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The California quail (Callipepla californica) is an iconic native bird of scrub and oak woodlands in California and the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Here, we report a draft reference assembly for the species generated from PacBio HiFi long read and Omni-C chromatin-proximity sequencing data as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP). Sequenced reads were assembled into 321 scaffolds totaling 1.08 Gb in length. Assembly metrics indicate a highly contiguous and complete assembly with a contig N50 of 5.5 Mb, scaffold N50 of 19.4 Mb, and BUSCO completeness score of 96.5%. Transposable elements (TEs) occupy 16.5% of the genome, more than previous Odontophoridae quail assemblies but in line with estimates of TE content for recent long-read assemblies of chicken and Peking duck. Together these metrics indicate that the present assembly is more complete than prior reference assemblies generated for Odontophoridae quail. This reference will serve as an essential resource for studies on local adaptation, phylogeography, and conservation genetics in this species of significant biological and recreational interest.

Local habitats shape animal vocalizations through selection to improve transmission of signals to receivers. This process can be variable, however, when landscapes are changing continuously due to urbanization or other factors. Studies have shown that some birds alter the frequency, amplitude and structure of their songs in urban habitats. Because songbirds learn their songs from other individuals, this cultural transmission can result in substantial change over time. Urban bird populations may therefore show rapid shifts in song form and variation may result from the combined or interacting effects of time and anthropogenic habitat change. In this study, we used historic and recent song recordings to investigate changes in spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus) songs over 45 years across an urban-to-rural gradient in northern California. We found that pre-trill and trilled song parts covaried differently with urban development at the two time-points, with more change occurring in trill phrases than pre-trills. Additionally, we found that birds in 1970 adjusted trills in urban areas by raising maximum frequencies and broadening bandwidths, while birds in 2015 narrowed song bandwidths by decreasing maximum frequencies in more urban areas. These results did not fit our prediction that urbanization would have a consistent effect on song at two time-points. We suggest that habitat, cultural evolution and cultural drift can act on song elements in complicated ways that vary over time.

Three distinct Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) morphotypes with easily recognizable plumage traits come into contact in western North America. Recent work demonstrated high genetic structure across the species’ range; however, patterns of genetic variation in these contact zones remain unknown. We categorized 605 individuals into one of three morphotypes (Pacific, Rocky Mountain, and Boreal) based on plumage, and genotyped individuals at the mtDNA control region and 12 microsatellite loci to assess the extent of hybridization between morphotypes. Our data showed cryptic genetic diversity and high cytonuclear discordance among morphotypes within contact zones, which is likely the result of recent and historical admixture. The distributions of the Boreal and Pacific morphotypes each showed a strong association with a single, distinct genetic group, whereas the Rocky Mountain morphotype exhibited higher genetic diversity and was associated with multiple genotypes. Our analyses show the importance of considering both plumage and genetic traits when examining contact zones between closely related taxa. Finally the data presented in this study reaffirm that the Pacific morphotype is distinct from the Boreal and Rocky Mountain morphotypes based on genetic, phenotypic and ecological data, indicating that the Pacific morphotype should be re-elevated to a full species.

Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant is usually asymptomatic or mild and appears to be poorly immunogenic at least in unvaccinated individuals. Here, we found that health care workers vaccinated with 2 doses of Sputnik V and a booster dose of ChAdOx1 mount a vigorous neutralizing-antibody response after Omicron breakthrough infection.

Field biology is an area of research that involves working directly with living organisms in situ through a practice known as “fieldwork.” Conducting fieldwork often requires complex logistical planning within multiregional or multinational teams, interacting with local communities at field sites, and collaborative research led by one or a few of the core team members. However, existing power imbalances stemming from geopolitical history, discrimination, and professional position, among other factors, perpetuate inequities when conducting these research endeavors. After reflecting on our own research programs, we propose four general principles to guide equitable, inclusive, ethical, and safe practices in field biology: be collaborative, be respectful, be legal, and be safe. Although many biologists already structure their field programs around these principles or similar values, executing equitable research practices can prove challenging and requires careful consideration, especially by those in positions with relatively greater privilege. Based on experiences and input from a diverse group of global collaborators, we provide suggestions for action-oriented approaches to make field biology more equitable, with particular attention to how those with greater privilege can contribute. While we acknowledge that not all suggestions will be applicable to every institution or program, we hope that they will generate discussions and provide a baseline for training in proactive, equitable fieldwork practices.

Genetic structure and phenotypic variation among populations are affected by both geographic distance and environmental variation across species' distributions. Understanding the relative contributions of isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by environment (IBE) is important for elucidating population dynamics across habitats and ecological gradients. In this study, we compared phenotypic and genetic variation among Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) populations from 10 sites encompassing an elevational gradient from low-elevation desert scrub in Death Valley (285 a.s.l.) to high-elevation meadows in the White Mountains of the Sierra Nevada of California (greater than 3000 m a.s.l.). Using a ddRAD data set of 28,474 SNPs aligned to a high-quality reference genome, we compared genetic structure with elevational, environmental, and spatial distance to quantify how different aspects of the landscape drive genomic and phenotypic differentiation in Horned Larks. We found larger-bodied birds were associated with sites that had less seasonality and higher annual precipitation, and longer spurs occurred in soils with more clay and silt content, less sand, and finer fragments. Larks have large neo-sex chromosomes, and we found that associations with elevation and environmental variation were much stronger among neo-sex chromosomes compared to autosomes. Furthermore, we found that putative chromosomal translocations, fusions, and inversions were associated with elevation and may underlie local adaptation across an elevational gradient in Horned Larks. Our results suggest that genetic variation in Horned Larks is affected more by IBD than IBE, but specific phenotypes and genomic regions-particually on neo-sex chromosomes-bear stronger associations with the environment.

Animal coloration serves many biological functions and must therefore balance potentially competing selective pressures. For example, many animals have camouflage, in which coloration matches the visual background against which predators scan for prey. However, different colors reflect different amounts of solar radiation and may therefore have thermoregulatory implications as well. In this study, we examined geographic variation in dorsal patterning, color, and solar reflectance among Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris) of the western United States. We found associations between dorsal plumage brightness, hue, and patterning relative to the soil conditions where specimens were collected. Specifically, brighter dorsal plumage corresponded to brighter soil, while redder, more saturated hues in dorsal plumage corresponded to redder soils. Furthermore, backs with more high-contrast patterning were more common among females and also associated with soil that had coarser soil fragments, suggesting that lark plumage has been selected to optimize background matching in different environments. We also found that larks exhibited higher solar reflectance in hotter and more arid environments, which lowers the water requirements for homeothermy. Taken together, these findings suggest that natural selection has balanced camouflage and thermoregulation in Horned Larks across a wide variety of soil types and abiotic conditions.

Species delimitation requires a broad assessment of population-level variation using multiple lines of evidence, a process known as integrative taxonomy. More specifically, studies of species limits must address underlying questions of what limits the distribution of populations, how traits vary in association with different environments, and whether the observed trait differences may lead to speciation through reproductive isolation. While genomic data have revolutionized the process of delimiting species, such data should be analyzed along with phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological traits that shape individuals across geographic and environmental space. The integration of multiple traits promotes taxonomic stability and should be a major guiding principle for species delimitation. Equally important, however, is thorough geographic sampling to adequately represent population-level variation—both in allopatry and across putative contact zones. We discuss the importance of both of these factors in the context of species concepts and traits and present different examples from birds that illustrate criteria for species delimitation. In addition, we review a decade of proposals for species-level taxonomic revisions considered by the American Ornithological Society’s North American Classification Committee, and summarize the basis for decisions on whether to split or lump species. Finally, we present recommendations and discuss challenges (specifically permits, time, and funding) for species delimitation studies. This is an exciting time to be studying species delimitation in birds: many species-level questions remain, and methodological advances along with increased access to data enable new approaches to studying age-old problems in avian taxonomy.

The New World sparrows (Passerellidae) are a large, diverse group of songbirds that vary in morphology, behavior, and ecology. Thus, they are excellent for studying trait evolution in a phylogenetic framework. We examined lability versus conservatism in morphological and behavioral traits in two related clades of sparrows (Aimophila, Peucaea), and assessed whether habitat has played an important role in trait evolution. We first inferred a multi-locus phylogeny which we used to reconstruct ancestral states, and then quantified phylogenetic signal among morphological and behavioral traits in these clades and in New World sparrows more broadly. Behavioral traits have a stronger phylogenetic signal than morphological traits. Specifically, vocal duets and song structure are the most highly conserved traits, and nesting behavior appears to be maintained within clades. Furthermore, we found a strong correlation between open habitat and unpatterned plumage, complex song, and ground nesting. However, even within lineages that share the same habitat type, species vary in nesting, plumage pattern, song complexity, and duetting. Our findings highlight trade-offs between behavior, morphology, and ecology in sparrow diversification.

This is the 21st supplement since publication of the 7th edition of the Check-list of North American Birds (American Ornithologists’ Union [AOU] 1998). It summarizes decisions made between 15 April 2020 and 15 April 2021 by the American Ornithological Society’s (formerly American Ornithologists’ Union) Committee on Classification and Nomenclature—North and Middle America. The Committee has continued to operate in the manner outlined in the 42nd Supplement (Banks et al. 2000). During the past year, Blanca E. Hernandez-Banos was added to the committee.

We describe the isolation of 10 microsatellite loci with tetranucleotide repeat motifs from the Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) by using an enrichment protocol. All 10 loci were variable across two sampled populations (Alaska, California Channel Islands); the number of alleles ranged from 2–23, and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.333–1.000. We tested the utility of these loci across an additional 13 parulid species, spanning the evolutionary and ecological diversity of the Parulidae. Nine of our 10 primer pairs were successfully PCR-amplified across at least 12 species, with the remaining locus being amplified across 9 parulid species. We expect the identified loci to be of particular use in studies of phylogeography, determination of cryptic species boundaries, hybrid zone dynamics, and paternity assignment across New World warblers.

We discuss the diagnosis and the management of endometrial carcinoma in a single horn of bicornuate uterus in a 64-year-old woman as a case report. The case underwent laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and bilateral iliac lymphadenectomy.The gross examination of the uterus revealed a bicornuate uterus with a greater horn of 12 × 9 × 8 cm and a smaller horn of 10 × 3 cm. The cavity of the greater horn showed a neoplastic growth of 10 cm with infiltration of about 1,8 cm of the myometrium from whole thickness of 1.9 cm. while the other horn was free of tumor tissue.The microscopic examination of the uterus revealed G2 endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium of the greater horn with infiltration of more than 50% of the myometrium.In the presence of bicornuate uterus, a bilateral endometrial biopsy should be performed in order to reduce the risk of delayed or missed diagnosis.The management of a case of bicornuate unicollis uterus with endometrial carcinoma in only one horn is the same as patients with endometrial cancer in single uterus and depends mainly on stage and histological grade of the tumor.The possibility of existence of a separate uterine cavity should always be considered when endometrial cancer is clinically suspected but pathology fails to confirm the diagnosis. This points out the importance of a careful physical examination and radiographic evaluation in such cases. Keywords: Bicornuate uterus, Endometrial cancer

The New World sparrows (Passerellidae) are a large, diverse group of songbirds that vary in morphology, behavior, and ecology. Thus, they are excellent for studying trait evolution in a phylogenetic framework. We examined lability versus conservatism in morphological and behavioral traits in two related clades of sparrows (Aimophila, Peucaea), and assessed whether habitat has played an important role in trait evolution. We first inferred a multi-locus phylogeny which we used to reconstruct ancestral states, and then quantified phylogenetic signal among morphological and behavioral traits in these clades and in New World sparrows more broadly. Behavioral traits have a stronger phylogenetic signal than morphological traits. Specifically, vocal duets and song structure are the most highly conserved traits, and nesting behavior appears to be maintained within clades. Furthermore, we found a strong correlation between open habitat and unpatterned plumage, complex song, and ground nesting. However, even within lineages that share the same habitat type, species vary in nesting, plumage pattern, song complexity, and duetting. Our findings highlight trade-offs between behavior, morphology, and ecology in sparrow diversification.

Leucocytozoon, a widespread hemosporidian blood parasite that infects a broad group of avian families, has been studied in corvids (family: Corvidae) for over a century. Current taxonomic classification indicates that Leucocytozoon sakharoffi infects crows and related Corvus spp., while Leucocytozoon berestneffi infects magpies (Pica spp.) and blue jays (Cyanocitta sp.). This intrafamily host specificity was based on the experimental transmissibility of the parasites, as well as slight differences in their morphology and life cycle development. Genetic sequence data from Leucocytozoon spp. infecting corvids is scarce, and until the present study, sequence data has not been analyzed to confirm the current taxonomic distinctions. Here, we predict the phylogenetic relationships of Leucocytozoon cytochrome b lineages recovered from infected American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), yellow-billed magpies (Pica nuttalli), and Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) to explore the host specificity pattern of L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed a single large clade containing nearly every lineage recovered from the three host species, while showing no evidence of the expected distinction between L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi. In addition, five of the detected lineages were recovered from both crows and magpies. This absence of the previously described host specificity in corvid Leucocytozoon spp. suggests that L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi be reexamined from a taxonomic perspective.

We used molecular data to assess the degree of genetic divergence across the breeding range of the orange-crowned warbler (Oreothlypis celata) in western North America with particular focus on characterizing the divergence between O. celata populations on the mainland of southern California and on the Channel Islands. We obtained sequences of the mitochondrial gene ND2 and genotypes at ten microsatellite data for 192 O. celata from populations spanning all four recognized subspecies. We recovered shallow, but significant, levels of divergence among O. celata populations across the species range. Our results suggest that island isolation, subspecies (delineation by morphology, ecological, and life-history characteristics), and isolation-by-distance, in that order, are the variables that best explain the geographic structure detected across the range of O. celata. Populations on the Channel Islands were genetically divergent from those on the mainland. We found evidence for greater gene flow from the Channel Islands population to mainland southern California than from the mainland to the islands. We discuss these data in the context of differentiation in phenotypic and ecological characters.

Arctos (https://arctosdb.org), an online collection management information system, was developed in 1999 to manage museum specimen data and to make those data publicly available. The portal (arctos.database.museum) now serves data on over 3.5 million cataloged specimens from more than 130 collections throughout North America in an instance at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Arctos also is a community of museum professionals that collaborates on museum best practices and works together to improve Arctos data richness and functionality for on-line museum data streaming. In 2017, three large Arctos genomics collections at the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley (MVZ), and University of Alaska Museum of the North (UAM), received support from GGBN to create a pipeline for publishing data from Arctos to the GGBN portal. Modifications to Arctos included standardization of controlled vocabulary for tissues; changes to the data structure and code tables with regard to permit information, container history, part attributes, and sample quality; implementation of interfaces and protocols for parent-child relationships between tissues, tissue subsamples, and DNA extracts; and coordination with the DWC community to ensure that all GGBN data standards and formatting are included in the standard DWC export in order to finalize the pipeline to GGBN. The addition of these three primary Arctos biorepositories to the GGBN network will add over 750,000 tissue and DNA records representing over 11,000 species and 667 families. These voucher-based archives represent primarily vertebrate taxa, with growing collections of arthropods, endoparasites, and incipient collections of microbiome and environmental samples associated with online media and linked to GenBank and other external databases. The high-quality data in Arctos complement and significantly extend existing GGBN holdings, and the establishment of an Arctos-GGBN pipeline also will facilitate future collaboration between more Arctos collections and GGBN.

1 U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA 2 3201 Circle Hill Road, Alexandria, Virginia, USA 3 Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA 4 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA 5 24 Idaho Street, Bishop, California, USA 6 Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA 7 Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA 8 Museo de Zoologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico D.F., Mexico 9 Michigan State University Museum and Department of Integrative Biology, East Lansing, Michigan, USA 10 Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA 11 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ramsay Wright Labs, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 12 Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA 13 University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA * Corresponding author: chessert@si.edu; Chairman of the Committee on Classification and Nomenclature—North and Middle America, of the American Ornithologists’ Union. All authors are members of the Committee and are listed alphabetically after the Chairman.

In hybrid zones in which two divergent taxa come into secondary contact and interbreed, selection can maintain phenotypic diversity despite widespread genetic introgression. Red-breasted (Sphyrapicus ruber) and red-naped (S. nuchalis) sapsuckers meet and hybridize along a narrow contact zone that stretches from northern California to southern British Columbia. We found strong evidence for changes in the structure of this hybrid zone across time, with significant temporal shifts in allele frequencies and in the proportions of parental phenotypes across the landscape. In addition to these shifts, we found that differences in plumage predict genetic differences (R2 = 0.80), suggesting that plumage is a useful proxy for assessing ancestry. We also found a significant bimodal distribution of hybrids across the contact zone, suggesting that premating barriers may be driving reproductive isolation, perhaps as a result of assortative mating based on plumage differences. However, despite evidence of selection and strong patterns of population structure between parental samples, we found only weak patterns of genetic divergence. Using museum specimens and genomic data, this study of sapsuckers provides insight into the ways in which phenotypic and genetic structure have changed over a 40-year period, as well as insight into the mechanisms that may contribute to the maintenance of the hybrid zone over time.

Over the past two decades, the natural history collections community has ramped up efforts to mobilize museum data in order to increase access for biodiversity research. The willingness of collections to participate in these efforts has exceeded expectations and requires a close collaboration between museum staff, database managers, and informatics specialists. Major challenges to the discovery of biodiversity information through mobilization involve disparity in data format, consistent use of vocabulary, and completeness. These differences in data quality among collections require the development of informatics tools to facilitate Darwin Core standardization and cleaning prior to online publication. VertNet (http://vertnet.org) is a leader in the development of workflows for data cleaning and publication in the natural history collections community. Likewise, Arctos (http://arctosdb.org) is a leader in providing museums with collaborative, community-driven solutions to managing information in their collections. Arctos and VertNet have a long history of working together to publish data – e.g., all collections in Arctos are published to data aggregators through DarwinCore Archives hosted on the VertNet Integrated Publishing Toolkit. Recently, this relationship has expanded to involve greater synergy for collections who are interested in managing their data in Arctos. Although Arctos has a suite of tools for checking and bulkloading data, the workflow now involves collaborating with VertNet to take advantage of VertNet-developed data migrators for standardization and cleaning. Data are first run through the migrators and reports are provided back to the collection for review. Collection staff then use these reports to update and improve data at the original source prior to migration into Arctos. This initial step has greatly facilitated the process of adding new collections into Arctos. Furthermore, collections benefit by being part of a community that provides expertise needed for improving and publishing their data. At a time when data discovery is more critical than ever for biodiversity research and conservation, collaborations such as these are essential for bridging gaps between the collection and informatics communities.

Organizational structure for the proposed IsoBank. A central executive group would oversee four subcommittees (SC): Information technology, integrative disciplinary, education and training, and analytical expertise. GNIP, Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation; IAEA, International Atomic Energy Association; QA/QC, quality assurance/quality control.

Study Objective To assess the feasibility of total robotic radical surgery (TRRS) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) who receive chemoradiation therapy (CT/RT). Design A prospective (preplanned) study of a nonrandomized controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification level 2). Setting Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy. Patients Between September 2013 and January 2016, a total of 40 patients with LACC (Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique stage IB2–III) were enrolled in the study. Interventions Robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) plus pelvic and/or aortic lymphadenectomy was attempted within 6 weeks after CT/RT. The feasibility of TRRS as well as the rate, pattern, and severity of early and late postoperative complications were analyzed. Measurements and Main Results After CT/RT, 29 patients (72.5%) underwent type B2 RRH, and 11 (27.5%) underwent type C1 RRH. Pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed in all cases. TRRS was successful in 39 of 40 cases (feasibility rate = 97.5%). In patients successfully completing TRRS, the median operating time was 185 minutes (range, 100–330 minutes), and the median blood loss was 100 mL (range, 50–300 mL). The median time of hospitalization counted from the first postoperative day was 2 days (range, 1–4 days). No intraoperative complications were recorded. During the observation period (median = 18 months; range, 4–28 months), 9 of 40 (22.5%) experienced postoperative complications, for a total number of 12 complications. As of April 2016, recurrence of disease was documented in 5 cases (12.5%). Conclusion TRRS is feasible in LACC patients administered preoperative CT/RT, providing perioperative outcomes comparable with those registered in early-stage disease, and LACC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Arctos (http://arctosdb.org) is a leader in providing museums with collaborative solutions to managing information in their collections. As both a community and a collection management database platform, Arctos is a consortium of museums that collaborate to serve secure and rich data on over 3 million records from natural and cultural history collections through a partnership with the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). An additional 2 million records are in MCZBase, a separate instance at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. Our community collaboratively guides the development of Arctos, shares and develops data vocabulary and standards, and curates and improves the quality of shared data (e.g., agents, geography, and taxonomy). Due to the loss of a permanent staff line at the University of Alaska in 2015, Arctos transitioned to a subscription-based business model in 2016 that funds daily maintenance of the database and future development. Arctos participants pay a tiered subscription fee based on the number of specimens served from their collection(s), plus a $0.02 per specimen cost. Data migration support is available at an additional cost, which depends on the level of assistance required. Collections may apply for a fee reduction with the understanding that they will work to get funds to cover the cost, or they may offset fees with in-kind support through staff time (e.g., assistance with documentation) or expertise. Collections staff also contribute collectively to Arctos through their participation in the Arctos Working Group and Steering Committee. Additional funding support is provided by institutional or collaborative grants that drive specific developments and benefit the Arctos community as a whole. The Arctos community and data platform are sustained by participating collections' personnel who contribute actively to governance, documentation, development, and funding efforts, as well as by subscription fees. The addition of new collections to the Arctos community provides infusions of new data and expertise, but also contributes to the distribution of platform costs. The change in funding model has created new opportunities to enrich Arctos by adding collections of different sizes and disciplines, and has increased synergy among the curators and data managers who use Arctos as their collection management system.

Objective To evaluate the quality of the sexual life of healthy women who are using a contraceptive vaginal ring (CVR) in extended cycles. Methods Fifty-two women (18 to 32 years old) seeking hormonal contraception were enrolled in this prospective study. Women were to use a CVR releasing daily 15 μg of ethinylestradiol (EE) and 120 μg of etonogestrel (ENG) for 63 days, followed by a four-day hormone-free interval, for two such extended cycles. At baseline and at the first (day 63-73) and second (day 126-134) follow-ups the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were administered to investigate, respectively, sexual behaviour and the quality of life (QoL). The Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS) was used to verify whether sexual dysfunction caused significant personal distress to the woman. Results The FSFI and FSDS scores obtained at the first and second follow-up appointments detected an improvement with respect to the baseline score (p < 0.05). QoL measures of body pain, general health and emotional role improved at the first follow-up visit (p < 0.05); at the second one, all variables showed improvement (p < 0.05). Conclusion According to these preliminary data the CVR in extended cycles could improve the sexual function and the QoL of women. © 2014 The European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health.

The Channel Islands off the coast of southern California host >50 species of terrestrial vertebrates with varying degrees of phenotypic differentiation. However, most organisms that breed on the Channel Islands remain unstudied with respect to genetic differentiation from mainland populations. By comparing patterns of genetic variation between the Channel Islands and the mainland, we aimed to further our understanding of the role that the Channel Islands have played in diversification of the North American biota. We evaluated long-standing, untested hypotheses regarding colonization patterns and evolutionary relationships among western populations of the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), including the endemic Channel Island subspecies E. a. insularis. We also examined how many times Horned Larks have colonized the Channel Islands, whether the species exhibits asymmetrical patterns of gene flow between mainland and island populations, and whether E. a. strigata of the Pacific Northwest is closel...

To date, women may use flexible oral contraceptive (OC) regimens.The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sexual life of healthy women on continued-regimen OCs.Fifty women (age range 18-38) were enrolled. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were used to investigate, respectively, sexual behavior and the quality of life (QoL) of women on OC for 72 days with a 4-day hormone-free interval, for two cycles. Both the FSFI and the SF-36 were administered before starting OC intake, at the first (72-82 days) and the second (144-154 days) follow-ups.The main outcomes are the FSFI and the SF-36 questionnaires.The FSFI score obtained at the first follow-up detected a worsening with respect to baseline score (P0.05). The score obtained at the second follow-up detected an improvement with respect to both the baseline and the first follow-up total scores (P0.05). QoL improved at the first follow-up only as regards body pain (P0.05), and at the second follow-up as regards: physical role, body pain, general health, vitality, and social function (P0.05).The use of continued-regimen OCs is able to improve the sexual behavior and the QoL of women.

Study Objective To evaluate the feasibility, surgical outcome, and oncologic results observed after robotic staging compared with conventional laparoscopic staging for patients with early-stage ovarian cancer patients. Design A retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. Patients Ninety-six patients underwent minimally invasive staging for presumed stage I ovarian cancer; 32 underwent the robotic approach (cases), and 64 underwent the laparoscopic approach (controls). Measurements and Main Results There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 approaches with regard to final Federation Internationale de Gynecologie et d'Obstetrique stage, histology, and grade of tumors. In the whole series, 15 patients (15.6%) were upstaged, with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. The median number of pelvic lymph nodes removed was 14 (range, 3–42) and 11 (range, 2–29) in the robotic and laparoscopic groups (p = .235), respectively. The median number of aortic lymph nodes removed was 11 (range, 3–26) and 12 (range, 1–39) in the robotic and laparoscopic groups (p = .263), respectively. The operative time was significantly shorter in the robotic group compared with the laparoscopic group (p = .043), whereas the amount of estimated blood loss was similar (p = .691). No difference was found in terms of early and postoperative complications. Overall, 72 patients were considered as requiring adjuvant treatment. Two patients experienced peritoneal recurrence. Conclusion The present study suggests that there is no relevant difference between the robotic and laparoscopic approaches in staging early-stage ovarian cancer. Further prospective trials are needed to confirm our results.

Niche divergence or conservatism and phenotypic adaptation are important in lineage diversification. We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), morphology and ecological niche models to examine these processes in three subspecies of Sage Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli belli, A. b. canescens and A. b. nevadensis) that breed in bioclimatically diverse ecoregions in western North America. Overall, mtDNA and morphology are congruent with subspecies, ecoregion and bioclimatic niche. Niche divergence, rather than niche conservatism, accompanied by phenotypic adaptation, is associated with lineage diversification between subspecies. This diversification has occurred with and without physical barriers or accompanying genetic divergence. Populations of A. b. canescens are divided by a montane barrier into two bioclimatic regions (San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert), where they are indistinguishable phenotypically, but show distinctive genetic patterns. Although there is no physical barrier between A. b. canescens in the San Joaquin Valley and A. b. belli in the Coast Ranges, these populations occupy different bioclimatic niches and are phenotypically, but not genetically, diagnosable. Niche overlap is greatest between A. b. canescens from the Mojave Desert and A. b. nevadensis from the Great Basin, yet these subspecies maintain distinctive phenotypes and mtDNA, even in local secondary contact and sympatry. Palaeoclimatic niche models for the Last Glacial Maximum (c. 21 000 bp) and the Last Interglacial (c. 120 000 bp) suggest that ecoregionally distinct populations of Artemisiospiza belli experienced different Pleistocene range fluctuations and glacial refugia, with temporal niche conservatism. Populations probably reached their current distributions as favourable climates and habitats expanded after the last glaciation. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ••, ••–••.

We describe range-wide phylogeographic variation in gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis), a boreal Nearctic corvid that occurs today primarily in recently glaciated regions. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (1041 base pairs ND2 gene; N = 205, 50 localities) revealed four reciprocally monophyletic groups. One widespread clade occurs across the North American boreal zone, from Newfoundland to Alaska and southwest into Utah. Three other clades occur at lower latitudes in the montane West in Colorado, the northern Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest respectively. The geographic distribution of clades in gray jays corresponds with a general pattern that is emerging for boreal taxa, having one widespread northern clade and one or more geographically restricted southwestern clades. Population genetic analyses indicate that the larger boreal clade is genetically structured and harbors significantly more genetic diversity than those clades occurring at lower latitudes. Species distribution modeling (SDM) revealed multiple putative Pleistocene refugia including several occurring at higher latitudes. We suggest that multiple post-glacial colonization routes, some of which originate from these northern refugia, are responsible for the relatively high genetic diversity at high latitudes. Conversely, lower latitude clades show little variation, probably as a result of historical restriction to smaller geographical areas with smaller long-term population sizes. This ‘upside-down’ pattern of genetic diversity contrasts with the conventional view that populations of north-temperate species occupying previously glaciated habitats should possess lower levels of diversity than their southern counterparts.

The Auk, Vol. 128, Number 3, pages 600−613. ISSN 0004-8038, electronic ISSN 1938-4254.  2011 by The American Ornithologists’ Union. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website, http://www.ucpressjournals. com/reprintInfo.asp. DOI: 10.1525/auk.2011.128.3.600 R. TeRRy ChesseR,1,12,13 RiChaRd C. Banks,1 F. keiTh BaRkeR,2 CaRla CiCeRo,3 Jon l. dunn,4 andRew w. kRaTTeR,5 iRBy J. loveTTe,6 Pamela C. Rasmussen,7 J. v. Remsen, JR.,8 James d. Rising,9 douglas F. sToTz,10 and kevin winkeR11

— 690 — The Auk, Vol. 127, Number 3, pages 690−695. ISSN 0004-8038, electronic ISSN 1938-4254.  2010 by The American Ornithologists’ Union. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website, http://www.ucpressjournals. com/reprintInfo.asp. DOI: 10.1525/auk.2010.09199 Kevin WinKer,1,8 J. Michael reed,2 Patricia escalante,3 robert a. asKins,4 carla cicero,5 Gerald e. houGh,6 and John bates7