Search

The coupling of enzymes and/or intact bacteria with electrodes has been vastly investigated due to the wide range of existing applications. These span from biomedical and biosensing to energy production purposes and bioelectrosynthesis, whether for theoretical research or pure applied industrial processes. Both enzymes and bacteria offer a potential biotechnological alternative to noble/rare metal-dependent catalytic processes. However, when developing these biohybrid electrochemical systems, it is of the utmost importance to investigate how the approaches utilized to couple biocatalysts and electrodes influence the resulting bioelectrocatalytic response. Accordingly, this tutorial review starts by recalling some basic principles and applications of bioelectrochemistry, presenting the electrode and/or biocatalyst modifications that facilitate the interaction between the biotic and abiotic components of bioelectrochemical systems. Focus is then directed toward the methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of enzyme/bacteria-electrode interaction and the insights that they provide. The basic concepts of electrochemical methods widely employed in enzymatic and microbial electrochemistry, such as amperometry and voltammetry, are initially presented to later focus on various complementary methods such as spectroelectrochemistry, fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy, and surface analytical/characterization techniques such as quartz crystal microbalance and atomic force microscopy. The tutorial review is thus aimed at students and graduate students approaching the field of enzymatic and microbial electrochemistry, while also providing a critical and up-to-date reference for senior researchers working in the field.

Co-occurring emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) frequently exist in young autistic children. There is evidence based on parental report that parenting interventions reduce child EBPs. More objective measures of child EBPs should supplement parent reported outcomes in trials. We describe the development of a new measure of child and parenting behavior, the Observation Schedule for Children with Autism–Anxiety, Behaviour and Parenting (OSCA–ABP). Participants were 83 parents/carers and their 4–8-year-old autistic children. The measure demonstrated good variance and potential sensitivity to change. Child and parenting behavior were reliably coded among verbal and minimally verbal children. Associations between reports from other informants and observed behavior showed the measure had sufficient convergent validity. The measure has promise to contribute to research and clinical practice in autism mental health beyond objective measurement in trials. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10803-020-04506-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Vertebrates are recognized as sentient beings. Consequently, urgent priority is now being given to understanding the needs and maximizing the welfare of animals under human care. The general health of animals is most commonly determined by physiological indices e.g. blood sampling, but may also be assessed by documenting behaviour. Physiological health assessments, although powerful, may be stressful for animals, time-consuming and costly, while assessments of behaviour can also be time-consuming, subject to bias and suffer from a poorly defined link between behaviour and health. However, behaviour is recognized as having the potential to code for stress and well-being and could, therefore, be used as an indicator of health, particularly if the process of quantifying behaviour could be objective, formalized and streamlined to be time efficient. This study used Daily Diaries (DDs), (motion-sensitive tags containing tri-axial accelerometers and magnetometers), to examine aspects of the behaviour of bycaught loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta in various states of health. Although sample size limited statistical analysis, significant behavioural differences (in terms of activity level and turn rate) were found between ‘healthy’ turtles and those with external injuries to the flippers and carapace. Furthermore, data visualization (spherical plots) clearly showed atypical orientation behaviour in individuals suffering gas emboli and intestinal gas, without complex data analysis. Consequently, we propose that the use of motion-sensitive tags could aid diagnosis and inform follow-up treatment, thus facilitating the rehabilitation process. This is particularly relevant given the numerous rehabilitation programs for bycatch sea turtles in operation. In time, tag-derived behavioural biomarkers, TDBBs for health could be established for other species with more complex behavioural repertoires such as cetaceans and pinnipeds which also require rehabilitation and release. Furthermore, motion-sensitive data from animals under human care and wild conspecifics could be compared in order to define a set of objective behavioural states (including activity levels) for numerous species housed in zoos and aquaria and/or wild species to help maximize their welfare.

In an investigation of the factors leading to geographic structuring among Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) populations, we studied the size and overlap of colony- specific foraging areas within an isolated cluster of colonies. The study area, in the south- western Ross Sea, included one large and three smaller colonies, ranging in size from 3900 to 135 000 nesting pairs, clustered on Ross and Beaufort Islands. We used triangulation of radio signals from transmitters attached to breeding penguins to determine foraging loca- tions and to define colony-specific foraging areas during the chick-provisioning period of four breeding seasons, 1997-2000. Colony populations (nesting pairs) were determined using aerial photography just after egg-laying; reproductive success was estimated by com- paring ground counts of chicks fledged to the number of breeding pairs apparent in aerial photos. Foraging-trip duration, meal size, and adult body mass were estimated using RFID (radio frequency identification) tags and an automated reader and weighbridge. Chick growth was assessed by weekly weighing. We related the following variables to colony size: foraging distance, area, and duration; reproductive success; chick meal size and growth rate; and seasonal variation in adult body mass. We found that penguins foraged closest to their respective colonies, particularly at the smaller colonies. However, as the season pro- gressed, foraging distance, duration, and area increased noticeably, especially at the largest colony. The foraging areas of the smaller colonies overlapped broadly, but very little foraging area overlap existed between the large colony and the smaller colonies, even though the foraging area of the large colony was well within range of the smaller colonies. Instead, the foraging areas of the smaller colonies shifted as that of the large colony grew. Colony size was not related to chick meal size, chick growth, or parental body mass. This differed from the year previous to the study, when foraging trips of the large colony were very long, parents lost mass, and chick meals were smaller. In light of existing data on prey abundance in neritic waters in Antarctica suggesting that krill are relatively evenly distributed and in high abundance in the Southern Ross Sea, we conclude that penguins depleted or changed the availability of their prey, that the degree of alteration was a function of colony size, and that the large colony affected the location (and perhaps ultimately the size) of foraging areas for the smaller colonies. It appears, therefore, that foraging dynamics play a role in the geographic structuring of colonies in this species.

Everett (1988) summarized his findings on Isla Clarion, the westernmost island of Las Islas Revillagigedo, following a visit there in January 1986. We spent 19 to 22 February 1988 on and around Isla Clarion and, as our observations update and differ somewhat from those of Everett (1988), we report them here. The state of the garrison and buildings was as described by Everett (1988) but the recently constructed airstrip was overgrown and its use discontinued. Feral rabbits, not hares as reported by Everett (1988), were abundant over the island and we saw two to three sheep but no goats (c.f. Everett 1988). Feral pigs and evidence of their rooting were widespread but we saw fewer than 50 pigs in total and doubt that the population was as high as the 800-1,000 animals indicated by Everett (1988). All nesting sites ofTownsend's Shearwaters (Puffinus auricularis) that we found had been thoroughly rooted by pigs, and numerous shearwater carcasses littered parts of the island. As P. auricularis breeds only on islas Clarion and Socorro, in Las Islas Revillagigedo, and on Socorro it is preyed upon by cats (Jehl and Parkes 1982), we express serious concern for its survival. A total of 380-470 pairs of Masked Boobies (Sula dactylatra) was observed at five sites but no eggs had been laid. Only one of the sites corresponded to Everett's three sites (W. T. Everett, pers. comm.) and, as he thought, pigs may cause abandonment and shifting of colonies. We estimated 3,010-3,210 pairs of nesting Red-footed Boobies (S. sula) at five sites, the majority with one egg. Later timing of our visit and greater coverage of the island may explain the differences between our counts and those of Everett (1988). At least 30 Laysan Albatrosses (Diomedea immutabilis) were on land, including two birds incubating eggs (details to be published separately). The species was previously unrecorded from Clarion (Brattstrom and Howell 1956, Jehl and Parkes 1982, Everett 1988). The endemic Clarion Wren (Troglodytes tanneri) was common. A survey of all but the easternmost end of the island revealed at least 115-140 pairs and we estimated the population at 170-200 pairs. Everett (1988) noted only "up to 20" wrens; our observations indicate that the wrens could have been incubating during Everett's visit and hence less conspicuous than when feeding young in February 1988. The highest density was around the buildings and adjacent areas. Likewise, the Clarion Island Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura clarionensis) was common. We estimated a minimum population of 55-75 pairs vs. "no more than 20" seen (Everett 1988). Breeding was mainly at the courtship stage though one group of fledglings was being fed by an adult. Both wrens and doves were well distributed throughout suitable habitat and appear to be in no 'Received 22 May 1989. Final acceptance 26 July 1989. SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 1007