A nice book on Italian rodents

n/

Spatial segregation of Darwinula stevensoni (Crustacea: Ostracoda) genotypes in lentic and lotic habitats of Northern Italy

The clonal structure of apomictic populations of Darwinula stevensoni from Northern Italy lacustrine and riverine habitats has been analysed by allozyme electrophoresis. Thirty two sites were sampled and a total of 748 individuals were analysed. Only one polymorphic locus, Gpi, turned out to have enough variation to be informative. Two thirds of all individuals were homozygous for the most frequent allele but the frequency of this genotype was significantly lower in rivers (16%) than in lakes (92%). As a consequence homozygous clonal females are dominant in lacustrine habitats while heterozygous clonal females are dominant in riverine ones. Differences in genetic structure between habitats were observed even at distances of a few meters. Allele and genotype frequencies are significantly different between Lake Montorfano and its outflow (River Seveso) and between Mantova lakes and their two tributaries, the River Mincio and Corniano Channel. The former is also the outflow of Lake Garda. By laboratory experiments, we previously reported difference between genotypes: homozygous females from Mantova lakes show significantly lower starvation tolerance than heterozygous females from River Mincio. We discuss the hypothesis that habitat segregation is related to this difference. Riverine females should be better adapted to low productivity ecosystems than lacustrine ones

Long-Acting GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Exenatide Influence on the Autonomic Cardiac Sympatho-Vagal Balance

Long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists are increasingly used to treat type 2 diabetes. An increase of heart rate (HR) has been observed with their use. To elucidate the role of the cardiac sympatho-vagal balance as a possible mediator of the reported increase in HR, we performed power spectral analysis of HR variability (HRV) in patients receiving exenatide extended-release (ER). Twenty-eight ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes underwent evaluation at initiation of exenatide-ER and thereafter at 3 and at 6 months. To obtain spectral analyses of HRV, a computerized acquisition of 10 minutes of RR electrocardiogram intervals (mean values of ~700 RR intervals) were recorded both in lying and in standing positions. All patients showed a substantial increase of HR both in lying and in standing positions. Systolic blood pressure, body weight, and glycated hemoglobin A1c significantly decreased both at 3 and 6 months compared with basal levels. The low-frequency/high-frequency ratio varied from 3.05 \ub1 0.4 to 1.64 \ub1 0.2 (P < 0.001) after 3 months and to 1.57 \ub1 0.3 (P < 0.001) after 6 months in a lying position and from 4.56 \ub1 0.8 to 2.24 \ub1 0.3 (P < 0.001) after 3 months and to 2.38 \ub1 0.4 (P < 0.001) after 6 months in a standing position compared with basal values, respectively. HR variations, induced by exenatide-ER treatment, do not appear to be related to sympathetic autonomic tone. Of note, we observed a relative increase of vagal influence on the heart

A nice book on Italian rodents

A recent book on the Italian rodents is presented. The book treats the ecology of rodents as well as more applied topics like the impact of rodents on human activities and the management and control of rodents populations. Written in Italian