Cytogenetic determination of sex among individually identified humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1243-1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Lambertsen ◽  
C. Scott Baker ◽  
Deborah A. Duffield ◽  
Jan Chamberlin-Lea
Keyword(s):  
Population Biology ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Dermal Tissue ◽  
Behavioral Observations ◽  
The Social

Using a small biopsy dart, samples of living dermal tissue were collected from individually identified humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in southeastern Alaskan waters. In vitro culture of these samples provided enough chromosomal material to karyotype 10 individuals. Examination of the sex chromosomes in the karyotypes demonstrated the sex of each of the 10 whales. In two cases, cytogenetic findings verified previous inferences of sex based on behavioral observations. In another two cases, karyotyping allowed the determination of sex when even long-term sighting histories and behavioral observations had been insufficient. For the rest of the whales, sex determination by cytogenetic findings has preceded long-term sightings and will facilitate the interpretation of future behavioral observations. We conclude that in vitro culturing of dermal tissue collected from naturally marked humpback whales, coupled with karyology, promises to be a powerful technique in future studies of the social behavior and population biology of this marine species.

scholarly journals Social survival: humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) use social structure to partition ecological niches within proposed critical habitat

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janie Wray ◽  
Eric Keen ◽  
Éadin N. O’Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Social Structure ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Fjord System ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Niche

ABSTRACTAnimal culture and social bonds are relevant to wildlife conservation because they influence patterns of geography, behavior, and strategies of survival. Numerous examples of socially-driven habitat partitioning and ecological-niche specialization can be found among vertebrates, including toothed whales. But such social-ecological dynamics, described here as ‘social niche partitioning’, are not known among baleen whales, whose societies -- particularly on foraging grounds -- are largely perceived as unstructured and incidental to matters of habitat use and conservation. However, through 16 years of behavioral and photo-identification observations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding within a fjord system in British Columbia, Canada, we have documented long-term pair bonds (lasting up to 12 years) as well as a complex societal structure, which corresponds closely to persistent patterns in feeding strategy, long-term site fidelity (extended seasonal occupancy and annual rate of return up to 75%), specific geographic preferences within the fjord system, and other forms of habitat use. Randomization tests of network congruency and clustering algorithms were used to test for overlap in patterns of social structure and habitat use, which confirmed the occurrence of social niche partitioning on the feeding grounds of this baleen whale. In addition, we document the extensive practice of group bubble net feeding in Pacific Canada. This coordinated feeding behavior was found to strongly mediate the social structure and habitat use within this humpback whale society. Additionally, during our 2004 – 2019 study, we observed a shift in social network structure in 2010 – 2012, which corresponded with environmental and demographic shifts including a sudden decline in the population’s calving rate. Our findings indicate that the social lives of humpback whales, and perhaps baleen whales generally, are more complex than previously supposed and should be a primary consideration in the assessment of potential impacts to important habitat.

scholarly journals Social survival: Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) use social structure to partition ecological niches within proposed critical habitat

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0245409
Author(s):  
Janie Wray ◽  
Eric Keen ◽  
Éadin N. O’Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Social Structure ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Fjord System ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Niche

Animal culture and social bonds are relevant to wildlife conservation because they influence patterns of geography, behavior, and strategies of survival. Numerous examples of socially-driven habitat partitioning and ecological-niche specialization can be found among vertebrates, including toothed whales. But such social-ecological dynamics, described here as ‘social niche partitioning’, are not known among baleen whales, whose societies—particularly on foraging grounds—are largely perceived as unstructured and incidental to matters of habitat use and conservation. However, through 16 years of behavioral observations and photo-identifications of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding within a fjord system in the Canadian Pacific (primarily within Gitga’at First Nation waters), we have documented long-term pair bonds (up to 12 years) as well as a complex societal structure, which corresponds closely to persistent patterns in feeding strategy, long-term site fidelity (extended occupancy and annual rate of return up to 75%), specific geographic preferences within the fjord system, and other forms of habitat use. Randomization tests of network congruency and clustering algorithms were used to test for overlap in patterns of social structure and habitat use, which confirmed the occurrence of social niche partitioning on the feeding grounds of this baleen whale species. In addition, we document the extensive practice of group bubble net feeding in Pacific Canada. This coordinated feeding behavior was found to strongly mediate the social structure and habitat use within this humpback whale society. Additionally, during our 2004–2019 study, we observed a shift in social network structure in 2010–2012, which corresponded with environmental and demographic shifts including a sudden decline in the population’s calving rate. Our findings indicate that the social lives of humpback whales, and perhaps baleen whales generally, are more complex than previously supposed and should be a primary consideration in the assessment of potential impacts to important habitat.

scholarly journals DETERMINATION OF PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CONTENT OF VALUES

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-455
Author(s):  
A.M. Lesin ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Content ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Personal Significance ◽  
Scientific Schools ◽  
The Social ◽  
Psychological Structure ◽  
Long Term Experience

This article poses a problem associated with the difficulties of studying and identifying the motivational potential of the value sphere, as well as the discrepancy between the content of the same values in different people or in the same, but at different times. The article describes the results of a theoretical search associated with different approaches to understanding and studying values in different sciences and scientific schools. Also, the main variants of classifications of values and the ways of their formation in the direction of the personality in the process of ontogenesis are determined. The difficulties associated with the study of values with the help of tests, taking into account the social desirability and expectation of answers or the lack of self-reflection ability of the respondents, are described. The modern non-test methods and approaches to the study of the value sphere are analyzed, which make it possible to identify personally significant values and the level of their motivational potential. A method is proposed for determining the personal significance of values , as opposed to their reflec tive representation, using the magnitude of the conflict between the significance and the implementation of values. The long-term experience of using this method among various respondents is described. Variants of the destructive level of personal significance of some values are demonstrated. The possibilities and examples of the study of values in relation to the psychological structure of initiative are shown. The possibilities of content analysis in determining the content are illustrated, examples of different semantic content of the same values are given. It is concluded that, in addition to classical test methods, it is necessary to apply such methods as well, which will help to distinguish between value ideas and personal values proper, as well as to determine their content.

scholarly journals Determination of two fluoroquinolones and their combinations with hyaluronan effect in in vitro canine cartilage explants

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6553
Author(s):  
Puntita Siengdee ◽  
Waranee Pradit ◽  
Siriwadee Chomdej ◽  
Korakot Nganvongpanit
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Interleukin 1 ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Cartilage Explants ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Regulated Expression ◽  
Safranin O

Background Previous studies reported the effect of enrofloxacin (Enro) and marbofloxacin (Mar) on cell death and alteration of the key genes involved in catabolic and anabolic processes and demonstrated the beneficial effects of hyaluronan (HA) combined with fluoroquinolones (FQs) on primary canine chondrocytes. This study further determines the effects of these treatments on canine cartilage explants in both normal and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)-stimulated conditions. Methods We examined sulfate glycosaminoglycan (s-GAG) release, uronic acid (UA) content, and safranin-O staining, as well as the expression patterns of inflammatory, extracellular matrix (ECM) component and enzymes. Results Enro treatment alone effectively stimulated proteoglycan anabolism by increasing UA content and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in normal and pre-IL-1β-stimulated explant, whereas Mar showed opposite results. The combination of HA and FQs increased s-GAG release and UA content in normal explants in addition to effective down-regulated expression of MMP3. HA reduced the adverse effects of Mar by enhancing UA and GAG contents in both normal and pre-IL-1β-explants. Moreover, HA effectively induced HAS1and ACANup-regulation and reduced MMP9, TNF, PTGS2,and NFKB1 expression for a long term. Discussion Our results suggest the direct effects of Enro and Mar may selectively stimulate the conditioned explants to express MMP-codinggenes and promote gene expression involved in matrix production, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and cell degradation in different directions. HA successfully reduced the adverse effects of FQs by enhancing s-GAG and UA contents and down-regulated expression of MMPs.

scholarly journals Determination of content of indole alkaloids in cell biomass of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz tissue culture

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
O. A. Bieda ◽  
I. I. Konvaliuk ◽  
L. P. Mozhylevska ◽  
S. S. Lukashov ◽  
V. A. Kunakh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Indole Alkaloids ◽  
Natural Plant ◽  
Rauwolfia Serpentina ◽  
Cell Biomass ◽  
Total Alkaloids ◽  
Dry Cell

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common human diseases, hence, the production of cardiological (in particular, anti-arrhythmic) medications from the natural sources is an ever-actual task. Rauwolfia serpentina Benth. is a tropical fruticose plant that is able to produce and concentrate indole alkaloids, especially ajmaline and its derivatives, which are the most effective medications against ventricular arrhythmia with low side effects. Aim of the study. Determination of the qualitative and quantitative content of indole alkaloids in cell biomass of Rauwolfia serpentina tissue culture, obtained by the prolonged in vitro growth. Materials and methods. Object: cell biomass of Rauwolfia serpentina tissue culture (K-27 strain), obtained by methods of long-term cell selection in vitro. Alkaloids content determination: TSQ Vantage LC-MS (ThermoFischer Scientific). Results. 20 indole alkaloids are found in cell biomass of Rauwolfia serpentina tissue culture (K-27 strain). The highest content is registered for ajmaline and its derivatives (0.690 % mass. for ajmaline). The contents of reserpine and yohimbine were found to be as low as 0.009 % and 0.020 %, respectively. Conclusions. It is established that the content of indole alkaloids is higher in K-27 strain in comparison to natural plant and is stable over more than 30 years of its growth. Total alkaloids content was found to be 2.8 % of dry cell biomass, and total ajmaline-type alkaloids content (including ajmaline) was found to be 1.6 % of dry cell biomass. In contrast, the total alkaloid contents in the natural plant material is reported to be in the range of 0.8–1.3 %.

scholarly journals Discounting in economic evaluation of healthcare interventions: what about the risk term?

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-363
Author(s):  
Lars Hultkrantz
Keyword(s):  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Social Rate ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Healthcare Interventions

AbstractResults from economic evaluations of long-term outcomes are strongly dependent on the chosen discount rate. A recent review of national guidelines for evaluation of healthcare interventions finds that “the level of currently used discount rates seems relatively high in many countries”. However, this conclusion comes from a comparison to rates derived or observed for investments in safe assets, while rate of return requirements are typically considerably higher when investment involves risk. This paper reviews recent literature on how to account for project-specific risk in determination of the social rate of discount and discusses implications for economic evaluation of healthcare interventions. It concludes that the available empirical evidence strongly suggests that the demand for and consumer value of health and healthcare is co-variant with income, which therefore implies that there is a non-diversifiable risk component of health-related investment.

scholarly journals MOLECULAR-GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PROPAGATED IN VITRO CLONES OF POPULUS ALBA L. AND POPULUS TREMULA L. USING MICROSATELLITE MARKERS

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Tat'yana Grodeckaya ◽  
Oleg Baranov ◽  
Stanislav Rzhevskiy ◽  
Tat'yana Fedulova ◽  
Ekaterina Shabanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Genetic Analysis ◽  
Populus Tremula ◽  
Amplification Coefficient ◽  
Populus Alba ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Electrophoretic Variants ◽  
Reliable Assessment

Use of planting material of forest trees with improved hereditary characteristics is one of the ways to increase the productivity and biological stability of forest stands. It requires taking measures to develop and improve selection base using modern approaches and methods of genetics and biotechnology. A molecular genetics assessment of clone plants of aspen (Populus tremula L.) and white poplar (Populus alba L.) from a long-term in vitro collection (up to 24 years), planted in a greenhouse and field conditions (nursery), was carried out. SSR loci of the PTR series (PTR5, PTR7, PTR8, PTR12, PTR14) were used as DNA markers. Evaluation of clones' ploidy was carried out on the basis of the diagnosis of "loss of heterozygosity" (LOH) effect. Analysis of 5 microsatellite loci of the specimens showed their high intraclonal genotypic stability and homogeneity in vitro and ex vitro. For the first time, data on the results of a comparative determination of ploidy using karyological and microsatellite analysis were presented. Based on the results of the SSR analysis, it can be concluded that the structure of molecular markers is stable among the samples of one clone that are in long-term cultivation. The ratio of the representation (dose) of electrophoretic variants of PCR products serves as an indirect sign of determining ploidy, but for its reliable assessment it is necessary to study the number of loci that are three times larger than the main set of chromosomes. The specimen also requires information on the amplification coefficient of the markers under study. Thus, it is necessary to use both chromosomal and microsatellite analyzes for reliable assessment of intraclonal homogeneity of various specimens, the development of understanding of clone genotypes formation and determination of their ploidy

scholarly journals Age determination of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae through blubber fatty acid compositions of biopsy samples

2009 ◽  
Vol 392 ◽  
pp. 277-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
DP Herman ◽  
GM Ylitalo ◽  
J Robbins ◽  
JM Straley ◽  
CM Gabriele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Age Determination ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Fatty Acid Compositions

scholarly journals Social Behaviour of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay, Eastern Australia, a Preferential Female Stopover During the Southern Migration

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Franklin ◽  
Wally Franklin ◽  
Lyndon Brooks ◽  
Peter Harrison ◽  
Adam A. Pack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Social ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Competitive Behaviour ◽  
Males And Females

Agonistic competitive social behaviour in humpback whales [Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)] has been extensively studied and reported in previous research. However, non-agonistic social behaviour in humpback whale pods has not been systematically studied. We investigated the social behaviour of 3,949 humpback whale pods over a period of 14 years during August, September, and October in Hervey Bay (Queensland, eastern Australia), a preferential female stopover early in the southern migration. Modelling and analyses of the data examined the factors influencing the occurrence and timing of non-agonistic social behaviour pods, agonistic competitive pods and newly associated pods. Non-agonistic social behaviour was observed more frequently during August when mature females, including early pregnant and resting females, co-occur and socially interact with immature males and females. Overall, relatively few mature males visit Hervey Bay. Agonistic competitive behaviour was observed with increasing frequency during September and October when mother-calf pods, with few escorts predominated. Mother-calf pods in Hervey Bay spent most of their time alone involved in maternal care. Agonistic competitive behaviour is related to the decreasing numbers of potentially oestrous females toward the end of the season. Non-agonistic social behaviour and agonistic competitive behaviour were more frequently observed in larger and newly associated pods. Overall, non-agonistic social behaviour pods were more prevalent than agonistic competitive social behaviour pods. The results of this study substantiate that non-agonistic social behaviour may be more prevalent than aggressive agonistic social behaviour in site-specific locations and habitats, depending upon the classes and timings of humpback whales using such habitats.

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