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Appropriate management of the effects of human activities on animal populations requires quantification of the rate at which animals encounter stressors. Such activities are heterogeneously distributed in space, as are the individual animals in a population. This will result in a heterogeneous exposure rate, which is also likely to vary over time. A spatially explicit analysis of individual exposure is therefore required. We applied Bayesian spatially explicit capture-recapture models to photo-identification data to estimate the home range of well-marked individuals in a protected coastal population of bottlenose dolphins. Model results were combined with the estimated distribution of boat traffic to quantify how exposure to this disturbance varied in time and space. Variability in exposure between individuals was also investigated using a mixed-effects model. The cumulative individual exposure to boat traffic varied between summers, depending both on the overall area usage and the degree of individual movement around the activity centres. Despite this variability, regions of higher risk could be identified. There were marked inter-individual differences in the predicted amount of time dolphins spent in the presence of boats, and individuals tended to be consistently over- or underexposed across summers. Our study offers a framework to describe the temporal, spatial and individual variation in exposure to anthropogenic stressors when individuals can be repeatedly identified over time. It provides opportunities to map exposure risk and understand how this evolves in time at both individual and population levels. The outcome of such modelling can be used as a robust evidence base to support management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thompson PM, Cruz DA, Olukotun DY, Delgado PL. Serotonin receptor, SERT mRNA and correlations with symptoms in males with alcohol dependence and suicide. Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that abnormalities in components of the serotonin (5HT) system in the prefrontal cortex are associated with suicide in alcohol-dependent subjects. Second, we assessed the relationship of lifetime impulsivity and mood symptoms with prefrontal cortex 5-HT measures. Method: Tissue was obtained from Brodmann's areas (BA) 9 and 24 in postmortem samples of individuals who were alcohol dependent with suicide ( n = 5), alcohol dependent without suicide ( n = 9) and normal controls ( n = 5). Serotonin receptor (5HT) and serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) mRNA were measured. Interviews with next of kin estimated lifetime impulsivity and mood symptoms in the last week of life. Results: Serotonin receptor 1A (5HT1A) mRNA in BA 9 was elevated in the alcohol dependence without suicide group compared with controls. In the alcohol dependence with suicide group, anxiety symptoms were associated with decreased BA 24 SERT mRNA and depressive symptoms with BA 9 5HT1A mRNA expression. In the alcohol dependent only group impulsivity is correlated with increased BA 9, and BA 24 serotonin receptor 2A mRNA. Conclusion: Our data suggest region-specific change, rather than global serotonin blunting is involved in alcohol dependence and suicide. It also suggests that symptoms are differentially influenced by prefrontal cortex serotonin receptor mRNA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation efforts are often constrained by uncertainty over the factors driving declines in marine mammal populations. In Scotland, there is concern over the potential impact of unrecorded shooting of seals, particularly where this occurs near Special Areas of Conservation. Here, we show that the abundance of harbour seals Phoca vitulina in the Moray Firth, north-east Scotland, declined by 2–5% per annum between 1993 and 2004. Records from local salmon fisheries and aquaculture sites indicated that 66–327 harbour seals were shot each year between 1994 and 2002. Matrix models and estimates of potential biological removal indicate that this level of shooting is sufficient to explain observed declines. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the number and identity of seals shot means that other factors such as changes in food availability may be contributing. Recent conservation measures markedly reduced the recorded levels of shooting in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, a coordinated management plan was developed to protect salmon fisheries interests while minimizing impacts on local seal populations. Comprehensive monitoring of future population trends and improved regulation of culls are now required to provide more robust assessments of the impact of human persecution on harbour seal populations in the Moray Firth and in other parts of the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the distribution of a population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus resident in the Moray Firth off north-eastern Scotland. Results add to existing information from studies in tropical areas to provide a better understanding of area use in this species. Boat-based surveys and photo-identification techniques were used to study the distribution and movements of individually recognizable dolphins over a 3-year per-Dolphins were seen in all months of the year, but there were consistent seasonal fluctuations in the number of individuals present. Numbers were low in winter and spring and peaked in summer and autumn. Dolphins were seen throughout the survey area but were concentrated in three regions. Each had similar topographic features being centred on deep, narrow channels subject to strong tidal flows. Area use by dolphins changed with season. The outer part of the inner Moray Firth study area was used for most of the year and areas closer to the head of the firth were used seasonally. The summer increase in numbers of dolphins in the inner Moray Firth was not simply due to incomers diluting an already resident population. Instead, there was a stratified movement of all individuals. This persistent geographical stratification suggests that competition between individuals or social groupings may shape spatial distribution in this population. Individuals exhibited rapid movements across the population‘s range. For instance, one individual was sighted at locations 190 km apart within a 5-day period. In terms of conservation, the high use of areas at the mouths of the inner firths warrants special attention. Furthermore, the stratification patterns amongst dolphins suggest that individuals do not move freely within the inner Moray Firth and therefore may be unable to move away from localized disturbance or pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Radio-telemetry was used to study common seal activity patterns around Orkney, and to assess the degree of individual, seasonal and sex-related variation in haul-out behaviour in 1984-86. (2) During the summer, both males and females hauled-out regularly, in a marked diurnal pattern, but there were differences in other aspects of their haul-out behaviour. (3) Males showed a marked change in their haul-out behaviour at the beginning of moult. At this time, they hauled-out every day and, consequently, male behaviour became more synchronous. The change in behaviour of the male followed in 1985 was closely related to changes in abundance at the haul-out site that he used over this period (4) In contrast, females showed no sign of a similar change in behaviour at the beginning of moult, but appeared to spend more of their time at sea after lactation. (5) During the winter, seals appeared to spend more time in offshore waters, although they regularly returned to the inshore study area to haul-out. At this time of year there was no marked diurnal haul-out pattern. (6) There was a high degree of individual variation in the effect of the tidal cycle on activity patterns, which appeared to be related to tide-related changes in food and habitat availability. Overall, however, the tidal cycle had less effect on haul-out behaviour in summer, when strong circadian patterns were more important. (7) The variations in activity patterns found in this study are discussed in relation to seasonal changes in feeding activity and the demands of breeding and moult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the article concerning the risk of prostate cancer in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Need for an evidence-based approach in response to controversies and clinical uncertainties in the management of LUTS; Absence of evidence to suggest that there is an excess risk of late development of cancer.

Different studies have reported renal effects like swelling of parenchyma, subcapsular and intracapsular haematoma and perinephric fluid collections. These effects were usually transient and by 2-3 months returned to normal. We report an early complication of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). A patient with solitary renal calculus who had ESWL developed psoas spasm and became unwell with elevation of white cell count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Psoas abscess extending from renal hilum to the groin was diagnosed and drained surgically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examined the role of primary somatosensory cortex in touch-induced mechanical and heat analgesia. Topics discussed include effect of reafferent signals from self-generated whisking on facial nociception, the activation of somatosensory barrel cortex (S1B) by noxious stimuli, and analysis of the effect of whisking on activity of individual S1B L2/3 neurons in response to noxious stimuli.

Bottlenose dolphins resident in the Moray Firth, NE Scotland, display a variety of skin lesions and physical deformities which appear to be signs of disease, the cause of which is unknown. The population isisolated and small (around 130 individuals) and it is important to determine the severity of this problem to establish if there is cause for concern. Assessing the health of free-ranging marine mammals is difficult. We used photographs of individuals, taken over a four year period, to provide a full and systematic description of the types of lesions and deformities present and to document the prevalence of each type. Overall, 95% of dolphins sampled showed one or more types of lesion on the back or dorsal fin; 61% had three or more types and 5% had six or seven types. Six percent of animals displayed deformities.Lesions on adult females and calves covered significantly greater areas of skin than on adult males or sub-adults. The results show that visible disease is a prominent feature of this population and is, therefore, a cause for concern. The next step is to establish whether this is a natural feature or is anthropogenically induced and the findings are discussed in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To exploit resources in their environment, odontocete cetaceans have evolved sophisticated diving abilities to allow effective foraging. However, data on the diving behaviour and underwater foraging behaviour remains limited. This study made use of echolocation clicks and other calls to study the diving behaviour of bottlenose dolphins. Dolphins used the full water column and consistently dived to depths of around 50 m, close to the seabed. However, the majority of their time appeared to be spent within the surface layers of the water column. In addition, by localising calls that have been associated with prey capture events (Janik, Proc R Soc Lond Ser B 267:923–927, 2000a), it appeared that certain forms of feeding behaviour occurred primarily at depths of between 20 and 30 m. Furthermore, data on the depth of clicks made before and after these feeding calls suggested that during the minute before the calls, dolphins were consistently diving from the surface to depths close to the seabed, and were subsequently returning to the surface after the calls. This passive acoustic technique proved an accurate method for studying the depth distribution of dolphin vocalisations. By exploiting the natural sounds made by these wild odontocetes, this investigation provided a previously unavailable perspective on the the 3D nature of bottlenose dolphins foraging behaviour. It confirmed that while the dolphins spent the majority of time close to the surface, the full water column was exploited during foraging events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premotor circuits in the brainstem project to pools of orofacial motoneurons to execute essential motor action such as licking, chewing, breathing, and in rodent, whisking. Previous transsynaptic tracing studies only mapped orofacial premotor circuits in neonatal mice, but the adult circuits remain unknown as a consequence of technical difficulties. Here, we developed a three-step monosynaptic transsynaptic tracing strategy to identify premotor neurons controlling vibrissa, tongue protrusion, and jaw-closing muscles in the adult mouse. We registered these different groups of premotor neurons onto the Allen mouse brain common coordinate framework (CCF) and consequently generated a combined 3D orofacial premotor atlas, revealing unique spatial organizations of distinct premotor circuits. We further uncovered premotor neurons that simultaneously innervate multiple motor nuclei and, consequently, are likely to coordinate different muscles involved in the same orofacial motor actions. Our method for tracing adult premotor circuits and registering to Allen CCF is generally applicable and should facilitate the investigations of motor controls of diverse behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Growth and body condition can be used as indices of health and fitness, but are difficult to collect for populations of conservation concern where individuals cannot be captured. We incorporated a laser photogrammetry system into boat‐based photo‐identification surveys that underpin individual‐based studies of cetacean populations. These data were integrated with >25 years of observations from a temperate bottlenose dolphin population in Scotland to investigate the influence of sex on growth patterns, effects of birth order on calf size and the longer term consequences of variation in early growth. Field measurements of the distance from the blowhole to the dorsal fin were made in multiple years from 87 dolphins that had been followed from birth, ranging in age from newborn to 26 years. These estimates were validated against direct measurements of 12 individuals that had previously been captured and released in Florida and two study individuals that subsequently stranded. Using relationships derived from other stranded individuals, age‐specific body lengths were used to produce growth curves that were based entirely on remote observations. Multilevel regression growth curve analyses suggested males and females showed similar patterns of growth, unlike bottlenose dolphins in sub‐tropical areas, and growth was best described by a Richards’ growth curve. Newborn length was unrelated to sex; however, females’ first calves were shorter than subsequent calves. Sample sizes remain small, yet there was evidence of fitness consequences of variation in calf length; calves that died in their first winter were significantly shorter than those that survived. The incorporation of this simple‐to‐use and inexpensive method into individual‐based photo‐identification studies provides new opportunities to non‐invasively investigate drivers of variation in growth and the demographic consequences of variation in early growth in cetaceans from protected populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the aetiology of patterns of variation within and covariation across brain regions is key to advancing our understanding of the functional, anatomical and developmental networks of the brain. Here we applied multivariate twin modelling and principal component analysis ( PCA) to investigate the genetic architecture of the size of seven subcortical regions (caudate nucleus, thalamus, putamen, pallidum, hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens) in a genetically informative sample of adolescents and young adults ( N = 1038; mean age = 21.6 ± 3.2 years; including 148 monozygotic and 202 dizygotic twin pairs) from the Queensland Twin IMaging ( QTIM) study. Our multivariate twin modelling identified a common genetic factor that accounts for all the heritability of intracranial volume (0.88) and a substantial proportion of the heritability of all subcortical structures, particularly those of the thalamus (0.71 out of 0.88), pallidum (0.52 out of 0.75) and putamen (0.43 out of 0.89). In addition, we also found substantial region-specific genetic contributions to the heritability of the hippocampus (0.39 out of 0.79), caudate nucleus (0.46 out of 0.78), amygdala (0.25 out of 0.45) and nucleus accumbens (0.28 out of 0.52). This provides further insight into the extent and organization of subcortical genetic architecture, which includes developmental and general growth pathways, as well as the functional specialization and maturation trajectories that influence each subcortical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a polygenic disorder that shares substantial genetic risk factors with major depressive disorder (MDD). Genetic analyses have reported numerous BD susceptibility genes, while some variants, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CACNA1C have been successfully replicated, many others have not and subsequently their effects on the intermediate phenotypes cannot be verified. Here, we studied the MDD-related gene CREB1 in a set of independent BD sample groups of European ancestry (a total of 64 888 subjects) and identified multiple SNPs significantly associated with BD (the most significant being SNP rs6785[A], P=6.32 × 10−5, odds ratio (OR)=1.090). Risk SNPs were then subjected to further analyses in healthy Europeans for intermediate phenotypes of BD, including hippocampal volume, hippocampal function and cognitive performance. Our results showed that the risk SNPs were significantly associated with hippocampal volume and hippocampal function, with the risk alleles showing a decreased hippocampal volume and diminished activation of the left hippocampus, adding further evidence for their involvement in BD susceptibility. We also found the risk SNPs were strongly associated with CREB1 expression in lymphoblastoid cells (P<0.005) and the prefrontal cortex (P<1.0 × 10−6). Remarkably, population genetic analysis indicated that CREB1 displayed striking differences in allele frequencies between continental populations, and the risk alleles were completely absent in East Asian populations. We demonstrated that the regional prevalence of the CREB1 risk alleles in Europeans is likely caused by genetic hitchhiking due to natural selection acting on a nearby gene. Our results suggest that differential population histories due to natural selection on regional populations may lead to genetic heterogeneity of susceptibility to complex diseases, such as BD, and explain inconsistencies in detecting the genetic markers of these diseases among different ethnic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pagrindimas ir tikslas. Europos neurologų draugijų federacijos (EFNS) nuorodos apie neurovizualinių tyrimų taikymą demencijų diagnostikai buvo sudarytos siekiant atnaujinti ir išplėsti ankstesnes EFNS nuorodas apie pacientų, sergančių Alzheimerio liga (AL), gydymą ir pateikti įrodymus apie neurovizualinius metodus, taikomus ne AL tipo demencijų diagnostikai, taip pat pateikti bendras rekomendacijas, taikytinas klinikinėje praktikoje visų tipų demencijoms. Metodai. Darbo grupė peržiūrėjo originalius tyrimus, metaanalizes ir sistemines apžvalgas, publikuotas iki 2012 m. balandžio mėn. Remiantis egzistuojančiomis EFNS nuostatomis, įrodymai buvo suskirstyti pagal lygius ir bendru sutarimu pateiktos rekomendacijos. Rezultatai. Struktūriniai vaizdiniai tyrimai turi būti atlikti bent vieną kartą tiriant pacientą su kognity viniu sutrikimu. Šiais tyrimais siekiama atmesti potencialiai išgydomas ligas, nustatyti kraujagyslių pokyčius ir specifinius pakitimus, būdingus skirtingoms neurodege-neracinių demencijų formoms. Nors įprastos demencijos atveju funkciniai tyrimai gali būti neinformatyvūs, šie metodai taikomi esant abejotinai diagnozei arba po klinikinio ir struktūrinio vizualinio ištyrimo, esant specifinei klinikinei situacijai. Amiloido vaizdinimas tikėtinai bus naudingas keliose klinikinėse srityse, įskaitant pacientų su leng vu kognityviniu sutrikimu atranką, esant ir nesant AL patologijos ir esant netipiniam AL pasireiškimui. Išvados. Siekiant pagerinti AL ir kitų demencijų diagnostiką, suformuluotos rekomendacijos ir geros praktikos nuorodos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose The European Federation of the Neurological Societies ( EFNS) guidelines on the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis and management of dementia are designed to revise and expand previous EFNS recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with Alzheimer's disease ( AD) and to provide an overview of the evidence for the use of neuroimaging techniques in non- AD dementias, as well as general recommendations that apply to all types of dementia in clinical practice. Methods The task force working group reviewed evidence from original research articles, meta-analyses and systematic reviews, published before April 2012. The evidence was classified, and consensus recommendations were given and graded according to the EFNS guidance regulations. Results Structural imaging, which should be performed at least once in the diagnostic work-up of patients with cognitive impairment, serves to exclude other potentially treatable diseases, to recognize vascular lesions and to identify specific findings to help distinguish different forms of neurodegenerative types of dementia. Although typical cases of dementia may not benefit from routine functional imaging, these tools are recommended in those cases where diagnosis remains in doubt after clinical and structural imaging work-up and in particular clinical settings. Amyloid imaging is likely to find clinical utility in several fields, including the stratification of patients with mild cognitive impairment into those with and without underlying AD and the evaluation of atypical AD presentations. Conclusions A number of recommendations and good practice points are made to improve the diagnosis of AD and other dementias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroimaging research implicates the hippocampus in the aetiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Imaging genetics studies have investigated the influence of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5HTTLPR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism on the hippocampus in healthy individuals and patients with depression (MDD). However, conflicting results have led to inconclusive evidence about the effect of 5HTTLPR or BDNF on hippocampal volume (HCV). We hypothesized that analysis methods based on three-dimensional (3D) hippocampal shape mapping could offer improved sensitivity to clarify these effects. Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected in parallel samples of 111 healthy individuals and 84 MDD patients. Manual hippocampal segmentation was conducted and the resulting data used to investigate the influence of 5HTTLPR and BDNF Val66Met genotypes on HCV and 3D shape within each sample. Hippocampal volume normalized by intracranial volume (ICV) showed no significant difference between 5HTTLPR S allele carriers and L/L homozygotes or between BDNF Met allele carriers and Val/Val homozygotes in the group of healthy individuals. Moreover, there was no significant difference in normalized HCV between 5HTTLPR diallelic and triallelic classifications or between the BDNF Val66Met genotypes in MDD patients, although there was a relationship between BDNF Val66Met and ICV. Shape analysis detected dispersed between-group differences, but these effects did not survive multiple testing correction. In this study, there was no evidence of a genetic effect for 5HTTLPR or BDNF Val66Met on hippocampal morphology in either healthy individuals or MDD patients despite the relatively large sample sizes and sensitive methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The caudate is a subcortical brain structure implicated in many common neurological and psychiatric disorders. To identify specific genes associated with variations in caudate volume, structural magnetic resonance imaging and genome-wide genotypes were acquired from two large cohorts, the Alzheimer's Disease NeuroImaging Initiative (ADNI; N=734) and the Brisbane Adolescent/Young Adult Longitudinal Twin Study (BLTS; N=464). In a preliminary analysis of heritability, around 90% of the variation in caudate volume was due to genetic factors. We then conducted genome-wide association to find common variants that contribute to this relatively high heritability. Replicated genetic association was found for the right caudate volume at single-nucleotide polymorphism rs163030 in the ADNI discovery sample (P=2.36 × 10−6) and in the BLTS replication sample (P=0.012). This genetic variation accounted for 2.79 and 1.61% of the trait variance, respectively. The peak of association was found in and around two genes, WDR41 and PDE8B, involved in dopamine signaling and development. In addition, a previously identified mutation in PDE8B causes a rare autosomal-dominant type of striatal degeneration. Searching across both samples offers a rigorous way to screen for genes consistently influencing brain structure at different stages of life. Variants identified here may be relevant to common disorders affecting the caudate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been marked declines of UK harbour seal populations over at least the last decade. Protected areas, such as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), provide one tool to improve the conservation status of these populations. However, the design and management of SACs is often limited by a lack of information on long-term patterns in the use of seal haul-out sites and foraging areas. The Moray Firth is the only UK region where long-term harbour seal population studies have been conducted in parallel with detailed studies of foraging ecology. We used this opportunity to investigate changes in the use of haul-out sites and foraging areas within two adjacent estuaries, where annual haul-out counts were made over a 20-year period. In 1988, >99% of seals and all mother-pup pairs were located at haul-out sites within an area that was subsequently designated as a SAC to protect harbour seals. In addition to previously reported declines in this area, we detected a shift in haul-out distribution resulting from the development of a new pupping site that, by 2008, held 37% of mother pup pairs in the area. Foraging areas of breeding females were compared in 1989 and 2009 using a combination of VHF and GPS-GSM telemetry, confirming that females foraged in broadly similar areas in both periods. This suggests that the development of this new pupping site was not driven by the need to forage further offshore, but instead was more likely due to local variation in haul-out site characteristics. These results are discussed in relation to potential drivers of haul-out site choice and the need to develop a broader suite of measures for managing habitat quality within this and other SACs for harbour seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is associated with structural brain abnormalities, but the timing of onset and course of these changes remains unclear. Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated progressive brain volume decreases in patients around and after the onset of illness, although considerable discrepancies exist regarding which brain regions are affected. The anatomical pattern of these progressive changes in schizophrenia is largely unknown. In this study, MRI scans were acquired repeatedly from 16 schizophrenia patients approximately 2 years apart following their first episode of illness, and also from 14 age-matched healthy subjects. Cortical Pattern Matching, in combination with Structural Image Evaluation, using Normalisation, of Atrophy, was applied to compare the rates of cortical surface contraction between patients and controls. Surface contraction in the dorsal surfaces of the frontal lobe was significantly greater in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ) compared with healthy controls. Overall, brain surface contraction in patients and healthy controls showed similar anatomical patterns, with that of the former group exaggerated in magnitude across the entire brain surface. That the pattern of structural change in the early course of schizophrenia corresponds so closely to that associated with normal development is consistent with the hypothesis that a schizophrenia-related factor interacts with normal adolescent brain developmental processes in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The exaggerated progressive changes seen in patients with schizophrenia may reflect an increased rate of synaptic pruning, resulting in excessive loss of neuronal connectivity, as predicted by the late neurodevelopmental hypothesis of the illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hippocampal volume change over time, measured with MRI, has huge potential as a marker for Alzheimer's disease. The objectives of this study were: (i) to test if constant and accelerated hippocampal loss can be detected in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and normal ageing over short periods, e.g. 6-12 months, with MRI in the large multicentre setting of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI); (ii) to determine the extent to which the polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene modulates hippocampal change; and (iii) to determine if rates of hippocampal loss correlate with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, such as the beta-amyloid (Abeta(1-42)) and tau proteins (tau). The MRI multicentre study included 112 cognitive normal elderly individuals, 226 mild cognitive impairment and 96 Alzheimer's disease patients who all had at least three successive MRI scans, involving 47 different imaging centres. The mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease groups showed hippocampal volume loss over 6 months and accelerated loss over 1 year. Moreover, increased rates of hippocampal loss were associated with presence of the ApoE allele epsilon4 gene in Alzheimer's disease and lower CSF Abeta(1-42) in mild cognitive impairment, irrespective of ApoE genotype, whereas relations with tau were only trends. The power to measure hippocampal change was improved by exploiting correlations statistically between successive MRI observations. The demonstration of considerable hippocampal loss in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease patients over only 6 months and accelerated loss over 12 months illustrates the power of MRI to track morphological brain changes over time in a large multisite setting. Furthermore, the relations between faster hippocampal loss in the presence of ApoE allele epsilon4 and decreased CSF Abeta(1-42) supports the concept that increased hippocampal loss is an indicator of Alzheimer's disease pathology and a potential marker for the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in the timing and abundance of marine food resources is known to affect the breeding behaviour of many seabirds, constraining our understanding of the extent to which these behaviours vary in different parts of a species’ range. We studied incubation shifts of northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis) breeding at two colonies in Arctic Canada (High Arctic oceanographic zone) and one colony in the UK (Boreal oceanographic zone) between 2001 and 2005. Fulmars in Arctic Canada had longer incubation shifts than previously reported at more southern colonies, presumably because marine productivity is lower early in the breeding season in the Arctic. Shift durations were particularly long at one colony in years with abnormally late, extensive sea-ice cover, although at the other Arctic colony, where sea-ice cover is predictably late every year, the duration of shifts was shorter than expected. At the Boreal colony, incubation shifts were much longer than expected, similar to Arctic colonies, and likely attributable to poor marine food supplies in the North Sea in recent years. Collectively, our data suggest that fulmars can adjust their incubation rhythm to compensate for poor marine feeding conditions, although this may incur a cost to body condition or reproductive success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival rates have rarely been estimated for pinniped populations due to the constraints of obtaining unbiased sample data. In this paper, we present an approach for estimating survival probabilities from individual recognition data in the form of photographic documentation of pelage patterns. This method was applied to estimate adult (age 2+) survival for harbour seals in the Moray Firth, NE Scotland. An astronomical telescope was used to obtain digital images of individual seals, and high-quality images were used to document the annual presence or absence of individuals at a single haul-out site over a 4-year period. A total of 95 females, 10 males and 57 individuals of unknown sex were photographically documented during the study period. Survival and recapture probabilities were estimated using Jolly–Seber mark–recapture models in a Bayesian statistical framework. Computer-intensive Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods were used to estimate the probability distributions for the survival and recapture probabilities, conveying the full extent of the uncertainty resulting from unavoidably sparse observational data. The deviance information criterion was used to identify a best-fitting model that accounted for variation in the probability of capture between sexes, with constant survival. The model estimated adult survival as 0.98 (95% probability interval of 0.94–1.00) using our photo-identification data alone, and 0.97 (0.92–0.99) with the use of an informative prior distribution based on previously published estimates of harbour seal survival. This paper represents the first survival estimate for harbour seals in the UK, and the first survival estimate using photo-identification data in any species of pinniped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergetics were used to model the potential impacts on adult Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., stocks and rod fisheries of removing harbour seals, Phoca vitulina L., from three rivers of different scales in the Moray Firth, Scotland, viz: the Spey (large), Conon (medium) and Moriston (small). Overall, seals had the greatest impact on the Moriston, where removal of a single animal could increase cumulative catch by 17% during the fishing season. On the Conon and Spey the impacts were negligible, and resulted in increased catches of <1% annually. On all rivers eliminating seal predation had the greatest impact during the spring due to the smaller size of spring salmon sub-stocks. A generalised model of seal removal illustrated that stocks and catches increased by >33% in rivers with monthly rod catches ≤10 fish, but declined to <10% for rivers with catches >34 fish. The outputs of the models are qualitative, but provide a management tool for targeting action to resolve seal-salmon fishery conflict. Smaller salmon population units, and spring salmon sub-stocks and fisheries in particular, are most vulnerable to predation. The merit of this approach is discussed regarding the management of Special Areas of Conservation for salmon and seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that the distribution of cetaceans can be closely linked to habitat, but the underlying function of the preferred habitats often remains unclear. Only when behavioural observations are made in relation to habitat types can functional mechanisms behind the habitat use be revealed. Within the range of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population off NE Scotland, dolphins show clear preferences for several discrete areas. If the observed patterns of distribution are related to foraging, we predict that behaviour patterns shown by dolphins would reflect this relationship. In this study we identify behaviours of dolphins at the water surface that were related to feeding events, evaluate whether the patterns of distribution were related to foraging and whether they were related the local submarine habitat characteristics. To investigate whether visible surface evidence of foraging behaviour varied spatially, we analysed data collected from 104 regular boat-based surveys made within the Moray Firth, NE Scotland, between 1990 and 2000. To determine whether underlying bathymetry had any influence on the surface behaviour of dolphins, a land-based observation study was carried out in the populations core region of use. The results of this study show that feeding behaviour by dolphins was significantly higher in areas used intensively by dolphins. Furthermore, there were clear relationships between feeding events and the submarine habitat characteristics; certain forms of feeding occur primarily over steep seabed gradients, and in deeper waters during June and July. These results quantitatively support the hypothesis that the distinctive patterns of distribution shown by these dolphins are related to foraging behaviour or opportunities, and that submarine habitat characteristics may be a significant factor in the foraging efficiency of dolphins. Future work should focus on collecting detailed information on the distribution patterns of prey within the study area to allow direct comparisons between predator and prey distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) measurements in men with acute urinary retention is unclear. Total PSA, free and complexed PSA were measured, and the free/total (f/t) PSA and complexed/total (c/t) PSA ratios calculated, prior to catheterisation and at 48 and 72 h post-catheterisation in 39 men with acute retention. Subsequent histology showed 12 patients had prostate cancer and 27 benign prostatic hypertrophy. Serum free and total PSA fell following catheterisation, while complexed PSA rose during the first 48 h then subsequently fell. The f/t PSA and c/t PSA ratios provided the best discrimination at 48–72 h with 100% sensitivity and 75–82% specificity.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2001) 4, 167–172. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyorchidism is a rare congenital anomaly, readily diagnosed on ultrasound. Testicular microlithiasis is a condition increasingly recognized and with a possible association with primary testicular malignancy. Rete testis has a variable appearance and is an unusual finding in the young patient. We describe the ultrasound appearances of the combination of polyorchidism, rete testis and microlithiasis, a combination that has not been previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Allelic Differences Between Europeans and Chinese for CREB1 SNPs and Their Implications in Gene Expression Regulation, Hippocampal Structure and Function, and Bipolar Disorder susceptibility," published in April 9, 2013 issues of the journal is presented.

A photograph of a genome-wide association study which reveals that dopamine-related genetic effect on right caudate volume is presented.

Seals and commercial fisheries are potential competitors for fish and cephalopods. Research into the diet of British seal species has been based on conventional dietary analyses, but these methods often do not allow assignment of species identity to scat samples. We present a protocol for obtaining DNA from seal scat (faecal) samples which can be used in polymerase chain reactions to amplify both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. This can provide a method of identifying the species, sex and individual identity of the seal, from a particular scat sample. Combined with conventional dietary analyses these techniques will allow us to assess sources of variation in seal diet composition. Scat samples have been collected from intertidal haul-out sites around the inner Moray Firth, north-east Scotland. We have assessed methods to extract and purify faecal DNA, a combination of DNA from the individual seal, prey items, and gut bacteria, for use in PCR. Controls using faecal and blood samples from the same individual have enabled microsatellite primer sets from four pinniped species to be tested. Approximately 200 scat samples have been examined for species identityand individual matches. This study will provide essential information for the assessment of interactions between seals and commercial or recreational fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]