Lateralization of eye use in cuttlefish : opposite direction for anti-predatory and predatory behaviors

© The Author(s), 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Frontiers in Physiology 7 (2016): 620, doi:10.3389/fphys.2016.00620.Vertebrates with laterally placed eyes typically exhibit preferential eye use for ecological activities such as scanning for predators or prey. Processing visual information predominately through the left or right visual field has been associated with specialized function of the left and right brain. Lateralized vertebrates often share a general pattern of lateralized brain function at the population level, whereby the left hemisphere controls routine behaviors and the right hemisphere controls emergency responses. Recent studies have shown evidence of preferential eye use in some invertebrates, but whether the visual fields are predominately associated with specific ecological activities remains untested. We used the European common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, to investigate whether the visual field they use is the same, or different, during anti-predatory, and predatory behavior. To test for lateralization of anti-predatory behavior, individual cuttlefish were placed in a new environment with opaque walls, thereby obliging them to choose which eye to orient away from the opaque wall to scan for potential predators (i.e., vigilant scanning). To test for lateralization of predatory behavior, individual cuttlefish were placed in the apex of an isosceles triangular arena and presented with two shrimp in opposite vertexes, thus requiring the cuttlefish to choose between attacking a prey item to the left or to the right of them. Cuttlefish were significantly more likely to favor the left visual field to scan for potential predators and the right visual field for prey attack. Moreover, individual cuttlefish that were leftward directed for vigilant scanning were predominately rightward directed for prey attack. Lateralized individuals also showed faster decision-making when presented with prey simultaneously. Cuttlefish appear to have opposite directions of lateralization for anti-predatory and predatory behavior, suggesting that there is functional specialization of each optic lobe (i.e., brain structures implicated in visual processing). These results are discussed in relation to the role of lateralized brain function and the evolution of population level lateralization.This work was supported by a post-doctoral study grant from the Fyssen Foundation to AS, and by a research grant “Sélavie” from the Fyssen Foundation to CJ-A. The Sholley Foundation provided partial support for the research in Woods Hole

Fluorescence Signal Enhancement in Antibody Microarrays Using Lightguiding Nanowires

Fluorescence-based detection assays play an essential role in the life sciences and medicine. To offer better detection sensitivity and lower limits of detection (LOD), there is a growing need for novel platforms with an improved readout capacity. In this context, substrates containing semiconductor nanowires may offer significant advantages, due to their proven light-emission enhancing, waveguiding properties, and increased surface area. To demonstrate and evaluate the potential of such nanowires in the context of diagnostic assays, we have in this work adopted a well-established single-chain fragment antibody-based assay, based on a protocol previously designed for biomarker detection using planar microarrays, to freestanding, SiO2-coated gallium phosphide nanowires. The assay was used for the detection of protein biomarkers in highly complex human serum at high dilution. The signal quality was quantified and compared with results obtained on conventional flat silicon and plastic substrates used in the established microarray applications. Our results show that using the nanowire-sensor platform in combination with conventional readout methods, improves the signal intensity, contrast, and signal-to-noise by more than one order of magnitude compared to flat surfaces. The results confirm the potential of lightguiding nanowires for signal enhancement and their capacity to improve the LOD of standard diagnostic assays

Mitochondrial respiratory pathways modulate nitrate sensing and nitrogen-dependent regulation of plant architecture in Nicotiana sylvestris

Mitochondrial electron transport pathways exert effects on carbon–nitrogen (C/N) relationships. To examine whether mitochondria–N interactions also influence plant growth and development, we explored the responses of roots and shoots to external N supply in wild-type (WT) Nicotiana sylvestris and the cytoplasmic male sterile II (CMSII) mutant, which has a N-rich phenotype. Root architecture in N. sylvestris seedlings showed classic responses to nitrate and sucrose availability. In contrast, CMSII showed an altered ‘nitrate-sensing’ phenotype with decreased sensitivity to C and N metabolites. The WT growth phenotype was restored in CMSII seedling roots by high nitrate plus sugars and in shoots by gibberellic acid (GA). Genome-wide cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of leaves from mature plants revealed that only a small subset of transcripts was altered in CMSII. Tissue abscisic acid content was similar in CMSII and WT roots and shoots, and growth responses to zeatin were comparable. However, the abundance of key transcripts associated with GA synthesis was modified both by the availability of N and by the CMSII mutation. The CMSII mutant maintained a much higher shoot/root ratio at low N than WT, whereas no difference was observed at high N. Shoot/root ratios were strikingly correlated with root amines/nitrate ratios, values of <1 being characteristic of high N status. We propose a model in which the amine/nitrate ratio interacts with GA signalling and respiratory pathways to regulate the partitioning of biomass between shoots and roots

Episodic-like memory is preserved with age in cuttlefish

Funder: European Research CouncilFunder: Grass Foundation; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100001654Funder: Royal Society; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000288Funder: Fyssen FoundationFunder: Australian Government; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100015539Episodic memory, remembering past experiences based on unique what–where–when components, declines during ageing in humans, as does episodic-like memory in non-human mammals. By contrast, semantic memory, remembering learnt knowledge without recalling unique what–where–when features, remains relatively intact with advancing age. The age-related decline in episodic memory likely stems from the deteriorating function of the hippocampus in the brain. Whether episodic memory can deteriorate with age in species that lack a hippocampus is unknown. Cuttlefish are molluscs that lack a hippocampus. We test both semantic-like and episodic-like memory in sub-adults and aged-adults nearing senescence (n = 6 per cohort). In the semantic-like memory task, cuttlefish had to learn that the location of a food resource was dependent on the time of day. Performance, measured as proportion of correct trials, was comparable across age groups. In the episodic-like memory task, cuttlefish had to solve a foraging task by retrieving what–where–when information about a past event with unique spatio-temporal features. In this task, performance was comparable across age groups; however, aged-adults reached the success criterion (8/10 correct choices in consecutive trials) significantly faster than sub-adults. Contrary to other animals, episodic-like memory is preserved in aged cuttlefish, suggesting that memory deterioration is delayed in this species

RISK FACTORS OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION AT THE REGIONAL AND TEACHING HOSPITAL CENTER OF BORGOU (BENIN)

Introduction: The reduction of the SSI rate requires knowledge of its risk factors. Objective: To analyze the risk factors of SSI occurrence at CHD-B Methods: Prospective, descriptive and analytical study involving 603 patients undergoing general surgery (218) and obstetrics and gynecology (385) from 1st&nbsp;January to 31st&nbsp;July 2013. Results: 44 patients have developed SSI (7.3%). The SSI frequency was 12.8% in general surgery and 4.2% in gynecology-obstetrics (p significant). The mean age of patients developing SSI was 30.7 ± 15.8 years with a minimum and maximum 5 months and 70 years, respectively; and for general surgery patients, there were 23 men and 5 women (p not significant). The presence of preoperative infectious spot at admission (P = 0.003), the preoperative shaving of the site to be incised (p = 0.000), the ASA score (p = 0.000), the surgery contamination class (p = 0.000), and the NNIS score (p = 0.000) were all significantly related to SSI occurrence. Considering all these factors, the NNIS score ≥2 remained the predictive tool by multiplying by 3.4 the risk of SSI occurrence. Conclusion: NNIS score is the best SSI prediction tool at CHD-B. KEYWORDS: Surgical site infection; Risk factor; NNIS score

RISK FACTORS OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION AT THE REGIONAL AND TEACHING HOSPITAL CENTER OF BORGOU (BENIN)

Introduction: The reduction of the SSI rate requires knowledge of its risk factors. Objective: To analyze the risk factors of SSI occurrence at CHD-B Methods: Prospective, descriptive and analytical study involving 603 patients undergoing general surgery (218) and obstetrics and gynecology (385) from 1st&nbsp;January to 31st&nbsp;July 2013. Results: 44 patients have developed SSI (7.3%). The SSI frequency was 12.8% in general surgery and 4.2% in gynecology-obstetrics (p significant). The mean age of patients developing SSI was 30.7 ± 15.8 years with a minimum and maximum 5 months and 70 years, respectively; and for general surgery patients, there were 23 men and 5 women (p not significant). The presence of preoperative infectious spot at admission (P = 0.003), the preoperative shaving of the site to be incised (p = 0.000), the ASA score (p = 0.000), the surgery contamination class (p = 0.000), and the NNIS score (p = 0.000) were all significantly related to SSI occurrence. Considering all these factors, the NNIS score ≥2 remained the predictive tool by multiplying by 3.4 the risk of SSI occurrence. Conclusion: NNIS score is the best SSI prediction tool at CHD-B. KEYWORDS: Surgical site infection; Risk factor; NNIS score

Use of the novel hemostatic textile Stasilon® to arrest refractory retroperitoneal hemorrhage: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Stasilon^®is a novel hemostatic woven textile composed of allergen-free fibers of continuous filament fiberglass and bamboo yarn. The development of this product resulted from controlled <it>in vitro </it>thrombogenic analysis of an array of potentially hemostatic textile materials and it has been cleared for both external and internal use by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the arrest of hemorrhage. The goal of the study was to assess the hemostatic and adhesive properties of Stasilon^®in the setting of life-threatening refractory hemorrhage.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 39-year-old Caucasian man presented with severe necrotic pancreatitis that failed multiple aggressive attempts to control associated bleeding with electrocautery, suture ligation, and sequential anatomic packing with cotton-based sponges. Subsequent retroperitoneal packing with Stasilon^®produced a non-adherent wound-dressing interface and resulted in the achievement of persistent hemostasis in the operative field.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In our patient, Stasilon^®was demonstrated to be effective in the arrest of refractory hemorrhage.</p

The Puzzle of Partial Resource Use by a Parasitoid Wasp

When there is conspicuous underexploitation of a limited resource, it is worth asking, what mechanisms allow presumably valuable resources to be left unused? Evolutionary biologists have generated a wide variety of hypotheses to explain this, ranging from interdemic group selection to selfishly prudent individual restraint. We consider a situation in which, despite high intraspecific competition, individuals leave most of a key resource unexploited. The parasitic wasp that does this finds virtually all host egg clusters in a landscape but parasitizes only about a third of the eggs in each and then leaves a deterrent mark around the cluster. We first test—and reject—a series of system-specific simple constraints that might limit full host exploitation, such as asynchronous maturation of host eggs. We then consider classical hypotheses for the evolution of restraint. Prudent predation and bet-hedging fail as explanations because the wasp lives as a large, well-mixed population. Additionally, we find no individual benefits to the parasitoid of developing in a sparsely parasitized host nest.However, an optimal foragingmodel, including empirically measured costs of superparasitism and hyperparasitism, can explain through individual selection both the consistently low rate of parasitism and deterrent marking.Peer reviewe

Human Listeriosis Caused by Listeria ivanovii

Two species of Listeria are pathogenic; L. monocytogenes infects humans and animals, and L. ivanovii has been considered to infect ruminants only. We report L. ivanovii–associated gastroenteritis and bacteremia in a man. This isolate was indistinguishable from prototypic ruminant strains. L. ivanovii is thus an enteric opportunistic human pathogen