The caudo-ventral pallium is a novel pallial domain expressing Gdf10 and generating Ebf3-positive neurons of the medial amygdala

In rodents, the medial nucleus of the amygdala receives direct inputs from the accessory olfactory bulbs and is mainly implicated in pheromone-mediated reproductive and defensive behaviors. The principal neurons of the medial amygdala are GABAergic neurons generated principally in the caudo-ventral medial ganglionic eminence and preoptic area. Beside GABAergic neurons, the medial amygdala also contains glutamatergic Otp-expressing neurons cells generated in the lateral hypothalamic neuroepithelium and a non-well characterized Pax6-positive population. In the present work, we describe a novel glutamatergic Ebf3-expressing neuronal subpopulation distributed within the periphery of the postero-ventral medial amygdala. These neurons are generated in a pallial domain characterized by high expression of Gdf10. This territory is topologically the most caudal tier of the ventral pallium and accordingly, we named it Caudo-Ventral Pallium (CVP). In the absence of Pax6, the CVP is disrupted and Ebf3-expressing neurons fail to be generated. Overall, this work proposes a novel model of the neuronal composition of the medial amygdala and unravels for the first time a new novel pallial subpopulation originating from the CVP and expressing the transcription factor Ebf3.This work was supported by Grants of the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche; ANR) [ANR-13-BSV4-0011] and by the French Government through the ‘Investments for the Future’ LABEX SIGNALIFE [ANR-11-LABX-0028-01] to M.S., by the Spanish Government (BFU2007-60263 and BFU2010-17305) to A.F, and by the Medical Research Council (MR/K013750/1) to T.T. N.R.-R. is funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Ville de Nice, France (“Aide Individuelle aux Jeunes Chercheurs 2016”).Peer reviewe

Chemosensory assessment of rival competitive ability and scent-mark function in a lizard, Podarcis hispanica

Recent studies have stressed the role of scent marks as signals potentially mediating competitor assessment. According to this view, receivers may use scent marks to derive information about the costs of exploiting a given area, but few studies have directly addressed this hypothesis. One of its main predictions is that scent marks should reflect a signaller's competitive ability. We simulated the situation faced by an intruding male when entering the scent-marked territories of rival males of varying competitive ability to test predictions about the role of scent marks in a lizard, Podarcis hispanica. We report that males were attracted to areas marked by males of similar or higher competitive ability (i.e. larger size), but not to areas scent marked by males of lower competitive ability, and that this preference disappeared towards the end of the breeding season. Our results show that (1) male lizards can assess rival competitive ability (i.e. rival size) on the basis of scent marks alone, (2) scent marks do not function as chemical barriers to deter intruders, and (3) male response to marked areas varies throughout the breeding season, suggesting a shift in the cost-to-benefit balance of entering a scent-marked area. We propose that male assessment of rival competitive ability may function as an indirect assessment mechanism of territory resource quality in this species, and thus that scent marks may convey information not only about costs but also about the benefits of exploiting a scent-marked area. © 2007 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Beyond 'nasty neighbours' and 'dear enemies'? Individual recognition by scent marks in a lizard (Podarcis hispanica)

True individual recognition (TIR), the ability to recognize conspecific individuals on the basis of identity cues, is required for the evolution of several social traits (e.g. the maintenance of dominance hierarchies). However, knowledge about the distribution and functional significance of TIR is scant in some vertebrate groups, such as reptiles. In this study we used a functional modification of a habituation-dishabituation paradigm to investigate the existence and adaptive significance of TIR in a territorial lizard (Podarcis hispanica, Lacertidae). Males discriminated between individual rivals of similar characteristics (e.g. size, weight, familiarity) solely on the basis of their scent marks. Males also remembered the spatial location of scent marks and subsequently behaved more aggressively towards rival males that consistently marked in the core than on the periphery of their experimental terrarium. Together, these results suggest that, in this species, scent marks function to identify the potential threat posed by each individual neighbour, allowing resident males to allocate their aggressive behaviour accordingly. Our findings challenge the simplistic and commonly held view that 'dear enemy' phenomena in lizards are exclusively based on familiarity asymmetries, and support an alternative threat level hypothesis in which TIR may be more important than previously acknowledged. © 2008 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Chemosensory cues allow male Tenebrio molitor beetles to assess the reproductive status of potential mates

Males of many insect species, including beetles, choose their mates according to their reproductive status. However, the ways in which male beetles evaluate female reproductive status have received little attention. We tested the existence of male mate choice in the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, by observing mating and courtship behaviour of males given simultaneous access to pairs of females differing in their reproductive status: (1) mature versus immature; (2) virgin versus previously mated; (3) familiar (mated with the experimental male) versus unfamiliar (mated with a different male). Males courted and mated preferentially with mature and virgin females. To determine whether chemical cues played a role in these discriminations, we exposed males to filter paper squares bearing chemical cues from different types of females: (1) virgin versus mated; (2) mature versus immature. Males were significantly more attracted to those squares bearing chemical cues from virgin and mature females, suggesting that males can assess female reproductive status on the basis of chemical cues alone. © 2004 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Researching parental socialization styles across three cultural contexts: Scale ESPA29 bi-dimensional validity in Spain, Portugal and Brazil

Recent research that relates parenting with adolescent adjustment has shown the importance of considering the cultural context of the relationship. New results are emerging when considering the classical four-typologies model of parental socialization in some European and South-American countries. Among the instruments used in this emergent research is the Parental Socialization Scale ESPA29. This scale is a bi-dimensional parenting instrument that was specifically developed to measure the four parenting typologies, through the dimensions of acceptance/involvement and strictness/imposition. This study examines the good fit of the orthogonal bi-factor model based on the ESPA29 versus one-dimensional and bi-dimensional oblique alternative models, with three adolescent samples from 12 to 17 years old (53.4% girls), from Spain (N = 826), Portugal (N = 752), and Brazil (N = 628). We applied structural equation models (SEMs) to analyze the fit of the models to the data. The results confirm a better fit to the data for the orthogonal bi-factor model versus one-dimensional and bi-dimensional oblique alternative models across country, adolescent sex, and the three age groups. Additionally, the convergent validity of the scale was proved by showing the relation of the two parenting dimensions with self-concept. The results guarantee the adequacy of the ESPA29 to measure parenting styles

Treatment with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or entecavir in chronic hepatitis B virus-infected patients with renal impairment: results from a 7-year, multicentre retrospective cohort study

Background: Limited data exist regarding tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) safety and effectiveness in chronic hepatitis B virus\u2013infected (CHB) patients with renal impairment (RI). Aims: To compare real-world data on renal safety and effectiveness of TDF vs entecavir (ETV) in CHB patients with moderate-to-severe RI. Methods: Retrospective, non-interventional, cohort study analysing medical records for TDF/ETV-treated CHB patients (54 European centres). Included patients experienced moderate-to-severe RI (creatinine clearance 20-60 mL/min [Cockcroft-Gault]) either before TDF/ETV initiation (\u2018before\u2019 subgroup [baseline = treatment initiation]) or after TDF/ETV initiation (\u2018after\u2019 subgroup [baseline = first RI occurrence]). The primary objective was TDF safety, particularly renal-related adverse events of special interest (AESI). TDF and ETV safety and effectiveness were compared and multivariate analyses were performed using inverse probability treatment weighting. Results: \u2018Before\u2019 subgroup included 107 TDF- and 91 ETV-treated patients; \u2018after\u2019 subgroup included 212 TDF- and 77 ETV-treated patients. Mean baseline creatinine clearance was higher for TDF- vs ETV-treated patients (both subgroups). Median follow-up was 3.1 years (both treatments). AESI were more frequent with TDF vs ETV (\u2018before\u2019: 18.7% vs 8.8%; \u2018after\u2019: 9.9% vs 3.9%); however, differences were not significant by multivariate analysis. Only TDF-treated patients experienced renal tubular dysfunction (6.5% \u2018before\u2019; 1.9% \u2018after\u2019) as well as renal adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation (8.4% \u2018before\u2019; 7.1% \u2018after\u2019). Effectiveness was similar between treatments. Conclusions: Overall safety was similar for TDF vs ETV (both subgroups). Given that renal tubular dysfunction occurred with TDF and not with ETV, renal safety concerns may be greater with TDF in CHB patients with RI