Are Dutch Skylarks partial migrants? Ring recovery data and radio-telemetry suggest local coexistence of contrasting migration strategies

In recent years, Skylarks Alauda arvensis have undergone dramatic population declines in many European countries. Evidence exists for deteriorating conditions during the breeding season, but little is known about the situation during the rest of the annual cycle. Here we use two approaches to test if the Dutch breeding population of Skylarks consists of resident and/or migratory individuals. First, we present an analysis of ring recoveries from the Dutch Ringing Centre "Vogeltrekstation". Out of 25 recoveries, 12 Skylarks were resident in winter, 10 migrated and three were classified as probable migrants. Resident birds were accompanied during winter by birds from northern and eastern Europe. Very limited natal and breeding dispersal recorded in the same dataset suggests that our results were not influenced by long dispersal distances. Next, we compared these results to a local radio-telemetry study in the northern Netherlands. During two different years we equipped a total of 27 Skylarks from a breeding population with radio-transmitters and followed them during the subsequent winter. Four birds were found to winter locally. Out of 23 individuals that we did not find in winter, 14 returned in the following breeding season to the study area, all with a working transmitter, suggesting that they wintered outside our study area. Two ring recoveries of birds from the same study population indeed showed migration to south-west Europe. Based on these two lines of evidence, we conclude local coexistence of a resident and a migrant strategy in Dutch Skylarks. The findings of our study are important for the planning of conservation efforts, as we can only protect this rapidly declining species when we know their behaviour and whereabouts throughout the entire annual cycle

Visual contribution to postural stability: Interaction between target fixation or tracking and static or dynamic large-field stimulus

Stationary visual information has a stabilizing effect on posture, whereas moving visual information is destabilizing. We compared the influence of a stationary or moving fixation point to the influence of stationary or moving large-field stimulation, as well as the interaction between a fixation point and a large-field stimulus. We recorded body sway in 20 healthy subjects who were fixating a stationary or oscillating dot (vertical or horizontal motion, 1/3Hz, +/-12 degrees amplitude, distance 96cm). In addition, a large-field random dot pattern (extension: approximately 80x70 degrees ) was stationary, moving or absent. Visual fixation of a stationary dot in darkness did not reduce antero-posterior (AP) sway compared to the situation in total darkness, but slightly reduced lateral sway at frequencies below 0.5Hz. In contrast, fixating a stationary dot on a stationary large-field pattern reduced both AP and lateral body sway at all frequencies (0.1-2Hz). Ocular tracking of the oscillating dot caused a peak in body sway at 1/3Hz, i.e. the stimulus frequency, but there was no influence of large-field stimulus at this frequency. A stationary large-field pattern, however, reduced AP and lateral sway at frequencies between 0.1 and 2Hz when subjects tracked a moving dot, compared to tracking in darkness. Our results demonstrate that a stationary large-field pattern has a stabilizing effect in all conditions, independent of whether the eyes are fixing on a stationary target or tracking a moving target

Are Dutch Skylarks partial migrants? Ring recovery data and radio-telemetry suggest local coexistence of contrasting migration strategies

In western Europe, farmland birds have declined in recent decades by almost 50% (BirdLife International 2004, EBCC 2009, PECBMS 2009. While declines are frequently associated with changed or changing conditions during the breeding season and deterioration of the breeding habitat In The Netherlands, the Skylark Alauda arvensis is one of the farmland species with the steepest decline: numbers dropped by almost 95% from around 700,000 Are Dutch Skylarks partial migrants? Ring recovery data and radio-telemetry suggest local coexistence of contrasting migration strategies In recent years, Skylarks Alauda arvensis have undergone dramatic population declines in many European countries. Evidence exists for deteriorating conditions during the breeding season, but little is known about the situation during the rest of the annual cycle. Here we use two approaches to test if the Dutch breeding population of Skylarks consists of resident and/or migratory individuals. First, we present an analysis of ring recoveries from the Dutch Ringing Centre "Vogeltrekstation". Out of 25 recoveries, 12 Skylarks were resident in winter, 10 migrated and three were classified as probable migrants. Resident birds were accompanied during winter by birds from northern and eastern Europe. Very limited natal and breeding dispersal recorded in the same dataset suggests that our results were not influenced by long dispersal distances. Next, we compared these results to a local radio-telemetry study in the northern Netherlands. During two different years we equipped a total of 27 Skylarks from a breeding population with radio-transmitters and followed them during the subsequent winter. Four birds were found to winter locally. Out of 23 individuals that we did not find in winter, 14 returned in the following breeding season to the study area, all with a working transmitter, suggesting that they wintered outside our study area. Two ring recoveries of birds from the same study population indeed showed migration to south-west Europe. Based on these two lines of evidence, we conclude local coexistence of a resident and a migrant strategy in Dutch Skylarks. The findings of our study are important for the planning of conservation efforts, as we can only protect this rapidly declining species when we know their behaviour and whereabouts throughout the entire annual cycle. Skylark populations from northern Europe migrate to south-west Europe, mainly to France and Spain, whereas southern European and British populations are thought to be resident Futhermore, it is unclear whether resident and migratory strategies occur within a single Skylark population. Partial migration is defined as occurring when one part of the population remains in the breeding area year round and another part migrates In this study we investigated migration strategies of Skylarks in The Netherlands using two different approaches. First, we analysed all ring recoveries of Skylarks from the database of the Dutch ringing centre "Vogeltrekstation". Second, we conducted a radio-telemetry study in a local breeding population of Skylarks in the northern Netherlands. We combine the results of both approaches to evaluate whether Skylarks that breed in The Netherlands migrate or winter locally. Additionally, we analyse the ring recoveries of Skylarks that spend the winter in The Netherlands, to trace their origin. Finally, we present data on natal and breeding dispersal of Skylarks ringed in The Netherlands during the breeding season to verify that our results on the migratory strategies of Skylarks are not in fact influenced by long-distance dispersal. METHODS Ring recoveries Since 1911 more than 88,000 Skylarks have been ringed in The Netherlands (Vogeltrekstation data until November 2008), of which 497 were recovered. The database contains an additional 35 recoveries of birds ringed in other countries and found in The Netherlands. We selected all cases where distinction between migration strategies (resident in winter vs. migrant) is possible (n = 25, Appendix 1). These include birds that were (1) ringed during the breeding season in The Netherlands (either as nestling or as breeding adult) and recovered in any winter, or during any autumn or spring migration; (2) ringed during winter and reported during the breeding season in The Netherlands; and (3) ringed during migration and recovered during the breeding season within The Netherlands. We define migration based on distance between ringing and recovery site by visually deriving a divide in travelled distance between residents and migrants (see To evaluate whether, in addition to Dutch birds, Skylarks from northern origins also winter in The Netherlands, we selected all birds that were ringed during winter (20 Nov -29 Jan) in The Netherlands and were later recovered further north. We additionally checked for the origin of late migrants (1 Nov -19 Nov). If long-distance natal or breeding dispersal occurs in Skylarks, this could potentially influence our results given the selection criteria we used to classify migrants. Therefore we performed an analysis of natal and breeding dispersal by selecting all recoveries from birds ringed during the breeding season as either nestlings or adults and that were recovered during any subsequent breeding season (n = 43). Of these 43 recoveries, 23 birds were found by the ringer and 20 by another person, and thus estimated dispersal is not only based on birds recaptured by a ringer within a study population. Study area for radiotelemetry We obtained detailed information on a breeding population in the "Aekingerzand", part of the National Park Drents-Friese Wold in the northern Netherlands (52°55'N; 6°18'E). The area is a mixture of open sand, groups of trees, heath-and grasslands on nutrient-poor soil and surrounded by a thin belt of forests. The wider surroundings are characterised by agricultural fields and small villages. The study population consists of about 100 pairs; the vast majority of individuals are colour-ringed. Radio-tracking We equipped 28 Skylarks with radio-transmitters. Eight birds (3 adult males, 4 adult females, 1 juvenile female) received the transmitter in the period 13 Jul -26 Sep 2007 and another 20 (9 adult males, 4 adult females, 4 juvenile males, 2 juvenile females and 1 male of unknown age) in the period 3 Aug -22 Sep 2008 when all birds showed active moult. Ageing of the birds was based on previous ringing or on plumage characteristics; sex was determined by wing length and in doubtful cases confirmed by molecular sexing. The radio-transmitters (172 MHz-band) were specifically designed for this project by JDJC Corp. d.b.a. Sparrow Systems, United States. The life-time was assumed by the manufacturer to be at least 6-7 months. In fact, in all cases where birds returned to the breeding grounds, transmitters continued to work for longer than this expected life-span and one transmitter was still working one year after attachment. Transmitters were fixed on the back of a bird using figure-eight-harnesses (Rappole & Tipton 1991) made from elasticated cotton thread. Transmitters, including harness, ranged in weight from 1.29 to 1.50 g, equalling 3.1-5.2% of a bird's body weight at time of attachment. During the period when transmitters were attached, Skylarks in this study population are close to their minimum weight in the annual cycle (A. Hegemann, unpubl.). From when transmitters were attached until the end of September we carried out repeated searches for birds in the study area to check if birds were still present and to determine if transmitters produced regular signals on the supposed frequency. One transmitter attached to a bird in 2007 failed to work properly due to an antenna that was broken two weeks after attachment. Therefore we excluded this bird from further analysis. Starting in October when birds left the Aekingerzand, we searched for radio-tagged birds using two portable ICOM IC-R20-receivers with hand-held 5-element yagi-antennas. In a radius of up to 8 km around the Aekingerzand, the agricultural landscape was checked for the presence of radio-tagged birds by one person searching for 4-5 days per week and about five hours per day. In the open landscape (excluding villages and wooded areas) we scanned for all used frequencies, conducting scans at regular distances of not more than 1 km apart. In addition we used a dipole antenna mounted on the roof of a car with a automatically scanning receiver to search for birds while driving around the search area. During winter 2008/09 the hand-held antenna was mounted on a 4-m long plastic pole to increase reception. Furthermore we conducted telemetry from a small aircraft (Cessna skyhawk), flying for 2-4 hours at a height of 250-300 m and with a speed of 100-110 km/h in circles over the study area. Flights were completed once in winter 2007/08 (on 8 December) and twice in winter 2008/09 (on 16 January and 6 February). With these flights we covered an area with a radius of about 12 km around the Aekingerzand. During the flight on 8 December 2007 we received signals from one bird we did not find previously by ground telemetry. During the two flights in winter 2008/09 we did not find any additional birds. During all flights radio-tagged birds with known location, or one additional transmitter that was not attached to a 137 bird, were used as references values. From the air we were able to detect these references signals from a distance of at least 2 km. Another search flight was flown in spring 2009 (on 3 March) to search for potentially dispersed birds, but none were found. RESULTS Migration strategies from ringing data Based on 25 ring recoveries, we classified 12 birds as residents, 10 as migrants and three as probable migrants Origin of birds wintering in The Netherlands Eleven birds ringed in winter in The Netherlands were recovered in or on their way towards breeding areas outside The Netherlands, in Denmark (n = 8), Russia (n = 1), Sweden (n = 1) and Norway (n = 1) (Appendix 2). Additionally two birds ringed during the breeding season in Denmark and Norway, respectively, were found in winter in The Netherlands. Furthermore, birds that were ringed during the last part of the southward migration period in The Netherlands (1 Nov -19 Nov) were later reported in Denmark (n = 8) and Russia (n = 1) (Appendix 2). Natal and breeding philopatry Thirty Skylarks ringed as nestlings were reported during a later year as breeding birds. Twenty-six of these birds (1 male, 18 female, 7 unknown) were found within 4 km of the ringing site, and four (all unknown sex) had dispersed further than 10 km from the place of hatching. The furthest recovery was found in a fresh pellet of a Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus one year after being ringed as a nestling, at a distance of 41 km from its place of hatching (H.J. Ottens, pers. comm.). Because Montagu's Harriers of this specific population hunt over distances of more than 18 km from their nest site (C. Trierweiler, pers. comm.), the actual dispersal distance of this bird remains uncertain. Of the 13 birds ringed as adults (5 males, 7 females, 1 unknown) during the breeding season all were reported in subsequent years within 2 km of the site of ringing. Radio-telemetry of Aekingerzand population In the winter of 2007/08 all radio-tagged birds had left the Aekingerzand by 2 October. In the course of the winter we detected signals from three of the seven radio-tagged birds (43%) at distances of 0-9 km from the Aekingerzand. These included two adult males and one adult female ( In the winter of 2008/09 we located only one of the 20 radio-tagged birds in the search area around the Aekingerzand (5%, Both winters combined, we found three of 17 males and one of 10 females to winter locally (Fisher's Exact Test, P = 1). Four adults were found to winter locally, while we did not detect any of the seven juveniles in winter (Fisher's Exact Test, P = 0.55). The proportion of birds we found in our study area during winter, differed between the two years (Fisher's Exact Test, P = 0.04). DISCUSSION Ring recoveries from the entire Netherlands for the past 100 years clearly demonstrate that Dutch Skylarks are partial migrants; some birds migrate to the southwest and others winter close to their breeding grounds. Our radio-telemetry study on a local breeding population in the northern part of The Netherlands confirmed that some birds winter very close to the breeding location while others were not found in winter in the immediat

Synthetic retinal analogues modify the spectral and kinetic characteristics of microbial rhodopsin optogenetic tools

Optogenetic tools have become indispensable in neuroscience to stimulate or inhibit excitable cells by light. Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) variants have been established by mutating the opsin backbone or by mining related algal genomes. As an alternative strategy, we surveyed synthetic retinal analogues combined with microbial rhodopsins for functional and spectral properties, capitalizing on assays in C. elegans, HEK cells and larval Drosophila. Compared with all-trans retinal (ATR), Dimethylamino-retinal (DMAR) shifts the action spectra maxima of ChR2 variants H134R and H134R/T159C from 480 to 520 nm. Moreover, DMAR decelerates the photocycle of ChR2(H134R) and (H134R/T159C), thereby reducing the light intensity required for persistent channel activation. In hyperpolarizing archaerhodopsin-3 and Mac, naphthyl-retinal and thiophene-retinal support activity alike ATR, yet at altered peak wavelengths. Our experiments enable applications of retinal analogues in colour tuning and altering photocycle characteristics of optogenetic tools, thereby increasing the operational light sensitivity of existing cell lines or transgenic animals

Synthetic retinal analogues modify the spectral and kinetic characteristics of microbial rhodopsin optogenetic tools

Optogenetic tools have become indispensable in neuroscience to stimulate or inhibit excitable cells by light. Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) variants have been established by mutating the opsin backbone or by mining related algal genomes. As an alternative strategy, we surveyed synthetic retinal analogues combined with microbial rhodopsins for functional and spectral properties, capitalizing on assays in C. elegans, HEK cells and larval Drosophila. Compared with all-trans retinal (ATR), Dimethylamino-retinal (DMAR) shifts the action spectra maxima of ChR2 variants H134R and H134R/T159C from 480 to 520 nm. Moreover, DMAR decelerates the photocycle of ChR2(H134R) and (H134R/T159C), thereby reducing the light intensity required for persistent channel activation. In hyperpolarizing archaerhodopsin-3 and Mac, naphthyl-retinal and thiophene-retinal support activity alike ATR, yet at altered peak wavelengths. Our experiments enable applications of retinal analogues in colour tuning and altering photocycle characteristics of optogenetic tools, thereby increasing the operational light sensitivity of existing cell lines or transgenic animals

The geometrical shape of mesenchymal stromal cells measured by quantitative shape descriptors is determined by the stiffness of the biomaterial and by cyclic tensile forces

Controlling mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) shape is a novel method for investigating and directing MSC behaviour in vitro. it was hypothesized that specifigc MSC shapes can be generated by using stiffnessâ defined biomaterial surfaces and by applying cyclic tensile forces. Biomaterials used were thin and thick silicone sheets, fibronectin coating, and compacted collagen type I sheets. The MSC morphology was quantified by shape descriptors describing dimensions and membrane protrusions. Nanoscale stiffness was measured by atomic force microscopy and the expression of smooth muscle cell (SMC) marker genes (ACTA2, TAGLN, CNN1) by quantitative reverseâ transcription polymerase chain reaction. Cyclic stretch was applied with 2.5% or 5% amplitudes. Attachment to biomaterials with a higher stiffness yielded more elongated MSCs with fewer membrane protrusions compared with biomaterials with a lower stiffness. For cyclic stretch, compacted collagen sheets were selected, which were associated with the most elongated MSC shape across all investigated biomaterials. As expected, cyclic stretch elongated MSCs during stretch. One hour after cessation of stretch, however, MSC shape was rounder again, suggesting loss of stretchâ induced shape. Different shape descriptor values obtained by different stretch regimes correlated significantly with the expression levels of SMC marker genes. Values of approximately 0.4 for roundness and 3.4 for aspect ratio were critical for the highest expression levels of ACTA2 and CNN1. Thus, specific shape descriptor values, which can be generated using biomaterialâ associated stiffness and tensile forces, can serve as a template for the induction of specific gene expression levels in MSC. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141253/1/term2263.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141253/2/term2263_am.pd

Feasibility of Different Tumor Delineation Approaches for 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT Imaging in Prostate Cancer Patients

Background: Delineation of PSMA-positive tumor volume on PET using PSMA-ligands is of highest clinical interest as changes of PSMA-PET/CT-derived whole tumor volume (WTV) have shown to correlate with treatment response in metastatic prostate cancer patients. So far, WTV estimation was performed on PET using 68Ga-labeled ligands; nonetheless, 18F-labeled PET ligands are gaining increasing importance due to advantages over 68Ga-labeled compounds. However, standardized tumor delineation methods for 18F-labeled PET ligands have not been established so far. As correlation of PET-based information and morphological extent in osseous and visceral metastases is hampered by morphological delineation, low contrast in liver tissue and movement artefacts, we correlated CT-based volume of lymph node metastases (LNM) and different PET-based delineation approaches for thresholding on 18F-PSMA-1007 PET. Methods: Fifty patients with metastatic prostate cancer, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and non-bulky LNM (short-axis diameter ≥10mm) were included. Fifty LNM were volumetrically assessed on contrast-enhanced CT (volumetric reference standard). Different approaches for tumor volume delineation were applied and correlated with the reference standard: I) fixed SUV threshold, II) isocontour thresholding relative to SUVmax (SUV%), and thresholds relative to III) liver (SUVliver), IV) parotis (SUVparotis) and V) spleen (SUVspleen). Results: A fixed SUV of 4.0 (r=0.807, r2 = 0.651, p0.05 each). Recently reported cut-offs for intraprostatic tumor delineation (isocontour 44% SUVmax, 42% SUVmax and 20% SUVmax) revealed inferior association for LNM delineation. Conclusions: A threshold of SUV 4.0 for tumor delineation showed highest association with volumetric reference standard irrespective of potential changes in PSMA-avidity of background tissues (e. g. parotis). This approach is easily applicable in clinical routine without specific software requirements. Further studies applying this approach for total tumor volume delineation are initiated

Wild Skylarks Seasonally Modulate Energy Budgets but Maintain Energetically Costly Inflammatory Immune Responses throughout the Annual Cycle

A central hypothesis of ecological immunology is that immune defences are traded off against competing physiological and behavioural processes. During energetically demanding periods, birds are predicted to switch from expensive inflammatory responses to less costly immune responses. Acute phase responses (APRs) are a particularly costly form of immune defence, and, hence, seasonal modulations in APRs are expected. Yet, hypotheses about APR modulation remain untested in free-living organisms throughout a complete annual cycle. We studied seasonal modulations in the APRs and in the energy budgets of skylarks Alauda arvensis, a partial migrant bird from temperate zones that experiences substantial ecological changes during its annual cycle. We characterized throughout the annual cycle changes in their energy budgets by measuring basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body mass. We quantified APRs by measuring the effects of a lipopolysaccharide injection on metabolic rate, body mass, body temperature, and concentrations of glucose and ketone. Body mass and BMR were lowest during breeding, highest during winter and intermediate during spring migration, moult and autumn migration. Despite this variation in energy budgets, the magnitude of the APR, as measured by all variables, was similar in all annual cycle stages. Thus, while we find evidence that some annual cycle stages are relatively more energetically constrained, we find no support for the hypothesis that during these annual cycle stages birds compromise an immune defence that is itself energetically costly. We suggest that the ability to mount an APR may be so essential to survival in every annual cycle stage that skylarks do not trade off this costly form of defence with other annual cycle demands

Calcium-permeable channelrhodopsins for the photocontrol of calcium signalling

Channelrhodopsins are light-gated ion channels used to control excitability of designated cells in large networks with high spatiotemporal resolution. While ChRs selective for H(+), Na(+), K(+) and anions have been discovered or engineered, Ca(+)-selective ChRs have not been reported to date. Here, we analyse ChRs and mutant derivatives with regard to their Ca(+) permeability and improve their Ca(+) affinity by targeted mutagenesis at the central selectivity filter. The engineered channels, termed CapChR1 and CapChR2 for calcium-permeable channelrhodopsins, exhibit reduced sodium and proton conductance in connection with strongly improved Ca(+) permeation at negative voltage and low extracellular Ca(+) concentrations. In cultured cells and neurons, CapChR2 reliably increases intracellular Ca(+) concentrations. Moreover, CapChR2 can robustly trigger Ca(+) signalling in hippocampal neurons. When expressed together with genetically encoded Ca(+) indicators in Drosophila melanogaster mushroom body output neurons, CapChRs mediate light-evoked Ca(+) entry in brain explants