simulated using the validated CRC-AIM model. Three scenarios were modeled: (S1) assumed 100% adherence for initial screening and COL follow-up; (S2) reported adherence rates for initial mt-sDNA (71%) or FIT (43%) screening, with assumed 100% adherence to COL follow-up; and (S3) reported adherence rates for initial mt-sDNA or FIT screening and reported adherence rates for COL follow-up after positive mt-sDNA (73%) or FIT (47%). Sensitivity analyses were performed using 100% and reported adherence rates for mt-sDNA and FIT screening, with COL follow-up adherence ranging from 40%-100%. Patients without a COL follow-up were assumed to be non-adherent until CRC symptom onset. Outcomes for each scenario are per 1000 individuals. RESULTS: S1, S2, and S3 each yielded life-years gained (LYG) and reductions in CRC incidence and CRC mortality with either mt-sDNA or FIT screening vs no CRC screening (Table 1). Estimated LYG for mt-sDNA and FIT were 297 and 316 for S1, 284 and 245 for S2, and 203 and 113 for S3, respectively. Reductions in CRC incidence for mt-sDNA and FIT were 64% and 68% for S1, 61% and 50% for S2, and 43% and 23% for S3, respectively; reductions in CRC mortality were 72% and 76% for S1, 69% and 59% for S2, and 49% and 27% for S3, respectively. With assumed 100% adherence to mt-sDNA or FIT screening, the LYG transition was at 45% (LYG = 128) and 40% (LYG = 119) adherence for COL follow-up, respectively (Figure 1). At reported adherence for stool-tests, the additional LYG for mt-sDNA vs FIT ranged from 12 to 188 as follow-up COL adherence increased from 40% to 100% (Figure 2). CONCLUSION: These modeling analyses demonstrate that the inclusion of more realistic estimates for mt-sDNA, FIT, and COL follow-up adherence has substantial impact on the predicted outcomes. Using reported adherence rates, rather than assuming 100% adherence, mt-sDNA yields greater CRC screening benefits vs FIT.Table 1.: Predicted life-years gained (LYG), colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence reduction, and CRC mortality reduction for triennial multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) and annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in 3 different adherence scenarios per 1000 individuals free of diagnosed colorectal cancer at age 40 and screened between 50–75 yearsFigure 1.: Percent difference in predicted life-years gained (LYG) per 1000 individuals assuming 100% adherence for triennial multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) and annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT) at assumed adherence rate intervals for follow-up colonoscopy (COL) in individuals free of diagnosed colorectal cancer at age 40 and screened between 50–75 years. White boxes indicate 10% positive difference with mt-sDNA versus FIT. Dark gray boxes indicate >10% negative difference with mt-sDNA versus FIT.Figure 2.: Percent difference in predicted life-years gained (LYG) per 1000 individuals by reported adherence rates for triennial multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) and annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT) at assumed adherence rate intervals for follow-up colonoscopy (COL) in individuals free of diagnosed colorectal cancer at age 40 and screened between 50–75 years. White boxes indicate 10% positive difference with mt-sDNA versus FIT. Dark gray boxes indicate >10% negative difference with mt-sDNA versus FIT.

Light affects parental provisioning behaviour in a cavity‐nesting Passerine

Nocturnal bird species possess special adaptations to maximise visual efficiency under low light levels. However, some typically diurnal species also experience low‐light environments. For example, cavity‐nesting Passerines raise broods in dark cavities and search for food in light‐abundant surroundings. It is not clear whether they possess special adaptations for low light vision or breed in cavities at the expense of impaired parental care. In this study, we tested whether light conditions affect the provisioning efficiency of great tits. We experimentally tested how the level of natural and artificially increased illumination inside nest boxes affects parental feeding duration, frequency and timing. We monitored 15‐h of provisioning activity of great tit parents when nestlings were day seven post hatch. We used traditional ‘dark’ nest boxes and ‘bright’ nest boxes with increased illumination obtained by using semi‐transparent plastic windows. The duration of single feedings were, on average, shorter in brightened nest boxes compared to dark ones. This difference tended to be higher early in the morning and in the evening, when the illumination in dark nest boxes was the lowest. Nest box type, however, did not influence feeding frequency or times of the onset and the end of feeding. Our findings provide new evidence for impaired efficiency of parental care due to lowered light conditions. Further research is needed to test whether prolonged feeding duration has negative effects on adult time budgets and nestling energy expenditures.

The β3 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is required for nicotine withdrawal-induced affective but not physical signs or nicotine reward in mice

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are the primary target for nicotine, the addictive component in tobacco products. These pentameric receptors are made up of various subunits which contribute to the diverse functions of nAChR subtypes. The β3 subunit of the nAChR has been understudied in nicotine dependence, even though it is expressed in brain regions important for drug reward. Therefore, we assessed nicotine dependence behaviors in β3 wildtype (WT) and knockout (KO) male and female mice. We evaluated nicotine reward in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test and then measured nicotine withdrawal signs after chronic exposure to the drug. For the withdrawal studies, mice were continuously infused with 24 mg/kg/day of nicotine using surgically implanted osmotic mini-pumps for 14 days. Mini-pumps were removed at day 15, and withdrawal signs (somatic signs, hyperalgesia, anhedonia-like measure using the sucrose preference test and anxiety-like behaviors using the light dark boxes) were collected at 24 h intervals for three days following spontaneous withdrawal of nicotine. Nicotine-induced CPP did not differ between β3 KO and WT mice. β3 KO mice displayed similar somatic symptoms and hyperalgesia compared to WT mice but showed significant absence in affective (anhedonia and anxiety-like behaviors) withdrawal signs in nicotine-dependent mice. These observations suggest that the β3 nicotinic subunits do not seem to influence nicotine reward but plays an important role in affective nicotine withdrawal signs. Given the health burden of tobacco use disorder and the modest effect of smoking cessation aids, it is important to understand underlying factor contributing to nicotine dependence. The results of this study will further our knowledge of the role of the β3 nAChR subunit in nicotine reward and withdrawal behaviors in hopes of finding new molecular targets for smoking cessation aids.

Football, corporate ownership, and conflicts of interest: Dark spaces and black boxes

In recent years, the literature on football and accounting has focused on some opaque spaces in the ownership of football clubs, as well as in the definition of collaboration and commercial partnership mechanisms that, even in the case of larger clubs, are at times misrepresented in financial reports (Chadwick et al., 2018; Sudgen et al., 2017; Holzen et al., 2019). Our paper describes the case of Italy and its main relevance lies in that spectrum of analysis; in effect, the strictly familial nature of Italian capitalism clearly emerges in the case of football, as well. The clubs are controlled by influential entrepreneurial families (often operating in the entertainment industry) who through football consolidate their image. Put in these terms, the risks of conflicts of interest and opacity in commercial formulas, already highlighted by the best and recent literature, are reflected in a system of economic and meta/non-economic returns in which the object “football” becomes an instrument of social recognition and financial growth via indirect mechanisms.

Daily rhythms influence the ability of lung-derived extracellular vesicles to modulate bone marrow cell phenotype.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important mediators of intercellular communication and have been implicated in myriad physiologic and pathologic processes within the hematopoietic system. Numerous factors influence the ability of EVs to communicate with target marrow cells, but little is known about how circadian oscillations alter EV function. In order to explore the effects of daily rhythms on EV-mediated intercellular communication, we used a well-established model of lung-derived EV modulation of the marrow cell transcriptome. In this model, co-culture of whole bone marrow cells (WBM) with lung-derived EVs induces expression of pulmonary specific mRNAs in the target WBM. To determine if daily rhythms play a role in this phenotype modulation, C57BL/6 mice were entrained in 12-hour light/12-hour dark boxes. Lungs harvested at discrete time-points throughout the 24-hour cycle were co-cultured across a cell-impermeable membrane with murine WBM. Alternatively, WBM harvested at discrete time-points was co-cultured with lung-derived EVs. Target WBM was collected 24hrs after co-culture and analyzed for the presence of pulmonary specific mRNA levels by RT-PCR. In both cases, there were clear time-dependent variations in the patterns of pulmonary specific mRNA levels when either the daily time-point of the lung donor or the daily time-point of the recipient marrow cells was altered. In general, WBM had peak pulmonary-specific mRNA levels when exposed to lung harvested at Zeitgeber time (ZT) 4 and ZT 16 (ZT 0 defined as the time of lights on, ZT 12 defined as the time of lights off), and was most susceptible to lung-derived EV modulation when target marrow itself was harvested at ZT 8- ZT 12. We found increased uptake of EVs when the time-point of the receptor WBM was between ZT 20 -ZT 24, suggesting that the time of day-dependent changes in transcriptome modulation by the EVs were not due simply to differential EV uptake. Based on these data, we conclude that circadian rhythms can modulate EV-mediated intercellular communication.

Tracking seasonal emergence dynamics of an invasive gall wasp and its associated parasitoids with an open-source, microcontroller-based device

The invasive Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), is one of the most economically important pests of chestnut forest systems. Control is either based on the use of pesticides or the release of the parasitoid Torymus sinensis (Torymidae) for classical biological control of the pest. Both approaches require frequent monitoring of wasp emergence patterns, usually by recording adult emergence from samples of galls stored in dark boxes. Here, we have improved this monitoring method by developing and evaluating a microcontroller-based device. Cages in which galls were placed were modified by insertion of a turntable, which automatically separates wasps emerging at different times. We used this device to monitor the seasonal emergence of D. kuriphilus, its coevolved parasitoid T. sinensis and newly associated native parasitoids from fresh or overwintered chestnut galls formed in 2013 and 2014. In summer, native parasitoids (3.6 and 5.8% of 2-year parasitism) associated with current-year chestnut galls started emerging before the gall wasp and only partially overlapped with D. kuriphilus emergence. After overwintering, in the spring of the following year, T. sinensis (4.3 and 5.5% of 2-year parasitism from overwintered galls) emerged earlier than indigenous parasitoids (1.6 and 4.8%) and indicated potential for D. kuriphilus control. Overall, 14 species of native parasitoids belonging to five families were recorded from fresh and overwintered galls. We provide the schematic and the programming codes for this new device and propose that this automatic device be used to better track the flight periods of D. kuriphilus and its parasitoids.

Cavities shield birds from effects of artificial light at night on sleep.

Light pollution is an ever increasing worldwide problem disrupting animal behavior. Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been shown to affect sleep in wild birds. Even cavity-nesting bird species may be affected when sleeping inside their cavity. Correlational studies suggest that light from outside the cavity/nest box, for example from street lights, may affect sleep. We used an experimental design to study to what extent nest boxes shield animals from effects of ALAN on sleep. We recorded individual sleep behavior of free-living great tits (Parus major) that were roosting in dark nest boxes and exposed their nest box entrance to ALAN the following night (1.6 lux white LED light; a similar light intensity as was found at nest boxes near street lights). Their behavior was compared to that of control birds sleeping in dark nest boxes on both nights. Our experimental treatment did not affect sleep behavior. Sleep behavior of birds in the control group did not differ from that of individuals in the light treated group. Our results suggest that during winter cavities shield birds from some effects of ALAN. Furthermore, given that effects of ALAN and exposure to artificial light are species-, sex-, and season-dependent, it is important that studies using wild animals quantify individual exposure to light pollution, and be cautious in the interpretation and generalization of the effects, or lack thereof, from light pollution. Rigorous studies are necessary to examine individual light exposure and its consequences in cavity- and open-nesting birds.

Expression of cerebral serotonin related to anxiety-like behaviors in C57BL/6 offspring induced by repeated subcutaneous prenatal exposure to low-dose lipopolysaccharide.

Prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which likely occurs due to infection or contact with environmental allergens during pregnancy, is a proposed risk factor that induces anxiety- and autism spectrum disorder-like behaviors in offspring. However, the molecular and behavioral changes in offspring after maternal immune activation have not been completely identified. We hypothesized that a subcutaneous injection of LPS in a pregnant mouse would induce changes in cerebral serotonin (5-HT) in parallel to the appearance of anxiety-like behaviors in the dam’s offspring. After LPS injections (total, 100 μg/Kg), the time spent in the central region during the open field test and the number of times that the mice moved between the light and dark boxes and between the open and closed arms on the elevated plus maze test revealed anxiety-like behaviors in offspring at 5, 6 and 9 weeks of age. The mRNA expression levels of tph2 (5-HT synthesizing enzyme) and slc6a4 (5-HT transporter) were down-regulated in both adolescent (5 weeks of age) and adult (8 weeks of age) brains. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the numbers and sizes of tph2-expressing cells were notably decreased in the raphe nuclei of the midbrain of adults. Moreover, compared with controls (phosphate-buffered saline-treated offspring), the cerebral 5-HT concentration at adolescence and adulthood in LPS-induced offspring was significantly decreased. We concluded that maternal immune activation induced by exposure to a low dose of LPS decreased cerebral 5-HT levels in parallel to the down-regulation of the tph2 and slc6a4 genes and in conjunction with anxiety-like behaviors in offspring.

The importance of illumination in nest site choice and nest characteristics of cavity nesting birds

Light has a significant impact on many aspects of avian biology, physiology and behaviour. An increasing number of studies show that illumination may positively influences birds’ offspring fitness by e.g. acceleration of embryo development, stimulation of skeleton growth or regulation of circadian rhythm. Because nest cavities have especially low illumination, suitable light levels may be especially important for species which nest there. We may therefore expect that birds breeding in relatively dim conditions should prefer brighter nest sites and/or evolve behavioral mechanisms to secure sufficient light levels in the nest. Using nest boxes with modified internal illumination, we experimentally tested whether light regime is a cue for nest site selection of secondary cavity-nesting species. Additionally, we investigated whether nest building strategies are tuned to internal illumination. Our results demonstrate that, nest boxes with elevated illumination were chosen twice as often as dark nest boxes. Moreover, birds built higher nests in dark nest boxes than birds in boxes with elevated illumination, which suggests a mechanism of compensating for low light conditions. Our results provide the first experimental support for the idea that nest site choice and nest building behaviour in cavity-nesting birds are influenced by ambient illumination.

Neurovascular coupling during cortical spreading depolarization and -depression.

Cortical spreading depolarizations (CSDs) are self-propagating waves of transient loss of neuronal transmembrane ion gradients, followed by prolonged suppression of neuronal activity (spreading depression). CSDs emerge spontaneously in animal models of traumatic brain injury,1 subarachnoid hemorrhage,2 and in focal ischemia3 where they are associated with infarct growth.4 In humans, CSDs have been demonstrated in traumatic brain injury,5 subarachnoid hemorrhage,6,7 and malignant hemispheric stroke,8 and they are believed to be the brain mechanism underlying migraine aura.9 CSDs are associated with dramatic changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF). During the depolarization phase of CSDs induced in healthy and well-perfused brain tissue in animal models, an early hyperemic response is observed, typically followed by prolonged oligemia after the neuronal repolarization. Despite the initial CBF increase, tissue hypoxia may develop in more distant territories of capillary supply.10,11 Similar CBF changes have been observed in patients with migraine aura.12–14 In the injured brain, CSDs can be accompanied by severe initial CBF reduction instead of a CBF increase during the depolarization phase, termed spreading ischemia.15 When this inverse hemodynamic response is observed, the energy-dependent recovery from CSD is delayed in a characteristic fashion, indicating a severe mismatch between oxygen supply and demand2 and a high risk of tissue damage.16 In rat and cat models of focal ischemia, CSD-related CBF transients range from monophasic, positive CBF responses in peri-ischemic tissue, over biphasic transients in mildly ischemic tissue, to negative CBF transients in more severe ischemia.17–19 During CSD in animal models, capillary flow patterns become severely disturbed.10,20,21 The passage of a CSD causes erythrocytes in some capillaries to reduce their speed, whereas other capillaries reveal 4-fold increases in flow or higher. …

Corrigendum

Journal of Applied EcologyVolume 52, Issue 2 p. 538-538 CorrigendumFree Access Corrigendum This article corrects the following: A decision framework for considering climate change adaptation in biodiversity conservation planning Tom H. Oliver, Richard J. Smithers, Sallie Bailey, Clive A. Walmsley, Kevin Watts, Paul Armsworth, Volume 49Issue 6Journal of Applied Ecology pages: 1247-1255 First Published online: November 29, 2012 First published: 12 March 2015 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12396Citations: 2AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Oliver, T.H., Smithers, R.J., Bailey, S., Walmsley, C.A. & Watts, K. (2012) A decision framework for considering climate change adaptation in biodiversity conservation. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49, 1247–1255. During the process of running species through the decision framework, an issue has been encountered for species where New Climate Space is a very long distance from currently occupied areas. In these cases, there is little or no scope to facilitate colonisation by improving habitat connectivity before attempting translocation, which is the order of actions suggested by the original decision tree for New Climate Space areas. Our original motivation was to ensure that higher priority was given to actions that are beneficial to a wide range of species and not just the focal species. However, in cases where there is clearly no way to facilitate colonisation for a focal species by improving habitat connectivity, it makes no sense for the decision framework to promote such actions. Therefore, the original decision tree relating to New Climate Space areas (Fig. 4) has been revised (below) to include an additional question (‘What is the potential to facilitate colonisation by improving habitat connectivity?’), which avoids this eventuality and, in appropriate circumstances where the availability of suitable high quality habitat is high, leads directly to consideration of translocation. Figure 4Open in figure viewerPowerPoint Decision tree for New Climate Space. Light grey boxes with solid borders indicate questions whose answers lead to different routes through the tree. If the answer to a question is uncertain, then multiple routes should be through the tree simultaneously. Light grey boxes with dashed borders indicate suggested adaptation actions, with relevant additional information in dark grey boxes. The decision tree has been revised to include an additional question box highlighted in red here (see main text for explanation). Reference Oliver, T.H., Smithers, R.J., Bailey, S., Walmsley, C.A. & Watts, K. (2012) A decision framework for considering climate change adaptation in biodiversity conservation. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49, 1247– 1255. Wiley Online LibraryWeb of Science®Google Scholar Citing Literature Volume52, Issue2April 2015Pages 538-538 FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation

Preclinical evaluation of Boswellia serrata for anxiolytic activity

Background: Boswellia serrata (BS)has been described in the ancient Ayurvedic texts Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita. It possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-arthritic and antioxidant properties. It is found that BShelps in surging of GABA levels in mice brain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible anxiolytic activity of BSin Swiss albino mice by light and dark arena (LDA) and elevated plus maze (EPM) models. Methods: In this study, BS(50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg; p.o) was evaluated for anxiolytic action and compared with standard drug (diazepam) and control (normal saline) in mice by LDA and EPM models. In LDA, number of entries and time spent in light and dark boxes were noted for individual mouse. Similarly, number of entries and time spent in open and closed arms were recorded for EPM model. Results: One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s post-hoc test was used to analyze the data. BSin a dose of 50 mg/kg has shown significant increase in time spent in light box (p<0.05) and decrease in time spent in dark box (p<0.05) when compared to control group in LDA model. Similarly, in EPM model 200 mg/kg of BS significantly increased time spent in open arm (p<0.001) and decrease in time spent in closed arm (p<0.001) when compared to control group. Conclusion: BS in dose of 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg has significant anxiolytic action in animal models.

Vomeronasal organ lesion disrupts social odor recognition, behaviors and fitness in golden hamsters.

Most studies support the viewpoint that the vomeronasal organ has a profound effect on conspecific odor recognition, scent marking and mating behavior in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). However, the role of the vomeronasal organ in social odor recognition, social interaction and fitness is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a series of behavioral and physiological tests to examine the referred points in golden hamster. We found that male hamsters with vomeronasal organ lesion showed no preference between a predator odor (the anal gland secretion of the Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) and putative female pheromone components (myristic acid and palmitic acid), but were still able to discriminate between these 2 kinds of odors. In behavioral tests of anxiety, we found that vomeronasal organ removal causes female hamsters to spend much less time in center grids and to cross fewer center grids and males to make fewer crossings between light and dark boxes than sham-operated controls. This indicates that a chronic vomeronasal organ lesion induced anxious responses in females. In aggressive behavioral tests, we found that a chronic vomeronasal organ lesion decreased agonistic behavior in female hamsters but not in males. The pup growth and litter size show no differences between the 2 groups. All together, our data suggested that vomeronasal organ ablation disrupted the olfactory recognition of social chemosignals in males, and induced anxiety-like and aggressive behavior changes in females. However, a vomeronasal organ lesion did not affect the reproductive capacity and fitness of hamsters. Our studies may have important implications concerning the role of the vomeronasal organ in golden hamsters and also in rodents.

Normalized Acquisition System of the Facial Diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background: Facial diagnosis, an important part of clinical diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is a method used to diagnose the functions of Zang-Fu organs by observing the color, luster, shape, and texture of faces. However, the traditional facial diagnosis mainly relies on doctors’ eyes, languages, and personal clinical experiences. Results are not only determined based on the doctors’ diagnostic skills but also by external conditions such as light and temperature. Without objective evaluation criteria, conducting studies on facial diagnosis to widen its application are difficult. To solve this problem, we should find new methods and technologies to realize the objectification and normalization of diagnosis in TCM. In this article, we discuss the results of our study on the normalized acquisition system of facial diagnosis in TCM. Some of the hardware used includes lights, image acquisition equipment, and dark boxes. The software used includes image acquisition and preprocessing. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to propose this system and no similar study has been reported yet. Methods: We initially introduced the hardware and the software that we used in this study. The key technologies in this system, including lighting equipment, facial diagnosis device, facial information acquisition scales, image acquisition, and preprocessing were then introduced one by one. The hardware of this system consists of a light emitting diode (LED), a digital camera, a dark box, and a computer. Each of this hardware has its special function: the LED imitates natural light; the camera records facial images; the dark box imitates the consultation room; and the computer stores the images. The software is used to acquire and adjust the images. The image acquisition system uses the computer to control the opening and the closing of the camera, the photography, and the setup of relevant index to obtain the fully automatic photography of faces and information transmission. Results: The normalized acquisition system of facial diagnosis in TCM was tested according to the following procedures. (1) The lighting uniformity of acquisition windows was tested. Results of the uniformity test showed an even distribution of the illumination on the opening of the dark box for facial complexion collection. (2) TCM experts valuated the acquisition environment. The four features basically tallied among the different diagnoses of doctors, in which the lowest consistency was 75% for the lip color and the highest was 95% for the moist/dry lips. These data showed that the LED the natural light can be used efficiently in the image collecting process. (3) The correction of collected images was tested. The sum of the Euclidean distance between the uncorrected color and the standard color was 1296.345, whereas the sum between the corrected color and the standard color was 403.527. The maximum distances before and after correction were 163.68 and 44.69, respectively. The minimum distances before and after correction were 13.3 and 5.9, respectively. (4) We collected 4050 photos of patients using this system, which was proven to be stable. Conclusions: This article introduces an automated acquisition system of facial diagnosis in TCM. The safety of the system can be ensured. By comparing TCM under natural light and in the dark box, this system meets the requirements of clinical application in all of the collected samples (more than 4050). The acquisition system of facial diagnosis in TCM has also been applied efficiently in a few hospitals.

The helicases DinG, Rep and UvrD cooperate to promote replication across transcription units in vivo

Erratum6 January 2010free access The helicases DinG, Rep and UvrD cooperate to promote replication across transcription units in vivo Hasna Boubakri Hasna Boubakri Search for more papers by this author Anne Langlois de Septenville Anne Langlois de Septenville Search for more papers by this author Enrique Viguera Enrique Viguera Search for more papers by this author Bénédicte Michel Bénédicte Michel Search for more papers by this author Hasna Boubakri Hasna Boubakri Search for more papers by this author Anne Langlois de Septenville Anne Langlois de Septenville Search for more papers by this author Enrique Viguera Enrique Viguera Search for more papers by this author Bénédicte Michel Bénédicte Michel Search for more papers by this author Author Information Hasna Boubakri, Anne Langlois de Septenville, Enrique Viguera and Bénédicte Michel The EMBO Journal (2010)29:278-278https://doi.org/10.1038/emboj.2009.390 This article corrects the following: The helicases DinG, Rep and UvrD cooperate to promote replication across transcription units in vivo22 October 2009 PDFDownload PDF of article text and main figures. ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyWechatReddit Figures & Info Correction to: The EMBO Journal (2010) 29, 145–157. doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.308; Published online 22 October 2009 Owing to a typesetting error, Figure 2 of the above article was published incorrectly. Figure 1.The helicases Rep, UvrD and DinG are required for colony formation in Inv mutants. Appropriate dilutions of overnight cultures at 37°C in MM (OD 1.0–1.5) were plated on MM and LB plates, which were incubated at 37°C. Unmarked positions on the left of (A) (InvA), (B) (InvBE) and (C) (InvABE) are data points for Inv mutants that express all helicases. White boxes: colony forming units (cfu)/ml on MM plates after 48 h incubation; dark grey boxes: cfu/ml on LB plates after 16–24h incubation; light grey boxes: cfu/ml on LB plates after 48 h of incubation. The hatched box indicates cfu/ml on MM after 3 days incubation. The results are also presented in Supplementary Table S2. Download figure Download PowerPoint The correct figure is reproduced here. The publisher apologizes for this error and any inconvenience it may have caused. Next ArticlePrevious Article Read MoreAbout the coverClose modalView large imageVolume 29,Issue 1,January 6, 2010Detail of P1000 pipette tips from a stack pack. The photographer, Reindert Nijland, is a postdoctoral researcher at the Dove Marine Laboratory, Newcastle University, UK, where he studies bacterial biofilms. Reindert Nijland enjoys photography, scuba diving and studying marine organisms, especially crabs, and he often combines these three things. Visit his website at www.reindert.eu. This photograph was originally submitted to the EMBO Journal Cover Contest 2009, and was shortlisted by the jury as one of the best entries in the category “scientific images” (which encompasses not only strictly scientific “data” photographs, but also interesting views of scientific instrumentation and other curious objects found in the lab). Have a look at our website at covercontest.embo.org to find out how you can take part in our 2010 Cover Contest, and perhaps get one of your own pictures published as an EMBO Journal cover. And hurry up - submission will only be open until 15 January 2010. Volume 29Issue 16 January 2010In this issue FiguresRelatedDetailsLoading ...

Comparison of methods for sampling saproxylic beetles in fine wood

Three methods for extracting saproxylic beetles from wood samples were compared. The aim with the samples was to collect substrate-specific data on the beetle fauna in different types of small diameter wood. The methods were: (1) sifting – peeling bark from the wood, sifting it and extracting beetles in Tullgren funnels, (2) box-rearing – storing wood in dark wooden boxes and using light to attract emerging beetles; and (3) sack-rearing – hanging the wood in white cotton sacks with a collection vial at the bottom. Rearing sacks gave the species richest samples. Box-rearing gave similar results, but some small beetle species, especially Staphylinidae, were less frequent. Sifting was not useful for species occurring as larvae in the wood, but gave results similar to the two rearing methods for most species that occurred as adults, and was the most efficient method for the Staphylinidae. The two rearing methods were somewhat more labour intensive than sifting, but produced more beetles per sample. Sack-rearing was somewhat more efficient than box-rearing.