Bill color, not badge size, indicates testosterone-related information in house sparrows

The honesty of ornamental signals of quality is often argued to be enforced via costs associated with testosterone. It is still poorly understood, however, how seasonal variation of testosterone within individuals is related to the timing and extent of ornament development. Here, we studied inter- and intra-individual variability of plasma testosterone levels in a population of 150 captive male house sparrows (Passer domesticus) through the course of a full year. We further analyzed the relationship between plasma testosterone levels and two sexually dimorphic ornaments: badge size and bill coloration. Also, because of a known negative relation between molt and circulating testosterone levels, we analyzed the relationship between ornamentation and molt status during the fall. We found that testosterone levels increased towards the breeding season and decreased before the onset of annual molt. However, within individuals, relative testosterone titers demonstrated low repeatability between seasons. Plasma testosterone levels were not correlated with badge size in any season but were correlated strongly with bill coloration during all periods, except the breeding season when variation in bill color was low. Finally, we found that bill coloration strongly correlated with molt status during fall. Our results indicate that bill coloration, not badge size, is the best ornamental indicator of a “running average” of male testosterone in house sparrows and therefore the best potential indicator of qualities and/or behavioral strategies associated with testosterone

Novel therapeutic strategies for alcohol and drug addiction: focus on GABA, Ion channels and transcranial magnetic stimulation

Drug addiction represents a major social problem where addicts and alcoholics continue to seek and take drugs despite adverse social, personal, emotional, and legal consequences. A number of pharmacological compounds have been tested in human addicts with the goal of reducing the level or frequency of intake, but these pharmacotherapies have often been of only moderate efficacy or act in a sub-population of humans. Thus, there is a tremendous need for new therapeutic interventions to treat addiction. Here, we review recent interesting studies focusing on gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, voltage-gated ion channels, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Some of these treatments show considerable promise to reduce addictive behaviors, or the early clinical studies or pre-clinical rationale suggest that a promising avenue could be developed. Thus, it is likely that within a decade or so, we could have important new and effective treatments to achieve the goal of reducing the burden of human addiction and alcoholism

Genitourinary Pathology (Including Adrenal Gland)

Our aims in constructing the Genitourinary Pathology chapter are to describe neoplasms of the adrenal gland, urothelial tract, kidney, penis, prostate, and testis in a manner that is both useful for the practicing surgical pathologist and that may be used as a reference for all students of urologic pathology. Whereas the text and figures describe the salient morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular attributes for each tumor type and encompass the latest classification schemes, the narrative integrates the clinical and pathological findings that are commonly encountered during surgical pathology sign-out of these cases. Accordingly, it is our hope that this chapter will serve as a guide for both general and subspecialized pathologists in contemporary practice